Category Archives: Covid-19

September 5- 11 is National Suicide Prevention Week

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (September 7, 2021) Today, Mayor Greg Fischer and Dr. Sarah Moyer, Chief Health Strategist for the city, were joined by Geneva Robinson, Director of the Crisis and Information Center at Seven Counties Services, to provide an update on the surge of COVID-19 in the community.

Besides people experiencing severe illness and death from COVID-19, another sad impact of the virus is the tragedies caused by the despair of the pandemic and the sense of instability practically everyone has experienced, said Mayor Fischer. This is Suicide Prevention Week, and we want to make sure everyone has the information they need to get through this difficult time and to help others as well.

Robinson shared that since the beginning of 2020 calls to Seven Counties free 24/7 crisis lines have increased in number and in severity. Before 2020, they received anywhere from 61,000 to 64,000 calls a year. In 2020, they answered 71,000 calls.

Robinson also noted that theres been an increase in calls from individuals who were at the point of self-harm 750 in 2020 vs. 500 in 2019. With calls like that, they can initiate active rescue to immediately initiate help to the individual.

We want people to know you dont have to be at a breaking point to call us, Robinson said. Reach out to us when youre having trouble coping, when feelings start to get out of hand, or you are having difficulty handling whatever is going on in your life. Our crisis counselors provide a safe place to talk and a safe place to help you get resources you may need.

Its OK to not be OK, Robinson added. We are in an unprecedented time for all of us. People are experiencing a multitude of challenges at once. Please call us. Your call is anonymous and confidential. We want to help you.

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Crisis Lines:

Crisis Text Line

Text LOU to 741741

Seven Counties Services

24/7 Adult Crisis Line (502) 589-4313

24/7 Child Crisis Line (502) 589-8070

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

(800) 273-8255

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Spanish)

(888) 628-9454

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Options for Deaf and Hard of Hearing)

(800) 799-4889

Veterans Crisis Line

(800) 273-8255 Press 1

Trevor Project: LGBTQ+ Community

866-488-7386

Trans Lifeline

(877) 565-8860

Louisville Still in High Alert Red Level

We are in a red high-alert level. COVID is everywhere, said Dr. Moyer. If you are unvaccinated, it is unsafe to be out in the community right now. Please stay home if you can. If youre vaccinated or unvaccinated, its still important to wear your mask and keep your space.

Moyer added, If you participated in any high-risk activities this weekend went to gatherings of any kind please get tested this week. The sooner those that are positive stay home, the faster we will get this surge under control. Remember, you are spreading the virus two days before you start having symptoms.

Here are the key COVID-19 data metrics for September 7, 2021:

Vaccines

We are at almost record-breaking numbers for people with such serious illness from COVID they require hospitalization, admittance to the ICU, and being put on a ventilator. Patients are younger, sicker and unvaccinated. If you dont have immunity whether from the vaccine or from having a previous moderate to severe diagnosis of COVID, you need to be staying home until youre fully vaccinated, Moyer said.

This pandemic has had a major effect on our lives.some more than others as many have lost family members or friends they loved; some are dealing with long haul symptoms for months after recovering, some have had to quit jobs to care for children or family members; some like our healthcare workers and your public health workers have faced what sometimes seems like an overwhelming load of responsibility and care. Weve got to take care of ourselves. But we must also take care of each other. Please get vaccinated today. And please reach out to the crisis line if youre struggling.

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View this weeks COVID-19 briefing with public health officials here.

The citys COVID-19 data dashboard, a complete list of COVID-19 testing sites, vaccine information, prevention and contact tracing can be found atwww.louisville.gov/covid19. The LOU HEALTH COVID19 Helpline is also available: 502-912-8598.

Excerpt from:

Covid-19 continues to rapidly spread while calls to crisis lines increase in number and intensity - LouisvilleKy.gov

Kentucky had more than 30,000 new COVID-19 cases last week, the single largest week for cases in the commonwealth during thepandemic, Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday during his update.

Last week, 30,680 new coronavirus cases were reported in Kentucky. The previous week had also set a record with 29,456 cases, making it back-to-back weeks with the most cases.

We continue to see more cases than is safe by any means, Beshear said.

Over the Labor Day weekend through Tuesday, there were a combined 13,005 new coronavirus cases and 60 new deaths. Heres how the numbers break down:

Beshear said he expected to have higher numbers of cases and deaths over the next few days as the under-reporting of cases catches up.

On Saturday, Beshear signed a proclamation calling state lawmakers into a special session on Tuesday to extend the COVID-19 state of emergency in Kentucky.

Our situation is dire, Beshear saidSunday on NBCs Meet the Press news program. We are setting case records. We have a record number of Kentuckians in the hospital battling COVID,in the ICU battling for their lives.

A recent state Supreme Court ruling limitedthe governors executive powers.

If I had the ability to do it right now, we would have a masking order when you are in public and indoors, Beshear said. We know thats a proven way to slow the spread of the virus and ultimately help our health care capacity.

More: Kentucky lawmakers consider ending school mask mandate during special session

More: COVID-19 has shut down at least one-fifth of Kentucky school districts. Here's the latest

UPDATED LIST: More schools switch to universal mask policies as COVID-19 cases rise

Read the original:

Kentucky hits another record week of COVID-19 cases - Cincinnati.com

SEOUL, Sept 8 (Reuters) - South Korea is drawing up a plan on how to live more normally with COVID-19, expecting 80% of adults to be fully vaccinated by late October, health authorities said on Wednesday.

The country is in the middle of its worst wave of infections, but it has kept the number of severely ill cases under control through steadily rising vaccination rates.

"We'll review measures that will allow us to live more normally, but any such switch will be implemented only when we achieve high vaccination rates and overall (COVID-19) situations stabilise," Son Young-rae, a senior health ministry official, told a briefing.

The strategy will be implemented in phases to gradually ease restrictions, authorities said. Masks will still be required at least in the initial stage.

The government expects to implement the plan sometime after late October, when 80% of its adult population likely will have been vaccinated. As of Tuesday, South Korea had given at least one vaccine dose to 70.9% of its adult population, while 42.6% are fully vaccinated.

It reported 2,050 new COVID-19 cases for Tuesday, with 2,014 of those locally acquired.

South Korea extended national social distancing curbs to Oct. 3 this week as the country boosts its vaccination campaign ahead of a thanksgiving holiday that falls later this month.

Restrictions in place include limited operating hours for cafes and restaurants and on the number of people allowed at social gatherings.

South Korea has registered 265,423 infections since the pandemic started, with 2,334 deaths.

The country has not seen a significant increase in coronavirus deaths, with a mortality rate of 0.88%, largely due to high vaccination rates among the elderly and vulnerable.

Severe or critical cases stood at 387 as of Tuesday.

Reporting by Sangmi Cha; Editing by Miyoung Kim and Tom Hogue

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

See the article here:

S.Korea planning to live 'more normally' with COVID-19 after October - Reuters

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.- Avera Health announced today that it will require full vaccination for its physicians, employees and volunteers by Dec. 1, 2021.

This policy also applies to students rotating in Avera facilities, contracted workers and vendors. Avera Health will consider exemptions for employees with medical contraindications and sincerely held religious beliefs. Employees who receive an exemption will be required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment and comply with regular COVID-19 testing and other preventive measures.

As a health care ministry, Avera is called upon to provide a safe and protective environment for our patients, their families and our employees. This is consistent with our mission and values, said David Erickson, MD, Chief Medical and Innovation Officer at Avera Health. For decades, vaccination has been an important tool in public health. Avera has long been requiring vaccinations among its employees for influenza and other infectious diseases like measles.

The Pfizer vaccine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Aug. 23.

Avera is an amazing, quality-driven organization. We want our employees to enjoy working in a safe and collaborative environment. Requiring a COVID-19 vaccine is consistent with our other Human Resources policies, said Kim Jensen, Chief Human Resources Officer at Avera Health. We already require annual vaccination against flu and we require a record of immunizations for new hires.

The majority of Avera employees are already vaccinated for COVID-19 and, in an all-employee survey, a majority of employees voiced support for requiring vaccination. The majority of our employees have already turned to vaccination to protect themselves, their families and their patients, Jensen added.

A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study shows that unvaccinated people are 29 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than those who are vaccinated. The study also found that unvaccinated people are about five times more likely to be infected with COVID-19 than those who are not. When uncommon breakthrough infections do happen in vaccinated persons, most often the illness is mild.

COVID vaccines are doing what theyre supposed to do and thats reducing hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19. No vaccine can offer absolute protection. But the fact remains that the most effective thing people can do to prevent the spread of COVID is to get vaccinated, said Kevin Post, DO, Chief Medical Officer for Avera Medical Group.

Vaccines are safe and effective. Millions of people have safely received the vaccines. With over half of the U.S. population vaccinated plus millions across the world, COVID vaccines are among the most tested vaccines ever, Erickson said. Adverse reactions are extremely rare.

Hospitalizations of COVID patients across the United States are topping 100,000 including young adults and children. Those hospitalizations are due to the contagious nature of COVID-19, Erickson added.

Due to increased pediatric cases with the Delta variant, children ages 0-11 remain vulnerable because there is not an approved vaccine for that age group. Adults can help protect children by getting vaccinated, Post said.

Numerous medical organizations support the requirement of COVID-19 vaccination for health care workers including the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Nurses Association, American College of Physicians, Catholic Health Association and more.

About Avera Health

The Avera Health system has over 19,000 employees and physicians, serving more than 300 locations and 100 communities in a five-state region. Our ministry, our people and our superior value distinguish Avera. We carry on the health care legacy of the Benedictine and Presentation Sisters, delivering care in an environment guided by our values of compassion, hospitality and stewardship. For more information about Avera, visit our website at Avera.org.

Excerpt from:

Avera Requires COVID-19 Vaccines for Employees to Protect Patients and Staff - Avera Health

Last month the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning not to use the common livestock antiparasitic ivermectin to treat COVID-19.

Now it appears people may be turning to a botanical alternative.

Wormwood, which grows in Maineand is used to make absinthe, is classified as an unsafe herbby the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because it contains the chemical thujone. The chemical has the potential to harm brain, kidney and liver cells or cause convulsions if taken in too high a dose.

The herb is the latest example of unproven COVID-19 treatments. Over the course of the pandemic, people have turned to drugs and supplements including hydroxychloroquine, dexamethasone and ivermectin as possible cures or treatments for COVID-19. The CDC and other health organizations have repeatedly warned taking those drugs or supplements outside of their intended uses can cause dangerous side effects.

There is no evidence to suggest COVID-19 can be prevented or treated with products made from artemisinin, a derivative from the wormwood plant, or any other wormwood plant material, according to the World Health Organization.

The United States National Library of Medicine lists one clinical trial looking at the safety and efficacy of artemisinin in hospitalized COVID-19 subjects. That study is out of Brazil.

The FDA does regard wormwood as safe if it is thujone-free.

Thujone-free supplements that contain wormwood and its extracts are marketed to treat digestive problems, parasites, muscle pain and sexual dysfunction. Its also the flavoring ingredient in some aperitifs and the liquor absinthe.

The best way to reduce the risk of getting or spreading COVID-19 are the three FDA-authorized vaccines, not natural supplements, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The vaccines effectiveness and safety have been affirmed through rigorous clinical trials, said Robert Long, spokesperson for Maine CDC. Thats not the case for various home remedies that have been suggested.

Long urges people to get vaccinated or to consult their medical provider if they have any questions about the risks related to COVID-19

The wormwood plant is a perennial herb natvie to Europe, but is now cultivated around the world.

More articles from the BDN

Originally posted here:

This herb used to make absinthe will not cure your COVID-19 - Bangor Daily News

COVID-19 booster shots may be coming for at least some Americans but already the Biden administration is being forced to scale back expectations illustrating just how much important science still has to be worked out.

The initial plan was to offer Pfizer or Moderna boosters starting Sept. 20, contingent on authorization from U.S. regulators. But now administration officials acknowledge Moderna boosters probably wont be ready by then the Food and Drug Administration needs more evidence to judge them. Adding to the complexity, Moderna wants its booster to be half the dose of the original shots.

As for Pfizers booster, who really needs another dose right away isnt a simple decision either. Whats ultimately recommended for an 80-year-old vaccinated back in December may be different than for a 35-year-old immunized in the spring who likely would get a stronger immunity boost by waiting longer for another shot.

FDAs scientific advisers will publicly debate Pfizers evidence on Sept. 17, just three days before the administrations target. If the FDA approves another dose, then advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will recommend who should get one.

Thats tricky because while real-world data shows the vaccines used in the U.S. remain strongly protective against severe disease and death, their ability to prevent milder infection is dropping. Its not clear how much of that is due to immunity waning or the extra-contagious delta variant or the fact that delta struck just as much of the country dropped masks and other precautions.

When to jump to boosters becomes a judgment, said Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief. And is that urgent or do we have time for the data to come in?

Already the CDC is considering recommending the first boosters just for nursing home residents and older adults whod be at highest risk of severe disease if their immunity wanes -- and to front-line health workers who cant come to work if they get even a mild infection.

Some other countries already have begun offering boosters amid an ethical debate about whether rich countries should get a third dose before most people in poor countries get their first round. Heres what we know about the biology behind booster decisions:

WHAT DO BOOSTER SHOTS DO?

Vaccines train the immune system to fight the coronavirus, including by producing antibodies that block the virus from getting inside cells. People harbor huge levels right after the shots. But just like with vaccines against other diseases, antibodies gradually drop until reaching a low maintenance level.

A booster dose revs those levels back up again.

Pfizer and Moderna have filed FDA applications for booster doses but the government will decide on extra Johnson & Johnson doses later, once that company shares its booster data with the agency.

HOW MUCH PROTECTION DOES THAT TRANSLATE INTO?

No one yet knows the magic line the antibody level known as the correlate of protection below which people are at risk for even mild infection, said immunologist Ali Ellebedy of Washington University at St. Louis.

But vaccines main purpose is to prevent severe disease. Its a very high bar to really go and say we can completely block infection, Ellebedy noted.

Plus, peoples responses to their initial vaccination vary. Younger people, for example, tend to produce more antibodies to begin with than older adults. That means months later when antibody levels have naturally declined, some people may still have enough to fend off infection while others dont.

That initial variation is behind the FDAs recent decision that people with severely weakened immune systems from organ transplants, cancer or other conditions need a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine to have a chance at protection. In those people, its not a booster but an extra amount they need up-front.

WONT ANTIBODIES JUST WANE AGAIN AFTER A BOOSTER?

Eventually. We dont know the duration of protection following the boosters, cautioned Dr. William Moss of Johns Hopkins University.

But antibodies are only one defense. If an infection sneaks past, white blood cells called T cells help prevent serious illness by killing virus-infected cells. Another type called memory B cells jump into action to make lots of new antibodies.

Those back-up systems help explain why protection against severe COVID-19 is holding strong so far for most people. One hint of trouble: CDC has preliminary data that effectiveness against hospitalization in people 75 and older dropped slightly in July -- to 80% -- compared to 94% or higher for other adults.

Its much easier to protect against severe disease because all you need is immunologic memory. And I would imagine for a younger person that would last for a while, maybe years, said Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.

WHATS THE BEST TIME TO GET A BOOSTER?

For many other types of vaccines, waiting six months for a booster is the recommended timing. The Biden administration has been planning on eight months for COVID-19 boosters.

The timing matters because the immune system gradually builds layers of protection over months. Give a booster too soon, before the immune response matures, and people can miss out on the optimal benefit, said Dr. Cameron Wolfe, an infectious disease specialist at Duke University.

Sometimes waiting a little bit extra time is in fact appropriate to gain the strongest response, he said.

Not everyones waiting on a final decision. For example, Colorados UCHealth has opened boosters to certain high-risk people first vaccinated back in December and January. San Francisco is giving some people who had a single-dose J&J vaccine a second shot from Pfizer or Moderna.

WILL BOOSTER SHOTS CONTAIN THE ORIGINAL VACCINE, OR ONE TAILORED TO DELTA?

The boosters will be an extra dose of the original vaccine. Manufacturers still are studying experimental doses tweaked to better match delta. Theres no public data yet that its time to make such a dramatic switch, which would take more time to roll out. And independent research, including studies from Ellebedys team, shows the original vaccine produces antibodies that can target delta.

Im very, very confident that this vaccine will work against delta with a single booster of the same vaccine, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told The Associated Press.

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AP Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson contributed to this report.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Continued here:

COVID-19 boosters are coming but who will get them and when? - Associated Press

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of September 7, 2021, there have been 3,496,138 total confirmatory laboratory results received for COVID-19, with 200,308 total cases and 3,151 deaths.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a 65-year old male from Harrison County, a 44-year old male from Logan County, and a 66-year old female from Kanawha County.

Every life lost to this pandemic is a tragedy and our thoughts go out to the families, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. Please protect yourself and your family by getting vaccinated.

CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (2,080), Berkeley (14,938), Boone (2,602),Braxton (1,364), Brooke (2,509), Cabell (11,120), Calhoun (639), Clay (813), Doddridge (801), Fayette (4,437), Gilmer (1,048), Grant (1,561), Greenbrier (3,682), Hampshire (2,276), Hancock (3,150), Hardy (1,843), Harrison (7,488), Jackson (2,723), Jefferson (5,478), Kanawha (18,848), Lewis (1,921), Lincoln (1,961), Logan (3,998), Marion (5,615), Marshall (4,219), Mason (2,664), McDowell (2,040), Mercer (6,422), Mineral (3,447), Mingo (3,401), Monongalia (10,560), Monroe (1,647), Morgan (1,508), Nicholas (2,482), Ohio (5,021), Pendleton (890), Pleasants (1,119), Pocahontas (848), Preston (3,420), Putnam (6,497), Raleigh (8,681), Randolph (3,839), Ritchie (954), Roane (915), Summers (1,040), Taylor (1,615), Tucker (726), Tyler (1,010), Upshur (2,865), Wayne (4,021), Webster (781), Wetzel (1,863), Wirt (575), Wood (9,710), Wyoming (2,633).

Delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from the local health department to DHHR. As case surveillance continues at the local health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain county may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual in question may have crossed the state border to be tested. Please visit http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov for more detailed information.

West Virginians 12 years and older are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. To learn more about the vaccine, or to find a vaccine site near you, visit vaccinate.wv.gov or call 1-833-734-0965. West Virginians ages 12 and older who have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can register for the second Do it for Babydog: Save a life, Change your life vaccine sweepstakes by visiting doitforbabydog.wv.gov.

Free pop-up COVID-19 testing is available today in Barbour, Berkeley, Boone, Brooke, Cabell, Clay, Fayette, Grant, Hardy, Jefferson, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, Mingo, Monongalia, Morgan, Ohio, Randolph, Taylor and Wyoming counties.

Barbour County

9:00 AM 12:00 PM, Barbour County Health Department, 109 Wabash Avenue, Philippi, WV

3:00 PM 7:00 PM, Junior Volunteer Fire Department, 331 Row Avenue, Junior, WV

Berkeley County

10:00 AM 5:00 PM, 891 Auto Parts Place, Martinsburg, WV

1:00 PM 5:00 PM, Shenandoah Community Health, 99 Tavern Road, Martinsburg, WV

4:30 PM 8:00 PM, Dorothy McCormack Building, 2000 Foundation Way, Martinsburg, WV

Boone County

12:00 PM 4:00 PM, Boone County Health Department, 213 Kenmore Drive, Danville, WV

Brooke County

10:00 AM 12:00 PM, Weirton Salvation Army, 794 Cove Road, Weirton, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

1:30 PM 3:30 PM, Wellsburg Banquet Hall, 12th Street, Wellsburg, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

Cabell County

8:00 AM 4:00 PM, Cabell Huntington Health Department, 1801 6th Avenue, Huntington, WV

Clay County

1:00 PM 3:00 PM, Clay County Health Department, 452 Main Street, Clay, WV

Fayette County

10:00 AM 2:00 PM, J.W. & Hazel Ruby West Virginia Welcome Center, 55 Hazel Lane, Mount Hope, WV

Grant County

11:00 AM 5:00 PM, Petersburg City Parking Lot, South Main Street (across from Walgreens), Petersburg, WV (please do not block the fire station entrance)

Hardy County

9:00 AM 12:00 PM, Hardy County Emergency Ambulance Authority, 17940 State Route 55, Baker, WV

5:00 PM 8:00 PM, Moorefield High School, 401 N. High Street, Moorefield, WV

Jefferson County

10:00 AM 6:00 PM, Hollywood Casino, 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, WV

Lincoln County

9:00 AM 3:00 PM, Lincoln County Health Department, 8008 Court Avenue, Hamlin, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

Logan County

12:00 PM 5:00 PM, Town of Man Fire Department, Administration Building, 110 North Bridge Street, Man, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

Marshall County

9:00 AM 1:00 PM, Marshall County Health Department, 513 6th Street, Moundsville, WV

Mingo County

10:00 AM 2:00 PM, Kermit Fire Department, 49 Main Street, Kermit, WV

Monongalia County

12:00 PM 4:00 PM, WVU Recreation Center (lower level), 2001 Rec Center Drive, Morgantown, WV

Morgan County

11:00 AM 5:00 PM, Valley Health War Memorial Hospital, 1 Health Way, Berkeley Springs, WV

Ohio County

9:00 AM 3:30 PM, Ohio Valley Medical Center (former main entrance/turning circle), 2000 Eoff Street, Wheeling, WV

Randolph County

10:00 AM 6:00 PM, Davis Health Center, 812 Gorman Avenue, Elkins, WV

Taylor County

10:00 AM 12:0 PM, Grafton-Taylor County Health Department, 718 West Main Street (parking lot at Operations Trailer), Grafton, WV

Wyoming County

11:00 AM 3:00 PM, Wyoming County Fire Department, 12 Park Street, Pineville, WV

For additional free COVID-19 testing opportunities across the state, please visit https://dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/pages/testing.aspx.

Originally posted here:

COVID-19 Daily Update 9-7-2021 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

London A study conducted in the U.K. offers some of the first large-scale, real-world data on how well vaccination protects people against catching a "breakthrough" COVID-19 infection, and how well it protects breakthrough patients from becoming seriously ill. The results are encouraging.

The peer-reviewed study published Wednesday inThe Lancet medical journal will help policy makers and epidemiologists fill in a significant gap in the understanding of the true efficacy of three of the major vaccines being used worldwide.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for instance, doesn't have good data on how many people catch COVID-19 after being vaccinated, as it decided in the spring to track only serious, symptomatic breakthrough cases. The British study, on the other hand, used mass-testing data to determine how many breakthrough cases there actually are and how sick those people get.

The vaccines were never intended to prevent infections completely, but to reduce the rates of infection within a population and, most importantly, to reduce the severity of illness in people who do catch it. The study found that people who contracted the coronavirus despite being fully vaccinated were almost twice as likely to have no symptoms at all, compared to the wider population.

Crucially, the odds of a fully-vaccinated person who does catch COIVD-19 ending up hospitalized with severe symptoms were reduced by more than two-thirds compared to an unvaccinated coronavirus patient. The survey also found that the risk of breakthrough patients suffering from long-COVID, with symptoms lasting more than a month, were cut in half by full vaccination.

It's the latest dataset to offer convincing evidence that the vaccines work as intended.

Researchers from King's College, London, and Harvard in the U.S. carried out the study using self-reported data from more than a million people in the U.K. who had received either the Moderna, Pfizer or AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines. The research showed that the risk of severe disease or hospitalization was significantly reduced after a first vaccine dose, but that protection against serious illness and against catching a breakthrough infection to begin with increased with the full dosage.

The data, gathered from December 8, 2020, through July 4, 2021, show that of more than 1.2 million adults who received a first dose, fewer than 0.5% reported contracting breakthrough infections two weeks or more after getting the jab. Among those who got both shots, fewer than 0.2% experienced a breakthrough infection a week or more after getting their second shot.

"Among those who did experience a breakthrough infection, the odds of that infection being asymptomatic increased by 63% after one vaccine dose and by 94% after the second dose," the study's authors wrote in The Lancet.

"We are at a critical point in the pandemic as we see cases rising worldwide due to the delta variant. Breakthrough infections are expected and don't diminish the fact that these vaccines are doing exactly what they were designed to do save lives and prevent serious illness," said study co-lead author Dr. Claire Steves of King's College. "Other research has shown a mortality rate as high as 27% for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. We can greatly reduce that number by keeping people out of the hospital in the first place through vaccination. Our findings highlight the crucial role vaccines play in larger efforts to prevent COVID-19 infections, which should still include other personal protective measures such as mask-wearing, frequent testing, and social distancing."

The data also show that the risk of breakthrough infection is higher for people living in lower-income areas, likely due, the authors said, to closer living quarters and lower overall vaccination rates in these communities. These risks were "most significantly associated with a post-vaccination infection after receiving the first vaccine dose and before receiving a second dose," according to The Lancet.

As has been found consistently since the coronavirus first emerged, age and underlying conditions, including heart, lung and kidney disease, all seriously increase the risk of severe COVID-19 infection, including in those who have been vaccinated.

"The increased risks of breakthrough infections for frail, older adults especially those living in care homes or who require frequent visits to health care facilities and for other people living in deprived conditions reflect what we've seen throughout the pandemic. These groups are at a greater risk of exposure and are therefore more vulnerable to infection," study co-author Dr. Rose Penfold, also of King's College, said in The Lancet. "Health policies designed to prevent infections, including policies around timing between the first and second dose and potential booster shots, should prioritize these groups."

While the data used for the study did not discern between infections with the Delta variant and other strains of the coronavirus, the vast majority of U.K. cases have been Delta infections since at least early June, and it started spreading rapidly in March. In the U.S., Delta became the dominant strain in July and it now makes up nearly all new cases.

Read the rest here:

Study finds low rate of COVID-19 "breakthrough" infections, fewer symptoms in vaccinated people - CBS News

Description of Metrics:

These metrics have been established based on guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of State, andother public health experts. The metrics will be considered both individually and in their totality to assess whether regions can safely move through the four phases of reopening, or whether additional policy measures to contain the virus are required. The investigation of new cases, clusters, and contacts will provide substantial information on the drivers of transmission, which will in turn guide these policy decisions.

Percent of Hospital Beds Available (7-day Rolling Avg):Average share of hospital beds available for the most recent 7 days, which is defined as available acute care beds within 7-days under surge plan divided by total acute care capacity within 7-days under surge plan.

Percent of ICU Beds Available (7-day Rolling Avg):Average share of ICU beds available for the most recent 7 days, which is defined as total ICU beds available divided by total ICU beds in a region

Read the original here:

COVID-19 Regional Metrics Dashboard | New York Forward

Credits

By Jordan Allen, Sarah Almukhtar, Aliza Aufrichtig, Anne Barnard, Matthew Bloch, Sarah Cahalan, Weiyi Cai, Julia Calderone, Keith Collins, Matthew Conlen, Lindsey Cook, Gabriel Gianordoli, Amy Harmon, Rich Harris, Adeel Hassan, Jon Huang, Danya Issawi, Danielle Ivory, K.K. Rebecca Lai, Alex Lemonides, Eleanor Lutz, Allison McCann, Richard A. Oppel Jr., Jugal K. Patel, Alison Saldanha, Kirk Semple, Shelly Seroussi, Julie Walton Shaver, Amy Schoenfeld Walker, Anjali Singhvi, Charlie Smart, Mitch Smith, Albert Sun, Rumsey Taylor, Lisa Waananen Jones, Derek Watkins, Timothy Williams, Jin Wu and Karen Yourish. Reporting was contributed by Jeff Arnold, Ian Austen, Mike Baker, Brillian Bao, Ellen Barry, Samone Blair, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, Aurelien Breeden, Elisha Brown, Emma Bubola, Maddie Burakoff, Alyssa Burr, Christopher Calabrese, Julia Carmel, Zak Cassel, Robert Chiarito, Izzy Coln, Matt Craig, Yves De Jesus, Brendon Derr, Brandon Dupr, Melissa Eddy, John Eligon, Timmy Facciola, Bianca Fortis, Jake Frankenfield, Matt Furber, Robert Gebeloff, Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Matthew Goldstein, Grace Gorenflo, Rebecca Griesbach, Benjamin Guggenheim, Barbara Harvey, Lauryn Higgins, Josh Holder, Jake Holland, Anna Joyce, John Keefe, Ann Hinga Klein, Jacob LaGesse, Alex Lim, Alex Matthews, Patricia Mazzei, Jesse McKinley, Miles McKinley, K.B. Mensah, Sarah Mervosh, Jacob Meschke, Lauren Messman, Andrea Michelson, Jaylynn Moffat-Mowatt, Steven Moity, Paul Moon, Derek M. Norman, Anahad OConnor, Ashlyn OHara, Azi Paybarah, Elian Peltier, Sean Plambeck, Laney Pope, Elisabetta Povoledo, Cierra S. Queen, Savannah Redl, Scott Reinhard, Chloe Reynolds, Thomas Rivas, Frances Robles, Natasha Rodriguez, Jess Ruderman, Kai Schultz, Alex Schwartz, Emily Schwing, Libby Seline, Rachel Sherman, Sarena Snider, Brandon Thorp, Alex Traub, Maura Turcotte, Tracey Tully, Jeremy White, Kristine White, Bonnie G. Wong, Tiffany Wong, Sameer Yasir and John Yoon. Data acquisition and additional work contributed by Will Houp, Andrew Chavez, Michael Strickland, Tiff Fehr, Miles Watkins, Josh Williams, Nina Pavlich, Carmen Cincotti, Ben Smithgall, Andrew Fischer, Rachel Shorey, Blacki Migliozzi, Alastair Coote, Jaymin Patel, John-Michael Murphy, Isaac White, Steven Speicher, Hugh Mandeville, Robin Berjon, Thu Trinh, Carolyn Price, James G. Robinson, Phil Wells, Yanxing Yang, Michael Beswetherick, Michael Robles, Nikhil Baradwaj, Ariana Giorgi, Bella Virgilio, Dylan Momplaisir, Avery Dews, Bea Malsky, Ilana Marcus and Jason Kao.

Additional contributions to Covid-19 risk assessments and guidance by Eleanor Peters Bergquist, Aaron Bochner, Shama Cash-Goldwasser, Sydney Jones and Sheri Kardooni of Resolve to Save Lives.

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