Category: Corona Virus

Virginia Tech researchers are working on device that would let people sample air for the presence of COVID-19, before deciding whether to enter a location.

Researchers at Virginia Tech are working on a device that would let people sample air for the presence of COVID-19, before deciding whether to enter a business or facility.

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Here's what you should know about detecting COVID in the air

Were trying to make it possible that someone could walk into a space, and within 15 minutes, do something like a rapid test of the air, to find out if theres virus in the air, said Linsey Marr, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech, and leader of the project.

The research would enable a person, utilizing a consumer-ready portable testing device, to detect the presence of potentially harmful coronavirus.

You might be going out to eat at a restaurant, or youre going to a movie theater, or basketball game or shopping, and you might be concerned, Am I exposing myself to the virus here? Do I need to be concerned? Should I get out of here, or put on a mask?,' said Marr.

Air sampling for COVID-19 is possible currently, using a noisy pump, approximately the size of a microwave, said Marr, that yields a sample which a scientists could bring to a laboratory, and learn the results in a day or two: Thats too late, if you want to take action now, Marr said.

To conduct the test, first we try to capture a large amount of air lets say the amount inside your car, Marr offers. We use a big bag, like a big garbage bag, and you unfurl it, shake it around to capture enough air, seal it, then push out the air through a filter that would capture all the particles in the air.

While the specifics of the user experience are still in the works, Marr envisions a strip, like a rapid test, maybe you put a few drops of liquid on it, wait 1 minutes for the answer, and maybe a color change on the strip if theres enough virus there to potentially make you sick.

Marr said portability and ease of use are important: You need to be able to do this with just what youre carrying. With the current test, she envisions the capture bag would be reusable, but the other aspects of the test would be disposable after one use.

In the future, were interested in trying to build this into a less-obstructive sampling device, said Marr. Maybe something built into your shoes, so as youre stepping and pushing air through the sample device but were not there yet.

Marr said researchers have been able to identify when there are potentially harmful levels of the COVID-19 virus present.

Were able to do them and demonstrate them in the laboratory, but Id say were still a few years about from this becoming something that you could go buy in the store, said Marr.

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Rapid test could detect COVID-19 in air before you go to movie, dine out - WTOP

On the menu today: Todays newsletter is a little bit about the Covid-19 lab-leak theory, a little bit about those social-media stories about notes left for waitresses, and a whole lot about what our culture deems newsworthy and important (and how the president of the United States shapes the worlds perceptions of what is important). Oh, and its also a little bit about the worst Commander in Washington since Daniel Snyder.

Ignoring Chinas Covid Role . . . to Our Detriment

We now know that prominent U.S. virologists did not want DARPA and the U.S. government to know what kind of gain-of-function experiments were being done on coronaviruses found in bats at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. James Meigs, writing over at Commentary:

The December breakthrough came when the medical watchdog group U.S. Right to Know unearthed an early draft of a 2018 grant proposal for a Project DEFUSE. The proposal outlines a joint project between [Ralph] Barics UNC lab and a team headed by WIV senior scientist Zhengli Shi, the famous Bat Lady of the Wuhan lab. The proposal was drafted under the supervision of Peter Daszak whose EcoHealth Alliance would funnel the hoped-for grant money to the researchers and was addressed to the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). In the end, DARPA declined to fund the project. But many experts suspect the Wuhan lab conducted research along these lines using other funding sources. . . .

Some of the most telling passages in the newly released documents show how EcoHealths Daszak and UNC researcher Baric planned to evade this oversight. . . .

Daszaks and Barics deceptiveness about how and where their research would take place is all the more stunning when you consider how dangerous their proposal was. The project called for combining various bat-borne coronaviruses, modifying them by adding a furin-cleavage site that might help the virus bind to human cells, and then testing the supercharged virus on mice bred to have human-like cells in their lungs. When SARS-CoV-2 surged out of Wuhan in early 2020, it featured this exact type of furin-cleavage site, something never before seen in this family of viruses. This was the genetic quirk that alarmed many virologists who thought the virus looked engineered.

So, while DARPA didnt fund the DEFUSE project, its hard to escape the conclusion that Wuhan scientists followed this general roadmap (perhaps without the Americans knowledge). . . .

I said what I had to say in that cover piece back in 2022, that the natural-origin theory requires us to believe a series of coincidences so unlikely that it becomes effectively impossible:

In the autumn of 2019, there were three institutions in the entire world that were doing gain-of-function research on novel coronaviruses found in bats. One was in Galveston, Texas, one was in Chapel Hill, N.C., and the third was in Wuhan, China.

In theory, the pandemic could have started with some random Chinese person who didnt have any connection to the bat coronavirus research conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology or the Wuhan CDC. This person would have a spectacularly unlucky run-in with a bat or other animal, and that random Chinese person caught the exceptionally rare naturally occurring animal virus that infects, sickens, and spreads among human beings like wildfire. This same hyper-contagious bat virus would have the exceptionally unusual trait of being extremely difficult to find in bats.

This extraordinarily unlucky person would then travel to the metaphorical doorstep of one of the three labs in the world doing gain-of-function research on novel coronaviruses found in bats and start infecting other people in the city of Wuhan. Under the natural-origin theory, the Wuhan laboratories just happen to be mind-bogglingly unlucky that events played out in a way that so closely mimics the consequences of a lab accident.

And, at least in the venue of American public opinion, those of us who thought a lab leak was a more likely cause of the pandemic won the argument. Back in 2023, a Quinnipiac University poll showed that 64 percent of Americans believed the pandemic started from a lab leak, compared to 22 percent who believed it had a natural origin. And the Economist/YouGov poll showed similar numbers: 66 percent believed in the lab-leak theory, compared to just 16 percent who believed in the natural-origin theory.

Though we won the argument in the realm of public opinion . . . nothing happened. There have still been few real consequences for the Chinese government, and certainly no consequences commensurate to unleashing a plague that killed about 7 million people officially and anywhere from 18 million to 32 million if you count all the suspiciously high excess deaths in places such as China and Russia, among others.President Biden assures us that U.S.China relations are in a thaw.

Stories dont get any bigger than the origin of a virus that caused a global pandemic, effectively shut down the world for a year, and changed the lives of every human being on the planet. Were still dealing with the learning loss; were still living with the consequences of missed cancer diagnoses; were dealing with an explosion of skepticism about the value of all kinds of vaccines thanks a lot, mandate advocates; and were dealing with an estimated financial cost of $14 trillion. (For perspective, all U.S. federal government spending in fiscal year 2023 was $6.1 trillion.)

And yet, when we wake up every morning, most of us choose to think about other topics and hey, there are a lot of other important priorities in this world. But sometimes it feels like vast swaths of American society chose to forget about the pandemic at the first opportunity and chose to not keep asking how and why the pandemic started, because they and some of our leaders didnt like the probable answers. Holding the Chinese government accountable for setting off the pandemic would just be too difficult. Theres still $575 billion in trade between the two countries. Mustnt upset the applecart.

To quote the late wise philosopher Dennis Green, They are who we thought they were, and we let them off the hook.

Instead, we think about other things, often much less consequential things. I generally dont like stories that bubble up into the news cycle from the realm of rarely verifiable social media, and few make me roll my eyes more than the you wont believe what this customer wrote on her check to her waitress! stories. (I guess I dont mind the stories about customers leaving generous tips and sweet or inspiring notes, but I still wonder whether theyre really news.)

First, these stories are often hoaxes. Second, assuming what happened is true . . . alas, the world has rude customers and service employees often bear the brunt of their antipathy. I wish that wasnt the case, but it is, and it has always been so. I doubt the value of these anecdotes as news. I dont think the actions of one particular jerk make any grand or revealing statement about our society.

There are times when it can seem that the focus on who wins the presidency is an unhealthy obsession, a saga that now effectively goes on for two years, vacuums up tons of money that could be put to better use elsewhere, dominates the news cycle, and often brings anything resembling actual governing to a halt.

And yet, the presidency has awesome power, even in the hands of an 81-year-old who has lost something off his fastball, to use the most generous euphemism. One of those powers is the ability to influence what the news covers, and what Americans discuss.

Biden has decided that forgiving student-loan debt is the great cause of our time, or at least one of them. Never mind that these were loans that were taken out voluntarily, and with full knowledge of the consequences for not paying them back on time. This is a demographic that voted heavily for Joe Biden; therefore, the power of the state must be used to alleviate its financial burdens.

Best that I can determine, Biden has not spoken publicly about the origin of Covid-19 since August 2021. After receiving a report from the intelligence community that amounted to, Eh, we dont know, boss, Biden declared, We will do everything we can to trace the roots of this outbreak that has caused so much pain and death around the world, so that we can take every necessary precaution to prevent it from happening again. . . . The world deserves answers, and I will not rest until we get them. Of course, this was right around the time when the Taliban was reconquering Kabul.

Apparently, President Biden will spend a portion of the State of the Union Address talking about shrinkflation the sense that youre paying the same price for a bag of chips that has more air and fewer chips than when the inflation rate hit 9.1 percent in July 2022. Rich calls it Bidens War on Packaging.

If Biden wanted to talk about the unresolved questions about the origin of Covid-19, and the Chinese governments refusal to cooperate with international inquiries, he could. Biden could discuss:

Chinese government reports and officials described ongoing equipment problems and inadequate safety training that in some cases resulted in lab animals being illegally sold after being used in experiments, and contaminated lab waste getting flushed into sewers. The problems were exacerbated, they reported, by a secretive, top-down bureaucracy that sets demanding goals while reflexively covering up accidents and discouraging any public acknowledgment of shortcomings.

Biden could talk about how, in the crucial early days of the pandemic, the Chinese government silenced and arrested doctors who tried to sound the alarm and insisted the new virus was not contagious among human beings, effectively dooming the world.

All of this is reported in places like this publication and the Washington Post and other independent Western journalistic institutions; this isnt classified information.

But President Biden hasnt said anything about the origin of Covid in more than two years. It just isnt that important to him.

In the modern era, the federal government and the man atop the executive branch focus their attention on the easy and popular stuff forgiving student-loan debt and the amount of air in your bag of chips. The real challenges of our time are just too difficult to focus upon, apparently.

ADDENDUM: Last week, over in that other Washington publication I write for, I wrote that the news that Commander, President Bidens German shepherd, was involved in at least 25 biting incidents in less than a year illuminated a deeper problem around the president and his team: The presidents dog pulling a Cujo is an abnormal situation, but it seems that in this White House, everyone just has to pretend that something that is obviously, glaringly, undeniably not right is totally unremarkable.

The usual suspects then decided that I was historys greatest monster for writing this.

This morning, Jill Abramson writes a review of recently released Secret Service records. Abramson is a former executive editor of the New York Times, a columnist for the Washington Post, and far from a reflexive Biden-basher. She concludes, But as I waded through the gory details of all these biting incidents, my empathy for the Bidens faded. Put plainly, these documents are a harrowing narrative of pet ownership in high places run dangerously amok. Two dogs belonging to the same family were both serial biters and had to be exiled. At some point, the trouble is not the animals its the owners.

Well, I guess she gets to be historys greatest monster this week.

Continue reading here:

Why China Was Never Held Accountable for the Covid-19 Lab Leak - National Review

What to do when you test positive for COVID-19 can depend on factors such as your symptoms and your risk of complications. Anyone who has COVID-19, even if they test positive but don't have symptoms, can spread the illness to others. Protecting others with measures such as isolation and masking is very important.

This article will discuss steps to follow after testing positive for COVID-19, communicating with others about being positive, what to avoid while positive, and steps to take for long COVID-19 symptoms.

d3sign / Getty Images

It's important to note that while this article will discuss what to do after testing positive for COVID-19, it is possible to have COVID-19 and test negative, particularly on home tests and/or early on in the infection. If you have symptoms, have been exposed to COVID-19, or have reason to believe you might have it, follow the proper protocols even if you get a negative result.

Here are some steps to take if you find out you have COVID-19.

Call your healthcare provider and let them know you have tested positive for COVID-19. They can let you know, based on your health history and symptoms, if they need to see you, or if further actions are needed.

Treatments work best when started early. So, call your healthcare provider even if you are feeling OK if you have underlying health conditions and symptoms that your healthcare provider may feel warrant treatments.

Risks are higher in people who are:

If your healthcare provider has determined you would benefit from antiviral treatment, they may prescribe a medication such as:

Follow your healthcare provider's instructions carefully, and inform them of any other medications or supplements you take.

Unless otherwise specified by your healthcare provider, home is typically the best place to be when you have COVID-10.

General recovery steps to take include:

If you have a fever:

If you have a cough:

If you are feeling breathless:

First, determine if you need medical attention. Difficulty breathing can be serious. If you think you need medical attention, or you aren't sure, talk to a healthcare provider, get emergency treatment, or call 911 or your local emergency number.

If you are feeling breathless and do not need medical attention, you can try measures such as:

Isolate from others, whether you have symptoms or not. Do not leave your home unless you absolutely need to, such as for a medical visit. Steps to take include:

If you live with others, try to isolate alone in a room, and if there is more than one bathroom, keep one for only you to use.

Take measures such as:

If you must share a bathroom:

If you are living in a shared space (such as a dorm room in college or university), or you are living with a vulnerable person (such as someone who is immunocompromised, pregnant, or an older adult), it may be best to relocate while you are isolating, if possible.

If you live alone, try to have someone check in with you regularly (virtually or from a safe distance) to make sure you are doing okay.

If you must be around others, whether at home or in public, wear a high-quality mask.

Even if you have ended isolation, you should continue wearing a mask through day 10, or with two sequential negative tests 48 hours apart. If your antigen test results are positive, you may need to continue wearing a mask past day 10 as you could still be contagious. Continue testing every 48 hours until you get two negatives 48 hours apart.

Choose a mask that:

For more detailed information on choosing a mask, check the CDC's guide on types of masks.

While some people have a higher risk, anyone can have severe COVID-19 symptoms.

In some cases, COVID-19 can signal a medical emergency.

Call 911, or your local emergency number, or seek emergency medical treatment if you, your child, or someone else is showing emergency COVID-19 signs such as:

This is not a complete list. Seek medical attention for any symptoms that are concerning you.

How Isolation Days Are Counted

If you have had no symptoms:

If you have had symptoms:

How Long to Isolate

If you test positive for COVID, whether or not you had symptoms, you need to isolate from others for at least five days, as you are likely most infectious during these five days.

When you can end isolation depends on the severity of your symptoms, as follows:

However, if you had symptoms and severe illness (you were hospitalized) or you have a weakened immune system:

If you aren't sure about the severity of your symptoms or when you can end isolation, talk to your healthcare provider.

If your symptoms worsen or recur after you end isolation, start your isolation again at day 0.

No matter when you end isolation, until at least day 11:

These are general guidelines. Always follow the advice of your healthcare provider.

It's still important to get vaccinated and stay updated with boosters, even if you have had COVID-19. It's typically recommended to wait about 90 days after recovering from COVID-19 to get the vaccine. Talk to your healthcare provider about when to resume your COVID-19 vaccination schedule.

Positive results for COVID-19 on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and on antigen (rapid) tests are very accurate and reliable.

Occasionally, some tests, particularly PCRs, may continue to show a positive test result for some time (up to 90 days), which can make it difficult to know if a new infection has occurred after a previous infection.

Negative tests, especially antigen tests, are less reliable. If you are going to take a single test, get a PCR test as it can give a more reliable negative result. If you get a negative antigen test result, that alone does not rule out having COVID-19. If you get a negative antigen test result, it's recommended you take another one in 48 hours (and a third one 48 hours after that if you don't have symptoms) to confirm a negative result.

If you test positive for COVID, it is important to inform your close contacts so they can monitor themselves and take precautions.

A close contact is someone who you have been around for at least 15 cumulative (added together) minutes within 24 hours.

You are considered contagious from two days before your symptoms started until 10 days after they started. If you have no symptoms, your contagious period is considered to be two days before your test sample was collected until 10 days after your test sample was collected.

Notify any close contacts you had during this time, as well as people whom you:

Let them know they need to follow guidelines for what to do if you have been exposed to COVID-19.

You should also call ahead if you need to be somewhere, such as a healthcare appointment, so they can prepare for you.

The main thing to avoid while COVID-19-positive is putting others at risk.

Avoid:

Long COVID broadly refers to signs, symptoms, and conditions that continue or develop after having an acute COVID-19 infection. It can have a range of health problems and is not one single illness.

There is no test for long COVID, a diagnosis is considered based on health history (including prior COVID-19 infection), and health examination. Symptoms can last weeks, months, or years, and may go away and come back.

There is no single treatment for long COVID. Treatments and therapies depend on symptoms, overall health, and more. A range of specialists may be included in your care, such as pulmonary specialists, cardiologists, gastroenterologists, and neurologists.

Examples of treatments that may be recommended include:

Talk to your healthcare provider if you are experiencing problems after a COVID-19 infection.

Most people will recover from COVID-19 with rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medication. Visit an emergency room or urgent care if you feel significantly ill. When sick, take steps to protect others, such as masking, hand washing, and social distancing.

Steps to take after receiving a positive COVID-19 test include calling your healthcare provider, starting treatments if necessary, staying home and recovering, isolating from others, wearing a mask, following steps for ending isolation, and getting vaccinated after an appropriate time has passed.

It is important to let anyone who may have been exposed know so they can take precautions.

There is no single treatment alone for long COVID, but rather treatment plans are based on individual needs.

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What to Do First If You Test Positive for COVID-19 - Verywell Health

TAMPA, Fla. Theres now new research giving insight into long COVID and how the virus is affecting peoples health, long after the initial COVID-19 infection.

A lot of people, I think, at the start, were thinking that long COVID wasnt real, said Dr. Jill Roberts, Associate Professor for the USF College of Public Health.

But health officials said there are now years of concrete evidence showing that long COVID is real.

Theres been so many pathology studies showing that we can get real data that shows that there are inflammation responses occurring months later to the COVID antigens, said Roberts.

According to the CDC, one in nine adults in the United States whove had a COVID-19 infection continues to experience long COVID, and the symptoms are wide-ranging, affecting all different parts of the body that vary from person to person.

All of these things that seem unrelated in terms of the different disease manifestations are actually caused by the same thing, said Dr. Thomas Unnasch, public health expert and researcher.

Some of the symptoms include shortness of breath, brain fog, depression, anxiety and fatigue.

A new study also shows that insomnia could be linked to long COVID, too.

Sleep disorder type of things, issues with long-term sadnesstheyre calling it the COVID sadness, in fact, said Roberts.

Another recent study said about one in 10 pregnant women will develop long-term symptoms if they get infected during pregnancy. A new pediatrics report found that up to six million children have developed COVID.

Long COVID in children, which we didnt really expect to be a thing, said Roberts.

The data suggest that most young people who have long COVID eventually recover.

Overall, health officials said vaccines help the severity of COVID-19 symptoms, which could help with long COVID.

I think its really important that finally, were really recognizing this is a long-term syndrome that a lot of people are going to be affected by, said Unnasch.

However, only time will tell the extent to which the virus is affecting people long-term and if a full recovery is possible for everyone.

Weve had tracking data for a couple of years now. Some people are recovering. So some of those common symptoms like brain fog and things like that are disappearing over time. So Im hopeful that that will be the case for most people, said Roberts.

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New research shows long COVID causes variety of symptoms and can affect children - ABC Action News Tampa Bay

A mass study of COVID-19 vaccines has shown they are overwhelmingly safe despite the presence of some side effects.

The largest study of its kind involved more than 99 million people across Australia, Argentina, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, New Zealand and Scotland who received a vaccine.

The researchers are collaborators to the Global Vaccine Data Network (GVDN), which has used an electronic database to leverage large amounts of data to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine safety.

The analysis found vaccine safety signals were warranted for myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (swelling of the thin sac covering the heart) after mRNA vaccines and Guillain-Barr syndrome (where the immune system attacks the nerves) and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (a type of blood clot in the brain) after an AstraZeneca vaccine.

A new signal for acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (inflammation and swelling in the brain and spinal cord) was also detected, warranting further investigation.

Molecular virologist and leader of the infection and immunity research strength at Monash University Malaysia said given the number of people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine, severe side effects were rare.

He said it was significantly safer to take a vaccine than risk COVID-19.

With over 13.5 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses administered worldwide and approximately 71% of the global population having received at least one dose, the impact on public health has been profound, saving numerous lives and mitigating the severity of symptoms associated with the virus, he said.

The likelihood of experiencing a neurological event following a COVID-19 infection is markedly higher, up to 617 times, compared to post-vaccination occurrences. Similarly, the risk of myocarditis is greater after a COVID-19 infection than following vaccination, with statistics indicating a risk of 35.9 cases per 100,000 individuals after the second vaccine dose, compared to 64.9 per 100,000 after contracting COVID-19.

Based on comprehensive data and numerous publications, I firmly advocate that the risk of adverse events remains substantially lower with vaccination compared to contracting SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Thus, vaccination remains the vastly safer choice for protecting against COVID-19.

The Australian government offers compensation to people who receive serious side effects as a result of the vaccine. This is not unusual in vaccines, most of which carry a small risk of adverse effects.

The scheme covers losses or expenses of $1,000 and above due to the administration of a TGA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, or due to an adverse event that is recognised to be caused by a COVID-19 vaccination.

The scheme is currently due to expire in September.

University of Sydneys School of Public Health immunisation expert Julie Leask said the government should expand the program to include all vaccines.

The Australian government should extend its COVID-19 vaccine injury compensation scheme, due to end in April. It should continue to include COVID-19 vaccines but extend it to all vaccines recommended on our national program, she said.

People vaccinate as part of a social contract. Very rarely a person will get a serious side effect. It is right for the government to compensate for the costs from rare vaccine side effects, which can include care, medical expenses, and time away from work.

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Health secretary vs virus revisiting the COVID-19 pandemic firestorm

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Largest ever COVID-19 study shows vaccines overwhelmingly safe - The Mandarin

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the focus of research has primarily been on COVID-19 symptoms and vaccinations. Despite the widespread administration of millions of vaccine doses worldwide, concerns about the safety and efficacy of vaccinations continue to be raised. To address this, our study aimed to investigate the adverse events (AEs) associated with different types and doses of COVID-19 vaccines across six Arabic countries during the fourth wave of the pandemic.

The variation in the number of vaccinated participants among the studied Arab countries reflects differences in vaccine availability and compulsory vaccine regulations. For example, Saudi Arabia initiated vaccination for children aged 12 and older in July 2021 and mandated that all citizens and residents receive a booster dose by February 2022. In contrast, compulsory vaccination policies and booster doses had not been implemented in the remaining five countries at the time of data collection46,47,48.

The pattern of AEs after each dose aligns with previous reports49. This may be attributed to the cumulative immunological effect of the second dose rather than a direct immunological response50. We observed a lower frequency of AEs after the second dose with many types of vaccines compared to the first dose. However, we reported an increase in the frequency of AEs after the Sputnik V vaccine, local AEs after the Sinopharm vaccine, systemic AEs after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and serious AEs after the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine. Previous studies have shown different trends, with higher local and systemic AEs reported after the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines26,50,51,52.

In our study, the most prevalent local AEs, such as pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, were reported after the Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm vaccines. Previous studies conducted in the reported varying percentages were reported after the first and second doses20,26,53. The most commonly reported general AEs were fatigue, body aches, fever, headache, and myalgia, which is in line with published studies20,49.

Headache was reported in more than 50% of participants after the AstraZeneca vaccine54,55,56. There are no details about the pathophysiologic mechanisms, whether the intracellularly synthesized spike protein is produced by using mRNA vaccines, or the protein triggers the immune response from activated anti-inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins, nitric oxide, and cytokines. Headache is the leading symptom of cerebrovascular thrombosis (CVT), including vaccine-induced ones. So, it's important to distinguish between vaccine-induced headaches and those caused by cerebrovascular thrombosis54,55,56.

Visual disturbances were reported by a small number of participants. There are reported cases of transient loss in the visual field due to possible acute vasospasm of the artery in the postchiasmatic visual pathway, triggered by the COVID-19 vaccine that resolved after two hours57. In other cases, macular detachment and severe choroidal thickening were detected causing visual loss and suggesting a potential inflammatory or autoimmune response to the vaccine58,59,60.

Elevations in blood pressure were observed among some vaccinated participants, which is consistent with reports of blood pressure surges after mRNA vaccines and an increase in home blood pressure after the first mRNA vaccine dose. Some patients required modification of anti-hypertensive drugs. This may be attributed to nervousness or white-coat hypertension. However there was no baseline data, and BP follow-up over a long period after vaccination is very important56,61.

Menstrual changes were reported among vaccinated females and it is noteworthy that by September 2, 2021, over 30,000 COVID-19-vaccinated females had reported menstrual changes to the United Kingdoms Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Yellow Card surveillance system12,62. This might be a result of immunological effects on the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle or biological effects of immune cells on the uterus lining, which contribute to the tissue's cyclical building and breaking down12,63.

Rheumatological symptoms such as bone pain, myalgia, body aches, and weariness were reported in our study, similar to some studies conducted in Italy, Libya, Iran, China, and Turkey61,63,64,65,66,67. These symptoms might be attributed to the immune response triggered by the vaccine, leading to transient inflammation and musculoskeletal discomfort26,68. It is important to note that these symptoms are generally self-limiting and resolve within a few days after vaccination. The association between COVID-19 vaccination and the occurrence of certain symptoms remains uncertain when compared to other vaccines. The hyper-inflammatory response triggered by the COVID-19 vaccine raises concerns about its potential as a risk factor for inflammatory musculoskeletal disorders. This cytokine activation can be attributed to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, other components of the vaccine, or the adenoviral vector used67,68.

New-onset autoimmune manifestations, including Guillain-Barr syndrome (GBS), rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus, have been reported in eleven cases following COVID-19 vaccination, particularly after the first dose. The precise nature of the link between the COVID-19 vaccine and autoimmune symptoms is still unclear, whether it is coincidental or causal. Molecular mimicry, the generation of specific autoantibodies, and the influence of specific vaccination adjuvants are all thought to play a role in the development of autoimmune diseases63,69. For instance, we documented one case of GBS, a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that affects the peripheral nerves and nerve roots. GBS has been associated with other vaccines such as rabies, hepatitis A and B, influenza, and more recently, the COVID-19 vaccine70,71.

In this study, we documented the occurrence of symptoms suggesting vaccine-induced myocarditis and pericarditis, including chest pain (88 cases), shortness of breath (103 cases), and sensations of a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart (34 cases). These presentations align with the CDC report on these conditions72. Our findings are consistent with previous research indicating that COVID-19 vaccine-related myocarditis primarily affects young men and is more commonly associated with mRNA vaccines such as those developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna73.

We observed a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of serious adverse events (AEs) among different vaccine types. We identified 10 cases of VITT out of 3,239 vaccine doses, which is a rare syndrome involving venous or arterial thrombosis at unusual sites such as cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) and splenic thrombosis. Additionally, we found 10 cases of thrombosis out of 3,239 vaccine doses, a comparable rate to reports from the US (17 cases of VITT, 14 cases of thrombosis out of 7,000 participants after the J&J vaccine) and lower than the European Medicines Agency (EMA) (222 cases of thrombosis out of 35 million participants after the AstraZeneca vaccine)74,75. VITT occurs when DNA leaks from the imperfect adenoviral vector used in AstraZeneca and J&J vaccines, infects cells, binds to platelet factor 4 (PF4), and triggers the production of anti-PF4 autoantibodies76.

We also discovered a significant increase in post-vaccination COVID-19 cases among individuals previously infected with COVID-19. Such findings may raise the issue of the benefit of vaccines for people who were previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. It is noteworthy that a study conducted in Kentucky (MayJune 2021), reported an odds ratio of 2.34 (95% CI 1.583.47) of re-infection among unvaccinated participants compared to those who were fully vaccinated, suggesting that full vaccinations after a past SARS-CoV-2 infection provide additional protection by decreasing its transmissibility by shortening the duration of infectivity and so decrease the transmissibility77. Therefore, vaccination should be offered to all eligible individuals regardless of their previous infection status. While there is limited epidemiological evidence supporting the benefits of vaccination for previously infected individuals, our study supports the notion.

Regarding the frequency of post-vaccination COVID-19 in relation to the number of doses, the interpretation of the increase in infections after the second dose is still uncertain. Cumulatively, they were part of the sample that received the first dose, resulting in a significantly lower difference. Notably, the second dose can cause up to a tenfold increase in antibody levels, a stronger T-cell response, as well as more changes in the immune cells. Moreover, multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 have emerged, primarily focused on the spike protein, a crucial element for developing vaccine candidates. Diverse vaccinations are currently undergoing clinical trials and demonstrating remarkable outcomes, however, their effectiveness still requires evaluation in various SARS-CoV-2 variants4,20.

We carried out a multicenter study in six Arab countries that included the assessment of AEs associated with eight different vaccine types. We were able to identify several associated factors with post-vaccination AEs, which can aid in monitoring and follow-up efforts during and after vaccination campaigns. Additionally, our study included patients from a previous wave of COVID-19, allowing us to track AEs across different vaccine doses. However, it is important to acknowledge the limitations of our study. Firstly, being an observational study, it is susceptible to bias and confounding issues. Secondly, the use of an online self-administered survey introduces limitations such as data accuracy concerns due to recall bias, sampling bias (as more than 80% of participants were well-educated), and availability bias (excluding individuals who couldn't access or use the Internet, and those who were illiterate or deceased). Thus, our study population may not represent the entire population. Furthermore, assessing SARS-CoV-2 infection rates after vaccination is complicated by the presence of the delta variant and other variants of concern, especially as the immunity from previous vaccinations may be waning. The timing between the first and second doses is relatively close together, but the interval between the second and third doses can vary widely across countries. The availability of COVID-19 confirmatory testing in the studied countries also affects the diagnosis of infection rates, potentially missing asymptomatic cases. Another limitation is the lack of assessment of participants' pre-COVID-19 vaccine health status, making it challenging to differentiate pre-existing health issues from those related to the COVID-19 vaccine. The use of a reporting system for the participants to report the AEs themselves can introduce bias in exaggerating or underreporting some AEs. Although these limitations exist, our findings are consistent with those of other international studies. Lastly, the variation in response rate among countries with a low number of responses in some e.g. Syria may be due to the method of sample collection using an online questionnaire, compounded by political unrest in some countries (e.g. Syria) hindering internet access. It is important to interpret the data of vaccine and AE rates while considering such political conditions for further extensive studies. Such variation can affect the generalizability and comparisons of results among such countries.

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Exploring the reported adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines among vaccinated Arab populations: a multi-national ... - Nature.com

February 27, 2024

Most COVID-19 cases are mild, but many still lead to life-threatening complications. Severe cases feature an overactive immune response that causes dangerous inflammation. This inflammation affects many different tissues and cell types, including uninfected ones, and resembles that seen in some autoimmune diseases. Its not clear why SARS-CoV-2 can cause such inflammation while other coronaviruses responsible for common colds dont.

One way the immune system fights viruses is by breaking down the viral proteins into small fragments called peptides. An NIH-funded research teamled by Dr. Gerard Wong at the University of California, Los Angeles, in collaboration with Richard L. Gallo at the University of California, San Diegoinvestigated whether these peptides could continue to activate the immune system. Their results were published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on February 6, 2024.

The team used machine learning to search SARS-CoV-2 proteins for fragments that resemble molecules called antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). The body makes these molecules as part of its defense against infections. Certain AMPs can bind to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which is produced during some viral infections. The resulting AMP-dsRNA complexes have been shown to trigger inflammation and have been implicated in autoimmune conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. Among the SARS-CoV-2 AMP-like fragments, the team looked for those that carried a strong positive electric charge. This would allow them to bind dsRNA, which is negatively charged.

The researchers studied three SARS-CoV-2 fragments that both resembled AMPs and had a large positive charge. These fragments were also found in the airways of patients with severe COVID-19. The scientists dubbed these AMP-like peptides xenoAMPs. Notably, SARS-CoV-2 contained more potential xenoAMPs than common cold coronaviruses. SARS-CoV-2 xenoAMPs also mimicked real AMPs more closely than those from common cold coronaviruses.

XenoAMPs bound to dsRNA and caused it to form liquid crystalline structures like those formed when AMPs bind to dsRNA. These structures were the optimal size and shape for binding to certain receptors that control the innate immune response. When tested in various types of human cells, the xenoAMP-dsRNA complexes enhanced inflammatory responses. They also triggered gene activity changes resembling those triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Corresponding peptides from a common cold coronavirus did not bind and form such structures with dsRNA. They also did not enhance inflammation in the cells.

The researchers injected one of the xenoAMP-dsRNA complexes into the bloodstream of mice. After they did, the mice had higher levels of proinflammatory molecules in the blood, similar to those seen in people with COVID-19. They also had higher levels of various immune cells.

These findings could lead to new strategies for treating severe cases of COVID-19. They also suggest a way to determine whether future coronaviruses could cause similar inflammation. More generally, they show how viruses can continue to affect the host even after theyre destroyed by the immune system.

The textbooks tell us that after the virus is destroyed, the sick host wins, and different pieces of virus can be used to train the immune system for future recognition. COVID-19 reminds us that its not this simple, Wong explains. For comparison, if one were to assume that after food gets digested into its molecular components, then its effects on the body are over, it would be very liberating. I wouldnt have to worry about the half-dozen jelly donuts I just ate. However, this simple picture is not correct.

by Brian Doctrow, Ph.D.

References:Viralafterlife: SARS-CoV-2 as a reservoir of immunomimetic peptides that reassemble into proinflammatory supramolecular complexes. Zhang Y, Bharathi V, Dokoshi T, de Anda J, Ursery LT, Kulkarni NN, Nakamura Y, Chen J, Luo EWC, Wang L, Xu H, Coady A, Zurich R, Lee MW, Matsui T, Lee H, Chan LC, Schepmoes AA, Lipton MS, Zhao R, Adkins JN, Clair GC, Thurlow LR, Schisler JC, Wolfgang MC, Hagan RS, Yeaman MR, Weiss TM, Chen X, Li MMH, Nizet V, Antoniak S, Mackman N, Gallo RL, Wong GCL. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Feb 6;121(6):e2300644120. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2300644120. Epub 2024 Feb 2. PMID:38306481.

Funding:NIHs National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), and Office of the Director (OD); National Science Foundation; W. M. Keck Foundation; Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Development Initiative.

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SARS-CoV-2 fragments may cause problems after infection - National Institutes of Health (NIH) (.gov)

While the world has largely moved on from the COVID-19 pandemic, for Michelle Dawn, thats not possible.

Dawn is an Arizona artist who suffers from a chronic illness that lands her in the high risk category when it comes to the coronavirus. So, she still has to be careful about COVID-19 today in ways that many of the rest of us have left behind.

Its an isolating experience that led her to find a community of her own online. There she met Katrina Dreamer, and the pair became friends.

They have created a new zine together "The Covid Logs." It's dedicated to the experiences of chronically ill and disabled people during the ongoing pandemic.

Michelle Dawn

Michelle Dawn

MICHELLE DAWN: So I have a genetic condition that makes me disabled and also chronically ill. It makes me high risk, which means if I get COVID, I'm at a higher risk of death or getting long COVID. And it also makes me immunocompromised, which means that I'm more likely to catch COVID and also less likely to be able to fight it off.

So tell us a little bit about what that meant for you living through this pandemic. I mean, it was difficult for everyone, I think in many ways, but this sounds like a whole different level for you.

DAWN: Absolutely. It was completely life changing. I felt so alone the past four years and isolated. I have to do a serious risk assessment anytime I literally do anything, anytime I go out into the world. And it's not really because of COVID itself. It's more so because of people, people's unwillingness to mask, to test, to stay home when they're sick. People have just really denied the severity of COVID and its effects.

What do you think it is like if you had to pick one thing because it sounds like there are many, right, but what do you think maybe the top thing is that people do not understand about what this has been like and what it's still like for somebody like you who has a chronic illness?

DAWN: I, I feel like people are just sort of misled about the severity of this. Like, yes, I am drastically affected by it because I am more high risk for things like death. But this affects everyone, like anyone can contract long COVID. It's been really hard for me to deal with that level of grief as far as seeing people just acting in a way where they just, they truly don't understand what they're getting themselves into, how it's affecting people around them and yeah, it's, it's just very, very isolating.

So, have you managed to stay away from COVID up until this point?

DAWN: I have, I have not gotten COVID yet. My immediate household has not gotten COVID yet, and it's because we've drastically had to alter our lives.

So you and another person have also gotten together and, and created some, some real art out of this, it sounds like. So I want to talk about "The COVID Logs," the scene that you have created. Where did this idea come from?

DAWN: So I in feeling isolated, I have been able to find a wonderful community mostly through Instagram of other like-minded people who practice disability justice. And it's really helped me to feel seen and less alone. And one of the people that I met through that is Katrina Dreamer. They live in Colorado, and they're the co-creator of "The COVID Logs." And we just had so many similar values and interests. We actually have the same chronic illness, and it was actually Katrina's idea. They came up with wanting to make a zine called "The COVID Logs" and just have it be something for the disabled and chronically ill community. People who feel forgotten and obsolete by this COVID experience. So this zine was just a way for us high risk people who feel disregarded to be like an outlet for our community. A place for us to connect and feel less alone and then also just a space, hopefully a vehicle to get our voices heard. It's a topic that not a lot of people are talking about.

So let's talk about what this looks like. I mean, this is large. It's 98 pages. It's 36 different contributors. Tell us about what's in here.

DAWN: Yeah. So, in the fall we put out a call for artists, and we got an overwhelming response. So many submissions, and yeah, it turned into basically it went from a little zine to 100-page book. It's a full color, it's a collection of different artwork and poetry, essays, just people's narratives about their experience of what life has been like since 2020.

So what are some of the ones that stand out to you? There's one I really loved in here. One artist took greeting cards, right, that she had gotten during the pandemic, even their grandmother's last letter, which was, you know, really touching and, and made artwork out of it. What, what, what do you love in this?

DAWN: Yeah, I, I absolutely love those pieces as well. Amy Pascal definitely stands out. They have beautiful paintings. One called "Still Life with COVID," one called "Well Wishers" and another called "What Doesn't Kill Us" and just a beautiful representation, somewhat abstract, of what their experience has been like.

And then another one that really stands out is by Bug Crew. They submitted, it's a short act graphic novel. It's beautifully illustrated and there's text involved, and again, just surrounding the ideas of community care and the importance of that in a COVID world.

Michelle Dawn

The Covid Logs, from Michelle Dawn and

Tell us what you contributed to this as well because you're also an artist and, and do your own kind of work, right?

DAWN: I am. Yeah. So I often do a motionless which is a manipulation technique with Polaroid photos. And I worked on a series back in 2020 when this all started, I kind of used art as an outlet. And I created a series of three photos called "Unseen Unheard. And it's a motionless and also double exposure of myself. And I'm kind of blurred, and there's a overlaying layer of floral and different plant life over the top of me. So you can't fully see the image of myself. And it's just sort of was made to represent that feeling of being unheard and feeling obsolete. And also, again, just like the zine a way to kind of connect with other people in my community and help people to feel less alone and let them know that, hey, you know, I'm experiencing something similar to you.

Yeah. What does it mean to you to have done this and to be able to let other people who have been through similar experiences also be able to tell their stories?

DAWN: It's just, it's been so important to me obviously, this affects me personally so much. But it's also important to me because just the idea of community care is something that's extremely important to me. The idea of wearing a mask to not just protect yourself but to protect your community and strangers and just everyone that you come in contact with. Also, COVID disproportionately affects Black and Indigenous communities and other people of color. So wearing a mask is not only care, but it's also just a sign of solidarity, and all of those things are so important to me and our zine really helps get that out into the world.

So many people have just stopped talking about COVID. They think it doesn't exist anymore or it's not dangerous and it's just not accurate, like those aren't the scientific facts. And so it's just so important to me to get this out into the world and to help other people who are in my position to not feel alone and also just to put it out in the world as an active community care.

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She drastically altered her life because of COVID-19. This zine project helps her feel less alone - KJZZ

Its no secret the United States abandoned its immunocompromised, elderly and disabled residents throughout the last four years of the pandemic. While these vulnerable groups remain at risk, general consensus unfortunately paints the wider population as in the clear.

But now that we find ourselves in a sudden surge with fewerprotections than ever, our responsibility to act collectively is long overdue.

Although we should have never scaled back COVID-19 surveillance in the first place, its not too late to bring it back. As a first step, we must lean into wastewater testing to regain any sense of direction in this ongoing pandemic.

Wastewater testing offers insight into a communitys health through sewage sample collection. Its a unique form of testing because it catches asymptomatic and mild cases that would otherwise fly under the radar. It also helps detect viral presence in communities before symptoms even kick in, making it an important tool for proactive safety measures.

However, its flaw is its inability to paint a detailed picture. It only shows if theres a surge of viral presence, not how much of it is there. As Nirav Shah, the CDCs principal deputy director, told TIME Magazine, We will still be able to tell that its snowing, even though we are no longer counting every snowflake.

Its unclear exactly how big the most recent surge is for this reason, but scientists claim it may be the second-largest since the pandemic began, just behind the Omicron variant. Utahs residents have found themselves at the mercy of this surge, with the CDCs wastewater surveillance data showing a clear increase in viral particles. In fact, were one of 10 states with the highest levels of the virus.

The JN.1 variant, highly contagious and emerging in tandem with a variety of other respiratory diseases, should have us concerned. Well over 20,000 people were hospitalized in the last week in this country. Deaths are averaging 1,000 per week. Over 100 Utahns have died as a result of COVID infection in the last three months alone.

News sources throw around COVID-19 death counts with an all-too-normal detachment that disregards the value of life. They treat the 1,500 people who died of COVID-19 between Thanksgiving and Christmas as chump change.

Experts have consistently warned the public about a COVID-19 resurgence. Even if that doesnt happen this time around, it could burst our countrys complacent bubble next time.

Wastewater analysis technology is helping prevent the erasure of COVID-19 as a still-present and serious issue. The governments irresponsible actions and the constant push for a return to normalcy have cost too many lives.

While not a perfect solution, wastewater testing remains one of the last measures being taken to keep an eye on the virus that has haunted us since 2020. Laboratories, state health departments and hospitals havent been required to report test results since last May.

Although take-home test kits are once more free to order, the governments decision to relaunch the program came after eight straight weeks of increased COVID-19 hospitalization. Our government must invest in our health and safety and bring back required reporting from state institutions.

Wastewater testing is critical, but its not enough alone. Problems like dilution from rainwater, contaminants and inadequate regulations for standardized testing complicate the effectiveness of this surveillance program.

The answer is clear: we need to combine wastewater testing with other virus-tracking efforts. We also need consistent wastewater testing so we can get an accurate idea of where were at in this pandemic which hasnt actually ended.

Wastewater testing gives us the chance to monitor disease transmission in our communities, but to do nothing with the information it gives us is reckless at best. As weve seen, its fatal at worst.

Its been four years of learning the hard way that our government is careless and disregards our lives. Rather than setting up safety measures for the next pandemic, weve seen the U.S. work to sweep this one under the rug at our expense. We should be furious. We cannot let them continue to throw us under the bus when they have the technology available.

Let wastewater testing inform your choices. Wearing a mask to class, work and crowded functions can save lives. Get vaccinated and boost your immunity. Test yourself after traveling and stay home if youre sick. But most of all, demand more from your government.

[emailprotected]

@angela_lezaic

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Lezaic: We Deserve Better COVID-19 Surveillance - Chronicle - Daily Utah Chronicle

Strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 circulating in 2023 typically took about three days from exposure to showing symptoms. This incubation period is shorter than previous strains of the virus. It may take up to a week before an at-home antigen test shows positive.

This article will review the the incubation periods of various SARS-CoV-2 virus variants, from Alpha to Omicron, after exposure and how long it typically takes to get a positive test. It will also discuss multiple reasons times may differ from person to person, including vaccination and booster status, general health, and if youve had COVID-19 before.

FG Trade / Getty Images

Terminology relating to viral illness varies. Here are a few key terms used in this article to clarify what what they mean:

After youve been exposed to a virus, theres not much you can do to determine whether you will get sick. It always helps to take good care of yourself, including by eating healthily and drinking lots of water.

Take regular COVID-19 tests and monitor yourself for symptoms like fever before leaving the house to ensure you dont unwittingly transmit the virus to other people.

You may want to order or pick up more COVID-19 tests in case you do end up with an infection. Youll need to test regularly if you are still positive before seeing other people, especially those with a weakened immune system.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after exposure to the virus.

A review of studies conducted from 2020 to March 2022 indicated an average incubation period for COVID-19 at six to seven days, ranging from 1.8 to 18.87 days. The average incubation period shortened as new variants circulated, with Omicron at an average of 3.42 days.

As COVID-19 is transmitted from person to person, it mutates (changes genetically) along the way. These mutations can change the virus enough that it may develop into a new strain.

New strains, or variants, can have changes in common symptoms, how easily they spread, and how long they take to cause illness.

Many variants have circulated since 2020. A variant of concern (defined by the CDC) passes between people faster, is more virulent (has greater potential to cause disease), has shown resistance to a vaccine or immunity from a previous infection, or doesnt show up on current tests.

The average incubation periods of the main variants from the 2022 review study were:

The 2023 COVID strains, including Omicron and its subvariants, appear to be more transmissible because of their shorter incubation period. Studies on Omicron indicate a shorter incubation period with an average of three to four days after exposure before symptoms show up.

The variant circling in most areas in late 2023 was Omicron-5, or EG.5, first reported in February 2023. Incubation period data is not yet available for the EG.5 subvariant. Still, experts say it seems to be behaving similarly to past iterations of Omicron. The incubation period of Omicron-5 is about three to four days.

The symptoms of a COVID-19 infection can vary from asymptomatic (no symptoms) to mild or severe.

If you've been vaccinated, boosted (received a booster shot), or have had COVID-19 in the past, your symptoms are likely to be less severe. But if you've had a change in your immune system (for example, pregnancy or a new medication or illness), your symptoms may be more severe than previous infections.

Many symptoms are very similar to those of other upper respiratory viruses, including the common cold, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which have similar seasonality (their transmission often peaks in the fall and winter). If you have symptoms, over-the-counter tests can help determine whether you have COVID-19.

An Omicron infection's first signs and symptoms include sore throat, dry cough, and fever. The most commonly reported COVID-19 symptoms are:

You should start testing for COVID-19 after waiting at least five days after potential exposure to someone who is sick. Test again one to two days later. Then, test again another couple of days later. You should plan to take three tests within five days to make sure youre in the clear.

Getting a positive test on an at-home COVID-19 antigen test may take a week or longer after exposure or symptom onset. A lab-based PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test would show a positive result much earlier. You should wear a mask when around other people for 10 days after a potential exposure.

When you've had a potential COVID exposure or have been in contact with someone who is sick, you're sure to have a lot of questions. Here are the answers to some common questions people have about COVID incubation periods.

COVID seems to have a more extended incubation period than other common respiratory illnesses. Different viral incubation periods include:

Presymptomatic and asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19 has been a significant factor in the pandemic's spread. This virus seems to spread quickly before it causes symptoms. If youve been exposed to COVID, its possible you can spread it, even if you dont feel sickand potentially even if you never feel sick.

This contagious period for COVID lasts from before you start feeling sick until your at-home antigen test turns negative.

If vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, youre more likely to have a milder infection. But studies suggest the viruss incubation period will remain the same.

Some studies have suggested that the average incubation period in people 60 and older may be longer, around seven to eight days, than in the general population. Studies have also shown that children under age 18 may have an incubation period of 8 to 9 days.

If youre generally healthy and are current with your COVID-19 vaccinations, theres no need to seek medical care after a positive COVID test.

Call a healthcare provider if youre at high risk for severe infection, for example, if you have a weakened immune system, are over 65, or havent been vaccinated.They can prescribe Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir), a prescription oral antiviral pill for a COVID-19 infection. It can help with recovery and decrease the risk of severe complications.

If you see any of these emergency warning signs, seek immediate medical help:

You'll want to let your workplace or school know if you've been exposed to COVID and get a positive test result. They may want you to isolate and stay home for a certain amount of time.

You should avoid being around others while testing positive for COVID. That includes other people in your house. Try to stay in one room, away from other people. Wear a mask if you will be around others. Stay home to avoid transmitting the virus. If you need to go out of the house, wear a mask.

Day zero is the day you first had symptoms or, if you had no symptoms, the day you first tested positive for COVID-19. CDC guidance for isolation is as follows:

For anyone after isolation, continue to wear a mask when around others (at home and in public) until at least day 11.

The incubation periods of COVID-19 variants vary. Generally, the incubation period is getting shorter. Symptoms of recent strains like Omicron typically show up about three to four days after exposure. The newer Omicron-5 variant is similar to the original Omicron strain.

Getting a positive COVID test at home may take a week to 10 days. Regular testing after potential exposure can minimize your risk of spreading the virus.

The first COVID symptoms are typically a dry cough, sore throat, and fever. These are similar to other respiratory viruses that spread in the fall and winter. The COVID incubation period tends to be slightly longer than some of these other viruses.

Studies suggest that COVID-19 vaccine and booster status don't change the incubation period, but factors like age might. Older people and children may have a more extended COVID incubation period.

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COVID-19 Incubation Period: Averages for Alpha to Omicron - Verywell Health