KENT COUNTY, Mich — As fall arrives, doctors say COVID-19 cases are on the rise across West Michigan.
“We have seen a slight uptake to emergency room admissions, or emergency room visits and then hospital admissions over the past couple of weeks,” said Dr. Lauren Snyder with Corewell Health. “So we're really hoping that that trend doesn't continue into the fall.”
More than five years after the pandemic began, new variants continue to emerge.
“Earlier in the summer, we had the Nimbus strain, which was really known for its severe sore throat, and now we're having the Stratus strain, which has more mild symptoms, still getting the fatigue, the mild fevers and the congestion, but then also some upset stomachs and diarrhea, some GI symptoms as well,” Snyder said.
Doctors say symptoms can range from severe to mild — sometimes resembling fall allergies.
“The symptoms are really similar. You get the runny nose, you get the sneezing, and sometimes, if your allergies are rough, you will just be feeling worn down because you're not sleeping well,” Snyder said. “Or if you take an allergy med that makes you feel a little bit drowsy and antihistamine, you might be feeling tired from that as well.”
However, Snyder noted there are differences people should watch for.
“An allergy symptom should not be giving you fevers, though. It shouldn't really be giving you body aches as well. And then some of the GI symptoms that we've been seeing with the diarrhea, the bad upset stomachs, that would not be typical fall allergy symptoms as well,” she said.
Snyder recommends checking with your insurance provider about coverage for at-home COVID-19 tests, which may be eligible under HSA or flex spending dollars. She also advises talking to your doctor about vaccines.
“We are hoping to get our vaccines into the offices soon,” Snyder said. “Right now, the vaccines have not been, I don't think, available anywhere in Michigan. There are so many conflicting information recommendations right now, it's hard to know what makes the most sense, and I think that's why it's so important to have a trusted doctor who can talk to you about what makes the most sense for you.”
In addition to rising COVID-19 cases, doctors also recently reported that cases of hand, foot and mouth disease are spreading in West Michigan.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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