CORONAVIRUS INFO PROVIDED BY DR. JIM HARRIS –12/31/2021

HAPPY NEW YEAR. NEXT YEAR WILL BE BETTER!

COVID-19 hospitalizations up in 29 states

New studies on animals suggest why Omicron is less severe than earlier variants: It seems to cause much less damage to the lungs.

”… the bulk of early Omicron infections were in young people, who are less likely to get seriously ill with all versions of the virus. And many of those early cases were happening in people with some immunity from previous infections or vaccines. It was unclear whether Omicron would also prove less severe in an unvaccinated older person, for example…Coronavirus infections start in the nose or possibly the mouth and spread down the throat. Mild infections don’t get much further than that. But when the coronavirus reaches the lungs, it can do serious damage…Immune cells in the lungs can overreact, killing off not just infected cells but uninfected ones. They can produce runaway inflammation, scarring the lung’s delicate walls. What’s more, the viruses can escape from the damaged lungs into the bloodstream, triggering clots and ravaging other organs…Many cells in the lung carry a protein called TMPRSS2 on their surface that can inadvertently help passing viruses gain entry to the cell. But… this protein doesn’t grab on to Omicron very well. As a result, Omicron does a worse job of infecting cells in this manner than Delta does. A team at the University of Glasgow independently came to the same conclusion…“These studies address the question about what may happen in the lungs but don’t really address the question of transmissibility…It could be as simple as, this is a lot more virus in people’s saliva and nasal passages…But there could be other explanations for its efficient spread: It could be more stable in the air, or better infect new hosts.

J&J’s booster shot provides strong protection against severe disease from Omicron, a study says. (Repeat)

”…Two shots of the vaccine reduced the risk of hospitalization from the fast-spreading variant by 85 percent, a clinical trial found….The study, which compared more than 69,000 boosted health care workers with a corresponding group of unvaccinated South Africans, found that two shots of the vaccine reduced the risk of hospitalization from Omicron by about 85 percent. In comparison, another study in South Africa found that two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine reduced the risk of hospitalization by about 70 percent.(See next article)

Pfizer Vaccine is 70% Effective Against Omicron

”During the proxy omicron period, we found a vaccine effectiveness of 70% (95% confidence interval [CI], 62 to 76), a finding that was supported by the results of all sensitivity tests. This measure of vaccine effectiveness was significantly different from that during the comparator period, when the rate was 93% (95% CI, 90 to 94) against hospitalization for Covid-19…”

Third BNT162b2 Vaccination Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Infection

The third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine efficiently neutralized infection with the omicron variant (geometric mean titer, 1.11 after the second dose vs. 107.6 after the third dose) (Figure 1A and 1C)…The importance of a third vaccine dose is clear, owing to the higher neutralization efficiency (by a factor of 100) against the omicron variant after the third dose than after the second dose; however, even with three vaccine doses, neutralization against the omicron variant was lower (by a factor of 4) than that against the delta variant. The durability of the effect of the third dose of vaccine against Covid-19 is yet to be determined.

NOTE REGARDING HOUSTON VACCINE:

A COVID-19 vaccine created at the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development could soon be ready for distribution in India.

Corbevax, or BioE COVID-19, is currently being developed in India, with the goal of vaccinating other low- and middle-income nations across the globe.

After nearly 10 years of research and funding obstacles in 2020, it could be ready for distribution later this month, according to Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and dean at Baylor’s National School of Tropical Medicine.

“It’s never a done deal until it’s a done deal,” Hotez said. “But all systems go so far, and I think it could be very soon, and I have some optimism before the end of the year.”

Hotez said the vaccine is cheap and has no patent, making it easier for producers outside of India to mass produce.

Why Covid Death Rates Are Rising for Some Groups

”…Covid accounted for 14 percent of all deaths in the United States from March 2020 until all adults became eligible for the vaccine in April, compared with 11 percent of deaths since then…The change in death rates among groups is starker by race and ethnicity, and the death rate has risen particularly sharply for middle-aged white people. Covid-19 now accounts for a much larger share of all deaths for that group than it did before vaccines were widely available….The higher vaccination rate for older people has helped to protect them. Although more older than younger people still die from Covid-19, the virus is now responsible for a smaller share of all deaths among people 65 and older than it was before vaccines became available to all adults. For those younger than 65, Covid-19 has risen as a cause of death.

TESTING NOTES:

• (SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing is highly sensitive (99%) but less specific (approximately 95%) for contagious COVID-19 and may be positive for ≥90 days after infection

• Viral antigen tests have lower analytic sensitivity than RT-PCR but are more specific for contagious disease

AND FOR THE LAST TIME THIS YEAR:

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P.O. Box 721

Scottsville Texas

75688

Breaking News: The U.S. is averaging 267,000 daily coronavirus cases, a record as two highly contagious variants converge and threaten to overwhelm hospitals.

Omicron is sidelining even health care workers as it rips through Texas

”…The high positivity rates haven’t yet translated into more deaths or dramatic numbers of hospitalizations in Texas, but some states that saw a surge in COVID-19 cases in November and early December are near or have surpassed record hospitalizations from the virus…“The difference with this surge is because this is so infectious and everyone is getting sick, everyone is calling out sick,” McDeavitt said. “It’s not as much about the number of people in the hospitals — it’s more about the number of health care workers who they themselves are getting sick and need to be isolated.”…And with many hospitals recording persistent nursing shortages, even if there are available ICU beds, they might not have anyone to staff their departments.

As NFL playoffs approach, growing coronavirus issues threaten competitive balance

”More than 500 NFL players have tested positive for the virus this month, or roughly one-quarter of the players in the league. On Monday alone, 96 players — 74 from teams’ active rosters and another 22 from practice squads — were placed on covid-19 reserve lists because of positive tests.”

Omicron tears across Europe, leaving tests and patience in short supply.

”…“A sensation of greater chaos has been created compared to the severity that the clinical picture requires…Across Europe, records for new coronavirus infections are falling by the day as the Omicron variant tears through populations with a swiftness outpacing anything witnessed over the past two years of the pandemic.

”Britain, Denmark, France, Greece and Italy all set records for new daily cases this week. In each country, health officials suspect that Omicron is driving the infections.

”While there are early indications that the variant might be milder than previous versions of the virus — with vaccinations, boosters and previous infections all offering some protection against serious illness and death — the surge of infections is sowing its own chaos, as people scramble to obtain tests, businesses grapple with staff shortages and New Year’s festivities are thrown into question.”

Omicron is not more severe for children, despite rising hospitalizations.

”…Doctors and researchers said they were not seeing evidence that Omicron was more threatening to children. Instead, much of the rise in pediatric admissions results from the sheer number of children who are becoming infected with both Delta and the more contagious Omicron variant, experts said, as well as low vaccination rates among children over 5…A number of states have reported increases of about 50 percent in pediatric admissions for Covid-19 in December. …A number of states have reported increases of about 50 percent in pediatric admissions for Covid-19 in December. ..experts said that a combination of factors, including low vaccination rates, was the most likely explanation…”

Study: Coronavirus can persist for months after traversing entire bod

(J. Harris: Good, readable article summarizing an involved NIH study.Long term persistant Covid infestation is why folks shouldn’t try to become immune by trying to catch a case of Omicron. GET VACCINATED AND BOOSTED INSTEAD.)

LAST BUT NOT LEASED:

AND DONNER PASS IS CURRENTLY ABOUT SNOWED IN.

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P.O. Box 721

Scottsville Texas

75688

CORONAVIRUS INFO PROVIDED BY DR. JIM HARRIS –12/27/2021

The Covid stats from the state should be caught up by tomorrow, I expect. We must have   Omicron in the area but it hasn’t overloaded the hospitals yet. However, with only 37 percent of our county population vaccinated, we are vulnerable, again. Notice the case counts below from Houston/Harris County.

DAILY CASE COUNT FOR SELECTED AREAS FROM NYT TODAY:

FROM THE NYT TODAY:

1. U.S. caseloads surpass the winter pandemic peak of early 2021.

”…The highly transmissible Omicron variant is sending daily caseloads in parts of the United States soaring to levels higher than last winter’s pandemic peak…Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Puerto Rico are among the areas that have reported more coronavirus cases in the past week than in any other seven-day period, data show….Experts warn that the surge of hospitalizations are up, too, although not as much as cases. Nearly 71,000 Americans are hospitalized with Covid-19, 8 percent higher than the previous week but still well below previous peaks. infections, combined with the fact that tens of millions of Americans remain unvaccinated, could still create a severe strain on the U.S. health system and lead to many more deaths…Still, only 62 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated, and the nation’s medical infrastructure is dangerously frayed two years into the pandemic as hospitals contend with staff shortages fueled by burnout and early retirements…”

2. South Korea approves Pfizer’s coronavirus pill for emergency use

”…South Korea has given emergency-use approval of Pfizer’s oral treatment for Covid-19, the first pill approved in the nation to treat symptoms of the coronavirus…the treatment, Paxlovid, would “diversify the types of treatment” for the virus and is expected to “prevent serious deterioration of health in patients.”…Supplies of the medication are expected to arrive in the country by mid-January….Paxlovid appears to be substantially more effective than a similar antiviral pill from Merck, known as molnupiravir, which was narrowly recommended by the F.D.A.’s advisers for emergency use….Pfizer expects to manufacture 120 million Paxlovid treatments next year. The company has indicated that the pill would be effective against the Omicron variant…”

U.S. Covid hospitalizations are rising among children. New York urges parents to vaccinate the young.

”…The New York State Department of Health is urging parents to get all children who are 5 and older vaccinated, citing a jump in pediatric hospitalizations associated with the coronavirus…Beginning the week of Dec. 5 through the current week, there has been a fourfold increase in Covid hospital admissions among children in New York City, where the Omicron variant is spreading rapidly, the department said in an advisory on Friday. About half were under the age of 5, and not eligible for vaccination….The New York State advisory reported that during the week that preceded Dec. 19, none of the 5- to 11-year-old Covid patients admitted to the hospital had been fully vaccinated. In the same period, one-fourth of the 12- to 17-year-old hospitalized Covid patients had been fully vaccinated. 

RECOMMENDED BY THE NORWEGIAN HOUSEKEEPER:

1. Omicron Symptoms Usually Appear Like This

2. 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID

NFL chief medical officer says ‘symptomatic’ players are responsible for COVID-19 spread

”…players who had symptoms but initially tested negative appear to be the biggest offenders because they contribute their symptoms to something else go about their day…”We were seeing people walk around for two or three days and expose others because they didn’t speak up about their symptoms because they had gotten that negative test,” he said. “So we’re at our best when we’re testing at the onset of symptoms.”

Protection against Covid-19 by BNT162b2 Booster across Age Groups

(Israel, 60 Y/O got third Pfizer jab at 5 months or more since the second jab.)

”After promising initial results from the administration of a third (booster) dose of the BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccine (Pfizer–BioNTech) to persons 60 years of age or older, the booster campaign in Israel was gradually expanded to persons in younger age groups who had received a second dose at least 5 months earlier….

CONCLUSIONS

”Across the age groups studied, rates of confirmed Covid-19 and severe illness were substantially lower among participants who received a booster dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine than among those who did not.”

(NOTE: In the last day or two, some experts speculate that crowded-up vaccinations too closely might impede the body’s ability to make lasting antibodies.)

AstraZeneca and Oxford making version of coronavirus vaccine that targets omicron

”…AstraZeneca and Oxford University have started developing a version of their coronavirus shot that targets omicron, as researchers study the efficacy of existing vaccines against the latest variant…

“Together with Oxford University, we have taken preliminary steps in producing an Omicron variant vaccine, in case it is needed and will be informed by emerging data,”…..U.S. biotech firm Moderna and pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, along with its German partner BioNTech, have said they are tailoring their vaccines and working to understand the level of protection they provide….The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, widely used in European countries and others such as Canada and India, is not approved in the United States…adenovirus-based vaccines, such as the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot, “could in principle be used to respond to any new variant more rapidly than some may previously have realized.”…Moderna said earlier this week that a booster dose of its vaccine significantly raised antibody levels against the omicron variant, according to preliminary data, though it did not have the clinical data to speak to its vaccine’s protection against hospitalization or death….”

AND LASTLY:

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P.O. Box 721

Scottsville Texas

75688

HELLO, 

For the next several days, the folks who keep up with COVID statistics are taking off work for the holidays. 

This comes at a bad time; the East Texas numbers are now going up. Even vaccinated people should wear masks, space out, avoid crowds — especially indoor crowds in buildings with poor ventilation. If you don’t feel well, don’t go out. When in doubt, test if you can find a test. Avoid immunocompromised folks. Avoid sick folks. We still have hospital beds in this area at this time. Most of the new cases are almost certainly Omicron which is probably less lethal than Delta. In the next six months, we will have several new drugs to treat Covid as well as enhanced and available testing capabilities. New vaccines will be developed for any and all of the Variants when and if they appear.  The situation is improving. It remains prudent to be vaccinated and boosted.

 MERRY CHRISTMAS

(FROM THE NYT. WE ARE IN THE EXTREME RISK CATAGORY AGAIN)

The FDA has authorized Merck’s COVID pill for home use — the 2nd in 2 days

Merck says it will have 10 million packs of its new COVID-19 treatment available by the end of the month…The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the second antiviral pill to treat COVID-19 at home….The medicine, called molnupiravir and made by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is taken twice a day for five days. Merck says it will have 10 million packs available by the end of the month…These new antiviral pills could totally change how people treat COVID-19 infections at home, since the only FDA-authorized treatment for nonhospitalized COVID-19 patients is monoclonal antibodies, which typically require an intravenous infusion.

The agency authorized Pfizer’s Paxlovid treatment for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Masks Work. Really. We’ll Show You How

As the virus surges again, U.S. colleges worry about a mental health crisis.

FROM HOPKINS CITATIONS:

1. US AUTHORIZES ORAL ANTIVIRALS The US FDA this week authorized the use of 2 oral, at-home antiviral therapies for COVID-19, a significant step in treatment of the disease that comes as the number of new cases begins to surge in the US, driven primarily by the Omicron variant of concern (VOC). The agency today authorized the use of the oral antiviral molnupiravir, developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, for COVID-19 patients aged 18 years and older who have a positive SARS-CoV-2 viral test result, are within 5 days of symptom onset, are at high risk of severe disease or hospitalization, and who cannot access or do not qualify for alternative authorized COVID-19 treatments. Molnupiravir reduced the risk of hospitalization among high-risk patients by 30%, according to clinical trail data, but some experts are concerned over the potential for side effects and the development of drug resistance. The drug is not recommended for use during pregnancy, and men and women of childbearing age are recommended to use birth control, with men suggested to continue using it for 3 months post-administration. Molnupiravir—administered as capsules taken twice a day for 5 days—works by causing errors in the virus’s genetic code, disabling its reproduction capacity but also raising concerns that it could cause mutations in people who take it or lead to new variants. 

On December 22, the FDA authorized the first oral antiviral to treat COVID-19 patients. The emergency use authorization (EUA) is for Pfizer’s Paxlovid—a new antiviral called nirmatrelvir co-packaged with the older antiviral ritonavir—that is taken as tablets twice a day for 5 days. Paxlovid is indicated to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in individuals ages 12 and older weighing at least 40 kg (about 88 pounds) who have a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result and are at high risk of progression to severe disease. Administration of the pills, which are available by prescription only, should be started within 5 days of symptom onset and could be available to patients as early as this weekend, although initial supplies will be limited due to manufacturing constraints. Pfizer’s clinical trial results (not yet peer-reviewed) showed Paxlovid reduced the overall risk of hospitalization by 88% if started within 5 days of symptom onset, and the company’s laboratory studies show the pills should be effective against Omicron. 

The authorizations come as healthcare providers face the realization that 2 of the 3 authorized monoclonal antibody treatments—previously shown to be highly effective at keeping high-risk patients out of the hospital—are not working against Omicron. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has made recommendations for both Paxlovid and molnupiravir (known as Lagevrio outside of the US) for use in certain COVID-19 patients, paving the way for authorization in Europe.

2. CONVALESCENT PLASMA The results of a clinical trial evaluating antibody-rich plasma as an outpatient treatment for people with symptomatic COVID-19 was posted as a preprint to medRxiv on December 21, reopening debate over the use of convalescent plasma therapy. The study, conducted in the US and led by researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, showed outpatient treatment with convalescent plasma, when given within 8 days of symptom onset, reduced the risk of hospitalization by 54% compared with the placebo-control group. The trial primarily used plasma collected before vaccines were widely available and ended prior to the arrival of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant in the US. However, the authors of the study believe that antibody-rich plasma could be an effective treatment against Omicron and other variants if taken from patients who are fully vaccinated and recovered from a breakthrough case of COVID-19. Individuals who fall into this category are believed to have higher levels of neutralizing antibodies than either individuals who are only vaccinated or only recovered from previous infection. 

The study’s data come only a few weeks after the WHO recommended against the use of convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19. 

COVID-19 Testing and Case Rates and Social Contact Among Residential College Students in Connecticut During the 2020-2021 Academic Year 

”…Conclusions and Relevance  The findings of this cohort study suggest that, in the era of available vaccinations and highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants, colleges and universities should continue to test residential students and use mitigation strategies to control on-campus COVID-19 cases.”

AND LASTLY:

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P.O. Box 721

Scottsville Texas

75688

December 24, 2021

For the next several days, the folks who keep up with COVID statistics are taking off work for the holidays. This comes at a bad time; the East Texas numbers are now going up.

Even vaccinated people should wear masks, space out, avoid crowds — especially indoor crowds in buildings with poor ventilation.

If you don’t feel well, don’t go out. When in doubt, test if you can find a test.

Avoid immunocompromised folks. Avoid sick folks. We still have hospital beds in this area at this time.

Most of the new cases are almost certainly Omicron which is probably less lethal than Delta. In the next six months, we will have several new drugs to treat Covid as well as enhanced and available testing capabilities.

New vaccines will be developed for any and all of the Variants when and if they appear.  The situation is improving. It remains prudent to be vaccinated and boosted.