Covid 19 is on the rise in Kentucky, cases have more than doubled so far this month compared to July, according to new data from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Our Christine spoke to a physician who specializes in infectious disease to find out what's causing the increase and to help put the numbers in a perspective.

More about that.

Joining us today is doctor Mark Burns from U of Valhalla.

Thanks for being here.

Now Covid cases in Kentucky, they are surging right now.

Is that typical.

What's causing that?

Well, it is typical to usually toward the summer, especially when it gets really, really hot.

Now the key is though, it is a surge, relatively speaking, that is it's not as high as it has been in previous years, but yet it is still a surge.

Okay, so with the surge of Covid cases, what are the symptoms of this strain?

Are they different from ones previously?

No, no no real difference.

You still have the general sort of flu type symptoms.

Maybe fever, chills, malaise, muscle aches and sore throat.

If you do test positive, it's too late to get a Covid shot right at that moment.

A Covid shot, yes.

However, there are antivirals that are available.

The two major ones, the, Paxlovid and my peer.

Vere.

Those are those are still available.

And again, by contacting your primary care, getting guidance.

And they can always write prescriptions for the antivirals because not everybody may need that.

Right.

That's correct.

Not everybody may need it.

But again you know, and also you have so many people that are not vaccinated so they may not be protected.

Yes, it's too late for a Covid shot per se.

But again, the antivirals are available.

Okay.

And for the rest of us who are not sick with it right now or yet, it's not too late for a shot.

Does the shot protect against this strain that's going around?

Yes.

The, the latest vaccine does protect against this particular strain of Covid.

It's the latest one.

Actually, I just called the ENB 1.8.1 that actually comprises about 43% of all the cases across the US.

And yes, the the previous Covid, vaccine does, does, protect against that?

Okay, good.

And how long does the shot last?

How long are you protected if you get the shot?

In in general, the your immunity starts to sort of wane after about 4 or 5 months.

And then, and which is another reason why during the summertime, you may see a slight uptick because people who got their vaccine in the fall, by the time the summer rolls around, they're really at the lowest point of protection with, with the vaccine and and the idea now is going to be that, just as you get a yearly flu shot, you know, during the beginning of flu season, September, October, you should be also be getting a Covid shot as well, too.

Well, doctor Mark Burns, thank you so much for being here and helping us stay healthy.

Thank you so much for your time.

Thank you for having me.

And thank you, Christy.

The CDC recently revised guidelines for those who test positive for Covid 19.

Under the new guidelines, people will not need to isolate if they are fever free for at least 24 hours without medication and if their symptoms are mild and improving.