Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #108

[Mo Thuairim]

Latest in Omicron sub-lineages ‘likely to bypass vaccines’ and natural immunity

New Omicron sub-lineages, discovered by South African scientists this month, are likely able to evade vaccines and natural immunity from prior infections.

That’s according to the head of gene-sequencing at the units that produced a study on the strains.

The BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages appear to be more infectious than the earlier BA.2 lineage, which itself was more infectious than the original Omicron variant, said Tulio de Oliveira, the head of the institutes at the universities of KwaZulu-Natal and Stellenbosch.

With almost all South Africans either having been vaccinated against the coronavirus or having had a prior infection, the current surge in cases means the strains are more likely to be capable of evading the body’s defences rather than simply being more transmissible, Mr de Oliveira said.

(...)

The new sub-lineages account for about 70pc of new coronavirus cases in South Africa, Mr de Oliveira said in a series of Twitter postings.

“Our main scenario for Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 is that it increases infections but that does not translate into large hospitalisations and deaths."

(...)

“It is not clear whether South Africa has entered the fifth wave of the virus, but the numbers suggest that we are on the brink of one,” South African health minister Joe Phaahla told the press yesterday.

(...)

“What is clear is that we are still at great risk of Covid-19, especially as we go into a very long winter,” Mr Phaahla said.

Waasila Jassat, a public health specialist at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, said on the call that while hospitalisations are rising, there is yet to be a significant increase in deaths.

“Increases have been recorded among all age groups, but the highest number of cases are currently in the 10- to 14-year-old age groups,” she said.

(...)

“There is quite a lot of diversity in this Omicron family of lineages,” Richard Lessells, an infectious disease specialist at the KRISP genomics institute, said.

"This could explain why the newly identified sub-lineages are causing an upsurge in infections.”

 

[ilovewings]

Child hepatitis cases falsely linked to Covid vaccine

Those pernicious lies in social media are so harmful

 

[ilovewings]

Child hepatitis cases falsely linked to Covid vaccine

Those pernicious lies in social media are so harmful

Latest in Omicron sub-lineages ‘likely to bypass vaccines’ and natural immunity

New Omicron sub-lineages, discovered by South African scientists this month, are likely able to evade vaccines and natural immunity from prior infections.

That’s according to the head of gene-sequencing at the units that produced a study on the strains.

The BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages appear to be more infectious than the earlier BA.2 lineage, which itself was more infectious than the original Omicron variant, said Tulio de Oliveira, the head of the institutes at the universities of KwaZulu-Natal and Stellenbosch.

With almost all South Africans either having been vaccinated against the coronavirus or having had a prior infection, the current surge in cases means the strains are more likely to be capable of evading the body’s defences rather than simply being more transmissible, Mr de Oliveira said.

(...)

The new sub-lineages account for about 70pc of new coronavirus cases in South Africa, Mr de Oliveira said in a series of Twitter postings.

“Our main scenario for Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 is that it increases infections but that does not translate into large hospitalisations and deaths."

(...)

“It is not clear whether South Africa has entered the fifth wave of the virus, but the numbers suggest that we are on the brink of one,” South African health minister Joe Phaahla told the press yesterday.

(...)

“What is clear is that we are still at great risk of Covid-19, especially as we go into a very long winter,” Mr Phaahla said.

Waasila Jassat, a public health specialist at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, said on the call that while hospitalisations are rising, there is yet to be a significant increase in deaths.

“Increases have been recorded among all age groups, but the highest number of cases are currently in the 10- to 14-year-old age groups,” she said.

(...)

“There is quite a lot of diversity in this Omicron family of lineages,” Richard Lessells, an infectious disease specialist at the KRISP genomics institute, said.

"This could explain why the newly identified sub-lineages are causing an upsurge in infections.”

Such cheery news! so much to look forward to - if this is true, this is the worst news possible and will cause much more illness and death

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Washington parties on, as Covid threatens to crash the festivities (nbcnews.com)

Even as case numbers rise locally, thousands gather for the White House Correspondents' Dinner and a string of related gatherings for the first time since 2019.

WASHINGTON — Despite a recent rise in Covid cases, including that of Vice President Kamala Harris this week, Washington’s highest-profile figures swung into the weekend partying like it’s 2019. Almost.

The White House Correspondents' Dinner was scheduled to be held for the first time in three years Saturday night in a hotel ballroom packed with more than 2,000 attendees, including members of Congress, top government officials, Hollywood celebrities and much of the Washington press corps. President Joe Biden will attend a portion of the event, something his predecessor refused to do over his four-year term.

Attendees are required to show proof of vaccination and a negative Covid test before entering the dinner, but there will be no mask requirement or social distancing. While Biden will take some precautions, skipping dinner and likely wearing a mask when he’s not speaking, White House press secretary Jen Psaki acknowledged that the 79-year-old president has weighed the potential downside of attending a large indoor gathering...

 

[anneg]

Covid deaths no longer overwhelmingly among unvaccinated as toll on elderly grows

I read this article and, as an elderly person, found it very interesting. I will get my second booster shot on May 4 and plan to get the Moderna booster rather than another Pfizer shot. Staying up to date on vaccines seems like the best thing I can do to protect myself. If I get Covid, antiviral medication is available to help me recover.

However, I still want to avoid Covid if possible. Long Covid is very concerning, but I believe that being fully vaccinated will reduce the risk of long Covid. See article excerpt below (from March).

Evidence grows that vaccines lower the risk of getting long COVID

The chance of even a mild case of COVID-19 turning into a long-term, debilitating medical condition is one of the greatest fears of Americans trying to navigate the pandemic, which is again taking a turn as new data shows the BA.2 subvariant is taking hold in the U.S.

Unfortunately, the only sure way to avoid long COVID is not to catch the virus in the first place.

But there is now a growing body of research that's offering at least some reassurance for those who do end up getting infected — being fully vaccinated seems to substantially cut the risk of later developing the persistent symptoms that characterize long COVID.

While many of the findings are still preliminary, the handful of studies that have emerged in the past half year are telling a relatively consistent story.

"It may not eradicate the symptoms of long COVID, but the protective effect seems to be very strong," says epidemiology professor Michael Edelstein, of Bar-Ilan University in Israel, who's studying long COVID.

 

[sds71]

Sen. Tim Kaine, who suffers from long COVID-19 symptoms, pushes for research into treatments

Earlier this month, the White House announced plans to boost research into long COVID and possible treatments. Kaine proposed a new law that goes even further to fund more research, compile a more accurate count of long COVID-19 patients and help people get access to care.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tim-kaine-long-covid-19-symptoms-research/
Sen. Tim Kaine, who suffers from long COVID-19 symptoms, pushes for research into treatments

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Sen. Tim Kaine, who suffers from long COVID-19 symptoms, pushes for research into treatments

Earlier this month, the White House announced plans to boost research into long COVID and possible treatments. Kaine proposed a new law that goes even further to fund more research, compile a more accurate count of long COVID-19 patients and help people get access to care.
Sen. Tim Kaine, who suffers from long COVID-19 symptoms, pushes for research into treatments

Hope the findings are shared across the pond!

In the LC Facebook group I’m in there are 53,000 members and it grows by the day. I think we have around 1.4 million with LC in the UK.

My main concern about “learning to live with it” was the impact of LC, but the article shared above re vaccines reducing the risk is v encouraging.

I found my own symptoms are alleviating somewhat. I’ve been attending LC clinic sessions (remotely) and while I initially found it depressing to be told there is no cure known yet and they can’t say if anyone will recover fully, “pacing” and avoiding sensory overload does help. Also I find the sunnier weather, daily gentle walks in the sun.. all contributes.

 

[weepingangel]

What it can look like to “survive” (is it 98% Survival rate?) Covid

Some medical procedures /images

 

[weepingangel]

New York

NYS COVID Cases Rise, CDC Tracker Shows High Transmission in Spots – NBC New York
Number of High-Risk US COVID Counties Doubles in Week, and More Than 1/2 Are in NY

New York health officials raised a fresh flag earlier this month when they said a higher-than-national rate of emergence of two subvariants was to blame for soaring COVID rates in Central New York. They're spreading

 

[weepingangel]

I've looked at this twice. Is there a table I'm missing that shows what region they assigned to each state?

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265053&type=printable
According to the report (pg 2)
They used the “Standard Census Regions”


Eta- map at link of the Census regions
https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/maps/reference/us_regdiv.pdf

 

[musicaljoke]

What it can look like to “survive” (is it 98% Survival rate?) Covid

Some medical procedures /images

Oh my ... some people suffer terribly. The video makes me want to help with the huge task of rehabilitation.

 

[ilovewings]

I read this article and, as an elderly person, found it very interesting. I will get my second booster shot on May 4 and plan to get the Moderna booster rather than another Pfizer shot. Staying up to date on vaccines seems like the best thing I can do to protect myself. If I get Covid, antiviral medication is available to help me recover.

However, I still want to avoid Covid if possible. Long Covid is very concerning, but I believe that being fully vaccinated will reduce the risk of long Covid. See article excerpt below (from March).

Evidence grows that vaccines lower the risk of getting long COVID

The chance of even a mild case of COVID-19 turning into a long-term, debilitating medical condition is one of the greatest fears of Americans trying to navigate the pandemic, which is again taking a turn as new data shows the BA.2 subvariant is taking hold in the U.S.

Unfortunately, the only sure way to avoid long COVID is not to catch the virus in the first place.

But there is now a growing body of research that's offering at least some reassurance for those who do end up getting infected — being fully vaccinated seems to substantially cut the risk of later developing the persistent symptoms that characterize long COVID.

While many of the findings are still preliminary, the handful of studies that have emerged in the past half year are telling a relatively consistent story.

"It may not eradicate the symptoms of long COVID, but the protective effect seems to be very strong," says epidemiology professor Michael Edelstein, of Bar-Ilan University in Israel, who's studying long COVID.

I have the same thoughts you do as an elderly person- my husband just got his second booster today (Pfizer)- I will get my 2nd booster (Moderna) at the six-month point in mid- May. I really wish this vaccine had a longer shelf life, but of course I am grateful we have had this vaccine in such a short period of time from the inception of the virus.
Like you, I hope I never get Covid- hopefully the vaccine is more protective against Long-Covid, if one is unfortunate to contract the virus in the first place.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I have the same thoughts you do as an elderly person- my husband just got his second booster today (Pfizer)- I will get my 2nd booster (Moderna) at the six-month point in mid- May. I really wish this vaccine had a longer shelf life, but of course I am grateful we have had this vaccine in such a short period of time from the inception of the virus.
Like you, I hope I never get Covid- hopefully the vaccine is more protective against Long-Covid, if one is unfortunate to contract the virus in the first place.

My parents (mid 70s) here had their second booster this week. It was Moderna. So now they’ve had Zeneca, Pfizer and Moderna!

 

[Bravo]

We were due May 6th for our second booster. Despite being so careful Omicron found us. Husband had very mild symptoms. Headache and stuffy nose for a couple of days. I would say mine symptoms were mild too. I had no fever, lots of sneezing, weird film coating my mouth. No sense of taste. Muscle and joint pain. I still have joint pain in my knees and ankles. I'm sure that will pass. Thankfully it wasn't severe. I still mask. Surprised at how many are maskless here since mandate was dropped.

 

[ilovewings]

We were due May 6th for our second booster. Despite being so careful Omicron found us. Husband had very mild symptoms. Headache and stuffy nose for a couple of days. I would say mine symptoms were mild too. I had no fever, lots of sneezing, weird film coating my mouth. No sense of taste. Muscle and joint pain. I still have joint pain in my knees and ankles. I'm sure that will pass. Thankfully it wasn't severe. I still mask. Surprised at how many are maskless here since mandate was dropped.

We are not masking up when going grocery shopping a!though if the numbers
Continue to rise here in Michigan I will consider masking up again. I will not dine indoors -- Hoping you
And hubby continue to recover.

 

[ilovewings]

My parents (mid 70s) here had their second booster this week. It was Moderna. So now they’ve had Zeneca, Pfizer and Moderna!

Good they got that second booster, but I have been surprised at the low
Percentage of elderly people who never got that first booster.

 

[ilovewings]

Oh my ... some people suffer terribly. The video makes me want to help with the huge task of rehabilitation.

The reality of this miserable evil virus hits one in the face with a video
Like this. What a great facility.

 

[Mo Thuairim]

I still mask everywhere I go in public. I can't believe how rampant this thing still is. I'm one of the few people I know who haven't had Covid yet and more and more people I know are getting it every day. I suppose it's just a matter of time no matter how careful I am but I'll still do my best to avoid it. My brother is still wiped out from an infection over a month ago and he was fit and healthy and boosted and all that jazz. A lot of my friends who are finally flying away on belated holidays to Spain and Italy and places like that are coming home and testing positive, sometimes for the first time but in many cases for the second time. Their symptoms and severity vary from mild to really quite horrible. I'll stay put for now.

 

[Bravo]

We are not masking up when going grocery shopping a!though if the numbers
Continue to rise here in Michigan I will consider masking up again. I will not dine indoors -- Hoping you
And hubby continue to recover.

Thank You. We are good.

 

[anneg]

DH and I went to an outdoor neighborhood gathering on Thursday. We were there (in one couple's driveway) for about an hour.

It was wonderful to see our neighbors--some new ones and some we hadn't seen for months or only in their car. No one wore masks, and neither did we. I figured we were taking a chance on being exposed but decided to do it anyway. No sign of Covid, thank goodness. I realize though, that next time we might not be so lucky.