Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #110

[sds71]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1634215738461257728

 

[sds71]

20c diabetes drug slashed long Covid symptoms by 42% in clinical trial

Metformin - the world's most common treatment for type 2 diabetes - is thought to suppress the production of the virus or reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which contribute to long Covid.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

What's your current risk of getting long Covid? Estimates hover around 5%-10%

Seven researchers investigating the prevalence of long Covid in the U.S. said the current risk for vaccinated people is probably 10% or less.

www.nbcnews.com

It's a question few people know how to answer, even after three pandemic years and more than 100 million Covid cases in the U.S.: When someone gets infected today, what is their risk of developing long Covid?

"Even the medical community is unclear on all of this. The data is just emerging so rapidly and the estimates are varied," said Dr. Rainu Kaushal, chair of the department of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine.

In the absence of definitive data on long Covid risk, seven researchers investigating the condition's prevalence in the U.S. offered NBC News their best guesses. Most said it's fair to assume that the current risk for vaccinated people is 10% or less, and some thought the odds were smaller — 5% or lower...

 

[GRT]

Although this is just a local report--the nursing home where my mother lives is currently having a massive COVID outbreak. They were excellent about missing it the past couple of years, but now almost one-third of the residents and staff are infected.

The good news is that no one has any symptoms other than just cold symptoms, they are reporting, so it seems that the variant that is making its way through the nursing home is much less virulent than some of the variants we saw earlier.

I'm taking that as a very good sign.

 

[Gemmie]

What's your current risk of getting long Covid? Estimates hover around 5%-10%

Seven researchers investigating the prevalence of long Covid in the U.S. said the current risk for vaccinated people is probably 10% or less.

www.nbcnews.com

It's a question few people know how to answer, even after three pandemic years and more than 100 million Covid cases in the U.S.: When someone gets infected today, what is their risk of developing long Covid?

"Even the medical community is unclear on all of this. The data is just emerging so rapidly and the estimates are varied," said Dr. Rainu Kaushal, chair of the department of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine.

In the absence of definitive data on long Covid risk, seven researchers investigating the condition's prevalence in the U.S. offered NBC News their best guesses. Most said it's fair to assume that the current risk for vaccinated people is 10% or less, and some thought the odds were smaller — 5% or lower...

What I've been wondering for a while now is this... does long Covid have anything to do with the different variants? It appears it does by these stats for Delta & Omicron from the Lancet article linked below. Delta was also deadlier than Omi so maybe with all the mutations Omi has chilled out in that regard. Unfortunately it's the luck of the draw if future variants will be more or less deadly, or more or less contagious, although it seems like each variant was more contangoes than the one before.

Risk of long COVID associated with delta versus omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2

The omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 (PANGO B.1.1.529) spread rapidly across the world, out-competing former variants soon after it was first detected in November, 2021. According to the Our World in Data COVID-19 database, In Europe, the number of confirmed cases reported between December, 2021...

www.thelancet.com

COVID Variants: What You Should Know

The new variants (originally called strains) raise questions: Are these coronaviruses more contagious? Will the vaccines still work? Are there different things you should do to keep safe?

www.hopkinsmedicine.org

 

[Gemmie]

Not sure what NACI is compared to the CDC but the CDC is not currently recommending a 2nd bivalent booster (my 6 mo anniv will be in 10 days, so soon). With that said, I have contacted the CDC specifically asking them about that and included the NACI article as the source for my inquiry.

CDC site:

If you have received your updated booster dose, you are currently up to date. There is not a recommendation to get another updated booster dose.

Source (you have to click on the Updated Booster link in order to see what I've posted above (there's more): COVID-19 Vaccination

I have also asked the CDC why (bolded & underlined only): those age 65-79 (particularly those who’ve never had COVID), people living in long-term care homes or other congregate living situations, and people aged 18 and older who are immunocompromised are encouraged to book a vaccine appointment.

I'm curious why those in that age range who have never had CV appear to be more at risk than those that have had it in the past.

I will post the CDC's response to my 2 Q's if I get one.

Well, if I checked my spam folder more often I'd have seen the CDCs response 2 days ago (the day after I contacted them).

Unfortunately their response this time did not answer my Q about those 65-79 needing a booster this spring because they are at high risk if they've never had Covid.

Proof that what I'm about to paste is really from the CDC since I'll be pasting text from the email:

You can check CDC's website for updates and confirmed information, including any official media statements or press releases on the CDC Newsroom Web page.

You may also contact your state or local health department for information specific to your area. You can locate your health department information on the CDC website: CDC - State and Territorial Health Departments - STLT Gateway

CDC-INFO can provide CDC-approved information based on the best available science. CDC-INFO is not able to address information from other agencies, even global or national public health organizations or other government agencies or officials. Because recommendations can change when new research findings become available, CDC's and others' guidance may change in the future. When new or updated public health information is available, it is posted on CDC's website.

In addition,

Use CDC's COVID-19 Booster Tool to learn if and when you can get boosters to stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines. Staying up to date means getting all recommended COVID-19 vaccines as well as a booster when eligible (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html).

When will another COVID-19 booster be authorized? Why can't I get another booster?

If you're up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, additional bivalent booster doses are not recommended at this time. CDC does not have information right now about if or when additional bivalent boosters will be authorized.

It's hard to tell yet if another booster is needed. Recent data confirms that updated COVID-19 vaccines are helping to protect people from serious COVID-19 illness, including against the latest variants. It's likely that people who have received the updated vaccine in recent months will remain protected against severe COVID-19 for a longer period of time.

CDC will continue to monitor COVID-19 disease levels and vaccine effectiveness and update vaccine recommendations as needed. CDC will continue to provide updated information and guidance as it becomes available, based on the best available science. Any updated information on boosters will first be made available on CDC's website and though media releases.

How long does protection from the updated (bivalent) COVID-19 booster dose last?
It's too early to know how or when protection from the updated vaccine may wane, as it was authorized in the U.S. only a few months ago. Only three months of data have been collected, but CDC will continue to monitor vaccine effectiveness to better understand this in the months ahead. We do know, from the original (monovalent) vaccine, that protection decreases over time, especially against symptomatic infection. But we also know that protection lasts longer against more serious illness. So, it's likely that people who have received the updated vaccine in recent months will remain protected against severe COVID-19 for a longer period of time. CDC will continue to monitor COVID-19 disease levels and vaccine effectiveness and can update vaccine recommendations as needed.
To learn more, these additional links might also have relevant information for you. The CDC website is updated regularly, please check back to get most up to date information.

CDC Resources
CDC Newsroom
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDC Newsroom
Stay Up to Date with Your COVID-19 Vaccines Including Boosters
COVID-19 Vaccination
Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States
Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC

External Resources
NACCHO Directory of Local Health Departments
National Association of County & City Health Officials
http://www.naccho.org/membership/lhd-directory
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: Myth busters
World Health Organization (WHO)
COVID-19 Mythbusters – World Health Organization
We hope this information is helpful. Thank you for contacting us.

Sincerely,
Samantha
CDC-INFO Representative

 

[Gemmie]

Unfortunately their response this time did not answer my Q about those 65-79 needing a booster this spring because they are at high risk if they've never had Covid.

I continued Goog'ing for this since the CDC didn't answer my Q about it. I found this (re: why those 65-79 needing a booster this spring because they are at high risk if they've never had Covid):

But still there's no guarantee that COVID virgins who lack the immunity bump from natural infection would end up severely ill from a variant. At this point there are many questions that scientists still don't have answers to, said Dr. Roberts, including just how much immunity an individual receives from having contracted the COVID-19 virus.

If You've Never Had COVID Are You More Susceptible to Variants?

Experts share insights about why some people have managed to avoid contracting COVID and what that means about their risk when exposed to the variants.

www.health.com

 

[weepingangel]

5 residents dead as COVID-19 outbreak hits Cape Cod nursing home

Dozens of residents are still recovering from the coronavirus following an outbreak that began nearly two weeks ago.

www.wcvb.com

 

[Lilibet]

Thanks @Gemmie for contacting the CDC and doing further research. I think it’s fair to say that there is still a lot unknown about covid. I guess we have to learn to be comfortable with the unknown!

 

[Niner]

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

What people with ‘super immunity’ can teach us about Covid and other viruses

Do a lucky few have a kind of biological armor against infection? Scientists are just beginning to unlock the mystery of the true Covid dodgers.

www.nbcnews.com

Three years into the pandemic, a select group of people have achieved something some once thought impossible: They have never tested positive for Covid. Scientists around the world are searching for the genetic reasons these people have dodged Covid — despite repeated exposure to the virus.

Were they born with a form of super immunity? What's behind their Houdini-like success at escaping infection?

"Mostly luck," said Adam Zimmerman, 40, of Rockville, Maryland, laughing. Neither Zimmerman nor his wife and children have tested positive for Covid...
Even though millions of people have been vaccinated and followed precautions similar to the Zimmermans, they still got sick from Covid, either because of breakthrough infections or waning immunity.

Yet scientists believe it is possible that some people have never been infected because they entered the pandemic equipped with a kind of biological armor against the virus that causes Covid.

Now they want to unravel the mysteries hidden in the immune systems of true "Covid dodgers."...

DH and I must be "Covid dodgers" as neither of us has had Covid

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

For some long Covid patients, acupuncture and other Eastern remedies offer relief

Many people with long-term Covid symptoms say they've improved with acupuncture, meditation and ancient herbs.

www.nbcnews.com

Frustrated by a lack of results from Western medicine, some long Covid patients have turned to Eastern alternatives. Many say acupuncture, in particular, has provided relief.

Lauren Nichols, a Massachusetts resident who got Covid in March 2020, estimated that over two years she had tried around 30 different pharmaceuticals to ease her migraines, brain fog, fatigue, seizures, diarrhea and other lasting symptoms.

Eventually her physical limitations — and a lack of answers — became so overwhelming that she developed suicidal thoughts.

"I was very close to not being in this world," she said.

But about three months after she started acupuncture in May 2022, Nichols said, “I could see the clouds starting to part...

 

[Auntie Cipation]

What people with ‘super immunity’ can teach us about Covid and other viruses

Do a lucky few have a kind of biological armor against infection? Scientists are just beginning to unlock the mystery of the true Covid dodgers.

www.nbcnews.com

Three years into the pandemic, a select group of people have achieved something some once thought impossible: They have never tested positive for Covid. Scientists around the world are searching for the genetic reasons these people have dodged Covid — despite repeated exposure to the virus.

Were they born with a form of super immunity? What's behind their Houdini-like success at escaping infection?

"Mostly luck," said Adam Zimmerman, 40, of Rockville, Maryland, laughing. Neither Zimmerman nor his wife and children have tested positive for Covid...
Even though millions of people have been vaccinated and followed precautions similar to the Zimmermans, they still got sick from Covid, either because of breakthrough infections or waning immunity.

Yet scientists believe it is possible that some people have never been infected because they entered the pandemic equipped with a kind of biological armor against the virus that causes Covid.

Now they want to unravel the mysteries hidden in the immune systems of true "Covid dodgers."...

DH and I must be "Covid dodgers" as neither of us has had Covid

I'm interested in what this study concludes, but I hope two important factors not mentioned in your quote are considered.

First is the possibility of asymptomatic covid. Are they just going by people's self reports of whether they've ever had it, or can they tell definitively with a blood test or nasal swab? Initially I thought asymptomatic cases could be identified by finding antibodies to covid, but once the vaccines came out, I thought that was no longer possible (because the vaccine produces antibodies indistinct from those stemming from infection, perhaps?)

Second is the population density issue. I am a good example. I have never had covid to my knowledge, but I live in an extremely low population density area. No waiting in crowded lines. No elevators. Etc. As a social hermit I'm only in extended close indoor contact with a very limited number of people. So my sparse human environment, combined with my behavioral choices to avoid most gatherings, or mask even when others don't, or to "stop in for 15 minutes" instead of hanging out for two hours, all should be considered before or together with any magic body chemistry I might possess.

The article refers to people getting covid in spite of their having "taken precautions", but I think that phrase "taken precautions" covers a wide range of behaviors that might well be the difference between getting it (or in the long run, getting it repeatedly) versus not at all (or maybe just once in the coming years).

Side note: I had never gotten a flu vaccine when the covid pandemic started. I hadn't decided whether I would start getting it "when I got old" or not at all. I instead started getting it in 2020 when there weren't yet any covid vaccines but I wanted to boost my immune system in any way possible. (I also got both my Shingrix shots that year.) But my point is that, after some contemplation, I concluded that I do not think I've ever had the flu. Plenty of colds, but, based on my memory, it seems never the actual flu. Which I would likewise assume can be attributed to my low density community and sparse close interactions.

 

[anneg]

What people with ‘super immunity’ can teach us about Covid and other viruses

Do a lucky few have a kind of biological armor against infection? Scientists are just beginning to unlock the mystery of the true Covid dodgers.

www.nbcnews.com

Three years into the pandemic, a select group of people have achieved something some once thought impossible: They have never tested positive for Covid. Scientists around the world are searching for the genetic reasons these people have dodged Covid — despite repeated exposure to the virus.

Were they born with a form of super immunity? What's behind their Houdini-like success at escaping infection?

"Mostly luck," said Adam Zimmerman, 40, of Rockville, Maryland, laughing. Neither Zimmerman nor his wife and children have tested positive for Covid...
Even though millions of people have been vaccinated and followed precautions similar to the Zimmermans, they still got sick from Covid, either because of breakthrough infections or waning immunity.

Yet scientists believe it is possible that some people have never been infected because they entered the pandemic equipped with a kind of biological armor against the virus that causes Covid.

Now they want to unravel the mysteries hidden in the immune systems of true "Covid dodgers."...

DH and I must be "Covid dodgers" as neither of us has had Covid

That's a very interesting article! Thanks for posting it.

 

[acutename]

What people with ‘super immunity’ can teach us about Covid and other viruses

Do a lucky few have a kind of biological armor against infection? Scientists are just beginning to unlock the mystery of the true Covid dodgers.

www.nbcnews.com

Three years into the pandemic, a select group of people have achieved something some once thought impossible: They have never tested positive for Covid. Scientists around the world are searching for the genetic reasons these people have dodged Covid — despite repeated exposure to the virus.

Were they born with a form of super immunity? What's behind their Houdini-like success at escaping infection?

"Mostly luck," said Adam Zimmerman, 40, of Rockville, Maryland, laughing. Neither Zimmerman nor his wife and children have tested positive for Covid...
Even though millions of people have been vaccinated and followed precautions similar to the Zimmermans, they still got sick from Covid, either because of breakthrough infections or waning immunity.

Yet scientists believe it is possible that some people have never been infected because they entered the pandemic equipped with a kind of biological armor against the virus that causes Covid.

Now they want to unravel the mysteries hidden in the immune systems of true "Covid dodgers."...

DH and I must be "Covid dodgers" as neither of us has had Covid

actually, since some people are supposedly asymptomatic, unless you have tested every few days, you really do not know that you never had it and I am not sure what the difference between "never had it" and had it but asymptomatic is- I guess some antibodies... for however long those would be detectable

 

[Gemmie]

I got a 2nd response from the CDC regarding my Q about NACI saying certain individuals should get a booster in the spring. Looks like my orig email was forwarded to this group within the CDC, and flagged as medium priority, and a response was required.

And here's a link to the PowerPoint preso mentioned above since the link isn't operable due to it being a SS of my email:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2023-02/slides-02-24/COVID-08-Oliver-508.pdf

ETA - I still don't have an answer to my orig Q which was why did NACI say those 65-79, WHO HAVE NEVER HAD COVID, "particularly need a booster in the spring". Looks like I should contact NACI for an answer to that Q. What I want is their data behind their statement. Here's hoping NACI responds as quickly as the CDC.

 

[Gemmie]

Looks like I finally figured out the answer to my Q "why did NACI say those 65-79, WHO HAVE NEVER HAD COVID, "particularly need a booster in the spring". I apologize if y'all knew this and watched me spin my wheels! LOL

Using assumptions based on recent VE studies, where waning protection against hospitalisations occurs most in older adults without hybrid immunity, modelling suggests that an additional booster dose in adults 65 years and older starting this spring could be expected to prevent hundreds or thousands of hospitalizations across the country this year if a booster dose restores protection to levels achieved shortly after the previous dose. Modelled estimates are dependent on various assumptions on aspects such as the durability of protection from bivalent booster doses, the rate of infection of future subvariants, and the ability of future subvariants to escape protection offered by the vaccines.

https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/national-advisory-committee-immunization-guidance-additional-covid-19-booster-dose-spring-2023-individuals-high-risk-severe-illness-due-covid-19/statement.pdf

Great.... because I've done this well at dodging Covid it puts me at a higher risk. This sucks. *sigh*

With all that said... NACI is Canadian. We need to adhere to the guidance from the CDC (for the US). Perhaps they'll get on the same page. As I've said in my recent posts they are looking into it.

 

[ilovewings]

Looks like I finally figured out the answer to my Q "why did NACI say those 65-79, WHO HAVE NEVER HAD COVID, "particularly need a booster in the spring". I apologize if y'all knew this and watched me spin my wheels! LOL

Using assumptions based on recent VE studies, where waning protection against hospitalisations occurs most in older adults without hybrid immunity, modelling suggests that an additional booster dose in adults 65 years and older starting this spring could be expected to prevent hundreds or thousands of hospitalizations across the country this year if a booster dose restores protection to levels achieved shortly after the previous dose. Modelled estimates are dependent on various assumptions on aspects such as the durability of protection from bivalent booster doses, the rate of infection of future subvariants, and the ability of future subvariants to escape protection offered by the vaccines.

https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/national-advisory-committee-immunization-guidance-additional-covid-19-booster-dose-spring-2023-individuals-high-risk-severe-illness-due-covid-19/statement.pdf

Great.... because I've done this well at dodging Covid it puts me at a higher risk. This sucks. *sigh*

With all that said... NACI is Canadian. We need to adhere to the guidance from the CDC (for the US). Perhaps they'll get on the same page. As I've said in my recent posts they are looking into it.

I have not had a booster since July- I will get the Bivalent by the end of March. I have been hesitant because there were no clinical trials with this tweaked version of the original Covid vaccine.

 

[Gemmie]

I have not had a booster since July- I will get the Bivalent by the end of March. I have been hesitant because there were no clinical trials with this tweaked version of the original Covid vaccine.

Hopefully this helps ease your mind.

The new booster is a bivalent vaccine, which means it contains two messenger RNA (mRNA) components of the coronavirus. Half of the vaccine targets the original strain, and the other half targets the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariant lineages

How do we know the booster is safe?​

The vaccines were authorized by regulators based on safety and effectiveness data from the original COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, as well as trials of the new formulation in mice. Regulators also took into account data from human trials by Pfizer and Moderna of a similar reformulation, aimed at a previous version of Omicron, BA.1.
In November, Pfizer released updated clinical trial data showing that the bivalent booster’s safety and tolerability in human adults remained favorable and similar to its original COVID-19 vaccine. Likewise, Moderna reported no new safety concerns in its human trials compared to its monovalent vaccine.

The Omicron Booster: Your Questions Answered

Yale Medicine infectious diseases doctors discuss the new Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster.

www.yalemedicine.org

 

[Lilibet]

I had my bivalent booster in early October and I’d get another one if it’s offered. I’m not so sure my encounter with covid in late January 2021 still gives me “hybrid immunity.” I’m 77.