Category: Corona Virus Vaccine

Paris Thousands of athletes and spectators from around the world have descended on Paris for the looming 2024 Summer Olympics. They've brought with them the potential for a COVID-19 outbreak to spread within the tightly confined Games atmosphere.

Officials expect Paris to receive as many as 15 million visitors, including 2 million tourists from abroad, during the Games.

Dr. Cline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, said Wednesday on "CBS Mornings" that a current spike in cases across the U.S. is likely due to the coronavirus continuing to mutate, and to vaccinations only preventing infection reliably for several months, though they continue to protect from severe illness for much longer, "which is why people are not getting sick the way they were early in the pandemic."

That underlying vaccination success may be helping to allay fears in Paris, where, despite a growing spate of early Olympic COVID-19 cases, disruptive infections at the recent Tour de France, the surge in infections in the U.S. and elsewhere and most antiviral international travel measures being long since lifted, Games organizers don't appear too worried.

France experienced a new wave of coronavirus cases in the general population in June, and the virus has hit some major sporting events more recently including the Tour de France, which took place from the end of June until July 21.

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Tour authorities established no official protocols in advance to deal with a flareup of the well-known pathogen, which delayed their reaction after the first cases among riders cropped up early during the three-week race.

It took the event's main organizer, the Amaury Sport Organization, until July 14 to ask journalists to wear face masks during interactions with riders and support teams.

Without any real COVID safety protocols in place, individual athletes and teams were left to develop their own strategies to deal with the virus, and responses varied widely.

While at least four athletes who tested positive pulled out of the race, others continued to compete,drawing complaintsfrom some of their competitors.

There have already been positive tests at some of the Olympic training sites. In the most recent cases, national team chief Anna Meares confirmed Wednesday that five of Australia's women's water polo players had tested positive for COVID-19.

"There is training this afternoon and, again, if those five athletes are feeling well enough to train, they will, and they are following all the protocols that we have," Meares said at a news conference in Paris. "I can confirm that the whole of the water polo team has been tested as well."

Meares said the infected polo players had started wearing face masks and were isolating from other team members when not actively training.

"They're not going into the high-volume areas of the allotment, like the gym and the performance pantry, and more broadly, we have our respiratory illnesses protocol in place," she said.

Several Belgian athletes delayed their departure for Paris after receiving positive tests.

The French Judo Federation had previously cut short its men's team's pre-Olympic training camp after a participant was diagnosed with COVID-19, and French soccer player Selma Bacha and track-and-field athlete Cyrna Samba-Mylena have also tested positive.

After positive tests during the French national swimming championship, the country's Olympic swimming team implemented stricter precautions during its July training session.

Given the pre-opening ceremony cases and the recent history at the Tour de France, the focus has turned sharply toward the fast-approaching Games.

Some 10,500 athletes are due in the French capital, and organizers know that along with the spirit of sportsmanship, they bring with them the potential for a major outbreak in the Olympic Village, which will be home to more than 14,000 athletes and accompanying team members.

But organizers appear relatively unfazed.

"For now, nothing has been put into place by the organizing committee," Andr-Pierre Goubert, the director of Olympics and high performance sport at the National French Olympic and Sport Committee (CNOSF), recently told the French newspaper Le Monde. "We recommended that the delegations test their athletes before coming to the Olympic Village, using their own medical teams."

Face masks are not required inside the Olympic Village, but hand sanitizer is available in its clinics and restaurants.

Public health officials in France admit an outbreak is possible and they've said athletes, support teams and tourists should be prudent, but not worried.

Games organizers have said they're keeping an eye on the situation and have promised to work closely with the French Health Ministry and the nation's public health authority to monitor cases over the course of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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2024 Paris Olympics hit by early COVID cases, but organizers don't seem worried by risk of major outbreak - CBS News

The U.S. continues to ride the COVID summer wave. Emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths from COVID-19 are all up, putting the virus front and center again. But theres a new latest variant fueling cases, and it came on quickly: KP.3.1.1.

Its currently the second most common COVID-19 variant in the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This variant started out as a blip on the radar in early June and quickly gained steam, surpassing variants like LB.1 that previously got plenty of attention.

Meet the experts: Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., is an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, John Sellick, D.O., an infectious disease expert and professor of medicine at the University at Buffalo SUNY

But what is KP.3.1.1 and is it more contagious than other variants? Experts break it down.

KP.3.1.1 is a newer COVID-19 variant that currently causes nearly 18% of cases of the virus in the U.S. KP.3.1.1 is a sublineage of KP.3, which is the most common variant in the country right now. Its another subvariant of the Omicron family, says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

KP.3.1.1 is also an off-shoot of the FLiRT variants that made headlines in the late spring, says Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

KP.3.1.1 has an additional mutation in its spike protein, Dr. Adalja says. (The spike protein is what SARS-CoV-2 uses to latch onto your cells and infect you.)

There isnt a ton of data on KP.3.1.1, but there is some. Researchers in Japan analyzed KP.3.1.1 and found that its a subvariant of former JN.1, which was the dominant virus in the U.S. in the spring. Its also related to LB.1.

These variants keep coming up quickly because theyre able to mutate and adapt fast, Dr. Schaffner says.

There isnt a lot of information right now on symptoms of KP.3.1.1, given how new this variant is. However, Dr. Adalja says the symptoms of this strain are similar to what theyve been for other mutations of SARS-CoV-2. The symptoms for all versions of the virus are similar, he says.

Just in case you need a refresher, these are the most common symptoms of COVID-19, per the CDC:

As of right now, theres no evidence that theres any difference in severity with KP.3.1.1, says John Sellick, D.O., an infectious disease expert and professor of medicine at the University at Buffalo SUNY.

Yup, preliminary research has found that KP.3.1.1 is more contagious than previous variants. In fact, that analysis found that the variant has significantly higher infectivity compared to KP.3, which is already considered a highly contagious variant.

What we know about this variant is still rather limited, but it looks rather contagious although it seems to not be more severe, Dr. Schaffner says.

Given how quickly this variant has spread in the country and its spike protein mutation, Dr. Adalja says its likely that its more contagious than KP.3.

The current vaccine, which targets the XBB.1.5 strain of COVID-19, seems to help prevent severe disease in people who are at high risk for serious infection from COVID-19, Dr. Adalja says. However it has not been very effective or durable at blocking infection with any of the more recent variants, he says.

Recent research on KP.3.1.1 also found that it has enhanced immune evasion compared to other JN.1 subvariants. Meaning, the vaccine is even less likely to be effective at preventing infection with KP.3.1.1. (Although, again, it should help to protect against severe illness.)

The upcoming COVID-19 vaccine that will be released in the fall will target the KP.2 strain (Moderna and Pfizer vaccines) and the JN.1 strain (the Novavax vaccine). Because KP.3.1.1 is a descendant of JN.1 and is also related to KP.2, another JN.1 sublineage, the new vaccine should be effective against it, Dr. Schaffner says.

However, more data is needed. That is a question well have to look at in the laboratory, Dr. Schaffner says. So far, the planned vaccine in the fall has covered all of the variants up to this one.

Prevention for the KP.3.1.1 variant is the same as it is for other variants. Meaning, do your best to avoid people who are obviously sick and wear a mask indoors (like a KN95 or N95) if youre considered at high risk for serious complications from the virus.

This is an endemic respiratory virus that is difficult to completely avoid if one interacts in person with other humans, Dr. Adalja says. Its also important to be up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, especially if youre considered high-risk, Dr. Schaffner says.

If youre severely immunocompromised, Dr. Adalja recommends talking to your doctor about the monoclonal antibody Pemgarda, which can help lower the risk youll get sick.

But Dr. Adalja stresses that people shouldnt panic over the new variant. Variants will always arisein perpetuitybecause thats how evolution works, he says. There will always be a variant rising and variants falling. The virus is relatively new to humans and is facing a lot of pressure from the immunity in the population, so is evolving to remain viable, as would be expected.

Dr. Sellick agrees. Were going to continue to see these new variants, just like we continue to get new strains of the flu on a fairly regular basis, he says.

Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Mens Health, Womens Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a masters degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.

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What Doctors Want You to Know About the Latest COVID-19 Variant KP.3.1.1 - Prevention Magazine

Their symptoms may fool them into thinking its a simple cold, but many people suffering from runny nose, cough or congestion over the past few weeks have discovered its actually COVID-19.

The respiratory virus has once again been spreading across Chicago and the rest of the country since last month, and positivity rates have skyrocketed in the city since the July Fourth holiday.

Were definitely seeing more patients in the hospital, were definitely seeing more patients in the emergency room, more patients that come into the clinic, more patients are calling out of work, so were definitely seeing a lot more COVID-19, said Dr. Emily Landon, an infectious disease specialist with the University of Chicago.

The COVID-19 test positivity rate in Chicago for the week ending July 19 was 9.8%, up from 7.6% the previous week, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health. Thats an increase from 6% for the week ending July 12, and 5.6% for the week ending June 28 (the city did not report the week ending July 5).

Its difficult to determine the level from which the current increase has risen since the city and other health departments stopped reporting daily case counts last year, but experts assure theres no reason to panic.

The virus is constantly mutating into new variants, allowing it to evade some immunity built up from vaccinations and previous infections. The FLiRT and LB.1 variants are mostly the culprit of the recent rise, health officials say.

Holiday gatherings, kids being out of school and maybe a tendency for more indoor meetups during the hot weather are other grounds for more transmission of the virus, experts speculate.

Whats really important to remember about COVID is that it hasnt yet established a seasonality pattern like we expect from other respiratory viruses, Landon said. I know roughly when the flu is going to show up every single year, I know roughly when RSV is going to start to rise in children, but COVID tends to be of its own accord.

University of Chicago epidemiologist Dr. Emily Landon speaks to reporters at the Thompson Center in 2022

While the increase in cases has been somewhat rampant, hospitalizations and deaths have not nearly increased at the same rate, said Dr. Brian Borah, medical director for the citys Department of Public Health.

The majority of people being hospitalized are elderly, people who are immunocompromised or people with other medical issues, especially with problems affecting the heart or kidney.

St. Anthony Hospital in the Little Village neighborhood has seen an uptick in patients with COVID-19, but hospital staff have not at all been overwhelmed, said Dr. Alfredo Mena Lora, the hospitals director of infectious diseases.

I think at this point, we have so many levels of protection with vaccines, boosters and natural immunity as we continue to get COVID throughout these years that its really just a subset of these patients that remain at risk for severity, Mena Lora said.

But just because you dont fall into those categories doesnt mean you should let your guard down, experts say.

Its important for us to educate people that even though they may not be at risk, their neighbors, their grandparents, their co-workers these chains of transmission could lead to someone who is vulnerable, Mena Lora said.

According to experts, the best practices to limit transmission remain the same: wear a mask if you have symptoms such as cough, sore throat or runny nose, stay home if youre sick, wash your hands and get vaccinated.

We have to count on one another here, Landon said. Its a tough situation because for a lot of people its just a cold, but for a lot of other people its not just a cold. And even for some people for whom its just a cold, that turns into long COVID, the chronic condition that leaves some people with COVID symptoms, primarily fatigue, for months.

Borah, who is the medical director of vaccine preventable disease surveillance for the citys health department, said vaccination against COVID-19 has proven to reduce severe illness and death.

We are very confident that across the population level, these COVID vaccines do work and people are having less severe symptoms because of the vaccines, Borah said.

The newest iteration of the vaccine, expected to be made available in the fall, should incorporate protection against some of the recent variants as well.

A single at-home COVID-19 test by Quidel sits on a drugstore shelf in September 2021 in Chicago.

Landon, with the University of Chicago, said her top recommendation immediately upon symptom onset is to take a COVID-19 test. But dont always trust the first test result.

If its negative, wait 48 hours and then take another test before you decide to put other people at risk, Landon said. One negative test at the first sign of a sore throat does not mean that you didnt have COVID.

Some at-home test kits can be confusing, they can leave room for human error, or sometimes the rise of the virus in your nose can behave differently than elsewhere in the body, experts say.

Information about COVID-19 vaccines in Chicago can be found on the citys website at chicago.gov/covidvax.

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COVID-19 rising again in Chicago, but experts urge precaution not panic - Chicago Sun-Times

Research shows there may be a link between long COVID and long-term mental health conditions, such as anxiety.

Long COVID defines a long-term condition that occurs after a person has had the COVID-19 infection and still has symptoms after a period of at least 3 months.

The condition can present a wide range of symptoms that may vary in severity and can affect both physical and mental health.

This article discusses the link between long COVID and anxiety, including whether long COVID can cause panic attacks, how it affects the brain, treatment options, and more.

Research from 2022 suggests that as COVID-19 spread, it became clear that the condition could affect the mental health of a person, not just their physical health. The research suggests that during the early stages of COVID-19, approximately 1 in 3 people develop neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety.

A 2020 study suggests there is a link between long COVID and a person developing a long-term mental health condition such as anxiety.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), anxiety is one of the common symptoms of long COVID that people report.

Research from 2023 suggests that a person with long COVID may be more likely to develop anxiety due to certain factors, such as:

Research from 2022 suggests that a person with long COVID may be seven times more likely to develop anxiety if they are also experiencing breathing difficulties.

Learn more about long COVID.

According to 2022 research, it is common for a person with long COVID to experience panic disorder. This is when a person has frequent panic attacks.

Research from 2021 states that there may be a link between the physical effects of long COVID and a person experiencing panic attacks and panic disorder. The research says this may be due to some symptoms of long COVID being the same as those of panic attacks, such as:

Learn more about panic attacks and panic disorder.

Research from 2022 states that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can permeate the blood-brain barrier, which is responsible for keeping harmful substances away from the brain. Once the virus is inside the brain, it can cause the immune system to release certain proteins and chemicals that may lead to mental health conditions, such as anxiety.

Other research from 2022 suggests that long COVID can affect the central nervous system (CNS), which may impair brain function and lead to conditions such as anxiety.

The neurons in the brain are nerve cells that send messages to the rest of the body. Glial cells modulate these neurons. The inflammation that occurs due to long COVID can cause glial cells to become overactive, leading to damage of the CNS.

Long COVID can also cause inflammation of the brainstem, which connects the brain to the spinal cord. This may lead to dysfunction of the CNS.

Read more about anxiety.

If a person experiences anxiety due to long COVID, there are various treatments that may help them manage the condition.

There are several types of medications that can help a person manage the symptoms of anxiety due to long COVID. These include:

Benzodiazepines and beta-blockers are typically for the short-term treatment of anxiety. However, a healthcare professional may recommend buspirone for longer-term use.

Read more about medications for anxiety.

There are several types of therapies that may be able to help a person manage the symptoms of anxiety due to long COVID. These include:

A person with anxiety due to long COVID can make several lifestyle changes that may help to manage the condition. These can include:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a 25% increase in the amount of people with anxiety and depression across the world.

According to 2022 research, the most common long-term COVID symptoms are breathing difficulties, fatigue, pain, flu-like symptoms, and changes in smell or taste.

Long COVID defines the presence of COVID-19 symptoms at least 3 months after a person contracts the virus.

Research suggests that there is a link between long COVID and mental health conditions, such as anxiety. A person may also be more likely to experience panic attacks.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus can get through the blood-brain barrier and affect the central nervous system. This may cause damage to the neurons in the brain and lead to mental health conditions such as anxiety.

Treatment to help a person manage symptoms of anxiety due to long COVID can include medications such as antidepressants, therapy, and making lifestyle changes such as regular physical activity and practicing mindfulness.

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Long COVID and anxiety: Connection, research, and more - Medical News Today

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

The week of May 10th, Leon County had 19 cases of COVID-19 reported. As of last week, that number has jumped to 239! I'm Kenya Cardonne in the Northeast Tallahassee Neighborhood. As COVID-19 cases climb, I'm checking with the experts to find out why and what you can do to stay healthy.

Dr. Del Carter, Family Medicine Resident Physician at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare - Certainly nationally, there has been an increase in the rate of COVID-19 cases and people who are having symptomatic infections.

A recent spike of COVID-19 cases across the U.S. is raising questions.

According to the CDC, the level of COVID-19 viral activity in wastewater is Very High in the state of Florida, even surpassing the national trend earlier this month.

Dr. Carter - Locally here in Leon County, were seeing a rise in mild symptomatic infections but thankfully, severe infection has been very uncommon.

I turned to the experts at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, who say theyve noticed the trend, but at this point hospitalizations are still very low.

I asked what could cause a sudden spike like this.

Dr. Carter - The life cycle of viruses. Bacteria are always trying to find ways to continue living just like we try to continue living.

Dr. Del Carter tells me viral variations are mostly to blame.

Dr. Carter - Over time they will make changes that make them more readily available to live and keep on infecting individuals.

Although the Big Bend is feeling the surge in cases, experts say its not time to panic.

I checked in with the folks at HCA Florida Capital Hospital, who say times like this just call for special attention on prevention.

Deborah Krauser, Interim Chief Nursing Officer at HCA Florida Capital Hospital - First of all, you want to try to stay away from sick people. Secondly, good hand hygiene.. so washing with soap and water or sanitizing when you cant wash with soap and water. Thirdly, immunize.

The CDC says staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines significantly lowers the risk of getting very sick, being hospitalized, or dying from COVID-19.

In Northeast Tallahassee, Kenya Cardonne, ABC 27.

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Increase of COVID-19 cases impacting neighbors across the country, including the Big Bend - WTXL ABC 27 Tallahassee News

It's not just President Biden who recently tested positive for COVID cases of the virus are spiking across the country.

Nearly 40 states are reporting high COVID activity levels, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and emergency room visits are at their highest for the virus since February.

Why the seemingly sudden summer surge? There are a couple of factors at play, Dr. Cline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, told"CBS Mornings" Wednesday.

"One, the virus continues to evolve to stay ahead of our immune systems. That's what we can talk about when we're talking about variants," she said. "Two, your immunity to infection only lasts about three months. Your immunity to severe disease, hospitalization and death, that lasts much longer, which is why people are not getting sick the way they were early in the pandemic. But it is to be expected that every few months, maybe twice a year or so, we'll see a big wave of COVID across the country."

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More reasons for increased numbers? People are traveling and spending more time indoors and not masking as much, Gounder added.

These reasons add to the concerning potential for a COVID-19 outbreak to spread within the tightly confined 2024 Summer Olympics, as thousands of athletes and spectators from around the world have descended on Paris.

Current guidelines, however, can help keep people safe.

"You should be staying away from others for at least 24 hours, at least until your fever resolves without the help of a medication like Tylenol, and your symptoms are improving," Gounder said. But you should, as much as possible, take additional measures "for at least five more days, which is when you're most infectious, most likely to transmit to other people."

Options for this include:

Gounder also urges people to use "common sense" when it comes to COVID testing and precautions.

"If you're feeling sick, probably should get tested. When you're feeling sick, probably shouldn't be around other people to the degree that you can avoid that," she said. And masks, "contrary to some opinions, do work to protect you if you're wearing a N95 or KN95 mask, and they also work to protect other people if you're infected."

Sara Moniuszko is a health and lifestyle reporter at CBSNews.com. Previously, she wrote for USA Today, where she was selected to help launch the newspaper's wellness vertical. She now covers breaking and trending news for CBS News' HealthWatch.

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Why is COVID surging this summer? A doctor explains what to know and how to stay safe. - CBS News

In a recent study published in the journal Science Advances, researchers analyzed survey data from individuals in India to understand mortality and life expectancy during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. They found that life expectancy in India fell by 2.6 years in 2020, with 1.19 million excess deaths, disproportionately affecting younger age groups, females, and marginalized social groups.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant global mortality while reducing global life expectancy. In high-income countries (HICs), robust surveillance systems recorded notable declines in life expectancy and increased disparities across socioeconomic status and race. However, the extent and social variation of COVID-19 deaths in low- and middle-income countries remain poorly understood due to limited resources and inadequate health response and data quality.

Given that India is the world's most populated country with a highly diverse demographic, accurately estimating pandemic mortality is crucial for understanding the global impact of the pandemic.

Therefore, researchers in the present study estimated changes in life expectancy by social group and gender from 2019 to 2020 in India, where it is estimated that one-third of the global excess deaths from the pandemic may have occurred. Using high-quality data from India's National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), the researchers aimed to address the current gaps in knowledge caused by incomplete data. They also estimated monthly excess mortality in 2020 relative to baseline, enabling comparisons of pandemic mortality impacts across different populations.

In the present study, a "subsample" from the NFHS-5 data was used (n = 765,180), which included households interviewed in 2021, representing 23.2% of India's population. Mortality was estimated for 2018, 2019, and 2020 using retrospective questions, ensuring unbiased comparisons. Initially, life expectancy at birth was compared between 2019 and 2020 for both the entire subsample and separately for the two genders. Further, high-caste Hindus were compared to the following social groups: Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Muslims, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Retrospective questions on household deaths were used to estimate age-specific mortality.

Additional data were obtained for comparison from the Sample Registration System, Civil Registration System, World Health Organization (WHO), and United Nations World Population Prospects. Robustness checks were performed to ensure the representativeness of the subsample and address potential concerns related to data quality and recall bias.

The findings revealed a 2.6-year reduction in life expectancy at birth from 2019 to 2020, a decline more severe than in HICs and greater than previous estimates for India. This decline was notably pronounced among the youngest and oldest age groups, with higher-than-expected mortality among older individuals, possibly due to higher infection fatality rates and indirect effects of the pandemic.

Gender disparities were also evident, with females experiencing a larger decline in life expectancy (3.6 years) compared to males (2.6 years), likely due to gender inequality in healthcare and resource allocation. Social disparities were also highlighted, with SC, STs, and Muslims experiencing a greater reduction in life expectancy compared to high-caste Hindus. Muslims saw a 5.4-year decline, STs a 4.1-year decline, and SCs a 2.7-year decline, adding to pre-existing inequalities.

The study estimated a 17.1% increase in mortality during 2020 compared to 2019, with significant peaks in the last four months of 2020. If extrapolated to the entire country, this suggested about 1.19 million excess deaths in 2020, substantially higher than official COVID-19 death counts and previous WHO estimates. The excess mortality patterns were validated with civil registration data in states with high death registration rates.

The NFHS-5 data provided valuable insights into pandemic mortality, addressing gaps left by administrative data and non-representative surveys. The study is strengthened by its use of comprehensive, high-quality data from the NFHS-5, providing a large and diverse sample for unbiased mortality analysis. The observed patterns suggest that indirect effects of the pandemic and lockdown might have contributed to increased mortality.

Still, more data are required to differentiate between the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on mortality in 2020 and beyond. Additionally, geographic clustering and compositional differences in the subsample are found to potentially limit the generalizability of the findings to the national level.

In conclusion, the study highlights significant life expectancy declines and increased mortality in India during COVID-19, especially among females, younger age groups, and marginalized communities. It emphasizes the value of high-quality data for understanding such crises and demonstrates effective retrospective mortality estimation methods.

In the future, studies could explore gender and age disparities, differentiate between direct and indirect mortality impacts, broaden geographic coverage, and enhance data quality. Targeted interventions for disadvantaged groups are essential to address exacerbated inequalities and improve crisis responses in the future.

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Life expectancy in India suffered large and unequal declines during the COVID-19 pandemic - News-Medical.Net

TEXAS (KXAN) The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Wastewater Surveillance System is detecting high concentrations of COVID-19 nationally including here in Texas.

The CDC program monitors wastewater systems for COVID-19 viral activity to get a better understanding of how much viral load is in a given community. Nationwide, only one state New York is reporting low viral activity, with the rest ranging from moderate to very high levels. North Dakota is the sole state not reporting any day due to a lack of testing sites.

Here in Texas, the Lone Star State is reporting very high viral activity levels, based on reporting from 19 wastewater detection sites.

The Texas Department of State Health Services receives COVID-19 case counts and associated rates on a voluntary basis, with individual confirmed and probable case reporting no longer a state mandate as of early March.

Based on voluntary figures, Texas current respiratory virus surveillance report released July 19 found COVID-19 cases increased in Texas by nearly 32% July 7-13 compared to the previous weeks levels. In the year to date, Texas has detected more than 238,000 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, based on voluntary reporting.

This increase in viral load is on par with previous COVID-19 seasonality trends monitored by the CDC. While there isnt a distinct COVID-19 season like there is for the flu and other respiratory conditions, historic CDC reporting found COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths tend to trend upward in the wintertime (during December and January, primarily) as well as the summer (typically, during July and August).

The CDC added the emergence of new variants also contributed to COVID-19 activity levels peaking at different points. Variants like Delta and Omicron were responsible for several upticks, with higher detection during the winter and summertime.

Locally, members of Austin Public Healths epidemiology team said theres no clear cause of summer COVID-19 surges, but some factors might contribute to them.

Possible reasons include that people tend to socialize and travel more in the summertime, an APH spokesperson said in an email to KXAN. Additionally they likely have decreasing immunity from vaccinations that were obtained during the previous fall or winter.

The CDC recommends the following measures as essential strategies to mitigate contracting or spreading COVID-19:

Beyond these measures, extra preventative efforts include using masks while in public, practicing social distancing and taking tests if you come into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or suspect you have it yourself.

If you do test positive, the CDC encourages people to stay home and away from others until youve been fever-free without medication for 24 hours and your symptoms have improved in the past 24 hours.

Beyond that, patients are encouraged to take added precautions during the following five days after symptoms have decreased and their fever has broken.

Austin Public Health offers resources online for where to find COVID-19 vaccines, testing options and treatment locally.

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Texas, majority of U.S. reporting spiked COVID-19 levels this summer - KXAN.com

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Drop attributed mostly to vaccination but remaining risk still significant

The risk of long COVID has declined over the course of the pandemic, although it remains a persistent threat. Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis identified vaccination as a primary factor in reducing the risk of long COVID.

The risk of developing long COVID has decreased significantly over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an analysis of data led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Researchers attributed about 70% of the risk reduction to vaccination against COVID-19 and 30% to changes over time, including the SARS-CoV-2 viruss evolving characteristics and improved detection and management of COVID-19.

The research is published July 17 in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The research on declining rates of long COVID marks the rare occasion when I have good news to report regarding this virus, said the studys senior author, Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, a Washington University clinical epidemiologist and global leader in COVID-19 research. The findings also show the positive effects of getting vaccinated.

Long COVID encompasses the lingering and debilitating effects on health experienced by about 10% of people who have been infected with COVID-19. To date, the World Health Organization has documented more than 775 million cases of COVID-19.

In more than 30 high-profile studies, Al-Aly has detailed the viruss indiscriminate, long-term health impacts across nearly all organ systems affecting the heart, brain, kidneys and gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Although his latest findings sound more reassuring than previous studies, Al-Aly tempered the good news. Long COVID is not over, said the nephrologist, who treats patients at Washington University-affiliated John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital in St. Louis. We cannot let our guard down. This includes getting annual COVID vaccinations, because they are the key to suppressing long COVID risk. If we abandon vaccinations, the risk is likely to increase.

Since the pandemics beginning, Al-Aly has dedicated himself to analyzing long COVID with the aim of helping the public make informed health choices; supporting scientists in generating research-backed recommendations on prevention and treatment; and enabling politicians to make educated decisions regarding funding and public policies. Al-Alys latest study builds on this body of work by examining the viruss variants and overall evolution.

To do this, Al-Aly and his team analyzed millions of de-identified medical records in a database maintained by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the nations largest integrated health-care system. The study included 441,583 veterans with SARS-CoV-2 infections and more than 4.7 million uninfected veterans, from March 1, 2020, through Jan. 31, 2022.

Patients included people of diverse ages, races and sexes; statistical modeling ensured parity in representation.

The researchers divided the veterans into five groups: unvaccinated COVID-19 sufferers who acquired the original strain in 2020; the delta variant in 2021; and the omicron variant in 2022. The other two groups included vaccinated people who had the delta variant, and vaccinated people with omicron. No vaccines existed while the original strain circulated.

The team estimated rates of long COVID one-year postinfection for each of the five groups.

Unsurprisingly, the rate of long COVID was the highest among those with the original strain, Al-Aly said, with 10.4% of those who had infections that developed into long COVID.

That declined to 9.5% among those in the unvaccinated groups during the delta era and 7.7% during omicron.

Among the vaccinated, the rate of long COVID during delta was 5.3% and 3.5% during omicron.

You can see a clear and significant difference in risk during the delta and omicron eras between the vaccinated and unvaccinated, said Al-Aly, who is also director of the Clinical Epidemiology Center at the VA St. Louis Health Care System and head of the research and development service. So, if people think COVID is no big deal and decide to forgo vaccinations, theyre essentially doubling their risk of developing long COVID.

Al-Aly also emphasized that even with the overall decline, the lowest rate 3.5% remains a substantial risk. Thats three to four vaccinated individuals out of 100 getting long COVID, he said. Multiplied by the large numbers of people who continue to get infected and reinfected, its a lot of people. This remaining risk is not trivial. It will continue to add an already staggering health problem facing people across the world.

Since the pandemics beginning, Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, a clinical epidemiologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has dedicated himself to analyzing long COVID with the aim of helping the public make informed health choices and educating scientists and policymakers on prevention and treatment. Al-Alys latest study in The New England Journal of Medicine builds on his research by examining the viruss variants and overall evolution.

Another notable finding offers clues to the viruss evolution, Al-Aly added. While analyzing the risk among all people infected with COVID-19 during the omicron era of 2022, the likelihood of heart, brain, kidney and lung problems declined. In contrast, diseases and illnesses associated with metabolic function and the GI system increased.

People tend to think of SARS-CoV-2 as a homogeneous virus, Al-Aly said. But each variant has its own fingerprint. The original virus hit the respiratory system hard. Omicron targeted metabolic and GI issues. Its important because while the risk of long COVID is quantitatively lower, a person can be at a higher risk of developing an illness based on the part of the body that the COVID variant targets.

Its really good news that the risk has declined, he said. But we know millions of people already have long COVID, and millions more will continue to get long COVID. We need to double down on our efforts to understand it so we can prevent suffering and treat affected individuals.

Xie Y, Choi T, Al-Aly Z. Post-acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 in the Predelta, Delta and Omicron eras. The New England Journal of Medicine. July 17, 2024. DOI: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2403211

This research was funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

About Washington University School of Medicine

WashU Medicine is a global leader in academic medicine, including biomedical research, patient care and educational programs with 2,900 faculty. Its National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding portfolio is the second largest among U.S. medical schools and has grown 56% in the last seven years. Together with institutional investment, WashU Medicine commits well over $1 billion annually to basic and clinical research innovation and training. Its faculty practice is consistently within the top five in the country, with more than 1,900 faculty physicians practicing at 130 locations and who are also the medical staffs of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals of BJC HealthCare. WashU Medicine has a storied history in MD/PhD training, recently dedicated $100 million to scholarships and curriculum renewal for its medical students, and is home to top-notch training programs in every medical subspecialty as well as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and audiology and communications sciences.

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Risk of long COVID declined over course of pandemic - Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of a planned campaign appearance atthe UnidosUS conference in Las Vegas.

"He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms," White House press secretaryKarine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. "He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time."

According to Biden's physician,Dr. Kevin OConnor, Biden "presented this afternoon with upper respiratory symptoms," including a runny nose, "non-productive cough" and "general malaise."

"He felt okay for his first event of the day, but given that he was not feeling better, point of care testing for COVID-19 was conducted, and the results were positive for the COVID-19 virus,"Dr. OConnor continued, adding that Biden's temperature is a normal 97.8 degrees and his blood oxygen level was 97%. He was given his first dose of Paxlovid, Pfizer's antiviral COVID-19 treatment, on Wednesday.

Biden's planned address at the UnidosUS gathering was part of an effort to counterprogram the Republican National Convention, which is taking place in Milwaukee, and working to shore up support among Hispanic voters in a battleground state that helped deliver him the White House in 2020.

UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murgua broke the news to the crowd ahead of the White House's confirmation.

"I was just on the phone with President Biden, and he shared his deep disappointment at not being able to join us this afternoon," she said. "The president has been at many events as we all know and he just tested positive for COVID."

Earlier Wednesday, Biden visited Linda Michoacan Mexican Restaurant in Las Vegas, where he mingled with patrons and sat for an interview withUnivisions Luis Sandoval.

Biden first tested positive for COVID-19 in 2022. Days later, he experienced a rebound case of the coronavirus.

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Biden tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of Nevada event - Spectrum News