Category: Corona Virus

The appearance of virology researcher Peter Daszak, PhD, whose organization worked with the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) to study bat coronaviruses, drew the expected tough questions from House Republicans at a hearing Wednesday, but Democrats weren't letting Daszak off the hook either.

"Today we'll hear from both sides that there are serious concerns about EcoHealth Alliance's failure to comply with reporting requirements for federal granteesconcerns that draw into question whether you, Dr. Daszak, sought to deliberately mislead regulators at NIH and NIAID [the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases]," Rep. Raul Ruiz, MD, (D-Calif.) ranking member of the House Oversight and Accountability Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, said at a hearing featuring Daszak as the lone witness.

"We will also examine whether Dr. Daszak, beyond his obligations as an employee of a federally funded grantee, acted with integrity in his engagement with the possibility that COVID-19 resulted from a research-related incident."

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) asked Daszak, who is president of the EcoHealth Alliance, about why he appeared to mislead the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in relation to the Wuhan lab's potential participation when his organization submitted a grant application, which was never funded, for proposed coronavirus research to be done in cooperation with the University of North Carolina. "That kind of raises some questions for me," she said. "Why did you even entertain the thought of minimizing and apparently omitting the extent of Wuhan's involvement?"

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House Members Grill Coronavirus Researcher on Involvement With Wuhan Lab - Vision Monday

Time

The COVID-19 lull in the U.S. may soon come to an end, as a new family of SARS-CoV-2 variantsnicknamed FLiRT variantsbegins to spread nationwide.

These variants aredistant Omicron relativesthat spun out from JN.1, thevariant behind the surge in cases this past winter. Theyve been dubbed FLiRT variants based on the technical names for their mutations, one of which includes the letters F and L, and another of which includes the letters R and T. Within the FLiRT family, one variant in particular has risen to prominence: KP.2, which accounted for about 25% of new sequenced cases during the two weeks ending Apr. 27,according to datafrom the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Other FLiRT variants, including KP.1.1, have not become as widespread in the U.S. yet.

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What to Know About the 'FLiRT' Variants of COVID-19 - University of Nebraska Medical Center

By Simone McCarthy and Yong Xiong, CNN

Hong Kong (CNN) In the early days of 2020, as science looked for answers to a mysterious viral outbreak in central China, a prominent Chinese virologist stepped forward to share critical datawith the world.

Zhang Yongzhens disclosure of the genome of the virus that causes Covid-19 was a crucial step in the race to combat thepandemic, helping researchersglobally to identify the pathogen and create vaccines to counter it.

He was lauded for his integrity by the scientific community, but in the years since, people who know Zhang say he has faced a series of unprecedented roadblocks in his career in China with yet another barrier placed in front of his research over the past week.

On Sunday and Monday, Zhang, 59, slept overnight in protest outside his lab at the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center after administrators closed the facility abruptly for renovations, accordingto accounts posted on his Weibo social media page.

A post on his page early Wednesday said a tentative agreement had been reached for Zhangs team to resume their scientific work at the lab, some of which is related to tracing the origins of Covid-19.

The ordeal is just the latesthindrance to Zhangs research since 2020, according to a colleague who has been in contact with the Chinese scientist in recent years.

An account by Zhangs research studentsposted online also laid out a litany of challenges faced by the scientist since the formal transfer of his official employment to the Shanghai center in 2020, when his 19-year tenure at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention also ended.

Their account, reposted on Zhangs Weibo pageand seen by CNN, has since been deleted. It alleges the Shanghai center, which is affiliated with the citys Fudan University,failed to formally recognize Zhangs employment, leaving him without social security and medical benefits, and that itprematurely terminated a five-yearcooperation agreement with the scientist.

That a top scientist in his field, a person who has made contributions to the country and mankind should have fallen to this point is really sad and chilling, the post read.

In a statement Monday, the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center said it had closed some labs for renovation due to safety concerns and claimed it had provided additional office and experimental spaces for Zhang and his team.

The institute always respects and supports scientific researchers and students in carrying out normal research work, the statement said.

Images posted on social media this week appeared to show Zhang wrapped in blankets and sleeping on the doorstep of the lab building as security guards hovered over him.

Reached briefly by phone on Monday, Zhang told CNN the centers explanation that the lab needed renovation and there was ample notification of the move was nonsense.

More than a dozen students research had been impacted by the lab closure, he said, adding it was inconvenient to say more at that time.

In his post Wednesday, Zhang said his team would discuss with the (center) the future relocation plan of the laboratory, the guarantee of normal life and scientific research work for students during the transition period, andwork to resolve issues related to his own agreements with the center. CNN was unable to independently confirm his post.

The earlier post by Zhangs students said the two days originally allocated by the center for them to move their scientific work was insufficient. Their lab had been renovated as recently as 2020 and a second lab hadnt been in use since the pandemic, they added.

Neither Zhang nor the online post detailing the circumstances leading to his protest connected the lab closure to his sharing of the coronavirus genome sequence in 2020.

Multiple calls from CNN to the public relations department of the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center went unanswered on Tuesday.

Zhang became the first scientist to share Covid-19s genomic sequence on January 11, 2020 as the World Health Organization waited for China to provide the data following its announcement nearly two weeks earlierof a viral outbreak in the central city of Wuhan.

He was hailed internationally for his work and named by Nature as one of 10 people who helped shape science in 2020.

In an interview with the journal that year, Zhang reflected on his global recognition.

They say, January 11 was a turning point for understanding that this is serious. It was a turning point for China. It was a turning point for the world, he said.

But in China, Zhang faced challenges to his work that stemmed from that moment, according to his long-time collaborator Edward Holmes, a University of Sydney professor who published the genome with Zhangs permission on an international data sharing website.

Following the release of the data, Zhangs lab had limitations placed on it, which barred it from isolating the Covid virus, Holmes said.

Its unclear if this move was separate from a Chinese government rectification order received by Zhangs team that reports at the time said resulted in the temporary closure of the lab a day after the sequence release.Zhang told Nature in 2020 that the order merely required his lab to update its biosafety protocols after moving equipment during construction work.

Zhang, a scientist with Chinas CDC since 2001, was also forced out of the agency in September 2020, according to a person familiar with the situation.

CNN approached Chinas National Health Commission, which oversees the CDC, for comment.

These changes for Zhang came as China already known for top-down control on the academic sector tightened oversight of scientific information related to the virus. That included imposing restrictions by April 2020 on the publication of academic research on the origins of the novel coronavirus.

Beijing has repeatedly defended its scientific transparency and data sharing related to the outbreak.

The idea that (Zhang) would do anything anti-China is ridiculous given his (national) pride. But clearly the government wanted a certain message to be conveyed, a certain narrative to be put out on the outbreak in Wuhan by releasing the sequence of the virus he broke that instruction and it all stems from that, Holmes told CNN on Monday.

In the old days, pre-Covid he was like a machine and now the machine is broken. Hes just been slowly crushed by this.

In the months after he shared the Covid-19 sequence, Zhangs employment was transferred to the Shanghai Public Health Center, where he had held a five-year cooperation agreement and part-time professorship since 2018. Its unclear if this move was already in the works prior to January 2020.

Since then, he has continued to publish in journals such as Cell and Nature Microbiology on the presence of viruses in animals and nature in China and received at least two international awards.

The most recent of his international publications in March looked at coronavirus variants in Shanghai in the initial months of the Covid-19 outbreak, and Zhangs team continues to work on research related to the virus and its emergence.

Ongoing research includes a National Natural Science Foundation of Chinaproject at the laboratory, the post said.

In a Weibo post on January 11 marking the fourth anniversary of his Covid disclosure, Zhang appeared to allude to the challenges he has faced in the years since.

Four years ago this morning, on behalf of the research team, we insisted on putting life first and made the right choice, Zhang wrote.

Despite going through continuous ups and downs, experiencing the warmth and cold of human emotion, and the harshness of the world, we have no regrets.

But recent years have taken a steep toll on Zhang, according to Holmes.

Hes not the same in terms of his productivity, hes completely different not the same person at all. Its just been extraordinary to watch and extraordinary that its come to this, he said.

Holmes, whohad limited email contact with Zhang during his protest this week, said the Chinese virologist had told him he recently failed in his pursuit of a legal case against the Shanghaicenter for its handling of his contract.

(All this has) gone on for a long time but I hadnt realized how bad it had got, Holmes said.

The-CNN-Wire & 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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This Chinese virologist shared crucial Covid-19 data. Then his research hit hurdles - LocalNews8.com

Soon after their arrival in late December 2020, the Covid-19 vaccines turned the pandemic around and opened a path back to normalcy. They prevented about 14.4 million deaths worldwide, according to one estimate.

In a small percentage of people, they also produced side effects.

Over the course of more than a year, The New York Times talked to 30 people who said they had been harmed by Covid vaccines. Their symptoms may turn out to be unrelated to the shots. But they along with more than a dozen experts felt federal officials are not doing enough to investigate their complaints.

All vaccines carry some risk of side effects. More than 270 million Americans received about 677 million doses of the Covid vaccines, and even rare side effects occurring, say, in just 0.001 percent of patients might mean thousands of recipients were affected.

Indeed, more than 13,000 have submitted claims to a government fund that compensates people for Covid vaccine injuries. So far, however, only a dozen people have been compensated, nearly all of them for a heart problem caused by the vaccines.

Here are four takeaways from our investigation.

Even the best vaccines and drugs have some side effects. That does not negate their benefits, nor does it suggest that people should stop taking them.

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Covid Vaccine Side Effects: 4 Takeaways From Our Investigation - The New York Times

Recent revelations regarding a potential rare side effect of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, have sparked concerns among the public. A legal submission by AstraZeneca admitted that their vaccine could lead to Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), a condition characterised by blood clot formation and low platelet count. The claim is only partially accurate as per the fact check by The Healthy Indian Project (THIP). However, it's important to understand the actual risk associated with this side effect.

Image: IANS

Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) is a severe health condition associated with adenovirus vector vaccines, including Covishield. TTS leads to low platelet count (thrombocytopenia) and the formation of blood clots (thrombosis) within the body. Symptoms of TTS include shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling, severe and continuous headaches, stomach aches, and easy bruising.

Yes, but it is a rare side effect. AstraZeneca has acknowledged a connection between its COVID-19 vaccine, AZD1222, and TTS. The company mentioned in its legal papers that while there is a chance for TTS to occur, it is rare and uncommon. It's essential to understand that not everyone who receives the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will be affected by TTS.

The vaccine leaflet by WHO, recently updated in 2022, mentions everything about Vaxzevria, (AstraZeneca Covid vaccines). It also mentions about "Very rare cases of blood clots with low levels of blood platelets have been observed following vaccination with Vaxzevria. The majority of these cases occurred within the first 21 days following vaccination and some cases had a fatal outcome."

Following the initial dosage of Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca), the estimated risk of developing TTS was 2.6 per 100,000 individuals, with more severe results observed in those under 60 years of age. There was a significantly decreased chance of experiencing TTS after the second dose, as per the Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre.

Image: PTI

To a minimal extent. 175 crore doses of Covishield have been given out in India. It is the most widely administered vaccine in India, and there have been a limited number of TTS cases reported across the country. Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), including vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), is an extremely rare side effect, mostly seen after the initial vaccination. Despite the widespread use of Covishield, other vaccine-induced complications like CVST have not yet been documented in India.

Image: PTI

No. As of now, there is no reason to panic. Dr Jayadevan, Co-Chairman of the National Indian Medical Association (IMA) Covid Task Force in Kerala, told ANI that TTS is a rare occurrence following specific types of vaccines and other causes. Most cases of TTS are reported within a few weeks of vaccination. Therefore, staying vigilant and consulting a doctor if you experience any symptoms of TTS is advisable.

AstraZeneca developed the COVID-19 vaccine in collaboration with Oxford University. Both vaccines are identical in formulation but are manufactured and distributed in different geographical locations. AstraZeneca's vaccine is categorised as an adenovirus vector vaccine and has shown 6080% protection against COVID-19 infection in clinical trials.

It is also to be noted that TTS is linked to other COVID-19 vaccines as well. Johnson & Johnsons COVID-19 vaccine, named Janssen, has also been associated with this condition. According to a 2023 report by Yale Medicine haematologist Robert Bona, MD, TTS typically occurs in individuals who are bedridden, hospitalised or have other medical issues related to inflammation, infection, or cancer

Read also: After Covishield vaccine side effects disclosed, grieving parents move to court against Serum Institute of India

Following the British pharmaceutical corporation AstraZeneca's admission in court that its vaccination can induce uncommon adverse effects, the parents of a woman who may have died after taking Covishield are considering suing the Serum Institute of India (SII). Produced by the Serum Institute of India, Covishield was created by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and was widely used in India.

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Covishield's rare side effect: What is TTS, symptoms, risk factors explained - The Times of India

In a shocking admission, AstraZeneca, the developer and manufacturer of the Covishield Covid vaccine, recently acknowledged the possibility of Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) as a side effect. This admission has sparked concerns regarding the safety of the vaccine.

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Assertions suggesting that all Indians face imminent peril from TTS and attributing it to governmental failure are gross exaggerations and misleading.

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Mild side effects post-vaccination are common but temporary. Serious adverse effects are rare.

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( Originally published on May 02, 2024 )

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Took AstraZeneca's Covishield? Should I be worried? What are the risky side effects I shouldn't ignore? He - The Economic Times

NEW YORKThe national average for gross revenue at ECP locations decreased last week, April 2228, when compared with the previous week at a rate of -2 index points. That places gross revenue at a level 5 index points above where it was at this point in time (Week 17) when compared with last year (2023), 11 points above the same period in 2022, 14 points above 2021, 102 points above 2020 (during COVID) and 19 points above 2019, according to Jobsons most recent Practice Performance Tracker.

All optical sales categories were down last week when compared with the previous week, at rates of -2 index points for gross revenue, -3 index points for exams/refractions, -1 index point for frame units, -3 index points for lens pairs and -1 index point for contact lenses. When comparing last weeks optical sales with the same period last year, the categories were mixed, ranging from the largest decrease of -3 index points for lens pairs, to the greatest increase of 5 index points for gross revenue.

The other categories changed by 2 index points for exams/refractions, -2 index points for frame units and 3 index points for contact lenses.

With all optical sales categories decreasing last week, only one of the categories reached a level above an average week in 2019the index baseline assigned a value of 100 for this Optical Business Tracker. These ranged from a high of 120 index points for gross revenue to a low of 90 index points for contact lenses. The other three categories reached 97 index points for exams/refractions, 99 index points for frame units and 98 index points for lens pairs.

Jobson Optical Research selected 1,500 optical locations that have been operating and reporting their sales to its partners, GPN and ABB Analyze, since 2019. The index has been rebased to an average week in 2019. Going forward, this new index base will be used as an arbitrary benchmark and assigned a value of 100.

Click here to view the complete Jobson COVID-19 Performance Tracker

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The National Average for Gross Revenue at ECP Locations Decreased for the Week of April 2228, Jobson's Latest ... - Vision Monday

The world just lived through the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 7 million reported direct deaths globally, more than 775 million reported cases, more than 14 million indirect excess deaths, and likely millions more unreported deaths. Despite the devastating effects on people and economies around the world, we still do not know with certainty how the pandemic originated, with the two most likely hypotheses either a natural spillover from an animal host or a research lab leak. Finding an answer to this question is not just a matter of doing justice to the millions of victims of COVID-19it will have significant ramifications for policy implementation to help prevent the next pandemic.

Importantly, the catastrophic impact of the COVID-19 disease has shown us that preventing the next pandemic and biosafety in general should be top of mind for researchers, regulators, policymakers and public health officials, and it will likely require an array of measures by private, public, and nongovernmental organizations. This includes reconsidering our early warning systems for emergent diseases from the natural world, and taking a closer look at research with dangerous pathogens in biolabs. Identifying the origins of the recent pandemic can help target those efforts.

On May 14, the Brookings Center on Regulation and Markets will address these complex questions. First, Alina Chan, scientific advisor at the Broad Institute, and Alison Young, Curtis B. Hurley chair in public affairs reporting at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, will explain why the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus matters for public policy. Then, a balanced expert panel will debate the two most likely origins: natural spillover or a leak from a lab. A final panel of biosafety experts will discuss what measures would be best suited to improve biosafety and reduce the risks for research-related lab incidents as well as future pandemics. This event is a part of the CRM series on Reimagining Modern-day Markets and Regulations.

Viewers can join the conversation and ask questions of the speakers by emailing [emailprotected] or on X/Twitter using the hashtag #OriginOfCovid.

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Biosafety and the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence and policy implications | Brookings - Brookings Institution

Drug overdose rates skyrocketed in the United States during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 92,000 people died due to overdose in 2020. Public health experts worried early in the pandemic that lockdowns and other measures to control the spread of the virus could lead to more overdoses.

In work that was recently published in the American Journal of Public Health,Syracuse University researchers quantify how much the pandemic measures and economic policies impacted those rates. The findings provide answers to lawmakers and health leaders about future health policies and the unintended consequences that come with certain health measures, even if those measures were intended to save lives.

Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs faculty members and Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health researchers Douglas Wolf, Shannon Monnat, Emily Wiemers, Jennifer Karas Montezand Yue Sun led the study, while former Syracuse postdoctoral student Xue Zhang and National Institute on Drug Abuse program scientist Elyse Grossman also contributed.

Professors Wolf and Monnat sat down to discuss the main findings of the work.

Douglas Wolf

Q: What were the key findings that you discovered in this study?

Douglas Wolf: There are three main conclusions supported by this study:

1. The increases in drug overdose mortality observed in many states during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic appear to have been exacerbated by state policies intended to control the spread of the viruspolicies that restricted in-person activities, travel and business;

2. State policies intended to mitigate the economic impacts of the pandemicfor example, expanded unemployment benefitsappear also to have reduced drug overdose mortality; and

(3) While the two types of policies had opposite effects, no states imposed economic support policies sufficient to fully offset the harmful consequences of the restrictions on individual and business activity.

Q: Did lockdowns have an unintended consequence of increasing drug overdose deaths?

Wolf: Yes, lockdown policies appear to have contributed to an increase in drug overdose deaths. This could have occurred due to loss of employment and income, adverse mental health outcomes, reduced access to treatment and harm reduction services, an inadequate supply of EMS responders, reductions in interdiction of illicit drugs or an increase in solitary drug use.

Q: Do you find any examples of economic support policies that worked better than others in reducing overdose rates?

Wolf: No, we are unable to separate the effects of expanded unemployment benefits and moratoria on evictions and foreclosures, which were the two main types of economic support policies.

Q: How can public health officials best address the needs of people struggling with addiction during public health emergencies like the pandemic?

Shannon Monnat

Shannon Monnat: Crises in general, not just the COVID-19 pandemic, tend to amplify the risk factors for overdose. In the short term, reducing overdose risk among people who are already struggling with substance use disorders requires ensuring widespread and easy access to Narcanthe overdose reversal drug. However, we cant Narcan our way out of the drug overdose crisis. The most forward-thinking and effective strategy to reduce overdoses in the long term is to reduce the upstream social and economic factors that lead people to use drugs and become addicted. At its core, this means making sure our society is set up in a way that provides opportunities for people to engage in activitieswork, family and communitythat bring purpose and meaning to their lives.

Q: Four years laterwhat are the biggest takeaways from your work that could be applied to the next pandemic response?

Monnat: As with all policies, there are tradeoffs. Our finding that restrictive policies were associated with larger increases in drug overdoses must be considered within a broader context of their reductions in COVID-19 mortality. These policies certainly saved lives. People who would have otherwise contracted and died from COVID lived because these policies reduced disease spread. We should all be grateful for that. But we must also acknowledge that some of these policies had the unintended consequence of cutting other lives short. The challenge for policymakers is to find the ideal balance that will save the most lives possible.

You can view the entire research paper and the teams research briefing.

To get in touch with researchers or to get more information, please contact:

Daryl Lovell Associate Director of Media Relations University Communications 315.380.0206 dalovell@syr.edu|@DarylLovell

Chris Munoz Media Relations Specialist University Communications 315.278.5566 cjmunoz@syr.edu

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Study: Pandemic Policies Linked to Overdose Spike Syracuse University News - Syracuse University News

Anyone can get COVID-19, also called coronavirus disease 2019, including children. Find out about the symptoms, testing and medical issues linked to COVID-19 in children. And learn how to help prevent COVID-19, especially in children at high risk of serious illness.

Data tracking between 2020 and 2023 found that children made up about 18% of all people with reported COVID-19 in the United States.

While children are as likely as adults to catch the virus that causes COVID-19, kids are less likely to become seriously ill. From 2020 to the end of March 2024, children up to age 17 accounted for about 1.5% of people who needed to be treated for COVID-19 in the hospital.

But some children with COVID-19 need to be hospitalized, treated in the intensive care unit or placed on a machine to help them breathe, called a ventilator. Very rarely, COVID-19 can cause death.

Some health issues might raise a child's risk of serious illness with COVID-19, such as:

This is not a complete list. Other health issues, such as sickle cell disease, may be linked to more-serious COVID-19.

Having more than one risk factor raises the chance of serious COVID-19. Age younger than 1 year or older than 12 also raises the risk. And if a medical condition isn't under control, that can raise the risk of serious COVID-19.

A COVID-19 vaccine might prevent your child from getting the virus that causes COVID-19. It also may prevent your child from becoming seriously ill, having to stay in the hospital or dying of COVID-19.

Babies under age 1 might be at higher risk of serious illness with COVID-19 than are older children. This may be mostly due to the fact that babies born prematurely have the highest risk.

In general, the virus that causes COVID-19 doesn't spread from the pregnant person to the unborn baby. Infants typically get COVID-19 from a sick caregiver after delivery.

Pregnant people can help lower an infant's risk by getting the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy. Some evidence suggests protection can pass to the unborn baby and continue after birth.

Children with COVID-19 may have serious or mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. Symptoms may show up from 2 to 14 days after contact with the virus that causes COVID-19.

The most common symptoms are fever and a cough, including a barking cough linked to croup. For many children, symptoms are like those of other lung and breathing illnesses, called respiratory illnesses, and may include:

Testing can help figure out if the virus that causes COVID-19 is the cause.

COVID-19 symptoms also may include problems breathing or shortness of breath, as well as new loss of taste or smell.

Get emergency help right away if your child is working hard to breathe. Symptoms of breathing trouble include grunting, flaring the nostrils, or having the chest pull at the collarbone and rib with a breath. Other symptoms of trouble breathing are shortness of breath at rest; rapid breathing; or wheezy, noisy or raspy breathing. In babies, this may show as not being able to cry or feed.

Get emergency help for other symptoms of serious illness, such as:

This list doesn't include every emergency symptom. If the child you're taking care of has symptoms that worry you, get help. Let the healthcare team know about a positive test for COVID-19 or symptoms of the illness.

Testing for COVID-19 can help you quickly figure out if the COVID-19 virus is the cause of your child's illness. Testing helps you act quickly to prevent serious illness in kids who are at higher than average risk. It also helps protect others who may be at high risk.

Test for COVID-19 if you know you or your child was exposed to the virus or if you have symptoms. Testing during times when many people in your area have COVID-19 can help stop the spread of the virus that causes the illness.

The purpose of this video is to prepare children for a COVID-19 nasal swab test, to help ease some of their potential fear and anxiety. When children are prepared to take a medical test, they become more cooperative and compliant, which creates a positive coping experience for them. This video has been made to be watched by children as young as 4 years old.

Jennifer Rodemeyer, Child Life Program Manager, Mayo Clinic: Hi, I'm Jennifer and I am a child life specialist at Mayo Clinic. My job is to help kids like you prepare for medical tests.

You may have heard there is a virus going around that can make people feel sick. A virus is a germ and it is so tiny you can't even see it.

Some people who get this virus can have a fever or a cough and may feel achy and tired, while some people can have this virus and not feel sick at all. People may get this virus from touching things. That's why it's important to wash your hands often with soap and water. The virus also can spread through a cough or a sneeze. So it's important to always cover your cough or sneeze.

Today, even though you may or may not be feeling sick, we will need to give you a test so we know how to best proceed with your medical care. This medical test will tell us if you have the virus.

When you go to take your test, the health care provider will wear special protective clothing. They wear this clothing to keep themselves and you safe from getting germs. They will wear a mask to cover their nose and mouth and a clear plastic shield to protect their eyes.

The most important thing you can do during your test is to sit perfectly still like a statue. To help make sure you don't move, your parent or caregiver will help keep you still and calm during your test. The health care provider needs to touch the inside of the back of your nose with a long, skinny Q-tip. To do this, you need to hold your chin up, then the health care provider will put the Q-tip in your nose for a short time to collect a sample.

While this happens you may feel like you want to push the Q-tip away, but it's really important to stay as still as possible so the health care provider can finish the test. The Q-tip will be in and out of your nose in a few seconds.

Some kids tell me that counting to 3 or taking a deep breath relaxes them before the test happens, and some tell me they like to hold on to their favorite stuffed animal or blanket. Maybe you have your own way to relax.

Remember that during the test, the most important thing to do is to keep your body perfectly still.

You may have many feelings seeing the health care provider wearing different clothing, but know this person is caring and wants to help you.

Thank you for helping us get this test done, so we know how to proceed with your medical care.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a serious condition linked to infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.

With MIS-C, children have fever, blood markers of inflammation and serious disease throughout the body. Organs such as the brain, eyes, heart, lungs, kidneys, digestive system and skin may become inflamed. MIS-C symptoms are treated in the hospital as the illness runs its course.

MIS-C is rare. In 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received 117 reports of MIS-C. Most of these children had no medical issues before getting MIS-C.

Symptoms usually show up in about 2 to 6 weeks after infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.

Symptoms of MIS-C include a fever that doesn't go away, along with other symptoms:

Emergency warning signs of MIS-C include:

If your child shows any emergency warning signs or is severely sick with other symptoms, take your child to the nearest emergency department or call 911 or your local emergency number. If your child isn't seriously ill but shows other symptoms of MIS-C, contact your child's healthcare professional right away for advice.

Most children get better quickly and don't have any medical issues caused by MIS-C.

Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccination offers protection against MIS-C. And most children who have had MIS-C can get a COVID-19 vaccine on schedule.

Anyone who has had COVID-19 can develop a post-COVID-19 syndrome. New symptoms or conditions that develop after infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 is more often linked to serious COVID-19 illness. But anyone who catches the COVID-19 virus can develop a post-COVID-19 syndrome.

Symptoms often include a high level of tiredness that affects day-to-day life. And some symptoms may get worse after certain activities.

Symptoms may relate to trouble with:

Depending on their age, children may have trouble explaining some of these issues, which may be difficult for healthcare teams to diagnose.

These symptoms could affect your child's ability to attend school or do typical activities. If your child has post-COVID-19 symptoms that aren't getting better, talk with your healthcare professional. Working with your child's school, it may be possible to compensate for these symptoms.

Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines offers protection against post-COVID-19 syndrome.

The COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are:

In general, people older than age 4 with typical immune systems can get any vaccine that is approved or authorized for their age. And people usually don't need to get vaccines from the same vaccine maker each time.

Some people should get all their vaccine doses from the same vaccine maker, including:

Talk with your healthcare professional if you have any questions about the vaccines for you or your child. Your healthcare team can help you if:

There are many steps you can take to prevent your child from getting the COVID-19 virus and spreading it to others.

Keep up with well-child visits and your child's other vaccines. COVID-19 is just one of many illnesses that can be prevented with vaccination. Vaccines for children are timed carefully. Vaccines are given when protection inherited from the mother fades and the child's immune system is ready, but before kids are likely to come in contact with the germs that cause real infections.

Following guidelines to protect against the COVID-19 virus can be difficult for kids. Stay patient. Be a good role model and your child will be more likely to follow your lead.

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COVID-19 in babies and children - Mayo Clinic