Prince William County in Virginia announced that it will give away free Covid-19 test kits for home use until January 14, 2023 at local libraries during operation hours.

Anyone interested can reach out to the following libraries to check availability:

Bull Run: 703-792-4500

Central: 703-792-8360

Chinn Park: 703-792-4800

Dale City: 703-792-5670

Dumfries: 703-792-5678

Haymarket Gainesville: 703-792-8700

Independent Hill: 703-792-5668

Lake Ridge: 703-792-5675

Manassas City: 703-792-8820

Montclair: 703-792-8740

Nokesville: 703-792-5665

Potomac: 703-792-8330

Data from CDC

With a total death count of 1,088,481 accounting for 10% of the total infection count of 100,622,056 in the United States as of December 29, Covid-19 continues to mutate into many variants and subvariants.

The variant of Omicron subvariant XBB has quickly spread throughout the United States during the Holiday season. According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), before December 24, the dominant variant of omicron was BQ.1 or BQ.1.1. Data gathered on December 24 now shows an Omicron variant called XBB becoming one of the most dominant strains.

Here is the data showing the rise in the XBB subvariant since December 2022. XBB subvariant is known to be a trigger of a new COVID-19 this winter. Also, XBB variant illnesses will be slightly different from those recorded in earlier outbreaks because the XBB subvariant is the most immune-evasive form of SARS-CoV-2, and the CDC has been closely tracking this variant.

Health Officials and CDC recommend wearing masks indoors to minimize getting this XBB subvariant this winter. Since the pandemic started, all Americans aged 5+ may take vaccines and boosters to protect themselves from the worst symptoms caused by the Covid-19 virus, including death.

Currently, 47,146,355 Americans which is only 15.1% of the total population are vaccinated with booster shots. The vaccines and the two boosters are available free of charge, but the 2023 booster may be the last free booster shots available for Covid-19. Better get them while they are still free. Please check your eligibility and availability at https://www.vaccines.gov/. Don’t struggle with multiple variants and subvariants of Covid-19, especially when some of them are becoming immune-evasive.

The BA.5 subvariant of omicron is surging in the United States as extreme heat hits the west coast states along the mid and southern states. Covid-19 cases have increased on a daily basis due to this subvariant of omicron cases dominating the U.S.

Airplanes are fully booked, and flights are often delayed, but summer travelers are eager to make up for their summer vacations and return home sick. 29 states reported more cases than the week before as of July 20, according to USA TODAY. 20 states had more deaths than a week earlier in the data from Johns Hopkins University.

The BA.5 was detected in the U.S. at the end of April and only 3 months passed from the first patient before the BA.5 cases rose to nearly 80% of all cases according to Yahoo news. The common symptoms of BA.5 are very similar to other variants. Those infected with BA.5 may develop a cough, runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, headaches, and muscle pains but are less likely to experience shortness of breath or lose their senses of taste or smell. It can last a few days to a few weeks.

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On Tuesday, 21 states filed a suit to end the federal mandate requiring people to wear masks when traveling on most modes of public transportation, including airplanes and buses. The mandate was extended through April 18.

The plaintiff named includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Transportation Security Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Homeland Security.

Most mask mandates have been updated, and the only federal mandate that really stays in place is the mask mandate for public transportation.

Airlines have been supportive of the states seeking to end the mandate. Last week, executives from 10 airlines and the American Public Transportation Association sent letters to Biden urging him to end pandemic-related travel policies including mask mandates.

The new 30-page suit filed in U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Florida calls the mandate “arbitrary and capricious.”

The 21 states that filed the suit are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.

Children younger than 2 and people with certain disabilities are exempt from the mask requirement, and the government has yet to actually announce a COVID-19 endemic.

Gov. Ralph Northam declared a limited state of emergency for hospitals due to the ongoing pandemic.

It is a 30-day state-of-emergency order that seeks to expand capacity and increase staffing at hospitals. While Gov.-elect Youngkin could rescind the emergency order after he takes office on Saturday, Gov. Northam believes Gov.-elect Youngkin will also support the continuation of the order.

Gov.-elect Youngkin’s spokesman said that Youngkin does support the use of tailored executive action to remove staffing barriers and provide flexibility to deliver high quality care.

These removals include limitations on bed capacity, providing those with active licenses and in good standing to practice in Virginia. Furthermore, there will be more flexibility with regards to vaccine administration and will prevent price-gouging for at-home antigen test kits.

A 30-day state of emergency is also in effect in Maryland, and D.C. Hospital Association is also calling on D.C. to reactive a health emergency.

About 90 percent of Virginian adults and 78 percent of all Virginians have had at least one dose of vaccine, although the advised dosage is both vaccine + the booster.

Northam said that most overwhelming the hospital systems are those that are not fully vaccinated or boosted. On Friday, Virginia hit a peak 3,329 hospitalization, beating out the record of 3,201 on January 13, 2021. COVID-related hospitalizations are up 200 percent.