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The first confirmed case of Influenza A for this season was reported by the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit on November 1.
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I would encourage everyone to get their flu shot to protect themselves and their loved ones against influenza, said Dr. Joyce Lock, acting medical officer of health, said in a release. Anyone can get the flu, but it is particularly dangerous for the elderly, children, and those with compromised immune systems.
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Commonly called the flu, influenza symptoms include fever, body aches, cough, and extreme exhaustion.
Transmission is most common through sneezing and coughing. The virus can live for several hours on hard surfaces such as door knobs and toys.
Washing your hands frequently, staying home when you or your child is ill, and coughing or sneezing into your upper arm sleeve are additional ways to reduce the risk of influenza infection.
Flu shots are available at health care provider offices and participating pharmacies throughout Ontario.
The health unit recommends people get the flu shot as soon as it becomes available because the vaccine can take up to two weeks to become effective.
Lock also recommends people get the COVID-19 booster if their previous vaccine or COVID infection was six months ago or more.
Additional information on the flu shot and influenza virus can be found online at hnhu.org/fall.
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According to GlobalDatas Technology Foresights, which uses over 668,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the pharmaceutical industry, there are 80+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
COVID recombinant spike proteins is a key innovation area in Covid-19
COVID recombinant spike protein is a glycoprotein that mediates membrane fusion and viral entry. The full-length S protein consists of an extracellular domain (ECD), divided into a S1 and S2 subunit, a transmembrane domain and a short cytoplasmic domain. Recombinant spike-based proteins were developed by immunization of animal models to evaluate these subunit-based antigens for potential use as vaccine candidates.
GlobalDatas analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 260+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established pharmaceutical companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of COVID recombinant spike proteins.
Key players in COVID recombinant spike proteins a disruptive innovation in the pharmaceutical industry
Application diversity measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either niche or diversified innovators.
Geographic reach refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from global to local.
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Sanofi is one of the leading patent filers in COVID recombinant spike proteins. Sanofi is a major pharmaceutical company, which is engaged in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and marketing of a wide range of medicines and vaccines. Its portfolio includes medicines for the treatment of cancer, rare diseases, multiple sclerosis, human vaccines for protection against various bacterial and viral diseases, and other diseases. VidPrevtyn Beta is one of its approved Covid-19 vaccines, which acts by targeting 2019 Novel corona Virus Spike Glycoprotein (E2 or Peplomer Protein or S). C. H. Boehringer Sohn and Takeda Pharmaceutical are some of the other key patent filers in COVID recombinant spike proteins.
In terms of application diversity, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals leads the pack, while Akston Biosciences and Excivion stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, S Curevac held the top position, followed by Excivion and Theravectys.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the pharmaceutical industry, access GlobalDatas latest thematic research report on Pharmaceutical.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalDatas Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the worlds largest industries.
WASHINGTON Current and former government officials proffered a clear-eyed, and often depressing, take Tuesday on the state of clinical trials, the pharmaceutical industry, and biotech investors coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The officials, including the Food and Drug Administrations second-in-command Janet Woodcock, acknowledged the drug industrys persistent lack of interest in collaborating on clinical trials, the ways hypercompetition pervades academic research and slows progress, and biotech investors taking the wrong lessons from pandemic.
The tenor Tuesday was a far cry from the optimism often shared during the heat of the pandemic, which saw vaccines and therapeutics developed at record rates thanks in large part to massive collaboration and investment between government and industry.
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This study systematically investigated the impact of sex and age on the side effects following the third vaccine dose in a cohort of COVID-19 mRNA vaccinated adults. Here, using cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, we identified significantly higher frequency of several vaccine-related adverse symptoms and prolonged recovery rate in females and younger adults following the third vs second vaccine doses. Additionally, we found several individual side effects that significantly contributed to the duration of side effects.
Our findings of higher frequencies of COVID-19 vaccine-related side effects among females and younger adults compared to males and elderly adults were consistent with previous reports6,7,11,12,13. Additionally, our longitudinal analyses revealed worse outcomes with longer recovery from side effects in females and younger adults compared to those in males and elderly adults. Other studies reported sex differences in vaccine response and higher vaccine efficacy but worse adverse reactions in females vs males, including vaccines against influenza, hepatitis B and yellow fever14,15,16. Higher number of B cells resulting in greater antibody production in females17 and increased stimulation of immune cells by female sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone), as well as suppression by male sex hormones (testosterone) may be considered a plausible mechanism of sex differences in responses to vaccines18,19.
In terms of adverse age-related impact on the frequency and duration of side effects following vaccine, decline in immune function with age, referred to as immunosenescence, should be considered20,21. Effect of immunosenescence on decline of vaccine efficacy was reported with other vaccines such as influenza, varicella zoster, and the combination vaccine against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis22,23,24. Our findings of higher number and longer duration of side effects among younger adults support these data.
Axillary pain is a side effect that occurred at a significantly higher frequency following the third vaccine dose compared to the first or second vaccine doses. After the first and second doses in the BNT162b2 trial, axillary swelling was recorded as an unsolicited reaction only25. In the mRNA-1273 trial, axillary swelling and tenderness were reported in 11.6% patients after the first vaccine dose and in 16% after the second vaccine dose26. In our previous study of BNT162b2 and related side effects, frequency of axillary lymph node swelling or axillary pain was 0% (0/262) after the first vaccine dose, 3.9% (10/257) of lymph node swelling after the second vaccine dose27, and 15% (41/272) of axillary pain in this third vaccine dose study. Ipsilateral vaccine-related reactive axillary lymphadenopathy was demonstrated in multiple radiologic studies, such as screening mammograms28,29,30 or cancer surveillance PET CT studies. Asymmetric axillary lymphadenopathy is a concerning imaging finding for radiologists since the differential diagnosis includes nodal metastatic disease31. These notions underscore the importance of obtaining COVID-19 vaccination history prior to image examinations.
Several symptoms were identified as the culprit symptoms contributing to the prolonged duration of side effects following the third vs second vaccine doses, specifically joint pain after the third vaccine dose, and asthma, ear fullness, and bleeding at the injection site after the second vaccine dose. A possible mechanism could be related to previous studies of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine32 and influenza vaccines33,34,35, which reported an increase of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF- and IL-6, and a decrease of extracellular vesicle immune-regulatory microRNA levels following vaccination. Levels of these proinflammatory cytokines and extracellular vesicle microRNA may stimulate systemic side effects following the third vaccine dose mRNA vaccine, which we describe in this study.
On the other hand, asthma and ear fullness after the second vaccine dose were identified as significant symptoms prolonging the duration of side effects after the second vs third vaccine doses. Notably, asthma and ear fullness are allergic symptoms which had already been present in the individuals prior to vaccination and were exacerbated by the vaccine. Previously reported systemic immune response syndrome (SIRS)36,37 and its association with upregulation of genes involved in neutrophil degranulation and cytokine signaling38 may be considered as a potential mechanism of our findings. These notions underscore the importance of obtaining a thorough history about an individuals past medical diagnoses or treatments prior to vaccination.
Bleeding at the injection site after the second vaccine dose was also identified as one of culprit symptoms prolonging the duration of side effects following the second vaccine dose. This local dermatological symptom is known as COVID arm8,27. Delayed hypersensitivity reaction by type IV allergic response was proposed as the mechanism9,10.
Our findings about the different individual symptoms affecting the duration and severity of the vaccine-related side effects suggest that immune responses that generate the side effects differ between the third vaccine dose (systemic inflammation) and second vaccine dose (type I and IV allergic responses). Further immunological studies including cytokine and antibody level measurements would be warranted, and these findings would contribute for the understanding of mechanism of mRNA vaccine-related side effects.
As a limitation of this study, a small number of subjects for the vaccine-related side effect study, with discrepancies in sex and age distribution, were considered. Since the subjects in this study were derived from healthcare workers, distribution discrepancies with more females and younger adults occurred. For further analyses, a larger number of subjects with an equal distribution of sex and age should be considered. With regard to the subjects, while all of the subjects in this study had no history of COVID-19 diagnosis prior to vaccination, the inclusion of asymptomatic cases among them was considered another limitation of this study. In a study involving the Japanese population, the frequency of asymptomatic cases was 0.33% out of one million tested individuals in 202139, and 1.1% (23 out of 2185) among healthcare workers40. Considering the higher frequency of vaccine-related side effects among subjects with a past history of COVID-19 infection compared to those without such a history41,42, the detection and exclusion of asymptomatic cases through anti-COVID-19 IgG measurement would be warranted for further analyses.
In conclusion, this study investigated the impact of sex and age on mRNA COVID-19 vaccine-related side effects in booster-vaccinated adults (i.e. adults who received the third vaccine dose). We found that vaccine-related side effects are more frequent among females and younger adults, and that these two groups have a prolonged recovery compared to males and elderly adults. We also identified the individual culprit side effects that influence the duration of vaccine-related adverse effects following the third vs second dose. Specifically, we identified the significant negative contribution of systemic symptoms such as joint pain and headache after the third vaccine dose, and exacerbation of an underlying allergic condition and type IV allergic response after the second vaccine dose. Identification of the unique sex- and age-specific adverse symptoms, as well specific side effects characteristic of third and second COVID-19 vaccine doses will provide an opportunity to better understand the nature of sex- and age-associated immunological differences and develop safer and more efficacious vaccines.
From: Hokie Wellness
Hokie Wellness will offer two COVID vaccination clinics on Nov. 15, from 12-6 p.m., and Nov. 16, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m., at the North End Center.
The vaccine being provided at the clinic is Moderna. The FDA has authorized the use of mix-and-match booster doses for currently available COVID-19 vaccines based on the results of a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-supported study. Learn more here.
Insurance covers the cost of the vaccine for benefitted employees and dependents on their insurance. The cost of the vaccine for those without insurance is $145, payable by the exact amount in cash, check, or debit/credit cards. Those with Kaiser Permanente insurance must pay, and then submit a manual claim to their insurance.
Registration is required. Employees may bring dependents to the clinic but must register each individual. Please complete the form attached to the registration prior to arriving at the clinic. The vaccine is only for children 12 and older.
For more information or questions, contact Hokie Wellness at hokiewellness@vt.edu.
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Dont call it a tripledemic yet.
Influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19 are circulating this fall, but not yet at the rate that worried public health agencies a year ago.
As we approach the time of winter when these diseases usually peak, around December to February, experts warn that the patterns can change at any time and advise people to take precautionary measures, such as getting vaccines.
For those who are concerned about respiratory viruses, there is good news: the Food and Drug Administration approved two RSV vaccines and another shot for use in vulnerable populations.
Several vaccine makers also have updated their COVID-19 boosters, which are recommended for those who are over age 5.
Public health experts generally expect a milder flu season this year. Last year was especially severe as social activities returned to normal and COVID-19 social distancing rules ended. Experts say that more than two years of staying at home and taking precautionary measures protected people from influenza viruses, but also reduced their immunity once they resumed normal social activity.
We are seeing pretty decent matches with the flu vaccine, which is going to help and we havent seen a big take off locally and nationally yet of the flu, said Dr. Marlene Millen, an internal medicine doctor at UC San Diego.
If you still havent gotten the latest vaccines for flu and COVID-19, it is not too late. Heres what you should know about this cold and flu season.
The big answer is that it is uncertain, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, infectious disease physician at UC San Francisco.
Experts say the exact patterns of infection of any of these respiratory viruses cannot be predicted due to several factors, such as human interaction, travel and preventative habits. According to the California Department of Public Health, it is too soon to know how severe each of the diseases will be this season.
As more people are heading indoors for school, fitness routines, and festive gatherings, Californians are getting exposed to respiratory viruses, said Dr. Toms Aragn, director of the state Public Health Department in a press release. Anyone can be affected by winter illnesses, however, some individuals, including older adults, people with weakened immune systems or chronic conditions, pregnant people and young children are at higher risk for severe illness and death.
Dr. Marlene Millen, UC San Diego
Chin-Hong said that while infections from COVID-19 have plateaued in the past few months, there may be an uptick in infections on the horizon, especially among vulnerable populations.
The states respiratory infections reports show that RSV infections are currently rising ahead of flu and COVID-19. But the state also has more tools to battle the disease compared to last year. The new RSV shots, combined with the leftover immunity from last year, Chin-Hong said, may result in a comparatively milder RSV season from last year.
What experts are worried about is the rate of infections for all three of these respiratory diseases peaking together at the same time, which can overwhelm health care systems. That scenario is now known as a tripledemic.
Every year, thats a possibility. I always cross my fingers that that doesnt happen because we get very busy in the hospitals, especially in the clinics and other places, Millen said. Every year since COVID, it has been a concern that all three will kind of peak at once. And if that happens, then our health care system gets even more strained.
Millen said even though infections could spread faster than predicted, there is no reason to panic.
These arent new viruses, so all of the risks are already there, she said. The biggest thing is listening to what is going on and paying attention.
Several treatments can help reduce serious infections and death rates. Experts also say that people should continue to exercise preventative measures such as wearing masks, washing hands and staying away from crowded places as they did during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
All three viruses have similar symptoms in that they attack the respiratory system and cause symptoms like cold, fever, cough, stuffy or runny nose, body ache and fatigue, as well as chills. Infections from all three viruses can also be asymptomatic.
Doctors recommend isolating if you develop any respiratory systems or fever at all, to avoid putting others around you at risk, especially young children and the elderly.
If youre sick, stay home, Millen said. Viral loads are really high in those first few days of illness and thats when spreading illnesses happens, so just wait.
For influenza and COVID-19, the state Department of Public Health recommends vaccinations for all who are 6 months or older. Anyone over 6 months old should get the annual flu shot, while those 5 years and older should also get the updated COVID-19 booster this year.
For RSV, doctors recommend all those who are eligible to get vaccinated. This includes adults who are 60 or older, pregnant women, infants who are 8 months or younger and high risk children between 8-19 months old.
For those who do not have health insurance, California has several resources to get free vaccines, including federally qualified health centers, Bridge Access Program for COVID-19 vaccines, and the Vaccines for Children program.
Earlier this year, three shots were approved for RSV: two vaccines and an antibody shot.
The two vaccines are approved for use in elderly and pregnant women. The vaccine for pregnant women is recommended to be used between weeks 32 and 36 of the pregnancy and will reduce the risk of infection in newborns. The vaccine for seniors is available for all adults 60 or older as they are at higher risk from infections than younger adults.
The antibody preparation provides lab-prepared monoclonal antibodies to infants and young children at high risk from infections who may not be able to produce their own antibodies. This shot is recommended for all infants under 8 months as well as high-risk children between 8-19 months old.
There is currently a shortage of the antibody shot, which is causing concern among pediatricians, especially as RSV infections rise this winter.
Supported by the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), which works to ensure that people have access to the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. Visitwww.chcf.orgto learn more.
A container of syringes with pre-measured shot doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is pictured. Photo: Jeff Miller
The effectiveness of mRNA vaccines in reducing disease severity and hospitalization from COVID-19 is well established. Now, new research from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine advances our understanding of how these vaccines protect the lungs following breakthrough infections from emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Published on Oct. 5 in the journal JCI Insight, the study is the first to directly demonstrate the role of memory CD8 T cells in mRNA vaccine-induced immunity to COVID-19. Memory CD8 T cells are a specialized type of white blood cell that rapidly respond when re-exposure to a pathogen occurs.
They are often referred to as trained assassins because they control viral infections by targeting and then destroying virally infected cells. This study, conducted in mice, shows that memory CD8 T cells were necessary and sufficient in controlling SARS-CoV-2, independent of antibodies. Researchers demonstrated this by showing how the protection afforded by mRNA vaccines was lost in mice when memory T cells were depleted prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Scientists widely accept that CD8 T cells provide a more robust form of protection because the viral fragment they target to kill infected cells does not change considerably with each new viral variant. Antibodies on the other hand, typically lose their ability to prevent infection because the part of the virus they target changes with each new mutation.
Marulasiddappa Suresh
Marulasiddappa Suresh, professor of immunology in the School of Veterinary Medicine Department of Pathobiological Sciences, says this study sheds new light on the protective mechanisms mRNA vaccines use to lessen severe disease following breakthrough infections. It also raises important new questions about the role of memory T cells in limiting the spread of the virus, the frequency with which we get vaccinated and the most effective methods for vaccine delivery.
The key finding of our research shows that memory T cells play an essential role in mediating SARS-CoV-2 viral control in lungs, independent of antibodies, says Suresh, who was also the studys principal investigator. We hope this new understanding of vaccine-induced immunity will inform the development of new vaccines and treatment strategies that more effectively combat the emergence of global variants and limit the impact theyll have on our health in the future.
While previous studies have documented a strong correlation between vaccine-induced T cells and more positive outcomes following infection with SARS-CoV-2, the ability to study these protective mechanisms in detail is not possible in humans. As a result, researchers administered various doses of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine to a specialized mouse model in order to study the defining characteristics of T cell responses induced by the vaccine. Their results showed the T cell response to mRNA vaccine in the peripheral blood is largely similar between mice and humans. They also found that T cells actively sought out the virus in the respiratory tract airways, lung vasculature, and mediastinal lymph nodes to effectively reduce the burden of SARS-CoV-2 in the lungs.
Other key findings show that intramuscular immunization produced unexpectedly high frequencies and numbers of memory T cells in the airways of the respiratory tract the main portal of entry for SARS-CoV-2. According to Suresh, future research on this topic will need to assess the biological significance of nasal and airway resident memory T cells in protection against emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 and whether individuals who recover from breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections will require further vaccinations.
Its still unclear if the combination of vaccine-induced immunity and infection-induced immunity is sufficient to provide broad mutation-resistant immunity to future SARS-CoV-2 variants, he says.
Other members of the research team from the UW School of Veterinary Medicine include Brock Kingstad-Bakke, Thomas Cleven, Hailey Bussan, Hongtae Park, Peter Halfmann and Yoshihiro Kawaoka from the Department of Pathobiological Sciences; and Jay Mishra and Sathish Kumar from the Department of Comparative Biosciences. Other important contributors include researchers from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; University of Tokyo; and Japans National Center for Global Health and Medicine Research Institute.
This study was supported by PHS grant U01 AI124299, R21 AI149793-01A1, R21 AI173757-01A1.
Graduate student Steven Wall Jr. and Ivelin Georgiev, PhD. Photo by Donn Jones
by Bill Snyder
Children are an underutilized source of potential antibody therapies to counteract the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic, according to researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Reporting Nov. 6 in Cell Reports Medicine, Ivelin Georgiev, PhD, and colleagues demonstrated that antibodies isolated from childrens blood samples displayed high levels of neutralization and potency against variants of the COVID-19 virus, SARS-CoV-2, even when the children had not previously been exposed to or vaccinated against those variants.
These results indicate that childrens samples can play an important role in the discovery of effective SARS-CoV-2 antibody therapeutics, the researchers concluded.
This is important because, while monoclonal antibodies developed at VUMC and elsewhere initially were quite effective in neutralizing SARS-CoV-2, the virus ability to mutate rapidly has enabled it to escape from every monoclonal antibody product currently on the market. It is crucial to find antibodies that can broadly neutralize all variants of the virus, said Georgiev, the papers corresponding author, and associate professor of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, Biomedical Informatics, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Computer Science at Vanderbilt.
Children have been thought to be unlikely sources for new antibody therapies because their immune systems are immature, and they tend to be more susceptible to severe viral illnesses including those caused by influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and human metapneumovirus.
When it comes to SARS-CoV-2, however, children experience significantly less severe disease compared to adults. Even when adolescents have severe disease, they are hospitalized less often than adults, require shorter hospital stays, and are less likely to die from COVID-related complications.
In the VUMC study, blood samples from children ages 5 months to 18 years old were collected between July and August 2021, and divided into two groups: those with no known exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination, and those who had been infected or vaccinated. The researchers employed a variety of sophisticated techniques including LIBRA-seq (Linking B-cell Receptor to Antigen Specificity through sequencing), which was developed at VUMC, and which rapidly and efficiently identified multiple neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in the samples.
Fluorescence-activated cell sorting, next-generation sequencing, and a computational pipeline enabled high-throughput mapping of the amino-acid sequences of antibodies that bound viral antigens.
The researchers found that neutralizing antibodies identified in children had similar genetic features to antibodies from adults, and that children use similar mechanisms for neutralizing the COVID-19 virus.
What was surprising was that the antibodies isolated from children potently neutralized SARS-CoV-2 variants that have become resistant to virtually all approved monoclonal antibody therapeutics.
Not only are children a potential source of new therapies against COVID-19, but deciphering their antigen-specific antibody repertoires could prove useful in improving the treatment of other infectious diseases, and the development of next-generation pediatric vaccines, the researchers reported.
Steven Wall, a graduate student in the Georgiev laboratory, was the papers first author. VUMCs Naveenchandra Suryadevara, PhD, and Andrea Shiakolas, PhD, and Changil Kim, PhD, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, contributed equally to the paper. Other VUMC co-authors were Clint Holt, Emma Irbe, Perry Wasdin, Yukthi Suresh, Elad Binshtein, PhD, Elaine Chen, PhD, Seth Zost, PhD, Elizabeth Canfield, James Crowe Jr., MD, Mary Ann Thompson-Arildsen, MD, PhD, and Robert Carnahan, PhD.
The research was supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants R01AI131722-S1 and R01AI157155, as well as the Hays Foundation COVID-19 Research Fund, the Mercatus Center Fast Grants program at George Mason University, the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, the Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund at Vanderbilt, and Merck KGaA.
The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Even though 2020 is in the rearview (thankfully), Covid-19 likely isnt going away anytime soonits still a serious health threat for many people, especially those who are at high risk of getting very sick from the virus. And many dont realize it.
According to the
As we head into winter and the potential for a Covid-19 surge, Pfizers Know Plan Go campaign can help you identify if you or a loved one is at high risk for severe illness from the virus, and, most importantly, encourages you to make a plan and act quickly if you experience symptoms or test positive. This includes speaking with your doctor, who will be able to advise whether a prescription treatment option may be right for you to help reduce the risk of severe illness and hospitalization.
One person who is looking to help get the word out is the decorated swimmer, Michael Phelps.
Anyone can be caught off guard by Covid-19, even someone who makes their health a priority. I put in a lot of work to stay in good shape, both physically and mentally, so when I tested positive for Covid-19, I was surprised at how sick I felt, says Phelps, who has struggled with depression for a good portion of his life. The first day when I stepped out of bed, I thought my knees were going to shatter. I felt like every bone was just going to break. I didnt know how to react because I didnt know enough about why I was feeling so terrible. I was definitely scared.
Phelps later learned that his depression puts him at a high risk for severe Covid-19, which makes sense because Ive experienced how mental health can affect physical health, he says. This was really eye-opening for me, and I know Im not alone. There are so many people who dont know theyre at high risk for getting very sick from Covid-19.
Early in the pandemic, uncertainty about the virus caused a lot of fear and anxiety. Fortunately, many more resources are available today to help people navigate Covid-19including Pfizers Know Plan Go.
Once you know youre at high risk of severe Covid-19, its time to develop a plan:
In the event that Covid-19 strikes, its critical to act fast and reach out to a doctor immediately, as mild symptoms can quickly become severe. I cant stress enough how important it is to speak with your doctor right away if you have symptoms or test positive, Phelps says.
Your doctor can tell you if a prescription treatment option is right for you, based not only on your risk factors, but also on your medical history and current medications.
I was lucky to have the right support system and a team of professionals in place to help me navigate my Covid-19 journey, but others arent as fortunate, says Phelps. Being part of the Know Plan Go initiative is important to me to help raise awareness and inspire others to act fast and speak with a doctor when they get Covid-19.
Go to www.KnowPlanGo.com to learn more about factors that put you or your loved ones at high risk for severe Covid-19, how to develop a plan prior to experiencing any symptoms or testing positive, and the importance of acting quickly should Covid-19 strike.
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