As the autumn season passes, many may have felt sick or gotten their flu shot recently. The current climate at this time of year can facilitate new outbreaks, which in turn may result in the spread of new COVID mutations around CdM.
One of the few new strains, called XFG, mainly known as Stratus, has started to surge, taking up 85% of all COVID cases. People who have had a booster report mild symptoms, but generally, many experience fatigue, fever, and a dry cough. New symptoms include brain fog, digestive problems, and shortness of breath.
The other variant of significance is Nimbus, mainly known for its ‘razor blade sore throat.’ According to the World Health Organization, it is capable of “marginal additional immune evasion,” which makes it slightly more contagious, and despite only taking up 7% of cases, it is only second to Stratus.
Other than these forms of COVID, many have quieted down. Although being able to surge during different times of the year, mainly summer and winter, the original variants have seen a large decrease. To start, the first Omicron variant has essentially vanished, with mutations taking its place. The original COVID, Alpha, has very little impact now, also due to the newer strains.
To understand the climate around CdM this fall, I interviewed Luke Holerook, a freshman here at CdM. “No,” he responded when asked if he had seen anyone sick recently, showing that at least this year, few students have likely caught a cold. His response reflects the observable drop in COVID and other illnesses’ presence in our world, suggesting the lesser impact of once major diseases.
Another CdM student, Landon Vasterling, who is currently in ninth grade, also had something to say. “Not really,” he stated, initially not recalling anyone around him getting sick. Later, however, he remembered how his mom had gotten a cold recently. Landon also noted how he felt COVID “cases kind of died down” after giving some thought.
Even though COVID-19 seems to have died down, people still get sick and pass away. If someone feels sick, it is recommended to wear a mask and use hand sanitizer to prevent an outbreak, which could end up affecting vulnerable people. In the end, it isn’t possible for every single surface to be perfectly clean, which is why handwashing is important. By limiting ways it can spread, COVID too can be stopped and slowed. Preventing illnesses like these can save lives.
