Category: Corona Virus

In a recent study published in Vaccines, researchers assessed the efficiency of a hybrid vaccine against influenza and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) viruses.

People worldwide are exposed to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as well as the influenza virus. Therefore the development of a two-in-one vaccine that could elicit protection against both these infections is a subject of great interest.

In the present study, researchers developed a hybrid vaccine using influenza virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine incorporated with glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) fused to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) fusion protein.

The team developed a fusion protein gene by fusing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences that are specific to the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein RBD domain, GPI-anchor signal derived from human CD59, and mouse GM-CSF. Flow cytometry was subsequently performed to demonstrate the expression of the fusion protein on the transfected CHO-S cells. The team also assessed whether the anti-RBD antibodies present in the convalescent sera collected from SARS-CoV-2-infected patients identified the RBD of the fusion protein by performing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

The team subsequently evaluated whether the fusion protein had two functions as GM-CSF and while also binding to human ACE2. Furthermore, the researchers developed the VLP hybrid vaccine by incorporating the influenza VLP with GPI-RBD-GM-CSF and GPI-interleukin (IL)-12 via protein transfer. Flow cytometry was also conducted using anti-GM-CSF antibodies and fluorochrome-conjugated anti-IL-12 to verify the dual incorporation of the GPI-RBD-GM-CSF and GPI-IL-12 onto VLPs. The retention of function by VLP-incorporated GM-CSF was verified by culturing mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BDMC), followed by the measurement of BMDC proliferation using XTT assay.

The team tested the induction of antibody response by the GPI-RBD-GM-CSF fusion protein by immunizing BALB/c mice with either the fusion protein or VLPs incorporated into the fusion protein along with GPI-IL-12. VLP without cytokines or commercially available RBD was used as control. The team administered a booster dose to the mice population two to four weeks after the first dose. Blood samples were obtained from the mice every two to four weeks in order to estimate antibody titer, virus neutralization assays, and ACE2 binding inhibition.

The study results showed that almost 76% of the fusion protein was secreted from the cell surface of the RBD-GM-CSF fusion protein, which suggested that the fusion protein was anchored into the cell membrane through a GPI tail. The RBD in the fusion protein exhibited ACE2 binding activity while RBD-specific neutralizing antibodies could bind to GPI-RBD-GM-CSF present on the CHO-S cell transfectants.

Antibodies found in the sera of COVID-19 patients could efficiently bind to the GPI-RBD-GM-CSF. Moreover, ELISA confirmed that RBD from the purified fusion protein retained its receptor binding activity. Additionally, the XTT assay showed that GPI-RBD-GM-CSF that was incorporated in the VLP vaccine could effectively stimulate BMDC proliferation.

The team observed that the VLP hybrid vaccine elicited a significant antibody response after the administration of the GPI-RBD-GM-CSF booster dose. The antibody response elicited by the fusion protein was similar in both the intramuscular and subcutaneous routes of vaccine administration. The antibodies selectively bound to the CHO-S cells which expressed the fusion protein but not to the untransfected CHO-S cells. This indicated the high specificity of the antibody response to the fusion protein.

The team also noted that the purified GPI-RBD-GM-CSF fusion protein-induced antibody levels that were comparable to those elicited by the VLP hybrid vaccine. However, the neutralizing antibody titers were considerably low in the mice that were immunized by only the GPI-RBD-GM-CSF protein without any VLP. This suggested that fusion protein that was incorporated with VLP elicited a more robust neutralizing antibody response as compared to that of the soluble fusion protein.

Furthermore, the purified GPI-RBD-GM-CSF fusion protein alone or when incorporated with VLPs induced a substantial antibody response. On its own, the fusion protein induced a primarily Th2 type immunoglobulin 1 (IgG1) response while the hybrid VLP vaccine elicited both IgG1 and IgG2a responses. Notably, the incorporation of GPI-IL-12 into the hybrid VLP vaccine did not affect the IgG2a response.

The team also observed that the hybrid vaccine by itself and the hybrid vaccine without IL-12 elicited robust antibody responses against the RBD as well as the influenza VLP antigens. These antibodies could sufficiently neutralize live virus infection when assessed via a plaque reduction neutralization titer (PRNT) assay. Moreover, substantially reduced viral replication was observed in the hybrid vaccine-treated mice as compared to the VLP-treated ones.

Overall, the study findings showed that the delivery of SARS-CoV-2 RBD protein via influenza VLPs along with cytokine adjuvants served as an effective platform for the development of multivalent vaccines. The researchers believe that the usage of immobilized cytokines as an adjuvant will help elicit anti-viral immunity with minimal adverse effects.

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Effectiveness of a hybrid vaccine against COVID-19 and influenza - News-Medical.Net

Patient deaths: 1,011,925

Total vaccine doses distributed: 756,780,755

Patients whove received the first dose: 259,048,060

Patients whove received the second dose: 221,768,203

% of population fully vaccinated (both doses, not including boosters): 66.8%

% tied to Omicron variant: 100%

% tied to Other: 0%

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Coronavirus Omicron variant, vaccine, and case numbers in the United States: June 15, 2022 - Medical Economics

Oregon health officials reported 10,606 new coronavirus cases last week, up 8% from the previous week.

The rise in identified coronavirus cases ended two weeks of reported declines, underscoring how little is known about the true number of infections in Oregon and nationally.

The new cases are an undercount of the virus current spread in Oregon, not least because of the ubiquity of at-home tests, which often are not reported to officials. Among publicly reported tests, the positivity rate has consistently stayed above 10% since May 6, with no immediate signs of retreat. Oregons initial drop in known cases three weeks ago coincided with a dip in testing over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Three Oregon counties are now at federally designated high risk of COVID-19 transmission: Lane, Douglas and Jackson counties. People in those areas should wear masks in public indoor settings, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and should get tested if they have symptoms.

Most of the rest of Oregon is at medium risk, including Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas and 17 other counties. People in those counties should consider wearing masks if they are at risk of severe disease.

And yet, one of the clearest markers of the diseases toll, hospitalizations, remains steady. COVID-19 patients occupied just under 300 beds Monday, down from a peak of 327 about a week ago. Oregon Health & Science University previously forecast the current wave would peak in the first half of June at 313 occupied beds.

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Since it began: Oregon has reported 785,032 confirmed or presumed infections and 7,707 deaths.

Hospitalizations: 299 people with confirmed coronavirus infections are hospitalized, down 21 since Monday, June 6. That includes 27 people in intensive care, down seven since June 6.

Vaccinations: As of June 6, the state has reported fully vaccinating 2,918,829 people (68.4% of the population), partially vaccinating 287,910 people (6.7%) and boosting 1,657,743 (38.8%).

New deaths: Since June 6, the Oregon Health Authority has reported 48 additional deaths connected to COVID-19.

Fedor Zarkhin

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Coronavirus in Oregon: Cases up 8%, universal masking now recommended in three counties - OregonLive

Mike Stucka USA TODAY NETWORK| The Gaston Gazette

North Carolina reported 26,785 new cases of coronavirus in the week ending Sunday, down 3.6% from the previous week. The previous week had 27,795 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.

North Carolina ranked 12th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States decreased 0.9% from the week before, with 753,773 cases reported. With 3.15% of the country's population, North Carolina had 3.55% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 31 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

Johns Hopkins University data reported incorrect death totals for some North Carolina counties in the May 30 report, figures that were revised later that week.

Gaston County reported 450 cases and 11 deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 413 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 67,535 cases and 863 deaths.

Across North Carolina, cases fell in 49 counties, with the best declines in Wake County, with 4,879 cases from 5,266 a week earlier; in Guilford County, with 1,300 cases from 1,533; and in Forsyth County, with 1,018 cases from 1,193.

>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases

Within North Carolina, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Mitchell County with 541 cases per 100,000 per week; Swain County with 498; and Wake County with 439. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.

Adding the most new cases overall were Wake County, with 4,879 cases; Mecklenburg County, with 2,875 cases; and Durham County, with 1,348. Weekly case counts rose in 48 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Cabarrus, Durham and Pitt counties.

In North Carolina, 434 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 16 people were reported dead.

A total of 2,799,515 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 25,094 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 85,515,795 people have tested positive and 1,011,275 people have died.

>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, June 12.

Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

Hospitals in 30 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 31 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 29 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.

The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.

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Gaston County reported 450 additional COVID-19 cases this week - Gaston Gazette

After climbing through April and May, COVID-19 cases are falling gradually in Frederick County.

The local positivity rate clocked in at 11.35% on Saturday, the last day for which data was available. This measure, a comparison of the total COVID-19 tests administered and the ones that are positive, has been on a consistent, if slow, decline since May 23, when it hit 15.27%.

New daily cases peaked most recently on May 20 at 126. Frederick County added 56 new cases on Saturday, for a total of 49,027 reported cases since March 2020.

Despite the recent decline in COVID-19 metrics, however, they tower over where they stood a year ago.

On June 13, 2021, Frederick County had a positivity rate of 0.94%. The case rate was 1.10 per 100,000 residents. The rate was 23.28 as of Friday.

Frederick County Health Department spokeswoman and epidemiologist Rissah Watkins said the difference between this year and last can partly be attributed to the contagious variants of the virus now circulating locally, such as omicron and delta.

By and large, people have also been taking fewer precautions than they were last year, Watkins said. Although more are vaccinated, fewer are wearing masks and keeping their distance from one another.

As of June 13, 2021 when children 5 to 11 had yet to become vaccine-eligible 52.8% of Frederick Countys population was fully vaccinated. Now, that percentage is close to 80.

Im very impressed by Frederick County, Watkins said of the rate.

The countys COVID-19 Community Level dropped to low on May 31, after being considered medium from May 19 through 30.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculates a regions community level by looking at hospital beds in use, hospital admissions and the total number of new COVID-19 cases.

When an area is experiencing low community levels, the CDC recommends masking for people with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test and those exposed to someone with the virus.

The Frederick County Health Department recommended that everyone consider masking in public indoor settings when community levels were considered medium.

Frederick County jumped from low to medium when its seven-day cumulative case rate dropped below 200 per 100,000 residents, Watkins said.

In April and May, Watkins said the increasing COVID-19 transmission in Frederick County could be partly explained by the local circulation of the highly contagious omicron variant, BA.2.

The bump in cases could have been because people this year felt more comfortable gathering, such as to celebrate holidays like Ramadan, Passover and Easter, than they have earlier in the pandemic, Watkins said in April.

When cases start increasing, the acceleration happens pretty quickly, Watkins said but the decline is always slower.

One side of the mountain is always steeper than the other, she said.

It took almost three weeks for the countys positivity rate to drop by 3.92 percentage points. For comparison, this measure climbed 6.88 percentage points from May 1 to 23.

Hospitalizations from COVID-19 hit a recent high on May 23, with 17 beds filled with patients diagnosed with the virus. This number had dropped to seven as of Sunday.

Frederick County has recorded five deaths from COVID-19 so far this month, compared to the two it recorded during May, Watkins said.

Follow Angela Roberts on Twitter: @24_angier

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Coronavirus metrics on decline in Frederick County, but still higher than last year - Frederick News Post

Mike Stucka USA TODAY NETWORK| Fremont News-Messenger

New coronavirus cases increased 4.1% in Ohio in the week ending Sunday as the state added 18,247 cases. The previous week had 17,530 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Ohio ranked 39th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States decreased 0.9% from the week before, with 753,773 cases reported. With 3.51% of the country's population, Ohio had 2.42% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 31 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

Sandusky County reported 73 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 59 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 14,285 cases and 239 deaths.

Within Ohio, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Gallia County with 237 cases per 100,000 per week; Morgan County with 221; and Athens County with 214. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.

Adding the most new cases overall were Franklin County, with 2,542 cases; Cuyahoga County, with 2,003 cases; and Hamilton County, with 1,611. Weekly case counts rose in 57 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Hamilton, Franklin and Warren counties.

>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases

Across Ohio, cases fell in 31 counties, with the best declines in Stark County, with 467 cases from 556 a week earlier; in Mahoning County, with 370 cases from 429; and in Medina County, with 240 cases from 297.

In Ohio, zero people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, zero people were reported dead.

A total of 2,798,900 people in Ohio have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 38,657 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 85,515,795 people have tested positive and 1,011,275 people have died.

>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, June 12.

Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

Hospitals in 30 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 31 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 29 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.

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Sandusky County reported 73 additional COVID-19 cases this week - The News-Messenger

It was so sudden and terrifying. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, people we knew suddenly couldnt breathe, suddenly were rushed to the hospital or not and suddenly died - sometimes in a matter of days.

In the first month, March 2020 65 people died in Florida.

In the second month, nearly 1,300.

At the end of 2020 nearly 22,000.

Palm Beach County suffered nearly 2,000 deaths by the end of the first year.

By the first week in June 2022, it was nearly 75,000 in the state and about 5,000 in the county.

The United States hit the mark of 1 million deaths by mid-May, two years and two months since the pandemic began.

The Palm Beach Post in the early days of the pandemic set off to write an obituary for everyone who died in Palm Beach County, but we were quickly overwhelmed.

The grim toll went way beyond the numbers:

There was Mark Greenberg, 88. The first person to die in Palm Beach County was an ad man for a major New York publisher, rubbing elbows with the likes of former New York City Mayor Ed Koch and fitness guru Richard Simmons.

There was Reno Boffice, 61, upper schoolprincipal of a local charter school whose sister was pleading to the community in order to get him plasma treatment … but it was too late.

There was the inseparable Boynton Beach couple, Vincent and Edna Daddario, 87, and 84, respectively, who were married for 60 years and died two days apart.

There was Michael Garone, 91, the former nurse, police officer and ballplayer who was once mistaken for a mob hitman.

And so many, many more …

When retired postal worker Christine Delores Armour went to the Good Samaritan Medical Center emergency room in mid-March, a doctor asked the 88-year-old how she was, and she said, "I'm not used to sitting still."

She had worked in the U.S. Postal Service for three decades and been active in her church and community right up until early March, when she came down with what turned out to be pneumonia.

"They called her the Eveready bunny," daughter Patricia Armour said.

Lost to coronavirus: Retired postal worker not used to sitting still

The virus came for Dorothy Bernsteins husband first, then it stole her solace.

With children out of state, wary of travel, and friends in self-isolation, Bernstein was left to grieve in solitary confinement the loss of her husband of 60 years. Julian Dick Bernstein died March 28 at Boca Raton Regional Hospital from pneumonia andCOVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Lost to coronavirus: Becoming a widow in quarantine

A retired Columbia University administrator traveled several weeks ago to a memorial service in New York.

Then, his son said, 85-year-old Norman Mintz came back home. And died.

Norman Mintz was an academic who, decades earlier, scaled the ranks at Columbia to serve as its executive vice president for academic affairs; he was an intellectual, a reader and social mingler who curated a wealth of knowledge, said his sons Douglas and Geoffrey.

Lost to coronavirus: Columbia administrator loved academia, the arts

Peter Szabo fled the Soviet Union with his wife. And the electrical engineering professor endured a legal battle with his employers at Florida Atlantic University. But he was killed by something he couldn't see.

Szabo died March 27 from thecoronavirusat JFK Medical Center in Atlantis. He was 67.

"He was very smart. Extremely intelligent. Outgoing, his wife, Raisa, said. A very good human being.

Lost to coronavirus: Ex-FAU professor survived Soviets, but not virus

In teal gloves, a blue surgical mask and a black dress, Deniz Kilic stood with a handful of friends at a safe distance on April 5 to bury her mother.

Though they were not allowed to sit in seats at Palm Beach Memorial Park, likely a restriction to reduce the potential spread ofcoronavirus, she knelt before a single folding chair to face her open laptop.

There, on the screen, nearly 50 friends and family members sat in a video conference to say goodbye to Azade Azzie Kilic.

Lost to coronavirus: A visitor from New York dies in Delray

Norman Feinberg built a mens apparel company in an age where deals were made face-to-face, on a handshake and based on relationships cultivated by road-worn salesmen.

The 89-year-old, who founded the firm Mannor Corp. in 1972, died of complications from pneumonia and the coronavirus on March 28 at JFK Medical Center.

Lost to coronavirus: Old school salesman, designer, apparel king

Meryl Salkin didnt think she would fall in love again after her husband of 30 years, George, passed away.

The romantic in Ken Lassiter changed that.

Ive never been with anybody so beautiful that was so easy to love, Lassiter, 85, said. We felt like teenagers.

Lost to coronavirus: A love for the ages cut short by COVID-19

It started off as a happy spring break vacation. There was pool time at grandpas oceanside South Palm Beach condo, walks along the beach and a trip to Lion Country Safari where Tom Craciun and his twin granddaughters fed the giraffes.

Less than two weeks later, Craciun was dying fromcoronavirus. His daughter, Nancy Jean Pierce, and her family were back home in Austin, Texas, suffering from fevers and chills.

Lost to coronavirus: Daughter feels 'so lied to' after vacation ends with infections, dad's death

To those who knew them, Stuart and Adrian Baker were the kind of people who did things unconditionally, said their son-in-law, Antonio De Corral.

They were wonderful people, who had a lot of friends and family, always willing to help out, and were very loved by their neighbors here and in New York and other areas.

But then they got sick from coronavirus.

Lost to coronavirus: Boynton area couple die within six minutes of one another

She was surprised by how much she and her husband, Peter, liked Palm Beach, one friend wrote on adeaths tribute page, about Susan McPherson Gottsegen after she died of complications from COVID-19.

More time for each other and involvement with the music she loved, said Cynthia De Carlo.

Lost to coronavirus: Palm Beach music lover, patron

A Town of Palm Beach resident who tested positive for thecoronavirushas died, and town officials said Thursday that the number of cases has grown to six.

Carole Brookins, according to a tweet by Joe Glauber, a senior fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute, was a former U.S. executive director at the World Bank.

Lost to coronavirus: Former World Bank exec is first Palm Beach fatality

Leona Thorner never forgot to write a card for a birthday or anniversary.

Selwyn Thorner was always someone a person could rely on.

The matriarch and patriarch of the Thorner clan and the glue that held the family together, as his 79-year-old brother, Robert, said, had been married for 65 years.

They died three days apart. Both tested positive for thecoronavirus.

Lost to coronavirus: Together 65 years, Delray-area couple die three days apart

Ron Ross hospital nurses promised his daughters they would call when he started to die.

In the same moment that call came, so, too, did a call from his wifes nurse. She was in the same hospital as her husband also infected with the virus, and told her daughters she wanted to leave.

Lost to coronavirus: Florida Boxing Hall of Fame inductee dies

One of the best things about getting older is the freedom to do whatever you darn well please. But Iris Mensh always did that anyway.

She would cook a very well-rounded meal for everyone, but she never touched a vegetable, said Iris daughter Kimberly Weinberg, laughing. She would make us eat Brussel sprouts, but she would never eat them.

Lost to coronavirus: Beauty queen took a bite out of life, but never veggies

Korean War veteran Howard Garlin fell ill on his 89th birthday.

His companion of 15 years, Iris Greenberg, knew something wasnt right, so she called 911 and the Bronx native was taken to JFK Medical Center.

That was it, I never spoke to him again, said Greenberg, who met Garlin at bereavement counseling after both had lost their spouses.

Lost to coronavirus: Korean War vet honored fellow soldiers

Larry Kushner spent a decade trying to clear his name from a fraud conviction, but fell victim to thecoronavirus.

The father of 13, a resident of suburban Boynton Beach and New Jersey, died April 11 at age 68 in Palm Beach County. The place and circumstances could not be learned.

Lost to coronavirus: Father of 13 was a family man full of life

James Jim Picciano and his wife, Elise, checked into Boca Raton Regional Hospital on March 25. For 10 days, they had felt sick. She was coughing; he had chest pain.

The retired Boca Raton couple tested positive for thecoronavirus, just as family and doctors had suspected.

Lost to coronavirus: Former iron worker with soft spot for baseball, funny stories

Ralph J. Monahan, a snowbird from Arcade, N.Y., was a talented woodworker who taught industrial arts for 34 years.

He remodeled a 100-year-old farmhouse in western New York. He built cabinets, tables and chairs.

Lost to coronavirus: Master woodworker, scout leader, tried to see doctor, got weaker and weaker

Rick Ross gathered with old pals for a reunion of retired city police officers.

"We shared stories and enjoyed each other's company," Chris Yannuzzi, a former Boynton Beach detective,posted April 19 on a tributes page. Yannuzzi, who also served as Ocean Ridge police chief, remembered his friend as a "lifelong public servant taken way too soon."

Lost to coronavirus: Former Boynton police officer, lifelong public servant, Rick Ross

Perry Buchalter went in a matter of weeks from welcoming his second grandchild and retiring after four decades in the health care business to dying of COVID-19, the illness caused by thecoronavirus.

Many co-workers and friends reached out after Buchalter, of Jupiter,died April 7 at 63at Jupiter Medical Center, his wife, Lisa Gendal, said.

Lost to coronavirus: Recent retiree, new grandfather taken by virus

Nelson Nelms, a retired farmer and proud Korean War veteran, had plenty of people to talk to. He lived with his daughter and her family in a spacious two-story house, white with red trim, where he insisted on helping with chores, even though he had lost his eyesight nearly 15 years ago to macular degeneration.

Lost to coronavirus:: After eight years, weekly prayer sessions end with preacher's illness, uncle's death

Glorivi and Alexander Andujar were more than brother and sister they were best friends.

Of five siblings, Glorivi, 39, and Alex, 41 were the closest. They did everything together, from backyard barbecues, big family dinners and holiday parties to supporting each other through lifes challenges.

But they never thought they would die together.

Lost to coronavirus: Its not easy, says mother of son, daughter who died days apart

When Sandra Aprilah met John Cole Jr. on a dating app three or four years ago, she had no idea he would be her caregiver in the final weeks of her life.

She was looking for companionship and maybe a little more.

Lost to coronavirus: 'Loving woman had premonition of death

Jean-Claude Henrion rode motorcycles all over the world. When the French national came to Florida to bike the countryside, he fell victim to thecoronavirus, his family said.

Henrion, 72, died March 30 at JFK Medical Center in Atlantis, from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, as well as cardiovascular disease.

Lost to coronavirus: French adventurer catches virus, dies in Florida

Retired Army intelligence specialist Steven Nolan and his wife took a cruise down the Nile in late February. Adelina Nina Camacho said she believes by the time the couple flew home, both she and her husband had thecoronavirusthat would result in his death.

"We were on the plane already sick," Camacho said.

Lost to coronavirus: Birthday cruise along the Nile became a death sentence

Patti Wagner wasn't the life of the party. Patti Wagner was the party.

The spunky, creative, generous woman known as Nana or Nan to her sprawling family had a creative streak and a sense of humor that made her a magnet for those around her.

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Lost to coronavirus in Palm Beach County: Many interesting lives ended too soon - Palm Beach Post

Find an updated count of COVID-19 cases in California and by county on our tracker here.

Latest Updates

Baby formula plants werent inspected during the start of the pandemic

FDA says new Pfizer shots for children appear to be effective

New Jersey man caught selling unregistered pesticides under guise of combating COVID-19

Air travelers into the US wont have to test for COVID-19 starting Sunday

FDA hearings to decide the fates of vaccinations for kids

10:07 a.m.: Baby formula plants werent inspected during the start of the pandemic

U.S. regulators have historically inspected baby formula plants at least once a year, but they did not inspect any of the three biggest manufacturers in 2020 thats according to federal records reviewed by the Associated Press.

The FDA has consistently inspected infant formula facilities annually, but in early 2020, the FDA pulled most of its safety inspectors from the field because of the pandemic. So it skipped thousands of routine plant inspections.

The baby formula plant inspection gap is getting new scrutiny from Congress and government watchdogs. Thats because one Michigan factory had to be closed for contamination, turning a supply shortage into a full-blown crisis that sent parents scrambling to find formula.

9:13 a.m.: FDA says new Pfizer shots for children appear to be effective

A review by federal health officials says that Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine appears safe and effective for children under 5, the only group not currently eligible for vaccination.

As reported by the Associated Press, the latest review from the Food and Drug Administration is a key step toward an expected decision to begin vaccinating babies, toddlers and preschoolers as soon as June 21.

Parents have been waiting months to protect Americas youngest children, who number roughly 18 million.

On Wednesday, the FDA will ask an outside panel of experts to vote on whether to recommend the shots.

8:47 a.m.: New Jersey man caught selling unregistered pesticides under guise of combating COVID-19

A New Jersey man has admitted to illegally selling unregistered pesticides as a COVID-19 defense to government and municipal entities.

According to the Associated Press, Paul Andrecola pleaded guilty on Thursday in federal court in Camden to wire fraud and other charges.

A criminal complaint alleges the 63-year-old Burlington County man made and sold pesticides that werent registered with the EPA as required. The pesticides also werent on the EPAs list of products deemed effective against COVID-19.

Andreola and others allegedly put another companys EPA registration numbers on his product and sold them to federal and local entities for $2.7 million.

Hes scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 11.

10:28 a.m.: Air travelers into the US wont have to test for COVID-19 starting Sunday

The Biden administration plans to drop the requirement for air travelers coming to the United States to test negative for COVID-19 before departure, starting on Sunday, as reported by NPR.

According to an official from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the requirement is no longer needed and will lift on Sunday, June 12 at 12:01 a.m. ET.

Since December, travelers have had to present a negative COVID-19 test results taken no more than a day before departure or proof of recovery from the virus within the last 90 days.

However, the CDC said itll reassess the decision in 90 days and could reinstate it if a new variant of concern developed.

9:39 a.m.: FDA hearings to decide the fates of vaccinations for kids

Next week brings a marathon of hearings as the U.S. decides whether to open COVID-19 vaccinations to kids younger than 5, as reported by the Associated Press.

On Wednesday, both Moderna and Pfizer will argue their case. Each company aims to offer a different dose and number of shots.

If the Food and Drug Administration authorizes one or both types of shots, there will still be another question should young children get vaccinated or just those at high risk?

Kids under 5 are the only group not yet eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in the U.S.

If all the steps fall into place, the shots should be available later this month.

9:25 a.m.: Small businesses are facing a summer of uncertainty

Small businesses that depend on outdoor crowds and free-spending tourists arent sure what to expect this summer.

Consumers likely have a lot of pent-up demand after more than two years of the pandemic. According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Travel Association predicts travel spending will be slightly above pre-pandemic levels.

But consumers are also facing some significant financial headwinds. Inflation is making day-to-day living more expensive, which could leave less money for discretionary spending.

Gas prices are up more than 60% from a year ago and hotel rooms and airfare are pricier as well, putting pressure on travel budgets.

COVID-19 still remains a looming presence.

9:53 a.m.: New Novavax COVID-19 vaccine may be an option for those with religious concerns

A COVID-19 vaccine that could soon win federal authorization may offer a booster for the U.S. military: an opportunity to get shots into some of the thousands of service members who have refused the other coronavirus vaccines for religious reasons.

Already, at least 175 active duty and reserve service members have received the Novavax vaccine, according to the Associated Press.

Some have traveled overseas at their own expense to get it.

The Novavax vaccine meets the Defense Department's requirements because it has the World Health Organization's emergency use approval and is used in Europe and other regions.

Military officials say many troops who refuse the shots cite certain COVID-19 vaccines remote connections to fetal tissue.

Lab-grown cell lines descended from fetuses from decades ago were used in some early-stage testing of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and to grow viruses used to manufacture the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The vaccines do not contain fetal cells.

Novavax says that no human fetal-derived cell lines or tissue were used in the development, manufacture or production of its vaccine.

9:33 a.m.: WHO says COVID-19 origins are still unclear

Experts drafted by the World Health Organization to help investigate the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, further research is needed to determine how COVID-19 first began.

As reported by the Associated Press, the WHO say they need a more detailed analysis of the possibility it was a laboratory accident. That request makes a sharp reversal of the U.N. health agencys initial assessment of the pandemics origins.

The WHO concluded last year that it was extremely unlikely that COVID-19 might have spilled into humans from a lab.

In a report released Thursday, WHOs expert group said key pieces of data are still missing to help scientists understand how the pandemic began.

9:22 a.m.: Virus testing pop-ups are the new normal in China as a part of its 'zero-COVID' strategy

Thousands of coronavirus testing sites have popped up on sidewalks across Beijing and other Chinese cities in the latest development in the countrys zero-COVID strategy, according to the Associated Press.

Regular testing of residents is becoming the new normal as the Chinese Communist Party sticks steadfastly to the zero-COVID approach that is increasingly at odds with the rest of the world.

The move follows a recent outbreak in Shanghai that spread so widely that authorities locked down the entire city for two months to end it.

Authorities have decided that early detection is needed if theyre going to control omicron outbreaks without extreme measures that cause major economic disruption.

9:43 a.m.: FDA to approve more traditional vaccine, Novavax, as fouth COVID-19 shot option

A more traditional kind of COVID-19 vaccine is a step closer to becoming the fourth option for U.S. adults.

According to the Associated Press, advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted Tuesday to recommend authorization of shots made by Novavax.

Its a protein vaccine, a more conventional technology than the dominant Pfizer and Moderna shots and the lesser-used Johnson & Johnson option.

If the FDA ultimately agrees, the Novavax shots could be an option for adults who havent yet gotten vaccinated.

The company eventually hopes to offer its shots as a booster, like theyre used in some other countries.

9:34 a.m.: Moderna says updated COVID-19 vaccine offers even better protection against omicron

Moderna says its experimental COVID-19 vaccine that combines its original shot with protection against the omicron variant appears to work, according to the Associated Press.

COVID-19 vaccine makers are studying updated boosters that might be offered in the fall.

Moderna says its combination booster candidate increased omicron-fighting antibodies more than just another dose of the original.

Todays vaccines still offer strong protection against COVID-19 hospitalization and death, but protection against milder infections wanes, especially as the virus continues to mutate. Health authorities are considering whether to order a change in the vaccine recipe.

Moderna announced its preliminary study results on Wednesday.

9:15 a.m.: New Hampshire vaccine protesters who shut down meeting wont face charges

New Hampshires attorney general says he wont bring criminal charges against protesters who disrupted an executive council meeting in September before it began and forced its postponement.

As reported by the Associated Press, angry opponents of the Biden administrations vaccine mandate moved around the room at St. Anselm College on Sept. 29.

They shouted shut it down before the meeting could get underway. Attorney General John Formella said Tuesday that the state would not have been able to prove any potential criminal charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

The postponement delayed a council vote on $27 million in federal aid to boost New Hampshires vaccination efforts.

9:44 a.m.: An FAQ for some of your questions about COVID-19 reinfection

Heres a scenario lets say you got sick with COVID-19 back in January, so you figured you were done with the virus for a while.

But then you began feeling a scratchy throat, a runny nose and more, so you took an at-home test just in case. Youve just tested positive for COVID-19 again.

You may be wondering, how could this happen? Is it possible to get COVID again just a few months or weeks after recovering from a case?

NPR asked four specialists to answer some frequently asked questions about reinfection.

Two things they found: Newer omicron variants are more transmissible and make reinfection more likely than earlier in the pandemic, but vaccination can also help prevent reinfection.

9:31 a.m.: Special Olympics drops COVID-19 vaccination requirement after threatened with fines

The Special Olympics has dropped a coronavirus vaccine mandate for its games in Orlando after Florida moved to fine the organization $27.5 million for violating a state law against such requirements.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis recently announced the organization had removed the requirement for its competition in the state, which is scheduled to run from June 5 to June 12.

The Florida health department notified the Special Olympics in a letter Thursday that the organization would be fined $27.5 million for 5,500 violations of state law for requiring proof of coronavirus vaccination for attendees or participants.

9:12 a.m.: Beijing restaurants and shops reopen as COVID-19 cases fall

Diners are returning to restaurants in most of Beijing for the first time in more than a month as authorities further ease pandemic-related restrictions.

According to the Associated Press, the move comes after a small COVID-19 outbreak in the capital was largely eradicated under Chinas strict zero-COVID approach.

Museums, cinemas and gyms are allowed to operate at up to 75% of capacity and delivery drivers can once again bring packages to a customers door.

The Community Party remains wedded to a zero-COVID strategy that exacts an economic cost and keeps people in their homes, even as many other countries take a more relaxed approach.

1:04 p.m. Sacramento County continues to 'strongly recommend' but not require masking

Sacramento County health officials continue to advise all people to wear masks in indoor public places as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations increase in the region, but will not be requiring it.

"We continue to follow state guidance and strongly recommend masking," Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye said Monday. "Businesses can choose to make masking mandatory, especially if they have a lot of interaction with the general public or if they are seeing an increase in cases among employees or if they have an outbreak."

Last week the county was placed in the highest COVID-19 risk level by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control as cases and hospitalizations continued to increase. In what's known as the "high" community level, the CDC recommends that all people wear masks in indoor public spaces.

As of Friday, 167 patients were in hospitals in the county with COVID-19, including 21 in the ICU. Kasirye said that while hospitalizations are high, they are far below the peaks earlier this year.

The county saw many of its highest numbers of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the first months of 2022, including 657 patients on January 25, the countys all-time highest number since the start of the pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 297,787 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3,052 deaths in Sacramento County.

Kasirye said she's hopeful that those figures may soon plateau but that summer travel and other gatherings mean residents should still be careful.

"There are some early indications that there may be a slowdown, but it's too early to tell," she said.

"Of course, our hope is that we are getting to the peak of this recent surge and that we will start seeing a decline. But with [an] increase in travel, there is that increased risk of exposure, so people do need to be careful. People do need to continue wearing masks."

10:05 a.m.: Sacramento City schools mask mandate starts today

More here:

California coronavirus updates: Baby formula plants weren't inspected during the start of the pandemic - Capital Public Radio News

ALBANY With the first Republican debate in the governors race scheduled for Monday night on WCBS-TV, the roster of in-person candidates has shrunk by one, as Andrew Giuliani proudly unvaccinated against the coronavirus announced on Sunday that he will not be allowed to attend.

Mr. Giuliani, the son of the former New York City mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, said on Sunday that he had been informed late last week that the station would not permit him in the studio unless he sent proof of his vaccination status something he said he would not do and suggested might be unconstitutional.

I chose very clearly that I was not going to get the shot, said Mr. Giuliani, 36, in an impromptu news conference on Sunday outside CBS headquarters in Manhattan, saying he had looked at the data on the vaccination and decided against it.

As of Sunday, according to a New York Times database, 91 percent of New Yorkers of all ages have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and 78 percent of residents are fully vaccinated.

Mr. Giuliani preceded his news conference by releasing a letter he sent to WCBS, the CBS networks flagship affiliate, arguing that their policy was arbitrary and serves to discriminate against a political candidate and their access to equal opportunity and religious liberty.

In a statement, WCBS said that its broadcast center requires that visitors are vaccinated against the coronavirus, and that the policy which dates to last year was made in consultation with health care experts, government officials and the many unions representing our employees.

Any candidate who doesnt meet this requirement is encouraged to participate in Mondays debate remotely, the station said, adding it hoped the debate would allow Republican candidates to share their views on matters of importance to the residents of New York State.

The debate is scheduled to feature other Republican candidates for governor, including Representative Lee M. Zeldin, the partys anointed nominee; Rob Astorino, the former Westchester County executive; and Harry Wilson, a corporate turnaround expert.

At Sundays news conference, Mr. Giuliani said he had natural immunity to Covid-19, which has killed more than one million Americans, and that he had offered to take multiple tests to prove he was not infected, but that he had nonetheless been disinvited from the debate.

Instead, Mr. Giuliani said he would, in fact, participate virtually, a prospect that was almost immediately criticized by Mr. Zeldin, who tweeted that the remote option is a nonstarter, while adding the reason to have him virtual is ridiculous.

Mr. Astorino echoed this, saying that all four candidates should be onstage, and that discriminatory and unscientific vaccine mandates wouldnt prevent transmission of the disease. (The vaccines have been proven to prevent most serious cases of the disease.)

Mr. Giuliani, who is making his first run for public office and has been regularly campaigning with his father, has argued that the candidates should debate almost every day before the June 28 primary, while also railing against mandates for emergency medical workers and others, something he reiterated on Sunday.

Im obviously seeing consequences in what I believe is my informed decision on this, he said, adding that if elected, he will throw all of these mandates in the dust bin of history.

Read more here:

Andrew Giulianis Vaccination Status Will Bar Him From Debate Studio - The New York Times

Many workers find themselves, consciously or not, mimicking the way their bosses behave. They witness managers answering emails from bed, and feel they should do the same.

So some bosses are taking a firmer line on using their leave. Jim Canales, head of the Barr Foundation, a philanthropic organization focused on arts, education and climate, got Covid about a month ago. Mr. Canales spent the past two years urging his team to take care of themselves, and he knew that working through his illness would undermine that message. He sent out a morning email to his staff noting that it was Friday the 13th, Mercury was in retrograde and he had tested positive for Covid and wasnt planning to be available for meetings or emails.

I cant preach a message of self-care for two years and then behave in a different way, he said.

Mr. Canales refashioned his organizations sick leave policies during the pandemic, with the aim of encouraging employees to actually make use of their time off. He relabeled sick days as health days, so workers know they can be used to take care of family members, too. That health leave was also made unlimited, so nobody felt the pressure to save it up for the future.

But even as some employers are encouraging workers to use their time off, many others are dropping benefits introduced during the pandemic. This spring, Amazon announced a return to its prepandemic sick leave. Walmart stopped offering emergency paid leave for most of its workers with Covid at the end of March, instead asking employees to use their regular bank of paid time off and sick days.

Some argue the disappearance of sick days is preventing them from making full recoveries. Angela Lewis, who works at a speakers bureau, tested positive for coronavirus last month, along with the rest of her household. Her son stayed home from school and her husband, who is self-employed, slept. Ms. Lewis, meanwhile, dropped a note in Slack to say she had Covid and then forged through her standard workweek, though her congested head felt like it weighed 100 pounds.

Some people kind of have a badge of honor, like Yeah, I worked through it, it was fine, she said. Ultimately, I could say I did the same.

The rest is here:

How Covid Did Away With the Sick Day - The New York Times