Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised unspecified concerns about the manufacturing of Covaxin, one of Indias home-grown COVID-19 vaccines. On 2 April, WHO said it had found problems during a March inspection of the production facilities of Bharat Biotech, the vaccines producer. WHO did not disclose the nature of the problems at the plant, which is located in Hyderabad, in Telangana state. But it said Bharat Biotech has agreed to stop exports of Covaxin and is developing a corrective and preventive action plan.

WHOs decision means U.N. procurement agencies such as UNICEF can no longer supply countries with the vaccine. The agency has also asked countries that have authorized Covaxin to switch to other products. Just how widely the vaccine is used outside India is unclear, however.

In a Twitter statement posted 1 day before the WHO announcement, Bharat mentioned WHOs inspection, but not the problems identified. It announced a temporary slowing down of Covaxin production because of decreasing demand and said the company would focus on maintenance and process and facility optimization activities. A Bharat Biotech spokesperson tells Science the company will continue to sell the vaccine in India, its biggest market, where some 309 million Covaxin doses have already been administered. To some scientists, that raises questions about vaccine production oversight by Indias drug regulator, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine; its main ingredient is killed SARS-CoV-2 particles. CDSCO gave it an accelerated approvalIndias version of an emergency use authorizationin January 2021, before Bharat Biotech had any efficacy estimates from its phase 3 trial, leading some scientists to accuse the Indian government of lax regulatory standards. A phase 3 trial published in July 2021 showed Covaxin had an efficacy of 77.8% in preventing symptomatic COVID-19, comparable to several vaccines approved in the United States and Europe.

Covaxin has run into trouble before: Following a March 2021 inspection, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) said it had found several violations of good manufacturing practices (GMPs)an umbrella term for actions manufacturers must take to ensure safety, efficacy, and qualityat the companys plant. Bharat Biotech hadnt validated its method of inactivating SARS-CoV-2, ANVISA said, raising the possibility that the shot contained live virus, and hadnt assured the vaccines sterility and potency. In response, Brazil temporarily suspended a plan to import 20 million Covaxin doses; the deal fell through completely in July 2021 amid allegations of corruption and procurement irregularities.

According to a WHO spokesperson, ANVISA later told the agency that Bharat Biotech had addressed the deficiencies, and in November 2021, WHO awarded the vaccine an emergency use listing. The listing is a prerequisite for a vaccine to be supplied through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility, an effort by WHO and two other organizations to provide doses to low- and middle-income countries, and a stamp of approval that helps member countries decide which vaccines to deploy.

But when WHO inspectors visited the plant between 14 and 21 March, they found several GMP deficiencies, some of which overlapped with those identified by ANVISA, according to the spokesperson. The company had changed its manufacturing process after its listing but hadnt communicated these changes to CDSCO and WHO for evaluation and validation.

Hans Meerburg, a Netherlands-based vaccine-quality consultant, says manufacturers are required to inform drug regulators of any major postapproval changes, because they can impact the safety, efficacy, or quality of the vaccine. If not, the product may not comply with specifications, such as potency, or the absence of active material,Meerburg says. Bharat Biotech didnt respond to a question from Science on why it neglected to communicate the information.

The WHO spokesperson says a preliminary risk assessment by Bharat Biotech showed no indication that the vaccines risk-benefit ratio was altered. The data, available to WHO, indicate the vaccine is effective and no safety concern exists, the agency says in its 2 April statement. Still, the spokesperson says, WHO is advising countries not to use remaining Covaxin doses.

Ocugen, Bharat Biotechs U.S. partner, has temporarily paused dosing in its U.S. phase 2/3 trial, as it evaluates WHOs statement.

For many countries in the low- and middle-income bracket, Covaxin was an easy-to-deploy shot because, unlike messenger RNA vaccines, it doesnt require storage at very low temperatures. But a Bharat Biotech spokesperson says WHOs decision will have little impact outside India because the company doesnt currently have any agreements with U.N. procurement agencies. (A UNICEF spokesperson confirms the agency does not have a contract with the company.)The spokesperson also says Bharat Biotech stopped selling Covaxin directly to many of the 25 countries that have authorized it under emergency licenses when, in April 2021, India paused vaccine exports because it was battling a massive COVID-19 wave.

CDSCO has stayed mum on WHOs verdict. To some experts, its silence suggests the Indian regulator is not enforcing the same quality standards as WHO. It concerns me that CDSCO, the custodian of public health as Indias national drug regulator, havent issued any statements yet on this issue, said Jayanthi Vuppala, an independent GMP expert based in Hyderabad. CDSCO did not respond to a question from Science on why it hadnt asked Bharat Biotech to stop local sales as well.

The discrepancy between CDSCOs and WHOs responses needs to be addressed because it creates confusion and could promote vaccine hesitancy, says Prashant Yadav, an expert in pharmaceutical supply chains at the Center for Global Development, a think tank based in Washington, D.C. We need greater convergence on site inspections by the WHO and national regulatory authorities, Yadav says. This is an important agenda both for the Indian industrys export credibility and for protecting the health of Indias population.

Update, 8 April, 10 a.m.: A statement from UNICEF has been added to this story.

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Exports of an Indian COVID-19 vaccine halted after WHO finds problems at manufacturing plant - Science

The COVID-19 pandemic is at a crossroads in the United States. On the one hand, U.S. cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have trended dramatically downward from their peaks in January 2022. Many jurisdictions have relaxed their pandemic restrictions, and many people have returned to in-person work and social events, creating a sense that the end is near. On the other hand, hundreds of deaths are still reported each day, and cases have again started to rise in several parts of the U.S. as the highly contagious Omicron subvariant BA.2 has taken hold as thedominant virus variant. In coming weeks, COVID-19 outbreaks in Europe and China may foreshadow another surge in U.S. cases.

Amid this uncertainty, Congress is debating the need for additional pandemic-related policies. Federal funding for testing and coverage of vaccination costs is poised to expire as the public health emergency ends. Some are questioning the need for vaccines and boosters. But others are warning about the potential impact of waning immunity and new variants driving outbreaks even among previously vaccinated groups.

In December 2021,we reportedthat the first year of the U.S. vaccination effort had averted 1.1 million deaths and 10.3 million hospitalizations (compared to a no-vaccine scenario), primarily by blunting a surge in the Delta variant during the summer and early autumn of 2021. Since then, nearly all U.S. regions have experienced a massive wave of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths caused by the highly transmissible Omicron variant. Yet that wave could have been much larger in the absence of a vaccination program. As Congress considers whether to fund additional vaccination programs, two pressing questions are: What was the impact of U.S. vaccination efforts on this most recent outbreak? And how much spending on health care was avoided?

In this post, we update our estimates to include the winter Omicron wave, calculating the numbers of COVID-related deaths and hospitalizations avoided because of the U.S. vaccination program. Additionally, we estimate in U.S. dollars the health care spending averted as a result of COVID-19 vaccination. To do so, we used a model that encapsulates the characteristics of the coronavirus variants, their transmission, and outcomes to compare the observed pandemic trajectory (of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths) to a counterfactual scenario in which no vaccination program existed. The model accounts for waning immunity and changes in population behavior over time as schools and businesses have reopened and travel has increased. We have refined our model to reflect emerging scientific evidence. See How We Conducted This Study for further details.

Through March 2022, we estimate that COVID-19 vaccination efforts in the U.S. prevented over 2 million deaths and 17 million hospitalizations. There would have been an estimated 66 million additional infections and nearly $900 billion in associated health care costs in the absence of vaccination.

Read the report at The Commonwealth Fund

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Study: COVID-19 Vaccines Have Prevented More Than 2 Million Deaths in US - HS Today - HSToday

ARLINGTON, Texas The Texas Rangers made the trip to Toronto on Tuesday night for Friday's season opener against the Blue Jays with all 28 expected players on the Opening Day roster in tow. In accordance with Canada's travel requirements, all members of the team's travel party were required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 14 days prior crossing the border.

The Rangers respected the players' decision to choose regarding vaccination status. No roster moves needed to be made in that regard.

We do have to follow the rules of law, and we have to do exactly what everybody else does coming into Canada, said manager Chris Woodward on Wednesday. There were no issues."

The only player expected to be on the active roster that didn't make the trip was free-agent signing Garrett Richards. Woodward announced earlier this week that Richards will miss at least the first two series of the season on the 10-day Injured List with a blister on his middle finger.

Before the team returns to the United States, everyone in the Rangers' travel party must provide a negative COVID-19 test taken no earlier than Saturday. The Rangers are in Toronto for a three-game series, then will make their way back to Arlington that night in preparation for Monday's home opener against the Colorado Rockies.

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Since the Blue Jays are a non-divisional opponent, this is the Rangers' only trip to Toronto this season. And due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the sport, it is also the club's first trip across the border since August 2019. In 2021, the Rangers played their road series against the Blue Jays at Toronto's Triple-A ballpark in Buffalo.

This time around, Rogers Centre will be filled to max capacity.

"It should be exciting," Woodward said. "Listen, this team has got a ton of buzz around it, as do we. ... They've made a lot of really positive changes. They're pretty excited and they have a talented team. It should be a really fun, exciting series."

Of course, there's one member of the 2021 Blue Jays that didn't return to Toronto this season and signed a seven-year, $175 million contract with the Rangers.

"They lost their best player last year, in my opinion," Woodward said with a smile. "We were able to get that one in Marcus [Semien]. That was exciting to acquire him."

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Rangers Arrive in Toronto With 'No Issues' Regarding COVID-19 Vaccinations - Sports Illustrated

GAITHERSBURG, Md., and PUNE, India, April 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a biotechnology company dedicated to developing and commercializing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, and Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. (SII), the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, today announced that the Thailand Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA) has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for Novavax' protein-based vaccine for active immunization to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 18 years of age and older. The vaccine, also known as NVX-CoV2373, is manufactured and marketed by SII under the brand name Covovax.

"Novavax looks forward to delivery of the first protein-based COVID-19 vaccine option for the people of Thailand," said Stanley C. Erck, President and Chief Executive Officer, Novavax. "We remain committed to helping fight the global pandemic by offering an additional vaccination option built on a well-understood platform used in other vaccines for decades."

The Thai FDA decision was based on the totality of preclinical, manufacturing and clinical trial data submitted for review. This includes two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials: PREVENT-19, which enrolled approximately 30,000 participants aged 18 years and older in the U.S. and Mexico and was published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM); and a trial with almost 15,000 adult participants in the U.K. which was also published in NEJM. In both trials, the vaccine demonstrated efficacy and a reassuring safety and tolerability profile. Serious and severe adverse events were low in number and balanced between vaccine and placebo groups. The most common adverse reactions observed during clinical studies (frequency category of very common 1/10) were headache, nausea or vomiting, myalgia, arthralgia, injection site tenderness/pain, fatigue, and malaise. NVX-CoV2373 will continue to be analyzed using real-world data, including the monitoring of safety and the evaluation of variants, as the vaccine is distributed.

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Covovax has received Emergency Use Listing (EUL) from the World Health Organization, as well as EUA in India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Bangladesh. It is also authorized for use in adolescents aged 12 to <18 years in India. For additional information on Covovax, please visit the following websites:

Authorized Use of Novavax' COVID-19 Vaccine in Thailand The Thailand Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA) has issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Covovax /Recombinant Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 Virus 5 mcg to induce immunity against SARS-CoV-2 to prevent COVID-19 for adults 18 years old and above.

Authorization in the U.S. NVX-CoV2373 has not yet been authorized for use in the U.S. by the U.S. FDA.

Important Safety Information

NVX-CoV2373 is contraindicated in persons who have a hypersensitivity to the active substance, or to any of the excipients.

Events of anaphylaxis have been reported with administration of COVID-19 vaccines. Appropriate medical treatment and supervision should be available in case of an anaphylactic reaction following the administration of the vaccine. Close observation for at least 15 minutes is recommended and a second dose of the vaccine should not be given to those who have experienced anaphylaxis to the first dose of NVX-CoV2373.

Anxiety-related reactions, including vasovagal reactions (syncope), hyperventilation, or stressrelated reactions may occur in association with vaccination as a psychogenic response to the needle injection. It is important that precautions are in place to avoid injury from fainting.

Vaccination should be postponed in individuals suffering from an acute severe febrile illness or acute infection. The presence of a minor infection and/or low-grade fever should not delay vaccination.

NVX-CoV2373 should be given with caution in individuals receiving anticoagulant therapy or those with thrombocytopenia or any coagulation disorder (such as haemophilia) because bleeding or bruising may occur following an intramuscular administration in these individuals.

The efficacy of NVX-CoV2373 may be lower in immunosuppressed individuals.

Administration of NVX-CoV2373 in pregnancy should only be considered when the potential benefits outweigh any potential risks for the mother and foetus.

The effects with NVX-CoV2373 may temporarily affect the ability to drive or use machines.

Individuals may not be fully protected until 7 days after their second dose. As with all vaccines, vaccination with NVX-CoV2373 may not protect all vaccine recipients.

The most common adverse reactions observed during clinical studies were headache, nausea or vomiting, myalgia, arthralgia, injection site tenderness/pain, fatigue, and malaise.

About NVX-CoV2373 NVX-CoV2373 is a protein-based vaccine engineered from the genetic sequence of the first strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. NVX-CoV2373 was created using Novavax' recombinant nanoparticle technology to generate antigen derived from the coronavirus spike (S) protein and is formulated with Novavax' patented saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies. NVX-CoV2373 contains purified protein antigen and can neither replicate, nor can it cause COVID-19.

Novavax' COVID-19 vaccine is packaged as a ready-to-use liquid formulation in a vial containing ten doses. The vaccination regimen calls for two 0.5 ml doses (5 mcg antigen and 50 mcg Matrix-M adjuvant) given intramuscularly 21 days apart. The vaccine is stored at 2- 8 Celsius, enabling the use of existing vaccine supply and cold chain channels. Use of the vaccine should be in accordance with official recommendations.

Novavax has established partnerships for the manufacture, commercialization and distribution of NVX-CoV2373 worldwide. Existing authorizations leverage Novavax' manufacturing partnership with Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume. They will later be supplemented with data from additional manufacturing sites throughout Novavax' global supply chain.

About the NVX-CoV2373 Phase 3 trials NVX-CoV2373 is being evaluated in two pivotal Phase 3 trials.

PREVENT-19, a trial in the U.S. and Mexico that enrolled almost 30,000 participants aged 18 years and older, achieved 90.4% efficacy overall. It was designed as a 2:1 randomized, placebo-controlled, observer-blinded study to evaluate the efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of NVX-CoV2373. The primary endpoint for PREVENT-19 was the first occurrence of PCR-confirmed symptomatic (mild, moderate or severe) COVID-19 with onset at least 7 days after the second dose in serologically negative (to SARS-CoV-2) adult participants at baseline. The statistical success criterion included a lower bound of 95% CI >30%. A secondary endpoint was the prevention of PCR-confirmed, symptomatic moderate or severe COVID-19. Both endpoints were assessed at least seven days after the second study vaccination in volunteers who had not been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. It was generally well-tolerated and elicited a robust antibody response after the second dose in both studies. Full results of the trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

A trial conducted in the U.K. with 14,039 participants aged 18 years and older was designed as a randomized, placebo-controlled, observer-blinded study and achieved overall efficacy of 89.7%. The primary endpoint was based on the first occurrence of PCR-confirmed symptomatic (mild, moderate or severe) COVID-19 with onset at least 7 days after the second study vaccination in serologically negative (to SARS-CoV-2) adult participants at baseline. Full results of the trial were published in NEJM.

About Matrix-M Adjuvant Novavax' patented saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant has demonstrated a potent and well-tolerated effect by stimulating the entry of antigen-presenting cells into the injection site and enhancing antigen presentation in local lymph nodes, boosting immune response.

About Novavax Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) is a biotechnology company that promotes improved health globally through the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative vaccines to prevent serious infectious diseases. The company's proprietary recombinant technology platform harnesses the power and speed of genetic engineering to efficiently produce highly immunogenic nanoparticles designed to address urgent global health needs. NVX-CoV2373, the company's COVID-19 vaccine, has received conditional authorization from multiple regulatory authorities globally, including the European Commission and the World Health Organization. The vaccine is also under review by multiple regulatory agencies worldwide. In addition to its COVID-19 vaccine, Novavax is also currently evaluating a COVID-seasonal influenza combination vaccine in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial, which combines NVX-CoV2373 and NanoFlu, its quadrivalent influenza investigational vaccine candidate. These vaccine candidates incorporate Novavax' proprietary saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies.

For more information, visit http://www.novavax.com and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

About Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. Driven by the philanthropic philosophy of affordable vaccines, Serum Institute of India Pvt, Ltd. is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by number of doses produced and sold globally (more than 1.5 billion doses), supplying the world's least expensive and WHO-accredited vaccines to as many as 170 countries. It was founded in 1966 with the aim of manufacturing lifesaving immunobiological drugs including vaccines worldwide. With a strong commitment towards global health, the institute's objective has been proliferated by bringing down the prices of newer vaccines such as such as Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hib, BCG, r-Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccines. SII is credited with bringing world-class technology to India, through its state-of-the-art equipped multifunctional production facility in Manjari, Pune; association with Zipline and government agencies to transform emergency medicine and critical care along with spearheading the race of vaccine development against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Forward-Looking Statements Statements herein relating to the future of Novavax, its operating plans and prospects, its partnerships, the timing of clinical trial results, the ongoing development of NVX-CoV2373, its COVID-seasonal influenza investigational vaccine candidate, the scope, timing and outcome of future regulatory filings and actions, including Novavax' plans to supplement existing authorizations with data from the additional manufacturing sites in Novavax' global supply chain, the potential impact and reach of Novavax and NVX-CoV2373 in addressing vaccine access, controlling the pandemic and protecting populations, the efficacy, safety and intended utilization of NVX-CoV2373, and expected delivery of NVX-CoV2373 are forward-looking statements. Novavax cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, challenges satisfying, alone or together with partners, various safety, efficacy, and product characterization requirements, including those related to process qualification and assay validation, necessary to satisfy applicable regulatory authorities; difficulty obtaining scarce raw materials and supplies; resource constraints, including human capital and manufacturing capacity, on the ability of Novavax to pursue planned regulatory pathways; challenges meeting contractual requirements under agreements with multiple commercial, governmental, and other entities; and those other risk factors identified in the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of Novavax' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. You are encouraged to read our filings with the SEC, available at http://www.sec.gov and http://www.novavax.com, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of the statements. Our business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above. Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

Contacts:

InvestorsNovavax, Inc. Erika Schultz | 240-268-2022 ir@novavax.com

MediaAli Chartan | 240-720-7804 Laura Keenan Lindsey | 202-709-7521 media@novavax.com

Serum Institute of India Mayank Sen | +91-986-797-4055 mayank.sen@seruminstitute.com

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SOURCE Novavax, Inc.

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Novavax and Serum Institute of India Receive Emergency Use Authorization for Novavax' COVID-19 Vaccine in Thailand - Yahoo Finance

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of April 8, 2022, there are currently 358 active COVID-19 cases statewide. There have been 4 deaths reported since the last report, with a total of 6,753 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

DHHR has confirmed the deaths of a 62-year old male from Morgan County, a 79-year old female from Harrison County, a 79-year old female from Greenbrier County, and a 26-year old male from Kanawha County.

We mourn the loss of these West Virginians and send our deepest sympathies to their loved ones, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. Vaccines are safe and effective, and if you are eligible, please do your part by scheduling a COVID vaccine and booster.

CURRENT ACTIVE CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (0), Berkeley (25), Boone (1), Braxton (0), Brooke (1), Cabell (32), Calhoun (2), Clay (0), Doddridge (0), Fayette (3), Gilmer (2), Grant (2), Greenbrier (4), Hampshire (4), Hancock (6), Hardy (0), Harrison (18), Jackson (2), Jefferson (25), Kanawha (21), Lewis (1), Lincoln (5), Logan (5), Marion (13), Marshall (6), Mason (2), McDowell (12), Mercer (15), Mineral (6), Mingo (3), Monongalia (28), Monroe (5), Morgan (5), Nicholas (2), Ohio (3), Pendleton (7), Pleasants (1), Pocahontas (2), Preston (9), Putnam (24), Raleigh (11), Randolph (7), Ritchie (4), Roane (3), Summers (0), Taylor (5), Tucker (1), Tyler (1), Upshur (2), Wayne (3), Webster (0), Wetzel (3), Wirt (3), Wood (11), Wyoming (2). To find the cumulative cases per county, please visit http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov and look on the Cumulative Summary tab which is sortable by county.

Delays may be experienced with the reporting of information from the local health department to DHHR. As case surveillance continues at the local health department level, it may reveal that those tested in a certain county may not be a resident of that county, or even the state as an individual in question may have crossed the state border to be tested. Please visit http://www.coronavirus.wv.gov for more detailed information.

West Virginians ages 5 years and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination; after the primary series, first booster shots are recommended for those 12 and older. Second booster shots for those age 50 and over that are 4 months or greater from their first booster have now been authorized by FDA and recommended by CDC, as well as for younger individuals over 12 years old with serious and chronic health conditions that lead to being considered moderately to severely immunocompromised. To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines, or to find a vaccine site near you, visit vaccinate.wv.gov or call 1-833-734-0965.

Free pop-up COVID-19 testing is available today in Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Cabell, Clay, Fayette, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hancock, Jefferson, Lewis, Logan, Marion, Marshall, Mason, Morgan, Nicholas, Ohio, Putnam, Raleigh, Randolph, Taylor, Upshur, Wayne, and Wood counties.

Barbour County

8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Community Market, 107 South Main Street (across the street from Walgreens), Philippi, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVBBC)

1:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Junior Volunteer Fire Department, 331 Row Avenue, Junior, WV (optional pre-registration: https://unityphr.com/campaigns/wvlabs/covid)

Berkeley County

8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Airborne Church, 172 Creative Place, Martinsburg, WV

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM, Shenandoah Community Health, 99 Tavern Road, Martinsburg, WV (optional pre-registration: https://unityphr.com/campaigns/wvlabs/covid)

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, 891 Auto Parts Place, Martinsburg, WV (optional pre-registration: https://unityphr.com/campaigns/wvlabs/covid)

Braxton County

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Braxton County Memorial Hospital (parking lot), 100 Hoylman Drive, Gassaway, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=Braxton)

Cabell County

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Marshall University Campus (parking lot), 1801 6th Avenue, Huntington, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Cabell-Huntington Health Department (parking lot), 703 Seventh Avenue, Huntington, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

Clay County

8:30 AM - 3:00 PM, Lizemores Volunteer Fire Department, 13175 Clay Highway, Lizemores, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVClayCounty)

Fayette County

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Fayette County Health Department, 5495 Maple Lane, Fayetteville, WV

Gilmer County

8:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Minnie Hamilton Health System (parking lot), 921 Mineral Road, Glenville, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMHCT11)

Grant County

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Petersburg City Parking Lot, South Main Street (across from Walgreens), Petersburg, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

Greenbrier County

9:30 AM - 3:00 PM, State Fair of WV, 891 Maplewood Avenue, Lewisburg, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVGBC)

Hampshire County

10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Hampshire Memorial Hospital, 363 Sunrise Boulevard, Romney, WV (optional pre-registration: https://unityphr.com/campaigns/wvlabs/covid)

Hancock County

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Hancock County Health Department, 100 North Court Street, New Cumberland, WV (optional pre-registration: https://roxbylabs.dendisoftware.com/patient_registration/)

Jefferson County

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Hollywood Casino, 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, WV (optional pre-registration: https://unityphr.com/campaigns/wvlabs/covid)

Lewis County

8:30 AM - 3:00 PM, City Parking Lot, 95 West Second Street, Weston, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMavLewis1)

Logan County

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Town of Man Fire Department, Administration Building, 110 North Bridge Street, Man, WV

12:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Old 84 Lumber Building, 100 Recovery Road, Peach Creek, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

Marion County

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Dunbar School Foundation, 101 High Street, Fairmont, WV

Marshall County

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Cameron City Building, 46 Main Street, Cameron, WV

Mason County

8:30 AM - 3:00 PM, Krodel Park, 1186 Charleston Road, Point Pleasant, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMavCOUNTY12)

Morgan County

8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, The Blue (of First United Methodist Church), 440 Fearnow Road, Berkeley Springs, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMavMorgan1)

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM, War Memorial Hospital, 1 Health Way, Berkeley Springs, WV (optional pre-registration: https://unityphr.com/campaigns/wvlabs/covid)

Nicholas County

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM, Summersville Regional Medical Center, 400 Fairview Heights Road, Summersville, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVNL)

Ohio County

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM, Ohio Valley Medical Center (back parking lot at the top of 22nd Street), 2000 Eoff Street, Wheeling, WV (optional pre-registration: https://roxbylabs.dendisoftware.com/patient_registration/)

Putnam County

9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Putnam County Health Department (behind Liberty Square), 316 Putnam Village Drive, Hurricane, WV

Raleigh County

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Beckley-Raleigh County Health Department, 1602 Harper Road, Beckley, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=MavBeckleyRaleigh)

Randolph County

8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Davis Health Center, 812 Gorman Avenue, Elkins, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVRDC)

Taylor County

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Grafton-Taylor Health Department, 718 West Main Street (parking lot at Operations Trailer), Grafton, WV (optional pre-registration: https://wv.getmycovidresult.com/)

Upshur County

8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Buckhannon Fire Department (parking lot), 22 South Florida Street, Buckhannon, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVUSC)

Wayne County

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, Wayne County Health Department, 217 Kenova Avenue, Wayne, WV (optional pre-registration: https://unityphr.com/campaigns/wvlabs/covid)

Wood County

8:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Vienna Baptist Church, 3401 Grand Central Avenue, Vienna, WV (optional pre-registration: https://labpass.com/en/registration?access_code=WVMavWood1)

Please check with the testing site, DHHRs social media pages and the COVID-19 website https://dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/pages/testing.aspx for any last minute cancellations, and to find other free testing opportunities across West Virginia.

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COVID-19 Daily Update 4-8-2022 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

The KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor is an ongoing research project tracking the publics attitudes and experiences with COVID-19 vaccinations. Using a combination of surveys and qualitative research, this project tracks the dynamic nature of public opinion as vaccine development and distribution unfold, including vaccine confidence and acceptance, information needs, trusted messengers and messages, as well as the publics experiences with vaccination.

The latest analysis from a KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor survey finds that as the omicron surge recedes, a majority of adults say they are limiting their activity levels from pre-pandemic at least somewhat in order to protect themselves from COVID, with 42% who are doing some but not all the activities they did before the pandemic and 17% who are doing very few of the activities they did before COVID-19. Around four in ten adults say they have basically returned to normal in terms of activities that they engaged in before the pandemic (27%) or that they never changed their activity level to begin with (14%).

Unvaccinated adults (57%), Republicans (55%), and White adults (47%) are the groups most likely to say they never changed activity levels or have basically returned to normal. Nearly half of those with household incomes of $90,000 or more say the same. Black adults (34%), those with a chronic condition that puts them at higher risk for COVID-19 (25%), and those living in households with incomes less than $40,000 (23%) are the most likely to say they are doing very few of the activities they did before the pandemic.

About six in ten adults (59%) say that now that COVID-19 case rates are lower, people should continue to wear masks in some public places to minimize the spread and avoid another surge in cases, while four in ten say that people should stop wearing masks in most public places so things can go back to normal. There are significant divides not only by partisanship, and vaccination status, but also by race, ethnicity, and income.

Eight-five percent of Democrats say that people should continue to wear masks, as do 57% of independents and 67% of vaccinated adults. Around seven in ten Republicans (69%) say that people should stop wearing masks so that things can return to normal, as do 67% of unvaccinated adults.

While White adults are split (49% say people should stop wearing masks, 49% say they should continue to wear them in some public places), large majorities of Black adults (88%) and Hispanic adults (69%) say that people should continue to wear masks in some public places to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Around two-thirds of those with a household income of less than $40,000 a year (68%) say the same, compared to 55% of those with an income between $40,000-$89,900 and 54% of those with an income of $90,000 or more. This finding that people of color are more likely to support continued mask wearing may reflect larger shares of Black and Hispanic adults being employed in service industries compared to White adults, putting them at an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19.

This finding is consistent with previous Vaccine Monitor surveys, which found Black and Hispanic adults were more likely to be worried that they personally will contract COVID-19, as well as be worried that someone in their family or their child will get sick. Black and Hispanic adults, as well as those with lower incomes were also more likely to say they dont get paid time off if they get COVID-19.

On the more specific question of mandating masks on public transportation, the public is more evenly divided. The federal government currently requires people to wear masks on airplanes, trains, and other public transportation. With this requirement set to expire on April 18, adults are split on whether the federal government should let the requirement expire (51%) or extend the requirement (48%).

Majorities of Democrats (72%) and vaccinated adults (54%) support extending the masking requirement on transportation. By contrast, three-quarters of Republicans (76%) and unvaccinated adults (73%), and over half of independents (55%) would prefer to let the requirement expire on April 18.

However, preferences for this federal mandate extend beyond partisanship and vaccination status, with lower income adults and people of color voicing support for keeping the requirement after April 18. At least six in ten of Black (69%) and Hispanic adults (61%) say the federal government should extend the requirement, compared to 41% of White adults. Over half of adults with lower incomes (55%) want to extend the masking requirement, compared to 44% of those with a household income of between $40,000-$89,900, and 45% of those with an income of $90,000 or more. Similar to views of general masking, this divide by racial and ethnic groups as well as income groups may reflect those most likely to be working in areas where they would be exposed to COVID-19 without mask mandates.

Those with chronic conditions are also more likely to support extending the federal mask mandate on transportation (56%), while more than half (55%) of those without chronic conditions want to let the mandate expire.

Most adults report continuing to wear a mask at least sometimes in public places. Around half of adults (51%) say that in the past 30 days they wore a mask every time or most of the time when indoors in public places, including 28% who say they wore one every time. Another 29% say they wore a mask some of the time, and 19% say they never wore a mask indoors in public places.

In line with attitudes about mask requirements on transportation, Democrats are more likely to say they always or mostly wore a mask indoors in the past 30 days (75%), compared to independents (46%) and Republicans (30%).

Two-thirds of unvaccinated adults say they have been wearing a mask some of the time or never have worn a mask indoors in the past 30 days (67%), while one-third (32%) report wearing one every or most of the time. A majority of vaccinated adults say they wore a mask every or most of the time (56%).

Showing differences by race and ethnicity, twice the share of Black adults compared to White adults report wearing a mask always or most of the time in the past 30 days (80% vs. 39%). Around two-thirds of Hispanic adults say the same (65%).

The survey finds the pandemic has taken a heavy toll on adults and children over the last two years. Whether it comes to their education, work, finances, mental or physical health, many regardless of race, ethnicity and income report feeling the negative effects of the pandemic.

The most common negative effects of the pandemic, as reported by parents, are about their childrens education and mental health. Almost two-thirds of parents say that the pandemic has negatively affected their childrens education (63%), with 28% saying it had no effect, and 9% who report it had a positive effect. Moreover, over half (55%) of parents say the pandemic has had a negative impact on their childrens mental health, compared to 36% who say it made no difference, and 9% saying it had a positive effect.

Among all adults, half say the pandemic has had a negative effect on their personal mental health (49%), and 41% say it has had a negative impact on their physical health. Few say it has had a positive effect on either their physical (11%) or mental health (9%).

About four in ten adults say the pandemic had a negative impact on their financial situation (41%) while a similar share report it had no impact (44%), with 15% who say it had a positive impact. One-quarter of adults say the pandemic has had a negative impact on their employment situation (26%), with 59% who report it has not had an impact.

Results are more mixed when it comes to the pandemics effect on family relationships. Around a third say the pandemic has had a negative impact on their relationships with family members (32%) while 18% say it has had a positive impact. Half say it has not had any impact one way or another.

Adults in households with lower incomes report being harder hit by the pandemic, especially when it comes to financial and employment impacts. Adults with a household income of less than $40,000 a year are more likely to say the pandemic has had a negative impact on their financial situation (56%), compared to 43% of those with an income of between $40,000 and $90,000 and 23% of those with a household income of $90,000 or more a year.

In addition, the share of those with lower incomes who say the pandemic had a negative impact on their employment situation (37%) is more than twice the share of those with annual incomes greater than $90,000 (15%).

Younger people also report disproportionate effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, especially when it comes to their mental and physical health. Two-thirds of young adults aged 18-29 (67%) report that the pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health, compared to just over half of 30-49 year-olds (54%), and under four in ten 50-64 year-olds (38%) and those over the age of 65 (37%).

Young adults are also more likely to report difficulties with their physical health due to the pandemic, with 53% of those under 30 reporting a negative impact, 47% of those 30-49, 37% of those 50-64, and 28% of those over the age of 65. In addition, larger shares of young adults report negative effects on their employment situation (36%) compared to older adults, including those ages 50-64 (23%) and those 65 and older (17%).

In their own words, when asked about the biggest challenge and/or positive change brought about by the pandemic over the past two years, the top responses regarding both negative and positive effects were related to human interactions and relationships, or the lack thereof.

When asked about changes that have been brought about by the pandemic over the past two years, 27% say the hardest thing has been isolation and not seeing people. Another 13% say they have struggled with not being able to do things or travel, and 13% cite the financial impact, including inflation.

Some say the hardest part has been avoiding COVID-19 and staying safe (6%), employment changes and job loss (5%), having to wear a mask (4%), the effect on mental health (4%), the impact on kids and online schooling (3%), and losing family members and loved ones (3%).

In their own words: Thinking about the changes brought about by the pandemic over the past two years, what, if anything, has been the hardest thing for you and your family?

Being evicted and still not recovered financially. 43 year old, male, White, Democrat, South Carolina

Not allowed to be with my wife when she was hospitalized with stage 4 cancer. 65 year old, male, White, Republican, Arkansas

Finances, health, loss of family members, being hospitalized, lasting effects. My familys going through things because of the whole COVID thing. Their finances are going down and theyre struggling; I had to leave my apartment everything was chaotic. 31 year old, female, White, Independent, Tennessee

Concern over preexisting conditions. 24 year old, female, Asian, Democrat, Illinois

Deal with all mandates and restrictions. 30 year old, male, Hispanic, independent, Indiana

Just the online schooling, I had to quit work to stay at home. 31 year old, female, White, Democrat, Ohio

Division over whats real or not and what we should follow. 25 year old, male, Hispanic, Republican, Florida

Having to wear masks everywhere, its terrible. 24 year old, male, White, Independent, Michigan

Inability to visit elderly parents. 63 year old, male, White, Independent, Florida

Getting clear information about it and how best to manage through the maze of many, many authorities giving advice about Covid. 90 year old, female, Black, Democrat, New York

Mask mandates and business closures, especially as a truck driver. 58 year old, male, White, independent, South Dakota

Medical debt, inability to work from disabilities exacerbated or initiated by covid. 31 year old, other, White, independent, Oregon

Loss of non-family social relationships. 22 year old, female, White, Democrat, New York

Mental health got a lot worse due to distancing people from each other. 38 year old, male, White, independent, Illinois

The grief of people dying. 39 year old, female, White, independent, Texas

When asked if anything has changed for the better in the last two years, 24% say they are closer to their family or have spent more time with their families. Some (8%) also say that job changes or remote work were a positive change, 7% cited improvements in their financial situation, 5% said they had better health practices or awareness, and 4% cited a general appreciation of life or their current situation. A third of respondents said nothing changed for the better.

In their own words: Thinking about the changes brought about by the pandemic over the past two years, what, if anything, has changed for the better for you and your family?

Being able to use telehealth communications for doctors and by doing a lot of things by phone and email now, very convenient for families. 25 year old, female, White, independent, Kentucky

Closer bonding with family and more stability with work life. 30 year old, male, Asian, independent, Texas

Eating more prepared meals from home and saving money. 66 year old, female, White, Republican, Illinois

Better handwashing and wearing a mask has helped with overall health. 66 year old, male, White, Democrat, California

Gives me a good excuse to get out of dinner with in-laws. 37 year old, other, Hispanic, independent, Pennsylvania

It helped cherish the moments you have with each other and to be less wasteful. Realize that habits/behaviors can change all the time; make the best changes. 39 year old, female, Black, Democrat, Tennessee

The stimulus checks helped keep me out of debt. 52 year old, female, White, independent, Colorado

More remote opportunities in education and employment. 21 year old, male, White, Democrat, Maryland

Excerpt from:

KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: Views On The Pandemic At Two Years - Kaiser Family Foundation

Testing, deaths also rise, but hospitalizations are lowest since last July

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon has seen an increase in daily reported cases of COVID-19 for the most recent reporting week following more than two months of steady declines, the Oregon Health Authority reported Wednesday.

The number of COVID-19 tests was also substantially higher, with a small increase in percent positivity.

Hospitalizations continue to steadily decline, falling to weekly levels last seen in early July 2021. The number of COVID-19-related deaths typically a lagging indicator was higher for the week ending April 3 than the previous weekly reporting period, which ended March 27.

Starting Wednesday, OHA will publish the COVID-19 data and outbreak reports every other Wednesday, consistent with thenew reporting scheduleshared last week.

The finalCOVID-19 Weekly Data Report, released Wednesday, shows an increase in weekly cases, a continued decline in disease-related hospitalizations and an increase in deaths.

OHA reported 1,988 new cases of COVID-19 during the week of March 28 through April 3, a 42% increase over the previous week. This reverses a nine-week streak of declines.

There were 97 COVID-19-related hospitalizations, a 44% decline over the previous week.

There were 140 COVID-19-related deaths, up from 99 the previous week. This marked the first week that fewer than 100 deaths were reported since the week of June 28 to July 4, 2021.

Reported COVID-19 test results increased by 16%. There were 78,387 tests administered. Test positivity increased slightly, from 2.7% to 2.9%.

WednesdaysCOVID-19 Weekly Outbreak Reportshows 50 total active outbreaks in care facilities, senior living communities and congregate living settings with three or more confirmed COVID-19 cases or one or more COVID-19-related deaths.

With the switch to weekly dashboard reporting, the Oregon COVID-19 Vaccine Daily Update will be replaced by theOregon COVID-19 Vaccine Weekly Update. The dashboard will still show vaccine administrations reported to the ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS) registry, by day reported. The dashboard will also show administrations reported in the past week and since the beginning of the vaccine rollout.

COVID-19 vaccine doses delivered in the past week will replace doses delivered in the last day. A full inventory of vaccine deliveries can be downloaded from the dashboard using the link found on the top-right corner of the page.

With 19,987 second boosters reported last week, a total of 26,798 people have received second boosters in Oregon since their authorization March 30. Second boosters will be added to thevaccine weekly updatedashboard and on theage tabof the vaccine metrics dashboards Wednesday.

OHA recently updated its methodology for identifying valid boosters and valid second boosters, to incorporate time between doses. County-level demographic data for second boosters will be incorporated on the dashboards at a future date when uptake is more widespread.

Starting Wednesday, OHA will update ongoing COVID-19 variant reporting within itswastewater dashboard.

Oregon State University, OHAs partner in wastewater surveillance, is now able to detect COVID-19 variants in wastewater at lower levels and the updated wastewater dashboard will reflect this enhanced surveillance capacity.

In addition, the dashboard will now also display whether a variant was detected in wastewater at low, medium or high levels.

These changes will strengthen our surveillance and monitoring efforts by detecting emerging variants earlier and more effectively, said Melissa Sutton, M.D., medical director for respiratory viral pathogens and a senior health adviser for OHAs COVID-19 response.

OHA is now providing COVID-19 updates on a biweekly basis. Wednesdays release marks the first release with the new biweekly reporting schedule. Information about new COVID-19 cases, current hospitalizations of COVID-19-positive patients and deaths, along with other COVID-19 data, continue to be available daily on theOHA websiteanddata dashboards. The daily COVID-19 data also will be posted every weekday on OHA's TwitterandFacebookpages.

COVID-19 vaccination dashboards, the Oregon COVID-19 Case and Testing Counts Statewide dashboard and the Oregon COVID-19 Testing and Outcomes by County dashboard will continue to be published weekly on Wednesdays.

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine situation in Oregon, visit OHA's web page (EnglishorSpanish), which has a breakdown of distribution and other information.

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Oregon Health Authority reports rise in COVID-19 cases after 2-plus months of declines - KTVZ

Most immunocompromised people with a blood cancer called multiple myeloma benefited from a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines, a promising sign after it was shown that two doses tended to not be sufficient for them. However, some people with multiple myeloma still remained vulnerable and may need a fourth dose or antibody treatments as restrictions lift and new variants emerge, according to a fast-tracked study in Cancer Cell.

"This study is the first to comprehensively capture the immune effect of the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in patients with plasma cell disorders and blood cancers like multiple myeloma," said one of the study's lead authors, Samir Parekh, MD, Director of Translational Research in Multiple Myeloma at The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai and Professor of Medicine (Hematology and Medical Oncology), and Oncological Sciences, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "It provides guidance to myeloma patients, who are at risk for severe infection because they may be immunocompromised due to the disease itself and the cancer treatment."

Mount Sinai's previous research had shown that breakthrough infections occurred in multiple myeloma patients due to poor or no response to the normal regimen of COVID-19 vaccines, the majority of which were the two-dose mRNA vaccines. These vulnerable patients' lack of complete protection led to antibody testing and a third vaccine in hopes that this would increase the immune response. This study was important in understanding whether vulnerable patients were adequately protected by the third dose or needed to continue to follow strict social distancing and masking or seek additional vaccines or treatments when available.

In this latest study, blood samples were collected from 476 patients with plasma cell disorders over a period of 15 months and were compared to samples collected from healthy, vaccinated health care workers. The findings showed that the third dose significantly increased the level of antibodies in patients with and without prior COVID-19 infection but levels of COVID-19-fighting antibodies in multiple myeloma patients remained below those observed in healthy people.

Just more than a quarter of the multiple myeloma patients had no detectable antibodies after the standard two doses of the vaccine, but in these patients, 88 percent developed antibodies after a third dose. The third dose also resulted in a significant increase of other immune cells such as T cells and B cells, which also help neutralize COVID-19.

After the third dose, neutralization of the wild-type virus increased in multiple myeloma patients in patients who had minimal or no response to the standard two doses. However, neutralizing titers against the Omicron variant was still lower in myeloma patients as compared to healthy controls. Therefore, a subset of patients may still remain vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Our findings underscore the need for continued monitoring of immune responses and further research around measures such as additional vaccine doses or passive immunization for individual multiple myeloma patients who may remain vulnerable after third-dose vaccination, especially as COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted worldwide and new waves of viral variants are emerging."

Viviana A. Simon, MD, PhD, Study's Lead Author, Professor of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, and Pathology, Molecular and Cell Based Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

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Study captures the immune effect of COVID-19 vaccine in patients with multiple myeloma - News-Medical.Net

CNN

From the early days of the pandemic, doctors noticed that in severe cases of Covid-19 the ones that landed people in the hospital on ventilators with shredded lungs most of the internal wreckage wasnt being directly inflicted by the virus itself but by a blizzard of immune reactions triggered by the body to fight the infection.

Researchers knew that these so-called cytokine storms were damaging, but they didnt know why the SARS-CoV-2 virus seemed to be so good at setting them off.

A new study published Wednesday in the journal Nature is helping to explain how these immune overreactions happen to Covid-19 patients.

The study revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can infect certain kinds of immune cells called monocytes and macrophages.

Monocytes and macrophages are white blood cells, and they are frontline workers of the immune system. Their job is to circulate in the blood and tissues, to find and destroy pathogens. They do this by eating or really, surrounding and absorbing threats like viruses to keep them from being able to infect other cells.

Once a bad actor is absorbed, these cells have what can best be described as a cellular garbage disposal, called an endosome, that normally shuts the infectious agent down.

In the case of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, however, that doesnt happen. The virus gets out of the endosome and escapes into the body of the cell, where it starts making copies of itself.

The viruses not only get taken up, but once they get taken up, the virus starts replicating, so that was surprising, said Dr. Judith Lieberman, a pediatric immunologist at Boston Childrens Hospital, who led the research.

A virus starting to make copies of itself in the body is never a good thing, but when this happens to these protector cells, it sets off a next-level set of alarms.

These alarms, in turn, summon agents called inflammasomes that, in essence, respond by burning it all down. They help the infected cell die by pyroptosis, or fiery death.

Pyroptosis is a newly recognized phenomenon. It happens in other diseases, too, like sepsis.

When cells die by pyroptosis, they release all kinds of inflammatory proteins that cause fever and summon more immune cells to the site, Lieberman said. It sets off a cascade of crisis signals thats very difficult to stop.

We dont have any way of treating that once it gets started. Its just sort of its like a little fire. It spreads and explodes and no fire extinguisher is capable of putting it out, she said.

I think its really elegant, said Donna Farber, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Columbia University, describing the study. They actually put some pieces together that hadnt been put together before. She was not involved in the research.

In comparing the blood cells of healthy people to those of both people who came hospital with Covid-19 and the blood of people who had pneumonia from other causes, researchers found this process seems to happen more often with Covid-19.

All the patients we studied had signs of respiratory distress and pneumonia. The ones who had [SARS-CoV-2] had many more of these inflammasomes and dying cells, Lieberman said. So its likely that [SARS-CoV-2] is particularly good at inducing it, but we dont know why.

Lieberman said that the study also helps to explain why people who are older or have underlying health problems like obesity or diabetes have higher risks for severe outcomes with Covid-19. Those conditions are already associated with some level of inflammation in the body.

Theyre much, much more likely to start these inflammatory fires, she said. They have sort of a low slow burn going on anyway. And once it gets started its really hard to put out the fire.

Theres another piece of the process, though, that suggests a way it might be stopped, and thats how the virus gets into these white blood cells.

Monocytes and macrophages lack ACE-2 receptors, the doors that the virus uses to dock onto and infect other kinds of cells. Instead, the virus enters these cells because of another immune system helper the Y-shaped antibodies that grab onto the virus in an attempt to block it from docking onto our cells.

When antibodies grab viruses, the tail of the antibody called the FC portion sticks out. That stalk acts a flag to wave down monocytes and macrophages to let them know theres a bad guy to pick up.

Not all monocytes recognize the same antibodies. The study found people with Covid-19 tended to have more of an unusual type of monocyte that had CD16 receptors. These receptors recognize the stalks of antibodies that the body makes to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Those antibodies connect to monocytes with CD16 receptors, triggering the cell to absorb the virus. Once inside, the virus starts trying to copy itself, setting off the damaging inflammatory reaction.

John Wherry, director of the Institute for Immunology at the University of Pennsylvanias Perelman School of Medicine, said thats something weve been wondering about with Covid-19 infections, whether there might be some kind of antibody enhancement of disease. Wherry was not involved in the study.

He said this can happen with other infections, too, like dengue fever. The more times a person gets infected with the dengue virus, the sicker they get with each subsequent bout. Thats the opposite of whats supposed to happen. A person who recovers from an infection usually has better protection against future ones.

Wherry said theres no evidence that the antibodies facilitating these severe inflammatory reactions come from prior infections or from other kinds of coronaviruses. He said antibodies are made quickly in infections and that the ones at work here were probably made in response to the persons current illness. In that way, its different than what happens with dengue.

However, the antibodies generated by vaccines dont seem to facilitate monocyte infections and the inflammatory cascades that follow. They tested that in the study.

I think what was interesting about this is it could provide a clue and perhaps even some druggable targets for why some of the inflammation that we see in severe Covid patients might get kick started the wrong way or proceed out of control, Wherry said. So thats where I think this is quite interesting.

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Study reveals how Covid-19 infections can set off massive inflammation in the body - CNN

A man receives a booster dose of Pfizer's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at a vaccination centre in Brussels, Belgium, January 5, 2022. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

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April 6 (Reuters) - The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review.

Vaccine-related blood clots tied to gene, antibody variants

New research may help shed light on a rare but serious blood-clotting problem associated with the COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca (AZN.L) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N).

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Five unrelated people with this clotting complication, known as vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia, all had unusually-structured antibodies against a protein called PF4 that is involved in blood clotting, the researchers found. Furthermore, all five had a specific version of a gene responsible for producing these antibodies, they reported on Monday on medRxiv ahead of peer review. "The combination of a variant in a gene and the evolution of this antibody towards targeting in a highly deleterious manner the PF4 protein... leads to this disastrous complication," the researchers said. The prevalence of this gene varies and is highest in people of European descent, according to the report.

The finding "paves the way for a potential genetic screening tool to identify patients carrying this gene variant who are at risk of this severe complication" after receipt of these vaccines, said Tom Gordon and Jing Jing Wang of Flinders University of South Australia, two of the study's authors. "Additionally, this provides a unique opportunity for targeted, specific therapy development aimed at neutralizing this highly damaging but very specific antibody."

Concentrated antibodies may help immunosuppressed patients

Hospitalized COVID-19 patients who are severely immunocompromised may benefit from treatment with a purified, highly-concentrated form of antibody-rich blood plasma from previously infected people known as hyperimmune globulin, according to a small trial.

Netherlands-based researchers measured the need for mechanical ventilation, high-flow nasal oxygen, readmission for COVID-19 after hospital discharge or lack of clinical improvement among 18 subjects four weeks after administration of either SARS-CoV-2 hyperimmune globulin or immune globulin that did not contain antibodies to the coronavirus. These adverse outcomes occurred in 20% of patients who received the hyperimmune globulin with COVID-19 antibodies, compared to 88% of those who did not, according to a report posted on Tuesday on medRxiv ahead of peer review. The trial participants were organ transplant patients taking strong immunosuppressive drugs and others with diseases or medication regimens that impaired the function of immune cells called B cells.

In severely immunocompromised patients, SARS-CoV-2 hyperimmune globulin "may reduce the risk for severe COVID-19 and can be used when no monoclonal antibody therapies are available," the researchers concluded.

Glasses wearers may have lower COVID-19 risk

People who regularly wear glasses have a moderately lower risk of contracting COVID-19 while contact lenses offered no added protection, according to a large study that highlights the importance of the eye as a route of coronavirus infection.

More than 19,000 participants in the Virus Watch study in England and Wales responded to a questionnaire on the use of glasses and contact lenses. Starting as early as June 2020, participants had been reporting weekly on their COVID-19 status, and more than 11,000 provided monthly blood samples to show whether or not they had been infected with the coronavirus. After taking other risk factors into account, the researchers found a 15% lower risk of infection for those who reported wearing glasses always for general use compared to those who never wore glasses. The protective effect was reduced in those who said their glasses interfered with mask wearing, and there was no protective effect seen for contact lens wearers, according to a report posted on Monday on medRxiv ahead of peer review.

"Protective eye wear should be considered as part of broader strategies to prevent community transmission of infection and may be valuable to consider in the event of future pandemics and in high exposure occupations including healthcare," the researchers said.

Click for a Reuters graphic on vaccines in development.

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Reporting by Nancy Lapid; Editing by Bill Berkrot

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Rare vaccine-related blood clots tied to gene; concentrated antibodies may help the immunosuppressed - Reuters