As Covid cases begin to rise this summer, many may be wondering: What are my risks, and is it time to get another vaccine?<\/p>\n
As of July 15, Covid cases were growing or likely growing in 27 states including Texas, Illinois, Kentucky, Virginia and Ohio, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rates of positive Covid tests have also been increasing<\/a> in recent weeks, the CDC says, specifically in the southern region of the country.<\/p>\n N.B.1.8.1<\/a> is the current dominant variant in the United States, accounting for 43% of all new Covid cases, according to the CDC. It\u2019s an offshoot of the XVD.1.5.1 strain, a descendant of the omicron variant. N.B.1.8.1 was responsible for a surge in hospitalizations in China earlier this year.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been nicknamed \u201crazor blade throat,\u201d as there have been anecdotal reports of some people getting painful sore throats, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. Schaffner noted, however, that sore throats have been a common symptom of Covid since it first began spreading.<\/p>\n \u201cI doubt the clinical spectrum of Covid has changed substantially,\u201d Schaffner said.<\/p>\n Do I need a Covid booster? When will the new vaccines be available?<\/p>\n The uptick in cases comes as many Americans have likely gone a year or longer without a Covid shot.<\/p>\n In May, the Food and Drug Administration asked drugmakers to update their Covid vaccines<\/a> to target the LP.8.1 strain, a descendent of JN.1, which began spreading widely in 2023 and is another offshoot of omicron. LP.8.1 currently accounts for 31% of all new cases, per the CDC.<\/p>\n The new shots won\u2019t be available until the fall, and are expected to be approved only for adults 65 and up and kids and adults with at least one medical condition that puts them at risk of severe illness. Healthy kids and adults who want a shot may have to find an older version or pay out of pocket. A single dose can cost as much as $140<\/a>.<\/p>\n Experts say, however, that population immunity \u2014 whether from vaccination, prior infection or both \u2014 may shield much of the public for now.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we don\u2019t have a lot of high level of immunity in the population right now, because it\u2019s been so long, we may have enough low level immunity to just make it a little bit harder for that virus to transmit easily from person to person,\u201d said Andy Pekosz, an infectious disease researcher at Johns Hopkins University.<\/p>\n Indeed, weekly hospitalization rates<\/a> have remained low, suggesting that the new variant may not be leading to severe illness.<\/p>\n