COVID-19 'Pandemic'
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Delta variant dominant in U.K., may increase risk of hospitalization
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Publishing date:Jun 03, 2021 • 11 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
A public health digital board warns the public of a COVID-19 variant of concern affecting the community in Bolton, northwest England on May 14, 2021.
A public health digital board warns the public of a COVID-19 variant of concern affecting the community in Bolton, northwest England on May 14, 2021. PHOTO BY OLI SCARFF /AFP via Getty Images
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LONDON — The Delta variant of concern first identified in India is now dominant in Britain and might have an increased risk of hospitalization compared to the Alpha variant, Public Health England said on Thursday.
There were 5,472 new cases of the Delta variant reported in latest weekly figures, taking the total confirmed cases of the variant to 12,431, PHE said, adding it had overtaken Alpha, the variant first identified in England’s Kent, as Britain’s dominant variant.
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The Delta variant is also thought to be more transmissible than Alpha, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that it could derail plans for lockdown restrictions in England to end on June 21.
“With this variant now dominant across the U.K., it remains vital that we continue to exercise caution particularly while we learn more about transmission and health impacts,” said Jenny Harries, Chief Executive, UK Health Security Agency.
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PHE said that early evidence suggested there may be an increased risk of hospitalization for Delta, also known as B.1.617.2, compared to Alpha, known as B.1.1.7, but more data was needed in order to have more confidence in that finding.
PHE said there continued to be a “substantially increased growth rate for Delta compared to Alpha” but did not update on the transmissibility advantage of the variant.
Officials have previously said that Delta could be from a few percentage points to 50% more transmissible than the Alpha variant, and the extent of that advantage could determine whether restrictions can be lifted on June 21.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Publishing date:Jun 03, 2021 • 11 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
A public health digital board warns the public of a COVID-19 variant of concern affecting the community in Bolton, northwest England on May 14, 2021.
A public health digital board warns the public of a COVID-19 variant of concern affecting the community in Bolton, northwest England on May 14, 2021. PHOTO BY OLI SCARFF /AFP via Getty Images
Article content
LONDON — The Delta variant of concern first identified in India is now dominant in Britain and might have an increased risk of hospitalization compared to the Alpha variant, Public Health England said on Thursday.
There were 5,472 new cases of the Delta variant reported in latest weekly figures, taking the total confirmed cases of the variant to 12,431, PHE said, adding it had overtaken Alpha, the variant first identified in England’s Kent, as Britain’s dominant variant.
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The Delta variant is also thought to be more transmissible than Alpha, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that it could derail plans for lockdown restrictions in England to end on June 21.
“With this variant now dominant across the U.K., it remains vital that we continue to exercise caution particularly while we learn more about transmission and health impacts,” said Jenny Harries, Chief Executive, UK Health Security Agency.
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PHE said that early evidence suggested there may be an increased risk of hospitalization for Delta, also known as B.1.617.2, compared to Alpha, known as B.1.1.7, but more data was needed in order to have more confidence in that finding.
PHE said there continued to be a “substantially increased growth rate for Delta compared to Alpha” but did not update on the transmissibility advantage of the variant.
Officials have previously said that Delta could be from a few percentage points to 50% more transmissible than the Alpha variant, and the extent of that advantage could determine whether restrictions can be lifted on June 21.
Delta variant dominant in U.K., may increase risk of hospitalization
LONDON — The Delta variant of concern first identified in India is now dominant in Britain and might have an increased risk of hospitalization compared to the Alpha…
BRYAN FISCHER
Anthony Fauci, whose “expert” advice to President Trump has resulted in the complete shutdown of the greatest economic engine in world history, has known since 2005 that chloroquine is an effective inhibitor of coronaviruses.
How did he know this? Because of research done by the National Institutes of Health, of which he is the director. In connection with the SARS outbreak - caused by a coronavirus dubbed SARS- CoV - the NIH researched chloroquine and concluded that it was effective at stopping the SARS coronavirus in its tracks. The COVID-19 bug is likewise a coronavirus, labeled SARS-CoV-2. While not exactly the same virus as SARS-CoV-1, it is genetically related to it, and shares 79% of its genome, as the name SARS-CoV-2 implies. They both use the same host cell receptor, which is what viruses use to gain entry to the cell and infect the victim.
The Virology Journal - the official publication of Dr. Fauci’s National Institutes of Health - published what is now a blockbuster article on August 22, 2005, under the heading - get ready for this - “Chloroquine is a potent inhibitor of SARS coronavirus infection and spread.” (Emphasis mine throughout.) Write the researchers, “We report...that chloroquine has strong antiviral effects on SARS-CoV infection of primate cells. These inhibitory effects are observed when the cells are treated with the drug either before or after exposure to the virus, suggesting both prophylactic and therapeutic advantage.”
This means, of course, that Dr. Fauci (pictured at right) has known for 15 years that chloroquine and it’s even milder derivative hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) will not only treat a current case of coronavirus (“therapeutic”) but prevent future cases (“prophylactic”). So HCQ functions as both a cure and a vaccine. In other words, it’s a wonder drug for coronavirus. Said Dr. Fauci’s NIH in 2005, “concentrations of 10 μM completely abolished SARS-CoV infection.” Fauci’s researchers add, “chloroquine can effectively reduce the establishment of infection and spread of SARS-CoV.”
Dr. Didier Raoult, the Anthony Fauci of France, had such spectacular success using HCQ to treat victims of SARS-CoV-2 that he said way back on February 25 that “it’s game over” for coronavirus.
onenewsnow.com
So...banning the drugs that they knew worked while people died, would be pretty much murder wouldn't it?
The virology journal, "block buster" link for all you "constipation theorists" - NCBI.
Fauci knew about HCQ in 2005 -- nobody needed to die
Monday, April 27, 2020Anthony Fauci, whose “expert” advice to President Trump has resulted in the complete shutdown of the greatest economic engine in world history, has known since 2005 that chloroquine is an effective inhibitor of coronaviruses.
How did he know this? Because of research done by the National Institutes of Health, of which he is the director. In connection with the SARS outbreak - caused by a coronavirus dubbed SARS- CoV - the NIH researched chloroquine and concluded that it was effective at stopping the SARS coronavirus in its tracks. The COVID-19 bug is likewise a coronavirus, labeled SARS-CoV-2. While not exactly the same virus as SARS-CoV-1, it is genetically related to it, and shares 79% of its genome, as the name SARS-CoV-2 implies. They both use the same host cell receptor, which is what viruses use to gain entry to the cell and infect the victim.
The Virology Journal - the official publication of Dr. Fauci’s National Institutes of Health - published what is now a blockbuster article on August 22, 2005, under the heading - get ready for this - “Chloroquine is a potent inhibitor of SARS coronavirus infection and spread.” (Emphasis mine throughout.) Write the researchers, “We report...that chloroquine has strong antiviral effects on SARS-CoV infection of primate cells. These inhibitory effects are observed when the cells are treated with the drug either before or after exposure to the virus, suggesting both prophylactic and therapeutic advantage.”
This means, of course, that Dr. Fauci (pictured at right) has known for 15 years that chloroquine and it’s even milder derivative hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) will not only treat a current case of coronavirus (“therapeutic”) but prevent future cases (“prophylactic”). So HCQ functions as both a cure and a vaccine. In other words, it’s a wonder drug for coronavirus. Said Dr. Fauci’s NIH in 2005, “concentrations of 10 μM completely abolished SARS-CoV infection.” Fauci’s researchers add, “chloroquine can effectively reduce the establishment of infection and spread of SARS-CoV.”
Dr. Didier Raoult, the Anthony Fauci of France, had such spectacular success using HCQ to treat victims of SARS-CoV-2 that he said way back on February 25 that “it’s game over” for coronavirus.
American Family News
American Family News (formerly One News Now) offers news on current events from an evangelical Christian perspective. Our experienced journalists want to glorify God in what we do.
onenewsnow.com
So...banning the drugs that they knew worked while people died, would be pretty much murder wouldn't it?
The virology journal, "block buster" link for all you "constipation theorists" - NCBI.
I posted this guy's video about doing what this title says a few pages ago but apparently " right from the horse's mouth" (Dasek in a video) is facebookfakenews
SMOKING GUN VIDEO: Fauci Project Manager Confesses to Creating Covid-19
The top project manager who organized gain of function studies in Wuhan China and then ran a coverup over the leak, brags about his work pre pandemic. This is damning video for the globalists. https://thewire.in/health/origins-of-covid-19-wuhan-china-coronavirus...
banthis.tv
US Scientist With Close Ties To Wuhan Lab Discussed Manipulating Bat-Based Coronaviruses Just Weeks Before Outbreak
- Dr. Peter Daszak described how easy it was to manipulate bat-based coronaviruses in an interview filmed just weeks before the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan.
- Daszak has close ties to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and reportedly pushed back against a National Institute of Health request that he arrange an outside inspection of the lab.
- Daszak orchestrated a statement at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that condemned “conspiracy theories” that the virus did not have a natural origin.
- Daszak now serves on a World Health Organization panel currently investigating the origins of the pandemic on the ground in China.
US Scientist With Close Ties To Wuhan Lab Discussed Manipulating Bat-Based Coronaviruses Just Weeks Before Outbreak
A U.S. doctor on the WHO team investigating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic discussed his work manipulating bat-based coronaviruses before the outbreak.
dailycaller.com
Mega Bombshell: Fauci Project Leader Confesses to Creating ‘Gain of Function’ Covid Viruses
All funded by OBAMA AND fauci as a joint operation with the communist chinese and the globalist banker/ trumphaters.
Please clean up the mess under your chair bub - YOU make The FACTS make you look like a dummah fresh off the funnah Pharm.alex jones.....................
It.'s become quite obvious YOU HATE the truth...and people - CHILDREN - are dying because of people who are t'inkin' that they are channeling EPSTEEN
JUST LIKE YOU do.
Last edited:
Alex Jones' 5 most disturbing and ridiculous conspiracy theories
After years of public pressure, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was largely barred from the world's largest social media platforms.
Dr Vernon Coleman produces new evidence and annihilates the argument in favour of giving covid-19 jabs. He proves conclusively that all those advocating the covid-19 'vaccines' (especially for children) are lunatics or liars or both.....^
For more unbiased information about other important matters, please visit https://www.vernoncoleman.org
Dr Coleman's book. Anyone who tells you vaccines are safe and effective is lying - here's the proof' is available on Amazon as an ebook and a paperback.
brandnewtube.com
Poor sleepeepeepants. Epsteen HATES Alex Jones almost as much as YOU do.
For more unbiased information about other important matters, please visit https://www.vernoncoleman.org
Dr Coleman's book. Anyone who tells you vaccines are safe and effective is lying - here's the proof' is available on Amazon as an ebook and a paperback.
Proof the Covid-19 Jabs Should be Stopped Now
In this astonishingly destructive video, Dr Vernon Coleman produces new evidence and annihilates the argument in favour of giving covid-19 jabs. He proves conclusively that all those advocating the covid-19 'vaccine
brandnewtube.com
Poor sleepeepeepants. Epsteen HATES Alex Jones almost as much as YOU do.
Canada loses more jobs than expected in May as lockdowns weigh
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Julie Gordon
Publishing date:Jun 04, 2021 • 1 day ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
In this file photo a pedestrian wearing her facemask and holding a cup of coffee walks past a closed sign hanging on the door of a small business.
In this file photo a pedestrian wearing her facemask and holding a cup of coffee walks past a closed sign hanging on the door of a small business. PHOTO BY FREDERIC J. BROWN /AFP via Getty Images
Article content
OTTAWA — Canada lost more jobs than expected in May as lockdowns imposed to curb a harsh third wave of COVID-19 continued to weigh on the economy, Statistics Canada data showed on Friday.
Some 68,000 jobs were lost in May, more than the average analyst prediction for a loss of 20,000. The unemployment rate climbed to 8.2%, in line with analyst expectations. Employment is now 3% below pre-pandemic levels, Statscan said.
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“The weakness was driven by ongoing restrictions in May,” said Doug Porter, chief economist at BMO Capital Markets. “I would point out that almost all the declines were in part-time jobs, which is one mildly encouraging feature here.”
Full-time employment was down by 13,800, while part-time employment fell by 54,200 positions. Employment in the goods sector fell 41,600, its first decline since April 2020, on a drop in construction and manufacturing jobs. Services sector employment fell by 21,800 jobs.
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Long-term unemployment held relatively steady in May, while the participation rate for core-age women fell for the second consecutive month in May, dipping back below pre-pandemic levels. Women are more likely to drop out of the labour force when schools are closed.
Despite the disappointing May numbers, economists were quick to look ahead to June. A number of provinces are loosening restrictions, with hiring expected to ramp up as patios and seasonal businesses reopen.
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“June should show a modest recovery that will transition into more robust growth readings early in the second half of the year as additional segments of the economy are reopened,” said Royce Mendes, senior economist at CIBC Capital Markets.
The Canadian dollar was trading 0.2% higher at 1.2082 to the greenback, or 82.77 U.S. cents, as the U.S. dollar broadly lost ground.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Julie Gordon
Publishing date:Jun 04, 2021 • 1 day ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
In this file photo a pedestrian wearing her facemask and holding a cup of coffee walks past a closed sign hanging on the door of a small business.
In this file photo a pedestrian wearing her facemask and holding a cup of coffee walks past a closed sign hanging on the door of a small business. PHOTO BY FREDERIC J. BROWN /AFP via Getty Images
Article content
OTTAWA — Canada lost more jobs than expected in May as lockdowns imposed to curb a harsh third wave of COVID-19 continued to weigh on the economy, Statistics Canada data showed on Friday.
Some 68,000 jobs were lost in May, more than the average analyst prediction for a loss of 20,000. The unemployment rate climbed to 8.2%, in line with analyst expectations. Employment is now 3% below pre-pandemic levels, Statscan said.
Pint-size powerhouse the big cheese in recent food competition
Trackerdslogo
“The weakness was driven by ongoing restrictions in May,” said Doug Porter, chief economist at BMO Capital Markets. “I would point out that almost all the declines were in part-time jobs, which is one mildly encouraging feature here.”
Full-time employment was down by 13,800, while part-time employment fell by 54,200 positions. Employment in the goods sector fell 41,600, its first decline since April 2020, on a drop in construction and manufacturing jobs. Services sector employment fell by 21,800 jobs.
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Long-term unemployment held relatively steady in May, while the participation rate for core-age women fell for the second consecutive month in May, dipping back below pre-pandemic levels. Women are more likely to drop out of the labour force when schools are closed.
Despite the disappointing May numbers, economists were quick to look ahead to June. A number of provinces are loosening restrictions, with hiring expected to ramp up as patios and seasonal businesses reopen.
BUSINESS TRENDS(IN NEW TAB)
Sponsored by
Market One
(in new tab)
Article image
American Eagle Gold is on the trail of a 10-million-ounce gold deposit in Nevada
Article image
Orca Energy Group is delivering economic growth and prosperity to Tanzania
Article image
Why prospects of a new discovery put Pan Global Resources at the forefront of the copper space
Article image
HealthSpace is transforming government efficiency through innovative technology
Article image
Max Resource is discovering large-scale exploration potential in South America
Article image
UGE International: A decade of renewable energy experience
Article image
Use of Interac e-Transfer has skyrocketed throughout the pandemic
Article image
PopReach is gearing up for continued success in the mobile gaming industry
Article image
ION Energy is poised to become a significant player in the booming lithium market
Article image
Alvopetro is a leading independent natural gas company in Brazil
Scroll leftScroll right
Article content
“June should show a modest recovery that will transition into more robust growth readings early in the second half of the year as additional segments of the economy are reopened,” said Royce Mendes, senior economist at CIBC Capital Markets.
The Canadian dollar was trading 0.2% higher at 1.2082 to the greenback, or 82.77 U.S. cents, as the U.S. dollar broadly lost ground.
Canada loses more jobs than expected in May as lockdowns weigh
OTTAWA — Canada lost more jobs than expected in May as lockdowns imposed to curb a harsh third wave of COVID-19 continued to weigh on the economy, Statistics Canada…
Tam urges 2nd COVID vaccine dose as Delta variant emerges ‘essentially across Canada’
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Publishing date:Jun 04, 2021 • 21 hours ago • 4 minute read • 12 Comments
A health-care worker administers the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, which was authorized by Canada to be used for children aged 12 to 15, at Woodbine Racetrack pop-up vaccine clinic in Toronto May 5, 2021.
A health-care worker administers the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, which was authorized by Canada to be used for children aged 12 to 15, at Woodbine Racetrack pop-up vaccine clinic in Toronto May 5, 2021. PHOTO BY CARLOS OSORIO /REUTERS
Article content
As Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout continues to pick up speed, the country’s top public health officer is reiterating the importance of receiving a full two-dose series, especially with the latest variant of concern now detected in several provinces.
Dr. Theresa Tam said Friday that the recently dubbed “Delta” variant, which was first detected in India, has been found “essentially across Canada.”
The variant, believed to be behind recent spikes in COVID-19 cases in parts of the United Kingdom, has demonstrated to be more transmissible than previous versions of the virus, Tam said.
Preliminary data released last week from Public Health England suggested that COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca were effective against the new variant after two doses, but less efficacy was shown with only one dose.
Sixty-five per cent of eligible Canadians had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of Friday, but vaccine trackers show roughly 7% of the eligible population were fully vaccinated.
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Tam said the heightened transmissibility of Delta was “obviously a characteristic of concern.”
“(It) means in under-vaccinated populations, or if we let go (of) public health measures … in the context of a transmissible variant, that variant could well takeoff and replace other viruses in the communities,” she said.
“So it is very important to get that second dose when variants such as the Delta variant (are) in our community.”
Several provinces are speeding up their second-dose rollouts as more vaccine supply pours into the country.
Prime Minister Trudeau announced Friday that large shipments of vaccines will continue through the summer, with more than two million Pfizer doses expected each week until the end of August.
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Trudeau said nine million Pfizer doses will arrive in July with another 9.1 million expected in August. He added that Canada has also negotiated an option for three million more Pfizer doses to be delivered in September.
Trudeau said he’s been encouraged by the country’s vaccine rollout, adding that Canadians have “reason to be hopeful about this summer and fall.”
“The more people vaccinated, the safer we all are…. So let’s start looking forward to more of what we love, from camping to dinner with friends,” he said.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to trend downward in parts of the country while vaccinations ramp up.
Tam said the latest seven-day average for daily cases in the country was 2,300, down 73% from the peak of the third wave.
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Hospitalizations were down 47%, ICU admissions were down 31% and deaths down were down 35%, Tam added.
Twenty-five million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered across Canada, with 2.8 million Canadians getting a dose in the past week alone.
Data for how many Delta variant cases have been detected in Canada was not available on the Public Health Agency of Canada’s website as of Friday. The webpage said PHAC was in the process of updating its graphical view to include the Delta variant.
The webpage said the B.1.1.7 variant, or Alpha variant first detected in the U.K., continues to account for most of the variant cases in Canada, adding that Delta has “only been recently identified and thus is less understood.”
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MORE ON THIS TOPIC
In this file photo, a 15-year-old receives a first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a mobile vaccination clinic at the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA on May 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Myocarditis may be rare COVID-19 vaccine side effect in teens: Study
A patient suffering from COVID-19 connected to a ventilator tube in the intensive care unit is seen at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, May 11, 2021.
In some long COVID cases, air gets trapped in lungs: Study
A paramedic with Israel's Magen David Adom medical services prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to inoculate a Palestinian man in a mobile clinic on Feb. 26, 2021, at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City.
Israel sees probable link between Pfizer vaccine and myocarditis cases
Peel Public Health in Ontario, one of the country’s most COVID-ravaged areas, said as of Wednesday 100 cases of the Delta variant had been identified in the region, leading Brampton, Ont., Mayor Patrick Brown to urge the province to prioritize the area for second doses.
Variants of concern are typically identified through genomic sequencing, a laborious and expensive process by which the virus’s entire genome is analyzed to detect mutations.
Tam said Canada “does a lot more sequencing than many” other countries, adding that as COVID-19 cases continue to decline, provinces will “(move) towards sequencing a vast majority of the positive cases.”
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“Monitoring all variants of concern are very important,” she said. “The Delta variant or B.1.617 has been detected essentially across Canada. It is important then to characterize the exact distribution and the trend as well.”
The U.K. government said in a report last month that both Pfizer and AstraZeneca were 33% effective against symptomatic disease caused by the Delta variant three weeks after the first dose, but that number rose above 80% after two doses were complete.
Dr. Zain Chagla, an infectious disease physician in Hamilton and an associate professor at McMaster University, said in an interview this week that most of the U.K.’s recent Delta cases have been in unvaccinated individuals, with the vaccines seeming to still offer good protection against death and severe disease.
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Ontario expanded its second-dose rollout on Friday to include those aged 70 and older and those who received a first mRNA jab on or before April 18.
The province reported 914 new cases of COVID-19, knocking its new daily case average to 889, down from 3,369 on May 6.
Quebec, meanwhile, reported 279 new COVID-19 cases while announcing relaxed measures in seniors residences. Fully vaccinated residents will be able to spend time together in each other’s apartments.
Manitoba, meanwhile, reported 329 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Jazz Atwal said that while daily cases are improving, the strain on the health-care system continues.
In New Brunswick, a doctor who faced a barrage of hate and racism after being accused of violating COVID-19 measures threatened legal action if Premier Blaine Higgs didn’t apologize for statements made in May 2020.
Dr. Jean-Robert Ngola was accused of violating the province’s Emergency Measures Act, but the Crown withdrew the charge Friday after concluding there was no chance of conviction.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Publishing date:Jun 04, 2021 • 21 hours ago • 4 minute read • 12 Comments
A health-care worker administers the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, which was authorized by Canada to be used for children aged 12 to 15, at Woodbine Racetrack pop-up vaccine clinic in Toronto May 5, 2021.
A health-care worker administers the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, which was authorized by Canada to be used for children aged 12 to 15, at Woodbine Racetrack pop-up vaccine clinic in Toronto May 5, 2021. PHOTO BY CARLOS OSORIO /REUTERS
Article content
As Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout continues to pick up speed, the country’s top public health officer is reiterating the importance of receiving a full two-dose series, especially with the latest variant of concern now detected in several provinces.
Dr. Theresa Tam said Friday that the recently dubbed “Delta” variant, which was first detected in India, has been found “essentially across Canada.”
The variant, believed to be behind recent spikes in COVID-19 cases in parts of the United Kingdom, has demonstrated to be more transmissible than previous versions of the virus, Tam said.
Preliminary data released last week from Public Health England suggested that COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca were effective against the new variant after two doses, but less efficacy was shown with only one dose.
Sixty-five per cent of eligible Canadians had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of Friday, but vaccine trackers show roughly 7% of the eligible population were fully vaccinated.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Tam said the heightened transmissibility of Delta was “obviously a characteristic of concern.”
“(It) means in under-vaccinated populations, or if we let go (of) public health measures … in the context of a transmissible variant, that variant could well takeoff and replace other viruses in the communities,” she said.
“So it is very important to get that second dose when variants such as the Delta variant (are) in our community.”
Several provinces are speeding up their second-dose rollouts as more vaccine supply pours into the country.
Prime Minister Trudeau announced Friday that large shipments of vaccines will continue through the summer, with more than two million Pfizer doses expected each week until the end of August.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Trudeau said nine million Pfizer doses will arrive in July with another 9.1 million expected in August. He added that Canada has also negotiated an option for three million more Pfizer doses to be delivered in September.
Trudeau said he’s been encouraged by the country’s vaccine rollout, adding that Canadians have “reason to be hopeful about this summer and fall.”
“The more people vaccinated, the safer we all are…. So let’s start looking forward to more of what we love, from camping to dinner with friends,” he said.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to trend downward in parts of the country while vaccinations ramp up.
Tam said the latest seven-day average for daily cases in the country was 2,300, down 73% from the peak of the third wave.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Hospitalizations were down 47%, ICU admissions were down 31% and deaths down were down 35%, Tam added.
Twenty-five million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered across Canada, with 2.8 million Canadians getting a dose in the past week alone.
Data for how many Delta variant cases have been detected in Canada was not available on the Public Health Agency of Canada’s website as of Friday. The webpage said PHAC was in the process of updating its graphical view to include the Delta variant.
The webpage said the B.1.1.7 variant, or Alpha variant first detected in the U.K., continues to account for most of the variant cases in Canada, adding that Delta has “only been recently identified and thus is less understood.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
In this file photo, a 15-year-old receives a first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a mobile vaccination clinic at the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA on May 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Myocarditis may be rare COVID-19 vaccine side effect in teens: Study
A patient suffering from COVID-19 connected to a ventilator tube in the intensive care unit is seen at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, May 11, 2021.
In some long COVID cases, air gets trapped in lungs: Study
A paramedic with Israel's Magen David Adom medical services prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to inoculate a Palestinian man in a mobile clinic on Feb. 26, 2021, at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City.
Israel sees probable link between Pfizer vaccine and myocarditis cases
Peel Public Health in Ontario, one of the country’s most COVID-ravaged areas, said as of Wednesday 100 cases of the Delta variant had been identified in the region, leading Brampton, Ont., Mayor Patrick Brown to urge the province to prioritize the area for second doses.
Variants of concern are typically identified through genomic sequencing, a laborious and expensive process by which the virus’s entire genome is analyzed to detect mutations.
Tam said Canada “does a lot more sequencing than many” other countries, adding that as COVID-19 cases continue to decline, provinces will “(move) towards sequencing a vast majority of the positive cases.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
“Monitoring all variants of concern are very important,” she said. “The Delta variant or B.1.617 has been detected essentially across Canada. It is important then to characterize the exact distribution and the trend as well.”
The U.K. government said in a report last month that both Pfizer and AstraZeneca were 33% effective against symptomatic disease caused by the Delta variant three weeks after the first dose, but that number rose above 80% after two doses were complete.
Dr. Zain Chagla, an infectious disease physician in Hamilton and an associate professor at McMaster University, said in an interview this week that most of the U.K.’s recent Delta cases have been in unvaccinated individuals, with the vaccines seeming to still offer good protection against death and severe disease.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Ontario expanded its second-dose rollout on Friday to include those aged 70 and older and those who received a first mRNA jab on or before April 18.
The province reported 914 new cases of COVID-19, knocking its new daily case average to 889, down from 3,369 on May 6.
Quebec, meanwhile, reported 279 new COVID-19 cases while announcing relaxed measures in seniors residences. Fully vaccinated residents will be able to spend time together in each other’s apartments.
Manitoba, meanwhile, reported 329 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Jazz Atwal said that while daily cases are improving, the strain on the health-care system continues.
In New Brunswick, a doctor who faced a barrage of hate and racism after being accused of violating COVID-19 measures threatened legal action if Premier Blaine Higgs didn’t apologize for statements made in May 2020.
Dr. Jean-Robert Ngola was accused of violating the province’s Emergency Measures Act, but the Crown withdrew the charge Friday after concluding there was no chance of conviction.
Tam urges 2nd COVID vaccine dose as Delta variant emerges ‘essentially across Canada’
As Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout continues to pick up speed, the country’s top public health officer is reiterating the importance of receiving a full two-d…
KINSELLA: Canadian and U.S. politicians fed up with Trudeau's hesitancy to reopen border
Infected internationals? Come on in! Vaccinated, virus-free Americans? Stay out!
Author of the article:Warren Kinsella
Publishing date:Jun 05, 2021 • 3 hours ago • 3 minute read • 39 Comments
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) doesn't understand what Justin Trudeau is doing with the border.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) doesn't understand what Justin Trudeau is doing with the border. PHOTO BY CHIP SOMODEVILLA /Getty Images
Article content
Does this make sense to you?
Over the past 14 days, 48 international flights landed in Canada carrying passengers who had COVID-19.
But after 14 months, our border with the United States remains tightly closed — despite the fact that 140 million Americans are now fully vaccinated, and despite the fact that the U.S. is now opening up.
Infected internationals? Come on in! Vaccinated, virus-free Americans? Stay out!
None of that makes any sense, of course. Even for the government of Justin Trudeau, it is deeply, deeply unintelligent.
And you can’t blame any of it on the provinces, either, as Trudeau’s TruAnon cultists are wont to do. Jurisdiction over international borders, and international airports, lies wholly with Ottawa. You know, the government of the aforementioned Justin Trudeau.
Keeping the border shut was and is Trudeau’s decision. And it’s not just nasty Toronto Sun columnists who want that changed. It’s people who would traditionally be considered Trudeau allies, too.
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There’s members of his own Liberal caucus, for example. This week, Toronto MP Nate Erskine-Smith and veteran Grit and former minister Wayne Easter joined to demand that the border be opened up.
Said Easter, to CBC: “So much matters on that border. There’s Americans (who) have land in Canada. There’s family connections across the border. And we have a trade agreement where we are trying to create an economy in North America that competes with the rest of the world, so that border has to function well.”
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Travellers from an international flight are directed to the COVID-19 testing area as part of Canada's measures against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, February 24, 2021.
LEVY: Feds refuse to admit hotel quarantine flawed
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, left, and Christine Elliott Ontario Minister of Health arrive as they holds a press conference regarding the plan for Ontario to open up at Queen's Park during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto May 20, 2021.
LILLEY: Ford cites borders as issue again and he's not wrong
Easter and Erskine-Smith were joined by Brian Higgins, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives who represents a New York district that borders Canada. A Democrat, no less — no nasty, Trudeau-baiting Republican is he.
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Trudeau has shown “a lack of leadership,” Higgins said this week, taking off the diplomatic gloves — and zeroing in on Trudeau’s promise to have 75% of Canadians fully vaccinated before restrictions get eased.
Said the Democrat Higgins, who co-chairs the Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group: “The Canadian prime minister can talk all he wants about reaching 75% fully vaccinated — it’s probably not going to happen. What you’re saying is that the border is never going to open … I guess when people don’t know what to do, they do nothing … To me, it’s unacceptable.”
Higgins, Easter and Erskine-Smith aren’t alone in feeling exasperated. Chuck Schumer — the top Democrat in the U.S. Senate and arguably now one of the most powerful politicians in the States (along with President Joe Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris and House of Representatives leader Nancy Pelosi), also believes it’s time to look at opening up the border.
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Said Schumer, a month ago: “While at the beginning — and in the height — of the pandemic it was understandable for such drastic measures to be taken, we know much more about the virus than we knew in March of last year and are making strong gains against it. Since vaccination rates have risen, overall rates are steadily falling, and New York is ready to reopen, based on the data, it is time to take the first steps towards reopening the northern border to non-essential travel.”
Schumer — not one to trifle with – didn’t mince words: “We can’t wait any longer. The monthly extensions … have no rhyme or reason, they confuse people, they don’t let people plan, they frustrate thousands of western New Yorkers and Southern Ontarians, who depend on the border crossing.”
Ouch. Your policy has “no rhyme or reason,” Justin Trudeau. So says a U.S. Senator you cannot afford to alienate. Your approach is “frustrating” and “confusing.”
And, when you consider that Justin Trudeau’s regime continues to welcome Covid-infected international flyers at our airports — but bars perfectly healthy Americans tourists and businesspeople — it just doesn’t make sense anymore.
It did at the start, as Chuck Schumer says. But not now.
Open the border, Justin Trudeau.
(Oh, and stop importing Covid cases at our airports.)
— Kinsella was special assistant to Jean Chretien
torontosun.com
Infected internationals? Come on in! Vaccinated, virus-free Americans? Stay out!
Author of the article:Warren Kinsella
Publishing date:Jun 05, 2021 • 3 hours ago • 3 minute read • 39 Comments
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) doesn't understand what Justin Trudeau is doing with the border.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) doesn't understand what Justin Trudeau is doing with the border. PHOTO BY CHIP SOMODEVILLA /Getty Images
Article content
Does this make sense to you?
Over the past 14 days, 48 international flights landed in Canada carrying passengers who had COVID-19.
But after 14 months, our border with the United States remains tightly closed — despite the fact that 140 million Americans are now fully vaccinated, and despite the fact that the U.S. is now opening up.
Infected internationals? Come on in! Vaccinated, virus-free Americans? Stay out!
None of that makes any sense, of course. Even for the government of Justin Trudeau, it is deeply, deeply unintelligent.
And you can’t blame any of it on the provinces, either, as Trudeau’s TruAnon cultists are wont to do. Jurisdiction over international borders, and international airports, lies wholly with Ottawa. You know, the government of the aforementioned Justin Trudeau.
Keeping the border shut was and is Trudeau’s decision. And it’s not just nasty Toronto Sun columnists who want that changed. It’s people who would traditionally be considered Trudeau allies, too.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
There’s members of his own Liberal caucus, for example. This week, Toronto MP Nate Erskine-Smith and veteran Grit and former minister Wayne Easter joined to demand that the border be opened up.
Said Easter, to CBC: “So much matters on that border. There’s Americans (who) have land in Canada. There’s family connections across the border. And we have a trade agreement where we are trying to create an economy in North America that competes with the rest of the world, so that border has to function well.”
Travellers from an international flight are directed to the COVID-19 testing area as part of Canada's measures against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, February 24, 2021.
LEVY: Feds refuse to admit hotel quarantine flawed
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, left, and Christine Elliott Ontario Minister of Health arrive as they holds a press conference regarding the plan for Ontario to open up at Queen's Park during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto May 20, 2021.
LILLEY: Ford cites borders as issue again and he's not wrong
Easter and Erskine-Smith were joined by Brian Higgins, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives who represents a New York district that borders Canada. A Democrat, no less — no nasty, Trudeau-baiting Republican is he.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Trudeau has shown “a lack of leadership,” Higgins said this week, taking off the diplomatic gloves — and zeroing in on Trudeau’s promise to have 75% of Canadians fully vaccinated before restrictions get eased.
Said the Democrat Higgins, who co-chairs the Canada-U.S. Inter-Parliamentary Group: “The Canadian prime minister can talk all he wants about reaching 75% fully vaccinated — it’s probably not going to happen. What you’re saying is that the border is never going to open … I guess when people don’t know what to do, they do nothing … To me, it’s unacceptable.”
Higgins, Easter and Erskine-Smith aren’t alone in feeling exasperated. Chuck Schumer — the top Democrat in the U.S. Senate and arguably now one of the most powerful politicians in the States (along with President Joe Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris and House of Representatives leader Nancy Pelosi), also believes it’s time to look at opening up the border.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Said Schumer, a month ago: “While at the beginning — and in the height — of the pandemic it was understandable for such drastic measures to be taken, we know much more about the virus than we knew in March of last year and are making strong gains against it. Since vaccination rates have risen, overall rates are steadily falling, and New York is ready to reopen, based on the data, it is time to take the first steps towards reopening the northern border to non-essential travel.”
Schumer — not one to trifle with – didn’t mince words: “We can’t wait any longer. The monthly extensions … have no rhyme or reason, they confuse people, they don’t let people plan, they frustrate thousands of western New Yorkers and Southern Ontarians, who depend on the border crossing.”
Ouch. Your policy has “no rhyme or reason,” Justin Trudeau. So says a U.S. Senator you cannot afford to alienate. Your approach is “frustrating” and “confusing.”
And, when you consider that Justin Trudeau’s regime continues to welcome Covid-infected international flyers at our airports — but bars perfectly healthy Americans tourists and businesspeople — it just doesn’t make sense anymore.
It did at the start, as Chuck Schumer says. But not now.
Open the border, Justin Trudeau.
(Oh, and stop importing Covid cases at our airports.)
— Kinsella was special assistant to Jean Chretien
KINSELLA: Canadian and U.S. politicians fed up with Trudeau's hesitancy to reopen border
Does this make sense to you? Over the past 14 days, 48 international flights landed in Canada carrying passengers who had COVID-19.
Myocarditis may be rare COVID-19 vaccine side effect in teens: Study
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Nancy Lapid
Publishing date:Jun 04, 2021 • 1 day ago • 4 minute read • Join the conversation
In this file photo, a 15-year-old receives a first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a mobile vaccination clinic at the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA on May 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, Calif.
In this file photo, a 15-year-old receives a first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a mobile vaccination clinic at the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA on May 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, Calif. PHOTO BY PATRICK T. FALLON /AFP via Getty Images
Article content
The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.
Heart inflammation may be rare vaccine side effect in teens
Keep your dog away from these 10 foods
Trackerdslogo
Temporary heart inflammation may be a rare side effect of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in teenagers, according to pediatricians who reported on seven cases from across the United States. The previously healthy adolescents – all boys – developed chest pain within four days after their second dose. MRI exams showed myocarditis, or heart muscle inflammation. “Fortunately, none of our patients was critically ill,” the authors reported on Friday in Pediatrics. The boys’ symptoms resolved “rapidly” with medication. Measures of cardiac status had returned to normal at check-ups performed after one-to-three weeks. Myocarditis is a known rare adverse event following other vaccinations, the authors noted. There is no proof, however, that the vaccine caused these cases. “So far, over 2.2 million teenagers (aged) 16-17 have already received 2 doses of Pfizer vaccine, and over 3 million kids 12-15 years old have received dose #1,” said coauthor Dr. Judy Guzman-Cottrill of Oregon Health & Science University. “These are huge, very reassuring denominators.” COVID-19 itself can cause myocarditis, she noted. “After looking at the risks and benefits, the data support getting kids vaccinated.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
A patient suffering from COVID-19 connected to a ventilator tube in the intensive care unit is seen at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, May 11, 2021.
In some long COVID cases, air gets trapped in lungs: Study
A paramedic with Israel's Magen David Adom medical services prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to inoculate a Palestinian man in a mobile clinic on Feb. 26, 2021, at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City.
Israel sees probable link between Pfizer vaccine and myocarditis cases
COVID-19 hospitalizations up among U.S. adolescents
COVID-19 hospitalizations rose among U.S. adolescents in March and April, and nearly a third of those hospitalized needed intensive care, according to data from more than 250 hospitals in 14 states released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday. “Rates of COVID-19-associated hospitalization among adolescents also exceeded historical rates of seasonal influenza-associated hospitalization during comparable periods,” researchers reported in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The hospitals reported a total of 204 adolescents hospitalized for COVID-19 in March and April. “Until they are fully vaccinated, adolescents should continue to wear masks and take precautions when around others who are not vaccinated to protect themselves, and their family, friends, and community,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement on Friday. “I ask parents, relatives and close friends to join me and talk with teens about the importance of these prevention strategies and to encourage them to get vaccinated.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Measuring longer-lasting COVID-19 immunity feasible
Along with testing for antibody levels after COVID-19 or vaccination to gauge a person’s immunity to the virus, measuring the response of the immune system’s T cells could provide important information, according to researchers based at Cardiff University. While antibody levels wane over time, T cell responsiveness can last for months or years. But T cells have been harder to measure in cost-effective ways. Adapting a method widely employed to measure immune responses to other types of infections, the researchers took blood samples from adults and children and stimulated T cells with small proteins specific to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. T cells that recognize these proteins, because the person has been previously infected or vaccinated, “are triggered to produce chemicals like interferon which can be easily measured,” said study coauthor Andrew Godkin. The results were about 96% accurate, researchers reported on Tuesday on medRxiv ahead of peer review. “The test is very sensitive and seems to be accurate at identifying people previously exposed to the virus,” Godkin said. “The test is widely available, easy to employ, and should play a very useful role in monitoring this pandemic.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Virus unlikely to insert genetic fragments into patients’ genetic code
A new study refutes the controversial claim made by researchers last month in PNAS that small fragments of genetic instructions from the coronavirus became integrated into the genome of infected cells, in test tube experiments. In principle, coronavirus RNA generated by such integrated snippets, while probably not harmful, might cause positive COVID-19 PCR tests long after a patient has recovered, the authors of that study said. But when researchers in Australia sought to find signs of SARS-CoV-2 genetic code integrated into the DNA of infected cells, they could not find any. “This was despite using the same sequencing technology and cell type (as in the PNAS study) and performing substantially more DNA sequencing,” said Geoffrey Faulkner of the University of Queensland. The new finding were posted on Sunday on bioRxiv ahead of peer review. The researchers did find copies of hepatitis B virus integrated into liver tissue, and copies of other DNA elements integrated into the cells they experimented with, “suggesting our approach would have found SARS-CoV-2 copies” if they were present, he said. His team agrees with others who suggest the PNAS findings may have reflected unintended effects of experimental methods. “We think SARS-CoV-2 integration into DNA is possible in human cells even if it is likely to be incredibly rare in patients,” Faulkner said.
biorxiv.org
medrxiv.org
cdc.gov
pediatrics.aappublications.org
pediatrics.aappublications.org
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Nancy Lapid
Publishing date:Jun 04, 2021 • 1 day ago • 4 minute read • Join the conversation
In this file photo, a 15-year-old receives a first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a mobile vaccination clinic at the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA on May 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, Calif.
In this file photo, a 15-year-old receives a first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a mobile vaccination clinic at the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA on May 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, Calif. PHOTO BY PATRICK T. FALLON /AFP via Getty Images
Article content
The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.
Heart inflammation may be rare vaccine side effect in teens
Keep your dog away from these 10 foods
Trackerdslogo
Temporary heart inflammation may be a rare side effect of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in teenagers, according to pediatricians who reported on seven cases from across the United States. The previously healthy adolescents – all boys – developed chest pain within four days after their second dose. MRI exams showed myocarditis, or heart muscle inflammation. “Fortunately, none of our patients was critically ill,” the authors reported on Friday in Pediatrics. The boys’ symptoms resolved “rapidly” with medication. Measures of cardiac status had returned to normal at check-ups performed after one-to-three weeks. Myocarditis is a known rare adverse event following other vaccinations, the authors noted. There is no proof, however, that the vaccine caused these cases. “So far, over 2.2 million teenagers (aged) 16-17 have already received 2 doses of Pfizer vaccine, and over 3 million kids 12-15 years old have received dose #1,” said coauthor Dr. Judy Guzman-Cottrill of Oregon Health & Science University. “These are huge, very reassuring denominators.” COVID-19 itself can cause myocarditis, she noted. “After looking at the risks and benefits, the data support getting kids vaccinated.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
A patient suffering from COVID-19 connected to a ventilator tube in the intensive care unit is seen at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, May 11, 2021.
In some long COVID cases, air gets trapped in lungs: Study
A paramedic with Israel's Magen David Adom medical services prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to inoculate a Palestinian man in a mobile clinic on Feb. 26, 2021, at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City.
Israel sees probable link between Pfizer vaccine and myocarditis cases
COVID-19 hospitalizations up among U.S. adolescents
COVID-19 hospitalizations rose among U.S. adolescents in March and April, and nearly a third of those hospitalized needed intensive care, according to data from more than 250 hospitals in 14 states released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday. “Rates of COVID-19-associated hospitalization among adolescents also exceeded historical rates of seasonal influenza-associated hospitalization during comparable periods,” researchers reported in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The hospitals reported a total of 204 adolescents hospitalized for COVID-19 in March and April. “Until they are fully vaccinated, adolescents should continue to wear masks and take precautions when around others who are not vaccinated to protect themselves, and their family, friends, and community,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement on Friday. “I ask parents, relatives and close friends to join me and talk with teens about the importance of these prevention strategies and to encourage them to get vaccinated.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Measuring longer-lasting COVID-19 immunity feasible
Along with testing for antibody levels after COVID-19 or vaccination to gauge a person’s immunity to the virus, measuring the response of the immune system’s T cells could provide important information, according to researchers based at Cardiff University. While antibody levels wane over time, T cell responsiveness can last for months or years. But T cells have been harder to measure in cost-effective ways. Adapting a method widely employed to measure immune responses to other types of infections, the researchers took blood samples from adults and children and stimulated T cells with small proteins specific to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. T cells that recognize these proteins, because the person has been previously infected or vaccinated, “are triggered to produce chemicals like interferon which can be easily measured,” said study coauthor Andrew Godkin. The results were about 96% accurate, researchers reported on Tuesday on medRxiv ahead of peer review. “The test is very sensitive and seems to be accurate at identifying people previously exposed to the virus,” Godkin said. “The test is widely available, easy to employ, and should play a very useful role in monitoring this pandemic.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Virus unlikely to insert genetic fragments into patients’ genetic code
A new study refutes the controversial claim made by researchers last month in PNAS that small fragments of genetic instructions from the coronavirus became integrated into the genome of infected cells, in test tube experiments. In principle, coronavirus RNA generated by such integrated snippets, while probably not harmful, might cause positive COVID-19 PCR tests long after a patient has recovered, the authors of that study said. But when researchers in Australia sought to find signs of SARS-CoV-2 genetic code integrated into the DNA of infected cells, they could not find any. “This was despite using the same sequencing technology and cell type (as in the PNAS study) and performing substantially more DNA sequencing,” said Geoffrey Faulkner of the University of Queensland. The new finding were posted on Sunday on bioRxiv ahead of peer review. The researchers did find copies of hepatitis B virus integrated into liver tissue, and copies of other DNA elements integrated into the cells they experimented with, “suggesting our approach would have found SARS-CoV-2 copies” if they were present, he said. His team agrees with others who suggest the PNAS findings may have reflected unintended effects of experimental methods. “We think SARS-CoV-2 integration into DNA is possible in human cells even if it is likely to be incredibly rare in patients,” Faulkner said.
Human genome integration of SARS-CoV-2 contradicted by long-read sequencing
A recent study proposed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) hijacks the LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposition machinery to integrate into the DNA of infected cells. If confirmed, this finding could have significant clinical implications. Here, we applied deep (>50×) long-read...
Whole blood-based measurement of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses reveals asymptomatic infection and vaccine efficacy in healthy subjects and patients with solid organ cancers
Accurate assessment of SARS-CoV-2 immunity in the population is critical to evaluating vaccine efficacy and devising public health policies. Whilst the exact nature of effective immunity remains incompletely defined, SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses are a critical feature of the immune...
Hospitalization of Adolescents Aged 12–17 Years with ...
COVID-19 adolescent hospitalization rates peaked at 2.1 ...
cdc.gov
Symptomatic Acute Myocarditis in 7 Adolescents After Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccination
Trials of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination included limited numbers of children, so they may not have detected rare but important adverse events in this population. We report 7 cases of acute myocarditis or myopericarditis in healthy male adolescents who presented with chest pain...
pediatrics.aappublications.org
Myocarditis After SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: True, True, and… Related?
In this month’s issue of Pediatrics, Marshall et al report a case series describing seven 14- to 19-year-old male individuals who developed symptomatic myocarditis after the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine.1 The authors report that the symptoms...
pediatrics.aappublications.org
Myocarditis may be rare COVID-19 vaccine side effect in teens: Study
The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness c…
Do you read the entire content of the links you post? It's a lot of reading.Myocarditis may be rare COVID-19 vaccine side effect in teens: Study
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Nancy Lapid
Publishing date:Jun 04, 2021 • 1 day ago • 4 minute read • Join the conversation
In this file photo, a 15-year-old receives a first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a mobile vaccination clinic at the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA on May 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, Calif.
In this file photo, a 15-year-old receives a first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a mobile vaccination clinic at the Weingart East Los Angeles YMCA on May 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, Calif. PHOTO BY PATRICK T. FALLON /AFP via Getty Images
Article content
The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.
Heart inflammation may be rare vaccine side effect in teens
Keep your dog away from these 10 foods
Trackerdslogo
Temporary heart inflammation may be a rare side effect of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in teenagers, according to pediatricians who reported on seven cases from across the United States. The previously healthy adolescents – all boys – developed chest pain within four days after their second dose. MRI exams showed myocarditis, or heart muscle inflammation. “Fortunately, none of our patients was critically ill,” the authors reported on Friday in Pediatrics. The boys’ symptoms resolved “rapidly” with medication. Measures of cardiac status had returned to normal at check-ups performed after one-to-three weeks. Myocarditis is a known rare adverse event following other vaccinations, the authors noted. There is no proof, however, that the vaccine caused these cases. “So far, over 2.2 million teenagers (aged) 16-17 have already received 2 doses of Pfizer vaccine, and over 3 million kids 12-15 years old have received dose #1,” said coauthor Dr. Judy Guzman-Cottrill of Oregon Health & Science University. “These are huge, very reassuring denominators.” COVID-19 itself can cause myocarditis, she noted. “After looking at the risks and benefits, the data support getting kids vaccinated.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
A patient suffering from COVID-19 connected to a ventilator tube in the intensive care unit is seen at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, May 11, 2021.
In some long COVID cases, air gets trapped in lungs: Study
A paramedic with Israel's Magen David Adom medical services prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to inoculate a Palestinian man in a mobile clinic on Feb. 26, 2021, at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City.
Israel sees probable link between Pfizer vaccine and myocarditis cases
COVID-19 hospitalizations up among U.S. adolescents
COVID-19 hospitalizations rose among U.S. adolescents in March and April, and nearly a third of those hospitalized needed intensive care, according to data from more than 250 hospitals in 14 states released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday. “Rates of COVID-19-associated hospitalization among adolescents also exceeded historical rates of seasonal influenza-associated hospitalization during comparable periods,” researchers reported in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The hospitals reported a total of 204 adolescents hospitalized for COVID-19 in March and April. “Until they are fully vaccinated, adolescents should continue to wear masks and take precautions when around others who are not vaccinated to protect themselves, and their family, friends, and community,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement on Friday. “I ask parents, relatives and close friends to join me and talk with teens about the importance of these prevention strategies and to encourage them to get vaccinated.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Measuring longer-lasting COVID-19 immunity feasible
Along with testing for antibody levels after COVID-19 or vaccination to gauge a person’s immunity to the virus, measuring the response of the immune system’s T cells could provide important information, according to researchers based at Cardiff University. While antibody levels wane over time, T cell responsiveness can last for months or years. But T cells have been harder to measure in cost-effective ways. Adapting a method widely employed to measure immune responses to other types of infections, the researchers took blood samples from adults and children and stimulated T cells with small proteins specific to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. T cells that recognize these proteins, because the person has been previously infected or vaccinated, “are triggered to produce chemicals like interferon which can be easily measured,” said study coauthor Andrew Godkin. The results were about 96% accurate, researchers reported on Tuesday on medRxiv ahead of peer review. “The test is very sensitive and seems to be accurate at identifying people previously exposed to the virus,” Godkin said. “The test is widely available, easy to employ, and should play a very useful role in monitoring this pandemic.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Virus unlikely to insert genetic fragments into patients’ genetic code
A new study refutes the controversial claim made by researchers last month in PNAS that small fragments of genetic instructions from the coronavirus became integrated into the genome of infected cells, in test tube experiments. In principle, coronavirus RNA generated by such integrated snippets, while probably not harmful, might cause positive COVID-19 PCR tests long after a patient has recovered, the authors of that study said. But when researchers in Australia sought to find signs of SARS-CoV-2 genetic code integrated into the DNA of infected cells, they could not find any. “This was despite using the same sequencing technology and cell type (as in the PNAS study) and performing substantially more DNA sequencing,” said Geoffrey Faulkner of the University of Queensland. The new finding were posted on Sunday on bioRxiv ahead of peer review. The researchers did find copies of hepatitis B virus integrated into liver tissue, and copies of other DNA elements integrated into the cells they experimented with, “suggesting our approach would have found SARS-CoV-2 copies” if they were present, he said. His team agrees with others who suggest the PNAS findings may have reflected unintended effects of experimental methods. “We think SARS-CoV-2 integration into DNA is possible in human cells even if it is likely to be incredibly rare in patients,” Faulkner said.
Human genome integration of SARS-CoV-2 contradicted by long-read sequencing
A recent study proposed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) hijacks the LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposition machinery to integrate into the DNA of infected cells. If confirmed, this finding could have significant clinical implications. Here, we applied deep (>50×) long-read...Whole blood-based measurement of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses reveals asymptomatic infection and vaccine efficacy in healthy subjects and patients with solid organ cancers
Accurate assessment of SARS-CoV-2 immunity in the population is critical to evaluating vaccine efficacy and devising public health policies. Whilst the exact nature of effective immunity remains incompletely defined, SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses are a critical feature of the immune...Hospitalization of Adolescents Aged 12–17 Years with ...
COVID-19 adolescent hospitalization rates peaked at 2.1 ...Symptomatic Acute Myocarditis in 7 Adolescents After Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccination
Trials of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination included limited numbers of children, so they may not have detected rare but important adverse events in this population. We report 7 cases of acute myocarditis or myopericarditis in healthy male adolescents who presented with chest pain...Myocarditis After SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: True, True, and… Related?
In this month’s issue of Pediatrics, Marshall et al report a case series describing seven 14- to 19-year-old male individuals who developed symptomatic myocarditis after the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine.1 The authors report that the symptoms...Myocarditis may be rare COVID-19 vaccine side effect in teens: Study
The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness c…
