COVID-19 infection rates are creeping back up; we need to stay vigilant

Let’s cut to the chase. COVID-19 can be deadly, and it has claimed millions of lives worldwide, well over a million in the United States alone, since the pandemic began about four years ago in late 2019.

While it’s true that a number of people who contract the virus may experience mild or moderate symptoms, or even be asymptomatic, a significant proportion can develop severe illness. This is particularly true for older adults and those with underlying health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes or compromised immune systems.

Severe cases of COVID-19 can lead to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multi-organ failure and death. That’s the reason why some hospitals and intensive care units have been overwhelmed due to the number of severe cases requiring specialized care, such as mechanical ventilation.

In addition to those who die from the acute effects of the infection, there are also concerns about the long-term health consequences ("long COVID") that can affect people for weeks or months after recovery from the acute phase of the illness.

The risk of death varies widely depending on a range of factors including age, sex, ethnicity and underlying health conditions. However, it's important to note that severe outcomes have been reported among individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

Therefore, the best course of action is to take preventive measures seriously, such as getting vaccinated, wearing masks, maintaining social distance, and following other public health guidelines, to minimize the risk to yourself and others.

It's also crucial to keep in mind that even if one survives COVID-19, the disease can have debilitating long-term effects, including respiratory issues, neurological symptoms and other chronic health problems that can substantially reduce the quality of life.

And now, again, the emergence of new variants of the virus, some of which are more transmissible and potentially more deadly, continues to pose risks and challenges to the health of each of us. This is serious stuff.

You would think that of all people I would be the least likely to attract COVID-19. After all, I have been writing about its dangers and how to protect ourselves from the virus. I am fully vaccinated, normally remain aloof from groups of people, have cut my out-of-home activities to a minimum, often still wear a mask, wash my hands, remain socially distanced … yes, you know the drill.

And I still contracted it. Oh, yes. One trip to emergency care. Two trips to the emergency room. Days of feeling like I was run over by a truck that parked on top of my chest. If that wasn’t bad enough, I gave it to my wife. Both of us are workaholics and being ill with this stuff does not go down well. But no matter how hard we tried, no matter how much we tried to will our way through it, we ended up flat on our backs in bed. COVID-19 is not a joking matter.

And, it is coming back. No one wants to admit it. The government does not want to take the heat for shutting down businesses, entertainment venues, travel, etc. as it did last time around. And there are still those who think COVID-19 is not a real threat. After all, Aunt so-and-so had it and her symptoms were mild. Tell that to the million-plus people who have already died in this country.

Lying there in the emergency room being tested, hydrated and treated is frightening. We were fortunate. Great doctors, nurses and specialized technicians treated us well with knowledgeable care. So when I asked each of them about whether they had been ill with COVID-19, each and everyone said that they had been ill previously with the virus. They had one and all been sick and still came back to the job to help others like us. There are still people who care.

For me there is not much else I can do but to lie here on my back at home all week, and contemplate what may be in front of me and in front of countless millions of others who have also been infected.

While it's true that many people experience mild symptoms, the full range of potential outcomes is broad, extending to severe illness, long-term complications and death. Importantly, the risks are not restricted to older adults or those with preexisting conditions. Young, seemingly healthy individuals have also faced severe consequences. No one can reliably predict their individual risk profile.

COVID-19 has demonstrated a wide array of symptoms affecting multiple organ systems in the body, including the lungs, heart and even the brain. Long-term consequences are still under study but are increasingly concerning. They include enduring fatigue, diminished lung function and neurological symptoms like “brain fog,” among others.

Even if you are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, you can still transmit the virus to others. You might be young and healthy, but you could pass the virus to a family member, friend or stranger who is not. If they have underlying conditions, or if they're older or otherwise vulnerable, your decision to not take precautions could be life-threatening for them.

Ongoing transmission of the virus provides more opportunities for mutations, which can lead to new variants. Some of these could be more transmissible, more deadly, or potentially resistant to immunity conferred by previous infections or vaccinations. The more people who get infected, the more likely we are to face a variant that could set back control measures.

We're still learning about this virus. While vaccines offer hope, we don't yet fully understand long-term immunity, the virus's impact on the body over time, or how it may continue to evolve. Caution is a prudent response to uncertainty.

In our interconnected world, no one is safe until everyone is safe.

Bill Gindlesperger is a central Pennsylvanian, Dickinson College graduate, Pennsylvania System Of Higher Education (PASSHE) Governor, Shippensburg University Trustee, and Chairman of eLynxx Solutions. The firm provides enterprise-level cloud-software for communicating, specifying, approving, procuring, producing, reporting and activities necessary to obtaining direct mail, packaging, promo, marketing and all other printing. He is a board member, campaign advisor, successful entrepreneur, published author and commentator. He can be reached at Bill.Gindlesperger@eLynxx.com.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Coronavirus resurgence leads to concerns about the future