2 new COVID variants called 'FLiRT' are spreading in the U.S.

[Scholar4Truth]

The family of variants, nicknamed "FLiRT," after their mutations, include KP.2, which is now the dominant variant in the United States. 2 new COVID variants called 'FLiRT' are spreading in the U.S. What are the symptoms? (msn.com)

[Grim Reaper 6]

Covid is surging across the US, with levels of the virus on track to exceed last summer’s wave nationally and approaching the peak of last winter’s wave in the west, according to wastewater data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)..

A lot of people right now are getting Covid all over the country,” said Dr Peter Chin-Hong, professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. “There are still hospitalizations, and there’s still a few hundred deaths every week in the US – and that’s a tragedy.”

The rise is being driven by a trio of variants, called Flirt because of shared mutations, that seem to be more immune-evasive and transmissible. And much of the US has been locked in heatwaves, with many Americans staying indoors to avoid the heat – which can lead to more spread of the virus..

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/27/covid-vaccine-rates-paxlovid-data?amp_js_v=0.1&amp_gsa=1#webview=1&cap=swipe

[Kiwicami]

A weird thing to see that covid is still going, obviously it wouldn't be gone in a day. Meanwhile i haven't caught covid once over here, but i still wear my mask outdoors and while doing my groceries.

[Grim Reaper 6]

26 minutes ago, Kiwicami said:

A weird thing to see that covid is still going, obviously it wouldn't be gone in a day. Meanwhile i haven't caught covid once over here, but i still wear my mask outdoors and while doing my groceries.

I have received all the vaccinations, yet I have caught COVID three times, currently I am recovering from my third infection. However, in three situations where I caught COVID it was a very mild infection except for this last time. This time the infection has lead to a lung infection that required antibiotics, but it has finally resolved itself, the previous two infections only required OTC medication. I have not worn a mask since it was mandatory a few years back, maybe I should consider doing it again. I glad that you have been one of the lucky ones who has never been infected by Covid, maybe the mask is the answer. But there is another possibility, there are a group of people spread across the globe who are immune to Covid, maybe your one of the lucky ones.

[Megaro]

Thank you for that article.

I have an elderly family member who is currently in a nursing home and she has Covid again, but is doing okay.  

I was under the uneducated impression that Covid had weakened as it mutated and we as the hosts had become more resistant, or perhaps resilient.  It is good for the public to be aware of the current status of the virus from the experts and mindful of its continued threat.

[Grim Reaper 6]

12 minutes ago, Megaro said:

Thank you for that article.

I have an elderly family member who is currently in a nursing home and she has Covid again, but is doing okay.

I hope she recovers soon.

12 minutes ago, Megaro said:

I was under the uneducated impression that Covid had weakened as it mutated and we as the hosts had become more resistant, or perhaps resilient.  It is good for the public to be aware of the current status of the virus from the experts and mindful of its continued threat.

I also thought it would weaken as we gain resistance through vaccination and by natural immunity from catching the virus. However, I had in twice in 2022 and I am currently recovering from another recent infection. Now, I am fully vaccinated and have had Covid twice but this recent infection was the worst yet. It caused a lung infection that required antibiotics, previously I only needed OTC medication and the infection was completely gone in seven days. This time I have been sick for approximately 2 weeks and finally the infection is resolving itself. 

[+Hammerclaw]

Covid has become endemic, like flu and will wax and wane seasonably, like flu. Like flu it has reached equilibrium with its host species, by only its least fatal strains surviving to propagate.

[Kiwicami]

On 7/28/2024 at 10:57 PM, Grim Reaper 6 said:

I have received all the vaccinations, yet I have caught COVID three times, currently I am recovering from my third infection. However, in three situations where I caught COVID it was a very mild infection except for this last time. This time the infection has lead to a lung infection that required antibiotics, but it has finally resolved itself, the previous two infections only required OTC medication. I have not worn a mask since it was mandatory a few years back, maybe I should consider doing it again. I glad that you have been one of the lucky ones who has never been infected by Covid, maybe the mask is the answer. But there is another possibility, there are a group of people spread across the globe who are immune to Covid, maybe your one of the lucky ones.

I'm sorry to hear that, i hope you recover quickly! The thing about the basic masks is that it protects others more than yourself, but I do believe it helped me not catch covid since I've been wearing one since the initial lockdowns, except from the few times where i forgot it and didn't want to climb back up to my apartment.

I did not know people would be immune but that makes sense, i have no clue if i am, but i am vaccinated. I actually think i need to get another update shot i'm not sure.

[Grim Reaper 6]

20 minutes ago, Kiwicami said:

I'm sorry to hear that, i hope you recover quickly! The thing about the basic masks is that it protects others more than yourself, but I do believe it helped me not catch covid since I've been wearing one since the initial lockdowns, except from the few times where i forgot it and didn't want to climb back up to my apartment.

I did not know people would be immune but that makes sense, i have no clue if i am, but i am vaccinated. I actually think i need to get another update shot i'm not sure.

If you want to find out if your one of the lucky ones that is immune your doctor can do a blood test to find out..

We finally know why some people seem immune to catching covid-19:  https://www.newscientist.com/article/2436182-we-finally-know-why-some-people-seem-immune-to-catching-covid-19/

[Kiwicami]

Ah nice, thank you for the link, a shame that i can't read the full article without subscribing, though i'm sure i'll find another article on the subject if i search for it

[Trelane]

Apparently I was in contact with someone trying to be a super spreader. Got tested , nothing. 

[XenoFish]

Well the covid panic button in my brain no longer works. 

[+joc]

On 7/31/2024 at 2:44 PM, Trelane said:

Apparently I was in contact with someone trying to be a super spreader. Got tested , nothing. 

Never got tested.  Never got Covid.  Never worried about it.  Licked my fingers to open the plastic bags to put the bananas everyone else had already touched.  Didn't wear a mask.  Didn't social distance.  Didn't die.  Didn't care.  

I'm still here and I'm still not worried.  And I still don't care.  Like I said way back when...Biden took credit for the vaccine and the pandemic was over...yippee.  Meanwhile...we are all still feeling the repercussions of a world gone mad with fear.  Fear is the great mind killer and Covid is just a tool of those who push fear.  

[Essan]

On 7/28/2024 at 9:57 PM, Grim Reaper 6 said:

I have received all the vaccinations, yet I have caught COVID three times

Vaccinations don't stop you catching a virus (how can they?  Only total isolation can do that.) They just prime our immune systems to reduce the risk of it developing into a serious illness (and also, consequently, of passing it on). 

Unfortunately some people are more prone to become ill from the virus than others, something we still don't understand why*

I had 3 jabs during the pandemic but none since.  To my knowledge I have never caught the virus - if I have, it never affected me.  I may be one of the lucky ones.

 

* edit - I hadnt seen that article you posted.  Unfortunately I don't have an account to read it, but sounds interesting! 

Edited August 4 by Essan

[Grim Reaper 6]

7 hours ago, Essan said:

Vaccinations don't stop you catching a virus (how can they?  Only total isolation can do that.) They just prime our immune systems to reduce the risk of it developing into a serious illness (and also, consequently, of passing it on). 

Unfortunately some people are more prone to become ill from the virus than others, something we still don't understand why*

I had 3 jabs during the pandemic but none since.  To my knowledge I have never caught the virus - if I have, it never affected me.  I may be one of the lucky ones.

 

* edit - I hadnt seen that article you posted.  Unfortunately I don't have an account to read it, but sounds interesting! 

Sorry you can’t read the article I didn’t realize it was a pay site. I have all the vaccinations including boasters in 2023 and 2024. Like you say the vaccines are not designed to make someone bullet proof, they are only designed to plus up our immune systems. You may be one of the lucky ones that has immunity to COVID, let’s hope so. Apparently, due to scientific evidence there are people world wide that are immune to the virus, but they still do not have a complete understanding why. My first two infections only last around 3 days, but this one has had me down for week’s because it caused a lung infection that required antibiotics. But I am finally past it, except for the mucus I am bringing up but that’s to be expected. Hopefully, this is the last time I get sick from it I should have enough natural immunity to prevent further infections.

[Hawken]

On 8/4/2024 at 7:11 AM, joc said:

Never got tested.  Never got Covid.  Never worried about it.  Licked my fingers to open the plastic bags to put the bananas everyone else had already touched.  Didn't wear a mask.  Didn't social distance.  Didn't die.  Didn't care.  

I'm still here and I'm still not worried.  And I still don't care.  Like I said way back when...Biden took credit for the vaccine and the pandemic was over...yippee.  Meanwhile...we are all still feeling the repercussions of a world gone mad with fear.  Fear is the great mind killer and Covid is just a tool of those who push fear.  

And Biden opened the floodgates of Immigration during covid. Who knows what diseases they could have brought into the country.

That was a red flag the virus wasn't that severe. Stats show over a 99% recovery. But the media only reported the deaths.

From 2020 to 2024. Deaths/Recoveries. United States COVID - Coronavirus Statistics - Worldometer (worldometers.info)

[+and-then]

On 8/4/2024 at 7:11 AM, joc said:

I'm still here and I'm still not worried.

My plan for future situations like Covid is to watch the people in my community.  If they start dropping like flies, I'll consider a vaccine and isolation but not until then.  NEVER AGAIN.

[+joc]

5 hours ago, and-then said:

My plan for future situations like Covid is to watch the people in my community.  If they start dropping like flies, I'll consider a vaccine and isolation but not until then.  NEVER AGAIN.

I have no plans for the future concerning hypothetical this-ers or that-ers.  

[Trelane]

Update, caught it apparently.

Like Grim, I've been vaxxed several times (military requirement initially). Like the flu shot, it can mean nothing depending on active variants apparently.

[Kenemet]

We've been lucky, but as retirees we don't have a big social circle and aren't exposed to people in a work environment.

[Grim Reaper 6]

9 hours ago, Trelane said:

Update, caught it apparently.

Like Grim, I've been vaxxed several times (military requirement initially). Like the flu shot, it can mean nothing depending on active variants apparently.

Thats very true, but being vaccinated certainly minimizes the symptoms at least for me. But this new variant kind of kicked my butt, it took nearly one month for the symptoms to totally resolve, finally I am good to go and this was my third infection.

How bad are your symptoms?

Edited August 20 by Grim Reaper 6

[Dejarma]

On 5/3/2024 at 7:43 PM, Scholar4Truth said:

The family of variants, nicknamed "FLiRT," after their mutations, include KP.2, which is now the dominant variant in the United States. 2 new COVID variants called 'FLiRT' are spreading in the U.S. What are the symptoms? (msn.com)

it's just the flu!! don't worry about it! 😉

[Grim Reaper 6]

4 minutes ago, Dejarma said:

it's just the flu!! don't worry about it! 😉

That’s totally inaccurate on many different levels!

[Dejarma]

Just now, Grim Reaper 6 said:

That’s totally inaccurate on many different levels!

ok, i'm wrong... leave it at that ... cheers

[Trelane]

24 minutes ago, Grim Reaper 6 said:

Thats very true, but being vaccinated certainly minimizes the symptoms at least for me. But this new variant kind of kicked my butt, it took nearly one month for the symptoms to totally resolve, finally I am good to go and this was my third infection.

How bad are your symptoms?

It's just been a really persistent cough. Nothing else though