Southern California seeing new rise in COVID cases with contagious variant FLiRT

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A summer surge of COVID-19 cases in Southern California comes as many residents become complacent about safe behaviors.

Could this be adding to the spike in infections?

As a caregiver, Tracey Benson of Inglewood is very protective about her mom’s health. All this time she has been able to keep her from getting a COVID infection, but it’s getting harder and harder.

“We are staying on top of it, but I think others should join and do the same and not be so relaxed,” Benson said.

Doctors say this relaxed attitude toward COVID may be fueling the spread of the latest variant called FLiRT.

“It is quite widespread,” said infectious disease specialist Dr. Suman Radhakrishna with Dignity Health California Hospital Medical Center.

She said the FLiRT variant is 20% more contagious than the original virus, but less likely to cause serious disease, which may be another reason why people are letting their guard down.

“A lot of people are walking around who are asymptomatic. You hug each other, you kiss each other, you’re sharing food,” she said.

According to the CDC, California’s wastewater has reached a “very high” level for COVID for the first time since last winter. L.A. County health officials said other indicators, such as the number of cases and hospitalizations, have doubled in the last month.

Think of the last time you went to a gathering and someone tested positive. Did you test yourself? Did you isolate yourself? Doctors say people are forgetting the important lessons we’ve learned.

“You should say to yourself, if I test positive, I’m going to stop the transmission right here with me. And I’m going to quarantine myself for the five-day prescribed period. Every person has a duty to protect everyone else around them so we should be doing our part,” Radhakrishna said.

Besides those measures, Dr. Radhakrishna says vaccination remains our best weapon and summer may be a good time to boost your immunity.

“If you’re traveling now, you want to be protected now,” she said.

This is especially true for those in vulnerable groups.

“It is still very bad for the immuno-compromised. And for the ones who are suffering in the throes of infection, it is very bad as well,” said Radhakrishna.

For her mom’s sake, Benson is hoping people will continue to cover their cough, social distance, test if they need to and get vaccinated.

“Health is important not just for oneself, but for your other family members. It’s really important,” said Benson.