Covid-19 Updates & Info

All the other crazy stuff we talk about. Politics, Science, News, the Kitchen, other hobbies.
User avatar
Deuce Canada
Posts: 4531
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 5:52 am
Location: An unparallel universe
Has thanked: 336 times
Been thanked: 977 times

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1246

Post by Deuce »

Suliso wrote: Sun Jul 18, 2021 9:40 am I strongly disagree. 1 1/2 years into the pandemic is by no means too early to think how we're going to deal with this in a medium and long term.
And I strongly disagree with your position on this. 1 1/2 years is a blip in life - even in the average duration of a human life. The problem, as I previously mentioned, is that people have been conditioned to expect instant results (and solutions) to everything. There is no speed of internet that is fast enough for people today - they always want faster and faster... That is but one example. Instant results; instant gratification - that's what people are expecting in everything, because technology - upon which people are increasingly dependent - provides those instant results.
The obvious problem is that, the faster things are done, the less properly they are done much of the time. The U.S. has fallen into this trap with the virus.

But this COVID-19 situation is not a video game. It's real life. Real people are really dying. Real people are really becoming really ill for really long periods. Real families are really being torn apart. So to pretend that the virus is under control - or that it has disappeared - just because we want it to be is as extremely irresponsible as it is extremely dangerous. As I've said previously - the U.S. is treating the virus as if it's merely an annoying bully, and expecting it to go away if it is ignored - like bullies usually do.

Human beings are also incredibly addicted to convenience. But convenience has a price - and most people are not willing to accept that. They want to have their cake and eat it, too.
And the ever-present ego problem I mentioned previously of not being able to accept that they don't know something - and so pretending to know, instead, which is dangerous.

In the end, I am saying the same thing that thousands of doctors and other medical professionals have been, and are, saying - because I trust their knowledge and experience and concern, and because, upon my personal analysis of the situation, even without any medical degrees, I reach the same conclusion as they. Take your argument that 1 1/2 years is long enough to be inconvenienced, and that 1 1/2 years is plenty of time to start taking control of the virus - take that argument to the medical professionals, and see how they respond.

Ponchi: As for my claim that people want too much of the unimportant stuff like the luxury of going to movie theatres and getting their hair done (which are absolutely luxuries in the midst of a pandemic) - I stand by my statement. I was, and am, commenting on the situation in the U.S. - where the appetite for entertainment is out of control. It is also out of control in other parts of the world. Even Dry wrote in a post last week that people's appetite for entertainment is going to end up killing them. I've been saying that for a couple of decades now, at least - in global terms. Like many things, it's a question of supply and demand. And as long as the demand to be perpetually entertained exists, we will be headed toward disaster. The 'economy' may well be 'healthy' as we ride that road straight to hell - but the destination is inevitable.

“How well-behaved are cows! When they approach me reclining in the shade, from curiosity, or to receive a whisp of grass, or to share the shade - they do not intrude. Their company is acceptable, for they can endure the longest pause; they have not got to be entertained.” ~ Henry Thoreau
R.I.P. Amal...

“The opposite of courage is not cowardice - it’s conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.”- Jim Hightower
User avatar
Suliso Latvia
Posts: 4404
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2020 2:30 pm
Location: Basel, Switzerland
Has thanked: 274 times
Been thanked: 1453 times

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1247

Post by Suliso »

I'd win a Nobel prize before I convince you of even a tiniest thing on any topic you're not already convinced off. So whatever and let's agree to disagree. :)
User avatar
Deuce Canada
Posts: 4531
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 5:52 am
Location: An unparallel universe
Has thanked: 336 times
Been thanked: 977 times

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1248

Post by Deuce »

I can say exactly the same in the reverse direction. And that's fine.

I put experience (when available) and considerable thought into my positions and perspectives - they are not obtained flippantly, or due to a popular consensus. As a result, if I have a position/perspective on something, I believe in it. And so, yes, it is usually difficult for someone to change my position.

I don't believe the ultimate objective should necessarily be to change the other person's position, but rather to engage in discussion. If two positions oppose each other, that's ok. If everyone possessed the same position on everything, half the things that get done would not get done. It's even possible to learn something from the other's position without changing one's own position.
R.I.P. Amal...

“The opposite of courage is not cowardice - it’s conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.”- Jim Hightower
User avatar
ti-amie United States of America
Posts: 22988
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 4:44 pm
Location: The Boogie Down, NY
Has thanked: 5302 times
Been thanked: 3284 times

Honorary_medal

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1249

Post by ti-amie »

Re the Bubonic Plague:
How many people died because of the Black Death?

In Europe, it is thought that around 50 million people died as a result of the Black Death over the course of three or four years. The population was reduced from some 80 million to 30 million. It killed at least 60 per cent of the population in rural and urban areas. In fact, in some places such as a village on an estate in Cambridgeshire manorial rolls attest that 70 per cent of its tenants died in a matter of months in 1349, and the city of Florence tax records drawn up shortly before and after the Black Death suggest that its toll may have been about the same in 1348.

Some communities such as Quob in Hampshire were wiped out; many rural communities went into decline (and were in time deserted). We know that some populations survived, but medieval people had no such knowledge – all they believed was that everyone would certainly die.

The plague skipped over or barely touched some European villages, and may not have infected at all vast regions (such as ones in northern German-speaking lands). Given the state of record-keeping and preservation, we will probably never be able to estimate the Black Death’s European toll with any precision.
https://www.historyextra.com/period/med ... many-died/
“Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born.” Albert Einstein
User avatar
ti-amie United States of America
Posts: 22988
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 4:44 pm
Location: The Boogie Down, NY
Has thanked: 5302 times
Been thanked: 3284 times

Honorary_medal

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1250

Post by ti-amie »

“Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born.” Albert Einstein
User avatar
ti-amie United States of America
Posts: 22988
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 4:44 pm
Location: The Boogie Down, NY
Has thanked: 5302 times
Been thanked: 3284 times

Honorary_medal

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1251

Post by ti-amie »

“Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born.” Albert Einstein
User avatar
ti-amie United States of America
Posts: 22988
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 4:44 pm
Location: The Boogie Down, NY
Has thanked: 5302 times
Been thanked: 3284 times

Honorary_medal

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1252

Post by ti-amie »

“Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born.” Albert Einstein
User avatar
JazzNU United States of America
Posts: 6655
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:57 pm
Location: Pennsylvania
Has thanked: 2786 times
Been thanked: 2374 times

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1253

Post by JazzNU »

From the Onion, but entirely too accurate - https://twitter.com/TheOnion/status/141 ... 760096259


Hesitant Man Just Waiting To Observe Long-Term Effects Of Vaccine Over Next Several Eons


CORVALLIS, OR—Stressing that he was hesitant to get one until more evidence came to light, local man Jeff Bryan told reporters Monday that he was just waiting to observe the long-term effects of the Covid-19 vaccine over the next several eons. “Look, I get that people are saying it’s safe right now, but I think I’d rather wait another billion years or so to really get a sense of the potential consequences,” said Bryan, adding that he understood Covid was a pressing problem but didn’t see the issue of waiting until the fall of 202120201021 C.E. or so to decide whether to take the vaccine. “Sure, doctors are saying there’s no side effects now, but what about in 2.5 billion years? Frankly, I think anything under a few hundred million years is just too soon to know what this thing’s gonna do. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a strict anti-vaxxer or anything like that, but I think it’s reasonable to ask what effects the vaccines will have on our children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children.” Bryan added his hesitancy was also due to such a small number of overall vaccine recipients, which made their own experiences more anecdotal and less reliable as data, adding that he’d feel more comfortable after hearing how the vaccine affected a larger sample size of around 100 billion people.
User avatar
dryrunguy
Posts: 1532
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2020 6:31 am
Has thanked: 693 times
Been thanked: 1155 times

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1254

Post by dryrunguy »

Here's the latest Situation Report. There's a lot to digest. What stood out to me was the weekend vandalism of vaccination sites in France, the Olympics (what the hell are these people thinking?), HIV and COVID, and new long COVID studies.

::

EPI UPDATE The WHO COVID-19 Dashboard reports 191 million cumulative cases and 4.10 million deaths worldwide as of 6:00am EDT on July 20. Global weekly incidence increased for the fourth consecutive week, up 11.6% from the previous week and the highest weekly total since the week of May 24. Weekly global mortality increased for the second consecutive week, but the weekly increase was only 1.1% compared to the previous week.

Weekly incidence decreased in Africa for the first time since mid-May. Overall, the Americas are holding relatively steady over the past several weeks; however, reported cases in South America are declining, while reported cases in North America are increasing—both starting in late June. Case counts in other WHO regions are increasing as of late June.

Global Vaccination
The WHO reported 3.44 billion doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines administered globally as of July 19. The WHO reports a total of 1.35 billion individuals have received at least 1 dose, and 637 million are fully vaccinated. Analysis from Our World in Data shows that the global daily doses administered leveled off over the past week, now hovering at slightly more than 30 million doses per day. Vaccinations leveled off in Asia as well. Europe’s daily vaccinations are beginning to decline, down 11% over the past 2 weeks, and North America continues to decline steadily. Vaccination trends in Africa are increasing slightly, with daily vaccinations up 25% since the beginning of July. Trends in South America continue to increase steadily, and daily vaccinations leveled off in Oceania (with a slight decline) over the past week or so. Our World in Data estimates that there are 2.06 billion vaccinated individuals worldwide (1+ dose; 26.5% of the global population) and 1.02 billion who are fully vaccinated (13.1% of the global population).

UNITED STATES
The US CDC reported 33.9 million cumulative COVID-19 cases and 606,618 deaths. The US reported 29,578 new cases on July 16—more than 2.5 times higher than the low on June 18 (11,457)—before falling slightly on July 18 (26,011). Daily mortality also peaked on July 16, increasing from a low of 159 deaths per day on July 11 to 234 (+47%) before falling slightly to 218.

We have observed a similar trend over the past several weeks, with data reported early in the week indicating a slight decrease in the average daily incidence and mortality from Friday to Sunday. The trend disappears, however, after several days, which indicates that it is likely an artifact of reporting, potentially due to states shifting from daily to weekly reports to the CDC. This shift in reporting could complicate efforts to maintain an accurate understanding of the US COVID-19 epidemic in real time, particularly at a time when the country is facing the early stages of another surge. The most recent several days’ worth of COVID-19 data may no longer be a reliable representation of the current state of the US epidemic.

US Vaccination
The US has administered 338 million cumulative doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. After reaching a low of approximately 425,000 doses per day on July 9 (the lowest average since January 2), daily vaccinations increased slightly over the next several days, up to 447,583*. A total of 186 million individuals in the US have received at least 1 dose, equivalent to 56.1% of the entire US population. Among adults, 68.3% have received at least 1 dose as well as 10.0 million adolescents aged 12-17 years. A total of 161 million individuals are fully vaccinated, which corresponds to 48.6% of the total population. Approximately 59.5% of adults are fully vaccinated, as well as 7.8 million adolescents aged 12-17 years.
*Due to delays in reporting, estimates for the average daily doses administered are less accurate for the most recent 5 days. The most current value provided here corresponds to 5 days ago.

CHILDHOOD IMMUNIZATIONS DISRUPTED The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted routine immunizations for millions of children worldwide. According to data from WHO and UNICEF published July 15, 23 million children missed out on routine immunizations in 2020 due to the pandemic, with up to 17 million children not receiving a single vaccine in 2020. This lapse in routine vaccinations, the greatest since 2009, risks resulting in outbreaks of measles, polio, meningitis, or other vaccine-preventable diseases. Not only are these outbreaks dangerous to children and their communities, but they could burden health systems and reverse decades of progress in closing the global gap in vaccinations. Countries with the greatest increase in the number of children not receiving their first dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis combined vaccine (DTP-1) include India, Pakistan, and Indonesia, all of which have come under strain during the pandemic. A recent study published in The Lancet examined the impact of the pandemic on childhood vaccine coverage and highlighted the need to strengthen health systems, surveillance systems, and targeted outreach programs in order to reach children who have missed routine immunizations. As countries begin to loosen COVID-19 restrictions, experts highlight the very real possibility of seeing increased transmission and outbreaks of vaccine-preventable pathogens.

PRIORITY REVIEW OF PFIZER-BIONTECH VACCINE Pfizer-BioNTech on July 16 announced the US FDA granted priority review status for the Biologics License Application for their 2-dose SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine. An FDA official reportedly said a decision on whether to grant full approval for the vaccine’s use in people ages 16 and older will come soon, possibly within the next 2 months. The FDA must make its decision by January under the priority review. Pfizer-BioNTech completed their application in May and expects to apply for full approval for people ages 12 to 15 when data are available. Moderna has begun its application to the FDA for full approval of its 2-dose SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, and J&J-Janssen also is expected to seek full approval of its 1-dose vaccine. Full approval of a vaccine could impact US vaccination coverage by prompting vaccine mandates for some schools, businesses, or the US military, and by swaying some who are reluctant because of safety concerns to undergo vaccination.

VACCINE DISINFORMATION On July 15, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy warned of the threat of health misinformation. As we covered previously, misinformation on a wide variety of topics has had a substantial negative effect on COVID-19 response and risk mitigation activities, including vaccination. Dr. Murthy emphasized that “health misinformation is an urgent threat to public health” and that it puts “American lives...at risk.” Notably, the announcement explicitly highlighted the role of social media platforms in spreading misinformation, and Dr. Murthy called on social media companies to take action in countering this ongoing threat. In a report published in March, the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that approximately two-thirds of all anti-vaccine misinformation found on social media platforms originates with one of 12 individuals. While some accounts operated by these individuals have been removed from social media platforms, many remain active. Dr. Murthy also called on the American public to refrain from sharing questionable information via their social media networks. Combating the far-reaching network that supports the spread of misinformation will require a “whole-of-society effort.” The health advisory outlines key principles for promoting accurate information, including identifying trusted voices in the community and longer-term investments in “media, science, digital, data, and health literacy.”

UK “FREEDOM DAY” England marked “Freedom Day” on July 19, with the government lifting all but a few COVID-19 restrictions amid a 41% surge in new cases over the past week. Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended his decision to open from his country residence, where he is isolating after coming into contact with UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who on Saturday said he tested positive for COVID-19 and is showing mild symptoms. The move into phase 4 of the country’s reopening plan removes limits on social gatherings and events, the need for physical distancing, and mask requirements except on public transportation.

Many experts see England's move to reopen as a major gamble, with more than 1,200 scientists signing a letter published in The Lancet calling the plan “dangerous and premature,” highlighting the likely negative impacts on children’s health and education, and warning the strategy “provides fertile ground for the emergence of vaccine-resistant variants.” Others say the reopening risks a massive wave of infections and will test the resilience of the nation’s health care system and the effectiveness of vaccines. Nearly 70% of the adult population is fully vaccinated, with 87.9% having received at least one dose.

On July 19, the country’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation advised against the mass vaccination of all children and teenagers, instead opting to offer doses only to children between 12 and 15 who are at increased risk of serious COVID-19 disease—including those with "severe neurodisabilities, Down’s syndrome, immunosuppression, and multiple or severe learning disabilities"—and children and young people aged 12 to 17 who live with an immunocompromised person.

Also on July 19, the US CDC raised its UK Risk Assessment Level for COVID-19 to “Level 4: COVID-19 Very High,” prompting the US Department of State to raise its travel advisory level for the UK from “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” to “Level 4: Do Not Travel.” Notably, though the travel advisory is for the whole of the UK, the lifting of restrictions only impacts England, as Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland continue to make their own policies on COVID-19 restrictions.

FRANCE VACCINATIONS In an effort to control the surging Delta variant (B.1.617.2), French President Emmanuel Macron announced that proof of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test must soon be provided to enter certain public venues or transportation. Beginning in August, a “green pass” will be required for anyone over the age of 12 to enter a cinema, theater, museum, theme park, or cultural center, and anyone entering venues like cafés, restaurants, shopping centers, or public transit must show the pass. Additionally, vaccination will be mandatory for anyone working in healthcare facilities and retirement homes, or assisting with elderly or other vulnerable people. Those employers and employees who do not comply could face sanctions or fines. The digital vaccine green pass will serve as a certification of vaccination and regulate entry to venues via a QR code specific to each person.

France has fully vaccinated 40% of its population, and the new restrictions on the unvaccinated are spurring people to get vaccinated. Immediately following Macron’s announcement, online French medical platform Doctolib received a record of more than 900,000 visits as people rushed to book their first vaccine dose. However, opponents of the requirement have taken to the streets in protest, citing government overreach. Several vaccination sites were vandalized over the weekend. Although polls suggest two-thirds of the population support the new measures, some claim the pass is too ambitious, may not clear institutional hurdles, and will infringe on personal freedoms. Health officials continue to fine tune the details of the health pass, and parliament is set to vote on the legislation.

OLYMPIC ATHLETES COVID-19 CASES With only days to go before the start of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, reports of COVID-19 cases among Olympic athletes and other residents of the Olympic Village are clouding the already delayed event. Olympic organizers said at least 71 people have tested positive, including athletes, team officials, volunteers, contractors, and a “games-concerned personnel.” Two athletes and a video analyst with the South African soccer team tested positive in the Olympic Village despite receiving 2 negative tests within 4 days of traveling to Tokyo. Eight members of the UK delegation are in isolation after exposure to SARS-CoV-2 from an infected individual on their flight to Japan. At least 2 members of the US delegation are in isolation after an alternate for the US Women’s Gymnastics Team tested positive. Additionally, US tennis star Cori “Coco” Gauff on July 18 announced she will not compete in the Olympics after testing positive. Despite unprecedented measures to control COVID-19 during the Olympics, including daily testing and required masking when not training, competing, eating, or sleeping, the growing number of cases is raising questions over how well outbreaks can be controlled. At a press conference today, the head of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics organizing committee did not rule out a last-minute cancellation of the event.

HAJJ Historically, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca draws millions of visitors from around the world. Last year, Saudi Arabia limited visitors to only 1,000 pilgrims, but for the ongoing Hajj (July 17-22), the government is permitting a total of 60,000 visitors, limited to Saudi residents who are fully vaccinated, aged 18-65 years, and have no chronic health conditions. While this is considerably more people than were permitted in 2020, it is still far fewer than the more than 2 million who typically attend Hajj.

In order to reduce risk, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah implemented additional restrictions and protective measures. Upon arrival, pilgrims are assigned to groups of 20, with no mixing between groups. Individuals are assigned specific dates and times to visit the Grand Mosque, where 6,000 individuals are permitted to enter every 3 hours. Facilities at the Grand Mosque undergo sterilization between each session. Despite the additional protective measures, including the vaccination requirement, the US CDC still has a Level 3 Travel Warning in place (Avoid Nonessential Travel) for the Hajj, due in part to the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission associated with mass gatherings.

VACCINE EQUITY The global inequities in access to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are worsening, with wealthy nations continuing to stockpile instead of share unused doses and lacking a viable, well-funded global plan to reach poorer nations. For some nations dependent upon vaccine imports, the shipments have only recently begun, more than 1.5 years into the pandemic. COVAX has delivered only 135.5 million doses to 136 countries, and with little funding to purchase additional doses, the facility is left to depend upon donations from countries. Last week, COVAX launched an international marketplace to help address supply chain challenges hampering global vaccination efforts. The platform hopes to match vaccine producers with suppliers of vital components—such as bioreactor bags, biologic ingredients, or vials—who might have unused products needing to be reallocated.

Additionally, leaders of countries in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade group on July 16 pledged to expand their global sharing and manufacturing of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, including encouraging voluntary transfer of technologies. However, they offered no specific details about how this expansion would be accomplished. Following the virtual meeting, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, whose country serves as the current APEC host, said, “Our discussions moved us beyond vaccine nationalism. Now we are focusing on all aspects of contributing to the global vaccination effort—making vaccines, sharing vaccines, and using vaccines.”

HIV INFECTION HIV infection is a significant comorbidity for both severe or critical COVID-19 at hospital admission and in-hospital mortality, according to a WHO report released last week. The report described clinical surveillance data from 37 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America, and found that the risk of developing severe or fatal COVID-19 was 30% greater for people living with HIV compared with people without HIV, and 23.1% of all people living with HIV who were hospitalized with COVID-19 died. Other underlying conditions such as diabetes and hypertension increased the risk further, especially among men living with HIV over the age of 65 years.

In sub-Saharan Africa, home to two-thirds of people living with HIV, less than 3% of the population had received one dose of vaccine by July 2021, according to the UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2021, also released last week. COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions have disrupted HIV testing, referrals to care, and HIV treatment initiation and continuation. In some places, these disruptions bred ingenuity, with the emergence of new models of differentiated service delivery starting in communities worldwide, often guided by patients and advocates themselves. Health officials and organizations are detailing these efforts during the International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science, which began July 18 in Berlin, Germany, and calling for continued flexibility to meet people’s lifestyles beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

LONG COVID/PASC Researchers continue efforts to understand and treat post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), commonly referred to as “long COVID.” PASC is a constellation of long-lasting symptoms following an initial infection with SARS-CoV-2 that can affect individuals regardless of the presence or severity of the acute COVID-19 symptoms. The UK announced it will provide £20 million (US$27.17 million) to support 15 clinical trials examining the diagnosis, treatments, and care of the condition. The studies will test existing drugs as therapies, look at the use of MRI scans for diagnosing organ damage, assess the possible role of overactive or impaired immune systems, and evaluate the impact of obesity among people with long COVID-19, among other objectives. The UK government previously allocated £100 million (US$36 million) for support services for people with long COVID-19, establishing 80 such services so far.

At least 4 new studies examining long COVID-19 recently were published. The first study, published in The Lancet’s journal EClinicalMedicine and the largest-ever international study on long COVID-19, identified more than 200 symptoms of the condition and prompted researchers—all of whom have had or are still living with long COVID—to call for the creation of a national screening program in the UK for anyone who suspects they have the condition. The second study, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, found that people who experience 5 or more COVID-19 symptoms in the first week of infection are significantly more likely than people with fewer symptoms to develop long COVID-19. A third study, published in JAMA, found a low prevalence of long-term COVID-19 symptoms among a randomly selected cohort of children who were assessed at least 6 months after being tested for SARS-CoV-2. A fourth study, published in PLOS ONE, found that 26% of adult COVID-19 patients did not fully recover within 6-8 months after diagnosis, with 55% experiencing fatigue, 25% breathlessness, and 26% symptoms of depression. The researchers highlighted the need for accessible care for individuals experiencing long COVID-19 symptoms.

SUPER ANTIBODY In a study published July 14 in Nature, researchers describe a newly discovered “super antibody” capable of protecting against SARS-CoV-2 and a group of related coronaviruses, called sarbecoviruses. The antibody, named S2H97, is believed to work by attaching to a section of the ACE2 receptor binding motif on the virus spike protein that is only exposed when a sarbecovirus is attempting to enter a cell. S2H97 was able to prevent the spread of multiple sarbecoviruses between cells in a lab, and the antibody also protected hamsters from infection with SARS-CoV-2 isolated from the initial Wuhan, China, outbreak. Researchers further described the antibody as a pan-sarbecovirus due to its broad efficacy across the sarbecovirus subgenus. The description of a usually hidden antibody binding region in the ACE2 RBM is important because it could be used as a target for future vaccines and therapeutics. Additionally, a pan-sarbecovirus vaccine could be used to prevent outbreaks from as-of-yet-undiscovered members of the Coronaviridae family of viruses.

https://covid19.who.int/
User avatar
MJ2004
Posts: 417
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 3:18 pm
Location: Boston
Has thanked: 116 times
Been thanked: 300 times

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1255

Post by MJ2004 »

I can't differentiate that Onion article from reality.
User avatar
ti-amie United States of America
Posts: 22988
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 4:44 pm
Location: The Boogie Down, NY
Has thanked: 5302 times
Been thanked: 3284 times

Honorary_medal

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1256

Post by ti-amie »

“Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born.” Albert Einstein
Jeff from TX United States of America
Posts: 246
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2020 4:59 pm
Location: Arizona
Has thanked: 341 times
Been thanked: 84 times

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1257

Post by Jeff from TX »

MJ2004 wrote: Tue Jul 20, 2021 10:13 pm I can't differentiate that Onion article from reality.
I agree - I just had a brief interaction with a person on Facebook who had this to say:
What's the point of getting this vaccine when there's already a 95 percent chance of survival, and it won't prevent you from catching Covid or spreading it?
My reply:
Virtually no vaccine can guarantee 100% immunity to the disease they are designed to protect. You mention that there is a 95% chance of of survival. What this fails to also address is that for many people, they survive, but that doesn't mean that they fully recover. If you choose not to get vaccinated, that is your choice, but please do not discuss this as if there are only 2 consequences - death and full recovery. Vaccination has been highly effective at mitigated the worst effects (besides death) from COVID.
His answer:
I will discuss it. The bottom line is that there really hasn't been enough research on the vaccine and here they are telling us we are better off with the vaccine. With all the evidence I've seen we aren't.

I'm can't really provide the research, because he wouldn't probably believe it anyway.
It seems like time is going backwards towards 1984 . . . :freaking:
User avatar
Deuce Canada
Posts: 4531
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 5:52 am
Location: An unparallel universe
Has thanked: 336 times
Been thanked: 977 times

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1258

Post by Deuce »

Jeff from TX wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:39 am
MJ2004 wrote: Tue Jul 20, 2021 10:13 pm I can't differentiate that Onion article from reality.
I agree - I just had a brief interaction with a person on Facebook who had this to say:
What's the point of getting this vaccine when there's already a 95 percent chance of survival, and it won't prevent you from catching Covid or spreading it?
My reply:
Virtually no vaccine can guarantee 100% immunity to the disease they are designed to protect. You mention that there is a 95% chance of of survival. What this fails to also address is that for many people, they survive, but that doesn't mean that they fully recover. If you choose not to get vaccinated, that is your choice, but please do not discuss this as if there are only 2 consequences - death and full recovery. Vaccination has been highly effective at mitigated the worst effects (besides death) from COVID.
His answer:
I will discuss it. The bottom line is that there really hasn't been enough research on the vaccine and here they are telling us we are better off with the vaccine. With all the evidence I've seen we aren't.

I'm can't really provide the research, because he wouldn't probably believe it anyway.
One other result of being vaccinated, of course, is that vaccinated people are less likely to pass the virus on to others. And the effect of the virus on others is, of course, unpredictable, as well.
Therefore, if you don't think you need to protect yourself from the virus by getting vaccinated, at least get vaccinated to protect other people. Who knows - you may even love some of them.
R.I.P. Amal...

“The opposite of courage is not cowardice - it’s conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.”- Jim Hightower
Jeff from TX United States of America
Posts: 246
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2020 4:59 pm
Location: Arizona
Has thanked: 341 times
Been thanked: 84 times

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1259

Post by Jeff from TX »

Deuce wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 4:58 am
Jeff from TX wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:39 am
MJ2004 wrote: Tue Jul 20, 2021 10:13 pm I can't differentiate that Onion article from reality.
I agree - I just had a brief interaction with a person on Facebook who had this to say:
What's the point of getting this vaccine when there's already a 95 percent chance of survival, and it won't prevent you from catching Covid or spreading it?
My reply:
Virtually no vaccine can guarantee 100% immunity to the disease they are designed to protect. You mention that there is a 95% chance of of survival. What this fails to also address is that for many people, they survive, but that doesn't mean that they fully recover. If you choose not to get vaccinated, that is your choice, but please do not discuss this as if there are only 2 consequences - death and full recovery. Vaccination has been highly effective at mitigated the worst effects (besides death) from COVID.
His answer:
I will discuss it. The bottom line is that there really hasn't been enough research on the vaccine and here they are telling us we are better off with the vaccine. With all the evidence I've seen we aren't.

I'm can't really provide the research, because he wouldn't probably believe it anyway.
One other result of being vaccinated, of course, is that vaccinated people are less likely to pass the virus on to others. And the effect of the virus on others is, of course, unpredictable, as well.
Therefore, if you don't think you need to protect yourself from the virus by getting vaccinated, at least get vaccinated to protect other people. Who knows - you may even love some of them.
True - I just didn't have the energy to try to get into a long debate/education session
It seems like time is going backwards towards 1984 . . . :freaking:
User avatar
MJ2004
Posts: 417
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 3:18 pm
Location: Boston
Has thanked: 116 times
Been thanked: 300 times

Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#1260

Post by MJ2004 »

‘A form of brainwashing’: why Trump voters are refusing to have a vaccine
Pace of inoculations in the US is starkly correlated with politics

In downtown Little Rock, a chorus echoes around the room at Willy D’s Rock & Roll Piano Bar as groups of friends clutching beers and each other sing along to the soul hit “Stand By Me”.

Yet far from standing together, the capital of Arkansas is deeply divided over how to deal with a resurgence of Covid-19. Cases are increasing, hospitals are filling up and health officials are struggling to convince residents in the city and across the state to be vaccinated.

The pace of vaccinations in US states has become starkly correlated with politics, with Republican voters less likely than Democrats to have a jab, just as they are more reluctant to wear a mask or observe social distancing.

About 35 per cent of people in Arkansas are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and only two states — Mississippi and Alabama — have lower rates of inoculation. By contrast, 56 per cent of people in the state of New York, a Democratic stronghold, have been fully vaccinated.

That poses a huge challenge for local health officials in red states as they battle the highly transmissible Delta coronavirus variant, which now accounts for 83 per cent of cases nationwide, according to the latest estimate from the CDC.

The public health agency, which last week said the US was experiencing a “pandemic of the unvaccinated”, believes the proportion of Delta cases is even higher in places with low inoculation rates such as Arkansas.

“I am very concerned about the next several weeks and months,” said Jennifer Dillaha, medical director of immunisations at the Arkansas health department. “The Delta variant is spreading in our state. The growth of cases is exponential. The rise in hospitalisations is exponential.”

Surging coronavirus cases risk overwhelming the health system in Arkansas, which serves a population of roughly 3m. More than 780 people are currently hospitalised with Covid in the state, a number that has roughly doubled in the past two weeks.

“If we continue at the same pace of hospitalisation, we will double the number of patients in the hospital by the beginning of August,” Dillaha predicted. “We’ll hit 1,300 patients or more, which is as high as we ever got in this past winter.”

In Willy D’s, customers must agree to a bag search and a pat-down by a security guard, but no one’s temperature is checked and masks are non-existent. Kevin Newman, a 31-year-old estate agent who voted for Donald Trump in November, said he had not been vaccinated because he doubted the severity of the virus.

“If Covid was really serious, we’d have to pay for the vaccine,” said Newman. “Everything else is expensive so why are they giving it out for free? It’s suspicious.”

Similar opinions abound on social networks such as Facebook, which last week was accused by President Joe Biden of “killing people” for allowing vaccine misinformation to spread unchecked.

Health officials in Arkansas are trying to reach more people by offering vaccines at shopping malls and churches, while doling out incentives such as free hunting and fishing licences. But so far their efforts have done little to move the needle.

At a riverfront summer festival in North Little Rock on Saturday, stalls offered free food and toys alongside Covid vaccines. Yet over the space of an hour, just four people took up the offer of a jab.

“Every one that we get now is important,” said Barbara McDonald, a nurse at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) who was running the pop-up site. “A lot of it is fear. If they don’t understand it, then they don’t want it. So education is important.”

Some of the reluctance is ideological, underpinned by the belief that being nudged into taking a vaccine imposes on a person’s civil liberties. Others fear the jab poses a significant risk to their health after reading discredited theories online.

Steven Shaw, a 58-year-old Trump voter, said he had read online that Covid vaccines can alter one’s DNA. “That’s my understanding, from what I’ve heard, that it’s not really a vaccine so I’m kind of leery of it.”

Shaw also criticised cruise ships that require vaccinated and unvaccinated people to occupy different areas of the vessel, likening the rules to the Holocaust. “In terms of separation, it’s the same thing what happened with the Jews in Nazi Germany.”

McDonald has worked 60- to 80-hour shifts each week at her hospital since the start of the pandemic, and noted that many of her patients now were people who refused to have a jab. “Inside I’m frustrated, but I can’t show that. I’ve just got to speak to people and educate them.”

Not everyone in Little Rock is against vaccinations. In Doe’s Eat Place, a rustic restaurant chain known for its steaks and hot tamales, the walls are adorned with grinning photos of regular customers, including Bill Clinton, the former US president and Arkansas governor. And the staff must wear masks.

Clinton’s popularity in Little Rock has declined dramatically since he left office, but for the restaurant, which sits in a heavily Republican city, the photos of and letters from the ex-president are a source of pride.

Suzie, a waitress at Doe’s, said vaccine hesitancy and politics were inextricably linked in Little Rock and Arkansas. “It’s become political and it’s hurting a lot of people . . . The rural areas especially are very conservative.”

That hurt is translating into higher hospitalisations across the state. Robert Hopkins, head of general internal medicine at UAMS, said that on one day last week the facility was “completely full” and patients were forced to wait in the emergency room.

Hopkins, who is also chair of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee, said patients now tend to be in their 40s, compared with the 60- or 70-year-olds who made up the bulk of admissions during earlier phases of the pandemic.

The deteriorating situation in Arkansas is replicated in red states across the country. Hospitals in neighbouring Missouri have been forced to transfer patients to other facilities and are seeking funding for more beds and staff.

“I don’t see anything turning it around, except vaccination,” said Dillaha from the Arkansas health department. “So if we’re not able to greatly increase our vaccination rate, then we’re going to be in for a very difficult fall.”

But far from encouraging people to be vaccinated, many Republican officials are pushing the other way. At least eight states with Republican legislatures and governors, including Arkansas, have banned schools and colleges from requiring vaccinations or proof of inoculation, for instance.

In April, Asa Hutchinson, the Republican governor of Arkansas, signed a bill banning government-imposed mask and vaccine mandates as well as vaccine passports, although he appears to have changed tack somewhat in recent days. Last week, he kicked off a statewide tour to encourage people to have a jab.

“It’s like he regrets it,” said Goldie Davis, a dental assistant, of Hutchinson’s apparent about-face, adding that her 34-year-old friend died from Covid on Friday. “Her whole family are Trumpers. It’s really sad. Everyone who’s not getting vaccinated are Trump supporters. It’s a form of brainwash almost.”

McDonald, the UAMS nurse, hopes that vaccine-hesitant people will eventually change their minds. “As more time goes by and they know somebody who’s been vaccinated, and they see that they’re OK, they haven’t grown a tail or something, and then they’ll get vaccinated.”

She added: “You just pray and hope.”

Data reporting by Christine Zhang
- FT

I just can't. If this guy had to pay for the shot, he'd complain it's too expensive and that would be his excuse. And the second guy, I really just can't.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests