HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — Summer is officially here, and so is the possibility of COVID infections, as a substantial increase in cases could impact more than 30 states, including Virginia.
Recent water testing data is raising concerns. The CDC said that the number of viral infections has recently increased, with some states seeing an increase of up to 12.6%.
“This is going to be a problem in our community,” said Lisa Engle, an epidemiologist with the Virginia Department of Health. “I mean, it's right here. It's going to be right here. So, we should take precautions in general that we would with any respiratory illness, flu or COVID, we still need to do that. But I wouldn't say that we need to be social distancing and wearing masks all the time.”
He said that although a new Flirt variant of the KP.3 has emerged, we can expect similar characteristics from it.
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“The variants change with COVID,” Engle said. “They change faster than the flu. But with COVID, the variants will constantly change.”
Angle says the most effective solution to COVID is still to get vaccinated.
“Right now, the vaccines are helping us avoid getting really sick,” Engle said. “Otherwise, we'll see deaths again. Be mindful of other people. And washing your hands is a big thing. I can't stress this enough. And stay home when you're sick.”
You can find a list of resources to help you stay safe from COVID on the Virginia Department of Health website vdh.virginia.gov,
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