Not the message I wanted to share on the 4th of July but this is our current reality. The Omicron sub-variants have proven to be very infectious, with outdoor transmission being reported across the country. Based on available data, it’s clear that BA.5 is outpacing BA.4 and is poised to become dominant in the US. Two things concern me about this: 1. Immune Escape: BA.5 doesn’t really care if you’ve been recently infected with Omicron—making previous assumptions that you’d be safe from reinfection within 90 days FALSE. 2. Little/No Mitigation: Across the country, mask mandates are mostly gone, testing is dropping, booster uptake is very slow, and risk tolerance is way up. Not to mention the mass confusion about proper isolation and quarantine protocols. The combination of these issues has resulted in this unsurprising and incredibly frustrating summer surge. But, hope is not lost. These things remain true: 1. Vaccines and boosters WORK—they are still protecting folks from severe illness, hospitalization, and death. 2. Masks HELP—especially indoors and in large crowds. 3. Proper Ventilation MATTERS—being outdoor>indoors for eating & gathering. 4. Testing is NECESSARY—while imperfect, antigen tests are a helpful tool in understanding infectiousness and if/when isolation should end. Remember: you can test positive *on PCR* for weeks after infection. That said, all eyes are on the possibility of bivalent boosters this Fall which I will follow closely and share details as they become available. For those who say “I am over COVID”—believe me, there’s a part of me that feels that so deeply. But let me push back and say that “I want to avoid COVID” is a much better attitude to have—for everyone around you, and for yourself. The more infections we have, the risk of more variants emerging grows as well as the risk for long-COVID. I expect this surge could last through the Fall — which means we have the opportunity to change that if we all re-evaluate our individual and communal risk. Wishing you a happy and healthy summer. 🧡 Viz by @malakagharib