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Do you believe that COVID is still here?: Immunocompromised individuals express worry following the repeal of mask regulations

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While the majority of the country is eager to shed their masks, a sizable portion of the populace is unable to do so.

Credit: Tatiana Ayazo

According to many, the most challenging aspect of being immunocompromised is convincing others. Durk Carlisle, 41, of Redlands, has recently discovered that wearing a mask attracts attention. “Now that I’m wearing the mask, I enter a building and notice that people are staring at me oddly. They are still unaware that I have a liver disease and hence regard me as being too cautious “‘He stated. However, you cannot be too cautious as a liver transplant recipient. Carlisle received a new transplant last year after his liver was devastated by an inflammatory condition. He is now on anti-rejection medication. “Anti-immunosuppressive medications are required to suppress the immune system. However, it also impairs the immune system’s ability to fight off infections such as COVID “Dr. Michael de Vera, Loma Linda University Health’s Chief of Transplant Surgery, stated. Around 3% of Americans are transplant recipients, and millions more suffer from comorbid illnesses that increase their risk. “Diabetes. Obese patients with heart disease and underlying pulmonary problems “As de Vera stated. Doctors encourage immunocompromised patients to use caution in crowded circumstances and to exert as much control as possible. “I want to underline the importance of vaccination. It lowers the danger of developing severe COVID, and the other option is to continue wearing a mask “As de Vera stated. Carlisle has had vaccinations and boosters. He understands why people are tired of masks, but cautions against forgetting how many lives are at stake. “They could transmit it on to another person, who could then pass it on to someone who is immunocompromised. And, unwittingly, they may cause a fatality as a result of their failure to wear a mask “Carlisle explained.

Reference

‘COVID is still here’: Immunocompromised people express fears as mask mandates are lifted.https://abc7.com/immunocompromised-immune-system-covid-mask/11614945/?fbclid=IwAR0oOE_RJaaPJ8ydo8Qj60ii7sAKi8xPWXoxNLdvGHTTEmS4MlgCKU0TaFY

disease, drugs, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals, Public health

The extremely infectious omicron variation

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BA.2 is a strain of the extremely infectious omicron variation that seems to spread 30 percent more readily than the original. The danger is that dissemination will drastically increase in the not-too-distant future.

Thousands of people test positive for the coronavirus in the U.S. daily, and a small but growing fraction of them are for the more contagious omicron variant BA.2.
Jon Cherry/Getty Images

BA.2 has already been discovered from coast to coast, accounting for 3.9 percent of all new infections in the United States. Although BA.2 does not seem to make patients worse than the original omicron, it may result in more severe disease and death if the drop in new cases is slowed. According to a new study, one of the remaining COVID-19 antibody therapies may be less efficient against BA.2. This virus seems to be a little better at avoiding the immune system than the last one. Because the virus is still present, we must take every precaution to safeguard ourselves.

Reference

More contagious version of omicron spreads in U.S., fueling worries.https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/02/21/1081810074/omicron-ba2-variant-spread?fbclid=IwAR12RMhI8BpQY_BZt4fNkJK5XZcj1SZMTmcM1Eu0iOPjE9G38hN_ohB1mWk

Diet, disease, drugs, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals, Public health

Vitamin D may reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease

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Vitamin D may reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, few large, higher-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been conducted to corroborate this. A recent RCT examined the effects of vitamin D supplementation in Finland. It found no association between vitamin D and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease or cancer. There is evidence that vitamin D deficiency is associated with nearly all primary chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and mortality.

It looked at data from 2,495 people, including those with no cardiovascular disease or cancer history. To provide further evidence of the relationship between vitamin D, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, the researchers behind the present study conducted the Finnish Vitamin D Trial. Despite the large doses, the study failed to see any effect of the supplementation on lowering the incidence of [cardiovascular disease] and cancer. Those who might benefit from the vitamin D supplementation — i.e., those with low serum vitamin D levels — are a small minority in the trials. Prof. Karani: “High-dose vitamin D supplementation may modestly reduce the risk of cancer death, but not overall cancer incidence.” Dr. Virtanen states, So far, there is no evidence that [Vitamin D] supplementation could prevent [SARS-CoV-2] infection. Still, it is well-documented that those, especially with the severe form of COVID-19, have low serum vitamin D levels.

It is also possible that this is a consequence of the [SARS-CoV-2] infection rather than the cause because it is known that acute infection leads to lower serum vitamin D levels. In addition, many of the COVID-19 patients are overweight or obese or have a chronic disease like type 2 diabetes, which is associated with lower serum vitamin D levels, explained Dr. Virtanen. “It is challenging to obtain vitamin D from food intake alone unless that food is fortified with vitamin D. It would be essential to explore whether vitamin D supplementation can decrease the incidence of [cardiovascular disease] and cancers, as that would make a strong case for mandatory vitamin D fortification or promotion of fortified foods in the population.

Reference

Vitamin D supplements, heart health, and cancer risk. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/vitamin-d-supplements-heart-health-and-cancer-risk?fbclid=IwAR0anIA4BSbVWh-5gq1EcPeh0-2HN8CGkxNh4ZlnIESqCqFndScGFYXPraE

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Fast-spreading Omicron variant

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A fast-spreading Omicron variant that causes milder illness compared with previous versions of the coronavirus has fueled the view that COVID-19 poses less of a risk than in the past. For those who do have symptoms, a higher proportion experience very mild illness, such as the sore throat or runny nose without the breathing difficulties typical of earlier infections.

Covid-19 Testing

Omicron is the fifth highly significant variant of the original SARS-COV-2, and it remains to be seen if the ability of the virus to mutate further will slow down. In fully vaccinated and boosted individuals without underlying medical conditions, Omicron “will not do too much damage,” said David Ho, professor of microbiology and immunology at Columbia University.

Reference

Explainer: Why you should still try to avoid catching Omicron. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/why-you-should-still-try-avoid-catching-omicron-2022-01-12/?fbclid=IwAR3Wu9sI6Yum4sL57_fv9qsSfqqGk6meKH7GIdZ2fc_GofHdUpGV9jQ7peo

disease, drugs, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals

Omicron-specific vaccination

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Omicron accounted for more than 95% of all new cases in the United States last week. The representative verified that the production of doses of the Omicron-specific vaccination has already commenced. Symptoms of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant: Recent investigations indicate that Moderna Pharmaceuticals is working on an Omicron-specific variant vaccination. Moderna anticipates initiating advanced clinical studies for the vaccine early this year but did not say when. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s senior medical advisor, has recommended that Americans obtain booster injections, which are 75% effective at avoiding symptomatic COVID-19 infection.
Stéphane Bancel, CEO of the pharmaceutical company Moderna, said last week that he expects the current vaccine’s protection to fade. Moderna said on Monday in a website update that although the pharmaceutical company’s first line of defense against Omicron is a third dosage of its current vaccine, it is also creating an Omicron-specific booster injection.
Reference
Pfizer says its vaccine targeting Omicron will be ready in March. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-vaccine-pfizer-omicron-variant-march/?fbclid=IwAR2AnmzLdZ_7a62wM76ClL4T8z0oQbad3cuHbuuqSLvSRSxV6SB6Ib1VSS4

Diet, disease, drugs, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals, Public health

Worldwide about a possibly more transmissible version of the coronavirus

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Concerns are growing worldwide about a possibly more transmissible version of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. As fresh instances are verified, scientists are scrambling to learn more. President Biden said that the mutation is “cause for concern, not a cause for panic” California verified the first case in the United States; omicron has been discovered in 16 states. In three days, the number of new coronavirus cases in South Africa has tripled.
The positive rate for Omicron increased from 1% in early November to 22.4 percent on December 2. The omicron version most likely acquired genetic material from a human virus that causes the common cold. A public health expert argues it is “premature to panic” over the mutation, which the World Health Organization has designated (WHO). Public health authorities in the United States are redoubling their efforts to distribute immunizations to everyone, including boosters for people who have previously been vaccinated. Within 100 days, Pfizer and BioNTech plan to have a “tailor-made vaccine” for the variation.
Each time the virus crosses between persons, it might undergo several genetic alterations. According to public health specialists, there is a strong likelihood that the new type has already spread to a number of nations beyond those where cases have been recorded. Public health professionals are advising the public not to make hasty judgments. Certain initiatives are already being scrapped in the aftermath of Omicron. Google said that it would delay its required in-office work beginning Jan. 10 for the length of the epidemic. Additionally, Rio de Janeiro’s mayor suspended the city’s New Year’s Eve event.

Reference

What to know about the omicron variant of the coronavirus. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/11/26/faq-new-variant-omicron/

disease, drugs, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals, Public health

Warning about the Johnson & Johnson

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The Food and Drug Administration has issued a fresh warning about the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccination. The majority of the instances are recorded within two weeks after vaccination, and the majority of the victims are males over the age of 50. The administration’s attempts to increase vaccinations in places where skepticism about coronavirus vaccines is strong and the vaccination rate is low might be hampered by the new warning.

According to a frequently asked question (FAQ), 60 to 120 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome occur at a rate of 60 to 120 cases each week. According to reports, Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine has been linked to a rare but “likely indicates a small possible risk” sickness. An early warning safety network established by the CDC and FDA was alerted to the syndrome after reports were filed with the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS). A doctor warns that the United States’ immunization efforts have “hit a brick wall.”He argues that the government should force vaccinations.

Vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna are now required by the FDA to include a warning about the dangers of coronavirus. Due to the difficulties at Johnson & Johnson’s Baltimore factory, approximately 75 million doses of the vaccine were thrown away. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are recommended for people 12 and older since the benefits of immunization substantially exceed the risks. A Boston man who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccination was the subject of a similar instance recounted in an editorial that appeared with the article.

Flu vaccination doses have regularly resulted in one or two more illnesses per 1 million doses delivered when there was an elevated risk. According to the group, there were examples of significant facial paralysis in the patients from England and India. Vaccine safety experts in Europe have advised that the AstraZeneca vaccine include a warning for Guillain-Barré.

Reference

FDA adds new warning on Johnson & Johnson vaccine related to rare autoimmune disorder. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/07/12/johnson-and-johnson-warning/

disease, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals, Public health

Omicron is a novel coronavirus strain

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Omicron is a novel coronavirus strain with a high number of alarming mutations. Scientists are trying to determine how transmissible and vaccine-resistant this strain is. Examining a virus’s genetic coding is a critical tool for scientists when deducing the genesis of a viral strain. The closest sequences to Omicron are from mid-2020 – more than a year ago. Nonetheless, its alterations distance it significantly from the 2020 strain.

Here’s a computer generated image of the omicron variant of the coronavirus — also known as B.1.1.529. Reported in South Africa on Nov. 24, this variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning.
Uma Shankar sharma/Getty Images

Because it seems as if [this strain of the virus] was on the verge of becoming omicron and therefore a highly transmissible virus, [previous versions] would have begun to spread more broadly prior to now. On the one hand, he acknowledges that there are undoubtedly places in Africa where coronavirus sampling has been limited. Each time it replicates, it has a chance of acquiring a mutation that improves its ability to evade the person’s antibody-producing immune cells. Thus, it would take a really large blind spot to miss something that is truly changing over months, according to main researcher David Bedford. Indeed, it was this warning signal that caused a private laboratory to notify Lessells and his colleagues last month, allowing them to sequence the samples containing omicron. “If you have representative sequencing and frequent sequencing, and you are quick enough to react to what you see in the diagnostic laboratory, you may detect these mutations at an early stage,” he adds. In such cases, Bedford argues, the individual’s immune system is still robust enough to ward off the coronavirus. Due to the fact that we had samples from many different time periods throughout that six-month period, Lessells explains, we were able to demonstrate how the virus developed and how variants with some of the same mutations as the variations of concern occurred in the samples over time.

He does not have an apparent solution other than chance, according to co-discoverer of Omicron David Bedford. Nonetheless, Bedford notes that in the near run, making informed predictions about the origin of omicron can help determine how seriously to take the variant’s danger. For example, he asserts that if omicron evolved invisibly in a vast population of people over a period of months, this indicates that it is not very transmissible. However, they assert that its development serves as another warning that future varieties may be formed as a result of the virus’s mutation. However, he asserts that if omicron evolved in a single person and only recently spread to a larger population, the level of circulation detected now — or, as Bedford puts it, the time frame for reaching the point where we are starting to pick up cases in travelers’ — occurred over a much shorter period. The aim, they assert, is not to blame or stigmatize anyone in this circumstance, but to realize that assisting them is critical to stopping the coronavirus epidemic. And this indicates that the variation is far more transmissible.

Reference

The mystery of where omicron came from — and why it matters. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/12/01/1055803031/the-mystery-of-where-omicron-came-from-and-why-it-matters?fbclid=IwAR1diN84M2YxKJxQ1PZBWwy4Uzh_2LC5ZcG5a5YUrMHYJKHVBriAai5s6sw

disease, drugs, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals

Novel antiviral medication for Covid-19

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Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics’ Molnupiravir is a novel antiviral medication. If approved by the FDA, it will be the first oral home therapy for COVID-19.

Molnupiravir, an antiviral drug to treat mild to moderate COVID-19, is under consideration by the FDA for possible authorization.
Merck

Molnupiravir, a five-day tablet regimen, looks less effective than monoclonal antibodies. The Pfizer medicine Paxlovid may be more effective. Both tablets inhibit viral replication by targeting certain steps. Concerns about molnupiravir do not immediately relate to Paxlovid, as Pfizer has not yet made its safety data public. Exist any hazards or adverse effects?
Waiting a few days for a test and a few days for findings means the most effective time for these tablets has past.

Will they work against omicron and its variants?
Particular tests pitting the tablets against specific versions are required, say Dieffenbach and Gandhi.

The antiviral medicines target a distinct stage of the virus’ life cycle.

If approved by the FDA, these antiviral tablets might be effective, but stronger antivirals are needed, adds Dieffenbach. “These variations will continue till COVID rates fall,” Gandhi said. Treatments: “They are a back-up.

Reference

New antiviral drugs are coming for COVID. Here’s what you need to know. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/11/30/1059926089/new-antiviral-drugs-are-coming-for-covid-heres-what-you-need-to-know

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Individuals tested positive for Covid-19

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According to Dutch authorities, 61 individuals who landed in Amsterdam on two planes from South Africa tested positive for Covid-19. Individuals being tested on different flights from South Africa.

The Dutch authorities are doing more testing to see if there are any instances of Omicron, which was declared a variety of concern by the WHO on Friday.

On 24 November, the variation was initially reported to the World Health Organization in South Africa.

By that time, the Dutch authorities had already imposed travel restrictions from the area due to the new variety and arranged for travellers to be tested and quarantined.

The Dutch health authorities said on Saturday that 61 passengers on the planes had tested positive.

The positive test findings will be analyzed immediately to ascertain if they pertain to the new concerning variety, which has been dubbed the Omicron variant, the company stated in a statement.

Anyone who tested positive would be required to stay at a hotel for seven days if they exhibited symptoms and five days if they did not, the statement continued.

According to reports, some passengers have not received formal confirmation of a negative test and hence are unable to board subsequent flights.

Reference

Covid: Dozens test positive on SA-Netherlands flights. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59442149