Covid-19 Updates & Info

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ti-amie United States of America
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#2611

Post by ti-amie »

Deuce wrote: Sun Jan 15, 2023 4:37 am When 'information' is all over the place like this, what's truly happening with COVID in China is really anyone's guess.
I think the only truth is that nobody knows.
If they're admitting to 60,000 deaths and know that pictures of people doing cremations in the streets have circulated around the world I'd add another zero or two to that figure.
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#2612

Post by ponchi101 »

The 60K deaths is obviously not true; that is systemic propaganda from the Chinese govt.
But 2 zeroes would be too much. They could not hide 6MM deaths. 600K maybe.
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

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Post by ti-amie »

ponchi101 wrote: Sun Jan 15, 2023 8:28 pm The 60K deaths is obviously not true; that is systemic propaganda from the Chinese govt.
But 2 zeroes would be too much. They could not hide 6MM deaths. 600K maybe.
I put nothing past these folks but yeah, I agree with the 600k number.
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

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“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
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

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Post by ponchi101 »

The numbers don't match. If 8 in 10, then: 80% of 1.4 billion is 1.12 billion. But, if you have "only" 72,000 deaths, the mortality rate in China, for C19, is 0.006%.
And that makes no sense.
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

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ponchi101 wrote: Mon Jan 23, 2023 4:39 pm The numbers don't match. If 8 in 10, then: 80% of 1.4 billion is 1.12 billion. But, if you have "only" 72,000 deaths, the mortality rate in China, for C19, is 0.006%.
And that makes no sense.
Was it supposed to?
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#2617

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Within the article, they say something along the lines. But the headline is confusing for the reasons I say.
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

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Here's the latest Situation Report from Johns Hopkins.

::

Emergency Committee on COVID-19 to discuss PHEIC designation; WHO launches US$2.5B emergency appeal

The Emergency Committee on COVID-19 is set to meet for a 14th time on January 27 to consider whether SARS-CoV-2 continues to merit designation as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), 3 years after the panel first agreed the outbreak met the criteria. Under the International Health Regulations (IHR), a PHEIC can be declared if a health event meets 3 criteria:
• it is serious, sudden, unusual, or unexpected
• carries implications for public health beyond the affected State’s national border, and
• may require immediate international action.

While COVID-19 has spread globally and is no longer sudden or unexpected, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus—who makes the final decision about whether to end the global health emergency, no matter the committee’s recommendation—this week said he is “very concerned” about a rising number of global COVID-related deaths. The US alone is averaging more than 500 deaths per day. The meeting comes as China is experiencing the largest COVID-19 outbreak in the world, raising fears that a new variant of concern could emerge, factors that could influence the committee’s recommendations and Dr. Tedros’s decision.

Notably, there are no guidelines to determine when or how a PHEIC declaration should end. To be clear, ending the PHEIC would not mean that COVID-19 no longer poses a global threat nor would it signal the end of the pandemic, as the IHR do not include mechanisms for formally declaring pandemics or their ends. Many experts say the binary nature of the PHEIC mechanism needs to be reviewed and reformed to better achieve its intended goal of helping to coordinate response and policy.

In related news, the WHO this week launched a 2023 health emergency appeal for US$2.54 billion to address an unprecedented number of intersecting health emergencies worldwide, including COVID-19.

US FDA panel considering shift to regular vaccine boosters; many questions, uncertainties remain

As the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to mutate, researchers and policymakers are evaluating longer-term vaccination strategies to maintain individual- and community-level protection from COVID-19. In the US, the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Product Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) is meeting today (webcast live) to discuss an array of potential options, including vaccines from multiple manufacturers. Following the availability of bivalent booster doses last year, regulatory officials are considering shifts toward regular boosters, administered either annually or biannually, that could include two or more strains of the virus.

These decisions, however, must also account for individuals who have not yet received their initial course of vaccination, including many infants and young children. Another major concern is the safety and effectiveness of multi-valent boosters, especially the relative benefits and risks for different age groups and other subpopulations. The timing of doses is also a major point of debate. Regulators and health officials will need to walk a fine line between maintaining a high degree of protection, providing significant added benefit from each dose, and establishing a schedule that the public can understand and is willing to follow. And the same schedule may not be appropriate for people with varying degrees of risk. Early studies have yielded mixed results across these areas of concern, and some experts question the value of annual boosters or acknowledge the considerable uncertainty that remains, and research is still ongoing to provide the necessary data.

This week, the UK government announced that it will offer another round of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine booster doses this autumn for those at higher risk of severe COVID-19, based on recommendations from its Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). JCVI also indicated that an additional booster dose for those individuals at greatest risk, such as older adults or those with compromised immune systems, may be recommended for this spring, and plans for the spring 2023 vaccination program will be announced soon.

Two new studies provide evidence bivalent boosters increase protection against Omicron subvariants compared to original vaccines, boosters

Part of the efforts to evaluate longer-term SARS-CoV-2 vaccination strategies necessitates understanding the safety and effectiveness profiles of the recent bivalent booster doses. Two studies published this week offer additional insight into the protective value of these boosters. Both studies provide evidence that bivalent boosters provided increased protection against Omicron subvariants compared to monovalent vaccines and boosters, at least in the short term.

A study conducted by researchers in North Carolina—published as a correspondence in NEJM—evaluated bivalent mRNA vaccine boosters’ effectiveness against severe COVID-19 disease caused by several Omicron subvariants (BA.4.6, BA.5, BQ.1, and BQ.1.1). Based on data from more than 1 million individuals who received bivalent boosters, followed over a 99-day period after vaccination, they estimated the boosters’ effectiveness against hospitalization or death to be 54.0% as the first booster dose*, 64.0% as the second booster dose, and 63.1% as the third booster dose. Across all measured outcomes, the bivalent boosters consistently outperformed monovalent boosters by more than 30 percentage points (pp)**, including in older adults—+37.8pp against hospitalization and +41.2pp against hospitalization or death.
*Marginally not statistically significant (CI: -.03-78.9%).
**Mix of statistically significant and non-significant results.

A study led by the US CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases—published in the CDC’s MMWR—evaluated the effectiveness of bivalent mRNA vaccine boosters in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 disease caused by the Omicron BA.5 and XBB/XBB.1.5 sublineages, compared to full vaccination and/or boosting using only the original monovalent vaccines. The study involved data from nearly 30,000 PCR-based SARS-CoV-2 tests conducted among persons with COVID-like illness symptoms at US pharmacies from December 1, 2022, to January 13, 2023. The researchers estimated the bivalent boosters’ additional effectiveness against the BA.5 subvariant to be 52% higher among adults aged 18-49 years, 43% higher in adults aged 50-64 years, and 37% higher among adults 65 years and older. Against the XBB sublineages the bivalent boosters outperformed the monovalent vaccines by 49% among adults aged 18-49 years, 40% in adults 50-64 years, and 43% in adults aged 65 years and older, again with some evidence of waning protection by 2-3 months. Notably, these are some of the earliest data available on protection against XBB subvariants, and the study provides a near-real-time assessment of recent vaccinations.

Number of US cardiovascular deaths rose during pandemic’s first year prior to vaccine availability, especially among some populations

Deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) rose substantially during 2020—the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and prior to the availability of vaccines—representing the largest single-year increase since 2015 and surpassing the previous single-year total set in 2003, according to new data from the American Heart Association. Notably, the age-adjusted mortality rate increased for the first time in many years, by 4.6%, and the largest overall number of CVD-related deaths were seen among Asian, Black, and Hispanic populations, some of which have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had both direct and indirect impacts on cardiovascular health. Importantly, infection with SARS-CoV-2 is associated with new-onset clotting and inflammation in some people. According to a study recently published in Cardiovascular Research, COVID-19 disease—including post-COVID conditions commonly known as long COVID—is associated with increased short- and long-term risks of CVD and death from any cause. Additionally, during the beginning months of the pandemic especially, people with new or existing risk factors for CVD outcomes, such as heart disease, hypertension, or stroke symptoms, were reluctant or unable to access medical care. A recent study published in Nature Medicine estimates that the interruption of preventive care could result in more than 13,000 extra cardiovascular events in the UK. Some people are leveraging the association between CVD and COVID-19 to create and spread misinformation surrounding sudden deaths and injuries and vaccine safety, despite a lack of scientific evidence supporting their claims.

Papers, meetings evaluate pandemic-related public health measures

Gaining insight into the effectiveness and impacts of how various nations and institutions responded to the COVID-19 pandemic will provide lessons for future pandemic preparedness and public health measures. Several recent papers and meetings attempt to evaluate these measures, coordinate their use, and identify challenges for future events.

• A paper from the OECD published January 21 draws lessons and provides a synthesis of evidence from 67 national government-level evaluations produced in OECD countries during the first 15 months of the pandemic. Overall, the report finds that pandemic preparedness was insufficient, governments should carefully consider longer-term budgetary costs of actions to mitigate economic and financial pandemic effects, and trust requires transparency and stakeholder engagement, including from the public. The report also notes there is insufficient evidence on critical sectors’ pandemic preparedness and further assessment of lockdowns and restriction measures is needed, including the impact of lockdowns on domestic violence, alcohol consumption, mental health, and youth.

• The leaders of several international organizations—including the WHO, International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Road Transport Union (IRU), and others—met this week to finalize a set of recommendations developed by a Joint Action Group tasked with reviewing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including uncoordinated national rules and restrictions, on transport workers and networks.

• A January 20 commentary published in PLOS Global Public Health by an international group of authors proposes a framework to unite scholarship into the institutional, political, organizational, and governance (IPOG) aspects of the COVID-19 response. Politics and governance are influenced by factors such as institutional norms and the structure and functioning of key public health organizations, they note, contending that “COVID-19 has exposed the need to expand, deepen, and sharpen the focus of investigation to explore the intersection of all of these key contextual factors and how they combine to influence outcomes.”

• An article published January 25 in Scientific Reports aims to explain why models used to project rates of COVID-19 incidence and confirmed cases in the latter part of 2020 were not especially accurate. According to the researchers, "Frequent changes in restrictions implemented by governments, which the modeling team was not always able to predict, in part explains why the majority of model projections were inaccurate compared with actual outcomes and supports revision of projections when policies are changed as well as the importance of modeling teams collaborating with policy experts.”

• Another article published January 25 in Scientific Reports analyzes COVID-19 community transmission risk associated with US colleges and universities. Contrary to rising public sentiment that younger and less-vulnerable populations act as primary introducers of COVID-19 to communities, the findings show that counties with high university enrollments might adhere more closely to public health and safety measures and vaccinations, potentially contributing to safer communities.

What we’re reading

CORONAVIRUS RESEARCH OVERSIGHT A 64-page report from the US Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) says the US NIH did not sufficiently and effectively monitor grant awards to EcoHealth Alliance, limiting the federal agency’s ability to fully understand the nature of the research being conducted—including research on coronaviruses that might fall under enhanced potential pandemic pathogens (ePPPs)—identify potential problem areas, and take corrective action. The report comes as the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) is set to discuss new draft recommendations for biosecurity oversight.

RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS At-home COVID-19 tests, also called rapid antigen tests, remain a useful tool in helping to interrupt transmission of SARS-CoV-2, although they are not foolproof. Both NPR and the New York Times recently published articles discussing the tests’ advantages and disadvantages and how to increase testing accuracy (hint: serial testing). To order tests for home delivery in the US, find at-home tests at retailers and pharmacies, and learn about insurance reimbursement, visit covidtests.gov.

MEDICAID CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT Between 5 and 14 million US citizens and certain legal immigrants are expected to lose their Medicaid coverage when a pandemic-era provision known as “continuous enrollment” ends on March 31. Of those, the US HHS expects 6.8 million people will lose coverage even though they are still eligible, based on historical trends of paperwork and other administrative hurdles. A new analysis from KFF estimates that about two-thirds of those who are disenrolled likely will experience a period of uninsurance. Disruption in Medicaid or other insurance coverage can lead to delayed or missed care, less access to preventive care, and higher healthcare costs, particularly for chronic health conditions.

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH & NUTRITION Parents are growing increasingly concerned about young people’s mental health, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center, as children and teenagers continue to struggle with depression and anxiety after returning to in-person schooling following widespread school closures and remote learning during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The isolation of remote learning and other pandemic-related stressors may have strained youth mental health, and some children may have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as abuse, neglect, or violence. One such stressor, food insecurity, is increasing among families due to rising food prices and the winding down of pandemic-era assistance programs providing free school meals.

Epi update

As of January 25, the WHO COVID-19 Dashboard reports:
• 665 million cumulative COVID-19 cases
• 6.7 million deaths
• 1.9 million cases reported week of January 16
• 33% decline in global weekly incidence
• 12,937 deaths reported week of January 16
• 16% increase in global weekly mortality

Over the previous week, incidence declined or remained relatively stable in all WHO regions except the Eastern Mediterranean, which recorded a 54% increase in reported cases.

UNITED STATES
The US CDC is reporting:
• 101.9 million cumulative cases
• 1.1 million deaths
• 332,212 cases week of January 18 (down from previous week)
• 3,953 deaths week of January 18 (down from previous week)
• 13.7% weekly decrease in new hospital admissions
• 15.3% weekly decrease in current hospitalizations

The Omicron sublineages XBB.1.5 (49%), BQ.1.1 (27%), and BQ.1 (13%) account for a majority of all new sequenced specimens, with various other Omicron subvariants accounting for the remainder of cases.
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

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Post by dryrunguy »

Here's the latest Situation Report.

::

COVID-19 remains international emergency, WHO says, begins discussions on future pandemic preparedness

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on January 30 took the advice offered by the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee (EC) regarding COVID-19 following its 14th meeting last week, announcing that the pandemic remains a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) for now but is likely at a “transition point.” The WHO acknowledged that COVID-19 continues to cause a high number of deaths globally, particularly compared to other respiratory diseases; vaccine uptake in low- and middle-income countries remains insufficient; and there remains uncertainty about the possibility of newly emerging variants but recognized the world is in a much better place now than even one year ago, when the Omicron variant of concern was predominant.

In a set of temporary recommendations, the WHO called on nations to continue administering COVID-19 vaccines and incorporating them into routine vaccination programs; improve disease surveillance reporting to the WHO and integrate COVID-19 surveillance into existing systems tracking other disease transmission and viral evolution; improve uptake of and assess the regulatory implications of ending the PHEIC for diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines; maintain strong healthcare systems and prepare for future health emergencies; and continue to combat misinformation, adjust international travel measures based on risk assessments, and support research. The EC will meet again in 3 months to reconsider the public health emergency designation.

In related news, the WHO Executive Board, which is holding its annual meetings this week and next, is considering its role in addressing the next global health emergency and how it will fund those activities. A 10-point proposal on improving preparedness and response to health emergencies presented at the meeting by Dr. Tedros received mixed reviews from WHO member states. Additionally, the WHO released a “zero draft” of a pandemic treaty to its 194 member states this week, setting the stage for negotiations over how the world should respond to future health emergencies. One of the most significant measures in the draft document proposes that the WHO reserve 20% of all newly developed pandemic products—diagnostics, vaccines, treatments, and the like—for distribution in lower-income countries. Overall, the draft lays out recommendations for how to make the response to the next pandemic more equitable.

US to end emergency declarations on COVID-19 in May; Americans face changes to pandemic-related healthcare coverage

US President Joe Biden announced this week that he will end both the national emergency and public health emergency declarations for COVID-19 pandemic on May 11, marking a new phase of the federal pandemic response as some of the flexibilities and requirements instituted in the pandemic’s early days will end.* The announcement was made alongside a statement opposing resolutions proposed by US House of Representative Republicans to immediately end the COVID-19 emergency (more on House Republican actions below), saying an abrupt end to the declarations “would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty.” Though many US residents are fully vaccinated against the virus and have largely returned to a normal way of life, an average of more than 500 people die of the disease in the US every day, making COVID-19 a leading cause of death, even among children and young people.

Once the emergencies end, some things for people in the US will change, particularly in healthcare. Many Americans have been able to access COVID-19 tests and treatments free of charge under the emergency declarations, but the end of those means a return to the nation’s typically fractured healthcare system. As such, many people—even some who have health insurance or qualify for Medicare or Medicaid—will be responsible for some or all of the cost of these medical countermeasures. Most people will continue to be able to access vaccines and boosters at no cost, but there is no guarantee of full coverage under private insurance or social safety net programs. To make matters more confusing, benefits may vary by insurer or state. Additionally, hospitals will lose pandemic-related emergency funding, and some healthcare data reporting may no longer be required. Unrelated to the emergencies’ ends, pandemic-era boosts to the nation’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will end this month and continuous Medicaid enrollment will end on March 31.
*Notably, the emergency declaration allowing the US FDA to make emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for COVID-19 medical countermeasures will not end on May 11. The timing to conclude the EUA has yet to be determined.

US House Republicans take action to immediately end pandemic emergency, investigate pandemic fraud

The US House of Representatives’ newly sworn-in Republican majority is swiftly taking actions to reverse or investigate COVID-19 policies from previous years. The House, voting on party lines, recently passed the “Pandemic is Over Act” and the “Freedom for Healthcare Workers Act,” both aimed at bringing certain policies and budget lines for COVID-19 response to a close. The “Freedom for Healthcare Workers Act” would end the vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, an action that US President Joe Biden has already stated he would veto should it pass the US Senate. Republicans have long stated their intentions to end many COVID-19 programs and policies, and continue to take action toward doing so, despite an announcement by President Biden this week that he will end some emergency declarations for COVID-19 on May 11 (see story above).

Republicans also have begun investigations into waste, fraud, and abuse of COVID-19 funding. Of the US$5 trillion total spent on emergency relief throughout the pandemic, experts estimate the amount drained by fraud could be anywhere between tens of billions of dollars to more than US$100 billion, but it will take years to understand the total amount.

US FDA advisory committee supports harmonizing COVID-19 vaccines, moving toward annual shots for many

The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) met last week to consider streamlining COVID-19 vaccination schedules and formulations. The committee unanimously voted to replace vaccine manufacturers’ (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Novavax) original vaccine formulations targeting only the original wild type virus—currently used for the initial 2-dose series—with the new bivalent shots that target both the original strain and the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants. The bivalent vaccines currently are authorized for use as boosters. The change would only affect individuals who have not yet received their initial shots, and there is no timeline on when the switch might occur if the FDA accepts the panel’s nonbinding recommendation. About 69% of the US population has received the full initial vaccine series, and only 15% of the population has gotten a bivalent booster.

While these are some initial steps toward streamlining the COVID-19 vaccination process, there are still many logistical and scientific questions to be answered on how often, how many, and to whom vaccines should be delivered. For many, the newly proposed schedule would follow a model similar to that of annual flu shots, with most receiving an annual COVID-19 vaccine in the fall that has been updated based on the predominantly circulating variant or variants. Some have termed this strategy the “flu-ification” of COVID-19, in that it will be regarded as a seasonal disease. These assumptions may or may not prove to be accurate in the case of COVID-19, as SARS-CoV-2 mutates at a much different rate and with less predictably than the viruses that cause flu. While flu predictions have decades of research to support the selection of the next year’s vaccine strain, SARS-CoV-2 is much less predictable with much less supporting data to make those predictions. It is also unclear whether it will be necessary for everyone to receive a new booster every year. Given existing challenges in the uptake of annual flu vaccines, marketing COVID-19 vaccines on a similar schedule may prove more difficult than anticipated.

Positive COVID-19 test no longer needed to access antivirals; concerns raised over potential for viral mutations after Lagrevio treatment

The US FDA on February 1 revised the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for the COVID-19 antivirals Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir) and Lagevrio (molnupiravir), removing the need for individuals to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 before receiving the therapies. Now, healthcare providers can prescribe the drugs to those who have a recent known exposure, are having signs and symptoms, and are at high risk of disease progression but test negative for the virus. Though a positive test is no longer a requirement, the FDA continues to recommend direct testing to help diagnose COVID-19.

The move may be meant to address underuse of Paxlovid, and the much less used Lagevrio, but some experts say the move could lead to overuse of the medications. A new preprint study posted to medRxiv is raising concerns among some about the potential of Lagevrio to cause mutations in SARS-CoV-2 that could be passed along and give rise to new variants. The study, which is not yet peer-reviewed, is the latest of several that could change the risk-benefit calculus for the drug. There is no evidence the mutations have led to the emergence of a circulating variant that is more pathogenic or transmissible, but some say this evidence, along with studies suggesting Lagrevio has limited benefits, call into question whether it should be used.

The Chinese government recently cleared Lagrevio, Paxlovid, and 3 homegrown antivirals for the treatment of COVID-19, but questions remain over how well the Chinese antivirals can minimize severe illness and related deaths and how accessible any of the drugs are to the general population.

US FDA withdraws authorization of Evusheld; US CDC urges those with compromised immune systems to take extra precautions

The US FDA last week withdrew its emergency use authorization (EUA) of Evusheld (tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab) until further notice, as data show the monoclonal antibody is unlikely to be active against the majority of SARS-CoV-2 variants currently circulating in the country. The therapy had been authorized for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 in people aged 12 years and older who are immunocompromised and not expected to have an adequate response to vaccination, as well as individuals with a history of severe adverse reaction to COVID-19 vaccination or who are allergic to certain vaccine components.

The move led the US CDC to recommend those with weakened immune systems take extra precautions to avoid SARS-CoV-2 infection and have a care plan that includes quick testing at the onset of symptoms and rapid access to antiviral treatments if they test positive for COVID-19. While immunocompromised individuals should stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, if possible, including receiving an updated bivalent booster, the CDC also recommends wearing a high-quality and well-fitting mask, maintaining physical distance of 6 feet or more from others, improving indoor ventilation, and practicing frequent handwashing.

What we’re reading

LONG COVID The first in-person long COVID summit in the US was held last week in Richmond, Virginia, hosted by US Senator Tim Kaine and the US HHS. Some data suggest the percentage of people experiencing long COVID symptoms after acute infection is declining, but the condition continues to have implications for employment and health care. Multiple studies, including a recent one from New York State, show a significant number of people are missing work because of long COVID, as described in coverage from the New York Times, Guardian, CNBC, and The Hill.

LEARNING DELAYS Children experienced learning delays during the COVID-19 pandemic equivalent to about one-third of a school year’s worth of knowledge and skills, according to a global analysis including data from 15 countries and published this week in Nature Human Behavior. Mathematics skills were more heavily affected than reading skills, the study found, and those learning gaps have not been recovered as of May 2022. The pandemic reinforced inequalities in learning, with the authors predicting the pandemic’s effects on learning will be more severe for children in poorer regions. NPR spoke with several college freshmen to get their take on how the pandemic impacted their high school years.

LESSONS FOR FUTURE RESPONSES Several recent commentaries have touched on the importance of drawing lessons from the pandemic for future responses to be more equitable and nuanced. One published in STAT examines shortcomings in collecting epidemiological data in the US that includes race and ethnicity information. A piece in The BMJ argues that a focus on gender is needed to help shape responses to reduce inequalities in job losses and sustained employment precarity after the pandemic. A perspective piece published in the New England Journal of Medicine argues that one of the key lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic is that policymakers must take into account the ways in which population-wide public health recommendations and policies differentially affect various subgroups of the population and take a more differentiated approach, and recognize that who delivers pandemic-related messages matters.

PANDEMIC ORIGINS The US House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing February 1 to discuss biological investigations and attribution science, focused on the public release of a new report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) titled, “Pandemic Origins: Technologies and Challenges for Biological Investigations.” Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, provided testimony on the importance of bioattribution to pandemic preparedness, national security, and growing the US bioeconomy.

Epi update

As of February 2, the WHO COVID-19 Dashboard reports:
• 754 million cumulative COVID-19 cases
• 6.8 million deaths
• 1.5 million cases reported week of January 23
• 40% decline in global weekly incidence
• 12,793 deaths reported week of January 23
• 49% increase in global weekly mortality

Over the previous week, incidence declined in all WHO regions.

UNITED STATES
The US CDC is reporting:
• 102.2 million cumulative cases
• 1.1 million deaths
• 295,140 cases week of January 25 (down from previous week)
• 3,756 deaths week of January 25 (down from previous week)
• 8.4% weekly decrease in new hospital admissions
• 12.5% weekly decrease in current hospitalizations

The Omicron sublineages XBB.1.5 (61%), BQ.1.1 (22%), and BQ.1 (9%) account for a majority of all new sequenced specimens, with various other Omicron subvariants accounting for the remainder of cases.
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#2620

Post by ponchi101 »

We will enter the phase in which this "lives with us, and there is nothing we can do".
I hope the development of variant-specific vaccines will get under way soon. And our yearly shot.
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#2621

Post by dryrunguy »

ponchi101 wrote: Thu Feb 02, 2023 10:24 pm We will enter the phase in which this "lives with us, and there is nothing we can do".
I hope the development of variant-specific vaccines will get under way soon. And our yearly shot.
For the time being, I'm getting the jab every 6 months.
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#2622

Post by Deuce »

I'm in a quandary...
I received my last booster (it was my 2nd booster, and 4th vaccine overall) at the beginning of June (2022). A rapid (antigen) test indicated positive for COVID-19 at the beginning of October (2022).

Now, after doing some detailed research, I've decided that I want the bivalent Moderna booster targeting BA.4/BA.5. My research indicates that this is the most effective current Moderna booster (all my COVID vaccines to this point have been Moderna, so I want to stick with them).
But the vaccine centres and pharmacies in my area are offering only the bivalent Moderna for BA.1 (and the bivalent Pfizer BA.4/BA.5). They say that they've been told they must use up all of the Moderna BA.1 before they begin to offer Moderna BA.4/BA.5.

I have been trying to get the Moderna BA.4/BA.5 for over a month now, without success. The big vaccine centre here told me yesterday that they have it in their freezers on site - but they are not allowed to give it out to people.
I find this absurd, and a violation of people's inherent rights.

When I got my 'flu vaccine last month (the first of my life), the person administering the vaccine told me that he thinks it's very wrong that the bivalent Moderna BA.4/BA.5 is being withheld from people...
One of the doctors who is regularly on National TV here discussing COVID-19 (whom I contacted for help about this) told me that he's extremely surprised that the bivalent Moderna BA.4/BA.5 is not available to everyone, as it is an approved vaccine.

I have the right to decide what enters my body. I am not asking for anything special - I am asking simply for a vaccine that is perfectly legal, and which was approved for use in Canada 3 months ago.
But it is effectively being withheld from people - and this is wrong.
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
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#2623

Post by ti-amie »

Strange indeed Deuce.

All of my jabs have been Pfizer. I'm up to date with boosters too.
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

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Post by dryrunguy »

Here's the latest Situation Report. I was especially intrigued by the section on missing students.

::

White House expected to release roadmap to transition out of public health emergency; US House committee holds hearing on pandemic response

The US winter COVID-19 surge appears to be ending, with the increase in reported cases not as bad as initially expected. There was concern in early winter that a combination of COVID-19, RSV, and seasonal influenza would overwhelm hospitals and cause a large surge in deaths. Speculation around why the winter surge was not as bad as expected has centered on people possibly avoiding crowds over the holidays, viral interference among various circulating diseases, and more immunity in the US population due to prior infection and/or vaccination. COVID-19 remains a significant public health threat and a leading cause of death in the US, but there appears to be hope on the horizon. As such, the Biden administration is expected to soon release a roadmap to transition out of the COVID-19 public health emergency, which is set to end on May 11. The end of the public health emergency will also terminate the Trump-era Title 42 orders that US-Mexico border patrol agents have used to return undocumented migrants across the border in the name of COVID-19 prevention. Title 42 has been heavily criticized by public health experts and immigrant advocates, but Republican-led states have sought to keep the orders in place.

Additionally, the Republican-led US House of Representatives is stepping up efforts to investigate the pandemic response. The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on “The Federal Response to COVID-19” this week. Republicans on the committee used the opportunity to ask leading health officials and scientists about vaccine mandates, mask requirements for children, origin theories of SARS-CoV-2, and the public’s broken trust in health agencies. Additional hearings on similar topics are expected. In a mostly symbolic move, the House on February 8 passed a bill mostly along party lines that would end US CDC-imposed COVID-19 vaccination requirements for foreign travelers entering the US. The White House said it opposes rescinding the order without scientific review, but the travel industry has lobbied for the removal of the requirement, claiming it is an unnecessary barrier to travelers.

WHO releases zero draft of global pandemic treaty; US chairs fourth and final Ministerial of the COVID-19 Global Action Plan

In the last week, two major global efforts to combat future outbreak emergencies and strengthen global health security have reached important milestones in their continuing efforts. Last week, the WHO released a zero draft of a global pandemic treaty, focused on international prevention, preparedness, and response. This would be the first legally binding treaty helping to ensure a more equitable distribution of pandemic-related vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics. WHO member states will now deliberate to negotiate treaty terms and make progress to ensure stronger international collaboration and equity throughout future biological events.

This week, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken hosted a fourth and final Ministerial of the COVID-19 Global Action Plan (GAP). The GAP has been working for the past year to continue addressing acute pandemic response needs and identifying remaining barriers to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as planning collaborative prevention, detection, and response methods among many countries and global organizations ahead of the next global health threat. During the meeting, Japan Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said that Japan has chosen global health as a priority issue when the nation hosts a Group of Seven summit in May, partly because of the continuing challenge of equitable vaccine access.

Cochrane Library review examines effectiveness of various nonpharmaceutical interventions; most experts agree future pandemics will require more nuanced responses

More than 3 years into the COVID-19 pandemic, experts continue to discuss whether masking definitively slows transmission of respiratory viruses, and by how much. Throughout the pandemic, numerous studies have been published with conflicting results and conclusions, culminating in a recent review published by the Cochrane Library. The review found that masking, either with surgical masks or N95 respirators, made little to no difference in the outcome of laboratory‐confirmed influenza/SARS‐CoV‐2 compared to not wearing masks; however, the review emphasized that the findings could be due in part to multiple factors such as poor study design, low adherence to mask rules, quality of masks used, and incorrect mask usage. Notably, several individual studies have shown an association between community mask use and a reduction in COVID-19 cases. The review also found that hand hygiene programs may help slow the spread of respiratory diseases. Results of the review have split infectious disease experts, leading some to critique its methodologies and emphasize the importance of public messaging on nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to prevent disease transmission. More research is needed into various NPIs and public health interventions and their use in future disease outbreaks likely will need to be more nuanced.

Clinical trial shows promise for interferon therapy but regulatory hurdles exist; experts say additional treatment options desperately needed

Monoclonal antibodies have been an important tool in treating COVID-19 and as pre-exposure prophylaxis for those at high risk of severe disease, especially individuals with compromised immune systems. Following the US FDA’s suspension of emergency use authorization (EUA) for Evusheld last month, however, no monoclonal antibodies are authorized for use in the US because of inactivity against currently circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2. Other treatments exist, including the antivirals Paxlovid and molnupiravir, but each comes with its own concerns, including worry over viral rebound, drug interactions, or viral mutations.

Newer medicines that remain active against various SARS-CoV-2 lineages are needed to help shore up the nation’s therapeutic toolbox, and potentially help protect people who are immunocompromised. The results of a clinical trial involving nearly 2,000 patients published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine show that people with early COVID-19 who had a single injection of a treatment called pegylated interferon lambda (PEG-lambda) were 51% less likely to be hospitalized or to go to an emergency room, compared with those who received a placebo shot. Most of the study participants were vaccinated—an already low-risk group—but the treatment was even more effective in unvaccinated participants.

Interferons are a part of the body’s natural immune response, and PEG-lambda is a synthetic version of a naturally produced interferon. Even with promising results, the treatment faces hurdles to regulatory approval by the FDA, which has signaled it needs data from a larger trial with sites located in the US, an expensive and multi-year process. Some experts worry the barriers are indicative of problems threatening the future development of next-generation COVID-19 medical countermeasures, some of which might help prepare for the next pandemic.

Black Americans, others face barriers to long COVID treatment, care; caregivers need support too

Though the medical community is learning more about long COVID, also called post-COVID condition or post-acute sequelae of COVID-19, much remains unknown about how many people have the condition, why and what their prospects for recovery are, or the long-term impacts on society. In the US Black community, already disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, many with symptoms lingering a month or longer after recovering from acute COVID-19 are struggling to find the care they need. According to the latest data from the US Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey, nearly 30% of Black respondents said they currently have or have had long COVID and about 35% of those with long COVID reported severe limitations on their ability to perform day-to-day activities. Additionally, caregivers of people with long COVID, many of whom suffer from the same or other health conditions, need to establish their own support systems, sometimes in the form of support groups such as those with Survivor Corps or Body Politic. Online support groups and other forms of telerehabilitation are useful for both people with long COVID and their caregivers, some face barriers to access because of internet and digital literacy considerations.

What we’re reading

SARS-COV-2 VARIANTS No new variants of SARS-CoV-2 were detected in China between November 14 and December 20, 2022, during a time when the nation began experiencing a surge of COVID-19 cases, according to a study published February 8 in The Lancet. A majority of the sequenced samples were the already circulating Omicron subvariants BF.7 and BA5.2. Notably, the study only looked at samples from Beijing and only covered a few weeks after the government lifted its strict “zero COVID” policies, which some experts warn would be too early to detect new lineages. Scientists have their eye on another variant—CH.1.1—that emerged in November 2022 in Southeast Asia and now accounts for about 25% of cases in the UK and New Zealand, and about 12% of overall cases in Europe. According to a preprint report posted on bioXriv, the lineage contains the mutation L452R seen in Delta, but not Omicron, and has “a consistently stronger neutralization resistance available than XBB, XBB.1, and XBB.1.5,” which is worthy of monitoring.

EXCESS MORTALITY Between March 2020 to December 2021, 622 more physicians died in the US than expected, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine this week. Excess mortality among physicians was substantially lower than for the general population during this time, and there were no excess deaths among physicians after April 2021, concurrent with the availability of COVID-19 vaccines. In related news, the New York Times examined the obituaries of China’s top academics to gain some insight into the nation’s true death toll since it dropped its “zero COVID” strategy, finding significantly higher numbers of published obituaries in December 2022 and January 2023 than in preceding months.

HONORING THOSE LOST More than 1.1 million people in the US have died of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, and about 3,500 people continue to die each week of the disease. Colorado Public Radio/NPR reports on the desire—some say need—to memorialize individuals who died of COVID-19, to recognize and remember their lives but also to help those left behind heal from the trauma of losing loved ones. In October 2022, the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, in collaboration with the Center for Health and Economic Resilience Research at Texas State University, held a 2-day virtual symposium, titled Post-Pandemic Recovery: From What, For Whom, and How?, to consider how to operationalize the process of holistic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, including a focus on trauma recovery centered on safety, memorialization, and social connection.

LEARNING LOSSES & MISSING STUDENTS Half of US students began this academic year below their grade level in at least one subject, according to new federal survey data based on reports from schools nationwide. Nearly all schools said some students were behind in reading and math, 80% reported students behind in science, and 70% reported lags in social studies. The results, along with other research, show students and educators have a long road ahead to reverse pandemic impacts. Worse, an analysis by the Associated Press, Stanford University’s Big Local News project, and Stanford professor Thomas Dee found an estimated 240,000 students in 21 states who disappeared from public schools during the pandemic and whose absences cannot be accounted for. Some students who left public schools moved out of state or switched to private schools or home-schooling, but nearly a quarter million remain “missing” and the true number is likely much higher.

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE According to a study published recently in The Lancet Microbe, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is highly prevalent in patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and bacterial infections. In another recent analysis published in eClinical Medicine, researchers found that increases in antibiotic sales were associated with increases in COVID-19 cases, according to data collected during the first 2 years of the pandemic in 71 countries. Despite less than 10% of COVID-19 patients having a bacterial coinfection, an estimated 75% of COVID-19 patients are prescribed antibiotics, underlining the need for greater antibiotic stewardship in the context of COVID-19. In related news, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) published a report this week warning that up to 10 million people could die annually by 2050 due to AMR, making it one of the top 10 global threats to health requiring a multisectoral response that recognizes the intertwined health of people, animals, plants, and the environment, referred to as One Health.

Epi update

As of February 9, the WHO COVID-19 Dashboard reports:
• 755 million cumulative COVID-19 cases
• 6.8 million deaths
• 1.35 million cases reported week of January 30
• 13.5% decline in global weekly incidence
• 13,440 deaths reported week of January 30
• 16% decrease in global weekly mortality

Over the previous week, incidence declined or remained stable in all WHO regions. The WHO notes that the case and death data for the Eastern Mediterranean region are incomplete and will be updated as soon as possible.

UNITED STATES
The US CDC is reporting:
• 102.4 million cumulative cases
• 1.1 million deaths
• 280,911 cases week of February 1 (down from previous week)
• 3,452 deaths week of February 1 (down from previous week)
• 6.2% weekly decrease in new hospital admissions
• 11.3% weekly decrease in current hospitalizations

The Omicron sublineages XBB.1.5 (66%), BQ.1.1 (20%), and BQ.1 (7%) currently account for a majority of all new sequenced specimens, with various other Omicron subvariants accounting for the remainder of cases.
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Re: Covid-19 Updates & Info

#2625

Post by ponchi101 »

Especially, how does the "missing student" phenomenon relates to C19?
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