The good news about declining levels of COVID-19 in Bostons wastewater is that it's a trend spreading to the Cape and Islands.
The latest wastewater test report from Nantucketshows a sharp decline in viral loads, said Jerico Mele, Nantucket director of human services.
"We are seeing the wastewater count drop off in a manner similar to Bostons recently. We may start seeing a drop in cases next week," Mele said.
The new report posted online Thursday follows on the heels of a record spike in viral loads reported Jan. 12.
The concentration number went through the roof" at that time,Melesaid.
The amount of virus in the wastewater basically broke every record weve had for viral concentration for the last three weeks running, Mele said.
But this week the copies of viral RNAper liter of sewage,adjusted for flow, dropped to approximately 3.3 million, down from 4.8 million last week.
It looks like good news, especially if the trend continues, Mele said.
The Nantucket decline came a week or so after theMassachusetts Water Resources Authority's Deer Island Treatment Plant, in Boston Harbor, reported declining levels of COVID-19 in the wastewater.
The results from wastewater testing Provincetown are a bit more mixed.
The latest (wastewater test result) is up, said Richard J. Waldo, director of Provincetowns Department of Public Works.
Is itspiking to the level of the outbreak we saw (last summer)with Provincetown? No, Waldo said.
Provincetown made international news with a surge in COVID-19 cases last summer following the Fourth of July weekend.
The latest report from Jan. 5 shows a viral load that is approximately one-third lower than the summer's record peak, but it also represents anincrease over more recent test results.
Mobile infusion center: Cape Cod Hospital to expand outpatient COVID antibody treatments with new infusion center
Test results from Jan. 1 and Jan. 3 showed a dip in coronavirus loads, with 545,197 copies per liter and 451,487 copies per liter, respectively, Waldo said.
But the Jan. 5 report showed a jump to about 2.3 million copies of viral RNA per liter of sewage.
There are multiple factors that can explain the difference in viral loads, Waldo said, adding that the time of day the tests are run and whether the testing coincides with weekend visitors can influence test results.
You have to observe it over time."
He said the overall trend in Provincetown had beenincreasing, but he was waiting to see what the latest test results show, especially since the wastewater plant didn't conduct testing last week due to a short staff.
The new test results will be out later this week or early next week, he said.
Waldo said he expected to see a decline in viral loads soon.
"I think we've hit our peak."
Mele said wastewater results show the direction infections will take about aweek after the test report.
But in a press teleconference Thursday morning, state Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, said COVID-19 cases already appear to be on the decline locally.
The seven-day average for new cases in Barnstable County is running about 272 a day, Cyr said.
Thats less than the 400s we were seeing last week.
Cyr said he believes Jan. 3 to 11 represented the peak of COVID-19 cases on Cape Cod.
Sean O'Brien, director of Barnstable County's department of health and environment, said it appeared the county was "climbing down the backside of a mountain" when it came to new COVID-19 cases.
More: Record-high COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations on Cape Cod omicron likely the cause
But during theteleconference he pleaded with the public to avoid large gatherings, wear a mask indoors and get vaccinated and boosted.
Cyr said that even though numbers of new cases appear to be on a downward trend, the testing positivity rate for many towns on the Cape remain at 15%, which is considered an outbreak level.
In the last two-week period reported by state public health officials Jan. 13, Nantucket had 460 new cases of COVID-19,which accounts for 16.7% of 2,753 COVID-19 cases on Nantucket since the start of the pandemic.
Provincetown, like the rest of the Cape and the state, also has seen a surge in cases, with 34 new COVID-19 infections in the same two-week time periodfor a total of 403 cases since the pandemic began.
Both Provincetown and Nantucket are working with Cambridge-based Biobot Analytics to track viral loads in wastewater.
Biobot was selected by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to analyze wastewater samples from more than 300 treatment plants serving more than 100 million people across the U.S., according to The Associated Press.
Cases of omicron,which are responsible for the latest surge, already have peaked in Great Britain.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy onSunday saidin some parts of the U.S., particularly the Northeast, cases have begun to plateau or even decline.
But Murthy said parts of the U.S. that saw omicron hit later will be dealing with it for a while. "The next few weeks will be tough."
Waldo said he doesn't know why coronavirus test results from Boston showed a decline in viral loads at the same time Provincetown's loads remained elevated.
Due to the amount of flow going through the Deer Island Treatment Plan, the samples may be a little more diluted than they are locally, Waldo said.
Or "there could be some kind of lag behind the big city."
New sub-lineage of Omicron coming - just as the government abandons all COVID rules... could the timing be any worse?
Analysis by Tom Clarke, science and technology editor
Could the timing be any worse? A new "sub-lineage" of Omicron coming along just as the government abandons all COVID restrictions.
But while BA.2. is definitely something to be keeping an eye on, it's not one to worry about too much based on what we know so far.
BA.2 has been circulating in the UK for some time at a low level compared to the dominant type of Omicron here (BA.1.)
In parts of India and the Philippines, it is the major version of Omicron.
In previous waves, there have been big regional differences in what sub-lineage of a particular variant is more, or less dominant.
The reason its been elevated to a "variant under investigation" today is because of whats happening in Denmark.
Yesterday, Danish officials announced the BA.2 sub-lineage now accounted for nearly 50% of cases in Denmark (up from just 20% at Christmas).
What's more the BA.1. version of Omicron and the Delta variant are on their way down in the country. Denmark also finds itself in a spectacular surge in COVID-19 cases.
It's good evidence, though not proof, that the BA.2. might be more infectious than BA.1.
The question scientists in Denmark are trying to answer is whether case numbers are surging there because of the BA.2 lineage or would have done, whichever flavour of Omicron it might be.
The feeling among virologists is that BA.2 can't be that much more infectious than BA.1 because if it was, wed likely have seen it rapidly replace BA.1. in places like the UK. Yet we've seen a very small number of cases.
For that reason its unlikely to lead to a significant new wave of cases here the difference between Omicron BA.1. and BA.2. is nothing like the difference between Delta and Omicron.
Another reason we shouldn't be too concerned is that evidence from Denmark and India shows no evidence of increased severity of illness with BA.2 compared to BA.1.
And while BA.1 is genetically different from BA.2 it is not anticipated it will be much better at avoiding antibodies from vaccines or previous infections.
The worst that might happen is BA.2 gradually replaces BA.1 in the UK and makes the downward slope of our Omicron wave a little bit longer.
But if COVID-19 has taught us anything its to assume nothing and wait for the evidence. So watch this space.
Its been more than two months since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine for children, ages 5-11, in the United States. We previously assessed pediatric vaccination uptake, finding that, after initial high demand, it had already slowed significantly. We also found a wide range in vaccination rates by state. Since that time, Omicron has become the dominant variant in the U.S. and COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are rising again.
Here, we provide an update on the vaccination status of 5-11 year-olds, through January 18, 2022. It is based on analysis of national and state-level vaccination data obtained from the CDCs Data Tracker (see methods below). Overall, we find that the number of first doses newly administered to 5-11 year-olds remains far below its early peak and although there was a slight uptick for a period in December, it has again declined. There also remains a large gap of 52 percentage points between the most vaccinated and least vaccinated states. Specific findings include:
More than two months following authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11, the vaccination rate for this group is quite low, and there is significant variation across the country, with a more than 50 percentage point gap between the highest and lowest ranking states among those having received at least one dose. This likely reflects a complicated interplay between the efforts made by state and county governments, schools, and pediatricians to vaccinate children, and the makeup of the citizenry itself and its interest in vaccination. With the highly transmissible Omicron variant surging across the U.S., the vaccine, which has proven very safe for children, offers the most effective protection against severe disease and hospitalization. In addition, while vaccination during the Omicron surge may not prevent all school disruptions, it does help to mitigate them. Identifying opportunities to reach parents and caregivers, many of whom have been reluctant to get their younger children vaccinated, with information about vaccination and providing multiple, accessible, avenues for pediatric vaccination, will continue to be important.
One week after apparel company Carhartt Inc. declared it was keeping its Covid-19 vaccine mandate in place, the company defended its plans despite growing pushback from customers and on social media.
Some people said they would stop buying Carhartt products and said the company shouldnt be forcing its employees to choose between getting vaccinated and keeping their job. Other customers welcomed the companys mandate and thanked Carhartt for keeping their employees safe.
Patrons must show proof of vaccination at many public indoor establishments in Washington, D.C., including restaurants, bars, gyms and entertainment venues.
The vaccine mandate went into effect Jan. 15 in an attempt to decrease the transmission of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 as cases reach record highs in the District. Patrons who are 12 years old and older must provide proof of at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and those who are 18 years old and older must also show a valid photo identification before entering establishments. Beginning Feb. 15, full vaccination, not including booster shots, will be required.
Retail establishments, grocery stores, houses of worship and health care facilities are among the locations where patrons do not have to show proof of vaccination.
About 68% of District residents are fully vaccinated and 89% of District residents are at least partially vaccinated, making them eligible to be indoors in vaccine-restricted public spaces.
Jos Espinal, marketing coordinator at El Centro, a popular Mexican restaurant in the Georgetown neighborhood, hopes that the vaccine mandate will ultimately increase business by making customers feel safer in public spaces.
I think most businesses will be able to adapt to the mandate, Espinal wrote in an email to The Hoya. I think a lot of patrons were similarly concerned about rising cases, so I think this will alleviate some of their concerns about going out.
Venues that serve alcohol and violate the vaccine mandate will face two warnings from the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration, with third and fourth violations resulting in $1,000 and $2,000 fines. A fifth violation of the vaccination mandate will result in establishments facing the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration, leading to the possible suspension of their liquor license.
The Big Board, a bar located in the H Street Corridor neighborhood, became the first establishment in the District to receive a verbal warning for not requiring proof of vaccination or posting appropriate signage. The bar came under scrutiny for a tweet last week stating that everyone is welcome despite the mandate.
Communication to patrons in advance of the vaccine mandates implementation made the transition easy and safe for entertainment venues, according to Jordan Silberman, general manager of Capital One Arena.
We had a great system in place to comply with the Mayor Bowsers vaccination mandate, Silberman wrote in an email to The Hoya. We proactively messaged to our guests about the new policy, instituted the use of the CLEAR Health Pass App (which we had previously used for some concerts last year), and had knowledgeable staff who were able to help fans quickly and safely into the arena.
Individuals can show proof of vaccination with an official Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccination card, a digital photo of their vaccination card or a COVID-19 vaccination app, such as CLEAR. Individuals with medical or religious exemptions must bring proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken in the past 24 hours.
According to Zayan Baig (NHS 25), who lives in the Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area and visits the Georgetown neighborhood frequently even when not on campus, the vaccine mandate will help students feel comfortable when they leave campus, where the student vaccination rate is 98% and booster shots are required.
Even though we are in the greater D.C. area, I have some comfort knowing that within our Georgetown bubble, most everyone on campus is vaccinated and that should contribute to a little bit of herd immunity, at least on the campus level, Baig said in an interview with The Hoya. I personally have no problem with having to show vaccine cards, I think it helps with feeling a little bit safer.
The vaccine mandate should help keep employees, patrons and District residents safer, according to Espinal.There is always some challenge with new regulations, but our team has been so great at adapting to all the ups and downs of the past two years, Espinal wrote. Im confident that theyll be able to adapt to this change as well. Hopefully, this new change will help push DCs vaccination rate up.
A booster clinic for teens in Berkley, Mich., a suburb of Detroit, on Thursday.Credit...Emily Elconin for The New York Times
Booster shots of the vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna were 90 percent effective at preventing Americans infected with the Omicron variant from ending up in the hospital, according to data published on Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Booster shots also reduced the likelihood of a visit to an emergency department or urgent care clinic. The extra doses were most effective against infection and death among Americans aged 50 and older, the data showed.
Over all, the new data show that the vaccines were more protective against the Delta variant than against Omicron, which lab studies have found is partially able to sidestep the bodys immune response.
It is generally accepted that booster shots keep people from becoming infected, at least for a while. Data from Israel and other countries have also suggested that boosters can help prevent severe illness and hospitalization, especially in older adults.
Data from other countries have also shown significant benefit of getting the booster, but this is really showing it in the U.S., Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University, said of the figures released on Friday. These numbers should be very convincing.
On Thursday night, the C.D.C. published additional data showing that in December, unvaccinated Americans 50 years and older were about 45 times more likely to be hospitalized than those were vaccinated and got a third shot.
Yet less than 40 percent of fully vaccinated Americans who are eligible for a booster shot have received one.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | Note: Line shows a seven-day average. Data not updated on some weekends and holidays. Includes the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as of March 5, 2021. The C.D.C., in collaboration with the states, sometimes revises data or reports a single-day large increase in vaccinations from previous dates, which can cause an irregular pattern in the daily reported figures.
Fridays results are based on three new studies led by the C.D.C. In one study, researchers analyzed hospitalizations and visits to emergency departments and urgent care clinics in 10 states from Aug. 26, 2021 to Jan. 5, 2022.
Vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization with the Omicron variant fell to just 57 percent in people who had received their second dose more than six months earlier, the authors found. A third shot restored that protection to 90 percent.
Its unclear whether protection from the boosters might also wane as it did after two shots, noted Natalie Dean, a biostatistician at Emory University.
We just have to recognize that all these estimates of Omicron third-dose protection are going to be people who are pretty recently boosted, she said. We do wonder the durability of boosters themselves.
When debating booster shot recommendations for all American adults, scientific advisers to the Food and Drug Administration and the C.D.C. repeatedly bemoaned the lack of booster shot data that was specific to the United States.
There are differences between Israel and the United States for example, in the way Israel defines severe illness that made it challenging to interpret the relevance of Israeli data for Americans, they said.
Some members of the Biden administration supported the use of booster doses even before the scientific advisers of the agencies had a chance to review the data from Israel. Federal health officials intensified their boosters-for-all campaign after the arrival of the Omicron variant.
The C.D.C. now recommends booster shots for everyone 12 years and older, five months after getting two doses of the mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna, or two months after a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The usefulness of booster shots in Americans younger than 50 was a topic of vigorous debate in the fall. Several experts argued at the time that third shots were unnecessary for younger adults because two doses of the vaccine were holding up well.
Some of those experts remained unconvinced by the new data.
It was clear even months ago that older adults and those with weakened immune systems would benefit from extra doses of the vaccine, said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia and a member of the F.D.A.s vaccine advisory committee.
But where is the evidence that a third dose benefits a healthy young person? he asked.
If youre trying to stop the spread of this virus, vaccinate the unvaccinated, he added. We keep trying to further protect the already protected.
But other experts changed their minds in favor of boosters because of the highly contagious Omicron variant. Even if two doses were enough to keep young people out of hospitals, they said, a third dose could limit virus spread by preventing infections.
Theyre both data-driven, legitimate positions, said John Moore, a virologist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. But at this point, the debate is over: We are using boosters in everyone, and thats whats happening.
EUCLID, Ohio When looking at the Ohio Department of Healths COVID-19 dashboard, 63-year-old Tommy Daniels of Euclid looks back at December 4 as the day he became part of the statistic.
He was among the more than 250 new people who were hospitalized with COVID-19 each day during that week in Ohio.
I felt bad, he recalled. My whole body was down. I had trouble eating, smelling food and tasting it. I asked my doctor if I was going to die and he said he didnt know. So I broke down crying and I cried and I prayed.
For Daniels, his stay at the Cleveland Clinic only lasted two days, which he and his doctor credit to getting the COVID-19 vaccine in March.
I worry about what couldve happened to Tommy had he not had the vaccine, said Dr. Rachel Taliercio with the Cleveland Clinics Respiratory Institute. It was critical to him not only surviving the illness, but he survived COVID-19 and had a mild disease.
Daniels has struggled with COPD, a lung disease that runs in his family, for years. It forces him to carry around an oxygen machine.
Tommy has severe COPD, is dependent on oxygen, and takes a lot of medications to keep his condition under control, Dr. Taliercio said.
Photo provided by The Cleveland Clinic
Over the years, Daniels told News 5 he ended up needing to take three trips to intensive care because of COPD, which was part of the reason why he decided to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Daniels is scheduled to receive his COVID-19 booster shot on Friday.
Go get those shots, he said. I thank God for helping me stay alive. I still have trouble breathing but I am not going to give up though.
Visit our Vaccinating Ohio page for the latest updates on Ohio's vaccination program, including links to sign up for a vaccine appointment, a map of nearby vaccination sites, a detailed breakdown of the state's current vaccine phase, and continuing local coverage of COVID-19 vaccines in Northeast Ohio.
Download the News 5 app for free for your Apple or Google device for the latest vaccine and COVID-19 news, and for limited and timely news alerts on vaccines, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other important local news and weather.
In May 2021, nearly all, 98% to 99% of the covid deaths, were among the unvaccinated. Recent data shows those who are unvaccinated are 20 times more likely to die from COVID-19 as compared to the vaccinated.
Dr. Manoj Jain| Guest Columnist
Watch: Snow falls on Shelby Farms Park in Memphis
Mud Island is covered in snow after a winter storm moved through the Mid-South overnight.
Christine Tannous, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Have you ever wondered what you can do to save one life?
The answer is simple. Help get 300 to 500 people vaccinated.
How did I come to this conclusion? As an infectious disease doctor I am still seeing people die from Covid in the hospital. As an epidemiologist I can see upstream as to where and why they are coming and how we can prevent it.
So here is a back of an envelope calculation. In Tennessee, so far, we have had 2 million reported cases and over 20,000 deaths. So, for every 100 reported cases, one COVID-19 death occurs.
However, we know that all infections that occur are not reported. In fact, for every reported case there are 3 or 5 or higher number of infections. So, likely we have 300 infections or more in the community, leading to 100 reported cases which leads to 6 people being hospitalized and 1 person dying from COVID-19.
In May 2021, nearly all, 98% to 99% of the covid deaths, were among the unvaccinated. Recent data shows those who are unvaccinated are 20 times more likely to die from COVID-19 as compared to the vaccinated. In essence, we are experiencing an Omicron hospitalization and death epidemic of the unvaccinated.
Hear more Tennessee Voices: Get the weekly opinion newsletter for insightful and thought provoking columns.
I am seeing this on the ground as an infectious disease doctor. I saw a 40 year old man, unvaccinated, infected with COVID-19 with no underlying health problems in the ICU struggling to breath. I did my research on the vaccine, I was just looking at the wrong websites. I wish I had gotten vaccinated. He said. He was lucky and lived to go home.
Another 44 year old, unvaccinated, Covid positive patient is on the ventilator for over a month and another passed away leaving behind three young children and his wife. There are many more like them. Each day in US nearly 1,600 unvaccinated people are dying from Covid.
So, if we want to save a life, we need to go upstream from the ICU beds, upstream from the hospitalizations, upstream from those who get COVID-19 infection to reach those in the community who are not vaccinated. We need to find them and help them understand the dire consequences of a poorly informed decision of not getting vaccinated.
They are our friends, family, neighbors, work colleagues, church members and fellow human beings. Being unvaccinated with the highly transmissible Omicron variant is a grave danger in the present circumstances.
Yet, if you convince 300 people to get vaccinated you are not just saving one life but averting 6 hospital admissions due to COVID-19. These admission take up hospital beds and health personnel resources leaving others without a hospital room for admission. A teenager with concussion may not get an ICU bed, a middle aged woman with abdominal pain and an inflammation in the appendix does not have a ready room to go to.
An elderly man with a heart attack and heart catheterization showing multiple blockages does not have an ICU bed post-op so surgery is delayed. Or a patient with uncontrolled diabetes has a foot ulcer which he neglects due to a busy emergency room and now the leg has turned gangrene and requires amputation.
The pandemic and the rapid spread of Omicron may not be preventable in the number of cases but our response with vaccination can prevent severe illness and death. One in every 388 people in America has died of COVID-19. Now, we need to reach out to others. So go and convince 300 unvaccinated people to get vaccinated and save one life.
They dont know it now, but they will thank you later.
Dr. Manoj Jain, an infectious disease physician in Memphis, is also a member of the City of Memphis-Shelby County Joint COVID Task Force.
Breaking
3 hours ago
3 hours ago
3 hours ago
5 hours ago
5 hours ago
5 hours ago
8 hours ago
9 hours ago
10 hours ago
13 hours ago
16 hours ago
16 hours ago
17 hours ago
17 hours ago
18 hours ago
18 hours ago
19 hours ago
20 hours ago
22 hours ago
22 hours ago
22 hours ago
A COVID-19 vaccination requirement notice on a McDonalds door. Mayor Michelle Wu launched a new policy, B Together, Jan.15 requiring proof of one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 12 and older to enter certain indoor spaces. PHOTO BY MOHAN GE/DFP STAFF
Mayor Michelle Wus B Together policy a mandate requiring proof of one COVID-19 vaccine dose to enter certain indoor spaces in Boston came into effect Jan. 15 to help curb surging cases of COVID-19 in the City and encourage unvaccinated Bostonians to get vaccinated.
The initiative applies to indoor spaces like restaurants, gyms and entertainment facilities including movie theaters and concert venues.
We are working every day to end this pandemic, Wu said at the press conference. Todays launch of our B Together policy means that we are taking important steps on the policy side to close those gaps and continue protections for our workforce and for our residents.
Bostonians must show a digital image or physical copy of their CDC vaccination card, an image or printout of any official immunization record or other accepted COVID-19 vaccination verification apps when entering an indoor space, according to the Citys website.
The protocols instituted Saturday are part of the first phase of the B Together policy. Three more phases are planned proof of full vaccination will be required for people aged 12 and up starting Feb. 15, children aged five to 11 must show proof of one dose beginning Mar. 1, while those aged five and up must provide proof of full vaccination May 1 and onwards.
Wu also said the City will continue to support local businesses in implementing the policy, noting how signs have been distributed to restaurants and businesses outlining vaccination requirements to ease their burden of explaining the policy.
[Small businesses] continue to be anchors of our communities, Wu said at the conference. In other cities that have these policies, once it is fully implemented, it becomes part of the culture and the regular rhythm.
Ahmed Abdalla, manager of Jonquils Caf & Bakery on Newbury St., said in an interview that implementing the B Together initiative at the cafe was quite challenging.
He added that, sometimes, customers will try to evade showing their vaccination status by asking for their food to-go but then attempt to sit down at a table.
In general, most people cooperate, Abdalla said. It puts us into a difficult position because we dont want to make the customer feel like were harassing him or her.
Even those who are vaccinated have had trouble dining at restaurants. Osiris Ding, a senior in the Questrom School of Business, said he was denied entry into Copley Square Fogo de Cho Brazilian Steakhouse because they didnt accept his Chinese vaccination documents.
I had the school [proof of vaccination] that we had to upload at the start of the semester, he said, referring to the proof of vaccination documentation that BU requires. But they said thats not okay it has to be a CDC card and it has to be along with my ID.
To help people present their vaccine cards easily, the City launched the B Together app. Users can upload a picture of their vaccine cards and can even store pictures of their family members cards as well.
Ding said he might download the B Together app because it would be easier than having to bring his passport everywhere he goes.
Of course, its always better to be safer, he said. And it will make me feel a little bit secure if I can be sure that Im sharing a space where I know everyone is vaccinated.
Abdalla emphasized the need for cooperation while Boston still grapples with the pandemic.
Its not fun for us to keep asking [for proof], but its also not fun for customers, at least some customers, to be asked, he said. But, its a reality, and we all have to cooperate.
Speaking at the press conference, Wu stressed her support for businesses that will have to uphold the new vaccine mandate policy.
I will continue to stand with [small businesses], support them and make sure that the City is providing every resource we can to get our businesses back up and running and support our economy as we recover, Wu said.
