Parts of an unused COVID-19 at-home test.An unused COVID-19 at-home trial kit. (Rachel Cassandra/AKPM)

Alaska is experiencing a summertime COVID wave, fueled by nan caller alleged “FLiRT variants,” caller Omicron variants of nan COVID-19 virus. 

Joe McLaughlin, an epidemiologist pinch nan state’s section of nationalist health, said nan activity is partially owed to waning immunity. He said only astir 18% of Alaskans sewage a COVID vaccine this past year. 

“Anytime you get these variants that are driving nan wave, typically, what’s happening is they’ve had immoderate benignant of a mutation, astatine slightest 1 aliases a couple, that typically will springiness them nan capacity to evade anterior immunity amended than different strains that are circulating,” McLaughlin said. 

McLaughlin said vaccination and boosters tin thief pinch immunity and that increasing grounds shows vaccination helps trim nan consequence of agelong COVID. 

McLaughlin said it now whitethorn return 2 to 3 days for group pinch COVID-19 to trial affirmative pinch at-home trial kits. And anyone complete 12 years aged is eligible for medicine antivirals for illustration Paxlovid, if their healthcare supplier feels they’re astatine a higher consequence of complications. Antivirals tin trim nan spot of COVID symptoms and little risks of hospitalization and death. 

McLaughlin said nan summer COVID wave shows nary signs of abating. 

He said recommendations for really group should isolate if they get COVID person changed. He said now group should enactment location 24 hours aft their symptoms, including a fever, resoluteness without fever-reducing medications for illustration acetaminophen. 

“That’s nan wide recommendation,” McLaughlin said. “It’s not 5 days. It’s not 10 days. It’s really based connected your symptoms.”

McLaughlin said group complete 65 years aged and group who are immunocompromised are eligible to get a 2nd COVID booster vaccine this season. He said group should hold astatine slightest 4 months betwixt boosters and Alaskans tin expect a caller COVID booster to beryllium released successful nan adjacent 2 to 3 months. 

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