Daily Archives: August 4, 2022

It means we have environmental sampling data that can place the spillover event precisely in the southwestern corner of the Huanan market, and genetic testing of virus samples from the first patients to give us a date: around November 18, 2019, for the introduction of Lineage B, with Lineage A following a week or so later. After that, though, the trail runs cold.

The researchers know which animals were being sold in the market in late 2019, and which ones were susceptible to coronaviruses, but they dont have the smoking gun. They dont have samples from animals that had the virus. Thats what theyd like to have, and theyd like to be able to trace those animals back to the farms from which they came and see whether people in those farms had been exposed to the virus or viruses, says Jonathan Stoye, a virologist at the Francis Crick Institute in the UK, who was not involved in the research.

Thats unlikely to be possible. There are theories on how infected animals may have reached the market: Wuhan is in Hubei province, and to the west of the region there are caves that are home to horseshoe bats, close to farms that once housed millions of raccoon dogs and civets. The most likely course of events is something like: A bat infected with a novel coronavirus flies over a farm where animals are being reared for meat. It poops, and viral particles infect one of the animals below, sparking an unseen wave of infections at the farm. Maybe the virus crosses over to the farmworkers but fizzles out because theres not enough population density to sustain a human epidemic. Days or weeks later, in November 2019, some of the infected animals are shipped to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, where theyre sold at stalls in the southwestern corner. The virus crosses over to humans at least eight times, maybe more. The majority of those infections fizzle out without spreading to anyone else, but two take hold, start to spread. Not long after that, dozens of people in the area start to come down with a mysterious viral pneumonia.

But the animal or animals that carried coronavirus are almost certainly long dead: shipped off and sold for meat, or killed in one of the mass culls that took place in early 2020 as the Chinese authorities clamped down on the live animal trade. It is very possible that we will never have that sample, that we may have missed our opportunity, says Worobey.

But there are still leads to follow: tracing the supply chains for the stalls in the southwestern corner of Huanan market and finding out which farms supplied them; poring over the paperwork from the culls to find out where the animals from that farm were buried; exhuming the animals and sequencing their DNA to look for remnants of a coronavirus that looks almost identical to SARS-CoV-2.

It will need patient work and international cooperation in a difficult environmentbut it could be the only way to stop the next pandemic. These things are not impossible, Worobey says. So lets look at all the options. Lets connect every single possible dot that we can.

Image updated on 8/4/22 at 11:17AM PST to include the Wuhan Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market.

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The Origins of Covid-19 Are More Complicated Than Once Thought - WIRED

Since early July, Virginias COVID-19 case counts have remained relatively stable, with an average of around 3,000 new infections reported every day. But over the same time period, hospitalizations have risen, with more than 800 inpatients as of Wednesday, according to data from the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association.

The discrepancy, experts say, can be chalked up to data limitations. In a recent report, researchers with the University of Virginias Biocomplexity Institute wrote that the states current case rates are similar to those seen during last falls delta wave, which threatened to overwhelm local hospital systems. Detecting those cases, however, has become much more challenging.

In some ways, we might be revisiting early stages of the pandemic where all were observing is severe COVID, said Bryan Lewis, a computational epidemiologist on the Biocomplexity Institutes research team. People who end up going to the hospital are the only ones who end up getting confirmed.

Thats largely because testing, once in extremely limited supply, has become easily accessible to most Virginians. Rather than seeking out more sensitive PCR tests from pharmacies and local health department events, most patients with symptoms are relying on at-home antigen tests, whose results typically arent reported back to the Virginia Department of Health. And as pandemic fatigue sets in for more and more people, many arent testing at all, said Dr. Akira Shishido, an infectious disease specialist for VCU Health.

Like other public health experts, he said the lack of clarity around rising case rates has made it more challenging to offer guidance as the pandemic approaches its third year. Currently, the Biocomplexity Institute estimates that there are roughly 16 coronavirus infections for every reported case in Virginia, given the rise of highly infectious subvariants and the decline in test results reported to VDH. If thats true, it would put the states current infection rate closer to levels seen during the winter omicron surge.

Unlike this past winter, though, most Virginians arent taking the same health precautions. The states COVID-19 state of emergency expired last summer along with previous requirements for indoor masking and social distancing in public spaces. And after Gov. Glenn Youngkins successful push to repeal mandatory masking policies in schools, students and parents are expecting a mixed approach to face coverings at the start of the year. With community transmission already high in 55 of the states 133 localities and cases rising in most local health districts some providers say theyre worried about the coming fall and winter.

We still have circulating COVID, and I think well still see some people being admitted with severe COVID pneumonia, said Dr. Kyle Enfield, the medical director of UVA Healths medical intensive care unit. People are making the choice to not get vaccinated and not wear masks. And I think that will be compounded by a larger spread of other respiratory viruses that seemed to have decreased back when masks and social distancing were common.

Thats not to say there isnt a bright side to the current stage of the pandemic. Enfield emphasized that if hospitals do feel strained over the colder months, it will likely be due to a combination of cases that includes flu and possibly even monkeypox, an emerging virus thats spreading in Virginia and across the country. And theres evidence that omicron subvariants, while highly transmissible, are causing less severe disease, bolstered by growing population immunity.

Even as COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations rise across the state, Lewis pointed out that ICU admissions have remained relatively low, indicating that fewer people are developing severe illness from the virus. COVID-19 deaths have also sharply declined since mid-January, and theres evidence that vaccines and previous infections convey lasting protection against the worst outcomes.

At this point, so many Virginians have some degree of immunity against COVID-19 that its unlikely the state will experience the same rates of hospitalizations and deaths that occurred during last winters omicron surge, according to Lewis. Still, he said its unnerving to see hundreds of patients admitted for the virus every week.

Its pretty incredible were still generating a fair number of hospitalizations, Lewis added. Yeah, its not as horrible as the catastrophes that have happened a couple of times during this pandemic, but you just dont see that with other infectious agents, even during the worst flu seasons.

Thats why public health experts are still encouraging caution, especially in anticipation of cooler weather and more indoor gatherings. Shishido said the chance of reinfection is substantial even for those who have been vaccinated, boosted and previously infected with COVID, largely thanks to the antibody-evading capabilities of omicron subvariants.

Luckily, he said, vaccines still generate a type of protection known as cell-mediated immunity, which provides strong protection against hospitalization and death even in the case of breakthrough infections. But while severe outcomes are unlikely for immunized Virginians, Lewis cautioned theres limited information on the effect of repeated COVID-19 infections or long-lasting symptoms.

Long COVID is something we dont fully understand and is messing people up pretty badly, he said. Were finding a lot of studies out there where a fair portion of people were talking 20 or 30% of people, even young people were still reporting symptoms like shortness of breath, the loss of taste and smell, even six to nine months out.

Enfield said that unvaccinated and partially vaccinated Virginians are still driving hospital admissions at UVA, a trend borne out by national data (the Virginia Department of Health no longer reports cases and deaths by vaccination status). But he also warned that high community transmission increases the risk of spreading COVID-19 to more vulnerable populations including immunocompromised and elderly patients, who are still at risk of worse outcomes even if theyre fully vaccinated.

High infection rates also mean the virus will continue to mutate, and public health experts still worry an even more dangerous variant could emerge in the future. Thats unlikely, according to Shishido, given that the most successful viruses are typically highly infectious without killing their hosts. But like other doctors, he encouraged Virginians to avoid unnecessary risks.

The hard thing is, the public health measures we were pushing a year ago are the same things we want people to be doing now.

Dr. Kyle Enfield, medical director of UVA Healths medical intensive care unit

For Shishido, that means masking indoors and making use of COVID-19 therapies including Paxlovid, an antiviral pill for high-risk patients, and Evusheld, an experimental medication that can lower the risk of infection for immunocompromised patients. Enfield said people should continue to limit the size and number of social gatherings they attend, particularly if theyre regularly in contact with more vulnerable groups.

He also encouraged anyone with COVID-19 symptoms to seek confirmatory PCR testing if their antigen test results are negative given the lower sensitivity of most at-home tests. And like Shishido and Lewis, Enfield strongly encouraged Virginians to take advantage of upcoming COVID-19 boosters, which will be reformulated to offer better protection against omicron subvariants.

We know people can get reinfected with COVID even after a natural infection, and that immunity wanes over time and might not be as good as some of the vaccines, he said. So I would stress that vaccines are still in everyones best interest.

The hard thing is, the public health measures we were pushing a year ago are the same things we want people to be doing now, Enfield added. I know were at a point where people want to fully relax, but were really just not at a point where thats the right thing to do.

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Data limitations are making it harder to detect when COVID-19 is surging in Virginia - Virginia Mercury

The BidenHarris Administration is committed to helping people across America affected by Long COVID. In April, President Joe Biden issued a Memorandum on Addressing the Long-Term Effects of COVID-19, which called for the creation of two reports. Within 120 days, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), leading a whole-of-government response, developed two reports that together, pave an actionable path forward to address Long COVID and associated conditions.

The National Research Action Plan on Long COVID details advances in current research and charts a course for future study to better understand prevention and treatment of Long COVID. The Services and Supports for Longer-Term Impacts of COVID-19 report highlights resources for health care workers, and those effected by broader effects of COVID-19, including not only Long COVID but also effects on mental health and substance use, and loss of caregivers and loved ones.

Long COVID can hinder an individuals ability to work, attend school, participate in community life, and engage in everyday activities, said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. As our nation continues to make strides in the fight against COVID-19, these reports are critical to shine a light on Long COVIDs impact and how to match people to resources.

The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to combating and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with the full capacity of the federal government, said HHS Assistant Secretary for Health ADM Rachel Levine. "These initial reports are an important step as HHS continues to accelerate research and programmatic support to address the consequences of the pandemic and work across sectors to ensure no one is left behind as we continue to build a healthier future.

People with Long COVID have disease symptoms that persist for weeks or months after acute COVID-19 infection. It remains difficult to measure precisely, but an estimated 7.7 to 23 million Americans have developed Long COVID, and roughly one million people may be out of the workforce at any given time due to the conditionequivalent to about $50 billion in lost earnings annually.

The National Research Action Plan on Long COVID (the Research Plan), created in coordination with 14 government departments and agencies, introduces the first U.S. governmentwide national research agenda focused on advancing prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and provision of services and supports for individuals and families experiencing Long COVID.

The Research Plan stresses four guiding principles to govern federal government data analysis work: health equity, accelerating and expanding current research, orienting the research effort to improve patient care, and partner engagement. The plan demonstrates innovation in early achievements and highlights the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors to advance prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and provision of health care, public health, and human services for individuals experiencing Long COVID.

The Services and Supports for Longer-Term Impacts of COVID-19 Report (Services Report) outlines federal services available to the American public to address longer-term effects of COVID-19, including Long COVID and related conditions, as well as other impacts on individuals and families. It provides valuable information in three key areas:

Federal departments will continue to engage with partners, including state and local governments, on the scope and accessibility of these services to meet the needs of individuals. Engagement of nongovernmental experts, organizations, and stakeholders, including individuals affected directly by the longer-term effects of COVID-19, has played an essential role in shaping the governments response to COVID-19 and Long COVID, including the development of these reports.

As we learn more about Long COVID, the best protection remains to prevent COVID-19 in the first place by following basic public health interventions, including getting vaccinated, boosted, and wearing a mask indoors in public where the COVID-19 community level is high.

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BidenHarris Administration Releases Two New Reports on Long COVID to Support Patients and Further Research - HHS.gov

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of August 3, 2022, there are currently 3,166 active COVID-19 cases statewide. There have been six deaths reported since the last report, with a total of 7,169 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a 65-year old female from Hardy County, an 86-year old male from Marshall County, a 74-year old male from Jackson County, a 51-year old male from Mercer County, an 86-year old male from Kanawha County, and an 85-year old female from Braxton County.

We extend our deepest sympathies to all grieving the loss of their loved ones, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. Please schedule a COVID-19 vaccine or booster today to protect yourself and those around you.

CURRENT ACTIVE CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (51), Berkeley (169), Boone (60), Braxton (14), Brooke (27), Cabell (158), Calhoun (8), Clay (8), Doddridge (8), Fayette (94), Gilmer (11), Grant (17), Greenbrier (70), Hampshire (32), Hancock (32), Hardy (41), Harrison (119), Jackson (36), Jefferson (80), Kanawha (288), Lewis (21), Lincoln (44), Logan (82), Marion (106), Marshall (59), Mason (51), McDowell (50), Mercer (152), Mineral (34), Mingo (47), Monongalia (128), Monroe (38), Morgan (16), Nicholas (44), Ohio (68), Pendleton (3), Pleasants (9), Pocahontas (12), Preston (26), Putnam (110), Raleigh (204), Randolph (25), Ritchie (16), Roane (38), Summers (27), Taylor (28), Tucker (10), Tyler (12), Upshur (40), Wayne (55), Webster (19), Wetzel (12), Wirt (11), Wood (194), Wyoming (52). To find the cumulative cases per county, please visit coronavirus.wv.gov and look on the Cumulative Summary tab which is sortable by county.

West Virginians ages 6 months and older are recommended to get vaccinated against the virus that causes COVID-19. Those 5 years and older should receive a booster shot when due. Second booster shots for those age 50 and over who are 4 months or greater from their first booster are recommended, as well as for younger individuals over 12 years old with serious and chronic health conditions that lead to being considered moderately to severely immunocompromised.

Visit the WV COVID-19 Vaccination Due Date Calculator, a free, online tool that helps individuals figure out when they may be due for a COVID-19 shot, making it easier to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccination. To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines, or to find a vaccine site near you, visit vaccinate.wv.gov or call 1-833-734-0965.

To locate COVID-19 testing near you, please visit https://dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/pages/testing.aspx.

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COVID-19 Daily Update 8-3-2022 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

Colorado recorded an uptick in deaths related to COVID-19 and overdoses in 2021, according to data newly finalized from the state health department.

The big picture: The death rate in 2021 didn't improve since hitting a record high in 2020.Health experts blame people not getting vaccinated and soaring fentanyl use for the elevated figures.

By the numbers: The three leading causes of death in 2021 were heart disease, cancer and COVID-19.

What to watch: Whether we see a surge in COVID-19 deaths this year may depend on how quickly vaccines are retooled to fight the latest variants, and how quickly people get them (if they even do so).

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COVID-19 and overdoses drove Colorado's death rate in 2021 - Axios

By the numbers

Q3 revenue: $4.64B

0.7% year-over-year increase on a reported basis

Base revenue: $4.57B

6% year-over-year increase

COVID-19 testing revenue: $76M

75% year-over-year decrease

Q3 trends: Becton Dickinsons third quarter revenue was relatively flat compared to 2021 as growth in its base business was offset by a 75% year-over-year drop in COVID-19 testing sales. CEO Tom Polen said on a Thursday earnings call that the company was affected by many of the same challenges the industry is managing inflation, supply chain constraints, healthcare staff shortages and rising labor costs, China slowdown but its base business was still able to grow over last years quarter.

Stifel analysts wrote in a Thursday note that BDs $4.64 billion in revenue last quarter beat the investment firms estimate by about $170 million driven in part by incremental Covid testing sales, but also strong all-around performance from nearly every other business line.

COVID-19 testing: While coronavirus testing revenue declined year over year by about $224 million last quarter, sales still beat analyst expectations, according to J.P. Morgan. The analysts wrote in a Thursday note that BDs $76 million of sales came in ahead by about $44 million. The company expects stronger COVID-19 sales for the full year, increasing its forecast by about $50 million to a total of $500 million.

Still, the testing demand slowdown is expected to continue for the remainder of its fiscal year and into 2023. CFO Christopher DelOrefice said that the COVID-19 testing revenue will drop to $25 million next quarter, and the business in BDs fiscal year 2023 will be significantly below 2022. DelOrefice said that approximately $25 million in quarterly sales is likely to be where future quarters fall. So far this year, COVID-19 testing revenue totals about $475 million.

2022 revenue forecast: BD increased its full-year revenue forecast to a range of $18.75 billion to $18.83 billion compared to $18.5 billion to $18.7 billion previously announced. The base business forecast was increased by $215 million at the midpoint.

The companys stock price was up over 2% to $250.15 Thursday morning.

China recovery: Polen told investors that a slowdown in China due to restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus continued into BDs third quarter, but the market rebounded faster than expected, with a strong recovery in June. Beyond the recovery of hospital patient flow, we initiated several actions to continue manufacturing and keep warehousing largely operational by working closely with our stakeholders in China, Polen said.

2023 trends: DelOrefice said that macroeconomic challenges are expected to continue in its fiscal year 2023, which typically begins in October. But the CFO added that the economic challenges are not expected to get worse next year and some may improve in the second half, such as the current complexity and challenges with the supply chain.

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BD's base business growth in Q3 offset by drop in COVID-19 testing - MedTech Dive

Pregnancy is a really exciting time, to be sure. But lets be real: It can also be stressful especially during this era of COVID-19.

Pregnant people are one of several groups at a higher risk of becoming very ill from COVID-19. COVID-19 can also lead to serious pregnancy complications as well.

The good news is that the COVID-19 vaccine can protect against severe illness and complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that anyone who is pregnant, breastfeeding, or plans to become pregnant get a COVID-19 vaccine and booster.

Getting vaccinated during pregnancy may feel intimidating, but were here to help. Keep reading as we go over eight facts about the COVID-19 vaccine that are backed by research.

According to the CDC, if youre pregnant, you have a higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19. This can include things like:

Thats not all, though: COVID-19 can also have serious consequences for your pregnancy. Thats because if you get COVID-19 while pregnant, you have a higher risk of pregnancy complications.

A March 2022 review of research notes that various studies have found that getting COVID-19 while pregnant is associated with an increased risk of:

Vaccination can go a long way in helping prevent these complications.

Lets get a big concern out of the way next: COVID-19 vaccines are indeed safe and effective during pregnancy.

Since the COVID-19 vaccines have been available, many studies have supported this. Were not going to cover each one of them here (that would take all day), but lets explore what some of them say.

Researchers in a 2021 study looked at the effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in pregnant women. They compared 7,530 vaccinated pregnant women and 7,530 unvaccinated pregnant women.

Overall, researchers found vaccinated women had a significantly lower risk of contracting the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 than their unvaccinated counterparts.

Further, none of the vaccinated women reported serious side effects from vaccination. The most common side effects were similar to those seen in the general population and included:

Vaccines work by introducing your immune system to a germ. Your immune system crafts a response, which includes antibodies, to the vaccine. Your immune system can then call upon this response to protect you from the actual germ in the future.

Another bit of good news is that pregnant people appear to make the same immune response to COVID-19 vaccination as nonpregnant people.

In a 2021 study, researchers compared immune responses in 131 pregnant, lactating, or nonpregnant women. They found the levels of antibodies made in response to vaccination were similar between all three groups. Side effects were also similar in all groups.

And theres more: Antibody levels made in response to vaccination during pregnancy were higher than the antibodies made from infection during pregnancy.

Despite the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy, vaccination in this group is still low compared with the general population.

For example, a January 2022 study in Scotland found that in October 2021, only 32.3% of women giving birth had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, compared with 77.4% of the total female population.

A 2021 study found that out of a group of 1,328 pregnant women, less than one-third got the COVID-19 vaccine when it was offered to them. Vaccinated women still had similar pregnancy outcomes to those who were not vaccinated.

Raising vaccine coverage is vital for preventing severe illness and complications during pregnancy. However, concerns about the vaccine and its potential effects have made people hesitant. Lets explore some of these concerns next.

One concern about the COVID-19 vaccine is whether it increases the risk of miscarriage. Research says this isnt the case.

A 2021 research letter outlines a study on this topic. For the study, researchers used the Vaccine Safety Datalink database to analyze COVID-19 vaccines and miscarriage rates. Data from about 3% of the U.S. population is included in this database.

Researchers found 105,446 unique pregnancies, 92,286 of which were ongoing and 13,160 of which resulted in miscarriage. All three COVID-19 vaccines used in the United States were represented within this large group.

Researchers wanted to see whether COVID-19 vaccines were linked with miscarriage. They were specifically looking to see whether people who had a miscarriage were more likely to have received a COVID-19 vaccine in the past 28 days.

This isnt what they found. Instead, researchers saw that, compared with those with ongoing pregnancies, women who had a miscarriage were not more likely to have received a COVID-19 vaccine in the previous 28 days.

COVID-19 vaccination is also not associated with birth and delivery complications.

Researchers in a March 2022 study reviewed data from a population-based survey. Among a group of 97,590 pregnant people, 22,660 (23%) had gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine during their pregnancy.

Researchers compared people who were vaccinated during their pregnancy to those who got vaccinated after their pregnancy. They found that vaccination during pregnancy did not lead to a significantly increased risk of:

Another large March 2022 study also supports these findings. This study used data from 157,521 deliveries of single babies (no twins, triplets, etc.) in Sweden and Norway.

Within this group, 28,506 pregnancies (18%) included COVID-19 vaccination at some point during pregnancy. Compared with pregnancies in which no COVID-19 vaccine was given, researchers found that among the pregnancies with vaccination, there was no increased risk of:

If youre not yet pregnant but plan to be in the near future, you may wonder whether the COVID-19 vaccine could affect your fertility. According to the CDC, theres currently no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause fertility issues.

Research supports this statement. A January 2022 study included 2,126 self-identified female participants ages 21 through 45 who were trying to get pregnant. Participants completed surveys every 8 weeks about:

After analyzing the data, researchers concluded that COVID-19 vaccination was not associated with long-term decreased fertility in either females or males.

But researchers did find that getting COVID-19 itself was associated with a potential temporary decline in male fertility for about 60 days.

Now that weve debunked the main concerns about COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, lets take a look at some of the benefits that vaccination may give your baby.

Antibodies that your body makes after vaccination can be passed to your baby through the placenta. These antibodies can go on to protect them when theyre particularly vulnerable to germs in the months after birth.

A June 2022 study included 21,643 babies, 9,739 (45%) of whom were born to mothers who had gotten their second or third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy.

Researchers found these babies had a lower risk of having a positive COVID-19 test within 4 months of birth. This finding persisted during both the Delta and Omicron coronavirus variant waves, although protection was stronger against Delta.

A February 2022 study included 379 hospitalized babies; 176 of them had COVID-19 and the other 203 babies were hospitalized for other reasons.

Researchers wanted to see how effective maternal vaccination was at preventing COVID-19 hospitalization of a baby within their first 6 months of life. Using this parameter, researchers found that vaccine effectiveness was:

How long does this protection last, though? Researchers aimed to find this out.

According to a February 2022 research letter, experts compared antibody levels in babies whose mothers had either been vaccinated against COVID-19 during pregnancy or who had actually had COVID-19 during pregnancy.

Overall, researchers found that antibody levels in babies whose mothers had been vaccinated against COVID-19 while pregnant stuck around for longer.

Six months after birth, 57% of babies born to vaccinated mothers still had detectable antibodies. Only 8% of babies whose mothers had COVID-19 during pregnancy had detectable antibodies.

Its known that breastfeeding parents pass antibodies to their babies through breast milk. These antibodies can help protect a baby from various germs.

Antibodies made in response to COVID-19 vaccination have been detected in breast milk. Lets look at a research letter about a 2021 study that discussed this.

The study included 84 breastfeeding mothers who provided 504 breast milk samples over the course of the study. After getting the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, participants were followed up weekly for 6 weeks.

Researchers looked for two types of antibodies to COVID-19 called IgA and IgG. IgA is found earlier in the immune response. IgG appears later.

They found the amount of breast milk samples with IgA rose early after vaccination. They peaked at week 4 (1 week after the second dose) before beginning to drop at week 6.

Few breast milk samples contained IgG after the first vaccine dose. However, by weeks 4 and 6, more than 90% of breast milk samples had detectable IgG.

This all sounds great, right? There are some caveats: The number of participants was small, and its unknown how long these antibodies last or the strength of protection they provide to a baby. More research will help find these things out, though.

The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective during pregnancy. Its vital for preventing serious illness and pregnancy complications from COVID-19.

The COVID-19 vaccine has not been associated with an increased risk of infertility, miscarriage, or other pregnancy and delivery complications.

In fact, vaccinated pregnant people can pass antibodies to their baby both through the placenta and breast milk. These antibodies can continue to protect babies after theyre born.

The COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for all people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to get pregnant. If you ever have questions or concerns about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, be sure to raise them with your doctor or another healthcare professional.

Read more:

8 Facts You Need to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccine & Pregnancy - Healthline

Governor Mills proposed and the Legislature approved the payments as part of bipartisan budget to help facilities recover from the pandemic

Governor Janet Mills announced today that her Administration has issued $25 million in one-time COVID-19 payments to 211 long-term care organizations to help them recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Mills proposed the MaineCare (Medicaid) payments in her supplemental budget that was passed by the Legislature on a bipartisan basis. Additionally, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is increasing flexibility in the use of these and related funds, such as for fuel and other costs related to global inflation.

Long-term care facilities provide critical services for Maine people, and they are still feeling the impacts of the pandemic challenges that have only been made more difficult by inflation, said Governor Janet Mills. I am proud the Legislature supported my proposal to provide additional funding, and I am pleased we are getting these resources into the hands of our caregivers quickly so they can continue to do their important work it could not come at a better time.

This injection of funding will help long-term care facilities offset unexpectedly high costs such as contract staff, food, and other pandemic-related expenses,said Jeanne Lambrew, Commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services. The grants are part of unprecedented support for these facilities that not only recognizes their critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic but reflects Governor Mills commitment to making high-quality long-term services and supports affordable and accessible for Maine residents.

Today's announcement is welcome news as Maine's long-term care facilities and their dedicated caregivers continue to feel the impact of COVID-19, said Angela Westhoff, President and CEO of the Maine Health Care Association.Weappreciate Governor Mills' recognition of the persistent strain on providers and are thankful that additional resources are being distributed. We are also pleased with the Administrations response to our request for greater flexibility in the use of these funds with respect to labor costs, as our members persevere toprovide care tothousands of vulnerable Maine citizens each day.

The 211 organizations receiving grants represent 272 service locations throughout the state. The $25 million will be distributed proportionally based on each facilitys 2019 MaineCare revenue and total MaineCare bed days in 2021. For facilities that received little to no MaineCare revenue in 2019, the Department will use revenue from a more recent 12-month period to determine distribution of the supplemental payment amounts by facility.

The Department is also informing long-term care facilities about greater flexibility on the uses of one-time funding to help them recover from the pandemic and combat rising costs associated with inflation. This includes addressing pandemic-related cost increases of hiring and retaining staff and higher expenses, such as for food, fuel, and energy bills. This flexibility applies to the new $25 million announced today as well as to any remaining funds from last years $123 million one-time COVID-19 supplemental payments to nursing facilities, residential care facilities, and adult family care homes.

These payments build on the Mills Administrations historic financial and operational support for nursing facilities, which includes:

This is in addition to at least $50 million in financial relief distributed directly by the Federal government to nursing facilities across Maine.

Pandemic Support: Since the beginning of the pandemic, nursing facilities have submitted and received over 330,000 COVID-19 test results from Maines Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory and these facilities have also placed over 6,400 personal protective equipment (PPE) requests and received over 2.1 million pieces of PPE. Since January 2021, the Department has used over $2 million in Federal funds to support 23,910 hours of emergency nurse and related staffing to nearly one-third of Maine long-term care facilities to support care for residents during the pandemic.

Workforce Training: Recognizing the need to address the workforce challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Mills included $20 million in theMaine Jobs and Recovery Planto support health care workforce training. This includes scholarships and student loan relief to enable more people to become behavioral health specialists, long term support workers, emergency medical services staff, and other health professionals. The Jobs Plan additionally supports marketing campaigns aimed at promoting health care careers in Maine andHealthcare Training for ME, a program to expand the availability of free and low-cost career training to help health care workers advance their careers, support workforce training needs of health care employers, and attract new workers to fast-growing fields. The Jobs Plan is also supporting the Caring for ME campaign to educate and encourage residents to become direct care providers.

Cabinet on Aging: Governor Mills established the Cabinet on Aging on June 13, 2022 to help Maine prepare for and address demographic changes by advancing policies that will support Maine people in aging safely, affordably, and in ways and settings that best serve their needs. The Cabinet will bring together State government agencies to improve coordination and to accelerate action. It held its first meeting on July 28 and is likely to consider reforms to long-term services and supports in Maine.

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People with HIV remain at higher risk of dying after being admitted to hospital with COVID-19 and have not experienced the same decline in COVID-related mortality as HIV-negative people during the Omicron wave of the pandemic, a research team from the World Health Organization (WHO) reported this week at the 24th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2022).

At last years IAS Conference on HIV Science, the same team presented results of a global analysis of data submitted to the WHO Global Clinical Platform on COVID-19, showing that people with HIV were more likely to be admitted to hospital with COVID-19 and 30% more likely to die after admission for COVID-19.

The updated study presented this week analysed further data submitted to the clinical platform from 50 countries on people hospitalised with COVID-19 from the beginning of the pandemic to May 2022. Data on HIV status of hospitalised patients was available for 42 countries, covering 362,841 people. Just over 8% (29,530) were living with HIV. Ninety-six per cent of the data on people with HIV came from Africa, predominantly from South Africa. This study was not able to collect data on vaccination status or previous COVID-19 illness, so it is not possible to say what effect they had on outcomes.

The presence of one or more additional health conditions at the same time as a primary condition (such as HIV).

A group of diseases characterized by high levels of blood sugar (glucose). Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body fails to produce insulin, which is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body either does not produce enough insulin or does not use insulin normally (insulin resistance). Common symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, unusual thirst and extreme hunger. Some antiretroviral drugs may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

A drug that acts against a virus or viruses.

When blood pressure (the force of blood pushing against the arteries) is consistently too high. Raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, cognitive impairment, sight problems and erectile dysfunction.

Several symptoms were more common in people with HIV compared to HIV-negative people. In order of frequency, fever (66%), shortness of breath (59%), fatigue (41%), headache (31%), chest pains (27%), loss of smell (25%) and muscle ache (19%) were more common in people with HIV than HIV-negative people. However, cough was somewhat less frequent in people with HIV (47%) than in HIV-negative people (53%).

Underlying health conditions were more common in people with HIV than HIV-negative people. Fifty-nine per cent of people with HIV who were hospitalised had at least one underlying health condition compared to 45% of HIV-negative people (p<0.001), most commonly hypertension (30%), obesity (29%), tuberculosis (27%) and diabetes (19%). With the exception of tuberculosis, which was much less common in HIV-negative people (2%), the prevalence of underlying conditions was similar in HIV-negative people. Seven per cent of people with HIV had at least three underlying health conditions.

In the updated analysis, people with HIV had a 51% increased risk of dying after admission to hospital with COVID-19, a slightly higher rate than reported previously.

Analysis by CD4 count (above or below 200) and viral load (above or below 1000) showed that having a CD4 count below 200 and a viral load above 1000 doubled the risk of dying after admission to hospital after adjusting for age, gender and co-morbidities (adjusted hazard ratio 1.96, 95% CI 1.81-2.12) when compared to HIV-negative people. People with HIV with CD4 counts below 200 and suppressed viral load (<1000 copies/ml) had a 62% higher risk (aHR 1.62, 95% CI 1.52-1.73) of dying.

A CD4 count above 200 and an unsuppressed viral load was associated with a 29% increase in the risk of dying while a CD4 count above 200 and a suppressed viral load was associated with a 12% increased risk of dying.

"The study findings emphasise the importance of promoting vaccination to people with HIV."

The WHO researchers also looked at changes in death rates over time. In 2020, during the Alpha and Beta variant waves of the pandemic, 24% of people with HIV and 21% of HIV-negative people died after hospitalisation with COVID-19. Death rates were similar in 2021 too, when Alpha, Beta and Delta variants predominated (24% and 22%, respectively). But in 2022, as the Omicron variant replaced previous variants, death rates diverged. Whereas the death rate after hospitalisation fell to 8% in the year to date in HIV-negative people, the death rate remains close to 20% in people with HIV (19.8%).

When they compared death rates between the Delta wave (August to October 2021) and the Omicron wave (November 2021 to May 2022) in South Africa, the researchers found that whereas people with HIV were 55% more likely to die during the Delta wave (aHR 1.55), they were more than twice as likely to die during the Omicron wave (aHR 2.47).

Dr Silvia Bertagnolio of WHO said that the continuing high death rate in people with HIV is also likely to reflect low vaccination coverage in the country contributing most of the data. By the end of 2021, 27% of South Africans had been vaccinated against COVID-19 and coverage is now estimated to have reached 32%. Bertagnolio said that vaccine coverage is still unacceptably low in sub-Saharan Africa, where 18% of the population have been vaccinated compared to a global average of 62%.

She said the study findings emphasise the importance of improving access to vaccination, promoting vaccination to people with HIV and making COVID-19 antiviral medication available for people with HIV to reduce the risk of severe outcomes.

She also stressed the importance of minimising exposure to COVID-19 among people with HIV, especially people with CD4 counts below 200 or co-morbidities, as well as ensuring uninterrupted antiretroviral treatment.

Preliminary results from the Ubuntu study of mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in South Africa, presented as a late breaker on the final day of AIDS 2022, reinforced the importance of minimising SARS-CoV-2 exposure in people with HIV.

Baseline screening results of the study, in which participants were tested for the virus before vaccination, showed that 31% of study participants screened during November and December 2021 at the beginning of the Omicron variant wave had positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests.

Between November 2021 and July 2022, 8% of people with HIV with no prior SARS-CoV-2 had asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 at baseline. The risk of asymptomatic infection was higher in people without a prior history of SARS-CoV-2.

People with HIV with lower CD4 counts were at higher risk of being diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 at baseline after adjusting for prior exposure, sex assigned at birth and temporal trend. Every tenfold reduction in CD4 count was associated with a doubling in the risk of a positive result. A person with a CD4 count of 50 had an approximately 50% probability of testing positive at baseline screening in December 2021 compared to a 25% probability in people with CD4 counts around 500.

References

Bertagnolio S et al. Are people living with HIV at higher risk of severe and fatal COVID-19? 24th International AIDs Conference, Montreal, abstract OAB0404, 2022.

View the abstract on the conference website.

Tapley A et al. High prevalence of asymptomatic Omicron carriage and correlation with CD4+ T cell count among adults with HIV enrolling in COVPN 3008 Ubuntu clinical trial in sub-Saharan Africa. 24th International AIDs Conference, Montreal, abstract OALBC0102, 2022.

View the abstract on the conference website.

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People with HIV still at higher risk of death from COVID-19 in Omicron wave - aidsmap