Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #112

[Lilibet]

@Lilibet I'm sorry to hear you are in pain following a hip replacement. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations of what to do or to avoid, for someone (me) who will probably need a hip replacement in the next few years? Feel free to PM me if you don't want to post that info on this thread. I hope you get your pain resolved and have many more painfree years. 80 is (sometimes) the new 60!

See message. Right now my 80 feels like the new 90 LOL!

 

[Gemmie]

Buh-bye.

Ralph Abraham, MD, abruptly resigned his role as principal deputy director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today, after less than two months on the job, becoming the second senior official to exit the agency this month.

Abraham, whose resignation took effect immediately, was the second in command at the CDC. That leaves the agency with vacancies in its top two positions. Acting CDC director Jim O’Neil stepped down just over a week ago. O’Neil also left his job as deputy health secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Abraham was sharply criticized by public health advocates last month when he said that losing the United States’ measles elimination status is the “cost of doing business.” The CDC has confirmed nearly 1,000 measles cases this year, along with 2,281 last year. Canada lost its measles elimination status last year due to sustained transmission of the virus for more than 12 months.

Abraham, a long-time critic of COVID-19 vaccines, also faced sharp criticism in his previous role as surgeon general of Louisiana. As the state surgeon general, he told the health department to stop promoting mass vaccination campaigns and did not publicly respond to a pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak in Louisiana in 2025 for two months, even after two infants died.

Abraham also advocated for the use of ivermectin during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has stated the United States should stop vaccinating newborns against hepatitis B. In December, the CDC stopped recommending a universal birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine, which is credited with reducing chronic hepatitis B infections by 99% since 1991.

Senior CDC official resigns abruptly

www.cidrap.umn.edu

 

[Rikissa]

OT - about measles in Sweden in 2025 - 9 cases, 8 of them caught it when being abroad.
In Europe more than 50% of those who got measles in 2025 were over the age of 20, most of them over 30.

Measles in Europe - December 2025

This infographic shows an overview of the measles cases in Europe.

www.ecdc.europa.eu

 

[Gemmie]

Here's one of many reasons why I STILL wear a mask when I'm (infrequently) out in public or have to visit my mother.

COVID-19 infection is a significant predictor of chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute kidney injury (AKI), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and kidney failure, suggests a study by Penn State researchers published in Communications Medicine.

The team analyzed the link between COVID-19 infection and new-onset kidney diseases and compared it with the association between influenza and these diseases using the records of more than 3 million people in 2020 and 2021. The study included 939,241 COVID-19 patients, 1.9 million people in the negative control group, and 199,071 flu patients. Median follow-up was 324 days.

Over 3 times the risk of end-stage kidney disease​

COVID-19 survivors were at 4.7 times the risk for kidney failure, 2.7 times the risk for AKI, 1.4 times the risk for CKD, 3.2 times the risk for ESRD, and 1.3 times the risk for glomerular (filtering unit) diseases, while influenza wasn’t associated with CKD, ESRD, or glomerular diseases. Time-specific analyses indicated that COVID-19 has stronger effects on AKI in the short term but stable long-term effects on CKD.

More info at the link: Report: COVID survivors at nearly 5 times the risk for kidney failure

 

[sds71]

A Guardian review of Levi’s record found that more than a dozen experts have criticized research papers he has authored on the topic for being misleading. Some experts also said they believed Levi, who is not a physician or vaccine expert and now heads ACIP’s special immunizations work group on the Covid-19 vaccines, approaches the topic with a pre-determined agenda, instead of a spirit of true scientific inquiry.

In a statement to the Guardian, Levi, 55, said that criticism of his work was not valid. “My papers are factual, balanced, rigorous and accurately contextualize their findings,” he said. “My record, expertise and experience speak for themselves.”

Dr Sharon Alroy-Preis, who served as head of Israel’s public health services during the pandemic, and stepped down from that role earlier this year, told the Guardian she could recall reading a draft of a paper Levi wrote in 2021, which suggested a correlation between Israel’s vaccination rate and emergency calls received by first responders in Israel that involved cardiac arrest.

“We took it very seriously at the ministry of health. We invited him to a meeting to thoroughly look at the research,” she said. “At the meeting it was clear that he was not familiar with the way the data is collected and potential wrong interpretations. What was more troubling: he didn’t seem to care.”

She added: “Having no answers to our professional questions he continued to insist he was right and ‘on to something’. It was clear he came with an agenda.”

Levi did not comment on this specific criticism.

Nadav Davidovitch, an epidemiologist and public health physician who was on a national advisory committee in Israel during the pandemic, said Levi was one of a handful of prominent individuals from prestigious institutions who sought to share their opinions on how to tackle the pandemic even though they were not experts in vaccines, epidemiology

RFK Jr’s pick to review Covid vaccines authored misleading research, experts say

HHS calls MIT professor ‘more than qualified’ for advisory panel and calls ‘attacks’ on him ‘politically motivated’

www.theguardian.com

 

[Lilibet]

He [Levi] holds a coveted seat on the ACIP, which was once considered the “international gold standard for vaccine decision-making” but has faced criticism after Kennedy fired 17 of the group’s voting members – including doctors, immunologists and epidemiologists – and replaced them with individuals who have been criticized for undermining public trust in the safety and efficacy of many vaccines, without any basis in fact.
BBM

RFK Jr’s pick to review Covid vaccines authored misleading research, experts say

HHS calls MIT professor ‘more than qualified’ for advisory panel and calls ‘attacks’ on him ‘politically motivated’

www.theguardian.com

WHY is Kennedy making these decisions? Is it just because he’s anti-vaccine? He’s not stupid. Why was he even appointed to this position in government? There must be a reason. Is there an Epstein connection? Am I going crazy? Probably. ;-)

JMO MOO etc

 

[killarney rose]

He needs to be replaced.

 

[charminglane]

He needs to be replaced.

Right Now!

 

[Gemmie]

The first known meta-analysis of how SARS-CoV-2 variant type and time since infection influence long-COVID symptoms ties Omicron to brain fog and paresthesia (numbness and tingling), while earlier variants were more likely to cause shortness of breath and loss of smell.

The study also puts the prevalence of the condition at 29%, though it dropped to 23% once the Omicron strain started to dominate.

Much more info at the link: Long-COVID prevalence may vary by COVID-19 variant, time since infection

 

[Warwick1991]

For the 1st time, I have COVID. I have been getting vaccinations and boosters since they were available. I have not been masking in public often, and that was probably the issue. Here in Florida, the state made it difficult to get vaccinated without a physician's note unless you were over 65. For the first few weeks that the newest COVID vaccine was available, it was very difficult to obtain due to state intervention.

I think putting up those barriers to vaccinations, even temporarily, made it difficult for thousands of people to get vaccinated, even from vulnerable populations. I think many people just gave up and didn't pursue it.

I am not sure where I contracted it, and the newer strain has a shorter incubation period - it can be 2 or 3 days. I don't go to crowded indoor venues, but it could have been a supermarket or even a physician's office. So I wouldn't criticize anyone for masking in the current situation, especially with RFK's leadership of health agencies.

My case is mild so far, more like a cold. I initially diagnosed myself with OTC test kits. I was expecting it to be a flu strain due to a poor vaccine match, but I used 2 test kits and the results were the same. After calling my pulmonologist - I have asthma and some other health issues - I was advised to go to the ER. I got an infusion of a bronchodilator, COVID was verified by PCR, and I was started on Paxlovid. The ER was efficient, I think. I hope I don't get these post-infection complications, but of course there's no way of knowing.

The ER doctor, who told me that he treated a lot of cases during the heart of the pandemic, told me that the newest strain is not as potent.

So, as most of us know, COVID isn't gone by long shot. Unfortunately the management of health policies is underplaying the risks and putting up barriers to vaccines and medications.

 

[Stunned]

For the 1st time, I have COVID. I have been getting vaccinations and boosters since they were available. I have not been masking in public often, and that was probably the issue. Here in Florida, the state made it difficult to get vaccinated without a physician's note unless you were over 65. For the first few weeks that the newest COVID vaccine was available, it was very difficult to obtain due to state intervention.

I think putting up those barriers to vaccinations, even temporarily, made it difficult for thousands of people to get vaccinated, even from vulnerable populations. I think many people just gave up and didn't pursue it.

I am not sure where I contracted it, and the newer strain has a shorter incubation period - it can be 2 or 3 days. I don't go to crowded indoor venues, but it could have been a supermarket or even a physician's office. So I wouldn't criticize anyone for masking in the current situation, especially with RFK's leadership of health agencies.

My case is mild so far, more like a cold. I initially diagnosed myself with OTC test kits. I was expecting it to be a flu strain due to a poor vaccine match, but I used 2 test kits and the results were the same. After calling my pulmonologist - I have asthma and some other health issues - I was advised to go to the ER. I got an infusion of a bronchodilator, COVID was verified by PCR, and I was started on Paxlovid. The ER was efficient, I think. I hope I don't get these post-infection complications, but of course there's no way of knowing.

The ER doctor, who told me that he treated a lot of cases during the heart of the pandemic, told me that the newest strain is not as potent.

So, as most of us know, COVID isn't gone by long shot. Unfortunately the management of health policies is underplaying the risks and putting up barriers to vaccines and medications.

I'm glad it's mild so far, hopefully it will be the whole time! Feel better soon!

 

[Gemmie]

For the 1st time, I have COVID. I have been getting vaccinations and boosters since they were available. I have not been masking in public often, and that was probably the issue.

Ugh that you caught it. At least this is your first time in 6 years. I know some people that have had it 5+ times.

And I don't think not masking often in public was probably the way you caught it. IMO it was likely how you caught it.

Here in Florida, the state made it difficult to get vaccinated without a physician's note unless you were over 65. For the first few weeks that the newest COVID vaccine was available, it was very difficult to obtain due to state intervention.

I think putting up those barriers to vaccinations, even temporarily, made it difficult for thousands of people to get vaccinated, even from vulnerable populations. I think many people just gave up and didn't pursue it.

You're probably right and that's sad that people gave up.

I am not sure where I contracted it, and the newer strain has a shorter incubation period - it can be 2 or 3 days. I don't go to crowded indoor venues, but it could have been a supermarket or even a physician's office. So I wouldn't criticize anyone for masking in the current situation, especially with RFK's leadership of health agencies.

You'll never see me without in a mask in public. I won't even go around my own mother without a mask. Drives her a little bit crazy but she doesn't mask up!

My case is mild so far, more like a cold.

The ER doctor, who told me that he treated a lot of cases during the heart of the pandemic, told me that the newest strain is not as potent.

THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT!!!

So, as most of us know, COVID isn't gone by long shot. Unfortunately the management of health policies is underplaying the risks and putting up barriers to vaccines and medications.

Covid is here to stay IMO. Glad that what's going around now isn't as potent, but from what I've read in the past it's not guaranteed that each strain will lesson. It's like a crap shoot. I'd LOVE if it lessoned until it was no longer a bother to anyone. I'm tried of masking up and I miss going to our Indy theater. And they miss me too (was there multiple times a week), as well as others that stopped going and never returned after Covid.

Do keep us updated on your status. Hopefully it's gone quickly!

 

[Warwick1991]

Interesting article on COVID vaccine policy in the US from the Guardian:

Officials ‘missed 99% of data’ before ending Covid vaccine recommendation, memos reveal

Internal memos ignored Covid safety studies and pushed vaccine changes based on ideology, critics say

www.theguardian.com

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

A result of that lawsuit above,

Judge Strikes Down RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Policies in Blow to Trump’s Health Agenda

Ruling on a lawsuit brought by several prominent medical organizations, a district court said the federal government had not based its decisions on science in limiting Covid shots and revising the childhood immunization schedule.

www.nytimes.com

The judge’s ruling brought an abrupt halt to the major changes that Mr. Kennedy, who has long been skeptical of vaccines, had set in motion, upending national vaccine policy and making sweeping revisions to the recommendations for what shots are given and when. Those included cutting down the number of diseases covered by routine immunization, and restricting access to Covid vaccines, two pillars of Mr. Kennedy’s vaccine agenda.

In his decision, Judge Brian Murphy, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, noted that the vaccine committee has historically made decisions through careful review of scientific evidence, “a method scientific in nature and codified into law through procedural requirements." But, he added “unfortunately, the government has disregarded those methods and thereby undermined the integrity of its actions.”

The ruling by Judge Murphy, who was appointed to the federal bench by former President Joseph Biden, a Democrat, will almost certainly be appealed. Andrew Nixon, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, said, “H.H.S. looks forward to this judge’s decision being overturned just like his other attempts to keep the Trump administration from governing.”

 

[Warwick1991]

Well, I still have COVID. It has been a mild case, but it is lingering some. I finished Paxlovid on Tuesday, and felt better. I tested negative using an OTC antigen test on Wednesday, but then some symptoms returned along with digestive complications. Another antigen test late yesterday was positive. So far, no return to a hospital. I consulted a telehealth doctor last night.

So it's stubborn if not severe.

 

[angelainwi]

Well, I still have COVID. It has been a mild case, but it is lingering some. I finished Paxlovid on Tuesday, and felt better. I tested negative using an OTC antigen test on Wednesday, but then some symptoms returned along with digestive complications. Another antigen test late yesterday was positive. So far, no return to a hospital. I consulted a telehealth doctor last night.

So it's stubborn if not severe.

Oh man, hang in there. Sounds like a bad go of it.

 

[PCHS]

Here's one of many reasons why I STILL wear a mask when I'm (infrequently) out in public or have to visit my mother.

COVID-19 infection is a significant predictor of chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute kidney injury (AKI), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and kidney failure, suggests a study by Penn State researchers published in Communications Medicine.

The team analyzed the link between COVID-19 infection and new-onset kidney diseases and compared it with the association between influenza and these diseases using the records of more than 3 million people in 2020 and 2021. The study included 939,241 COVID-19 patients, 1.9 million people in the negative control group, and 199,071 flu patients. Median follow-up was 324 days.

Over 3 times the risk of end-stage kidney disease​

COVID-19 survivors were at 4.7 times the risk for kidney failure, 2.7 times the risk for AKI, 1.4 times the risk for CKD, 3.2 times the risk for ESRD, and 1.3 times the risk for glomerular (filtering unit) diseases, while influenza wasn’t associated with CKD, ESRD, or glomerular diseases. Time-specific analyses indicated that COVID-19 has stronger effects on AKI in the short term but stable long-term effects on CKD.

More info at the link: Report: COVID survivors at nearly 5 times the risk for kidney failure

I am so with you!!

 

[PCHS]

Ugh that you caught it. At least this is your first time in 6 years. I know some people that have had it 5+ times.

And I don't think not masking often in public was probably the way you caught it. IMO it was likely how you caught it.

You're probably right and that's sad that people gave up.

You'll never see me without in a mask in public. I won't even go around my own mother without a mask. Drives her a little bit crazy but she doesn't mask up!

THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT!!!

Covid is here to stay IMO. Glad that what's going around now isn't as potent, but from what I've read in the past it's not guaranteed that each strain will lesson. It's like a crap shoot. I'd LOVE if it lessoned until it was no longer a bother to anyone. I'm tried of masking up and I miss going to our Indy theater. And they miss me too (was there multiple times a week), as well as others that stopped going and never returned after Covid.

Do keep us updated on your status. Hopefully it's gone quickly!

Yes I think the issue is there is no real research that I have seen to say that it is less potent, just people discussing it as it must be since everything reverted back. The research slowed/stopped I'm trying to find a booster and can get all the shots at different drug stores, but not covid (its over, the demand isn't there etc. I feel like people are repeating what they WANT the situation to be rather then what is KNOWN to be true. Trying to even get a Dr to mask can be a feat and I find some of them repeating the same disproven myths..imo. It is so infuriating and chaotic and it doesn't have to be like this at all I don't think JMO

 

[Warwick1991]

Yes I think the issue is there is no real research that I have seen to say that it is less potent, just people discussing it as it must be since everything reverted back. The research slowed/stopped I'm trying to find a booster and can get all the shots at different drug stores, but not covid (its over, the demand isn't there etc. I feel like people are repeating what they WANT the situation to be rather then what is KNOWN to be true. Trying to even get a Dr to mask can be a feat and I find some of them repeating the same disproven myths..imo. It is so infuriating and chaotic and it doesn't have to be like this at all I don't think JMO

Although obtaining the vaccine in Florida was obstructed for a time - enough to discourage substantial numbers of people - it was available in CVS and a local supermarket chain pharmacy, Publix. Walgreens was a problem and may still be. Don't give up looking in drugstores. I checked drugstores in a 25 mile radius from where I live. I don't know where you are, but some drugstores may still have it. I made a lot of calls and searched online, and I did get my COVID vaccine for this season and a flu vaccine. I also updated my measles vaccine a while back, because antivaxers have created a new measles epidemic in many areas.

The problem is that you can't do it all yourself - other people have to be vaccinated, too.

But I am guessing that with vaccinations and Paxlovid, the virus is not as deadly.... I think it might have been a death sentence a few years ago. But mass vaccinations might have made a difference this year. It's still in wastewater and it's still out there.

 

[PCHS]

Although obtaining the vaccine in Florida was obstructed for a time - enough to discourage substantial numbers of people - it was available in CVS and a local supermarket chain pharmacy, Publix. Walgreens was a problem and may still be. Don't give up looking in drugstores. I checked drugstores in a 25 mile radius from where I live. I don't know where you are, but some drugstores may still have it. I made a lot of calls and searched online, and I did get my COVID vaccine for this season and a flu vaccine. I also updated my measles vaccine a while back, because antivaxers have created a new measles epidemic in many areas.

The problem is that you can't do it all yourself - other people have to be vaccinated, too.

But I am guessing that with vaccinations and Paxlovid, the virus is not as deadly.... I think it might have been a death sentence a few years ago. But mass vaccinations might have made a difference this year. It's still in wastewater and it's still out there.

Yes there are 2 issues dying /clinically severe illness during the acute symptom phase and the continuing damage. Of course I hae heard the efficacy is diminishing but they aren't funding the same level of research and as different variants circulate that will happen. Also the human body can only get this so many times without having damage imo...I have a relative that wound up on a ventilator and then came off and then passed as a result of the organ damage from being on the ventilator. She was very diligent about being vaccinated and believed then it would be fine and she recovered each time until she didn't..