COVID-19 cases are on the rise across the U.S. In Arizona alone, there’s been a 71% increase in COVID cases month over month, according to the state Department of Health Services.
Hospitalization rates for COVID have also gone up in Arizona.
Dr. Frank LoVecchio, with District Medical Group, said the updated vaccine won’t be out until the fall but the current booster is still helpful.
“We’re going to see COVID-19 for the rest of our lives,” LoVecchio said. “It’s always going to be here and there’s always going to be variants developing. The problem is with making vaccines, etc., we do our best to try to catch these variants. It doesn’t mean it has no effect on it, if you give a vaccine that’s similar to it.”
“If you haven’t been vaccinated and you’re high risk, getting the current vaccine is reasonable because that would protect you against some of the other variants that have come out," LoVecchio said.
The CDC says as of early June cases are growing or likely growing in 30 states.
LoVecchio says a combo flu and COVID vaccine is set for release next year.
He also says while cases are up, COVID-related deaths in Arizona are down 15% from the month before.
