Category: Corona Virus

The winter coronavirus wave is worsening, with case counts both in California and across the country rocketing toward some of the highest levels ever in the nearly two-year-old pandemic.

But as worrying as those raw infection totals are, some health officials say another metric is even more alarming: the test positivity rate.

That metric has more than tripled in Los Angeles County since mid-December, indicating surging transmission, officials said.

As of Tuesday, the seven-day average countywide positivity rate was 14.5%. Statewide, the seven-day average positivity rate has risen to 9.7%, up from 2.3% just two weeks ago.

With transmission this widespread, officials say its vitally important to take steps to avoid potentially infecting others.

These recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention apply to everyone, regardless of whether theyve been vaccinated:

If you have symptoms, the isolation rules are different.

According to the L.A. County Department of Public Health, if you have symptoms and test positive for COVID-19, or your doctor thinks that you have COVID-19, you must stay home until:

Health officials also say those who have tested positive should closely monitor their symptoms. If you do have to leave your house, officials say to avoid public transportation.

Here are some other tips from the public health department on isolating:

Local isolation rules can be stricter than federal guidelines. California has adopted the new CDC guidelines.

Federal officials this week reduced the recommended isolation and quarantine period for those who are infected with the coronavirus but have no symptoms from 10 days to five.

The change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the one-two days prior to onset of symptoms and the two-three days after, the CDC said in a statement. Therefore, people who test positive should isolate for five days and, if asymptomatic at that time, they may leave isolation if they can continue to mask for five days to minimize the risk of infecting others.

The CDC has faced criticism from some doctors for not requiring asymptomatic, infected people to test negative with a rapid test if they want to end their isolation five days after their first positive test.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, in an interview on CBS Mornings, said her agency did not recommend such a test to end isolation on the fifth day after the first positive test because its not clear whether a negative rapid test would provide meaningful information on whether a person is no longer contagious. She said a person can limit the small chance of infecting others by wearing a mask between the sixth and 10th day after the first positive test.

Using a PCR test, which requires a nasal or saliva swab to be sent to a lab to get results, is also not an option to determine if someone is no longer contagious, Walensky said. PCR test results are so sensitive they can show a person is positive for the virus for perhaps as long as 12 weeks after they are initially infected, long after they have stopped being contagious.

You should stay away from other people and pets in your home as much as possible. Health officials recommend staying in a separate room and using a separate bathroom, if feasible, and wearing a mask when around others.

Those who have recently tested positive should also tell their close contacts that they may have been exposed.

Additionally, if you work or study in a setting where you could have gotten COVID-19 or passed it on to others, you should inform your school or workplace so they can advise others to test and/or quarantine as necessary, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health.

If youve been in close contact within 6 feet of someone for 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period you should quarantine yourself for at least five days to see if you develop illness if you are unvaccinated or if you havent received a booster shot and had been eligible for one, according to CDC recommendations.

If you still havent developed symptoms, you can leave the quarantine if you wear a mask around others for five additional days.

If the five-day quarantine isnt feasible, the exposed person should wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days after the exposure.

The CDC says people who have received the booster do not need to quarantine after being exposed to the virus, but should wear a mask 10 days after exposure.

The CDC suggests anyone exposed get a coronavirus test on the fifth day after exposure. If symptoms occur, they should immediately isolate.

Local quarantine orders may be different from the federal recommendations.

Those who have or think they may have been exposed can find a testing site at covid19.ca.gov/get-tested. Many retail pharmacies also offer testing appointments.

This week, President Biden said his administration has also worked with Google, so you can now search COVID test near me on Google to find a location.

Many testing sites offer PCR tests, which entail collecting nose or saliva swabs and sending them to a lab for analysis. Results typically come back a day or two later.

Here is more information on getting tested in:

Many pharmacies and retailers sell over-the-counter antigen tests that can be taken at home and provide results in about 15 minutes.

Such rapid tests are highly recommended just before entering a holiday party or other gathering including among vaccinated people, who are at risk of breakthrough infections from the Omicron variant.

However, demand for those tests has surged along with cases, making the kits hard to come by during the holiday season and prompting some sellers to limit how many a customer can buy at once.

If a rapid test turns up positive, you must consider yourself infected and isolate immediately, said Dr. Dawn Terashita, associate director of L.A. Countys Acute Communicable Disease Control program, at a recent town hall.

Rapid tests may result in a small number of people getting a negative test result when theyre actually positive, Terashita said. If theres concern about the possibility of a false negative test, the test can be repeated 24 hours later, she said.

People who are symptomatic and get a negative rapid coronavirus test result should retest and get a [PCR] test to confirm that you do not have COVID, Terashita said.

PCR tests are often used to confirm the results of a rapid test and are less likely to result in inaccurate results, Terashita said.

Coronavirus cases are once again surging across the United States.

The CDC reported Tuesday that the nationwide average number of daily cases over the last week has climbed to 240,000, exceeding the peak of 160,000 during the summer Delta surge and approaching the all-time high of 250,000 reported last winter.

For the seven-day period that ended Monday, California logged 133,610 new coronavirus cases higher than in any seven-day period during the summer Delta surge, which peaked at 107,000 cases recorded in a week.

L.A. County has reported at least 6,500 new cases every day for the last week, including 9,473 on Tuesday.

COVID-19 hospitalizations are also once again on the rise in California. As of Tuesday, 4,759 coronavirus-positive patients were hospitalized statewide a nearly 33% increase from a week ago.

While we all wish that 2022 would begin without the continued tragedy of serious illness and death associated with COVID, we are instead facing the prospect of an alarming surge that requires every person to act with intentionality: Get vaccinated and boosted, get tested, and please, always wear a mask around others, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. These are the tools we have to try to keep each other safe over the holidays.

Times staff writer Colleen Shalby contributed to this report.

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What should I do if I test positive for the coronavirus? - Los Angeles Times

CLEVELAND Ohio has made a top 10 list and it's not one to brag about.

As of Thursday, the Buckeye State ranks No. 2 for the daily average of hospitalizations and No. 7 nationwide for the daily average number of cases over the last week, according to Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish. Additionally, Ohio is ranked No. 4 for daily average of deaths over the last seven days.

Today, the Ohio Department of Health reported 19,774 cases, up from the 21-day average of 11,166. Nearly 500 people were hospitalized over the last 24 hours and 43 people were admitted into the ICU. A total of 28,780 Ohioans have died from the disease.

Ohio Department of Health

Ohio has seen its fair share of surges, but this one, brought on by delta and omicron and causing the most harm to unvaccinated individuals, is by far the worst. It's expected for Ohio to break 2 million cases tomorrow as the numbers continue to climb.

According to Budish, Cuyahoga County now leads the state in daily cases, having overtaken Franklin County. Nearly 11,000 people in the county have been hospitalized with COVID-19 and around 2,800 people have died. Cuyahoga County leads the state in the number of hospitalizations, cases and deaths reported.

"The unprecedented number of COVID cases we have seen over the last couple of weeks has put an extraordinary strain on our already overwhelmed hospital systems," Budish said.

Ohio Department of Health

It's a dire message and not something to be taken lightly; a message echoed by county health officials.

Cuyahoga County is experiencing an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases and our medical systems are sadly suffering the effects.Over the last 7 days, our case rate has been over 17 times the CDC threshold for high transmission and our positivity rate has reached 34%.These are historic highs for our community since the start of the pandemic.We are off the charts, even when compared to our brutal COVID-19 winter surge in 2020.Were sounding the alarm, urging our community to take every precaution to prevent further transmission that could pile on to our hospital systems, which are already bursting at the seams," said Cuyahoga County Board of Health Commissioner Terry Allan.

He continued, "About 60% of the county is currently vaccinated, leaving almost 500,000 Cuyahoga County residents still vulnerable to serious health effects from the virus.Only about 24% of our children aged 5-11 have started vaccination and about 43% of our vaccinated population has received an additional or booster dose.We can and must do better.The Omicron variant, which is highly contagious, is spreading widely and quickly, in addition to Delta.It is anticipated that Omicron will become the dominant strain in Ohio and elsewhere, even as Influenza cases are increasing.Our community is staring this 'triple threat' right in the face."

With the coming holiday, health officials are urging residents to avoid gatherings and to get vaccinated. Statewide, around 6.4 million Ohioans or around 55% of the population have been fully vaccinated. As far as boosters go, about 2.6 million Ohioans have received one.

Ohio Department of Health

"This is serious business," Allan said. "Unvaccinated and unmasked means that you will be exposed to the virus in the coming days.Gathering with large groups of people for New Years celebrations only compounds these formidable risks.We are urging you to avoid these large gatherings, get vaccinated, get boosted and mask up to protect the ones you love.Our choices over the next 48 hours will mean the difference between life and death for some of our residents. Help us work toward a brighter 2022, for everyone.

Despite the unprecedented increase in cases, Gov. Mike DeWine said Wednesday that he has no plans of mandating masks across the state. However, he did advise school districts to bring those requirements back where needed.

Local schools deciding on remote or in-person learning

Schools across Northeast Ohio are working to determine if they will resume in-person classes, switch to hybrid or go remote altogether. The Cleveland Metropolitan School District, which is the largest district in Northeast Ohio, announced Wednesday it will start the new year remotely and reassess in the following week.

Other districts, such as Garfield Heights City Schools, will return to in-person learning but with a mask mandate.

You can read the list of local districts and their return to school plans, here.

Download the News 5 app for free to easily access local coronavirus coverage, and to receive timely and limited news alerts on major COVID-19 developments. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.

See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.

Vaccinating Ohio - Find the latest news on the COVID-19 vaccines, Ohio's phased vaccination process, a map of vaccination clinics around the state, and links to sign up for a vaccination appointment through Ohio's online portal.

See data visualizations showing the impact of coronavirus in Ohio, including county-by-county maps, charts showing the spread of the disease, and more.

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Getting Back to Work - Learn about the latest job openings, how to file for benefits and succeed in the job market.

Making Ends Meet - Find help on topics from rent to food to new belt-tightening techniques.

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View a map of COVID-19 testing locations here.

Visit Ohio's Coronavirus website for the latest updates from the Ohio Department of Health.

View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.

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Ohio eclipsed by COVID-19: State ranks in the top 7 nationwide for daily cases - News 5 Cleveland

What type of mask should I be wearing? (AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin)

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) As coronavirus cases continue to rise in the state of Florida, counties, cities and other locations are once again requiring masks within their facilities.

8 On Your Side is keeping track of these locations in the area and will update this list as more information comes in to our newsroom.

Hillsborough County is requiring masks to be worn inside all county buildings.

The number of COVID-19 coronavirus cases in Hillsborough County is on the rise again, and County officials are adjusting guidelines in accordance with their Administrative Directive to reduce transmission risk, the county said in a press release.

Masks will be required indoors at county buildings, including libraries, recreation centers, and Frederick B. Karl County Center, the county said. Kids under five, as well as children with physical or intellectual disabilities are exempt from the face mask requirement.

Effective Dec. 29, City of Tampa employees will be required to wear face coverings indoors in city facilities when moving about in common areas and when meeting or interacting with others.

City employees will also be required to wear face coverings in city vehicles when there is more than one person in the same vehicle.

Temple Terrace officials have decided to implement mask requirements yet again in city buildings.

These buildings include City Hall, Omar K. Lightfoot Center, the Temple Terrace Public Library and the Family Recreation Complex.

Universal Orlando Resort is once again requiring masks to be worn indoors by all guests and team members, regardless of vaccination status.

Face coverings are also required at all attractions from the moment guests enter thequeue to when they exit the experience. Based on these updates, guests are expected to bring a face covering with them for their visit, a statement from Universal Orlando read.

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COVID-19 surge: Where are masks once again required in Tampa Bay? - WFLA

Airlines have been preparing for the holiday season for months, reviewing plans and readying reserves of workers. But that wasnt enough to mitigate the effects of the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus and of heavy snow and strong winds in the West.

The impact continued to be felt on Thursday, with more than 1,200 cancellations of flights to, from or within the United States by afternoon, according to the air travel data site FlightAware. The site also showed more than 640 cancellations for Friday.

The continued disruption comes as the country is averaging more than 260,000 new coronavirus cases a day, greater than the peak levels from last winter. Infection rates are especially high in parts of the Northeast and Midwest. Caseloads have continued to increase rapidly as the Omicron variant spreads, though deaths and hospitalizations have remained relatively steady.

The surge has disrupted far more than air travel. New York City has slowed to a crawl as the virus thins the ranks of subway workers and emergency personnel. Cincinnati declared a state of emergency on Wednesday to help the city deal with labor shortages within the citys Fire Department amid a spike in coronavirus cases that coincided with scheduled holiday vacations. Many cities have canceled or limited New Years celebrations. More broadly, the pandemic has caused months of havoc in supply chains.

The air carriers hit hard on Thursday included JetBlue, with 17 percent of its total flights canceled. JetBlue said Wednesday that it was reducing its schedule through Jan. 13. In a statement, the airline said it had seen a surge in sick calls because of the Omicron variant, hampering its ability to staff its flights suitably even though it started the holidays with more workers than at any point since the pandemic began.

We expect the number of Covid cases in the Northeast where most of our crew members are based to continue to surge for the next week or two, the company said. This means there is a high likelihood of additional cancellations until case counts start to come down.

Alaska Airlines, whose primary hub is Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, canceled 14 percent of its flights. Relentless snowfall and record low temperatures in the Pacific Northwest grounded planes last week, and it snowed again in Seattle on Thursday.

Looking to relieve its staffing squeeze, the airline industry pushed for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to shorten its recommended isolation period for Americans infected with Covid-19. The agency had previously recommended that infected patients isolate for 10 days after a positive test. But on Monday, it reduced that period to five days for those without symptoms and those without fevers whose other symptoms were resolving.

Delta Air Lines was one of the first companies to adapt to the updated guidance. Its new policy, dated Tuesday, provides five days of paid leave for vaccinated workers who test positive for the coronavirus to isolate, according to an internal communication to company leaders obtained by The New York Times.

The policy encourages, but does not require, a Covid test to go back to work going a step further than the C.D.C. guidance, which does not include a recommendation for additional testing and Delta is offering two additional days of paid time off for workers who test positive on Day 5. But the airlines protocols make no mention of whether returning employees should have improving symptoms, as suggested by the C.D.C.

Megabus, a long-distance bus operator, said Thursday that it is offering free rides on routes in the U.S. and Canada to travelers whose flights are canceled between Dec. 27 and Jan. 7.

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JetBlue, Alaska Airlines and Others Cancel More Flights - The New York Times

CoronavirusMWRA's Deer Island Sewage Treatment Plant is seen from Spectacle Island in Boston Harbor. Lane Turner / The Boston Globe

By Maria Elena Little Endara, The Boston Globe

The detection of coronavirus in Boston-area wastewater reached record-breaking levels in recent days, with the most recent seven-day average soaring past previous record highs set earlier this month.

On Dec. 23, the seven-day average of virus traces in the wastewater in the southern sample was 2,574 RNA copies/mL. Thats up from 1,136 copies/mL on Dec. 1, meaning the average has increased by 127% in the last three weeks.

The increase in the wastewater levels continues a trend that began around late November, but the tests found that the seven-day averages of virus traces in the wastewater have risen incredibly fast over the last three weeks.

Finish the story at BostonGlobe.com.

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Coronavirus detected in Boston-area wastewater soars to new record levels - Boston.com

A medical worker administers a coronavirus test at a new testing site at the Times Square subway station in New York City on Monday. Scott Heins/Getty Images hide caption

A medical worker administers a coronavirus test at a new testing site at the Times Square subway station in New York City on Monday.

People who test positive for the coronavirus need to isolate themselves for only five days if they don't show symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday. This cuts in half the earlier recommendation of 10 days of isolation.

Data shows that the majority of coronavirus transmission "occurs early in the course of illness," the CDC explained generally in the one or two days before symptoms begin and two or three days after.

"Therefore, people who test positive should isolate for 5 days and, if asymptomatic at that time, they may leave isolation if they can continue to mask for 5 days to minimize the risk of infecting others," the CDC said in a statement.

The CDC has also updated its recommended quarantine period for people exposed to the virus. It says unvaccinated people should quarantine for five days, followed by five days of "strict mask use." Exposed people who are more than six months past their second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, or two months out from a Johnson & Johnson vaccine, should also quarantine for five days.

People who have gotten their booster shot don't need to quarantine after exposure but should wear a mask for the next 10 days.

Alejandro Brown receives a COVID-19 vaccine from a health care worker at a drive-through site in Miami on Dec. 16. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

Alejandro Brown receives a COVID-19 vaccine from a health care worker at a drive-through site in Miami on Dec. 16.

"The Omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society," said the CDC's director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, in a statement. "CDC's updated recommendations for isolation and quarantine balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses. These updates ensure people can safely continue their daily lives."

Dr. Megan Ranney, the associate dean at Brown University's School of Public Health, tweeted Monday that a major reason the federal government altered isolation requirements is due to the economic strain of a full quarantine.

"Our economy is going to shut down if everyone has to isolate for 10 days. Luckily the science backs up the move, at least partially," she tweeted. "On the one hand: I'm all for following the science for the vaccinated & asymptomatic. No reason to keep people home unnecessarily."

Kudos, she said, to the CDC "for recognizing that our knowledge has changed - and the virus has changed" especially for the vaccinated.

Ranney said what would make this decision even safer would be to require a rapid test before ending isolation.

The CDC doesn't currently require this step and rapid, at-home COVID tests have been hard to come by during the omicron surge.

The Biden administration, which has come under pressure for not increasing widespread availability of at-home tests, last week rolled out a plan to set up federal testing across the country. The government will also buy a half-billion at-home COVID test kits and mail them out. But deliveries won't start until January.

The new guidance comes days after the CDC loosened rules for how long health care workers should isolate after infection with the coronavirus, from 10 days to seven days. If there were staffing shortages, that isolation time could be further reduced.

The next day, New York officials followed suit, reducing to five the number of days for health care workers to isolate after a positive coronavirus test. On NPR's Morning Edition on Monday, Dr. Anthony Fauci praised the move.

Five days of quarantine should be enough for health care workers, Fauci said, adding: "That's going to be under consideration of whether or not we want to diminish it" for the general public.

In the U.S. as of Monday, 242 million people have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 205 million are fully vaccinated and 66 million have received a booster, according to the CDC's COVID Data Tracker.

Continued here:

CDC cuts recommended isolation and quarantine time after coronavirus exposure : Coronavirus Updates - NPR

The virus that causes COVID-19 can spread to a patients heart and brain days after infection and survive for months in organs, according to a new study that may shed light on the so-called long COVID.

Scientists at the US National Institutes of Health in Maryland studied tissues taken from 44 people who had died after contracting the illness during the first year of the pandemic in the US, Bloomberg News reported.

They discovered SARS-CoV-2 RNA in various parts of the body including the heart and brain for as long as 230 days after the onset of symptoms, according to the news outlet.

The delayed viral clearance was cited as a possible contributor to long-haul COVID, also called post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2, which is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a range of long-lasting symptoms among patients.

The study is under review by independent scientists for publication in the journal Nature.

This is remarkably important work, Ziyad Al-Aly, director of the clinical epidemiology center at the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System in Missouri, told Bloomberg.

For a long time now, we have been scratching our heads and asking why long COVID seems to affect so many organ systems, said Al-Aly, who has led separate studies into the long-term effects of the illness.

This paper sheds some light, and may help explain why long COVID can occur even in people who had mild or asymptomatic acute disease, he added.

Scientists have cited evidence both for and against the likelihood that the deadly bug infects cells outside the lungs and respiratory tract, Bloomberg noted.

Our results collectively show that while the highest burden of SARS-CoV-2 is in the airways and lung, the virus can disseminate early during infection and infect cells throughout the entire body, including widely throughout the brain, said the team, led by Daniel Chertow, who runs the NIHs emerging pathogens section.

Raina MacIntyre, professor of global biosecurity at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, told Bloomberg that the research provides a warning about being blas about mass infection in children and adults.

MacIntyre, who was not involved in the study, told the outlet: We dont yet know what burden of chronic illness will result in years to come.

Will we see young-onset cardiac failure in survivors, or early onset dementia? These are unanswered questions which call for a precautionary public health approach to mitigation of the spread of this virus, she added.

The NIH scientists suggested that infection of the pulmonary system may cause an early viremic phase, in which the coronavirus is present in the bloodstream throughout the body.

MacIntyre told Bloomberg that the findings also support previous research that shows that the virus directly kills heart muscle cells and that surviving patients suffer cognitive deficits.

The virus was detected in the brains of all six patients who died over a month after they developed symptoms, as well as in most areas studied in the brains of five others, including one who died 230 days after the onset of symptoms, the outlet said.

Al-Aly said the focus on multiple brain areas is particularly helpful.

It can help us understand the neurocognitive decline or brain fog and other neuropsychiatric manifestations of long Covid, he told Bloomberg.

We need to start thinking of SARS-CoV-2 as a systemic virus that may clear in some people, but in others may persist for weeks or months and produce long Covid a multifaceted systemic disorder, he added.

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COVID virus can spread to heart, brain days after infection, study says - New York Post

Have No Fear, she tapped out on the computer.

I am not going to say the fear is gone. I am not going to say I will live my life without caution, said Mazza. But I have to let some of that go. I want to be more present for my kids. I want my kids to have normalcy.

Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus are seen in a decorated truck in Marietta Square. (BRANDEN CAMP FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION)

Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus are seen in a decorated truck in Marietta Square. (BRANDEN CAMP FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION)

Dr. Lateefah Watford, a psychiatrist in the Behavioral Health Department at Kaiser Permanente of Georgia, said the pandemic has forced changes to every aspect of our life from how and where we work to who cares for our children to how we worship or spend time with loved ones. Society has adapted with Zoom calls, working from home, gathering outside, wearing masks. All that change means people have become more flexible and can respond better going forward.

Watford and other experts agree, we can no longer expect life to return to pre-COVID normal.

I think for me as a psychiatrist and a person, as a parent and wife, I have to step back and say this is where we are, and I can only say whats going on right now. Whats normal before is never going to be normal again and thats OK, said Watford. To accept that, and not think this time its going to be over and going away, its just not. And truly acknowledging that will help us move forward.

Case in point: Watford has planned a trip to the Dominican Republic early next year. She realizes the pandemic has created a checklist of required documents and has made traveling more complicated. Vaccinated, she is prepared to get tested before and after the trip. Shell monitor her destination and airline for any special requirements.

Im planning the trip the best way I can, she said of her lengthy preparations. But it no longer throws me off.

Experts say the same coping tips recommended during challenging times are still valid but maybe more important than ever during a pandemic. Watford said its important people take time to care for themselves to help reduce stress and avoid burnout. That means, she said, making a commitment every day to carve out something you enjoy doing such as exercising, reading, cooking. Mindfulness can also be helpful. And many experts point to a practice of gratitude and focusing on what we have and what we can do, not what we dont.

Keeping social connections are also important.

Dr. Lateefah Watford, a psychiatrist in the Behavioral Health Department at Kaiser Permanente of Georgia,. Contributed

Credit: Kasier

Dr. Lateefah Watford, a psychiatrist in the Behavioral Health Department at Kaiser Permanente of Georgia,. Contributed

Credit: Kasier

Credit: Kasier

Meanwhile, even as people try to move forward and accept the reality of the lasting pandemic, the toll of the past several months has been grueling, even traumatic. Loved ones have died. More than 26,000 people have died in Georgia alone. Many people who caught the virus are dealing with a constellation of long-haul symptoms. Many kids have returned to school but are still reeling from pandemic-induced isolation and academic gaps.

Im encouraging my patients to give themselves grace, Watford said. No one says lets have a pandemic that will kill millions of people and destroy everything we thought as normal. To think you were not affected is ridiculous. Allow yourself to acknowledge how the pandemic has truly impacted you and allow yourself time to heal.

Alyza Berman, an Atlanta psychotherapist, said while people still worry about COVID-19 affecting their physical health, It seems like a majority of are more worried about their mental health; how they were affected by quarantine and being isolated. People have to live with this anxiety and uncertainty of the new year but what I hear from every client and every staff member is, I hope we dont shut down ever again.

Mazza said almost a year of online school was traumatic for her children. They are struggling to make up ground academically.

Her 9-year-old daughter, she said, had a love for her school before the pandemic and everything shut down. Now that shes back in school, the love has not yet come back. Shes still recovering.

Nilah Mazza and her four children in a recent photo. Contributed

Credit: courte

Nilah Mazza and her four children in a recent photo. Contributed

Credit: courte

Credit: courte

Mazza has moments of worry especially after the latest variant emerged. But if anything, she is more nonchalant about COVID-19. She and her children caught the coronavirus in April. They have not gotten vaccinated yet. I am not saying not ever, just not now. I am watching this very closely, she said.

Berman said many people have felt a profound sense of loss and have moved through the five stages of grief as they come to terms with the pandemic. At first when the pandemic first hit we were in denial, and then anger, bargaining and depression to now, we have some level of acceptance, she said.

Xavier Ashe, left, looks at a decorated holiday tree with his daughter Emily Ashe, 10, at Marietta Square. (BRANDEN CAMP FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION)

Xavier Ashe, left, looks at a decorated holiday tree with his daughter Emily Ashe, 10, at Marietta Square. (BRANDEN CAMP FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION)

As a mother to four children, all of whom have chronic health conditions, Leah Ashe of Acworth said she feels like she and her family might have been better prepared than most for coping with the stress and worry of the pandemic.

Even before the first coronavirus cases emerged, Ashe said she and her husband were conscientious about keeping their children safe and already living with the daily worry of hospitalization and severe illness.

When the pandemic first hit, Ashe said the family turned to game nights and invested in bikes and electric scooters for the kids, and they enjoyed outside activities in the community. Ashe said priorities shifted, and the family spent less time cleaning, more time doing fun things together as a family.

Once she and her husband got vaccinated this past spring, they felt more comfortable going out, resuming date nights. They went on evening strolls and ordered take-out and set up a folding table for romantic picnics outside, including once by a lake in Acworth.

The pandemic has definitely made me realize that its the relationships that are the most important thing, she said. And its really put things in perspective. I know it sounds very cheesy but its definitely very true.

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The coronavirus is here to stay. Heres how were coming to terms with that. - Atlanta Journal Constitution

The number of Oregonians known to be infected with COVID-19 climbed by 25% this past week even though the overall number of tests administered dropped 15%, reflecting the omicron variants tightening grip on the state.

While omicron has been surging nationwide in the past few weeks, Oregon clearly is now following suit, albeit at a slower pace. Across the U.S., new infections rose by 61% week to week, while testing declined by 24%.

In Oregon, new known infections grew from about 5,600 for the week ending Dec. 19 to nearly 7,000 cases for the week ending Sunday. The latest number almost certainly is an undercount because some counties didnt report their case numbers from the long Christmas weekend. On top of that, the state cant track the results of the increasing number of people who used store-bought home tests to self-check for the virus in advance of holiday travel and gatherings.

The percentage of Oregonians testing positive for COVID-19 known as the positivity rate rose to 9%, up from 5% a week ago.

With most omicron infections thought to be milder than those caused by delta and many occurring in fully vaccinated people, experts say what matters most are the numbers of people experiencing severe disease and the potential for death. On that front, the outlook worsened slightly, with the number of hospitalized patients rising 42 patients since Thursday to 381 patients on Monday.

The latest forecast from Oregon Health & Science University last week predicts omicron peaking in the state with more than 1,200 hospitalized patients by early February, slightly above the pandemic record set Sept. 1. But hospitalized patients might reach 1,700 if Oregonians dont embrace COVID-19 safety precautions, according to the forecast.

The Oregon Health Authoritys deputy state epidemiologist, Tom Jeanne, said the latest numbers are a stark reminder that the fight against COVID-19 and its variants isnt over, but that residents can make a difference by getting vaccinated and boosted, wearing masks and physically distancing.

The COVID-19 data OHA is reporting today show us that what weve been warning Oregonians about the last several weeks is coming to pass: Omicron is poised to become the states dominant variant and will likely drive a new surge in cases, hospitalizations and, sadly, deaths, Jeanne said, in a written statement.

The federal government believes omicron is already dominating. As of Dec. 18, the CDC estimated omicron was responsible for 93% of COVID-19 cases in the four-state region of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. But Oregon officials have few hard numbers so far. As of Dec. 21, the Oregon Health Authority said it is aware of only 13 COVID-19 samples in the state that have been confirmed as omicron.

Latest case counts: The state on Monday reported 3,585 new known infections and 25 newly reported deaths for the four-day period Thursday through Sunday.

Where the new cases are by county: Baker (9), Benton (105), Clackamas (428), Clatsop (10), Columbia (30), Coos (26), Crook (6), Curry (1), Deschutes (324), Douglas (52), Grant (5), Harney (8), Hood River (13), Jackson (169), Jefferson (25), Josephine (104), Klamath (18), Lane (256), Lincoln (32), Linn (155), Malheur (9), Marion (97), Morrow (7), Multnomah (1,032), Polk (23), Tillamook (12), Umatilla (37), Union (20), Wasco (10), Washington (540) and Yamhill (22).

Deaths: Those who died ranged in age from 44 to 95:

A 91-year-old woman from Deschutes County died Aug. 18 at her home.

A 44-year-old woman from Clackamas County tested positive Nov. 20 and died Nov. 22 at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center.

A 55-year-old man from Yamhill County tested positive Nov. 9 and died Nov. 27 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center.

A 69-year-old man from Umatilla County tested positive Oct. 5 and died Nov. 1 at Providence Portland Medical Center.

A 90-year-old woman from Clackamas County tested positive Oct. 16 and died Nov. 11 at her home

An 80-year-old woman from Yamhill County tested positive Oct. 21 and died Nov. 7 at her home.

A 48-year-old man from Deschutes County tested positive Oct. 25 and died Nov. 4 at St. Charles Bend.

A 95-year-old man from Deschutes Count tested positive Oct. 25 and died Nov. 4 at his home.

A 78-year-old woman from Clackamas County tested positive Nov. 2 and died Nov. 10 at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center.

A 79-year-old man from Linn County tested positive Nov. 5 and died Nov. 12 at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital

A 74-year-old woman from Linn County tested positive Nov. 10 and died Nov. 10 at her home

A 51-year-old man from Clackamas County tested positive Nov. 1 and died Nov. 11 at Providence Portland Medical Center

A 64-year-old woman from Marion County tested positive Nov. 10 and died Nov. 10 at her home.

A 93-year-old woman from Josephine County tested positive Dec. 13 and died Dec. 23 at her home.

A 65-year-old man from Jackson County died May 11 at his home.

A 92-year-old man from Jackson County tested positive Dec. 22 and died Dec. 24 at Providence Medford Medical Center.

A 47-year-old man from Jackson County tested positive Dec. 13 and died Dec. 22 at Providence Medford Medical Center.

An 80-year-old man from Jackson County who tested positive Dec. 9 and died Dec. 22 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.

A 62-year-old woman from Douglas County tested positive Dec. 16 and died Dec. 23 at Mercy Medical Center.

A 68-year-old woman from Douglas County tested positive Dec. 8 and died Dec. 18.

A 69-year-old man from Douglas County tested positive Nov. 7 and died Dec. 22 at Mercy Medical Center.

A 95-year-old woman from Washington County tested positive Nov. 28 and died Dec. 19 at her home.

An 82-year-old woman from Lane County tested positive Dec. 6 and died Dec. 22 at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center.

An 88-year-old woman from Klamath County tested positive Dec. 13 and died Dec. 23 at Sky Lakes Medical Center.

A 49-year-old man from Klamath County tested positive Nov. 24 and died Dec. 21 at Sky Lakes Medical Center.

Hospitalizations: 381 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 are hospitalized Monday, 23 more than Sunday. That number includes 94 in intensive care units, two more than Sunday.

Vaccines: The state reported 6,259 people receiving first shots since Thursday.

Since it began: Oregon has reported 414,190 confirmed or presumed infections and 5,623 deaths, among the lowest per capita numbers in the nation. To date, the state has reported 6,679,032 vaccine doses administered, fully vaccinating 2,759,458 people and partially vaccinating 279,738 people.

-- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee

Originally posted here:

Coronavirus in Oregon: Weekly cases up 25%, as omicron bears down on state - OregonLive

The seemingly more transmissible Omicron variant of the Covid-19 coronavirus has raised questions as ... [+] to whether standard face coverings are enough or if N-95 face masks should be worn. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

The Covid-19 coronavirus seems to have upped its game with the Omicron variant. Does that mean that you need to up your face mask game as well? Will wearing traditional face masks be enough? Or do you now need to upgrade to N95 ones?

These are some of the questions that you may be facing with the spread of the seemingly more transmissible Omicron variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). I covered for Forbes such questions back in January after the Alpha variant had emerged. But that was several Greek letters ago.

The Omicron variant has essentially said hold me beer to all other predecessors including the Delta variant when it comes to spreading faster and more readily. Its not yet clear whether the Omicron variant is equally or less likely to cause severe Covid-19 compared to previous versions of the virus. Nevertheless, anecdotal reports seem to suggest that people are getting infected even when supposedly diligently wearing face masks.

Of course, wearing face masks is as broad and vague as wearing underwear or maybe even wearing clothes. When someone tells you that he or she got frost bite despite wearing clothes, it is helpful to clarify whether wearing clothes meant wearing more than a thong. Similarly, when someone tells you that he or she caught the SARS-CoV-2 despite wearing a face mask, you want to know what kind of face mask and how it was being worn.

Face coverings have come in many different types, forms, and sizes. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto ... [+] via Getty Images)

As youve probably noticed, face coverings have been coming in all kinds of sizes, shapes, and types. And not everyone has been wearing such face coverings properly, which in turn can affect their effectiveness. For example, wearing a face covering yet allowing your nose to stick out would be a bit like wearing underwear while allowing your, well, use your imagination. So without more extensive studies, its difficult to tell how effective different face masks may be against the Omicron variant.

Moreover, increased transmissibility doesnt necessarily mean that the Omicron variant can get through face masks more easily. A lot of different things can increase the transmissibility of a respiratory virus. For example, an infected person may on average be shedding more of the virus or shedding for longer periods of time. The virus may survive for greater durations in the air or on surfaces. The virus could more readily get into your cells or get past your bodys defenses and into your cells. Without enough proper studies, its still way too early to tell how different the Omicron variant may be from its predecessors.

Nevertheless, an N95 face mask should still give you good protection against the Omicron variant. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) bestows the N95 label on face masks that can filter out at least 95% of all airborne particles, regardless of their size. So, yes, a N95 respirator would provide you much better protection than a face covering that doesnt meet N95 standards.

Of course, you should verify that a face mask is indeed N95 certified. News flash. People and businesses may do something thats called lying, which in this case doesnt refer to their positioning on a couch. Therefore, always check the official list of NIOSH-approved N95 face masks to makes sure that a so-called N95 face mask has indeed been tested and certified as such.

N95-certification would be preferable to KN95 certification. The latter is a China standard, which uses testing approaches that may not be as stringent as NIOSHs procedures. Just because a face mask has KN95 certification doesnt necessarily mean that it would meet NIOSH N95 requirements. Nevertheless, KN95 certification is still better than no certification. And either a N95-cerified or a KN95-certified face mask would provide you with much better protection than a standard face covering.

Again just because a mask and its packaging says N95 or KN95, doesnt mean that it has officially earned such certifications as this CBC News segment showed:

This doesnt mean that standard face coverings would be completely useless against the Omicron variant. While the virus may be small enough to make it though the pores of standard face coverings, such coverings could still at least reduce the amount of virus that may make it through to your nose and mouth. Viruses can be like platypuses in your bathtub. A few may not cause much trouble. However, at some point, the more there are, the more trouble they can cause. Whether you get infected and how severe the resulting infection may be can depend on how much virus gets into your body in the first place.

Moreover, its not all about you. Like wearing clothes and not peeing in the swimming pool, wearing face masks is about protecting each other. When you are infected with the virus, nearly any type of face covering can block at least some of the virus coming out of your nose and mouth. Thus, you are doing everyone a public service by wearing a face covering. Naturally, this depends on how much of your nose and mouth are covered, how porous the material may be, and how many layers are involved. Two layers would be better than one layer of the same material. Three layers would be better than two layers. And in theory, 2,523 layers would be better than three layers, although breathing would probably be an issue with the former.

So on the face of it, or the face of you, some type of face covering is better than no face covering. But remember wearing a standard face covering is more about protecting others from you than protecting yourself from others and demonstrating that you actually care about other people. It may offer you some protection but make sure you layer on other types of precautions such as social distancing and being fully vaccinated plus boosted.

If you do have a choice, opt for a N95-certified face mask or the equivalent. Wearing such a mask will be especially important when you cannot combine at least two other Covid-19 precautions at all times. For example, wear a N95 face mask if you cant maintain social distancing and are not sure whether everyone around you is fully vaccinated and boosted, such as on an airplane. And make sure that your N95 face mask fits against your face snugly, creating an air seal. Otherwise, like wearing underwear that doesnt fit, an ill-fitting N95 face mask could end up letting in or out things that no one wants to see.

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Are N95 Face Masks Needed Against The Omicron Covid-19 Coronavirus Variant? - Forbes