COVID-19 cases locally are on the rise, with many Texans still not opting to get their vaccines.COVID-19 cases are again increasing in the Greater Houston area, information that likely no one wants to hear as they are soaking up the final month or so of summer by traveling to vacation destinations or gathering with family and friends.
“Earlier in June, wastewater reports in Houston were down to the lowest I had seen in a long time,” Hotez said. “I was keeping my fingers crossed, but now we are seeing it go up, and that gives me some cause for concern that this increase may be sustained for a bit.” And hospitalizations across the country have increased by 10 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's weekly COVID-19 report.
There is an upcoming booster for the fall season; however, Hotez said there has yet to be a confirmed date for when it will be available to the public. In terms of the vaccine's composition, it will likely be a monovalent vaccine without a second component of the original lineage of the virus. An mRNA vaccine and Novavax particle vaccine might be made for it as well, he said.
Two of the first-ever vaccines protecting against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, will be available for seniors this fall. Both immunizations – Arexvy from GlaxoSmithKline and Abrysvo from Pfizer – received approval for distribution by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.