Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #107

[Arkay]

Washington trooper who defied state vaccine mandate and told gov to 'kiss my a--' dies from COVID-19

Another terrible loss of an LE officer who quit rather than get vaccinated, and has now died of Covid at age 50.

I remember this guy because his sign-off went viral when he cursed the governor of his state.

Such a needless tragedy, to give up an illustrious career rather than get vaccinated, and ultimately to die of Covid when the vaccine likely could have saved his life.

R.I.P.

 

[SouthAussie]

Hip-hop artist Kanye West will have to be fully vaccinated if he wants to give concerts in Australia, Scott Morrison said on Saturday, after media said the performer planned an Australian tour in March.

Representatives for West, who released his latest album, Donda, in July, were not immediately available for comment.

In a 2021 interview on social media he (West) said he had received one vaccine dose but in a 2020 interview with business magazine Forbes, he called getting vaccinated “the mark of the beast”.

Kanye West warned by Australian PM he must be vaccinated against Covid to tour

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Long Covid study finds abnormality in lungs that could explain breathlessness

Abnormalities have been identified in the lungs of long Covid patients that could offer a potential explanation for why some people experience breathlessness long after their initial infection.

The findings, from a pilot study involving 36 patients, raise the possibility that Covid may cause microscopic damage to the lungs that is not detected using routine tests.

(...)

According to Dr Emily Fraser, a consultant at Oxford university hospitals and a co-author of the study, the latest findings are the first evidence that underlying lung health could be impaired.

“It is the first study to demonstrate lung abnormalities in [people with long Covid] who are breathless and where other investigations are unremarkable,” said Fraser. “It does suggest the virus is causing some kind of persistent abnormality within the microstructure of the lungs or in the pulmonary vasculature.”

(...)

Claire Steves, a clinical senior lecturer at King’s College London who was not involved in the work, said the findings would be of significant interest to anyone living with long-term breathlessness after Covid.

“They suggest that the efficiency of the lung in doing what it is meant to do – exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen – may be compromised, even though the structure of the lung appears normal,” she said.

(...)

The initial results, published on the bioRxiv pre-print server, show there is “significantly impaired gas transfer” from the lungs to the bloodstream in these long Covid patients, even when other tests are normal. Similar abnormalities have been detected in Covid patients who had been hospitalised with more severe disease.

“These patients have never been in hospital and did not have an acute severe illness when they had their Covid-19 infection,” said Prof Fergus Gleeson, a radiologist at Oxford university hospitals NHS foundation trust and the study’s chief investigator. “Some of them have been experiencing their symptoms for a year after contracting Covid-19.”

(More at link)

 

[jjenny]

There are also significant differences within Europe. For example, while our obesity rate is comparable to Denmark's, our ICU figures per capita are much higher than theirs. I blame a major difference in vaccination rates.

List of countries by obesity rate - Wikipedia

Our obese people are probably heavier than in Denmark. We have a lot of very obese people in this country.

 

[jjenny]

Similar in the UK. Hospitalisations peaked week ending 9th January and are coming down now. I've also been monitoring the stats for deaths in hospitals in NHS England, and they seem to have peaked about 10 days ago and are also coming down.

One of the UK stats I have picked up on from my own observations and that I haven't seen mentioned anywhere else though is the deaths in the over 80's. Since about last February when vaccines first started to kick in the death rate numbers in the over 80's has pretty much paralleled those in the 60-80 age range (and at times 60-80 rate was even slightly higher). But in the last few weeks I've noticed that the numbers of deaths in the over 80's has actually gone higher again.

A lot of people eligible for boosters haven't received them. Vaccines wane so if people aren't boosted they are losing protection.

 

[sds71]

Two Long Island nurses are under arrest, accused of forging vaccination cards for a steep profit.

The owner of the Amityville pediatric clinic allegedly entered the bogus information into the New York state health department database.

CBS2’s Jennifer McLogan reports nearly $1 million was seized in the fake card bust.

Prosecutors: Long Island Nurses Julie Devuono, Marissa Urraro Forged COVID Vaccine Cards, Entered Info Into State Database

 

[Grouse]

Similar in the UK. Hospitalisations peaked week ending 9th January and are coming down now. I've also been monitoring the stats for deaths in hospitals in NHS England, and they seem to have peaked about 10 days ago and are also coming down.

One of the UK stats I have picked up on from my own observations and that I haven't seen mentioned anywhere else though is the deaths in the over 80's. Since about last February when vaccines first started to kick in the death rate numbers in the over 80's has pretty much paralleled those in the 60-80 age range (and at times 60-80 rate was even slightly higher). But in the last few weeks I've noticed that the numbers of deaths in the over 80's has actually gone higher again.

BBM. I made a graph from the NHS England spreadsheet of covid deaths in England (not UK) hospitals to further illustrate this. Full data at Statistics » COVID-19 Daily Deaths

I haven't seen any explanations, or even mention of this trend, which seemed to start around the turn of the year. It was only in December that it was being reported "Fewer Covid deaths among over-80s than 60-79-year-olds for first time since July" --> Fewer Covid deaths among over-80s than 60-79-year-olds for first time since July

Or maybe it's more a case that 60-79's have fallen for some reason?

I haven't included other age groups as they make up such a small percentage of the total.

 

[ilovewings]

Roger Seheult, MD of MedCram discusses the FDA decision to limit EUA for some monoclonal interventions.
My husband received his infusion today. He received Sotrovimab which a
t

A lot of people eligible for boosters haven't received them. Vaccines wane so if people aren't boosted they are losing protection.

I just don't understand why older people are not getting their boosters. I don't understand why anyone would not get it, but especially the elderly. I think only about 30% of eligible people have gotten the booster. Go figure

 

[ilovewings]

Long Covid study finds abnormality in lungs that could explain breathlessness

Abnormalities have been identified in the lungs of long Covid patients that could offer a potential explanation for why some people experience breathlessness long after their initial infection.

The findings, from a pilot study involving 36 patients, raise the possibility that Covid may cause microscopic damage to the lungs that is not detected using routine tests.

(...)

According to Dr Emily Fraser, a consultant at Oxford university hospitals and a co-author of the study, the latest findings are the first evidence that underlying lung health could be impaired.

“It is the first study to demonstrate lung abnormalities in [people with long Covid] who are breathless and where other investigations are unremarkable,” said Fraser. “It does suggest the virus is causing some kind of persistent abnormality within the microstructure of the lungs or in the pulmonary vasculature.”

(...)

Claire Steves, a clinical senior lecturer at King’s College London who was not involved in the work, said the findings would be of significant interest to anyone living with long-term breathlessness after Covid.

“They suggest that the efficiency of the lung in doing what it is meant to do – exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen – may be compromised, even though the structure of the lung appears normal,” she said.

(...)

The initial results, published on the bioRxiv pre-print server, show there is “significantly impaired gas transfer” from the lungs to the bloodstream in these long Covid patients, even when other tests are normal. Similar abnormalities have been detected in Covid patients who had been hospitalised with more severe disease.

“These patients have never been in hospital and did not have an acute severe illness when they had their Covid-19 infection,” said Prof Fergus Gleeson, a radiologist at Oxford university hospitals NHS foundation trust and the study’s chief investigator. “Some of them have been experiencing their symptoms for a year after contracting Covid-19.”

(More at link)

That is really scary- a person can have a so-called mild case and still wind up with Long Covid. I hate this evil virus.

 

[Sundog]

A lot of people eligible for boosters haven't received them. Vaccines wane so if people aren't boosted they are losing protection.

I question whether it was worth getting the booster when they lose protection after 10 weeks. We didn't know that at the time, or we would have taken that into consideration when deciding whether to boost or not (edited to add - each medical procedure always includes a risk/benefit analysis). Also, if the boosters no longer provide much protection after 10 weeks, it makes you wonder why the U.S. government hasn't offered a fourth shot, so that those who are at most risk might be protected until we get to seasonal covid and the seasonal jab is developed.

 

[ilovewings]

I question whether it was worth getting the booster when they lose protection after 10 weeks. We didn't know that at the time, or we would have taken that into consideration when deciding whether to boost or not (edited to add - each medical procedure always includes a risk/benefit analysis). Also, if the boosters no longer provide much protection after 10 weeks, it makes you wonder why the U.S. government hasn't offered a fourth shot, so that those who are at most risk might be protected until we get to seasonal covid and the seasonal jab is developed.

I had the booster and I think it was definitely worth getting since
2 shots against Omicron offered very little protection.As far as the booster
Is concerned, even though some protection is lost after 10 weeks, or
Thereabouts, I believe the booster still provides some percentage
Of protection after 10 weeks, though I don't know what percentage
And for how long.

 

[Grouse]

I had the booster and I think it was definitely worth getting since
2 shots against Omicron offered very little protection.As far as the booster
Is concerned, even though some protection is lost after 10 weeks, or
Thereabouts, I believe the booster still provides some percentage
Of protection after 10 weeks, though I don't know what percentage
And for how long.

I've read in a few places that while protection against infection wanes, protection against severe disease is more durable.

Booster longevity: Data reveals how long a third shot protects

On the other hand, she says, protection against severe disease doesn't depend so heavily on antibodies. The vaccine triggers other parts of the immune system that help keep an infection from getting out of control.


"So with declining antibody levels, you might be vulnerable to an infection but not necessarily vulnerable to disease — that's a different kettle of fish."


Indeed, the study from the U.K. found that the booster offers more robust protection against severe disease than against infection. Specifically, the researchers found that after a third shot of Pfizer, protection against hospitalizations starts out above 95% (two weeks after the shot) and remains around 80% even after four months.

 

[ilovewings]

I've read in a few places that while protection against infection wanes, protection against severe disease is more durable.

Booster longevity: Data reveals how long a third shot protects

On the other hand, she says, protection against severe disease doesn't depend so heavily on antibodies. The vaccine triggers other parts of the immune system that help keep an infection from getting out of control.


"So with declining antibody levels, you might be vulnerable to an infection but not necessarily vulnerable to disease — that's a different kettle of fish."


Indeed, the study from the U.K. found that the booster offers more robust protection against severe disease than against infection. Specifically, the researchers found that after a third shot of Pfizer, protection against hospitalizations starts out above 95% (two weeks after the shot) and remains around 80% even after four months.

Thank you so much for that great information!!!

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Northern masks, Southern indifference: How Covid precautions differ widely by region (nbcnews.com)

“At this time, you would not think there is a pandemic. It’s slammed right now,” the owner of a yoga studio outside of Atlanta said.

TAMPA, Fla. — Less than 48 hours after I arrived here from New York, a close family member tested positive for Covid-19. As I stood in the local Walgreens late on a Sunday night buying as many rapid tests as I could, a man in his 20s bounded in.

“Do you sell pingpong balls?” he asked the clerk who was ringing me up. It sounded like he had a fun night of beer pong in the works. But what stuck in my mind was that he wasn’t wearing a mask.

Clearly I’d left indoor mask and vaccination mandates behind with New York’s frigid temperatures while visiting my family in Florida. Life seemed nearly back to normal here, though “normal” seemed audaciously carefree compared to the far more cautious environment back home in Brooklyn.

As the nation enters the third year of the pandemic, life cranks on for many — but the way it is experienced varies widely depending on where you live. Personal beliefs mingle with state-level restrictions, or lack thereof, to determine how common it is for people to wear masks in public spaces...

 

[Sundog]

I had the booster and I think it was definitely worth getting since
2 shots against Omicron offered very little protection.As far as the booster
Is concerned, even though some protection is lost after 10 weeks, or
Thereabouts, I believe the booster still provides some percentage
Of protection after 10 weeks, though I don't know what percentage
And for how long.

Booster longevity: Data reveals how long a third shot protects

According to this NPR article, booster shot protection against having an infection with symptoms wanes to about 70% after two weeks, 50% after 12 weeks (3 months), and 40% after 16 weeks (4 months).

Will have to check out the Israel studies, and why they moved forward with a fourth booster so quickly after the third booster.

 

[Grouse]

Booster longevity: Data reveals how long a third shot protects

According to this NPR article, booster shot protection against having an infection with symptoms wanes to about 70% after two weeks, 50% after 12 weeks (3 months), and 40% after 16 weeks (4 months).

Will have to check out the Israel studies, and why they moved forward with a fourth booster so quickly after the third booster.

We are both selectively quoting different parts of the same article! So, to combine the two, 40% protection against infection and 80% protection against severe disease after 4 months sounds pretty reasonable to me, and well worth getting the booster for IMO.

 

[Sundog]

Just received notice from USPS that the free covid self-tests that I ordered from the government will be delivered today. The notice says the packages are from:

US HHS
Detroit, Michigan

I am in Ohio, so I am guessing that the federal government distributed them to various post offices around the country for them to distribute in their regions.

Wonder which manufacturer/brand they will be. With temperatures around 12 degrees F, glad to get the notice so they don't sit in my mailbox too long.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Just received notice from USPS that the free covid self-tests that I ordered from the government will be delivered today. The notice says the packages are from:

US HHS
Detroit, Michigan

I am in Ohio, so I am guessing that the federal government distributed them to various post offices around the country for them to distribute in their regions.

Wonder which manufacturer/brand they will be. With temperatures around 12 degrees F, glad to get the notice so they don't sit in my mailbox too long.

Thank you for sharing this. I live in metro Detroit and haven't yet received our USPS test kits. Given the frigid temperatures, DH runs out to the mailbox the minute we see the mailman stop at our box. I've read/heard that the test kits do not fare well in cold temperatures, so we want to get them indoors asap. That said, our mail probably sits on post office vehicle for several hours prior to delivery. I hope they've figured out some way to protect the government-issued test kits. Of course, we hope we don't ever have to use them, but will be glad to have them on hand, just in case.

 

[CSIDreamer]

Just received notice from USPS that the free covid self-tests that I ordered from the government will be delivered today. The notice says the packages are from:

US HHS
Detroit, Michigan

I am in Ohio, so I am guessing that the federal government distributed them to various post offices around the country for them to distribute in their regions.

Wonder which manufacturer/brand they will be. With temperatures around 12 degrees F, glad to get the notice so they don't sit in my mailbox too long.

Oh. I need to open mine and see what they are. Be right back!

I got Abbott. They came from Topeka.

 

[ilovewings]

Northern masks, Southern indifference: How Covid precautions differ widely by region (nbcnews.com)

“At this time, you would not think there is a pandemic. It’s slammed right now,” the owner of a yoga studio outside of Atlanta said.

TAMPA, Fla. — Less than 48 hours after I arrived here from New York, a close family member tested positive for Covid-19. As I stood in the local Walgreens late on a Sunday night buying as many rapid tests as I could, a man in his 20s bounded in.

“Do you sell pingpong balls?” he asked the clerk who was ringing me up. It sounded like he had a fun night of beer pong in the works. But what stuck in my mind was that he wasn’t wearing a mask.

Clearly I’d left indoor mask and vaccination mandates behind with New York’s frigid temperatures while visiting my family in Florida. Life seemed nearly back to normal here, though “normal” seemed audaciously carefree compared to the far more cautious environment back home in Brooklyn.

As the nation enters the third year of the pandemic, life cranks on for many — but the way it is experienced varies widely depending on where you live. Personal beliefs mingle with state-level restrictions, or lack thereof, to determine how common it is for people to wear masks in public spaces...

I have to say here in Fort Myers Fl. I am seeing more people masked at the grocery store than when we first got here. However, for the most part Florida lives life like there is no pandemic----the cases here in Lee County (Florida) are now surpassing those of Oakland County (my county) in Michigan. It looks like cases in Oakland County may be decreasing just a bit.