Category: Corona Virus

Global COVID-19 (total) cases, deaths and vaccinations to date

Globally, the number of weekly cases has plateaued.

Numbers of new deaths slightly increased in the past week.

At the regional level, the number of weekly cases increased in the Western Pacific Region, the Region of the Americas and the South-East Asia Region, while it decreased in other regions.

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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) WHO Thailand Situation Report 243 - 27 July 2022 - Thailand - ReliefWeb

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Did COVID-19 change the way doctors view end-of-life care? - study - The Jerusalem Post

By LAURA UNGAR

Two new studies provide more evidence that the coronavirus pandemic originated in a Wuhan, China market where live animals were sold further bolstering the theory that the virus emerged in the wild rather than escaping from a Chinese lab.

The research, published online Tuesday by the journal Science, shows that the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market was likely the early epicenter of the scourge that has now killed nearly 6.4 million people around the world. Scientists conclude that the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, likely spilled from animals into people two separate times.

All this evidence tells us the same thing: It points right to this particular market in the middle of Wuhan, said Kristian Andersen a professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research and coauthor of one of the studies. I was quite convinced of the lab leak myself until we dove into this very carefully and looked at it much closer.

In one study, which incorporated data collected by Chinese scientists, University of Arizona evolutionary biologist Michael Worobey and his colleagues used mapping tools to estimate the locations of more than 150 of the earliest reported COVID-19 cases from December 2019. They also mapped cases from January and February 2020 using data from a social media app that had created a channel for people with COVID-19 to get help.

They asked, Of all the locations that the early cases could have lived, where did they live? And it turned out when we were able to look at this, there was this extraordinary pattern where the highest density of cases was both extremely near to and very centered on this market, Worobey said at a press briefing. Crucially, this applies both to all cases in December and also to cases with no known link to the market And this is an indication that the virus started spreading in people who worked at the market but then started to spread into the local community.

Andersen said they found case clusters inside the market, too, and that clustering is very, very specifically in the parts of the market" where they now know people were selling wildlife, such as raccoon dogs, that are susceptible to infection with the coronavirus.

In the other study, scientists analyzed the genomic diversity of the virus inside and outside of China starting with the earliest sample genomes in December 2019 and extending through mid-February 2020. They found that two lineages A and B marked the pandemics beginning in Wuhan. Study coauthor Joel Wertheim, a viral evolution expert at the University of California, San Diego, pointed out that lineage A is more genetically similar to bat coronaviruses, but lineage B appears to have begun spreading earlier in humans, particularly at the market.

Now I realize it sounds like I just said that a once-in-a-generation event happened twice in short succession, Wertheim said. But certain conditions were in place such as people and animals in close proximity and a virus that can spread from animals to people and from person to person. So barriers to spillover have been lowered such that multiple introductions, we believe, should actually be expected, he said.

Many scientists believe the virus jumped from bats to humans, either directly or through another animal. But in June, the World Health Organization recommended a deeper probe into whether a lab accident may be to blame. Critics had said the WHO was too quick to dismiss the lab leak theory.

Have we disproven the lab leak theory? No, we have not, Andersen said. But I think whats really important here is there are possible scenarios and there are plausible scenarios and its really important to understand that possible does not mean equally likely.

The pandemic's origins remain controversial. Some scientists believe a lab leak is more likely and others remain open to both possibilities. But Matthew Aliota, a researcher in the college of veterinary medicine at the University of Minnesota, said in his mind the pair of studies kind of puts to rest, hopefully, the lab leak hypothesis.

Both of these two studies really provide compelling evidence for the natural origin hypothesis," said Aliota, who wasn't involved in either study. Since sampling an animal that was at the market is impossible, "this is maybe as close to a smoking gun as you could get."

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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New studies bolster theory coronavirus emerged from the wild - Daily Independent

NEW YORK and MAINZ, Germany, July 27, 2022 Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX) today announced that the companies have initiated a randomized, active-controlled, observer-blind, Phase 2 study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immune response of an enhanced COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccine candidate at a 30 g dose level. This next-generation bivalent COVID-19 vaccine candidate, BNT162b5, consists of RNAs encoding enhanced prefusion spike proteins for the SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain (wild-type) and an Omicron variant. The enhanced spike protein encoded from the mRNAs in BNT162b5 has been modified with the aim of increasing the magnitude and breadth of the immune response that could better protect against COVID-19.

This is the first of multiple vaccine candidates with an enhanced design which the companies plan to evaluate as part of a long-term scientific COVID-19 vaccine strategy to potentially generate more robust, longer-lasting, and broader immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 infections and associated COVID-19.

BNT162b5 will be evaluated in a U.S.-based study enrolling approximately 200 participants aged between 18 and 55 who have received one booster dose of a U.S.-authorized COVID-19 vaccine at least 90 days prior to their first study visit. Participants will be stratified by the number of months since their last dose of COVID-19 vaccine received prior to entering the study (three to six months or more than six months). The study does not include a placebo (injection with no active ingredient). For more information about this study please visit http://www.clinicaltrials.govon this link.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, BNT162b2, which is based on BioNTechs proprietary mRNA technology, was developed by both BioNTech and Pfizer. BioNTech is the Marketing Authorization Holder in the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries, and the holder of emergency use authorizations or equivalents in the United States (jointly with Pfizer) and other countries. Submissions to pursue regulatory approvals in those countries where emergency use authorizations or equivalent were initially granted are planned.

U.S. Indication & Authorized Use

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is FDA authorized under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for active immunization to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 6 months of age and older.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is FDA authorized to provide:

Primary Series

Booster Series

COMIRNATY INDICATIONCOMIRNATY (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) is a vaccine approved for active immunization to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 12 years of age and older.

COMIRNATY AUTHORIZED USESCOMIRNATY (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) is FDA authorized under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to provide:

Primary Series

Booster Dose

Emergency Use AuthorizationEmergency uses of the vaccine have not been approved or licensed by FDA, but have been authorized by FDA, under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to prevent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID 19) in individuals 6 months of age and older. The emergency uses are only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of the medical product under Section 564(b)(1) of the FD&C Act unless the declaration is terminated or authorization revoked sooner.

INTERCHANGEABILITYFDA-approved COMIRNATY (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine FDA authorized for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for individuals 12 years of age and older can be used interchangeably by a vaccination provider when prepared according to their respective instructions for use.

The formulations of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine authorized for use in individuals 6 months through 4 years of age, 5 through 11 years of age, and 12 years of age and older are different and should therefore not be used interchangeably. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine authorized for use in children 6 months through 11 years of age should not be used interchangeably with COMIRNATY (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Tell your vaccination provider about all of the vaccine recipients medical conditions, including if the vaccine recipient:

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or COMIRNATY (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) may not protect all vaccine recipients

Seek medical attention right away if the vaccine recipient has any of the following symptoms:

Seek medical attention right away if the vaccine recipient has any of the following symptoms after receiving the vaccine, particularly during the 2 weeks after receiving a vaccine dose:

These may not be all the possible side effects of the vaccine. Call the vaccination provider or healthcare provider about bothersome side effects or side effects that do not go away.

Click for Fact Sheets and Prescribing Information for individuals 6 months of age and older:

About Pfizer: Breakthroughs That Change Patients LivesAt Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 170 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at http://www.Pfizer.com. In addition, to learn more, please visit us on http://www.Pfizer.com and follow us on Twitter at @Pfizer and @Pfizer News, LinkedIn, YouTube and like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Pfizer.

Pfizer Disclosure NoticeThe information contained in this release is as of July 27, 2022. Pfizer assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments.

This release contains forward-looking information about Pfizers efforts to combat COVID-19, the collaboration between BioNTech and Pfizer to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, the BNT162 mRNA vaccine program, and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, also known as COMIRNATY (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) (BNT162b2) (including an enhanced mRNA-based vaccine candidate, BNT162b5, including a Phase 2 study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immune response of BNT162b5 at a 30-g dose level, the companies long-term scientific COVID-19 strategy, qualitative assessments of available data, potential benefits, expectations for clinical trials, potential regulatory submissions, the anticipated timing of data readouts, regulatory submissions, regulatory approvals or authorizations and anticipated manufacturing, distribution and supply) involving substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement and/or completion dates for clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates and/or launch dates, as well as risks associated with preclinical and clinical data (including Phase 1/2/3 or Phase 4 data), including any data for BNT162b2, BNT162b5, any monovalent, bivalent or variant-adapted vaccine candidates or any other vaccine candidate in the BNT162 program in any of our studies in pediatrics, adolescents, or adults or real world evidence, including the possibility of unfavorable new preclinical, clinical or safety data and further analyses of existing preclinical, clinical or safety data; the ability to produce comparable clinical or other results, including the rate of vaccine effectiveness and safety and tolerability profile observed to date, in additional analyses of the Phase 3 trial and additional studies, in real world data studies or in larger, more diverse populations following commercialization; the ability of BNT162b2, BNT162b5, any monovalent, bivalent or variant-adapted vaccine candidates or any future vaccine to prevent COVID-19 caused by emerging virus variants; the risk that more widespread use of the vaccine will lead to new information about efficacy, safety, or other developments, including the risk of additional adverse reactions, some of which may be serious; the risk that preclinical and clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations and assessments, including during the peer review/publication process, in the scientific community generally, and by regulatory authorities; whether and when additional data from the BNT162 mRNA vaccine program will be published in scientific journal publications and, if so, when and with what modifications and interpretations; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from these and any future preclinical and clinical studies; whether and when submissions to request emergency use or conditional marketing authorizations for BNT162b5, BNT162b2 in additional populations, for a potential booster dose for BNT162b2, any monovalent, bivalent or variant-adapted vaccine candidates or any potential future vaccines (including potential future annual boosters or re-vaccination), and/or other biologics license and/or emergency use authorization applications or amendments to any such applications may be filed in particular jurisdictions for BNT162b5, BNT162b2, any monovalent or bivalent vaccine candidates or any other potential vaccines that may arise from the BNT162 program, including a potential variant-based, higher dose, or bivalent vaccine, and if obtained, whether or when such emergency use authorizations or licenses will expire or terminate; whether and when any applications that may be pending or filed for BNT162b5, BNT162b2 (including any requested amendments to the emergency use or conditional marketing authorizations), any monovalent, bivalent or variant-adapted vaccine candidates, or other vaccines that may result from the BNT162 program may be approved by particular regulatory authorities, which will depend on myriad factors, including making a determination as to whether the vaccines benefits outweigh its known risks and determination of the vaccines efficacy and, if approved, whether it will be commercially successful; decisions by regulatory authorities impacting labeling or marketing, manufacturing processes, safety and/or other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of a vaccine, including development of products or therapies by other companies; disruptions in the relationships between us and our collaboration partners, clinical trial sites or third-party suppliers; the risk that demand for any products may be reduced or no longer exist which may lead to reduced revenues or excess inventory; risks related to the availability of raw materials to manufacture a vaccine; challenges related to our vaccines formulation, dosing schedule and attendant storage, distribution and administration requirements, including risks related to storage and handling after delivery by Pfizer; the risk that we may not be able to successfully develop other vaccine formulations, booster doses or potential future annual boosters or re-vaccinations or new variant-based or next generation vaccines; the risk that we may not be able to maintain or scale up manufacturing capacity on a timely basis or maintain access to logistics or supply channels commensurate with global demand for our vaccine, which would negatively impact our ability to supply the estimated numbers of doses of our vaccine within the projected time periods as previously indicated; whether and when additional supply agreements will be reached; uncertainties regarding the ability to obtain recommendations from vaccine advisory or technical committees and other public health authorities and uncertainties regarding the commercial impact of any such recommendations; challenges related to public vaccine confidence or awareness; uncertainties regarding the impact of COVID-19 on Pfizers business, operations and financial results; and competitive developments.

A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Pfizers Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections thereof captioned Risk Factors and Forward-Looking Information and Factors That May Affect Future Results, as well as in its subsequent reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and available at http://www.sec.gov and http://www.pfizer.com.

About BioNTechBiopharmaceutical New Technologies is a next generation immunotherapy company pioneering novel therapies for cancer and other serious diseases. The Company exploits a wide array of computational discovery and therapeutic drug platforms for the rapid development of novel biopharmaceuticals. Its broad portfolio of oncology product candidates includes individualized and off-the-shelf mRNA-based therapies, innovative chimeric antigen receptor T cells, bi-specific checkpoint immuno-modulators, targeted cancer antibodies and small molecules. Based on its deep expertise in mRNA vaccine development and in-house manufacturing capabilities, BioNTech and its collaborators are developing multiple mRNA vaccine candidates for a range of infectious diseases alongside its diverse oncology pipeline. BioNTech has established a broad set of relationships with multiple global pharmaceutical collaborators, including Genmab, Sanofi, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Regeneron, Genevant, Fosun Pharma, and Pfizer. For more information, please visit http://www.BioNTech.com.

BioNTech Forward-looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements of BioNTech within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may include, but may not be limited to, statements concerning: BioNTechs efforts to combat COVID-19; the collaboration between BioNTech and Pfizer including the program to develop a COVID-19 vaccine and COMIRNATY (COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA) (BNT162b2) ( including a bivalent mRNA vaccine candidate, BNT162b5, including a Phase 2 study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immune response of BNT162b5 at the 30-g dose level, the Companies long-term scientific COVID-19 strategy, qualitative assessments of available data, potential benefits, expectations for clinical trials, the anticipated timing of regulatory submissions, regulatory approvals or authorizations and anticipated manufacturing, distribution and supply); our expectations regarding the potential characteristics of BNT162b2, BNT162b5, any monovalent or bivalent vaccine candidates or any future vaccine in our clinical trials and/or in commercial use based on data observations to date; the ability of BNT162b2, BNT162b5, any monovalent or bivalent vaccine candidates or any future vaccine, to prevent COVID-19 caused by emerging virus variants; the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement and/or completion dates for clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates and/or launch dates, as well as risks associated with preclinical and clinical data (including Phase 1/2/3 or Phase 4 data), including the data discussed in this release for BNT162b2, BNT162b5, any monovalent or bivalent vaccine candidates or any other vaccine candidate in BNT162 program in any of our studies in pediatrics, adolescents, or adults or real world evidence, including the possibility of unfavorable new preclinical, clinical or safety data and further analyses of existing preclinical, clinical or safety data; that preclinical and clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations and assessments, including during the peer review/publication process, in the scientific community generally, and by regulatory authorities; whether and when additional data from the BNT162 mRNA vaccine program will be published in scientific journal publications and, if so, when and with what modifications and interpretations; the expected time point for additional readouts on efficacy data of BNT162b2 or BNT162b5 in our clinical trials; the risk that more widespread use of the vaccine will lead to new information about efficacy, safety, or other developments, including the risk of additional adverse reactions, some of which may be serious; the nature of the clinical data, which is subject to ongoing peer review, regulatory review and market interpretation; whether and when submissions to request emergency use or any marketing approval for BNT162b5, BNT162b2 in additional populations, for a potential booster dose for BNT162b2, any monovalent, bivalent or variant-adapted vaccine candidates or any potential future vaccines (including potential future annual boosters or re-vaccination), and/or other biologics license and/or emergency use authorization applications or amendments to any such applications may be filed in particular jurisdictions for BNT162b5, BNT162b2, any monovalent or bivalent vaccine candidates or any other potential vaccines that may arise from the BNT162 program, including a potential variant-based, higher dose, or bivalent vaccine, and if obtained, whether or when such emergency use authorizations or licenses will expire or terminate; whether and when any applications that may be pending or filed for BNT162b2, BNT162b5, any monovalent, bivalent or variant-adapted vaccine candidates, or other vaccines that may result from the BNT162 program may be approved by particular regulatory authorities, which will depend on myriad factors, including making a determination as to whether the vaccines benefits outweigh its known risks and determination of the vaccines efficacy and, if approved, whether it will be commercially successful; our contemplated shipping and storage plan, including our estimated product shelf life at various temperatures; the ability of BioNTech to supply the quantities of BNT162, BNT162b5, any monovalent or bivalent vaccine candidates or any future vaccine, to support clinical development and market demand, including our production estimates for 2022; that demand for any products may be reduced or no longer exist which may lead to reduced revenues or excess inventory; the availability of raw materials to manufacture a vaccine; our vaccines formulation, dosing schedule and attendant storage, distribution and administration requirements, including risks related to storage and handling after delivery by Pfizer; the ability to successfully develop other vaccine formulations, booster doses or potential future annual boosters or re-vaccinations or new variant-based vaccines; the ability to maintain or scale up manufacturing capacity on a timely basis or maintain access to logistics or supply channels commensurate with global demand for our vaccine, which would negatively impact our ability to supply the estimated numbers of doses of our vaccine within the projected time periods as previously indicated; whether and when additional supply agreements will be reached; the ability to obtain recommendations from vaccine advisory or technical committees and other public health authorities and uncertainties regarding the commercial impact of any such recommendations; challenges related to public vaccine confidence or awareness; and uncertainties regarding the impact of COVID-19 on BioNTechs trials, business and general operations. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on BioNTech current expectations and beliefs of future events, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the ability to meet the pre-defined endpoints in clinical trials; competition to create a vaccine for COVID-19; the ability to produce comparable clinical or other results, including our stated rate of vaccine effectiveness and safety and tolerability profile observed to date, in the remainder of the trial or in larger, more diverse populations upon commercialization; the ability to effectively scale our productions capabilities; and other potential difficulties.For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see BioNTechs Annual Report as Form 20-F for the Year Ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on March 30, 2022, which is available on the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and BioNTech undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.

CONTACTS

Pfizer:Media Relations+1 (212) 733-7410[emailprotected].com

Investor Relations+1 (212) 733-4848[emailprotected]

BioNTech:Media RelationsJasmina Alatovic+49 (0)6131 9084 1513[emailprotected]

Investor RelationsSylke Maas, Ph.D.+49 (0)6131 9084 1074[emailprotected]

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Pfizer and BioNTech Advance COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy With Study Start of Next-Generation Vaccine Candidate Based on Enhanced Spike Protein Design -...

The impact of the COVID19 pandemic on patients with chronic liver disease: Results from the Global Liver Registry  Wiley

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The impact of the COVID19 pandemic on patients with chronic liver disease: Results from the Global Liver Registry - Wiley

WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden likely contracted a highly contagious variant of the coronavirus spreading rapidly through the United States, and now has body aches and a sore throat since his positive test, according to an update from his doctor on Saturday.

The variant, known as BA.5, is an offshoot of the omicron strain that emerged late last year, and its believed to be responsible for the vast majority of coronavirus cases in the country.

WATCH:White House COVID coordinator faces questions after Biden tests positive

Dr. Kevin OConnor, the presidents physician, wrote in his latest update on Bidens condition that Bidens earlier symptoms, including a runny nose and a cough, have become less troublesome. OConnors earlier notes did not mention the sore throat or body aches.

Bidens vital signs, such as blood pressure and respiratory rate, remain entirely normal, and his oxygen saturation levels are excellent with no shortness of breath at all, the doctor wrote.

OConnor said the results of the preliminary sequencing that indicated the BA.5 variant do not affect Bidens treatment plan in any way.

Biden tested positive for the virus on Thursday morning. He has been isolating in the White House residence since then. Administration officials have emphasized that his symptoms are mild because he has received four vaccine doses, and he started taking the antiviral drug Paxlovid after becoming infected.

During a virtual meeting with economic advisers on Friday, Biden was hoarse but insisted, I feel much better than I sound.

In his previous update on Bidens health, OConnor said the president had an elevated temperature of 99.4 F on Thursday evening, but it returned to normal after taking Tylenol.

Continued here:

Biden likely infected by BA.5 coronavirus variant, doctor says - PBS NewsHour

When Lyndall Heather caught COVID-19 for a third time this year, she initially didn't believe she had it.

Just six weeks onfrom her second COVID infection, the Darwin nursewas well within the immune period that precluded her from testing.

"I just thought it's pretty unlikely, it's probably just the cold," she said.

But after becoming seriously unwell, she went for a PCR test and found out she had contracted a separate COVID-19 infection.

"Even my manager found it confusing. I guess things are constantly changing," Ms Heather said.

Hampered by long COVID symptoms like fatigue and brain fog, Ms Heather said her latest reinfection has left her anxious for the future.

"I feel like I can't possibly get it a fourth time but unfortunately now that I've had it a third time, it's a very real chance that I could get it again," she said.

Ms Heather is one of thousands of Australians who have now battledCOVID-19 multiple times, butreliable figuresonreinfections arehard to find.

Counting the reinfections relies heavily on self-reported data submitted to health departments in each state when someone tests positive on a RAT, figures which have been historically under-reported.

Ms Heather's second COVID-19 infection was asymptomatic and was only picked up by routine workplace testing.

Health authorities believe thetrue number of Australians who have been infected is much higher than official tallies.

States hardest hit by COVID-19 such as New South Wales and Victoria have rough figures detailing reinfections in the tens of thousands.

Other states, such as Tasmania, have only recently begun tracking reinfectionor, in the case of Queensland, are not tracking it at all.

Despite a lack of quantitative data, audience submissions to the ABC show a large swathe of Australians are battling their second and even third COVID infections.

Looking internationally may provide insight into how reinfections have surgedin 2022.

A two-year studyin the Serbian province of Vojvodina found a sharp increase in COVID-19 reinfections following the rise of the Omicron variant at the start of 2022.

Stanford University epidemiologist John Ioannidis co-authored the study, published inThe Lancet Regional Health - Europe,and said the research was an effort to combat the lack of documentation aboutreinfection.

"It's clear that the number of reinfections, much like the number of infections, is underestimated," Professor Ioannidis said.

"A lot of 'new' infections are probably reinfections of people who have been infected previously and this has not been documented."

The results from the study were staggering.

Of the13,792 COVID reinfections recorded in the province between March 2020 and January 2022, almost 87 per cent occurred in January 2022 alone.

Almost all third infections recorded in the study also occurred after October 2021, during the period of Omicron circulation.

It's illuminatingdata that pointstowards the explosive transmissibility of Omicron when it enters a community.

Data suggests the initial BA.1 Omicron strain is three times more transmissible than the original Wuhan strain of COVID.

Professor Ioannidis said that while increased cases could be an artefactof increased testing, the impact of the Omicron strain was evident.

"Its real, with Omicron we have far more infections,"he said.

"I think this probably continues downstream with the BA.4 and BA.5 strains that are now dominant in many countries including Australia."

Early data from South Africa suggests the BA.4 and BA.5 strains could be almost six times as transmissible as the Wuhan strain.

Chief medical officer of thegovernment-funded healthdirect serviceNirvana Luckraj said COVID infections could now occur more rapidly in succession than before.

"The COVID sub-variantsare more likely to evade the immunity gained from previous infection, and reinfection is possible just weeks following a past infection," Dr Luckraj said.

As a result, Australia has now dramatically shortened its reinfection period for testing from 12 to four weeks.

The Serbian study found reinfected patients were significantly younger, more commonly female and more frequently employed as healthcare workers.

Australia's health workforce is predominantly female andthe average worker is aged between 20 and 34.

It means people like28-year-old nurse Ms Heatherare some of the most likely to bereinfected.

Professor Ioannidis said more regular testing schedules for working young adults and higher interactions with others was reflected in the numbers.

"I think it's probably a reflection of the fact that younger people, particularly younger adults, had much higher levels of exposure," Professor Ioannidis said.

"The good news is that for that population, the risk of serious disease is very low."

There is conflicting data on just how much more dangerous second and third COVID infections are.

A United States study of almost 39,000 reinfections from the Department of Veteran Affairs found "reinfection adds risk of all-cause mortality and adverse health outcomes".

"Studies are showing that reinfection has higher health risks, particularly for those with underlying health conditions, and is linked with a higher risk of long COVID," Dr Luckraj said.

"You may catch a new variant which could result in quite a different experience and your recovery could be harder or longer."

However, Professor Ioannidis said data from the Serbian study appearedto showa less severe health impact from reinfections.

"What we have seen, at least in our analysis, is that with reinfection the risk of hospitalisation is four times lower compared to the original infection and the risk of death is 10times lower," he said.

"So far it seems like [reinfection] is very frequent, but it's not severe."

Given the spike in Omicron reinfections almost two years after the pandemic, concerns have shifted to COVID's next evolution.

Dr Luckraj said the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants would likely not mark the end of the virus.

"The natural history of the virus is that it constantly evolves to survive, so I think we can expect to see more sub-variants emerging," Dr Luckraj said.

Professor Ioannidis saidwhile the virus was here to stay, Australians should notpanic.

"There's no guarantee of what the next variant will look like but what we have seen so far is commensurate with an evolution to an endemic phase," he said.

"We can live with that. It would be wonderful if we could get rid of this coronavirus completely, but its very unlikely."

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COVID reinfections appear to be surging in the latest Omicron wave. Here's what we know - ABC News

A majority of people in the U.S have had Covid-19 at least once likely more than 70% of the country, White House Covid-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha said on Thursday, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many have been infected multiple times. In a preprint study looking at 257,000 U.S. veterans who'd contracted Covid at least once, 12% had a reinfection by April and about 1% had been infected three times or more.

This raises an obvious question: What is keeping that shrinking minority of people from getting sick?

Disease experts are homing in on a few predictive factors beyond individual behavior, including genetics, T cell immunity and the effects of inflammatory conditions like allergies and asthma.

But even as experts learn more about the reasons people may be better equipped to avoid Covid, they caution that some of these defenses may not hold up against the latest version of omicron, BA.5, which is remarkably good at spreading and evading vaccine protection.

"It really takes two to tango," said Neville Sanjana, a bioengineer at the New York Genome Center. "If you think about having an infection and any of the bad stuff that happens after that, it really is a product of two different organisms: the virus and the human."

In 2020, New York University researchers identified a multitude of genes that could affect a person's susceptibility to the coronavirus. In particular, they found that inhibiting certain genes that code for a receptor known as ACE2, which allows the virus to enter cells, could reduce a person's likelihood of infection.

Sanjana, who conducted that research, estimated that about 100 to 500 genes could influence Covid-19 susceptibility in sites like the lungs or nasal cavity.

Genetics is "likely to be a large contributor" to protection from Covid-19, he said. "I would never say its the only contributor."

In July, researchers identified a common genetic factor that could influence the severity of a coronavirus infection. In a study of more than 3,000 people, two genetic variations decreased the expression of a gene called OAS1, which is part of the innate immune response to viral infections. That was associated with an increased risk of Covid-19 hospitalization.

Increasing the gene's expression, then, should have the opposite effect reducing the risk of severe disease though it wouldn't necessarily prevent infection altogether.

"Its very natural to get infected once you are exposed. Theres no magic bullet for that. But after you get infected, how youre going to respond to this infection, thats what is going to be affected by your genetic variants," said Ludmila Prokunina-Olsson, the study's lead researcher and chief of the Laboratory of Translational Genomics at the National Cancer Institute.

Still, Benjamin tenOever, a microbiology professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine who helped conduct the 2020 research, said it would be difficult for scientists to pinpoint a particular gene responsible for preventing a Covid infection.

"While there might still be certainly some genetics out there that do render people completely resistant, theyre going to be incredibly hard to find," tenOever said. "People have already been looking intensely for two years with no actual results."

Aside from this new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, four other coronaviruses commonly infect people, typically causing mild to moderate upper respiratory illnesses like the common cold.

A recent study suggested that repeated exposure to or occasional infections from these common cold coronaviruses may confer some protection from SARS-CoV-2.

The researchers found that T cells, a type of white blood cell that recognizes and fights invaders, seem to recognize SARS-CoV-2 based on past exposure to other coronaviruses. So when a person who has been infected with a common cold coronavirus is later exposed to SARS-CoV-2, they might not get as sick.

But that T cell memory probably can't prevent Covid entirely.

"While neutralizing antibodies are key to prevent an infection, T cells are key to terminate an infection and to modulate the severity of infection," said Alessandro Sette, the studys author and a professor at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology.

Sette said it's possible that some people's T cells clear the virus so quickly that the person never tests positive for Covid. But researchers aren't yet sure if that's what's happening.

"Its possible that, despite being negative on the test, it was a very abortive, transient infection that was not detected," Sette said.

At the very least, he said, T cells from past Covid infections or vaccines should continue to offer some protection against coronavirus variants, including BA.5.

Although asthma was considered a potential risk factor for severe Covid earlier in the pandemic, more recent research suggests that low-grade inflammation from conditions like allergies or asthma may have a protective benefit.

"Youll hear these stories about some individuals getting sick and having full-blown symptoms of Covid, and having slept beside their partner for an entire week during that period without having given it to them. People think that they must have some genetic resistance to it, [but] a big part of that could be if the partner beside them in any way has a higher than normal inflammatory response going on in their lungs," tenOever said.

A May study found that having a food allergy halved the risk of a coronavirus infection among nearly 1,400 U.S. households. Asthma didn't lower people's risk of infection in the study, but it didn't raise it, either.

One theory, according to the researchers, is that people with food allergies express fewer ACE2 receptors on the surface of their airway cells, making it harder for the virus to enter.

"Because there are fewer receptors, you will have either a much lower grade infection or just be less likely to even become infected," said Tina Hartert, a professor of medicine and pediatrics at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, who co-led that research.

The study took place from May 2020 to February 2021, before the omicron variant emerged. But Hartert said BA.5 likely wouldn't eliminate cross-protection from allergies.

"If something like allergic inflammation is protective, I think it would be true for all variants," Hartert said. "The degree to which it could be protective could certainly differ."

For many, the first explanation that springs to mind when thinking about Covid avoidance is one's personal level of caution. NYU's TenOever believes that individual behavior, more than genetics or T cells, is the key factor. He and his family in New York City are among those who've never had Covid, which he attributes to precautions like staying home and wearing masks.

"I dont think for a second that we have anything special in our genetics that makes us resistant," he said.

It's now common knowledge that Covid was easier to avoid before omicron, back when a small percentage of infected people were responsible for the majority of the virus's spread. A 2020 study, for example, found that 10% to 20% of infected people accounted for 80% of transmissions.

But omicron and its subvariants have made any social interaction riskier for everyone involved.

"It's probably far more of an equal playing field with the omicron variants than it ever was for the earlier variants," tenOever said.

BA.5, in particular, has increased the odds that people who've avoided Covid thus far will get sick. President Joe Biden is a prime example: He tested positive for the first time this week.

But even so, Jha said on Thursday in a news briefing, "I dont believe that every American will be infected."

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Scientists are narrowing in on why some people keep avoiding Covid. BA.5 could end that luck. - NBC News

The federal government is expanding Defence force support for Australia's coronavirus-stricken aged care sector.

More than 200 extra military medical personnel will be deployed to aged care homes in coming weeks, Defence Minister Richard Marles has announced.

The move came after aged care providers and trade unions requested Defence force support for the sector be extended beyond the August 12 end date.

Currently there are 24 ADF personnel providing supporting staff in Australian aged care homes but in the coming weeks that number will be extended to 220.

The sector is currently experiencing COVID-19 infection rates similar to the February peak.

In the nation's aged care homes there are 6000 residents and close to 3500 staff who have contracted the virus.

The ADF medics will be deployed to late September, after a meeting between federal health and defence officials overnight.

The coronavirus crisis in the sector is so bad that Federal Aged Care Minister Annika Wells, who is also the sports minister, has decided she cannot attend the Commonwealth Games in England.

"It's a decision I haven't taken couldn't leave the country with lightly," she told 9News

"In all conscience I couldn't leave the country with aged-care facing the current winter wave."

It means no federal minister will be representing Australia at the Games which start on Thursday in Birmingham.

But the chair of the Australia Sports Commission, Kieran Perkins, will be there.

The announcement of further ADF support comes as a coronial inquest into the Newmarch House aged care COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney where 19 people died begins today.

Meanwhile, Nine newspapers are reporting some intensive care unit (ICU) patients in Victoria are being sent home instead of being kept in general wards because of the strain on the state's health system.

While highly unusual, this has occurred in recent weeks at the the Footscray and Sunshine hospitals, health authorities said.

The subvariants and mutations of COVID-19

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Defence force to expand aged care support as COVID-19 wave hits sector - 9News

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Nearly 6% of kids reported long-COVID symptoms 90 days after infection - The Jerusalem Post