Category Archives: Covid-19

I was surprised like the rest of the world.

Its not every day you learn an animal in your backyard could protect humanity against the coronavirus. Sissy Sugarman thinks it might be a perfect fit for the three llamas living on her familys Sugar Sweet Farm, in Encinitas, however.

The llamas often protect the other smaller animals on the farm, Sugarman said.

They protect them against predators like coyotes and mountain lions that we have plenty of here in the valley, Sugarman said while feeding a carrot to a llama named Bandit.

The National Institute of Health said researchers in Belgium and the United States are studying antibodies found in llamas that have already proven to help fight other viruses like SARS.

There are two animals that have the antibody that they use to fight coronavirus, and thats llamas and sharks -- I wonder why they chose llamas to work with? Sugarman said, laughing.

Antibodies work as a blockade between a virus and cells, attaching to the virus and preventing its ability to attach to human cells.

It would be cool if they were able to protect humans as well, Sugarman said, feeding Bandit another carrot. Who would have thought llamas, of all things?

The NIH said if the llama antibodies prove to be effective, it would still be months before a vaccine was ready for humans.

Joe: Hey Boss, so, therere these llamas...Boss: Go.So, therere these llamas and they may save our lives. Im going to Sugar Sweet Farm to let them explain.NBC 7 at 4:30 and 6:00.

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Llamas May Hold the Key to COVID-19 - NBC San Diego

An experimental Covid-19 vaccine being developed by the drug giant Pfizer and the biotech firm BioNTech spurred immune responses in healthy patients, but also caused fever and other side effects, especially at higher doses.

The first clinical data on the vaccine were disclosed Wednesday in a paper released on medRXiv, a preprint server, meaning it has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a journal.

We still have a ways to go and were testing other candidates as well, said Philip Dormitzer, the chief scientific officer for viral vaccines at Pfizers research laboratories. However, what we can say at this point is there is a viable candidate based on immunogenicity and early tolerability safety data.

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The study randomly assigned 45 patients to get one of three doses of the vaccine or placebo. Twelve received a 10-microgram dose, 12 a 30-microgram dose, 12 a 100-microgram dose, and nine a placebo. The 100-microgram dose caused fevers in half of patients; a second dose was not given at that level.

Following a second injection three weeks later of the other doses, 8.3% of the participants in the 10-microgram group and 75% of those in the 30-microgram group developed fevers. More than 50% of the patients who received one of those doses reported some kind of adverse event, including fever and sleep disturbances. None of these side effects was deemed serious, meaning they did not result in hospitalization or disability and were not life-threatening.

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The vaccine generated antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, and some of these antibodies were neutralizing, meaning that they appear to prevent the virus from functioning. Levels of neutralizing antibodies were 1.8 to 2.8 times the level of that in the recovered patients.

Its not certain that higher antibody levels will lead to immunity to the virus. To prove that, Pfizer will need to conduct large studies that aim to prove that people who have received the vaccine are at least 50% less likely to become infected. Those studies are expected to begin this summer, mostly in the United States. Pfizer and BioNTech are testing four different versions of the vaccine, but only one will advance to larger studies.

The current study did not include pregnant women, and no other information on the ethnic diversity of participants was noted, although the paper does say that future studies will need to include a more diverse group.

The second dose, a booster shot, was required for immunity. The patients who received the single 100-microgram dose had lower antibody levels than those who received two shots of the lower doses.

Fourteen Covid-19 vaccines are currently in human trials, according to the Milken Institute, including entrants from Inovio, CanSino, AstraZeneca, and Moderna. More are expected to start soon, including entrants from Merck, Johnson & Johnson, and Sanofi. In total, 178 vaccines are in various stages of development.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, like the Moderna vaccine, is based on a technology called messenger RNA, which uses a key genetic messenger found in cells to create protein that the immune system then learns to attack. Moderna has not yet published data on its vaccine but is expected to do so soon.

Excerpt from:

Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech shows positive results - STAT

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin gestures toward Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell, as they appear before a House Committee on Financial Services hearing on oversight of the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve pandemic response, on Tuesday in Washington. Bill O'Leary/AP hide caption

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin gestures toward Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell, as they appear before a House Committee on Financial Services hearing on oversight of the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve pandemic response, on Tuesday in Washington.

House members unanimously passed an extension of the $660 billion Paycheck Protection Program, aimed at helping small businesses weather the COVID-19 pandemic. The voice vote came a day after the Senate approved the measure.

The PPP had expired Tuesday at midnight. If President Trump signs the extension, the program will operate through Aug. 8.

The program was created as part of the original $3 trillion package of economic pandemic relief measures that passed Congress in March. The forgivable loans, doled out by the Small Business Administration, are meant to help small businesses keep employees on the payroll despite lockdowns and a general downturn in business as a result of the coronavirus.

There was a scramble to claim the first round, amounting to $349 billion, which was exhausted in just 13 days. A second round of $310 billion has not been fully spent.

On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin suggested the remaining $140 billion in loans under the program could be repurposed to aid restaurants, hotels and other industries hit hardest by the pandemic.

The extension passed by Congress is aimed at keeping the spigot open while lawmakers mull reworking the program.

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House Follows Senate In Passing Extension Of COVID-19 Business Loans - NPR

Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Alaskas Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink will discuss the latest positive cases of COVID-19 in Alaska via livestream at 5 p.m. today. Theyll be joined by Dr. Michael Bernstein, chief medical officer of Providence Health & Services Alaska and the director of the Anchorage Health Department, Natasha Pineda.

Twenty-seven confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported Sunday by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services the states highest daily increase since the pandemic began.

[Because of a high volume of comments requiring moderation, we are temporarily disabling comments on many of our articles so editors can focus on the coronavirus crisis and other coverage. We invite you to write a letter to the editor or reach out directly if youd like to communicate with us about a particular article. Thanks.]

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Watch live: State and Anchorage officials discuss increase in COVID-19 cases at 5 p.m. - Anchorage Daily News

CLINTON, Ark. After a brief shutdown to hinder the coronaviruss spread, Arkansas began opening up, slowly and cautiously, on May 11. Businesses are placing limits on the number of customers they will serve at any one time, and social distancing and mask wearing is still required in establishments like restaurants. The states Republican governor, Asa Hutchinson, has been critical of businesses and customers that dont follow these rules. Even so, Arkansas has seen a second peak of coronavirus infection, as cases surge especially among younger people and the Latino population in northwestern counties. On Thursday, Governor Hutchinson announced the largest single-day increase in community transmission 261 cases.

Despite this, and despite predictions that the virus will take a crushing toll in rural areas like ours, this part of Arkansas has so far been spared the worst health effects of Covid-19. Van Buren County, where I live, has fewer than 17,000 people and has had only 28 confirmed cases of the coronavirus to date. Two people died, but the rest have recovered. Early cases were concentrated in bigger cities, like Little Rock and a suburb of Memphis, and were disproportionately among black Arkansans. There have been more than 6,500 cases in the state about a fifth of them have been in prisons, and those cases werent even added to official totals at first, all of which is a human rights disaster but most families havent been affected. Any death is a tragedy, but death from Covid-19 hasnt personally touched very many people here. At least not yet.

I moved back here to my hometown two and a half years ago to write a book about it. Since returning, Ive become more active on Facebook, which is both a source of local gossip and official news; county officials and offices often post important updates, especially about the coronavirus outbreak, to their Facebook pages. Im also a member of three local news groups that are a source of insight into how my neighbors think about current events. Ive found that a vast majority of people here approach political issues, whether local or national, with suspicion of taxation and government spending, even when such spending is for their own benefit. This has remained true even during these unprecedented times.

We have been hit with the economic devastation caused by the pandemic. The median household income in the state is $45,726; for the county its $34,428, so there are many people who live paycheck to paycheck. While a large majority of Americans 74 percent support continued efforts to slow the viruss spread, and there are plenty of well-off Americans and business owners eager to get back to work, the divide over whether lockdowns should continue is a strongly partisan one. Many Republicans, including low- and middle-income whites think businesses should reopen now. For the most part, the people Ive spoken to and seen commenting online here accept as a given that the only way to be able to pay their rent or to feed their kids is to return to work: They dont think its possible to protect our health and our economic well-being at the same time.

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Covid-19 and the Rural Fear of Taking Advantage - The New York Times

Its been a steady flow since 7 a.m. and we have already tested at least 50 individuals, said Williams.

NEW ORLEANS Hundreds of people showed up at Corinne Missionary Baptist Church in the eastern St. Bernard town of Violet Saturday for free walk up and drive through testing for COVID-19, a first of its kind for the area, according to Dr. Shondra Williams with InclusivCare, the company contracted to do the testing.

Its been a steady flow since 7 a.m. and we have already tested at least 50 individuals, said Williams.

While there has been testing across Orleans and Jefferson Parishes, this area has not seen a free testing event like this until now, according to Williams.

From what I understand, this is probably the first testing in the area and its of particular interest as the community is beginning to reopen, said Williams. Businesses are moving about and we certainly want to make sure that people have access to testing.

Poorer areas tend to have a harder time fighting the virus. According to census data, the per capita individual income in Violet was just over $13,000 a year and about 21 percent of the population is below the poverty line. Roughly 40 percent of the town is black -- another group hard hit by COVID-19.

Unfortunately, the manifestation of COVID-19 in the African-American community is the result of those predisposed disparities, said Louisiana state senator Joseph Bouie. You know, it includes healthcare, access to a living wage and access to a quality education.

Its a combination of those factors that put this particular population at risk, according to Bouie. He also expects a greater emphasis on healthcare in the future, both at a federal and local level to help people in communities like Violet.

I definitely see it as a teaching moment, if you will, for the nation, said Bouie. It forces us as a community to address the economics, the health issues, the education -- all of those challenges we are now being faced with because of this virus.

President of St. Bernard parishs NAACP Chapter, Kevin Gabriel, helped organize the event.

Its time for people to come out and get tested. We are looking out for the community. This a terrible thing that came up in this nation and its time for all us to come together as one, said Gabriel.

The event was sponsored in part by Corinne Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor John Bailey says a lot of residents have not been tested and that there is a great need in his community.

Well you know you got some people walking around not knowing they have the virus. I am just grateful and I thank the Lord we were able to have this testing site in our parish, said Bailey.

The Crescent River Port Pilots were also at the event to offer free masks. It wasnt their first event.

Weve done this about six times and we continue to want to do it to protect people, said president of the group, Michael Bopp.

More events are being planned in St. Bernard for the future.

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COVID-19 testing reaches parts of St. Bernard Parish for the first time - WWLTV.com

When Jennie Stejna tested positive for coronavirus in late April, her family began preparing for the worst, granddaughter Shelley Gunn said.

At one point, her family was told that Stejna had stopped eating and drinking and might not make it through the night. They called her for one last goodbye, Gunn said.

When Gunn's husband, a Navy retiree, asked Stejna if she was ready to pass away, she responded "Hell yeah," according to the family.

"She's always been a feisty woman," Gunn said.

But instead of a grim phone call from Stejna's nursing home, on May 8 they received the news that she had tested negative, and was symptom-free, the family said.

"The nurses came into her room, and she said, "I'm not sick anymore, Get the hell out,'" Gunn said.

The nursing home staff honored Stejna's perseverance with one of her favorite treats -- an ice-cold beer.

"I think it's given everyone a smile and some hope, while it's dark days for everybody," Gunn said.

Bonney Kapp contributed to this report.

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103-year-old woman celebrates beating Covid-19 with a cold beer - CNN

Editors note: This is a live account of updates from Sunday, May 31, as the events unfolded. Click here to find the latest extended coverage of the outbreak of the coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2; the illness it causes, COVID-19; and its effects on the Seattle area, the Pacific Northwest and the world.

On Saturday, representatives with the Seattle parks and neighborhoods departments handed out hundreds of single-use use masks to people taking part in the days demonstrations.Several groups at the protests handed out masks, water and sanitizing wipes to participants.

Seattle Premium Outlets on the Tulalip Reservation reopened Saturday, with restrictions, after a two-month closure to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Snohomish County shopping centers 100-plus stores will limit how many customers can enter at one time, and face masks, sanitizing wipes and temperature testing will be available at the outlet malls entrances, owner Simon Property Group said Saturday in a news release. Some common areas will have signs directing traffic flow.

About 1% of kids who visited a Seattle hospital in April had been infected with the novel coronavirus, according to the first large-scale survey for antibodies in children. The study also found most of the youngsters developed a robust immune response, an encouraging sign for a future vaccine.Most of the children who tested positive for antibodies had no symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. That fits with widespread evidence that children are much less likely than adults to become ill or die.

Throughout Sunday, on this page, well post updates from Seattle Times journalists and others on the pandemic and its effects on the Seattle area, the Pacific Northwest and the world. Updates from Saturday can be found here, and all our coronavirus coverage can be found here.

The following graphic includes the most recent numbers from the Washington State Department of Health, released Sunday.

For many protesters in Seattle over the weekend, the outrage over racial injustices outweighed the risk of contracting COVID-19.

That calculus sent people streaming into the streets of downtown Seattle, where they shouted face to face with authorities andpushed into tight crowds, although many wore masks.

Now experts and public health officials are cautioning the large gatheringsthe first of this scale since the pandemic was declared could set back the regions recovery from the novel coronavirus epidemic.

We will need to watch COVID-19 activity closely in King County over the next several weeks, David Postman, Gov. Jay Inslees chief of staff, said in an email. The protests, though, would not affect the countyscurrent application to reopensome parts of the economy, he said.

Read more.

Mike Reicher

State health officials confirmed 353 new COVID-19 cases in Washington on Saturday, with no new deaths.

The update brings the states totals to 21,702 cases and 1,118 deaths, according the Department of Healths (DOH)data dashboard.

So far, 360,899 tests for the novel coronavirus have been conducted in the state, per DOH. Of those, 6% have come back positive.

King County, the state's most populous, has reported 8,092 total cases and 567 deaths, accounting for 50.7% of the state's death toll.

According to a Bloomberg article, small fitness clubs across Georgia and Oklahoma among the most aggressive U.S. states in reopening their economies are reporting that 75% or more of their customers have returned over past weeks. In most cases, gym owners say their clients are behaving, keeping distances and wiping down their equipment.

While some members are slower to return and other clubs are folding because their business is no longer viable, anecdotal evidence suggests that hardcore fitness addicts rushed to get back to their sweat-filled gyms as soon as they could.

Read more.

Michael Sasso, Olga Kharif and Emma Kinery

While most people desperately yearn for the moment its deemed safe for them to resume their former lives and all that goes with it even traffic jams and endless meetings are bathed in the rosy glow of nostalgia there are outliers who would like things to go on like this for a good long time. Not for them the mix of ennui and dread that characterizes sheltering in place.

They love sheltering in place.

They are, to a person, horrified by what the pandemic has wrought and are humbled by the sacrifices made by those on the front line. They do not, for a minute, minimize what it is going on. But they have, sometimes to their surprise, found contentment and peace in the situation that has been thrust upon them.

If Im honest I dont like leaving home anyway. I dont like crowds. I dont like going to the beach. Thats always been my personality, said New Jersey's Ethan Rasiel. Im Zooming with people and thats good enough for me.

To hear from more people like Rasiel, read the New York Times' "Loving the lockdown."

Joanne Kaufman, New York Times

The coronavirus pandemic that brought sports to a standstill for months has everyone wondering what games will be like when spectators are finally allowed back in.

The changes will be big and small, temporary and long-lasting.

Fans could have their every move scrutinized by cameras and lasers. There might be nobody in the next seat to high-five after a touchdown. The idea of passing cash to a beer vendor between innings will be a memory. Temperature screenings and medical checks could be mandatory to get in. By having virtual tickets scanned on their smart phones, fans could be acknowledging the health risk of attending a game while surrendering some of their personal privacy.

It all begs the question: Will fans be able to have any fun?

Learn more about all the changes under consideration and what they mean for sports fans.

Dave Skretta, Associated Press

Roughly16,000 DACA recipientsin Washington 650,000 in the U.S., as of December will be affected by a long-awaited decision from the U.S. Supreme Court onwhetherPresident Donald Trumps attempt to endthe Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was legal a decision that could come in June.

The pandemic has brought even more intensity to the debate and a new wrinkle for the court to consider.

Healthcare providers on the frontlines of our nations fight against COVID-19 rely significantly upon DACA recipients to perform essential work, reads an Aprilsupplemental plaintiffs brief,atypically acceptedby the court though oral arguments had happened months before.

Read the full story here.

Nina Shapiro

One of the first personal protective equipment drone drops in the U.S. took place this month.

The drone was launched by Novant Health, which operates 15 hospitals and close to 700 different facilities in the southeastern U.S. The health care system said it hopes to use regular flights to deliver masks, gowns, gloves and other protective gear.

In the future, the company hopes to use them for testing, drug trials and vaccine distribution.

The COVID-19 pandemic has tasked us with being even more nimble and innovative in how we solve complex challenges, said Angela Yochem, Novants chief digital and technology officer.

Read the full story here.

The Associated Press

Protests in cities across the U.S.over repeated racial injustices are raising fears of new coronavirus outbreaks, as thousands of people gather after weeks of social distancing efforts.

We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one other, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said.

Health experts fear that silent carriers of the virus could unwittingly infect others at protests where people are packed cheek to jowl, many without masks, many chanting, singing or shouting. The virus is dispersed by microscopic droplets in the air when people cough, sneeze, sing or talk.

Read the full story.

The Associated Press

The coronavirus pandemic's impact may even extend to orcas: With recreational boat traffic in the Salish Sea down due to stay-at-home orders, researchers are investigating how the orcas are responding.

The southern resident orcas hunt by sound, and disturbance and noise caused by boats and vessels form one ofthree main threats to their survival,in addition to lack of adequate chinook salmon (their preferred food)and pollution.

The Northwest whale watch industry is anticipating a restart at some point this summer, with retrofits for social distancing.

Read the full story.

Lynda V. Mapes

Seven new deaths and 278 additional COVID-19 cases were reported in Washington, bringing the state's total to 21,349 cases and 1,118 deaths.

Seattle City Council members are proposing that gig drivers for services like Instacart, Uber and Lyft should recieve paid sick days and an extra $5 in pay per trip until the pandemic subsides.

A new analysis shows that the U.S. likely reached the milestone of 100,000 coronavirus deaths three weeks ago.

Researchers continue to study the post-viral problems that patients suffer from after otherwise recovering from the virus. There have been reports ofdamage to lungs, kidneys and hearts, as well as fatigue, muscle pain, and cognitive problems.

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Coronavirus daily news updates, May 31: What to know today about COVID-19 in the Seattle area, Washington state, and the world - Seattle Times

Traditional Din medicine practitioner Jeneda Benally, pictured here with her daughter Dahi, is trying to preserve cultural wisdom in danger of being lost during the pandemic. Laurel Morales/KJZZ hide caption

Traditional Din medicine practitioner Jeneda Benally, pictured here with her daughter Dahi, is trying to preserve cultural wisdom in danger of being lost during the pandemic.

In Navajo culture to speak of death is taboo. But since the tribe's coronavirus infection rate has become the highest in the country, they can't help but talk about it.

"It's killing every day," says medicine man Ty Davis, who knows at least five traditional practitioners who have died from COVID-19.

"It put me into shock," he says. "What do we do now? How do we retrieve that knowledge that these elders once knew now that they have died with those ceremonies? How do we get those back?"

Each medicine person specializes in different ceremonies. So when someone dies they take that knowledge with them. Over the last several decades the tribe has gone from a thousand Din or Navajo medicine people to just 300. The coronavirus threatens the few who remain.

Medicine man Avery Denny is attempting to change that trajectory by taking on apprentices where he teaches at Din College on the Navajo Nation.

Professor Avery Denny sings the the Journey Song to college graduates.

"I have great great concerns," Denny says.

Denny says he's up against centuries of colonialism when it comes to preserving Navajo culture and tradition. The federal government forced tribes to relocate, sent Native children to boarding schools where they were beaten for speaking their language for singing their songs.

"Young people are acculturated, assimilated, dominated. They're losing their language and their culture," Denny says.

Denny says white missionaries are also to blame for replacing Navajo religion.

"Christianity is the belief that our people turned to even our leadership so there's no guidance," Denny says. "There's no leader that says, 'OK we'll turn to Navajo values and Navajo Din medicine.'"

For instance, the Navajo president begins each meeting with a Christian prayer even though he also addresses his community in Navajo.

The loss of traditional practitioners is not just a cultural loss but also a personal one for people such as Jeneda Benally, whose aunt recently died from COVID-19.

"I am really emotional about this because it's so painful to lose so many loved ones," she says.

Benally is a traditional practitioner who works alongside her father who was the first medicine man to practice in a Western hospital.

"I felt very early on during this pandemic that I needed to protect my father so that way he can continue to help people in order to protect our future generations," Benally says.

One way she is doing that is working with her brother Clayson to produce youtube videos to share Navajo cultural practices like how to dry farm and how to shear sheep.

The Benallys hope their videos will encourage tribal members to reconnect with their culture, especially now while tribal members are spending a lot of time at home during during the coronavirus pandemic.

"We've got this technology," Jeneda Benally says. "How are we going to find hope in this technology? How are we going to find the continuation of our culture where we can connect our elders to our youth?"

The dilemma is figuring out what parts of Navajo culture they can share publicly and what parts are too sacred and can only be passed down from one Navajo to another.

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Navajo Nation Loses Elders And Tradition To COVID-19 - NPR

President Trump shared his positive outlook on COVID-19 treatment results and the recovering economy during a roundtable with business leaders. Wochit

WASHINGTON The Army has determined 16West Point cadets have tested positive for COVID-19 after returning to the campus for a commencement address by President Trump scheduled for June 13, according to sources on Capitol Hill.

The affected cadets, a fractionof the 850 who have returned to the campus since spring break in March, are receiving treatment but are not showing symptoms of the disease, Army Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams, the West Point superintendent, said in an interview.

Williams, who declined to specify the number of cadets affected, said screening and safety procedures will allowthe ceremony to be held safely.

More: The next 100 days: How the coronavirus will continue to change your life at home, at work, at school and beyond

Sources on Capitol Hill, with access to information but not authorized to speak publicly, said that of the 16 affected cadets, 14 had tested positive for the antibody that indicates they had contracted the virus, recovered and had developed anti-bodies. In addition, 71 of the more than 5,000 faculty, staff and civilians at West Point have tested positive for COVID-19 since March. All but fourcivilians have recovered, and they are living off the post.

The COVID-19 pandemic has scrambled graduation plans for the nation's elite military schools. The Naval Academy held a virtual ceremony, and the Air Force Academy sequestered its senior class on campus, holding graduation with cadets spaced at safe distance from one another.

Critics have called Trump's decision to attend West Point graduation a political stunt that endangers the health of cadets and those with whom they have had contact on their return to campus.

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Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and an Army veteran, said in a statement last monththat Trump's commencement address puts the young officers, who have already received their commissions, at unnecessary risk "all to stroke his own ego."

Top Army officials have defended the decision, pointing out that the seniors had to return to the campus before heading to their first active-duty posts. The seniors need to pass physicals and retrieve their belongings, Williams said.

The cadets, who are surveyed for symptoms before returning,have been arriving in groups and are tested and quarantined on arrival. So far, a "very, very low" number of the 800 who have returned have tested positive, Williams said. The remaining 200seniors are scheduled to arrive Saturday.

The seniors have their temperatures checked daily, maintain social distancing and wear masks, Williams said.

Williams expressed confidence that commencement can be held safely and without putting the graduates or community at risk.

"I'm very, very confident in the resources we have here, both medical and administrative how we're taking care of them," Williams said. "These are my sons and daughters. That's the way I talk to them."

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At least 16 West Point cadets test COVID-19 positive before grad speech by President Trump - USA TODAY