Category: Covid-19

Have you thought about Malm, Kivik or Trotten?

Swedish retailer Ikea is known for the distinctive names of its flat-pack home products. The companys Norway branch wants to use the brands experience to help parents browsing the baby-naming department.

Ikea Norway has built a name bank with more than 800 listings available on its website. The names are drawn from ones Ikea has given to its furniture instead of product numbers since 1948.

After all these years, (Ikea) has built up a large catalog to pick from, Ikea Norway said in a statement.

Ikea names its products after Swedish towns, lakes and other geographical features, but also uses names that have traditionally gone to people.

The branch noted that while retailers saw both a shortage of raw materials and challenges with delivery times during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is at least no shortage of children in Norway.

The Scandinavian country registered the births of 56,060 babies last year, which is 3,081 more than in 2020.

The increase creates a challenge in finding unique names, Ikea Norway said.

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Ikea Norway offers help with baby names after COVID-19 boom - Boston Herald

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COVID-19 conspiracy theories may be harmful to people with depression - The Jerusalem Post

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, has caused millions of infections worldwide. As time has passed, it has become increasingly clear that COVID-19 is not a cookie-cutter disease.

People vary significantly in their susceptibility to infection, symptoms, and disease severity. Certain risk factors clearly play a role. Could genetics also play a part?

Researchers are examining the role of genetics in peoples reactions to the virus. While far from conclusive, data indicates that some of your genes may influence how SARS-CoV-2 affects your health.

Read on to learn what research has uncovered.

To look for genes that may influence the impact of COVID-19, geneticists scan the DNA of large study groups. This helps them find and identify connections between specific DNA sequences and disease characteristics.

Early genetic studies have uncovered compelling clues that certain genomic variants and blood types may play a role in how people react to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors are proteins found on the surface of certain cells. ACE2 receptors generate other proteins that regulate cell function. ACE2 receptors also allow the SARS-CoV-2 virus to enter your cells.

ACE2 receptors are located in the lungs, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of the body. They help regulate blood pressure, wound healing, and inflammation.

Everyone has ACE2 receptors, but their amount and locations vary. Multiple studies, including a 2021 study reported in the European Journal of Medical Research, found a link between ACE2 levels and vulnerability to COVID-19.

The same study also found that people with a specific type of genetic variation in ACE2 are at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Another finding was a heightened susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in men compared to women.

Cytokines are proteins released by cells. Cytokines help cells communicate with each other. They also work to regulate inflammation and the bodys immune response to infection.

A cytokine storm is an overreaction of the immune system to infection from an invading host, such as SARS-CoV-2. During a cytokine storm, your cells release too many cytokines. This causes high levels of inflammation and the overactivation of certain immune cells.

The results of a cytokine storm can be severe and include tissue damage, organ failure, and sometimes death.

A review of multiple studies found that several genetic variants in cytokine genes may be related to cytokine storm and disease severity. Studies also found that these variants might be related to COVID-19 complications, including venous thrombosis.

A large study analyzed genes found along a stretch of chromosome 3. The study found compelling information about specific genes and their potential impact on respiratory failure caused by COVID-19.

Researchers identified a gene cluster on chromosome 3 linked to susceptibility to respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients. According to researchers, the gene cluster confirmed that ABO blood type played a role, indicating a higher risk for respiratory failure from COVID-19 for people with type A blood.

The HLA gene helps regulate your bodys immune response. Decades of research have found that people with certain HLA alleles (slight gene mutations, or variations) are prone to various autoimmune, inflammatory, and malignant diseases. Scientists call this phenomenon HLA disease association.

A 2021 review found that people with certain HLA alleles were more vulnerable to COVID-19 and severe illness than the general population.

If you were assigned male at birth, you might be at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19. While some data points to lifestyle factors more common in men (such as smoking or drinking alcohol), genetic factors are also at play.

Men tend to express higher amounts of ACE2, making them more susceptible to COVID-19. A 2021 study suggests that this alone doesnt account for the difference in response.

The study also highlights genes present in men that might make them more prone to infection and genes present in women that may help them fight off infection.

There are also genes on the X-chromosome that influence your immune response. There are about 55 times as many of these genes on the X-chromosome as on the Y-chromosome.

As men only have one copy of the X-chromosome, variants in genes on this chromosome may have a greater effect on how COVID-19 progresses.

Its also important to remember that genetic traits are sometimes clustered among people with the same nationality, ethnicity, or culture. This can skew study results, especially in places where poor living conditions or poverty are factors.

Still, three 2021 studies (1, 2, 3) state that we cant ignore ethnic differences in COVID-19 susceptibility. Some genes that influence the course of COVID-19, such as HLA alleles, are more prevalent in certain ethnicities.

Another study noted that Black people tend to have more variations in the genes that affect ACE2.

Again, more research is needed before we fully understand the true impact.

COVID-19 is known to present with a wide variety of symptoms. While some symptoms are common, the virus tends to affect people in many different ways. Your genetics may play a role here too.

A 2021 study linked COVID-19 with altered gene expression in specific tissues or cells. This suggests that certain genetic variations may make you more likely to experience certain symptoms.

The study also noted that some of the genes they studied were also linked to ethnicity. This means that some symptoms may be more common in certain ethnic groups.

Researchers and geneticists are sharing their findings on genetics and COVID-19 through the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative.

As more studies take place, the biological pathways that affect your susceptibility or natural immunity to this disease may become more apparent.

This research may help generate new types of drugs that can treat COVID-19. It may also help determine why some people have a severe reaction to infection, and others experience mild to no symptoms.

While exciting and compelling, its important to remember that the research on genetics and COVID-19 is still new. We need more research before we can fully understand the impact of genes on this disease.

Knowing your risk factors can help you make decisions concerning exposure to the virus. Risk factors for COVID-19 and severe symptoms include:

No gene makes you fully immune to COVID-19. No matter what your own risk may be, these measures can help protect you from infection:

A growing body of evidence has linked certain genes and gene mutations to COVID-19 susceptibility. While compelling, this information is still new. We need more research to fully understand how our genes affect our response to the coronavirus.

As this body of science grows, it may better inform us on how to treat or even prevent COVID-19.

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Genetic Susceptibility to COVID-19: What We Know So Far - Healthline

The three sizable urban centers in the United States where the coronavirus is spreading fastest right now have something in common: They are major warm-weather tourist destinations.

Miami-Dade County, Fla., Honolulu County, Hawaii, and San Juan, P.R., are all averaging at least 85 new cases a day per 100,000 residents, with test positivity rates above 20 percent, according to a New York Times database. By contrast, the nation as a whole is averaging 34 newly reported cases a day per 100,000 residents, with a positivity rate of 13 percent.

As of Wednesday, new confirmed cases in the United States have been roughly flat at around 110,000 a day on average over the past two weeks, according to a New York Times database, after rising from lower than 30,000 a few months ago. And those are just the reported cases; widespread use of at-home testing means that many positive test results never make it into official tallies, experts say, and many people with mild or no symptoms may never be tested at all.

Much of the U.S. is experiencing summer weather, yet Covid-19 cases are surging, said Dr. Sandra Albrecht, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia University. So I wouldnt expect to see this pattern look any different for warm weather destinations.

The only places in the country with higher recent figures than those three urban centers are smaller communities in Puerto Rico or Hawaii and a few isolated rural counties elsewhere.

Some U.S. regions that were hit early by the latest surge, like the Northeast, have been showing signs of improvement lately. But Miami-Dade has gotten steadily worse since early April, with its daily new-case average rising more than tenfold, hospitalizations more than tripling and deaths ticking upward.

The C.D.C. now considers it, along with much of Florida, to be a high-virus-level area where extra precautions are recommended, including wearing masks on public transportation and in indoor public spaces.

Dr. Mary Jo Trepka, who heads the epidemiology department at Florida International University, pointed to several factors that could be driving the surge, including flocks of spring-break tourists, recent big events like the Miami Grand Prix race, and widening public apathy about the pandemic.

I think people are no longer taking precautions as they did before, Dr. Trepka said. People were masking more here in the county, and we are seeing less of that. People are being less careful, because they are tired.

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava dropped all of Miami-Dades pandemic safety mandates in February, around the time the C.D.C. shifted its strategy on measures such as masks and social distancing. At the time, the federal agency said, many such restrictions were no longer needed in most of the country, although counties should calculate their own risk as conditions change.

When the latest surge took hold in April, Ms. Levine Cava urged residents to get vaccinated, wear masks, disinfect surfaces and maintain social distance, but the county has not made any of those measures mandatory.

In a statement on Wednesday, Ms. Levine Cava once again called on residents to take precautions on their own: get vaccinated and boosted, get tested if they show symptoms, and stay home if they feel sick. The best tools to fight the virus are the same ones we know and continue to use, she wrote.

Ms. Levine Cava noted that Miami-Dade was the most vaccinated county in Florida: and those efforts have paid off with fewer hospitalizations than in past surges. But caution was still warranted.

We have not beaten this virus, but we know how to control it, she wrote.

Mayor Rick Blangiardi of Honolulu County has taken a similar approach.

Coronavirus is not going away, he wrote in a statement on Wednesday. I encourage everyone to continue to demonstrate personal responsibility and wear your masks when around others, get tested if you are not feeling well and please make sure to get your booster.

Mr. Blangiardi said his administration was not considering reinstating mask mandates or other restrictions but that it would consider all possible solutions to any situation that warrants a response.

The county, which includes the islands of Oahu, Molokai and Lanai, has experienced a significant surge akin to Miami-Dades since early April, but in Honolulus case there are signs that it may have peaked. New virus cases have declined slightly over the past two weeks to 85 cases a day per 100,000 residents, and the positivity rate stopped climbing in mid-May.

Hawaii had some of the strictest travel restrictions in the country, requiring everyone arriving to the state to complete a 14-day quarantine. In March, it lifted its travel restrictions, allowing travelers from the continental United States to enter without testing and became the last state in the nation to remove its indoor masking requirement.

A month later, the states tourism industry recorded its highest traffic figures since the beginning of the pandemic, with more than 800,000 visitors arriving in the Hawaiian Islands, according to the states Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Mike McCarthy, the departments director, said in a statement that the tourism sector was showing strong recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. He said he expected a gradual resumption of international travel by Japanese citizens typically a major share of visitors to Hawaii to strengthen the rebound.

In Puerto Rico, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi lifted nearly all pandemic restrictions in March, and new confirmed cases soon started rising. But tourism to the island has bounced back: Though arrivals from cruise ships had not yet reached prepandemic levels, business travel for meetings and conventions was improving, Discover Puerto Rico, the islands official tourism website, said in late April.

Kenira Thompson, president of the coalition of scientists and vice president for research at Ponce Health Sciences University in Puerto Rico, said that older and immunocompromised people there should consider continuing to wear masks in crowded places, and that those who are eligible for booster shots should seek them out.

Dr. Alain Labrique, the director of the Johns Hopkins University Global Health Initiative, said the summer tourism season meant large gatherings and increased contacts between people, a recipe for the easy spread of infection, even if fewer people are experiencing serious illness.

Covid-19 hasnt disappeared as much as our patience for precautions has, he said.

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Miami-Dade, San Juan and Honolulu Have Become Covid Hot Spots - The New York Times

Coronavirus cases across Los Angeles County are rising just as students are counting down the days left in school.

As L.A. prepares for its third pandemic summer, a question hovers like June gloom: What will the summer holiday mean for COVID-19?

Its very hard to accurately predict, said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. Im less and less comfortable with the modeling and the predictions, and more and more comfortable with just noting that we have a lot of uncertainty.

Shes not alone.

Im a little cautious making predictions about the summer and COVID, USC virologist Paula Cannon said. If nothing else, Ive learned this virus throws us curve balls all the time.

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The countys official case count will likely drop dramatically after L.A. Unified finishes its school year on Friday. That doesnt have anything to do with coronavirus transmission, however. The districts required weekly testing for all students and staff accounts for roughly half of test results reported to the county, Ferrer said.

Without those hundreds of thousands of weekly tests, she said, the county will rely more heavily on data from wastewater treatment sites and cases reported in high-risk settings such as nursing homes, hospitals and homeless shelters.

Epidemiologists are adamant that its too early to say whether COVID-19 has settled into predictable seasonal patterns like those associated with the flu or West Nile virus.

The past two summers have been something of a double-edged sword for coronavirus transmission.

School breaks and sunny weather mean less time in crowded classrooms and more time outdoors, both of which slow the virus spread.

But its also a time of year when many people let down their guard, drop their masks and gather for parties, weddings, graduations and festivals. And with another hot, dry summer expected, many people in the county will seek air-conditioned refuge indoors, sometimes in crowded cooling centers.

Both L.A. County and the U.S. as a whole saw a small increase in cases the last two summers, in July 2020 and August 2021.

This years summertime wave may have arrived early. Cases are rising locally and nationwide, fueled by waning immunity and highly transmissible new Omicron subvariants.

Will we have a wave this summer? Yes, were already soaking in it, said Andrew Noymer, an epidemiologist and infectious-disease demographer at UC Irvine.

The average number of daily new cases reported over the last seven days in L.A. County was 4,442 at the end of May, a 75% increase from the previous month. The positivity rate for coronavirus tests rose in the same period of time, from 2.1% on May 9 to 3.6% on June 6.

Reports from K-12 schools mirrored this pattern. Local schools reported 7,854 coronavirus cases among students and staff during the week ending May 29, up from 4,479 in the week ending May 1. With 762 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, children ages 12 to 17 currently have the highest case rate of any demographic in the county.

The most common variant in L.A. County is BA.2.12.1, a version of Omicron with a gnarly Delta twist. An aggravating combination of both variants, it spreads faster than the original Omicron and has a genetic mutation on its spike protein that helps it skirt past existing immunity from a prior Omicron infection.

Whats circulating right now spreads way more than anything weve ever seen, Ferrer said. This virus mutates like crazy and is able to effectively mutate to its advantage.

Vaccines and boosters continue to be the most effective tools for slowing the virus spread, and for preventing serious illness and death. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommend booster shots for all vaccinated people ages 5 and older if its been at least five months since they were fully vaccinated. For immunocompromised people ages 12 and older and for all people 50 and older, the CDC recommends a second booster if four months have passed since their first booster.

Ferrer strongly encouraged people to wear a mask when spending time in crowded indoor situations, such as while shopping or seeing a movie. The county hasnt reinstated an indoor mask mandate and remains well below the threshold that would trigger one.

I wouldnt say that anybody needs to have excessive worry right now, because weve got amazing tools that we can use that are going to keep most people relatively safe, she said.

Ferrer also advised people to take a coronavirus test before traveling by plane or attending an indoor event.

These to me are sensible steps we can take that dont really limit our ability to really do the things we love and be with the people we care about, but do acknowledge weve got a responsibility to be taking care of each other, she said.

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School's out. Will that help California get ahead of COVID-19? - Los Angeles Times

The COVID-19 pandemic took a devastating human toll on Latin America and the Caribbean, taking the lives of more than 2.7 million people across our hemisphere accounting for more than 40 percent of global reported deaths.It showed us the many cracks in our global health systems and underscored the importance of strong and resilient health systems for the entire population, health security, and pandemic preparedness and response, starting with a strong foundation based on cooperation, transparency, and accountability.

Today President Biden led leaders of the Americas in adopting an Action Plan on Health and Resilience in the Americas.The Action Plan will help our partners prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemic threats and other public health emergencies while also expanding the equitable delivery of healthcare and public health services to remote, vulnerable, and marginalized populations.As implementing this Action Plan will require additional investments in our health systems, the Administration is proud to announce theAmericas Health Corps, a new initiative aligned with the recently announcedGlobal Health Worker Initiative.

The Administration remains committed to advancing pandemic response and global health security and has prioritized additional activities in the Americas for this year and into the future.These activities will help the region better respond to the current COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future pandemics by building the capability to prevent outbreaks, detect infectious disease threats, and respond effectively when outbreaks occur.

Action Plan on Health and Resilience in the Americas:Leaders committed thatthis Action Plan which will strengthen our health systems and coordination, preparing us for future health emergencies and improving regional coordination, transparency, and accountability will be fully in effect by 2030.This work requires close coordination among governments and engagement with the private sector and civil society.With this in mind, the Administration is poised to launch the Economy and Health Dialogue of the Americas, and looks forward to working with health and economy ministries to create and implement the Action Plan in coordination with the private sector and civil society.Their efforts will strengthen public health and health care systems, consider how to make access to public health services and health care more equitable, and enhance pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response while increasing economic resilience in the region.

Strengthening the Health Workforce:The U.S. Government intends to continue and expand investments in the health workforce, which is central to strengthening the resilience of health systems. The U.S. Government and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) launched Americas Health Corps Fuerza de Salud de las Americas which will provide basic and specialized training to 500,000 public health, health science, and medical professionals throughout the region within five years.In line with the Biden-Harris Administrations Global Health Worker Initiative, the Americas Health Corps willsupport the expansion and training of a robust, resilient, and highly skilled workforce capable of providing health services to all segments of society. The Americas Health Corps will function as a consortium and partner with academic institutions in the United States and throughout the Americas region to leverage and expand existing U.S. Government and PAHO training programs. It will serve asan opportunity to work together on promoting the next generation of global health workforce leaders by identifying, mentoring, and empowering professionals and community health workers, which will strengthen and expand health system capacity and equitable access to health systems in the region.

United States COVID-19 Response in the Americas:As the Americas face a resurgence of COVID-19 cases and the threat of new variants, the U.S. Government remains committed to ending the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and promoting recovery in the region. During the Second Global COVID-19 Summit on May 12, 2022, the U.S. Government reiterated its commitment to get shots into arms, enhance access to testing and treatment, protect the health workforce, and finance and build health security for future pandemics and other health crises. The Summit raised more than $3.2 billion in new commitments, yet significant gaps remain.

Strengthening Global Health Security in the Americas:The Biden-Harris Administration understands that the health of one is directly connected to the health of all. That is why the United States is committed to continuing to engage with partners throughout the Americas to strengthen our global health security by:

These collective efforts will be complemented by expansion of health security programs including:

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Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Action on COVID-19 Pandemic Response and Improving Health Systems and Health Security in the...

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) reports as of June 9, 2022, there are currently 2,196 active COVID-19 cases statewide. There has been one death reported since the last report, with a total of 6,998 deaths attributed to COVID-19.

DHHR has confirmed the death of a 96-year old male from Cabell County.

We offer our deepest sympathy as both the family and our state grieves another loss due to COVID-19, said Bill J. Crouch, DHHR Cabinet Secretary. I urge you to schedule your vaccine and booster shot as soon as possible.

Please note that from June 6-20, 2022, the National Center for Health Statistics will be unable to certify deaths due to a system update affecting all 50 states. This may impact West Virginia's ability to report COVID-19 deaths. The Bureau for Public Healths Office of Epidemiology and Prevention Services will continue to certify and report deaths using the death reconciliation process; however, there may be a decrease in deaths reported during this time period.

CURRENT ACTIVE CASES PER COUNTY: Barbour (13), Berkeley (167), Boone (36), Braxton (8), Brooke (30), Cabell (154), Calhoun (6), Clay (12), Doddridge (7), Fayette (38), Gilmer (17), Grant (14), Greenbrier (41), Hampshire (25), Hancock (31), Hardy (17), Harrison (114), Jackson (13), Jefferson (78), Kanawha (217), Lewis (18), Lincoln (29), Logan (31), Marion (91), Marshall (19), Mason (40), McDowell (22), Mercer (95), Mineral (33), Mingo (14), Monongalia (155), Monroe (21), Morgan (10), Nicholas (40), Ohio (50), Pendleton (4), Pleasants (6), Pocahontas (1), Preston (28), Putnam (46), Raleigh (108), Randolph (37), Ritchie (10), Roane (25), Summers (6), Taylor (22), Tucker (3), Tyler (13), Upshur (25), Wayne (39), Webster (9), Wetzel (29), Wirt (1), Wood (56), Wyoming (22). To find the cumulative cases per county, please visit coronavirus.wv.gov and look on the Cumulative Summary tab which is sortable by county.

West Virginians ages 5 and older are recommended to get a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot when due. Second booster shots for those age 50 and over who are 4 months or greater from their first booster are recommended, 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.

Visit the WV COVID-19 Vaccination Due Date Calculator, a free, online tool that helps individuals figure out when they may be due for a COVID-19 shot, making it easier to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccination. 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.

To locate COVID-19 testing near you, please visit https://dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/pages/testing.aspx.

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COVID-19 Daily Update 6-9-2022 - West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources

After New York Times writer Melinda Wenner Moyer's daughter tested positive for the coronavirus, she assumed the whole family would "finally" get Covid-19. However, no one else in the family tested positiveeven after they started experiencing "classic" Covid-19 symptoms.

On a Sunday evening, Moyer's daughter developed a fever. The following morning, they received an email from her school informing them that she had been exposed to the coronavirus just a few days earlier.

When Moyer gave her daughter a rapid antigen test, it quickly gave them a positive result. "I resigned myself to the possibility that the whole family was, finally, going to get Covid-19," Moyer writes. "But we didn't not exactly."

The day her daughter initially tested positive, Moyer's 11-year-old son said he did not feel well and started experiencing "classic" Covid-19 symptoms, including headache, fatigue, sore throat, and runny nose.

Two days later, her husband developed a sore throat and stuffy nose as well. However, "despite testing daily for seven days straight, my husband and son never tested positive for Covid-19 including on PCR tests administered on my son's fifth day of symptoms, and my husband's third," Moyer writes.

Moyer never tested positive for the virus or developed any symptoms herself.

"We racked our brains as to what might have happened," Moyer writes. She wondered if her husband and son were infected even though they never tested positive. In addition, she wondered whether they had a different virus with similar symptomsa scenario their pediatrician said was unlikely.

In search of answers, Moyer called experts in immunology, microbiology, and virology.

One of the first things experts asked was whether the entire family had been vaccinated. Moyer and her husband are vaccinated and boosted, and their children have been vaccinated but not yet boosted.

According to Gigi Gronvall, an immunologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, this is relevant because, when you are exposed to the coronavirus, "your immune system kicks into action a lot faster if you're vaccinated versus not vaccinated." This rapid response impacts everything that follows.

"First, the swift immune reaction slows the rate of viral reproduction and spread," Moyer writes.

"This is what the vaccines are there for to educate your immune system so that it gets a jump on the invaders before they are able to replicate out of control," Gronvall said.

Since the virus does not replicate as quickly in vaccinated individuals, they may be less likely to test positive for the virus after they have been exposed, largely because their immune system "keeps the viral load below the level of detection," said Juliet Morrison, a microbiologist at the University of California, Riverside.

"It's possible, then, that my husband and son did catch Covid-19, but their vaccinated immune systems fended off the infection so well that they never had enough viral proteins in their nose or throat to test positive," Moyer notes. According to Morrison, their string of negative tests likely meant that they were never highly contagious.

Still, Moyer wondered why her husband and son felt sick if they never tested positive. Even if a vaccinated person does not have high levels of the virus in their body, they can still experience powerful Covid-19 symptoms, the experts told Moyer.

This occurs because many symptoms, including fever, malaise, runny nose, and fatigue are actually triggered by the immune system's response to the virusnot the virus itself, Gronvall noted.

According to Morrison, Moyer may have felt fine because her immune system likely fought off the virus so quickly that she never had a chance to feel sick. "It sounds to me like you were definitely exposed," Morrison said.

The experts said Moyer may have had high levels of vaccine antibodies or immune cells that were able to detect and kill the virus before it reached the parts of her immune system that would trigger symptoms.

"All this said, nobody really knows what happened to me, my son or my husband," Moyer writes.

When trying to understand how Covid-19 affects the body, "there are so many open questions," said Raul Andino, a virologist at the University of California, San Francisco. Different individuals can have very different experiences for a variety of reasons.

For example, Andino noted, it is possible that the virus was replicating in parts of Moyer's husband's or son's body that the tests didn't reach.

"Research suggests that the coronavirus can replicate in thepancreas,heart,brain, kidneys and other organs, although vaccination mayreduce the chancethat the virus spreads outside the respiratory system," Moyer writes.

"My family is not the only one that has had the bizarre experience of developing coronavirus symptoms but repeatedly testing negative," Moyer notes.

According to Andino, he and his colleagues have been conducting studies that follow and repeatedly test entire households after anyone in the household tests positive for the virus. "What we see is exactly what you described that some people in the household don't test positive," even though they have symptoms, he said.

Ultimately, "[t]here's a difference between never testing positive andnot yettesting positive," Moyer writes. "[M]any people only test for a couple of days and, frustratingly, you can't make clear conclusions from just a couple of negative tests." (Moyer, New York Times, 6/6)

Continue reading here:

Can you get Covid-19and never test positive? - The Daily Briefing

The vaccine deployment in December 2020 signaled a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of May 2021, 40% of the U.S. population was fully vaccinated. But as vaccination rates lagged over the summer, new surges of COVID-19 came, including Delta in the summer of 2021, and now the Omicron variant, which comprises the majority of cases in the U.S.

Researchers around the world have reported that Omicron is more transmissible than Delta, making breakthrough and repeat infections more likely.

The United States as of Jun. 7 reached over 1 million COVID-19-related deaths and 85 million COVID-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University. Currently, 66.7% of the population is fully vaccinated, and 46.9% of vaccinated people have received booster doses.

Stacker compiled a list of the counties with highest COVID-19 infection rates in Rhode Island using data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and vaccination data from Covid Act Now. Counties are ranked by the highest infection rate per 100,000 residents within the week leading up to Jun. 7, 2022. Cumulative cases per 100,000 served as a tiebreaker.

Keep reading to see whether your county ranks among the highest COVID-19 infection rates in your state.

New cases per 100k in the past week: 311 (151 new cases, -39% change from previous week) Cumulative cases per 100k: 30,995 (15,026 total cases) 12.7% less cases per 100k residents than Rhode Island Cumulative deaths per 100k: 355 (172 total deaths) 5.0% more deaths per 100k residents than Rhode Island Population that is fully vaccinated: 79.5% (38,531 fully vaccinated)

New cases per 100k in the past week: 324 (407 new cases, -28% change from previous week) Cumulative cases per 100k: 28,491 (35,778 total cases) 19.8% less cases per 100k residents than Rhode Island Cumulative deaths per 100k: 186 (233 total deaths) 45.0% less deaths per 100k residents than Rhode Island Population that is fully vaccinated: 78.9% (99,125 fully vaccinated)

New cases per 100k in the past week: 335 (2,141 new cases, -22% change from previous week) Cumulative cases per 100k: 37,004 (236,427 total cases) 4.2% more cases per 100k residents than Rhode Island Cumulative deaths per 100k: 401 (2,561 total deaths) 18.6% more deaths per 100k residents than Rhode Island Population that is fully vaccinated: 71.2% (454,825 fully vaccinated)

New cases per 100k in the past week: 352 (289 new cases, -25% change from previous week) Cumulative cases per 100k: 27,100 (22,244 total cases) 23.7% less cases per 100k residents than Rhode Island Cumulative deaths per 100k: 113 (93 total deaths) 66.6% less deaths per 100k residents than Rhode Island Population that is fully vaccinated: 76.1% (62,458 fully vaccinated)

New cases per 100k in the past week: 369 (607 new cases, -19% change from previous week) Cumulative cases per 100k: 32,289 (53,048 total cases) 9.1% less cases per 100k residents than Rhode Island Cumulative deaths per 100k: 315 (517 total deaths) 6.8% less deaths per 100k residents than Rhode Island Population that is fully vaccinated: 78.9% (129,692 fully vaccinated)

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Counties with the highest COVID-19 infection rates in Rhode Island - What'sUpNewp

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United States of AmericaUS Virgin IslandsUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsCanadaMexico, United Mexican StatesBahamas, Commonwealth of theCuba, Republic ofDominican RepublicHaiti, Republic ofJamaicaAfghanistanAlbania, People's Socialist Republic ofAlgeria, People's Democratic Republic ofAmerican SamoaAndorra, Principality ofAngola, Republic ofAnguillaAntarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S)Antigua and BarbudaArgentina, Argentine RepublicArmeniaArubaAustralia, Commonwealth ofAustria, Republic ofAzerbaijan, Republic ofBahrain, Kingdom ofBangladesh, People's Republic ofBarbadosBelarusBelgium, Kingdom ofBelizeBenin, People's Republic ofBermudaBhutan, Kingdom ofBolivia, Republic ofBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswana, Republic ofBouvet Island (Bouvetoya)Brazil, Federative Republic ofBritish Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago)British Virgin IslandsBrunei DarussalamBulgaria, People's Republic ofBurkina FasoBurundi, Republic ofCambodia, Kingdom ofCameroon, United Republic ofCape Verde, Republic ofCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChad, Republic ofChile, Republic ofChina, People's Republic ofChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombia, Republic ofComoros, Union of theCongo, Democratic Republic ofCongo, People's Republic ofCook IslandsCosta Rica, Republic ofCote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of theCyprus, Republic ofCzech RepublicDenmark, Kingdom ofDjibouti, Republic ofDominica, Commonwealth ofEcuador, Republic ofEgypt, Arab Republic ofEl Salvador, Republic ofEquatorial Guinea, Republic ofEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFaeroe IslandsFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Fiji, Republic of the Fiji IslandsFinland, Republic ofFrance, French RepublicFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabon, Gabonese RepublicGambia, Republic of theGeorgiaGermanyGhana, Republic ofGibraltarGreece, Hellenic RepublicGreenlandGrenadaGuadaloupeGuamGuatemala, Republic ofGuinea, RevolutionaryPeople's Rep'c ofGuinea-Bissau, Republic ofGuyana, Republic ofHeard and McDonald IslandsHoly See (Vatican City State)Honduras, Republic ofHong Kong, Special Administrative Region of ChinaHrvatska (Croatia)Hungary, Hungarian People's RepublicIceland, Republic ofIndia, Republic ofIndonesia, Republic ofIran, Islamic Republic ofIraq, Republic ofIrelandIsrael, State ofItaly, Italian RepublicJapanJordan, Hashemite Kingdom ofKazakhstan, Republic ofKenya, Republic ofKiribati, Republic ofKorea, Democratic People's Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwait, State ofKyrgyz RepublicLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanon, Lebanese RepublicLesotho, Kingdom ofLiberia, Republic ofLibyan Arab JamahiriyaLiechtenstein, Principality ofLithuaniaLuxembourg, Grand Duchy ofMacao, Special Administrative Region of ChinaMacedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic ofMadagascar, Republic ofMalawi, Republic ofMalaysiaMaldives, Republic ofMali, Republic ofMalta, Republic ofMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritania, Islamic Republic ofMauritiusMayotteMicronesia, Federated States ofMoldova, Republic ofMonaco, Principality ofMongolia, Mongolian People's RepublicMontserratMorocco, Kingdom ofMozambique, People's Republic ofMyanmarNamibiaNauru, Republic ofNepal, Kingdom ofNetherlands AntillesNetherlands, Kingdom of theNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaragua, Republic ofNiger, Republic of theNigeria, Federal Republic ofNiue, Republic ofNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsNorway, Kingdom ofOman, Sultanate ofPakistan, Islamic Republic ofPalauPalestinian Territory, OccupiedPanama, Republic ofPapua New GuineaParaguay, Republic ofPeru, Republic ofPhilippines, Republic of thePitcairn IslandPoland, Polish People's RepublicPortugal, Portuguese RepublicPuerto RicoQatar, State ofReunionRomania, Socialist Republic ofRussian FederationRwanda, Rwandese RepublicSamoa, Independent State ofSan Marino, Republic ofSao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic ofSaudi Arabia, Kingdom ofSenegal, Republic ofSerbia and MontenegroSeychelles, Republic ofSierra Leone, Republic ofSingapore, Republic ofSlovakia (Slovak Republic)SloveniaSolomon IslandsSomalia, Somali RepublicSouth Africa, Republic ofSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSpain, Spanish StateSri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic ofSt. HelenaSt. Kitts and NevisSt. LuciaSt. Pierre and MiquelonSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesSudan, Democratic Republic of theSuriname, Republic ofSvalbard & Jan Mayen IslandsSwaziland, Kingdom ofSweden, Kingdom ofSwitzerland, Swiss ConfederationSyrian Arab RepublicTaiwan, Province of ChinaTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailand, Kingdom ofTimor-Leste, Democratic Republic ofTogo, Togolese RepublicTokelau (Tokelau Islands)Tonga, Kingdom ofTrinidad and Tobago, Republic ofTunisia, Republic ofTurkey, Republic ofTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUganda, Republic ofUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom of Great Britain & N. IrelandUruguay, Eastern Republic ofUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofViet Nam, Socialist Republic ofWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambia, Republic ofZimbabwe

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Scrase: New wave of COVID-19 could be on the way - Santa Fe New Mexican