The variant is called EG.5 and is a descendant of Omicron.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that EG.5 accounted for roughly 17.3 per cent — or one in six — of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. in the past two weeks.

  • I dunno if we need to worry in Canada. There’s been almost no deaths al associated with COVID in a while now. Worst case, people get hospitalised but that’s it. We’ve built a pretty good social immunity thanks to vaccination.

    It’s the other countries who don’t have our resources that are more at risk. We need to send them vaccines so the can immunize themselves properly.

      • Ah yes, you’re right. There are potential lifetime effects to COVID. I forgot about those. A couple of friends of mine have been permanently affected with various problems like asthma since catching it.

      • I think if we get a yearly immunization shot for influenza and covid we should be fine. And people should just quarantine if they’re sick, COVID or not. I hate it when people go to work sick when they have the option to work from home. Especially in an office setting. Like haven’t they learned anything? Why spread the disease to all your colleagues?

        •  Auzy   ( @Auzy@beehaw.org ) 
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          411 months ago

          Unfortunately as well, there is likely a much higher percentage of nutjobs who think vaccinations are a conspiracy, who are also probably the type of people who don’t use RAT tests and who prioritise themselves over others (so even if they suspect they are sick, they’ll go attend major events, etc).

          Whilst 2 people I know genuinely are good people who don’t believe in vaccination (which again, was at least likely partially facilitated by our dumb PM at the time and Trump), another two I know (who legally SHOULD have gotten vaccinated for work actually, since they work for the government), are two of the worst self-centered people I know