Category: Corona Virus

TAMPA In a blockbuster ruling last week, federal judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle struck down a requirement that people wear masks on public transportation including planes to limit the spread of COVID-19.

But that wasnt the first time decisions in the fierce debate over pandemic safety regulations have come out Tampas federal courthouse.

In three separate cases, veteran U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday who was nominated by President George H.W. Bush and has been on the bench since 1992 weighed in on cruise ship regulations and vaccine mandates, ruling each time against the COVID-19 requirements.

In June, Merryday issued a 124-page decision throwing out the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions safety rules for cruise ships as they readied to begin carrying passengers from Florida again.

In granting a preliminary injunction in Floridas legal challenge to the cruise rules, the judge said the CDC hadnt adequately justified the need for the regulations on how cruises could restart. He also said Florida faced a sufficient likelihood of continued economic harm.

The CDCs claim that it had authority to impose measures such as shutting down ships sidelined in March 2020 after onboard COVID-19 outbreaks was a breathtaking, unprecedented, and acutely and singularly authoritarian claim, the judge wrote. He also wondered in his order if the CDC could or should have shut down sexual intercourse in the United States to prevent the spread of AIDS, syphilis or herpes.

The CDCs conditional sail order was a phased plan for restarting cruises that included expanded COVID-19 testing capabilities on board and having nearly all passengers and crew vaccinated in order to sail without test cruises first.

Gov. Ron DeSantis office declared Merrydays ruling a major victory.

In December, Merryday issued a preliminary injunction blocking President Joe Bidens vaccine requirement for federal contractors.

The judge said Floridas lawsuit fighting that vaccine regulation showed a substantial likelihood that there was no authority to make such a requirement.

Merryday said the extent of any absenteeism by contractors and subcontractors, any procurement delay or any cost increases attributable to COVID-19 were unexplained.

In other words, the extent of any procurement problem, past or future, attributable to COVID-19 is undemonstrated and is merely a hastily manufactured but unproven hypothesis about recent history and a contrived speculation about the future, the judge wrote.

Similar rulings have been issued by judges in other states.

In February, a Navy commander and a Marine lieutenant colonel testified before Merryday about their religious reasons for resisting the militarys COVID-19 vaccine requirement.

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Each had been denied a religious exemption and faced possible discharge if they didnt comply.

Both the military members who were allowed to testify anonymously said they were Christians and concerned that vaccines would put impurities in their bodies. For me it would be a sin, the lieutenant colonel said.

Both also expressed concern about fetal cell lines, used in the research and development of various vaccines and many common medicines.

Said Amy Powell, an attorney for the Department of Justice: We would rather people not be in the military than place other service members at risk.

Merryday issued an injunction allowing the military members to continue serving without punishment pending a final judgement in the case.

He said the Religious Freedom Restoration Act requires the military to give an exemption to a service member who has a sincere religious objection to the vaccine unless there is a compelling governmental interest and no less-restrictive alternatives are available.

The Navy and Marine Corps failed manifestly to meet that requirement, the judge said.

Tampa Bay: The Times can help you find the free, public COVID-19 testing sites in the bay area.

Florida: The Department of Health has a website that lists testing sites in the state. Some information may be out of date.

The U.S.: The Department of Health and Human Services has a website that can help you find a testing site.

The COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5 and up and booster shots for eligible recipients are being administered at doctors offices, clinics, pharmacies, grocery stores and public vaccination sites. Many allow appointments to be booked online. Heres how to find a site near you:

Find a site: Visit vaccines.gov to find vaccination sites in your ZIP code.

More help: Call the National COVID-19 Vaccination Assistance Hotline.

Phone: 800-232-0233. Help is available in English, Spanish and other languages.

TTY: 888-720-7489

Disability Information and Access Line: Call 888-677-1199 or email DIAL@n4a.org.

OMICRON VARIANT: Omicron changed what we know about COVID. Heres the latest on how the infectious COVID-19 variant affects masks, vaccines, boosters and quarantining.

KIDS AND VACCINES: Got questions about vaccinating your kid? Here are some answers.

BOOSTER SHOTS: Confused about which COVID booster to get? This guide will help.

BOOSTER QUESTIONS: Are there side effects? Why do I need it? Heres the answers to your questions.

PROTECTING SENIORS: Heres how seniors can stay safe from the virus.

GET THE DAYSTARTER MORNING UPDATE: Sign up to receive the most up-to-date information.

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That wasnt the first COVID-19 ruling out of Tampas federal courthouse - Tampa Bay Times

CAMDEN, N.J. No one thought Frank Talarico Jr. was going to live. Not his doctors, his nurses or his wife, a physician assistant who works part time at the Camden, N.J., hospital where he spent 49 days fighting to survive Covid-19.

A 47-year-old police sergeant, he was not vaccinated against the coronavirus. Unconvinced of the vaccines merits, he figured he was young and fit enough to handle whatever illness the virus might cause.

He was wrong.

If its an eye opener for somebody so be it, Sergeant Talarico said recently at his home in Pennsauken, N.J., about five miles northeast of Camden. He plans to get the vaccine as soon as the doctors he credits with saving his life at Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital give him final medical clearance.

If I was vaccinated, he said, I have to think I wouldnt have gotten as sick as I did.

Though police work inherently carries with it the possibility of violent or lethal encounters, for the last two years Covid-19 has been the leading cause of death for law enforcement officers in the United States.

When Covid vaccines were first offered in December 2020, law enforcement officers frontline workers who, like doctors and nurses, are required to interact closely with people in crisis were prioritized for shots that have since been proven to significantly lower the risk of serious illness and death.

But over the next year, as some police unions tried to block vaccine mandates, at least 301 police, sheriff and correction officers died of complications from Covid-19, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, a nonprofit that tracks line-of-duty fatalities. Since January, Covid has continued to outpace other top causes of line-of-duty deaths.

Its not just a little bit above firearm fatalities and traffic fatalities, said Troy Anderson, a retired Connecticut State Police sergeant who is now director of safety and wellness for the memorial. Its heads and shoulders above.

Its unthinkable that were still in this place, he added.

Sergeant Talaricos ordeal began Christmas Eve, as Omicron infections were soaring across the country, inundating hospitals and stretching staffing levels nearly past breaking points.

Before it was over, the patrol officer who was less than a year away from retirement after 24 years on the job was hospitalized twice.

After being rushed to the hospital the second time, he had a foot-long blood clot removed from his lung, a procedure that prevented certain death but caused his heart to nearly stop beating. He was placed on advanced life-support while still on the operating table. For two days a machine did the work of his heart and lungs.

It wasnt long before his kidneys began to fail, requiring dialysis.

One of the many hard moments was the day his daughter, a 19-year-old college freshman, visited him for what they both feared could be a final goodbye. Conscious but hooked to a ventilator, Sergeant Talarico was unable to speak.

He would try and mouth words around the breathing tube, said Jackie Whitby, a cardiac care nurse who was also in the room. He had tears in his eyes. She had tears in her eyes.

Retelling the story more than two months later, Sergeant Talarico started to cry again.

About half of the 14 officers in his police department, in Merchantville, N.J., have been vaccinated, he said. The departments chief of police did not return calls.

Sergeant Talarico said he had tried to persuade reluctant colleagues to get vaccinated.

I say, Just look at me and look what I went through, he said.

Many of the nations largest police departments, including Los Angeles, New York and Newark, have required employees to be vaccinated. Correction officers in New Jersey also have been ordered to get shots or risk being fired.

In Newark, New Jerseys largest city, nine police employees have died of Covid-19. But there have been no Covid fatalities since the citys vaccination mandate was implemented in September after an unsuccessful legal challenge by the police and fire unions.

April 28, 2022, 1:27 p.m. ET

Roughly 96 percent of Newarks public safety officers have now had at least two shots of either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or one shot of Johnson & Johnsons, said Brian OHara, Newarks public safety director.

The last member of Newarks Department of Public Safety to die from Covid was Richard T. McKnight, a 20-year employee who processed detainees. He was not vaccinated, said Mr. OHara, who spoke at the funeral.

Days after Mr. McKnights death in August, his wife, who was sick with Covid, also died, Mr. OHara said.

Their 9-year-old daughter is left with no parents, he said.

A 340-bed hospital, Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes was treating 26 patients for Covid the day Sergeant Talarico was first admitted. Within two weeks, 81 patients were hospitalized with the virus.

January was the worst month of my career, said Dr. Vivek Sailam, a cardiologist who has worked at Our Lady of Lourdes for 14 years.

As Sergeant Talarico began to slowly recover, against the odds, staff members started to rally around him, referring to him as their miracle patient.

You get better, Im taking you to dinner, Dr. Sailam told Sergeant Talarico when he came off a ventilator for the second time.

A nurse, Shawn McCullough, devised a system using a letter board that enabled Sergeant Talarico to communicate while intubated. A physical therapist, Wendy Hardesty, insisted that he be strong enough to climb the three steps into his home before he was discharged for the second time on Feb. 18.

The mental trauma thats been on these nurses and what theyve witnessed the amount of death and agony. This is what everybody needed, Dr. Sailam said. Everybody needed this victory.

After being hospitalized with pneumonia for three weeks at Christmastime, Sergeant Talarico was discharged, but was so weak that his wife, Christine Lynch, set up folding chairs throughout their house so he could make it from a chair in the living room and rest before he went to the bathroom.

At 5 one morning, as he struggled to breathe, Ms. Lynch called the ambulance again.

Sergeant Talarico was readmitted with the foot-long blood clot in his lungs. Known as a pulmonary embolism, it has become a common side effect of Covid-19 for hospitalized patients.

The device used to remove it has only been available since 2018, said Dr. Joseph Broudy, who said the new technology enabled him to extract the embolism largely intact.

Had that not been possible, Dr. Broudy said, he probably would not have survived.

Sergeant Talarico and Ms. Lynch, his second wife, had been married for less than a year when he was told in late December that he had been exposed to the virus by a colleague. Soon, the newlyweds were both sick.

Ms. Lynch, a physician assistant who was vaccinated, said she initially shared her husbands reluctance to take the shot. Sergeant Talarico said he believed that the vaccine approval had been rushed, and he questioned its safety.

Looking back, he said he wished Ms. Lynch, 33, had kicked his butt to get vaccinated. Had he been older, with health risk factors other than high blood pressure, she said she would have.

Before getting sick, Sergeant Talarico said he worked out regularly, and for three years had participated in the Police Unity Tour, a three-day bicycle ride to Washington held each May to honor fallen officers as their names are added to a memorial in the capital.

Ive been healthy all my life, he said. I guess I just did have the mentality that if I do get it, Ill be one of the ones to have it mild. And that sure wasnt the case.

Tom Buckley, a senior vice president at the hospital, estimated that the billable cost of treating someone as sick as Sergeant Talarico would be roughly $400,000 to $500,000; Sergeant Talarico said he had not gotten the final bill from his insurance company for the cost of his care.

About three weeks after being released from the hospital for good, Sergeant Talarico returned with bagels, pizza and a promise for the staff members who fought to keep him alive. He told us he would get vaccinated, said Correinne Newman, a nursing director.

The gesture brought Ms. Whitby, who had the day off but was contacted through FaceTime, to tears.

Him being a cop and me being a nurse we essentially put our lives on the line and put other people first, she said.

Having him say, You know what? Im going to get the vaccine as soon as I possibly can.

I feel like thats him supporting us.

Excerpt from:

What an Unvaccinated Sergeant Who Nearly Died of Covid-19 Wants You to Know - The New York Times

College student Yufei Wu hasnt seen her family in nearly three years because of Chinas coronavirus restrictions and strict lockdowns.

Wu, 23, a senior at Texas Tech University, wasnt able to grieve with relatives when her grandfather passed away, see her younger brother grow up or celebrate traditions with her parents who were thousands of miles away.

It feels like Im losing my Chinese identity, Wu said. From the way I speak Chinese, from how much Chinese food I eat, how much I connect with my cultural roots and thats extremely difficult because that is a very big part of who I am.

But Wu remains in Texas to pursue her degree in human development and family sciences. Shes among a dwindling number of international students enrolled in American universities.

Schools across the state and the country had dramatic drops in such students as the pandemic ravaged education, but their enrollment was trending down even before COVID-19 hit.

The number of international college students enrolled in the United States schools peaked at more than 903,100 in 2016-17. But by last year, that declined by 21% to about 710,200, according to the Institute for International Education.

Many Texas schools saw similar decreases. Compared to the previous year, the University of Texas at Dallas known for drawing a large international student population saw a 22% drop in such new undergraduates and a whopping 66% decrease in new graduate students in the fall of 2020. Overall, that was a nearly 25% drop in total international students.

In the same period, Southern Methodist University saw a 21% drop in its total international student enrollment; UT-Arlington and Texas A&M Universitys groups dwindled by nearly 12% while Texas Techs decreased by about 11%.

Graduate programs were particularly hampered. Texas A&Ms international graduate student enrollment, for example, suffered the most due to a 31% drop.

Such students contributed about $1.5 billion to the Texas economy last year, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Overall, international students studying in the United States contributed $28.4 billion nationwide during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Locally, for example, international students poured more than $100 million into UT-Dallas and UT-Arlington and their surrounding communities during the same period. The students not only bring an influx of funds, but also create a more diverse campus and widen area students worldviews through their differing cultural perspectives, said Jill Allen Murray, NAFSAs deputy executive director for public policy.

Attracting international students and scholars to U.S. colleges and universities is an important way that the United States grows, Murray said.

Many students chose to delay their enrollment last year because the pandemic threw chaos into an already complicated process for international students, said Juan Gonzlez, UT-Dallas vice provost for global engagement. However, as embassies reopened and campuses informed their communities about vaccination and testing opportunities, there was a big, dramatic shift in the attitude of the students, he said.

Still, a major challenge for administrators is reassuring families that their children will be safe on the other side of the world in some instances during the pandemic.

The parents dont have that much influence on the domestic students anymore. Theyre very independent, Gonzlez said. But in the international arena, parents have a lot of influence.

The constant communication with parents goes a long way for students, like Wu, whose parents prodded her to consider dropping out of college to return home throughout the past two years because of COVID-19 concerns.

Wu transferred into the United States from Chengdu, a city in Chinas Sichuan Province, in 2016 as a junior in high school the same year former President Donald Trump was elected.

Even before the pandemic, some international students often felt waves of uncertainty regarding their status under Trumps administration because of his hard stance on immigration, said David Barron, UT-Tylers associate vice president for university enrollment management.

Trumps policies also affected those students decisions on attending college in America because of the tense political climate, Barron said.

And as COVID-19 began spreading at the end of Trumps tenure, Wu and others anxiously kept up with changing policies as universities were forced to suddenly shift to remote education.

Initially, the Trump administration issued an order that would have blocked foreign students from remaining in the United States if their classes were only online. Wu felt anxious and feared having to return to China at a moments notice until after that order was rescinded.

Meanwhile, she also felt unsafe going out in public as discrimination and violence against Asian Americans increased, which some contributed to political rhetoric surrounding the virus.

She argued with her parents as they voiced concerns over her safety and health, reminding her that returning home was an option.

Because I look the way I do from the political situation, the atmosphere during that time it was risky sometimes, she said.

One obstacle after another

Many students struggled with simply getting into the country over the past two years as international travel became heavily restricted and air traffic was reduced. Consulates and embassies across the world were closed, leaving many in a haze as they attempted to acquire student visas.

This past fall, SMU welcomed the largest first-year international class in its history, which officials say reflects the continuing desire to pursue a degree in the United States especially as higher education institutions have now adapted to the changes of the ongoing pandemic after two years.

Were not seeing a reduction in interest in our programs, said Marc Christensen, dean at SMUs Lyle School of Engineering. Were just seeing that people cannot get here to take the classes.

SMUs engineering school, for example, has about 150 students from India who have deferred their enrollment until they can obtain visas.

Applying for graduate school at the UT-Dallas from Mumbai was an anxious time for students like Punit Sanghavi, who had to navigate the process during worldwide disruptions caused by the coronavirus.

Prospective international students like him juggled school and visa applications, closed embassies and borders, vaccine requirements and their parents worries about the virus all while rushing to get into the United States in time to take their classes.

Sanghavi, who eventually secured an emergency appointment at his embassy for a visa, began classes in the fall, where he is studying business analytics. But he knows many who werent as lucky.

From flight tickets being expensive, like super expensive, to a limited number of operational flights, to looking for accommodation in the U.S. where we want to stay, he said, recalling the chaotic start of school. A lot of people didnt have the visas in time flights got canceled.

Students who couldnt make it to Texas in person, did their best to connect with classmates remotely.

For her entire freshman year in 2020, Pavani Rambachan attended classes at UT-Arlington online from her home in Trinidad and Tobago, but didnt let the distance come between her and an active student life.

A big thing that really took top priority besides my grades, she said, was to be really involved in campus so I could still be there without physically being there.

Rambachan, now 22, joined the student government, honors programs and robotics team; became a UT-Arlington ambassador, increasing awareness on campus programs and promoting the school; and even moved to bring an old club back to life the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space for which she acts as president and encouraged about 250 others to join.

The clubs allowed her to network and connect with people, take a break from class work, feel less alone and make friends on campus.

Once she arrived in Texas for the fall semester in 2021, Rambachan sorted out her affairs on campus and connected with a friend she met virtually through the student government to tour the school.

I have some really awesome friends that I met here and really did have my back, she said, adding that the connections helped her adjust to life in a new country.

Colleges continue to focus heavily on communicating constantly and clearly with such students for whom a single sign of support can make the difference making sure that they understand the puzzling process of studying abroad during a global pandemic where policies and restrictions shift rapidly.

Its something that we just have to deal with, learn from it and just be patient until we have that population back on our campuses, said Sukant Misra, Texas Techs vice provost for international affairs.

Meanwhile, students like Wu are finding ways to cope as they remain a world away from family.

She invites other international and local students to share recipes that her grandfather taught her such as dumplings with pork and leek fillings or edamame soup and whips up dishes traditionally made to celebrate holidays and festivals.

Studying abroad is really fun, and it can be really challenging but also super rewarding, Wu said. My life here is definitely not easy, but I wouldnt trade it for anything else.

The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.

The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from The Beck Group, Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, The Meadows Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Todd A. Williams Family Foundation and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Labs journalism.

See the article here:

Texas colleges and universities saw international student enrollment dwindle as COVID-19 created obstacles - The Dallas Morning News

COVID-19 is a viral infection that more than 508 million people have developed through April 2022. Its caused by a type of coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause respiratory infections.

Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19. Data released from the COVID Symptoms Study in December 2021 revealed that headaches were one of the five most reported symptoms of the Omicron variant, along with:

COVID-19 has been linked to tension headaches and migraine. When headaches appear, they often appear as one of the early symptoms.

In most cases, headaches go away within a couple of weeks, but some people experience long-haul headaches for weeks or months after infection.

Keep reading to learn more about the symptoms of COVID-19 headaches and what you can do about them.

Many studies have confirmed that headaches are one of the most common neurological symptoms of COVID-19. When they appear, theyre generally the first symptom.

However, there are no specific characteristics of COVID-19-caused headaches that are different from other types of headache.

Its important to pay attention to whether the headache is more intense than youre used to or whether it occurs at an unusual time and not because of typical stressors.

Most people who experience COVID-19 headaches develop tension headaches with the following characteristics:

About a quarter of people who experience COVID-19 headaches also have migraine episodes. These headaches can occur in people without a history of migraine.

Migraine may cause:

People with COVID-19 who develop headaches also tend to develop:

In a 2022 study, researchers found that among 288 people with COVID-19, 22.2 percent developed neurological symptoms. Of these people, 69.1 percent developed headaches.

Headaches generally lasted for 7 days. They persisted for more than 30 days in 18 percent of people who developed headaches and more than 3 months in 10 percent.

In another 2022 study, researchers found that in a group of 905 people who developed COVID-19 headaches, half experienced headaches for longer than 2 weeks.

If you have a previous history of headaches, avoiding your known triggers may help reduce headache occurrence. Alcohol is a common trigger for migraine, so you may benefit from avoiding it.

A number of home remedies may help you manage your symptoms. These include:

Corticosteroids may help treat prolonged headaches that dont respond to other treatments.

In most people, COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms that can be treated with rest and drinking fluids.

In rare cases, COVID-19 has been linked to thunderclap headaches. These headaches can cause severe pain that onsets within seconds.

Thunderclap headaches may be a sign of bleeding in the brain that requires prompt medical attention. Its critical to see medical attention immediately if you experience a severe headache that onsets quickly.

You should also seek emergency medical attention if you experience any of the emergency COVID-19 symptoms:

Note: People with dark skin may not be able to notice discoloration that indicates oxygen deprivation as easily as people with lighter skin.

If you have long-haul COVID-19 symptoms, its important to visit your doctor for an evaluation and to build a proper treatment plan.

Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19. One review of studies found that among 6,635 people with COVID-19, 12.9 percent developed headaches or dizziness.

Another review found 10.9 percent of people with COVID-19 in a group of 7,559 reported headaches.

Women and younger people seem to be most prone to developing COVID-19 headaches.

Its not clear exactly why COVID-19 causes headaches, but both indirect and direct factors may contribute.

Its been suggested that the virus may invade your brain tissue, possibly through your olfactory system or by crossing the blood-brain barrier and promoting inflammation. Its possible that dysfunction of your hypothalamus or trigeminal nerve may also contribute.

Some people with COVID-19 may develop a cytokine storm (overproduction of pro-inflammatory molecules by the immune system). This reaction may lead to neuroinflammation that causes headaches.

Other factors like low oxygen levels to the brain, dehydration, or not eating normally can also all potentially contribute to the development of headaches.

Headaches are a common side effect of COVID-19 vaccines. Theyre reported by about half of people who receive vaccines and usually onset within 72 hours. Headaches can occur by themselves or with other symptoms like:

Headaches usually resolve within a few days.

Headaches that onset later can be a sign of a serious complication called cerebral venous thrombosis. The National Health Service recommends seeking emergency medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms between 4 days to 4 weeks after your vaccine:

Headaches are one of the most reported symptoms of COVID-19. Tension headaches are most common, but about a quarter of people who report headaches experience migraine episodes. Migraine sometimes develops in people with no previous history.

COVID-19 can usually be managed with rest, but its important to visit a doctor if you develop emergency symptoms like shortness of breath or chest pain. Its also important to visit your doctor if you develop long-haul symptoms for a proper evaluation.

Read more:

What Does a COVID-19 Headache Feel Like? Symptoms and More - Healthline

ByMichael Newman

New research may explain why so many vaccinated and boosted individuals experienced breakthrough coronavirus infections caused by the omicron variant. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health have uncovered evidence that while fully vaccinated and boosted people produce a high level of antibodies that work against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, the same tiny defenders don't do as well in preventing the omicron strain from attacking healthy cells.

The research findings were posted online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight.

"Previous research has shown vaccine-induced antibodies respond to the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 by inhibiting the virus's ability to bind to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 [commonly known as ACE2], the receptor on a cell's surface through which SARS-CoV-2 gains entry," says study senior author Joel Blankson, professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "Our study suggests those same antibodies yield less ACE2 inhibition with the omicron strain, opening the door to a breakthrough COVID-19 infection."

Joel Blankson

Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

To conduct their study, Blankson and his colleagues analyzed two types of immune responses to SARS-CoV-2: the humoral immune response, marked by virus-specific antibodies circulating in the bloodstream and produced by B lymphocytes, or B cells; and the cellular immune response, which is a direct attack on the virus by T lymphocytes, or T cells. Researchers observed these immune responses in 18 healthy and fully vaccinated people, ages 23-62, who experienced breakthrough infections within 14 to 92 days after receiving a booster COVID-19 vaccine. Of the participants, 14 received a booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine, one was boosted with the Moderna mRNA vaccine, and the remaining three had an mRNA booster following their initial dose of the Johnson & Johnson viral vector vaccine.

The humoral and cellular immune responses of those participants with breakthrough infections were compared with those from a control group of 31 participants, ages 21-60, who received similar COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters and had no prior infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Although the researchers were not able to document that the breakthrough infections were from the omicron strain, they say it's a strong probability because the omicron variant accounted for more than 90% of the COVID-19 cases treated at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, where the study was conducted, during the time when the study participants became symptomatic.

Coverage of how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting operations at JHU and how Hopkins experts and scientists are responding to the outbreak

"When we tested antibody-mediated inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding to ACE2, we found that serum from study participants with breakthrough COVID-19most likely the result of omicron infectionhad antibodies that strongly stopped binding by the original strain virus as expected but didn't carry out that function as well when responding to the omicron strain," says Blankson.

The specific reduction in ACE2-inhibiting antibodies responding to omicron, Blankson says, differs from what was seen in previously studied breakthrough infections with the alpha variant. In those cases, infected individuals were found to have lower overall antibody levels to the original virus strain. The levels of antibodies that inhibited the spike protein binding to ACE2high for the original strain of the virus but reduced for omicronwere similar for both the participants with breakthrough infections and those in the control group.

Moreover, the level of cellular immunityas measured by the amount of responding T cells documentedremained strong in the breakthrough and control groups for both the original and omicron strains. This was shown in a second recent study, also co-authored by Blankson, looking at the blood plasma of 15 mRNA vaccine recipients.

"The comparable strong T cell responses for the original and omicron strains in both studies could explain why people, like our study participants, who have breakthrough COVID-19 cases typically experience only mild symptoms during the course of their illness," he explains.

Read this article:

Antibodies fighting original virus may be weaker against omicron - The Hub at Johns Hopkins

With mask mandates seeming to become a thing of the past, many of us are still not ready to go without them in public.

While its true that masks work best when everyone has one on, the good news is that you will still benefit from wearing one even if nobody else is especially if that mask is an N95 mask.

For someone looking to reduce their own risk of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2, wearing a mask will do that, said Dr. Scott Weisenberg, clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and director of the Infectious Disease Fellowship Program. The higher the quality, the better it would work, and the N95 would be the most effective of the masks currently available.

Experts recommend using an N95 mask because of the amount of protection they provide. The Mayo Clinic writes that N95 masks filter out both large and small particles when a person breathes in or out.

N95 masks are regulated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and can block at least 95 percent of particles.

The filtration efficiency for particles of surgical masks is 42-88 percent, according to Aerosol and Air Quality Research, while cloth masks filter out 16-23 percent, and bandanas filter out 9 percent.

KN95 and KF94 masks are similar to N95 masks in that they aim to filter out over 95 and 94 percent of particulates, respectively, but they are not regulated by NIOSH. A KN95 mask is supposed to meet Chinese regulatory standards, and the KF94 is supposed to meet Korean regulatory standards.

However, some counterfeit versions of these masks have been sold that may not meet these standards.

Even an N95 wont work very well if you dont wear the mask properly.

The easiest way to tell if youre wearing an N95 mask properly is to check for gaps.

In healthcare, we have a system that requires testing by trained professionals [to make sure the masks fit]. I think from a public standpoint, unless they have access to that test, they should look for any gaps at the edge of the mask, said Weisenberg.

Dr. Christina Liscynesky, an infectious disease expert at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, seconds the seal check. She recommends using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) methods to test the seal. The CDC recommends:

The N95 must form a seal to the face to work properly, meaning that your breath must pass through the mask and not around the edges. Be aware of any jewelry, glasses, or facial hair that can cause gaps. Being clean-shaven is more effective.

Of course, while the use of N95 masks is proven to be highly effective, even if you are the only one wearing one, there are other factors at play. No method is completely risk-free except isolation, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself.

Other factors to consider include how much time you are exposed to people who arent wearing masks, as well as the ventilation of where you are.

People can still modify their risk by avoiding high-risk settings, such as being indoors in poorly ventilated areas, said Weisenberg. Everyone has to make their own decisions about what is right for them and their individual risk.

But sometimes some settings are impossible to avoid, like traveling on airplanes, which these days is becoming more and more commonplace.

These settings make it difficult to avoid people.

On airplanes, cabin air is filtered through HEPA filters (high-efficiency particulate air) that are proven to reduce virus transmission. But on subways, buses, and other modes of transportation, the air may not be filtered as effectively.

Adding an N95 mask to your commute can reduce the risk of getting sick.

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Are You The Only Person Wearing a Face Mask? It Can Still Protect You - Healthline

Local organizations team up with CDC to conduct study on animals

Several local organizations are teaming up with the CDC to conduct a study on coronavirus in animals, specifically feral cats.

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Humane Society and the Austin Animal Center have teamed up with Texas A&M and the Texas Department of State Health Services to be involved in a CDC lead study on coronavirus in cats. The study specifically focuses on feral cats.

"We know that cats can get infected, and we've seen cats like lions in zoos and pet cats that have come down with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID 19, but they've been in known contact with a person. These are kitties that are not living in people's homes. They're essentially wildlife," said Dr. Katie Luke, Chief Operations Officer Austin Humane Society.

Dr. Luke says the study will take place over a six-month time frame with 1,000 cats to see if COVID-19 can spread animal to animal. A potential factor that has not been tested for.

"That's always something that is of concern. If we see viruses mutating in animal hosts, you always get concerned that it'll mutate to something that's more deadly or that that could suddenly spread in a different way, so it's really just more surveillance to try to see what is out there," she said.

Dr. Luke says this study will cause no harm to the cats involved.

"These kitties are cats that are coming in for spay and neuter surgery and they're returned back to their natural habitats after surgery just like they are now so there's no harm coming to them. We're sampling by basically just a swab of the back of their throat and then sending [the cats] back on their merry way," she said.

Other agencies across the nation are taking part in this study with different animals. Austin is covering cats. The results of this study will be shared with the CDC to find out additional ways to be more proactive and ready for the next virus.

"It's just to learn more in general about how coronaviruses work and behave so that hopefully we can, as a scientific community, work towards better prevention for humans and better care overall is the goal," said Dr. Luke.

So far, around 20-30 cats have been tested and results are pending at a lab at Texas A&M.

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Local organizations team up with CDC to conduct study on coronavirus in cats - FOX 7 Austin

In the middle of last year, the World Health Organization began promoting an ambitious goal, one it said was essential for ending the pandemic: fully vaccinate 70 percent of the population in every country against Covid-19 by June 2022.

Now, it is clear that the world will fall far short of that target by the deadline. And there is a growing sense of resignation among public health experts that high Covid vaccination coverage may never be achieved in most lower-income countries, as badly needed funding from the United States dries up and both governments and donors turn to other priorities.

The reality is that there is a loss of momentum, said Dr. Isaac Adewole, a former health minister of Nigeria who now serves as a consultant for the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Only a few of the worlds 82 poorest countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia and Nepal have reached the 70 percent vaccination threshold. Many are under 20 percent, according to data compiled from government sources by the Our World in Data project at the University of Oxford.

By comparison, about two-thirds of the worlds richest countries have reached 70 percent. (The United States is at 66 percent.)

The consequences of giving up on achieving high vaccination coverage worldwide could prove severe. Public health experts say that abandoning the global effort could lead to the emergence of dangerous new variants that would threaten the worlds precarious efforts to live with the virus.

This pandemic is not over yet far from it and its imperative that countries use the doses available to them to protect as much of their population as possible, said Dr. Seth Berkley, chief executive of Gavi, the nonprofit that runs the global vaccine clearinghouse Covax.

Countries in different parts of the world, including some in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, have seen their vaccination rates stagnate in recent months at a third or less of their populations. But Africas vaccination rate remain the most dismal.

Fewer than 17 percent of Africans have received a primary Covid immunization. Nearly half of the vaccine doses delivered to the continent thus far have gone unused. Last month, the number of doses injected on the continent fell by 35 percent compared to February. W.H.O. officials attributed the drop to mass vaccination pushes being replaced by smaller-scale campaigns in several countries.

Some global health experts say the world missed a prime opportunity last year to provide vaccines to lower-income countries, when the public was more fearful of Covid and motivated to get vaccinated.

There was a time people were very desperate to get vaccinated, but the vaccines were not there. And then they realized that without the vaccination, they didnt die, said Dr. Adewole, who wants to see countries continue to pursue the 70 percent target.

What momentum remains in the global vaccination campaign has been hindered by a shortfall in funding for the equipment, transportation and personnel needed to get shots into arms.

In the United States, a key funder of the vaccination effort, lawmakers stripped $5 billion meant for global pandemic aid from the coronavirus response package that is expected to come up for a vote in the next few weeks. Biden administration officials have said that without the funds, they will be unable to provide support for vaccine delivery to more than 20 under-vaccinated countries.

Some public health experts point to reasons for optimism that the global vaccination campaign still has steam. Despite the drop off from the February peak, the number of Covid vaccinations being administered each day in Africa is still near a pandemic high. And Gavi earlier this month drew a significant new round of funding pledges, securing $4.8 billion in commitments, although it fell short of its $5.2 billion goal.

There is also hope that a global Covid summit the White House plans to co-host next month could be an opportunity to generate momentum and funding.

But the drop in public demand has led some health officials and experts to quietly, and in some cases outright, question whether the 70 percent vaccination target is feasible or even sensible.

Reported fatalities from Covid-19 remain comparatively low in sub-Saharan Africa, although there is debate about how much of this reflects poor data tracking. The perception, however, in many countries in the region is that the disease does not pose a serious threat, certainly not as much as other pervasive health problems that demand attention with scarce health care resources.

Many lower-income governments are turning their focus to their economies and other health issues like H.I.V., said Fifa Rahman, a civil society representative to a W.H.O.-launched group coordinating the global Covid response. Theres a sense of a lot of competing priorities, but thats a symptom of the momentum being gone. Because when the momentum was there, everyone was like, Where are our vaccines?

In rural areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, where the reported Covid death rate is very low, there is a surge in measles cases threatening 20 million children. Yet the government says it cannot spare the resources to provide supplementary measles vaccinations this year, said Christopher Mambula, medical manager for Doctors Without Border in East Africa. In this kind of context, it makes little sense to continue to divert resources to widespread vaccination against Covid, he said.

As African governments have received more vaccines donated from wealthy countries and struggled to distribute even those supplies, their interest in ordering more doses has dropped.

The African Union still aims to vaccinate 70 percent of its population by the end of 2022. But with countries slow to use up donated vaccines, the bloc has not exercised its options to order more doses of the shots from Johnson & Johnson and Moderna.

The South African drugmaker Aspen Pharmacare earlier this year finalized a deal to bottle and market the Johnson & Johnson vaccine across Africa, a contract that was billed as an early step toward Africas development of a robust vaccine production industry. Aspen geared up for production, but no buyers, including the African Union and Covax, have placed orders yet, said Stephen Saad, Aspens chief executive.

The Serum Institute of India, the worlds largest vaccine maker, stopped its production of Covid shots in December last year, when its stockpile grew to 200 million doses; Bharat Biotech, another Indian firm that was a major producer, also stopped making vaccines in the face of low demand. The companies say they have no further orders since their contracts with the Indian government ended in March.

After the W.H.O. began promoting the 70 percent vaccination goal, many lower-income governments adopted the target for their own populations. The Biden administration also endorsed it last September, setting a deadline of September 2022.

At the time, two doses of the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna were understood to offer very strong protection against even mild disease, and there was still hope that achieving high levels of vaccination coverage would tame the virus. But the emergence of new variants and the spread of the virus in Africa changed the calculus.

The vaccine regimens that had been planned for the developing world offered little protection against infection with the Omicron variant. And as sub-Saharan African countries were shut out of vaccine distribution for much of last year, more and more Africans gained protection against the virus from natural infection, which studies have shown works as well as two mRNA doses in preventing infection. New data from the W.H.O. shows that at least two-thirds of Africans had been infected with the virus before the Omicron wave.

Given these factors, some public health experts in Africa say the broad 70 percent goal no longer makes sense. Theres very little value to it. In fact, we will gain much more by getting to more than 90 percent of people above the age of 50, said Shabir Madhi, a professor of vaccinology and the dean of the faculty of health sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. About two-thirds of South Africans above age 50 are currently fully vaccinated.

Dr. Madhi said that South Africa could close down mass vaccination sites and instead redouble its efforts to seek out the most vulnerable at church services and at government offices that pay out monthly pension benefits.

Katherine OBrien, who directs the W.H.O.s work on vaccines and immunizations, said the agency encourages countries to focus on its most vulnerable citizens rather than vaccinating a random set of 70 percent of their populations. The aspiration she said, has always been 100 percent of health workers, 100 percent of older adults, 100 percent of pregnant women, 100 percent of the people who fall into those highest risk groups.

Countries can of course make decisions about what health goal they wish to prioritize, Dr. OBrien said, but finite resources should not be the obstacle to vaccinating against the coronavirus. The world has enough resources to do this, if countries want to do it, she said. And that should be really the North Star.

Some public health experts said that while the 70 percent vaccination threshold is clearly not achievable by its original deadline, it would be unwise and unethical to give up on that target over a longer time horizon. They expressed frustration about the growing gulf between wealthy countries vaccinating young children and offering healthy adults fourth vaccine doses, and the regions where the majority of people still do not have one dose.

Why are we making it one target for high-income countries and one target for low income? said Dr. Ayoade Alakija, a co-chair of the African Unions vaccine delivery program.

She said that even though many people in sub-Saharan Africa have been infected, there is still need for the additional protection that would come from a high level of vaccination coverage.

Modest vaccination coverage, she said, is not considered a good enough level of protection in England, its not a good enough level of protection in America. How is it OK not to be aiming for the very maximum, maximum we can? Aim for the sky and get to the top of the tree.

April 23, 2022

An earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of the chief executive of Gavi. He is Dr. Seth Berkley, not Berkeley.

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Covid Live Updates: Testing, Lockdowns, and More News - The New York Times

The number of identified coronavirus cases increased in Oregon for a fourth consecutive week, according to state data released Monday.

The 48% increase in weekly confirmed or presumed infections marked the second consecutive week with nearly 50% growth, pushing identified cases to their highest levels since late February.

But Oregon remains far below the case and hospitalization numbers seen during late 2020, summer 2021 and this years omicron surge. And the current rise in infections isnt expected to have the kind of dire consequences as the delta and omicron waves did.

While the states numbers show an unequivocal rise in infections, the true scope of the spread of disease in Oregon is unclear, at least in part due to the success of at-home testing. Oregonians arent required to report the results of positive or negative at-home tests to authorities and, because such tests are popular and easily available, the states reported numbers are an undercount of infections.

But test positivity, a strong indicator of disease prevalence, hinted at the true state of infections in Oregon. At 8.3% of all tests coming back positive Sunday, the metric was higher than it has been since Feb. 21.

COVID-19 hospitalizations reported Monday climbed to 144, up from a post-omicron dip that earlier this month fell to 84 occupied beds, a level not seen since 2020.

The current hospitalization bump could peak at 314 June 8, according to an April 22 Oregon Health & Science University forecast. About half of those would be incidental cases of the illness, with patients hospitalized to be treated primarily for other conditions.

Although that estimate is about 100 occupied beds higher than the universitys forecast two weeks earlier, it is still nearly four times lower than the peak hospitalizations reached during the delta wave.

Fueled by the highly contagious BA.2 omicron subvariant, coronavirus cases are rising nationally, with Oregon recording some of the largest percentage gains, according to The New York Times.

While acknowledging the various metrics that indicate COVID-19 is spreading rapidly, Oregon health officials have reiterated that the emergency phase of the pandemic has passed.

Since it began: Oregon has reported 716,414 confirmed or presumed infections and 7,485 deaths.

Where the newest cases are by county: Baker (4), Benton (207), Clackamas (512), Clatsop (31), Columbia (68), Coos (21), Crook (19), Curry (6), Deschutes (284), Douglas (31), Gilliam (1), Hood River (25), Jackson (159), Jefferson (7), Josephine (44), Klamath (28), Lake (8), Lane (380), Lincoln (23), Linn (163), Malheur (1), Marion (265), Morrow (6), Multnomah (1,804), Polk (91), Sherman (1), Tillamook (22), Umatilla (30), Union (3), Wallowa (6), Wasco (12), Washington (987), Wheeler (1) and Yamhill (64).

Hospitalizations: 144 people with confirmed coronavirus infections are hospitalized, up 44 since Monday, April 18. That includes 15 people in intensive care, down one since April 18.

Vaccinations: As of April 18, the state has reported fully vaccinating 2,895,723 people (67.8% of the population), partially vaccinating 289,462 people (6.8%) and boosting 1,603,269 (37.6%).

New deaths: Since April 18, the Oregon Health Authority has reported 30 additional deaths connected to COVID-19.

Fedor Zarkhin

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Coronavirus in Oregon: Cases up nearly 50% for second week - OregonLive

Chen Qiushi was born in Chinas remote, frigid north near the countrys border with Russia. An only child, he loved to tell stories and jokes to his family and classmates and dreamed of being an actor or a television journalist. But his mother objected, and Chen got a law degree from a local university and moved to Beijing, where he later took a job at a prestigious legal firm.

In off-hours, Chen continued to pursue his passion for performing. He dabbled in standup comedy at local bars and did voice acting. He became a contestant on I Am a Speaker, a talent show for orators modelled on The Voice. In his final performance, he expounded on the importance of free speech. A country can only grow stronger when it is accompanied by critics, Chen said. Only freedom of expression and the freedom of press can protect a country from descending into a place where the weak are preyed upon by the strong.

Chen won second place and used his newfound fame to build a large social-media following. In 2018, he uploaded more than four hundred short videos that provided basic tutorials on Chinese law on Douyin, a platform similar to TikTok, but only available for users in China. He gained more than 1.5 million followers, making him the most popular legal personality on the entire platform.

In the next year, Chen began providing independent journalism to his followers on social-media. In the summer of 2019, he travelled to Hong Kong to report firsthand on the pro-democracy street protests that had erupted in the city. Why am I in Hong Kong? Chen asked, in a video posted on August 17th. Because a lot is happening in Hong Kong right now.

Chen interviewed protesters and spoke with those who supported the police. He waded into simmering controversies, such as the use of violence by some demonstrators. He acknowledged that journalism was a hobby of sorts, but said that he still had an obligation to be present when and where news unfolded. He also pledged to be objective. I wont express my opinion carelessly, Chen promised. I wont say whom I support or whom I disagree with. Everyone has their own subjective prejudice. I wish to leave behind my own prejudice and treat everything with neutrality as much as I can . . . because I am not satisfied with public opinion and the media environment in China, I decided to come to Hong Kong and become the media myself.

Alarmed by the reach of Chens social-media posts, Chinese officials pressured Chens law firm to get him to leave Hong Kong. The firm told Chen that, if he did not return to Beijing immediately, he would be in grave danger. Four days after he posted his first video from Hong Kong, Chen flew home to Beijing. All of his public Chinese social-media accounts, including Weibo, WeChat, and Douyin, no longer worked. When he tried to open a new Douyin account a few weeks later, the account was deleted as soon as his face appeared in a video. He posted messages on his YouTube and Twitter, which are banned in China. After Chinese police interrogated Chen and demanded to know what he thought of the Hong Kong protests, he expressed frustration. No one cares about the truthall they care about is my stance, Chen complained in a YouTube video. This is the problem we face right now. It seems that truth does not matter at all.

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Six months later, on January 23, 2020, the city of Wuhan went into lockdown. The next day, Chen boarded the last train from Beijing to Wuhan. When disaster happens, if you dont rush to the front lines as soon as possible, what kind of journalist are you? he asked in a video he posted outside the train station. Chen seemed to believe that informing the public and insuring access to independent reporting was the key to fighting the disease. As long as information travels faster than the virus, we can win this battle, Chen said, in the video. Although I was blocked on the Internet in China for reporting on the events in Hong Kong, I still have a Twitter and a YouTube account. In the next few days, I invite you to find me through these channels. Id be happy to help get the voice of the people of Wuhan to the outside world. Chen apparently believed he could use his skills as an orator and his charisma as a performer to build an audience online, even if it was primarily on YouTube and Twitter and not the Chinese social-media platforms from which he was banned.

Over the next ten days in Wuhan, Chen visited emergency rooms and supermarkets, talked to doctors, nurses, and city residents, and uploaded daily video reports. On January 25th, the beginning of the Chinese New Year, Chen donned improvised personal protective gear, including swimming goggles, and filmed a busy scene outside a local emergency room. The next day, he visited the shuttered Wuhan wet market, where a seafood seller, Wei Guixian, was reportedly the first person to have fallen ill from the virus. Chen described the market as a colorful place that sold foxes, monkeys, and pangolins, and said local rich people do have a habit of eating wild animals to boost their health.

As Chen reported from the city, Chinese officials systematically covered up the outbreak. The National Health Commission ordered institutions not to publish any information related to the unknown disease. Chen feared that such censorship was facilitating the spread of the virus and believed that his daily video reports informed the public. He facilitated donations of supplies and distributed food to hospital workers. He shared with viewers an encouraging note from his parents, who urged him to keep reporting but also to stay safe. He also implicitly criticized the countrys leadership after President Xi Jinping initially did not travel to Wuhan. I dont care where Xi Jinping is, Chen noted, addressing the citys residents. But I, Chen Qiushi, am here.

On March 10, 2020, nearly three months after the presumed first case, the President finally visited Wuhan. He praised the peoples war against the coronavirus, and brought along journalists from state-controlled media outlets. Through its global propaganda network, China told its pandemic narrative to the world. It used crude measuresa video, distributed by the state-run news agency Xinhua, featuring the Statue of Liberty failing to defend the U.S. from the virusand more sophisticated strategies, such as generating media coverage of the Chinese government delivering aid in places such as Pakistan and Italy.

Part of the governments argument is that its system of strict information control has allowed it to suppress misinformation and rumors, while providing the population with reliable health information and protocols to stay safe. A global survey released in June 2020 found that sixty per cent of respondents believed that China had responded effectively to the pandemic, while only a third felt that the U.S. had done so. The Chinese government used its near-total control over domestic news mediaas well as social mediato manage public perceptions of its coronavirus policies and to build popular support for its actions. It blocked or took down online posts that cast doubt on the governments response and, in some cases, arrested and prosecuted dissenters. Taking advantage of deteriorating relations with the Trump Administration, it expelled more than a dozen U.S. foreign correspondents, some of whom were asking uncomfortable questions about Wuhan.

China provided a playbook for information repression that spread around the world alongside the virus. Citing COVID, authoritarian governments in Russia, Iran, Nicaragua, and eighty other nations, according to Human Rights Watch, enacted new restrictions on free speech and political expression that were falsely described as public-health measures. In at least ten countries, protests against the government were also banned or interrupted. Information on the virus that did not come from the government was criminalized as fake news or propaganda.

Authoritarian regimes called the censorship necessary and much of it temporary, but, in reality, the pandemic amplified or accelerated a shift toward authoritarianism that, according to the U.S.-based pro-democracy organization Freedom House, had been under way for fourteen years. At least ninety-one countries that the group monitored restricted news media in response to the virus outbreak in the first months of 2020, including sixty-seven per cent of the states that the nonprofit classifies as not free.

These crackdowns were often fuelled by domestic political considerations, Freedom House found, including a desire to hide the extent of the outbreak from citizens and conceal government incompetence. The repression was facilitated by the narrative, created and spread by China, that authoritarian governments were better equipped to respond to the pandemic, in part, because of their ability to control and manage information. This was in sharp contrast, China argued, to the deficiencies in the democratic world, particularly in the United States, which was mired in division and misinformation and struggled to muster an effective public-health response. Today, as the most recent wave of the pandemic recedes, a post-COVID global political order is emerging where autocracies appear strengthened and democracies seem divided.

During his time in Wuhan, Chen visited the construction site of Huoshenshan Hospital, an enormous emergency medical facility that the Chinese government built, from scratch, in ten days. The hospital was both a response to the overwhelming demand for patient care, and a carefully calibrated propaganda effort intended to highlight the ability of the Chinese government to mobilize state resources and reorganize society in an emergency. During a car ride back with several Wuhan residents, Chen observed empty streets as he searched for a place to eat.

As his time in Wuhan wore on, Chen became increasingly agitated. He uploaded a twenty-seven-minute monologue in which he decried shortages of testing kits and hospital beds, described the exhaustion of doctors and construction workers, and reported that taxi-drivers in the city had figured out that a contagious disease was spreading weeks before the authorities made a public announcement. Despite the governments attempt to control the flow of information, they knew to avoid the Huanan market. Chen described the growing mayhem at hospitals, the lines, the patients being treated in parking lots and waiting rooms, and the body of a dead patient sitting in a wheelchair.

Several days after Chens arrival, someone from the Bureau of Justice called Chen and asked where he was staying in Wuhan. Authorities summoned Chens parents and asked them to pressure Chen to leave Wuhan. I want him to return home more than you do, Chen said his mother retorted. A week later, Chen told his parents he was planning to visit a temporary hospital. After being unable to reach Chen for twelve hours, his friends, following an agreed-upon protocol, logged into his accounts and changed his passwords. Though there has been no official confirmation, they suspected that he had been detained by Chinese authorities and was being secretly imprisoned.

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How Chinas Response to COVID-19 Set the Stage for a Worldwide Wave of Censorship - The New Yorker