Covid-19 News and Discussions

[Yommie]

Exercise May Ease COVID-19 and Long COVID Symptoms

Physical activity may help relieve certain acute and lasting symptoms of COVID-19 (especially mental and neurological symptoms)—at least for some people, according to recent research.

www.yalemedicine.org

Exercise May Ease COVID-19 and Long COVID Symptoms​

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BY RHYS RICHMOND JULY 22, 2024

When you’re sick, exercise is usually the last thing on your mind. Simply engaging in your routine daily activities—much less intentional exercise—may feel impossible if you’re grappling with acute COVID-19 or Long COVID. But, surprisingly, recent research shows that physical activity might be the key to lessening certain acute and lasting symptoms of COVID-19 (especially mental and neurological symptoms)—at least for some people.
Following earlier studies showing that regular physical activity lowers risk of COVID-19 and Long COVID, researchers from Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary, investigated how regular exercise impacted COVID-19 and Long COVID symptoms in young women. This group was chosen to study because research has found that young women, in particular, have a higher prevalence of Long COVID.
Their findings, published earlier this year in Nature Scientific Reports, suggest that those who engaged in regular exercise fared better both when they were infected with SARS-CoV-2 and if they experienced subsequent Long COVID symptoms. But—and importantly—these findings may not hold true for those with post-exertional malaise (PEM), the defining characteristic of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and a persistent symptom of Long COVID.
The researchers conducted the study by asking 802 women aged 18-34 to complete surveys. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) was used to sort study participants into low, moderate, and high activity categories. The IPAQ form asks participants about their frequency of physical activity, defined as “moderate” (activities that make you breathe somewhat harder than normal) and “vigorous” (activities that make you breathe much harder than normal).
Women from each physical activity level were represented in the study: 43% of participants reported low levels, 35% moderate levels, and 22% high levels. For the highest level of physical activity, for example, one would need to climb stairs for 10 minutes, run for 20 minutes, or walk or cycle for 25 minutes daily. (You can read more details about the activity categories here.)
To assess the study participants’ COVID-19 history and symptoms, the researchers used the World Health Organization’s Post COVID Case Report Form. Fifty-five percent of study participants reported having COVID-19 (84% of which had a confirmed infection via a positive test). Around 90% of these patients had a mild severity COVID-19 infection, about 13% had a moderate infection, and 0.5% had a severe infection.

Regular exercise linked to fewer COVID-19 and Long COVID symptoms​

Among the 50 different symptoms tracked in the study, over half of the participants reported fatigue, anxiety, dysmenorrhea (severe menstrual cramps), depressed mood, loss of interest/pleasure, and dizziness/lightheadedness during their COVID-19 infection. On average, patients reported 14 symptoms during acute COVID-19.

Credit: Jessica Stephen-Kuser
What’s interesting is that the number of symptoms reported decreased as physical activity went up: High-activity patients in the acute COVID-19 group had an average of 12 symptoms while low-activity patients reported 16. Moderate-activity patients were in the middle with an average of 13 symptoms.
In those who experienced Long COVID—a group that averaged 12 symptoms—the authors found a similar trend: High-activity groups reported fewer symptoms (an average of 8) compared to low- and moderate-activity groups (11, 14, respectively). In patients reporting Long COVID, 63% experienced fatigue and at least 40% of participants experienced one or more of the symptoms of dysmennorhea, loss of interest/pleasure, forgetfulness, anxiety, depression, palpitations, and/or trouble concentrating.
Reinfection (being infected more than once) was not correlated with participants’ level of physical activity.
The researchers hypothesize that the correlation of higher physical activity and fewer COVID-19 and Long COVID symptoms might be due to the known benefits that exercise and other forms of movement can have on the immune system. For instance, with Long COVID, specifically, increased cardiorespiratory fitness (how well your heart and lungs function) has been shown to reduce severity.
So far, except for people with post-exertional malaise, the evidence suggests the possibility that finding an exercise that you love and can do on a regular basis might help protect against a variety of symptoms caused by COVID-19 and Long COVID. However, it’s important to remember that this is not a one-size-fits-all approach and may not be suitable for some individuals.
Rhys Richmond is an MD candidate at Yale School of Medicine.

The last word from Lisa Sanders, MD:​

One of my teachers, back when I was a resident, often said, "Exercise is the answer; what’s your question?" It was her way of saying that no matter what, exercise is good for you. Turns out to be particularly true for most people who get infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and those at risk for developing post-acute COVID syndrome. We already know that exercise is good for you. This study simply points out one more way it protects us.
Unfortunately, it is very hard for patients who suffer from post-exertional malaise (PEM) to exercise. And yet, it is clear that not exercising at all allows another process to join with PEM to cause even more suffering—cardiovascular and muscular deconditioning. Deconditioning makes movement harder.
This doesn’t mean that patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and PEM should exercise. But they should try to integrate physical activity into their daily lives—to the extent that they can. It’s not easy. When you have ME/CFS and PEM, nothing is easy. But it is important. Patients with ME/CFS have limitations to the amount of energy they have to expend each day. Being active should be one of the many priorities they have—every day. It may be a small amount of activity, but some activity—within the limits they live in—will reduce the loss of muscle and strength and may end up making the other activities just a little easier.
Read other installments of Long COVID Dispatches here.
If you’d like to share your experience with Long COVID for possible use in a future post (under a pseudonym), write to us at: LongCovid[email protected]
Information provided in Yale Medicine content is for general informational purposes only. It should never be used as a substitute for medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Always seek the individual advice of your health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition.

 

[Yommie]

Scarborough: Woman allergic to Covid vaccines forced to isolate

Retired teacher says she can't risk leaving the house after booster she could receive was withdrawn.

www.bbc.com

Woman allergic to Covid vaccines forced to isolate​

19 hours ago
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Emily Johnson
BBC News

BBC
Diana Tasker, 78, has been isolating in her Scarborough home since the alternative Covid booster vaccine was withdrawn
A woman has been left isolated and unable to leave her house after the only Covid vaccine she could safely receive was withdrawn from the NHS booster programme.
Diana Tasker, 78, was allergic to both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, so had previously been given an alternative booster jab.
Ms Tasker, from Scarborough, said she had no choice but to go into "indefinite lockdown" after the Novavax booster became unavailable.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed that Novavax had not been offered in the spring top-up programme and had been replaced by more "cost-effective" vaccines.

Ms Tasker said: "I should have had a vaccine this spring, but when I rang Castle Health Centre to book it, they told me the government had stopped Novavax and they were only making Pfizer and Moderna available.
"I had no problems with this alternative vaccine at all."
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of public health programmes at UKHSA, said new guidance had been issued for mRNA allergy patients.
They were now to be "seen by an expert allergist and should then be vaccinated in hospital under clinical supervision".
For Ms Tasker, this would mean having a Pfizer or Moderna booster in hospital, where she would be monitored if she went into anaphylactic shock.
However, she is also allergic to adrenaline, which could be used to treat her if she suffered an adverse reaction.
"I would never go against my doctor’s advice," Ms Tasker said.

Ms Tasker has written to about 30 people and organisations for answers

'Prison sentence'​

Ms Tasker has sent letters to numerous organisations to try and find answers to her predicament.
"I have been trying since April to find out where I could get a vaccine and why it has been denied to me," Ms Tasker told the BBC.
"I’ve now got a folder full of letters to all the different departments, very few of which replied, and nobody has given me an answer as to why they have stopped an excellent system."
She has now opted to self-isolate rather than risk leaving home without a booster vaccine.
"It’s worse than a prison sentence because with a prison sentence, you know how long you’ve got in captivity," she added.
"We don’t know how long it will be before we can get this put right."

Ms Tasker hoped to spend the summer swimming and going out with friends

'Not giving up'​

Ms Tasker explained that she had missed spending time outdoors during the previous four summers due to having cancer and problems with her heart.
She hoped this year would be a "sweet reward" after some difficult years.
"I love to go swimming and hear our Scarborough Spa Orchestra," she said.
"Just the sheer freedom of going and meeting friends and socialising, I don’t know when or if I’ll be able to do it again."
She called for "immediate action" to reinstate the previous system.
The retired teacher has previously campaigned to protect buildings including the Scarborough Spa and the Futurist Theatre.
"I've worked on other campaigns throughout my life and I thought I'd retired from them," Ms Tasker said.
"But this campaign is the most important of the lot because this one is dealing with people's lives.
“I’m not going to give up and I’m not going to go away.”

 

[Yommie]

Getting COVID-19 with Cushing’s disease is a recipe for a bad week

COVID-19 is already bad enough, but Cushing's disease makes everything worse, says columnist Noura Costany, who's having a bad week.

cushingsdiseasenews.com

Getting COVID-19 with Cushing’s disease is a recipe for a bad week​

COVID-19 is already bad enough, but Cushing's disease makes everything worse

by Noura Costany | July 22, 2024

Last week was one of the worst weeks I’ve had in a long time. My husband and I were supposed to visit my brother and his family in Michigan. I looked forward to seeing my nephew and other relatives and getting a break from New York City. Unfortunately, before we could go, my husband and I got COVID-19.

Getting COVID-19 with Cushing’s disease sucks. I was bedridden for days, and I’m not even fully recovered, despite testing negative. My immune system is already weakened, and it hit me harder than it did my husband. I tested positive for days after him and have needed a lot more time to recover.
During my bedridden week, I slept nonstop. Somehow I managed to injure my foot while sleeping. Even after getting several X-rays of it, we’re still unsure about what kind of damage happened, but the pain is severe. Every time I bump it, I double over in agony. I can barely walk, and my legs have been swelling in response. I’ve scheduled several doctor appointments to follow up, but in the meantime, I’ll just have to suffer.
Despite all of my hardships, I still have obligations to meet. I had two doctor appointments and am working on preauthorization for my annual MRI. I’ve also had to work, though I’ve felt like I’ve been failing there. And I have to feed myself, take my medications, and make sure that my body doesn’t crumble.
RECOMMENDED READING

July 22, 2022 News by Vanda Pinto, PhD

IVIG Therapy May Be Effective, Safe for COVID-19 in Cushing’s Patients​

A struggle to stay positive​

I know that even if I didn’t have Cushing’s, I’d have weeks like this. But Cushing’s makes it worse. I’m not just sick, I’m bedridden. I’m not just tired, I’m flat-out exhausted. I’m not just stressed, I’m devastatingly anxious. When weeks like this occur, it’s really difficult for me to stay positive.

In order to avoid just sitting on my bed and rotting in despair, I’ve had to pull myself up and do things that make me happy. I take things more slowly at work and have tried to be honest with my employers about how bad it is for me right now. I take naps throughout the day and make sure to take care of myself. A friend sent me a gift card for food, and I was able to eat an amazing salad.
I’ve also buried myself in writing and put aside time to watch great movies with my husband.

I know this will pass. I’ll do better at my jobs and will continue to write. I’ll have happier days and weeks. I won’t be in pain forever, nor will I be quite as tired as I am now.
Yet as great as that is, I think it’s also important to state the obvious sometimes: This sucks. I’m frustrated that my bones and muscles are weak and that I can hurt myself so badly just by sleeping. I’m angry that COVID-19 has affected me so severely. I hate that Cushing’s is making it worse and causing me to doubt myself.
Say it with me: IT SUCKS.

Hopefully, next week will be better, but every once in a while it just feels good to let myself be angry. Heck, with the week I’ve had, I’ve earned it.

 

[Yommie]

Antiviral Combo Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir May Cut COVID-19 Hospitalizations

Background and Goal: SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, remains in circulation. The focus has now shifted to testing and

www.miragenews.com

23 JUL 2024 7:04 AM AEST
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Antiviral Combo Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir May Cut COVID-19 Hospitalizations​

American Academy of Family Physicians
Background and Goal: SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, remains in circulation. The focus has now shifted to testing and treating symptomatic patients. An antiviral drug combination, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, is approved for treating mild to moderately severe COVID-19 in non-hospitalized patients at risk of worsening symptoms, hospitalization, and death. This systematic review aimed to summarize published evidence on the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir for COVID-19. The review also intended to assess the robustness of the evidence from randomized controlled trials.
Study Approach: A rapid evidence review and comprehensive analysis was conducted. Researchers included both randomized controlled trials and real-world observational studies, adhering to appropriate WHO and Cochrane guidelines. The review involved thorough literature searches in multiple databases, screening of articles, and detailed data extraction. The outcomes of interest were how well the treatment cleared the virus, prevented symptoms from worsening, and reduced hospitalizations and deaths from any cause. Outcomes of interest also included the treatment's safety, including any serious side effects. The quality and risk of bias of the studies were assessed using established tools. Researchers performed statistical analyses, including trial sequential analysis, to determine if the sample sizes were sufficient to draw reliable conclusions.
Main Results:

• Randomized Controlled Trials: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir significantly reduced COVID-19 hospitalizations compared to placebo or no treatment. However, the treatment showed no significant difference in reducing worsening severity, viral clearance, adverse events, serious adverse events, or all-cause mortality. The analysis confirmed a sufficient sample size for hospitalization reduction, but sample sizes for the other outcomes were insufficient. This insufficiency made the observed lack of difference inconclusive.
• Real-World Studies: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir significantly reduced both hospitalizations and all-cause mortality compared to no treatment. However, there was a high level of variability in the results. The high variability level was likely due to differences in patient characteristics and care practices across the studies.
Why It Matters: The nirmatrelvir/ritonavir regimen shows promise in reducing COVID-19 hospitalizations and potentially lowering all-cause mortality in adults with mild to moderately severe COVID-19. However, the evidence is limited and varied, especially from real-world studies, indicating that more rigorous randomized controlled trials are needed to draw firm conclusions. This review highlights the regimen's potential effectiveness in reducing hospitalizations. However, the evidence remains inconclusive for other outcomes. Understanding these nuances is important for health care professionals and policy makers as they navigate treatment options for COVID-19.
Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir Regimen for Mild/Moderately Severe COVID-19: A Rapid Review With Meta-Analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis

 

[Yommie]

Biden has COVID-19 and didn't wear a mask. The CDC's guidelines say he doesn't have to

President Joe Biden did not wear a face mask in public a couple of times after the White House announced he had tested positive for COVID-19

abcnews.go.com

Biden has COVID-19 and didn't wear a mask. The CDC's guidelines say he doesn't have to​

President Joe Biden did not wear a face mask in public a couple of times after the White House announced he had tested positive for COVID-19
ByDARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press
July 18, 2024, 3:00 PM

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1:17

National headlines from ABC News
National headlines from ABC News
Catch up on the developing stories making headlines.


REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. -- President Joe Biden did not wear a face mask in public a couple of times after the White House announced he had tested positive for COVID-19. The White House said the Democratic incumbent was experiencing “mild” symptoms while the president's physician said Biden would self-isolate “in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals.”
What does the CDC guidance say? What does the White House say?
After the announcement on Wednesday, Biden emerged bare-faced from the motorcade after he arrived at the airport in Las Vegas, where he had made several appearances, and boarded Air Force One. He also was not wearing a mask, which medicals professionals have said can help slow the spread of disease, as he stepped off the plane hours later at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Biden was surrounded by Secret Service agents and aides on both ends of the trip.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in Wednesday's announcement that Biden, 81, was experiencing “mild” symptoms and would stick to prearranged plans to travel to his home in Rehoboth Beach, where he would isolate.
Biden's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, said in a separate statement that Biden had a runny nose, dry cough and a feeling of “general malaise.” He said Biden was being treated with the drug Paxlovid “and will be self-isolating in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages people recovering from COVID-19 or any other respiratory illness to wear masks as part of an overall strategy to reduce transmission, but masks are not mandated.
The CDC recommends that people “stay home and away from others” if they’re feeling sick. They say people can resume normal activities when symptoms have started to improve and the person no longer has a fever.
The CDC describes masks as an “additional strategy” for preventing disease spread, but it generally leaves it up to individuals to decide whether to use them. It calls masks “especially helpful” when someone is sick and suggests they be used as a precaution during recovery.
The White House has not responded to an emailed request for comment about why Biden chose not to wear a mask.
O'Connor said Thursday that Biden is still experiencing mild upper respiratory symptoms from COVID-19,. The president does not have a fever and his vital signs remained normal. He's being treated with the drug Paxlovid.

Quentin Fulks, the principal deputy manager of Biden's reelection campaign, said Thursday that Biden was “feeling fine” and was making calls and doing work. Fulks spoke at a news conference on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters during a separate Zoom briefing that Biden was “being kept up to speed as appropriate by his leadership team, and certainly that includes on the national security front.”

 

[Yommie]

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Janet Hanlin​

Admin
Top contributor

Weekly Ontario Update for Friday, July 19, 2024:​

Public Health Ontario has further reduced the amount of data available to the public. Unless indicated otherwise, information in this update includes data from Sunday, July 7 to Saturday, July 13, so data is delayed.

Data relating to deaths is even further delayed as cause of death is taking MONTHS to be determined. So recent deaths will end up being far WORSE in the future than are being reported for today.

• Recent cases: This number is no longer being reported!
• Weekly positivity rate: 11.2% (+ 0.7% since last week)
• Recent deaths: 7 (+ 5)
  Recent deaths are a lagging indicator of the current level of new cases. Deaths are underreported because they are based on date of death and by the time the cause of death is reported, it is no longer considered recent!
• Average daily hospital bed occupancy: 410* (+ 46 since last week week)
  *Please interpret the COVID-19 hospitalization data with caution as not all centers are reporting..

 

[Yommie]

New Covid-19 variant quickly spreading through NL; Biggest summer outbreak since 2021

The new COVID-19 variant FLiRT is rapidly spreading through the Netherlands, and the amount of coronavirus particles in the sewage is now even higher than in the “Dancing with Jansen” summer of 2021. But hospital admissions are barely increasing, so there is no reason to panic, virologist Marion...

nltimes.nl

MONDAY, 22 JULY 2024 - 12:00

New Covid-19 variant quickly spreading through NL; Biggest summer outbreak since 2021​

The new COVID-19 variant FLiRT is rapidly spreading through the Netherlands, and the amount of coronavirus particles in the sewage is now even higher than in the “Dancing with Jansen” summer of 2021. But hospital admissions are barely increasing, so there is no reason to panic, virologist Marion Koopmans told AD.
The best indicator of how actively the virus is spreading is the sewage water measurements, Koopmans said. Currently, the number of coronavirus particles found in the sewage is 14 times higher than at this time last year. It is even higher than in the summer of 2021, when the Delta variant was spreading quickly, and the government’s over-enthusiasm for relaxing measures caused a wave of infections.

The current wave is in many ways incomparable to the 2021 situation, Koopmans, a professor of virology at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, stressed to AD. The current variants make people a lot less sick. “You now see that the number of hospital admissions is barely increasing despite the rising number of coronavirus infections.” Most people are also well protected against the virus through vaccinations and previous infections, resulting in often milder symptoms.
Despite this, Koopmans and the public health institute RIVM are stil concerned about Long Covid, when Covid-19 symptoms last for a year or longer. “The chance is gradually decreasing, but it is still there,” Koopmans said. “New cases continue to emerge. So that is something to take into account.”

FLiRT is a group of Omicron subvariants that are just different enough to bypass immunity. Officially, the subvariants are called KP.2, JN.1.7, but to keep things simple, scientists have named the group as a whole the FLiRT variant.

 

[Yommie]

COVID-19 cases surge this summer across North Texas. What we know about new variants | Fort Worth Report

The growing number of COVID-19 cases in the state mirrors a trend across the U.S. Here’s what you can do to stay healthy.

fortworthreport.org

COVID-19 cases surge this summer across North Texas. What we know about new variants​

by David Moreno July 22, 2024 3:00 pm

This summer is not only bringing the heat but a wave of new COVID-19 infections across Tarrant County.

Dr. Razaq Badamosi, chief quality officer with JPS Health Network, said COVID-19 cases were expected to increase in Tarrant County during the summer — and they did.
As of July 13, only 2.69% of documented emergency department visits have been associated with COVID-19 in Tarrant County. But the percentage was more than double the number in early June, when COVID-19 accounted for 1.03% of emergency room visits, according to Tarrant County Public Health.
“We have actually seen an increase this summer, but fortunately most of the cases we are seeing are quite mild and most have been managed at outpatient locations,” he said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the number of COVID-19 infections is growing or likely growing in 42 states, declining or likely declining in zero states, and stable or uncertain in six states. Some states are unreported. The latest data shows Texas’ current status as “growing.”
Even with the rising number of documented cases across Tarrant County, the virus is not as prominent as in previous summers, said Badamosi. Tarrant County experienced a COVID-19 spike in the middle of August 2023, when 1,152 new cases were reported in a month’s span.

What to know about new variant​

Like many other viruses, the coronavirus has evolved and formed into new variants. Experts are linking the most recent COVID-19 cases to the most prominent variants in the state: FLiRT.
The FLiRT variants are subvariants of omicron and accounted for the majority of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. at the beginning of July. FLiRT is made up of a family of variants, including KP.2, JN.1.7 and others starting with KP or JN, according to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Health experts don’t know where the variants emerged, but they were first detected in wastewater by the CDC, according to Yale Medicine.
Like other COVID variants, symptoms remain the same for FLiRT: changes in taste and smell, congestion, dry cough, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, runny nose and sore throat.

What you can do to stay healthy​

Health experts urge residents to practice good hygiene to keep themselves and others healthy as the summer continues. Badamosi recommends those age 6 months or older receive the latest COVID-19 vaccine.
It is recommended that people who have a weakened immune system receive a booster vaccine.
Even though no vaccine currently targets FLiRT, the updated COVID-19 vaccine made available in the fall of 2023 still offers protection against new variants. The latest vaccine is expected to become available in the fall, said Badamosi.

Finding a COVID-19 vaccine in Tarrant County​

If you are in urgent need of a booster, click here to see where you can receive a free vaccine in Tarrant County.
Tarrant County Public Health will be hosting back-to-school immunizations until the end of August. Click here to find an event near you.
Badamosi encourages residents to cover sneezes or coughs, avoid close contact with those who are sick, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and get plenty of rest.
With school back in session next month, it is important that children who are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms be kept at home. If you are unsure whether your child is experiencing signs of COVID-19 or other illnesses, it is recommended you contact your child’s pediatrician.
Badamosi said he understands that some people have become “annoyed” hearing about COVID-19, but he urges people to stay-up-to-date on the virus.
“A lot of people have the luxury of really being tired of (COVID-19), but there are some of us in a society that are not as fortunate,” he said. “Some are immunocompromised; they’re getting chemotherapy or have chronic health conditions. This is still life-threatening for them. It’s really very important for us to still comply with local health guidelines.”

 

[Yommie]

COVID-19 variants KP.3 and KP.3.1.1 account for 50% of cases, latest CDC data shows

The latest CDC data shows that the two leading COVID-19 variants make up 50 percent of cases. They are KP.3 (32.9%) and KP.3.1.1 (17.7%).

www.usatoday.com

COVID-19 variants KP.3 and KP.3.1.1 account for 50% of cases, latest CDC data shows​

The leading variant is still KP.3 with another variant KP.3.1.1 following closely behind, CDC data shows.​

Ahjané Forbes
USA TODAY


As many people look to enjoy the warmer summer months, COVID cases are rising across the United States.

Although the KP.3 COVID-19 variant continues to lead as the dominant variant, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data shows that another variant, KP.3.1.1, is not too far behind the leading strain.

The CDC's Nowcast data tracker showed the projections of the COVID-19 variants for a two-week period starting on July 7 and ending on July 20. The KP.3 variant accounted for 32.9% of positive infections, followed by KP.3.1.1, at 17.7%. Combined, the two variants make up 50.6% of cases.

The data also shows that from June 23 to July 6, KP.3 was at 33.7% during the previous two-week period. The strain decreased in positivity by 0.8%. However, KP.3.1.1. rose 10.9% from 6.8% for the period ending on July 6 to 17.7% on July 20.

COVID-19 cases:Biden has COVID-19 and he isn’t alone. Cases are rising across the US.

Listeria outbreak linked to deli meat leaves 2 dead, 28 hospitalized: What to knowCOVID-19 variants KP.3 and KP.3.1.1 account for 50% of cases, latest CDC data showsBiden is on Paxlovid to fight COVID: What to know about accessibility, effectivenessNursing home staffing mandate would save thousands of lives, researchers say40% of cancers found to be preventable with these lifestyle changes

COVID Symptoms of KP.3, KP.3.1.1​

The CDC has not said if KP.3 or KP.3.1.1 have their own specific symptoms. However, CDC Spokesperson Rosa Norman previously told USA TODAY that the symptoms associated with KP.3 are similar to those from JN.1. The government agency outlines the basic symptoms of COVID-19 on its website. These symptoms can appear between two and 14 days after exposure to the virus and can range from mild to severe.

These are some of the symptoms of COVID-19:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• Loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

The CDC said you should seek medical attention if you have the following symptoms:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds

CDC data shows the COVID-19 test positivity by state​

CDC data shows which states have the lowest and highest COVID-19 positivity rates from July 6 to July 13, 2024.

Can't see the map? Click here to view it.

The CDC data shows that COVID-19 test positivity has risen 12.6% within the past week.

On July 16, the CDC said that COVID-19 infections are growing in 42 states, stable or uncertain in 6 states, and declining to zero.

Changes in COVID-19 test positivity within a week​

Data collected by the CDC shows that four states had the biggest increase of 5.6% in positive COVID-19 cases from July 6 to July 13, 2024.

Here's the list of states and their changes in COVID-19 positivity for the past week.


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• Alabama, +3.7%
• Alaska, +0.6%
• Arizona, +0.7%
• Arkansas, +3.3%
• California, +0.7%
• Colorado, +3.1%
• Connecticut, +3.4%
• Delaware, +3.6%
• District of Columbia, +3.6%
• Florida, +3.7%
• Georgia, +3.7%
• Hawaii, +0.7%
• Idaho, +0.5%
• Illinois, +4.7%
• Indiana, +4.7%
• Iowa, +5.6%
• Kansas, +5.6%
• Kentucky, +3.7%
• Louisiana, +3.3%
• Maine, +3.4%
• Maryland, +3.6%
• Massachusetts, +3.4%
• Michigan, +4.7%
• Minnesota, +4.7%
• Mississippi, +3.7%
• Missouri, +5.6%
• Montana, +3.1%
• Nebraska, +5.6%
• Nevada, +0.7%
• New Hampshire, +3.4%
• New Jersey, +5.5%
• New Mexico, +3.3%
• New York, +5.5%
• North Carolina, +3.7%
• North Dakota, +3.1%
• Ohio, +4.7%
• Oklahoma, +3.3%
• Oregon, +0.6%
• Pennsylvania, +3.6%
• Puerto Rico, +5.5%
• Rhode Island, +3.4%
• South Carolina, +3.7%
• South Dakota, +3.1%
• Tennessee, +3.7%
• Texas, +3.3%
• Utah, +3.1%
• Vermont, +3.4%
• Virginia. +3.6%
• Washington, +0.6%
• West Virginia, +3.6%
• Wisconsin, +4.7%
• Wyoming, +3.1%

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How can we protect ourselves from KP.3, KP.3.1.1, and other variants?​

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months old and older get the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine.

 

[Yommie]

New Evidence Supports Autoimmunity as One of Long COVID’s Underlying Drivers

Mice that received antibodies from Long COVID patients showed symptoms including pain and dizziness, a Yale-led study has found.

medicine.yale.edu

New Evidence Supports Autoimmunity as One of Long COVID’s Underlying Drivers​

July 22, 2024
by Isabella Backman

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New research offers evidence that autoimmunity—in which the body’s immune system targets its own tissues—is a driver in some cases of Long COVID.

Photo by Robert A. Lisak
Akiko Iwasaki, PhD

Why COVID-19 sometimes leads to Long COVID still confounds doctors, but researchers have several hypotheses to explain its often-debilitating symptoms. These include lingering SARS-CoV-2 remnants, the reactivation of latent viruses as the Epstein-Barr virus, infection-induced tissue damage, and autoimmunity.
Now, in this new study, when researchers transferred antibodies from patients with Long COVID into healthy mice, the animals began exhibiting symptoms including heightened pain sensation and dizziness. The study is among the first to show a causal link between antibodies and Long COVID symptoms. It was posted as a preprint on medRxiv on June 19.
“We’re very excited to have a mechanism to study and learn more about so we can help people with specific reported symptoms,” says Akiko Iwasaki, PhD, Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and the study’s principal investigator at Yale School of Medicine.

We believe this is a big step forward in trying to understand and provide treatment to patients with this subset of Long COVID.
Akiko Iwasaki, PhD

Several factors prompted Iwasaki’s team to zero in on autoimmunity as one of Long COVID’s drivers. First, there was the persistent nature of the condition. “This suggested to us that there is some chronic triggering of an immune response that is pathogenic,” she says.
Second, women between the ages of 30 and 50 are among the most susceptible to Long COVID. Women in this age group also face a greater risk of autoimmune diseases in general. Finally, in earlier research, Iwasaki’s team detected significant levels of autoantibodies in individuals who were infected with SARS-CoV-2. “All of these things were pointing to the possibility of autoimmune responses being one of the triggers of Long COVID,” Iwasaki says.

Human antibodies induced Long COVID symptoms in mice​

In their latest study, Iwasaki’s team analyzed blood samples from patients in the Mount Sinai-Yale Long COVID study. This cohort of over 215 Long COVID patients is part of a collaboration between Iwasaki and David Putrino, PhD, professor in the Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. As part of this joint effort, Putrino’s clinic obtained blood samples from patients enrolled in the study. Iwasaki’s laboratory then purified antibodies from the blood and transferred them into healthy mice.
Next, the researchers led by Keyla Sá, a postdoctoral fellow in Iwasaki’s lab, conducted multiple behavioral experiments to look for Long COVID symptoms. While many of these experiments found no significant difference between the experimental and control mice, a few revealed striking changes in those that received antibodies.
In one such experiment, researchers placed the mice on a heated plate and measured how long it took for them to react. Some mice that received antibodies reacted significantly more quickly to the heat, indicating a heightened sensitivity to pain. The researchers went back and identified the patients whose antibodies had been injected into the mice. Interestingly, these patients reported pain as one of their Long COVID symptoms.
Another experiment was the rotarod test, in which researchers placed mice on a rotating cylinder to measure coordination and balance. Mice that received antibodies were more likely to struggle to stay on the apparatus. Once again, when the researchers looked at the source of these antibodies, they learned that they were mostly from patients who reported suffering from dizziness.
The mice also underwent a grip strength test, in which researchers measured the force applied by the animals to a grid apparatus. A group of mice were found to have reduced muscle strength if they received antibodies from patients reporting tinnitus and headache. Thus, antibodies capable of impairing muscle function are found in patients with these symptoms. How exactly these antibodies cause pathology needs more studies.

Treatments targeting autoimmunity may help some Long COVID patients​

Developing diagnostic tools and therapies for Long COVID will require knowledge of its underlying disease mechanisms. The new study offers important evidence that autoimmunity is one of these contributors. Recently, the autoimmunity hypothesis has been further supported by a research group in the Netherlands led by Jeroen den Dunnen, DRS, associate professor at Amsterdam University Medical Center, which posted a preprint a couple of weeks earlier also showing a link between patients’ Long COVID antibodies and corresponding symptoms in mice. “We believe this is a big step forward in trying to understand and provide treatment to patients with this subset of Long COVID,” says Iwasaki.
Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is commonly used as treatment for various autoimmune disorders such as lupus, for example—antibodies from healthy human donors are given to patients in the hope that they will alleviate or reduce symptoms. This therapy may also have promise in treating cases of Long COVID caused by autoimmunity. A 2024 Yale-led study led by Lindsey McAlpine, MD, instructor at YSM and first author, and Serena Spudich, MD, Gilbert H. Glaser Professor of Neurology and principal investigator, suggests that this type of treatment may be beneficial in treating small fiber neuropathy associated with Long COVID. (Small fiber neuropathy, a condition in which patients suffer numbness or pain in their hands or feet, occurs in some cases of Long COVID.) Iwasaki hopes that future clinical trials may show potential in treating some of the other painful symptoms of the disease.
Furthermore, researchers are developing other biologics, or drugs produced from living organisms, that may also help Long COVID patients, including FcRn inhibitors. FcRn is a receptor that binds to antibodies and recycles them. Through blocking this receptor, these drugs can reduce levels of circulating antibodies. This type of drug was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of myasthenia gravis, another kind of autoimmune disease.
The study also offers insights for developing diagnostic tools to identify which patients will benefit from these kinds of treatments. “Targeted therapy is going to be key for each of these subsets of Long COVID,” says Iwasaki. “This study demonstrates that we can identify people with pathological antibodies.”

Future studies to focus on autoimmunity pathogenesis in Long COVID and new therapeutics​

In future studies, Iwasaki hopes to explore further why and how autoantibodies cause disease in Long COVID. She also hopes to conduct randomized clinical trials for testing therapeutics targeting autoimmunity. In addition to IVIg and FcRn inhibitors, she believes there are a range of promising treatments for reducing antibodies, including B cell depletion therapy and plasmapheresis.
Unfortunately, it’s highly unlikely that a single drug could cure everyone with Long COVID, she says. While this study focuses on autoantibodies, the disease likely has multiple underlying causes, and different subtypes will require different treatments. Iwasaki is also working closely with Harlan Krumholz, MD, Harold H. Hines, Jr. Professor of Medicine (Cardiology), on the Yale Paxlovid for Long COVID (PAX LC) Trial. This trial is testing the lingering virus hypothesis by investigating the efficacy of a 15-day course of the antiviral Paxlovid in treating Long COVID.
There are many avenues for future studies, but in the meantime, Iwasaki is excited about her team’s promising results. “Seeing this one-to-one correlation of antibodies that cause pain from patients who reported pain is really gratifying to me as it suggests a causal link,” she says. “It’s a first step, but I think it’s a big one.” Iwasaki’s team is currently expanding these antibody transfer studies to other post-acute infection syndromes including myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.
Submitted by Robert Forman on July 22, 2024

 

[Yommie]

Data: COVID shaved 2.6 years from life expectancy—much more in some groups—in India

www.cidrap.umn.edu

Data: COVID shaved 2.6 years from life expectancy—much more in some groups—in India​

Mary Van Beusekom, MS

Today at 3:24 p.m.
COVID-19

Ninian Reid / Flickr cc

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COVID-19 dealt an outsized blow to India during the first year of the pandemic, reveals an analysis of survey data from 765,180 residents that fills a gap left by the incomplete vital statistics and disease surveillance often seen in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
The study, led by researchers from the University of Oxford and the Research Institute for Compassionate Economics in Connecticut, estimates a 2.6-year lower life expectancy at birth and a 17% higher death rate, with the greatest losses among females, the youngest and oldest people, and marginalized groups.
The investigators compared high-quality empirical data on death rates and socioeconomic characteristics from India’s National Family Health Survey-5 from 2019 to 2021 with official estimates from the United Nations and the Indian government. Prepandemic rates and characteristics from the two data sources matched closely.
The team used a subsample of households from 14 states and territories (representative of roughly a quarter of India's population) interviewed in 2021 to compare death rates in 2020 with those in previous years.
The research was published late last week in Science Advances.

17% higher death rate in 2020​

Life expectancy fell 2.6 years from 2019 to 2020, a decline larger than that in modeled life-expectancy estimates in India and in any high-income country (HIC) during the same period. While drops in life expectancy in HICs were mainly driven by rising death rates among people aged 60 or older, nearly all Indian age-groups—especially the youngest and oldest—contributed to lower life expectancy.
The death rate was 17% higher in 2020 than in 2019 in India, implying an estimated 1.19 million excess deaths—eight times higher than the official number, 1.5 times higher than World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, and more than 2.5 times higher than US deaths.
Higher death rates among children were likely due to other causes in addition to COVID-19 (eg, worse economic conditions, public health service disruptions), but excess deaths in 2020 among older people was higher than expected based on age-specific infection deaths in HICs and the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence seen in India, the authors said.
"Greater observed than expected excess mortality for older age groups could have been due to higher age-specific infection fatality rates in India as well as due to indirect effects of the pandemic," they wrote.

Pandemic exacerbated existing disadvantages​

Unlike other countries, Indian women lost 3.1 years in life expectancy—1 year more than males, which the authors said could be attributed to healthcare inequalities and uneven allocation of resources in households. And Muslims and Scheduled Tribes lost 5.4 and 4.1 years, respectively, compared with 1.3 years among high-cast Hindu groups.
Our findings challenge the view that 2020 was not significant in terms of the mortality impacts and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic in India.
Ridhi Kashyap
"Indian society is one of the most stratified in the world," the researchers noted, with Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Muslims facing discrimination based on caste, indigenous identity, and religion, respectively.
"Our findings challenge the view that 2020 was not significant in terms of the mortality impacts and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic in India," coauthor Ridhi Kashyap, of the University of Oxford, said in a university news release. "While a mortality surge caused by the Delta variant in 2021 received more attention, our study reveals significant and unequal mortality increases even earlier on in the pandemic."
The study also underscores the importance of considering inequality when calculating death rates and the need for policies to address social determinants of health, she added: "This was particularly noticeable on the role that COVID-19 had in further exacerbating the health impacts of pre-pandemic gender disparities."

 

[Yommie]

https://www.reddit.com/r/CoronavirusDownunder/comments/1e6rg19/weekly_case_numbers_from_around_australia_7041

r/CoronavirusDownunder•4 days ago
AcornAl

Weekly case numbers from around Australia: 7,041 new cases (18%)​

Australia: Case Update

• NSW 2,824 new cases (22%)
• VIC 1,037 new cases (6%)
• QLD 1,900 new cases (27%)
• WA 356 new cases (13%)
• SA 507 new cases (22%)
• TAS 188 new cases (116%)
• ACT 69 new cases (27%)
• NT 160 new cases

These numbers suggest a national estimate of 140K to 210K new cases this week or 0.5 to 0.8% of the population (1 in 148 people).
This gives a 50% chance that at least 1 person in a group of 102 being infected with covid this week.
A couple notes on the trends:

• The NT have finally uploaded recent cases after a two week delay. It's impossible to know what the actual trend is.
• There is not enough data to say if Tasmania is increasing or if this is a bit of a data dump with the one day report of 94 cases being the largest numbers of cases reported in a single day since April. It's the second week in a row of increasing cases.

Flu tracker tracks cold and flu symptoms (fever plus cough) and is another useful tool for tracking the level of respiratory viruses in the community. This decreased to 2.1% (0.4%) for the week to Sunday and suggests 546K infections (1 in 48 people). This is on par with the seasonal average.

• NSW: 2.2% (0.6%)
• VIC: 1.4% (1.0%)
• QLD: 1.6% (0.1%)
• WA: 2.1% (0.6%)
• SA: 2.3% (0.5%)
• TAS: 2.5% (0.9%)
• ACT: 3% (0.2%)
• NT: 2.2% (0.3%)

Based on the testing data provided, this suggests around 153K new symptomatic covid cases this week (0.6% or 1 in 169 people).
This gives a 50% chance that at least 1 person in a group of 117 being infected with covid and 1 person in a group of 33 being sick with something (covid, flu, etc) this week.

QLD has been one of the slower states to pass their peak, but now show encouraging signs the worst is over. WA is finally showing decreases in hospitalisations too. Both VIC and NSW hospitalisations are down by at least a third since the peak.

Queensland Hospitalisations
And as indicated by FluTracker, influenza cases seem to be falling with decreases in hospitalisations in both NSW and QLD, although cases are still very high.

 

[Yommie]

COVID cases tick up in Chicago, nationwide​

 

[Yommie]

Why Covid-19 is spreading this summer

Covid-19 doesn't follow normal seasonal patterns, like other respiratory viruses – waves of infection can happen at any time of year.

www.bbc.com

Why Covid-19 is spreading this summer​

3 days ago
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David Cox

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Covid-19 doesn't follow normal seasonal patterns, like other respiratory viruses – waves of infection can happen at any time of year.
Every July for the past four years, epidemiologists at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have noted a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations, an annual trend which has been dubbed "the summertime surge".
This summer in the United States, Covid-19 rates are reportedly particularly high in Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada. In these western states, the number of positive tests reached 15.6% on the week ending July 6th, 1% up on the previous week. The CDC’s investigations show that viral rates in wastewater are also on the rise once again.
A similar trend has played out on the other side of the Atlantic, where according to the UK's Health Security Agency, positive Covid-19 tests rose from 4% at the end of March to 14% by the end of June.
The recent rise has been attributed to the FLiRT subvariants, the latest evolution of the Omicron strain of Covid-19 which emerged towards the end of 2021. This new raft of subvariants is the inevitable consequence of the virus trying out new mutations in its spike protein – a structure which is essential for Covid-19's ability to enter human cells, but can also alert the human immune system to the virus' presence in the body. As a result, Covid-19 has found more effective ways of evading the neutralising antibodies within most of our immune systems, while still being capable of locking onto the ACE2 receptor, a protein on human cells in the respiratory tract which allows it to enter the body. (Find out more about how Covid-19's symptoms have changed as new varients have emerged.)

According to Shan-Lu Liu, who directs the Viruses and Emerging Pathogens Program at The Ohio State University and has studied the FLiRT subvariants, these latest Covid-19 viruses have managed to strike a balance between escaping the immune system and still being able to bind to cells, which is driving many of the new cases.
“The elderly and immunosuppressed are particularly vulnerable to new subvariants due to their weakened immune responses to vaccination and natural infection," says Liu. He explains that experts recommend that these groups receive booster shots including the XBB.1.5 monovalent vaccine. This was designed to target the Omicron XBB 1.5 subvariant of Covid-19, which emerged in 2022.

Getty Images
New Covid-19 subvariants are finding new ways to escape the immune system (Credit: Getty Images)
Given the need to protect society’s most vulnerable, studying these continually emerging variants remains crucial for updating the world’s Covid-19 vaccines. Based on work done by Liu and others, US regulators and the World Health Organization have been able to make specific recommendations regarding new vaccine targets based on the latest spike protein mutations, in time for the latest Covid vaccine rollout in the autumn.
Yet for the scientists who monitor how SARS-CoV-2 is evolving and changing, it is still almost impossible to predict when the next strains of note will emerge. While most common respiratory infections like influenza or Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) follow seasonal patterns, surging during the autumn or winter months before abating in the spring and summer, Covid-19 is yet to settle into such a distinctive cycle.

In the wake of the latest summer outbreak, it remains to seen whether Covid-19 will ever become a truly seasonal virus, and if so, how long that will take.

Viruses and seasonality​

According to epidemiologists and medical researchers, there are three main factors which drive cases of infectious disease – the virus itself, how many humans are susceptible at a particular time, and the conditions for the virus to spread.
"Seasonality is a characteristic shared by many viruses, most famously the flu's yearly winter endemic," says El Hussain Shamsa, an internal-medicine physician at University Hospitals in Ohio, who published a 2023 study on Covid-19 patterns throughout the year. In this case, it's thought that environmental and behavioural factors could lead to lower immunity and higher transmission of flu viruses in the winter, he says.
However, even influenza never fully goes away. Akiko Iwasaki, a professor of immunobiology at Yale University, explains that the summer Covid-19 wave is likely to be partially exacerbated by factors such as people gathering in close proximity at festivals and concerts, and the heavy use of air conditioning which dries the air and encourages viral spread.
As an example, infection transmission experts in the UK suggest that an increase in people gathering in crowded pub gardens and bars to follow this summer’s Euro 2024 football tournament is likely to be behind many of the country’s recent Covid-19 cases. "The latest data suggests that June’s cases peaked around the week of June 17, shortly after England’s first game," says Paul Hunter, a virology consultant and professor at the University of East Anglia. "Cases then began picking up again in July as England progressed through the tournament."

But this still leaves the question of why this year-round effect is mainly being seen with Covid-19 rather than other respiratory infections? Scientists believe that this is because population immunity is far higher with many of the usual seasonal viruses, such as influenza, rhinovirus, and RSV. One reason is that they have simply been around for much longer, meaning they need more ideal conditions to infect us which only come around during the autumn and winter months as temperatures drop, schools return, and people gather more indoors. (Learn more about how diseases spread when we talk and sing.)

Getty Images
Covid-19 is yet to settle into a seasonal cycle, making it almost impossible to predict when new strains will emerge (Credit: Getty Images)
Because Covid-19 is still a relatively new virus, our sterilising immunity – the body’s ability to eliminate a pathogen before it has the chance to start replicating – is considerably lower. Scientists feel this is exacerbated by low vaccination rates, making population immunity dependent on how many people were infected during the most recent wave.
Shamsa points out that the current FLiRT variants share common immune-evading mutations with the Covid-19 variants which drove the previous major surge in infections during the winter of 2023, allowing them to fully capitalise on waning immunity levels. According to the CDC, as of July 7, just 22.7% of over-18s in the US are up to date on their Covid-19 vaccines, compared to 48.2% for influenza. As a result, Hunter says that anyone who didn’t catch Covid-19 over the winter, will have very little immunity against the FLiRT variants, driving the current spate of cases.
"With Covid-19, I think many people just don’t want or think they need the vaccine, but this means that population immunity waxes and wanes almost in unison based on the frequency and intensity of recent prior waves," says Denis Nash, an epidemiology professor at The City University of New York.

Will Covid become more seasonal with time?​

So will Covid-19 ever transition to a more seasonal pattern as human exposure to the virus increases? Some feel that this trend is already emerging, with Hunter pointing out that the summertime surge of cases, hospitalisations and deaths is much milder than that seen during December and January. In the US, 327 people died from Covid-19 during the week of June 15, compared to 2,578 during the week of January 13.
"It may be that we won’t ever reach a level of population immunity against SARS-CoV-2 that drives summer cases to zero, or it may take another year or two for us to get there," says Andy Pekosz, professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University.
However, Nash predicts that this process may take decades or even longer, pointing out that humans have been living with and exposed to influenza and other common viruses for hundreds of years.

Getty Images
Scientists believe that population immunity is far higher with pre-existing seasonal viruses than with Covid-19 (Credit: Getty Images)
If Covid-19 does find a stable seasonal pattern, it raises the question of where an annual peak would fit in amongst the spikes we already see from RSV, which peaks during early autumn, and seasonal flu, which reaches its height in mid-winter. Pekosz describes the concept of "virus interference", which means that over time pathogens evolve into cycles which prevent too many viruses circulating simultaneously. "This is because the first one would infect people and cause a period of nonspecific immunity against other viruses," he says.

More like this:
• Could Long Concussion help solve Long Covid?
• How Covid-19 symptoms have changed
• Why a 'tripledemic' comes in waves
These are all still questions which could take years or decades to properly answer. Yet some scientists suspect that Covid-19 may never completely disappear during the summer periods, due to the innate properties of coronaviruses which allow them to continue circulating even during warmer weather.
"We’ve known for some time that human coronaviruses are not as seasonal as flu, which is certainly helped along by cold temperatures and dry conditions," says Harvard epidemiologist Bill Hanage. "Indeed before 2020, we used to call coronavirus infections summer colds because they were less obviously skewed towards the colder months, so this is not a surprise."
Whatever happens, for now, experts feel that because Covid-19 is still having such a consistent year-round impact, there is a need for more public health messaging to ensure that the most vulnerable people remain fully vaccinated and have access to necessary antivirals on a year-round basis.

"No public health experts who are really paying attention would set expectations around the seasonality of Covid at this point," says Nash. "If messaging was accurate, it would be telling people that they should be up to date all year round, not just in the fall and winter."

 

[Yommie]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1815814431592583357