Local healthcare professionals recommend that residents get the updated COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible, as the virus continues to stick around at rather high levels of infection.
“I think the difference in this summer surge is it’s lasting a little longer than I would have expected,” Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, said.
According to Hotez, Houston’s viral wastewater load has remained within the 300 percent range throughout the summer. There have been some slight dips to 280 percent; however, for the most part, it has stayed at what he described as a “high elevation baseline.”
Hotez said he hopes the rate of infections and the viral wastewater load begin to decline in the coming weeks, but he noted that if it does, the drop would likely be temporary, given seasonal COVID-19 trends.
“Given what’s also happened in the past that we do see as a winter surge, one possible scenario is that during September and October, we see declines, but then toward the winter, it will likely start to go up again,” he added.
Dr. Pedro Piedra, a professor of molecular virology and microbiology and of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, said respiratory viruses generally circulate heavily in the fall and winter months.
He noted that COVID-19 is unique in that it tends to have two waves relatively close together, one in the summer and another in the winter and early spring. Piedra said the timing of the virus has affected other respiratory viruses, such as Respiratory syncytial virus or RSV.
“Prior to the pandemic years, it would begin in September — mid to late — September, and start going up significantly in activity so that it would peak somewhere between November to January, depending on the year,” Piedra added. “Post-pandemic, we’ve had more summer waves before infections get into their full waves.”
Piedra said that this year, RSV infections seem to be trending more toward their traditional pre-pandemic cycles, where they’re mostly a fall and winter virus. Following RSV, he noted that influenza will be the respiratory virus to look out for beginning in November.
There are vaccines for RSV that target at-risk populations, older individuals, and young children and infants. One is a maternal vaccine administered during 32 to 36 weeks of gestational age to protect the newborn through placental antibody transfer. Three vaccines are recommended for adults older than 75 — available starting at 60 if the patient is at an increased risk — who have not been vaccinated against RSV.
If they have already received the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or GlaxoSmithKline approved last year, there is no recommendation for revaccination yet. Infants under eight months old can also receive Nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody that protects against RSV.
Hotez got his updated COVID-19 vaccine last week at a CVS Pharmacy. The recently approved vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are now available at these and other retail pharmacies such as Walgreens.
Most insurance plans cover the cost of the vaccines. Healthcare professionals advise patients to check their coverage before booking an appointment with their health insurance providers.
Harris County Public Health and Houston Health Department vaccination sites are not offering the updated vaccines, as they have not received them yet. The county and city health agencies have not received word on when they should expect the vaccines.
Hotez said that with summer-like weather still well underway in the region, he is continuing to take the necessary precautions, such as using mosquito repellent with DEET when going on his morning walks.
He noted that the West Nile virus has experienced a recent uptick in cases — particularly in Harris County; the Houston Health Department had not reported any within city limits in August — and is still a threat.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus — another vector-borne virus — is much rarer, especially in humans. Despite being detected in multiple horses in Houston County, about 100 miles north of Houston, Hotez said it should not be as much of a concern to residents.
Hotez continues to monitor Dengue infections, a vector-borne virus currently experiencing upticks in Brazil. There have been no reported cases of Dengue in the region; however, he noted that they could occur with travel to Houston.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
