COVID Covid Variant Omicron (B.1.1.529)

[kyphysics]

People were defecating in gardens. It never ceases to amaze me the lack of proactive planning from many of our bureaucrats.

Pooping in gardens? How long were these lines?

 

[Hornbein]

That's interesting, but that has no impact on the likelihood that an individual gets a false positive, right?

That's correct, but it does impact the odds of whether your positive result is false, which is the main thing.

I'm in Spain. The rate of infection is higher than it ever was before, but the hospitals aren't overflowing and fatalities are few so there isn't that much worry about it. About half the people I know have tested positive. The two people I have been living with didn't get it.

At home self tests are readily available here. Though the price doubled from 3 euros to 6.

 

[Astronuc]

I don't know how long it would take to get an appointment for a test, but we can call either Walgreens or a testing lab for an appointment, and drive up. The specimen is collected outside.

Well, I just found out that through Walgreens, demand is so high in the region, that it might not be possible to get a test for about 1 week. My son has an appointment for testing tomorrow at a nearby walk-in clinic (one of few available), but it should be outdoors.

My son was potentially exposed by a coworker - again.

It appears that his workplace is not very restrictive, so they have not asked him for a negative test before he can work again. In fact, they quickly removed protections as soon as the state relaxed mandates. They recently implemented the mask mandate again in response to elevated numbers of positive COVID cases in the county/state.

 

[chemisttree]

I just found out that two of my coworkers and their entire families caught the C! All were double jabbed and boosted. All symptoms were mild except in one case… the one without comorbidities was the worst case! She is just now back on her feet after three days of feeling horrible body aches.

 

[StevieTNZ]

I'm due to get my booster on 12 January or after. I've just arranged with daddy daddy that after he finishes work on Wednesday we go to the Queensgate mall pharmacy and get it via a walk-in. My 2nd dose of Pfizer was administered 12 September.

 

[Astronuc]

New York State numbers indicate an increased mortality in the younger population, probably because more kids are contracting SARS-Cov-2. The younger folk are still at risk.

                                         1/6/22       
Age Group    Cum. Deaths   New Deaths   YTD Deaths   YTD/Cum
90 and Over      7,687         32          123        0.016
80 to 89        13,107         37          168        0.013
70 to 79        12,711         40          162        0.013
60 to 69         8,988         23          117        0.013
50 to 59         4,278         15           73        0.017
40 to 49         1,526          4           23        0.015
30 to 39           635          2           10        0.016
20 to 29           198          1            7        0.035
10 to 19            25          1            3        0.120
  0 to 9            21          1            3        0.143
  Total         49,176        156          689

Washington state reported 12,408 confirmed positive cases yesterday, with another 2,749 probable, or a total of 15,157 positive cases.

I know Florida and Texas are reporting high case loads and hospitalizations.

Florida now reports a cumulative 4,562,954 positive cases and 62,688 deaths since March of since the beginning of the pandemic. The state reported 397,114 new positive cases this past week ending 6 Jan. In the week ending 11/26 (Thanksgiving Week) the number of new cases was for the week was 10,875. Cases began to increase the following week to 13,451 (12/03), 29,514 (12/10), 128,151 (12/17), 297,888 (12/24) to now.
https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/
See - Weekly Florida COVID-19 Data

California reports 5,634,357 cumulative positive cases, 76,341 cumulative deaths.
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/CovidDataAndTools.aspx

Texas reports 4,098,354 cumulative confirmed positive cases, 848,513 probable cases, and 75,128 deaths due to COVID-19. Texas estimates 485,315 active cases.
https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/AdditionalData.aspx

 

[Tom.G]

In New York City, 51 percent of those considered to be hospitalized with Covid were for reasons other than the virus itself.

While there are 11,548 New Yorkers hospitalized who have tested positive for Covid, only 6,620 were admitted as a result of Covid or complications from the disease. That means that 43 percent of those counted were admitted for reasons believed to be unrelated to the coronavirus.

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/H...l_review_738/809d25654f238ebf69c36a7eb3bbf4fd

(above from: https://news.yahoo.com/data-york-differentiates-between-patients-213613061.html)

 

[Astronuc]

Some hospitals are seeing more patients with incidental COVID-19 cases, or patients who were primarily admitted for other ailments and test positive.

Officials from New York City-based NYU Langone Health told The New York Times in a Jan. 4 report that about 65 percent of its COVID-19 patients were "incidentally" found to be infected after admission for other reasons. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul asked hospitals to adjust their reporting on COVID-19 hospitalizations beginning Jan. 4 to make the distinction between those admitted for the virus as their primary condition and those who incidentally test positive.

Hospitals across the U.S. reported similar trends. Fifty three percent of 471 COVID-19 patients at Jackson (Fla.) Health System were primarily admitted for other reasons, and at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine, about 20 percent of patients seeking non-COVID-19-related care are testing positive.

https://www.beckershospitalreview.c...e-patients-with-covid-19-vs-for-covid-19.html

New York state, which set yet another record (90,132) of new positive COVID-19 cases on Friday, will apparently start report the number of incidental COVID-19 infections cases in hospitalized individuals.

As New York’s daily COVID-19 cases shatter records, authorities are racing to better gauge the highly contagious omicron variant’s threat to New Yorkers and hospitals.

Among the most pressing questions: How many New Yorkers are hospitalized directly due to COVID-19, and how many patients were admitted for other health conditions and then tested positive for COVID-19?

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday said answers would be forthcoming, as hospitals statewide would begin tracking and reporting the so-called incidental positive COVID-19 test results among patients admitted for other conditions.

https://www.lohud.com/story/news/co...spitalizations-breakthrough-cases/9093930002/

New York has reported about 447,000 breakthrough infections overall through Dec. 28, the latest state data show. That corresponded to 3.4% of the population of fully vaccinated New Yorkers ages 12 and above.
. . .
Further, about 16,600 COVID-19 hospitalizations among fully vaccinated New Yorkers have been reported, which corresponds to a fraction, or well below 1%, of fully vaccinated New Yorkers in the same age group.

While the latest New York breakthrough data reinforced studies suggesting COVID-19 vaccines sustained a level of protection against omicron, the variant has contributed to a spike of 220,000 breakthrough cases, or 97%, from Dec. 13 to 28.

An example of an incidental case -
Clin Nucl Med 2020 Aug; 45(8):649-651. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000003135.

A case of an asymptomatic (no fever, no cough, no dyspnea) 80-year-old woman who had an F-FDG PET/CT scan for initial staging of Lieberkühnian adenocarcinoma is reported. "Chest analysis incidentally revealed bilateral diffuse patchy ground-glass opacity with mild increasing F-FDG uptake, consistent with incidental COVID-19 infection finding during the March 2020 pandemic. The infection was confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction."

Even asymptomatic cases may have lung damage which could potentially shorten one's life or complicated medical treatment.

 

[Ygggdrasil]

Even though many COVID-19 hospitalizations are incidental cases admitted for reasons other than COVID-19 symptoms, there is still plenty of evidence that the Omicron surge is straining hospital capacity. For example, in Chicago:

Illinois hospitals running short on inpatient beds are increasingly housing patients in their emergency rooms, creating a situation some doctors say threatens the quality of care.

As of Sunday night, the most recent state data available, Chicago hospitals had 239 people waiting in beds in ERs for space elsewhere in the hospital to open up — the highest level ever measured during the pandemic. An additional 220 people were waiting in ERs in hospitals in suburban Cook County, and with more still in the regions covering DuPage and Kane counties (50), Lake and McHenry counties (39) and Will and Kankakee (27).

https://www.chicagotribune.com/coro...0220107-7av65zhpp5gwriiqiiixxwfnhu-story.html

This follows the Governor of Illinois calling on hospitals to halt non-emergency procedures in order to free up hospital beds for COVID-19 patients. The surge of patients requiring hospitalization, combined with staffing shortages due to COVID-19 cases among staff, suggest that the current Omicron wave is putting serious strain on the medical system's capabilities, at least in some areas of the country.

 

[Astronuc]

at least in some areas of the country.

The current peak of active COVID cases is just over 8300 in our county compared to the peak of 2600 during last January. Hospitalizations are only 155, which is under the peak of 162 about this time last year. I'm not sure about ICU capacity, since the data seem to be lagging by a couple of weeks, but last year, it was about 80 to 90% full.

Pediatric hospitalizations have increased in NY and NJ. The data are lagging.
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/cor...italizations-up-8x-most-unvaccinated/3485199/

Friday's report indicates the situation only continued to get worse after that. In the week ended Jan. 1, there were 571 pediatric COVID hospitalizations statewide, the New York State Department of Health said, up from 70 just weeks previously.

Of those admitted, 91% of kids ages 5-11 were unvaccinated, as well as 65% of kids ages 12 to 17.

But overall, more than half of the hospitalizations were in kids ages 4 and under, who aren't eligible for vaccines yet. Kids under age 4 represent about a quarter of all kids in the state, meaning they're being hospitalized at about double their proportion of the population.

In New York City alone, COVID hospitalizations in those 18 and under increased 17-fold, more than double the growth rate for the population as a whole.

In NJ, there was a slight reduction of children hospitalized.
https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2022...ed-to-know-and-how-much-you-should-worry.html

As of Friday morning, 95 children across the state were hospitalized with COVID-19, down from 119 on Thursday but almost double the number from late December, according to the Department of Health. Another eight kids were under investigation for the coronavirus.

But only 24 of the 95 confirmed cases had a principal diagnosis of COVID-19, the state health department said, meaning the other kids went to the hospital for reasons unrelated to the virus and tested positive once there.

 

[russ_watters]

...there is still plenty of evidence that the Omicron surge is straining hospital capacity.

The current peak of active COVID cases is just over 8300 in our county compared to the peak of 2600 during last January. Hospitalizations are only 155, which is under the peak of 162 about this time last year.

If cases haven't peaked, then hospitalizations haven't either. What's the lag, 1-2 weeks? This is crazy:

[Source: Philly Inquirer, today]

In the next few weeks, are the rate of hospitalizations and deaths going to increase by a factor of five? Ten?!

 

[Astronuc]

In the next few weeks, are the rate of hospitalizations and deaths going to increase by a factor of five? Ten?!

It's hard to tell. The county just reported 5 deaths in one day, but that could actually be over two or three days. I don't think the cumulative deaths will increase by a factor or 5 or 10, but will increase. Last January, we had 119 deaths due to COVID, followed by 48 death in February, and 17 in March. I suspect we will repeat that, or something close, this year (maybe 200 fatalities by May). From the 1 May though 7 August, we had 7 COVID deaths, about 1 every 3 weeks, then during the second week of August, the cases and deaths started increasing again. In our county, we notice deaths (and cases) increase after holidays (people get together or congregate in close proximity in closed places) and when people relax mask wearing.

Last year we had very few vaccinated - maybe less than 1% in January. This year about we have about 66% vaccinated, Omicron appears to be less severe than Delta, and there are more treatment options, e.g., Paxlovid. I don't know how the hospitals are treating folks, i.e., with monoclonal antibodies, but they probably get a standard treatment for COVID.

My son tested negative on a quick test, but we are waiting for results of his PCR test. He's been coughing slightly and feeling slightly fatigued, but no apparent fever. It could be dry air due to below freezing conditions outside.

 

[kyphysics]

Texas and Florida cases are scary. Look at the Omicron wave vs. all others (incl., Delta). It's no comparison. Omicron is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more infectious.

But deaths have been relatively low in Florida w/ Omicron.

 

[kyphysics]

Maybe that's why teachers are on strike for returning to in-school learning there? Inner-city areas (of which IL has a bunch) make it tough to socially distance properly too.

*I really do promise I'm not getting paid by E-Ding.*

 

[kyphysics]

U.S. reports 1.35 million COVID-19 cases in a day, shattering global record​

https://www.reuters.com/business/he...ases-day-shattering-global-record-2022-01-11/

The previous record was 1.03 million cases on Jan. 3. A large number of cases are reported each Monday due to many states not reporting over the weekend. The seven-day average for new cases has tripled in two weeks to over 700,000 new infections a day.The record in new cases came the same day as the nation saw the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients also hit an all-time high, having doubled in three weeks, according to a Reuters tally.

 

[Astronuc]

From the Reuters article

There were more than 136,604 people hospitalized with COVID-19, surpassing the record of 132,051 set in January last year.

 

[StevieTNZ]

Pfizer is racing ahead with plans to manufacture 50 million to 100 million doses of a new Omicron-specific version of its Covid-19 vaccine, a reflection of rising concerns that current vaccine formulations may need to be tweaked for the new threat. Pfizer also is testing hybrid combinations of vaccine to target multiple Coronavirus forms, as well as larger doses.

-- https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/he...lion-doses-of-omicronspecific-covid19-vaccine

 

[chemisttree]

It's hard to tell. The county just reported 5 deaths in one day, but that could actually be over two or three days. I don't think the cumulative deaths will increase by a factor or 5 or 10, but will increase. Last January, we had 119 deaths due to COVID, followed by 48 death in February, and 17 in March. I suspect we will repeat that, or something close, this year (maybe 200 fatalities by May). From the 1 May though 7 August, we had 7 COVID deaths, about 1 every 3 weeks, then during the second week of August, the cases and deaths started increasing again. In our county, we notice deaths (and cases) increase after holidays (people get together or congregate in close proximity in closed places) and when people relax mask wearing.

Last year we had very few vaccinated - maybe less than 1% in January. This year about we have about 66% vaccinated, Omicron appears to be less severe than Delta, and there are more treatment options, e.g., Paxlovid. I don't know how the hospitals are treating folks, i.e., with monoclonal antibodies, but they probably get a standard treatment for COVID.

My son tested negative on a quick test, but we are waiting for results of his PCR test. He's been coughing slightly and feeling slightly fatigued, but no apparent fever. It could be dry air due to below freezing conditions outside.

I hope your son has a very mild case of whatever he has.
Regarding monoclonal antibodies, I understood that once admitted, monoclonal antibodies treatment is off the table?

“Casirivimab and imdevimab are not authorized for patients who are hospitalized due to COVID-19 or require oxygen therapy due to COVID-19.”

 

[Astronuc]

Regarding monoclonal antibodies, I understood that once admitted, monoclonal antibodies treatment is off the table?

I don't know the current protocols, but I'll try to find out from a local doctor. My GP/primary physician treated a patient with COVID.

 

[chemisttree]

I believe that once admitted to the hospital the EUA protection/authorization is not allowed. I would be very surprised if a hospital would go against the FDA on something like this.
Outpatient treatment is OK.

 

[kyphysics]

Are IL deaths abnormally higher?

*I am not an Eric Ding bot.*

 

[Astronuc]

I believe that once admitted to the hospital the EUA protection/authorization is not allowed. I would be very surprised if a hospital would go against the FDA on something like this.
Outpatient treatment is OK.

https://combatcovid.hhs.gov/possibl...tibodies-high-risk-covid-19-positive-patients

After a temporary pause while waiting for supply, Houston Methodist has resumed its monoclonal antibody infusions with Strovimab, which has shown to be effective against the COVID-19 omicron variant. Due to limited supply, at this time we will only be able to refer patients who are immune compromised or over the age of 65 with a risk factor.

https://www.houstonmethodist.org/bl...dy-therapy-and-who-is-eligible-to-receive-it/

https://covid19.nychealthandhospitals.org/MAB

Hospital sites indicated limited access to MAB therapy.

If my son tested positive, my plan would be for our primary care physician to arrange treatment, probably with Paxlovid. We would have to determine its availability.

New York state reported 165 deaths attributed to Covid-19 for yesterday, which is indicative of the trend during January 2021. The number of new positive cases has seemingly turned over, but we'll have to wait through the weekend to see if that is the trend, as opposed to an accounting factor or brief lull. The peak occurred on 13 January with 204 deaths in one day. However, given the portion of the population vaccinated and with access to MAB, the mortality rate may be lower than last year.

 

[chemisttree]

My son just tested positive with a lateral flow test. I’ve probably got it too. He has a headache, sore throat and congestion. I’m asymptomatic so far and awaiting result of my own test.

Edit: I test negative.

 

[kyphysics]

My son just tested positive with a lateral flow test. I’ve probably got it too. He has a headache, sore throat and congestion. I’m asymptomatic so far and awaiting result of my own test.

Are you two vaxed?

 

[chemisttree]

Are you two vaxed?

Yes. I’m also boosted. He took the J&J vax late last spring.

His positive test looks like this…

 

[nsaspook]

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHCQ/LCP/Pages/AFL-21-08.aspx

• From January 8, 2022 until February 1, 2022, HCP who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 and are asymptomatic, may return to work immediately without isolation and without testing, and HCPs who have been exposed and are asymptomatic may return to work immediately without quarantine and without testing. These HCPs must wear an N95 respirator for source control.

Hospitals there are adapting to the new reality of Omicron infections in highly vaccinated populations.

 

[kyphysics]

I'm getting pissed off at the lines at my doctor's office. I need to go twice a month for non-COVID testing to first do my A1c blood test and then come in again to get read results (I'm always over the normal threshold, so they cannot deliver bad results by phone - only good ones). There are people coming in strictly for COVID tests and nothing else. They are 90% of the people and bloat the waiting lines.

I feel even if I didn't have COVID, I'd get it from standing in line. It's annoying me. States/locales need to have COVID testing ONLY places. People are probably getting it at the doctor's office! I don't want to wait in line again tomorrow in the freaking cold.


This was pretty cool, though.

 

[StevieTNZ]

I need to go twice a month for non-COVID testing to first do my A1c blood test and then come in again to get read results (I'm always over the normal threshold, so they cannot deliver bad results by phone - only good ones).

Can't they be normal and use a service such as ManageMyHealth (https://www.managemyhealth.co.nz/) so you can see your blood test results, and message you anything the Dr finds relevant (rather than you go in twice)? Also, don't you lot have dedicated blood test centres (seperate from the doctor)? (https://www.wellingtonscl.co.nz/)

 

[StevieTNZ]

Pfizer's chief executive has revealed that two doses of the current Covid-19 vaccine offer "very limited protection, if any" against Omicron, although two doses plus a booster offer "reasonable protection" against hospitalisation and death.

Albert Bourla made the comments in an interview with Yahoo Finance after the company announced a new Omicron-specific version of the vaccine would be ready by March, with doses already being manufactured.

-- https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/co...ine-in-production/6GRQLK3TSL6XBIAXAZWR2GKNHU/

 

[kyphysics]

Can't they be normal and use a service such as ManageMyHealth (https://www.managemyhealth.co.nz/) so you can see your blood test results, and message you anything the Dr finds relevant (rather than you go in twice)? Also, don't you lot have dedicated blood test centres (seperate from the doctor)? (https://www.wellingtonscl.co.nz/)

His office doesn't have online health management. There are other labs I could go to or just another doctor to get tested that have that. This Dr. wants me to come in each time after my bad results to chat (maybe so he can make money?)...but it's not bad, since the co-pay is only $25 with my insurance. What IS BAD is having to do this during Omicron's surge.

Honestly, I feel like just skipping on him. I'm not going to die of diabetes (esp., since I'm on meds now) in a few months. I might wait for Omicron to fade, before going in. I have 1 refill of meds, so that'll last me another month. I'm avoiding crowds and try to get shopping done early morning at 7am/8am. I feel like the later you wait into the day, more people go through a store and touch stuff and breathe all over the air. Going right when a store opens is best, imho.

 

[gmax137]

first do my A1c blood test and then come in again to get read results

I have had the A1C test in the doctors office: they take one drop of blood and seven minutes later read the results. The doctor does other doctorly things during the seven minutes (listen to my heart, look in my ears, etc.).

 

[hutchphd]

Every two weeks?
I recommend the following publication: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK253477/

Note that the advisory is the test not be given more often than 4 times annually during stabilization period and 2 times annually thereafter.

 

[Astronuc]

Amid a flurry of flight cancellations, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby offered a window into the staffing challenges employers are facing due to the omicron surge.

"We have about 3,000 employees who are currently positive for COVID. Just as an example, in one day alone at Newark, nearly one-third of our workforce called out sick," he wrote in https://www.united.com/news-announcements/scott-kirby-employee-note/scott-kirby-employee-note.pdf on Tuesday.

https://www.npr.org/sections/corona...covid-but-its-vaccine-mandate-has-saved-lives

Meanwhile - CBS reports that the leading cause of death of police and law enforcement officers was COVID-19, the group's newly released Law Enforcement Officers Fatalities Report said. The report found 301 officers died from COVID-19 in 2021, a 65% increase from the year before.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-police-officer-cause-of-deaths-2021/

The state of New Jersey declares an emergency as the state records "35,000 new Coronavirus cases a day with more than 10,000 current hospitalizations."
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-...lares-state-of-emergency-over-omicron-variant
https://www.nj.com/data/2022/01/cov...y-every-nj-county-see-the-major-hotspots.html
https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2022...rphys-emergency-powers-are-set-to-expire.htmlEdit/update:

The omicron-driven surge has sent COVID-19 hospitalizations skyrocketing across the U.S., reaching a new pandemic high this week with 145,982 patients hospitalized.
. . .
Patients with COVID now fill about 30% of ICU beds in the nation and pediatric COVID hospitalizations are also at the highest rate of the pandemic.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health...it-new-record-high-raising-risks-for-patients

https://www.npr.org/local/305/2022/...tions-to-record-breaking-levels-in-d-c-region

The state of Missouri reports 3,310 hospitalizations or 84% of hospital capacity, with 692 patients in ICU or 78% of ICU capacity of which 372 patients are on ventilators as of January 9. Reporting of patient numbers may be delayed by one or two days.
https://health.mo.gov/living/health...coronavirus/data/public-health/healthcare.php

 

[StevieTNZ]

.but it's not bad, since the co-pay is only $25 with my insurance.

I pay NZD$19.50 for a 15 min consult with my GP. Sounds like he is scamming you out of money if you're paying USD$25 for a consult with the GP for a blood test, then another $25 for a follow up on results.

 

[valenumr]

I'm not sure what to make of this, but it seems bad.

 

[Astronuc]

I hope your son has a very mild case of whatever he has.

My son just learned his PCR test result is positive for SARS-Cov-2, probably Omicron variant. He has a mild case, so far. He has no fever, but feels very tired, and has had a slight cough and some congestion (much like a typical Coronavirus common cold). We're now talking with a friend, who is a physician's assistant regarding possible treatments.

 

[Astronuc]

I'm off to get my first test for SARS-Cov-2. My son seems to be recovering. His has ceased coughing and sneezing, but he's sleeping in today. My wife got tested yesterday.

Edit/update: My rapid test was negative (PCR results will be available next week, hopefully Monday), and my wife's PCR test was negative.Edit/update:

If you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, don’t run to get tested right away — the earliest you can test positive for COVID is between 24 and 48 hours after exposure, according to Verywell Health.
. . .

Other health experts, however, say that you can test positive earlier than that, and that the best days to get tested are days 2, 3 and 4 after exposure, or within 48 to 72 hours, according to The New York Times. In other words, experts suggest that waiting for a full 5 days may be too long, and you risk spreading the virus to others in the meantime.

Read more at: https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/coronavirus/article257225592.html#storylink=cpy

 

[StevieTNZ]

I had a Covid test yesterday. 11 hrs ago they texted me the result which was NEGATIVE. YAY FOR LIFE.

 

[dlgoff]

I've been wondering about a fourth dose for the COVID-19 vaccine. There are different opinions whether or not there needs to be a fourth dose. Here is one example about this:
https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-01-13/a-fourth-coronavirus-shot-will-likely-be-needed-but-questions-remain-about-when-and-what-kind

My health provider tells me they haven't heard anything about a fourth dose.

What am I missing?

 

[dlgoff]

I've been wondering about a fourth dose for the COVID-19 vaccine. There are different opinions whether or not there needs to be a fourth dose. Here is one example about this:
https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-01-13/a-fourth-coronavirus-shot-will-likely-be-needed-but-questions-remain-about-when-and-what-kind

My health provider tells me they haven't heard anything about a fourth dose.

What am I missing?

I guess it's in the works:

from https://vanderbilthustler.com/45305/featured/pfizer-to-offer-fourth-covid-19-vaccine-dose/

This dose intends to target the omicron variant with manufacturing set to finish in March 2022.

 

[Astronuc]

My health provider tells me they haven't heard anything about a fourth dose.

My wife's healthcare provider has mentioned that she is qualified for a fourth dose. It may not yet be an official position by the NIH, CDC, HHS or whatever government department is responsible for such a determination.

 

[Astronuc]

For more discussion of the drug see this PF thread: https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...ew-anti-viral-drugs-to-treat-covid-19.992545/
Here's a nice piece with some discussion on what Paxlovid means for the future of the pandemic: https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/pfizer-s-good-news-world-s-good-news
Here's a nice piece on the chemistry behind manufacturing Paxlovid: https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/making-paxlovid

COVID antiviral drugs are here but they're scarce.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health...323181/covid-antivirals-paxlovid-molnupiravir

I asked my doctor's office about potential treatment if my son (who tested positive) or I were to contract the virus, and I explicitly asked about Paxlovid. I was told that neither of us would be prescribed Paxlovid, unless COVID-19 were severe (in other words, the viral infection was doing serious damage already). Apparently, there treatment is some corticosteroid and stay home, but go to ER if there is high fever or trouble breathing, . . . . , in other words, stay home unless one is severely distressed!

However, some folks (with connections and/or money) apparently can get Paxlovid. The local pharmacy sells out as soon as they get it.

In New Jersey - Long-awaited COVID antiviral pills now available at more than 50 N.J. Walgreens locations

https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2022...e-at-more-than-50-nj-walgreens-locations.html

The distribution of Paxlovid is certainly not uniform as the map from Texas shows for the last week in December. Harris county has the highest number of cases, yet no pharmacy is shown on the map.

 

[gleem]

Forgive me if this has been touched upon (TLDR). But with 288 NFL gave played (16 games per week for 18 weeks) and an average attendance of 50,000 persons per game that 58 million person hours with very close proximity to pass on the infection than we would not otherwise have had.

 

[bhobba]

Pooping in gardens? How long were these lines?

Very long. They were waiting for many hours. So long, it was unworkable, and they had to introduce rapid antigen tests quickly. Here in QLD, we were supposed to get 1 million such tests - but got 100,000. Inside Pubic Service joke - the wheels of government grind slowly but surely.

 

[bhobba]

If cases haven't peaked, then hospitalizations haven't either. What's the lag, 1-2 weeks?

The Chief Medical Officer here in Queensland announced he expects the peak in Brisbane to occur at end of January, beginning February. The hospital peak one to maybe two weeks later. The early stats are with a third dose you have a 90% less chance of dying. But this is an evolving situation and it can change.

Thanks
Bill

 

[PeroK]

I had a Covid test yesterday. 11 hrs ago they texted me the result which was NEGATIVE. YAY FOR LIFE.

If you get COVID in NZ you are one in a million!

 

[Rive]

The way it works, and this is just recently, is everyone accepts the negative of a rapid test. But if positive, you must get a PCR test immediately.

?
As far as I know usually that works the other way around. With rapid tests, false negative is far more frequent than false positive. So if the rapid is positive it is accepted as positive: if it's negative, you may better to do a PCR.

 

[Astronuc]

As far as I know usually that works the other way around. With rapid tests, false negative is far more frequent than false positive.

That was my son's situation. His rapid test was negative, but then he developed a slight, intermittent cough. Over a couple of days, fatigue set in, and he was congested, like a common cold but without fever. Five days after his negative rapid test, he was notified of positive PCR test result. So, he's been isolating for several days. My rapid test came back negative, which doesn't mean much after my son's experience. I'm waiting for the PCR test result taken at the same time. I do not have symptoms, but I could be asymptomatic. My wife (who is particularly vulnerable to a respiratory virus infection) got a PCR test with an overnight turnaround, and she has tested negative.

Interestingly, I when I arranged for the test, I was told I should wait 5 days or onset of symptoms. I had to explain to the person on the phone that it was at least 5 days when my son was tested, and he tested positive. I may have been exposed, for at least 5 or 6 days, since we don't know when my son was exposed, and he was only exposed over two days, was notified two days after the exposure, then tested the following day after notification. Then it was 5 or 6 days after when I got my test.

I'm off to get my first test for SARS-Cov-2. My son seems to be recovering. His has ceased coughing and sneezing, but he's sleeping in today. My wife got tested yesterday.

I posted a link in that post in which it mentions getting tested about 48 hours after exposure and the optimal time (with Omicron?) is 48 to 96 hours (2 to 4 days) after exposure. Five days could be too late, if one has a low virus load.

So the five days wait suggested by the doctor's office was ridiculous. So the testing is somewhat inconsistent, and the treatment is inconsistent.

 

[valenumr]

That was my son's situation. His rapid test was negative, but then he developed a slight, intermittent cough. Over a couple of days, fatigue set in, and he was congested, like a common cold but without fever. Five days after his negative rapid test, he was notified of positive PCR test result. So, he's been isolating for several days. My rapid test came back negative, which doesn't mean much after my son's experience. I'm waiting for the PCR test result taken at the same time. I do not have symptoms, but I could be asymptomatic. My wife (who is particularly vulnerable to a respiratory virus infection) got a PCR test with an overnight turnaround, and she has tested negative.

Interestingly, I when I arranged for the test, I was told I should wait 5 days or onset of symptoms. I had to explain to the person on the phone that it was at least 5 days when my son was tested, and he tested positive. I may have been exposed, for at least 5 or 6 days, since we don't know when my son was exposed, and he was only exposed over two days, was notified two days after the exposure, then tested the following day after notification. Then it was 5 or 6 days after when I got my test.I posted a link in that post in which it mentions getting tested about 48 hours after exposure and the optimal time (with Omicron?) is 48 to 96 hours (2 to 4 days) after exposure. Five days could be too late, if one has a low virus load.

So the five days wait suggested by the doctor's office was ridiculous. So the testing is somewhat inconsistent, and the treatment is inconsistent.

The home tests have a very high specificity, but a not so great sensitivity. So false negatives are part for the course.

 

[Astronuc]

The home tests have a very high specificity, but a not so great sensitivity. So false negatives are part for the course.

My son's rapid test was taken at a clinic, my test was done by my doctor's office, while my wife's PCR test was done by a hospital with lab on site. I expect home tests are not particularly reliable, but if they indicate positive, that's probably correct.