News That Matters

Tag: COVID-19

‘Full blown’ pandemic could be ending soon, Fauci says; US daily infection totals falling sharply; COVID-19 Updates
11Jan By longhaulersnewNo Comments
Health

‘Full blown’ pandemic could be ending soon, Fauci says; US daily infection totals falling sharply; COVID-19 Updates

As far as the U.S. is concerned, we have almost reached the worst part of a pandemic. We are approaching immunity levels that are sufficient enough to limit the spread of the virus. An increasing amount of health agencies will be more comfortable ending mask mandates when that happens. Decisions in regard to the pandemic will be made on a more local level in the coming months. To learn more, click here.
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We have a chance to end Covid emergency in 2022, WHO official says
11Jan By longhaulersnewNo Comments
Health

We have a chance to end Covid emergency in 2022, WHO official says

While COVID-19 can never be eradicated, there is a strong chance that this health emergency can end in 2022. During a panel conference, one speaker shows optimism for 2022 to mark a turning point in the pandemic. In order for this to be done, the longstanding inequities like fair access to healthcare need to be addressed. When the virus shifts from a pandemic to an endemic, there are still problems that will need to be addressed. A consensus on whether there should be a fourth dose or not has not been reached. That information is still under review. To learn more, click here.
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COVID-19 Vaccines Don’t Cause Infertility of Harm Pregnancy Chances, BU Research Shows
11Jan By longhaulersnewNo Comments
Health

COVID-19 Vaccines Don’t Cause Infertility of Harm Pregnancy Chances, BU Research Shows

Getting the COVID-19 vaccine does not impact chances of conceiving. However, getting the virus can reduce male fertility. Researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health were unable to find a link between failure to conceive in men or women that Pfizer, Moderna, or the Johnson and Johnson vaccines. Doing research has proven that the fertility rates who received one dose were nearly identical to the unvaccinated female participants. Men that tested positive for COVID had reduced fertility compared to men who never tested positive. The findings in research about the link between fertility and the virus should be reassuring to those that believe vaccination affects fertility. Anecdotal reports that claim women’s periods are affected by the vaccine have been debunked by research ...
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New Covid data show New York returning to pre-Omicron surge levels
10Jan By longhaulersnewNo Comments
Health

New Covid data show New York returning to pre-Omicron surge levels

As COVID numbers begin to dwindle, New York begins to consider relaxing pandemic restrictions. The governor announced that a mere 3,883 people within the state were hospitalized in one day, which is a new low. When compared to the positivity rate a year ago, the rate has fallen by 20.5%. While the decline in numbers is a good sign, this is not the time to let up. New Yorkers are still urged to get vaccinated if they are five years and older. To learn more, click here.
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COVID-19 will continue but the end of the pandemic is near
10Jan By longhaulersnewNo Comments
Health

COVID-19 will continue but the end of the pandemic is near

As of January 17, 2022 there were more than ten times the infections during the peak of the delta wave in April 2021. This unprecedented level of infection leads experts to believe that more than 50% of the world will have been infected with omicron by March, 2022. IHME models suggest that increasing mask use, expanding vaccination coverage, and delivering third doses of the vaccine will have a very limited impact on the course of the omicron wave. Although this virus shows no signs of disappearing, it is expected that there will be a period of weeks or months where the world will experience low levels of virus transmission. To learn more, click here.
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Biden acknowledges frustration with Covid rules, but says lifting mask mandates is ‘premature.’
10Jan By longhaulersnewNo Comments
Health

Biden acknowledges frustration with Covid rules, but says lifting mask mandates is ‘premature.’

President Biden acknowledges the American concerns with indoor mask mandates. While it may be considered too early to lift the mandate, he states that other mandates will be able to end instead. According to a CBS poll, the majority of Americans actually support mask mandates, however, they are still very frustrated by the pandemic. While experts agree that mask requirements in schools should not last forever, if they are lifted too early, that can jeopardize the progress that has been made over the past months. As rates of childhood vaccination increase, schools may even be able to end their own mandates. To learn more, click here.
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Sweden recommends fourth COVID vaccine dose to older people
7Jan By longhaulersnewNo Comments
Health

Sweden recommends fourth COVID vaccine dose to older people

It is now recommended that individuals over 80 years old and those that live in nursing homes or get home care receive a fourth COVID vaccine shot. The Swedish Public Health Agency believes that this shot will strengthen protection against severe disease. Sweden has had very “off-hands” approach to the pandemic. They are one of the only Europeans countries that never went into lockdown or closed businesses. Instead, they consider it a personal responsibility to handle the pandemic in the best way possible. To learn more, click here.
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Coronavirus (COVID 19) Update: FDA Takes Multiple Actions to Expand Use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
7Jan By longhaulersnewNo Comments
Health

Coronavirus (COVID 19) Update: FDA Takes Multiple Actions to Expand Use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

As of 1/03/2022, the FDA amended the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in order to expand the use of a single booster dose, shorten the time between vaccine completion and booster, and allow for a third primary series dose. Boosters are now available to those that are 12 years and older. The booster interval is now updated to five months for those that are 12 years and older. All children from the ages of 5 to 11 who are immunocompromised have been approved for a third primary series dose if they fulfill the requirements. The booster dose for the authorized vaccines provide better protection from the delta and omicron variants. Most common side effects after receiving the booster shot is as follows: redness and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, he...
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Coronavirus (COVID 19) Update: FDA Limits Use of Certain Monoclonal Antibodies to Treat COVID-19 Due to the Omicron Variant
7Jan By longhaulersnewNo Comments
Health

Coronavirus (COVID 19) Update: FDA Limits Use of Certain Monoclonal Antibodies to Treat COVID-19 Due to the Omicron Variant

As new data on COVID-19 emerges, the FDA has revised the authorizations for two monoclonal antibody treatments that are administered together: bamlanivimab and etesevimab. These may only be used when the patient is likely to have already been infected with or exposed to a variant that is susceptible to the aforementioned treatments. Monoclonal antibodies are lab made proteins. COVID-19 can mutate over time, which is why this update is necessary. These treatments do not count as a substitute for getting vaccinated. Data clearly shows that receiving the vaccine along with a booster shot is still the best way to lower the risk of contracting COVID-19 and experiencing the possible life threatening symptoms that come along with it. To learn more, click here.
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Omicron might mark the end of Covid-19’s pandemic phase—unless a certain scenario happens, Fauci says
6Jan By longhaulersnewNo Comments
Health

Omicron might mark the end of Covid-19’s pandemic phase—unless a certain scenario happens, Fauci says

Experts cannot say for sure if the rapid spread of Omicron will make the pandemic more manageable. Omicron is much less likely to cause severe disease, so this makes experts hopeful that the end is near. Schools continue to battle with the surge of Omicron as they switch to virtual learning. One district in Houston Texas closed for one day in order to “mitigate potential exposure” while returning to in-person learning the very next day. The largest school district in the nation will not be returning to virtual learning. On the other hand, some other districts are under fire for their mask mandates. Before new variants emerge, scientists are hard at work developing new vaccines. To learn more, click here.
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