Category: Covid-19

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Ameta-analysis of 12 studies shows that 30% of COVID-19 survivors have persistent symptoms 2 years after infection, the most common of which are fatigue, cognitive problems, and pain.

For the study, published yesterday in the Journal of Infection, an international team led by a researcher from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid, Spain, searched the literature for observational and case-control studies of long COVID 2 years after infection. The studies, published up to October 1, 2023, were from Europe, China, and the United States.

The sample included 7,912 hospitalized and non-hospitalized COVID-19 survivors; the average age was 59.5 years, and 50.7% were women. Up to 54% of patients had at least one underlying medical condition, with high blood pressure (34.0%) and obesity (22.4%) the most common.Long-COVID symptoms were evaluated at an average follow-up of 723 days.

The most common post-COVID symptoms 2 years post-infection were fatigue (28.0%), cognitive impairment (27.6%), and pain (8.4%). Psychologic problems such as anxiety (13.4%), depression (18.0%), and disturbed sleep (20.9%) were also prevalent.

The most common respiratory and general symptoms were fatigue (28.0%), runny nose (8.2%), and shortness of breath (5.7%). Prevalent neurologic and cognitive symptoms were dizziness and vertigo (6.7%) and impaired sense of smell (5.3%) and taste (4.9%).

This plethora of post-COVID symptoms can be explained by several mechanisms attributed to SARS-CoV-2 such as viral persistence, long-lasting inflammation, autoimmunity, reactivation of latent infections, alteration in gut microbiota, microvascular thrombosis, or others.

Stomach pain was the most common gastrointestinal symptom (6.7%); headache (8.9%) and muscle pain (8.1%) were the most prevalent pain symptoms; and hair loss was the most common dermatologic symptom (7.4%).

"This plethora of post-COVID symptoms can be explained by several mechanisms attributed to SARS-CoV-2 such as viral persistence, long-lasting inflammation, autoimmunity, reactivation of latent infections, alteration in gut microbiota, microvascular thrombosis, or others," the study authors wrote.

They added that population-based studies using homogeneous data-collection procedures are needed to further refine estimates of the prevalence of long COVID.

Read more from the original source:

Almost a third of COVID survivors report symptoms 2 years post-infection - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

SPOKANE, Wash. The United States has filed a complaint against a Spokane property management company, alleging that the company fraudulently claimed hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent assistance intended to support struggling renters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington, between 2021 and 2022, All Star Property Management "falsely and fraudulently sought and obtained T-RAP (Treasury Rent Assistance Program) relief funding for more than 30 tenants for which All Star was not eligible."

During the pandemic, congress established T-RAP to give landlords and property management companies an opportunity to apply for federal funding for a tenants past due and projected unpaid rent.

The company shared those proceeds with Arlin Jordan, who owned several properties under All Star. During this time, Jordan was serving time in prison for drugging and raping a tenant. But, he continued to own and receive income from five Spokane properties managed by All Star.

The complaint went on to accuse All Star and Jordan of claiming "falsely inflated rent amounts" higher than tenants' actual rent. In addition, both are accused of falsely representing T-RAP funds as rent assistance, which resulted in them collecting double and even triple rent for the same tenant for the same month.

Building safer and stronger communities in Eastern Washington requires that residents have access to safe, secure, and affordable housing, U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref said. Landlords and property management companies need to play by the rules, especially when they claim precious and limited rent assistance funds intended to protect members of the community struggling under the weight of a deadly pandemic. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who abuse critically-important housing support programs.

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A survey of more than 6,600 physicians in Sweden shows that general practitioners (GPs) who managed COVID-19 patients were twice as likely to report severe symptoms of exhaustion, often the first sign of burnout. The study was published today in BMC Primary Care.

The study was based on data gleaned from the Longitudinal Occupational Health survey in Health Care Sweden (LOHHCS), and researchers used the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) to assess severe symptoms of exhaustion.

Though much attention was paid to the stress and trauma experienced by emergency and critical care doctors in the early months of the pandemic, GPs were seeing and diagnosing COVID-19 patients while also caring for patients who had other conditions. The authors said the dual nature of the GPs' role in the pandemic may have uniquely primed those doctors for burnout.

In this study, burnout was defined as "the inability to perform, as indicated by exhaustion and cognitive and emotional impairment, together with the unwillingness to perform, as indicated by mental distancing." Exhaustion is characterized by both mental and physical fatigue, or feeling drained, tired, and weak.

The researchers administered the survey in spring 2021 to 1,013 GPs in Sweden, and they found exhaustion in 14.4% of respondents. The prevalence was 16.4% among female GPs and 11.6% among male GPs, and 17.0% in junior GPs, compared with 13.8% in senior GPs.

19.9% of GPs who reported excess workload due to the pandemic also had severe symptoms of exhaustion.

GPs who managed COVID-19 patients had a significantly higher prevalence of severe exhaustion symptoms: 16.7%, compared with 7.8% in GPs who did not see COVID patients.

"Furthermore, 19.9% of GPs who reported excess workload due to the pandemic also had severe symptoms of exhaustion, and amongst those who stated that their workload was unchanged, the prevalence was 11.5%," the authors found.

In all survey responses, GPs who reported a lack of support from management were more exhausted. Severe exhaustion was reported in 29.1% of those who said they had poor managerial support, compared with 12.8% of doctors who said they had good support.

In several models built by the authors, GPs who managed COVID-19 patients were more than twice as likely to report severe symptoms of exhaustion compared to those who did not manage COVID-19 patients (odds ratio [OR],2.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39 to 3.90).

On top of that, being a female GP treating COVID patients was linked to a 54% higher risk of exhaustion (OR,1.54; 95% CI, 1.05 to 2.26).

GPs who reported their management had provided unsatisfactory working conditions had the highest risk of exhaustion (OR,3.37; 95% CI, 2.00 to 5.67).

The authors of the study said GPs in Sweden may have experienced higher stress and exhaustion because of their unique role in treating elderly citizens.

"In Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation within elderly care was ethically demanding for GPs, entailing difficult medical decisions regarding the frail and elderly," the authors wrote.

"For instance, Swedish GPs responsible for care in nursing homes have been accused of denying COVID-19 patients hospital-based care, and even guilty of euthanasia. Further, there has been criticism about the fact that relatives of palliative-care residents were not involved in the end-of-life care."

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Doctors treating COVID patients report more exhaustion - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

There were 102,371 respondents to the Smoking Toolkit Study between June 2017 and August 2022. We excluded 411 people (0.4%) who did not report their smoking status, leaving a sample of 101,960 for analysis. Of these, 55,349 were surveyed before the start of the pandemic (June 2017February 2020) and 46,611 were surveyed during the pandemic (April 2020August 2022). There was a small proportion of missing cases on quitting outcomes (4.1% for quit attempts; 0% for cessation, number of quit attempts, and use of support). Table 1 presents weighted descriptive statistics for the sample as a whole and as a function of the timing of the pandemic (unweighted characteristics are shown in Additional File 5: Table S1).

Table 2 summarises the GAM results. Figure1 shows trends in current smoking over the study period.

Current smoking, overall and by age and social grade. Panels show trends in the prevalence of current smoking among A adults in England (unweighted n: overall=101,960, ABC1=64,088, C2DE=37,872), B 1824-year-olds (unweighted n: overall=12,455, ABC1=7766, C2DE=4689), and C 4565-year-olds (unweighted n: overall=34,332, ABC1=22,401, C2DE=11,931), June 2017 to August 2022. Lines represent modelled weighted prevalence over the study period, adjusted for covariates. Points represent unadjusted weighted prevalence by month. The vertical dashed line indicates the timing of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in England (March 2020). ABC1, managerial/professional/intermediate; C2DE, small employers/lower supervisory/technical/semi-routine/routine/never workers/long-term unemployed

Overall, among adults in England, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a negligible step-level change in current smoking (Fig.1A). However, there was a notable change in trend. Before the pandemic, smoking prevalence fell by 5.2% per year (relative risk, trend [RRtrend]=0.948; note this percentage represents the relative rather than absolute percentage point reduction, i.e. a 5.2% decrease compared to the previous year [(1-RR)*100], rather than a decrease of 5.2 percentage points within a given year). After the onset of the pandemic, this rate of decline slowed to 0.3% per year (RRtrendRRtrend=0.9481.052=0.997; Fig.1A). The change in trend from pre- to post-onset of the pandemic was significant (relative risk, change in trend [RRtrend]=1.052, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.014,1.090). In June 2017, smoking prevalence was estimated at 16.2%. At the start of the pandemic (March 2020), it was 15.1%. In August 2022, it was virtually unchanged, at 15.0%.

Stratified analyses showed a 20.1% (95% CI=10.1, 31.0%) step-level increase in smoking prevalence among adults from more advantaged social grades (ABC1) at the start of the pandemic, followed by a slowing in the pre-pandemic decline to the point where progress in reducing smoking reversed (+3.6% per year compared with9.5% per year before the pandemic, RRtrend=1.145, 95% CI=1.083,1.211; Fig.1A). By contrast, there was no increase in smoking prevalence among those from less advantaged social grades (C2DE), and it appeared the modest (~3% per year) pre-pandemic decline continued (Fig.1A).

When we looked at current smoking in different age groups, we saw divergent changes associated with the pandemic: a 34.9% (95% CI=17.7,54.7%) step-level increase among 1824-year-olds (Fig.1B) but a 13.6% (95% CI=4.4, 21.9%) step-level decrease among 4565-year-olds (Fig.1C). While the rise in smoking among young adults was similar across social grades, the fall among middle-aged adults was limited to those from less advantaged social grades (22.4%, 95% CI=10.7,32.6%). As we observed overall, progress in reducing smoking stopped among more advantaged social grades during the pandemic (from12.4% to0.3% per year among 1824-year-olds, RRtrend=1.138, 95% CI=1.004, 1.290; and from11.7% to+3.4% per year among 4565-year-olds, RRtrend=1.171, 95% CI=1.0551.300) but was similar to pre-pandemic rates within less advantaged social grades (Fig.1B and C).

The data indicated these changes were sustained over time (Fig.1), rather than short-lived pulse effects during the early months of the pandemic (Additional File 5: Table S3).

Data on cessation were available for all of the 17,964 past-year smokers in our sample. There were 741 (4.1%) with missing data on quit attempts and, among those eligible, 0 with missing data on the number of quit attempts. Table 2 summarises the GAM results. Figure2 shows trends in quitting activity over the study period.

Quitting activity, overall and by social grade. Panels show trends in the prevalence of A) cessation and B making at least one quit attempt in the past year among past-year smokers (unweighted n: overall=17,964, ABC1=8802, C2DE=9162), and C the weighted geometric mean number of past-year quit attempts among past-year smokers who made at least one quit attempt (unweighted n: overall=5754, ABC1=2908, C2DE=2846), June 2017 to August 2022. Lines represent modelled weighted prevalence (or means) over the study period, adjusted for covariates. Points represent unadjusted weighted prevalence (or means) by month. The vertical dashed line indicates the timing of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in England (March 2020). Corresponding data without adjustment for dependence are shown in Additional File 5: Fig.1 and Additional File 5: Table 4. ABC1, managerial/professional/intermediate; C2DE, small employers/lower supervisory/technical/semi-routine/routine/never workers/long-term unemployed

Among past-year smokers, the pandemic was associated with a 120.4% (95% CI=79.4170.9%) step-level increase in cessation (Fig.2A). This increase was similar at 154.4% (95% CI=104.8216.1%) when cigarette dependence was not adjusted for (Additional File 5: Table S4; Additional File 5: Fig. S1A) despite mean cigarette dependence only decreasing very slightly during the pandemic (Additional File 5: Table S5; Additional File 5: Fig. S3). There was also a change in trend: the prevalence of cessation was reducing before the pandemic at a rate of 16.1% per year (RRtrend=0.839); this rate of decline slowed during the pandemic (RRtrend=1.219, 95% CI=1.0791.379) to 2.3% (Fig.2A). The change in trend was driven by the less advantaged social grades, among whom the rate of cessation was reversed from24.5% per year before the pandemic to+9.8% per year during the pandemic (RRtrend=1.454, 95% CI=1.2001.762; Fig.2A). By contrast, the more modest (7.4%) pre-pandemic decline in cessation among those from more advantaged social grades appeared to continue (Fig.2A). This pattern of results was largely replicated when we analysed data separately for smokers aged25years (Additional File 5: Table S6; Additional File 5: Fig. S4). However, among the much smaller group aged 1824years, while we observed a significant step-level increase in cessation, there was uncertainty in all the other results with the confidence intervals crossing zero and including the point estimate from the overall analyses for the trend in cessation before the pandemic, the change in trend, and the patterning of the socio-economic results (Additional File 5: Table S6; Additional File 5: Fig. S4).

The pandemic was also associated with a 41.7% (95% CI=29.754.7%) step-level increase in the proportion of past-year smokers who made1 quit attempt (Fig.2B). This increase occurred across ages but was larger among smokers aged 1824 (90.8% [95% CI=57.0131.9%]) than those aged25 (31.5% [95% CI=19.145.2%]) (Additional File 5: Table S6; Additional File 5: Fig. S4). The rate of decline in quit attempts slowed from 8.2 to 1.4% per year (RRtrend=1.074, 95% CI=1.0161.136; Fig.2B); again, this was driven by those from less advantaged social grades, with no significant change in trend among the more advantaged social grades (Fig.2B), and was only observed among those aged25 (Additional File 5: Table S6; Additional File 5: Fig. S4). Among those who tried to quit, there was little change in the mean number of attempts made (Fig.2C).

While analyses of pulse effects showed increases in quitting activity in the first 23months of the pandemic (Additional File 5: Table S3), it is clear from visual inspection of the data in Fig.2 and the change in trend results (Table 2) that these increases were sustained through to August 2022.

Table 2 summarises the GAM results. Figure3 shows trends in use of cessation support over the study period.

Use of support by smokers in quit attempts, overall and by social grade. Panels show trends in the prevalence of use of A prescription medication, B behavioural support, and C e-cigarettes in the most recent quit attempt among past-year smokers who made a least one quit attempt (unweighted n: overall=5754, ABC1=2908, C2DE=2846), June 2017 to August 2022. Lines represent modelled weighted prevalence over the study period, adjusted for covariates. Points represent unadjusted weighted prevalence by month. The vertical dashed line indicates the timing of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in England (March 2020). Corresponding data without adjustment for dependence are shown in Additional File 5: Fig.2 and Additional File 5: Table 4. ABC1, managerial/professional/intermediate; C2DE, small employers/lower supervisory/technical/semi-routine/routine/never workers/long-term unemployed

Among past-year smokers who made a quit attempt, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with little change in the use of prescription medication (Fig.3A). Point estimates for a step-level change were in opposite directions for those from more and less advantaged social grades, but neither group had a statistically significant change. This finding was robust to the exclusion of varenicline from this variable (Additional File 5: Table 7).

However, the pandemic was associated with changes in the use of behavioural support and e-cigarettes for quitting smoking. There was a 133.0% (95% CI=55.3249.6%) step-level increase in use of behavioural support, followed by a continuation of the modest pre-pandemic decline (Fig.3B). By contrast, there was a 21.2% (95% CI=6.833.4%) step-level decrease in use of e-cigarettes (Fig.3C). This change was short-lived (Additional File 5: Table 3) because there was also a change in trend, reversing this step-level decline: before the pandemic, the proportion of smokers using e-cigarettes in a quit attempt fell by 4.1% per year; during the pandemic, it increased by 18.1% per year (RRtrend=1.232, 95% CI=1.1111.365, Fig.3C). These changes were similar across social grades.

Changes in the use of cessation support were similar when cigarette dependence was not adjusted for (Additional File 5: Table 4; Additional File 5: Fig.2).

See the article here:

Have there been sustained impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on trends in smoking prevalence, uptake, quitting, use ... - BMC Medicine

A new Omicron variantJN.1may be on the rise.

According to updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 levels are spiking in the U.S.

Recent data shows a 17.6% rise in COVID-related hospital admissions, as well as a 25% rise in COVID deaths. Test positivity and emergency room visits have also increased, at less drastic rates.

Last Friday, the CDC published an update on the JN.1 Omicron subvariant. The strain now makes up between 15% and 29% of current COVID cases. In late October, JN.1 made up less than 0.1% of cases.

According to the CDC, this rise indicates that JN.1 may be more transmissible than other strains.

However, the new report stressed that we do not know to what extent JN.1 may be contributing to these increases or possible increases through the rest of December.

That said, experts are concerned about the combination of holiday gatherings, low COVID vaccine rates, and a new, transmissible variant.

We have a little bit more population immunity, which is making it so that its not going to be like 2020 and 2021, Jill Foster, MD, division director of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Minnesota Medical School, told Health. "But I think were [not in] a good place right now."

Heres what you need to know about the JN.1 subvariant, how the strain might be affecting the current COVID situation in the U.S., and how to stay safe this holiday season.

Getty Images / Images By Tang Ming Tung

JN.1 is closely related to another Omicron strainthe BA.2.86 variantthat experts were monitoring earlier this year.

Actually, the only change between BA.2.86 and JN.1 is in the spike protein.

While there are still a lot of unknowns about the latest Omicron strain, experts expect JN.1 to continue to pick up momentum.

Its causing nearly a third of new cases in the U.S., and its very likely to be the dominant variant with us through the holidays, Mark Cameron, PhD, associate professor and infectious disease researcher at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, told Health.

As far as symptoms are concerned, the CDC expects JN.1 to have similar severity and symptoms to other Omicron variants.

Foster shared anecdotal reports from colleges that newer variants, like JN.1, tend to produce more gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain or diarrhea. However, that has not been confirmed by the CDC.

For now, the public health risk caused by JN.1 appears to be similar to other Omicron variants. But, pre-print data from researchers in Japan suggests that JN.1 has the potential to be skilled at evading the immune system.

Anytime you have a new virus emerge, it has to be better than the old virus, said Foster. Its either better at evading immunity or something about it makes it better at spreading.

In addition to increases in COVID-related hospitalizations, deaths, emergency room visits, and infections, the U.S. is seeing generally high COVID numbers.

Nationally, COVID activity is the highest its been so far this year. The risk varies by regionthe Northeast and West are seeing lower levels, while the Midwest is currently seeing its second-highest COVID peak ever.

Experts say its still too early to tell if JN.1 is to blame for these levels.

The increase in cases could simply be the normal ebb and flow of COVIDit tends to increase and peak in late summer, and then again around the new year, the CDC said.

We all cluster indoors together at the same time the viruses get introduced, said Foster, making infection rates for respiratory viruses generally worse in colder months.

However, JN.1s quick increase raises the question of whether it could be driving an increase in infections going forward.

Cameron explained that the general increase in COVID infections means that the virus is now reaching a wider range of people, many of whom are more vulnerable to severe disease. So even though these numbers are ticking up in tandem with JN.1s rise, it doesnt necessarily mean that the variant is more deadly.

While this years COVID increase isnt completely abnormal, experts are still concerned about what the data has shown so far.

The thing I think is going to be different this year than last year, is people really are not doing any risk mitigation, Foster said.

As of mid-November, survey data from KFF indicated that just one in five Americans has received the updated COVID shot. A Yahoo News/YouGov poll from August found that only 12% of Americans say they mask most of the time in public.

This, coupled with JN.1 and holiday gatherings, could make this years wintertime peak a perfect storm, said Foster.

Because JN.1 is so similar to BA.2.86 and other Omicron variants, all signs point to current COVID toolsvaccines, tests, and treatmentsbeing effective against the strain.

Still, that doesnt mean its completely harmless.

[A JN.1 infection] might be a mild case, a moderate case, or a case that could put someone in the hospitalthats really a product of our genetics, our immune system, and our history not only with COVID-19, but with other infections, said Cameron.

Because of this variability, its essential that people do what they can to avoid infection this holiday season.

It really is this proportion of people in the U.S. [not] keeping up with their booster series that really concerns me, said Cameron. It does show a bit of complacency with the virus continuing to evolve against us.

Foster noted that people wont likely be wearing masks at family gatherings or holiday parties. But that doesn't mean it's not worth considering.

The biggest thing people can do is, when theyre in crowded places around a lot of strangers, they wear a mask, said Foster. In particular, people should consider masking while grocery shopping or traveling, she explained.

In terms of holiday gatherings with friends and family, Foster recommends asking anyone whos sick to stay home. People dont need to show a negative test at the door, she said, but its best not to power through and attend a gathering while youre sick.

Excerpt from:

COVID Cases Continue to Spike in the USWhat to Know About JN.1 Variant - Health.com

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Novavaxs Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Now Available in Sweden

December 14, 2023

Novavaxs updated protein-based non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is now available for order by healthcare professionals and use in Sweden. The Public Health Agency in Sweden has recommended the vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals aged 30 and older.

We are pleased that our updated protein-based vaccine is now available for healthcare providers to start vaccinating people before the holiday season in Sweden. A diverse vaccine portfolio with both mRNA and non-mRNA options is critical to helping to protect those most at risk against COVID-19.

Non-clinical datashowed that Novavax's updated COVID-19 vaccine induced functional immune responses against XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16 and XBB.2.3 variants. Additional non-clinical data demonstrated that Novavax's vaccine induced neutralizing antibody responses to subvariants BA.2.86, EG.5.1, FL.1.5.1 and XBB.1.16.6 as well as CD4+ polyfunctional cellular (T-cell) responses against EG.5.1 and XBB.1.16.6. These data indicate Novavax's vaccine can stimulate both arms of the immune system and may induce a broad response against currently circulating variants.1,2

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements herein relating to the future of Novavax, its operating plans and prospects, including the availability of its updated XBB version of its Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted (2023-2024 Formula) (NVX-CoV2601) and the timing of delivery and distribution of its vaccine in Sweden 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 or delays in obtaining regulatory authorization for its product candidates, including its updated XBB version of its COVID-19 vaccine in time for the fall 2023 vaccination season or for future COVID-19 variant strain changes; challenges or delays in clinical trials; manufacturing, distribution or export delays or challenges; Novavax's exclusive dependence on Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. for co-formulation and filling and the impact of any delays or disruptions in their operations on the delivery of customer orders; 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's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, 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.

References:

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Novavax's Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Now Available in Sweden - Dec 14, 2023 - Novavax Investor Relations

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Ioannis Katsoularis

Credit: Klas Sjberg

Individuals infected with COVID-19 are also at an increased risk of suffering from heart rhythm disturbances, such as atrial fibrillation. This is shown in a new study at Ume University, Sweden, which is one of the largest studies of its kind in the world.

"The results underline the importance of both being vaccinated against COVID-19 and that the healthcare system identifies people at increased risk of this type of complications, so that the correct diagnosis is made and appropriate treatment is started in time," says Ioannis Katsoularis, first author of the study and cardiologist at University Hospital of Northern Sweden in Ume.

The researchers were able to show that those who had been ill with COVID-19 could also suffer from heart rhythm disturbances, both in the form of so-called tachycardias, when the heart ha rate is high, and bradyarrhythmias, when the heart is slow so that a pacemaker is sometimes needed.

The study shows that the risk of atrial fibrillation and flutter was increased up to two months after infection. In the first month, the risk was twelve times greater than for people who did not suffer from COVID-19infection.

Even the risk of a specific subset of tachycardias, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardiaswas elevated up to 6 months after the infection and was five times greater in the first month. For the bradyarrhythmias, the risk was increased up to 14 days after the infection and was three times greater in the first month compared to subjects without COVID-19. Previous research in this area had not focused as much on which individuals are most at risk.

We found that the risks were higher in older individuals, individuals with severe COVID-19 and during the first wave of the pandemic. We could also see that unvaccinated people were at higher risk than vaccinated people. Overall, the severity of the infection was the strongest risk factor," says Anne-Marie Fors Connolly, who leads the research group at Ume University that is behind the study.

In the study, information from large national registers was cross-checked. All people who tested positive for the virus in Sweden from the start of the pandemic until May 2021 were included, but also a comparison group of individuals without a positive test for the virus. Over one million individuals with COVID-19 and over four million control individuals were included in this nationwide study, which is one of the largest of its kind in the world. Researchers at Ume University have previously shown that COVID-19 leads to an increased risk of blood clots, myocardial infarction and stroke.

Observational study

People

Risk of arrhythmias following COVID-19: nationwide self-controlled case series and matched cohort study

21-Nov-2023

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Increased risk of heart rhythm disruption after COVID-19 - EurekAlert

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The COVID-19 saga is far from over, as recent discoveries of four new sub-variants in the US remind us. While vaccines have significantly reduced case numbers, these new strains pose fresh challenges in our ongoing fight against the virus.

Some of these new strains, while mostly harmless, have begun raising eyebrows among the healthcare community worldwide, with notable outbreaks in the US and the UK. India, too, is witnessing a spike in recorded COVID-19 cases, with Kerala and a concerningly new sub-variant at the centre of the surge.

Keep reading to learn more about the recent sub-variants that have begun making global rounds recently.

Experts reckon that the EG.5, or Eris, may be a descendant of the XBB.1.9.2 Omicron subtype that originated in China earlier this year. Transcending one step further, the HV.1 evolved from the EG.5, sporting additional mutations that make it superior to its predecessor.

While both EG.5 and HV.1 are currently found in nearly half of all COVID-19 cases in the US, experts note that these do not pose a major threat compared to other variants. EG.5 initially peaked at 25% of total record US COVID-19 cases in September, but has since declined to 13% in December.

HV.1, on the other hand, rapidly rose to prominence after emerging in late summer and now accounts for over 30% of cases in the country. New vaccines that counter XBB also appear to work against both these strains.

The situation becomes more worrisome with the remaining two sub-variants: BA.2.86 and JN.1.

BA.2.86, nicknamed Pirola, carries a concerning number of mutations in its spike protein, the key to infecting human cells and evading our immune system. This initially sparked fears that new vaccines might not be effective against it.

Fortunately, newer data has shown that we appear to be exhibiting sufficient antibodies against the BA.2.86, suggesting that existing vaccines should continue to work. So far, the strain has been detected in 38 countries.

The newly emerged JN.1, a child of BA.2.86, adds another layer of complexity. While JN.1 readily evades immune defences, preprint studies show that new vaccines do generate antibodies against it, albeit at lower levels than for other sub-variants. This raises concerns about JN.1's potential to cause breakthrough infections despite vaccination protection.

Notably, the JN.1 sub-variant was recently detected in Kerala for the first time, the latest data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) showed. Experts have noted that this could be a factor behind the states surging COVID-19 cases, but assured that they do not deem it a risk to India yet.

The emergence of these new variants underscores the constant evolution of the COVID-19-causing novel coronavirus. Continued vigilance and monitoring are crucial in staying ahead of the curve. While existing vaccines remain our primary defence, researchers are actively developing updated versions to tackle new threats like JN.1.

Individual precautions like masking, social distancing and staying up-to-date on vaccinations continue to be essential in protecting ourselves and our communities. By staying informed and taking necessary measures, we can navigate this evolving landscape and emerge stronger from the pandemic.

**

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Originally posted here:

Four New COVID-19 Variants Are Raising Concerns in the US! Here's All About Them | Weather.com - The Weather Channel

FOR MEDICAL AUDIENCES ONLY

Novavaxs updated protein-based adjuvanted non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is now available for use in Italy for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals aged 12 and older. Doses have been distributed by the Italian Ministry of Health across all regions and are now available for this season's vaccination campaign.

We are pleased that our updated protein-based adjuvanted non-mRNA vaccine is now available for pharmacists and general practitioners to start vaccinating people across Italy before Christmas. A diverse vaccine portfolio with both mRNA and protein-based adjuvanted options is critical to helping to protect those most at risk against COVID-19.

Non-clinical datashowed that Novavax's updated COVID-19 vaccine induced functional immune responses against XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16 and XBB.2.3 variants. Additional non-clinical data demonstrated that Novavax's vaccine induced neutralizing antibody responses to subvariants BA.2.86, EG.5.1, FL.1.5.1 and XBB.1.16.6 as well as CD4+ polyfunctional cellular (T-cell) responses against EG.5.1 and XBB.1.16.6. These data indicate Novavax's vaccine can stimulate both arms of the immune system and may induce a broad response against currently circulating variants.1,2

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements herein relating to the future of Novavax, its operating plans and prospects, including the availability of its updated XBB version of its Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted (2023-2024 Formula) (NVX-CoV2601) and the timing of delivery and distribution of its vaccine in Italy 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 or delays in obtaining regulatory authorization for its product candidates, including its updated XBB version of its COVID-19 vaccine in time for the fall 2023 vaccination season or for future COVID-19 variant strain changes; challenges or delays in clinical trials; manufacturing, distribution or export delays or challenges; Novavax's exclusive dependence on Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. for co-formulation and filling and the impact of any delays or disruptions in their operations on the delivery of customer orders; 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's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, 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.

References:

Read the original here:

Novavax's Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Now Available in Italy - Dec 14, 2023 - Novavax Investor Relations

Wednesday 13 December 2023 5:00 am

By: Paul Ormerod

Paul Ormerod is an economist at Volterra Partners LLP, author and an Honorary Professor at the Alliance Business School at the University of Manchester

The pandemic-era lockdowns had crushing social and economic impacts, but the inquiry is flat out ignoring it, writes Paul Ormerod

The liberal establishment appears to remain wedded to a narrow and blinkered view of the Covid pandemic and its consequences.

It has been on full display during the Covid inquiry, especially during the cross-examination of Boris Johnson. Hugo Keith KC, the lead barrister at the inquiry, made a great effort to establish that the UK had a very high rate of excess deaths. In other words, a death rate which was higher than in the years immediately before the pandemic.

Measuring the excess death rate is not as straightforward as it may seem though, with a number of technical subtleties involved. But we can refer to a paper which has a very prestigious pedigree indeed in these matters. The article, entitled Excess mortality associated with the Covid-19 pandemic was written by leading academics for the World Health Organisation. It was published in Nature, one of the two top scientific journals in the world.

There is a specific discussion about the situation in the UK. The authors state that in terms of the excess rate, the UK was in the middle of the pack. But there is an interesting qualification. They show that in the opening months of the pandemic, essentially until early 2021, the excess death rate in the UK was definitely high. By implication after that date it was low by international standards, otherwise we would not be in the middle in terms of the overall outcome.

It is this initial period which has clearly shaped perceptions about what happened in the UK. But it is the outcome over the full length of the pandemic which matters in terms of assessing excess deaths.

A great deal of effort has been expended at the inquiry in trying to establish that Britain was too slow to introduce the initial lockdown. The idea that it was not needed and that we should instead rely upon herd immunity, a view apparently held in March 2020 by Prime Minister Johnson, has come in for scathing criticism.

In fact, the policy of herd immunity is one which is now followed, and has been followed for some time, by every Western country. The odd zealot still demands restrictions, but almost everyone now accepts that the virus can be allowed to circulate. In this way, we develop resistance by exposure to it.

Of course, vaccines mitigate the severity of the illness though not the number of cases. But if they had not been invented, we would have had no option but to rely on herd immunity. A more or less permanent state of lockdown would otherwise have bankrupted the country.

Study after study sets out the appalling social and economic costs of the policy of lockdown. Only this week a report from the Centre for Social Justice found that the pandemic has left Britain with a massive social divide that mirrors the Two Nations of the Victorian era.

The families and friends of some of those who died early in the pandemic have been prominent at the inquiry. It is impossible not to feel human sympathy for them. But we do not see anyone representing the large numbers who have died from having vital operations postponed or from their fatal illnesses not being identified early enough to be cured. These are all a direct result of lockdown and the policy of concentrating health resources on dealing with Covid.

Will Hugo Keith KC be raising questions about these deaths and pinning the blame on the lockdown enthusiasts? In a balanced and fair inquiry these and the other broader social and economic issues would feature prominently. It remains to be seen whether they will.

Continued here:

The vast social costs of Covid lockdowns are clear, so why is the inquiry silent? - CityAM - City A.M.