Coronavirus News Explained

Omicron and Vaccine Efficacy              Since the initial identification of the Omicron variant in South Africa on Nov. 9 2021, Omicron has been spreading fast across and within countries and is now the dominating variant in multiple regions around the world. In South Africa, 95% of all new positive test samples that have been genetically sequenced are identified as infection by the omicron variant. In the US, US federal health officials announced that Omicron accounted for 73% of new infections last week, a nearly 6 fold increase in only one week. With holiday break right at the corner, is it safe to celebrate with friends and family even if we are vaccinated? Scientists are acting fast to test the effectiveness of vaccines against the Omicron variant. In the recent paper published on medRxiv, a research group in Germany used an in vitro assay to test the neutralization efficacy of vaccine-elicited sera against Omicron. Background Information When we receive a COVID-19 vaccination,

  Rise of the Omicron Virus           As the   number of vaccinated individuals continue to increase each day, the long-lasting COVID-19 pandemic comes closer to nearing an end. However, things seemed to take an unexpected turn when the World Health Organization designated the new SARS-CoV-2 variant, B.1.1.529, or Omicron, as a variant of concern for its large number of mutations which can lead to increased infection and escape from immunity.  The first known confirmed Omicron sample was collected in  South Africa on November 9 2021. There have been many other coronavirus mutations but what worries researchers most is Omicron’s rapid rise in South Africa, which  suggests the variant could result in an explosive increase in COVID-19 cases worldwide. On  December 1, 2021, there have been 8,561 recorded Omicron cases in South Africa. As of December 4, the Omicron variant has spread to over  40 countries and territories, including the United States where it was first detected in California

 mRNA Vaccination and COVID hospitalization and disease  severity      Messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccines, such as those developed by the companies Moderna and  Pfizer-BioNTech, are highly effective for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections and  COVID-19 hospitalizations. However, there have been reports of breakthrough COVID-19 cases, or COVID-19 infections among those who are fully vaccinated.  Once  hospitalized, patients with COVID-19 can progress to more severe infection, including respiratory  failure and death. SARS-CoV-2 infection in vaccinated persons is expected to trigger memory  antibody and cellular responses owing to prior vaccination; these immune responses could  mitigate disease progression, possibly preventing life-threatening organ failure and  death. However, the association between prior vaccination and disease progression to the most  severe forms of COVID-19 is not well understood. A recent study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association , inves

The Search for Natural COVID-19 Resistance           As of November 2021, 249 million people have been infected with COVID-19 across the globe. Although much progress has been made in understanding the coronavirus since December 2019, there is still a lot that is unknown. Just like any other infection, each COVID-19 infected individual reacts very differently to the virus; some are asymptomatic, some have mild symptoms and recover without treatment, some are hospitalized with severe acute respiratory syndrome, and some die. In rare cases, there have been people who were exposed without protection to COVID-19 over an extended period of time and did not test positive. These clinical variabilities can be explained by human genetic factors- it’s possible that some lucky individuals have inborn resistance to COVID infection.      Looking back in history, this type of mechanism has previously been observed with HIV, the virus behind AIDS. Through genetic studies on people who were resistant

  Increased Racial Disparities in Excess Death During the Pandemic     While racial disparities have always been an issue in the United States, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has greatly amplified these disparities. During the beginning of the pandemic, studies found that although African Americans make up less than 20% of the population, they had the second highest rate of hospitalization (33%) in the US. (See Who's at Risk ) Similar trends were also found for Hispanic communities. However, more data has been released now that a year and a half of the pandemic has gone by, and researchers have re-examined the effects of COVID-19 on racial disparities. A study published on October 5, 2021 in the Annals of Internal Medicine  focuses on deaths both indirectly and directly caused by COVID-19 between racial/ethnic groups. Study Introduction     Data of both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 deaths during March to December 2020 were collected by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control an

New COVID-19 Treatment Could Reduce Hospitalization and Death      As of October 2021, more than 700,000 people have died from COVID-19 infection. Although vaccination provides great protection from COVID-19 infection, there is still the possibility of breakthrough infections. During the pandemic, there has been much discussion over treatment options for individuals who are infected with the coronavirus. Already, treatment options such as convalescent plasma have been developed. However, all authorized treatments in the US are given through an IV or injection. A pill taken from home would not only allow more people to be treated quickly but also ease pressure on hospitals. On October 1, 2021, the pharmaceutical company Merck announced that their experimental pill for COVID-19 infection reduced hospitalization and death by the coronavirus by one half. About the Study    Molnupiravir, or the oral antiviral medicine developed by Merck, is a drug developed to specifically eliminate infect

 Hospitalization in COVID-19 Breakthrough Cases      Countless studies have proven that one of the most important forms of protection from COVID-19 infection is vaccination. As of Sep 21, 2021 54.8% of Americans and 64.5% of people who are age 12 and above are fully vaccinated. While the chances of COVID-19 infection after vaccination are significantly reduced, there have been reports of rare cases of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection in fully vaccinated individuals. (See COVID-19 Breakthrough Infections ) Previous studies have found that the viral load of an individual with a COVID-19 breakthrough infection is not significantly different than that of an individual who is unvaccinated. (See Can Vaccination Reduce COVID-19 Transmission? ) However, more questions related to breakthrough infections have arisen including whether or not a vaccinated individual with COVID-19 has a reduced risk of severe illness and hospitalization. A study published in The Lancet in September 2021 collected

 Can Vaccination Reduce COVID-19 Transmission?     It's no secret that the B.1.617.2, or delta variant, has been found to be highly transmissible compared to other variants and has thus spread quickly across the globe. Although data prior to the spread of Delta found that vaccination reduces COVID-19 transmission, new reports find that Delta is more likely than other variants to spread among vaccinated individuals. Yes, it is still crucial for those who can to get vaccinated because of the protection it offers. But while many people believe that vaccinated individuals are less likely to transmit the virus, recent studies suggest otherwise. A study published in the medRxiv preprint server examines the viral load and transmission rates of those who are vaccinated and unvaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine. About the Study     The study was conducted in multiple Wisconsin counties including Dane County, a populous county which has one of the highest rates of vaccination in the United

 Safety of the Moderna Vaccine in Adolescents     With the reopening of schools this August and through September, many adolescents will be subject to a much higher chance of potential COVID-19 exposure. As proven by multiple studies and real-world events, COVID-19 vaccines are the best way to minimize infection. Although multiple COVID-19 vaccines are available to adults, as of August 2021, the Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine available to children aged 12-17 years. However, a recent study published on August 11, 2021 in the New England Journal of Medicine examined the safety and efficacy of the Moderna vaccine, which is currently available for ages 18 and up, in adolescents between 12 and 17 years. While only the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have published studies with children, if more vaccines are studied and deemed safe and effective in adolescents, adolescents would not only have more vaccine options, but a greater availability of vaccines for their age group. About the Study  

 COVID-19 Breakthrough Infections     As of August 2021, a little over 50% of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. However, despite the increasing number of vaccinated individuals and high efficacy of the vaccines, rare breakthrough cases have occurred. With the reports of breakthrough cases, or instances when people who are fully vaccinated get infected with COVID-19, many questions have arisen. How common are breakthrough infections? What are the symptoms? How severe are the cases? These questions are addressed in a peer-reviewed study investigating breakthrough cases among healthcare workers in Israel. The study was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine on July 28, 2021.  About the Study     The study setting took place in the Sheba Medical Center, which is the largest medical center in Israel staffed with 12,586 healthcare workers. By April 28, 2021, 11,453 workers (91%) had been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine. The study was

Large Scale Study on Pfizer's Effectiveness Against the Delta Variant           With the delta, or B.1.617.2 variant spreading rapidly to over 100 countries and causing a surge of COVID-19 cases, there have been concerns as to whether or not COVID-19 vaccines provide sufficient efficacy against the highly transmissible variant. A previous study analyzed the antibody levels of 20 individuals who were fully vaccinated with Pfizer and later exposed to a SARS-CoV-2 variant. It was found that the delta variant did not significantly reduce antibody levels. While this study served as a good starting point for researching vaccine efficacy against delta, more recent studies utilizing COVID-19 case data and larger sample sizes have come out and produced more detailed conclusions. One of these studies was published on July 21, 2021 in the New England Journal of Medicine  and investigated the efficacy of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine against the delta variant. About the Study     The study u

 Organ Transplant Recipients Receive 3 Vaccine Doses           As of July 13, 2021, 159 million Americans or 48.5% of the U.S. have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Most of these individuals will produce the antibodies needed to fight off COVID-19 infection in response to coronavirus exposure. However, some recipients of the vaccine, like the immunocompromised, produce little to no antibodies in response to vaccines or infection. Immunocompromised individuals commonly consist of blood cancer survivors, organ transplant recipients, and those taking drugs that kill or block B cells, which produce the antibodies needed to fight an infection. Previously, a study published in March 2021 investigated the effects of one dose of the Pfizer vaccine on organ transplant recipients. Only 17% of the study group produced detectable antibody levels three weeks after vaccination. ( See Immunocompromised Individuals and the COVID-19 Vaccine ) Antibody responses in transplant recipients were also fo

 Pfizer Vaccine Efficacy Against the Delta and Other Variants     The Delta Variant, or variant B.1.617.2 was first identified in India in late 2020. This COVID-19 variant has since spread to many other areas including Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Delta variant is estimated to be more infectious and about 60% more transmissible than the Alpha, or B.1.1.7 variant. Despite its rapid spread, scientists hope to lower the variant's impact through vaccination. However, there has been much discussion as to whether or not the vaccines are as effective, or effective at all, against the Delta variant. A study published in Nature in June 2021 analyzed the effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine against multiple COVID-19 variants including B.1.617.2. As of June 28, 2021, 81 million Americans have been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine which has a 95% efficacy against the coronavirus and is available for ages 12 and up. The efficacy data is taken from Pfizer's

 Myocarditis Following mRNA Vaccination     In May 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to those aged 12-15 years. As vaccines become more available, the percentage of people receiving vaccines are going up: As of June 14, 2021, 52.5% of the U.S. population received at least one vaccine dose. However, since April 2021, there have been increased reports of myocarditis/pericarditis, or inflammation of the heart, after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination (currently, the approved mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. are by Pfizer and Moderna). While the reports of myocarditis and pericarditis are rare, the rates for ages 16-24 are higher than expected. On June 10, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee held a meeting where they evaluated cases of myocarditis following vaccination.  Evaluating the Data     Data was taken from the Vaccine Adve