The COVID-19 virus keeps changing and cases are on the rise, but Utah doctors say recent developments in the fight against COVID-19 are positive.
"COVID is continuing to evolve, and it showed us the last three years that it is a dynamic virus that keeps changing," Dr. Andrew Pavia, chief of the U.'s Division of Pediatric Infectious diseases, said Friday as a panel of University of Utah Health experts discussed theThree subvariants of omicron are rising, Pavia said, but the newest vaccine has been tested on recently infected people and have been found to be successful in neutralizing the virus.
The key, Vinik said, is that very few of the hospitalizations are from patients completely up to date on their vaccinations and boosters. "Good news ... the vaccines are still effective and we expect this new booster to be even more effective at preventing cases and hospitalizations," he said. Choudhary said the booster will be available for anyone 6 months and older to have. Choudhary encouraged anyone getting an annual flu shot to get the new booster, as well.