Coronavirus Tidbits #310, Sept. 1, 2024

@jpweiland:  1 in 34 people currently infected.  Almost 1 million cases/day and over 1,000 COVID deaths.

Wastewater levels remain high or very high; KP.3.1.1 represents 42.2% of cases in US.

@michael_hoerger nails it:

How many people in the U.S. have been infected this wave? 24.3% (about 1 in 4) so far if counting from the trough of May 2.

an estimated 1/3 to 1/2 of Americans will get infected this wave,

Of course, “your future hasn’t been written yet. No one’s has.” If the CDC held a press conference with well-fitting N95s and spent 3 minutes explaining wastewater surveillance, many infections could be avoided. A quite negligible impact of a CDC press conference would still mean 1 million fewer infections.

Moreover, families can substantially reduce risk through multi-layered mitigation. Vax up when available. Use serial testing when symptomatic, exposed, for gatherings, or for purposes of asymptomatic surveillance. Wear a well-fitting high-quality mask (N95, KN95, KF94, elastomeric). When someone is sick, use the strictest criteria of the CDC and FDA of requiring 3 negative rapid tests on separate days before ending isolation. Hold meetings virtually and outdoors. Increase indoor air quality by keeping the HVAC 'on' (not 'auto') and using HEPA and DIY air purifiers. Donate masks, tests, and air purifiers to those in your community. Set house rules for precautions, and stick to them. 1/2 to 2/3 of people in the U.S. will NOT get infected this wave, and that might as well be you.

~ ~ ~

Novavax was finally appproved!

Stupidly, CDC's Bridge Access Program ended, just as Covid boosters are approved

Bridge Access Program, which provided coverage for vaccines to uninsured people, ended Aug 31. The 25 to 30 million adults who do not have insurance will have to pay out of pocket to get a shot.

~ ~ ~

Wegovy:

List of things that reduce deaths from Covid in randomized, placebo-controlled trials (not including hospitalized patients) 1. Vaccines 2. GLP-1 drug (Semaglutide in participants w/obesity)

"In a large clinical trial, people taking the drug during the pandemic were less likely to die of Covid-19,

People on Wegovy still got Covid, and at the same rate as people randomly assigned to take a placebo. But their chances of dying from the infection plunged by 33 percent, the study found.

In addition, the death rate from all causes was lower among subjects taking Wegovy, a very rare finding in clinical trials of new treatments. The result suggests that lower life expectancy among people with obesity is actually caused by the disease itself, and that it can be improved by treating obesity."

Gina Kolata: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/30/health/wegovy-covid-deaths.html?

~ ~ ~

Fallout from the DNC superspreader event continues

Latest victims reported are Hillary Clinton and Mary Trump. NBC called it DNC's "surprise guest," but anyone not in denial could have seen this coming. Excited about the thought that we are no longer in a pandemic (who is she kidding?), in a live interview, a CNN reporter said, “Four years ago, this would’ve been a superspreader event.”

We won't have numbers, because many people no longer bother to test. Even if they do, no one tries to collect reports of cases. But there are many cases reported on social media and the mayor's office said there are “Too many. I can’t even put a number on it.”

~ ~ ~

Disability from Long Covid

A new thread fr @Zalaly (Ziyad Al-Aly):

A Significant surge in the number of people with a disability in the U.S. Since 2019, the number of disabled individuals has surged beyond the expected trend by nearly 2 million. This isn't just a statistical anomaly—it's a huge indicator of a deeper, underlying health crisis.

Most alarming is the rise in cognitive disabilities. The population reporting only a cognitive disability has grown by nearly 1 million—a 43% increase since 2019.

To put this in context: from 2014 to 2019, the average annual growth in cognitive disabilities was about 28k. Since 2019, that number has skyrocketed by more than one million. This is a huge increase and deserves attention.

~ ~ ~

More than 5% of U.S. adults have Long COVID.  It has forced around one million Americans out of the workforce,

Some of the previous assertion that Long Covid was not a problem in kids/teens has been debunked. ~ 5.8 million children and young adults have Long COVID.

~ ~ ~

Clotting and Long Covid

Fibrinogen, the central structural component of blood clots, is abundantly deposited in the lungs and brains of patients with COVID-19, correlates with disease severity and is a predictive biomarker for post-COVID-19 cognitive deficits...fibrin binds to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, forming proinflammatory blood clots that drive systemic thromboinflammation and neuropathology in COVID-19....Fibrin promotes neuroinflammation and neuronal loss after infection, as well as innate immune activation in the brain and lungs independently of active infection. A monoclonal antibody targeting the inflammatory fibrin domain provides protection from microglial activation and neuronal injury, as well as from thromboinflammation in the lung after infection.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07873-4

Covid infection => on endothelial dysfunction, platelet activation and inflammation leading to increased risk of atherosclerosis.

~ ~ ~

Covid and autoimmunity:

"mild SARS-CoV-2 infection increases autoantibodies associated with rheumatic autoimmune diseases and diabetes in most individuals, regardless of vaccination status prior to infection. However, patients with long COVID and persistent neurologic and fatigue symptoms (neuro-PASC) have substantially higher autoantibody responses."

~ ~ ~

Obesity is a risk factor for Covid

https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/3/8/pgae294/7736245

~ ~ ~

Other:

Avian flu:

California is the nation's top milk production state and accounts for one fifth of the nation's supply.

New Mexico reports more H5N1 in dairy cows as California probes possible outbreaks on 3 farms

Farmworkers in Colorado said they haven’t received any personal protective equipment beyond gloves to guard against the virus. "They act as if nothing is wrong.” The Ag and Health dept have offered a free month’s supply of protective equipment to any producer who requests it...But so far, many farms aren’t taking them up on it...

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/colorado-farmworkers-bird-flu-dairies-chickens-ppe/

~ ~ ~

Dengue in South Carolina.

https://thestate.com/news/state/south-carolina/article289794799.html

~ ~ ~

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)

Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Vermont have reported cases of EEE. One death in New Hampshire.

There is no vaccine or Rx x preventing mosquito bites. About 30% of people who contract the virus die, and survivors often face ongoing neurological issues.

Some towns (e.g., Oxford) are opposing curfews or other restrictions on outdoor activities.

~ ~ ~

Polio:

Confirmed polio case in Gaza leads to vaccine drive Chad, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan also recorded cases. https://cidrap.umn.edu/polio/confirmed-polio-case-gaza-leads-vaccine-drive

~ ~ ~

Mpox: