Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
Circulation of respiratory viruses is usually highest in the fall and winter but COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions have been increasing over the spring and as we approach summer.
According to the government’s respiratory virus dashboard, cases of COVID-19 have been on the rise since around April, prompting alarm from health and science experts.
“We must remember that COVID is not gone. So, this is a bit different than things like flu where we see it almost disappear in the summer. The last two summers, COVID has hung around and as a result, we continue to see waves and increases of virus throughout the year,” said Craig Jenne with the University of Calgary’s department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases.
“There is a good chance, as we see the numbers rising in the community, that the summer cold could be a COVID infection.”
While case numbers are expected to continue to trend upwards, especially around summer gatherings like the Calgary Stampede, Jenne isn’t expecting anything alarming.
“I don’t think we’re going to see a risk of filling hospitals or straining the systems but a virus in the community means those of us who have family members could be at risk, then more chance they will catch it,” Jenne said.
“One of the things this virus likes is large gatherings and in a couple of weeks, we’re going to see one of the largest gatherings in Calgary.”
There are several reasons for the recent increase, including the emergence of new variants in Alberta, with KP.2 and KP.3 accounting for more than half of cases across the province.
“This is a virus that continues to change and will for years to come,” Jenne said.
“But we’re also seeing cycles in people’s immunisations. So people who for example were getting shots for early fall to prepare for winter, we’re now six or seven months out and unfortunately, immunity wanes in terms of coronavirus – both .vaccine-induced immunity but also immunity you receive if you are infected and recover.”
According to the provincial dashboard, just shy of 17 per cent of Albertans have received a COVID-19 vaccine since last summer.
Abdul Kanji, a pharmacist at Corner Drugstore in the East Village, says people don’t come through the doors looking for a vaccine in the summer but encourages people to contact their pharmacist to make sure they are up to date.
“We had a whole family down (who) ended up in the hospital. Fortunately, nothing serious. They got some medicine and stayed home and quarantined. COVID is still around but right now, people are not too keen on getting the shots,” he said.
“We’ll look at your records and see how many shots you’ve had.”
Kanji says it’s important that people keep testing when they have symptoms because those infected also have immunity for six months and that can affect when to get a booster shot.
“A lot of allergies right now too, so it’s kind of confusing if it’s an allergy, if it’s a common cold, a viral infection or COVID-19 but talk to your pharmacist, right? We’ll run through the checklist,” he said.
Rapid home test kits are still available in Alberta but are no longer free at all pharmacies.
According to provincial data, there were 422 new COVID cases in Alberta last week, 178 people were hospitalized from the virus and eight were in the ICU.
Two more Albertans died of COVID last week, for a total of 605 since August 2023.
(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
source link https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/think-you-have-a-summer-cold-there-s-a-good-chance-it-s-covid-experts-1.6933433
