A message: The new COVID wave is no joke

COVID levels have reached their second-highest level of the pandemic in the U.S., according to federal wastewater data released Friday—this as related ER visits, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to rise.

National COVID wastewater levels sat at 12.85—the number of standard deviations above baseline—on Dec. 30, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Until then, the pandemic’s second-highest peak had occurred on Dec. 31, 2022, during the XBB.1.5 “Kraken” surge, when levels sat at 10.16.

The pandemic’s all-time high still looms further upward at 23.34—recorded on Jan. 8, 2022, at the height of the first Omicron wave.

I can personally attest to the severity of this round.. I had COVID last in 2021 during the final days of the DELTA wave.. that was cruel but largely short-lived compared to this over-extended Pirola version.

Those around me who also experienced it lost taste similar to DELTA, I did not.. Instead it was a wave of strange muscle aches, a sealed-shut nose for about 10 minutes (odd, right?) an

d a strangely active heart. The increase of the heart rate was noticeable and concerning.. any slight movement, even during sleep, increased beats per minute and caused issues.

Now after at least a week of symptoms some things appear to be going a little smoother and some normalcy is returning.

And yes.. it appears both vaccinated and non vaccinated are having some similar conditions *(despite folks still maintinaing that overall symptoms will decrease with the vaccine, boosters, and Paxlovid) In my case I did not take Paxlovid, and also avoided any painkillers.

Increased regular vitamins in triple, however, and quadrupled water intake.

Be safe. Do what’s smart.

This spread of this variant is concerning.

Good thing the CDC completely threw the towel in on it ..