United States: September is here and the weather changes and all sorts of horrible little bugs begin to make their rounds.
COVID-19 Trends and Current Variants
As reported by 9 News, the Food and Drug Administration FDA just authorized some new COVID vaccines, and pharmacies are accepting appointments for everyone who wants to get booster shots of those vaccines and others. In our interview with Dr. Michelle Barron, Senior Director of Infection Prevention at UC Health, we discussed all things seasonal viruses and vaccines for this year.
Choosing Between Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines
That is, if anything new is happening with COVID-19 right now?
“It may be observed that cases are trending upwards in a climbing pattern and it does not appear that they are going to decrease anytime soon,” she said. “This is the issue with COVID – it’s not fully cyclical and thus it is not aligned to an annual cycle. ”
Barron stated that the current variants of concern are progeny of the Omicron variant, that are more like sprinters – the short, quick, intense viruses – as opposed to the marathon kind of illness that characterized COVID of the early years.
The FDA has given its approval to two new vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna that has been developed to counter the KP. 2 strain. Is there a difference whether you buy product of this or that brand? How do you choose?
“Technically, it is the same, but somewhat different,” It is still the same thing and that is why people tend to stick to a given brand because they are aware of the side effects of the products from that particular brand” Barron pointed out. “Others are like ‘Yeah, I like to mix up.’ You know, ‘I like to strike a balance.’ ”
The Unpredictability of COVID-19
She said further, “So really its whatever makes sense again-what is available really? If you are there and it is available – that is the one you should go for.”
“It will be more clear once it is [and] that is why COVID is unpredictable, I guess that is part of the predictability,” of it said Barron.