In today’s Health Alert, experts are concerned about a recent surge in COVID cases in China. It raises the odds that a new coronavirus variant could soon emerge in that country.
Yes, there has been an extremely rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in China. The infections are primarily being fueled by the omicron variants, but scientists are worried a new coronavirus mutation could form and again spread across the world.
Here’s what has experts concerned:
- Every new infection in China provides an opportunity for the coronavirus to change.
- There is limited immunity among China’s large population of 1.4 billion. Although overall vaccination rates are high, the number of people getting booster shots is much lower, especially among the elderly.
- China’s vaccines have proven to be less effective against severe infection than the messenger RNA versions used here in the U.S.
- Most vaccines were given more than a year ago. So, the effectiveness has waned.
All of this creates the perfect setting for the virus to change, just like it did when the original version of the coronavirus spread from China to the rest of the world and mutated into the Delta and Omicron variants.
Now, if a new variant does emerge from the China outbreak, scientists don’t know whether it will cause more severe disease. They say there is no biological reason for the virus to become milder over time. Instead, the mild cases we’ve seen over the past year could be attributed to immunity through vaccination or infection, and not because the virus changed into a less severe version.
One of the biggest concerns now is the rising number of senior citizens being hospitalized with COVID-19.
While the overall increase in COVID cases in hospitals has been relatively low this winter, the situation is much more severe for the elderly. Seniors are being hospitalized at a rate four times higher than average.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 13% of all reported cases of COVID-19 have been among people 65 and older. However, about half of all hospitalizations and three-quarters of all deaths have been in this age group.
That’s because the immune systems of older people are not as strong as those of younger adults. So, the vaccines and prior infections don’t protect them as long.
Plus, another reason for the hospitalizations is booster deficiency. The CDC says only a third of the 65 and older population has gotten an updated booster shot. So, if you’re in that category and haven’t been boosted, get boosted. It will help keep you out of the hospital.
