🦘Cacatman's Personal Coronavirus COVID-19 Update Thread

[cacatman]

Rapid Antigen Testing
These assays correctly identify a SARS-CoV-2 infection in 72 percent of people with symptoms and 58 percent of people without them. The tests detect an average of 78 percent of cases in the first week of symptoms but only 51 percent during the second week. A negative test can ease anxieties, at least for the time being—but people with symptoms should still follow up with a more accurate test. Antigen tests, which detect pieces of the virus’s proteins, are considered less sensitive to low amounts of virus than the more accurate PCR tests.

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD013705.pub2/full

98% pickup rate if test done every 3 days according to one small study of 43 people. Longitudinal Assessment of Diagnostic Test Performance Over the Course of Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Infected people with low levels of virus in their nose (usually described as a low viral load) typically do not spread the virus.

What Viral Load Can Tell Us About the Transmission Potential of COVID-19 in Healthcare Workers

A new Cleveland Clinic-led study examines the distribution of viral load in healthcare providers who tested positive for COVID-19. In the majority of cases, the findings show, the risk of transmission is relatively low after seven to 10 days following the onset of symptoms.

consultqd.clevelandclinic.org

The CDC recommends that symptomatic people with a negative antigen test should follow up with a PCR test within 48 hours.

Labs

COVID-19 resources and guidelines for labs and laboratory workers.

www.cdc.gov

 

[cacatman]

Eligibility for Booster Vaccination Shots

Older adults and 50-64 year old people with medical conditions​

People aged 65 years and older and adults 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions should get a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age, and can also increase for adults of any age with underlying medical conditions.

Long-term care setting residents aged 18 years and older​

Residents aged 18 years and older of long-term care settings should get a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Because residents in long-term care settingsexternal icon live closely together in group settings and are often older adults with underlying medical conditions, they are at increased risk of infection and severe illness from COVID-19.

People with medical conditions aged 18-49 years​

People aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may get a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine based on their individual benefits and risks. Adults aged 18–49 years who have underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. However, that risk is likely not as high as it would be for adults aged 50 years and older who have underlying medical conditions. People aged 18–49 years who have underlying medical conditions may get a booster shot after considering their individual risks and benefits. This recommendation may change in the future as more data become available.

Employees and residents at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission​

People aged 18–64 years at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may get a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine based on their individual benefits and risks. Adults aged 18–64 years who work or reside in certain settings (e.g., health care, schools, correctional facilities, homeless shelters) may be at increased risk of being exposed to COVID-19, which could be spreading where they work or reside. Since that risk can vary across settings and based on how much COVID-19 is spreading in a community, people aged 18–64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may get a booster shot after considering their individual risks and benefits. This recommendation may change in the future as more data become available.

COVID-19 Booster Shot

Learn who is eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot.

www.cdc.gov

 

[cacatman]

Smoking - There is a dose-response association between pack-years and adverse COVID-19 outcomes
The patients who smoked more than 30 pack-years had a 2.25 times higher odds of hospitalization (95% CI, 1.76-2.88). This patient population was 1.89 times more likely to die following a COVID-19 diagnosis (95% CI, 1.29-1.76) when compared with never smokers. The link between cumulative smoking and adverse outcomes is likely mediated in part by the individual’s comorbidities.

Researchers Explore Link Between Smoking Status and COVID-19 Outcomes

Increased cumulative smoking was associated with increased risk of hospitalization and death.

www.hcplive.com

Smokers are 80% more likely to be admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 than nonsmokers, according to Thorax. The data cover 421,469 people overall.

Heavy smokers who smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day were 6.11 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than people who had never smoked.

Analysis also showed those with a genetic predisposition to being smokers had a 45% higher infection risk, and 60% higher hospitalization risk.

These results contrast with previous studies that have suggested a protective effect of smoking against COVID-19.

https://thorax.bmj.com/content/thoraxjnl/early/2021/09/12/thoraxjnl-2021-217080.full.pdf

 

[cacatman]

Differential Diagnosis of COVID-19
The initial stages of COVID-19 infection are nonspecific and include symptoms typical of multiple respiratory illnesses, viral and otherwise. [3, 4]
Viral infections (which may occur simultaneously with COVID-19) in the differential diagnosis include the following [3, 4] :

• Influenza
• Parainfluenza
• Human metapneumovirus
• Human rhinovirus
• Adenovirus
• Respiratory syncytial virus
• Bacterial infections in the differential diagnosis include the following [3] :
• Haemophilus influenzae pneumonia
• Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia
• Moraxella catarrhalis pneumonia
• Atypical pneumonia in the differential diagnosis includes the following [3] :
• Legionellosis
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia

Flowcharts to possibly help distinguish between flu, common cold or allergiesView attachment 811701View attachment 811720View attachment 811722View attachment 811719
View attachment 819403

How to Tell the Difference Between Cough/Cold Symptoms and COVID-19

Learn how you and your staff can help patients differentiate between common cough/cold symptoms and COVID-19 while also offering additional educational resources.

www.pharmacytimes.com

Differences between delta COVID-19 and Flu.

Similarities and Differences between Flu and COVID-19

Know the common symptoms of flu and possible complications. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.

www.cdc.gov

 

[cacatman]

Thrombocytopaenia Syndrome (TTS)

Predictors for Mortality

Fibrinogen levels, age, platelet count, and the presence of ICH and CVT were significantly associated with mortality in patients with TTS, and the FAPIC score comprising these risk factors could predict mortality. The FAPIC score could be used in the clinical setting to recognize TTS patients at high risk of adverse outcomes and provide early intensive interventions including intravenous immunoglobulins and non-heparin anticoagulants.

Predictors of mortality in thrombotic thrombocytopenia after adenoviral COVID-19 vaccination: the FAPIC score

AbstractAims. The clinical manifestation and outcomes of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) after adenoviral COVID-19 vaccine administration a

academic.oup.com

Thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome, which was seen a number of months ago, more common in 18- to 50-year-old women with this vaccine, still relatively uncommon, a few cases per million.

What Do We Know About the Rare COVID-19 Vaccine Complications?

With over 400 million doses administered, the latest data give us a better idea of side effects

www.medpagetoday.com

 

[Nucchem]

Vaccinated.
Went positive from a huge Florida exercise. A couple of the vaccinated positives got a little under the weather, nothing problematic. Me, curently under a 10 day symptom free, isolation.
If you want to think about risks, think real hard everytime you get in your car.
Better living through chemistry...learn it, breath it, main line it. Go get a vac. If you think the gvernment is going to use it for brain control, go get vac'd as you don't have a brain to control

 

[WavecloudCustoms]

The gov’s brain is controlled by their master. Mark Zuckergerg!

Really really controlled.

An A to Z of Theory Roland Barthes and Semiotics

Roland Barthes was one of the major theorists of culture of the twentieth century. In the first of a six-essay series, political theorist Andrew Robinson presents the French author's approach to semiotics.

ceasefiremagazine.co.uk

 

[cacatman]

Anosmia
The study also found that patients generally developed anosmia 4.4 days after the onset of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, with a duration of 8.96 days, and 98% of patients could recover within 28 days
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7265845/#bb0135

The study also found that patients generally developed anosmia 4.4 days after the onset of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, with a duration of 8.96 days, and 98% of patients could recover within 28 days

COVID-19 and anosmia: A review based on up-to-date knowledge

The pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a vast disaster throughout the world. There is increasing evidence that olfactory dysfunction can present in COVID-19 patients. Anosmia can occur alone or can be accompanied by other symptoms ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

16% will only report loss of smell as only symptom of COVID. Anosmia and loss of smell in the era of covid-19

Loss of smell was also significantly associated with decreased hospitalization (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.47-0.99), intensive care unit admission (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.30-0.70), intubation (OR, 0.43; 0.21-0.89), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.23-0.89) when compared with patients without loss of smell.

COVID-19: Anosmia Predictive of Less Severe Infection - Infectious Disease Advisor

Smell loss is an independent positive prognostic factor of less severe COVID-19 infection.

www.infectiousdiseaseadvisor.com

Loss of Taste (Ageusia) and Smell (Anosmia)
47-80% lose this, especially in asymptomatic or mild disease because tongue has ACE2 receptors

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(20)30546-2/fulltext

Top 5 oral manifestations of COVID-19

Research links COVID-19 with various oral manifestations that can negatively affect oral health. Dr. Scott Froum reviews five of the most common conditions to watch for in your...

www.perioimplantadvisory.com

People with COVID-19 may lose their sense of smell and taste for up to five months after infection

Loss of Sense of Smell and Taste May Last up to 5 Months After COVID-19 - Neuroscience News

51% of COVID-19 patients report they experienced the loss of smell and taste up to five months after infection. On average, once their senses were restored, people reported a loss in sensitivity to smell and taste.

neurosciencenews.com

On November 18 estimates that somewhere between 700,000 to 1.6 million people in the US who had COVID-19 had a loss of smell—or a change in their sense of smell—that lasted for more than six months. And according to the researchers, this is likely an underestimate.

Growing Public Health Concern of COVID-19 Chronic Olfactory Dysfunction

This meta-analysis examines the scale of the public health concern of COVID-19–related chronic olfactory dysfunction.

jamanetwork.com

 

[cacatman]

Foetal Cell Lines & Covid Vaccines

Here are the facts about fetal cell lines and COVID-19 vaccines

As more people apply for religious exemptions to vaccine mandates, experts explain how and why fetal cells are used in drug development, from vaccines to common pain medications.

www.nationalgeographic.com

 

[cacatman]

Side effects of Vaccine in kids
In general, younger kids, who receive a one-third dose of the adult shot, can expect fewer side effects. Pfizer’s clinical trial showed that the most common was pain at the injection site, similar to vaccine recipients in other age groups. After receiving the second dose, 39% of young children experienced fatigue, and 28% reported headaches, compared with 65% and 61% of trial participants ages 16 to 25. Fewer than 10% of children experienced fever and muscle pain. The study showed no serious side effects, including myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle that occurred extremely rarely in adults after receiving an mRNA vaccine. Other side effects like diarrhea, joint pain, and vomiting were reported in less than 10% of young children. According to the CDC, side effects should go away a few days after receiving the vaccine.

The most common COVID vaccine side effects in kids under 12—and how long they last

Almost one million children ages 5 to 11 have already received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Here's what to know about side effects.

fortune.com

Among VAERS reports for children aged 5–11 years who received Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, approximately 97% were nonserious. The most common adverse events reported to VAERS in the age group were related to administration error. This age group is the first to receive a smaller dosage of mRNA (10 μg) than that recommended for persons aged ≥12 years (30 μg), and administration errors are not unexpected. Most reports of administration errors often mentioned that no adverse event was associated with receipt of an incorrect dose.

Myocarditis is a rare and serious adverse event that has been associated with mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines; reporting rates for vaccine-associated myocarditis appears highest among males aged 12–29 years (8). To date, myocarditis among children aged 5–11 years appears rare; 11 verified VAERS reports have been received after administration of approximately eight million vaccine doses, and, in an active vaccine safety surveillance system, no chart-confirmed reports of myocarditis were observed during the 1–21 days or 1–42 days after 333,000 vaccine doses were administered to children of the same age (6) These cases appear consistent with other reports of myocarditis after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination regarding time to symptom onset and a mild clinical course (9). Two deaths after Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine were reported for children with multiple chronic medical conditions; on initial review, no data were found that would suggest a causal association between death and vaccination.

Local (57.5%) and systemic (40.9%) reactions after receipt of dose 2 of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination among v-safe registrants aged 5–11 years were less frequently reported than reactions reported among children and adolescents aged 12–15 years (local 62.4%; systemic, 63.4%) (9). Fourteen v-safe registrants aged 5–11 years were reported to have been hospitalized after vaccination. V-safe does not directly record diagnoses associated with hospitalization; however, parents and guardians can include supplemental text for each health check-in. Whether hospitalization was the result of vaccination could not be determined; however, all parents and guardians who reported a child’s hospitalization were contacted and encouraged to complete a VAERS report. Two parents completed a VAERS report on behalf of a child who was reported to v-safe to have been hospitalized.

The findings in this report are subject to at least four limitations. First, VAERS is a passive surveillance reporting system and is subject to reporting biases and underreporting, especially of nonserious events (8). Second, data on race/ethnicity were not provided in >40% of VAERS reports. Third, v-safe is a voluntary program; as a result, v-safe data might not be representative of the vaccinated population. Finally, these data are limited by the short surveillance period and might change as safety monitoring continues and more doses are administered to children aged 5–11 years.

Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent COVID-19 infection. ACIP recommends the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5–11 years for the prevention of COVID-19 (10). Preliminary safety findings are similar to those described in the clinical trials. Parents and guardians of children aged 5–11 years vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine should be advised that local and systemic reactions are expected after vaccination. CDC and FDA will continue to monitor vaccine safety and will provide updates as needed to guide COVID-19 vaccination recommendations.

COVID-19 Vaccine Safety in Children ...

This report describes safety of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5–11 years.

www.cdc.gov