COVID-19 News and Updates

Hello all,

Nina Duggan here with the latest COVID-19 news and updates. This week we will be discussing a special arts contest, and a run down of the BA.4 and BA.5 variants.

COVID Communication:

Maine Reunited Community Arts Contest

The Maine Reuinted community art contest, a project of Lights Out Art Consulting and Lights Out Gallery, is aimed at connecting vaccine equity outreach with the arts community in rural Maine. Their previous art competitions and engagements have had tremendous outreach, reaching tens of thousands of people with high engagement.

The competition is a county-wide contest, and offers a $1,000 prize in three different categories: Adult Juried, Youth Juried, and People’s Choice. Local community leaders make up most of the jury and help us broaden our reach and promote participation. The competition ends with an in-person community event where the prizes are awarded, there is a community art project, food, and a vaccine clinic.

This upcoming contest will take place in Washington County, with previous competitions taking place in Aroostook County and Oxford County. A contest for Waldo county is planned for this upcoming Spring.

For more information and to view previous artworks, visit their website here.

COVID in the News:

State of Maine

Most of Maine remains in the yellow or green, with an 11% increase in case positivity over the last two weeks, with a slight decrease in overall hospitalizations and an increase in ICU admissions. Across the state we currently sit at a positivity rate of 8%.

Links and Sources: Tracking Coronavirus in Maine: Latest Map and Case Count, CDC COVID-19 by County

BA.4 and BA.5 Variants Now Dominant Variants in U.S.

The new variants of BA4 and particularly BA5 have been rapidly multiplying in the United States and beyond. As of July 6th, BA.5 made up 54% of all COVID cases in the country, with BA.4 making up 17%. Experts estimate that the variants are 3-4 times less sensitive to antibodies from the current COVID vaccines, meaning they are better at evading immunity than the original COVID strain and other variants that have come before. There is good news on this front, however, as both Pfizer and Moderna have stated that they could have an updated booster specifically targeting BA.4 and BA.5 ready for use as early as October. Vaccination remains the best defense against severe illness and death from any COVID variant.

What Are the Symptoms of BA.4 and BA.5?

So far, despite their increased transmissibility, the symptoms of BA.4 and BA.5 do not appear to be wholly different or more severe. The increase in hospitalization that has been accompanying this variant is believed to be a result of waning vaccine protection rather than increased intensity of the virus itself.

The most common symptoms of these variants remain:

·       Runny Nose

·       Sore Throat

·       Headache

·       Muscle Pain

·       Cough

·       Fatigue

·       Fever

Patients have reported fewer instances of loss of taste and smell and shortness of breath as compared to all other variants. Anecdotal reports from doctors and patients report increased pain in sore throats, with several people likening their symptoms to strep throat. That being said, not all cases are symptomatic or have all of the above symptoms, and it is important to test and take proper precautions if you feel any of the above symptoms or believe you have been exposed.

Links and Sources: NBC News report on new variants, New York Times report on BA.4 and BA.5 symptoms, CDC Unpacking Variants

Featured in the Field:

Dr. Asher Williams, PhD

Dr. Asher Williams is a PhD in chemical engineering and a researcher at Cornell. She has many informative and well updated social media accounts addressing pandemic information.

You can find her on TikTok, Twitter, Youtube, and at her website.

Thanks again everyone for checking in this week. Stay safe, and remember to take care of each other. ~ Nina

Nina Duggan is Healthy Acadia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Project Coordinator. They share weekly updates about COVID-19 in the state of Maine and beyond, along with resources you may find useful on testing, vaccination, and best practices in preventative measures. 

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If you or anyone you know have questions or concerns about COVID-19 or the available vaccines please call or text our COVID-19 Peer Support Line at 207-271-6023, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.