KP.2 is a descendent of the Omicron JN.1 strain and is surpassing JN.1 in countries such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom. Covid cases of FLiRT have been spreading quickly in the US and have also been detected in India.
Ninety-one cases of the new Covid subvariant KP.2 were detected in Maharashtra recently, following which experts allayed concerns about the variant causing issues in Karnataka.
According to TOI, the variant was found as a dominant strain in April, after the first cases were identified in January. More such cases have also been detected in Thane, Solapur, Pune, Amravati, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Latur and Sanglione.
According to TOI, Chief of Research and Development at the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Healthcare System Dr Ziyad Al-Aly told NYT, "I dont want to say that we already know everything about KP.2. But at this time, Im not seeing any major indications of anything ominous."
Citing US CDC records, the publication reported that until March, the variants constituted only one per cent of the Covid cases, but after that the cover of the variant reached up to over one quarter of the total cases. Having three substitutions in the S protein, the KP.2 variant seems to be a descendant of the JN.1.
According to a Japanese study cited by TOI, KP.2 has a reproductive number which is 1.22-, 1.32- and 1.26- times, which is higher than JN.1, but in the infectivity rate, JN.1 beats KP.2.
According to TOI, the other variant under the FLiRT, KP.1.1 has not been widespread, as the US CDC data shows that 28 per cent of the Covid cases are due to KP.2 and only 7.1 per cent due to KP.1.1, of the total cases.
Allegedly KP.2 exceeds JN.1 in eluding immunity and is also slightly more infectious than the latter.
According to TOI, Dr David Ho who is a virologist at Columbia University, believes that KP.2 might infect those who have received the most updated vaccine as well.
Share this Article
You are free to share this article under the Attribution 4.0 International license.
The virus that causes COVID-19 can breach the protective blood-retinal barrier, leading to potential long-term consequences in the eye, new research shows.
The blood-retinal barrier is designed to protect our vision from infections by preventing microbial pathogens from reaching the retina where they could trigger an inflammatory response with potential vision loss.
Pawan Kumar Singh, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the University of Missouri, leads a team researching new ways to prevent and treat ocular infectious diseases.
Using a humanized ACE2 mice model, the team found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can infect the inside of the eyes even when the virus doesnt enter the body through the surface of the eyes.
Instead, they found that when viruses enter the body through inhalation, it not only infects organs like lungs, but also reaches highly protected organs like eyes through the blood-retinal barrier by infecting the cells lining this barrier.
This finding is important as we increase our understanding of the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, says Singh. Earlier, researchers were primarily focused on the ocular surface exposure of the virus.
However, our findings reveal that SARS-CoV-2 not only reaches the eye during systemic infection but induces a hyperinflammatory response in the retina and causes cell death in the blood-retinal barrier. The longer viral remnants remain in the eye, the risk of damage to the retina and visual function increases.
Singh also discovered that extended presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen can cause retinal microaneurysm, retinal artery and vein occlusion, and vascular leakage.
For those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, we recommend you ask your ophthalmologist to check for signs of pathological changes to the retina, Singh says. Even those who were asymptomatic could suffer from damage in the eyes over time because of COVID-19 associated complications.
While viruses and bacteria have been found to breach the blood-retinal-barrier in immunocompromised people, this research is the first to suggest that the virus that causes COVID-19 could breach the barrier even in otherwise healthy individuals, leading to an infection that manifests inside the eye itself.
Immunocompromised patients or those with hypertension or diabetes may experience worse outcomes if they remain undiagnosed for COVID-19 associated ocular symptoms.
Now that we know the risk of COVID-19 to the retina, our goal is to better understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of how this virus breaches the blood-retinal barrier and associated pathological consequences in hopes of informing development of therapies to prevent and treat COVID-19 induced eye complications before a patients vision is compromised, Singh says.
The study appears in the journal PLOS Pathogens.
The National Institutes of Health/National Eye Institute and the University of Missouri funded the work.
Source: University of Missouri
New Delhi: A study conducted by a group of researchers at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) on safety of Covaxin said that close to one-third of their studys participants developed adverse events of special interest (AESIs).
This study was published on May 13 and it made it to various newspapers and other publications on May 16 as it was shared by one of its authors on social media.
These newspaper reports on Covaxin came out after a controversy around Covishield erupted earlier this month based on some misinterpretations after AstraZeneca admitted to a rare side effect in a UK court.
The headline that most publications tend to pick up from this Covaxin study is one sentence from the paper: Close to one-third of individuals developed AESIs.
Some of these reports even go on to say that the vaccine, like Covishield, was not safe, referring to many misinterpreted conclusions about the controversy.
A screenshot of the collage of news items on the Covaxin study; taken at 8:05 pm on May 17.
At the outset, AESIs are adverse events, or the side effects, as the name suggests, of special interest. These are not necessarily all AEFIs (adverse effects following immunisation). In fact AESIs may be referred to as a subset of AEFIs.
AEFIs are a bigger basket that would record all adverse effects, including minor ones, and not just those of special interest.
While the Covaxin paper did say that one-third (33%) of the studys participants developed AESIs. Only 1% of all participants developed serious AESIs.
A total of 926 Covaxin recipients took part in the study 635 adolescents and 291 adults. They were interviewed by researchers between January 2022 and August 2023 via telephone. The researchers tried to understand any health issues post-vaccination in this period.
As for the study, one of the major adverse effects it highlighted was respiratory infections, or what are called viral upper respiratory tract infections in scientific jargon.
It said about half of the enrolled participants developed these respiratory infections.
Dr Aviral Vatsa, who is a general practitioner and scientist working with the National Health Service-Scotland and who was not involved in the study, sounded a note of caution against making interpretations from the study.
[The] participants who reported viral upper respiratory tract infections were not routinely tested for COVID-19. This means some cases of COVID-19 might have been missed, potentially skewing the results, he told The Wire.
In fact, this is something the paper also mentions.
The paper says many of those who were reported to have a respiratory infection after vaccination might have got COVID-19 itself and not any other infection.
Reporting a COVID-19 infection could have been missed because testing rates went down by the end of the third wave, when this study was being conducted.
Had a COVID-19 test been done on individuals following a respiratory infection, it would have become clear whether what they had post-vaccination was a COVID-19 infection or any other respiratory infection, as Vatsa says.
This is significant because the occurrence of a COVID-19 infection was commonplace at the time when the study was being done. Even a COVID-19 infection after vaccination was not uncommon.
For context, none of the COVID-19 vaccines were designed to prevent an infection per se, but to prevent the severe form of the disease and hospitalisation.
Getting a COVID-19 infection was common; with or without vaccination.
So the interpretation that a COVID-19 vaccine led to different types of respiratory infections, as it was reported in several newspaper reports might not be entirely true.
Some of those respiratory infections could have been a COVID-19 infection.
A screenshot of the collage of news items on the Covaxin study; taken at 8.05 pm on May 17.
Typhoid and other serious AESIs
Another important AESI highlighted was the development of typhoid after the COVID-19 vaccination.
[But] there are concerns about the accuracy of diagnosing post-vaccination typhoid due to possible false positives, which could affect the attribution of adverse events, Vatsa said.
Adding to Vatsas concerns, the paper also said there were possibilities that a patient reporting positive for a typhoid infection might actually be a COVID-19 case, because of what is known as cross-reactivity of typhoid and COVID-19 antibodies for the same test.
Therefore, the association of typhoid fever with Covaxin needed to be interpreted cautiously, the paper warns.
Among the most serious side effects observed was Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a disorder in which the immune system starts attacking the bodys nerves and can lead to paralysis.
Of all the 1% of participants who reported serious side effects, only one participant or 0.1% of the total developed GBS.
But even one is important here due to the impact it can have on ones life.
Nonetheless, the paper itself clarifies that there was only probable association between the vaccine and GBS.
More importantly, it adds that the concerned person had a history of GBS 15 years before the study.
Hence [s/he] might have been more vulnerable to develop the syndrome [after a COVID-19 infection or vaccination], it added.
Writing an opinion piece on Covishield in the light of the recent controversy in the Indian Express, virologist Shahid Jameel referred to a multi-country observational study on the Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines causing GBS. It was published in April this year, Jameel wrote.
It showed that these vaccines increase the incidence of [GBS] within 42 days of receiving the vaccine. About 200 cases were found among 99 million people who were studied a risk of one in 5,00,000.
It must be noted here that the vaccines that Jameel referred to were different from Covaxin, but the GBS data in their case was brought out after studying as many as 99 million people receiving those vaccines.
In fact, this paper on Covaxin also says that the observed rates of serious AESIs such as stroke and GBS will need confirmation from vaccine-specific, larger multi-centre studies.
Also read: Report on Rare Adverse Side Effects of Covishield Causes Panic. But Should It?
Other disorders
The paper reported many general and skin disorders post Covaxin vaccination.
More than 10% of adolescents (out of 635 studied) complained of skin conditions, mainly in the form of alopecia (hair loss), and a similar percentage had general disorders such as weakness.
While the majority of those with general disorders had recovered, skin disorders were present in the majority of those who had them during the final follow-up and persisted with a median time of 8.5 months, the paper said.
Close to 5% of adolescents and adults complained of nervous system disorders such as headaches, which persisted in the majority of those who had them for around nine months at the final follow-up.
Eye disorders were reported in 3.6% of adolescents. As many as 5% of adolescent female individuals complained of new-onset menstrual abnormalities.
Hypothyroidism was reported by around 0.6% of adolescents and adults each.
Deaths after vaccination
This BHU study also reported four deaths after vaccination. Three of them had prior history of diabetes and/or hypertension. Out of these, two died due to stroke post-vaccination and the cause of the third persons death was not known.
The fourth had developed mucormycosis a serious bacterial infection after having a COVID-19 infection.
The paper concludes about these deaths: Three of these fatalities shared a possible association with the vaccine while the [cause] the fourth was unclassifiable.
Other observations
As a generic observation, Vatsa said many of the impacts that have been recorded in this paper as post-COVID-19 vaccination outcomes are incidentally also part of the umbrella called Long COVID.
It represents a set of diseases that one may develop after one has got rid of the COVID-19 virus due to the long term impact of its infection.
How do we know that what we are seeing [in this paper] is not due to [the] long term impacts of a COVID-19 infection?, he asked.
Vatsa also said that since the interviews of the participants which stretched over the period of one year were done telephonically, there was a risk of recall bias that is, one cant say if the participants were accurately able to share the side effects with the researchers.
The study accepts this as one of its limitations. But it says that to reduce this bias, only those issues that were present in participants for at least one month during the course of the study were considered persistent AESIs.
Vatsas other generic observations about the study included the fact that it had a small sample size a majority of which were adolescents raising questions about the replicability of the studys results over a larger adult population; and its limited geographical scope it was conducted in northern India leading to concerns whether the results could be generalised for the rest of the country.
Vatsa also raised concerns about absence of a control group that is, a comparison of the incidence of these post-vaccination disorders among people who were not vaccinated.
But such a comparison might not have been possible because a large majority of the Indian population had been vaccinated by the time the study was launched, and it would hence have been difficult to have a control group in the study.
The researchers who had conducted the Covaxin study also conducted a similar study on Covishield, the other vaccine administered in India.
That study had a predominantly adult-based population. It found nearly 14% of participants developed AESIs after taking Covishield, as against 33% in the Covaxin study. The incidence of the general disorders was also low in Covishields case.
Bharat Biotechs response
In response to the study, Covaxin maker Bharat Biotech issued a statement raising a few points the subjects AESI safety profile prior to their participation in the study; the comparison of the safety profiles of non-vaccinated subjects during the course of the study; the comparison of the safety profiles of subjects who received other vaccines during the course of the study and the following up of all study participants during the course of the study instead of only a subset.
It also claimed that several studies have been executed on the safety of Covaxin, and published in peer reviewed journals, demonstrating an excellent safety track record.
When The Wire mailed these points to Upinder Kaur, the BHU studys corresponding author, she refused to react.
I would not like to respond to the same. As we are scientists, our work is to bring information to the public domain after due peer-review. People can interpret all data as per their own expertise, she replied.
The researchers said that since a majority of AESIs persisted for about a year, long-term surveillance of vaccinated individuals was warranted.
It must also be mentioned here that Covaxin was rolled out by the government in what it termed clinical trial mode even without waiting for the interim results of its phase-3 trial.
This attracted sharp criticism from vaccinologists.
Eleven months after the vaccines rollout, the phase-3 results were published, which concluded that the vaccine was safe.
Quick Take
As per a social media user, Covaxin COVID vaccine can cause death after two years of vaccination. The user also claims that the Covaxin has caused the deaths of crores of people. We did the fact check and it came out to be false.
The claim
An X user has shared a post which claims Covaxin COVID vaccine has caused the death of crores of people across India.
No, Covaxin COVID vaccine cannot cause death two years after vaccination. As of the latest available information, there is no conclusive evidence linking Covaxin, developed by Bharat Biotech, to an increased risk of heart attacks or death occurring two years post-vaccination. Vaccines, including Covaxin, undergo rigorous testing for safety and efficacy before approval and continued monitoring even after approval.
Some adverse events following vaccination can occur. But, these are generally observed within a short period after vaccination, and long-term severe side effects are extremely rare. Covaxin was approved for emergency use by the WHO, after a complete risk-benefit analysis. Moreover, vaccines are the most important tool in the fight against any disease. We must also remember we were combating a pandemic at that time. As we have stated it earlier, vaccines have saved lives and have helped in controlling the spread of disease.
It's important to consider that heart attacks and other cardiovascular events can occur due to a variety of factors, such as underlying health conditions, lifestyle, and genetic predispositions. These events happening two years post-vaccination are unlikely to be directly related to the vaccine itself.
Yes, Covaxin COVID vaccine underwent extensive clinical trials. In June 2020, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India gave permission to start Phase I and II human trials for Covaxin after preclinical studies showed it was safe and produced a strong immune response in animals. Bharat Biotech conducted Phase I and Phase II trials involving approximately 1,000 participants. These trials demonstrated promising safety and immunogenicity results and were published in internationalpeer-reviewed scientific journals. Following these initial phases, the Phase III clinical trials for Covaxin began in mid-November, targeting the recruitment of 26,000 volunteers across multiple sites in India. This was the largest Phase III efficacy trial ever conducted for any vaccine in India, marking India's first and only Phase III efficacy study for a COVID-19 vaccine. The trials ensure the vaccine's safety and efficacy before approval and widespread distribution.
Covaxin has received several significant regulatory approvals to ensure safety:
The World Health Organization (WHO) stopped Covaxin supply for UN programs. This was because Bharat Biotech's main manufacturing facility in Hyderabad didn't fully follow good manufacturing practices (GMP). This happened because the facility had to focus entirely on making Covaxin due to the COVID-19 emergency. During this time, certain equipment needed for strict quality control wasn't available due to the pandemic. Bharat Biotech emphasised that Covaxin's quality was never compromised.
Furthermore, WHO has also mentioned that this does not raise concern over the safety and efficacy of the Covaxin. It remains safe and effective.
Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine developed from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, meaning it uses a virus that has been killed and cannot cause COVID-19. When you receive the Covaxin shot, your immune system recognizes the inactivated virus and produces antibodies against it. These antibodies help your body fight off the virus if you are exposed to it in the future. The vaccine also includes substances called adjuvants, which enhance the immune response and help provide longer-lasting immunity. Covaxin is easy to store, as it only needs refrigeration between 2 to 8C.
Covaxin has been shown to be 77.8% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 according to the final analysis of its Phase III trials. A booster dose six months after the second dose resulted in over 75% of participants having detectable neutralising antibodies, with even higher antibody levels than after the initial two doses. The booster also showed strong responses against the Omicron and Delta variants. Side effects are generally mild, including pain at the injection site and flu-like symptoms. Covaxin has also demonstrated strong safety and efficacy in children compared to adults.
Covaxin may cause mild side effects such as pain, swelling, redness, or itching at the injection site, as well as body ache, weakness, stiffness, nausea, vomiting, fever, malaise, and headache. These effects are typically temporary and resolve on their own.
However, severe side effects or consequences of Covaxin are rare but can include allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis. It's crucial to seek immediate medical attention if you experience symptoms like difficulty in breathing, swelling of the face or throat, rapid heartbeat, or severe dizziness after vaccination. Additionally, while extremely rare, there have been reports of blood clotting disorders associated with Covaxin.
After vaccination, most people experience a sore arm, with more widespread effects like fever and chills usually appearing within 8 to 12 hours. These side effects usually resolve within 48 hours. Since the vaccine cannot cause a COVID-19 infection, experiencing symptoms indicates a healthy immune response. While rare, allergic reactions can occur within the first 15 to 30 minutes after the jab. More common side effects include arm soreness, redness, and swelling at the injection site, with body-wide effects lasting 12 hours or more. Experts advise that these side effects generally cease within 24 to 48 hours after vaccination, although slight fatigue or arm soreness may persist. Comparing 48 hours of side effects to the risk of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19, experts emphasise the benefits of vaccination outweigh potential side effects.
The emergency approval of Covaxin before completing Phase III trials faced criticism from the Indian scientific community. Despite nearly 14 million COVID-19 cases, approval came as cases were dropping. The CDSCO's vague term restricted use in an emergency situation left many puzzled.
Groups like the All India People's Science Network called the approval hasty, while the All India Drug Action Network demanded transparency. Concerns grew after a Phase III trial participant died, with allegations of improper screening at the trial site.
However, 45 doctors, including former AIIMS directors, defended Covaxin, calling it India's gift to humanity and labelling the criticism as irresponsible.
If you have specific concerns about health conditions post-vaccination, it's advisable to consult with a healthcare professional. They can provide personalised medical advice and conduct any necessary evaluations. They can also help differentiate between vaccine-related issues and other potential causes of health problems. We would like to make it clear, one should not trust random and unreliable social media posts for making their healthcare decisions.
Yes, the CDC and other notable organisations have been actively monitoring COVID-19 vaccine-induced myocarditis. They provide transparent, evidence-based information on vaccine safety and participate in the WHO-led Vaccine Safety Net project. The CDC has launched investigations into myocarditis and pericarditis cases. Especially following mRNA vaccinations (Covaxin is an inactivated virus vaccine), with active surveillance in adolescents and young adults.
The CDC actively combats COVID-19 misinformation. To address false information on social media, the CDC uses a multimodal approach. It provides credible, evidence-based information on vaccine safety and adverse effects through its website and collaborates with health organizations. The CDC also uses social media to communicate with the public and dispel myths about COVID-19 vaccines.
We would like to conclude with, The benefits of COVID vaccines far outweigh the associated side effects.
We have debunked several claims regarding the COVID vaccines. Was COVID handling by the Government of India a huge scam?Has Japan's government banned the COVID-19 vaccine?Has the German government admitted there was no Pandemic?Has Japan declared an emergency over the explosion of mRNA cancers'?Are Covishield-vaccinated Indians susceptible to developing TTS?
(This story was originally published byTHIP Media, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective.)
Moderna said Friday that the European Patent Office has upheld the validity of one of its key patents, a victory in a continuing dispute with Pfizer and BioNTech over rival COVID-19 vaccines.
Cambridge-based Moderna has been fighting Pfizer and BioNTech in the courts over the partners COVID shot, called Comirnaty. Moderna sued them in 2022 for allegedly copying its messenger RNA technology.
Pfizer and BioNTech, its German business partner, filed a countersuit, alleging that Modernas patent was invalid.
Comirnaty and Modernas vaccine, Spikevax, generated billions of dollars during the pandemic. But revenues have plunged as the health threat receded and there was tepid interest in booster shots.
We are pleased that the European Patent Office decided to maintain the validity of Modernas EP949 patent, one of the key patents currently asserted against Pfizer and BioNTech in various European national courts, Moderna said in a statement to the Globe.
Moderna said it expected that Pfizer-BioNTech will appeal the decision. New York-based Pfizer told Reuters that it was disappointed in the decision and would consider all legal options.
Irrespective of the outcome of this legal matter, we will continue to manufacture and supply the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, Pfizer said in a statement to Reuters.
The oral decision was handed down on Thursday, according to the Financial Times, which was the first to report the matter. A written decision is expected to be published in the coming months.
Modernas stock was largely unchanged on Friday, rising 0.17 percent to close at $132.90.
Jonathan Saltzman can be reached at jonathan.saltzman@globe.com.
SINGAPORE: There has been a near doubling of COVID-19 cases in Singapore week-on-week, prompting the Health Ministry to take steps to ensure sufficient capacity at public hospitals.
The estimated number of COVID-19 infections in the week of May 5 to 11 rose to 25,900 a 90 per cent increase compared with the 13,700 cases in the week before that.
The average daily COVID-19 hospitalisations rose to about 250 from 181 the week before, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Saturday (May 18). It added that the average daily cases in intensive care remained low at three cases compared to two cases in the previous week.
MOH is closely tracking the trajectory of this wave, the ministry said.
To protect hospital bed capacity and as a precaution, public hospitals have been asked to reduce their non-urgent elective surgery cases, and move suitable patients to care facilities like Transitional Care Facilities or at home through Mobile Inpatient Care@Home.
It also urged people not to seek treatment at a hospitals Emergency Department if their symptoms are mild or if they have no medical vulnerabilities.
The KP.1 and KP.2 strain of the COVID-19 virus currently account for more than two-thirds of cases in Singapore.
The two strains belong to a group of COVID-19 variants scientists have dubbed FLiRT, after the technical names of their mutations. They are all descendants of the JN.1 variant, which spread rapidly around the world several months back.
Earlier this month, the World Health Organization classified KP.2 as a Variant Under Monitoring. It is also the dominant strain in the United States and has been detected in countries like China, Thailand, India, Australia and the United Kingdom.
There are currently no indications, globally or locally, that KP.1 and KP.2 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other circulating variants, MOH said on Saturday.
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Singapore is seeing a new Covid-19 wave, with rising cases of infection in the last two weeks, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on May 18.
We are at the beginning part of the wave where it is steadily rising, said Mr Ong. So I would say the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid- and end of June.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said that to protect hospital bed capacity and as a precaution, public hospitals have been asked to reduce their non-urgent elective surgery cases and move suitable patients to facilities like transitional care facilities or back home through Mobile Inpatient Care@Home.
Mr Ong urged those who are at greatest risk of severe disease, including individuals aged 60 years and above, medically vulnerable individuals and residents of aged care facilities, to receive an additional dose of the Covid-19 vaccine if they have not done so in the last 12 months.
MOH said the estimated number of Covid-19 cases in the week of May 5 to May 11 rose to 25,900 cases, compared with 13,700 cases in the previous week. The average daily Covid-19 hospitalisations rose to about 250 from 181 the week before. The average daily intensive care unit (ICU) cases remained low at three cases, compared with two cases in the previous week.
Mr Ong said that if the number of Covid-19 cases doubles one time, Singapore will have 500 patients in its healthcare system, which is what Singapore can handle. However, if the number of cases doubles a second time, there will be 1,000 patients, and that will be a considerable burden on the hospital system, he noted.
One thousand beds is equivalent to one regional hospital, Mr Ong said. So I think the healthcare system has to brace ourselves for what is to come.
There are no plans for any form of social restrictions or any other mandatory type of measures for now, as Covid-19 is treated as an endemic disease in Singapore, he said, adding that imposing additional measures would be a last resort.
Mr Ong said that with Singapore being a transport and communications hub, it will be one of the cities to get a wave of Covid-19 earlier than others.
So Covid-19 is just something that we have to live with. Every year, we should expect one or two waves, he said.
Mr Ong was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Community in Review 2024 Conference Thriving with Age: Building a World of Active Ageing at the Furama Riverfront.
Globally, the predominant Covid-19 variants are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages, including KP.1 and KP.2. Currently, KP.1 and KP.2 account for over two-thirds of cases in Singapore.
As at May 3, the World Health Organisation has classified KP.2 as a variant under monitoring. There are currently no indications, globally or locally, that KP.1 and KP.2 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other circulating variants, MOH said.
However, members of the public are urged to stay updated with vaccination to protect themselves against current and emerging virus strains. MOH said that to date, about 80 per cent of the local population have completed their initial or additional dose, but have not received a dose within the last year.
The ministry added that since Covid-19 vaccination started in 2020 to 2021, the vaccines have consistently been proven to be safe and effective in protecting individuals from severe illness. Billions of doses have been administered globally, and safety monitoring internationally has shown that the vaccine is safe, it said.
There have also been no long-term safety concerns with Covid-19 vaccination, and adverse effects from vaccines, including the mRNA vaccines, have all been observed to occur shortly after vaccination, the ministry added.
Based on local data, keeping updated with vaccination which is receiving an additional dose within the last year has continued to be a key effective measure in preventing severe Covid-19 illness requiring hospitalisation or ICU admission, MOH said.
During the peak month of the JN.1 wave in December 2023, the incidence rate of Covid-19 hospitalisations and ICU admissions among seniors aged 60 years and above was 25 per cent higher in those who had not kept their vaccination updated compared with those who had, it added.
The updated Covid-19 vaccines continue to be free for all eligible residents. Those enrolled in Healthier SG can now receive their vaccination at about 250 participating Healthier SG clinics islandwide.
Over the next few months, MOH will progressively expand the network of Healthier SG clinics offering Covid-19 vaccination to ensure its ready accessibility to the community. The public is advised to book their Covid-19 vaccination appointments via the Health Appointment System at https://book.health.gov.sg/covid or call the clinics directly before making their way there.
To extend its reach into the heartland, particularly for seniors, MOH will deploy additional mobile vaccination teams to selected heartland locations in the coming weeks. The deployment location and schedule are found on https://www.vaccine.gov.sg/locations/mvt
From May 21 to June 29, the five joint testing and vaccination centres (JTVCs) will extend their operating hours on Saturdays and eve of Public Holidays from 9am to 7pm, instead of the usual opening hours from 9am to 1pm. Selected polyclinics will continue to offer vaccination. Appointments for these polyclinics can be made via HealthHub.
MOH will be sending out SMSes to individuals who have not taken any Covid-19 vaccination in the past 12 months, to remind them to keep their vaccination up to date. They can go to https://gowhere.gov.sg/vaccine for the nearest vaccination site and the types of vaccines offered at each site.
The public is also urged to exercise personal and social responsibility, including maintaining good personal hygiene, reducing social interactions when feeling unwell, and wearing masks if medically vulnerable, in crowded areas, or when symptomatic.
With the June holiday season approaching, those travelling overseas are reminded to be vigilant and to adopt relevant travel precautions. MOHs health advisory for travellers is available at www.moh.gov.sg/diseases-updates/travel-advisory
The public is also urged to reserve medical treatment at a hospitals Emergency Department for serious or life-threatening emergencies, particularly if their symptoms are mild or if they have no medical vulnerabilities. This will preserve hospital capacity for patients who need acute hospital care and allow those with severe illness to receive timely treatment. - The Straits Times/ANN
The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, developed in collaboration with Oxford University and sold as Covishield in India and Vaxzevria in Europe, has been linked to an increased risk of Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis (VITT), a rare but potentially fatal blood clotting disorder. Researchers announced these findings, noting that VITT emerged as a new disease during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, associated with adenovirus vector-based vaccines.
According to the American Society of Haematology, VITT is caused by an unusually dangerous blood autoantibody directed against a protein called platelet factor 4 (PF4). Separate studies in 2023 by scientists from Canada, North America, Germany, and Italy identified a similar disorder with the same PF4 antibody following natural adenovirus (common cold) infections, which was fatal in some cases.
Recent research from Flinders University in Australia and international experts discovered that the PF4 antibodies in both adenovirus infection-associated VITT and classic adenoviral vector VITT share identical molecular signatures. Professor Tom Gordon from Flinders University highlighted that these findings indicate that the pathways of lethal antibody production in these disorders are virtually identical and have similar genetic risk factors.
These insights have significant clinical implications, suggesting that lessons learned from VITT could apply to rare cases of blood clotting after adenovirus infections. Moreover, these findings could impact future vaccine development.
Thrombosis refers to the formation of blood clots within blood vessels, which can impede blood flow and cause serious complications. Society of Critical Care Medicine shared that the symptoms of thrombosis can vary depending on the location of the clot:
If you or someone you know has received a COVID-19 vaccine and develops any of the above symptoms, it is crucial to seek medical attention immediately. Early diagnosis and treatment of VITT can significantly improve outcomes.
Heres how VITT is treated:
VITT is a rare but serious condition that requires prompt medical attention. Understanding the symptoms of both thrombosis and thrombocytopenia can help ensure timely diagnosis and treatment. If you suspect VITT, contact healthcare professionals immediately to ensure appropriate care.
The current research follows AstraZeneca's legal acknowledgement in February that its COVID vaccine can, in very rare cases, cause Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Syndrome (TTS), a rare side effect that leads to blood clots and a low platelet count. TTS has been linked to at least 81 deaths in the UK and hundreds of serious injuries. Consequently, AstraZeneca has voluntarily withdrawn the marketing authorisation for its COVID vaccine in Europe and other global markets.
PTI, May 17, 2024, 8:59 AM IST
Nearly one-third of the individuals who received Bharat Biotechs anti-Covid vaccine Covaxin reported adverse events of special interest, or AESI, according to a one-year follow up study conducted by a team of researchers at BHU.
Nearly 50 per cent of 926 study participants in the study complained of infections during the follow-up period, predominated by viral upper respiratory tract infections.
Serious AESI, which included stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome, were reported in one per cent of individuals, the study, which looked at long-term safety of the BBV152 vaccine in adolescents and adults, claimed.
Published in the journal Springer Nature, the study comes in the wake of UK pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca admitting its Covid vaccine can cause rare side-effects of blood clotting and lowering of platelet count in UK court.
Close to one third of the individuals developed AESIs. New-onset skin and subcutaneous disorders, general disorders, and nervous system disorders were the three most common disorders observed in adolescents after receiving the vaccine, the study, conducted from January 2022 to August 2023, said.
The study involved 635 adolescents and 291 adults, who received the BBV152 vaccine. The participants were interviewed telephonically about long-term adverse events of special interest after 1 year of vaccination.
New-onset skin and subcutaneous disorders (10.5 per cent), general disorders (10.2 per cent), and nervous system disorders (4.7 per cent) were the common AESIs in adolescents.
General disorders (8.9), musculoskeletal disorders (5.8 per cent), and nervous system disorders (5.5 per cent) were the common AESIs in adults.
Menstrual abnormalities were noticed in 4.6 per cent of female participants. Ocular abnormalities and hypothyroidism were observed in 2.7 per cent and 0.6 per cent of participants Four deaths (three female individuals, one male individual) were reported in adults, the study added.
All four had diabetes, while hypertension in three, and a history of pre-vaccination COVID-19 was present in two of them.
Stroke was the main contributor in two deaths and one fatality was due to post-COVID-19 rhinocerebral mucormycosis, which supposedly disseminated after vaccination as reported by the caregivers.
The fourth death happened in a woman with multiple episodes of unconsciousness post-vaccination, the etiology of which remained unidentified till death. In the absence of a definite causality association, no conclusions can be drawn from these events.
With the majority of AESIs persisting for a significant period, extended surveillance of COVID-19-vaccinated individuals is warranted to understand the course and outcomes of late-onset AESIs, the study underlined.
Serious AESIs might not be uncommon and necessitate enhanced awareness and larger studies to understand the incidence of immunemediated phenomena post-COVID-19 vaccination .
Female individuals, adolescents with pre-vaccination COVID-19, those with co-morbidities, and those with post-vaccination typhoid had respectively 1.6, 2, 2.7, and 3.2 times higher odds of persistent AESIs.
Adults with co-morbidities had more than two times higher odds of AESIs and persistent AESIs, the study stated.
Adults receiving three doses and those receiving one dose of BBV152 were respectively at four and two times higher risk of AESIs compared with adults receiving two doses of the Covaxin, the study said.
Singapore is experiencing a new wave of COVID-19, as authorities recorded more than 25,900 cases from May 5 to 11. The cases are nearly doubling week-on-week. The government has issued a health advisory asking people to wear masks again, news agency PTI reported.
The estimated number of COVID-19 infections in the week of May 5 to 11 rose to 25,900 a 90% increase compared with the 13,700 cases in the previous week, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said.
The average daily COVID-19 hospitalisations rose to about 250 from 181 the week before, the MOH added.
We are at the beginning part of the wave where it is steadily rising," said Ong. So, I would say the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid- and end of June," Singapore daily The Straits Times quoted Health Minister Ong Ye Kung as saying.
The health ministry said that the average daily number of intensive care cases remained low at three compared to two the previous week.
MOH is closely tracking the trajectory of this wave," the ministry said.
The health ministry further said that to protect hospital bed capacity; the public hospitals have been asked to reduce their non-urgent elective surgery cases and move suitable patients to transitional care facilities or back home through Mobile Inpatient Care@Home, an alternative inpatient care delivery model that offers clinically suitable patients the option of being hospitalised in their own homes instead of a hospital ward.
Urging people not to seek treatment at a hospitals Emergency Department if their symptoms are mild or if they have no medical vulnerabilities, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung asked the elderly persons, medically vulnerable individuals and residents of aged care facilities to receive an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if they have not done so in the last 12 months.
If the number of COVID-19 cases doubles one-time, Singapore will have 500 patients in its healthcare system, which is what Singapore can handle. However, if the number of cases doubles a second time, there will be 1,000 patients, and that will be a considerable burden on the hospital system", PTI quoted the health minister as saying.
He said there are no plans for social restrictions or other mandatory measures for now, as COVID-19 is treated as an endemic disease in Singapore, and imposing additional measures would be a last resort.
Globally, the predominant COVID-19 variants are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages, including KP.1 and KP.2. Currently, KP.1 and KP.2 account for over two-thirds of cases in Singapore.
Early this month, the World Health Organisation classified KP.2 as a variant under monitoring. There are currently no indications, globally or locally, that KP.1 and KP.2 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other circulating variants.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed - it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
