Category: Corona Virus

By Caitlin Tilley, Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com 17:59 16 Jan 2024, updated 21:34 16 Jan 2024

Chinese scientists have been experimenting with a mutantcoronavirusstrain that is 100 percent lethal in mice despite concerns such research could spark another pandemic.

Scientists in Beijing who are linked to the Chinese military cloned a Covid-like virus found in pangolins,known asGX_P2V, and used it to infect mice.

The mice had been 'humanized', meaning they were engineered to express a protein found in people, with the goal being to assess how the virus might react in humans.

Every rodent that was infected with the pathogen died within eight days, which the researchers described as 'surprisingly' quick.

The team were also surprised to find high levels of viral load in the mice's brains and eyes - suggesting the virus, despite being related to Covid, multiplies and spreads through the body in a unique way.

Writing in a scientific paper that has not yet been published, they warned the finding 'underscores a spillover risk of GX_P2V into humans'.

Professor Francois Balloux,an infectious disease expert based at University College London, wrote on Twitter (X): 'It's a terrible study, scientifically totally pointless.

'I can see nothing of vague interest that could be learned from force-infecting a weird breed of humanized mice with a random virus. Conversely, I could see how such stuff might go wrong...'

Professor Richard Ebright, a chemist at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, told DailyMail.com he wholeheartedly agreed with Professor Balloux's assessment.

He added: 'The preprint does not specify the biosafety level and biosafety precautions used for the research.

'The absence of this information raises the concerning possibility that part or all of this research, like the research in Wuhan in 2016-2019 that likely caused the Covid-19 pandemic, recklessly was performed without the minimal biosafety containment and practices essential for research with a potential pandemic pathogens.'

A research group whose work is feared to have started the Covid pandemic is being funded by the US Government to do similar experiments in other parts of the world.

According to the study, carried out by theBeijingUniversity of Chemical Technology, the virus was discovered in 2017prior to the Covid outbreak.

It was discovered in Malaysia in pangolins - scaly mammals that are known harborers of coronaviruses andwere heavily speculated to be the intermediate host that passed Covid from bats to humans.

The researcherscloned the virus and stored multiple copes in the Beijing lab, where it continued to evolve.

It is unclear when the newly surfaced study was conducted. But the researchers said it was possible the virus had undergone a 'virulence-enhancing mutation' in storage, which made it more deadly.

For the new research, eight mice were infected with the virus, eight were infected with an inactivated virus and eight were used as a control group.

All mice infected with the virus died. They succumbed to the infection between seven and eight days after being infected.

Symptoms included their eyes turning completely white, rapid weight loss and fatigue.

Researchers found 'significant amounts' of the virus in the rodents' brains, lungs, noses, eyes and windpipes.

By day six, the viral load had 'significantly decreased' in the lungs, but the animals' brains had shrunk and there were 'exceptionally high' virus levels in their brains.

The results suggest that the virus infects via the respiratory system and then migrates to the brain - unlike Covid which causes lower lung infections and pneumonia in severe cases. However, there have been examples of Covid being found in brain tissue of severely sick patients.

'Severe brain infection during the later stages of infection may be the key cause of death in these mice,' the researchers said.

They concluded: 'This is the first report showing that a SARS-CoV-2-related pangolin coronavirus can cause 100 percent mortality in hACE2 mice, suggesting a risk for GX_P2V to spill over into humans.'

However, the original strain of Covid also killed 100 percent in mice in some studies, meaning the new results may not be directly applicable to humans.

Dr Gennadi Glinsky, a retired professor of medicine at Stanford, said on social media: 'This madness must be stopped before [it is] too late.'

DailyMail.com exposed in 2022 how similar research virus-manipulation research was being carried out by Boston University.

Researchers were found to have created a new Covid strain that had an 80 percent death rate among mice.

It sparked nationwide debate about whether the experiments were an illegal form of research known as 'gain of function' - which involves purposefully making viruses more deadly or infectious to study their evolution.

The Biden Administration tightened rules around such research in October 2022, but the definition of gain of function remains contested.

Dr Christina Parks, a molecular biologist from the University of Michigan, said the Chinese study was 'classic gain of function, whether they tell you it is or not.'

One of the Chinese researchers was Dr YigangTong, who trained at the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, a Chinese military medical research institute run by thePeople's Liberation Army.

Dr Tong studied there between 1988 and 1991 for a master of science and then again between 1997 and 2000 for a PhD.

He also co-authored a paper in 2023 with 'bat woman' Zheng-Li Shi, who helps run the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).

The WIV has been designated the most likely source of the Covid pandemic by the FBI and US Department of Energy in what has been dubbed the 'lab leak' theory.

Researchers there, with US Government grants, were performing gain of function experiments on coronaviruses in the months leading up to the Covid outbreak.

The virus first emerged miles away from the WIV, where researchers were known to be working on coronaviruses found in bats.

It comes asDr Peter Daszak, head of the New York based non-profit EcoHealth Alliance, whichfunded controversial experiments inWuhanwhich some fear started the pandemic, presented the discovery of a never-before-seen virus with 'almost' as much potential to infect humans as Covid.

Dr Daszak, a friend of Dr Anthony Fauci, the ex-chief medical advisor to the US President, revealed his team have already found one bat coronavirus of considerable interest.

'We found a lot of SARS-related coronaviruses, but one in particular we found was quite common in bats where people were commonly exposed,' he told the WHO event, attended by MailOnline.

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Chinese scientists 'create' a mutant coronavirus strain that attacks the BRAIN and has a 100% kill rate in mic - Daily Mail

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Excerpt from:

SARS-CoV-2 biology and host interactions - Nature.com

Heading out on a crowded bus or train? It might be time to wear a mask after a recent surge in COVID cases, according to BU infectious diseases researcher David Hamer. Photo via iStock/sibway

COVID-19

Here we go again. Another winter, another COVID-19 wave. As many Americans try their best to move on from or ignore the coronaviruscalling quits on masking, skipping vaccinations, not bothering to testCOVID-19 is surging in the United States.

Current data suggests virus levels in Massachusetts recently hit peaks unseen since the Omicron variant burst onto the scene two years ago. According to the latest numbers from Massachusetts Department of Public Health, COVID-19 cases in the state jumped from around 2,000 a week in early November to nearly 6,000 a week by the end of December. Local physicians reported a continued rise in cases into January. The upswing has been driven by a new highly transmissible coronavirus variant, JN.1an Omicron offshoot thats now the dominant strain of the virus in the US.

Throw in flu and RSV, plus the usual wintry sniffles from colds, and we have all the ingredients for a lousy, laid-up winter. Just 18 percent of Massachusetts residents are up-to-date with their COVID vaccinations; 37 percent have had a flu shot.

To get the latest on the surge, whether we all need to dig out those masks again, and how to tell whether its COVID, the flu, or a cold causing that runny nose and sore throat, The Brink spoke with Boston University infectious diseases expert David Hamer. A BU School of Public Health and Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine professor of global health and medicine, Hamer is also a core director and researcher at BUs Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Hamer: We are seeing more COVID cases nationwide, but its complicated. Part of the problem is the quality of the data that feeds into this. It used to be when everybody was doing active testing and using PCR tests, all that data fed into the public health systems. But now lots of people are doing home tests, and those dont end up being captured, so the data arent as good as they were two years ago at the heart of the pandemic.

But, that said, theres definitely a substantial increase of reported cases in Massachusetts, and the wastewater data had been creeping up, as well, so a lot of signs that theres more transmission. This has been the biggest spike weve had since Omicron. And compounding that, theres more flu being transmitted also. I think were looking at sort of a syndemic of multiple diseases. What to me is really interesting is that we havent had a big surge in COVID for a whileis it now starting to settle into more of a respiratory season pattern?

Hamer: Yes, is the short answer. Many hospitals in the Northeast, including Boston Medical Center [BUs primary teaching hospital], have gone back to masks. I have a clinic todayI had not been using a mask consistently, but I think its advisable [now], because theres a higher risk.

And then public transportation, less than 5 percent of people wear masks in my experience, but I started masking more about a month ago because I was watching the numbers, thinking I dont want to get COVIDor other respiratory viruses, for that matter. In crowded places where theres likely to be inadequate ventilation, right now is a good time to think about having a mask.

Hamer: The level of boosting is really pretty woeful relative to what it should be. The JN.1 variant has been on the risethe CDC estimated that almost two-thirds of COVID cases in the US now are due to this subvariant. The bivalent vaccine, the modified vaccine that we have available, was designed for other Omicron subvariants, but it cross-protects against this. People really should be thinking about having a booster if they havent had it.

Hamer: Its really hard to tell. Between more immunity among individuals due to COVID vaccines or having had natural COVID infections, possibly the evolution of the virus toward a milder [disease], causing more upper respiratory symptoms, theres so much overlap between the common cold, COVID, RSV, andsomewhatinfluenza. Usually, you have a fever with influenza, but not always now with COVID. A lot of patients Ive seen will only have a stuffy or runny nose, a little bit of a cough. They may not necessarily have a fever, severe fatigue, and other symptoms that would be more suggestive of COVID, or loss of sense of smell, which were not seeing as commonly anymore.

Any respiratory symptoms should trigger testing, because SARS-CoV-2 is so easily transmissible. You dont want your coworkers, your family members, to become sick, so its important to know.

Hamer: They should spend five days in relative isolationat home, if they canbefore they resurface. And then when they start going back out in public, or if they go back to work, they should ideally wear a mask with all external contacts for the next five days. This goes back to studies we did here at BU among studentsbut also in studies that colleagues of ours did at Mass General with an older population. On average, young healthy BU students would shed virus and, by day five, many of them had gotten down to levels where they had undetectable or very low levels of viral load. But some were still shedding virus out to day seven, eight, nine, or even 10. Usually, it was around seven or eight that they finished up. So, people are still infected for at least five to seven or eight days after an episode. And thats in young, healthy students; in an older population, the duration of viral shedding is more prolonged.

Hamer: There are still people who have long COVID. Theres a lot of evidence that suggests vaccination and treatments like Paxlovid may help reduce the likelihood of long COVID developing. The flip side of that is theres a lot of evidence that people arent accessing the treatments, theyre not using them. Theyre not for everybody, but for those who are older, have underlying diseases or certain risk factors, they should be used.

Hamer: Yeah, unfortunately, its not over. A lot of people I knew that were very, very careful for three years, when it seemed like everything was good, they started going back to their usual liveshaving more social interactions, not wearing masks in public placesand many people that had never become infected had their first infection. And Im one of them.

Hamer: Theres still a fair amount of COVID circulating. Theres also a rising risk of influenza, as well as other regular respiratory viruses, and people should be thinking about doing things that help reduce their risk. So, vaccination. If they become infected, testing; if they test positive, isolating. Also, if theyre at higher risk, speaking with their physician about having oral treatment. The public health service message is if you have cold symptoms, you should, if at all possible, try not to come to work or go to school.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Need a COVID-19 rapid test? BUs City Convenience is now offering two rapid antigen tests for $9.99. Need a flu shot? Student Health Services will be hosting immunization clinics on January 24, 25, and 26check its website for details.

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Is It COVID-19, a Cold, or the Flu? What to Do as COVID and Flu Cases Surge - Boston University

A universal coronavirus vaccine that would be ready in the case of a future outbreak could save millions of lives and billions of dollars while a strain-specific vaccine is developed, new research published in the journal eCLinicalMedicine found.1

"COVID-19 was the third major and serious coronavirus epidemic or pandemic following SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012, thus, we should anticipate a fourth coronavirus outbreak within the next decade or so, Peter J. Hotez, an author on the study, said in a release.2 A universal vaccine is cost-effective and cost-saving and a priority for advancement."

Investigators from the City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy conducted a study to evaluate different types of universal and strain-specific coronavirus vaccines. Researchers created a computational simulation model to represent the spread and impact of a novel coronavirus in the United States.

The simulation model employed data from the CDC and observational studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic to examine both clinical and economic outcomes on the US population, including hospitalizations, deaths, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost, direct medical costs, productivity losses, and total societal costs.

The aim of the study was to offer potential funders, researchers, and manufacturers guidance on the potential value of such a vaccine and how this value may change with differing vaccine and vaccination characteristics.

Investigators found that a universal coronavirus vaccine would be cost saving by itself as long as it had an efficacy and coverage of 10% or more. For every 1% increase in efficacy up to 50%, the vaccine could prevent 395000 additional infections and save around $1 billion in societal costs, including $45.3 million in productivity losses and $1.1 billion in direct medical costs.

Additionally, as long as a strain-specific coronavirus vaccine took 2 to 3 months to develop, test, and bring to market, the universal vaccine would still be cost saving.

Researchers noted that future studies should explore the impact of different variants that could emerge during the course of an epidemic, as it could provide additional opportunities on how a universal coronavirus vaccine could be useful.

"Our study shows the importance of giving as many people as possible in a population at least some degree of immune protection as soon as possible," Bruce Y. Lee, an author on the study, said in a release.2 "Having a universal vaccine developed, stockpiled, and ready to go in the event of a pandemic could be a game-changer even if a more specific vaccine could be developed3 to 4 months later."

Original post:

Universal Coronavirus Vaccine Could Save Lives, Costs During Next Epidemic - Drug Topics

It's easy to be complacent about COVID-19. Most people experience only mild issues fever and coughing, maybe congestion and shortness of breath.

But the coronavirus is capable of causing much more than a simple respiratory illness, affecting organs throughout the body, experts say.

"We see people have symptoms from almost head to toe in terms of how they feel, how they function and what they can do," said Dr. Adrian Hernandez, a cardiologist who is director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, North Carolina.

The new year started with an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S., prompting Hernandez and other experts to advise caution, especially for those at high risk.

While the short-term effects of COVID-19 can be flu-like, even mild cases can lead to long COVID a constellation of problems that can persist for weeks or months. More than 200 symptoms have been linked to long COVID, said Hernandez, who has overseen many COVID-19 studies.

Because COVID-19 typically affects breathing and can lead to problems such as pneumonia, many people may think it's primarily a lung disease. It's not that simple, said Dr. Nisha Viswanathan, director of the long COVID program at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"I would argue that COVID-19 is not a disease of the lungs at all," she said. "It seems most likely that it is what we call a vascular and neurologic infection, affecting both nerve endings and our cardiovascular system."

It's no surprise that experts say SARS-CoV-2 the name of the virus that causes COVID-19 is complex, with many of its pathways just beginning to be understood. But some things are becoming clear. One of the best reviews of long COVID symptoms, Viswanathan said, appeared last January in Nature Reviews Microbiology. It detailed the disease's effects throughout the body, including the pancreas, blood vessels and reproductive system.

"SARS-CoV-2 is excellent at triggering your immune system to go from zero to 100," said Dr. Lindsay McAlpine, a neurologist who is director of the Yale NeuroCovid Clinic in New Haven, Connecticut. That revving of the immune response leads to both a "wide swath of inflammation" and excessive blood clotting, she said.

"Perhaps the viral replication is going on in the lungs and nasopharynx (the area at the top of the throat that connects the nose to the respiratory system). But the inflammation that the virus triggers is systemic," McAlpine said.

Here are some parts of the body significantly affected by COVID-19.

The brain and nervous system

"The virus and the immune response can have several different effects on the brain," said McAlpine, lead author of a 2021 study looking at strokes in people with COVID-19, published in the journal Stroke. She is researching issues related to COVID-19 and brain fog, which she called "a very common symptom."

The exact causes of brain-related issues are not clear, but she said it does not appear that the virus is directly attacking brain tissue. Rather, it seems that the ramped-up immune response leads to clots that could cause brain problems.

"A lot of patients have described it as feeling like they have a concussion," McAlpine said. "And it can persist for several months after COVID," even if the initial case was mild.

"In addition to the cognitive impairment, we see worsening or new-onset migraines," she said. "We see new neuropathy in the legs and the arms numbness, tingling, difficulty walking because of the neuropathy."

COVID-19 might also be unmasking other neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, she said. McAlpine has diagnosed new cases of Alzheimer's disease in people who, before COVID-19, were functioning fine, then developed symptoms. "We don't know why," she said.

The heart and blood vessels

Research shows COVID-19 infection can increase the risk for heart-related problems such as myocarditis, a rare inflammation of the heart, and an irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation.

The risk of dangerous clotting including deep vein thrombosis (clots in large veins) and pulmonary embolisms (clots in the lungs) is small but stays elevated for up to a year after the infection, according to research done before vaccines were available.

Many factors might be playing into COVID-related heart problems, Viswanathan said, including microclots tiny blood clots or an autoimmune response targeting heart muscle cells. A recent study in Nature Cardiovascular Research shows the virus may infect coronary arteries, causing plaque buildup to become inflamed and break off, which can lead to a heart attack. Gastrointestinal system

"Interestingly, the GI system's mechanism may be a little different than what impacts the heart," Viswanathan said. One theory suggests that the virus finds a hiding place while the rest of the body fights it off. "And we have found now in multiple studies that COVID can remain in our GI tract for weeks and months after it has resolved in the rest of the body."

The exact place where the virus might hide is up for debate, Viswanathan said. But Hernandez said gastrointestinal symptoms are clear: "People can have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea."

A large study of veterans published last year in Nature Communications found people with COVID-19 had a higher risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal problems more than 30 days after infection compared to people without COVID-19. The risk was elevated even among people who had mild cases of the disease.

Kidneys

Kidney problems were common in a 2023 study published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine that looked at organ damage after COVID-19 infection.

Researchers don't necessarily know whether kidney problems stem from people getting sick with high fevers and taking in less fluid or because "with a virus that can go anywhere and cause inflammation anywhere, you can have all sorts of problems," Hernandez said.

What to do

Not everyone who gets COVID-19 will have these problems, Viswanathan said. But people experiencing symptoms can reach out to their primary care physician or a long COVID clinic.

What everyone can do, she said, is take steps to protect themselves and those around them.

The first step is to be cautious if COVID-19 is surging in your area. Consider wearing a mask in crowded public places. "A lot of people have COVID now, and it may take a while for them to test positive," Viswanathan said.

"The second thing is get vaccinated," she said. "It really does seem to be highly protective." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone ages 5 and older get the updated COVID-19 vaccine to avoid getting seriously ill from the virus.

"The third thing is controlling your cardiovascular risk factors," she said. That means getting high blood pressure, diabetes or other chronic medical conditions under control. "It will all decrease your risk."

McAlpine added that if you have COVID-19 symptoms, stay away from other people to avoid putting them at risk.

Hernandez emphasized the importance of vaccinations in general for people with heart or lung disease, cancer or suppressed immune systems. "For people who have other health conditions, you don't need another one," he said. "And if you could avoid an illness like COVID or the flu why wouldn't you?"

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Beyond breathing: How COVID-19 affects your heart, brain and other organs - Source ONE News

Sniffling. Coughing. Throat clearing. It seemed to be the soundtrack of this past holiday season.

Maybe it was the festive gatherings. Or the new coronavirus variant. Or the cold weather forcing people indoors.

But the significant spike in cases of COVID-19, flu and RSV that ruined many a familys holiday season in New Jersey continues, even if it finally might be easing in some regions.

Last week, RWJBarnabas Health which operates 12 acute care hospitals in the state saw a significant jump in respiratory illnesses. But a spokeswoman said the number of new patients this week was starting to level off.

Still, many people in the state are falling ill.

An official for Inspira Health, which runs three hospitals in South Jersey, said in a statement that the community of southern New Jersey is seeing a rise in respiratory illness, including COVID, flu, and RSV.

We encourage everyone to take steps to prevent the spread of viral infections wash your hands often, maintain a comfortable distance when interacting with others, wear a mask as appropriate, and stay home when you are not feeling well, said Dr. Tony S. Reed, senior vice president and chief quality, safety and experience officer for the health network, in the statement.

Tens of thousands of people in New Jersey have been sickened by COVID-19 or influenza in recent weeks, and no doubt many more from RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), based just on reported cases. An exponentially higher number of residents probably fell ill in actuality.

Some hospitals in the state have been diverting patients this week due to volume, forced to send the sick to other facilities because they were jammed. For instance, Bayonne Medical Center, Cooper University Hospital in Camden, Inspira Medical Center in Mullica Hill, Toms River Hospital Community Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton and Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro were all on divert Monday afternoon, according to an online tracker. Cape Regional Health System in Middle Township was also on divert earlier in the day.

In fact, New Jersey saw more than 30,000 COVID-19 cases just over the past month. (As of Tuesday, 1,417 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, with 49 on ventilators. And over roughly the past month, more than 100 people have died from the coronavirus, according to the states dashboard.)

Meanwhile, New Jersey recently had the 10th-highest rate of emergency department visits in the nation for influenza-like illness, according to Beckers Hospital Review. As of Dec. 30, more than 27,000 flu cases were reported in the state.

There have been no flu-related pediatric deaths so far this season in New Jersey, but activity is high in every region of the state. Nationwide, there have been at least 10 million flu cases (although it could be as many as 19 million), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com.

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N.J. hospitals filled with COVID, flu cases. When will the surge ease? - NJ.com

Levels of coronavirus in Boston-area waste water have surged in recent weeks, reaching their highest level since the ferocious Omicron surge in the winter of 2021-2022, data from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority show.

On New Years Day, the seven-day average of coronavirus RNA copies per milliliter of waste water reached 2,743 copies/mL in samples taken from the northern system which includes parts of Boston and communities north of the city and 2,583 copies/mL in samples from the southern system, which includes southern portions of the city and communities to the south.

Those levels are about 10 times higher than early November, and higher than any point since January 2022. Still, its important to note that in terms of waste water levels, the current surge is a small fraction of the Omicron surge two years ago. At that time, levels soared past 11,000 copies/mL in samples before quickly dropping back down.

As home testing has become the norm, waste water readings are an increasingly important way to track the amount of COVID-19 circulating in the community. Waste water testing captures traces of the virus regardless of whether a person was symptomatic or tested for the disease. During past surges, waste water spikes coincided with increases in cases and hospitalizations reported by the state, offering something of an early warning system.

Doctors told the Globe last week that they are indeed seeing more patients with COVID in emergency rooms, and that fewer people are up to date on COVID vaccines. Data from the Massachusetts Public Health Commission shows that COVID-19 is currently responsible for about 6 percent of statewide hospital admissions, up from 2 percent in early November.

Experts told the Globe that staying up to date on vaccines, wearing masks more frequently, and minimizing large indoor gatherings remain good precautions against contracting COVID-19. In addition, its a good idea to take a rapid test if youve been exposed to the virus, even if you dont have any symptoms.

Christina Prignano can be reached at christina.prignano@globe.com. Follow her @cprignano.

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COVID-19: Coronavirus levels surge in Boston waste water - The Boston Globe

Plant-based and vegetarian diets may play a significant role in reducing the risk of Covid-19, a study has found.

Research, published in the journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention and Health, concluded that the incidence of Covid was 39 per cent lower among people who ate a plant-based diet than among those who ate meat.

The findings highlight the importance of dietary habits in influencing the incidence of infectious diseases.

A team led by Julio Cesar Acosta-Navarro, a professor in the school of medicine at Sao Paulo University, studied a group of 702 volunteers.

"The higher the consumption of plant-based foods, the greater the protection," Dr Acosta-Navarro told The National.

Participants were divided based on their diets between omnivorous and predominantly plant-based.

The latter category consumed more vegetables, legumes, and nuts, and less or no dairy and meat products. They included vegans (who eat no animal products), vegetarians (who consume eggs and dairy products) and flexitarians (who ate meat less than three times a week.)

There were no significant differences in sex, age, or vaccination uptake between the two groups.

However, the plant-based group generally had higher education levels and lower rates of medical conditions and physical inactivity.

Of the total participants, 47 per cent reported having had a Covid-19 infection.

The incidence was notably higher among omnivores (52 per cent) compared to those with plant-based diets (40 per cent).

The duration of symptoms didn't differ significantly between the groups, but omnivores were more likely to experience moderate to severe infections.

After adjusting for factors including weight, pre-existing medical conditions, and physical activity levels, researchers noted no overall difference in symptom severity.

But those following a predominantly plant-based or vegetarian/vegan diet were 39 per cent less likely to become infected than the omnivores, researchers concluded.

"The immune system utilises a range of defense mechanisms to combat infections," Dr Acosta-Navarro said.

"Therefore, it is necessary to have an adequate amount of antioxidant enzymes, vitamins and peptides. Without them the capability of the immune system will be jeopardised.

"Plant-based dietary patterns are rich in antioxidants, phytosterols and polyphenols, which positively affect several cell types implicated in immune function and exhibit direct antiviral properties.

Veganuary

Jimikand ka seekh, a vegan seekh kebab at Punjab Grill. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

"Vegetarians and those on plant-based diets are at reduced risk of chronic diseases of high morbidity and mortality, including ischemic heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer, and obesity, the same conditions that were proved to be risk factor for Covid-19," Dr Acosta-Navarro said.

Shane McAuliffe, senior visiting academic associate at NNEdPro Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health who was not involved in the study acknowledged the findings but cautioned that is was an area that warrants more rigorous and high-quality investigation.

Once viewed as a niche lifestyle choice, plant-based and vegetarian diets have gained momentum.

The terminology shift from vegan to plant-based around the mid-2010s marked a significant change in attitudes, broadening the appeal of these diets.

The availability of plant-based options has dramatically improved over the past decade in mainstream grocery stores and restaurants.

Sales of plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy foods surpassed $29 billion in 2020 and are projected to reach $162 billion by 2030.

This represents a significant portion of the global protein foods market.

Major companies, including Kroger, Nestl, and Unilever, are developing plant-based products.

The number of vegans in the US surged from 290,000 in 2004 to almost 10 million in 2019.

The UK saw a 360 per cent increase in vegans over the decade to 2016.

In Portugal, vegetarianism grew by 400 per cent between 2007 and 2017, with laws implemented to offer vegan options in government facilities.

Asian countries including China are also encouraging reduced meat consumption for health and environmental benefits.

Australian food products with vegan claims rose by 92 per cent between 2014 and 2016.

Updated: January 10, 2024, 10:44 AM

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Vegetarians 'less likely to get Covid-19 than meat eaters' - The National

The head of the U.N. health agency said Wednesday holiday gatherings and the spread of the most prominent variant globally led to increased transmission of COVID-19 last month.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nearly 10,000 deaths were reported in December, while hospital admissions during the month jumped 42% in nearly 50 countries mostly in Europe and the Americas that shared such trend information."Although 10,000 deaths a month is far less than the peak of the pandemic, this level of preventable deaths is not acceptable," the World Health Organization director-general told reporters from its headquarters in Geneva.He said it was certain that cases were on the rise in other places that haven't been reporting, calling on governments to keep up surveillance and provide continued access to treatments and vaccines.Tedros said the JN.1 variant was now the most prominent in the world. It is an omicron variant, so current vaccines should still provide some protection.Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead at WHO for COVID-19, cited an increase in respiratory diseases across the globe due to the coronavirus but also flu, rhinovirus and pneumonia.We expect those trends to continue into January through the winter months in the northern hemisphere, she said, while noting increases in COVID-19 in the southern hemisphere where it's now summer.While bouts of coughs, sniffling, fever and fatigue in the winter are nothing new, Van Kerkhove said this year in particular, "we are seeing co-circulation of many different types of pathogens.WHO officials recommend that people get vaccinated when possible, wear masks, and make sure indoor areas are well ventilated.The vaccines may not stop you being infected, but the vaccines are certainly reducing significantly your chance of being hospitalized or dying, said Dr. Michael Ryan, head of emergencies at WHO.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The head of the U.N. health agency said Wednesday holiday gatherings and the spread of the most prominent variant globally led to increased transmission of COVID-19 last month.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nearly 10,000 deaths were reported in December, while hospital admissions during the month jumped 42% in nearly 50 countries mostly in Europe and the Americas that shared such trend information.

"Although 10,000 deaths a month is far less than the peak of the pandemic, this level of preventable deaths is not acceptable," the World Health Organization director-general told reporters from its headquarters in Geneva.

He said it was certain that cases were on the rise in other places that haven't been reporting, calling on governments to keep up surveillance and provide continued access to treatments and vaccines.

Tedros said the JN.1 variant was now the most prominent in the world. It is an omicron variant, so current vaccines should still provide some protection.

Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead at WHO for COVID-19, cited an increase in respiratory diseases across the globe due to the coronavirus but also flu, rhinovirus and pneumonia.

We expect those trends to continue into January through the winter months in the northern hemisphere, she said, while noting increases in COVID-19 in the southern hemisphere where it's now summer.

While bouts of coughs, sniffling, fever and fatigue in the winter are nothing new, Van Kerkhove said this year in particular, "we are seeing co-circulation of many different types of pathogens.

WHO officials recommend that people get vaccinated when possible, wear masks, and make sure indoor areas are well ventilated.

The vaccines may not stop you being infected, but the vaccines are certainly reducing significantly your chance of being hospitalized or dying, said Dr. Michael Ryan, head of emergencies at WHO.

___

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

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Nearly 10,000 died from COVID-19 last month, fueled by holiday gatherings and new variant, WHO says - WMUR Manchester

At the same time, other nasty bugs are circulating. Flu cases are widespread and soaring around the state.

We are certainly seeing a spike in our numbers, said Dr. Marybeth Sexton, an epidemiologist at Emory Clinic about the rise in both flu and COVID cases. We just need to see what happens, whether this calms down as we get farther from the travel people did over the past couple of weeks. Whether we are at a peak or whether we are going to see this perpetuated, I think this will depend on the safety precautions people take.

Older adults and those with weakened immune systems are the most vulnerable to severe illness and complications from COVID. In Georgia, 70% of new COVID hospitalizations during the week that ended Dec. 30 were in those 60 and older.

The COVID virus is constantly changing and a new variant has been spreading rapidly around the nation. The variant, known as JN.1, is a descendent of omicron. It now represents 62% of COVID cases in the U.S. according to the most recent surveillance from the CDC. It makes up about the same share in the eight-state Southeastern region that includes Georgia.

According to the CDC. the continued growth of JN.1 suggests the variant is either more transmissible or better at evading our immune systems. However, there is no evidence JN.1 causes more severe illness. Early lab data indicates that the updated vaccines are still effective against it and continuing to provide protection against severe illnesses. The CDC also said they expect the antiviral Paxlovid to continue to be effective against this variant.

Compared to the first two winters of the pandemic, the state and nation are in a much better place. Fewer people are dying or becoming seriously ill because vaccines and prior infections have bolstered immunity and reduced the severity of illnesses. At least 96% of adults in the U.S. have either been infected by COVID, providing natural immunity, or have been vaccinated. Many fall into both categories.

Omicron variants also dont seem to invade the lungs as much as other coronavirus variants.

Among his patients, Dr. Andrew Reisman, a Gainesville doctor and former president of the Medical Association of Georgia, sees far fewer patients seriously sick compared to the earlier days of the pandemic. In a text, he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that encouraging early testing and access to medications to help treat COVID is going a long way in helping his patients tolerate it better.

But COVID remains a threat, especially for those who are older and immunocompromised. Immunity wanes over time. Anyone infected can suffer from long COVID, with sometimes debilitating symptoms that linger for weeks, months or even longer.

The latest preliminary data on weekly COVID deaths in Georgia show 12 COVID deaths for the week ending Dec. 30. Data from early December, which is considered more reliable, shows around 20 COVID deaths a week in Georgia.

Physicians continue to urge everyone, including those not at high risk of severe illness, to get vaccines against COVID and the flu, and to stay home if they become ill.

Sexton said it is certainly reasonable for anyone to consider wearing a mask in public during this wave of illness, and she would strongly recommend masking for those who are high risk, or have someone in their household who is.

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The number of new COVID-19 hospitalizations in Georgia is surging after the holidays - The Atlanta Journal Constitution