Covid is seeing a summer surge in Alaska and across the nation.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - A wave of Covid-19 has spread around the globe this summer including in the last frontier.Six months later, cases started to pick up again as a new wave worked it’s way around the nation, and the world. “The summer covid surge hits at least 84 countries,” said Dr. Joe McLaughlin, the state epidemiologist with the Alaska Dept. of Health. In July that wave peaked at 417 cases.
“These variants are called flirt variants... the two primary flirt variants are kp2 and kp3,” McLaughlin explained. There are two additional variants and the latest variant, kp3.1.1 accounts for a quarter of all cases nationally. While immunity has been built up since the pandemic, vaccinations are still important in prevent the illness and sever symptoms. “It’s much more effective at decreasing your risk of hospitalization and death,” McLaughlin said. “The other thing that vaccination does is it helps prevent long covid.”
It is up to individuals as to whether or not they want to use masks to protect themselves from the spike in Covid, but it is recommended to wear a mask if someone in your home gets infected. “People should stay home or not go to work or not go to school until at least 24 hours have passed since their fever resolved without the use of fever reducing medications,” said McLaughlin.
KP2 KP3 KP3.1.1 Covid-19 Covid Alaska Tourism Summer July August Dr. Joe Mclughlin Paxlovid Alaska Dept. Of Health
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