Category: Corona Virus

COVID vaccine second booster: Here's who can get the 4th shot

Here's what to know about the second COVID-19 booster shot and if you are eligible for it.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

Health officials have renewed calls for indoor mask wearing in the Central New York regionas COVID-19 cases surged 17% last week andparts of upstate facedsome of the worst BA.2subvariant outbreaks in the country.

New York reported 22,654 COVID cases in the week ending Sunday, up from 19,377 the previous week, and continuing the turnaround that began last month following a brieflull in the pandemic.

Amid the uptick in infections, the state Health Department on Friday issued an alert recommending mask wearing regardless of vaccination status in all public indoor spaces in Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, and Oswego counties.Previously, New York ended its indoor mask mandates for public places and schools on Feb. 10 and March 2, respectively.

Overall, New York ranked ninth among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis last week, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows.

In contrast, COVID cases decreased nearly 10% nationally, with nearly 196,000cases reported, although data reporting issues raised questions about the scope of outbreaks insome states such as Florida, Nebraska, Arizona and Georgia.

In New York, tracking the rise in COVID-19 cases has also been complicated by the widespread use of at-home tests. Onondaga County, for example, had been the only county to include its self-reported at-home test resultsin state data, which slightly skewed the region's case totals.

When those at-home results are included, Central New Yorks seven-day average case rate is47.7per 100,000 residents. When those results are removed, the case rate is37.7 still far above the state average of 15.6.

Meanwhile, hospitalizations, which remain a crucial metric to gauging the virus' spread, havealso begun ticking upwards in many parts of New York, with the statewide tally last week hitting 2,190, up from 2,002 the prior week.

Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said in a statement the COVID trends in Central New York "suggests that transmission of the virus is widespread throughout the region."

The good news is we have tools to address this. I urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant and take steps to protect themselves and their families," she added, noting people should get a COVID-19 vaccine and booster dose when eligible.

Many other counties across the Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley and Southern Tier also faced major spikes in COVID-19 cases last week, ranging from 30% to nearly 70% surges.

Bassett also urged New Yorkers to geta COVID-19 test following exposure or when developing symptoms, and to stayhome and isolatewhen symptomatic. She also called on those testing positiveto talkto theirhealth care provider about pursuingtreatment options, such as the COVID-19 antiviral pills.

"Treatment is widely available and works best if taken within five days of symptom onset, so get tested quickly after symptoms arise, Bassett said.

Meanwhile, New York also passed a grim milestone last week, as a total of5,005,818 people in New York have now tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began.

In other words, more than one in four New Yorkers has tested positive for the respiratory disease, which has killed nearly 68,000 people in the state.

New York is the fourth state to surpass the 5 million COVID cases mark, behind California with 9.1 million, Texas with 6.7 million and Florida with 5.9 million.

Nationally, 80,155,397 people have tested positive and 982,565 people have died.

COVID:NY's supply ofantiviral pills has tripled since early Feb. Here's how to get them

Within New York, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in:

The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionsays high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.

Weekly case counts rose in 45 of 62 counties from the previous week. While state officials called for indoor mask wearing in five upstatecounties, the CDC guidelines, which look at case and hospitalization rates, recommended donning masks indoors in three countiesOnondaga, Oswego and Cayuga which fall in the "high risk" category.

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

New York ranked 7th among states in share of people receiving at least one shot, with 89.6% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 77%, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most used in the United States, require two doses administered a few weeks apart.

In the week ending Sunday, New York reported administering another 145,584 vaccine doses, including 24,924 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 84,182 vaccine doses.

In New York, 65 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 112 people were reported dead.

>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, April 3.

Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

Hospitals in 15 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 12 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 26 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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New York renews mask wearing recommendation in 5 counties as COVID cases surge 17% - The Journal News

The Food and Drug Administration will meet with outside advisers to talk about the next steps in formulating a COVID-19 vaccination plan. Dinendra Haria/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images hide caption

The Food and Drug Administration will meet with outside advisers to talk about the next steps in formulating a COVID-19 vaccination plan.

Most vaccinated people will probably require yet another COVID-19 vaccine booster shot in the fall, a top Food and Drug Administration official said Monday.

"That's when we'll probably have a fair amount of waning immunity in combination with likely further evolution of the virus, along with people going back inside," where the coronavirus spreads more easily, Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, told NPR in an interview.

Marks says the U.S. must start planning now for whether everyone needs another shot and, if so, what kind of shot exactly.

"We could basically wait until another wave comes along and then try to make another vaccine and try to deal with it, but I think we know that doesn't work, because we can't manufacture and deploy vaccine fast enough," Marks says.

The FDA is convening a special meeting of the agency's independent outside advisers on Wednesday for a daylong meeting to begin to plan the next round of boosters.

The meeting comes about a week after the agency authorized a fourth shot a second booster for anyone age 50 or older to shore up immunity ahead of a possible new surge sooner than the fall. A more contagious omicron subvariant known as BA.2, which has fueled surges in other countries, is now dominant in the U.S., raising fears of another surge.

The tricky part of determining what do in the fall is determining what version of the coronavirus will be dominant by then, Marks says. It could be the omicron variant, but it could also be an entirely new variant. That raises doubts about just giving people a fifth shot of the current vaccine, he says.

"There is a certain diminishing return by giving the same vaccine over and over," Marks says. "We have had enough evolution of this virus that it would make sense to want to try to cover some of the genetic diversity that has been introduced into the mix."

One strategy would be to give people a new vaccine that specifically targets omicron or one of the other variants, such as beta, Marks says. Another option would be a new vaccine that combines at least two strains into one vaccine, which could provide even broader protection against any new variants that might emerge.

"By this fall, we may be on to a new variant. It could be sigma. It may be tau. There may be something new that may be circulating that we'll have to deal with," Marks says. "We're going to have to make a good guess at what may be most effective."

That's how the flu vaccine is formulated each year, though the influenza virus is more predictable than SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19.

So far, an omicron version of the COVID-19 vaccine hasn't produced very promising results in early testing. But scientists are waiting for more data about that shot and about other new versions of the vaccines that combine strains, such as omicron and the original strain, omicron and beta, or delta and omicron.

Another question is how often people will have to keep getting vaccinated moving forward.

"Will it be something like the yearly flu vaccine, or not?" Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House science adviser, told NPR in an interview. "I have to emphasize: We don't know the answer to that right now."

Some experts worry that the FDA is just assuming another shot will be necessary, instead of focusing on the more important problem of vaccinating the unvaccinated and boosting the unboosted.

"The FDA agenda implies that, without open, transparent scientific discussion, ... that repeated boosting is the way of the future. There has yet to be a discussion of the goals of boosting and the trade-offs," Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist and senior fellow at Kaiser Health News, wrote in an email.

"People like to say we can walk and chew gum at the same time, but in a world of limited resources, there are choices and trade-offs to be weighed. What are we not doing at the expense of repeated boosting?" she says.

In a briefing document posted Monday, the FDA outlined the many questions that the advisory committee will discuss on Wednesday. One issue is whether the U.S. or the World Health Organization will take the lead in formulating the next version of the vaccine, as the latter does with the annual flu shot.

Unlike with the flu shot, regulators will need specific new data demonstrating that any new formulation of the vaccine is safe and effective, the FDA says.

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FDA to discuss next vaccination steps with advisers : Shots - Health News - NPR

PHOENIX As the number of COVID hospitalizations reach record lows, doctors are shifting their focus to long COVID.

Some studies estimate the lingering, often debilitating symptoms, impact 30% of people who catch the virus. Sometimes the headaches, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, fatigue, and other issues dissipate after a couple of weeks. Some people, though, are still battling the virus' aftereffects more than two years later.

"I was working full time when the pandemic hit. I worked out every single day," said Nicole Walgren.

When the 32-year-old Arizona native caught COVID-19 in June of 2020 though, everything changed.

"At first, I lost my taste and smell and I thought that was going to be it," she said.

Weeks later though, her symptoms changed and got much worse.

"I couldn't walk to the bathroom, my breathing was [so] labored. My joints and bones hurt so bad that even going to do laundry wiped me out for the day. I actually had to move in with my parents because I couldn't physically take care of myself during that time," Nicole recalled.

Like so many who suffer from long COVID, Nicole went to see specialists to address her variety of symptoms.

"I had chest X-rays. I did a pulmonary stress test at the hospital. I went to a cardiologist. I had a sonogram test. I went to a regular doctor. All my tests kept coming back 'fine,'" said Nicole. "It made me feel crazy."

Nicole said there were days where she felt like she might die.

Bill Toogood understands that feeling all too well.

"My headaches became so severe I was convinced there were nights where I wasn't going to wake up. I mean, it was that bad," said Toogood.

The 59-year-old from Tucson is now approaching two years with long COVID.

Like Nicole, he has dealt with a wide array of symptoms -- pain, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, brain fog, and an irregular heartbeat, to name a few. He also lost his job helping house families whose children were hospitalized in Tucson.

"I'm still not working," said Bill. "I applied for disability last November. I don't know how I'm going to get back to work, feeling the way I'm feeling. I just don't have it in me to put in a 40-hour week."

BIll is participating in two long COVID studies, led primarily by the University of Arizona.

"In the CoVHORT study we ask a lot more questions about household and work experience...Whereas the 'Recover' study is much more focused on the individual patient and their clinical outcomes," said Dr. Kristen Pogreba Brown, a professor and researcher with the University of Arizona.

Dr. Pogreba Brown says the amount of people afflicted by long COVID is staggering.

"Our study for CoVHORT is largely made up of non-hospitalized people, and we're still seeing rates of long COVID well over 30%," she said.

If those numbers hold true nationally, it would mean roughly 24 million Americans have some form of lingering symptoms.

Unfortunately for the victims of this virus, the current treatment options are untested and scarce.

Many people are linking up on Facebook groups and other social media to discuss remedies, helpful tips, and encouragement.

"There were hundreds of thousands of people in one group," said Nicole, who estimates the numbers have ballooned since she last checked.

"It's important to believe people who say they have long COVID," Nicole continued. "It's something that I really didn't want to share with a lot of people. But I relied heavily on other people's stories, so I felt like it was my duty to share mine too, because it made me feel less alone and less crazy. "

If you would like to participate in the Recover COVID study, you can register here.

Read more:

Arizona universities push for long COVID answers as symptoms persist in millions - ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix

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CDC study finds risk of heart issues after COVID-19 infection, 2nd vaccine dose - KXAN.com

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Original post:

Ukraine, coronavirus, Grammys recap & more: Whats trending today - cleveland.com

The rise of the strain has been rapid and consistent.

The stealth omicron subvariant which already was the dominant strain in the U.S. now accounts for more than 70% of all sampled cases in New Jersey through March 19, according to the states latest variant tracker.

In early February, stealth omicron (BA.2) made up less than 3% of cases in the Garden State. It accounted for 45.7% in the week ending March 12.

For weeks, experts have been predicting that BA.2 a genetically distinct branch of the omicron variant (BA.1) would spread until it became the dominant strain in the state and country. However, theyve also maintained that the subvariant was unlikely to lead to another devastating wave.

Yes, infections may increase, experts say, but they do not anticipate lockdowns or other measures, even as masks come off and state mandates end.

But the United Kingdom seen as the canary in the coal mine when it comes to what New Jersey and the rest of the U.S. can expect in the pandemic is experiencing a concerning surge in COVID-19 cases, with 1 in 13 people 4.9 million estimated to have the virus, The Associated Press reported. The record number of infected has also spurred a rise in hospitalizations and deaths.

BA.2 is highly transmissible more transmissible than its variant predecessors. But its not believed to be deadlier. And experts say the large number of vaccinated residents in New Jersey as well as the thousands of people who were infected with omicron likely have some immunity to BA.2.

The original omicron variant still accounts for 29.2% of all cases in New Jersey.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com.

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Stealth omicron becomes dominant strain in N.J. And its fueling record COVID levels in the U.K. - NJ.com

The UK Health Security Agency recently added nine symptoms to its list of signs of coronavirus infection, showing the broad range and scope of coronavirus symptoms.

The UKSHA updated its current guidanceof COVID-19 symptoms to include new symptoms, including sore throat, muscle pains and diarrhea, which had not been listed previously, according to BBC News.

The full list of COVID-19 symptoms from the UK Health Security Agency now includes nine new COVID symptoms, including:

The National Health Service in the U.K. said many new COVID-19 symptoms are very similar to the cold and flu.

Per BBC News, experts have been monitoring COVID-19 symptoms for more than two years now. Its odd, then, that it would take so long for symptoms to appear on official lists.

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COVID symptoms: 9 new symptoms added to this official list - Deseret News

Total vaccine doses distributed: 705,237,845

Patients whove received the first dose: 255,713,962

Patients whove received the second dose: 217,834,304

% of population fully vaccinated: 65.6%

% of infections tied to the Omicron Variant: 100%

Read more here:

Coronavirus Omicron variant, vaccine, and case numbers in the United States: April 4, 2022 - Medical Economics

By now, theres a good chance youve heard about the BA.2 variant of the coronavirus but experts are unsure about what to make of it.

Driving the news: Experts recently told The Daily Beast that the new BA.2 COVID-19 variant has been confusing because it has dominated some countries while remaining mostly absent from other parts of the world.

The bigger picture: COVID-19 cases are still spreading across the world. China has had to contend with new coronavirus subtypes including new mutations of the omicron variant, per Bloomberg as the United Kingdom has had to battle omicron XE, a hybrid version of two omicron variant mutations.

Excerpt from:

New COVID variant is still really unpredictable, experts say. Heres why - Deseret News

By Leela Stockley, Bangor Daily News StaffAnother 256 coronavirus cases have been reported across the state, Maine health officials said Saturday.Saturdays report brings the total number of coronavirus cases in Maine to 236,258, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

By Leela Stockley, Bangor Daily News Staff

Another 256 coronavirus cases have been reported across the state, Maine health officials said Saturday.

Saturdays report brings the total number of coronavirus cases in Maine to 236,258, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats up from 236,046 on Friday.

Of those, 171,079 have been confirmed positive, while 65,179 were classified as probable cases, the Maine CDC reported.

No new deaths were reported on Saturday, leaving the statewide death toll at 2,202.

The number of coronavirus cases diagnosed in the past 14 days statewide is 2,562. This is an estimation of the current number of active cases in the state, as the Maine CDC is no longer tracking recoveries for all patients. Thats up from 2,509 on Friday.

The new case rate statewide Saturday was 1.58 cases per 10,000 residents, and the total case rate statewide was 1,765.22.

The most cases have been detected in Mainers younger than 20, while Mainers over 80 years old account for the largest portion of deaths. More cases have been recorded in women and more deaths in men.

So far, 4,568 Mainers have been hospitalized at some point with COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus.

Of those, 91 are currently hospitalized, with 17 in critical care and five on a ventilator. Overall, 86 out of 349 critical care beds and 259 out of 329 ventilators are available.

The total statewide hospitalization rate on Saturday was 34.13 patients per 10,000 residents.

Cases have been reported in Androscoggin (22,404), Aroostook (12,711), Cumberland (48,183), Franklin (5,664), Hancock (7,358), Kennebec (22,882), Knox (5,917), Lincoln (5,164), Oxford (11,242), Penobscot (27,367), Piscataquis (2,967), Sagadahoc (5,064), Somerset (9,593), Waldo (6,012), Washington (4,332) and York (39,387) counties. Information about where an additional 11 cases were reported wasnt immediately available.

An additional 2,291 vaccine doses were administered in the previous 24 hours. As of Saturday, 1,001,610 Mainers are fully vaccinated, or about 78.21 percent of eligible Mainers, according to the Maine CDC.

As of Saturday morning, the coronavirus had sickened 80,140,311 people in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as caused 982,374 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine.

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212 more coronavirus cases have been reported across Maine - observer-me.com