Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #111

[Gemmie]

Statement on the antigen composition of COVID-19 vaccines

April 2024 statement on the antigen composition of COVID-19 vaccines

www.who.int

Statement on the antigen composition of COVID-19 vaccines​

26 April 2024

• As the virus is expected to continue to evolve from JN.1, the TAG-CO-VAC advises the use of a monovalent JN.1 lineage as the antigen in future formulations of COVID-19 vaccines.

Well, that's unfortunate as JN.1 has taken 2nd place to KP.2.

What COVID-19 variant are we on? Currently, the dominant variant nationwide is KP.2, with 24.9% of cases, followed by JN.1, with 22% of cases, and JN.1.7, with 13.7% of cases. "The original omicron variant is gone now," says Dr. Rupp. "Currently subvariants of omicron are circulating, including KQ.1, BA.2, and GE.1."

What COVID-19 variants are going around in April 2024?

Get the latest COVID-19 news from infectious diseases expert Mark Rupp, MD, including COVID-19 case rates, types of variants circulating and vaccine updates.

www.nebraskamed.com

Not only is it unfortunate, the trend is definitely showing that JN.1 (purple) is losing ground to KP.2 (gray). Also, it appears that KP.2 is growing at a faster pace (doubling) than JN.1 is declining (baby steps).

Oh well. They didn't ask for my opinion on which variant to use for the upcoming fall formula.

ETA - my bad. I meant to include the chart showing that KP.2 is growing faster than JN.1 is declining.

COVID Data Tracker

CDC’s home for COVID-19 data. Visualizations, graphs, and data in one easy-to-use website.

covid.cdc.gov

 

[Gemmie]

This is great news! While this info is specific to Oregon, I'm thinking that it wouldn't be far off of what is happening in other states and countries. I'd check your local health authority, or whatever organization tracks covid in your area for your info.

New data released this week show the number of adults hospitalized with COVID-19 in Oregon at its lowest point since June 2020, dropping about 34% during April. Additionally, the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital ICUs is at its lowest point since April 2020.

Data show 82 adults were hospitalized in Oregon with COVID-19 on April 30, six of whom were in the ICU. Additionally, test % positivity for COVID-19 is also at its lowest point (2.4%) since June 2020.

COVID-19 is still out there, and we expect case numbers to rise again, likely this fall/winter. Overall, however, community transmission is currently low.

“COVID-19 is still with us and will always be with us,” said Dr. Paul Cieslak, medical director for OHA’s communicable diseases and immunizations. “But I think there is substantial immunity to a number of variants within our population, and many of us have been vaccinated repeatedly with different variations of the virus.”

The virus is also far less likely to cause death than it once was.

Oregon Health News

content.govdelivery.com

 

[Gemmie]

I saw an interesting article about Covid vaccines and the risk of heart attacks. The study was in the British Medical Journal whose research involved more than 20 million people (half vaccinated, half not), so not exactly a small study group. It said that the vaccine reduced the risk of heart failure after a Covid infection by up to 55% and blood clots by up to 78%. The study said the lessoned cardiac risk was likely due to the fact the vaccine reduced the severity of Covid. This is great news for those that get vaccinated!

there has been concern about the risk of myocarditis and other thromboembolic events following vaccination, this analysis highlights that the risk of such complications is notably higher when it comes from the SARS-CoV-2 infection itself

COVID vaccines found to cut risk of heart failure, blood clots following virus infection: Study

COVID-19 vaccines were found to cut risk of heart failure by up to 55% and blood clots by up to 78% following COVID infection, according to a new study.

abcnews.go.com

Here is the research paper for anyone interested: https://heart.bmj.com/content/heartjnl/early/2024/01/24/heartjnl-2023-323483.full.pdf

 

[anneg]

I saw an interesting article about Covid vaccines and the risk of heart attacks. The study was in the British Medical Journal whose research involved more than 20 million people (half vaccinated, half not), so not exactly a small study group. It said that the vaccine reduced the risk of heart failure after a Covid infection by up to 55% and blood clots by up to 78%. The study said the lessoned cardiac risk was likely due to the fact the vaccine reduced the severity of Covid. This is great news for those that get vaccinated!

there has been concern about the risk of myocarditis and other thromboembolic events following vaccination, this analysis highlights that the risk of such complications is notably higher when it comes from the SARS-CoV-2 infection itself

COVID vaccines found to cut risk of heart failure, blood clots following virus infection: Study

COVID-19 vaccines were found to cut risk of heart failure by up to 55% and blood clots by up to 78% following COVID infection, according to a new study.

abcnews.go.com

Here is the research paper for anyone interested: https://heart.bmj.com/content/heartjnl/early/2024/01/24/heartjnl-2023-323483.full.pdf

Yes, another good reason to be vaccinated!

 

[otto]

This is great news! While this info is specific to Oregon, I'm thinking that it wouldn't be far off of what is happening in other states and countries. I'd check your local health authority, or whatever organization tracks covid in your area for your info.

New data released this week show the number of adults hospitalized with COVID-19 in Oregon at its lowest point since June 2020, dropping about 34% during April. Additionally, the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital ICUs is at its lowest point since April 2020.

Data show 82 adults were hospitalized in Oregon with COVID-19 on April 30, six of whom were in the ICU. Additionally, test % positivity for COVID-19 is also at its lowest point (2.4%) since June 2020.

COVID-19 is still out there, and we expect case numbers to rise again, likely this fall/winter. Overall, however, community transmission is currently low.

“COVID-19 is still with us and will always be with us,” said Dr. Paul Cieslak, medical director for OHA’s communicable diseases and immunizations. “But I think there is substantial immunity to a number of variants within our population, and many of us have been vaccinated repeatedly with different variations of the virus.”

The virus is also far less likely to cause death than it once was.

Oregon Health News

content.govdelivery.com

It sounds like the Spanish Flu pandemic that started in 1916 and ended in 1920. It started for us in 2020, seems to be over in 2024. Who knows whether vaccines made it better in the long run.

I guess it depends on whether covid has gone away, or whether it's going to mutate with bird flu.

 

[sds71]

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will launch clinical trials to investigate potential treatments for long-term symptoms after COVID-19 infection, including sleep disturbances, exercise intolerance and the worsening of symptoms following physical or mental exertion known as post-exertional malaise (PEM).

The mid-stage trials, part of NIH’s Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative, will join six other RECOVER studies currently enrolling participants across the United States testing treatments to address viral persistence, neurological symptoms, including cognitive dysfunction (like brain fog) and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. The new trials will enroll approximately 1,660 people across 50 study sites to investigate potential treatments for some of the most frequent and burdensome symptoms reported by people suffering from long COVID.

“The group of symptoms these trials will try to alleviate are truly disruptive and devastating for so many people struggling with long COVID,” said Walter J. Koroshetz, M.D., director of NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and co-lead of the RECOVER Initiative. “When people can’t get reliable sleep, can’t exert themselves and feel sick following tasks that used to be simple, the physical and mental anguish can lead to feelings of utter helplessness. We urgently need to come up with answers to help those struggling with long COVID feel whole again.”

NIH to open long COVID clinical trials to study sleep disturbances, exercise intolerance, and post exertional malaise

Part of the NIH RECOVER Initiative, trials will test four treatments.

www.nih.gov

 

[Cool Cats]

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will launch clinical trials to investigate potential treatments for long-term symptoms after COVID-19 infection, including sleep disturbances, exercise intolerance and the worsening of symptoms following physical or mental exertion known as post-exertional malaise (PEM).

The mid-stage trials, part of NIH’s Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative, will join six other RECOVER studies currently enrolling participants across the United States testing treatments to address viral persistence, neurological symptoms, including cognitive dysfunction (like brain fog) and autonomic nervous system dysfunction. The new trials will enroll approximately 1,660 people across 50 study sites to investigate potential treatments for some of the most frequent and burdensome symptoms reported by people suffering from long COVID.

“The group of symptoms these trials will try to alleviate are truly disruptive and devastating for so many people struggling with long COVID,” said Walter J. Koroshetz, M.D., director of NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and co-lead of the RECOVER Initiative. “When people can’t get reliable sleep, can’t exert themselves and feel sick following tasks that used to be simple, the physical and mental anguish can lead to feelings of utter helplessness. We urgently need to come up with answers to help those struggling with long COVID feel whole again.”

NIH to open long COVID clinical trials to study sleep disturbances, exercise intolerance, and post exertional malaise

Part of the NIH RECOVER Initiative, trials will test four treatments.

www.nih.gov

I would like to see my doctor enroll in a study.

In her 60's but seems much younger, she caught covid 3 months before the vaccines were rolled out for the medical field.

I love my doctor, been with her a long time but she developed long covid and finally had to retire.

She struggled for 2 years to come to work. She ended up coming in just 2 days a week, this was the most she could do. She told me she just gets too tired.

She had gotten sick enough to be hospitalized and her staff was hopeful for a long time that she would make it back. She tried but couldn't do it past a couple days.

I miss her so much. My husband's medical care has really been bad since she left, mine is not very good. Hard to find a really good doctor THAT IS TAKING NEW PATIENTS.

 

[Warwick1991]

Well, that's unfortunate as JN.1 has taken 2nd place to KP.2.

What COVID-19 variant are we on? Currently, the dominant variant nationwide is KP.2, with 24.9% of cases, followed by JN.1, with 22% of cases, and JN.1.7, with 13.7% of cases. "The original omicron variant is gone now," says Dr. Rupp. "Currently subvariants of omicron are circulating, including KQ.1, BA.2, and GE.1."

What COVID-19 variants are going around in April 2024?

Get the latest COVID-19 news from infectious diseases expert Mark Rupp, MD, including COVID-19 case rates, types of variants circulating and vaccine updates.

www.nebraskamed.com

Not only is it unfortunate, the trend is definitely showing that JN.1 (purple) is losing ground to KP.2 (gray). Also, it appears that KP.2 is growing at a faster pace (doubling) than JN.1 is declining (baby steps).

Oh well. They didn't ask for my opinion on which variant to use for the upcoming fall formula.

ETA - my bad. I meant to include the chart showing that KP.2 is growing faster than JN.1 is declining.

View attachment 500047

COVID Data Tracker

CDC’s home for COVID-19 data. Visualizations, graphs, and data in one easy-to-use website.

covid.cdc.gov

Not knowing enough about the mRNA vaccine technology, I wonder whether it is possible to make a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, similar to flu vaccines that cover 2 or more strains. I've had quadrivalent flu vaccines in the last few years.

I think that would be a great strategy to cover more than one line of mutations.

 

[Gemmie]

Not knowing enough about the mRNA vaccine technology, I wonder whether it is possible to make a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, similar to flu vaccines that cover 2 or more strains. I've had quadrivalent flu vaccines in the last few years.

I think that would be a great strategy to cover more than one line of mutations.

Yes, the vaccine in the fall of 2022 was bivalent for the original strain, and for Omicron. Then they dropped the original strain since it's no longer circulating several years after the pandemic started, so we're back to a monovalent vaccine. So, yes, they can make another bi-valiant vaccine if they choose to. I don't think they are the ones that make the decision on which strains to target though.

The 2022–2023 bivalent vaccines were designed to protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5. Two COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, had developed bivalent COVID-19 vaccines.

The bivalent booster, which is no longer available, was introduced in the fall of 2022. It targeted the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants and the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. The updated vaccine is monovalent, designed to prevent severe disease from the Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant.

The Updated COVID Vaccines Are Here: 9 Things to Know

The FDA approved updated (2023–2024 formula) COVID-19 vaccines, which are expected to keep more people from getting seriously ill with the virus, including recent strains.

www.yalemedicine.org

 

[Cool Cats]

Clinical Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccination | CDC

View FDA-approved and FDA-authorized uses of the Covid-19 vaccines in the United States.

www.cdc.gov

Summary of recent changes (last updated April 4, 2024):

• New guidance on COVID-19 vaccination and pemivibart (Pemgarda™), a monoclonal antibody authorized for COVID-19 pre-exposure prophylaxis in people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and meet the FDA-authorized conditions for use.

 

[ilovewings]

I would like to see my doctor enroll in a study.

In her 60's but seems much younger, she caught covid 3 months before the vaccines were rolled out for the medical field.

I love my doctor, been with her a long time but she developed long covid and finally had to retire.

She struggled for 2 years to come to work. She ended up coming in just 2 days a week, this was the most she could do. She told me she just gets too tired.

She had gotten sick enough to be hospitalized and her staff was hopeful for a long time that she would make it back. She tried but couldn't do it past a couple days.

I miss her so much. My husband's medical care has really been bad since she left, mine is not very good. Hard to find a really good doctor THAT IS TAKING NEW PATIENTS.

That is so sad--- really good doctors are irreplaceable. My internist retired in 2017- he was my doc for 35 years- he was brilliant and compassionate-- i think he just got burned out and felt like with all the computer stuff and paperwork, he could not concentrate on patient care as he had done for so many years. Since 2017 I have had a couple of internal medicine physicians: they are okay, but they are not only not as brilliant or competent as the internist that retired, they are not nearly as caring or compassionate. It is a huge loss, especially as I got older, when you really need the very best. He is irreplaceable. Besides all of that, just trying to find a new internal medicine physician (which I am in process of doing), the waiting list is so loooong to get an appt. as a new patient.

 

[Cool Cats]

That is so sad--- really good doctors are irreplaceable. My internist retired in 2017- he was my doc for 35 years- he was brilliant and compassionate-- i think he just got burned out and felt like with all the computer stuff and paperwork, he could not concentrate on patient care as he had done for so many years. Since 2017 I have had a couple of internal medicine physicians: they are okay, but they are not only not as brilliant or competent as the internist that retired, they are not nearly as caring or compassionate. It is a huge loss, especially as I got older, when you really need the very best. He is irreplaceable. Besides all of that, just trying to find a new internal medicine physician (which I am in process of doing), the waiting list is so loooong to get an appt. as a new patient.

We are basically in the same boat and we both live in MI.

Let's move somewhere that has better medical..... LOL ....I'll drive

 

[ilovewings]

CU study: Social distancing and vaccines prevented 800K deaths at high cost

How effective were vaccine mandates and social distancing? That’s the question that researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of California Los Angeles looked into …

kdvr.com

My husband always complains about how lockdowns here in Michigan were so awful, how masks didn't work- blah blah blah. I try my best to explain to him how those actions saved lives- not sure he gets it.

 

[Gemmie]

CU study: Social distancing and vaccines prevented 800K deaths at high cost

How effective were vaccine mandates and social distancing? That’s the question that researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of California Los Angeles looked into …

kdvr.com

My husband always complains about how lockdowns here in Michigan were so awful, how masks didn't work- blah blah blah. I try my best to explain to him how those actions saved lives- not sure he gets it.

Him and a whole heck of a lot of other people.

Your post makes me curious since I'm guessing he doesn't mask up much... has he ever had Covid, or have you suspected that he's had a case of it? I was just talking to someone the other day who was telling me about all the people she knows that are sick, or knows of sick people, and they ALL say they have "just a cold" (but don't test to rule Covid out). It felt like to us that a lot of people would just prefer Covid never existed, and don't like admitting that they might actually have it (it's understandable). Like... ignoring something unpleasant so they don't have to think about it.

 

[ilovewings]

Him and a whole heck of a lot of other people.

Your post makes me curious since I'm guessing he doesn't mask up much... has he ever had Covid, or have you suspected that he's had a case of it? I was just talking to someone the other day who was telling me about all the people she knows that are sick, or knows of sick people, and they ALL say they have "just a cold" (but don't test to rule Covid out). It felt like to us that a lot of people would just prefer Covid never existed, and don't like admitting that they might actually have it (it's understandable). Like... ignoring something unpleasant so they don't have to think about it.

My husband never had Covid- he did mask up for awhile and he did get vaccinated--- <modsnip> I try to explain to him that what we experienced was basically a plague, a contagious disease that was "novel" - and the medical community had no idea how to deal with this virus at the beginning of the pandemic. We had no protection and I point out how corpses were piling up all over the country and people were dying in droves.

 

[Gemmie]

Statement on the antigen composition of COVID-19 vaccines

April 2024 statement on the antigen composition of COVID-19 vaccines

www.who.int

Statement on the antigen composition of COVID-19 vaccines​

26 April 2024

• As the virus is expected to continue to evolve from JN.1, the TAG-CO-VAC advises the use of a monovalent JN.1 lineage as the antigen in future formulations of COVID-19 vaccines.

* more at link

Interesting... when I saw your post a while back I thought it had already been decided that this fall's formula would target JN.1, which I wasn't happy about that since KP.2 is growing faster and JN.1 was receding.

Original post with that chart HERE, and a snippet from it here: the trend is definitely showing that JN.1 (purple) is losing ground to KP.2 (gray). Also, it appears that KP.2 is growing at a faster pace (doubling) than JN.1 is declining (baby steps).

But now it appears a decision hasn't been made. The meeting was supposed to be today but it got pushed out until 6/5.

The May 16, 2024, VRBPAC Meeting has been rescheduled for June 5, 2024. This new date will allow for additional time to obtain surveillance data and other information so the VRBPAC Committee will have more up-to-date information when discussing and making recommendations. FDA does not anticipate that the date change will impact COVID-19 vaccine availability for the Fall.

VRBPAC May 16, 2024 Meeting Announcement

This is the main page for the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) May 16, 2024 Meeting announcement and meeting materials.

www.fda.gov

So it looks like the formula is still up in the air:

We expect the next updated version of the COVID-19 vaccine to be released this fall, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) advisory committee is meeting June 5 to discuss and make recommendations on its formulation.