Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #108

[Mauig’ma]

FDA restricts J&J’s COVID-19 vaccine due to blood clot risk | WHNT.com

I wonder what else we’re going to hear about the other vaccines too. Time will tell. Moo

 

[weepingangel]

Welcome to spring in New England I guess.

Most of New England at High or Medium Risk for Community Transmission of COVID

Half of Massachusetts’ 14 counties are now considered high risk for community transmission of COVID-19, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The latest data released Thursday shows that Barnstable, Berkshire, Franklin, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk...

www.necn.com

Massachusetts reports most single-day COVID cases in 3 months

Maine Has One of Nation's Highest Rates of COVID-19 Cases Per Capita

According to New York Times data tracking coronavirus, Maine, as of Thursday afternoon, is tied with Rhode Island for the state with the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country per capita. A tracker on nytimes.com lists both states as having 53 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people. For...

www.necn.com

Eight Maine schools closed as COVID cases surge

The Maine CDC confirmed eight schools at 'outbreak' level last week, with more canceling in-person classes Tuesday.

www.newscentermaine.com

5th Wave? New York COVID Hospitalizations Top 2,000, Nearly Tripling in a Month

In New York City, health officials upped the COVID alert level this week for the first time since the new system debuted early this year.

www.nbcnewyork.com

 

[weepingangel]

FDA limits J&J COVID-19 vaccine due to rare blood clot risk

The Food and Drug Administration has limited its authorization of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine due to the rare risk of blood clots.

abcnews.go.com

More at link
To date, nearly 17 million Americans have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The FDA and CDC have identified 60 confirmed cases of TTS, including nine fatal cases, which illustrates that blood clots are a rare but real adverse event.

Scientists said that if you have already received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, there is no need to be concerned, as the risk of blood clots happens in the days and weeks after you have received your shot.

However, if Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients are at all concerned, health experts said people should reach out to their doctor with any questions.

 

[sds71]

Fauci privately miffed about the message sent by the WHCA dinner

The nation’s top medical adviser expressed private frustration that elite D.C. no longer seems to take the Covid threat seriously.

www.politico.com

 

[weepingangel]

1 in Every 200 NYC Children Has Lost a Parent or Caregiver to COVID. That’s Almost Twice the National Rate.

Black, Hispanic and Asian children in the city are around three times more likely to have lost a parent or caregiver compared to their white peers, a new analysis reveals.

www.thecity.nyc

 

[musicaljoke]

1 in Every 200 NYC Children Has Lost a Parent or Caregiver to COVID. That’s Almost Twice the National Rate.

Black, Hispanic and Asian children in the city are around three times more likely to have lost a parent or caregiver compared to their white peers, a new analysis reveals.

www.thecity.nyc

That is an unspeakable tragedy. What a terrible toll this has taken on families.

 

[Gemmie]

Good news. Have been so concerned for all of the little ones.

I now (personally) know a couple of handfuls of young ones who have had covid. All of them seem to have made it through just fine, with no more than bad cold symptoms or no symptoms at all.

But a couple of days ago a healthy 2-year old passed away in Sydney - just one day after he was diagnosed with covid.

Healthy Sydney toddler who died from Covid identified

JMO on this but even though you seem to have made it through just fine... you could still be in for long CV down the road. That goes for adults as well as children/ Here's an article on long CV in children.

Children get long Covid, too, and it can show up in unexpected ways

November 10 is a day Kim Ford remembers too well. It was the day last year when her 9-year-old son, Jack, was scheduled to get his Covid-19 vaccine at the school clinic. They were excited that he'd finally have some protection, but on November 9, he had the sniffles.

www.cnn.com

 

[Gemmie]

I have concerns about getting the 4th shot, or 2nd booster.

I know of FOUR people who are having heart issues currently---NONE of them had previous issues. Three of them had problems after their boosters. Heart inflammation which has not totally gone away.

I am not sure if I want to get another booster or not. I uses masks and am very rarely out in public still. So I don't know if I should.

I'm curious about something. Do they know for SURE that they never had an asymptomatic breakthrough case? I ask because even the healthy, with no underlying conditions, can end up with heart problems (and/or diabetes). That risk to develop either is for ~1 yr after infection.

Myocarditis: inflammation of the heart. The coronavirus may infect and damage the heart’s muscle tissue directly, as is possible with other viral infections, including some strains of the flu. The heart may also become damaged and inflamed indirectly by the body’s own immune system response.

Coronavirus infection also affects the inner surfaces of veins and arteries, which can cause blood vessel inflammation, damage to very small vessels and blood clots, all of which can compromise blood flow to the heart or other parts of the body.

Stress cardiomyopathy. Viral infections can cause cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle disorder that affects the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively. When attacked by a virus, the body undergoes stress and releases a surge of chemicals called catecholamines, which can stun the heart. Once the infection resolves, the stressor has ended and the heart can recover.

COVID-19

COVID-19 is the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that emerged in December 2019. Learn about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

www.hopkinsmedicine.org

People who got COVID-19 and were asymptomatic, or got COVID-19 that was so mild that they were able to nurse it at home, without going to the doctor still developed an increased risk of heart problems a year out.

COVID and the Heart: It Spares No One | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

New evidence suggests anyone infected with COVID is at higher risk for heart issues—a risk that persists even in relatively healthy people long after the illness has passed.

publichealth.jhu.edu

People who had covid-19 were at greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes within a year than those who managed to avoid the coronavirus, according to a large review of patient records released Monday.

The finding is true even for people who had less severe or asymptomatic forms of coronavirus infection, though the chances of developing new-onset diabetes were greater as the severity of covid symptoms increased, according to researchers who reviewed the records of more than 181,000 Department of Veterans Affairs patients diagnosed with coronavirus infections between March 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/03/21/covid-infection-diabetes/

 

[Gemmie]

Just wondering if I'm the only person that will put my hand out, palm up, and say "Close enough" when people try to get too close to me to talk. I rarely go out anymore but I do on occasion need to go to a grocery store and have run into people trying to get too close 'in my space' to talk to me. I can hear you from over here!!! (6 away) LOL In the beginning I saw a guy carrying a 6' stick to hold out to get people to back up 6'. LOL! I won't go THAT far but I do use the hand signal frequently.

 

[Gemmie]

Our church is planning to stop requiring masks at Sunday services starting with the 11 a.m. Easter service. I am quite uneasy about this, although we do have good air circulation in the sanctuary, and there are a lot fewer people attending in-person services than there were before Covid. I can choose to continue masking, of course.

It's called One-way masking. I'd prefer if everyone was still wearing masks so their cootiofied breath stays behind their masks and not making 'Covid soup' out of the air I'm about to walk through for to buy groceries.

Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. With mask mandates going away, is that helpful?

Even as mask mandates on transportation and public spaces are being lifted, some folks still want to mask up to reduce the risk of a coronavirus infection. Here's a guide to one-way masking.

www.npr.org

 

[Gemmie]

Hi,sorry to bump in here, but things are really getting concerning in China - Shanghai.
Just came from twitter and saw some disturbing, shocking post about people starving in complete lockdown,children been taken away,pets getting killed,etcetc - it just like you watching a bad movie..which unfolds in desperation with no end in sight..

Warning shocking video footage:

Shanghai locals scream from windows, protest as city faces food shortage amid Covid-19 spike | Viral Videos

‘They are going to starve to death’: Shanghai residents in lockdown with ‘no end in sight’

Don't even get me started about what's going on in China. I also wish they'd STOP spraying bleach everywhere! It's killing wildlife! And IMHO their "dynamic zero strategy" is VERY flawed. Zero? For MILLIONS and MILLIONS of people? They need a Plan B if you ask me. Or ANY plan, really.

Here's David Chan, Nurse and alliance chairman for the Hong Kong Hospital Authority Employees Alliance saying ‘None of the hospitals had any plans in place. The hospital authority had not provided any instructions for how to handle it if cases were to escalate. There was no comprehensive plan’.

To that I say... Why not?!? They literally had over 2 YEARS to get a plan in place, but instead depended on their "dynamic zero strategy". I'm trying not to lay blame here but come on... the entire world needs a little help and their strategy just isn't working IMHO. A little help here. Please.

More here from David Chan in this Reuters video:

Lastly, about all your post mentions going on in China... I've been wondering how their mental health will be down the road. I just can't even imagine what they are having to endure.

 

[Gemmie]

I don’t know how soon after the hug Pelosi developed symptoms or tested positive and how long the hug or presence with Biden lasted. If it was more than two days prior and less than 15 cumulative minutes in 24 hours, it would not be considered “close contact” per CDC. Personally, I think the hug was ill-advised (if unmasked), but the CDC has determined that it doesn’t count as close contact in the context they’re discussing.

Shortened and BBM for focus.

When the pandemic began, the CDC said COVID exposure was considered as 15 minutes or more less than six-feet away from someone infected with the virus. Health experts at UW Health say omicron doesn't follow that rule.

"It was under 15 minutes you were unlikely to get infected but I don't think that message has necessarily been updated as we've had more contagious variants so like 15 Minutes is no longer at all pertinent. Right now, with omicron we don't measure contact times in minutes it's in seconds. If you're around someone for 10-30 seconds who has omicron you're exposed enough to get infected," explained Pothof.

UW Health: Omicron exposure takes seconds, addresses nose vs. throat testing

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (CBS 58) - This week, the United States FDA cautioned against using at-home COVID-19 tests to collect samples from the throat instead of a nasal sample, as the tests instruct. "FACT:

www.cbs58.com

 

[Gemmie]

I no longer wear a mask at work. People who come in can choose to wear a mask or not. 90% choose not to wear a mask. Of the 10% who choose to wear a mask, they are usually Asian, or parents of young children, often with their kiddos, who are masked.

Not scientific at all. Just a random sample.

That's not the sampling I see where I live. All the maskers are the elderly. Well, except the elderly that don't believe CV is real...

 

[Gemmie]

Mask optional prom-so how many people opted to wear masks? I bet it was very few, if any.

If that was my prom I would have worn a really pretty mask that matched my gown. lol

 

[Gemmie]

I am really struggling right now. I have worked from home for the last 2+ years. During that time my husband and I have done some road trips and visited a few relatives, but we pretty much avoid things like stores and restaurants. We do the occasional takeout, but don’t dine in. Order almost everything for shipping and curbside pick up. Now watching so many others acting like covid never happened. We are both triple pfizered.

The issue is that my office has issued a back to office order. It would only be one day a week, but with 20 others in very close quarters. No mask or vaccine requirements. I am considering retiring. I am old enough, though on the younger side for retirement, and could afford it. But I am starting to question if maybe I am nuts, and this thing is as over as it is ever going to be and I should go back to living like it never happened. That is what everyone else seems to be doing.

I do not think you're nuts at all @Cruiser933. I think you're questioning a situation that no one has ever had to consider before CV hit. Ever.

Here's my take and story... I worked in a cubicle environment on a campus of thousands. This is pre-CV. My building had at least a thousand in it. I was ALWAYS sneezing, but only at work which made me go Hmmmm... something must be up with the air there. I wonder if they ever clear the vents?

Long story short, I decided that since I could afford to retire early, that my health was much more important and I couldn't WAIT to get out and never have to breath that air again. Best decision of my life and I am SOOOOO glad I'm not forced to go into the office now that CV is here.

As for your question " and this thing is as over as it is ever going to be and I should go back to living like it never happened"... If it was me I'd take the more cautious approach. I firmly believe that CV will be around for a long time. It will end up being endemic at some point, but still here. The fact that it is NOT "just a mild case of the flu" for some (or asymptomatic for the "lucky")... it's an all body thing regardless if you were asymptomatic, or had a mild or even a full blown case. Then there's long CV for even those that were asymptomatic or had a mild case. Then there's those that can get diabetes and/or heart problems for around a year after infection, symptomatic or not. I'm not fooling around with that, but that's me.

In-Depth: Study finds COVID infects entire body, not just lungs

A new study from the NIH and University of Maryland, Baltimore found that COVID-19 infects nearly every part of the body, despite being thought of as a "respiratory" disease. ABC 10News Reporter Jared Aarons breaks down the numbers and talks to experts about what it means for treatment.

www.10news.com

Fact Check-People with asymptomatic COVID-19 in acute phase may later develop long COVID symptoms

Social media users have falsely claimed asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection is the same as being completely healthy and there are no associated harms. But studies suggest that people who don’t initially have symptoms with COVID-19 may later develop ‘long COVID’ – and pre-symptomatic...

www.reuters.com

Long COVID can give you fatigue and brain fog and result in new-onset diabetes, kidney problems, and heart problems. COVID and the Heart: It Spares No One | Johns Hopkins

Hopefully I've given you some food for thought.

 

[Gemmie]

Denial is not helpful in the time of a pandemic-'----

Shortened for focus.

Love it! I've been telling people that putting your head in the sand still leaves your rear end exposed. You could end up with a swift kick to your butt that you never see coming.

 

[Gemmie]

I hope all of the vaxed and boosted White House staff are going to be fine. I guess they will only have mild cases.

I hope they are going to be fine too. But they can still go on to develop long CV, heart issues and/or diabetes, even if they were asymptomatic.

I posted a bunch of links a few posts up with all that info.

 

[Gemmie]

Here at the Retirement Home we have gone completely maskless. So far, not a single case of Covid. Is it because we are all vaxxed and boosted? I wonder every day.
The nearby assisted living facility has had 3 cases of Covid recently, where they ended up limiting visitors.
I got my 4th booster (Moderna) not too long ago, no side effects at all.
Hope all is well with everyone.

Yikes! A retirement home completely unmasked? I guess no one was informed the head that:

“Unfortunately, Omicron is so transmissible that even fully vaccinated and boosted individuals may get infected,” Pollock explained.

Omicron: 10 things to know about the very contagious COVID-19 variant

As Omicron surges around the world, we all have questions about symptoms, testing, masking and more. UC Davis Health experts share what’s known so far about the highly infectious COVID-19 variant.

health.ucdavis.edu

Scott Gottlieb said: : The people who are getting infected right now with BA.2 are people who weren’t infected with Omicron (BA.1) likely because they were taking steps to protect themselves. On the whole, the people who are getting infected now are people who’ve sheltered themselves to date.

MSN

 

[Gemmie]

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...

Anthony Fauci this week privately criticized the decision to hold the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, singling it out as a troubling sign that many Americans no longer view Covid as a serious threat, four people who heard his remarks told POLITICO.

Speaking on a call with public health experts on Thursday afternoon, Fauci expressed frustration with the growing perception that the pandemic is effectively over. He said he feared people are losing sight of the need to continue protecting the nation’s most vulnerable.

He then pointed to the April 30 WHCA event — which was attended by President Joe Biden and dozens of other administration officials — as an example. The dinner featured thousands of guests and was held inside a Washington Hilton ballroom. It was bookended by similarly well-attended parties and gatherings. Fauci questioned why so many people felt comfortable gathering maskless indoors amid a fresh surge in Covid cases.

Fauci privately miffed about the message sent by the WHCA dinner

The nation’s top medical adviser expressed private frustration that elite D.C. no longer seems to take the Covid threat seriously.

www.politico.com

 

[Gemmie]

Fauci backs out of White House correspondents' dinner over Covid risk more@link
Fauci, 81, President Joe Biden's top Covid adviser and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told The New York Times on Tuesday that he decided not to go to the dinner "because of my individual assessment of my personal risk."

SMART MAN! The smart would do as Fauci does. I wouldn't have gone.