4 The Record: The state of COVID-19 today – WTAE Pittsburgh

4 The Record: The state of COVID-19 today

Updated: 11:30 AM EST Feb 25, 2024

WELCOME TO. FOR THE RECORD, IM KRISTEN POWERS THIS MORNING. WERE LOOKING AT COVID 19 TODAY. SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT, WEVE LEARNED A LOT MORE ABOUT THE DISEASE AND THERE HAVE BEEN ADVANCEMENTS IN PREVENTION AND TREATMENT. NOW, WHILE IT MAY NOT BE TOP OF MIND ANYMORE, COVID IS STILL A REALITY AND IMPACTING MANY PEOPLE. JAN THREE OF 2020. THE FIRST CONFIRMED CASE OF COVID 19 IN THE U.S. LESS. THAN TWO MONTHS LATER, IN MARCH, THE FIRST IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY. NOW, IN EARLY 2024, VACCINATION AND TREATMENTS ARE SAVING COUNTLESS LIVES. ITS BECOME SO MUCH MORE MANAGEABLE. VACCINES, ANTIVIRALS, WASTEWATER MONITORING, HOME TESTS AND WEVE GOT THIS ABILITY NOW TO DECOUPLE THOSE CASES FROM SEVERE DISEASE AND HOSPITALIZATIONS. WERE SPEAKING WITH AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIAN ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF COVID 19 AND THE PROGRESS WEVE MADE SINCE THE PANDEMIC WAS DECLARED. PLUS, WERE LEARNING ABOUT THE STUDY THAT UPMC MAGEE-WOMENS HOSPITAL IS TAKING PART IN LOOKING AT IMMUNE RESPONSE TO THE VACCINE IN PREGNANT WOMEN AND THEIR BABIES. A COMMON THEME THAT YOU HEAR FROM THE WOMEN THAT ARE ROLLING THESE STUDIES WHEN THEYRE PREGNANT IS, I WANT TO TRY AND HELP OTHER WOMEN. AND FOR SOME, THE HEALTH IMPACTS CONTINUE EVEN AFTER THEY FINALLY TEST NEGATIVE. BEING HERE, IM FEELING OKAY, BUT I KNOW ILL PAY FOR IT TOMORROW AND PROBABLY THE NEXT DAY. ANYTIME I DO ANYTHING PRETTY LARGE, IM IM DOWN FOR THE COUNT FOR ABOUT TWO DAYS. AFTERWARD, WE SIT DOWN WITH A LOCAL WOMAN DEALING WITH LONG COVID. WERE FINDING OUT HOW THIS IMPACTS HER DAY TO DAY LIFE, TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE STAND WITH COVID 19 TODAY, WE SPEAK WITH DOCTOR AMESH ADALJA. HES AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIAN AND PRACTICES AT JOHNS HOPKINS. DOCTOR ADALJA IS ALSO A CLINICAL PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH. CAN YOU EXPLAIN YOUR VIEW ON THE CURRENT STATE OF THE VIRUS. YES. SO RIGHT NOW WERE IN A KIND OF ENDEMIC PHASE WHERE THIS HAS BECOME ONE OF THE NORMAL RESPIRATORY VIRUSES THAT WERE GOING TO DEAL WITH YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT. THERES GOING TO BE UPS, THERES GOING TO BE DOWNS. THERES GOING TO ALWAYS BE NEW VARIANTS. BUT THE IMPORTANT POINT TO REMEMBER ABOUT COVID IS WEVE GOT SO MANY MORE TOOLS TO DEAL WITH IT NOW IN 2024 THAN WE EVER HAD THAT ITS BECOME SO MUCH MORE MANAGEABLE. THE VACCINES, ANTIVIRALS, WASTEWATER MONITORING, HOME TESTS AND WEVE GOT THIS ABILITY NOW TO DECOUPLE THOSE CASES FROM SEVERE DISEASE AND HOSPITALIZATIONS. WE SEE THESE CASES GO UP, BUT WE DONT SEE IT TRANSLATE INTO HOSPITALS IN CRISIS LIKE HAPPENED IN 2020 2021. AND THATS A LOT OF PROGRESS FOR A DISEASE THAT WAS NEW TO HUMANITY IN 2019. TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU EXPECT COVID TO SURGE AGAIN OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS? ITS. REALLY BEING DICTATED BY THE EVOLUTION IN TERMS OF DO NEW VARIANTS APPEAR THAT ARE ABLE TO GET AROUND SOME OF THE IMMUNITY AND CAUSE CASES TO RISE? THATS LIKELY TO HAPPEN FOR PROBABLY THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS UNTIL IT SETTLES DOWN. AND THEN WE KIND OF GET A NORMAL SEASONAL CADENCE TO IT. SO I DO THINK WERE GOING TO SEE UPS AND DOWNS. WE WE TEND TO SEE RISES IN COVID WHEN IT GETS VERY COLD, WHEN PEOPLE ARE INDOORS, JUST LIKE WITH OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES. BUT WE ALSO SEE RISES IN COVID WHEN IT GETS HOT, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES WHEN PEOPLE GO INSIDE TO AVOID THE HEAT AND BE IN AIR CONDITIONING, THAT ALSO DRIVES CASES. SO WERE NOT QUITE AT THE ABILITY TO PREDICT IT WITH THE SAME SEASONALITY THAT WE CAN. FOR EXAMPLE, WITH INFLUENZA OR RSV, ARE THERE ANY NOTABLE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO TREATING COVID OR THE SPREAD THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH US TODAY? THE BIGGEST TOOL THAT WE HAVE IS THE VACCINE. AND HIGH RISK PEOPLE ARE STILL UNDER VACCINATED. IF YOU LOOK, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE RATES OF VACCINATION IN NURSING HOMES, ITS REALLY SUBOPTIMAL. SO THATS A PREVENTABLE. THOSE ARE PREVENTABLE CASES, PREVENTABLE HOSPITALIZATIONS AND PREVENTABLE DEATHS. THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE ANTIVIRAL PAXLOVID THAT ITS WOEFULLY UNDER PRESCRIBED. WE KNOW THAT THATS SOMETHING THAT CAN KEEP HIGH RISK PEOPLE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL. YET MANY DOCTORS DONT PRESCRIBE IT. MANY PATIENTS DONT KNOW ABOUT IT. THATS THOSE ARE GREAT TOOLS THAT WE HAVE THAT WERE NOT USING. THERE ARE GOING TO BE NEWER GENERATION ANTIVIRALS, NEWER GENERATION VACCINES. THERES A LOT MORE, UH, NUANCES IN HOW TO TREAT IT. WERE STARTING TO UNRAVEL SOME OF THE MYSTERIES OF LONG COVID. THATS ALL COMING, BUT WE STILL NEED TO USE THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE NOW TO GET THOSE 1500 OR SO DEATHS THAT OCCUR EVERY WEEK FROM COVID DOWN LOWER. HOW DO WE DO THAT? HOW DO WE GET THOSE TOOLS TO BE MORE WIDELY USED, MORE WIDELY KNOWN ABOUT? WE HAVE TO DO TARGETED MESSAGING. WE HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE HIGH RISK, THAT THEY HAVE A CONDITION. THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THESE TOOLS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT THEM INDIVIDUALLY, THAT THESE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO NAVIGATE A WORLD IN WHICH COVID 19 IS EVER PRESENT. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE, RIDERS BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, PAXLOVID DOCTORS ARENT EVEN OFFERING IT. MANY TIMES WHEN THEY SHOULD BE OFFERED. SO DOCTORS HAVE TO KNOW THAT THIS TOOL IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. AND THERES A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PAXLOVID, ABOUT PAXLOVID, REBOUND, ABOUT THIS PATIENT LOOKS TOO GOOD TO NEED PAXLOVID. THOSE ARE ALL THINGS WE HAVE TO REALLY DISPEL. BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A PILL THAT CAN PREVENT 90% OF PEOPLE TO TAKE IT, EVEN IF THEYRE UNVACCINATED FROM NEEDING HOSPITALIZATION, THATS REALLY A MIRACLE PILL. YOU TALKED ABOUT THE HOSPITALIZATIONS, THE DEATHS. WE SAW THIS VERY EARLY ON WITH COVID. WHATS THE STATE RIGHT NOW? IS THIS STILL HAPPENING IN 2024? YES, WE ARE STILL SEEING NATIONALLY ABOUT 1500 DEATHS PER WEEK. THATS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY JUST COMPLETELY PREVENTABLE BECAUSE IF THESE PEOPLE WERE FULLY VACCINATED, IF THEY WERE GETTING DRUGS LIKE PAXLOVID OR THE OTHER ANTIVIRAL MOLNUPIRAVIR, YOU COULD REALLY SEE THAT THOSE HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATH NUMBERS DROP SIGNIFICANTLY. COVID NOW IS AN EMINENTLY MANAGEABLE DISEASE. WE HAVE MORE TOOLS FOR IT THAN ANY OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUS, BUT WERE STILL SEEING THIS TOLL OF HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS. AND ITS ESPECIALLY IN HIGH RISK, OLDER PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST NOT USING THOSE TOOLS. SO THIS IS KIND OF THE FRUSTRATING POINT THAT WEVE SEEN SCIENCE AND MEDICINE DELIVER SUCH GREAT ADVANCES IN A SPAN OF LESS THAN FOUR YEARS, BUT WERE STILL KIND OF PLAGUED WITH COVID 19, CAUSING DISRUPTIONS TO PEOPLES LIVES. WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED FROM THIS? THE BIGGEST LESSON IS THAT IF YOURE NOT PROACTIVE WITH A NOVEL INFECTIOUS DISEASE THATS SPREADING EFFICIENTLY FROM PERSON TO PERSON, YOURE GOING TO END UP WITH A PANDEMIC. SO YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THIS JUMPED INTO HUMANS PROBABLY IN 2019. IN THE FALL OF 2019, IN THE UNITED STATES, FOR EXAMPLE, WE DIDNT START TAKING ACTION UNTIL MID-MARCH. SO WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU HAVE A WHOLE POPULATION INFECTED. YOU HAVE REALLY SHODDY ABILITY TO TEST PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU WERENT PROACTIVE, YOU WERENT PLANNING, YOURE TRYING TO SCRAMBLE TO GET TESTS OUT AND THEN YOU HAVE HOSPITALS OVERRUN, LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN NEW YORK CITY. SO THE BIG LESSON HERE IS THAT WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE AND WE HAVE TO PUSH GOVERNMENT TO ACTUALLY TAKE PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS SERIOUSLY. IT SHOULD BE THOUGHT OF LIKE NATIONAL DEFENSE. WE HAVE 1.1 MILLION PEOPLE DEAD IN THE UNITED STATES. MANY OF THOSE DEATHS ARE PREVENTABLE. IF WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE CORRECT ACTION. AND I THINK THATS WHAT THE MESSAGE NEEDS TO BE TO POLICYMAKERS. WHAT IS YOUR PANDEMIC PLAN? THIS NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT VOTERS TALK TO THEIR POLITICIANS ABOUT AT EVERY LEVEL, FROM CITY COUNCIL, ALL THE WAY UP TO THE PRESIDENCY. DO YOU EXPECT A PANDEMIC OF A NOVEL INFECTIOUS DISEASE SIMILAR OF THIS MAGNITUDE TO EVER HAPPEN AGAIN IN OUR LIFETIMES? I DO, I THINK THAT PANDEMICS CAN HAPPEN ANY TIME. THERE ARE MANY VIRUSES OUT THERE THAT HAVE THAT CAPACITY TO CAUSE PANDEMICS. FOR EXAMPLE, BIRD FLU, OTHER CORONAVIRUSES. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CANT THINK THAT THIS JUST HAPPENED, AND WERE NOT GOING TO GET ANOTHER PANDEMIC FOR 100 YEARS. A NEW PANDEMIC COULD BE STARTING NOW. SO ITS VERY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING TO GET HOSPITALS READY TO GET THEIR PUBLIC HEALTH. THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES READY? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE PRIORITIZING AND I THINK THAT THEYRE NOT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE BECOME VERY COMPLACENT. THEY GET THROUGH THESE CYCLES OF PANIC AND NEGLECT, BOOM AND BUST WHERE THEYRE WORRIED ABOUT SOMETHING. AND THEN ITS OUT OF THE HEADLINES. SO THEY DONT THEY THINK THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM ANYMORE. WEVE SEEN IT HAPPEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN WHEN IT COMES TO INFECTIOUS DISEASE EMERGENCIES. SO I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO BE MUCH, MUCH MORE PROACTIVE AND FUNCTIONING. BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG TERME RESEARCH PROJECT BEFORE WE COMPLETELY UNRAVEL IT. WHATS THE TOP THING YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT COVID NOW? MOVING FORWARD? THE TOP THING IS THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE LET THIS HAPPEN THE WAY IT DID, THAT THERE WERE SO MANY WARNING SIGNS, SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERVENE. THE UNITED STATES DIDNT HAVE TO HAVE THIS TRAJECTORY IF WE WERE PROACTIVE, IF WE HAD POLICYMAKERS THAT TOOK THIS THREAT SERIOUSLY, WE COULD HAVE HAD AN EXPERIENCE LIKE TAIWAN OR LIKE SOUTH KOREA. AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO THINK THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE THE ONLY TIME WE FACE THIS. IF WE DONT ACT PROACTIVELY, IF WE DONT TAKE THE THREAT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE SERIOUSLY, THIS IS WHAT YOU GET. LIVES DISRUPTED, LIVES ERASED, ECONOMIES CRUSHED, CHILDRENS LEARNING COMPLETELY DECIMATED. ALL OF THAT IS THE LONG TAIL. THE CASCADE OF THIS PANDEMIC. SO A PANDEMIC IN THE 2020S DOES HAVE THIS ABILITY TO REALLY TO HARM THE HUMAN SPECIES IN A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THOUGHT MAYBE IN 19 THAT WAS 1918, 1918, INFLUENZA COULD DO THAT. THATS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN 2020. BUT IT DID STILL AHEAD. WE FELT IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO GET DATA SO THAT WE COULD HELP THE MOMS FEEL GOOD ABOUT TAKING THE VACCINE, BOTH FOR THEMSELVES AND THE BABIES. THE STUDY THAT UPMC MAGEE-WOMENS HOSPITAL IS INVOLVED IN LOOKING AT COVID VACCINES, PREGNANT WOMEN AND BABIES. WELCOME BACK MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ROLLED UP THEIR SLEEVES TO RECEIVE THE COVID 19 VACCINE, INCLUDING PREGNANT WOMEN. NOW, UPMC MAGEE-WOMENS HOSPITAL IS TAKING PART IN A STUDY TO SEE HOW THOSE SHOTS IMPACT MOMS AND THEIR BABIES. TODAY, DOCTOR BECKY, LETS FIRST START TALKING ABOUT THIS STUDY THAT MCGEE IS PARTICIPATING IN THE NIH SPONSORED STUDY. WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU GUYS LOOKING AT AND WHAT DOES THIS STUDY INVOLVE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE REASON FOR THIS STUDY WAS THAT, UM, IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC, UH, WE REALIZED THAT PREGNANT WOMEN, UNFORTUNATELY, WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE ORIGINAL CLINICAL TRIALS OF THE NOW VERY WELL KNOWN MRNA VACCINES. BECAUSE OF THAT, WE DECIDED TO DO WHATS CALLED AN OPPORTUNIST STUDY, WHICH MEANS KNOWING THAT NUMEROUS PREGNANT WOMEN WERE GOING TO BE OFFERED. AND THEN TAKING THE VACCINE IN THE FIRST YEAR OR TWO AFTER ITS RELEASE, WE OFFERED TO STUDY THEM IN AN OBSERVATIONAL WAY, WHICH MEANS THEY GET THE VACCINE ON THEIR OWN ACCORD, AND THEN WE FOLLOW THEM THROUGH THE REST OF THEIR PREGNANCY, THROUGH THEIR DELIVERY, AND THEN FOR A YEAR AFTER DELIVERY, AND THEN ALSO FOLLOW THE BABY ONCE THE BABY IS BORN. THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO STUDY THE SAFETY OF THE VACCINE. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT THIS RECENT PAPER SHOWED IS LOOKING AT THE IMMUNOLOGY OF THE VACCINE GENE AND HOW WELL THE VACCINE HAS PRODUCED ANTIBODIES. BUT REALLY IMPORTANTLY, HOW WELL THOSE ANTIBODIES TRANSFER INTO THE BABY THROUGH THE PLACENTA. AND HOW MUCH PROTECTION DO THOSE ANTIBODIES GIVE TO THE BABY IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF LIFE, THAT WAS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY. THAT BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION. WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THOSE MAJOR FINDINGS SO FAR? SO, SO FAR? SOME OF THE MAJOR FINDINGS ARE THAT, FIRST OF ALL, THE VACCINE AS AS HAS BEEN SHOWN BY OTHER PEOPLE, IS VERY SAFE. ITS ALSO VERY EFFECTIVE AT PRODUCING ANTIBODIES IN THE MOTHER THAT GIVE PROTECTION TO THE MOTHER. BUT THIS STUDY SPECIFICALLY SHOWED THAT WHEN MOMS GET THOSE VACCINES DURING PREGNANCY, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GET THE BOOSTER DOSE, THE THE ANTIBODY LEVELS ARE VERY HIGH WHEN THE BABY IS BORN. AND THAT OFFERS PROTECTION THROUGH THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF LIFE, WHICH IS A VERY IMPORTANT FINDING BECAUSE WHEN BABIES ARE FIRST BORN, THEY ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO GETTING COVID, GETTING QUITE ILL, AND THEYRE NOT ELIGIBLE TO GET THEIR OWN VACCINE. FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THEIR LIFE. SO THIS PROVIDES A NICE WINDOW OF PROTECTION UNTIL THE BABIES CAN GET THEIR OWN VACCINE. WHEN THEY HIT SIX MONTHS. IN GENERAL, WHAT IMPACT DID YOU SEE COVID HAVING ON MOMS AND BABIES AT MAGEE THAT MAKES RESEARCH LIKE THIS SO IMPORTANT? YEAH, WE UNFORTUNATELY SAW SOME OF THE IMPACT IN THE MOMS, PREDOMINATELY IN THE MOMS FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS OF THIS OUTBREAK. THIS WAS PRIMARILY A PROBLEM IN MOMS. AND THEN AS THE OMICRON WAVE CAME ALONG, WE STARTED TO SEE ADVERSE OUTCOMES IN THE BABIES. THIS WAS NOT SURPRISING BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT THAT PREGNANT WOMEN ARE UNIQUELY, UNIQUELY SUSCEPTIBLE TO ADVERSE OUTCOMES FROM VARIOUS VIRAL INFECTIONS, ESPECIALLY VIRAL RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS LIKE INFLUENZA. UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY LIKE COVID. SO WE WERENT TERRIBLY SURPRISED BY WHAT WE SAW, BUT IT WAS STILL, UH, TROUBLING AND DISHEARTENING. AND THATS WHY WE FELT IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO GET DATA SO THAT WE COULD HELP THE MOMS FEEL GOOD ABOUT TAKING THE VACCINE, BOTH FOR THEMSELVES AND THE BABIES, THEIR BABIES. BUT ALSO TO HELP OUR OBSTETRIC PROVIDERS FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY COULD RECOMMEND THIS VACCINE THAT WAS SAFE AND HIGHLY EFFECTIVE FOR BOTH MOMS AND BABIES. SO THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. WHAT MORE DO YOU HOPE TO DISCOVER FROM THIS RESEARCH? WELL, THERE ARE ONGOING ANALYZES AROUND SOME OF THE LABORATORY METHODS AND EVEN THE IMPACT OF BREAST MILK. THE ANTIBODIES THAT CAN GET INTO THE BREAST MILK, UM, BUT REALLY IMPORTANTLY FROM THIS STUDY AND THIS, AS I TOUCHED ON EARLIER, THIS STUDY REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED TO DO THIS STUDY HIGHLIGHTS THE FACT THAT, UM, PREGNANT WOMEN ARE OFTEN EXCLUDED FROM CLINICAL TRIALS. AND THATS WHAT WE FACED AT THE FIRST YEAR OF COVID. AND WHEN WE LEARNED THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THOSE TRIALS WHILE WE WERENT SURPRISED, WE REALLY TOOK THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, WELL, WE STILL NEED TO HAVE THE DATA. SO THATS WHY WE SET THIS STUDY UP. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HOPE WOULD COME OUT OF THIS IS THAT FOR FUTURE PUBLIC HEALTH DISEASE OUTBREAKS SUCH AS COVID, AND WE KNOW WERE GOING TO HAVE ONES IN THE FUTURE. WEVE HAD THREE IN THE LAST 10 OR 12 YEARS, SO WE KNOW WERE GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING AGAIN IN THE FUTURE THAT IF THAT SHOULD HAPPEN, THEN WE HAVE AN ACTIVE THOUGHT PROCESS IN A WAY, AND A RECOGNITION THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE PREGNANT WOMEN BOTH SAFELY AND ETHICALLY. FROM THE OUTSET OF THE OUTBREAK IN THE VACCINE, IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES. SO THAT WE DONT HAVE THE SITUATION WHERE THE VACCINE IS NOW OUT AND BEING GIVEN TO PEOPLE, AND THERES REALLY NOT MUCH DATA, WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENED DURING COVID. WE HAD NO REASON TO BELIEVE IT WAS HARMFUL. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE RECOMMENDED THAT WOMEN GET IT. AND SOME WOMEN DIDNT GET IT AND THEY ENROLLED IN THE STUDY. AND NOW WE HAVE EVIDENCE TO THAT. BUT THE BIGGER POINT IS THAT IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE OPTIMAL, MUCH MORE IDEAL TO ENROLL THEM EARLY ON IN THE PHASE OF STUDYING THE VACCINE SO THAT WE HAVE GREAT DATA WHEN IT COMES OUT TO BE USED IN THE GENERAL POPULATION. WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS DOES FOR WOMEN WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THIS STUDY? IS IT ALMOST A PIECE OF MIND FOR THEM AS THEYRE GOING THROUGH THEIR PREGNANCY, KNOWING SOMETHING GOOD CAN COME OUT OF IT? YEAH, DEFINITELY. THERES A LOT OF WOMEN WHO HAVE ENROLLED IN STUDIES REALLY, BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, THEY THINK ITS IMPORTANT. BUT A COMMON THEME THAT YOU HEAR FROM THE WOMEN THAT ARE ROLE IN THESE STUDIES WHEN THEYRE PREGNANT IS I WANT TO TRY AND HELP OTHER WOMEN. SO AND EVEN SINCE THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN PUBLISHED, I HAVE HAD SOME PEOPLE REACH OUT TO ME AND SAY, IM SO GLAD I PARTICIPATED. THANK YOU. AND ITS SO NICE TO KNOW THAT MY PARTICIPATION LED TO THIS KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN BE USEFUL FOR OTHER WOMEN GOING FORWARD. SO THERES A LOT OF ALTRUISM IN THE WOMEN ENROLLED IN THESE STUDIES. WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL FROM THE FINDINGS AND WHAT WILL BE SHARED NOT ONLY THATS IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT FOR THE NATION, FOR PREGNANT WOMEN TO KNOW THEYRE NOT FORGOTTEN, THAT WERE THINKING OF THEM. AT MAGEE, WE ALWAYS PUT THEM FIRST AND THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, COMMITTED TO DOING ETHICALLY RESPONSIBLE, SAFE STUDIES THAT ENABLE OUR DOCTORS AND OUR PROVIDERS. TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM SOUND MEDICAL ADVICE AND TO KEEP THEM SAFE FROM INFECTIOUS DISEASE OUTBREAKS LIKE THIS. THERE ARE NO NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. AND, UM, THE STUDY DEMONSTRATES ITS. SAFE. ITS EFFECTIVE FOR BOTH THEM AND THEIR BABIES. SUPER IMPORTANT. AND THAT THEME HAS BEEN SEEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR VARIOUS INFECTIONS. SO ITS ITS KIND OF REPRODUCIBLE. SO, UM, NOT UNEXPECTED BUT STILL VERY NICE TO SEE. STILL AHEAD. IM NOT HERE TODAY SPEAKING FOR ME ALONE. IM SPEAKING FOR THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. AND WERE STILL STUCK BACK IN 2020, IN THE PANDEMIC, THE WORLD HAS MOVED ON, BUT WE HAVENT. A LOCAL WOMAN STILL DEALING WITH COMPLICATIONS. MORE THAN THREE YEARS AFTER HAVING COVID. WELCOME BACK. AN ELEMENT OF COVID 19 IS STILL A BIT OF A MYSTERY WHEN IT COMES TO LONG COVID OR POST-COVID. THATS WHEN SOMEONE WHO GETS THE VIRUS EXPERIENCES LONG TERME EFFECTS AFTER THE DIAGNOSIS, I SPOKE WITH A LOCAL WOMAN WHO FIRST GOT COVID IN LATE 2020, AND TODAY HER STRUGGLES CONTINUE. WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU HAD LONG COVID AND WHAT WERE THE SYMPTOMS OF THAT FOR YOU? LONG COVID I DIDNT KNOW QUITE WHEN IT ALL STARTED. UM, I WENT BACK TO WORKING AND I WOULD COME HOME EXHAUSTED. UM, PROBABLY ABOUT A WEEK AFTER I HAD COVID. UM, AND THE FATIGUE JUST KEPT GETTING WORSE AND WORSE. AND SO I TALKED TO MY BOSS AND I SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, IM JUST I HAVE NOTHING TO GIVE MY FAMILY WHEN I GET HOME. UM, I DONT KNOW WHAT WHATS GOING ON. SO I THINK I NEED TO TRY TO GET ANOTHER JOB WHERE I WORK FROM HOME. AND I DID GET A JOB WHERE I WORKED FROM HOME, AND I WENT FOR A PHYSICAL FOR THAT JOB. AND WHEN I WENT FOR THE PHYSICAL, THE NURSE TOLD ME, YOU HAVE EXTREMELY HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, WHICH I HAD NEVER HAD IN MY LIFE. AND SHE SAID, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK WITH YOUR PCP AND JUST FOLLOW UP. SO I DID START MY NEW JOB, AND WHEN I STARTED THAT NEW JOB, I REALIZED I WASNT RETAINING ANYTHING IN THE TRAINING. UM, I WOULD TAKE NOTES. I KEPT TRYING TO LEARN. I KEPT TRYING TO LISTEN. AND AFTER WORK I WOULD SIT AND READ MY NOTES, REREAD MY NOTES, AND THE NEXT MORNING I WOULD HAVE NO CLUE WHAT I READ OR WHAT I DID. THE DAY BEFORE. SO I DID FOLLOW UP WITH MY PCP, UM, WHICH STARTED A WHOLE SNOWBALL EFFECT. UM, I ENDED UP GETTING AN EKG. I WENT TO A HEART SPECIALIST WHO TOLD ME I AFTER I HAD A HEART CATHETERIZATION, THEY TOLD ME THAT, UM, I HAD CHRONIC FATIGUE. I HAD CHRONIC HEART FAILURE. I HAD PULMONARY HYPERTENSION. SO I WAS SEEING HEART SPECIALISTS, I WAS SEEING PULMONOLOGISTS. I WAS SEEING ALL KIND OF DOCTORS. AND THEN IT STARTED IN MY GUT, UM, TO THE POINT THAT I COULDNT KEEP ANYTHING DOWN. AND I WAS HAVING TROUBLE SWALLOWING. SO THEY DID A STOMACH WRAP ON ME. AND WITH THAT, UM, WITHIN A FEW WEEKS, YOURE TO START, YOU KNOW, YOU START ON LIQUIDS, THEN YOU GO TO SOLID FOODS AND ON AND ON. WELL, I WAS STUCK IN THE LIQUID PHASE, AND I COULDNT GET BEYOND IT. AND I WENT DOWN TO 73 POUNDS. AND AT WHAT POINT THEY PUT ME ON A FEEDING TUBE AND SO THATS, THATS HOW THIS ALL STARTED. AND I NEEDED TO QUIT MY JOB. AND THIS HAS IMPACTED YOUR LIFE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. WHEN YOU HAD TO SWITCH YOUR LIFE LIKE THIS, ALL THESE NEW CHALLENGES, HOW DID YOU FEEL? IT SOUNDS QUITE FRUSTRATING. IT WAS. AND I, I HAD TO GRIEVE THE PERSON I WAS BECAUSE I WAS NO MORE THAT PERSON. UM, AND THERE ARE TIMES I HAVE GOOD SPELLS RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHERE I STILL CANNOT GET OUT OF BED OR IM SO WEAK AND TIRED I CANT DO ANYTHING. I CANT DO HOUSE CHORES. UM, ON A GOOD DAY, I CAN LOAD THE DISHWASHER AND HAVE TO REST AND THEN UNLOAD IT AND REST. YOU CANT DO MANY THINGS AT ONCE. I HAVE TROUBLE WALKING. UM. I RUN OUT OF BREATH. UM, ITS JUST ITS IMPACTED MY WHOLE PERSON. AND I HAD TO GET TO KNOW THIS WHOLE PERSON THAT I AM NOW AND TRY TO DEAL WITH IT. AND THIS IS STILL IMPACTING YOU TODAY, ALTHOUGH, LIKE YOU SAID, THERES UPS AND DOWNS TODAY. WHAT ARE YOU FEELING EVEN JUST BEING HERE, BEING HERE IM FEELING OKAY, BUT I KNOW ILL PAY FOR IT TOMORROW AND PROBABLY THE NEXT DAY. ANYTIME I DO ANYTHING PRETTY LARGE, IM DOWN FOR THE COUNT FOR ABOUT TWO DAYS AFTERWARD AND ITS HARD TO PLAN ANYTHING SOCIALLY WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY BECAUSE I JUST DONT KNOW HOW ILL BE THAT DAY OR THAT MINUTE. WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDING LONG COVID? IT SOUNDS LIKE ITS COST YOU YOUR JOB, COST YOU SOCIAL INTERACTION PENS. AND LIKE YOU SAID, KIND OF GRIEVING THE PERSON YOU WERE, RIGHT? HOW DO PEOPLE RESPOND TO THAT WHEN YOU SAY, YOU KNOW TODAY IS NOT A GOOD DAY FOR ME? UM, IM VERY BLESSED WITH MY HUSBAND AND MY MY CHILDREN. THEY UNDERSTAND AND MY FAMILY TRIES TO UNDERSTAND IT. AND I HAVE A FEW VERY GOOD FRIENDS THAT UNDERSTAND IT. UM, BUT I DONT THINK THE PUBLIC DOES IT ALL. AND IM NOT HERE TODAY SPEAKING FOR ME ALONE. IM SPEAKING FOR THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, AND WERE STILL STUCK BACK IN 2020, IN THE PANDEMIC, THE WORLDS MOVED ON, BUT WE HAVENT. THERES A LOT OF SUPPORT GROUPS. I SAW ONLINE. RIGHT. WHAT IS THE SUPPORT THATS OUT THERE AND WHAT IS IT LIKE TO CONNECT WITH SOMEONE WHOS EXPERIENCING SIMILAR THINGS TO YOU? ARE THE SUPPORT THATS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW? UM, THAT I BELONG TO IS A LONG COVID SUPPORT GROUP ON FACEBOOK AND IT IS WONDERFUL. ITS ONE PLACE WHERE WE ALL KNOW HOW EACH OTHER FEELS. YOU KNOW, YOU TRY TO TELL YOUR PARTNER, YOU TRY TO TELL YOUR FAMILY, UM, AND THEY TRY TO UNDERSTAND AND, UM, BUT A LOT OF FAMILIES DONT. AND THEY, THEY THINK THEIR, THEIR LOVED ONE IS EITHER LAZY OR FAKING IT. AND THIS IS NOT I MEAN, THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM AND A REAL DISEASE. IN FACT, I CALL IT CHRONIC LONG COVID BECAUSE ITS BECOME CHRONIC. UM, BUT THE LONG COVID GROUP HAS BEEN THE BEST AND I RELY ON MY FAITH, UM, A LOT. IT GIVES ME STRENGTH EACH DAY TO CARRY ON AND I HAVE HOPE. I DO HAVE HOPE BECAUSE IF YOU DONT HAVE HOPE, YOU CANT. WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU KNOW, HOPE IS MY ONLY THING I GRASP ON TO EVERY MORNING WHEN I WAKE UP. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR MESSAGE TO PEOPLE WATCHING THIS? WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO KNOW ABOUT LONG COVID AND EVERYONE WHOS STILL EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS? I THINK FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED MORE AND MORE RESEARCH DONE. WE NEED THE DOCTORS TO UNDERSTAND MORE. WE NEED, YOU KNOW, OUR PCPS TO UNDERSTAND MORE. UM, THEY TREAT YOU KNOW, MY HEART FAILURE. THEY TREAT MY LUNGS. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF IT? THATS GOING ON? I MEAN, COVID ATTACKED MY ENTIRE SYSTEM, AND I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LOTS OF US STILL SUFFERING HERE, AND WE NEED WE DONT NEED RIDICULED. WE NEED SUPPORTED AND LIFTED UP. YOURE WATCHING FOR THE RECORD, WERE BACK RIGHT AFTER THIS. WELCOME BACK TO FOR THE RECORD, IF YOU HAVE A TOPIC YOUD LIKE US TO ADDRESS, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. SEND US AN EMAIL TO NEWS AT WTAE DOT COM. YOU CAN ALSO REWATCH THIS EPISODE OR ANY EPISODE WITH THE VERY LOCAL APP ON YOUR SMARTPHONE, TABLET OR SMART TV. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. HAVE A GOO

4 The Record: The state of COVID-19 today

Updated: 11:30 AM EST Feb 25, 2024

The world shut down when the COVID-19 pandemic took over. In the years since a pandemic was declared, we've learned much more about the disease and developed preventative measures and treatments. 4 The Record takes a look at the progress made and the work still being done, plus what its like for people who suffer from long COVID complications.Watch this weeks full episode in the video player above.

The world shut down when the COVID-19 pandemic took over. In the years since a pandemic was declared, we've learned much more about the disease and developed preventative measures and treatments.

4 The Record takes a look at the progress made and the work still being done, plus what its like for people who suffer from long COVID complications.

Watch this weeks full episode in the video player above.

View original post here:

4 The Record: The state of COVID-19 today - WTAE Pittsburgh