SARS-CoV-2/COVID related discussion

[Yommie]

Health leaders advise taking steps to protect against COVID-19 and other illnesses over holiday​

 

[Yommie]

Health leaders in the Ozarks advise taking steps to protect against COVID-19 and other illnesses...​

 

[Yommie]

COVID-19 cases on the rise nationwide​

 

[Yommie]

Flu vs. COVID-19: Dr. Yogesh Shah explained difference | TimesXP​

 

[Yommie]

Tuesday's Pandemic Update: The Summer Covid Surge Continues To Build​

 

[Yommie]

Monday's Pandemic Update: The % Of Deaths That Are Covid Is Rising In Some Areas​

 

[Yommie]

https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/covid-new-health-problems-old-infections-06cb84be

 

[Yommie]

COVID trend reaches "high" level across western U.S. in latest CDC data

The CDC says it is too early to say if this year's summer COVID-19 surge has arrived.

www.cbsnews.com

COVID trend reaches "high" level across western U.S. in latest CDC data​

By Alexander Tin
Edited By Paula Cohen
July 2, 2024 / 10:32 AM EDT / CBS News

A key indicator for tracking the spread of COVID-19 has officially reached "high" levels across western U.S. states, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now shows. But the agency says it remains too early to say whether this year's summer COVID-19 surge has arrived nationwide.

Levels of SARS-CoV-2 virus showing up in wastewater samples are climbing in most parts of the country, according to figures from the agency through June 27.

Health authorities have increasingly relied on analyzing samples from sewers to get a sense of COVID-19 trends, now that cases are largely no longer being tested or reported. The CDC also relies on data from emergency rooms and hospitals to track the virus.

Nationwide, levels of the virus in wastewater are still "low,"the CDC says. But across the West, preliminary figures from the most recent weeks show this key COVID-19 trend has now passed above the threshold that the agency considers to be "high" levels of the virus.

"Summer is back and we are about to have the summer bump, that we call it, of COVID cases. You know, we have a bump in the summer, and then it goes down in the fall, and goes up more substantially in the winter," Dr. William Schaffner, professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, told CBS News.

However, the CDC has stopped short of saying that this year's summer surge has begun.

"During April and May 2024, COVID-19 activity was lower than at any time since the start of the pandemic. Recent increases need to be considered from that baseline," the CDC said in a statement Friday.

Previous years have seen increases of COVID-19 levels over the summer after trends plummet during the spring, though not always at this exact time of the season. Last year's summer surge did not peak until late August or early September.

"While there are indications for the potential start of a summer surge, nationally COVID-19 activity remains low. CDC will continue to monitor to see if these recent increases persist," the agency said.

COVID trends are highest in Hawaii​

Some of the worst COVID-19 trends among western states have been in Hawaii, which has been now seeing wastewater levels higher than this past winter's peak.

COVID-19 emergency room visits in Hawaii have also been at some of the worst levels in over a year, in the CDC's data from recent weeks — beyond peaks last summer and winter.

These trends could now be showing signs of letting up.

The CDC's forecasters announced last week that COVID-19 cases are now "likely declining" in one U.S. state — Hawaii — after weeks of increases. Emergency room visits across the regions spanning Hawaii through Arizona now also look to be plateauing, short of peaks from last year's summer and winter waves.

LB.1 variant increases in the East​

The increases have come as officials and experts have been tracking the rise of a new variant on the opposite side of the country: the LB.1 variant, a descendant of the JN.1 variant from this past winter's wave.

Through early June, the CDC estimates that LB.1 had reached 30.9% of cases in the region spanning New York and New Jersey. Less than 1 in 10 cases across western states were from LB.1 during the same time period.

COVID-19 trends have climbed in emergency room data from the New York and New Jersey area, but remain far from the levels seen at the peaks of either last winter or summer's peaks.

In wastewater, the Northeast's trends of the virus rank among the lowest of any region and remain at levels still considered to be "minimal" by the agency.

 

[Yommie]

Tennessee woman awarded nearly $700K after being fired for refusing COVID-19 vaccine requirement

A Tennessee woman who was fired for refusing BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee's COVID-19 employee vaccine mandate received a nearly $700,000 settlement.

www.foxnews.com

Tennessee woman awarded nearly $700K after being fired for refusing COVID-19 vaccine requirement​

Federal jury awards former BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee employee Tanja Benton over $687,000​

By Landon Mion Fox News
Published July 2, 2024 6:05am EDT | Updated July 2, 2024 6:09am EDT

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A Tennessee woman who was fired from BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST) for refusing to comply with its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for employees has received a settlement worth nearly $700,000.
A federal jury found that Tanja Benton "proved by a preponderance of the evidence" that her decision to refuse the vaccine was based on a "sincerely held religious belief," according to the settlement obtained by WTVC.
For a total of over $687,000, the jury awarded Benton more than $177,000 in back pay, $10,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages.

Benton, who worked at BCBST from 2005 through November 2022 primarily as a bio statistical research scientist, said in her lawsuit that her job did not include regular contact with people, WTVC reported. She said she only interacted with 10 to 12 clients each year and sometimes those occasional interactions were not in person.
COVID VACCINE COMPANIES TOLD TO FOCUS ON KP.2 FOR FALL SHOTS, PER FDA ANNOUNCEMENT

A federal jury found that Tanja Benton "proved by a preponderance of the evidence" that her decision to refuse the vaccine mandate by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee was based on a "sincerely-held religious belief." (Getty Images)
The lawsuit also noted that Benton never had contact with patients as part of her job.
Benton said she worked from home for a year and a half during the pandemic, and didn't have any complaints until BCBST announced employee vaccine requirements.
She refused to get the vaccine, purporting in her lawsuit that she "firmly believes, based upon personal research, that all COVID-19 vaccines are derived from aborted fetus cell lines." Benton said she "cannot in good conscience" receive the vaccine because it "would not only defile her body but also anger and dishonor God."
VATICAN SAYS IT'S 'MORALLY ACCEPTABLE' TO GET CORONAVIRUS VACCINES USING ABORTION CELL LINES
Following BCBST's announcement of a vaccine requirement, Benton submitted a request for a religious exemption, but the company denied it and told her she could not keep her job unless she complied.

The jury awarded Tanja Benton more than $177,000 in back pay, $10,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages. (iStock)

Benton appealed and explained she did not come into contact with people at her job, but was allegedly told there are no exceptions for anyone with her job title. It was also suggested that she start looking for another job, according to the lawsuit.
BCBST ultimately fired Benton, which led her to file the federal lawsuit.
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"The vaccine requirement was the best decision for the health and safety of our employees and members – some of whom are the most vulnerable in the state - and our communities," BCBST previously told WTVC. "We appreciate our former employees’ service to our members and communities throughout their time with BlueCross."
Fox News Digital reached out to BCBST, but did not hear back by time of publication.

 

[Yommie]

Summer Covid wave hits UK as expert warns of Euro 2024 fuelling infections

Covid waves continue to be driven by new variants and waning immunity, expert Professor Mark Woolhouse says

www.independent.co.uk

Summer Covid wave hits UK as expert warns of Euro 2024 fuelling rise in infections​

Covid waves continue to be driven by new variants and waning immunity, expert Professor Mark Woolhouse says​

Rebecca Thomas
Health Correspondent
11 hours ago

England fans during Euro 2024 (Adam Davy/PA Wire)

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A “growing” summer wave of Covid-19 has hit the UK as experts suggest the European football tournament is fueling a rise in infections.
Epidemiology expert Professor Mark Woolhouse said the UK will see fluctuations in Covid levels – and that this pattern will continue over the coming decades.

The latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency show that as of 19 June infections were up by 33 per cent on the previous week. Hospital admissions saw a slight increase.

Mass testing for Covid-19 ended in 2023, meaning routine surveillance will not show the extent of infections in the community.
According to the UKHSA, Covid hospital admissions increased by 24 per cent in the week leading up to Sunday 23 June, with a rate of 3.31 per 100,000 people compared with 2.67 per 100,000 in the previous week.

The reports of a summer wave come as a new group of Covid mutations of “variants” has emerged, collectively referred to as FLiRT.

UKHSA said the term FLiRT was inspired by the names of the mutations in the genetic code of the variants, which descend from JN.1, with variant BA.2.86 as a parent.
According to the public health authority, three strings of the FLiRT variant – KP.1.1, KP.2 and KP.3 – were responsible for 40 per cent of all Covid cases in the UK in April.

Immunity to Covid-19 is partially waning (PA Archive)

Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, said: “The surveillance of Covid cases in the UK is far less intensive than it once was, so it is difficult to track the rise and fall of waves of infection, or to assess the severity of different variants, or to know how effective the vaccines are against them.

“Even so, there is a widespread impression of a growing 2024 summer wave, much as we saw in 2021 when – coincidently perhaps – there was also a Euros football tournament, and evidence that this contributed significantly to the spread of infection.”
The Euro 2020 tournament was delayed until 2021, and saw England fans in packed pubs watching their team reach the final, losing to Italy. Wembley Stadium was the venue for the final and semi-finals.

Prof Woolhouse said waves of Covid continue to be driven by new variants and “partial waning immunity to infection”.
“For now, we have to expect this pattern to continue,” he said. “Over the coming decades, we will shift to a situation where most people are exposed to Covid – possibly several times – when they are young.

“This will not cause a significant public health problem – healthy young people were never much affected by Covid – but it will result in a build-up of immunity that will make them much less vulnerable when they are elderly and frail.”
He said that “to all intents and purposes” Covid-19 will become just another common cold, adding: “We’re not there yet though.”

 

[Yommie]

Masks reintroduced at Staffordshire hospitals after rise in Covid

The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust had 108 inpatients with Covid last week.

www.bbc.com

Masks reintroduced at hospitals over rise in Covid​

9 hours ago
By Shannen Headley, BBC News, West Midlands

Getty Images

Last week 108 inpatients had Covid-19, which prompted the return of mask wearing
A hospital trust has made wearing masks mandatory again following a rise of patients infected with Covid-19.
Since Monday patients, visitors and staff have been required to wear masks in clinical areas unless exempt at Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital, Stafford.
The University of North Midlands NHS Trust said the policy was reintroduced due to multiple variants circulating and noticing an increase of positive tests during June.
The trust's risk assessment process was triggered last week due to having 108 inpatients with the virus.

A statement on the trust's website said the guidance would be regularly reviewed and updated based on the prevalence of the infection.
It added: "Entrances to all wards and clinical areas will have masks and hand gel available for staff, patients and visitors to wear."
People who have respiratory illness have been asked not to come in to shield themselves.

'Right thing to do'​

Anne Marie Riley, chief nurse at Royal Stoke, told BBC Radio Stoke that while masks have been reintroduced, visitors have not been restricted as in line with previous Covid rulings.
She said: "We monitor Covid rates weekly and have done since the start [of the pandemic].
"It hasn't ever gone away completely and we have a risk assessment process which was triggered for us last week."
She said at Royal Stoke, hospital staff were isolating those who have tested positive in side rooms and there were two wards that were currently full of Covid patients.
"It's tricky - we want to get to a position where we don't keep reverting back so we monitor figures every week.
"It's the right thing to do to protect everybody so hopefully it won't be for very long."

 

[Yommie]

Cameroon reintroduces measures to curb COVID-19 resurgence | Africanews

The Cameroonian government announced on Wednesday the adoption of measures to caution the country from the resurgence of Covid-19 cases, observed in some European, Middle Eastern, and African countries.

www.africanews.com

Cameroon reintroduces measures to curb COVID-19 resurgence​

By Rédaction Africanews
Last updated: 28/06 - 13:44

CAMEROON​

The Cameroonian government announced on Wednesday the adoption of measures to caution the country from the resurgence of Covid-19 cases, observed in some European, Middle Eastern, and African countries.
According to a statement from the Cameroonian Minister of Health, all travelers arriving from foreign countries shall be required to systematically fill out identification forms at airports.
Testing is being reintroduced at airports, but it is currently prioritized for travelers returning from the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Measures that were previously implemented at the peak of COVID-19 infections are being reinstated, including wearing masks in case of flu-like symptoms, hand hygiene, and regular disinfection of common areas.
Finally, the government states that it has the necessary capacity to detect cases and provide free care throughout the territory.
The first Covid-19 case was recorded in Cameroon in March 2020. According to the Ministry of Public Health, this pandemic has caused the death of 1,974 people out of a total of more than 120,000 infections in the country.

 

[Menthol]

Covid is not over yet???

In my country, no one ever says anything about Covid anymore.

 

[Yommie]

Covid is not over yet???

In my country, no one ever says anything about Covid anymore.

Covid is permanent. It'll never be over.

 

[Yommie]

Full Measure: Round Table-Covid Concerns​