Doctor has plea for the unboosted ahead of 'tripledemic'

(AUSTIN) - As Texas prepares to battle a "tripledemic" this winter of flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the doctor who led COVID programs that vaccinated and tested 15 million Americans said it’s “mind-boggling” to her why more people aren’t getting the omicron booster.

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Dr. June Steely is the medical director for direct health care company Nomi Health, which partnered with the state and county health departments, school districts, businesses and other organizations to provide nearly 200,000 low- and no-cost COVID tests and 20,000 COVID vaccines throughout Texas so far. She said long COVID — a condition marked by any of more than two dozen symptoms that linger, recur or first appear at least one month after a COVID-19 infection — is a real problem.

As diagnoses are on the rise, long COVID now outpaces diabetes in 2022 employer health care costs, Nomi Health research finds, and it is costing Texans even more than the rest of the country. But the bivalent booster offers protection against long-term symptoms, Steely said.

“An acute case may last a couple weeks, but symptoms could remain for six months to a year afterward," she said. "Who wants to be in that place? People may think, ‘It’s milder; I’ll get it, and get over it.’ But, unfortunately, that’s not what we’re seeing.”

According to research, the bivalent vaccine also has proven superior antibody response against the omicron variant.

“Think of antibodies as facial recognition software. You send your body a WANTED poster, and your body makes these facial-recognition antibodies to go after the bad guy when they see it,” Steely said. “Omicron wears a fake mustache. It’s just different enough that the old antibodies don’t recognize it as well.. But the new booster has an updated poster and knows to look for that disguise.”

As families prepare to travel and gather this holiday season, Steely urges continued COVID testing in addition to getting the flu vaccine for everyone ages 6 months and older and the omicron booster, which is available now for ages 5 years and up.

"Boost those kids so they don’t infect Grandma," she said. "And continue testing before gathering. If you don’t have symptoms, test twice with at least 24 hours between each [rapid] test. There are still asymptomatic infections, and you don’t want to bring that unwanted guest to Thanksgiving. Remember, people are still dying from this daily.”

Nomi Health currently provides no-cost COVID services six days a week at Burger Athletic Complex in Austin.