127 – COVID Update for Aging Adults (2.24.22 Edition)

In This Episode:

Dr. K discusses the ebbing of the Omicron surge, what to know about the “stealth” Omicron BA.2 (it has taken over in Denmark and is growing here), how to “live with COVID” safely, and more.

She covers:

Why current COVID numbers are better but still not low enough

What we’ve learned about vaccines & boosters during the Omicron surge

What we can learn from Denmark lifting all COVID restrictions

How to compare US COVID data to that of other countries, and why our outcomes are worse

What to know about the Omicron sister variant BA.2

What it would mean for COVID to be “endemic”

The ideal approach to living with COVID

Wastewater & other ways to monitor COVID in your local area

What older adults can do to keep themselves and their families safer

Note: The CDC released updated guidance re COVID and assessing local COVID-19 community levels on 2/25/22. Dr. K has posted written comments regarding this on her 2022 COVID article: COVID & Aging Adults: 2022 Updates.

Related Episodes:

126 – Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (1.6.22 Edition)

Related Resources:

BHWA:

COVID & Aging Adults: 2022 Updates

COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do

To track COVID data:

NY Times COVID Tracker

OurWorldInData.org Coronavirus Data Explorer

CDC Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard

CDC Wastewater Surveillance

CDC COVID cases and deaths by vaccine status

CDC:

COVID variant proportion tracker

FDA: Paxlovid EUA Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers

Twitter threads referenced in update:

Kristian Andersen on Danish COVID outcomes since restrictions were lifted

Bob Wachter on estimating the COVID risk of attending a party

Photo summarizing his math