Health
The U.S. Is Having Its Mildest Covid Winter Yet
This winter’s Covid wave in the United States has been the gentlest to date, in a welcome reprieve.
According to wastewater data aggregated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not only was there less Covid circulating over the holidays than in previous years, but there was also less virus in the wastewater than in all the summer waves the program has tracked.
The Covid hospitalization rate stayed around half of what it was last year, and deaths fell too. In late December, around 600 people were dying each week. Last winter at that time, it was around 2,000. (During the Omicron surge at the end of 2021, weekly deaths were topping 10,000.)
Although wastewater levels can’t tell us how many individual cases of Covid there are, the recent data reflects a significant lull in the virus’s five-year assault.
“This is definitely the mildest Covid winter,” said Michael Mina, an epidemiologist and chief science officer for eMed. “In terms of hospitalizations, in terms of spread.”
A new low
One possible reason for the lull is that the population is still carrying some immunity from a large, later-than-usual summer surge, said Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. This year’s vaccine was also a good match for the circulating variant, and more people got it this year than last, according to C.D.C. data.
The virus also didn’t acquire the kind of mutations after the summer wave that would have allowed for significantly faster transmission or greater sickness, epidemiologists said.
That’s not unexpected several years into a new virus, said Aubree Gordon, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan.
“You have two or three years of it being really bad,” she said. “Usually the first year is the worst — as far as incidence rates and severity goes — and then it settles out.”
Epidemiologists don’t know yet what a “baseline” Covid wave will look like, and there’s no guarantee that each winter will be milder than the last. But the chances of a new variant that can cause significant harm are much lower now, Mr. Mina said.
“Should we expect the variants to start to decline, in terms of how quickly they’re rising, and how aggressively?” he said. “The short answer is yes. The virus has grown up.”
Americans’ immune systems have become very familiar with the virus, said Mr. Mina, through vaccination and prior infections, and on average are more capable of recognizing and attacking it. That means we might have a lower viral load when we become ill, he said, or clear the virus faster, getting less sick and infecting fewer people in the process. Fewer infections also give the virus fewer opportunities to mutate.
Still other ways to get sick
That said, if it feels as if almost everyone you know has gotten sick this winter (or still is), you’re not wrong: It’s been another tough season for other respiratory viruses.
At its peak, the weekly flu hospitalization rate this year surpassed last winter’s high rate; hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus (R.S.V.) have similarly mirrored last year. (Norovirus, though not respiratory, is also notably high this year.)
Flu and Covid have had roughly the same death toll so far this season — around 8,000 to 9,000 people as of mid-January, according to C.D.C. estimates. Covid deaths since the start of last summer have totaled around 25,000. (Though getting one virus can theoretically lower an individual’s risk of getting another for a short time, it’s still very possible for multiple viruses to surge at once.)
The comparison with flu is useful because, like flu, Covid is here to stay. As with flu, there’ll be better and worse seasons. It might turn out that this winter was on the low side of our new baseline, Professor Gordon said.
But unlike with flu, there will probably be more waves outside of winter. While the timing of Covid’s winter surge has been relatively consistent — peaking in early January each year — its other waves have yet to fall into a clear pattern. A mild surge during the winter holidays could mean a worse one later this year, possibly even later this winter. And for people who are at higher risk, that will continue to translate into severe illness and death, as well as new cases of long Covid.
“There might be some good times, some bad times,” Dr. Chin-Hong said. “So whether or not we’ll get something later on? We have to have humility.”
But for now, there’s a measure of relief for Americans, as well as for the experts who’ve tracked the virus for five long years. “If I never saw a crazy variant for the rest of my life,” he said, “I’d be so excited.”
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Living near heavy traffic could negatively impact your heart health.
A European study, published in the journal Environmental Research, found that exposure to nighttime road traffic noise is linked to changes in the blood, leading to worsened cholesterol and cardiovascular risks.
The researchers considered data from the U.K. Biobank, Rotterdam Study, and Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, including more than 272,000 adults over the age of 30, according to a press release.
Nighttime road noise exposure was estimated at all participants’ homes based on national noise maps. Researchers also took blood samples to measure the participants’ metabolic biomarkers for disease, then mapped the link between nightly noise levels and existence of biomarkers.
Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers. (iStock)
The study found that people exposed to louder noise at night — especially sounds above 55 decibels — showed changes in 48 different substances in their blood. Twenty of these associations “remained robust” throughout all cohorts.
Exposure to loud noise was associated with increased concentrations of cholesterol-related biomarkers, especially LDL “bad” cholesterol, IDL (intermediate-density lipoprotein) and unsaturated fatty acids.
NEARLY 90% OF AMERICANS AT RISK OF SILENT DISEASE — HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW
As noise levels increased, starting at around 50 decibels, cholesterol markers rose steadily, the release stated.
The authors concluded that this study “provides evidence that nighttime road traffic noise exposure from 50 dB upward is associated with alterations in blood cholesterol and lipid profiles in adults.”
Researchers noted a link between traffic noise and cardiometabolic disease. (iStock)
Study co-author Yiyan He, doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu in Finland, noted that in this type of research, small effect sizes are expected, and environmental exposures such as traffic noise are “typically modest.”
SIMPLE NIGHTLY HABIT LINKED TO HEALTHIER BLOOD PRESSURE, STUDY SUGGESTS
“Despite this, we observed statistically robust and consistent associations across many biomarkers, especially those related to LDL and IDL lipoproteins,” she told Fox News Digital.
MISSING SLEEP MAY TAKE A HIDDEN TOLL ON YOUR BRAIN AND LONGEVITY, RESEARCH REVEALS
“We also identified a clear exposure-response pattern starting at around 50 dB, suggesting that metabolic changes become more evident as noise levels increase.”
This aligns with public health guidance, as the World Health Organization recommends lower nighttime noise limits at around 40 to 45 dB, Yiyan He added.
“This finding may clarify the association between traffic noise and cardiometabolic diseases,” the researchers wrote. (iStock)
“The 55 dB level is often used as an interim benchmark associated with substantial noise annoyance and sleep disturbance,” she said. “In our study, we observed associations not only at 55 dB, but also indications of effects emerging at around 50 dB.”
The strength and consistency of the cholesterol-related associations were surprising, as these changes are usually “subtle.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“Instead, we found consistent associations across multiple large European cohorts, which strengthens confidence that the findings may reflect real biological patterns,” Yiyan He went on. “We were also interested to see that effects were minimal below ~50 dB, suggesting a possible threshold-like pattern.”
HEART DISEASE THREAT PROJECTED TO CLIMB SHARPLY FOR KEY DEMOGRAPHIC
The researcher noted that these findings were consistent across genders, education levels and obesity status.
The study was restricted to White Europeans, which posed a limitation. There was also a lack of information on the fasting status in the UK Biobank.
Changes in cholesterol levels were more severe than researchers expected. (iStock)
“Fasting can influence levels of certain metabolites, particularly fatty acids,” Yiyan He said. “However, based on UK Biobank documentation, fewer than 10% of participants were fasting for at least eight hours, and our main findings focused on cholesterol-related biomarkers, which are generally less sensitive to short-term fasting.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
The researchers also lacked information on bedroom location, indoor noise exposure and time spent at home.
“These factors may introduce non-differential exposure misclassification,” Yiyan He said. “Additionally, noise exposure estimates were based on participants’ temporary residential addresses at the time of blood sampling, without considering the duration of residence.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“Many of these limitations would tend to bias results toward the null, so the consistent associations we observed remain noteworthy.”
Experts recommend taking measures to limit traffic noise at night. (iStock)
Based on this latest research, Yiyan He noted that nighttime noise is a “health-relevant exposure,” not just “an annoyance.”
“Our findings suggest that nighttime traffic noise may subtly but consistently affect metabolic health,” she said. “While the changes in cholesterol and lipid levels for any one individual are small, traffic noise affects a very large number of people, which means the potential public health impact could be substantial.”
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
The researcher recommends taking measures like improving sound insulation, using noise-reducing strategies and placing bedrooms on the quieter side of the home when possible.
“Because sleep is a key pathway linking noise to health, protecting the nighttime sleep environment is especially important,” she added.
Related Article
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Top stories
→ Some 80-year-olds still have razor-sharp brains — and now scientists know why
→ One father’s nightly bathroom habit was missed sign of common cancer
→ 5 ways to preserve vision as you age, according to an ophthalmologist
SuperAger Ralph Rehbock sits with his wife in his home. (Shane Collins, Northwestern University)
On the lookout
→ Heart disease threat projected to climb sharply for key demographic
→ Heavy snow is recipe for serious heart attack risk, experts say
→ Flu season could linger into spring as doctors warn of second wave
A doctor says the second wave of flu season may be worse than previous years. (iStock)
Conversation starters
→ One type of olive oil has a surprising effect on brainpower in aging adults
→ Common vision issue linked to type of lighting used in homes
→ Some supplements may pose risks for people with diabetes, experts say
Medical advances
→ Alzheimer’s symptoms could be predicted years in advance through one simple test
→ Combination nasal spray vaccine could protect against COVID, flu and pneumonia
→ Weight-loss medications could impact sexual health in unexpected ways
Stat of the week
More than 59% of women may have high blood pressure by 2050, according to a new report from the American Heart Association.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
A long-buried recording and the Supreme Court of old (CT+) : Consider This from NPR
Child predator cleared for parole arrested after surprise warrant drops hours before prison release
Repeat offender kills 2 deputies days after $50K bond despite long violent record: police
5th Circuit clears Texas to enforce drag show law in front of minors, Paxton claims ‘major win’
Virginia murder suspect in bus stop stabbing had lengthy criminal history, multiple dropped charges
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
A long-buried recording and the Supreme Court of old (CT+) : Consider This from NPR
2 Survivors Describe the Terror and Tragedy of the Tahoe Avalanche
Iran fires missiles at US bases across Middle East after American strikes on nuclear, IRGC sites
Israel strikes two schools in Iran, killing more than 50 people
Anthropic CEO says he’s sticking to AI “red lines” despite clash with Pentagon
-
World3 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts3 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Louisiana6 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Denver, CO3 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Technology1 week agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Technology1 week agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
Politics1 week agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT