The danger of dying from Covid-19 is extremely low for people who maintain vaccination schedules and get treatment for breakthrough infections, according to a top health official on Tuesday.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, when thousands of people were dying every day from the virus, the United States has made significant progress in defeating Covid, according to White House Covid task force head Dr. Ashish Jha.
In a press conference at the White House, Dr. Jha assured the public that the danger of dying from Covid is now nearly low if vaccinations are up to date and treatment is sought in the event of a breakthrough infection.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on average, more than 300 people still die every day from Covid.
Jha told reporters last week that the majority of those who are succumbing to the illness are 75 and up, and that most of them aren’t vaccinated or receiving treatment as they should. He said that the number of fatalities is too high considering the resources available to the United States for dealing with the virus.
Jha urged anybody who suspect they have Covid to be tested, so that they can be properly diagnosed and given treatment, such as the antiviral drug Paxlovid.
The treatments we have today “keep people out of the hospital, keep people out of the ICU, prevent the worst outcome at all,” Jha said.
Treatments should be given significant consideration for persons over the age of 50 and those at increased risk, such as those with weakened immune systems or serious medical disorders, he said.
In September, the United States disseminated a round of booster doses designed to combat the prevailing omicron BA.5 subvariant. Jha argued that, given on what is known about the human immune system, they should provide far greater protection than is currently available.
Like every fall and winter since the pandemic began, Jha said, health officials anticipate a rise in Covid infections from November through January. As the virus evolves, however, it is hard to say whether or not the United States will experience another significant Covid rise.
“There is hope for us despite these difficulties. What happens this winter depends mainly on us, the American people, and what occurs in the coming weeks and months will have a major impact on how the season plays out “This is what Jha stated on Tuesday.
He urged everyone over the age of 12 to get the new Covid booster shot by Halloween, so they’d be protected as the holiday season kicked into high gear after Thanksgiving. Officials in the health care industry are preparing for the first major flu season since the epidemic began, therefore he advised that everyone who is able to do so obtain a flu shot.
However, Jha said that patients who recently caught Covid can wait three months before getting a booster shot because infection also strengthens your immunity.
In other words, “Don’t wait – get your fresh flu vaccination and your new Covid shot now,” Jha urged. If the United States as a whole did that, we could save the loss of hundreds of lives every day this winter.