Covid-19 News and Discussions

[Yommie]

Joe Rogan ribs COVID-19 vaccines, LGBTQ community in Netflix special 'Burn the Boats'

Joe Rogan poked fun at COVID-19 vaccines and the LGBTQ community during his Netflix live special \

www.usatoday.com

Joe Rogan ribs COVID-19 vaccines, LGBTQ community in Netflix special 'Burn the Boats'​

Edward Segarra
USA TODAY

Joe Rogan isn't afraid to ruffle some feathers.

The comedian and podcaster, who's drawn controversy for his remarks on COVID-19 vaccines and race, made light of his problematic rap during his Netflix live special "Burn the Boats" on Saturday.

"That might be misinformation," Rogan joked. "Don't say you heard it from me because I am known for that (expletive)."

In 2022, Rogan was criticized for his remarks on COVID-19 vaccines due to concerns that "The Joe Rogan Experience" host was promoting false claims about the health treatment. Shortly after, the comic came under fire when a video compilation showing Rogan repeatedly using racial slurs circulated online.

Joe Rogan makes fun of COVID-19 controversy​

Rogan poked fun at his COVID-19 controversy, including criticism of his comments' impact.

"If you're getting your vaccine advice from me, is that really my fault?" Rogan said.

"COVID was just so strange," he continued. "We lost a lot of people during COVID, and most of them are still alive. There's a lot of people that I don’t (expletive) with anymore. Before COVID, I would have told you that vaccines are the most important invention in human history.

"After COVID, I’m like, 'I don’t think we went to the moon. I think Michelle Obama's got a (penis). I think Pizzagate is real. I think there's direct energy weapons in Antarctica.' I'm just kidding — I don't think Michelle Obama’s got a (penis), but I believe all of that other (expletive)."

Joe Rogan defends jokes targeting LGBTQ community​

Rogan also skewered mainstream visibility of the transgender community in the hourlong special. The comedian said while he "believes in trans people," he also acknowledged the presence of "crazy people" who may allegedly exploit trans inclusivity.

"I’m open-minded. I just want to know what happened," Rogan said. "It’s almost like a pervert wizard waved a magic spell on the whole world. With a wave of this wand, you can walk into the women’s locker room with a hard (expletive), and anybody who complains is a Nazi."

He added: "I just think we need standards. You can’t just put lipstick on and now you can (expletive) in the women’s room."

Rogan also addressed the claim that he’s homophobic, insisting that jokes about the LGBTQ community are not "hateful."

"I don’t hate anybody. I love everyone. And I love gay men," Rogan said. "But I think about gay men the same way I think about mountain lions: I’m happy they’re real, but I don’t want to be surrounded by them. They’re a bunch of dudes who (expletive) dudes. I don’t like my chances, OK?"

According to experts, it's important for artists to consider the power of their words. By expressing anti-trans sentiments online and through their work, celebrities send a message that it's OK to target trans people in the real world.

"Famous people have a decision to make about what ideas they will lift up and promote. We are seeing a terrible increase in violence against transgender people — especially Black transgender women,” Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, executive director of The National Center for Transgender Equality, previously told USA TODAY. “Transgender youth are being bullied and told they can’t play school sports. Politicians in many places are trying to take away their health care.

"The stakes are high, but sometimes those who are unfamiliar with real transgender people can’t see or understand how harmful their words and actions are to these real people."

Contributing: Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY

 

[Yommie]

https://www.healio.com/news/womens-health-ob-gyn/20240731/asymptomatic-mild-covid19-at-frozen-embryo-transfer-does-not-worsen-pregnancy-outcomes

By Erin T. Welsh, MA
Fact checked by Richard Smith

July 31, 2024
2 min read

Asymptomatic, mild COVID-19 at frozen embryo transfer does not worsen pregnancy outcomes​

Key takeaways:​

• Uninfected and infected women undergoing frozen embryo transfer had no differences in ongoing, biochemical and clinical pregnancy rates.
• Researchers found no significant tie between infection and pregnancy.

Women with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 infection at the time of frozen embryo transfer did not experience significant adverse early pregnancy outcomes, researchers reported in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.

“Given the challenge of swiftly eradicating infectious diseases and the prospect of their enduring coexistence, it is imperative to acknowledge that patients severely affected by COVID-19 cannot undergo immediate assisted reproductive therapy treatments,” Yiling Ko, MD, of the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, and colleagues wrote. “Yet, questions persist regarding the potential risks associated with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 infection during the pandemic.”

Uninfected and infected women undergoing frozen embryo transfer had no differences in ongoing, biochemical and clinical pregnancy rates. Image: Adobe Stock.
Ko and colleagues conducted a retrospective analysis of 709 cases of women undergoing frozen embryo transfer from October 2022 to January 2023, when there was a significant COVID-19 infection surge in Shanghai. All women had a first COVID-19 infection around the time of frozen embryo transfer and not before oocyte retrieval. Researchers categorized women based on infection timing: uninfected, at least 60 days or less than 60 days before frozen embryo transfer, 0 to 14, 15 to 28 or 29 to 70 days after frozen embryo transfer.

By study conclusion, the infection rate was 78.28% in this population.

Researchers observed no significant differences in ongoing pregnancy rates, biochemical pregnancy rates and clinical pregnancy rates for uninfected women, women infected 60 days or more before frozen embryo transfer, women infected less than 60 days before frozen embryo transfer or for women infected 0 to 14 days after frozen embryo transfer.

In addition, early spontaneous abortion rates across all groups were not significantly different.

When adjusting for potential influencing factors, researchers noted no significant correlation between infection and ongoing pregnancy. Factors significantly correlated with ongoing pregnancy were age at the time of oocyte collection (OR = 0.948; 95% CI, 0.909-0.989), blastocyst vs. cleavage stage transfer (OR = 1.72; 95% CI, 1.174-2.52) and the number of embryos transferred (OR = 1.955; 95% CI, 1.346-2.839).

“Our study, carried out during a period when the virulence of the SARS coronavirus had weakened but widespread transmission persisted, suggests that asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 infections occurring around the time of frozen embryo transfer do not significantly impact early pregnancy outcomes,” the researchers wrote. “Consequently, it may not be necessary for individuals to postpone their pregnancy plans due to the risk of asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 infections.”

 

[Yommie]

@Sharma Ji

BioNTech's Loss Quadruples as COVID-19 Vaccine Demand Falls

BioNTech posted a much bigger-than-expected second-quarter loss Monday as demand for COVID-19 vaccines slid following the ending of the pandemic.

www.investopedia.com

BioNTech's Loss Quadruples as COVID-19 Vaccine Demand Falls​

By
Bill McColl

Full Bio
Bill McColl has 25+ years of experience as a senior producer and writer for TV, radio, and digital media leading teams of anchors, reporters, and editors in creating news broadcasts, covering some of the most notable news stories of the time.
Learn about our editorial policies

Published August 05, 2024

Sean Gallup / Getty Images

Key Takeaways​

• BioNTech posted a much bigger-than-expected second-quarter loss Monday as demand for COVID-19 vaccines slid following the ending of the pandemic.
• The company also chose to no longer participate in a joint venture with biotech firm Genmab on a lung cancer treatment.
• ADRs of BioNTech tumbled to their lowest level since 2020.

American depositary receipts (ADRs) of BioNTech (BNTX) fell Monday after the COVID-19 vaccine maker’s second-quarter loss quadrupled on falling demand for the shots, and as it ended an agreement with biotech firm Genmab to develop a lung cancer drug.


BioNTech reported a quarterly loss of 807.8 million euros ($886 million), or EUR3.36 per share, much wider than analysts polled by Visible Alpha expected. Revenue fell 23.3% year-over-year to EUR128.7 million, which was above forecasts.1


The company noted that the decline in sales of its COVID-19 vaccine was the result of "the continued shift in demand from a pandemic to a seasonal endemic COVID-19 vaccine market."

CEO Says BioNTech Has Shifted Focus To Cancer Treatments​

Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Ugur Sahin explained that BioNTech has shifted its focus to producing cancer treatments, noting that 2024 "has been marked by significant data updates across our oncology portfolio."


However, the company also announced that despite studies that show encouraging results from the small-cell lung cancer treatment it has been working on with Genmab (GMAB), it has chosen not to participate in further development of the program "for reasons relating to portfolio strategy." That includes a planned Phase 3 trial. The company added that Genmab will "continue their collaboration under the existing agreements," which were expanded in 2022.2


ADRs of BioNTech dropped 5.3% as of 10:25 a.m. ET Monday to $77.64, their lowest level in almost four years. Genmab ADRs fell about 7% to $26.29.

 

[Yommie]

New FLiRT Covid-19 strain detected in Ukrainian hospitals

Three cases of the new FliRT subvariants of coronavirus were detected in Ukraine in July, Ukraine's Health Ministry reported on Aug. 5.

kyivindependent.com

New FLiRT Covid-19 strain detected in Ukrainian hospitals​

by Elsa Court andThe Kyiv Independent news desk August 5, 2024 4:36 PM 2 min read

A woman wearing a face mask, amid concerns of the COVID-19 coronavirus, walks past a placard reading protective measures during the coronavirus outbreak, in Kyiv on March 24, 2020. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)

Three cases of the new FLiRT strain of coronavirus were detected in Ukraine in July, Ukraine's Health Ministry reported on Aug. 5.

The FLiRT strain of Covid-19 refers to a set of subvariants with similar mutations, all of which are derived from the Omicron variant. FLiRT was first coined as a name for these variants in March 2024.

Two cases were detected in Kyiv and one case was registered in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, the Health Ministry said. The patients were two women and a man, and all three were aged over 60.

"Available research shows that current vaccines, including boosters, remain effective in protecting against severe forms of Covid-19, although they may not completely prevent infection with the new strain," the Health Ministry said.

The FLiRT strain has specific mutations that affect those with weakened immunity more quickly, as the "virus binds better to cells and avoids the immune response," the Health Ministry said.

Over 5.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases have been recorded in Ukraine since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, leading to over 112,000 deaths, according to Health Ministry data. Ukraine officially lifted Covid-19 restrictions in July 2023.

 

[Yommie]

Monday's Pandemic Update: US Covid Deaths Had A Big Rise Last Week​

 

[Yommie]

‘Relentless’ new COVID variants extend California’s summer wave

‘Relentless’ new COVID variants extend California’s summer wave, posing greater challenges than previous strains

www.sfchronicle.com

‘Relentless’ new COVID variants extend California’s summer wave​

By Aidin Vaziri,Staff Writer Aug 5, 2024

COVID’s sustained surge this summer is attributed in part to heat driving people indoors, as well as the emergence of new variants.

Health experts warn that emerging coronavirus variants pose a greater challenge than previous strains, prolonging California’s summer COVID-19 wave.
“It’s relentless,” said Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at UCSF.
He attributed the sustained uptick in hospitalizations, emergency room visits and test-positive rates since early May to extreme heat driving people indoors and the highly transmissible, rapidly evolving FLiRT variants.

The now-dominant KP.3.1.1 variant has doubled in prevalence in the U.S., accounting for over 25% of cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Combined with its predecessor, KP.3, it constitutes nearly half of COVID-19 cases nationwide.
The FLiRT variants, named after the location of their spike protein mutations, are approximately 20% more transmissible than the JN.1 strain that drove the winter surge. They have proliferated at a much quicker rate than previous viral offshoots.
“It’s maintaining higher infection rates than it would have with just one variant,” Chin-Hong noted. “Typically, one variant dominates, and then infection rates decline. That isn’t happening with these variants.”
California remains among 19 U.S. states where wastewater virus levels are at a “very high” mark, accompanied by a steady rise in emergency room visits and an increase in test positivity to 13% from a low of 1.8% at the start of summer.

“No matter how you look at it, this is not a benign wave,” wrote Eric Topol, the director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute and a leading COVID-19 commentator, in a blog post on Saturday. “The slope of rise of SARS-CoV-2 levels is still steep, so we haven’t yet reached the plateau.”
He added that the current wave has already surpassed four prior peaks of the pandemic.
COVID-19 rates in the Bay Area are so high that people are struggling to find coronavirus tests at pharmacies, such as CVS and Walgreens. Those looking to get vaccinated ahead of the updated fall shots are also facing difficulties.
Chin-Hong noted that more individuals who managed to avoid the virus for years, known as Novids, are being hospitalized. “It highlights the high transmissibility of these new variants,” he said, adding there is no evidence the symptoms are more severe than previous waves.
Common COVID-19 symptoms, which can appear two to 14 days after exposure and range from mild to severe, include fever or chills, cough, fatigue, muscle aches, sore throat, congestion and gastrointestinal issues.

“We anticipate the updated vaccines will be better at fighting currently circulating variants,” the CDC stated last month.
Despite the swell, hospitalizations remain well below previous peaks. COVID-19 accounts for around 0.8% of deaths in California — far lower than the 3.5% recorded in January and the 40% during the first winter surge in January 2021.
Generally, more immunity from vaccinations or past infections tends to result in milder symptoms during subsequent infections. However, those with significant time since their last shot or infection may experience more severe symptoms with a new COVID-19 infection.
Nationally, the CDC reports a 16.3% test positivity rate, with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations surging by 112% since May.
“Most areas of the country are experiencing consistent increases in COVID-19 activity,” the CDC announced in its weekly report issued Friday. “COVID-19 test positivity, emergency department visits, and rates of COVID-19–associated hospitalizations remain elevated, particularly among adults 65+.”

The CDC continues to recommend familiar precautions such as staying up-to-date on vaccinations, masking in crowded indoor spaces and frequent testing. They add that everyone aged 6 months and older should receive the updated vaccine, anticipated to be available later in August or September.
Topol added in a social media post, “Buckle up; this wave isn’t over yet d/t (due to) KP.3.1.1’s emergence.”

 

[Yommie]

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[Yommie]

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[Yommie]

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[Yommie]

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[Yommie]

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[Yommie]

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[Yommie]

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[Yommie]

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[Yommie]

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