It’s not your imagination, more people are getting COVID again

Experts are seeing a small spike in the number of cases in the region as the new variant FLiRT makes it round.

If it isn’t you, it’s probably someone you know who has had COVID recently. It seems to have again become a more common occurrence among those returning from trips or attending get-togethers.

It’s true. COVID-19 infections are on the rise, thanks to the spread of the new variant informally known as “FLiRT.” Even though COVID levels in eastern Massachusetts wastewater have remained low, there was a slight uptick in early July.

Boston.com spoke with two experts to learn what is happening and how to best protect oneself from contracting the disease.

Is there an uptick of COVID-19 now?

The short answer is — yes.

On Thursday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported 1,481 coronavirus cases and 6 deaths from June 23 to June 29, a 13% increase from the week before.

Over the past several weeks, there has been an increase in SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID, in the wastewater, according to Boston Medical Center’s Dr. Sabrina Assoumou.

Since many people are no longer testing or are conducting unreported take-home tests, officials are relying on wastewater levels to measure the prevalence of the disease in the community.

“We are not in 2020,” said Assoumou. “We are not back at the beginning of the pandemic when we were all overwhelmed at the hospital because of the number of severe cases … we are not seeing that.”

However, there has been an increase in the number of people showing up to emergency rooms and urgent care centers with symptoms of COVID-19, said Dr. Paul Biddinger, chief preparedness and continuity officer at Mass General Brigham.

Biddinger said the number of COVID inpatients at Mass General Bringham in the late spring was about 20-30 people. Now, it’s closer to 80 patients across the 3,300 beds.

But, of those admitted to the hospital, about three-quarters of the patients were admitted for another reason.

There are four patients in the ICU with COVID, but Biddinger said they were hospitalized for a different ailment.

“There has been an increase of people who are getting sick,” said Biddinger. “But there is nothing to suggest they are more sick than in previous waves.”

How is the FLiRT variant different from previous ones?

According to the data Assoumou is seeing now, the FLiRT variant is more contagious than in previous iterations and can more easily evade immunity, but does not appear to be associated with more severe disease.

Assoumou said older people and those with underlying conditions are most likely affected by it.

Assoumou noted that those dying from the disease tend to be 75 years or older.

However, the symptoms remain the same, including cough, runny nose, fever, and body aches.

“There’s always a chance one of these variances will cause more severe illness,” said Biddinger. “So far, the new variant is not doing that.”

“Although it makes people ill,” Biddinger explained that generally, FLiRT “is not causing more people to be admitted to the hospital.”

What precautions should people take?

People at high risk, such as those with an underlying condition or who are older, should consider taking extra precautions, such as avoiding crowded settings or wearing masks.

Most importantly, Biddinger said, if you feel ill, don’t go out in public.

“None of us want to make someone else sick, especially someone who is vulnerable.”

Assoumou said ventilation and filtration work. So, if you are holding a large gathering, have it outdoors, where it decreases the transmission rate.

Biddinger said to get tested if you have a fever or a cough. If you test positive, follow the CDC’s guidelines for wearing a mask for five days to help keep everyone safe.

Assoumou says you should talk to your healthcare provider about getting an antiviral like Paxlvoid if you get sick. But don’t delay because treatment needs to start within five to seven days after symptoms begin.

“It’s a great medicine,” said Assoumou. “Don’t hesitate. Use it.”

Both Biddinger and Assoumou recommend getting your vaccination shots.

When should you get your next vaccination shot?

With COVID cases on the rise, many wonder if they should re-up their boosters now. However, that is an individual decision to make, depending on when a person was last boosted and other risk factors.

The CDC said a fall formulation with an updated formula that better matches the variants will be available for the general population. It might be easier to wait and get both the booster and flu shots simultaneously.

“People at higher risk should talk to their doctor because we know the full efficiency of the vaccine wanes over time,” said Biddinger. “It may be better to get a regular vaccination according to the CDC recommendation and not wait until the fall.”

Why is this spike happening now?

According to Assoumou, the virus has evolved to become more transmissible. Since it has been hot, many people have moved indoors to use the air conditioning. Another factor is waning immunity.

If a person gets COVID-19 or the vaccination shots, there is a three- to four-month window of antibodies that are higher in preventing infection. So, if someone got COVID-19 or their shots last fall or winter, their immunity is waning, and there is less protection overall.

“That’s why we are seeing more infections,” said Assoumou.

But this isn’t our first COVID rodeo.

“There are a lot of tools out there,” Assoumou said. “Use them.”

Most of the spikes historically took about six weeks to peak and lasted about 12 weeks, said Biddinger, who expects this one to follow the same course.

Biddinger expects the surge to continue for the next several weeks, but he said it will probably not last throughout the summer.

“It is very likely for the foreseeable future not just to have winter surges but periodic surges throughout the year,” Biddenger said. “People should pay attention to how much virus is in the community and adjust their behavior, particularly when at high risk.”