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4h ago

Stratus Variant Fuels California COVID Wave as Vaccine Delays Create Confusion

Federal limits on updated booster authorization collide with worsening transmission signals.

Passengers go through a security checkpoint at San Francisco International Airport in 2022. With the new Stratus coronavirus variant spreading in California, health experts advise taking precautions like masking in crowded indoor areas to avoid contracting COVID-19.
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Overview

  • The Omicron subvariant XFG (“Stratus”) has overtaken older strains and accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. wastewater samples, according to the CDC.
  • California’s test positivity climbed to 11.6% from 3.76% a month earlier, with experts noting a disproportionate share of pediatric emergency visits.
  • State hospital admissions nearly doubled since early July to 3 per 100,000 residents, increasing to 11 per 100,000 among people 65 and older.
  • Under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., federal decisions have delayed updated COVID-19 vaccine authorization and signaled eligibility focused on high-risk groups after the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel was dismissed.
  • Providers report patchy access as some pharmacies run out or pause shots, while leading medical groups urge vaccination for children and pregnant people despite tighter federal guidance.