Category: Covid-19

Small-business owners are bristling over a congressional proposal that would redirect unspent money from Covid-19 programs to provide $10 billion for the federal governments pandemic health response, including vaccines and therapeutics.

At issue is about $5 billion that Congress allocated for three small-business aid programs but which hasnt yet been spent. Some lawmakers want to repurpose those existing funds for healthcare, rather than allocate new money, because they are increasingly focused on reining in the federal deficit and spending amid a surge in inflation, which is at a 40-year high.

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Small Businesses Object to Rerouting of Covid-19 Aid - The Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON (TND) Pfizer announced Wednesday that it has started testing its COVID-19 pill in children ages 6-17 years old who are at high risk of developing severe disease. The company will look into if the five-day treatment, Paxlovid, can keep children who are newly infected out of the hospital. It is looking to get about 140 participants in the trial and results should be released by ...

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Pfizer begins testing COVID-19 treatment pill in kids ages ...

Editor's note: This story was updated on March 11 to include all Commonwealth Campus locations as having CDC yellow or green COVID-19 Community Levels.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. With cases of COVID-19 declining on Penn State campuses and across the state and nation, University officials are adjusting Penn States indoor masking policy to no longer require face masks be worn in many indoor common spaces on campuses in counties designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to have low or medium COVID-19 Community Levels beginning Monday, March 7.

Based on the new CDC guidance, at this time, all Penn State campuses except for the College of Medicine will adjust their masking requirements. At this time, the College of Medicine will continue the mask mandate in alignment with Penn State Health to support patient care.

The masking requirement will remain in effect in classrooms, labs and other academic and creative spaces on all campuses, regardless of CDC COVID-19 Community Level designation, due to high-density congregation. Face masks will continue to be encouraged in all other common indoor spaces. Additionally, masks will continue to be required where mandated by law, regulation or rule includingunder guidance particular to individual workplaces or health care settings, COVID-19 testing centers and public transportation.

On Feb. 25, the CDC announced new, county-by-county COVID-19 Community Levels, as a new tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low (green), medium (yellow) or high (orange), and are based on the number of new COVID-19 cases in each county as well as new hospital admissions and hospital capacity.

Green counties: CDC recommendations call for individuals to stay up-to-date on their vaccinations and to get tested if they have symptoms of COVID-19.

Yellow counties: The recommendations advise those who are at high risk for severe illness to talk to their healthcare provider about their individual need to wear a face mask.

Orange counties: CDC recommends all individuals wear a mask indoors.

Our community really stepped up in January and February, embracing our mitigation measures to help us be successful in maintaining in-person classes and activities, allowing our campuses to thrive, said Penn State President Eric Barron. In consultation with our COVID-19 operations team, and recognizing that all but one of our campuses (Schuykill) are in counties currently designated by the CDC to have low or medium COVID-19 Community Levels, we have determined that we have reached a point where we can allow each individual to choose to wear a mask and no longer mandate that they be worn indoors, except in our academic and creative spaces. We are hopeful the diligence of our community in mitigating this disease will continue throughout the spring semester.

Penn State officials will continue to closely monitor changing pandemic conditions nationally and in the areas surrounding Penn State campuses. The University will alter plans, including the reinstatement of indoor masking mandates, if necessary.

Regardless of a campus COVID-19 Community Level, individuals who have not indicated to the University they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 must still test weekly for the virus. University contact tracing will continue, and quarantine and isolation space for students will remain available.

Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should not come to campus and should stay home. Faculty and staff should seek out symptomatic testing through their health care provider. At University Park, students living on campus or in the local community who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 should continue toschedule testing appointments with University Health Services (UHS) via myUHS.Students living on or nearother Penn State campusesshould seek symptomatic testing via their campus health servicesor a local provider.

Kelly Wolgast, director of Penn States COVID-19 Operations Control Center, reaffirmed that since the beginning of the pandemic, Penn State has not seen any indications of virus transmission in classrooms or workspaces.

Our campuses are highly vaccinated communities and, along with declining case numbers, we are seeing hospitalizations decline as well at our local health care facilities, Wolgast said. Even with this shift in the masking mandate, individuals who feel that masking is something they wish to continue can of course continue this mitigation strategy.

Employees at Penn State who work in their own individual offices may request that visitors wear masks while in their private offices, and the University asks that community members cooperate with these requests.

Additional research protocols for mask wearing will be determined and disseminated by the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research.

The University continues to strongly encourage students, faculty and staff to stay up-to-date with their vaccinations, including booster doses. Students at University Park, Commonwealth Campuses and Dickinson Law who have received their booster shot canupload their vaccination records through myUHS.Faculty and staff who have received their booster shot can upload an image of their COVID-19 vaccination card into Penn StatesSalesforce Health Cloud, a secure online platform for collecting and storing health data.

For the latest information on the Universitys response to the coronavirus pandemic, visit https://virusinfo.psu.edu.

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Penn State to adjust face mask requirement based on local ...

State Health officials recorded 1,336 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday, marking the fifth straight day with at least 1,200 and the eight time in 10 days with at least 1,050.

The states seven-day rolling average of new cases now sits at 1,162. It has increased for five consecutive days.

Locally, there were seven new cases: Three in Northumberland, two in Snyder and one each in Union and Montour counties.

Pennsylvania infections have increased 38 percent and deaths were down 33 percent over the past week, according to data being tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Johns Hopkins University. Statewide, hospitalizations linked to the coronavirus are up five percent. Nationally, the number of cases was up 26 percent, while deaths were down 1 percent. Nationally, hospitalizations were unchanged in the last week.

There were 14 deaths statewide linked to the coronavirus on Saturday. There were no deaths in the Valley linked to COVID. There have been no local deaths over the past eight days due to complications from COVID.

Sixty-four of Pennsylvanias 67 counties had low levels of COVID-19 including all four in the Valley according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated on Friday. For the sixth week in a row, there were no counties in Pennsylvania registering high levels of COVID-19; Susquehanna, Sullivan and Bradford counties have medium levels. Nationally, there were 14 counties with high levels of COVID, 175 with medium and 3,035 with low.

The CDC looks at the combination of three metrics new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population in the past 7 days, the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, and total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days to determine the COVID-19 community level.

The CDC reported Saturday that 77.5 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 and older were fully vaccinated, while 68 percent of all residents were fully vaccinated.

As of noon Saturday, there were 440 COVID hospitalizations statewide, down 1 from Friday. It was the second time in five days statewide COVID hospitalizations decreased. Since April 9, COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide have increased by 32.

There were 53 patients in intensive care units (ICUs), down four for the second consecutive day, and 29 were breathing using ventilators, down 10.

There were 13 patients hospitalized locally. There were 12 patients at Geisinger in Danville, one at Geisinger Shamokin and none at Evangelical Community Hospitalin Lewisburg. A day ago, there were 13 patients at Geisinger, none at Geisinger Shamokin and one at Evangelical.

The one patient at Geisinger Shamokin was in the ICU. None of the patients in the Valley were on a ventilator.

As of Saturday morning, the Department of Human Services reported at least one case among employees at the Selinsgrove Center. The state does not release specific totals if there are fewer than five cases.

There are no active cases at Danville State Hospital, or either of the male or female units at the North Central Secure Treatment Unit.

At the State Correctional Institution in Coal Township, there were also no active cases, according to the state Department of Corrections. Statewide, there were 11 inmate cases and another 21 staff cases. Five prisons statewide had inmate cases as of Saturday morning, while 13 prisons had staff infections.

Federal prisons in Lewisburg and Allenwood were at Level 1 operational levels of COVID mitigation, the lowest level of modifications in the federal Bureau of Prisons mitigation plans. It means prisons have resumed normal operations while inmates and staffers wear masks indoors. There were no cases at any of the Valleys federal prisons.

As of Saturday morning, there were 53 federal prisons nationally at Level 1 (the lowest), 23 were at Level 2 and 22 were at Level 3.

Institution operational levels (Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3) are based on the facilities COVID-19 medical isolation rate, combined percentage of staff and inmate completed vaccinations series and their respective county transmission rates.

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State COVID-19 infections top 1,200 again; 7 new cases in Valley - Sunbury Daily Item

As the BA.2 omicron subvariant of COVID-19 drives up infections in the Northeast, Maine reported 437 new cases on Saturday.

No new deaths from coronavirus were reported according to Saturdays data from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The numbers of hospitalized patients with the virus statewide continues to be stable. On Saturday 100 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19, one less than on Friday. Of those hospitalized on Saturday, 17 were in critical care units and three on ventilators. No additional deaths were reported.

The seven-day average of new cases in Maine rose to 310 Friday, a nearly 50 percent increase in less than a week, and Maines case count in the last two weeks has increased 55 percent, according to the New York Times. In fact, New England states have increased by significant percentages, including an 84 percent increase of cases in New Hampshire, 77 percent more in Massachusetts, and 88 percent more cases in Vermont, according to Times data.

As the official daily case count rises, more Maine counties have been reclassified as having a moderate risk of virus transmission and increased hospitalizations.

Five counties, Aroostook, Piscataquis, Penobscot, Washington and Hancock are now are in the yellow, or moderate risk category, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last week, Aroostook was the only Maine county not considered to be at low risk.

Cumberland and the other counties remain in the green, or low-risk category. The low-risk designation indicates the level of transmission and rate of hospitalizations are not expected to strain local hospitals.

Residents of moderate risk counties are advised to wear masks when indoors if they are at high-risk of complications from COVID-19 because of their age or underlying health conditions.

Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute, said case numbers will likely keep growing until the surge reaches about a quarter the height of the last monstrous one in the winter, according to the Associated Press. But keeping the surge somewhat in check, experts said, is a higher level of immunity in the U.S. from vaccination or past infection compared with early winter.

In Maine, 73.97 percent of Maines population are fully vaccinated, the state reported on Friday. Fully vaccinated are considered those to have had their first and second vaccine, or the J & J shot. The number of COVID-19 booster shots number 651,034. That number does not break down which are first and second booster shots.

On March 29 the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded eligibility for a second booster for people age 50 and over, especially those 65 and older as well as those with underlying medical conditions.

Kristin Thornton of Waterboro is among the Mainers who decided to get her second booster Sunday at a Sanford clinic hosted by the York County Emergency Management Agency.

Im immunocompromised. I feel like the boosters give you more security, Thornton said. I live with my family who does go out to the world. I feel safer even at home. One of my household is a teacher and is in the school system. With more cases rising and mask recommendations lifted, any help I can get Im happy to get as many shots as they recommend, she said.

The CDC will continue to evaluate the need for a second booster for all Americans, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said.

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437 new COVID-19 cases reported Saturday, no additional deaths - Press Herald

15,678: Number of cases reported in Florida in the past week.

2,240: Average cases a day, a 39 percent increase compared to the previous week.

5,878,404: Total number of cases recorded in Florida.

151: Number of deaths reported in the past week.

73,689: Total pandemic deaths in Florida.

60,368: Vaccinations (first or second doses) administered in the past week, an 38 percent increase compared to the previous week.

83 percent: Florida residents 5 and up who are at least partially vaccinated.

79 percent: Total Florida population that is at least partially vaccinated.

82 percent: U.S. residents 5 and up who are at least partially vaccinated.

77 percent: Total U.S. population that is at least partially vaccinated.

46,095: Booster doses administered in Florida in the last week, a 17-percent increase compared to the prior week.

26 percent: Total Florida population that is boosted.

30 percent: Total U.S. population that is boosted.

6.2 percent: Florida, compared to 4.2 percent the previous week.

5.6 percent: Manatee

4.6 percent: Pinellas

4.1 percent: Hernando

4.1 percent: Pasco

3.7 percent: Polk

3.5 percent: Hillsborough

2.7 percent: Citrus

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674: Florida hospitalizations, no significant change compared to the prior week.

165: Tampa Bay admissions, a 9-percent increase compared to the prior week.

2,431: Cases in Tampa Bay, a 72-percent increase compared to the previous week.

1,080,923: Total cases in Tampa Bay to date.

34: Deaths in Tampa Bay, a 60-percent drop compared to the prior week.

Editors note: The Tampa Bay Times weekly COVID-19 summary now reports data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previous reports relied on the Florida Department of Health. However, the state no longer releases COVID-19 data on a weekly basis. The change allows us to bring readers the most up-to-date COVID-19 data each week.

Tampa Bay: The Times can help you find the free, public COVID-19 testing sites around the bay area.

Florida: The Department of Health has a website that lists testing sites in the state. Some information may be out of date.

The U.S.: The Department of Health and Human Services has a website that can help you find a testing site.

The COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5 and up and booster shots for eligible recipients are being administered at doctors offices, clinics, pharmacies, grocery stores and public vaccination sites. Many allow appointments to be booked online. Heres how to find a site near you:

Find a site: Visit vaccines.gov to find vaccination sites in your ZIP code.

More help: Call the National COVID-19 Vaccination Assistance Hotline.

Phone: 800-232-0233. Help is available in English, Spanish and other languages.

TTY: 888-720-7489

Disability Information and Access Line: Call 888-677-1199 or email DIAL@n4a.org.

OMICRON VARIANT: Omicron changed what we know about COVID. Heres the latest on how the infectious COVID-19 variant affects masks, vaccines, boosters and quarantining.

KIDS AND VACCINES: Got questions about vaccinating your kid? Here are some answers.

BOOSTER SHOTS: Confused about which COVID booster to get? This guide will help.

BOOSTER QUESTIONS: Are there side effects? Why do I need it? Heres the answers to your questions.

PROTECTING SENIORS: Heres how seniors can stay safe from the virus.

GET THE DAYSTARTER MORNING UPDATE: Sign up to receive the most up-to-date information.

Were working hard to bring you the latest news on the coronavirus in Florida. This effort takes a lot of resources to gather and update. If you havent already subscribed, please consider buying a print or digital subscription.

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Florida adds 15,678 COVID cases in past week as infections rise - Tampa Bay Times

Boston MarathonHere are the latest COVID trends in Boston ahead of Monday's marathon.Medals are handed out to runners at the finish of the Boston Marathon in Boston in October. Allison Dinner/The New York Times

COVID-19 cases are on the rise again, just as one of Bostons most celebrated events is returning to its pre-pandemic spring routines with the familiar and long-missed sights and sounds of Back Bay in April.

The Boston Marathon is back.

For the first time since 2019, the historic and storied road race is happening on its usual spring date, only six months after organizers hosted the 125th Boston Marathon in October a schedule change prompted by surging virus cases early last year.

Still, even as Massachusetts experienced a drop in coronavirus cases following this winters omicron-fueled surge, case counts have been ticking up again, leading local officials to urge race-goers to consider taking health precautions.

Heres what to know about COVID-19 and the 2022 Boston Marathon:

Statewide COVID-19 data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health shows the Bay States seven-day weighted average percent positivity rate was 3.66 percent as of Wednesday. Thats far below the most recent surge, when, in January, the state recorded 23 percent positivity.

However, the rate is on the rise.

As of April 1, the percent positivity was 2.57 percent. A month ago, it was 1.6 percent.

In Boston, the latest data from the Boston Public Health Commission, dated Tuesday, shows the citys positivity rate hit 6.5 percent markedly above the citys 5.0 percent threshold for concern.

We are monitoring that very carefully, Mayor Michelle Wu said earlier this week, when the rate hung at 5.4 percent.

But other COVID metrics in the city are also below important thresholds.

There were, for example, approximately 72 people hospitalized with COVID each day, as of Wednesday. The official threshold for that statistic is 200 people hospitalized per day.

Additionally, 89.1 percent of the citys ICU beds are occupied below the threshold of 95 percent.

Altogether, those metrics are the three indicators the Wu administration watched closely earlier this year when determining when to lift pandemic-related mandates, such as indoor mask and vaccination requirements.

Were not there yet on those metrics, and were just watching the numbers there, Wu said on Tuesday. There have been fluctuations up and down. So we want to just see where this is going and make sure that its not headed on a continued upward trend.

City health leaders are also monitoring COVIDs presence in area wastewater, a data set that has become crucial to tracking spread in real time.

The latestwastewater data shows a rise in COVID in Greater Boston, but experts are not in agreement about whether the trend signifies a surge or if the bump is simply a blip.

Really our best leading indicator is the wastewater data, and weve seen a pretty big increase, over 100 percent increase, from today compared to two weeks ago, Wu said. And so we know that theres continued transmission out in the community.

With two out of three of the citys crucial COVID metrics below the threshold of concern for public health leaders, there are no mandates requiring masks or proof of vaccination inside public establishments in Boston.

Both measures were lifted by March, before the citys two-year-long declared public health emergency ended on April 1.

However, MBTA passengers should keep their masks ready.

As required under federal regulations, masks are still required on public transportation, including in ride share services, such as Uber and Lyft.

State mask rules will still apply to the marathons medical tents as well, race organizers said.

We will be following the same protocols that are in place in local hospitals, which include having all of our staff and patients masked to the most degree possible, emphasizing routine enhanced sanitation use, and setting up the footprint to maximize social distancing, Boston Marathon Co-Medical Director Dr. Aaron Baggish, a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, told reporters on Thursday.

Baggish also said he believes Boston is in a good place amid the pandemic.

I think here in Boston and our surrounding towns have all very much enjoyed the well deserved easing of the mask mandates and the COVID requirements over the past month or two, and this is really a reflection of the fact that were in a good place, Baggish said. Viral prevalence in the community is low and weve done a good job weathering the storm.

All marathon participants, vendors, volunteers, and other personnel are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or else provide a medical exemption.

Tom Grilk, president and CEO of the Boston Athletic Association, said Thursday race organizers consulted with the BAAs COVID-19 advisory group, as they did last year.

Just as the advisory group guided us to a successful race in October, were confident that their guidance will once again allow for a successful return here on Patriots Day, Grilk said.

The BAA will offer optional COVID testing at the Hynes Convention Center for anyone who wants it, Grilk said.

Additionally, individuals can be tested for COVID before or after the race at the citys several, free testing locations.

Earlier this week, Wu urged the public to take personal health precautions when they turn out for Mondays race.

Even outdoors when many, many people are crowded together, it is a situation where we want everyone just to be aware, Wu said. And so if you are able to take a test before you attend, especially if youre going to a party or a more crowded situation or an indoor event, that always helps.

The Boston Public Health Commission also issued a formal statement reminding Bostonians to use caution, not only at the marathon, but also as they gather for Easter, Passover, and Ramadan this weekend, too.

With so much to look forward to, the Boston Public Health Commission is encouraging residents to remain vigilant about COVID-19 and to use the tools that we know work masking, vaccines, boosters, and testing to protect themselves and those around them before gathering this week and next, the commissionwrote in a blog post.

The commission made these recommendations for staying healthy during the celebrations:

Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com

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What to know about rising COVID-19 cases and the Boston Marathon - Boston.com

At least 44 Chinese cities are under either a full or partial lockdown as authorities persist in trying to curb the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, according to a report from investment bank Nomura and CNN's own reporting as of Thursday.

"We need to overcome paralysis in the face of risk, war-weariness, leaving things to chance and becoming relaxed," state media reported Xi saying Wednesday, calling on the nation to "strictly implement normalized prevention and control measures."

In China, the local officials rolling out Covid-19 measures, like those in Shanghai, typically get blamed for mismanagement when there are problems -- a more acceptable target than the central government and its policies, in the country's tightly controlled political environment. And it's not expected that a Covid crisis will imperil Xi's likely third term.

Nation disrupted

Xi has ordered local officials to do all they can to stop the virus, while also minimizing the "impact on economic and social development" -- an order that, counter-intuitively, is expected to push local officials to clamp down with harsh measures at the sign of a few cases, or even preemptively, in the wake of the crisis in Shanghai.

"Shanghai officials were trying to thread this needle they've been asked to thread, which is, 'let's maintain zero-Covid, while also not disrupting anybody's life.' They focused a little bit more on the 'not disrupting people's lives' (side). And they failed," said Trey McArver, partner and co-founder at the China policy research group Trivium.

"The lesson that everybody's going to learn is that, actually, you really have to focus on the zero-Covid part," he said.

As of Tuesday, health authorities said more than 320,000 local Covid-19 cases had been reported across 31 provinces, including those in Shanghai, since March 1.

Already dozens of cities have some form of lockdown, even though the vast majority of those total cases have been found in Shanghai and the northeastern province of Jilin. Getting supplies across the country has become a steep challenge, with some expressways closed, and truck drivers ensnared in quarantine or at thousands of highway health checkpoints. Some cities have discouraged their residents from leaving, like the major southern port of Guangzhou, which requires its 18 million people to show a negative Covid test if they want to get out.

The situation has spurred various ministries in Beijing into action, with a National Development and Reform Commission official pledging Tuesday to "actively coordinate with local governments" and "employ big data" to ensure essentials get delivered.

Those health concerns come alongside a "hidden" political calculation of the costs of a large-scale outbreak, according to Huang.

"(Beijing is) considering the perceived impact on political and social economic stability, considering the impact on the leadership transition ahead of the Party Congress, and considering the regime legitimacy -- there is a lot at stake," said Huang.

But the risks for the Communist Party of keeping the policy, which has sparked mounting frustration and anger in Shanghai and threatens more disruption, is also clear -- especially as the country is over 88% vaccinated and most cases, authorities say, remain mild.

"Economic slowdown is quite a big concern," said Alfred Wu, an associate professor in the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at National University of Singapore.

"The central government always utilizes so-called economic performance to enhance their legitimacy. So how are they going to (explain) sluggish economic performance? I don't know. But one thing is very sure, people will be suffering."

Blame game

With Xi's name so closely associated with the policies, the leader has linked himself to their success.

"When you've so clearly centralized power in one person's hands, then I think you can plausibly lay any problems at that person's feet -- so it obviously reflects poorly on him," said McArver.

But as for whether this would imperil the leader's third term, "the answer is no," he said, pointing to what observers of China's opaque elite politics widely believe to be a void of any real competition for the top role.

Meanwhile, it's possible that even from the depths of the current challenge -- if they can find a way to bring the outbreaks largely under control -- the central government could spin a political win, akin to what they did in Wuhan in 2020, analysts say.

There has been clear frustration against the government this time around, spilling onto social media this week as users adopted pro-China, trending hashtags en masse to make veiled or sarcastic comments against the government -- before being censored.

But there are also ready scapegoats across the country in the form of local government officials, who are under enormous pressure and can be blamed for failures in the implementation of the "zero-Covid" policy, shifting fault away from the central government's policy itself, experts say. Many cadres have been fired or demoted throughout the pandemic, including recently in Shanghai, with details typically reported by state media.

"The Chinese central government is very, very careful and also very, very smart in turning the anger on the local governments instead of themselves," said Wu.

And in a political environment where all dissent is quashed, the narrative of Xi's Party will dominate.

However, some argue that China has painted itself into a corner where it now needs to uphold its stringent policy, after reveling for two years in the success of "zero-Covid," while scaremongering about the virus and generating broad support for the policy.

Huang puts it this way: "We should never underestimate the government capacity to redefine its narrative to sustain the public support. And we should never underestimate the people's tolerance, even for policies that harm their interest."

CNN's Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

Read more:

China's Covid controls risk sparking crisis for the country -- and its leader Xi Jinping - CNN

No one is immune from COVID-19. Even people who are fully vaccinated and boosted can get COVID-19, though studies show that such individuals are significantly less likely to get seriously ill from the virus or transmit it to others.

Since there's no immunity from COVID-19, some people may wonder if they're more vulnerable than others. That includes asthma sufferers. Both COVID-19 and asthma affect the respiratory system, but the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America notes that research published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the journal Chest has indicated that having asthma does not put individuals at a greater risk of getting COVID-19 or having severe COVID-19. In addition, a separate study published in JACI found that people with well-controlled asthma have less severe COVID-19 outcomes than those with uncontrolled asthma.

Those studies are good news for people with asthma, who must recognize the importance of keeping asthma under control. One way to do that is to continue to take common medicines for asthma, which the AAFA notes do not increase the risk of getting COVID-19. Such medicines include:

Quick-relief medicines like albuterol

Controller medicines, including inhaled corticosteroids

Oral corticosteroids, such as prednisone

Biologics

Allergy medicines like antihistamines

Proton pump inhibitors for acid reflux

Nasal allergy sprays

Allergy shots

Taking these medicines as prescribed can help individuals control their asthma, which in turn reduces their risk for severe outcomes should they test positive for COVID-19. That appears to be the lone link between asthma and COVID-19, though asthma patients are urged to open a dialogue with their physicians if they want to learn more.

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Is there any link between COVID-19 and asthma? - Charleston Post Courier

Friday, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported:

*Of the deaths reported Friday, MDH says five are from this month, one is from February and one is from December 2021.

MDH also reported the following data regarding hospital capacity**:

**For this data set, MDH defines COVID beds in use as being the number of patients who are currently positive with COVID-19 occupying a staffed inpatient bed in Minnesota. This does not include patients that were once positive but are now negative.

Additionally, MDH said:

View the complete updatevia the interactive infographicbelow or here.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported, as of Friday, eight counties in Minnesota remained at a high level of COVID-19 community transmission. Another 27 counties are considered at a substantial spread.

View the complete update via the interactive map below or here.

Visit link:

MDH: 7 newly reported COVID-19 deaths, 205 current hospitalizations - KSTP