San Antonio – Atalia Lara was able to keep COVID-19 away since the pandemic started, but two weeks ago she tested positive.
She was vaccinated and boosted, and said she experienced a log of headaches.
“I had a lot of fever,” she said. “A lot of fatigue. I could barely get out of bed. And I was like, so, so tired.”
She visited a doctor this week after feeling some shortness of breath. She likely contracted one of the highly contagious Omicron subvariants, BA.4 or BA.5, which are causing upticks in cases in the community.
Anita Kurian, with Metro Health, said they are tracking the current COVID-19 spike. She said the new variants make up about 70% of the new cases.
“We are seeing a steady increase, about 10% to 12% increase in the number of new infections from week to week,” she said.
But subvariants BA.1, 2,and 3 are also still out there and people can get one strain followed by a different strain in a matter of weeks.
Baptist Health Doctor Duane Hospenthal said studies show the infections might be milder for those who have been vaccinated and boosted.
“Rates of hospitalizations are fairly low and the rates of mortality or death is quite low,” he said.
But he strongly encourages those who are at high risk or live with someone who are high risk to take extra precautions -- consider another booster and always wear a mask around crowded public places.
To find a pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinic, visit the city’s website here.