Moorestown, New Jersey, United States
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
What helps against COVID-19? | COVID-19 Special
Jan 28, 2022 DW News
All over the world, more and more people are getting infected with the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Cases among the vaccinated are rising too, albeit with milder symptoms. What treatments and medicines are most effective against a COVID-19 infection?
January 27, 20227:12 PM EST Future of Health LONDON, Jan 27 (Reuters)
Boosters increase protection against death from Omicron in over-50s to 95% - UKHSA
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/boosters-increase-protection-against-death-omicron-over-50s-95-ukhsa-2022-01-27/
Novavax in pact with Israel to deliver 5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses
Jan. 28, 2022 8:10 AM ET Novavax, Inc. (NVAX)PFE, BNTX By: Dulan Lokuwithana, SA News Editor4 Comments
- Israel has entered into an agreement with Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX) to buy 5 million doses of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine, the country’s health ministry said Friday, according to Reuters. The financial terms of the deal which also includes an option for another 5 million doses were not disclosed.
- https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NVAX
- https://seekingalpha.com/news/3793011-novavax-in-pact-with-israel-to-deliver-5-million-covid-19-vaccine-doses
Covid-19 may have seasons for different temperature zones, study suggests
Poll finds covid fatigue, worries about the economy and difficulty finding at-home tests
Many people remain confused about these rapid tests and how they work. We’ll break down just how reliable these tests are and what your next move should be if you’re looking to get tested. By Shelly Tan
By Dan Diamond
By Dan Keating, Madison Dong and Youjin Shin
Despite the omicron variant’s lesser severity, its rapid spread has led to large numbers of hospitalizations and more than 2,200 deaths daily. By Lena H. Sun
By Dan Zak and Roxanne Roberts
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has drawn criticism since the start of the pandemic, aims to improve its handling of agency recommendations and the collection of Covid-19 data.
- Omicron Tests Macron’s Push to Keep Schools Open
- What We Know About BA.2 Omicron Variant
- Coronavirus Tracker: Charting the Spread of Covid-19
MICHELLE GOLDBERG
Let Kids Take Their Masks Off After the Omicron Surge
Ten Billion Vaccine Doses Have Been Administered Globally
For many COVID-19 vaccine opponents, no jab means no job
Tens of millions of Americans remain unvaccinated against COVID-19. For many, their stance on the vaccine may cost them their paychecks.
When parents are vaccinated against COVID-19, protection extends to their kidsHow worried should we be about the new BA.2 Omicron subtype? Here’s what we know
New BA.2 Covid variant appears to be more contagious, says Dr. Scott Gottlieb
Jan 28, 2022 CNBC Television
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner and CNBC contributor, joins CNBC's 'Squawk Box' to break down what experts know about a new concerning Covid-19 variant known as BA.2, which is part of the omicron lineage.
Omicron BA. 2 will displace BA. 1
Jan 27, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
Omicron is out competing omicron Current symptoms Runny nose, 73% Headache, 68% Fatigue, 64% Sneezing, 60% Sore throat, 60% Persistent cough, 44% Hoarse voice, 36% Chills or shivers, 30% Fever, 29% Dizzy, 28% Brain fog, 24% Altered smell, 23% Sore eyes, 23% Unusual muscle pains, 23% Skipped meals, 21% Loss of smell, 19% Chest pain, 19% Swollen glands, 19% Feeling down, 16% ONS https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati... https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati... Prevalence, week ending 22 January 2022 England, 2,629,400 people, 1 in 20 Wales, 99,500 people, 1 in 30 Scotland, 163,600 people, 1 in 30 Northern Ireland, 96,500 people, 1 in 20 Double vaccinated less likely to report long COVID Compared to unvaccinated when infected 41.1% decrease in the likelihood of self-reported long COVID at least 12 weeks later Risk of COVID-19 death higher for most ethnic minority groups Risk of death involving COVID-19 was higher for people from all ethnic minority groups, except for Chinese men and women Bangladeshi group Women, 5.2 times higher than White British group Men, 4.4 times higher than White British group Zoe, Omicron bounces back https://covid.joinzoe.com/post/omicro... 159,486 new daily symptomatic cases of COVID in the UK An increase of 10% from 144,527 reported last week UK R value, around 1.0 Prevalence One in 30 people in the UK currently have symptomatic COVID Professor Tim Spector End of school holidays repeatedly usher in a rapid rise in cases among children A new subtype of Omicron is taking over called BA.2 One in 20 new cases had this variant last week, and as it's doubling every few days, this should predominate within a month. Natural infection with Delta may not offer much protection. I expect that cases will continue to stay high until spring. Most vaccinated infections are mild, with symptoms lasting on average for a shorter time than Delta with less severe cases. Vulnerable groups UK data https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk US cases and deaths data https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-trac... South Africa references https://twitter.com/rid1tweets https://www.nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-i...
Study confirms omicron reinfections
Jan 26, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission findings, Round 17 REACT-1 study Funded by the Department of Health and Social Care in England 65% of the infected said they had already previously tested positive for Covid https://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/r... https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/impe... https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/23338... Rapid transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has led to the highest ever recorded case incidence levels in many countries around the world. RT-PCR test results, self-administered throat and nose swabs Randomly-selected participants in England, n = 100,607 Ages 5 years and over Data were collected between 5 and 20 January 2022 Temporal, socio-demographic and geographical spread of the virus Viral loads and viral genome sequence data for positive swabs. Results Swab positivity was 4.41% Three-fold higher than in December 2021 in England 1,406 sequenced positive swabs to 16 January 2022 1392 (99.0%) were Omicron Including 6 (0.43%) cases of BA.2 sub-lineage 14 (1.0%) were Delta Within round 17 Prevalence was decreasing overall, but increasing in children aged 5 to 17 years Swab-positivity prevalence 75 years and older, 2.43% 6+ household, OR 1.66 Urban vs rural areas OR 1.24 Most vs least deprived areas OR 1.33 In adults who received three vs two vaccine doses Higher Ct values (lower viral load) in rounds 15 and 16 but not in round 17 The distributions of Ct values were similar in unvaccinated and vaccinated children aged 17 years and below in round 15, round 16 and round 17. Prevalence in those shielding 3.43% In those not shielding to 4.61% Conclusions Unprecedented levels of infection with SARS-CoV-2 in England in January 2022 Almost complete replacement of Delta by Omicron Vaccination (including the booster campaign) remains the mainstay of the defence given the high levels of protection against hospitalisations. However, further measures beyond vaccination may be required if the very high rates of Omicron infection persist, Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO, Europe https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/01/... Between vaccination and natural immunity through infection, Omicron offers plausible hope for stabilization and normalization Dr. Tedros But it’s dangerous to assume that Omicron will be the last variant or that we are in the endgame. On the contrary, globally, the conditions are ideal for more variants to emerge. It’s true that we will be living with Covid for the foreseeable future a preventable and treatable disease
Two-thirds of people with omicron say they’ve had Covid before, English study reports
PUBLISHED WED, JAN 26 20228:14 AM EST KEY POINTS
- Omicron has almost completely replaced the previously dominant delta variant of Covid-19 in England, a new study has found.
- Omicron is a heavily mutated, highly infectious variant of that has led to record numbers of infections in many countries.
Back to reality at last? Covid rules are being dropped in Europe despite high omicron spread
Holly Ellyatt
Moderna starts clinical trial of booster shot targeting omicron Covid variant
Spencer Kimball WED, JAN 26TH 2022
CDC director: ‘Milder doesn’t mean mild’ as Covid hospitalizations hit record
Jessica Bursztynsky WED, JAN 26TH 2022
Covid vaccine skepticism fueling wider anti-vax sentiment, doctors say
WED, JAN 26TH 2022
- L.A. County marks two years of covid, touting school safety measures and mourning a 15-month-old
- Analysis: WHO pushes for more cash, faces skeptical Biden administration
Opinion by the Editorial Board
By Dan Diamond
By Lena H. Sun
Several European countries cited the milder symptoms being caused by the Omicron variant in vaccinated people as the reason for lifting or relaxing restrictions—even as daily infections continued to surge in some countries and a new version of Omicron was identified as spreading in places.
By Marty Makary | Commentary
Omicron Deaths in U.S. Exceed Delta’s Peak
South Korea business owners shave heads in COVID-19 curb protest
Zero-Covid border rules going nowhere this year for China
Lifting travel ban would be ‘catastrophic’ for China: Covid-19 expert
Epidemiologist and senior adviser to Beijing Zeng Guang says the country must not ‘blindly’ follow a WHO recommendation to ease restrictions.
‘Doesn’t feel like anything’s going to change’: expats exit Singapore
Covid-19 has prompted soul-searching among many foreign workers who bemoan the inability to travel freely to visit family.
27 Jan 2022 - 1:28PM
What has Beijing learned from Tokyo ahead of second pandemic Games?
Entire event will take place within a closed loop covering competition venues, living quarters and other facilities. Organisers taking stringent approach despite little evidence that rise in cases in Japan was down to Tokyo Games last summer.
27 Jan 2022 - 3:30PM
Coronavirus: a third of airline pilots still not flying; Malaysia’s new cases top 5,000
A third of airline pilots globally, are still not flying and the Asia-Pacific is the worst-hit region
Opinion | Why doubts over ‘traditional’ inactivated vaccines are overblown
Hong Kong to shorten 21-day quarantine for arrivals to 2 weeks
Additional quarantine requirements may stymie cross-border family reunions this Lunar New Year
- Hong Kong Scraps Flights, Shuts Bars, Gyms on Omicron Threat
- Birthday Party Lands Hong Kong Officials, Lawmakers in Quarantine Over Fear of Omicron Spread
As student activists fight for COVID safety measures at schools, some face criticism
California high school students are among those organizing to increase coronavirus safety measures during the Omicron surge.
1 in 5 Californians has been infected with coronavirus as cases top 8 million
#WorldNewsTonight #COVID #DrAnthonyFauci
Scientists watch new omicron subvariant of COVID-19
Jan 26, 2022 ABC News
Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday that scientists are already developing a universal COVID-19 vaccine that could resist current and future variants, but he stressed that it will take time.
#omicron #Germany #vaccination
Omicron: German lawmakers debate compulsory vaccines | DW News
Jan 26, 2022 DW News
COVID-19 infections in Germany have reached a new high. The 7-day incidence, the number of new infections per 100.000 inhabitants in seven days, is currently 940.6. Starting in March, Germany will require COVID-19 vaccines for healthcare workers. Unvaccinated staff could be banned from work or even fired. DW spoke to a nurse who works in a COVID ward herself, but says she won't get vaccinated – whatever the risk. German MPs in the Bundestag are to debate a general vaccine mandate for the first time on Wednesday. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has backed such a mandate.
Pfizer starting trial for Omicron-specific Covid-19 vaccine
Jan 25, 2022 CNN
Pfizer and BioNTech announced they have begun a clinical trial for an Omicron-specific Covid-19 vaccine. CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports
Researchers found some markers that appeared to correlate with lasting symptoms, regardless of whether the initial infection was severe.
Denmark Prepares to End Curbs as Hospitals Can Control Omicron
Pharmacy Workers Are the Pandemic’s Invisible Victims
Relentless pressure, extra tasks, and depleted ranks lead to widespread burnout.
Risk of Death After Covid-19 Hospitalization
- CDC is asked to release race and gender data on long covid
- Omicron drives South Korea to record in new infections
By Dan Diamond
New research has identified four factors that could predict if a person will develop long Covid.
This Is What Made Covid the ‘Almost Ideal Polarizing Crisis’ THOMAS B. EDSALL
A wave of Covid-19-related school staffing issues has led some states to take drastic steps to keep schools open, including enlisting state employees, retirees and National Guard members to fill in as substitute teachers.
- Biden Administration Withdraws Emergency Vaccine Mandate
- Omicron Deaths in U.S. Exceed Delta’s Peak
- New York Mask Mandate Reinstated in State Appeal
- When Should a Vaccinated Person Who Recovered From Covid-19 Get Boosted? It’s Complicated
January 25, 20222:59 PM EST Jan 25 (Reuters)
COVID is less severe with Omicron than Delta, U.S. study suggests
By Manojna Maddipatla and Leroy Leo
COVID-19 sick pay in California would return under new deal
Officials hope it will encourage infected workers to stay home.
As Super Bowl nears, 2,500 LAPD and sheriff’s employees out with COVID-related issues
Super Bowl guests to get KN95 masks
Israeli experts recommend a fourth COVID vaccine dose for adults
An Israeli panel said research shows a fourth COVID-19 shot provides three to five times as much protection against serious COVID-19 as three doses.
In South L.A., busy hospital deals with more widespread but less severe COVID infections
- Pennsylvania averaging most COVID-19 deaths per day in a year
- Judge reinstates mask requirement in Montco school district
Cases dropped nearly 60% across the Garden State.Nick Devlin, 1h ago
The Atlantic Daily: Parents Have Hit Their Pandemic Bottom
The Case Against Masks at School
MARGERY SMELKINSON, LESLIE BIENEN, AND JEANNE NOBLE
#WorldNewsTonight #COVID #NationalDecline
COVID-19 cases down 10% nationwide
Jan 24, 2022ABC News
Despite a national decline in COVID-19 cases, more than 1.1 million children tested positive last week and 19 states reported cases are still rising.
New California bill would require all students be vaccinated against COVID-19
Jan 24, 2022 KTLA 5
Courtney Friel reports for the KTLA 5 News at Noon on Jan. 24, 2022.
Hospital Greed Is Destroying Our Nurses. Here’s Why. | NYT Opinion
Jan 20, 2022 The New York Times
We’re entering our third year of Covid, and America’s nurses — who we celebrated as heroes during the early days of lockdown — are now leaving the bedside. The pandemic arrived with many people having great hope for reform on many fronts, including the nursing industry, but much of that optimism seems to have faded. In the Opinion Video above, nurses set the record straight about the root cause of the nursing crisis: chronic understaffing by profit-driven hospitals that predates the pandemic. “I could no longer work in critical care under the conditions I was being forced to work under with poor staffing,” explains one nurse, “and that’s when I left.” They also tear down the common misconception that there’s a shortage of nurses. In fact, there are more qualified nurses today in America than ever before. To keep patients safe and protect our health care workers, lawmakers could regulate nurse-patient ratios, which California put in place in 2004, with positive results. Similar legislation was proposed and defeated in Massachusetts several years ago (with help from a $25 million “no” campaign funded by the hospital lobby), but it is currently on the table in Illinois and Pennsylvania. These laws could save patient lives and create a more just work environment for a vulnerable generation of nurses, the ones we pledged to honor and protect at the start of the pandemic.
Nurses would like to set the record straight on the hospital staffing crisis.
By LUCY KING and JONAH M. KESSEL
Rich Countries Lure Health Workers From Low-Income Nations to Fight Shortages
Huge pay incentives and immigration fast-tracks are leading many to leave countries whose health systems urgently need their expertise.
By STEPHANIE NOLEN Jan. 24, 2022
A Shrinking Band of Southern Nurses, Neck-Deep in Another Covid Wave
The exodus of medical workers during the pandemic has been especially brutal for the small, nonprofit safety-net hospitals where millions of Americans seek care.
By ANDREW JACOBS and RORY DOYLE
Some weary Democratic voters are ready to hear the party’s plan for living with Covid.
A New York judge ruled that the state’s mask mandate is unconstitutional and can’t be enforced.
EZEKIEL J. EMANUEL AND MICHAEL T. OSTERHOLM
China’s Zero-Covid Policy Is a Pandemic Waiting to Happen
MICHELLE GOLDBERG
What Does It Mean to Be ‘Done With Covid’?
The trial will examine the new formulation as an initial two-dose regimen and as a booster dose.
Lisa Jarvis
Is Covid Becoming Endemic? What Would That Mean?
Why Are Doctors Still Scrambling for Covid-19 Drugs?
The company and partner BioNTech say the trial will examine safety and immune response, in case regulators deem an adapted vaccine necessary.
- Covid-19 Hospitalizations Continue to Fall
- Judge Strikes Down N.Y. Mask Mandate
- How to Get Free N95 Masks
By Daniel Halperin | Commentary
- New York state, seeking to save its indoor mask mandate, moves to appeal court ruling
- Hawaii governor proposes refunding taxpayers $100 each as state recovers from pandemic
Opinion by Ashish K. Jha
The study suggests a second booster may not yet be necessary. By Carolyn Y. Johnson
New studies show how a COVID-19 infection changes the timeline and likelihood of getting pregnant.
As a federal mandate looms, one in five nursing home workers haven’t been fully vaccinated.
- Declining omicron surge is a promising sign for Pa. and N.J. hospitals. But ‘it’s not over yet.’
- The vaccine mandate for Philadelphia city employees keeps getting delayed due to labor disputes
- Another old drug is being tried vs. COVID-19, and might actually help
COVID-19: UK to remove restrictions for eligible vaccinated arrivals, including from India. See changed rules
Omicron cases falling in parts of the US, but expert says COVID-19 is here to stay
COVID-19: Is Omicron 'sub-variant' BA.2 a threat in India? More than 400 cases found in England
Has third wave of coronavirus peaked in India? Find several answers
Unvaccinated people, children below 15 yrs not allowed at Republic Day parade
January 25, 20222:35 AM EST Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals JERUSALEM, Jan 25 (Reuters)
Israel mulls offering 4th COVID vaccine dose to all adults
BioNTech: watchdogs' requirements may defer planned launch of Omicron shot
#WorldNewsTonight #COVID #omicron
Are omicron cases close to peaking?
Jan 23, 2022 ABC News
Dr. Anthony Fauci said it appears the U.S. is headed in the right direction.
Covid Intensive Care: return to the hospital frontline - BBC News
Jan 24, 2022 BBC News
In 2020 many hospitals were overwhelmed, as a new coronavirus spread across the world and critically-ill Covid patients filled intensive care wards. Now vaccines and other medical treatments are protecting many people, but medical staff are still dealing with seriously ill patients. Unvaccinated people are among those still at high risk from the virus. Huw Edwards presents a BBC News at Ten special report by Clive Myrie, who’s returned to The Royal London Hospital, from where he reported at the height of the UK pandemic.
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) 病毒：新型冠状病毒 2019-nCoV
Omicron driving up infection rates around Europe | DW News
Jan 20, 2022 DW News
Poland is bracing for a surge in coronavirus cases and is likely to be racking up 60.000 cases by mid-February according to the government. But a large percentage of the people in Poland are still unvaccinated. Only 23% of the population have had their booster.
CDC study finds prior infection provides better immunity against COVID than vaccines
Jan. 20, 2022 10:10 AM ET Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), PFE, MRNA, NVAXBNTX, AZN
By: Jonathan Block, SA News Editor82 Comments
COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations by COVID-19 Vaccination Status and Previous COVID-19 Diagnosis — California and New York, May–November 2021
Early Release / January 19, 2022 / 71
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7104e1.htm?s_cid=mm7104e1_w
Signs of the variant were present in sewage samples well before the first case was identified.
Why Some Vaccinated People Resist Omicron and Others Don’t
Lifestyles of Two Covid Patients Highlight Wealth Chasm in China
Omicron left testing labs overwhelmed, delaying results
The Omicron surge has created overwhelming demand for coronavirus tests. Laboratories and manufacturers have struggled to keep up.
Even as Omicron starts to ease in California, hospitals facing grim conditions
Growing signs Omicron is leveling off in California
Facilities in early hot spots like New York, Washington and Connecticut are reporting a drop in patient counts.594 min read
Prior Covid-19 Infection Offered Better Protection Than Vaccination During Delta Wave
How to Order Free Rapid Covid-19 Tests From the Government
Opinion: Herd Immunity Is Over—Long Live Superimmunity
Should We Get a Second Booster Vaccine? What the Science Says
Omicron, Inflation and Labor Shortages: CEOs Brace for Change in 2022
The Covid Race to Watch: Vaccines vs. Variants
It is too soon to know, scientists say, but mild initial illness may not signal reduced risk for the constellation of symptoms that can last for months.
Coronavirus Updates
NBC’s play-by-play coverage for the Beijing Olympics will be mostly remote.
Australia releases the court ruling that upheld Novak Djokovic’s expulsion over his lack of vaccination.
Doctors and patients described frustration over delayed surgeries, overflowing emergency rooms and hospital beds taken out of service amid staff shortages. By Christopher Rowland
By Jenny Rogers and Amy Joyce
By Allyson Chiu and Hannah Knowles
It’s a Terrible Idea to Deny Medical Care to Unvaccinated People
ED YONG
COVID Parenting Has Passed the Point of Absurdity
MELINDA WENNER MOYER
"Her partner had taken a picture of the baby and showed it to her, but that's all she got," Tina Stani told the New York Post.BY ADAM STATEN ON 1/20/22 AT 3:57 PM EST
A woman in her 40s allegedly refused to follow federal face mask regulations, forcing the plane to turn around about an hour into the flight.BY AARON MCDADE ON 1/20/22 AT 3:50 PM EST
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said earlier this week the country hasn't yet reached the peak of the Omicron variant's surge.BY MEGHAN ROOS ON 1/20/22 AT 1:44 PM EST
Carson criticized people for not putting more stock in natural immunity and said they avoided the subject to maintain control over people.BY JENNI FINK ON 1/20/22 AT 12:48 PM EST
Mask mandates are still in place in indoor public places, and it is recommended infected people going to the polls wear surgical masks or FFP2 masks.BY HEATHER BAIR ON 1/20/22 AT 12:13 PM EST
Dr Corey Casper said that a good way to combat vaccine skepticism is to be more honest about the pros and cons of the current options.BY JACK DUTTON ON 1/20/22 AT 9:50 AM EST
Residents of one neighborhood in Xi'an said they had been locked down for more than one month despite no positive cases among them.BY JOHN FENG ON 1/20/22 AT 8:49 AM EST
Crystal Hernandez died days after giving birth to a healthy baby boy in an emergency C-section.BY ED BROWNE ON 1/20/22 AT 5:24 AM EST
NBC had previously always included at least some on-site announces in Olympics coverage, although the networks sent a limited number of announcers to Tokyo last year.BY AILA SLISCO ON 1/19/22 AT 11:55 PM EST
A 40 percent spike in retirements in 2021 combined with the current surge of COVID cases has left New Mexico with a shortage of teachers and substitutes.BY AARON MCDADE ON 1/19/22 AT 10:33 PM EST
Omicron surge continues to overwhelm U.S. hospitals
Jan 19, 2022 CBS News
The Biden administration is planning to give out 400 million free N95 masks to Americans in the coming weeks as the coronavirus surge tightens its grip on hospitals in hard-hit areas of the country. CBS News correspondent Carter Evans reports from Missouri, where COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising among the unvaccinated. Then, Dr. Payal Patel, an infectious disease physician at the University of Michigan Medical School, joins CBSN's Lana Zak to discuss the latest.
Freedom of information revelation
Jan 20, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
13 March 2020 to 7 January 2022, England and Wales https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati... 127,704 excess deaths above the five-year average Official data https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/detai... Deaths from COVID-19 with no other underlying causes FOI Ref: FOI/2021/3240 https://www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/transp... Death registrations for 2020 and 2021 for deaths where COVID-19 was listed as the underlying cause, but had no other pre-existing conditions recorded on the death certificate, England and Wales This publication will be updated quarterly 2020 Total deaths, 9,400 0-64, 1,549 65 and over, 7,851 2021 Q1 Total deaths, 6,483 0-64, 1,560 65 and over, 4,923 2021 Q2 Total deaths, 346 0-64, 153 65 and over, 193 2021 Q3, Total deaths, 1,142 0-64, 512 65 and over, 630 Therefore, 2020 and first 3 quarters of 2021 Total deaths from covid alone, 17,371 Of this number 13,597 were 65 or over Of this number, 3,774 were under 65 Average age of death in UK from covid in 2021 82.5 years Average life expectancy in the UK, 2018 to 2020 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati... 79.0 years for males 82.9 years for females This represents a fall of 7.0 weeks for males and a slight increase of 0.5 weeks for females (from the latest non-overlapping period of 2015 to 2017) This is the first time we have seen a decline when comparing non-overlapping time periods since the series began in the early 1980s As of end of September https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/detai... Within 28 days of a positive test, 137,133 (7.9 times more deaths) Excess deaths from cancer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U90eD... Professor Karol Sikora, University of Buckingham Former head of cancer programme at WHO Probably an extra 50,000 deaths from cancer, over the past 18 months, you otherwise would not have had Failure to report early Difficulty getting to see GP Fear of hospital admissions Missed chemotherapy Missed radiotherapy 6 million waiting for NHS treatment
Germany tops 100,000 daily infections +++ Hong Kong culls hamsters | COVID latest
Jan 19, 2022 DW News
As the omicron variant spreads, the number of COVID-19 cases has also surged rapidly in Turkey. The country's health ministry reported nearly 70,000 new cases on Tuesday – one of the highest daily figures since the pandemic began. The government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan now hopes its locally made "Turkovac" jab will convince vaccine-hesitant Turks to roll up their sleeves. "Turkovac" received emergency use approval from Turkish authorities in December and is now being administered to the public. But experts have serious doubts about the vaccine's effectiveness. Germany reported 112,323 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the latest new 24-hour record and the first daily tally north of 100,000. The national disease control body, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), published the figures early in the morning. The country's weekly incidence rate has now reached 584.4 new infections per 100,000 people over a seven-day period, the RKI reported. The institute registered 239 deaths connected to COVID, a reduction from the 384 reported on the previous Wednesday. The hospitalization rate rose, but only slightly, to 3.17 people per 100,000 per week, versus 3.13 one week ago. Hong Kong health authorities on Tuesday said about 2,000 hamsters and chinchillas needed to be put down after COVID-19 infections were traced back to a pet store. At least 11 hamsters tested positive for the COVID-19, and a store employee was also infected with the delta variant, according to officials. People who purchased hamsters from the store after December 22 have been instructed to hand over the animals to be destroyed, and not to set them free on the streets. Those who had been in contact with the animals would also have to quarantine.
Chapters
00:00 COVID-19 in Germany
03:08 Turkovac vaccine in Turkey
07:38 Hamster culling in Hong Kong
Early Omicron Breakthroughs Show MRNA Vaccines’ Weakness
MarketsOmicron Is a Bigger Risk for the Young, Medical Data Shows
Hamster-to-Human Covid Theory Gains Traction in Hong Kong
Xi Jinping’s Covid Defense Gets Weaker With Every Omicron Case
Supreme Court Gets Tangled in Flap Over Masks, Echoing U.S. Rift
N.J. Mandates Boosters for Health Workers, Drops Test-Out Option
Omicron Is a Bigger Risk for the Young, Medical Data Shows
Why Some Vaccinated People Resist Omicron and Others Don’t Faye Flam
Disinfectant Craze Rages On for Covid-Skittish U.S. Consumers
Los Angeles Times @latimes
When the coronavirus attacks the body, the immune system steps up, trying to respond quickly and powerfully enough to stop the virus from running wild.
latimes.comHow the body's immune system tries to fight off COVID-19When the coronavirus attacks the body, the immune system steps up, trying to respond quickly and powerfully enough to stop the virus from running wild.
The masks for adults will be free at thousands of pharmacies and other locations. By Lena H. Sun and Dan Diamond
The CDC says research from California and New York before Omicron’s spread showed unvaccinated people without previous infection faced the greatest risk.3 min read
Testing ordered for residents in 20 buildings, classes suspended in Hong Kong
Outbreak at Kwai Chung Estate’s Yat Kwai House also expands, with infections now reported in seven households.
New Zealand rules out Omicron lockdown; Indonesia dumps 1 million shots
PM Ardern said when Omicron starts to spread in the community, a ‘red’ traffic light setting would be imposed, which will see limits on public gatherings.
Philippines’ population growth slowed due to Covid-19
An estimated 324,000 babies were born last year, the lowest number since the period between 1946 and 1947, as Filipinos practised family planning amid coronavirus crisis and economic crunch.
China’s Covid cases fall as Tianjin says Omicron is under control
The country has adopted strict measures to curb the outbreak in the run-up to the Winter Olympics and Lunar New Year.
China’s Xian residents in lockdown find relief on social media
With people barred from leaving their homes, citizens are using WeChat mini-programs and chat groups to find food and supplies.
The heavy cost borne by the patients and their caregivers can be financially crippling and sway patients to put off treatment
- China Adds Rare Disease Drugs to National Medical Insurance List
- Rare Disease Patients Will Have to Wait for Affordable Drugs, Experts Say
The story of a man who labored nights so he could search for his missing son drew widespread sympathy and support online
Jan 20, 2022 08:47 PM
Do healthy kids need booster shots against COVID? WHO's chief scientist answers
Omicron restrictions in Scotland to end on Monday, says Nicola Sturgeon
US government to distribute 400 million Covid N95 masks for free
Sweden scraps demand for negative COVID test to enter country
Growing signs Omicron is leveling off in California
COVID-19 surge at LAPD and Sheriff’s Department keeps over 2,000 personnel at home
The new rule includes New Jersey workers in a variety of health care facilities including hospitals as well as long-term care facilities and other ...Matt Arco,
N.J. reports 145 COVID deaths, 8,467 cases as Murphy announces new vaccine requirements
Rate of staff COVID cases in N.J. schools drops for the 1st time since October
Here are the N.J. colleges requiring COVID boosters, and starting spring semester remotely
Fluvoxamine, a 40-year-old drug that costs a fraction of the pricey new treatments for COVID, now looks as if might actually help.
Is China's zero-COVID policy endangering global supply chains? | DW News
Jan 19, 2022 DW News
China's economic recovery has been hampered by renewed coronavirus outbreaks, which prompted Chinese
leaders to impose strict border controls or targeted lockdowns on cities including Tianjin, a manufacturing center. Overseas businesses say Beijing's hard-line "zero-COVID" strategy could ultimately lead to empty shelves in stores all over the world.
How omicron broke through coronavirus vaccines
Jan 18, 2022 Washington Post
The highly transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus has taken over as the dominant strain in the United States, resulting in breakthrough infections among the vaccinated. Omicron has sparked alarm both internationally and in the United States, where it accounted for more than 98 percent of new infections during the week ending Jan. 8, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The variant has an unusually high number of mutations that make it significantly more contagious and capable of eluding the body’s first line of immune defenses.
SA, UK, US in that order
Jan 18, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
Avian influenza (bird flu), Is not a coronavirus
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-inf... H5N1 (H5N8) Influenza A virus, subtype H5N1 Enzootic, (SE Asia) epizootic, panzootic 2003 to May 2020 861 confirmed human cases, 455 deaths South Africa, leads the way https://www.worldometers.info/coronav... SA hospital data https://www.nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-i... Zoe, Omicron wave has peaked https://covid.joinzoe.com/data#levels... UK data https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk ONS https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulati... Deaths in the UK involving coronavirus Week ending 7 January 2022 1,023 deaths involving COVID-19 383 more than in the previous week Accounted for around 1 in every 14 deaths (7.3%). Total deaths in UK, 13,886 (8.3% below the five-year average) 13 March 2020 to 7 January 2022, England and Wales 127,704 excess deaths above the five-year average Positivity Prevalence England – 3,735,000 people (1 in 15) Wales – 169,100 people (1 in 20) Northern Ireland – 99,200 people (1 in 20) Scotland – 297,400 people (1 in 20) Antibodies, week beginning 20 December 2021 England, 97.5% of the adult population Wales, 96.8% Northern Ireland, 97.4% Scotland, 97.7% Antibody thresholds, using data from Delta Threshold of antibodies needed to provide protection from infections for those who are vaccinated More than 88% of the population had antibodies at or above the higher threshold. China https://www.theguardian.com/world/liv... One omicron infection detected in Beijing Tuesday, 11th January, received a package from Toronto, via the US and Hong Kong (4 days) Saturday 15th Patient self reported Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of Beijing’s CDC Omicron virus transmits fast, please pay attention, avoid buying stuff from overseas, make sure you wear gloves, don’t bring the package indoors. If you have to, clean the package outside with alcohol, and wash your hands Dr Ian Mackay, virologist, University of Queensland It’s an airborne virus. It’s not about surfaces. Technically, it can happen, sure. There’s a non-zero risk, sure. But is it happening again and again? No If you see and hear horses, don’t think zebras Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: implications for infection prevention precautions https://www.who.int/news-room/comment... SARS-CoV-2 contamination of surfaces and the survival of the virus on certain surfaces, there are no specific reports which have directly demonstrated fomite transmission. People who come into contact with potentially infectious surfaces often also have close contact with the infectious person, Fact that other coronaviruses and respiratory viruses can transmit via fomites Cancels public tickets for Winter Olympics in Beijing Selected spectators
Xi Jinping’s Covid Defense Gets Weaker With Every Omicron Case
MRNA Boosters Don’t Block Omicron, South African Study Shows
You Can Now Order Free Covid Tests Online From the U.S. Government
Swift End to Covid Threatened by Unvaccinated Faraway Locales
Omicron May Cut Future Severity of Coronavirus, Study Shows
Virginia Schools Prepare for Mask Clash With Governor Youngkin
- They relied on rapid coronavirus tests to gather safely. Some wish they hadn’t.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sets new vaccination deadlines for health-care workers
By Dan Keating, Madison Dong and Youjin Shin
A recent report from Israel suggests even a fourth dose might not stop people from getting infected with the COVID variant—but vaccines still help, data shows.
While there are some indications that the Omicron variant is subsiding, data suggests that it will...
Kansas' health department said it would only continue contact tracing in "high-risk" settings,...
The Chief Medical Advisor to the President made no direct investments in China, but bought into a U.S.-based mutual fund trading in China stock.
Andrew Pugh said he did not initially get vaccinated after reading material on Facebook. Now, he is urging people to get the shot.
"Travelers are no longer considered to pose a particular risk of affecting the spread of Omicron in Sweden," the Swedish government stated. BY JUSTIN KLAWANS ON 1/18/22 AT 6:11 PM EST
"I've said from the beginning that our students deserve an in-person education and our schools need to stay open," Governor Kevin Stitt said.BY ZOE STROZEWSKI ON 1/18/22 AT 5:26 PM EST
"Messaging that schools are safe—without taking the steps to make them safe—does not keep children safe," the nurses' letter said.BY EMMA MAYER ON 1/18/22 AT 3:47 PM EST
Patients at Kent Hospital are waiting 10 hours for care as staff shortages, covid cases and other emergencies leave the emergency room scrambling. By Lenny Bernstein
By Lena H. Sun and Dan Diamond LIVE: CORONAVIRUS Access to these updates is free
- D.C. measure to require schools to tell parents about covid cases within 24 hours
- New U.S. website for free covid tests sees high demand — and some complaints
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the city is “winning” against Omicron, but experts urged caution.
THE EZRA KLEIN SHOW’
Zeynep Tufekci on How to Prepare for the Pandemic’s Next Phase
Philippines: ‘No vax no ride’ plan for unjabbed commuters confuses public
- Plan, launched on Monday in Manila area, accused of being ‘draconian’; government tries to clarify new rules while mentioning ‘reason to apologise’
- There is some vaccine hesitancy in nation but tens of millions of vaccine doses have still not been used because of logistical issues
Hunger, debt: hit by Covid, Filipino farmers want more for their children Topic | Coronavirus Philippines
‘I dare not order’: China’s 150 million online shoppers fear virus threat
India’s new cases hit eight-month high; Japan widens curbs
India reports nearly 300,000 new infections over the last 24 hours, the highest in eight months, bringing the total to 37.9 million, second-highest globally behind the United States.
Beijing records 5 new Covid-19 cases as Winter Games loom
Officials in the city have meanwhile been told to be alert to the risk of Covid-19 spreading from inanimate object
No takers for Hong Kong hamster alarm at Shenzhen pet stores
Shenzhen pet shop employee says Hong Kong situation has had little impact across the border, as all hamsters sold there are locally bred.
Local government promises to punish offenders with fines up to five times the cost of the extra fee, as the capital deals with a fresh outbreak ahead of the Olympics
Jan 19, 2022 06:53 PM
Speculation brews that omicron reached Beijing via cross-border delivery; Hong Kong is set to kill thousands of hamsters amid contagion concerns; and rail trade between China and North Korea resumes
Jan 19, 2022 06:15 PM
Upset at culling plans, thousands of Hong Kongers volunteer to adopt the pets
US government to distribute 400 million Covid N95 masks for free
‘Nocebo’ effect, not Covid vaccine causing adverse reactions, claims study
Pandemic ‘nowhere near over’: WHO chief warns against assumption that Omicron is milder
One in ten COVID-19 patients could be infectious even after 10 days
Kelly Heyboer,
- Philadelphia, Montco to hold COVID-19 briefings today
- COVID-19 cases dropping around Philly, but deaths still rising
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, facing a mutiny, said that he would ease virus restrictions in England.
What comes next, now that the Omicron variant appears to be in retreat?
LUCY KING AND JONAH M. KESSEL
We Know the Real Cause of the Crisis in Our Hospitals. It’s Greed.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/19/opinion/covid-nurse-burnout-understaffing.html
Patients at Kent Hospital are waiting 10 hours for care as staff shortages, covid cases and other crises leave the emergency room scrambling.By Lenny Bernstein
By Lena H. Sun and Dan Diamond
LIVE: CORONAVIRUSAccess to these updates is free
U.S. recording over 800,000 COVID-19 cases each day
Jan 17, 2022 CBS News
The surge of new COVID-19 cases brought on by the Omicron variant continues to set records and strain hospitals across the nation. CBS news correspondent Mola Lenghi reports from New York City. Then Dr. Marie-Elizabeth Ramas, a family medicine physician in New Hampshire, joins CBSN to discuss the latest on the impact.
What study says about efficacy of fourth Covid-19 vaccine shot
Jan 17, 2022 CNN
CNN’s Ana Cabrera speaks with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed about new data from an Israeli study on the efficacy of a fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine while Dr. Paul Offit discusses when the Omicron surge may come to an end in the US.
Scientists try to assess the impact of the Omicron wave in South Africa | DW News
Jan 18, 2022 DW News
South Africa was the first country to sound the alarm about the Omicron variant. Now the wave has passed – and other countries are looking to learn from its experience. Data shows how the Omicron variant causes a spike in case numbers - because it is highly infectious - a lot more than previous coronavirus variants. South Africa’s fourth wave was therefore sharper - but also shorter. But crucially, the Omicron wave has so far resulted in fewer deaths than previous waves. There were also fewer hospitalisations this time around. Some experts conclude that Omicron is less dangerous. But others have warned that many cases may go unreported or undetected, so the real numbers of cases and deaths could be much higher. They're warning not to underestimate Omicron as a "milder" variant.
HOSPITAL RELEASES PRELIMINARY DATA, WITHOUT SPECIFIC FIGURES
Israeli trial, world’s first, finds 4th dose ‘not good enough’ against Omicron
Expert at Sheba Medical Center says jab raises COVID antibody levels, but there are ‘still a lot of infections’ among those who received it
By TOI STAFF17 January 2022, 7:40 pmUpdated: Today, 8:21 am
Omicron May Cut Future Severity of Coronavirus, Study Shows
One Thing Covid Can’t Stop: Alcohol Sales
A welcome companion during lockdowns, booze has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels.
Are We Any Closer to the End of Covid?
By Katie ShepherdLIVE: CORONAVIRUSAccess to these updates is free
- Don’t count on omicron ending the pandemic, Fauci says
- As the omicron semester starts, online or in person, colleges are tense
Opinion by Lakshman Swamy
They fear that the “live with it” strategy underestimates the dangers posed by the omicron variant and could send messages that will lead people to abandon the measures known to limit its spread.By Joel Achenbach
By Katie Hurley
Authorities ordered some 2,000 hamsters in Hong Kong to be killed over concerns that the animals may have transmitted Covid-19 to humans, one of the city’s latest measures to try to stamp out a fresh outbreak.
By Allysia Finley | Commentary
Israeli adults were among the first in the world to roll up their sleeves for a Covid-19 vaccine, but many are now pushing back against the government’s campaign to inoculate their young children, despite the Omicron risk.
‘THE EZRA KLEIN SHOW’
The Pandemic Lessons We Clearly Haven’t Learned
TRESSIE MCMILLAN COTTOM
The Real Roots of the Debate Over Schools During Covid
Analysis: C.D.C. Grapples With Rapidly Evolving Virus and Imperfect Data
California surpasses 7 million coronavirus cases, adding 1 million in one week
The upswelling in reported cases is the fastest accumulation of infections in the history of the pandemic.
COVID surge, nurse burnout make mess out of hospital staffing
The hospital COVID census in San Bernardino County has nearly tripled from 398 before Christmas to 1,107 as of Jan. 13.
COVID killed droves of Indian health workers. Their families must fight for recompense
Op-Ed: In the Omicron surge, I am my family’s anger translator
As I See It | Covid-19 is infecting people via mail and frozen food? There’s no evidence
Australia suffers record deaths; Indonesia lifts ban on foreign arrivals
A total of 77 deaths was recorded, exceeding the previous high of 57 last Thursday.
18 Jan 2022 - 2:50PM
Extremely low’ risk of infection from handling mail, Health Canada says
Canadian authorities respond to Beijing CDC’s claim that a contaminated letter from Toronto could be the source of an Omicron case in the Chinese capital.
Hong Kong leader promises ‘fairness and truth’ in probes into alleged rule breaches
Investigations into whether Cathay Pacific abused quarantine exemption policy and conduct of officials caught up in birthday party scandal will not be ‘left unsettled’, Chief Executive Carrie Lam says.
Fourth vaccine shot less effective on Omicron, Israel study shows
A second booster jab brings antibodies to even higher levels but is not enough to prevent infection, according to the first-of-its-kind trial. 18 Jan 2022 - 4:42AM
Hong Kong culls hamsters over Covid-19 fears, pet store customers in quarantine
Two people tied to Little Boss pet shop confirmed as infected and 150 customers ordered into quarantine.
Customs, postal authorities have directed airports and logistics companies to disinfect cross-border deliveries more thoroughly
- Cover Story: China in Hand-to-Hand Combat With Omicron
- Nine Chinese Cities Now Have Local Omicron Flare-Ups
- You can now order free COVID-19 test kits from the federal government
- ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith say COVID-19 vaccine saved his life: ‘I had pneumonia in both lungs’
- COVID-19 antiviral pills in short supply at Philly-area pharmacies
Beginning today, the citywide mandate will require customers to show proof of vaccination at indoor restaurants and bars, sports venues, movie theaters, and other locations that serve food. Rob Tornoe
New antiviral pills are a promising treatment for COVID-19, but getting them may be tricky. Sarah Gantz
New Jersey's seven-day average for new confirmed positive tests dropped to 15,214, down 44% from a week ago but still up 228% from a month ago Brent Johnson,
When can N.J. kids return to school after being exposed to COVID? It’s confusing. Here’s why.
N.J. schools slow to ramp up ‘test to stay,’ which lets kids avoid COVID quarantine
Karin Price Mueller
One in ten COVID-19 patients could be infectious even after 10 days
COVID-19: Fourth dose of vaccine 'not good enough' against Omicron variant, reveals Israeli study
Omicron in Beijing may have arrived by mail from Canada: Report
Covid vaccination to be compulsory from February, says Austrian chancellor
As patience with the pandemic wanes, leaders in widely vaccinated democracies are deploying a new political strategy.
When is it morally acceptable for one person to subject another to risk? Is it okay to walk into a bar if you might sicken someone who might need hospital care?
CONOR FRIEDERSDORF JANUARY 16, 2022
China probably among the most vulnerable countries to Covid right now, says Dr. Scott Gottlieb
Jan 18, 2022 CNBC Television
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner and CNBC contributor, joins CNBC's 'Squawk Box' to discuss the omicron Covid variant and China's latest efforts to tap down a recent uptick in cases.
Vaccination advice in the age of omicron
Jan 17, 2022 Dr. John Campbell
Has the risk benefit analysis changed now omicron is the variant? CDC reference https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-...Updated Jan. 12, 2022 https://www.gov.uk/government/publica... The NHS is offering COVID-19 vaccine to children and young people aged 12 to 17 years Two doses of vaccine 12 weeks apart (or 12 weeks after a positive test) UK boosters for 16 and 17 year olds in England https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60011877 https://www.england.nhs.uk/2022/01/hu... Starting today 600,000 people aged 16 and 17 have had two doses 889,700 in England have had at least one dose In line with JCVI guidance NHS cannot vaccinate 16 and 17-year-olds within 12 weeks (84 days) of a positive COVID-19 test Reduce further the "very, very small risk" of myocarditis in under-18s UK, giving Pfizer rather than moderna https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsup... Can the Covid-19 vaccine cause myocarditis? In most cases of myocarditis, heart function returns to normal. Cases, while still very rare, are slightly less rare in children and young people. It's still the case that millions of children around the world have had a Covid vaccine, virtually all of them without long term side effects. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has not been linked to an increased risk of myocarditis. Getting Covid-19 can itself lead to myocarditis, as well as other forms of severe illness. Who is at risk from myocarditis following the vaccine? Mostly affected young men aged 12 to 29 Usually after their second dose Israel study, up to 4 in 100,000 men Women was fewer than one in 100,000 Are children and young people at higher risk of heart inflammation from the vaccine? Cases of heart inflammation after the vaccine, while still very rare, are slightly less rare in children and younger adults (up to the age of 39) UK up to 15 December 2021, 12 to 17 year olds 39 cases of myocarditis or pericarditis (18 cases per million doses of vaccine) 18-29 year olds 29 per million doses 30-39 year-olds 22 per million doses Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and 4 CMOs confirmed the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is safe and effective for children aged 12 to 15, as well as vulnerable children from the age of five. Is there a risk of cardiac arrest from the Covid vaccine? No. There is no evidence that people are at risk of cardiac arrest in the days or weeks following the vaccine. Study of 4 million vaccinated people in Denmark, (n = 269) https://www.bmj.com/content/375/bmj-2... Professor Hoiby, message to world leaders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkopH... Denmark has changed their national guidelines https://en.ssi.dk/news/epi-news/2021/... Based on a precautionary principle, we recommend aspiration before injection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7ina... Evidence from Dr. Peter Gaillard (microparticulate pharmacologist) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/astraz... Denmark v Norway Myocarditis 3 times more prevalent in Norway Found there were no deaths or diagnoses of heart failure in people who were diagnosed with myocarditis or pericarditis after being vaccinated. In the UK, no figures have been published for cardiac arrests in under-18s following the vaccine, which means there have been a tiny number too small to be published, or none at all. Catching Covid-19, on the other hand, can significantly increase your risk of cardiac arrest and death. Is there any link between the Covid-19 vaccine and cardiac arrests at football matches? No, there isn’t. Feeling like you need to be sick I’ve heard about people getting myocarditis after the vaccine and I’m worried. Should I have my second dose/ booster dose? Yes. It’s recommended that you have your second dose or booster dose, if you are eligible. I was diagnosed with myocarditis after having the vaccine. Should I go ahead and book my second dose/ booster dose? No, you should get advice from your health professional