The COVID-19 Science and Medicine Question Thread

now what?

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.yahoo.com/news/2022-hotte-illness-flurona-121440933.html[/URL]

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.yahoo.com/news/israeli-study-reports-fivefold-jump-163901659.html[/URL]

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.yahoo.com/news/covid-variant-ihu-46-mutations-022900101.html[/URL]

[No. She's not pregnant!]('https://www.yahoo.com/news/womens-periods-may-coronavirus-vaccination-131424573.html')

[No. She's not pregnant!]('https://www.yahoo.com/news/womens-periods-may-coronavirus-vaccination-131424573.html')

Lol..........

[HEADING=2]Researchers zeroing in on COVID-related loss of smell and taste[/HEADING]
[pressherald.com/2022/01/17/researchers-zeroing-in-on-covid-related-loss-of-smell-and-taste/]('https://www.pressherald.com/2022/01/17/researchers-zeroing-in-on-covid-related-loss-of-smell-and-taste/')

By David Matthews January 17, 2022

Researchers may have narrowed down the reason some people who contract COVID-19 lose their sense of smell and taste.

A new study published in the journal Nature Genetics points to damaged cells in the olfactory epithelium, a part of the nose that traps odor molecules and submits a response to the brain, as the likely culprit.

However, that’s not the end of the mystery.

“Early data suggests that supporting cells of the olfactory epithelium are the ones mostly being infected by the virus, and presumably this leads to the death of the neurons themselves,” Dr. Justin Turner, an associate professor of otolaryngology at Vanderbilt University, told NBC News. “But we don’t really really know why and when that happens, and why it seems to preferentially happen in certain individuals.”

It’s estimated that about 1.6 million people in the U.S. are still experiencing loss of smell and taste more than six months after contracting COVID-19.

Moreover, those who do lose their sense of taste and smell may be genetically predisposed to do so.
Using data from genetic sequencing company 23andMe and cross-referencing it with people who self-reported a positive COVID-19 case, researchers found that people with a tweak to chromosome 4 were more than 10% likelier to experience sense loss.

The researchers hope these new discoveries will enable them to develop treatments to eventually return people’s senses.

just another reason why I do not want to catch it and become "naturally" immunized like Djokovic. I like smells and tastes.

Are you aware?

COVIDtests.gov - Free at-home COVID-19 tests

USPS sending out 4- COVID tests to every residence Nation wide.

Already requested. Mistakenly thought I posted it here. Oooops. U have to apply

let's see if any of us actually get any of these..........

My understanding: 500 million kits to be made available - 300+ million Americans

let's see if any of us actually get any of these....

[U]My Understanding[/U]: 500 million kits to be made available - 4 per costuner - 300+ million citizens

the math doesn't work

let's see if any of us actually get any of these....

[U]My Understanding[/U]: 500 million kits to be made available - 4 per costuner - 300+ million citizens

the math doesn't work

As the need for them winds down because almost everyone has had Omicron....

[URL unfurl="true"]https://special.usps.com/testkits[/URL]

Omicron variant...

[HEADING=2]There’s a new version of omicron but so far it doesn’t appear more dangerous[/HEADING]
[pressherald.com/2022/01/25/theres-a-new-version-of-omicron-but-so-far-it-doesnt-appear-more-dangerous/]('https://www.pressherald.com/2022/01/25/theres-a-new-version-of-omicron-but-so-far-it-doesnt-appear-more-dangerous/')

By Lenny Bernstein January 25, 2022

As a new version of the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus spreads in parts of Asia and Europe, the World Health Organization recommended Monday that officials begin investigating its characteristics to determine whether it poses new challenges for pandemic-weary nations.

Known as BA. 2, the new version of the virus is a descendant of the omicron variant responsible for huge surges of COVID-19 in the United States and elsewhere around the globe. Virologists are referring to the original omicron variant as BA. 1.

“The BA. 2 descendant lineage, which differs from BA. 1 in some of the mutations, including in the spike protein, is increasing in many countries,” the WHO wrote on its website. “Investigations into the characteristics of BA. 2, including immune escape properties and virulence, should be prioritized independently (and comparatively) to BA. 1.”

Viruses mutate constantly, mostly in harmless ways. There is no current evidence that BA. 2 is more virulent, spreads faster or escapes immunity better than BA. 1.

“Variants have come, variants have gone,” said Robert Garry, a virologist at Tulane University School of Medicine. “I don’t think there’s any reason to think this one is a whole lot worse than the current version of omicron.”

BA. 2 has been detected in India, Denmark and Britain, among other countries, according to health officials and media reports abroad. In Europe, it appears the most widespread in Denmark, but that may be because the Scandinavian nation has a robust program of sequencing the virus’s genome.

At least three cases have been found in the United States, at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas, which also is studying the genetic makeup of virus samples from its patients.

“The good news is we have only three,” said James Musser, director of the Center for Molecular and Translational Human Infectious Diseases Research at Houston Methodist. “We certainly do not see the 5% and more that is being reported in the U.K. now and certainly not the 40% that is being reported in Denmark.”

But Musser said BA. 2 deserves close attention because little is known about it yet.

“We know that omicron . . . can clearly evade preexisting immunity” from both vaccines and exposure to other variants of the virus, he said. “What we don’t know yet is whether son-of-omicron does that better or worse than omicron. So that’s an open question.”

On Monday, more than 695,000 new coronavirus infections were reported and testing shows that almost all are from omicron. Still, that total is down 13.7% from the week prior, according to a seven-day average of data tracked by The Washington Post.

Kristen Nordlund, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, “Although the BA.2 lineage has recently increased in proportion in some countries, it remains a very low proportion of circulating viruses in the United States and globally. Currently, there are insufficient data to determine whether the BA.2 lineage is more transmissible or has a fitness advantage over the BA.1 lineage. CDC continues to monitor variants that are circulating both domestically and internationally.”

Anders Fomsgaard a virologist at the State Serum Institute in Denmark, said in an email Monday that BA. 2 has become the dominant form of the virus in his nation of nearly 6 million people, where it now accounts for about 65% of new cases as BA. 1 is on the decline.

At the same time, Fomsgaard said, “we are not so concerned, since we so far do not see major differences in age distribution, vaccination status, breakthrough infections and risk of hospitalization. Also, despite the high infection rate of BA. 2, the numbers of hospitalizations (in) ICUs are decreasing.”

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency identified more than 400 cases of BA. 2 in the first 10 days of January and on Friday designated BA. 2 a “virus under investigation,” according to Al Jazeera. The agency said BA. 2 has been identified in 40 countries and “there is still uncertainty around the significance of the changes to the viral genome.”

Some scientists have dubbed BA. 2 the “stealth omicron” because it has genetic traits that make it more difficult to identify the omicron form of the virus on PCR tests.

A French epidemiologist told Agence France-Presse that “what surprised us is the rapidity with which this sub-variant, which has been circulating to a great extent in Asia, has taken hold in Denmark.”

The blessing, and the curse, of Monoclonal Antibodies; they're exquisitely specific...

[HEADING=2]FDA ends, for now, use of two monoclonal antibodies[/HEADING]
[pressherald.com/2022/01/24/fda-ends-for-now-use-of-two-monoclonal-antibodies/]('https://www.pressherald.com/2022/01/24/fda-ends-for-now-use-of-two-monoclonal-antibodies/')

By Laurie McGinley January 25, 2022

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration on Monday took two monoclonal antibody therapies off the list of COVID-19 treatments for now, saying the medications should not be used anywhere in the United States because they are ineffective against the dominant omicron variant.

As a result, the Department of Health and Human Services, which distributes COVID treatments to states, notified state health officials that it has halted distribution of the antibody medications made by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly, according to an email sent to the states and obtained by The Washington Post.

Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement that data show the two antibody treatments “are highly unlikely to be active against the omicron variant, which is circulating at a very high frequency throughout the United States.” Omicron is responsible for more than 99% of cases in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The FDA official said it is “highly unlikely that COVID-19 patients seeking care in the U.S. at this time are infected with a variant other than omicron, and these treatments are not authorized to be used at this time.” Cavazzoni added the antibodies could be used again if a future variant emerges that is susceptible to the therapies.

Administration officials hope that ending federal distribution of the two monoclonal antibody treatments to the states will prevent COVID-19 patients from being given drugs that do not work against omicron. Senior officials last week called health officials in several states to urge them to stop using the Regeneron and Lilly drugs and pointed them to alternatives.

Several treatments remain effective against omicron, including sotrovimab – made by GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology – and antiviral pills by Pfizer and by Merck and its partner, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. In addition, the use of the antiviral drug remdesivir as an outpatient therapy recently got the green light from regulators.

However, several doctors and hospitals have complained that some of the COVID treatments, including the Pfizer pill and sotrovimab, are in short supply.

On Monday, Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced that the federal government will nearly [double the state’s ration of sotrovimab]('https://www.pressherald.com/2022/01/24/gov-mills-calls-white-house-gets-more-covid-19-treatments-for-maine-despite-undercount-of-cases/').

Monoclonal antibodies are manufactured proteins that can enhance or mimic the immune system’s ability to fight viruses and other pathogens. But the highly mutated omicron variant has thwarted the ability of the Regeneron and Lilly therapies to work against the virus, the FDA noted.

The action on the monoclonal antibodies followed a move by Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to set up new sites in his state that administer the treatments. DeSantis has said he is not convinced the therapies are ineffective against omicron and noted they work on cases caused by delta, the variant that previously was dominant.

DeSantis is a foe of vaccine mandates and has implied erroneously that the shots might hurt fertility.
In an email last week, DeSantis’s spokeswoman, Christina Pushaw, said a small percentage of cases in Florida are still caused by delta. She also said lab tests showing the loss of effectiveness by Regeneron and Lilly against the omicron variant are “not conclusive.”

A Biden administration official Monday who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions expressed frustration that some governors are still promoting ineffective medications.

“Frankly, at this stage, it’s dangerous that they would do that,” the official said. “It’s beyond irresponsible to use these products that aren’t without their own risks when we know they offer basically zero benefit.”
Last week, a treatment-guidelines committee at the National Institutes of Health discouraged use of the Regeneron and Lilly antibody drugs, saying they are “predicted to have markedly reduced activities” against omicron.

Omicron variant...

[HEADING=2]There’s a new version of omicron but so far it doesn’t appear more dangerous[/HEADING]
[pressherald.com/2022/01/25/theres-a-new-version-of-omicron-but-so-far-it-doesnt-appear-more-dangerous/]('https://www.pressherald.com/2022/01/25/theres-a-new-version-of-omicron-but-so-far-it-doesnt-appear-more-dangerous/')

By Lenny Bernstein January 25, 2022

As a new version of the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus spreads in parts of Asia and Europe, the World Health Organization recommended Monday that officials begin investigating its characteristics to determine whether it poses new challenges for pandemic-weary nations.

Known as BA. 2, the new version of the virus is a descendant of the omicron variant responsible for huge surges of COVID-19 in the United States and elsewhere around the globe. Virologists are referring to the original omicron variant as BA. 1.

“The BA. 2 descendant lineage, which differs from BA. 1 in some of the mutations, including in the spike protein, is increasing in many countries,” the WHO wrote on its website. “Investigations into the characteristics of BA. 2, including immune escape properties and virulence, should be prioritized independently (and comparatively) to BA. 1.”

Viruses mutate constantly, mostly in harmless ways. There is no current evidence that BA. 2 is more virulent, spreads faster or escapes immunity better than BA. 1.

“Variants have come, variants have gone,” said Robert Garry, a virologist at Tulane University School of Medicine. “I don’t think there’s any reason to think this one is a whole lot worse than the current version of omicron.”

BA. 2 has been detected in India, Denmark and Britain, among other countries, according to health officials and media reports abroad. In Europe, it appears the most widespread in Denmark, but that may be because the Scandinavian nation has a robust program of sequencing the virus’s genome.

At least three cases have been found in the United States, at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas, which also is studying the genetic makeup of virus samples from its patients.

“The good news is we have only three,” said James Musser, director of the Center for Molecular and Translational Human Infectious Diseases Research at Houston Methodist. “We certainly do not see the 5% and more that is being reported in the U.K. now and certainly not the 40% that is being reported in Denmark.”

But Musser said BA. 2 deserves close attention because little is known about it yet.

“We know that omicron . . . can clearly evade preexisting immunity” from both vaccines and exposure to other variants of the virus, he said. “What we don’t know yet is whether son-of-omicron does that better or worse than omicron. So that’s an open question.”

On Monday, more than 695,000 new coronavirus infections were reported and testing shows that almost all are from omicron. Still, that total is down 13.7% from the week prior, according to a seven-day average of data tracked by The Washington Post.

Kristen Nordlund, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, “Although the BA.2 lineage has recently increased in proportion in some countries, it remains a very low proportion of circulating viruses in the United States and globally. Currently, there are insufficient data to determine whether the BA.2 lineage is more transmissible or has a fitness advantage over the BA.1 lineage. CDC continues to monitor variants that are circulating both domestically and internationally.”

Anders Fomsgaard a virologist at the State Serum Institute in Denmark, said in an email Monday that BA. 2 has become the dominant form of the virus in his nation of nearly 6 million people, where it now accounts for about 65% of new cases as BA. 1 is on the decline.

At the same time, Fomsgaard said, “we are not so concerned, since we so far do not see major differences in age distribution, vaccination status, breakthrough infections and risk of hospitalization. Also, despite the high infection rate of BA. 2, the numbers of hospitalizations (in) ICUs are decreasing.”

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency identified more than 400 cases of BA. 2 in the first 10 days of January and on Friday designated BA. 2 a “virus under investigation,” according to Al Jazeera. The agency said BA. 2 has been identified in 40 countries and “there is still uncertainty around the significance of the changes to the viral genome.”

Some scientists have dubbed BA. 2 the “stealth omicron” because it has genetic traits that make it more difficult to identify the omicron form of the virus on PCR tests.

A French epidemiologist told Agence France-Presse that “what surprised us is the rapidity with which this sub-variant, which has been circulating to a great extent in Asia, has taken hold in Denmark.”

Bad Ass Baraccas

Bad Ass Baraccas

I thought it was Bad Attitude, but then again you couldn't say azz on TV back then.

Either one works.

Maybe the bad ass movie they threw together years later?

2 years of writing, little resolve wit all the questions… cellfish…

Comments Dom

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.yahoo.com/news/york-city-sewage-mysterious-coronavirus-132916388.html[/URL]

Interesting piece that does a nice, understandable job describing the different ways viruses evolve, along with huge leaps that Omicron has done.

[[SIZE=6]Virus Evolution[/SIZE]]('https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/03/28/opinion/coronavirus-mutation-future.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuomT1JKd6J17Vw1cRCfTTMQmqxCdw_PIxfs9gGPzNiGeVTdcwqNPW9LavB-WIvAzINwr3jKaQ9kGO7g1Q_p70O5FIlcoThS0q4eFn5JALTgptJi-GGMq2paHFZYJzQjXVEjrYuFu2O_4-BOALDWqCPaZiTJ2OgxgppY0cAz8xX1ewqbaFrZ238103P12Gsp7QW8BMSnc7PHuCw5se4nTNmGq4Qg3W-pSXTzZjITcv-pGKFMOfAqAGHBv4m8868deOscXNcv8Lx0iesn9hdYBGzAibdfpV9BqGd-ix_g9uqXNqBeM1MOw2_4zca1Xt7rFuW69X009jwVBPfHloiHH5zSPNDTK_w&smid=url-share')