”Federal regulators authorized second booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus vaccines on Tuesday for everyone 50 and older.
The agency said the additional shot can be given at least four months after a first booster for both for those 50 and older and those with weakened immune systems…”
FROM THE MARSHALL NEWS MESSENGER:
FROM NYT TODAY:
Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. fall to their lowest point since the summer.
”…Fewer than 800 coronavirus deaths are being reported each day in the United States, the lowest daily average since before the Omicron variant took hold late last fall. The last time the rate was this low was in mid-August, according to a New York Times database….The World Health Organization reported last week that the BA.2 subvariant that is helping to drive another surge of coronavirus cases in Europe is now the dominant version of Omicron around the world…In late February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created an online tool that shows Americans whether their area is at high, medium or low community risk for the coronavirus. On Monday, only 53 of the roughly 3,000 U.S. counties were categorized as high risk.
1. Morgue Data Hint At Covid’s True Toll In Africa (Nature) Almost one-third of more than 1,000 bodies taken to a morgue in Lusaka in 2020 and 2021 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, implying that many more people died of COVID-19 in Zambia’s capital than official numbers suggest1. Some scientists say that the findings further undermine the ‘African paradox’, a narrative that the pandemic was less severe in Africa than in other parts of the world. This idea arose after health experts noticed that sub-Saharan nations were reporting lower case numbers and fewer COVID-19 deaths than might be expected. But researchers say that the findings from Zambia could reflect a broader truth — that a deficit of testing and strained medical infrastructure have masked COVID-19’s true toll on the continent. The findings have not yet been peer reviewed. Ignoring the true extent of COVID-19 in Lusaka and beyond “is so wrong. People were ill. They’ve had their families destroyed,” says co-author Christopher Gill, a global-health specialist at Boston University in Massachusetts. One of his colleagues in Zambia died of COVID-19 while working on the project.
2. Covid Vaccinations — Including Boosters — Fall To Lowest Levels Since 2020 (Washington Post) With another pandemic surge possibly on the way, vaccination for the coronavirus in the United States has all but ground to a halt, with initial doses and boosters plummeting to the lowest levels since the program began in late December 2020. On Wednesday, the seven-day average of vaccinations fell to fewer than 182,000 per day, according to data compiled by The Washington Post. That is lower than at any time since the first days of the program. The daily total has been in free fall for the past six weeks. On Feb. 10, the nation was averaging more than 692,000 shots a day. Booster shots have been more common than first or second doses since October, and the low rates have long caused concern among some experts.
CURRENT BOOSTER DATA: (NYT)
WOW! WE ARE CARELESS IN HARRISON COUNTY: ONLY 40% OF THOSE OVER 65 HAVE HAD THEIR 3RD JAB, AND SOON, 4TH JABS WILL BE AVAILABLE
(AND ALREADY ARE AVAILABLE FOR “IMMUNOSUPPRESSED” PEOPLE > 65).
R.E. and Martha Josey began their rodeo careers in the 1960s when Martha competed as a barrel racer, and R.E. competed as a calf roper. After meeting at a Rodeo, the couple fell in love, got married, and started down the rodeo road together. As they began to progress in their respected events the couple was seeing great success in their events. With a shared vision of starting a rodeo school, the couple moved to Martha’s childhood home Marshall, TX where they hosted their first rodeo school in the summer of 1967.
For the last 55 years, the Josey Ranch has continued to build a legacy through the Rodeo Industry training World Champions as the longest run rodeo school in the world.
This past weekend the Josey Ranch concluded its annual Spring I clinic with 77 barrel racers coming from ten different states including, Florida, Colorado, and Brazil. Students and their families spent the weekend on the Ranch working on barrel racing techniques, training methods, perfect practice, and learning how to set attainable goals for 2022 with Martha, Gary, and their impeccable staff.
Amongst the 77 students, many came together to spend the weekend learning from the Josey Ranch Instructors. Brandi Williams, a Texas Trainer, brought 12 students from her lesson program. This group included 12 students, 15 horses, 5 dogs, 5 trailers, and nearly 30 people total to all to Marshall, TX for the weekend.
“We love teaching,” explained Martha’s nephew and Josey instructor Gary Arthur. “We have taught thousands of students in the last 54 years, and they have all become part of the Josey Family. To see a clinic filled with so many students who were making their first trip to the Josey Ranch was incredible. We are truly blessed to be able to touch so many kids and adults in their dreams and passions.”
Along with these Texas students, one family came from Colorado. Andre Coelho, a native Brazilian, brought his family and 9-year-old, Maria Coellho, to ride in the clinic. The Coelho’s are currently staying in Colorado but going back to Brazil soon. They took the chance to attend a Josey Clinic before returning home.
Use the links below to read the complete article and see more photos
”… Senior citizens who received a second booster of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination had a 78% lower mortality rate from the disease than those who got one only, a study from Israel showed on Sunday…Some 58% of participants had received a second booster – or two shots in addition to the basic two-shot regimen. The remainder had received only one booster. Researchers recorded 92 deaths among the first group and 232 deaths among the second, smaller group…The report was issued as a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed. The research excluded people who received rival Moderna’s vaccine and those who had taken oral anti-COVID therapy…”
(J. Harris: That’s still a lot of deaths. I believe I’ll try and be careful in addition to taking a 4th Jab.)
”…The highly contagious Omicron subvariant BA.2 is helping to drive another surge of coronavirus cases in Europe and is responsible for about a third of new cases in the United States, but health officials have said they do not anticipate a major surge caused by the subvariant……Federal health officials have hotly debated the way forward, with some strongly in favor of a second booster now and others skeptical. But they appear to be coalescing around a plan to give at least older Americans the option, in case infections surge again before the fall. It was unclear how broad the group would be. In the fall, officials say, Americans of all ages should get another shot. …A second booster is at best a stopgap measure. Many experts argue that the existing coronavirus vaccines need to be modified because the virus’s variants are diminishing their power; the question is how to reconfigure them. A surge in the fall is considered highly likely, whether it comes in the form of the Omicron variant, a subvariant like BA.2 or a new lineage entirely.
”… China has recorded over 29,000 cases so far in March. That represents a significant spike for the country, which has kept cases low since quashing the world’s first outbreak, which began in the city of Wuhan, in 2020…The outbreak has fanned a rising debate in China over whether the government should rethink its stringent “zero Covid” strategy of eliminating all infections with relentless force, rather than finding a way to cope with higher levels of infection, as most countries have….“Exhausting social resources, degrading the quality of life and existence, dragging down economic development and urban vitality — where’s the sense in this pandemic prevention,” one commenter wrote. “The zero-infection strategy needs thinking over.”
FROM HOPKINS:
1. White House Diverges from CDC, Focuses on Aerosol COVID Spread (CIDRAP) Yesterday the White House published a blog post titled “Let’s Clear the Air on COVID,” describing the virus as primarily transmitted through aerosols—small, tiny airborne particles.Though some experts around the world have been arguing that point for years, and subsequently advocating for respirator use and enhanced ventilation systems, this is the first time the White House has formally acknowledged that aerosol transmission has been the primary driver of the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, it has turned away from the language used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
2. South Korea is Still the World’s COVID-19 Hotspot, Reporting Nearly 400K Cases Today (Outbreak News Today) The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported an additional 395,598 confirmed COVID-19 cases today, bringing the country total to 10,822,836 since the beginning of the pandemic and 8,323,648 cases in the past 28 days alone–the most on the planet. Today’s total is down from the 490,000 cases reported yesterday. 470 fatalities were reported, with a cumulative death toll of 13,902 (fatality rate of 0.13%).
Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that CICT programs likely had a substantial role in curtailing the pandemic in most jurisdictions during the 2020 to 2021 winter peak. Differences in outcomes across jurisdictions indicate an opportunity to further improve CICT effectiveness. These estimates demonstrate the potential benefits from sustaining and improving these programs.
Question Is early aspirin use in hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19 associated with lower odds of in-hospital mortality?
Findings In a cohort study of 112 269 patients with moderate COVID-19, early aspirin use during the first day of hospitalization was associated with lower 28-day in-hospital mortality and pulmonary embolism incidence when compared with patients who did not receive early aspirin.
Meaning This study suggests that early aspirin use may be associated with lower odds of in-hospital mortality among hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19; these findings warrant further study in a randomized clinical trial that includes diverse patients with cardiovascular comorbidities.
2. FDA says current dose of GSK-Vir COVID therapy unlikely to work against BA.2 variant
The U.S. health regulator said on Friday the current authorized dose of GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology’s COVID-19 antibody therapy is unlikely to be effective against the Omicron BA.2 variant.
3. Italy reports 75,616 coronavirus cases on Friday, 146 deaths
Italy reported 75,616 COVID-19 related cases on Friday, against 81,811 the day before, the health ministry said, while the number of deaths fell to 146 from 182.
LASTLY: The Norwegian said no more dancing jokes, but my lovely sister, Janie, just sent me some great new jokes.
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Sorry to be intrusive, but Texas Covid counts have gone up dramatically, especially in Houston. I think we need to get ready for a BA.2 visit sooner than anticipated in Texas at least. Go to the beauty parlor and get your nails done — and get a vaccination if it’s time. The Marshall/Harrison County Health Dept phone is 903 9385 8338. This variant allegedly will not be as hard on the hospitals as the others have been, at least for adults. Children?
FROM HOPKINS:
1. Italian Study Shows Ventilation Can Cut School COVID Cases by 82% (Reuters) An Italian study published on Tuesday suggests that efficient ventilation systems can reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in schools by more than 80%. An experiment overseen by the Hume foundation think-tank compared coronavirus contagion in 10,441 classrooms in Italy’s central Marche region. COVID infections were steeply lower in the 316 classrooms that had mechanical ventilation systems, with the reduction in cases more marked according to the strength of the systems.
2. Moderna to Ask FDA to Authorize Covid-19 Vaccine in Children 6 Months to 6 Years(STAT News) Moderna announced that it will ask the Food and Drug Administration to authorize its Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in children aged 6 months to 6 years, a group for which there are currently no authorized Covid vaccines. The company’s announcement came as it released interim data from two clinical trials of its vaccine in children under 6 years of age. Moderna said the studies — in children aged 6 months to 23 months and 2 years to 6 years — showed the vaccine generated similar immune responses as those seen in adults aged 18 to 25 who received two doses of Moderna’s adult Covid vaccine.
NOTE FROM THE WASHINGTON POST 24 MARCH RE. COVAX
A program to ensure global vaccine equity was doomed from the beginning to fall short, a Washington Post analysis found. The initiative, called Covax, was meant to convince wealthy and poor countries to combine their money to order vaccine doses in advance and then share them in a way that would protect the most vulnerable people first. But the program’s supporters underestimated the desperation of the wealthier countries, which snatched up doses from manufacturers for their own residents. Covax was also slow to adapt as nations declined to participate. Now, more than one-third of the world has not received a vaccine dose — a result that not only is inequitable, but also makes it easier for new variants to emerge.
”…Globally, BA.2 made up about 86 percent of cases reported to the W.H.O. between Feb. 16 and March 17, the agency said in a report on Tuesday. The previously dominant subvariants, BA.1 and BA.1.1, together represented about 13 percent of the cases…..Scientists suspect that BA.2’s rapid growth is thanks to its unique mutations. In the gene for the spike protein on the surface of the virus, BA.2 has eight mutations not found in BA.1..a senior W.H.O. official in Europe said that cases have surged in the region because the authorities were too quick to relax pandemic restrictions….”
A third dose of the BNT162b2[ PRIZER] vaccine administered a median of 10.8 months after the second dose provided 95.3% efficacy against Covid-19 as compared with two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine during a median follow-up of 2.5 months.”
”Despite certain limitations of this study, including the small sample size and retrospective study design (Table S7), our data support the hypothesis that the omicron BA.1 variant is an extremely potent immune-escape variant that shows little cross-reactivity with the earlier variants. Therefore, unvaccinated persons who are infected with the omicron BA.1 variant only (without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection) might not be sufficiently protected against infection with a SARS-CoV-2 variant other than omicron BA.1; for full protection, vaccination is warranted.”
(J. Harris: In other words, you would be better off if you get regular vaccinations for Covid even if you think or know you have had Covid earlier. All the strains are a little different from the last.)
AND LASTLY:
MY ALL TIME FAVORITE FROM LEWIS GRIZZARD:
” Elvis is dead and I don’t feel so good for myself.”
(The Elvis statement is also the title of Grizzard’s last book, and his least funny; he wrote it as he was dying of heart disease.)
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CORONAVIRUS INFO PROVIDED BY DR. JIM HARRIS – 3/23/2022
England’s health service starts offering a second booster to vulnerable adults.
Anyone in England over 75 years old, anyone over 12 who has a suppressed immune system, and anyone residing in a nursing home, can now receive a second booster dose, preferably about six months after their first one, the health service said, referring to the new dose as a “spring booster…The move coincides with a sharp rise in new coronavirus cases in Britain, connected to the BA. 2 version of the Omicron virus variant. New case reports rose by 79 percent in the two weeks ended March 20.
From Reuters:
Mexico sticking to plan to package Russian COVID-19 vaccine
Mexico is sticking to its plan to package domestically the Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V because health matters are separate from political conflicts, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Tuesday.
COVID-19 Community Levels: WHY IS HARRISON COUNTY AT MEDIUM LEVEL OF DANGER
Overview:
More tools than ever before are available to prevent COVID-19 from placing strain on communities and healthcare systems.
With current high levels of vaccination and high levels of population immunity from both vaccination and infections, the risk of medically significant disease, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 is greatly reduced for most people. At the same time, we know that some people and communities, such as our oldest citizens, people who are immunocompromised, and people with disabilities, are at higher risk for serious illness and face challenging decisions navigating a world with COVID-19.
In addition to protecting those at highest risk of severe outcomes, focusing on reducing medically significant illness and minimizing strain on the healthcare system reflects our current understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection, immunity from vaccination and infection, and the tools we have available. Vaccines are highly protective against severe disease, and continuing to expand vaccine coverage and ensuring people are up to date with vaccination is essential to protecting individuals against hospitalizations and deaths.
Health officials and individuals should consider current information about COVID-19 hospitalizations in the community, as well as the potential for strain on the local health system and COVID-19 cases in the community when making decisions about community prevention strategies and individual behaviors. Communities and individuals should also make decisions based on whether they are at high risk for severe disease and take into account inequities in access to prevention strategies.
COVID-19 Community Levels can help communities and individuals make decisions based on their local context and their unique needs. Community vaccination coverage and other local information, like early alerts from surveillance, such as through wastewater or the number of emergency department visits for COVID-19, when available, can also inform decision making for health officials and individuals.”
J. HARRIS: This “COVID DANGER LEVEL” seems to be calculated on the county population as well as :
1. COVID-19 Community Level – COVID Inpatient Bed Utilization
2. COVID-19 Community Level – COVID Hospital Admissions per 100k
3. COVID-19 Community Level – Cases per 100k
VALUES FOR GREGG, HARRISON, AND SMITH COUNTIES:
Harris cont: I assume our “Medium” designation is related to recent high Covid case levels in a county with no inpatient beds and no good way to count “hospital admissions.” We also have a very low vaccination rate. Since our most recent acute Covid counts are low, our danger level should decrease?
AND LASTLY: I PLAN TO DECREASE THE FREQUENCY OF MAILOUTS UNTIL OR UNLESS COVID CAUSES MORE TROUBLE. I WILL HAVE NO REGULAR SCHEDULE.
AFTER TWO YEARS, I’M ALSO RUNNING OUT OF GOOD PICTURE JOKES, BUT I’VE STILL GOT LEWIS GRIZZARD:
It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.
It’s better to have died a small child than to be a politician who gets caught in a scandal during a slow news month.
God bless Merle Haggard. He did all the things that Johnny Cash was supposed to have done.
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(J. Harris: Our Texas counts are low enough that I think it’s safe to get out a bit more, especially while using a mask in crowded places. Note the USA count is up a tad today. I’d like to cut back on these mailouts, but I have more than a few physicians and health care workers who profess to find some of the information valuable. Often, I dig out tidbits a day or two earlier than some sources, although it has become increasingly difficult to beat The New York Times (who currently has a $1.00 per week subscription.)
(J. Harris: Absolutely wonderful, concise, readable summary of several medical articles and opinions from several notable physicians. This article includes reasonable predictions and therapies for the spring and summer. Don’t miss.)
FROM HOPKINS SELECTIONS:
Vaccines Protect Against Infection from Omicron Subvariant — But Not for Long (Nature) The Omicron subvariant BA.2 is replacing its sister version, BA.1, as the dominant form of SARS-CoV-2 in many countries, which has led scientists to wonder whether the COVID-19 pandemic is about to throw these regions into disarray yet again. But a study published on 13 March shows that mRNA vaccines offer a similar degree of protection against the two strains — although protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptomatic disease wanes within months of a third dose.
”…One big takeaway: In the era of Omicron and BA.2 — an even more infectious subvariant — vaccinating as many older people as possible should be the top priority…In Hong Kong, a fixation on “zero Covid” — shared with mainland China — meant that vaccination wasn’t a priority, and many older people fell prey to misinformation about the safety of the vaccines. Before Omicron surged, less than a quarter of people age 80 and over had been given two doses…That lesson is most pressing for China, where vaccination in older age groups appears to be lagging and there is little immunity from earlier infections. But it’s also important for the U.S., where subpar vaccination and booster rates in older people have left scientists concerned about a potential surge of BA.2 cases. More than a third of Americans 65 and over have not gotten a booster shot….However, scientists do not expect the U.S. to face nearly as serious a situation in the coming months as Hong Kong did, partly because so many more Americans were infected by the coronavirus during earlier waves [than were infected in China and Hong Kong].
”…This study did not report the proportion of type 1 or type 2 diabetes…In conclusion, we suggest that in the post-acute phase of the disease, people with COVID-19 exhibit increased risk and burden of diabetes, and antihyperglycaemic use. The risks and burdens were evident among those who were non-hospitalised during the acute phase of the infection and increased according to the severity of the acute infection as proxied by the care setting (non-hospitalised, hospitalised, and admitted to intensive care). Taken together, current evidence suggests that diabetes is a facet of the multifaceted long COVID syndrome and that post-acute care strategies of people with COVID-19 should include identification and management of diabetes.
(J. Harris: This increased risk of diabetes mellitus after Covid infection will be monitored and studies closely — it will give the endocrinologist something to do besides trying to figure out Covid).
AND LASTLY:
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”…Case numbers are still dropping nationally, but BA.2 accounts for a growing proportion of those infections, rising to almost one-quarter of new cases last week. The subvariant is estimated to be 30 to 50 percent more contagious than the previous version of Omicron, BA.1.
“…we’ll see a wave in the U.S. sooner than what most people expect,” said Kristian Andersen, a virologist at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif. He said that it could come as soon as April, or perhaps later in the spring or the early summer….
“There are lots of moving parts,” said David Dowdy, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University. “It’s really difficult to disentangle which of these is driving any given wave….Fewer than half of Americans who have received primary vaccine doses have taken booster shots, putting the United States in a more precarious position. Even though case numbers are so low, nearly 1,200 Americans on average are dying each day from Covid — a rate far higher than in Western Europe, where older people tend to have received vaccines and boosters in higher numbers….As time passes, two doses become less effective at preventing Omicron-related hospitalizations, British estimates suggest, whereas a booster dose restores protection to considerably higher levels…Adding to the alarm in the United States, this week a number of wastewater testing sites [have] showed drastic increases in viral levels on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map…”
”…China recorded 2,027 confirmed coronavirus cases on Sunday, with 1,947 local transmissions, including more than 1,000 in the hard-hit northeast province of Jilin, where the two Covid deaths were reported on Saturday. Jilin banned its 24 million residents from leaving the province or traveling between cities because of the surging case numbers there….”
(J. Harris: The infecting strain is the “Stealth” or BA.2 Omicron variant. The Chinese population will have little or no natural or vaccine acquired immunity to this strain, which is easily spread. It will be interesting and helpful to see if China’s isolation techniques work to control it. I’d bet not, but I hope I’m wrong.)
”…Since there are so many ethical concerns with challenge studies, the study was small, with only 36 participants chosen out of 26,000 volunteers. Among those exposed to the virus, only 18 developed COVID-19…Among those infected, researchers observed that the infection began extremely quickly—within two days of first exposure. Prior estimates of infection times ranged from five to six days from exposure…After becoming symptomatic, participants saw a spike in symptoms up to the fifth day of infection, at which point, virus counts began to fall. The virus was still detectable by a rapid test up to 12 days after symptom onset. With such a long period of viral presence, longer quarantine times may make sense. (Though, the way the virus works may change depending on the variant.)
”…36 volunteers aged 18-29 years without evidence of previous infection or vaccination were inoculated with 10 TCID50 of a wild-type virus (SARS-CoV-2/human/GBR/484861/2020) intranasally...There were no serious adverse events….”
AND LASTLY:
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”…This study found a low risk of myocarditis after a third dose of BNT162b2 in Israeli military recruits. The incidence was lower than observed a week after a second dose of the vaccine in a similar Israeli military population (5.07 per 100 000 vaccines).4 However, the myocarditis incidence for 18- to 24-year-old men was higher than observed for a US male population (5.243 per 100 000 vaccines).3
”…On Feb. 18, the New York State Department of Health announced it would not enforce the booster mandate for healthcare workers, citing concerns about potential staffing issues...
New York enforcement of the booster requirement was scheduled to take effect Feb. 21, but the state said Feb. 18 that it would reassess the mandate…
On March 17, the state reported that hospital workers and long-term staff have a completed vaccine series of 98 and 99 percent, respectively.
”University of Chicago researchers analyzed data on social determinants of health and COVID-19 mortality across 3,142 counties in 50 states from Jan. 22, 2020-Feb. 28, 2021. They found the lack of internet access was consistently linked to high COVID-19 mortality risk, regardless of other demographic factors such as age, education and insurance status.
”For every additional 1 percent of residents in a county who have internet access, it is estimated that between 2.4 and six COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people could be prevented, according to the study.
“We believe this finding suggests that more awareness is needed about the essential asset of technological access to reliable information, remote work, schooling opportunities, resource purchasing and/or social community,” the researchers wrote. “Populations with limited internet access remain understudied and are often excluded in pandemic research.”
”…Covid-19 was a largely preventable disease when omicron arrived, health experts said. And yet in the past three months, more than 150,000 people in the United States have died of it, the vast majority of them from underserved pockets of society…”
”…In this preliminary trial, we found that boosting with any of the three vaccines that are currently authorized for emergency use in the United States will stimulate an anamnestic response in persons who have previously received a primary series of any of these vaccines. Homologous boosting provided a wide range of immunogenicity responses, and heterologous boosting provided similar or higher levels. Reactogenicity and adverse events were similar across booster groups. These data suggest that an immune response will be generated for each of these vaccines used as a booster regardless of the primary Covid-19 vaccination regimen….”
(J. Harris: So in answer to the question about “mixing and matching” Covid boosters, this small Phase II study suggests that mixing vaccines might have some advantages, especially with Omicron Variants.)
”… new research suggests, millions have no intention of ending some pandemic behaviors even if the threat from the coronavirus and its variants were to fully subside…Roughly 13 percent of people in the study reported that they did not intend to change their protective behaviors, like avoiding elevators, mass transit and eating indoors at restaurants…The research was conducted by economists from Stanford University, the University of Chicago and ITAM, a think tank in Mexico. They used survey data comparing attitudes over the course of the last two years from about 5,000 people monthly, sampled from the total of 75,000 respondents for broader research on working and living habits in light of Covid…”
(J. Harris: I avoid airless places especially when crowded with people I don’t know in a region with a low vaccination rate and high new covid cases/100,000 population . When in doubt, wear a mask and keep some space — and don’t go if in doubt.)
AND LASTLY:
MOST PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE JUST HOW DIFFICULT IT CAN BE TO LOOK A NORWEGIAN WOMAN YEAR AFTER YEAR:
THE DEVIL MADE ME DO THIS — AGAIN:
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In a salute to the Oscar-winning music from the movies, Jefferson’s Opera House Theatre Players will present well-known percussionist and instructor, AnthonyRobinson, in a concert of some of the greatest songs ever composed for films.
The concert is fund-raiser for the thespian group now in the 33rd season andwill be held at the historic Union Baptist Church in Jefferson that was restored in recent years by Mr.Richard Collins of Dallas. It will begin at 5 pm on Sunday,March 27, the actual time of the Oscar ceremonies in Los Angeles.
Anthony Robinson is a graduate of Northwestern State University with a Bachelor Degree and of East Texas State University (now Texas A&M Commerce) with a Masters He also is a graduate of the First Sergeants Academy, Maxwell AFB.
He is the current Assistant Conductor/Principal Percussionist with the Marshall Sympathy Orchestras,a Percussionist with the Shreveport Symphony, a Percussion Specialist with the Springhill ISD, and a Section Percussionist with the Longview Symphony. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Percussion at East Texas Baptist University and following his retirement as head band director for the Marshall ISD, he frequently donates much of his time and talent to area nursing homes.
According to Robinson, most of his program will be the highly popular songs that were themes for movies of the past including “My Funny Valentine”, “My Heart Will Go On”, “Strangers in Paradise”,”Send In The Clowns” and a number of other famous songs. One song that will hopefully be featured is “If I Could Reach You” by Randy McNeill of Marshall, Texas who was also a Golden Globe Nominee. The song won an Oscar in 1972 and was featured in the movie “Butterflies Are Free” . Mr. McNeill and family members who still live in Marshall will be invited to attend.
Other additions to the concert will be a small exhibit of clothing worn by two stars of Hollywood. One is a beautiful purple velvet pantsuit that was owned by actress Rita Moreno, an Oscar winner who is currently up for another shot at the award. The other item is a glamorous peau de soie full length cape trimmed in fur that was worn in the movie “These Old Broads” by either Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, or Joan Collins.Both items are from The Marcia Collection of vintage clothing.
Tickets at $15 per person will be available at the door by 4:30 pm the day of the concert and open seating is available on the pews. Following the concert,the audience will be invited to the anti-room behind the church for wine, tea, canapes and to meet the entertainer. Photographs and autographs are also encouraged be allowed also.
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”…Moderna on Thursday requested emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for a fourth dose of its COVID-19 vaccine as a booster for people 18 and over — a broader request than Pfizer made days ago for its vaccine…”
1. Several former CDC Directors—representing 27 years, from 1990-2017—published an editorial in The Hill calling on the Congress to include provisions in the PREVENT Pandemics Act to “standardize and coordinate public health data” from the local to the national level. They draw a parallel to the National Weather Service, which relies on data gathered from a national network of radar sites and other local sources, even in the absence of a major storm or other weather event. They argue that the CDC needs the same capabilities to monitor for, identify, and respond to emerging outbreaks and epidemics. Efforts to modernize and coordinate US public health reporting systems are necessary for COVID-19 as well as a broad scope of existing and future threats.
2. PFIZER-BIONTECH VACCINE FOURTH DOSE On March 15, Pfizer and BioNTech submitted an application to the US FDA for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for a second booster dose of its SARS-CoV-2. The application is specifically limited to fully vaccinated adults aged 65 years and older who have already received a booster dose of any approved or authorized SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, and not for the broader public. The request is based primarily on data from Israel, where a fourth dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is available for a broader group of adults, including high-risk group such as individuals aged 60 years and older, individuals with compromised immune systems, healthcare workers, caregivers of high-risk individuals, and others who are at high risk of exposure because of their occupation. The Israeli data also include a non-randomized clinical trial of 154 adults aged 18 years and older who received a fourth dose, which showed an increased neutralizing antibody response (including against the Omicron variant), compared to individuals who received only 1 booster dose. Analysis of Israeli Ministry of Health records, which have not yet been peer-reviewed, was conducted while the Omicron variant was circulating widely, but additional data are needed to assess the duration of any increased protection. Additionally, it is unclear to what extent vaccine-induced protection against severe disease and hospitalization wanes over time.
Experts remain divided over the utility of administering additional doses of vaccine, with some advocating, instead, for a focus on developing vaccine candidates that could confer longer-duration protection or broader protection against future SARS-CoV-2 variants. To be sure, individual risk assessments remain an important factor in whether an additional booster dose is warranted, as some people, particularly those in the US who are immunocompromised, already are recommended to receive a fourth dose.
(J. Harris: If you are 65 or older or otherwise sickly, it seems like a good idea to get that 4th jab pdq. There will be more variants in the future. Fortunately, new vaccines are being manufactured with broader coverage for future use. However, “the future is now” for Covid.)
FROM JAMA
1. DOES TREATMENT WITH ACE INHIBITORS (BP MEDICINE) HELP IN THE TREATMENT OF COVID WITH LUNG INVOLVEMENT”
”…In this multicenter, blinded, and placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, 205 hospitalized participants with COVID-19 and acute lung injury not already using RAAS inhibitors were randomized to oral losartan at the maximum dose approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to test the hypothesis that AT1R blockade improves pulmonary function. Despite a moderate to severely ill cohort, well-matched baseline Pao2:Fio2 ratios, and pharmacologically relevant steady-state concentrations, we found no evidence that treatment with losartan improved lung injury or clinical outcomes, nor significantly affected major circulating RAAS components… It is important to note that we observed 2 potentially harmful effects of losartan on hemodynamics and kidney function….Not surprisingly, based on the mechanism of action, patients in the losartan group were more likely to require vasopressor support [medicine tor RAISE BP]. Furthermore, while the losartan group was more likely to meet acute kidney injury criteria by KDIGO, this finding may indicate expected physiologic changes in intraglomerular blood flow rather than actual tissue injury per se. Nevertheless, in the absence of benefit and potential for harm, we conclude losartan treatment is not indicated in this setting.[several other studies are mentioned in this short article]…”
(J. Harris: The AC Inhibitors and/or Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors are very commonly used medications for BP control. They are not expensive and work well. It would have been lovely if they have or had a protective or therapeutic effect with Covid. Many, many studies apparently are underway in the medical world using these drugs. To date, to my knowledge, none has been shown to be helpful in Covid treatment or prevention. Nevertheless, they are great for BP control, and I plan to continue taking mine unless my doctor tells me to stop.)
”…The Sisonke study, which was conducted during a period when both the delta and the beta variants of concern were circulating in South Africa, supports the real-world effectiveness of the single-dose Ad26.COV2.S COVID-19 vaccine [J + J VACCINE] in a large cohort of highly exposed health-care workers, many of whom have HIV. The vaccine was effective against severe outcomes, including COVID-19-related death (83%), COVID-19-related hospital admissions (67%), and COVID-19-related admission to CCUs or ICUs (75%). Most breakthrough infections in these highly exposed health-care workers were asymptomatic or mild, with less than 1% of health-care workers having a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection that resulted in hospitalisation or death…..This study was conducted during South Africa’s third and most deadly COVID-19 wave, and during the transition in dominance from one variant of concern (beta) to another (delta) up to 5 months after vaccination…Our study has important policy ramifications, especially for the sub-Saharan region, which has faced three variants of concern in quick succession, constrained access to effective vaccines against these variants, and logistical difficulties in rapidly scaling up delivery. We found that a single-dose vaccine provided good protection within 2–5 months after vaccination and this effectiveness was maintained with the emergence of a second variant of concern. Ad26.COV2.S remains an important vaccine in settings where alternative regimens impose cold-chain logistics or require people in remote areas or dependent on daily paid work to return for a second vaccination within a short timeframe. Single-dose regimens also offer an opportunity to move quickly and efficiently to protect susceptible populations. Real-world effectiveness studies have shown the loss of effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines over time. This loss in effectiveness could be attributed to waning immunity or the emergence of a new variant of concern. The Sisonke study will add critical information to the durability of the single-dose regimen. The recent addition of a booster to the Sisonke study, per a protocol amendment on Oct 25, 2021, will provide critical information on effectiveness of booster doses administered from 6 to 9 months after initial vaccination. For the world’s most unvaccinated region, this single-dose vaccine provides a robust, practical, and effective emergency solution to mitigate the worst effects of COVID-19….”
(J. Harris: So there is definitely a place for the Johnso and Johnson Vaccine, and recent evidence indicates significantly heightened immunity after a second jab.)
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