Fauci: Get vaccinated, mask up to stop deadly COVID variant
Dr. Anthony Fauci encourages everyone to get vaccinated to stop the deadly COVID variant from spreading.
Staff Video, USA TODAY
Several states have logged 1 million coronavirus cases as the highly contagious delta variant continues to wreak havoc across the country. To slow the spread of the virus, public health officials are encouraging Americans to get vaccinated.
But on social media, some have hatched a different planto treat COVID-19: using anti-parasite products designed for farm animals.
"Less than a hour after taking Ivermectin paste per my body weight I was mostly symptom free," reads an Aug. 8 testimonial on Facebook. "Was in bad shape until then!"
The post, which includes a photo of an apple-flavored pastefor treating parasites in horses, only accumulated about 200 shares within three days. But similar posts touting ivermectin have been widely shared across platforms, and farm supply stores across the country are running low on anti-parasitics for horses, cows and pigs.
"(Hydroxychloroquine) and treatments like ivermectin cure coronavirus within days. Always has," an Instagram user wrote Aug. 4.
They don't.
Fact check: Fauci's emails don't show he 'lied' about hydroxychloroquine
"There is no evidence that ivermectin is effective for treatment," Dr. Krutika Kuppalli,an assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, said in an email.
USA TODAY reached out to the social media users who shared the claim for comment. One of them, Shayne Ward, said in a Facebook message that he's heard "countless stories of people that Ivermectin has helped get over Covid."
"Fact Check that!" he wrote.
Ivermectin has been promoted as a COVID-19 cure throughout the pandemic. Scientists are still studying whether the drug could be used as a treatment, butso farthere's little data to suggest it's effective against COVID-19.
Ivermectin isapproved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat certain kinds of parasites and neglected tropical diseases, including scabies and parasitic worms. It is not approved to treat any viruses.
Some limited studies have suggested ivermectin could help treat COVID-19. But other, more rigorousresearch has found little or no impact.
"The reason for the interest in ivermectin is that studies in the lab have shown it can block viruses from multiplying in experimental settings i.e. in a petri dishand so people hoped this would mean it could help treat COVID-19 in people too," Dr. Denise McCulloch,an infectious disease specialistwith the University of Washington's School of Medicine, said in an email."Unfortunately, the few high-quality studies that have been done to date do not demonstrate a beneficial effect of ivermectin when it is used in people with COVID-19."
Two of the highest-quality studies available include a double-blind, randomized trial in Colombia and a meta-analysis of 14 studiesinvolving more than 1,600 participants, McCulloch said.
More: What science has learned works and what doesnt in COVID-19 treatments
The Colombia study found that, among adults with mild COVID-19 cases,a five-day course of ivermectin "did not significantly improve the time to resolution of symptoms." The meta-analysis, published in late July,concluded that "the reliable evidence available does not support the use of ivermectin for treatment or prevention of COVID19 outside of welldesigned randomized trials."
Those findings have been clouded by the publication of lower-quality studies and research with potential sources of bias, experts say.
One non-peer reviewed studywidely cited by ivermectin proponents was posted on Research Square in November. The preprint platformwithdrew the study in July "due to an expression of concern communicated directly to our staff."
A peer-reviewed meta-analysisof 15 trials, published in the July/August issue of the American Journal of Therapeutics, found that "large reductions in COVID-19 deaths are possible using ivermectin." But experts told PolitiFact, an independent fact-checking outlet, that some of the trials the study included were not high-quality, and some of its authors were affiliated with a pro-ivermectin group.
COVID cases rising in unvaccinated children
The number of children contracting COVID-19 is increasing rapidly and children's hospitals are filling up with young patients not eligible for the vaccine now being used against the virus. (Aug. 10)
AP
Absent more randomized, controlled clinicaltrials, scientists remain skeptical about the benefits of ivermectin in treating COVID-19.
"To extrapolate from how much drug is needed to work in the test tube to how much is required to work in a human being against the virus makes these trials and all the meta-reviews published less than worthless its dangerous,"Dr.Benhur Lee, a microbiology professor at Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine, said in an email.
Public health officials and pharmaceutical companieshave advised against taking ivermectin to treat COVID-19.
The FDAsaid in April 2020 that people should not take ivermectin unless it's "prescribed to them by a licensed health care provider and is obtained through a legitimate source." The agency reiterated that position in March.
Fact check: 6 of the most persistent misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines
"The FDA has not reviewed data to support use of ivermectin in COVID-19 patients to treat or to prevent COVID-19;however, some initial research is underway," the FDA says on its website."Taking a drug for an unapproved use can be very dangerous."
The FDA warns that ivermectin products for animals can be toxic to humans due to their high concentration of the drug.ABC News reportedin February that there hadbeen an uptick in calls to poison control centers related to ivermectin.
The World Health Organization has also warned against using ivermectin to treat COVID-19,saying the drugshould "only be used within clinical trials." Merck, the pharmaceutical company that makes ivermectin, said in February it had found "no scientific basis for a potential therapeutic effect against COVID-19 from pre-clinical studies."
Clinical trials studying whether ivermectin could be used to treat COVID-19 are ongoing. Until those trials conclude, experts told USA TODAY it's tough to say with certainty how the drug affects COVID-19 patients.
Based on our research, the claim that ivermectin is an effective treatment for COVID-19 is MISSING CONTEXT. Scientists are still studying whether ivermectin could be used to treat COVID-19. While some studies have shown promise, experts say the more scientifically rigorous studies conducted to date more frequently find no connection between use of ivermectin and improved COVID-19 recoveries. Public health agencies and pharmaceutical companies have warned against using ivermectin to treat COVID-19.
Thank you for supporting our journalism. You cansubscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.
Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
Fauci: Get vaccinated, mask up to stop deadly COVID variant
Dr. Anthony Fauci encourages everyone to get vaccinated to stop the deadly COVID variant from spreading.
Staff Video, USA TODAY
Several states have logged 1 million coronavirus cases as the highly contagious delta variant continues to wreak havoc across the country. To slow the spread of the virus, public health officials are encouraging Americans to get vaccinated.
But on social media, some have hatched a different planto treat COVID-19: using anti-parasite products designed for farm animals.
"Less than a hour after taking Ivermectin paste per my body weight I was mostly symptom free," reads an Aug. 8 testimonial on Facebook. "Was in bad shape until then!"
The post, which includes a photo of an apple-flavored pastefor treating parasites in horses, only accumulated about 200 shares within three days. But similar posts touting ivermectin have been widely shared across platforms, and farm supply stores across the country are running low on anti-parasitics for horses, cows and pigs.
"(Hydroxychloroquine) and treatments like ivermectin cure coronavirus within days. Always has," an Instagram user wrote Aug. 4.
They don't.
Fact check: Fauci's emails don't show he 'lied' about hydroxychloroquine
"There is no evidence that ivermectin is effective for treatment," Dr. Krutika Kuppalli,an assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, said in an email.
USA TODAY reached out to the social media users who shared the claim for comment. One of them, Shayne Ward, said in a Facebook message that he's heard "countless stories of people that Ivermectin has helped get over Covid."
"Fact Check that!" he wrote.
Ivermectin has been promoted as a COVID-19 cure throughout the pandemic. Scientists are still studying whether the drug could be used as a treatment, butso farthere's little data to suggest it's effective against COVID-19.
Ivermectin isapproved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat certain kinds of parasites and neglected tropical diseases, including scabies and parasitic worms. It is not approved to treat any viruses.
Some limited studies have suggested ivermectin could help treat COVID-19. But other, more rigorousresearch has found little or no impact.
"The reason for the interest in ivermectin is that studies in the lab have shown it can block viruses from multiplying in experimental settings i.e. in a petri dishand so people hoped this would mean it could help treat COVID-19 in people too," Dr. Denise McCulloch,an infectious disease specialistwith the University of Washington's School of Medicine, said in an email."Unfortunately, the few high-quality studies that have been done to date do not demonstrate a beneficial effect of ivermectin when it is used in people with COVID-19."
Two of the highest-quality studies available include a double-blind, randomized trial in Colombia and a meta-analysis of 14 studiesinvolving more than 1,600 participants, McCulloch said.
More: What science has learned works and what doesnt in COVID-19 treatments
The Colombia study found that, among adults with mild COVID-19 cases,a five-day course of ivermectin "did not significantly improve the time to resolution of symptoms." The meta-analysis, published in late July,concluded that "the reliable evidence available does not support the use of ivermectin for treatment or prevention of COVID19 outside of welldesigned randomized trials."
Those findings have been clouded by the publication of lower-quality studies and research with potential sources of bias, experts say.
One non-peer reviewed studywidely cited by ivermectin proponents was posted on Research Square in November. The preprint platformwithdrew the study in July "due to an expression of concern communicated directly to our staff."
A peer-reviewed meta-analysisof 15 trials, published in the July/August issue of the American Journal of Therapeutics, found that "large reductions in COVID-19 deaths are possible using ivermectin." But experts told PolitiFact, an independent fact-checking outlet, that some of the trials the study included were not high-quality, and some of its authors were affiliated with a pro-ivermectin group.
COVID cases rising in unvaccinated children
The number of children contracting COVID-19 is increasing rapidly and children's hospitals are filling up with young patients not eligible for the vaccine now being used against the virus. (Aug. 10)
AP
Absent more randomized, controlled clinicaltrials, scientists remain skeptical about the benefits of ivermectin in treating COVID-19.
"To extrapolate from how much drug is needed to work in the test tube to how much is required to work in a human being against the virus makes these trials and all the meta-reviews published less than worthless its dangerous,"Dr.Benhur Lee, a microbiology professor at Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine, said in an email.
Public health officials and pharmaceutical companieshave advised against taking ivermectin to treat COVID-19.
The FDAsaid in April 2020 that people should not take ivermectin unless it's "prescribed to them by a licensed health care provider and is obtained through a legitimate source." The agency reiterated that position in March.
Fact check: 6 of the most persistent misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines
"The FDA has not reviewed data to support use of ivermectin in COVID-19 patients to treat or to prevent COVID-19;however, some initial research is underway," the FDA says on its website."Taking a drug for an unapproved use can be very dangerous."
The FDA warns that ivermectin products for animals can be toxic to humans due to their high concentration of the drug.ABC News reportedin February that there hadbeen an uptick in calls to poison control centers related to ivermectin.
The World Health Organization has also warned against using ivermectin to treat COVID-19,saying the drugshould "only be used within clinical trials." Merck, the pharmaceutical company that makes ivermectin, said in February it had found "no scientific basis for a potential therapeutic effect against COVID-19 from pre-clinical studies."
Clinical trials studying whether ivermectin could be used to treat COVID-19 are ongoing. Until those trials conclude, experts told USA TODAY it's tough to say with certainty how the drug affects COVID-19 patients.
Based on our research, the claim that ivermectin is an effective treatment for COVID-19 is MISSING CONTEXT. Scientists are still studying whether ivermectin could be used to treat COVID-19. While some studies have shown promise, experts say the more scientifically rigorous studies conducted to date more frequently find no connection between use of ivermectin and improved COVID-19 recoveries. Public health agencies and pharmaceutical companies have warned against using ivermectin to treat COVID-19.
Thank you for supporting our journalism. You cansubscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.
Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
Bruce Schreiner| Associated Press
FRANKFORT, Ky. A Republican Kentucky congressman who holds a key assignment over health policy has highlighted the importance of getting the COVID-19 shots as the delta variant spreads through communities.
U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie emphasized that COVID-19 vaccines work. His statement on Friday came on the same day Kentucky reported 4,009 new coronavirus cases, its 10th-highest daily number of infections since the pandemic began. About a month ago, daily virus cases statewide had declined to about 200, but the highly contagious delta variant is fueling the new surge.
In his statement, Guthrie said: The data from local health care providers and federal health agencies proves it. Unvaccinated patients represent the vast majority of hospitalizations from COVID-19 right now in Kentucky and across the country. With the delta variant relentlessly spreading through communities across the country, I encourage everyone to get vaccinated for COVID-19.
Guthrie has consistently touted the COVID-19 vaccines. The congressman urged people with questions about the vaccines to contact their health care providers.
Guthrie represents Kentuckys Second Congressional District. The congressman serves as the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committees Health Subcommittee.
Religion: As delta variant spreads, Louisville places of worship take caution
More than 1,400 virus patients were hospitalized in Kentucky on Friday, including nearly 400 in intensive care units, and there were 12 more virus-related deaths, the state reported.
Hospitals are filling up or are entirely full all across the commonwealth, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said in a video message Friday on social media.
About 54% of Kentuckys population is vaccinated against COVID-19. With the delta variant spreading rapidly, the governor has warned that the unvaccinated are at greater risk than any time since the pandemic began. Also, the number of children infected with the virus has risen amid the delta variant outbreak. Children under age 12 arent eligible for the coronavirus vaccine.
Meanwhile, Americans at high risk of COVID-19 because of severely weakened immune systems are now allowed to get a third vaccination in hopes of better protection.
The Food and Drug Administration ruled that transplant recipients and other similarly immune-compromised patients can get a third dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The decision offers an extra dose only to those high-risk groups not the general public. Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grappled with who qualifies before endorsing the FDAs decision.
News: Ford and Churchill Downs are mandating worker vaccines. Here's who could be next
Guthrie said the decision is important for people who are organ transplant recipients, have certain cancers, or have other medical conditions that compromise their immune system. It gives them an extra layer of protection, the congressman said.
Bruce Schreiner| Associated Press
FRANKFORT, Ky. A Republican Kentucky congressman who holds a key assignment over health policy has highlighted the importance of getting the COVID-19 shots as the delta variant spreads through communities.
U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie emphasized that COVID-19 vaccines work. His statement on Friday came on the same day Kentucky reported 4,009 new coronavirus cases, its 10th-highest daily number of infections since the pandemic began. About a month ago, daily virus cases statewide had declined to about 200, but the highly contagious delta variant is fueling the new surge.
In his statement, Guthrie said: The data from local health care providers and federal health agencies proves it. Unvaccinated patients represent the vast majority of hospitalizations from COVID-19 right now in Kentucky and across the country. With the delta variant relentlessly spreading through communities across the country, I encourage everyone to get vaccinated for COVID-19.
Guthrie has consistently touted the COVID-19 vaccines. The congressman urged people with questions about the vaccines to contact their health care providers.
Guthrie represents Kentuckys Second Congressional District. The congressman serves as the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committees Health Subcommittee.
Religion: As delta variant spreads, Louisville places of worship take caution
More than 1,400 virus patients were hospitalized in Kentucky on Friday, including nearly 400 in intensive care units, and there were 12 more virus-related deaths, the state reported.
Hospitals are filling up or are entirely full all across the commonwealth, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said in a video message Friday on social media.
About 54% of Kentuckys population is vaccinated against COVID-19. With the delta variant spreading rapidly, the governor has warned that the unvaccinated are at greater risk than any time since the pandemic began. Also, the number of children infected with the virus has risen amid the delta variant outbreak. Children under age 12 arent eligible for the coronavirus vaccine.
Meanwhile, Americans at high risk of COVID-19 because of severely weakened immune systems are now allowed to get a third vaccination in hopes of better protection.
The Food and Drug Administration ruled that transplant recipients and other similarly immune-compromised patients can get a third dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The decision offers an extra dose only to those high-risk groups not the general public. Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grappled with who qualifies before endorsing the FDAs decision.
News: Ford and Churchill Downs are mandating worker vaccines. Here's who could be next
Guthrie said the decision is important for people who are organ transplant recipients, have certain cancers, or have other medical conditions that compromise their immune system. It gives them an extra layer of protection, the congressman said.
New York City hit a somber milestone on Saturday, surpassing 1 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
The city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reported there have now been 1,000,469 confirmed and probable cases in the five boroughs.
It came some 18 months after the Big Apples first coronavirus infection was confirmed on March 1, 2020.
Health officials said 33,645 New Yorkers died from the virus. The number of hospitalizations stood at 117,496, accounting for about 12 percent of the cases.
Some 8.8 million people live in the city, according to new census data released Thursday.
The state reached the grim seven-figure landmark back in January.
New York City suffered the bulk of its cases at the start of the pandemic and this winter, when daily case totals approached 8,000, according to health officials.
The highly contagious Delta variant has driven a third, lesser spike in caseloads in recent weeks, with 1,817 cases reported in the city on Wednesday, the last day statistics were available.
One-third of city adults are not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but rates have increased over the last two weeks, thanks in part to a cash incentive. According to the DOH, 104,544 New Yorkers got their first shots between August 1 and August 7 the most in a week since May.
The news comes days before the city will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter certain indoor businesses like restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and gyms.
The Key to NYC Pass mandate will be unveiled Monday.
New York City hit a somber milestone on Saturday, surpassing 1 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
The city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reported there have now been 1,000,469 confirmed and probable cases in the five boroughs.
It came some 18 months after the Big Apples first coronavirus infection was confirmed on March 1, 2020.
Health officials said 33,645 New Yorkers died from the virus. The number of hospitalizations stood at 117,496, accounting for about 12 percent of the cases.
Some 8.8 million people live in the city, according to new census data released Thursday.
The state reached the grim seven-figure landmark back in January.
New York City suffered the bulk of its cases at the start of the pandemic and this winter, when daily case totals approached 8,000, according to health officials.
The highly contagious Delta variant has driven a third, lesser spike in caseloads in recent weeks, with 1,817 cases reported in the city on Wednesday, the last day statistics were available.
One-third of city adults are not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, but rates have increased over the last two weeks, thanks in part to a cash incentive. According to the DOH, 104,544 New Yorkers got their first shots between August 1 and August 7 the most in a week since May.
The news comes days before the city will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter certain indoor businesses like restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and gyms.
The Key to NYC Pass mandate will be unveiled Monday.
Texas State Health Dept. reports over 21K new cases of COVID-19, over 9K from Bexar County WOAI
Texas State Health Dept. reports over 21K new cases of COVID-19, over 9K from Bexar County WOAI
DALLAS - There have now been more than 500,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered at the vaccination site at Fair Park in Dallas.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the site has become the largest in the state of Texas.
The director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, Dr. Philip Huang, said he's seeing an upward trend of people getting vaccinated, with about 35,000 residents getting a shot last week.
But that number is far from the 50,000 shot peak the county has seen in the past.
Jenkins said masks alone will not beat the pandemic.
"Masks are not going to win the war against COVID. Vaccination is going to win the war against COVID," he said.
MORE: Coronavirus Coverage
"We've been out here since January. We've been through cold weather, we've been through rain, we've been through driving golf carts taking people through the parking lot, now its hot, but all of these people have been working tirelessly to make his happen," Dr. Huang said.
The Dallas County Health and Human Services Department reports about 62% of Dallas County residents over the age of 12 have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine.
DALLAS - There have now been more than 500,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered at the vaccination site at Fair Park in Dallas.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the site has become the largest in the state of Texas.
The director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, Dr. Philip Huang, said he's seeing an upward trend of people getting vaccinated, with about 35,000 residents getting a shot last week.
But that number is far from the 50,000 shot peak the county has seen in the past.
Jenkins said masks alone will not beat the pandemic.
"Masks are not going to win the war against COVID. Vaccination is going to win the war against COVID," he said.
MORE: Coronavirus Coverage
"We've been out here since January. We've been through cold weather, we've been through rain, we've been through driving golf carts taking people through the parking lot, now its hot, but all of these people have been working tirelessly to make his happen," Dr. Huang said.
The Dallas County Health and Human Services Department reports about 62% of Dallas County residents over the age of 12 have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine.
