New COVID-19 variant spreads rapidly

A new COVID-19 variant is spreading rapidly around the U.S. This variant is said to be highly contagious but not as lethal as others have been. Also, U.S. Health and Human Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr., has fired the entire vaccine committee of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Will Humble, Executive Director at the Arizona Public Health Association, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss what this may mean for public health.

Humble first shared some insight into the confirmed measles exposure at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

“There was an exposure past the security point as you just mentioned in the airport, concourse C and D. At Sky Harbor that’s terminal four. And so, Maricopa County is trying to find anybody who may have been exposed to that risk. So really, take home message for folks is if you’re unvaccinated or especially if you had your infant baby in concourse C or D on those days, that’s something to really pay attention to,” Humble said.

This new COVID-19 variant known as “Nimbus” was described by Humble as the “next iteration”, as it mutates to work around the antibodies that have been created due to previous infections and vaccines.

Humble also shared that new vaccine rollouts in the fall will help to address this new variant but not entirely as the “Nimbus” variant is so new.

After the original vaccine committee was fired, they were replaced by seven new committee members. Humble shared his thoughts on the new committee that was formed and what could happen with this new committee.

“They have what’s called confirmation bias in my opinion, which means, like you just look at the evidence that confirms what you already believe. Which is not what science is all about. You’re supposed to look at all of the evidence and then make a new determination using the fresh evidence. And so yes, but I want to make a certain point here. It’s not just the recommendations that are important. The health plans, your health plan, my health plan, Medicaid, the vaccines for children program, they only pay for vaccines that are recommended by CDC,” Humble said.