Doctor says Covid is not going anywhere; more variants are likely

FOX 2 - Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she's still experiencing only mild symptoms -- after revealing her COVID-19 diagnosis late Monday night. We are still living with this virus after two-and-a-half years, where do things go from here?

"The case rate has jumped up a bit across the state particularly in southeast Michigan," said Dr. Dennis Cunningham.

It comes as high-profile politicians from Whitmer to President Joe Biden have been dealing with recent Covid diagnosis.

"I don’t see this going away anytime soon I think we will see new variants coming down the road," said Cunningham, of Henry Ford Health.

Both are breakthrough infection cases as each is vaccinated and boosted but still got the virus.

"The good news is even though there are more cases hospitalizations are not very much," he said. "We have the vaccines out there we also have two pills that you can take, antivirals that help treat Covid in high-risk people, and the monoclonal antibodies."

But doctors want to remind people that there are still things you can do…to reduce the risk of getting Covid.

"Hand washing is always good and if you want to wear a mask they do work," Cunningham said

"If you’re sick or your children are sick don’t send them to school, don’t go to work, the last thing we need are sick people spreading this around," he said.

As the fight against Covid continues businesses are also doing their part to keep numbers down and patrons safe

"So to keep patrons safe, we always wear gloves, we always wear masks, we also keep our sanitizing spray bottles around someone sits down gets back up we spray it down," said Katlyn Sortor from The Kitchen by Cooking With Que.

Doctors believe updated Covid booster shots which could be available as early as September will also have a major impact in reducing the infection rate.

"They are designed to work better against omicron," Cunningham said. "The original vaccine were made for different variants they still work, but these newer boosters have the potential to be even better."