Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #105

[acutename]

UPDATE 1-U.S. COVID deaths rising but likely due to Delta, not Omicron, says CDC chief

Hospitalizations have been on the rise since late December as Omicron surpassed the Delta variant as the dominant version of the coronavirus in the United States, although experts say Omicron will likely prove less deadly than prior iterations.

The recent increase in COVID deaths is likely a lagging effect of the Delta variant, which was surging before Omicron took hold in the United States in December, Walensky said.

With Delta and other prior variants, deaths have lagged infection rates by a few weeks.

"We may see deaths from Omicron but I suspect that the deaths that we're seeing now are still from Delta," Walensky said, adding that it will take time to understand how Omicron l impacts coronavirus death totals.

I looked at my State's stats today and they are still much > delta than omincron. Not sure if the increased hospitalizations are delta... also not sure if omicron gets "undercounted" because it is more likely to be asymptomatic or "over" by the time a person can schedule a test.

 

[Cool Cats]

Fauci: “Just About Everybody” Will Get Infected With Covid, Due To Omicron

“I think, in many respects, Omicron, with its extraordinary, unprecedented degree of efficiency of transmissibility, will, ultimately, find just about everybody,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci yesterday during a “fireside chat” with the Center for Strategic & International Initiatives.

“It’s no way, I believe, likely – I mean, aspirational, but not likely – that we’re going to eliminate it because, A.) it has a high degree of transmissibility; B.) variants arise; and C.) there are so many people that are unvaccinated. And we eliminated polio because we got almost everybody vaccinated. We eliminated measles because we got almost everybody vaccinated.”

“So what’s the box that we’re all looking at now? That box is control, namely, getting the level of infection that causes severe disease low enough that we can incorporate this infection – some people have said learning to live with it – that I believe we are possibly approaching that,” he said.

“Those who have been vaccinated and vaccinated and boosted would get exposed. Some, maybe a lot of them, will get infected but will very likely, with some exceptions, do reasonably well in the sense of not having hospitalization and death.

“Unfortunately, those who are still unvaccinated are going to get the brunt of the severe aspect of this,” he said.

 

[katydid23]

EU warns repeat boosters could weaken immune system - BNN Bloomberg

Finally. That is something I was concerned about, and posted about here....but it was an unpopular notion...

I do think it is something we need to be concerned about. There are NO STUDIES that have looked at what happens when someone has 4, 5 or 6 vaccinations, which is what we are likely looking at, if this continues.

The mNRA vaccinations are not just like Flu shots, even though many keep making that comparison. But they are different and work differently and the mNRA max are more invasive, in that they include genetic material. Now they are saying that they can change a woman's menstrual cycle. And we know they can cause heart inflammation.

So what happens when we take a booster every 6 months, for a few years? And how might that affect 6 and 7 year olds?

And how does it affect one's natural immune system if it is used over and over and over for a few years? It seems possible it would not be as effective anymore.

COVID-19 vaccine vs. flu vaccine | HealthPartners Blog
All available COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and reduce your chance of severe illness. The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are mNRA vaccines, which include genetic material with specific chemical instructions asking your body’s cells to make a small noninfectious piece of spike protein, which is located on the surface of the coronavirus. The spike protein is how COVID-19 enters the body and how your immune system recognizes it.

 

[Cool Cats]

Fact-check: Does the omicron variant favor the fully vaccinated?


Wed, January 12, 2022

"Omicron does not favor the vaccinated; it favors everyone," said Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. "The immune evasive properties of the variant allow it to infect fully vaccinated, and even boosted, individuals. This doesn’t mean it favors or targets them, it just means it has the capacity to infect them. Other variants lacked this ability and preyed primarily on the unvaccinated. Omicron can prey on both."

Omicron is more resistant than delta to immunity from vaccines or from a prior infection, said Dr. Thomas A. Russo, a professor of infectious diseases at the University at Buffalo who treats COVID-19 patients. "That’s why we’re seeing more infections in the vaccinated," Russo said.

But there’s "no question" that people who are vaccinated have more protection, Russo said.

"Vaccination does not increase the likelihood that you’ll get infected. It’s really quite the opposite," he said: Vaccination protects against infection, severe disease and bad outcomes.

The high incidence of infections among vaccinated people is occurring in certain countries not because they are more susceptible to the virus than unvaccinated people, but rather because there are so many more of them than there are unvaccinated people. "As the proportion of vaccinated increases, they’ll have an increasing contribution to the infection pool," he said.

 

[Lilibet]

COVID-Hospitalization Numbers Are as Bad as They Look

The entire for-COVID-or-with-COVID debate hinges on a false binary. “The health-care system is in crisis and on the verge of collapse,” Spencer said. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s with or for. It’s a pure deluge of numbers.”

Even the truly incidental cases increase the strain. COVID-positive people must be kept apart from other patients, which complicates hospitals’ ability to use the beds they have. These patients need to be monitored in case their infection progresses into something more severe. If they start dying for unrelated reasons, their family won’t be allowed into their room. The health-care workers who treat them need to wear full personal protective equipment. If they need follow-up care, they can’t be discharged to a nursing home or similar facility. They’re taking up space and attention when hospitals are short on both. “If you’re 90 percent full and you suddenly have 10 percent more patients, I don’t care if it’s half COVID, all COVID, incidental COVID—it just matters that you’re full,” Faust said.

<snip>

COVID data have always been mushy, lagging, and incomplete. No single metric can account for the number of patients, how sick they are, what their care demands, how many health-care workers are around to help them, or how close those workers are to their breaking point. We have no straightforward way to measure exactly how stressed the health-care system is.

But we can ask health-care workers what they’re experiencing. I’ve asked dozens over the past three months, and heard from hundreds more. And what they’ve said, almost unanimously, is that they’re exhausted, demoralized, overwhelmed, and working in a system that cannot handle the strain it is being asked to shoulder. Debating how many patients are in the hospital with COVID or for COVID distracts from the most important question of the moment: As Anne Sosin, a public-health practitioner at Dartmouth College, wrote to me on Twitter, “What is or will be too much for our health systems and workforce to bear?” The U.S. is about to learn the answer the hard way.

 

[Lilibet]

OREGON—COVID-19 weekly cases surge, hospitalizations, deaths increase
OHA’s COVID-19 Weekly Report released today showed a record- smashing total of daily cases, surging hospitalizations, a sharp rise in deaths and a staggering percent positivity.

COVID-19 weekly cases surge, hospitalizations, deaths increase

 

[CrimeAway]

This week's TWIV Q&A with A&V:

 

[Teche]

I had my 2nd chemo last Thursday. Have Breast cancer, second dx. I might have a UTI, or just bladder irritation from the chemo. But I’m TERRIFIED to even go get a test at the dr’s office right now. Some hospitals around here are canceling surgeries it’s so bad. Hubby had to travel this week for work.

Can someone bring a urine sample to your doctor or do telemedicine visit?

 

[nightowl1975]

I work for a public school district in South Carolina, and I’m super confused about the latest quarantine guidelines. They follow whatever guidelines the state health department recommends, but this latest update just seems absurd to me.

Staff members can return to work five days after testing positive for COVID — if they no longer have symptoms — but they can’t return for TEN days if they have close contact with a family member that tests positive (even if they test negative five days after their contact tested positive and haven’t shown symptoms).

For example —
A co-worker of mine took a PCR test last Thursday because his wife tested positive (he hasn’t experienced any symptoms). He’s STILL waiting on the results of his test, but he could return to work tomorrow if they came back positive. On the other hand, if the results come back negative… he can’t return to work until Monday because his wife tested positive. Essentially, he’ll be better off if his tests results are positive.

Does this reasoning make any kind of sense to any of you? Because I’m completely at a loss.

It makes perfect sense from the standpoint of reducing the risk that your co worker will infect others at school. If his test comes back positive, he’s highly unlikely to transmit the virus to anyone else after 5 days. He would be considered “recovered” in terms of being able to infect others.

However, if his test is negative, it’s entirely possible he’s contracted the virus from continued contact with his wife in the meantime. You have no way of knowing if he’s early in the infection process or not. It can take 10 days (or even 14, but that’s more unusual) for infection to show up. At that point, his 5 day infection clock would begin.

Yes, in terms of how long he’s isolated, he’s better off if that PCR comes back positive.

 

[nightowl1975]

I’m currently on day 5 of symptoms with what I assume is omicron. I tested positive 3 days ago. And let me tell you, it’s been awful. And I am so annoyed that I have it. I’m vaccinated (was *thisclose* to qualifying for the booster when I got Covid, then *thisclose* to the 90 day wait between Covid and the booster when I got it again!!)

I’m not even sure the booster would’ve helped honestly. This variant doesn’t seem to care at all about vaccine status in terms of catching the virus. If it’s helping make it milder, all I can say is I would’ve been in the hospital if it’s really helping. I’m not convinced I won’t end up there anyway. It’s that bad. I’ll get a brief reprieve of a couple of hours when all of my meds are working semi-ok, but that’s it.

I really hate this virus. Everything about it.

 

[CP244]

Finally. That is something I was concerned about, and posted about here....but it was an unpopular notion...

I do think it is something we need to be concerned about. There are NO STUDIES that have looked at what happens when someone has 4, 5 or 6 vaccinations, which is what we are likely looking at, if this continues.

The mNRA vaccinations are not just like Flu shots, even though many keep making that comparison. But they are different and work differently and the mNRA max are more invasive, in that they include genetic material. Now they are saying that they can change a woman's menstrual cycle. And we know they can cause heart inflammation.

So what happens when we take a booster every 6 months, for a few years? And how might that affect 6 and 7 year olds?

And how does it affect one's natural immune system if it is used over and over and over for a few years? It seems possible it would not be as effective anymore.

COVID-19 vaccine vs. flu vaccine | HealthPartners Blog
All available COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and reduce your chance of severe illness. The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are mNRA vaccines, which include genetic material with specific chemical instructions asking your body’s cells to make a small noninfectious piece of spike protein, which is located on the surface of the coronavirus. The spike protein is how COVID-19 enters the body and how your immune system recognizes it.

I don't know. How many tetanus injections have you had?

 

[SouthAussie]

Interesting. My state has just announced that only certain children will be returning to school for face to face learning, after the summer holidays, in a couple of weeks time.

Children of essential workers
Vulnerable children
Children in Reception, Year 1, Year 7, Year 8, and Year 12

All other children will start the school year online - for at least 2 weeks, depending on the situation after that.

Source: Presser with our state premier just now

The reasoning for certain year levels being chosen for face to face learning:
Reception and Year 1 children can't be expected to start their education on a computer .. they need to learn what school is about
Year 7 students are about to leave Primary School and enter High School
Year 8 students have just entered High School and need to learn what High School is about
Year 12 students are studying and preparing for their final school exams

I think they are trying to balance the most important needs against the risks, and are reducing the school populations in the way they think is better.

 

[MsArk]

I’m currently on day 5 of symptoms with what I assume is omicron. I tested positive 3 days ago. And let me tell you, it’s been awful. And I am so annoyed that I have it. I’m vaccinated (was *thisclose* to qualifying for the booster when I got Covid, then *thisclose* to the 90 day wait between Covid and the booster when I got it again!!)

I’m not even sure the booster would’ve helped honestly. This variant doesn’t seem to care at all about vaccine status in terms of catching the virus. If it’s helping make it milder, all I can say is I would’ve been in the hospital if it’s really helping. I’m not convinced I won’t end up there anyway. It’s that bad. I’ll get a brief reprieve of a couple of hours when all of my meds are working semi-ok, but that’s it.

I really hate this virus. Everything about it.

Oh gosh, I’m so sorry you are feeling bad. Seems like everyone has Covid right now. My grown niece and nephew, who live in different states along with my SIL all have it. Niece is vaxed and boosted and while she doesn’t feel great she is hanging in there. My nephew isn’t faring quite as well but I’m not sure is he vaxed. My sister won’t tell me so I’m assuming he isn’t.

I hope you are on the downside of this thing.

 

[Spyralflare]

This next couple of months will be rough. As someone who works with seniors in a healthcare setting, I am very weary. So are they. This is not how you want to spend 2 years of your life in your 80s or 90s.

May you and yours stay safe and well.

 

[Lilibet]

I’m currently on day 5 of symptoms with what I assume is omicron. I tested positive 3 days ago. And let me tell you, it’s been awful. And I am so annoyed that I have it. I’m vaccinated (was *thisclose* to qualifying for the booster when I got Covid, then *thisclose* to the 90 day wait between Covid and the booster when I got it again!!)

I’m not even sure the booster would’ve helped honestly. This variant doesn’t seem to care at all about vaccine status in terms of catching the virus. If it’s helping make it milder, all I can say is I would’ve been in the hospital if it’s really helping. I’m not convinced I won’t end up there anyway. It’s that bad. I’ll get a brief reprieve of a couple of hours when all of my meds are working semi-ok, but that’s it.

I really hate this virus. Everything about it.

I’m so sorry you’ve had covid twice now! Here’s hoping you feel better soon and don’t end up in the hospital. Do keep us posted.

 

[Spyralflare]

I’m currently on day 5 of symptoms with what I assume is omicron. I tested positive 3 days ago. And let me tell you, it’s been awful. And I am so annoyed that I have it. I’m vaccinated (was *thisclose* to qualifying for the booster when I got Covid, then *thisclose* to the 90 day wait between Covid and the booster when I got it again!!)

I’m not even sure the booster would’ve helped honestly. This variant doesn’t seem to care at all about vaccine status in terms of catching the virus. If it’s helping make it milder, all I can say is I would’ve been in the hospital if it’s really helping. I’m not convinced I won’t end up there anyway. It’s that bad. I’ll get a brief reprieve of a couple of hours when all of my meds are working semi-ok, but that’s it.

I really hate this virus. Everything about it.

This is what others have told me about omicron. Being vaccinated just means that hopefully you won’t end up in the hospital. It’s still a rough virus.

I wish you a speedy recovery.

 

[mickey2942]

Can someone bring a urine sample to your doctor or do telemedicine visit?

Generally, the sample goes to the lab first for testing, then the appointment is after the doctor gets the labs back. That way the doctor has the information for diagnosis and treatment.

 

[katydid23]

This next couple of months will be rough. As someone who works with seniors in a healthcare setting, I am very weary. So are they. This is not how you want to spend 2 years of your life in your 80s or 90s.

May you and yours stay safe and well.

Thank You very much for your service. You are a God send. I appreciate how hard but vital your work is.

I don't know what we would do right now if my Mom wasn't in such a well run, supportive Senior Citizen's complex. She is 92 and she is getting so tired of being so isolated......... If it wasn't for her lovely daily staff I don't know what she would do.

They spend more time with her than we do these past 2 years and it is very upsetting. The complex prohibited guests for almost a year, but it is moderately open again now. But just in the past week they are considering shutting down again...

 

[Lilibet]

Thank You very much for your service. You are a God send. I appreciate how hard but vital your work is.

I don't know what we would do right now if my Mom wasn't in such a well run, supportive Senior Citizen's complex. She is 92 and she is getting so tired of being so isolated......... If it wasn't for her lovely daily staff I don't know what she would do.

They spend more time with her than we do these past 2 years and it is very upsetting. The complex prohibited guests for almost a year, but it is moderately open again now. But just in the past week they are considering shutting down again...

I hope you get to visit before they shut down again @katydid23. I know it would be wonderful for both of you, and your dh if he can go. I’ve lived in a senior facility and the staff makes all the difference. We left because management was awful. Fortunately, we had a choice.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

JVT has handed his notice in:

Jonathan Van-Tam to leave role as deputy chief medical officer

Sorry, that’s Sir JVT and a well deserved Sir at that.