Novel Coronavirus/COVID-19 COVID-19 News from Around the Web
Experts Warn of Another Rise in U.S. COVID Cases as BA.2 Variant Spreads in Europe
Experts are warning that the US will soon see another spike in COVID-19 cases as wastewater samples in parts of the country show an increase in infections and the BA.2 subvariant spreads in Europe. Cases are climbing in the United Kingdom — up 48% in the last week — and in more than half of countries in the European Union.
White House begs Congress for Covid funding amid concern about Omicron sister variant
The White House is begging Congress for more funds to help with Covid-19 surveillance, testing, and treatments — a call that could be bolstered by the emerging signs of an increase in Covid-19 cases in Europe. … Specifically, senior administration officials said they would need to wind down some Covid-19 surveillance investments, and that testing capacity could crater after June.
US funeral assistance for COVID tops $2B, more eligible
The federal government has provided more than $2 billion to help cover funeral costs for more than 300,000 families of people who died from COVID-19, FEMA announced Tuesday as it launches a new campaign to raise awareness about the aid to eligible families.
Long COVID May Bring Long-Term Lung Damage
Even after a mild case of COVID, some people suffer breathing problems that last for months. Now, a new study suggests many of them may have abnormalities in the small airways of their lungs. Researchers found that of 100 patients with "long COVID" symptoms, more than half had signs of small-airway disease on CT scans. And people who'd been mildly ill at home were just as affected as those who'd been hospitalized.
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tests positive for Covid-19
Emhoff's positive test is the first known case of Covid-19 among the first or second families since President Joe Biden and Harris took office in January 2021.
Pfizer Covid vaccine is less effective in kids 5 to 11, study finds
Newly emerging data suggest the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine works substantially less well at preventing infection and hospitalizations in children aged 5 to 11 than it does in those aged 12 to 17 — a finding that is raising questions about whether the companies chose the wrong dose for the younger children.
Pandemic fears are fading along with omicron: AP-NORC poll
[Fewer] people now than in January say they are concerned that they will be infected after the rise and fall of the wildly contagious virus variant … Just 24% say they are “extremely” or “very” worried about themselves or a family member contracting COVID-19, down from 36% in both December and January, when omicron caused a massive spike in infections and taxed public health systems. Another 34% say they are somewhat worried.
California, Oregon, Washington to drop school mask mandates
Schoolchildren in California, Oregon and Washington will no longer be required to wear masks as part of new indoor mask policies the Democratic governors of all three states announced jointly on Monday.
Newly Diagnosed Diabetes in COVID Patients Often Temporary: Study
Newly diagnosed diabetes in many COVID-19 patients may be a temporary type triggered by COVID, according to a new study. Blood sugar levels returned to normal in about half of the newly diagnosed diabetes patients after they left the hospital, and only 8% required insulin after one year, according to the report published online recently in the Journal of Diabetes and its Complications.
Deaths among Alzheimer’s patients surged 26% during first year of pandemic, study says
Deaths among older adults with Alzheimer’s disease accelerated at a faster pace during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic as routine care was disrupted for many with memory and cognitive problems … In a study of nearly 27 million adults enrolled in Medicare from March through December 2020, deaths among patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia surged 26% compared with the same period in 2019.
CDC to significantly ease pandemic mask guidelines Friday
The Biden administration will significantly loosen federal mask-wearing guidelines to protect against COVID-19 transmission on Friday, according to two people familiar with the matter, meaning most Americans will no longer be advised to wear masks in indoor public settings. The CDC on Friday will announce a change to the metrics it uses to determine whether to recommend face coverings, shifting from looking at COVID-19 case counts to a more holistic view of risk from the coronavirus to a community.
Canada authorizes first plant-based COVID-19 vaccine
Canadian regulators said Thursday Medicago’s two-dose vaccine can be given to adults ages 18 to 64, but said there’s too little data on the shots in people 65 and older. The decision was based on a study of 24,000 adults that found the vaccine was 71% effective at preventing COVID-19 — although that was before the omicron variant emerged. Side effects were mild…
We Might Not Need Annual COVID Shots
Vaccine updates might not be that necessary that often, and when they are, we can poise ourselves to rapidly react. Rather than scrambling to sprint after SARS-CoV-2 every time it surprises us, we could watch the virus more closely, and use the intel we gather to act more deliberately.
Millions of children worldwide have lost a parent or caregiver to COVID-19: “The hidden pandemic”
Two years into the pandemic, an estimated 6.7 million children have lost at least one of their parents or caregivers because of COVID-19, according to updated research … That toll includes more than 180,000 children in the United States.
US virus cases, hospitalizations continue steady decline
Average daily COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are continuing to fall in the U.S., an indicator that the omicron variant’s hold is weakening across the country. Total confirmed cases reported Saturday barely exceeded 100,000, a sharp downturn from around 800,850 five weeks ago on Jan. 16, according to Johns Hopkins University data. In New York, the number of cases went down by more than 50% over the last two weeks.
Racial, Ethnic Divide in U.S. Views of Pandemic, Healthcare
As the world faces the third year of the coronavirus pandemic, Black and Hispanic Americans are significantly more worried than White Americans about getting infected with COVID-19. Nearly seven in 10 Black adults (69%) and Hispanic adults (68%) are very or somewhat stressed about contracting COVID-19, compared with 57% of White adults, according to a survey by West Health and Gallup.