“Eris is already among us, we must not let our guard down”

By Reynaldo Mena

A summer wave of COVID-19  variant Eris is hitting just as kids and teachers head back to campus. California is seeing a little more than a 10% increase in cases. “We must not let our guard down,” says Dr. Ilan Shapiro, chief health correspondent and medical affairs officer at AltaMed Health Services, COVID is not over. ‘This will last for several more years.”

Health authorities have warned about the arrival of the new variant Eris which, although not as harmful as the original virus, can still leave sequels in those infected. “People are tired of COVID, but the best thing they can do is get vaccinated, eat well, and exercise,” adds the Mexican-origin doctor. While the Latino community has improved nutrition rates, it is still far from having the best habits, so Dr. Shapiro recommends “making slight improvements as much as possible.” The Eris variant is not as contagious, but we need to remain vigilant about this.