Category Archives: Corona Virus

Each week, we answer frequently asked questions about life during the coronavirus crisis. If you have a question you'd like us to consider for a future post, email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions." See an archive of our FAQs here.

One of the most frightening aspects of COVID-19 now seems to be the potential that symptoms could linger after an infection. What is my risk of having long COVID-19 if I become infected? And does being vaccinated change that?

Over the past year, a flurry of research has been published about long COVID-19. Dozens of these studies try to estimate the risk of having lingering symptoms months after a coronavirus infection.

But when you look closely at the data, a huge inconsistency emerges: The estimates of the prevalence of long COVID-19 range wildly, from less than 5% to nearly 60% of total COVID-19 cases. So what's going on?

"It can be really confusing, even to scientists," says Christina Pagel, who directs the Clinical Operational Research Unit at University College London.

One of the major problems is with this term "long COVID-19." What scientists, doctors and the media have been calling "long COVID-19" isn't just one disease or disorder. "It's looking like what has been grouped together as 'long COVID' is actually two or three different groups of disorders," Pagel says.

Each one of those disorders may have a particular set of symptoms and causes. Some affect populations differently than others do or linger for a different period of time.

Many of the early studies focused primarily on people who have been hospitalized with COVID-19. "Obviously, these people will have more severe illnesses," says geriatrician Claire Steves at King's College London. Some people spend time in the intensive care unit or on a ventilator.

With this severe illness comes a high risk of organ damage, either because of the virus itself or the body's response to fight it. "Some people may have respiratory scarring and a kind of fibrosis that comes from having had inflammation in the lungs," she says.

Some people have inflammation in their heart muscle, called myocarditis. Some have inflammation in their blood vessels or brain. "In some individuals, there's definite evidence of changes in the areas of the brain that are sensitive to smell," Steves says.

This tissue damage and inflammation can cause a whole host of lingering symptoms, including a fast heart rate, severe fatigue, breathing problems and cognitive problems.

And organ damage can take a long time to heal, no matter the cause of it. In fact, whenever a person is critically ill in the hospital, symptoms can linger, says primary care doctor and bioethicist Zackary Berger of Johns Hopkins University.

"It's well known that people take a long time to recover after a critical illness," Berger says. "So I think it's not surprising that people who end up in the ICU would take longer to recover."

Studies have found that for people hospitalized with COVID-19, the risk of lingering symptoms six months after the disease is quite high, around 50%, Steves says.

Many news reports have suggested that the risk of getting long COVID-19 after a mild or moderate infection appears similar to the risk after a severe case. Indeed, some studies have found that up to 60% of people report one or more lingering symptoms six months after catching the coronavirus, including fatigue, brain fog, difficulty breathing, chest pain, coughing, joint and muscle pain, abdominal symptoms, headaches and anxiety or depression.

But many of these studies are missing what's known as a control group. That is, they don't take into account that these symptoms may be common in people who haven't had COVID-19 or who have had other kinds of infections. In other words, scientists aren't sure whether these symptoms are linked specifically to COVID-19 or are typical for recovery from many infectious diseases that no one has paid attention to.

"There's this belief that you have an infectious disease, you get your treatment for it and you're finished with it. You go back to work and you're fine," Berger says. "But for a lot of people, being sick isn't like that."

Take, for instance, a bout of pneumonia caused by bacteria. Antibiotics can end the infection. But then many people endure symptoms weeks later. "Half of the people have problems breathing a month after pneumonia," Berger says. "That's a lot of people, right?"

The same goes for the flu. And a study, published in September, demonstrates this idea clearly. Researchers in England analyzed the electronic health records of nearly 400,000 people with either a confirmed flu or COVID-19 diagnosis. Then they looked to see who had lingering symptoms. Nearly 60% of people with COVID-19 had at least one symptom lasting six months, but nearly 40% of people with the flu also had at least one persisting symptom similar to those seen in people with COVID-19.

"Plenty of people have lingering symptoms after infectious diseases," Berger says. "I think that's something we need to realize."

Thus, another type of "long COVID" may be people who take longer to recover from an infection, whether it's the flu, pneumonia or COVID-19. In other words, there may have been "long flu" or "long pneumonia" all along, but it simply went unappreciated.

There's growing evidence that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19, can sometimes trigger several post-viral syndromes, or diseases known to occur after an infection. These include chronic fatigue syndrome, also called ME/CFS, and a blood circulation disorder called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

For example, one study, which included 130 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, found that 13% of them met the criteria for ME/CFS six months after their diagnosis.

Dr. Peter Rowe at Johns Hopkins University has evidence that mild illness can also trigger this disease. "We have a small sample size, but in those [patients] in whom function remains impaired [six months] after COVID-19 infection ... all have met criteria for ME/CFS," he wrote in an email to NPR. "I am referring here to the patients who have prolonged symptoms after mild COVID infections, not the hospitalized group, or those with organ damage after more severe acute COVID-19."

So after you take into account these other causes of so-called "long COVID," what's left is possibly a disorder that's specific to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. "There's no standard definition for this syndrome yet," says infectious disease epidemiologist Ira Longini at the University of Florida. "It's a collection of symptoms, including shortness of breath, brain fog, fatigue, but also an issue with one particular organ or tissue, such as the heart or brain."

This disorder could be tied to the virus invading an organ or tissue and persisting there, or some lingering inflammation left over from the body fighting off the virus, Longini says.

It's not known yet exactly what percentage of people will have this collection of symptoms months after COVID-19, but Steves at King's College London says her analyses from the U.K. indicate the risk is much lower in people who weren't hospitalized.

She says the Office for National Statistics in the U.K. has the best estimate, right now, for the prevalence of these long-COVID-19 symptoms in this population. That data includes self-reporting from more than a million people with COVID-19 diagnoses.

"Generally speaking ... that data show that the rate of long COVID, more than 12 weeks after an infection, is just under 5% of people," Steves says.

Given the enormous number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. (and around the world), even a rate of 5% means that more than 2 million Americans (and nearly 13 million people globally) will be affected by this specific cluster of COVID-19 symptoms for at least several months (and even more will struggle with other post-viral problems).

Luckily, Steves says, the percentage of people who have these lingering COVID-19 symptoms drops off drastically a year after the infection. "There are definitely individuals who still have symptoms for more than a year, even up to 18 months now," she says. "But there's a very small percentage of those individuals. Gradually most people are getting better. I see that in my clinic."

Still though, because so many people are affected, health care workers need to be on the lookout for signs of any type of long COVID-19 and keep an open mind about it, says Dr. Paddy Ssentongo, an epidemiologist at Pennsylvania State University. "Doctors have to listen to the patient. They tell you what's happening to them. They don't make up symptoms. Patients know best what's going on with their bodies."

The best way to reduce your risk of any type of long COVID-19 is to reduce your risk of getting a severe case of COVID-19. And to do that, Steves says, being vaccinated is at the top of the list. She and her colleagues have found that being vaccinated with two doses cuts the risk in half for having the COVID-specific cluster of symptoms after an infection.

But the overall effect of the vaccine on your risk of any kind of long COVID-19 is much greater, says Longini, of the University of Florida. "The vaccine reduces the probability of an infection with illness by maybe 70%. So overall, the reduction in long COVID among vaccinated people is more like 80 or 90%.

"That just shows you the power of the COVID-19 vaccines," he adds. They protect not just against acute disease but also against the various types of chronic illnesses associated with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Read more here:

Coronavirus FAQ: What is long COVID? And what is my risk of getting it? - NPR

The Oregon Health Authority reported 1,160 new known cases of COVID-19 in Oregon on Thursday.

The agency also announced 13 new deaths, five which occurred in November. The rest are part of a backlog of nearly 550 deaths from earlier this year that the agency announced last month it hadnt yet reported.

Where the new cases are by county: Baker (11), Benton (20), Clackamas (95), Clatsop (9), Columbia (12), Coos (15), Crook (13), Curry (6), Deschutes (127), Douglas (72), Grant (4), Harney (2), Hood River (3), Jackson (67), Jefferson (10), Josephine (29), Klamath (20), Lake (1), Lane (80), Lincoln (15), Linn (66), Malheur (11), Marion (116), Morrow (8), Multnomah (141), Polk (27), Sherman (3), Tillamook (4), Umatilla (16), Union (10), Wallowa (1), Wasco (10), Washington (110) and Yamhill (26).

Fatalities: Those who died ranged in age from 43 to 89. Although officials determined all of these deaths were related to COVID-19, the health authority noted the death certificates in four stated that the disease was a cause of death or a significant contributor.

A 43-year-old Multnomah County man tested positive Aug. 17 and died Sept. 2 at his home.

A 59-year-old Jackson County man tested positive Aug. 25 and died Sept. 16 at Portland VA Medical Center.

A 74-year-old Clackamas County woman tested positive Sept. 1 and died Sept. 17 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital.

An 88-year-old Marion County man tested positive Jan. 4 and died April 3 at his home.

A 64-year-old Curry County man died Aug. 13 at Curry Medical Center.

A 66-year-old Curry County woman died Aug. 5 at Curry Medical Center.

A 78-year-old Josephine County woman tested positive Nov. 8 and died Nov. 16 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.

A 51-year-old Linn County man tested positive Oct. 29 and died Nov. 12 at Salem Hospital.

An 86-year-old Union County man tested positive Nov. 15 and died Nov. 16 at Grande Ronde Hospital.

A 52-year-old Washington County woman tested positive Aug. 27 and died Oct. 13 at OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center.

A 62-year-old Washington County man died Sept. 22 at Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center.

An 89-year-old Washington County woman tested positive Oct. 23 and died Nov. 6 at her home.

An 89-year-old Deschutes County man tested positive Nov. 12 and died Nov. 17 at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend.

Hospitalizations: Officials reported 419 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide, eight fewer than Wednesday. Of those, 104 were in intensive care units, four more than the previous day.

Officials said 6% of non-ICU beds are available for adults statewide, and 9% of adult ICU beds are.

Vaccines: The state reported 6,622 people have received their first doses since Wednesday. About 13% -- or more than 43,000 -- of Oregons 5- to 11-year-olds have received their first shots.

Since it began: Oregon officials have identified 382,990 confirmed or presumed cases and 4,886 deaths, ranking the state fourth lowest in cases and sixth lowest in deaths per capita in the U.S. To date, state officials have reported fully vaccinating 2,639,902 people or nearly 63% of the population. Another 6%, or 256,512 people, are partially vaccinated.

To see more data and trends, visit https://projects.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/

-- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee

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Coronavirus in Oregon: 1,160 cases and 13 deaths - oregonlive.com

Is a mandate a law? How will Biden's vaccine mandate be enforced?

Republican governors have threatened lawsuits, but the employers affected by the mandate hold the most ground to sue.

Staff video, USA TODAY

For parents who decline to vaccinate their children against the coronavirus because they believe COVID-19 only affects older people, pediatric specialists presentsome stark statistics:

Beyond the numbers, there are the heartbreaking stories of children struggling to breathe as desperate parents lament not getting them vaccinated even when eligible.

Dr. Kenneth Alexander, chief of infectious diseases at Nemours Childrens Health in Orlando, Florida, said the hospital has not treated many kids with the most serious form of COVID acute viral pneumonia but just a few instances leave a deep impression.

When these kids come to our hospital, theyre not getting enough oxygen; theyre gasping, theyre miserable, Alexander said. At best, theyre going to be in a hospital bed for five days on oxygen. But its those kids that end up in our intensive care unit on ventilators and with breathing tubes. They get blood clots in their lungs. Its very, very scary.

Alexander joined Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and other experts Thursday in a media session organized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to promote COVID vaccines for children, which are now authorized for those age 5 and older.

Their general message: The benefits of vaccines outweigh many times over any small risks they may carry.

While as a parent your primary concern is understandably the well-being of your child, its also important to know that vaccines have the power to stop epidemics, said Dr. Lee Savio Beers, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Children make up a significant part of our population, and vaccinating children will help control this virus so it cant continue to spread.

Also in the news:

Disney Cruise Line will require all guests ages 5 and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before setting sail starting Jan. 13, the company said.

The Detroitschool district said it will switch to online learning on Fridays in December in response to rising COVID-19 cases and the need for mental health relief.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who just returned from quarantine overseas after developing COVID-19 in Scotland, warned that a holiday season coronavirus surge was likelyand urged vaccinationsto keep infections and hospitalizations down.

German lawmakers approved new measures Thursday to rein in record coronavirus infections after the head of the countrys disease control agency warned Germany could face a really terrible Christmas.

Coronavirus deaths in Russia hit1,251 Thursday, breaking the record of 1,247 deaths fromWednesday. However,new daily cases appeared to be on a downward trend.

Today's numbers:The U.S. has recorded more than 47 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than767,000 deaths,accordingtoJohns Hopkins Universitydata. Global totals: More than 255million cases and 5million deaths. More than 195 million Americans nearly 59% of the populationare fully vaccinated,according to theCDC.

What we're reading:The pandemic has spurred many workers to reevaluate their livesand the role work plays in them, leading some to set fresh boundaries,find new jobs or maintain the side hustles that got them through the shutdowns and layoffs. Some workers shared their stories with USA TODAY.

Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. Want more?Sign up forUSA TODAY's Coronavirus Watch newsletterto receive updates directly to your inbox, andjoin ourFacebook group.

America's recovery from the delta variant surge dropped the pace of new infections to under 500,000 per week in late October. Now cases are above 600,000 per week and are rising in 34 states, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows.

The numbers are not close to January, when weekly infections peaked at 1.7 million. But the recovery from one wave has reversed into another wave, more than six months after free, safe, effective vaccines became widely available to all adults. The United States is again reporting an average ofmore than 1 case every second.

Unvaccinated people remain at highest risk for infection. The good news: 80%of Americans 12 and over have had at least one coronavirus vaccine shot.

Melissa Nolan, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatisticsat the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, told USA TODAY that seasonal flu infection increases risk in winter.

"Sadly, this virus will never leave our society," Nolan said. "To help mitigate spread as we go into this next winter respiratory disease season, it is vitally important that Americans get both their booster shot and their flu shot."

More than 60 health care organizations and public health experts on Thursday urged the business community to support the federal requirement that employeesfor companies with at least 100 employees be vaccinated for COVID. The American Medical Association and former CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden were among those signing the statement.

Instead of wasting time in court trying to overturn these mandates, business leaders should be focused on how to protect their employees from COVID through vaccination," said Dr. EzekielEmanuel, vice provost for global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, who organized the statement. "Thats the only way well be able to return to normal and stabilize our economy.

Obstacles to Emanuel's plan,however, include governors and lawmakersin many states that are backing lawsuits to block the requirement and putting forward legislation that would prevent k firms from requiring vaccination.

The U.S. government will pay Pfizer $5.29 billion for 10 million treatments of its COVID-19 drug if regulators approve it.Pfizer asked the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday to authorize the experimental pill, which has been shown to significantly cut the rate of hospitalizations and deaths among people with coronavirus infections.The FDA is already reviewing a competing pill from Merck and will hold a public meeting on it later this month.

We look forward to continuing discussions with governments around the world to help ensure broad access for people everywhere,Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said.

With Republicans touting their defense of personal freedom and Democrats condemning the special sessioncalled by Gov. Ron DeSantisas a political stunt, Florida lawmakers have approved measuresaimed at blocking any kind of COVID vaccine or test mandates.The Republican-controlled state legislature finished work Wednesday night on apackage of billsthat both defy the Biden administrations vaccine-or-test requirements for larger businesses and stop local governments from enacting such standards. DeSantis signed the bills into law Thursday.

DeSantis called lawmakers back to the Capitol primarily to fight the White House in what Democrats condemned as a political ploy to enhance the governors national image and affirm his support among Floridians who refuse vaccinations.Republicans disagreed.

Today were doing something to protect peoples rights, said Rep. Cord Byrd, R-Neptune Beach. We are a legislature and governor who believe in individual rights, including liberty. Its not a charade. Its not a stunt.

John Kennedy, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee released avideotrying to persuade officers to join the state's highway patrol because it doesn't have any coronavirus-relatedmandates.During the 71-second video released to YouTube, Lee said the Tennessee Highway Patrol "won't get between you and your doctor," adding THP is offering to cover all moving expenses for any officer who leaves another state to join its force.

Earlier this month,Lee signed a new state lawbanning vaccine mandates and curtailing when mask mandates can be enacted. Lee specifically mentioned New York City and Los Angeles in the video. New York requirespolice officers and sheriff deputies to be vaccinated against COVID-19; Los Angeles does provide a testing option.

Adam Friedman,Nashville Tennessean

The Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize as soon as today a COVID-19 booster shot for anyone who wants one and is at least six months past their initial vaccination. Vaccines do a great job of preventing hospitalization and death, but their protection against infection starts to fade at about six months even in young, healthy people.That's why booster dosesmay be recommended for all adults or at least those over 30.

Ted Ross, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Georgia in Athenswho recently got a booster shot himself, said theU.S. government bought so many doses so long ago that many will go to waste if they aren't used soon.

"The thing boosters might help with is to help dampen the surge or increase we're going to see this winter," as people travel and spend more time indoors, Ross said. "That peak or that slope will hopefully not be as steep."

Karen Weintraub

Vaccine-or-test work rules are proving to be a costly compromise for governments. Virginias Department of Corrections requires unvaccinated employees who work in crowded settings to get tested every three days, and the restevery seven days. It cost the department nearly $7,000 to test 442 staff members over two days in October. The state is tapping federal COVIDrelief funds to pay for the testing.

Securing scarce testing supplies also can be difficult. The Virginia State Police had to wait more than a month to start a testing program in part because of delays in delivery.

Some experts say the option just isn't as effective as mandating vaccines anyway.

A vaccine-and/or-testing policy is second best, said Jeffrey Levi, a professor of health management and policy at George Washington University. A testing policy catches a problem early. It doesn't prevent a problem, whereas the vaccination requirement helps to prevent it.

Amanda Michelle Gomez and Phil Galewitz,KHN

Nearly 100 Maryland elementary school students received an incorrect dose of the coronavirus vaccine at a clinic last week, health officials said.Officials were notifying the parents of 98 students at South Lake Elementary School that doses of vaccine administered at a clinic at the Montgomery Village school on Nov. 10 were diluted more than recommended, the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services said in a news release.Students were given additional doses at a clinic Wednesday. Acting county Health Officer Dr. James Bridgers said staff already received more training on childrens doses.

Over the weekend, a health clinic in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Antioch gave 14 children under age 12 the wrong dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, raising a furor among parents.

Contributing: Mike Stucka, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

Read more:

Pediatricians warn of virus' impact on kids, urge parents to vaccinate them; weekly new infections again surpass 600,000: COVID-19 updates - USA TODAY

A doctor who spent the last two years saving the lives of COVID-19 patients has died after catching the virus.

Dr Irfan Halim stayed away from his family for four months at the height of the pandemic to protect them while he was working in COVID-19 wards.

He collapsed on 10 September while he was on shift at Swindon Hospital, where he caught the disease, according to his wife Saila.

He was treated in intensive care in Swindon until 23 September, when he was transferred to The Royal Brompton in London to receive specialist life support.

Dr Halim was placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a machine that temporarily replaces the function of the heart and lungs.

The treatment is used for COVID-19 patients who cannot breathe for themselves, even with the help of a ventilator.

"Irfan and the NHS worked frantically to bring him home to his beautiful family, but tragically he passed away after a nine-week fight against COVID," according to a fundraising page set up in his memory.

Close friends and family said they set up the page for his wife and children "to ease the burden" of losing him.

Dr Halim, described as a "wonderful, talented and incredible NHS doctor who worked hard to help others", was the sole source of income for his family.

"Irfan was dearly loved and touched so many people's lives," the fundraising page said. "Sadly, he was taken far too soon from those who love him."

"Not only was he a loving husband, a devoted father of four young beautiful children, but an incredibly awesome human being to all that were blessed to have met him."

His wife said the day he collapsed from COVID-19 was "just another day saving lives".

"He fought hard to be with his children every day," she said.

"With a broken heart shattered in pieces beyond imagination I muster what little strength I have to write this message."

Sean Wright, who donated to the fundraiser, said: "The family will know this already but Dr Irfan Halim is a true hero and they should feel rightly proud of the sacrifice he has made for others.

"His actions speak to his character and his direct help to others will undoubtedly inspire others to be more selfless and kind (including myself)."

Phoenix D, another contributor, called Dr Halim's death a "devastating loss".

"The day before Irfan collapsed, he was texting excitedly about a surprise birthday party he was 'plotting' for his wife, Saila," he said.

"This guy was a genius, and I was so sure he would pull through. I had no doubt he would walk. I was wrong. RIP Irfan. You won't be forgotten."

More than 83,000 has been donated so far by at least 471 people.

The family's goal is 100,000.

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COVID-19: 'Incredible' NHS doctor dies with coronavirus after spending two years saving others with the infection - Sky News

Travellers from England who have had a booster or third dose of vaccine will be able to demonstrate their vaccine status through the NHS Covid pass, which will allow them to travel to countries requiring proof for entry, ministers have announced.

Israel, Croatia and Austria are among countries that have already introduced a time limit for the Covid-19 vaccine to be valid for quarantine-free travel.

However, it will not be necessary to show evidence of a booster for travel into England at this time, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

Evidence suggests immunity provided by two doses of any of the approved Covid vaccines has waned six months after the second jab.

Booster and third doses will not be added to the domestic Covid pass as it is not a current requirement for individuals to receive booster doses to qualify as fully vaccinated.

More than 13m booster and third jabs have been administered in the UK, providing those eligible with maximum protection as winter approaches.

The health and social care secretary, Sajid Javid, said: We want to make it as easy as possible for people to show their vaccine status if they are travelling abroad.

This update to the NHS Covid pass will mean people can have their complete medical picture at their fingertips if they are going on holiday or seeing loved ones overseas.

Getting a top-up jab is our best defence against this virus and I urge all those who are eligible to come forward and get boosted.

The NHS Covid pass enables people to demonstrate their Covid-19 status when travelling abroad or when visiting organisations who have opted to use the domestic certification process.

Booster and third doses will show up automatically in the digital Covid pass and will be visible from midday on Friday for users in England but will not immediately be available via the Covid pass letter service, which will be updated in due course.

The booster vaccine will appear on the Covid pass in Wales from 29 November.

However, evidence of a booster vaccine is not needed to enter venues in Wales that require a Covid pass for entry. Evidence of two vaccinations or a negative lateral flow test in the last 48 hours remain the requirement.

The announcement does not cover Scotland and Northern Ireland.

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Booster jabs to be added to Englands Covid pass for travel - The Guardian

The Department of Public Health on Thursday reported 3,196 new coronavirus cases, the highest single-day count in Massachusetts in nine months. Public schools also saw a sharp increase, with 3,257 new cases among students and 558 among staff members for the week that ended Wednesday, a record high for a single week.

Theres no question that theres a steep upward trajectory, Doron said of the new state case data. Obviously, thats quite disappointing.

Doron noted, however, that theres absolutely no comparison with the situation last year at this time when the state was entering a deadly second surge of COVID-19 cases. Hospitalizations and deaths in Massachusetts, where 70.6 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, are not going up to the same extent, though she said those numbers can lag behind cases. Dont pat yourself on the back just yet, she warned.

Boosters, which are now available to all Massachusetts adults, will help improve peoples waning immunity in the coming months, she said. If youre double vaccinated, youre well protected. If youve availed yourself of the booster, youre even better protected, she said.

People who are vulnerable because of underlying medical conditions should worry more than others, she said. If you have those risk factors, you should get a booster, she said. Now youre at higher risk.

As for the coming holiday gatherings, she said a group of fully-vaccinated adults with no one who is immunocompromised could celebrate a normal Thanksgiving.

But people need to be aware of the higher risks if the group includes immunocompromised adults or unvaccinated adults, she said.

That changes the equation, she said, adding that people could consider various layers of protection, including masking while not eating, distancing while eating, opening windows, holding the gathering outside, and using rapid, at-home screening testing for guests.

Dr. Sabrina Assoumou, an infectious disease physician at Boston Medical Center and an assistant professor at the Boston University School of Medicine, said people should consider taking precautions if there are any unvaccinated people at their holiday gatherings, including children who havent gotten vaccinated yet.

Its not as if theyre at no risk of getting COVID or transmitting COVID. They can absolutely do that, she said of children.

She said people should consider all the different tools in the tool box for COVID-19 prevention, asking themselves questions like, Did you get vaccinated? Did you do a rapid test? Is there any way we can improve the ventilation where we are?

There are a lot of ways we can make things safer, she said.

Dr. Paul Sax, clinical director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Brigham and Womens Hospital, suggested that people consider limiting gatherings to vaccinated people and do rapid, at-home tests before gatherings.

People who are immunocompromised may wish to defer large family get-togethers this year. Low-tech efforts such as opening windows to allow fresh air to circulate also help, he said in an e-mail.

Landrigan said his advice to people was plan your holiday events carefully.

While its important to get back to the normalcy of having the events, he said, people should be careful of whos invited, and consider measures such as masking and testing.

Landrigan, a pediatrician, also said unvaccinated children are a cause of concern. We have to be mindful of the fact that the little guys are a risk factor. I would think very carefully if I were putting together a family party and had some frail elderlies at the table and little kids running around who are not yet vaccinated. Thats a prescription for infecting the old folks.

The current situation is a far cry from a year ago when there were no vaccines available and Governor Charlie Baker imposed far-reaching restrictions as a deadly second surge took hold.

Compared to last year, the world is a different place, said Assoumou.

Assoumou said she was hoping that, as winter arrives, COVID-19 deaths in Massachusetts, a national leader in vaccinations, will continue to remain relatively low, even as cases rise higher, in an uncoupling that has happened in the United Kingdom.

Cases are going to go up ... and then were going to peak and its going to start coming down, she said. Hopefully, during that period, were still going to have that uncoupling of deaths with cases. I think in Massachusetts were in a really good position to see that.

Were making progress, but we still have work to do in terms of getting the unvaccinated vaccinated, and getting to a better place, where we dont need to use all these mitigation measures, she said. We need to keep encouraging people, Yes, keep going, Massachusetts!

Asked about the case increases, the Baker administration emphasized the successes of the states vaccination program.

Massachusetts leads the nation in getting residents vaccinated with 95% of all adults with one dose, and has one of the lowest COVID hospitalization rates in the country. This week, the Administration opened up eligibility for booster shots to all residents 18 and older and encourages everyone who is eligible to get this extra layer of protection from the virus, a Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman said in a statement.

Ryan Huddle of the Globe staff contributed to this report.

Martin Finucane can be reached at martin.finucane@globe.com.

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COVID-19 cases are rising sharply in Mass. ahead of the holidays. How worried should you be? - The Boston Globe

SubjectDateSubjectDateBreak The Chain Order Railway Local Pass Order 17/08/2021Break The Chain Order dated 15.08.2021 15/08/2021Levels of restriction for breaking the chain 08/08/2021Levels of restrictions for breaking the chain 05/06/2021Break The Chain order dated 31/05/2021 31/05/2021Break The chain order dated 28/05/2021 28/05/2021Break the chain order dated 13/05/2021 13/05/2021Break The Chain order dated 29/04/2021 29/04/2021Break the chain order dated 22-04-2021 22/04/2021Regarding Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti and Mahavir Jayanti Celebrations 20/04/2021Break the Chain order dated 20.04.2021 20/04/2021Break the Chain order dated 14/04/2021 14/04/2021Break The Chain Order dated 13/04/2021 13/04/2021Medical oxygen supply control order 12/04/2021Medical oxygen supply control committee 12/04/2021Remedisivor Controlling Officer appointment 11/04/2021PMC bed management control order 09/04/2021Break The Chain Revised Order. 9.04.2021 09/04/2021Break The Chain order dated 05/04/2021 05/04/2021Break the Chain Order no. 2 dated 05/04/2021 05/04/2021Break The Chain Order 04/04/2021Order by District Collector 02/04/2021Emergency outage proposed on 132kv Chinchwad-Chakan Line 06/04/2021Order dated 02-04-2021 02/04/2021Control Room Order 01/04/2021Committee for oxygen supply 30/03/2021COVID-19 SOP 12/03/2021COVID-19 SOP Implementation 18/02/2021COVID-19 SOP Implementation 21/02/2021Regarding transport of oxygen supplying vehicles in Pune district (607 KB) 12/09/2020District Level Committee to monitor supply of oxygen in hospitals (943 KB) 11/09/2020Fine for spitting and not wearing masks (5 MB) 28/08/2020COVID-19 management Nodal Officer Orders (4 MB) 08/07/2020Complete Lock down from 14 July 2020 to 23 July 2020 (9 MB) 13/07/2020Mission Begin Again Phase wise releasing lockdown (3 MB) 30/06/2020 Permission to open Restaurants, hotels, guest houses ,lodges etc. (911 KB) 07/07/2020Fine for spitting and not wearing masks (535KB) 25/06/2020Permission for Hair Salons, Beauty Parlors and Spa (576 KB) 26/06/2020Opening the Setu centers, Maha e-seva Centers and Aadhar centers in Pune district (834 KB) 16/06/2020Permission for company staff (526 KB) 25/06/2020Regarding cooperative housing societies and other housing societies (679 KB) 10/06/2020Containment zone in industrial area (288 KB) 09/06/2020No entry for the tourists at Bhushi Dam (Maval) and other Dams (831 KB) 07/06/2020Facilities to be provided at various courts w.r.t. COVID-19 (1 MB) 07/06/2020Restriction under 144(1)(3) in rural area of Pune district (1 MB) 01/06/2020Damage due to Nisarg Cyclone(464 KB) 07/06/2020Notification regarding Mission Begin Again (9 MB) 31/05/2020Mission Begin Again- Guidelines (638 KB) 31/05/2020Revised notification on Restriction on Charges by Private Hospital (6 MB) 21/05/2020Revised containment zone in Pune District (4 MB) 21/05/2020Opening the Joint Registrar and Sub Registrar offices in Pune district (988KB) 15/05/2020COVID-19 Grievance Redressal Committee for grievances of bills of private hospitals (1 MB) 16/05/2020Providing petrol to the permitted agencies (552 KB) 06/05/2020Regarding home quarantine of migrants from other states and districts 11/05/2020Limited permission for repair works before rainy season (1 MB) 02/05/2020Containment zone in Muncipal Corprations/Nagar Parishads/Zilla Parishad (7.5 MB) 04/05/2020Containment Zone in Pune District (2 MB) 20/04/2020SOP related to Aquaculture farmers and fish workers (1 MB) 24/04/2020Regarding permissions and passes for industries (441 KB) 13/04/2020 Extension to all the previous orders (286 KB) 14/04/2020Payments to the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (499 KB) 10/04/2020Regarding disobeying any regulation or order (609 KB) 10/04/2020Wearing masks to avoid COVID-19 infections (783 KB) 08/04/2020Extension to previous orders until next order (649 KB) 31/03/2020Preventive measures against COVID-19 (540 KB) 30/03/2020Restrictions as per 144(1)(3) in rural area (2.4 MB) 30/03/2020Regarding services of private clinics, OPDS and Hospitals (577 KB) 27/03/2020Essential Bus Services (2 MB) 27/03/2020Guidelines for various Govt. Ministries, Departments and other institutions (3 MB) 24/03/2020Essential Services (226 KB) Order regarding religious places of worship (516 KB) 24/03/2020Procedure for CSR help (6 MB) 24/03/2020Lockdown orders- Maharashtra State (772 KB) 23/03/2020Amendment to Lockdown order (6 MB) 24/03/2020Pune District Curfew extends till 22.03.2020- 5.00 AM 22/03/2020Closure Of/Restrictions On Industries in Pune District (1 MB) 22/03/2020Preventive measures to be taken by controlling officers for home quarantined travelers (3 MB) 21/03/2020Pune city- Curfew extends till 23.03.2020- 5.00 AM (856 KB)

PCMC- Curfew extends till 23.03.2020- 5.00 AM (487 KB)

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Corona Virus Updates | District Pune ,Government of ...

Earlier this month officials at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife confirmed they are monitoring studies of cases of COVID-19 confirmed in deer in other states.

But there is noevidence domestic ruminant livestock are at risk of contracting the disease.

Ruminant animals are ones that chew and regurgitate their food more than once and digest it multiple times in separate stomachs. These include livestock animals such as cattle, sheep and goats. Instead of one stomach, they have four.

Despite this similarity between some livestock and deer, there has yet to be a reported case of COVID-19 among livestock or domestic poultry. But that doesnt mean that livestock are immune to all coronaviruses in fact, farm animals have been coping with coronavirus infections long before the current pandemic began.

Some livestock, including pigs, cattle, horses and poultry have their own coronaviruses that cause some disease in their host but arent risky to people, according to Dr. Anne Lichtenwalner, director of the University of Maine veterinary diagnostic laboratory.

Those coronaviruses include transmissible gastroenteritis virus and porcine respiratory coronavirus of swine, infectious bronchitis virus of poultry and equine and bovine coronavirus.

These coronaviruses arent the same as COVID-19, Lichtenwalner said. We have livestock vaccines against some of them.

While the United States Centers for Disease Control and Preventionhas reported cases of animals around the world infected with COVID-19, none of these cases included livestock or domestic poultry and there is no evidence that farm animals are at risk for the disease.

Emerging research demonstrates that some animals can be experimentally infected with COVID-19, Lichtenwalner said. This is important to know, since medical research is important to understand things like pathogenesis, viral shedding, and vaccine efficacy and sometimes studies animal models of diseases.

Its important to keep in mind that just because animals can be infected with a disease like COVID-19 in a controlled, laboratory setting, it doesnt mean the species can contract it in the natural world or transmit it to other animals or people, Lichtenwalner said.

In some cases, the opposite is true when it comes to COVID-19.

By far, the evidence supports that we can spread COVID-19 to animals but not the opposite, according to Lichtenwalner. Some of them can become seriously ill [and] the most notable recent cases include snow leopards in a Nebraska zoo.

When it comes to livestock, according to the CDC, the animals are not at risk of getting COVID-19 from humans. However, being around livestock can create a potential human COVID-19 risk. Thats because the virus is highly contagious between people and anytime farm animals bring people together there is a very real risk of spreading the disease if CDC recommendations are not properly followed. These include wearing masks and practicing social distancing.

As we understand more about COVID-19, we should remember what we already know, there are pathogens of many types surrounding us, Lichtenwalner said. On the positive side, we have several important tools at our disposal to avoid them.

These tools include basic hygiene like hand washing and practicing good habits to keep your immune system strong.

Use common sense, she said. If you are ill, keep some distance between yourself and other people, and animals, including your pets.

More articles from the BDN

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Livestock have their own forms of coronavirus - Bangor Daily News

Soaring demand for Covid testing in the Netherlands, combined with a shortage of workers to book them, is pushing the limits of the countrys health services, officials have said.

In a statement on Tuesday, the association of regional health services in the Netherlands called the increase in demand for new testing appointments explosive, adding that it was taking the approach of all hands on deck.

Officials said that they aimed to reach up to 120,000 tests a day, depending on workers availability. On Monday, at least 116,000 new appointments were scheduled and 91,000 people were tested new daily records according to Jaap Eikelboom, a Covid program director for the health service association.

We are reaching the maximum of our capacity on all sides, he said.

Virus cases have been rising in the Netherlands, with more than 110,000 people testing positive over the past week, an increase of almost 44 percent compared with the week before, according to official figures. Last week, the government announced a national partial lockdown for three weeks, including limited operating hours for restaurants, bars and shops.

It is also now largely impossible to book most Covid testing appointments online because of the high demand, the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant reported, saying that there was only one place in the Netherlands in the southern province of Zeeland where people were able to do so.

Speaking at a news conference this month, Prime Minister Mark Rutte hailed the importance of testing to stop the spread of the virus, even for people who are vaccinated.

Stay home if you have symptoms, and get tested, he said.

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Netherlands Is Maxing Out Its Covid Testing Capacity - The New York Times

Our second holiday season under the shadow of COVID-19 is right around the corner. And though the pandemic isnt over and its still important to take precautions, this year, many are vaccinated, so were in a better starting place than we were last year.

Gone are the days when we knew nothing about the coronavirus and therefore needed to be vigilant about everything.

We now know the primary way that people are infected is through exposure to respiratory fluids carrying infectious virus. This means:

What does that mean for the stuff we used to do that we might not have to do anymore? The stuff we used to be scared of that might not be as scary anymore?

Its time for a reset on our COVID-19 worry-meter as well as a word of encouragement to keep up with the latest announcements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your local health officers and trusted medical professionals so that worrying less can come more than once a year.

1. Wiping down every surface at least once a day

Remember when we thought we needed to use Lysol wipes to disinfect packaged groceries and takeout containers?

Weve since learned that the coronavirus doesnt survive well on surfaces, so there is a low risk of spread from food products or packaging. The CDC says that its probably not necessary to do any extra disinfecting in general unless someone who has been in your home within the last 24 hours has a confirmed coronavirus infection. If you continue to clean your home regularly easier said than done, sometimes regular soap and detergents remove most virus particles on surfaces just fine.

But if anyone in your household is more likely to get very sick from COVID-19, it doesnt hurt to clean more often. And be sure to wash your hands often.

2. Wearing gloves

Remember when we wore gloves to use the gas pump, which we imagined hundreds of possibly infected people had touched before us?

The CDC now says that for the general public, gloves are not necessary unless you are cleaning or caring for someone sick. The best way to protect yourself from germs after going out is by regularly washing your hands or using hand sanitizer.

But please continue wearing your cute black gloves on your lunchtime stroll, because its cold in California when its under 70 degrees, and we need to stave off seasonal affective disorder now that it gets dark by 5 p.m.

3. Handshakes

Remember when we thought wed never shake hands ever again?

Its still true that if someone has a coronavirus infection, coughs on their hand and shakes your hand and then you put your hand near your nose, eyes or mouth you might get infected. But if they arent infected, or they dont cough on their hand, or if you wash your hands before rubbing your hands all over your face, then you should be OK.

But dont feel pressured to start shaking hands again if you thought the elbow tap was so much cooler.

4. Masks worn outside

In general, outdoor activities are safer than indoor ones because increased airflow means youre less likely to encounter concentrations of the virus in the air.

According to CDC guidelines, you do not need to wear a mask in most outdoor settings, especially if you continue to practice social distancing. The exception is if youre in an area where coronavirus transmission rates are high, or if youre participating in activities where youll be in close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated, or if youre in a large crowd.

Some public health officers, like Santa Clara Countys, still recommend the use of face coverings if you are in crowded areas in general. Los Angeles County mandates masks outdoors at events with 10,000 or more people and recommends them in some other outdoor situations. And its worth remembering that most young kids are still not fully vaccinated and that people who have weakened immune systems should take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people.

5. Sharing food

RIP Souplantation, but was that overkill (and is reincarnation real?) now that we understand that buffets and sharing food family-style are not big COVID-19 risks?

Eating meals together can still be risky especially if youre indoors and not vaccinated because the act of chewing can spread coronaviruses through respiratory droplets and aerosols. But theres currently no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through food. So if youve already decided to eat together, its fine to split a dessert without worrying about getting separate plates.

A lot of other germs can be transmitted by sharing food. But this is not a story about other germs.

6. Water-based activities

Remember when we shamed people for going to the beach?

Not only do we now know that its safer to be outside than inside, but we also understand that the virus doesnt spread through water. That includes swimming pools, hot tubs and water playgrounds.

If you get close enough for someone who is infected to breathe on you in a hot tub, thats one thing. But if youre swimming several feet away from anyone who has COVID-19, youre probably fine.

7. Saving good-quality masks for healthcare workers

Remember when we thought we needed to make masks out of socks, handkerchiefs or underwear so we could save the N95 masks for healthcare workers? (Kind of like how Jing-mei in The Joy Luck Club took the worst-quality crab because she had the best-quality heart?)

Healthcare workers now are fully supplied with masks, and, fingers crossed, it will continue to stay that way. So feel free to buy KN95s and other high-quality disposable face masks. The CDC also recommends masks with two or more layers of washable, breathable fabric that fit snugly on your face.

8. Long lines (or impossible hurdles) to get vaccine appointments

Remember when you used your BTS-concert-ticket-snagging skills to get your elderly family members and friends those coveted vaccine appointments? And then they had to wait an hour in line to get inoculated?

Now you can waltz into most pharmacies and clinics for COVID-19 vaccinations, even without an appointment. Everyone ages 5 and over is now eligible to get a shot. California is also recommending booster shots for everyone who wants them, to provide extra protection for people before holiday travel and get-togethers, and those appointments are easy to make as well.

If you and everyone else in your circle are vaccinated, worrying less just might become your new normal.

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8 COVID precautions you can leave behind this holiday season - Los Angeles Times