Featured Headlines
Covid was third-leading cause of death in the U.S. last year – NBC
Covid-19 was the third-leading cause of death in the United States last year, surpassing accidental deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday.
Many Hospitalized COVID Patients Develop New Ailments Later – MedPageToday
Severe effects of COVID-19 lingered past discharge, as hospitalized patients had increased rates of multi-organ dysfunction compared to the general population, British researchers found.
Over 100 fully vaccinated people contract COVID-19 in Washington state, officials say – ABC
Over 100 people in Washington state have tested positive for COVID-19 more than two weeks after becoming fully vaccinated against the disease, officials said.
COVID-19 Is Different Now – The Atlantic
Trying to remember March 2020 feels like sticking your head into a parallel universe. This time last year, Americans were just going into lockdown—presumably for two weeks—to protect themselves from a mysterious but deadly virus. We disinfected mail but didn’t wear masks. Few of us knew that COVID-19 symptoms could last for months, that you might lose your sense of smell, or that your toes might break out in purple lesions. The possibility that millions would die was real but incomprehensible.
France Imposes 3rd National Lockdown As COVID-19 Again Surges – NPR
Calling the new, faster-spreading variants of the coronavirus “an epidemic within the epidemic,” French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday extended a lockdown to the entire country and closed schools through the end of April.
There is now a new mutant to add to the global SARS-CoV-2 variant collection, this one in Belgium. This new Belgian variant (B.1.214), first detected in January by researchers at the University of Liege, although it is only a relatively small percentage of cases domestically and abroad, it appears to have the potential to become quite pervasive. It has mutations, not only in the spike protein as many others have, but also in other parts of the genome, all of which may contribute to increased transmission, virulence, and immune evasion.
COVID-19 cases among unaccompanied migrant children in facilities spark concerns over crowding – ABC
A startling number of unaccompanied migrant children have tested positive for COVID-19 after being transferred out of border stations, sparking concern over cramped and overcrowded facilities that may allow the virus to spread.
Covid-19 Antibodies Found In A Stray Cat And Dog In Brazil: Study – Forbes
Furry companions, particularly dogs and cats, are in close contact with us humans as they inhabit the same environment. While we constantly fret over the public health concerns of co-existing with domesticated animals at home and in public spaces, humans do not consider the other side — that we are exposing stray cats and dogs to human pathogens — particularly the highly infectious novel coronavirus.
At least 19 states report rise in Covid hospitalizations – NBC
A new satellite image shows smoke rising from North Korea’s main nuclear plant. Experts say it appears that North Korea is about to make more nuclear weapons, or already has.
Vaccine Headlines
Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine doses are delayed by a U.S. factory mix-up – NYT
Workers at a Baltimore plant manufacturing two coronavirus vaccines accidentally conflated the vaccines’ ingredients several weeks ago, ruining about 15 million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine and forcing regulators to delay authorization of the plant’s production lines.
Fighting COVID Vaccine Fraud – MedPageToday
Fraudsters prey on people’s fears and concerns by pretending they have a wonder drug or access to a restricted item, then offer it up for sale at a premium. The COVID-19 pandemic seemed to check all the boxes — especially vaccines, when it comes to criminals trying to take advantage of the system. A real-life miracle drug that prevents a real life pandemic, and not enough to go around.
Pfizer Says COVID-19 Vaccine Shows ‘100% Efficacy’ In Adolescents – NPR
New clinical trials showed that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine elicits “100% efficacy and robust antibody responses” in adolescents from 12 to 15 years old, the drug company announced Wednesday. The trial included 2,260 participants; the results are even better than earlier responses from participants ages 16 to 25.
Delayed Large Local Reactions to mRNA-1273 Vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 – NEJM
Baden et al.1 report on a phase 3 clinical trial of the mRNA-1273 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, and they provide information on immediate injection-site reactions, which were observed in 84.2% of the participants after the first dose. The trial also showed that delayed injection-site reactions (defined in that trial as those with an onset on or after day 8) occurred in 244 of the 30,420 participants (0.8%) after the first dose and in 68 participants (0.2%) after the second dose. These reactions included erythema, induration, and tenderness. The reactions typically resolved over the following 4 to 5 days. However, these reactions were not further characterized, and links between reactions after the first dose and those after the second dose were not provided to inform clinical care.
Russia unveils world’s first coronavirus vaccine for dogs, cats and other animals – Washington Post
Russia has registered the world’s first coronavirus vaccine for dogs, cats, minks, foxes and other animals, the country’s agriculture safety watchdog said Wednesday. Called Carnivak-Cov, the vaccine was developed by scientists at the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, also known as Rosselkhoznadzor, Russia’s Tass News Agency said.
Clinical Considerations
COVID Monoclonal Antibodies: Do They Work in Dialysis? – MedPageToday
Monoclonal antibody bamlanivimab appeared to work for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients in early data from dialysis providers, but there are plenty of questions that remain.
Mysterious Ailment, Mysterious Relief: Vaccines Help Some COVID Long-Haulers – NPR
An estimated 10% to 30% of people who get COVID-19 suffer from lingering symptoms of the disease, or what’s known as “long COVID.” Judy Dodd, who lives in New York City, is one of them. She spent nearly a year plagued by headaches, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and problems with smell, among other symptoms.
MG has received sponsored research agreement funding from Astarte Medical Partners and Takeda Pharmaceuticals. She also participated in a neonatal microbiome advisory board for Abbott Laboratories. None of these sources had any role in this study. The remaining authors also report no conflict of interest.
Official Reporting for April 1, 2021
World Health Organization
Weekly Epi Update March 29, 2021
Confirmed Cases: 127 877 462
Deaths: 2 796 561
Johns Hopkins
Confirmed Cases: 128,791,500
Deaths: 2,814,899
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Total cases: 30,213,759 (+62,726 New Cases)
Total deaths: 548,162 (+807 New Deaths)
Science and Tech
How mRNA Technology Could Change the World – The Atlantic
Synthetic mRNA, the ingenious technology behind the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, might seem like a sudden breakthrough, or a new discovery. One year ago, almost nobody in the world knew what an mRNA vaccine was, for the good reason that no country in the world had ever approved one. Months later, the same technology powered the two fastest vaccine trials in the history of science.
Your Immune System Evolves to Fight Coronavirus Variants – Scientific American
A lot of worry has been triggered by discoveries that variants of the pandemic-causing coronavirus can be more infectious than the original. But now scientists are starting to find some signs of hope on the human side of this microbe-host interaction. By studying the blood of COVID survivors and people who have been vaccinated, immunologists are learning that some of our immune system cells—which remember past infections and react to them—might have their own abilities to change, countering mutations in the virus. What this means, scientists think, is that the immune system might have evolved its own way of dealing with variants.
Measles vaccine used as base for experimental COVID vaccine – NIH
The measles vaccine is one of the safest and most effective vaccines. Introduced in the 1960s, it has been shown to be safe in both children and adults, providing long-term protection against the measles virus. The vaccine uses a live but weakened strain of the measles virus.
Psychological and Sociological Impact
Behind Closed Doors, ‘the Difficulty and the Beauty’ of Pandemic Hospice Work – NYT
“I did not really understand when people would ask, ‘Why me and why my family?’” a hospice chaplain said. “Now I was asking the same questions.”
Published Research
None Today
Misinformation, Disinformation, and Conspiracy Theories
Far-Right Extremists Move From ‘Stop the Steal’ to Stop the Vaccine – NYT
Extremist organizations are now bashing the safety and efficacy of coronavirus vaccines in an effort to try to undermine the government.
Coping in 2020 (and probably most of 2021)
Italian Priest Livestreams Mass, Activates Filters on IG
