Discussion thread VII - COVID-19: Endemic Stage

[Pathfinder]

WHO Director-General's opening remarks at Member State Information Session on COVID-19 and other issues – 27 October 2022

27 October 2022
...
We are turning a corner on the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is not over. More than two million, six hundred thousand new cases were reported in the last week, with 8 562 new deaths.

The end of this pandemic is in sight, but inequity continues to hobble our response.

Nearly one-third of the world’s population has not yet received a single dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including over half of health workers and about two-thirds of older people in low-income countries.

This vaccination gap imperils the global recovery and puts us all at risk.

The danger of new, more dangerous variants that can evade our vaccines is real.

We must not become complacent.

===

https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-27-october-2022

[Emily]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095496422001091

Jessica L. Campbell,
COVID-19: reducing the risk via diet and lifestyle,
Journal of Integrative Medicine,
2022,
,
ISSN 2095-4964,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joim.2022.10.001.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...95496422001091)
Abstract: This review shows that relatively simple changes to diet and lifestyle can significantly, and rapidly, reduce the risks associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in terms of infection risk, severity of disease, and even disease-related mortality. A wide range of interventions including regular exercise, adequate sleep, plant-based diets, maintenance of healthy weight, dietary supplementation, and time in nature have each been shown to have beneficial effects for supporting more positive health outcomes with COVID-19, in addition to promoting better overall health. This paper brings together literature from these areas and presents the argument that non-pharmaceutical approaches should not be overlooked in our response to COVID-19. It is noted that, in several cases, interventions discussed result in risk reductions equivalent to, or even greater than, those associated with currently available vaccines. Where the balance of evidence suggests benefits, and the risk is minimal to none, it is suggested that communicating the power of individual actions to the public becomes morally imperative. Further, many lives could be saved, and many harms from the vaccine mandates avoided, if we were willing to embrace this lifestyle-centred approach in our efforts to deal with COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Exercise; Sleep; Diet; Risk reduction behaviour

[Emily]

FL has very low ILI - maybe low Covid, too?

https://fox8.com/news/cdc-map-shows-where-flu-activity-is-already-spiking/

[sharon sanders]

Nili Kaplan-Myrth MD PhD

@nilikm
·
1h
Hands up if you are still wearing a mask when you are indoors at work, school or play. This will be fun.




I’m a doctor. I still wear a mask, and everyone in my clinic does, also.

[sharon sanders]

I just went out to a large local pharmacy to pick up something instead of using Amazon. I was THE ONLY person wearing any kind of mask. All ages, including seniors. I did not get any stares.

COVID is not over. I do not know what people are thinking. I assume most people are not current on the vaccines. An N95 mask is the best alternative. The last COVID-19 data show about 388 people are dying each day. On an annual basis that is 141,620 dead people. Isn't that a lot? Even if those numbers are inflated....ok...use 1/2....use 194 dead people a day....that is over 70k on an annual basis. Still a lot.

[sharon sanders]

I started to develop a sore inoculation site a few hours after getting the shot but this evening I can barely feel it. I don't know how effective the vaccine is in real life but I use it as only one method to prevent a bad covid outcome. I am still doing everything I said in post #177. Good luck to everyone. Stay tuned to your local news stations. The CDC numbers are a lagging indicator. Take care of you.

[sharon sanders]

For full disclosure and THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE


After reviewing all of the facts as I can ascertain them and after re-evaluating my current physical condition I took the new bi-valent Moderna COVID-19 booster today.

I am high risk. I am a senior and have a couple of health issues in my history. In my opinion, for myself, the risk of an adverse vaccine event is not worse than the risk of the disease. While I live a restricted life style, I know that I can not hide from covid forever. I am trying to delay the first infection but I know that I am probably fighting a losing battle due to the easy transmission of the covid variants. At some point I may be in a medical situation, like a dentist appointment, where I can not protect myself with an N95 mask. Plus, I am not keen to contract long covid either.

So this is my decision for myself. I respect everyone's vaccine decision and I expect people to respect mine. As a reminder, I do not support government COVID-19 mandates and this site has never promoted that.

[Pathfinder]

Hat tip to Tetano for posting the link to this study :

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A . Structural basis for mouse receptor recognition by SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/welcome-to-the-scientific-library/viral-mechanism/961008-proc-natl-acad-sci-u-s-a-structural-basis-for-mouse-receptor-recognition-by-sars-cov-2-omicron-variant

...
Our study has implications for the evolution of the omicron variant. Because Asn31 and His353 in ACE2 are the main targets of omicron’s adaptations, we searched all of the currently available ACE2 sequences and found that mice are the only species containing Asn31 and His353 in their ACE2 (SI Appendix, Table S2), suggesting that omicron evolved in mice. Our structural findings are supported by numerous studies that discovered the same mouse-specific mutations Q493R (or a similar Q493K) and Q498R (32–38). It is worth noting that although the prototypic SARS-CoV-2 does not infect mice efficiently, some of the earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants from humans and other animal species had evolved the N501Y mutation that can facilitate SARS-CoV-2’s usage of mACE2 as its receptor (20, 39, 40). Indeed, as the current study has demonstrated, the N501Y mutation is structurally adapted to ACE2 from more than one host species. Hence, a SARS-CoV-2 variant containing the N501Y mutation might have been transmitted from human or another animal species to mice. Afterward, as the SARS-CoV-2 variant spread in mice, mouse-specific RBM mutations (e.g., Q493R, Q498R, and Y505N) evolved, contributing to the emergence of the omicron variant. In addition to infecting humans, the omicron variant may transmit to some other host species whose ACE2 contains VBM residues that are compatible with the binding of the omicron RBD. For example, the ACE2 molecules of some species of rats contain either Asn31 or His353 (SI Appendix, Table S2). More epidemiological surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in mice and other rodents can help further clarify the evolution and transmission of the omicron variant.
...

[sharon sanders]

There are too many studies on the effectiveness of clean N95 masks to list here. This mask denying is ridiculous.

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/welcome-to-the-scientific-library/preparedness-ab/941026-rev-med-virol-comparative-effectiveness-of-n95-surgical-or-medical-and-non-medical-facemasks-in-protection-against-respiratory-virus-infection-a-systematic-review-and-network-meta-analysis

And, in fact, after more than two years of wearing a clean N95 mask indoors I have not contracted COVID-19. I am not going to deny my own experience.

[sharon sanders]

Not surprised. This site has been saying since the beginning that a COVID-19 vaccine is ONLY ONE tool. Preventing COVID-19 requires a multi-layered approach.

Vaccine alone will not do it.

Masks alone will not do it.

NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, but I have not contracted COVID-19 yet. I am living a very limited life style since March 2020. Why am I doing this? I really do not like the circulatory and nerve potential complications of a COVID-19 infection. I have never been in favor of government mandates except in some group congregate living situations, like prisons.

This site has always said not to rely on government for your personal health and safety. This is especially true now. Please see this post for what I am doing: #177 .

Take care of you.

[Emily]

One lousy month. She should have been peaking on antibodies.

https://twitter.com/CVSHealth/status/1573057915975766016

https://web.archive.org/web/20220923152346/https://twitter.com/CVSHealth/status/1573057915975766016

CVS Health
@CVSHealth
.@CDCDirector
Rochelle Walensky visited a CVS Pharmacy today to get her bivalent COVID-19 booster. The bivalent vaccine provides added protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant and is available at CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide. https://bit.ly/3S7VFJQ



4:13 PM · Sep 22, 2022·Twitter Web App

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s1022-covid-director.html

CDC Director Tests Positive For COVID-19
Media Statement
For Immediate Release: Saturday, October 22, 2022
Contact: Media Relations
(404) 639-3286

Last night, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky tested positive for COVID-19. She is up to date with her vaccines. Dr. Walensky is experiencing mild symptoms. Consistent with CDC guidelines, she is isolating at home and will participate in her planned meetings virtually. CDC senior staff and close contacts have been informed of her positive test and are taking appropriate action to monitor their health.

###
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
CDC works 24/7 protecting America’s health, safety and security. Whether disease start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to America’s most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world.

Last Reviewed: October 22, 2022Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[gsgs]

Germany the current hotspot for Covid anf flu. Very unusual. Usually they are some weeks behind.

Germany, with a rate of 13%, was the only country to report seasonal influenza activity above 10% positivity in sentinel primary care.
widespread in Kazakhstan

https://flunewseurope.org/

[Pathfinder]

WHO Director-General's opening remarks at media briefing – 19 October 2022

19 October 2022
...
Now to COVID-19.

Last week, the Emergency Committee on COVID-19 met to discuss the global situation and the way forward.

The committee’s view is that COVID-19 remains a public health emergency of international concern, and I agree.

The committee emphasised the need to strengthen surveillance and expand access to tests, treatments and vaccines for those most at-risk, and for all countries to update their national preparedness and response plans.

While the global situation has obviously improved since the pandemic began, the virus continues to change, and there remain many risks and uncertainties.

This pandemic has surprised us before and very well could again.

===

https://www.who.int/news-room/speeches/item/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-media-briefing---19-october-2022

[sharon sanders]

FluTrackers.com
@FluTrackers
·
17s
COVID-19 is still here. It can damage your circulatory system.

"Mounting evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to multiple instances of endothelial dysfunction.." https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/welcome-to-the-scientific-library/pathological-findings/960809-acta-pharmacol-sin-endothelial-dysfunction-in-covid-19-an-overview-of-evidence-biomarkers-mechanisms-and-potential-therapies… h/t tetano

Take care of you.

[sharon sanders]

Joshua “Scotch” McClure

@joshuamcclure

10h
I can no longer track the number of highly concerning #COVID #variants SARS-CoV-2 is completely out of control. The virus is accelerating evolution towards combinations (a multitude) of the most dangerous, AND highly virulent. All past pharmaceutical tools border on obsolete.