Currently, the XEC variant is the largest in the US, with the former largest variant KP.3.1.1 in second place. But the LP.8.1 variant is rising. All are descendants of BA.2.86 and JN.1. See the following:
A comparison of mutations between these variants and the vaccine variants KP.2 (Pfizer and Moderna) and JN.1 (Novavax) is here:
Hereās a quick update. 14 of the 22 people who attended the event suspected as the spreading place had confirmed cases of covid and symptoms within 2-7 days later. At least one other had symptoms but did not take a test. Most people were over 65 but there were also 2 children, one of whom became sick (all 4 parents had covid). The vast majority had had the recent booster and for several individuals this was their first time having covid. I was happy to remain in the minority.
Mom, who turns 94 this month, tested positive on Monday. She lives in an IL and had a runny nose. One of her friends told her to test as Covid, among other things, was running through the building. She felt fine Monday and Tuesday, but is complaining of being weak. While she doesnāt remember, the last time she was sick, she was weak; I think when she does nothing, she notices it more.
I check in with her a couple of times a day, just to make sure symptoms havenāt change. She wonāt go to the doctor even if I thought she needed to. Other than weakness and runny nose, she has no other symptoms. She canāt take Paxlovid due to kidney disease, so we just wait it out. We have a family trip planned in one week; hoping she is up for the drive.
I went to bed on Saturday night with that vague sense of an impending cold. I got up on Sunday morning with a runny nose and thought, yeah Iām getting a cold. But I had a reporting role at a church meeting so I went ahead. That afternoon I felt compelled to take a nap (not my usual MO). Two hours later I realized I was running a fever of 100.3. The fever triggered me to take a Covid test and I dusted one off from the top shelf in the closet. It was positive. In denial, I took a second test. Also positive.
I got the latest vaccine back in early October. Anyway, I felt pretty miserable the rest of Sunday and Monday due to the fever. On Monday I had a telemedicine visit with a NP from my PCP. She said she was surprised to hear I tested positive for Covid because they were mostly seeing flu and āwalking pneumonia.ā She also said that Paxlovid had fallen out of favor and she prescribed a 10 day course of doxycycline and a 6-day pack of MethylPrednisolone, apparently to stave off bronchitis. Iām now on Day 5 of those meds. Since Monday Iāve felt much better and my remaining symptoms are fatigue and slight nasal congestion.
Looking at the CDC guidelines, it says: The CDC updated Respiratory Virus Guidance recommends that people stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both their symptoms are getting better overall, and they have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). Then it encourages precautions for the next 5 days including wearing a mask around others. I feel like my 5 day period would have started by Wednesday of this week. I have a Book Club meeting next Tuesday, and Iām hopeful that it will be safe for me to go without a mask by then. Iāll check to see if thereās anyone with a compromised immune system attending.
If you have any remaining COVID tests, you can use one on Tuesday to check if you may be contagious (before the book club meeting).
I had not heard that Paxlovid had fallen out of favor. Can you provide more details?
I got Covid a year and 3 months ago at an art class. The person with COVID tested after the class, not before. The entire class got COVID. I landed in the hospital. The contagiousness is astounding. Gone are the days when people tested at the first sign of congestion. I still wear a mask everywhere., including classes and meetings.
I hadnāt heard that either. I also didnāt know that doxycycline was being used to treat COVID.
Iām sort of paraphrasing what she said. She said something about āthe guidelinesā and it not being shown to improve outcomes as much as was once thought. Iām 66 but have no other particular risk factors. But I previously thought it was sort of automatic if youāre over 65. Iām not saying this NP (who I never met before) is an authority, either. Just reporting what she told me and that she didnāt prescribe Paxlovid for me.
I got the impression that she is approaching multiple respiratory viruses the same way, and not treating Covid differently. Which seems at least somewhat consistent with the new guidelines from the CDC which has a āunified Respiratory Virus Guidanceā instead of additional guidance for each virus. But again, itās not like sheās my regular doctor that I have great faith in. She was a NP handling the telemedicine call whom Iāve never encountered before.
Doxycycline is an antibiotic and does ZIP for a viral infection. Iām surprised that was prescribed without testing for a bacterial infection.
Yeah that was my thought. I coughed a few times while on the televisit (genuine coughs) and she thought I sounded phlegmy, but that was the extent of it.
Very strange! An Xray is typically required to diagnose pneumonia (BTDT recently). A cough is not enough.
Paxlovid is very expensive without the government funding. So maybe prescribing it is down due to the cost.
I tested positive for COVID last week. I felt like I was coming down with a cold, very sore throat and fatigue. After a couple of days, when the ācoldā did not move into drippy/congested nose etc I decided to test.
The worst was a sore throat for 3 days. . . Once that cleared up I didnāt feel too bad. I took it easy but never developed the cough I had the first time I had COVID.
I never got around to getting the most recent booster, so I have not had a shot since 2022? I had COVID in July of 2022 and I think this go around was easier.
Flu A is rampant here and walking pneumonia was bad this fall. I did get my flu shot, so I feel good about that.
I donāt go out much (I WFH) but recently I have been thinking I should mask up a the grocery store etc. Too late!
The doc said not much to do, he would not Rx Paxlovid since i have no risk factors.
Neither my doctor nor my Hās felt that there was any need to prescribe Paxlovid or any other medication when we had Covid (2x for H, 3x for me). Different doctors, different hospital systems. We donāt have any complicating conditions. I donāt know that it is uncommon not to be prescribed a medication.
| Vaccine available | Target variant |
|---|---|
| Before 9/2022 | ancestral |
| 9/2022-8/2023 | BA.5 + ancestral |
| 9/2023-8/2024 | XBB.1.5 |
| 9/2024-current | KP.2 (P, M) or JN.1 (N) |
Unlike in past years, when a new much different variant took over shortly after vaccines became available, the currently circulating variants are still closely related to the vaccine target.
As far as we know we all only got covid 1xāat an 80th bday party where our entire table got covid. The next day was my momās funeral but I hadnāt tested so didnāt know i had it. As far as I know, we only gave covid to the family members living in our house. Others spoke to at tfs funeral stayed healthy.
It was 7/2023 and we are all high risk because we are all asthmatic and H&I >65. We all got Paxlovid. Havenāt had covid since so no info about how hard it is to get Paxlovid any more and what copays are.
I believe I read that Paxlovid isnāt showing much use for better outcomes except for those at high risk of complications. Like Tamiflu it looked promising but in the real world it just doesnāt make enough difference for most people to justify the side effects. If you are over 65 and/or you have comorbidities the calculations may be different.
For me and our family, it was night & day. Once we started taking it (and I could keep it down), I started feeling SO much better very quickly. Before that, I felt glued to my bed!
Iāve taken paxlovid twice and it made a huge difference, especially the second time. I have never understood the reluctance of doctors to prescribe it. I have heard countless times about docs who wonāt prescribe it because the patient wasnāt āsick enough.ā The whole point of the excercise is to take it so you wonāt get āsick enough.ā