Medical professional warns about new COVID strain

Key Points:

• COVID-19 cases are rising in South Carolina, with infection rates about 0.5% higher than the national average, driven by a new strain called the "Cicada variant" causing severe upper respiratory symptoms.
• Novant Health officials report that this variant leads to significant congestion, coughing, wheezing, lung inflammation, and secondary infections, with patients experiencing more severe illness compared to previous variants.
• Although the 10-day isolation rule has been relaxed, health experts recommend staying home if you have a fever until 24 hours pass without medication, and to avoid public exposure if experiencing heavy coughing or drainage.
• Vaccination remains the primary prevention method, with medical professionals emphasizing that vaccines do not cause COVID but help the immune system prepare to fight the virus; additional measures include hand hygiene, masking, and avoiding sick individuals.
• Antiviral treatments like Paxlovid are available, and the FDA recently approved a new antiviral therapy showing promising results for managing COVID infections.