Category Archives: Covid-19

Biden slams Trump for 'knowingly' lying on COVID

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Trump bemoans virus restrictions in North Carolina

University of Tennessee relocating Massey Hall residents to make room for COVID-19 self-isolation cases

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Knox County Health Dept. says plan in place for vaccine distribution

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Two Tennessee women participating in a COVID-19 vaccine study

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State launching COVID-19 schools dashboard

Knox County Health Dept.: Numbers reflect new timeframe for inactive cases

Clinton High School cancels next 2 weeks of games due to virus

UT chancellor: Fraternities trying to avoid COVID-19 precautions

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Coronavirus in Tennessee: Free COVID-19 testing offered this weekend in Knoxville by Faith Leaders Church Initiative - WATE 6 On Your Side

A staff member at the Pine River Library in Bayfield tested positive for COVID-19 this week, prompting a temporary closure of in-person library services.

The library said in a Facebook post Friday it was following precautionary guidelines and closed all services Saturday. For Pine River Valley patrons, curbside services will resume Monday, and material drop-off is still available 24/7.

(The staff member) did not have any symptoms other than what she thought was allergies, said Shelley Walchak, library director. She has not been in the library for a week, but were asking all staff to get tested.

The library staff consulted with San Juan Basin Public Health, identified people who had close contact with the person and completed COVID-19 tests. While they wait for any additional positive test results, theyre limiting entry to the building.

Were erring on the side of caution, said Brenda Marshall, assistant director. Were already taking a lot of precautions with the materials, quarantining them and disinfecting high-touch surfaces.

As of Friday, SJBPH reported that 256 La Plata County residents have tested positive for the disease and 50 Archuleta County residents have tested positive. The health department also said 74 nonresidents have tested positive in the two counties.

Weve been sort of expecting it and prepared because its a pandemic. But when it actually lands, it is still a shock, Marshall said. Were aware that a lot of the community use the library, and we want to keep people safe. Thats part of the weight of it.

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Positive COVID-19 case reported at Bayfield library - The Durango Herald

News Release

Monday, September 14, 2020

A National Institutes of Health-funded study found that people with substance use disorders (SUDs) are more susceptible to COVID-19 and its complications. The research, published today in Molecular Psychiatry, was co-authored by Nora D. Volkow, M.D., director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The findings suggest that health care providers should closely monitor patients with SUDs and develop action plans to help shield them from infection and severe outcomes.

By analyzing the non-identifiable electronic health records (EHR) of millions of patients in the United States, the team of investigators revealed that while individuals with an SUD constituted 10.3% of the total study population, they represented 15.6% of the COVID-19 cases. The analysis revealed that those with a recent SUD diagnosis on record were more likely than those without to develop COVID-19, an effect that was strongest for opioid use disorder, followed by tobacco use disorder. Individuals with an SUD diagnosis were also more likely to experience worse COVID-19 outcomes (hospitalization, death), than people without an SUD.

The lungs and cardiovascular system are often compromised in people with SUD, which may partially explain their heightened susceptibility to COVID-19, said Dr. Volkow. Another contributing factor is the marginalization of people with addiction, which makes it harder for them to access health care services. It is incumbent upon clinicians to meet the unique challenges of caring for this vulnerable population, just as they would any other high-risk group.

NIDAs Dr. Volkow and Rong Xu, Ph.D., of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, analyzed EHR data collected until June 15, 2020, from 360 hospitals nationwide. The EHRs were de-identified to ensure privacy.

The study population consisted of over 73 million patients, of which over 7.5 million had been diagnosed with an SUD at some point in their lives. Slightly more than 12,000 were diagnosed with COVID-19, and about 1,880 had both an SUD and a COVID-19 diagnosis on record. The types of SUDs investigated in the study were tobacco, alcohol, opioid, cannabis, and cocaine.

The complicating effects of SUD were visible in increased adverse consequences of COVID-19. Hospitalizations and death rates of COVID-19 patients were all elevated in people with recorded SUDs compared to those without (41.0% versus 30.1% and 9.6% versus 6.6%, respectively).

Additionally, African Americans with a recent opioid use disorder diagnosis were over four times more likely to develop COVID-19, compared to whites. Results showed that hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and renal diseases, which are risk factors for COVID-19, were more prevalent among African Americans than whites with opioid use disorder.

According to the authors, the study findings underscore the need to screen for, and treat, SUDs as part of the strategy for controlling the pandemic. Additional research needs to be done to better understand how best to treat those with SUDs who are at risk for COVID-19 and counsel on how to avoid the risk of infection.

*This research was funded by NIDA, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute on Aging, all parts of NIH, as well as the American Cancer Society and The Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative of Cleveland.

About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the worlds research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. Fact sheets on the health effects of drugs and information on NIDA research and other activities can be found at http://www.drugabuse.gov, which is compatible with your smartphone, iPad, or tablet. To order publications in English or Spanish, call NIDAs DrugPubs research dissemination center at 1-877-NIDA-NIH or 240-645-0228 (TDD) or email requests to drugpubs@nida.nih.gov. Online ordering is available at drugpubs.drugabuse.gov. NIDAs media guide can be found atwww.drugabuse.gov/publications/media-guide/dear-journalist, and its easy-to-read website can be found at http://www.easyread.drugabuse.gov. You can follow NIDA on Twitter and Facebook.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

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Substance use disorders linked to COVID-19 susceptibility | National Institutes of Health - National Institutes of Health

ENID, Okla. Oklahoma saw an increase of 1,237 COVID-19 cases on Saturday that included a jump of 144 in Fort Supply, corresponding with hundreds of positive tests at a detention facility confirmed by the state Department of Corrections the day before.

William S. Key Correctional Center reported 221 inmates are positive for COVID-19 in the open-dorm, minimum-security prison, according to the ODOC website. Four inmates have been hospitalized and 21 have recovered. There have been seven staff members test positive, with four recovered, according to ODOC on Friday.

Oklahoma State Department of Health had reported 30 COVID-19 cases in the Woodward County town of Fort Supply, where William S. Key is located, on Friday, but the number of positives rose to 174 on Saturday as the case reports began to catch up on the OSDH website.

Overall, in Oklahoma there have been 75,804 cases of the virus confirmed by OSDH since March, when the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the state. Of those, 10,901 are active, a single-day increase of 408, and 63,960, or 84.4%, have recovered.

There have been 943 who have died because or due to complications of the virus, with four of those announced on Saturday.

Two men and two women in the 65 and older age group from Creek, Garvin, Rogers and Wagoner counties made up the most recently confirmed deaths associated with the virus, according to OSDH.

The number of COVID-19 cases, recoveries and deaths associated with the virus all rose in the week of Sept. 11-17 as compared to the prior week, according to the OSDH weekly report.

There were 6,618 cases confirmed during the week of Sept. 11-17, a 16.7% increase over the week of Sept. 4-10, according the OSDH weekly report released Friday. During the same time period, 5,583 recovered cases were noted, an increase of 9.8% in a week-to-week comparison.

Deaths rose by 31.7%, with 54 reported Sept. 11-17 compared to 41 the week before.

Hospitalizations also were higher in the past week, with 380 confirmed, a 24.6% increase over the prior period.

In a breakdown of age groups, those between 15-24 made up the highest percentage, 25.4%, of the new cases between Sept. 11-17, while the 65-74 age group recorded the highest number of deaths at 17, according to the OSDH report.

Oklahoma currently ranks 26th in the number of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and 20th in the cumulative incidence, per 100,000, of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S.

The OSDH maintains Oklahomans should seek out testing, with or without symptoms, to assist with contact tracing efforts regarding the virus. OSDH also reports that the recent numbers show community transmission is reflected in the current trend of data, and Oklahomans should practice social distance, wearing masks and frequent hand-washing.

Garfield County saw a single-day increase of 26 cases on Saturday, with 289 of those active and 1,157 recovered, according to theOSDH COVID-19 website. Enid also saw an increase of 26 cases, with 275 active and 1,091 recovered.

Other Northwest Oklahoma county case increases on Saturday were 131 in Woodward, 14 in Alfalfa, five in Kingfisher, two in Blaine and one each in Grant, Major and Noble. Case increases in cities and towns included 12 in Helena, three in Woodward, two in Hennessey and one each in Cashion,Cherokee, Drummond, Dover, Kingfisher,Longdale, Mooreland,Okeene, Pond Creek and Watonga. Canton saw a reduction of one case.

The 18-35 age group continues to lead the increase in cases, with 473 on Saturday, according to the OSDH website. The age group made up 36.6% of all cases in the state, according to OSDH data. Other new case gains were 261 in the 36-49 age group, 207 in the 50-64 age group, 148 in the 65 and older age group, 134 in the 5-17 age group and 13 in the 0-4 group.

Cumulative totals of confirmed cases as of Saturday were 1,563 in the 0-4 age group, 7,077 in the 5-17 age group, 27,765 in the 18-35 age group, 16,017 in the 36-49 age group, 13,178 in the 50-64 age group and 10,199 in the 65 and older age group. There were five listed as unknown age. The average age of those who have tested positive for COVID-19 is 39.1.

Of those Oklahomans testing positive, 39,851 have been women and 35,929 have been men. There were 28 listed as unknown gender, according to OSDH data on Saturday.

Of the overall 943 deaths in the state in which the virus was the cause or a contributor, 757 have been 65 and older and 147 have been ages 50-64, making up a combined 95.8% of the total. There have been 28 deaths in the 36-49 age group, 10 in the 18-35 age group and one in the 5-17 age group. More men, 515, than women, 428, have succumbed to the virus, according to OSDH on Saturday.The average age of those who have died is 74.7.

OSDH reports 75.3% of those who have died have had a pre-existing condition. Of the deaths, 387 or 41.2% have been long-term care or nursing home cases, according to OSDH. There have been2,485cases among long-term care residents and 1,446cases among staff, according to Friday's Executive Report.

Data shows deaths in 65 of Oklahoma's 77 counties, with 180 in Oklahoma County; 152 in Tulsa County; 68 in Cleveland County; 47 in Rogers County; 40 in Washington County; 33 in McCurtain County; 30 in Creek County; 24 in Wagoner County; 23 in Delaware County; 21 in Muskogee; 20 in Caddo County; 19 in Pittsburg County; 18 in Garfield County; 17 inLeFlore County; 16 in Canadian County; 13 each in Kay and Osage counties; 12 in Comanche County; 10 each in Adair, Grady, Jackson, Lincoln, Mayes and Sequoyah counties; nine in Pottawatomie County; eight each in Carter, Greer, and Texas counties; seven in Cherokee County; six each in McClain and Payne counties; five each in Garvin, Okmulgee, Seminole and Stephens counties; four each in Bryan, Haskell, Hughes, Johnston, McIntosh, Okfuskee and Ottawa counties; three each in Cotton, Nowata, Pawnee and Pontotoc counties; two each in Choctaw, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Latimer, Noble and Tillman counties; and one each in Atoka, Beckham, Blaine, Craig, Dewey, Harper, Logan, Love, Major, Marshall, Murray, Pushmataha and Roger Mills counties.

COVID-19 data per county released Saturday by OSDH shows Garfield with 1,464 cases, 1,157 recovered, 289 active and 18 deaths, all in Enid, reportedSept. 17,Sept. 12,Sept. 11,10,4,Aug. 29,27,26,18,15,14,13, and6,July 28and23,June 21andApril 10; Kingfisher with 318 cases, 290 recovered, 26 active and two deaths, both in Hennessey, reportedSept. 1andAug. 27; Woodward with 309 cases, 136 recovered and 173 active; Noble with 140 cases, 116 recovered, 22 active and two deaths, including aBillings man in the 65 and older age range; Blaine with 108 cases, 89 recovered, 18 active and one death, a Canton man, reportedAug. 28; Woods with 93 cases, 30 recovered and 63 active; Major with 70 cases, 58 recovered, 11 active and one death, awoman in18-35 age groupin April; Alfalfa with 56 cases, 21 recovered and 35 active; Grant with 38 cases, 30 recovered and eight active.

CumulativeCOVID-19 cases by city or townin Northwest Oklahoma include 1,384 in Enid (275 active); Fort Supply 174 (165 active); 145 in Hennessey (seven active); 121 in Woodward (30 active); 111 in Kingfisher (nine active); 84 in Alva (58 active); 51 in Watonga (11 active); 43 in Helena (29 active); 38 in Okarche (three active); 33 in Fairview (three active); 31 in Mooreland (one active); 21 in Canton (three active); 20 in Garber (two active); 18 in Cashion (three active) 17 in Ringwood (four active); 13 each in Dover (four active), Waukomis(two active) and Seiling (one active); 12 in Medford (one active); 11 in Lahoma; nine in Billings (two active); seven each in Cherokee (four active), Fairmont (two active), Lamont, Longdale (one active),Okeene (one active), Pond Creek (one active) and Orlando (two active); six in Nash (four active); five each in Ames (two active), Covington and Kremlin; four each in Drummond (two active), Freedom, Hitchcock, Meno (two active) and Mulhall; three each in Cleo Springs, Jet, Marshall, Wakita and Waynoka (three active); two each in Deer Creek (one active) and Hillsdale; and one each in Burlington (one active), Carmen (one active) and Goltry, according to data released by OSDH on Saturday. Residents living in areas with under 100 in population or those with unknown addresses may be recorded as "other."

In Enid, there have been 747 cases, with 579 recovered and nine deaths from the 73701 ZIP code, primarily the eastern half of the city, and 628 cases, with 506 recovered and nine deaths from 73703, or the western half, according to OSDH data on Saturday. There also has been one recovered case in the 73705 ZIPcode, which is listed as Vance Air Force Base athttps://www.unitedstateszipcodes.org/.

COVID-19 cases per county in Oklahoma as reported by the Oklahoma State Department of Health Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020. SOURCE: OSDH

COVID-19 cases per city in Oklahoma as reported by the Oklahoma State Department of Health Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020. SOURCE: OSDH

Long-term care or nursing home COVID-19 cases listed by OSDH in Garfield County include 24 cases with 18 recovered and five deaths at Golden Oaks; 15 cases with 14 recovered and one death at Kenwood Manor; 12 cases with nine recovered at The Living Center; seven cases with six recovered at The Arbors;three cases with two recovered at Greenbrier Nursing Home and one case at Greenbrier Village Residential Living; two recovered cases each at Enid Senior Care and The Commons; and one recovered case at Garland Road Nursing and Rehab Center, according to OSDH data released Friday evening.

COVID-19 cases in area long-term care facilities include one recovered case at Summers HealthCare in Blaine County; one recovered case at Community Health Center in Grant County; one recovered case at Billings Fairchild Center in Noble County; two recovered cases each at First Shamrock Care and Countrywood Assisted Living and Memory Care and 69 cases with 64 recovered and two deaths at Hennessey Nursing & Rehab, in Kingfisher County; two recovered cases each at Beadles Nursing Home and Share Medical Center in Woods County; 19 cases with 16 recovered at Mooreland Heritage Manor and 23 cases with 15 recovered at Woodward Skilled Nursing in Woodward County; and five recovered cases at Center of Family Love in Okarche, just south of the Kingfisher County line, in Canadian County, according to OSDH.

State Health Department officials areencouraging Oklahomans to get testedfor COVID-19, saying recently that due to adequate supplies, residents no longer need to exhibit symptoms or report exposure to someone with the virus to get in line for testing.

Free testing for COVID-19 is ongoing at the Garfield County and other state Health Departments. Testing is by appointment only for Blaine County, 521 W. 4th, Watonga, (580) 623-7977; Garfield County, 2501 S. Mercer, Enid, (580) 233-0650; Grant County, 115 N. Main, Medford, (580) 395-2906; Kingfisher County, 124 E. Sheridan, courthouse annex room #101, Kingfisher, (405) 375-3008; Major County, 501 E. Broadway, Fairview, (580) 227-3362; Noble County, 300 Fir St., Perry, (580) 336-2257; Woods County, 511 Barnes St., Alva, (580) 327-3192; and Woodward County, 1631 Texas Ave., Woodward, (580) 256-6416. For a full list of county drive-through testing, go tohttps://coronavirus.health.ok.gov/drive-thru-testing. Some health department also advise the public to check their Facebook pages for more information regarding testing.

Emergency warning signs for COVID-19 are trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, bluish lips or face, according to the CDC. More information can be found athttps://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html.

Those with symptoms of COVID-19 should call ahead to local emergency rooms. Those with minor symptoms should contact their regular physicians.

Resources and information on COVID-19 can be obtained by calling 211 or going tohttps://covidresources.ok.gov/.

BREAKING NEWSon the COVID-19 threat and its impact is available athttps://www.enidnews.com/virusand isfree for all readers. That includes information on closings and cancellations.

Get full-access breaking news via text alerts at https://enidnews.com/textalerts.

For more local, state, national and global COVID-19 pandemic news, go tohttps://enidnews.com/news/covid19.

All breaking news is fully accessible on theEnid News & Eaglewebsite.

Information also can be found athttps://coronavirus.health.ok.gov/andhttps://www.cdc.gov/.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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OSDH: Oklahoma COVID-19 positives up by 1237; Fort Supply jump reflects hundreds of prison cases - Enid News & Eagle

"It is one of the first of its kind around the world," said Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, at a press conference Thursday.

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control says the new test is just as accurate as tests using a nasal swab and is much easier to administer for children.

"This is a new saline gargle where you put a little bit of normal saline, so sterile water, in your mouth and you swish it around a little bit and you spit it into a little tube and that's an easier way to collect it for young people," said Dr. Henry.

B.C. public health officials say they compared test results in both children and adults and found the rate of Covid-19 detection was very similar between the nasal swab and the new gargle test.

B.C. is prioritizing children for the new test but hopes to expand to adults in the coming weeks.

While the sample will still have to be taken to a lab for processing the test does not have to be administered by a healthcare professional.

Test comes as numbers edge upward

The country's seven-day average for new Covid-19 cases edged upward to 849 Friday, and public health officials said Canadians under the age of 40 are fueling the surge in cases. It's a 123% increase from a month ago, when the seven-day average stood at 380.

"The ongoing increase in the national daily case counts is an indicator of accelerated epidemic growth," Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, said during a news conference Friday. "This situation increases the likelihood that we lose the ability to keep Covid-19 at manageable levels."

Canada's positivity rate remains at 1.4% as testing ramps up, but public health officials are worried cases are rising too quickly to adequately test, contact trace and isolate positive cases.

"The other indicators to really watch out for are the hospitalizations and ICUs, those are low at the moment, but again if there's any signals that things are increasing it's another indicator that we might be going in the wrong direction,' said Dr. Tam.

Canadian provincial leaders say they are fed up with young people recklessly gathering at restaurants, bars, private homes and even parks and beaches.

"Every week we see images in bars, there's dance floors that are full, all sorts of things are happening in bars," said Genevieve Guilbault, Quebec's minister of public safety during a press conference Friday in Quebec City.

Quebec announced a sweeping police operation for this weekend saying law enforcement officials would visit more than 1,000 bars and restaurants to make sure owners and patrons are complying with health regulations.

"We have to use every tool and every gesture at our disposal to avoid a second wave of Covid in Quebec," added Guilbault.

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A new Canadian Covid-19 gargle test 'one of the first of its kind' in the world, doctor says - CNN

A growing number of cities in France are experiencing a worrying spread of the coronavirus and will have to enact new restrictions on public gatherings, the French health minister said on Thursday as he urged people to reduce their social contacts.

Olivier Vran, the minister, said at a news conference that local authorities in the cities of Lyon and Nice plan to tighten restrictions in the coming days, and he warned that other cities like Paris, Dijon or Toulouse might have to do the same soon.

The epidemic is once again very active in our country, Mr. Vran said.

Frances rate per capita of new cases over the last seven days is currently one of the highest in Europe, with 91 cases per 100,000 residents, up from 10 at the end of July. Gatherings of family and friends had become massive vectors of infections, Mr. Vran said.

In cities like Marseille and Bordeaux where the number of cases has surged the most, and where authorities had limited public gatherings to 10 people last week Mr. Vran said authorities might have to close bars and restaurants or ban gatherings completely.

Mr. Vran said that France had carried out over 1.2 million tests over the past week, but he acknowledged that massive demand had led to long lines and growing waiting times. Hundreds of medical lab workers even went on strike on Thursday over strained working conditions because of the overwhelming demand. Mr. Vran said the authorities were improving the process, while working on rolling out faster antibody tests and greenlighting saliva tests.

Mr. Vran also said that the authorities were able to monitor the pandemic much more closely than they could in the spring and that doctors have improved at treating severe cases of the virus.

We are not fighting with the same weapons and we know our opponent better, Mr. Vran said.

Reporting was contributed by Peter Baker, Aurelien Breeden, Luke Broadwater, Nick Bruce, Emily Cochrane, Stacy Cowley, Hana de Goeij, Elizabeth Dias, Sydney Ember, Nicholas Fandos, Emma G. Fitzsimmons, Jeffrey Gettleman, Denise Grady, Anemona Hartocollis, Jan Hoffman, Mike Ives, Jennifer Jett, Apoorva Mandavilli, Alex Marshall, Claire Cain Miller, David Montgomery, Claire Moses, Roni Caryn Rabin, Livia Albeck-Ripka, Anna Schaverien, Nelson D. Schwartz, Christopher F. Schuetze, Michael D. Shear, Eliza Shapiro, Daniel E. Slotnik, Mitch Smith, Kate Taylor, Katie Thomas, Glenn Thrush, Maria Varenikova, Lauren Wolfe and Sameer Yasir.

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C.D.C.s Contentious Testing Guidance on Covid-19 Was Not Written by Its Scientists - The New York Times

A large study finds a dramatic increase in the number of adults in the United States reporting symptoms of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of adults experiencing depression in the U.S. has tripled, according to a major study. Researchers estimate that more than 1 in 4 U.S. adults now report experiencing symptoms of depression.

Before the pandemic, 8.5% of U.S. adults reported being depressed. That number has risen to 27.8% as the country struggles with COVID-19.

Prof. Sandro Galea, a dean at Boston University (BU) School of Public Health, MA, is senior author of the study.

Stay informed with live updates on the current COVID-19 outbreak and visit our coronavirus hub for more advice on prevention and treatment.

Depression in the general population after prior large-scale traumatic events has been observed to, at most, double, he notes.

While reports of depression have increased in response to earlier crises, such as the 9/11 attack and the spread of Ebola in West Africa, the extent of this recent finding is something new.

The study features in the journal JAMA Network Open. The Rockefeller FoundationBoston University 3-D Commission and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided funding for the research.

The BU study is the first large-scale investigation into Americas mental health in response to COVID-19.

To measure the prevalence of depression symptoms among the population, the researchers worked with mental health professionals leading tool for this purpose: the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).

The researchers used the 20172018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) as a baseline measurement of depression rates before the beginning of the pandemic. A total of 5,065 individuals responded to that survey.

They compared these data with the findings of the COVID-19 and Life Stressors Impact on Mental Health and Well-being (CLIMB) study, which surveyed 1,441 U.S. adults between March 31 and April 13, 2020. This study also used PHQ-9, facilitating the comparison of changes in the prevalence of depression among the population.

Although the 2020 survey took place relatively early in the pandemic, by the time it was complete, stay-at-home advisories and shelter-in-place orders were in place for about 96% of the public.

The CLIMB survey also questioned participants regarding the various stressors associated with the pandemic. These stressors included the death of a friend or loved one and financial worries, such as the loss, or potential loss, of personal income.

The survey found that symptoms of depression had risen in response to the pandemic across all demographic groups.

According to the survey participants, the predominant driver of depression was concern regarding personal financial well-being. Lead study author Catherine Ettman says, Persons who were already at risk before COVID-19, with fewer social and economic resources, were more likely to report probable depression.

Specifically, the team found that individuals with less than $5,000 in savings were 50% more likely to be experiencing symptoms of depression than those who had more.

Ettman says that the study underscores the value of a society where a robust safety net exists, where people have fair wages, where equitable policies and practices exist, and where families can not only live on their income but can also save money toward the future.

As for what the authorities can do now to lessen the emotional toll of the ongoing pandemic in the U.S., Ettman suggests:

There may be steps that policymakers can take now to help reduce the impact of COVID-19 stressors on depression, such as eviction moratoria, providing universal health insurance that is not tied to employment, and helping people return to work safely for those able to do so.

Ettman hopes that her study can, at the very least, deliver some comfort to people struggling with depression by making them realize that they are far from alone.

For live updates on the latest developments regarding the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, click here.

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US cases of depression have tripled during the COVID-19 pandemic - Medical News Today

TheWest Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of 10:00 a.m., on August 26,2020, there have been 409,429 total confirmatorylaboratory results received for COVID-19, with 9,540 totalcases and 190 deaths.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a61-year old female from Logan County, an 87-year old female from Ohio County,and a 72-year old female from Mercer County. We are deeply saddened bythis news, a loss to both the family and our state, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHRCabinet Secretary.

CASESPER COUNTY: Barbour (33), Berkeley (777), Boone(131), Braxton (9), Brooke (85), Cabell (501), Calhoun (8), Clay (19),Doddridge (6), Fayette (195), Gilmer (18), Grant (138), Greenbrier (99),Hampshire (91), Hancock (118), Hardy (66), Harrison (259), Jackson (194),Jefferson (332), Kanawha (1,281), Lewis (32), Lincoln (111), Logan (454),Marion (212), Marshall (134), Mason (91), McDowell (72), Mercer (284), Mineral(131), Mingo (222), Monongalia (1,072), Monroe (91), Morgan (37), Nicholas(47), Ohio (289), Pendleton (44), Pleasants (14), Pocahontas (42), Preston(136), Putnam (254), Raleigh (331), Randolph (220), Ritchie (3), Roane (25),Summers (18), Taylor (103), Tucker (11), Tyler (15), Upshur (41), Wayne (232),Webster (7), Wetzel (45), Wirt (8), Wood (297), Wyoming (55).

Pleasenote that delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from thelocal health department to DHHR. As case surveillance continues at the localhealth department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain countymay not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual inquestion may have crossed the state border to be tested.Such is the case of Hampshire,Pendleton, and Randolph counties in this report.

Pleasevisit the dashboard located at http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov for more information.

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COVID-19 Daily Update 8-26-2020 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

TheWest Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of 10:00 a.m., on August 25,2020, there have been 403,394 total confirmatorylaboratory results received for COVID-19, with 9,395 totalcases and 187 deaths.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a65-year old male from Logan County, a72-year old female from Logan County, a 72-year old female from Logan County, an86-year old female from Taylor County, a 73-year old female from Wyoming County,a 92-year old female from Grant County, a 64-year old female from KanawhaCounty, and a 51-year old female from Cabell County. Pleasejoin with me in sending our deepest condolences to these families as they grievethe passing of their loved ones, said DHHR Cabinet Secretary Bill J. Crouch. Every life lost to this pandemic is atragedy.

CASESPER COUNTY: Barbour (33), Berkeley (769), Boone(130), Braxton (9), Brooke (85), Cabell (493), Calhoun (8), Clay (19),Doddridge (6), Fayette (188), Gilmer (18), Grant (134), Greenbrier (98),Hampshire (92), Hancock (118), Hardy (66), Harrison (258), Jackson (192),Jefferson (328), Kanawha (1,246), Lewis (32), Lincoln (111), Logan (446),Marion (211), Marshall (134), Mason (86), McDowell (66), Mercer (276), Mineral(131), Mingo (219), Monongalia (1,059), Monroe (79), Morgan (37), Nicholas(44), Ohio (289), Pendleton (48), Pleasants (14), Pocahontas (42), Preston(136), Putnam (252), Raleigh (328), Randolph (221), Ritchie (3), Roane (25),Summers (18), Taylor (100), Tucker (11), Tyler (15), Upshur (40), Wayne (230),Webster (7), Wetzel (45), Wirt (7), Wood (292), Wyoming (51).

Pleasenote that delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from thelocal health department to DHHR. As case surveillance continues at the localhealth department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain countymay not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual inquestion may have crossed the state border to be tested.Such is the case of Lincoln,Marshall, Monongalia, and Taylor counties in this report.

Pleasevisit the dashboard located at http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov for more information.

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COVID-19 Daily Update 8-25-2020 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

A review of COVID-19 studies reveals a troubling connection between two health crises: coronavirus and obesity.

From COVID-19 risk to recovery, the odds are stacked against those with obesity, and a new study led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill raises concerns about the impact of obesity on the effectiveness of a future COVID-19 vaccine.

Researchers examined the available published literature on individuals infected with the virus and found that those with obesity (BMI over 30) were at a greatly increased risk for hospitalization (113%), more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit (74%), and had a higher risk of death (48%) from the virus.

A team of researchers at UNC-Chapel Hills Gillings School of Global Public Health, including lead author Barry Popkin, a professor in the Department of Nutrition and member of the Carolina Population Center, collaborated with senior author Meera Shekar, a World Bank health and nutrition specialist, on the paper published in Obesity Reviews.

For the paper, researchers reviewed immunological and biomedical data to provide a detailed layout of the mechanisms and pathways that link obesity with increased risk of COVID-19 as well as an increased likelihood of developing more severe complications from the virus.

Obesity is already associated with numerous underlying risk factors for COVID-19, including hypertension, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney and liver disease.

Metabolic changes caused by obesity such as insulin resistance and inflammation make it difficult for individuals with obesity to fight some infections, a trend that can be seen in other infectious diseases, such as influenza and hepatitis.

During times of infection, uncontrolled serum glucose, which is common in individuals with hyperglycemia, can impair immune cell function.

All of these factors can influence immune cell metabolism, which determines how bodies respond to pathogens, like the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, said co-author Melinda Beck, professor of nutrition at Gillings School of Global Public Health. Individuals with obesity are also more likely to experience physical ailments that make fighting this disease harder, such as sleep apnea, which increases pulmonary hypertension, or a body mass index that increases difficulties in a hospital setting with intubation.

Previous work by Beck and others has demonstrated that the influenza vaccine is less effective in adults with obesity. The same may be true for a future SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, said Beck.

However, we are not saying that the vaccine will be ineffective in populations with obesity, but rather that obesity should be considered as a modifying factor to be considered for vaccine testing, she said. Even a less protective vaccine will still offer some level of immunity.

Roughly 40% of Americans are obese and the pandemics resulting lockdown has led to a number of conditions that make it harder for individuals to achieve or sustain a healthy weight.

Working from home, limiting social visits and a reduction in everyday activities all in an effort to stop the spread of the virus means were moving less than ever, said Popkin.

The ability to access healthy foods has also taken a hit. Economic hardships put those who are already food insecure at further risk, making them more vulnerable to conditions that can arise from consuming unhealthy foods.

Were not only at home more and experience more stress due to the pandemic, but were also not visiting the grocery store as often, which means the demand for highly processed junk foods and sugary beverages that are less expensive and more shelf-stable has increased, he said. These cheap, highly processed foods are high in sugar, sodium and saturated fat and laden with highly refined carbohydrates, which all increase the risk of not only excess weight gain but also key noncommunicable diseases.

Popkin, who is part of the Global Food Research Program at UNC-Chapel Hill, said the findings highlight why governments must address the underlying dietary contributors to obesity and implement strong public health policies proven to reduce obesity at a population level. Other countries, like Chile and Mexico, have adopted policies from taxing foods high in sugar to introducing warning labels on packaged foods that are high in sugar, fats and sodium and restricting the marketing of junk foods to children.

Given the significant threat COVID-19 represents to individuals with obesity, healthy food policies can play a supportive and especially important role in the mitigation of COVID-19 mortality and morbidity, Popkin said.

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Obesity linked with higher risk for COVID-19 complications | UNC-Chapel Hill - UNC Chapell Hill