Covid-19 News and Discussions

[Yommie]

>3-fold resistance to current booster

That's a lot. That means 10% efficacy.

 

[Yommie]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/covid-19-rapid-tests-new-brunswick-next-steps-flu-respiratory-watch-april-20-1.7188071

New Brunswick mulls future of COVID-19 rapid tests, as virus kills 2, hospitalizes child under 4​

Demand for the free tests has steadily decreased since last fall, says Department of Health​

Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon · CBC News · Posted: Apr 30, 2024 10:54 AM EDT | Last Updated: April 30

Rapid tests are still available for pick up at a number of locations, including some that don't require an appointment. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)

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New Brunswick is mulling the future of its COVID-19 rapid point-of-care testing program, as the virus claimed two more lives and hospitalized 17 people, including a child under four.
"Demand for rapid tests has been steadily declining since last fall, and the province is currently determining its next steps with regards to the COVID-19 tests," said Department of Health spokesperson Sean Hatchard.
He made the comment in response to questions from CBC News about how much longer the province will continue to offer free rapid test kits and whether it's considering phasing them out.
Hatchard did not provide any statistics for rapid test demand or respond to questions about what other factors the province will weigh in its decision.
New Brunswick has an "adequate" supply of the tests, which people can use at home to screen for the virus within 15 minutes, said Hatchard. He did not say how many, nor did he say whether the province plans to order any more.

Set to expire in September​

He did say rapid tests in the province's inventory are currently set to expire in September, and do not have a shelf life extension past the expiry date printed on the box.
Health Canada does not recommend using expired rapid antigen tests.
The authorized shelf life is the amount of time for which the manufacturer has provided scientific evidence to support the conclusion that the product will continue to perform as intended, a spokesperson has said. Results of an expired test may not always be accurate.

Health Canada does not recommend using expired COVID-19 rapid tests. (CBC)
"For tests that expire in its warehouses, New Brunswick has a process to ensure safe, economically and environmentally responsible destruction," said Hatchard.
People with rapid tests at home should monitor the expiry date on the packaging, he advised. Expired tests can be safely discarded in household waste, he said.

'Not everyone needs to be tested'​

"It's important to note that not everyone needs to be tested," said Hatchard. "For the general public, anyone feeling unwell should stay at home while sick and until symptoms improve."
Public Health recommends rapid tests for people who are at higher risk of severe illness and who would consider treatment, as well as those who work in vulnerable settings, according to the province's COVID-19 website.
Asked how those people will know they're positive if free rapid tests are no longer offered, and how people will know how to time their COVID-19 vaccine six months after their last dose or infection if they aren't able to rapid test, Hatchard said polymerase chain reaction (PCR) lab tests are available, with referral from a physician or nurse practitioner, for people who are eligible for Paxlovid treatment.

• Sooner top doctor post is filled, the better for public health, says former medical officer

Paxlovid is used for people with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of progressing to serious illness, such as older adults, people with chronic medical conditions and those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised due to a medical condition or treatment. To be effective, it must be taken within five days of developing symptoms.
Rapid tests are still available for pick up at sites across the province's seven health zones, such as libraries, municipalities and regional health authorities' facilities, said Hatchard.
While most pick-up sites require an appointment, several sites may offer tests without an appointment time, depending on their staffing levels and hours of operation, he said.

COVID activity 'moderate'​

COVID-19 activity remains "moderate," according to the latest Respiratory Watch report. "Most indicators remained stable during the current reporting period," April 14 to April 20, it says.
The two people who died from COVID-19 during the reporting week were both aged 65 or older, the report shows.
Their deaths raise the provincial pandemic total to at least 1,032. The actual number is unclear because the Department of Health counts only people who die in hospital as COVID deaths.
The 17 people hospitalized for or with COVID is down one from the previous report. One person required intensive care, up from none.
In addition to the child under four, two people aged 45 to 64 were admitted to hospital, and 14 people aged 65 or older, including the one in ICU.

A total of 1,487 people have now been hospitalized for or with COVID-19 since the respiratory season began on Aug. 27, 95 of whom required intensive care, while the flu has sent 545 to hospital, with 50 of them admitted to ICU. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)
Two lab-confirmed COVID outbreaks were declared, the same number as the previous week. Both were in facilities described only as "other."
There were 31 new cases of COVID confirmed through PCR lab tests, up from 27 in the previous report.
The positivity rate — or the percentage of lab tests performed that produced a positive result — increased to four per cent, from three.
More than 1,900 COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the past week, raising the total to 153,645 shots since Oct. 4, the Department of Health said.
Spring boosters have been available since April 2 to New Brunswickers considered most at risk of severe illness. The spring doses will be available until June 15, the department has said.

Flu sends child, youth to hospital​

Influenza activity remained "relatively stable" between April 14 and April 20, the report says.
No one died from the flu, but the flu sent six people to hospital, up from five a week earlier.
Among those hospitalized were a child under four, a youth aged five to 19, one person aged 20 to 44, two people aged 45 to 64 and one aged 65 or older.
No flu outbreaks were reported, unchanged, and no influenza-like illness outbreaks in schools, down from two.
Lab tests confirmed 59 new flu cases during the reporting week, including four influenza A and 55 influenza B. That's down from 74.
The positivity rate is seven per cent, down from eight.
There have been 3,584 confirmed flu cases since the respiratory season began on Aug. 27.
A total of 223,963 New Brunswickers have been vaccinated against the flu this season, as of Tuesday, according to figures from the department. That an increase of 765 from a week ago.

Vitalité updates monthly report​

Vitalité Health Network has 15 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, as of Saturday, according to its monthly report update.
That's up 150 per cent from the six COVID patients it had in March.
Eight health-care workers are off the job, after they tested positive for COVID-19, nearly a 47 per cent drop from the 15 infected employees a month ago.
Vitalité hasn't updated its COVID outbreaks page since April 22. At that time, it had two outbreaks, both at the Chaleur Regional Hospital in Bathurst, on the general medical unit and the extended care unit (4W).
Horizon Health Network reports 10 active COVID admissions, as of Saturday, down from 15 in its previous weekly report. One person requires intensive care, unchanged.
Only one employee is off sick with COVID, down from three.
Horizon has one COVID-19 outbreak, as of Monday, at the Ridgewood Veterans Wing in Saint John.

 

[Yommie]

How Long Will You Test Positive for COVID-19?

If you've been infected with COVID-19, here's how long you could keep testing positive for the virus.

www.verywellhealth.com

How Long Will You Test Positive for COVID-19?​

By Valerie DeBenedette
Updated on April 28, 2024
Medically reviewed by Renee Nilan, MD
Fact checked by Nick Blackmer
Print

Viesturs Radovics / EyeEm / Getty Images

Key Takeaways​

• If you get COVID-19, you may continue to test positive even after you're feeling better. Some people who recover from COVID may test positive for weeks or even months after they were sick.
• Getting a positive test result soon again after you had COVID could mean your body is still fighting off the virus, there's some leftover RNA from the virus, or you've caught the virus again. You won't be able to know for sure whether you're still contagious, so taking precautions to protect others is important.
• How long you keep getting a positive COVID test result can also depend on which test you took. For example, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is more sensitive than the rapid antigen tests you can do at home.

You tested positive for COVID-19. You isolated yourself for the recommended amount of time. But you're still testing positive. What now?

How long you test positive for COVID depends on several factors, experts say, and it's not always synonymous with how long you're contagious. The biggest determining factor is whether you use a rapid test or a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

Either test will give you a positive or negative result, but they differ in how likely they are to correctly show that you really have COVID. This is called a test's sensitivity. A test with high sensitivity is less likely to produce a false negative result.1

"A positive test can be short-lived or can persist for months," Robert Amler, MD, dean of the School of Health Sciences and Practice at the New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York, told Verywell via email. "Different types of tests may or may not be persistently positive."

• PCR tests are more sensitive and can detect the presence of the virus earlier, but they can also keep picking it up well past the point when you're contagious. Alan Wells, MD, DMSc, medical director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Clinical Laboratories, told Verywell that after people have recovered from symptoms, providers "could occasionally detect very low levels of RNA, which was the target of the [PCR] test, for up to 12 weeks."
• Rapid tests are less sensitive than PCRs, but you can still test positive for up to a week after you stop having symptoms.

The FDA Wants You to Take More than One At-Home COVID Test

Why You're Still Testing Positive for COVID​

People who have weak immune systems may take longer to clear the virus from their bodies, which could lead to a lingering positive test.

It's important to know that getting vaccinated will not make you test positive. PCR tests and rapid tests look to see if you have an active COVID infection.

What's the Most Accurate At-Home COVID Test?

Are You Still Contagious If You're Testing Positive?​

A positive PCR test does not always mean you're still capable of spreading the virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people are not going to continue to spread COVID after about day 10.2

Gigi Gronvall, PhD, senior scholar at the Center for Health Security at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Verywell that since the viral RNA can hang around, the CDC recommends people do not get PCR tests for 90 days after they got a positive result (if they need to test, they can use rapid tests instead).

"Some people continue to test positive by PCR even after they’re clearly no longer infectious," Gronvall said. "For whatever reason, there is still viral genetic material hanging out in their nose."3

The problem is you can't know for sure why you're still testing positive for COVID. That means you can't know for sure that you're not still capable of infecting others. Taking precautions until you test negative is important, especially if you're around people who are at high risk.

When Are You Most Likely to Spread COVID?

When to Retest​

If you have gotten a positive result on a test, you don't need to keep testing. The CDC recommends that you isolate at home until you've been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and your symptoms are improving. After this isolation period, it's encouraged that you take additional precautions for five days, such as wearing a mask, keeping a distance from others, and washing your hands often.4

If you test negative after you have been exposed to someone with the virus or if you have symptoms, you may need to test again in a day or so. It can take time for the virus to build up to levels that the rapid tests can pick up.

"You want to test on day three and five or day four and day six after exposure, just to make sure you are negative," Wells said.

You also may need to retest with a rapid test before certain activities, like traveling, if you had COVID within the past couple of months. Check the requirements of the places you'll be visiting to make sure you know what they need.

While it's a bit less likely to be the case, think about whether it's possible that you may have caught COVID again. A positive test could be a sign of a new infection, not leftovers from your old one.5

It's important to remember that while COVID vaccines can help protect you from serious illness, they may not significantly reduce your risk of catching COVID. Regardless of your vaccination status, you should get tested if you've been exposed to someone with COVID and/or you have symptoms.6

What This Means For You​

You may keep testing positive for some time after you've had COVID. However, retesting is not necessary. To reduce the chances of spreading COVID, the CDC recommends that you:4

• Isolate at home until you've been fever-free for 24 hours (without taking fever-reducing medication) AND your symptoms are mild and improving.
• Take additional precautions for five days following isolation, such as wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, and washing your hands often.

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page.
6 Sources

By Valerie DeBenedette
DeBenedette is a North Carolina-based writer who has over 30 years' experience writing about health and medicine.

 

[Sharma Ji]

That's a lot. That means 10% efficacy.

you jabbed ?

which one did you take ?

 

[Yommie]

you jabbed ?

which one did you take ?

I had 2 Pfizer in October and November 2021. Work requirement. No booster. Had covid lots of times. Asymptomatic.

 

[Sharma Ji]

fair, I guess ... but still wtf :|

 

[Yommie]

Beware the FLiRT: A New Wave of COVID Threatens Summer – SGTTimes.com – SGT Latest News, India News, Breaking News, Today's News

sgttimes.com

Beware the FLiRT: A New Wave of COVID Threatens Summer​

May 2, 2024 Admin 0 Comments #Beware the FLiRT, #covid, #global news, #healthnews, #JN.1, #usa, Latest News
Reported by Ravi
Brace yourselves, as a new threat looms on the horizon of the COVID-19 landscape. Dubbed FLiRT, these variants detected in wastewater surveillance could usher in another surge of infections, despite a recent decline since December.
Expert Insights:
Renowned data scientist Jay Weiland, known for accurate pandemic predictions, warns of an impending surge. Dr. Megan L. Ranney, Dean of the Yale School of Public Health, underscores FLiRT’s alarming spike protein changes, heightening infection risks.
Vulnerability:
With only 22% of American adults vaccinated, susceptibility to reinfection is high. Dr. Thomas A. Russo from the University of Buffalo notes a population with waning immunity, exacerbating vulnerability.
Booster Efficacy:
Concerns arise over the efficacy of the latest booster against JN.1 and FLiRT variants, highlighted by a preprint study from Harvard University. JN.1, an offshoot of Omicron, dominates COVID cases in the U.S., signaling potential for rapid spread.
Seasonal Patterns:
Russo outlines predictable COVID wave rhythms, attributing winter surges to indoor settings with poor ventilation. He predicts a possible summer wave due to increased indoor activity.
Protective Measures:
Vaccination remains paramount despite booster uncertainties. The CDC advises prompt booster uptake, especially for high-risk groups. Masks, isolation, and new treatments like Pemgarda are recommended safeguards against a resurgence.
Long COVID Concerns:
Dr. Grace McComsey of University Hospitals Health System warns of rising long COVID cases, stressing its debilitating chronic effects. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine underscores vaccination’s role in mitigating long COVID risks.
Conclusion:FLiRT presents a formidable challenge in our ongoing battle against COVID-19. Vigilance, vaccination, and adherence to preventive measures remain crucial to safeguarding public health against potential summer surges and long-term ramifications.

 

[Yommie]

COVID controversy: Vaccine saved lives, but at what cost?

 

[Yommie]

COVID numbers no longer require reporting; Marijuana to be reclassified as schedule III drug​

 

[Yommie]

Anti-Israel protester says she wears a mask to be ‘COVID-conscious’

 

[Yommie]

COVID side effect sufferers need to be helped: Former COVID czar | On Balance​

 

[Yommie]

TWiN #50: Neurological sequelae after COVID-19​

 

[Yommie]

Can COVID vaccines cause dangerous side effects?!

 

[Yommie]

AstraZeneca Makes Big U-Turn, Admits Its Covid Vaccine Can Cause Rare Side Effects | Breaking News​

 

[Yommie]

VERIFY | Are the immunocompromised at a lower risk of contracting COVID-19 with recent CDC guideline​