You might be wondering why we need an update to COVID guidelines in 2024, after all, few people are talking about COVID anymore, right? And while the worst of the pandemic is likely behind us, the latest FLiRT variants and rising cases are a good reminder that we have certainly not seen the last of COVID.
COVID Guidelines 2024 – FLiRT Variant Update
Why aren’t people talking about COVID as much anymore?
Mostly it is because far fewer people are getting and dying with COVID now than they were when COVID was surging.
And many people now are either fully vaccinated and protected, partially vaccinated, or at least have immunity because they have had COVID already.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that we can safely ignore COVID now.
After all, until we can get a new, updated COVID vaccine this fall, we won’t be protected against the new FLiRT variants.
“The COVID-19 lull in the U.S. may soon come to an end, as a new family of SARS-CoV-2 variants—nicknamed “FLiRT” variants—begins to spread nationwide.
These variants are distant Omicron relatives that spun out from JN.1, the variant behind the surge in cases this past winter. They’ve been dubbed “FLiRT” variants based on the technical names for their mutations, one of which includes the letters “F” and “L,” and another of which includes the letters “R” and “T.””
What to Know About the ‘FLiRT’ Variants of COVID-19
New FLiRT variants that are thought to be more contagious than previous COVID variants.
So what should you do now?
- keep track of COVID disease in your area, with wastewater trends and activity levels
- keep track of COVID disease in any area to which you might be traveling
- make sure you are up to date on your COVID vaccines, which might mean getting a second dose of the latest, updated COVID vaccine if you are in a high risk category (elderly and/or immunocompromised, etc.)
- get tested if you have COVID symptoms, especially if you are in an area with rising COVID activity
- review the latest treatment guidelines if you have COVID
- avoid others if you are sick with COVID
And then, when we get new COVID vaccines in the fall, get an updated COVID vaccine to get the best protection against the latest variants.
Won’t the last vaccine you got protect you against the FLiRT variants?
While the 2023-24 updated COVID vaccine likely has some cross-reactivity against FLiRT variants, there is also the issue of waning immunity. Since some of the protection you got from your last COVID vaccine is wearing off, to get the best protection, you will want an updated COVID vaccine this fall.
More on COVID Recommendations
- Understanding the New COVID Quarantine and Isolation Recommendations
- Why Did COVID Deaths Increase in Nursing Homes Just After the COVID Vaccines Were Released?
- Get a Vaccine Checkup Before Traveling with Your Kids
- Did COVID Vaccines Cause More Deaths Than They Saved?
- Is Long-COVID Really Just Long-Vax?
- How Many People Have Died After Listening to Bad Advice About COVID?
- Do Seniors Need a Ninth COVID Shot?
- Did Alberta Update Their mRNA Booster Guidance to Every Three Months?
- Trends in United States COVID-19 Deaths, Emergency Department (ED) Visits, and Test Positivity by Geographic Area
- COVID Data Tracker
- WHO COVID-19 dashboard
- Wastewater COVID-19 National and Regional Trends
- WastewaterSCAN Dashboard
- How to Protect Yourself and Others from COVID
- Final Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)Treatment Guidelines (February 29, 2024)
- What’s New in the COVID Treatment Guidelines
- What to Know About COVID FLiRT Variants
- What to make of the new COVID variants, FLiRT
- What to Know About the ‘FLiRT’ Variants of COVID-19
Last Updated on July 3, 2024
You must be logged in to post a comment.