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“I got it because keeping myself safe, my family safe, the people in this building,” Kelce said. “I stand by it 1,000%. Fully comfortable with him calling me Mr. Pfizer.” Travis Kelcie isn’t Jonas Salk, but this is what a responsible public figure does. https://t.co/Wqi1AtgGiI
— Richard Yeselson (@yeselson) October 6, 2023
This week’s Covid news theory:
NEW: Scientists offer a new explanation and possible treatment for Long Covid
In some patients, remnants of the coronavirus in the gut may stifle production of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter, researchers suggest. https://t.co/mIRqzCt2Ge
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) October 16, 2023
Per the NYTimes, “Scientists Offer a New Explanation for Long Covid”: [Unpaywalled gift link]
A team of scientists is proposing a new explanation for some cases of long Covid, based on their findings that serotonin levels were lower in people with the complex condition.
In their study, published on Monday in the journal Cell, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania suggest that serotonin reduction is triggered by remnants of the virus lingering in the gut. Depleted serotonin could especially explain memory problems and some neurological and cognitive symptoms of long Covid, they say.
Why It Matters: New ways to diagnose and treat long Covid.
This is one of several new studies documenting distinct biological changes in the bodies of people with long Covid — offering important discoveries for a condition that takes many forms and often does not register on standard diagnostic tools like X-rays.The research could point the way toward possible treatments, including medications that boost serotonin. And the authors said the biological pathway that their research outlines could unite many of the major theories of what causes long Covid: lingering remnants of the virus, inflammation, increased blood clotting and dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system…
“This is an excellent study that identifies lower levels of circulating serotonin as a mechanism for long Covid,” said Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University. Her team and colleagues at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai recently published a study that identified other biological changes linked to some cases of long Covid, including levels of the hormone cortisol. These studies could point to specific subtypes of long Covid or different biological indicators at different points in the condition…
Researchers analyzed the blood of 58 patients who had been experiencing long Covid for between three months and 22 months since their infection. Those results were compared to blood analysis of 30 people with no post-Covid symptoms and 60 patients who were in the early, acute stage of coronavirus infection.
Maayan Levy, a lead author and assistant professor of microbiology at the Perelman School of Medicine, said levels of serotonin and other metabolites were altered right after a coronavirus infection, something that also happens immediately after other viral infections.
But in people with long Covid, serotonin was the only significant molecule that did not recover to pre-infection levels, she said…
There are caveats. The study was not large, so the findings need to be confirmed with other research. Participants in some other long Covid studies, in which some patients had milder symptoms, did not always show depleted serotonin, a result that Dr. Levy said might indicate that depletion happened only in people whose long Covid involves multiple serious symptoms.
What’s Next: A clinical trial of Prozac.
Scientists want to find biomarkers for long Covid — biological changes that can be measured to help diagnose the condition. Dr. Thaiss said the new study suggested three: the presence of viral remnants in stool, low serotonin and high levels of interferons…Most experts believe that there will not be a single biomarker for the condition, but that several indicators will emerge and might vary, based on the type of symptoms and other factors.
There is tremendous need for effective ways to treat long Covid, and clinical trials of several treatments are underway. Dr. Levy and Dr. Thaiss said they would be starting a clinical trial to test fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor often marketed as Prozac, and possibly also tryptophan…
More details at the link. Some long covid sufferers are dubious about this (yes, very small) study — Are you saying it’s all in our heads?!? — but frankly, the brain-gut connection has been seriously understudied, and this new piece of the puzzle supplements studies I’ve seen about other gut-related neurological conditions (Parkinsons, for instance).
… Just as with Covid-19 vaccines this season, the antiviral – a combination of the drugs nirmatrelvir and ritonavir – will move from being available free to everyone through government purchases to a more traditional commercial marketplace for most patients at the end of this year, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services and drugmaker Pfizer.
The new price – the cost before insurance – hasn’t been set but is expected to be higher than the $530-per-course price paid by the US government.
People who are on Medicare or Medicaid or who are uninsured will still be able to get Paxlovid for free through 2024 via a patient assistance program, according to HHS, but those with commercial insurance are likely to face a copay, Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said Monday. About 40% of prescriptions of Paxlovid are written for Medicare and Medicaid patients, he said…
Don’t panic, yet. The price of Paxlovid is absolutely gonna go up, unfortunately, but I suspect the numbers being thrown around right now are very much a case of Pfizer testing how much it can get away with.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said on Monday that he expects about 17% of the U.S. population to get updated COVID-19 vaccines during the current vaccination campaign, in-line with last year. https://t.co/HrosdIqHut
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) October 16, 2023
Last night's update: 171,000 new cases, nearly 1,600 new deaths https://t.co/McAjTdkPX2
— BNO News (@BNOFeed) October 16, 2023
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Pfizer set off a fresh round of concern about the size of the U.S. COVID-19 vaccine and treatment market in the long term, driving down shares on Monday of its German partner BioNTech and smaller rival Moderna . https://t.co/41MHLdbMzs
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) October 16, 2023
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Singapore: Best protection against severe Covid is a minimum of three vaccinations and a natural infection in one year.
"Defence against severe Covid-19 wanes in a year, those at risk must take yearly shots."https://t.co/YhyhKMqo0p
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 13, 2023
New Zealand: Covid still here, still deadly.
"Every week we see thousands of cases, hundreds lying in hospital beds, and around 20 deaths."
"It's a bit like an unwelcome guest that no one wants to talk about, but it hasn't gone away, that's for sure,''https://t.co/45rw3kbtZJ
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 17, 2023
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Spain: Increase in acute respiratory infections in primary care for fourth consecutive week.
Detailed 16-page report on ARI's including Covid-19 puts other nations to shame. https://t.co/eAQ5h8JdFC pic.twitter.com/FutFyF9NqX
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 13, 2023
UK: Covid-19 hospitalisations up by 24% in one week.
Cases increased by 29.4% from the week before.
Oh, and watch out for rashes, apparently. https://t.co/Kt6As0Bz3t
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 17, 2023
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Canada: Highest B.C. Covid hospitalizations for more than a year.
This week saw the first fall in hospitalizations since early August.https://t.co/TA9EzPApri
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 15, 2023
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#Paxlovid paradox: Paxlovid appeared to significantly reduce the risk of #LongCovid in older adults at high risk for #Covid, but may have *increased* the risk of post-Covid conditions in adolescents, according to a large case-controlled study from the CDC https://t.co/U1aLiObOpD pic.twitter.com/5xsRBUS1MB
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) October 17, 2023
Long Covid by SARS-CoV-2 variant:
"Only 0.2% in the Omicron cohort were diagnosed as having long COVID, compared with 0.5% in the Delta cohort, 1.0% in the Alpha cohort, and 1.3% in the wild-type cohort."https://t.co/ol6KeKI8kd
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 16, 2023
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Children's immune systems tame #SARSCoV2 & a new study shows how. Infants & young children who get infected have a potent antibody response to SARS2 & high levels of inflammatory proteins in the nose. This response contrasts w/ that seen in adults https://t.co/fzF473qIwt pic.twitter.com/03VWHN5Pby
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) October 16, 2023
How #SARSCoV2 is continuing to evolve in the Omicron era, by many of the guiding lights who have so diligently tracked this virus throughout the pandemichttps://t.co/dATftWJKMt @NatureMicrobiol by @CorneliusRoemer @PeacockFlu @DannySheward @LongDesertTrain @siamosolocani pic.twitter.com/ArlNtEizUy
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 16, 2023
In a new #SciencePerspective, @florian_krammer and Ali Ellebedy discuss the challenges and concerns surrounding the development of #COVID19 boosters and argue that current vaccines should be specifically tailored to combat future #SARSCoV2 variants. https://t.co/au1j9hZxWe pic.twitter.com/CIQfYLR0ea
— Science Magazine (@ScienceMagazine) October 16, 2023
Yes, #COVIDisAirborne but distribution of infectious particles differs depending on how they're dispersed from an infected person. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany are studying #SARSCoV2 emission data. Caution: Stay away from singers⬇️ https://t.co/nKufQAFuAf pic.twitter.com/a57FICeeiM
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) October 17, 2023
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An intranasal #Covid vaccine generates a strong immune response, a phase 1 study found. 2 doses of live-attenuated CoviLiv prompted broad antibody & T cell response. Just sniff it. CoviLiv doesn't require cold chain storage & is easier to stockpile https://t.co/hXPJtEFo0r pic.twitter.com/Gx2dFnyscM
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) October 13, 2023
With several recent advances and funding, Covid nasal vaccines now have momentum.
It's covered in the new Ground Truths (link in my profile) pic.twitter.com/huYxtydhGK— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 14, 2023
Prevention of #LongCovid: A meta-analysis of 24 studies shows vaccine effectiveness, with booster, at 69% and without booster 37%https://t.co/0ajXvF6NX0 pic.twitter.com/BSxniKwlvF
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 16, 2023
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“In the first comprehensive national poll of doctors about their experiences treating #LongCovid patients.. only 6% reported they regularly have success with treatments for long COVID that benefitted patients.” https://t.co/xMNhnYh5Ro
— charlos (@loscharlos) October 13, 2023
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This is 189 hydroxychloroquine prescriptions per day and 88 ivermectin prescriptions per day https://t.co/kyGAp6Xufc
— Ryan Marino, MD (@RyanMarino) October 12, 2023
5 Arkansas inmates were unknowingly treated w/ Ivermectin for #Covid & each will get $2000 to settle a lawsuit. Suit contends they were given IVM in Nov 2020 & didn’t realize what they'd gotten 'til July 2021. Arkansas is largely an anti-science red state https://t.co/PjWRk5WES6
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) October 13, 2023
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: October 18, 2023Post + Comments (31)
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: October 11, 2023
This post is in: COVID-19 Coronavirus, Foreign Affairs
End of an era:
Now that #COVID19 vaccines are not being distributed by the US government, @CDCgov has stopped printing Covid vaccination cardshttps://t.co/A8yilXwaKF
— MicrobesInfect (@MicrobesInfect) October 5, 2023
Americans have started rolling up their sleeves for the latest version of the COVID-19 vaccine, but weeks into the rollout some say they are still having difficulty finding appointments for themselves and their children. https://t.co/CMycxQAvFV
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) October 9, 2023
Can rapid #Covid tests reveal more than a positive/negative result? Experts say that rapid antigen test kits can show degrees of infectiousness https://t.co/wnNoeOm20f pic.twitter.com/D7ZKQIRb1K
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) October 7, 2023
This story was treated like an open sore at a hot tub party when it showed up on social media, but the actual argument seems to be that ‘long respiratory infections’ have been routinely overlooked, not that doctors are using a new catch-all to dismiss long covid symptoms:
A new study from Queen Mary University of London, published in eClinicalMedicine, has found that people may experience long-term symptoms—or “long colds”—after acute respiratory infections that test negative for COVID-19.
Some of the most common symptoms of the “long cold” included coughing, stomach pain, and diarrhea more than four weeks after the initial infection. While the severity of an illness appears to be a key driver of risk of long-term symptoms, more research is being carried out to establish why some people suffer extended symptoms while others do not.
The findings suggest that there may be long-lasting health impacts following non-COVID acute respiratory infections, such as colds, influenza, or pneumonia, that are currently going unrecognized. However, the researchers do not yet have evidence suggesting that the symptoms have the same severity or duration as long COVID.
The research compared the prevalence and severity of long-term symptoms after an episode of COVID-19 vs. an episode of another acute respiratory infection that tested negative for COVID-19. Those recovering from COVID-19 were more likely to experience light-headedness or dizziness and problems with taste and smell compared to those who had a non-COVID-19 respiratory infection.
While long COVID is now a recognized condition, there have been few studies comparing long-term symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection vs. other respiratory infections…
Victoria King, Director of Funding and Impact at Barts Charity, said, “Barts Charity swiftly supported COVIDENCE UK in response to the outbreak of COVID-19 to help inform of its risk factors and impacts. These findings highlight not only the long-term symptoms experienced by people after COVID infection, but by people after other acute respiratory infections as well. As we learn more about long COVID symptoms and their possible treatments, studies like this help to build greater awareness around other prolonged respiratory infections that may be going unrecognized.”
Part of the confused medical reactions at the start of the pandemic, IMO, lie in the old truism that Doctors don’t want to diagnose what they can’t treat. So, if ‘long covid’ is a real medical issue — which it obviously is — then maybe patients who claim their other respiratory infections hang on longer than the baseline, or whose symptoms don’t match the textbooks, might just be genuinely sick, as well.
Last night's update: 246,000 new cases and 1,466 new deaths https://t.co/p8YrVCmUZ0
— BNO News (@BNOFeed) October 9, 2023
Vaccine maker Novavax Inc on Monday said it has shipped millions of doses its updated COVID-19 shots to distributors after receiving the go-ahead from U.S. regulators. https://t.co/I18fBglOqU
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) October 9, 2023
Should you go preferentially for a @Novavax booster?
The limited data that we have and what I wound up doing this week@ScienceMagazine by @jcouzin https://t.co/NzCK48iZpW— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 6, 2023
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Singapore: New Covid wave begins
Estimated daily cases have risen from about 1,000 three weeks ago to 2,000 for the past two weeks.
Stats: https://t.co/n1F4arx4EG https://t.co/B6npFd6xwm pic.twitter.com/eIk4unaGPD
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 7, 2023
New Zealand: Covid-19 response saved 20,000 lives
https://t.co/fkrDJsSPVT— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 8, 2023
Israel: Covid outbreak spreads rapidly.
"There are presently 439 individuals hospitalized with COVID, which is an increase from 282 three weeks ago"https://t.co/lhob7VsqXK https://t.co/zHa5mekpnD
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 6, 2023
Greece: 'Significant pressure on the health system, with an increase in Covid-19 admissions to hospitals and ICU.' https://t.co/2vD6ELjCSG pic.twitter.com/SQ7GZyueks
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 7, 2023
25% increase week on week in Covid hospital admissions in England – increases seen across all regions except London. The latest wave continues.
Note that this is not (yet?) the new variant BA.2.86 ("Pirola") which is a small % of sequenced cases, but mostly Omicron XBB variants. pic.twitter.com/ZrIRqXvQjh
— Prof. Christina Pagel (@chrischirp) October 5, 2023
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Firstly, if anyone should *not be in a public facing role while positive with Covid*, it's those working with vulnerable patients.
Secondly, *if* you are going to make people come in then at least give them a proper, well fitted, FFP3 mask!
We should *know* this stuff by now! https://t.co/JYwsYHJQui— Prof. Christina Pagel (@chrischirp) October 11, 2023
Canada: Up to 10 per cent of Quebec health-care workers affected with long COVID
Many affected following POST-Omicron infections.
H/t @karsatov https://t.co/Uv9cReJDDS
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 8, 2023
Canada, B.C: Hospitalizations up 58% as infections and deaths spike
24 Covid fatalities in the last week of September, compared to nine in the second week of August.https://t.co/6z8VjFJU7K
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 7, 2023
A post on some of the biases to watch out for when using cases, admissions or deaths to understand levels of covid infections in the population – both now and in the first few pandemic years.
Tldr: be aware of time lags and who's not in the data https://t.co/GfTLLcZW5y pic.twitter.com/ayuE5MCvSa
— Prof. Christina Pagel (@chrischirp) October 11, 2023
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Study: Delayed peak SARS-CoV-2 viral loads relative to symptom onset.
"In a highly immune adult population, median SARS-CoV-2 viral loads peaked around the fourth day of symptoms."https://t.co/25YzVUuv1b
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 8, 2023
WAPO: 1% of U.S. children had long Covid through last year.
**One percent of a large number is still a large number.** https://t.co/j2XKUPHOvS pic.twitter.com/OURkrrce49
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 9, 2023
Not 'little adults': Experts say #long COVID undercounted, misdiagnosed in kids
Experts say it could be better defined and measured through well-designed longitudinal studies that take children's unique presentations into account.https://t.co/eFSKSPjNfM pic.twitter.com/PHLuaZrUhB
— CIDRAP (@CIDRAP) October 10, 2023
… Located on the cell’s outer surface, ACE2 plays an important role in controlling blood pressure and inflammation and protecting organs from damage caused by excess inflammation. During a SARS-CoV-2 infection, the coronavirus spike protein locks on to ACE2 to enter the cell.
The gene encoding the ACE2 protein is located on the X chromosome, which means that females have two copies of the gene and males only have one.
In times of health, the extra copy of the gene for ACE2 doesn’t appear to make a difference—Zhang and his team found similar levels of ACE2 protein in healthy males and females.
Following a SARS-CoV-2 infection, however, they observed a dramatic decrease in ACE2 in males while levels remained consistent in females, suggesting that the additional copy of the ACE2 gene on the X chromosome is helping to compensate and maintain high protein levels in females…
Pulmonary embolism during #Covid infection is a deadly combination. 20% of patients w/ both—Covid & blood clotting in their lungs—died during the pandemic's 1st year versus 7% of patients w/ pulmonary embolism alone https://t.co/zfDKuCT4XE pic.twitter.com/Ak9f6HyFeB
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) October 10, 2023
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BREAKING: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis loses lawsuit for hiding COVID-19 data. Full story ?? https://t.co/IpIqbMta9z
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) October 9, 2023
There is *always* a worse take…
Today’s wild theory – Israel and Hamas are working together to cover up vaccine deaths pic.twitter.com/R7tLNQr5pX
— Bad Vaccine Takes (@BadVaccineTakes) October 10, 2023
Or many in 30 days time, so just after Halloween 🧟 pic.twitter.com/U9b2hjhkxI
— Bad Vaccine Takes (@BadVaccineTakes) October 9, 2023
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: October 11, 2023Post + Comments (60)
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: October 4, 2023
This post is in: COVID-19 Coronavirus, Foreign Affairs
Fun little animation — worth sharing!
(h/t Scout211 for the YouTube version)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it authorized an updated version of Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in individuals aged 12 years and older, and the company's shares closed 8% higher. https://t.co/keABwhBXtr
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) October 4, 2023
Around 1.8 million people in the U.S. received a COVID-19 vaccine during the week ended Sept. 22, according to data compiled by health care data and analytics firm IQVIA Holdings Inc . https://t.co/eBilOtTKrP
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) September 30, 2023
Our new poll finds that among all adults, 23% say they will definitely get the new COVID-19 vaccine, 23% say they will probably get it, while 19% say they will probably not get it and 33% say they definitely not get it. https://t.co/u1INw3bC6o pic.twitter.com/UqQBYp8RYW
— KFF (@KFF) September 28, 2023
After Pfizer and Moderna hiked the prices of their Covid-19 vaccines this year, the federal government will now pay nearly three times more than it did previously for each dose. And it’s paying more than countries that did far less to support vaccine development…
… [T]the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is paying $81.61 for the Moderna booster this year, and $85.10 for the Pfizer shot — which is around triple the amount the federal government paid for each shot last year. Moderna charged the government $26.36 per booster dose last year, and Pfizer charged $30.48.
The change is partly because the federal government ran out of money to continue to buy the vaccines in bulk to distribute across the country, so the vast majority of vaccine purchases are instead flowing through normal channels and will be paid for by a variety of different insurance plans this year, including Medicare and Medicaid…
The CDC’s prices this year are significantly discounted from the price the companies are charging private insurers, however, which are $115 for the Pfizer vaccine and $128 for Moderna.
The United States is also set to pay a much higher price than is being considered in Europe for the same Moderna product.
European Union officials are in talks to potentially buy Moderna doses for around 25 euros apiece, the equivalent of around $26.30, according to a report in the Financial Times.
Though the price is not final, the potential amount is roughly one-third of what the United States is paying…
Single-payer health systems make it easier for anyone to access life-saving care at healthcare facilities, pharmacies, or community centers.
We got a taste of a single-payer system during the COVID-19 public health emergency, when the government paid for vaccines and medications to fight the unprecedented pandemic. But now, this system is no longer available. The CDC recently rolled out the new 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine for children and adults. Yet, without the single-payer system, those who are insured are required to use insurance to pay for the vaccine. As with most preventive care, the vaccine should be covered in full by insurance, but many people are experiencing denials of coverage. Amid all the confusion, the uninsured may not be aware that the government is providing vaccines for them at no cost…
People around the US have reported difficulties getting updated COVID vaccinations this fall. Have you had trouble finding updated shots? Were you charged for your shot? Share your experience 👉 https://t.co/kZiu8gMjuJ pic.twitter.com/5UgvddOuWH
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) October 3, 2023
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Australia: Recent spike in Covid deaths was the highest of the pandemic.
There'll be a reason for this huge peak, no doubt. We just haven't found it yet. pic.twitter.com/ibi8PgGSyA
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 3, 2023
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Ukraine: Covid cases almost double in one week.
From September 4th to 10th 2023, 1,241 cases of coronavirus were recorded. From September 11th to 17th, there were 2,203 cases.https://t.co/5HcDKcO082
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) September 30, 2023
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Covid will 'continue to surprise us', warns health official https://t.co/uVeIkPtA39
— BBC Health News (@bbchealth) October 1, 2023
UK: Winter COVID-19 Infection Study launched
The Winter COVID-19 Infection Study will run from November 2023 to March 2024, involving up to 200,000 participants.https://t.co/NslpNOVuDU
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 3, 2023
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Covid Inquiry focuses on government as stakes rise https://t.co/gCf3K9uvyq
— BBC Health News (@bbchealth) October 3, 2023
Canada, BC: Mask mandates in all care settings reinstated.
15 hospital units are closed due to COVID. 25 outbreaks confirmed at nursing homes, four new deaths reported this week.
Some say their latest COVID infection was their most severe yet.https://t.co/X3e6ZIsxg0
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) September 29, 2023
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Study: Reinfection contributes additional risk of long Covid
"People need to understand that you can get long Covid the second time, even if you dodged the bullet the first time. You can get long Covid the third time."
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) October 3, 2023
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#Covid heart injuries have been traced back to infected arterial plaque & inflammation, according to a study at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in NY City. Also, #SARSCoV2 persistence in some vascular cells may have ties to #LongCovid, the researchers say https://t.co/FnC902REjH
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) September 28, 2023
In development: You've heard of the MMR vaccine? Here's something in development: an MMS vax. It's a potential measles, mumps & #SARSCOV2 vaccine. The trivalent intranasal vaccine is in the animal research phase at Ohio State Univ https://t.co/WhY8aGKOoV pic.twitter.com/7WnYMLiPWj
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) October 3, 2023
On Paxlovid rebound.
In our @ScrippsRTI @eMedCertified prospective trial, it occurred in 14% vs 9% in controls, far less than anticipated, but more than @Pfizer's trialhttps://t.co/DlrviXOULg@JayPandit @michaelmina_lab pic.twitter.com/kawspop1nB— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 3, 2023
#SARSCoV2 infection triggers inflammatory responses in human coronary vessels leading to blockages. The virus increases the risk for cardiovascular complications up to 1 year after infection https://t.co/IQSyJfxEff
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) October 3, 2023
The @NobelPrize to @kkariko and @WeissmanLab wasn't just about how mRNA could be delivered, which led to Covid vaccines and *>20 million lives saved in 2021 alone*, but also a delivery platform for other vaccines vs pathogens, cancer, gene therapy and more https://t.co/yUHDmARDQa
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 4, 2023
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NYC, due to all of our advocacy efforts we have gotten 14 NYC Council Members to co-sponsor Int 1020, an important bill that would provide access to free masks, other PPE, & rapid tests through the mail to NYC residents.
Keep calling and emailing your NYC Council Members! https://t.co/xANY1IHtQy
— COVID Advocacy NY (@COVIDAdvocacyNY) October 2, 2023
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Propagation of misinformation for non-evidence based treatments for Covid
Results of a US survey of >13,000 people
Leading conduits: Trump, Fox News, Social media, Facebookhttps://t.co/XQu7Y7AUiP @JAMAHealthForum pic.twitter.com/2xxBvm9Dub— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) September 29, 2023
COVID death rates are well predicted by state partisanship even once you control for age.https://t.co/ZAJIhLZXAT
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) October 1, 2023
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COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: October 4, 2023Post + Comments (52)
Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Knowing One’s Worth
This post is in: Biden Administration in Action, COVID-19 Coronavirus, Open Threads, Proud to Be A Democrat, Science & Technology
Actor and activist Selma Blair helped President Joe Biden mark the legacy of the Americans with Disabilities Act on Monday.
Blair, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018, walked with Biden to a White House ceremony with her cane and her service dog, Scout. pic.twitter.com/ofNLEbTL9T
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 2, 2023
President Biden and Vice President Harris are making important progress. Let's send them back to the White House in 2024 so they can finish the job. pic.twitter.com/pis6RSNbLO
— Greg Howard Jr (He/Him/His) (@ThatPodcastGuy1) October 2, 2023
Today, two trailblazing researchers received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for work that enabled the development of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.
Dr. Katalin Karikó and Dr. Drew Weissman, congratulations.
You have the admiration of an indebted nation.
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 2, 2023
BREAKING NEWS
The 2023 #NobelPrize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/Y62uJDlNMj— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 2, 2023
Reminder that @Penn told Dr. Karikó years ago they were demoting her off the tenure track because her work "wasn't faculty level," so she left, did pathbreaking work to develop the COVID-19 vaccine, and now they're trying to ride her coattails. What a sleazy tweet this is. https://t.co/ZQEd0hdqs7
— Kevin Gannon (@TheTattooedProf) October 2, 2023
Our latest Nobel winner knew how to leave a room. Congratulations to Kati Kariko. https://t.co/DLZNlDaWqU pic.twitter.com/gUwmLdEVbB
— mattie kahn (@mattiekahn) October 2, 2023
From 2021, Glamour on “The Scientist Who Saved the World”:
In 2013—after enduring multiple professional setbacks, one denied grant after another, and a demotion at the institution to which she’d been devoted for decades—Katalin Karikó, Ph.D., walked out of her lab at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine for the last time.
For decades the Hungarian biochemist had been fixated on the possibilities of mRNA, the genetic messenger that delivers DNA instructions to the protein-making infrastructure in each of our cells. Karikó—with her collaborator, immunologist Drew Weissman, M.D., Ph.D.—believed in its potential to treat stubborn and fatal conditions like strokes and even cancer, hoping that mRNA could be used to program cells to produce their own cures. The two were evangelizers, but their work attracted few converts. Those who knew about it tended to be dismissive: fanciful, nice concept, dead end…
Back in 2013 pandemics were the subjects of big-budget blockbusters like Contagion and books about the great influenza of 1918. Few people expected to experience one, and even fewer knew the name of the scientist whose marginalized research would go on to serve as the foundation for some of the most effective vaccines ever made.
Karikó has never craved fame, nor did she spend decades toiling at the bench for prizes (although she and Weissman have received the Lasker Award, the Horwitz Prize, the Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research, and the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences in just the past few months). But fine, she has started to take a little pleasure in certain aspects of worldwide renown. First there’s the dream turned real—for her, scientific progress is measured in actual impact. With millions inoculated and the path out of the pandemic charted on the foundation of her research, she has lived to see the purpose in her work. And second, there’s the small, modest delight she takes in the fact that a few weeks before our interview, she ran into the man who’d led her out of her beloved lab at Penn eight years earlier. He told her he was preparing to give a lecture about her.
“You will talk about me?” she asked him. What about?
The focus, he said, would be on how he’d missed it—one of the greatest scientific and humanitarian achievements in their lifetimes, and he’d let the woman responsible for it walk out the door…
Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Knowing One’s WorthPost + Comments (106)
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: September 27, 2023
This post is in: COVID-19 Coronavirus, Foreign Affairs
ICYMI:
Starting today, every household can order another free round of COVID tests – shipped straight to your door.
Head to https://t.co/GqK9GmYJE2 to order yours. pic.twitter.com/LUg77yZLhU
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 25, 2023
Weekly #Covid hospitalizations reach 20,000 for the 1st time since March but new vaccine could help, public health experts say. Weekly hospitalizations increased 7.7%, CDC data shows https://t.co/bPK1zK7Qa6
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) September 26, 2023
Frustrated by the problems with the rollout of the updated #Covid shots? This is what vaccine rollouts look like when the federal govt isn't pulling all the levers, when market forces are steering the ship, experts say. "Gen. Perna is no longer in charge." https://t.co/jTNwVhB9FM
— Helen Branswell 🇺🇦 (@HelenBranswell) September 26, 2023
As #Covid hospitalizations climb, rates among seniors & children are raising concern. ~20,500 people in the US were admitted to the hospital w/ Covid during the wk ending Sept 9, according to data from the CDC – about 8% higher than the previous wk https://t.co/HPpyTO5wLk
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) September 24, 2023
Your fall #COVID19 vaccine insurance coverage "cheat sheet" from @cynthiaccox and me. https://t.co/lmHGCgoG1y
— Jen Kates (@jenkatesdc) September 22, 2023
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Vaccine-induced immune response to #Omicron wanes substantially over time. Although booster shots in adults elicit high levels of neutralizing antibodies against Omicron variants, antibody levels decrease substantially w/in 3 months. New data #SARSCoV2 https://t.co/haNOdrLtxW
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) September 25, 2023
… “Wait about 3 months after recovery from infection to get the immunization,” William Schaffner, MD, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, told MedPage Today. “That way the immune system will respond best to this shot. We know that the longer duration from the last stimulus, the somewhat better the response.”
Some experts think the interval can go even a bit longer.
John Moore, PhD, a virologist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, said there should be at least 4 months between infection and another shot.
Paul Sax, MD, clinical director of the division of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said “even 6 [months] is reasonable” to wait before getting a new shot.
Moore said there’s evidence “suggesting that a short interval can compromise the ability of the booster to trigger a strong antibody response” — something the CDC acknowledges in its official recommendations.
“Studies have shown that increased time between infection and vaccination might result in an improved immune response to vaccination,” the CDC guidance states. “Also, a low risk of reinfection has been observed in the weeks to months following infection.”
While there are several studies supporting the notion of better results with a longer interval, Moore said a September 2022 paper inopens in a new tab or window Cell stands out, showing that people who got a booster dose within 2 months of infection didn’t have a robust neutralizing antibody or memory B-cell response compared with those who were boosted and didn’t have a recent infection…
Pfizer Inc's chief executive said on Tuesday that almost 250,000 courses of the drugmaker's oral antiviral COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid were being administered per week as cases surged in the United States. https://t.co/bm3rJTFsBZ
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) September 27, 2023
If you are immunocompromised or age 65+, please consider joining our study that provides free molecular Covid tests, telemedicine, and rapid Paxlovid home delivery. @ScrippsRTI @scrippsresearch @CueHealth @julialmv https://t.co/Szw2SHM5k7
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) September 25, 2023
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Can’t say we didn’t try to warn you…
China’s ‘batwoman’ scientist warns another coronavirus outbreak is ‘highly likely’
One of China’s best-known virologists Shi Zhengli, also known as “batwoman”, has warned that it is “highly likely” another coronavirus will appear in future.https://t.co/uZ5xpPRCmR
— SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) (@COVID19_disease) September 25, 2023
A Chinese vlogger is sharing his experiences at a wet market in Laos. There, he encountered a young clouded leopard, flying squirrels, bats, exotic birds, and other wildlife. Let's stop consuming wild animals recklessly; that's how COVID-19 originated! So stupid. pic.twitter.com/xDWQGD3IF1
— evelyn0411 (@current0411) September 24, 2023
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The European Union is in talks with Moderna over a new supply deal for the company's COVID-19 vaccines amid concerns over a rise in infections in the region, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing two people familiar with the matter. https://t.co/41kj0vWDcA
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) September 26, 2023
New Covid and flu dashboard launched for England https://t.co/nuaoeQqnkb
— BBC Health News (@bbchealth) September 26, 2023
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Canadian COVID Forecast
Sep 23-Oct 6, 2023SEVERE: CAN, BC, NB, NL, North, NS, ON, PEI, QC, SK
About 1 in 29 people are currently infected pic.twitter.com/M0d3MqPhyU
— Tara Moriarty (@MoriartyLab) September 25, 2023
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Nasal vax on the horizon! https://t.co/ITD9yswyZu pic.twitter.com/CsCFrAwGZL
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) September 24, 2023
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“Their research found patients who had COVID-19 were 60% more likely to suffer from mental health problems than those who were not infected. When hospitalized, the likelihood jumped to 86%.”
We are *deliberately* ignoring this & normalizing reinfection. https://t.co/LR6pW6GGr8 pic.twitter.com/oC6gvYpJKx
— Laura Miers (@LauraMiers) September 24, 2023
New material captures viral particles—including #SARSCoV2—& could transform face mask efficiency. UK scientists created new material. Particles attach to silica in a *bioaerosol capture.* New material used in conventional mask was ~93% more efficient https://t.co/9M9bCatJiN #Mask
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) September 26, 2023
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New poll:
Signal of change of direction on the pandemic.
Many Americans (about 50%) want a mask mandate.
By party reported:
75% of Democrats,
33% of Republicans, and
45% independentsThis would be impossible to see from most reports in the press. https://t.co/LyNbehsGA3
— Yaneer Bar-Yam (@yaneerbaryam) September 26, 2023
Anti-vaccine groups are now rolling in cash https://t.co/gWssQaw6AL
— POLITICO (@politico) September 24, 2023
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My good sir, those are AIR BUBBLES between the glass slide and cover slip.
Someone did a VERY lousy job prepping those slides. That’s all that is. pic.twitter.com/wVe0fUMcK6
— Chise ?????????????? (@sailorrooscout) September 25, 2023
I sometimes wonder if there’s a deeper seated psychological urge to just get past COVID and back to before it in more ways than I would ever have imagined. Like we as a society don’t even want to learn lessons from it because that would require looking squarely at it.
— The Fig Economy (@figgityfigs) September 12, 2023
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: September 27, 2023Post + Comments (68)
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: September 20, 2023
This post is in: COVID-19 Coronavirus, Foreign Affairs
Pfizer expects 24% of the U.S. population, or about 82 million people, to receive COVID-19 shots this year, CFO David Denton said at a conference on Monday, reiterating the vaccine maker's estimates from earlier this year. https://t.co/sU3uWFgc47
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) September 18, 2023
"I would argue that this is not a booster," @KatherineJWu tells @loracorkelley in The Atlantic Daily. "This is another move toward routinizing COVID-19 vaccines to be like the annual flu vaccine." https://t.co/2nGvIj73gJ
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) September 13, 2023
U.S. COVID levels approach pandemic's 2020 peak.https://t.co/woNCt8bqQH
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) September 16, 2023
Sharing is caring:
Free, updated COVID vaccines are available for everyone 6 months and up! Learn more 👇 pic.twitter.com/HtqbhFLVC2
— Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH (@CDCDirector) September 19, 2023
People across at least 10 states have now been infected by BA.2.86, a highly mutated variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 that authorities have been closely tracking. https://t.co/aDyo2NFRWQ
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 19, 2023
Home tests still work to detect #Covid, but there are a few reasons why your test may not pick up an infection. Nearly all of us have some degree of underlying immunity to the #coronavirus now & that can affect the performance of the test https://t.co/urJ5VTXyhL pic.twitter.com/pIR5N4S4Kc
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) September 18, 2023
Here are the case and death numbers for last week. Early data suggests the current surge may have peaked for now https://t.co/hMEBQ5CQj1
— BNO News (@BNOFeed) September 18, 2023
Weekly U.S. COVID update:
– New cases: 243,847 est.
– Average: 227,732 (+24,100)
– States reporting: 50/50
– In hospital: 13,726 (+2,168)
– In ICU: 1,722 (+145)
– New deaths: 1,584
– Average: 1,042 (+190)1/4
— BNO News (@BNOFeed) September 18, 2023
More than 20,000 Americans were hospitalized with COVID last week, the highest since early March pic.twitter.com/dWtOU5xwNf
— BNO News (@BNOFeed) September 18, 2023
STAT's @HelenBranswell joined this week's episode of "The Readout LOUD" #podcast to discuss Covid this fall and the rollout of boosters shots aimed at the latest viral variants. Listen: https://t.co/YQKUHBAEmg pic.twitter.com/wyjs2YzXQt
— STAT (@statnews) September 16, 2023
Covid is now endemic, and so is anti-science idiocy:
… Many U.S. states have ended their COVID-19 vaccine mandates. But America’s childhood vaccine mandates for school entry are also vulnerable. As researchers of vaccination social science, ethics, and policy, we have sometimes encountered an optimistic view that immunization in America will soon snap back to a pre-pandemic “normal.” But this hope ignores the cracks that were already present in America’s immunization social order before the pandemic, cracks that COVID-19 only widened. State-based conflicts over school enrollment vaccine mandates became increasingly political and contentious during the 2010s. Continued political polarization about vaccine mandates is likely to reduce immunization rates and precipitate the return of previously controlled diseases. That’s why it’s time to adapt to vaccine refusal and prepare to manage these outbreaks, rather than hope they can be prevented…
Democratic lawmakers have now eliminated nonmedical exemptions in California, New York, Washington State (for measles vaccine), Maine, and Connecticut. New national organizations, like the Safe Families Coalition, are pushing for similar changes in many other states. Where Democrats organized to abolish vaccine opt-outs, Republicans fought to protect or expand them. The fight continues, as Republicans look for ways to further weaken childhood vaccine mandates. A case in point: on 17 April this year a Republican judge in Mississippi reinstated a religious exemption to that state’s vaccine mandates that courts had overturned in 1979.
Attempts to scrap nonmedical exemptions inject new kinds of coercion into a fracturing immunization social order. This intensifies the politicization of school vaccine mandates and erodes public support for these critical policies. Conflicts about COVID-19 pandemic control measures were not outliers, but instead signs of a crumbling immunization consensus. The bitter truth is that nonpartisan vaccine policy was dead before the world had heard of COVID-19.
Removing nonmedical vaccine exemptions will not overcome vaccine refusal or prevent outbreaks. Only in states where Democrats control all levers of state power can such bills pass, given unified Republican opposition. These policies can deliver local increases in immunization rates. However, even in Democrat-led states, enforcement is likely to be uneven at best, and to be worse in communities where immunization rates are already low. For example, the leadership of private schools is unlikely to enforce strict vaccine mandates that they believe are inconsistent with their values, or that will cause them to lose substantial tuition revenue…
Given the prospect of uneven state and institutional support for vaccination, individuals and families must also brace themselves for more frequent disease outbreaks. Some new parents already prevent unvaccinated relatives from visiting their babies. Families will need to consider extending these forms of private immunization governance when states can no longer protect them.
We are not talking about “giving up.” Governments should continue to promote vaccine acceptance and enforce vaccine mandates. The right kinds of outreach can sway some people who are on the fence about vaccinating. But these efforts alone are unlikely to be sufficient to prevent future outbreaks. Adapting to the times we live in is the only way forward.
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The chief of the World Health Organization urged Beijing to offer more information on the origins of COVID-19 and is ready to send a second team to probe the matter, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. https://t.co/SBvIBNnUHT
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) September 17, 2023
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Italy: Covid data to 10th September 2023
"An incidence of diagnosed and reported cases of 44 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, an increase compared to the previous week (31 cases per 100,000 inhabitants).
English: https://t.co/8bQZiz7L1m
Italian: https://t.co/WcRJIBuWuW pic.twitter.com/stKEYavAnZ
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) September 17, 2023
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#Covid has changed & so has our immunity. Our B & T cells—keepers of immune memories—aren’t as blind to the virus as they were in 2020. CDC has screened blood samples & estimates 97% of the US population has some immunity via vaccination, infection or both https://t.co/fR0oQkjzFG pic.twitter.com/F2Cf0EgQRg
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) September 17, 2023
https://t.co/DyEKg8nv82 by @ronlin @latimes pic.twitter.com/bE9HEcltJo
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) September 17, 2023
Important update on myocarditis from Covid mRNA vaccines for people age 12-39 who received bivalent boosters:
only 2 cases among over 550,000 people dosed
Presented at CDC meeting todayhttps://t.co/kJ7kL83ynF pic.twitter.com/hRSMJZSBwk— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) September 13, 2023
Understanding myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome—an elusive condition that often follows an infection and shares many similarities with #LongCovid—could improve long #COVID19 research, a 2022 #SciencePerspective argued. https://t.co/MzFGyQYFkG #ScienceMagArchives pic.twitter.com/JfnhNqkhV6
— Science Magazine (@ScienceMagazine) September 16, 2023
Since we’re coming up on deer season…
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Reminder, there are a number of groups on local, state, and national level advocating for stronger COVID prevention efforts, providing free masks and tests, tracking places with COVID protections, and more! Learn more on the directory we put together at https://t.co/SRlgfBGECW https://t.co/8BWKYUHi3L
— Myra Batchelder #KeepMasksInHealthcare (@myrabatchelder) September 11, 2023
Dangerous sign. The @US_FDA was right to assert lack of any evidence of benefit for ivermectin. But the court ruled in favor of doctors prescribing whatever they wanthttps://t.co/B8nFquydXF pic.twitter.com/ZXSLZOEyjQ
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) September 15, 2023
No, Pfizer's #Covid vax doesn't cause 'VAIDS.' That's NOT a real condition. A stupid anti-science post on X stated Sept 12 that Pfizer's shot causes “vaccine-induced AIDS.” It included a photo of a child whose face is covered w/ sores. Total fiction. https://t.co/BumEWLOYis
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) September 19, 2023
The cost of covid vaccines is not a barrier to universal health care and if you think it is, you’re a moron.
— Clean Observer (@Hammbear2024) September 14, 2023
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COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: September 20, 2023Post + Comments (44)
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: September 13, 2023
This post is in: COVID-19 Coronavirus, Foreign Affairs
Gonna hang a KN95 mask on my front door to ward off Republicans.
— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) September 8, 2023
Clinicians: CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and up get the updated #COVID19 #vaccine to protect against serious illness. It will be available later this week. The new vaccine targets the most common circulating variants.
Full details: https://t.co/jqvxmjrlxI pic.twitter.com/I7eohAAWJ4
— CDC (@CDCgov) September 12, 2023
Just about everyone should get the new #Covid #boosters, @CDCgov says https://t.co/zTS9oIzAzR "Most Americans can still get a COVID-19 vaccine for free. For people with health insurance, most plans will cover COVID-19 vaccine at no cost to you."
— Maggie Fox (@maggiemfox) September 12, 2023
Also a quick note from today's ACIP slides that the application under review at FDA would allow Novavax boosters even after mRNA priming/prior boosters.
FDA approval is now the last step before Novavax becomes broadly accessible.https://t.co/0J0gaYYNBs pic.twitter.com/8wlYVYhr9P— Daniel Park (@Daniel_E_Park) September 12, 2023
Among people who are still paying attention to Covid-19, there’s been a recent surge — not just in viral activity but in the concern once again being paid to Covid…
“I see so many people say: ‘Remember, Covid’s not over,’” Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist and director of Brown University’s Pandemic Center, told STAT.
“Covid’s never going to be over. You need to set expectations accordingly. It is never going to be over.”
Covid is now like influenza, RSV, rhinoviruses, and a large number of other pathogens that will at some point or points in a year increase in transmission activity and then decline, ceding the stage to something else that can make people cough, sneeze, run a fever, feel lousy, and sometimes require medical care and can on occasion lead to death. To be sure, Covid currently is the worst member of that gang, still killing more people a year than influenza, which previously wore the worst actor badge.
But when we’re looking at Covid, it’s important to remember that we are in a markedly different phase in our experience with SARS-2 than we were even a year ago, experts insist. Yes, the number of new hospital admissions is rising, and the number of deaths may follow. But they are far below the figures of previous years. In the last week of August 2021, there were nearly 86,000 new hospital admissions. Last year at the same time, the number was 37,000. This year it was 17,400…
Epidemiologist Bill Hanage noted that already this year, there have been roughly 100,000 Covid deaths in the United States — and there are 3.5 months left in the year. If half that number of people were to die during a flu season, it would be deemed a disastrous flu year.
“And yet, by comparison with what’s happened in the past, [Covid] is so much better,” said Hanage, who is associate director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health. “And I think we need to hold in our heads the fact that those things are both true.’’…
Coming to grips with what life is going to be like with Covid as a part of the respiratory diseases mix could help us make better, more sustainable decisions about what we are and are not willing to do to try to mitigate its damage, the experts said. And toning down reactions to blips or upticks in cases could help avoid further Covid burnout that could prove counterproductive down the road, they suggested.
“My worry is if every time we see a new variant or an uptick in cases, making it overblown and freaking out about it, then nothing happens, then when the real thing comes and it is time to really bring back that pandemic playbook … people will not hear the warning bells,” Lessler said.
Hanage agreed. “It may be the case that at some point we might want to dust off that [pandemic control] advice. But saying it at the moment is just going to devalue that currency,” he said.
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This week, more than 250,000 new COVID cases were reported in the U.S., the highest since February
— BNO News (@BNOFeed) September 11, 2023
Forecast out to mid October:
Prediction is difficult at the moment with a lot of factors at play, so this is a range for now. Peaks are always hard to predict.
Lower model run peaks this week. FLip is growing, but not fast enough to peak later than late Sept. pic.twitter.com/6idiApRyyP
— JWeiland (@JPWeiland) September 11, 2023
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UK heads towards winter wave levels of Covid in September.
🚨 According to the ZOE Covid tracker, there are now over 100,000 symptomatic cases being recorded every day in the UK.
H/t @gwladwr pic.twitter.com/gbWEmRWnZ4
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) September 8, 2023
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In case anyone is interested in recent work on immunity resulting from breakthrough infections in vaccinated people – so called 'hybrid' immunity – here's a recent paper pic.twitter.com/O5m5XS53Tk
— Bill Hanage (@BillHanage) September 12, 2023
#Covid can trigger antibodies linked w/ auto-immune disorders, causing blood clots & other complications, new research shows. Natural production of auto-antibodies—those aimed against your own tissues—increases w/ age. SARSCoV2 exacerbates that production https://t.co/X62l2wpGnN
— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) September 12, 2023
Here's an update on the reported samples of the new BA.2.86.* "Pirola" variant, vs the overall sample counts.
Denmark and now the UK have reported the most samples so far, with the highest frequency reported from South Africa. pic.twitter.com/ZX6wHjy0oZ
— Mike Honey (@Mike_Honey_) September 11, 2023
#SARSCoV2 can infect sensory neurons, explaining why some people lost the senses of taste & smell. "There's clearly a clinical effect of SARSCoV2 infection on sensory neurons, such as on smell and taste," said Dr. Rudolf Jaenisch whose lab led the study https://t.co/6SLITPdX8g
— delthia ricks ?? (@DelthiaRicks) September 7, 2023
Giving a booster dose of mRNA #Covid vaccine prompts a strong T cell response in immunocompromised people, according to Swedish research. That means people w/ an impaired immune system can achieve a relatively robust response against #SARSCoV2 if exposed https://t.co/Rw0weE3EjF pic.twitter.com/aKj60kwPv2
— delthia ricks ?? (@DelthiaRicks) September 8, 2023
It’s encouraging to see more coverage about COVID’s long-term effects on the heart being featured prominently. Not enough people know about this due to disinformation & gaslighting. We need to spread the word so everyone can take steps to protect themselves & their communities. https://t.co/CW9ckW7n7F
— Dr. Lucky Tran (@luckytran) September 12, 2023
“The majority of these occurred in people 65 and older . But heart-related deaths also increased dramatically in younger adults. In fact, a study found that the sharpest rise in deaths from heart attack during that period occurred in 25- to 44-year-olds.”
— David Wallace-Wells (@dwallacewells) September 7, 2023
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Florida: 43 of 67 counties reported 'moderate' levels of new weekly hospital admissions for COVID-19
'Moderate' levels are between 10 and 19.9 new hospital admissions per 100,000.https://t.co/V3dpKi5Tab
— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) September 12, 2023
Next up: banning non-lead paint https://t.co/JO9Lvc67aM
— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) September 10, 2023
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JD Vance makes his case against mask mandates by claiming that kids "need us not to be chicken little about every single respiratory pandemic." pic.twitter.com/CJRT6H1Oqy
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 7, 2023
In one action-packed speech/tweets, Rand Paul manages to name-check four shitty, anti-vaccine cranks. pic.twitter.com/68hIpSdL9E
— Clean Observer (@Hammbear2024) September 12, 2023
Literally no body benefits from like vaccine development being crippled to pander to Facebook influencers. There’s basically no constituency that gains, just morons who think they do.
— William B. Fuckley (@opinonhaver) September 8, 2023
Just slightly more disturbing than the crying toddler were the hundreds of thousands of Americans who died alone in ICUs after saying goodbye to their family and friends over FaceTime. https://t.co/0zgAOo3TNQ
— Jonathan Reiner (@JReinerMD) September 12, 2023
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: September 13, 2023Post + Comments (59)
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