Category: Covid-19

A recent study conducted by investigators from the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation at the University of British Columbia has discovered that the ABO gene, along with others, might significantly increase an individuals chances of developing COVID-19.

The results from the study were presented at the American Thoracic Society 2021 International Conference on Friday.

"By harnessing the power of genomic information, we identified genes that are related to COVID-19," Ana Hernandez, postdoctoral fellow with the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation said. "In particular, we found that the ABO gene is a significant risk factor for COVID-19. Of particular note was the relationship between the blood group ABO and COVID-19 risk. We showed that the relationship is not just an association but causal."

For the study, the team of investigators employed the use of integrative genomics, in combination with proteomics in order to identify genes that may play a role in COVID-19 disease.

The team preformed an analysis of lung gene expression to identify genetic variants that play a role in the expression in the lungs responsible for COVID-19. They used bioinformatics to integrate genomic datasets, lung and blood tissue gene expression and proteome datasets which were obtained from blood donors.

Findings from the study showed that several genes may be responsible for how the immune system responds to COVID-19 and how susceptible someone is to the disease. The genes identified with having a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 were the ABO gene, along with the genetic variants SLC6A20, ERMP1, FCER1G and CA11.

Many of the genes identified in the study have already been implicated in other respiratory illness including asthma.

"Our research has progressed since the time that we first conducted this analysis. We have now identified even more interesting candidates for COVID-19 such as IL10RB, IFNAR2 and OAS1, Hernandez said. These genes have been linked to severe COVID-19. Their role in the immune response to viral infections and mounting evidence suggest that these candidates and their role in COVID-19 should be further investigated."

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ABO Gene Associated With Risk of COVID-19 - Contagionlive.com - Contagionlive.com

Updated: 11:45 a.m.

It marks a singular milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic: Friday morning, Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order to undo the state's mask mandate.

The announcement comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that people who are fully vaccinated no longer have to wear masks outside or inside in most cases.

Heres what you need to know about the latest developments.

Anyone who is fully vaccinated people who are two weeks out from their second shot if they got a Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or their only shot if they got a Johnson & Johnson vaccine no longer have to wear masks outside or inside, under most circumstances.

There are caveats: If you're in a medical building like a hospital or long-term care facility you still need to mask. If you're on a plane or a bus, you still need to mask. And schools will continue to follow state education department guidance that requires masks in school buildings until the end of the academic year.

The cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are continuing with their masking rules despite changing guidance from the state and federal government. But other Minnesota cities are making different decisions.

The city of Duluth says it will stop enforcing its mask ordinance immediately. The city council plans to vote to repeal the ordinance on May 24.

Duluth, Winona, Rochester, Manakato and others, implemented mask rules last summer before the statewide mask mandate went into effect last July 22.

St. Cloud says its mask rule was rendered null and void when Gov. Walz initiated the state-wide mask mandate. The city does not plan to revisit a new mask rule.

But Minneapolis and St. Paul say they are keeping their mask rules in place pending advice from public health officials.

Despite Gov. Walz's decision to undo the state's mask mandate, cities, businesses and private organizations have the option to implement their own mask rules.

This news disrupts that plan.

The announcement came just a week after Gov. Tim Walz announced that he would drop Minnesota's mask mandate on July 1, or when 70 percent of Minnesotans 16 or older had been vaccinated, whichever came first.

Walz said the CDC announcement Thursday took him by surprise. And he emphasized that there are still a lot of people in the state who need to be vaccinated.

He said he doesn't think the new CDC guidance is a disincentive to getting vaccinated. The state will just continue to double down on reaching people who haven't gotten shots yet.

Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says she's not entirely comfortable with the federal guidance.

"People who are not vaccinated still are at risk, she said. My concern about this is that there are a lot of people in Minnesota who are not vaccinated.

Municipalities and private businesses still have the ability to enact their own mask-wearing rules, but the lifted mandate leaves the decision to wear masks largely in the hands of individuals.

Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said Thursday that she has mixed feelings about the news.

On one hand, she said, the science is increasingly clear that the vaccines not only prevent illness but also prevent transmission. This, she said, is great news.

But she also said she worries people won't abide by these new rules that people who aren't vaccinated won't wear masks, endangering people who aren't yet eligible for the vaccine, like kids under 12, and giving the virus more opportunities to continue to circulate.

"We don't have nearly enough people vaccinated to keep this virus suppressed, she said. It will come back if we don't continue to build up more vaccination.

She said she worries that if the rule is lifted, people will assume that not wearing masks is a safe bet. But, she said, the state isnt near where it needs to be, when it comes to vaccinations, which help tamp down the virus spread.

It's really in our individual hands, she said.

Malcolm said that the state's Safe Learning plan in schools will stay in effect through the end of the current school year.

That plan requires all students in kindergarten through 12th grade to wear a face covering while they are in school buildings, with some exemptions for children under the age of five and those with certain medical or mental health conditions or disabilities.

Thursday Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove said that businesses won't be expected to police mask-wearing or have to ask people if they have been vaccinated.

The new CDC guidance gives local jurisdictions and businesses the option to continue to require masks.

Grove said this is a matter of individual responsibility, and that it will come down to people making a choice.

Michael Osterholm, a public health and infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, said the new guidance is appropriate in the sense that the science backs it up and that people who are vaccinated should reap some of the benefits of getting a shot.

He said that he thinks businesses will have an incentive to make sure that people are safe in their facilities, as a way to attract customers.

"It's just like the old days of smoking in restaurants, he said. I heard time and time again that this would ruin the businesses. Just the opposite. More people went out because they wanted to go out, because they felt that comfort and protection of not having smoke throughout the restaurant."

Data in these graphs are based on the Minnesota Department of Health's cumulative totals released at 11 a.m. daily. You can find more detailed statistics on COVID-19 at theHealth Department website.

The coronavirus is transmitted through respiratory droplets, coughs and sneezes, similar to the way the flu can spread.

You make MPR News possible. Individual donations are behind the clarity in coverage from our reporters across the state, stories that connect us, and conversations that provide perspectives. Help ensure MPR remains a resource that brings Minnesotans together.

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The state has lifted its COVID-19 mask mandate. Here's what that means for you - Minnesota Public Radio News

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by a type of coronavirus that emerged in late 2019 called SARS-CoV-2.

Most people with COVID-19 develop mild illness. Older adults and people with existing conditions like diabetes, cancer, or kidney disease are at the highest risk of developing severe symptoms. Its estimated that more than 80 percent of COVID-19 deaths are in people over 65.

The coronavirus can attack your lungs and heart. It can cause chest pain or a burning sensation in your lungs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists persistent pain or pressure in your chest as a sign that you should seek emergency medical care for COVID-19.

Keep reading to learn why COVID-19 sometimes causes chest pain and when you should seek medical attention.

Burning in your chest can have many potential causes that range from mild to life threatening.

Visit a doctor right away if your chest pain is intense or accompanied by other concerning symptoms. Its especially critical to see a doctor if youre at risk of heart or lung problems.

Go to the nearest emergency room or call 911 if you have the following symptoms:

Chest pain or burning can be a sign of COVID-19. Discomfort in your chest may occur along with shortness of breath or trouble breathing. Studies have found that up to 17.7 percent of people with COVID-19 report chest pain.

People with severe COVID-19 are more likely to report trouble breathing or chest pain than people with mild illness. Research has found that chest pain is reported about three times more often in people who die from COVID-19 than those who survive.

Its thought that chest pain may be a result of heart injury or inflammation of the tissues surrounding the lungs.

The coronavirus can enter your cells through a receptor called angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). ACE2 is found in many parts of your body, including your lungs, heart, and gastrointestinal tract. Once the virus enters your cells through ACE2, it can lead to cellular damage and inflammation.

The release of molecules called inflammatory cytokines by your immune system may also cause damage to heart cells. This phenomenon is called cytokine storm syndrome.

Its been suggested to contribute to left ventricle dysfunction (or weakness of the heart muscle) in people with COVID-19 who also have heart complications. Lung dysfunction and low oxygen levels can also contribute to heart damage.

People with a history of cardiovascular disease seem to be at an elevated risk of heart damage. A July 2020 study found approximately 30 to 60 percent of people with heart injury have a history of coronary heart disease or high blood pressure.

The pleural space is an area between layers of the sac that surrounds each of your lungs. Inflammatory molecules released into the pleural space can trigger pain receptors and potentially cause chest pain or burning.

COVID-19 can also lead to the development of pneumonia, which can cause chest pain. Pneumonia is an infection of the alveoli of your lungs. Your alveoli are the tiny air sacs where oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange occurs.

Experiencing throat and chest burning together can be a symptom of COVID-19. COVID-19 has been linked to symptoms like throat pain and acid reflux.

In an August 2020 study, researchers found that in a group of 405 people with COVID-19, 61.2 percent had digestive symptoms. About a quarter of them had a previous history of gastrointestinal disease.

The most common digestive symptoms reported were:

Many other conditions besides COVID-19 can cause burning or pain in your throat and chest. Some potential causes include:

Some people with COVID-19 may experience a burning feeling in their stomach and chest together. Vomiting, acid reflux, and diarrhea may all contribute to discomfort in or around your stomach.

Some other potential causes include:

The CDC lists the following as emergency symptoms of COVID-19. If you notice any of these symptoms or anything else concerning, you should seek emergency medical care:

COVID-19 affects People of Color differently. People of certain races and ethnicities have a higher risk of developing severe symptoms or dying from COVID-19.

One reason for this is systemic racism and healthcare inequities, which elevate the risk of developing underlying health conditions, affect socioeconomic status, and limit access to quality healthcare. All these factors play a role in determining the risk of certain groups.

The CDC reports the following risk ratios compared with white, non-Hispanic people:

Researchers are continuing to examine the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccines can potentially cause a burning sensation in the chest in rare instances. The most typical side effects of vaccines include:

One June 2021 case study describes a 56-year-old man who went to the emergency room after chest pain onset 3 days after the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The chest pain resolved after 4 hours. The man spent 7 days in the hospital, and acute myocarditis was suspected. Acute myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle tissue.

Skin-related side effects of COVID-19 are relatively common. An April 2021 study looking at side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Czech healthcare workers found that 5.2 percent of people experience at least one skin-related side effect.

A rash was the most common side effect, and the chest and trunk were the second most common location affected behind the arms.

A burning sensation in your chest has many possible causes. If your chest pain is persistent and accompanied by other COVID-19 symptoms, its a good idea to seek medical attention.

If your pain is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, its also a good idea to see a doctor:

Chest pain or burning can potentially be a sign of COVID-19. Chest pain is more common in people with severe COVID-19 than mild illness.

A burning sensation in your chest can have many other potential causes that range from mild to potentially life threatening. Its critical to seek emergency medical attention if your chest pain is accompanied by warning signs of a heart attack, such as pain that spreads down your arm, neck, or back.

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Chest Burning Sensation and COVID-19: An Emergency Symptom - Healthline

Although 150 million people have received a COVID-19 vaccine, 34% of Americans are still hesitant about getting the shots and say they are not sure yet, or dont want the vaccine, according to a recent Kaiser poll.

Despite overwhelming data supporting currently authorized vaccines -- all of which were found safe and highly effective in large clinical trials and in real life since FDA authorization -- many Americans have delayed vaccination, citing a range of reasons.

First lady Dr. Jill Biden holds the hand of a teenager getting vaccinated, left, as actress Jennifer Garner, right, looks on at Capital High School in Charleston, W.V., on May 13, 2021.

Yet, some who have been hesitant to get the vaccine are changing their minds, they told ABC News.

Haifa Palazzo, a 68-year-old Ohio grandmother, was skeptical about the vaccine, but while she said she elected to "wait and see, " she said she suffered severe COVID-19, and was hospitalized at the Cleveland Clinic for two months.

She said that at one point, doctors told her family to say their final goodbyes. Now recovered and fully vaccinated, Palazzo encourages anyone who will listen to get their shots.

Dont wait, Palazzo said. She said her prior hesitation was due to a belief that nothing can happen to me, right?

Rapid COVID-19 vaccine development was possible because of decades of prior scientific studies demonstrating safety, as well as an unprecedented multibillion-dollar commitment by the federal government to accelerate research.

Robert Day from Better Men Outreach knocks on doors during a door-knock campaign to provide information about where people can get their vaccinations and answer questions related to hesitancy around the COVID-19 vaccine in Detroit, May 4, 2021.

If I could spare one person what I went through, then it was all worth it, Palazzo said. And then if they do get the shot, maybe they'll tell a friend or a family member and maybe it can extend from there. I'm hoping and hoping.

A different worry was on the mind of Dr. Julius Johnson -- a nurse practitioner and president of the Greater NYC Black Nurses Association.

"As a Black person, I'm hesitant about health care, Johnson said, because of the way, historically we have been treated. The history of the United States is filled with examples of Black and minority Americans subjected to unethical medical treatment.

Though initially skeptical of COVID-19 vaccines, Johnson said he felt comforted once he understood more about the way vaccines were tested -- in over 100,000 people among the three vaccines -- and saw people in his community getting vaccinated.

The vaccines were also tested on a diverse group, comprising tens of thousands of volunteers of all different races, ethnicities and life experiences.

Ultimately, Johnson said that he decided it was more important to set an example for his family, his community and his fellow health care workers. Now, he said he's educating others who are hesitant to get the vaccine and told ABC News that he wants those in his community to understand "the truth about vaccines ... their effectiveness ... how they were created" and "the positivity that surrounds" them. He said he wants people to make an "informed decision.

Johnson said he is also helping build trust by running a local vaccination site.

They look at us and say its good to see somebody that looks like us that helps increase the trust, Johnson said. It's our people that are vaccinating us, we can trust them.

For others, reluctance wasnt fueled by history, but rather by lingering questions about the vaccines themselves.

That was the case for a Mississippi nurse practitioner named Smith, who found out she was pregnant two months before COVID-19 vaccines were available. She asked ABC News not to disclose her full name for privacy reasons.

I was hesitant at first, she said. There were not studies specifically with pregnant mothers. There just wasnt enough research behind that part of it.

But as new data emerged showing vaccines were safe for pregnant moms and their babies, Smith said she decided it was more of a risk to remain unvaccinated, and vulnerable to COVID-19. Meanwhile, she said was encouraged by evidence that vaccinated pregnant moms pass some of their antibodies to their baby while pregnant and through breast milk.

If there was a chance that I could give her my antibody of the vaccine then I would prefer to do that, she said. "I feel more protected. I've done what I need to do to protect myself and my baby.

Alex Carlson, a 26-year-old physical therapist, living with lupus, said she was concerned about how the vaccine would affect her immune system. Similar to pregnant women, many people with immune-compromised conditions were excluded from initial vaccine studies.

Carlson said she found reassurance by reviewing research herself, not relying on the media alone, and by speaking with co-workers as well as her rheumatologist who was very supportive, even despite the lack of research for immunocompromised people," she said.

"And so I got it," Carlson said about the COVID vaccine.

Although the extent of protection for immune-compromised people isn't well understood, medical experts agree that some protection from COVID-19 through vaccination is better than none. Carlson told ABC News she had to sign a waiver acknowledging lack of research in immunocompromised people when she was vaccinated.

But I really had no problem signing that because like I said, I had done enough research I felt good about it one way or the other," she said.

Others delayed vaccination because they felt unlikely to get very sick from COVID-19. Jacob Clifton, who works as a crop consultant in Arkansas, said he delayed signing up for a shot when he became eligible because he saw himself in a low-risk job and as young, and healthy -- but healthy people can still easily pass the virus on to others, experts say.

I just ... wanted the people higher up on the list to get it before I did," Clifton said.

Meanwhile, his wife Hailey said she was worried because she heard unfounded rumors that the vaccine might lead to infertility.

Ultimately, they both got vaccinated. Hailey Clifton, an emergency room nurse, said she relied on the advice of her colleagues at the hospital, as well as guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists .

Her place of work, St. Bernards Medical Center also hosted a video conference with staff and its OBGYN department to provide vaccine education.

Now, the Cliftons told ABC, they no longer have to worry when they are around their almost 2-year-old son and family.

Ohio grandmother Haifa Palazzo said it makes sense that some people have questions about COVID-19 vaccines. But relying on accurate information and trusted sources can help people make informed decisions and help end the pandemic, "so we can get closer to our normal lives and activities," she said.

We need to be there just like the soldiers were there for war, Palazzo said. Nurses were there on the front line, doctors, we need to do our part, which is to get vaccinated.

Dr. Jade A. Cobern, a pediatric resident in Baltimore entering the field of preventive medicine, is a contributor to the ABC News Medical Unit.

Link:

Once hesitant about COVID-19 vaccines, some have changed their minds - ABC News

Dr. Michelle Rockwell lost a pregnancy in December and shared her heartache with her 30,000 Instagram followers. Weeks later, she received the COVID-19 vaccine and posted about that, too.

By February, Rockwell was getting past the grief and finally starting to experience moments of joy. But then, to her horror, social media users began using her posts to spread the false claim that she miscarried as a result of the shot.

They said horrible things to me, like how could I possibly get the vaccine, that I was a baby killer, and that I would be infertile forever and would never have babies again, said Rockwell, a 39-year-old family medicine doctor from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Even though she knows that research shows the vaccine is safe for pregnant women, she said the posts brought her trauma to the surface and hurt her to the core.

From a movie prop master in Texas to a professor in New York, people across the country have found themselves swept into the misinformation maelstrom, their online posts or their very identities hijacked by anti-vaccine activists and others peddling lies about the outbreak.

Sharing other peoples posts or photos out of context is a common tactic in the disinformation playbook because its an easy, cheap way to gain credibility, said Lisa Fazio, a Vanderbilt University psychology professor who studies how false claims spread.

But during the COVID-19 pandemic, experts warn, false or misleading posts can mean the difference between someone taking precautions or not.

When youre in a situation where the world is confusing, youre trying to latch on to whats true. A common suggestion is to listen to the experts, Fazio said. If you have people pretending to be those experts or grabbing that credibility, then that can cause a lot of havoc.

Scott Reeder, a movie and TV prop master in Austin, Texas, who frequently shares jokes and film industry secrets with his 1 million TikTok followers, posted a short video in September demonstrating how retractable stunt knives, syringes and icepicks are used on a movie set.

In December, he learned that a clip of the footage was being misused on Facebook and Twitter. Someone had isolated the part of the video where he pushes the spring-loaded syringe into his arm, and falsely claimed that politicians overseas are using the devices to fake their COVID-19 vaccinations.

Reeder was able to tamp down the falsehoods with help from TikTok followers who vouched for him and by releasing a second video outlining the misinformation. But it upsets him that his posts were used to promote a conspiracy theory he knows is false.

Im just trying to make people laugh with my dad jokes and my prop information, Reeder said. But people just try to suck you in or utilize your content to push their agenda.

Robert Oswald, a professor of molecular medicine at Cornell University, hadnt even put anything on social media when he learned his name was being used in viral posts claiming the coronavirus was imaginary and fictitious.

A bogus statement claimed Oswald had done research that found COVID-19 was just another flu strain. Some of the posts included his professional photo and office address.

It said I had some sort of lab in California. It said I was a virologist. None of thats true, Oswald said. I was pretty horrified by it all, obviously.

Oswald, who doesnt study viruses in his work, disavowed the posts on his professional webpage and responded to each message he received with the truth, though some refused to believe it.

Powerful or dramatic claims can be especially difficult to stamp out.

A Cornell professor warning about COVID, thats boring. The same professor saying COVID is a hoax, well, thats interesting and guarantees traffic, said Dr. Elias Aboujaoude, a psychiatrist and Stanford University professor who studies the intersection of psychology and technology.

Dr. Nicole Baldwin, a Cincinnati pediatrician who posted a video in support of vaccines in January 2020, said she was subjected to harassing messages, calls to her office, one-star reviews of her work, and memes that used her picture and falsely claimed she was under investigation for drugging autistic children.

She now offers support over the phone and via email to people who have found themselves in her position including Rockwell.

I look back at that time in January now, actually, with gratitude, because it got me to the point where I am right now, Baldwin said. But in that period that I was there in January, I certainly wasnt saying, Yay, this is amazing. So Im trying to help other people.

Read more:

The unwitting are the target of COVID-19 falsehoods online - The Associated Press

MISSION The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation has seen a rise in COVID-19 cases among children, prompting officials to schedule more vaccination clinics and cancel events.

The Tribes reported on Wednesday that 14 people had tested positive for COVID-19 on the reservation over the past two weeks, The East Oregonian reported.

Tribal officials said the outbreak came after six weeks without one case reported among tribal members and patients eligible for care at Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center. The 12 children who have the illness reportedly experienced symptoms and one adult was hospitalized in the outbreak, officials said.

The virus is spreading among our youth and we need to respond immediately, Lisa Guzman, Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center chief executive officer, said while announcing a Saturday vaccination clinic for those age 12 to 15.

Wildhorse Resort & Casino announced Thursday that the annual Wildhorse Pow Wow set for early July would be canceled for the second year because of rising cases and risk of local spread with people coming from around the country.

The new cases brought total active COVID-19 cases on the reservation to 17, making it one of the sharpest upticks reported on the reservation since 19 cases were reported in a week in December, according to data on the Tribes website.

Yellowhawk officials attempting to trace the outbreak have been met with reluctance from residents, officials said.

Since the pandemic began, tribal health officials have reported 271 COVID-19 cases, 13 hospitalizations and one death, officials said.

--The Associated Press

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Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation report outbreak of COVID-19 among children - OregonLive

Vulnerable groups need access to health care

Access to health care overall is difficult. In Mumbai, COVID-19 care is organized in dedicated hospitals, but non-COVID-19 care is under severe stress during this crisis.

The virus has crippled some of the most advanced health systems in countries that have a social safety net, where most people have access to running water and space to self-isolate. This is simply not possible for many people in India and other countries where we typically work. In particular, people living in large settlements, in overcrowded conditions, with poor sanitation services, and limited access to health care can face huge risks.

MSF is undertaking precautionary measures to ensure continuity of care to 1,287 people with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) at the Shatabdi Hospital outpatient department and at the MSF Independent Clinic. We are scaling up screening, shielding, testing, and referral activities at the hospital, community, and nine health posts. Shielding is mainly focused on protecting vulnerable groups living in informal settlements as well as people with diabetes, elderly people, TB and DR-TB patients, and patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Another priority is to reach migrant workers who come to Mumbai, and the M-East Ward (MEW) in particular, to look for work. During the first wave of the pandemic, when strict lockdown measures were in place, daily wage workers were hit particularly hard. Many lost their jobs and were forced to return to their home towns and villages. For people with DR-TB, this meant interruptions to their critical treatment, as the drugs they require are often not available in smaller cities and rural areas.

This year, in order to ensure continuity of care, we are proactively reaching out to migrant workers in our patient population. We are asking them to contact us if they have to leave and to let us know where they are going. This enables our teams to send a supply of medications to their local health centers and get in touch with their local medical teams. We are also offering telephone counseling to try and help with other problems they may face, including the loss of work or difficulties obtaining their daily ration support.

We have restarted health promotion efforts as well as water and sanitation activities in the densely populated settlements of Mumbais M-East Ward. Health promotion at the community level is critical to preventing the most vulnerable from getting infected.

MSF is offering mental health support to help COVID-19 patients manage anxiety and worries while in isolation. We are also providing psychosocial support for our staff. Health workers are faced with the difficult situation of not just responding on the frontlines of the pandemic, but also taking care of their own families and loved ones.

Read more:

India: Responding to the COVID-19 crisis and other urgent needs - Doctors Without Borders

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) More than 500 at-risk residents ages 65 and older are getting their COVID-19 vaccine Saturday in Hampton.

Faith leaders and local health officials teamed up Saturday to administer the COVID-19 vaccines to senior residents in Hampton and Newport News.

The event is the fourth pre-scheduled COVID-19 vaccination held led by JenCare doctors at large Tidewater churches.

The event is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sixth Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Hampton. All of the vaccines were provided by the Virginia Department of Health.

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Over 500 senior residents receive COVID-19 vaccine in Hampton - WAVY.com

On 30 December 2019, the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases notified the world about a pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan, China (1). Since then, scientists have made remarkable progress in understanding the causative agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), its transmission, pathogenesis, and mitigation by vaccines, therapeutics, and non-pharmaceutical interventions. Yet more investigation is still needed to determine the origin of the pandemic. Theories of accidental release from a lab and zoonotic spillover both remain viable. Knowing how COVID-19 emerged is critical for informing global strategies to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks.

In May 2020, the World Health Assembly requested that the World Health Organization (WHO) director-general work closely with partners to determine the origins of SARS-CoV-2 (2). In November, the Terms of Reference for a ChinaWHO joint study were released (3). The information, data, and samples for the study's first phase were collected and summarized by the Chinese half of the team; the rest of the team built on this analysis. Although there were no findings in clear support of either a natural spillover or a lab accident, the team assessed a zoonotic spillover from an intermediate host as likely to very likely, and a laboratory incident as extremely unlikely [(4), p. 9]. Furthermore, the two theories were not given balanced consideration. Only 4 of the 313 pages of the report and its annexes addressed the possibility of a laboratory accident (4). Notably, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus commented that the report's consideration of evidence supporting a laboratory accident was insufficient and offered to provide additional resources to fully evaluate the possibility (5).

As scientists with relevant expertise, we agree with the WHO director-general (5), the United States and 13 other countries (6), and the European Union (7) that greater clarity about the origins of this pandemic is necessary and feasible to achieve. We must take hypotheses about both natural and laboratory spillovers seriously until we have sufficient data. A proper investigation should be transparent, objective, data-driven, inclusive of broad expertise, subject to independent oversight, and responsibly managed to minimize the impact of conflicts of interest. Public health agencies and research laboratories alike need to open their records to the public. Investigators should document the veracity and provenance of data from which analyses are conducted and conclusions drawn, so that analyses are reproducible by independent experts.

Finally, in this time of unfortunate anti-Asian sentiment in some countries, we note that at the beginning of the pandemic, it was Chinese doctors, scientists, journalists, and citizens who shared with the world crucial information about the spread of the virusoften at great personal cost (8, 9). We should show the same determination in promoting a dispassionate science-based discourse on this difficult but important issue.

See more here:

Investigate the origins of COVID-19 - Science Magazine

U.S. Covid-19 infections continued to broadly decline, as federal health officials broadened vaccination recommendations to include people between the ages of 12 and 15.

The U.S. reported 35,878 new cases for Wednesday, according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. While up slightly from Tuesdays 33,651, it was the fifth consecutive daily figure below 40,000. Not all states report new cases daily.

The seven-day moving average of Covid-19 infections, which smooths out states irregular data reporting schedules, was 36,731 as of Wednesday, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of Johns Hopkins data, while the 14-day average was 41,710. When the seven-day average is lower than the 14-day average, as it has been since April 17, it indicates cases are falling.

Hospitalizations have also been edging lower, with the latest data posted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services showing 34,876 Covid-19 patients in hospitals across the country. The U.S. reported 848 deaths on Wednesday, lifting the pandemic death toll past 583,600, according to Johns Hopkins data.

The countrys vaccination campaign got a boost Wednesday, as the CDC recommended that 12-to-15-year-olds receive the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine.

Many parents, school officials and health authorities are eager for children to be vaccinated in time for summer camps and the start of the next school year. And public-health officials say expanding vaccination to children is necessary to slow the spread of Covid-19 and move the country beyond the pandemic, allowing full returns to school, work and commerce.

More than 45% of adults in the U.S. are now fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among older Americans, the level is higher: 71.9% of people age 65 and older are fully vaccinated. An average of 2.2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines were administered daily over the past week, according to a Journal analysis of CDC data.

Vaccination levels vary by state. In Maine, 56.8% of adults are now fully vaccinated, including 85.5% of people over 65. Mississippis figures are 33.2% of adults and 63.2% of seniors.

In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine dangled the chance of a $1 million prize in front of residents who have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Ohio Vax-a-Million will run for five weeks starting May 26, with the winner of each weeks drawing receiving $1 milliontaken from existing federal coronavirus relief funds, Mr. DeWine said. The Ohio Department of Health will sponsor the effort, with the Ohio Lottery conducting the drawing.

See more here:

Covid-19 Live Updates: CDC Eases Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated - The Wall Street Journal