Recent metrics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show high viral activity in wastewater and increased COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations nationwide.
While cases may be rising nationally, local health experts say Cincinnati and the Midwest are only seeing a moderate increase compared to other regions in the United States.
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Kim Wright, supervising epidemiologist at the Cincinnati Health Department, says recent spikes have been seen in the country's southern and western regions. Many local cases can be attributed to summer travel to these areas and international destinations. She says this differs from years past when large gatherings were bigger contributors to the spread.
"[It's] most often travel-related cases or people who are coming to visit people here in the city, compared to community transmission because everybody went to the same place or everybody attended a certain event," Wright said.
This year, several new COVID-19 variants known as FLiRT variants are contributing to the rise in cases. Wright says these variants are more transmissible and those who haven't taken a COVID booster in a while may be more susceptible.
"Maybe the last time you were vaccinated was just long enough ago that your immunity is waning and the variants are just different enough that more people are getting it," she told WVXU.
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Wright is encouraging people to get the latest booster if they haven't already. CDC data shows COVID-19 vaccination rates are low when compared to people receiving the flu shot. Wright says often younger people don't take the booster because they typically don't get severe COVID symptoms, but she says they should still get the shot to minimize transmission to others.
New vaccines to combat the latest variants are being manufactured now, local health officials say, but to get the newest booster, you'll have to wait. It's not expected to be available until September at the earliest.
