Consulo Indicium - 9/20/22
Information for your Consideration…
CDC Recommends Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Bivalent Boosters for COVID-19 Prevention - The CDC earlier this month “recommended...that millions of eligible Americans, including those as young as 12, get an updated Omicron-targeting booster shot to bolster defenses against serious illness and death during a potential fall or winter rise in COVID-19 cases.” The recommendation to proceed with the boosters was made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in a vote of 13-1. The goal is to make the boosters widely available across the country immediately. So, have you gotten your booster yet? If not and with the flu season upon us – both the booster and your annual flu shot would seem advisable!
The Mask of a Different Type – The Biden administration recently announced that it would be distributing to pharmacies and community health centers N95 and similar high-filtration masks that offer the best protection against COVID-19. The intent is to provide a mask that clearly has been shown to give better preventive support than the many options in use by the general public. The various “masks” often create confusion for the lay public. N95s, KN95s and KF94s are all of the high-filtration respirator type masks made with a material that has an electrostatic charge. It is the static electricity that increases the quality of the mask by trapping incoming virus particles. These type masks are about 90 – 95% effective in trapping airborne particles like the Covid 19 virus – which is way more effective than the basic cloth mask [NOTE: In case it is not obvious, this is especially true when the cloth masks are worn so they are only covering the mouth which is a common approach I’ve seen among the general public.] For a good comparison of masks, you can check out the work of Aaron Collins, how is known as the Mask Nerd here. Finally, it’s important to remember that the Omicron variant & its children are the viral loads that you need to be particularly concerned about for the coming season. In fact, according to the CDC “Almost 40% of people hospitalized in the US with the COVID subvariant that circulated this spring were vaccinated and boosted, highlighting how new strains have mutated to more readily escape the immunity offered by current shots,” So, long story short – Use your discretion but Mask Up when the environment indicates caution!
