Coronavirus

[cwerdna]

PCR test would be the gold standard and more sensitive.

COVID-19 and Your Health

Symptoms, testing, what to do if sick, daily activities, and more.

www.cdc.gov

Labs has more info.

As I mentioned earlier, my work had us order FAQs | Cue which are a form of NAAT test but aren't PCR. Look under "How does Cue’s COVID-19 OTC Test compare to other COVID-19 tests?". They are much more expensive than antigen tests.

Some folks at my work have mentioned getting an early positive signal from the above before they were showing positive on antigen tests.

On the Cue NAAT tests, at my work, we learned of bad news from the FDA recently:

Do Not Use Cue Health’s COVID-19 Tests

The FDA is concerned about the risk of false results with Cue Health’s COVID-19 tests as several changes have been made to the tests without FDA review and thes

www.fda.gov

There was this response: Cue Health Evaluating Warning Letter Received from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | Cue Health Inc..

Then, in the past 24 hours, we learned of even worse news, supposedly:
San Diego COVID-19 test maker Cue Health — once worth $2.3B — lays off entire company and shuts down (copy at https://archive.is/r5dRA to get around the paywall)

https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/home-covid-testmaker-cue-health-shut-down-operations-lay-staff-report

Health tech company lays off entire workforce

"Biotech company Cue Health shuts down and lays off all employees following FDA advisory on COVID-19 test kits. Second round of layoffs after previous cut of 49

www.beckershospitalreview.com

If the company is really done on Friday 5/24/24, it's unclear right now whether their tests need Cue's servers to operate and if we're hosed after that. Normally, you need to use their app (iOS or Android) to run a test and see the result. The reader and iOS or Android device connect via Bluetooth.

I still have a bunch of unexpired tests and I needed to claim a "reward" for a failed/cancelled/invalid test. But, FDA letter probably prohibited them from sending out any tests and if they're shutting down on Friday, there will be nobody left to do that.

 

[tivoboy]

This is the current consumer gold standard.. they are expensive relative to rapid antigen tests. I get them online for ~ $33 each to have in case or when I’m visiting ppl in chemo or elderly.

Pfizer bought them about a year ago.

LUCIRA® by Pfizer for COVID-19 & Flu At Home Test

LUCIRA® by Pfizer is the first COVID-19 and flu test available over the counter that puts the power of the lab quality testing in your hands.

www.lucirabypfizer.com

 

[scottf200]

4/27/24 ~> 5/11/24
24.9% ~~~> 28.2

COVID Data Tracker

CDC’s home for COVID-19 data. Visualizations, graphs, and data in one easy-to-use website.

covid.cdc.gov

 

[Slipstream]

https://dgalerts.docguide.com/article/covid-19-pandemic-reversed-trend-of-life-expectancy-gain

 

[DanCar]

There seems to be some bipartisan agreement to do a postmortem, but seems some resist.

Biggest bombshells from new Fauci COVID emails

Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. David Morens are facing backlash after a House subcommittee released a 35-page memo with Morens' emails.

www.newsweek.com

Hearing Wrap Up: Dr. Fauci’s Top Advisor Held Accountable for COVID-19 Federal Records Violations, Undermining NIH Operations - United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability

United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability

oversight.house.gov

Quote: ... Dr. Morens admitted to using his personal email account to conduct official business, feigned ignorance about the NIH’s record retention policy, and offered half-hearted apologies for his self-admitted misogynistic comments. Both majority and minority members held Dr. Morens accountable for his failure to serve the American people with the honesty, respect, and integrity that they deserve from public health officials.

 

[DrGriz]

Well, there you go! Someone used their personal email for official business!

I'm still glad they saved masks for HCWs when they were short.

 

[Tiger]

Since this situation hasn't happened to anyone, including you, until now, there are no rows/studies looking at that scenario. Maybe ask that question in a year or two when it has happened and the protective effect in your setting can be measured, studied and published.

Since we do know the protective effect of both vaccines and infection wane over time, the third line is probably the best guide. Boosting now would likely provide improved protection from long covid due to a new infection you might get over the next 6 months.

Again, your specific scenario can't have been looked at, yet. It's too early. So I am not sure why you would think that information is available.

Has the science had time to settle* on this, yet?

* Sience evolves, it does not settle except on some basic approximations such as classical mechanics./s

 

[DrGriz]

Has the science had time to settle* on this, yet?

* Sience evolves, it does not settle except on some basic approximations such as classical mechanics./s

Feb. 21, 2024 – People vaccinated against COVID-19 were significantly less likely to have long COVID during the first few years of the pandemic, a new study from Michigan shows.

Vaccinated people were 58% less likely than unvaccinated people to have symptoms lasting at least 30 days, and they were 43% less likely to have symptoms for 90 days or more.

Vaccinated People Have Up to 58% Lower Risk of Long COVID

People vaccinated against COVID-19 were significantly less likely to have long COVID during the first few years of the pandemic, a new study from Michigan shows.

www.webmd.com

Study shows 43% to 58% lower prevalence of long COVID among vaccinated people

www.cidrap.umn.edu

A study published in November in the BMJ found that a single COVID vaccine dose reduced the risk of long COVID by 21 percent, two doses reduced it by 59 percent and three or more doses reduced it by 73 percent. Vaccine effectiveness clearly climbed with each successive dose.

Vaccination Dramatically Lowers Long COVID Risk

Several new studies reveal that getting multiple COVID vaccine doses provides strong protection against lingering symptoms

www.scientificamerican.com

Past results do not guarantee future performance! Again, will a given booster continue to protect going forward? We'll only know in hindsight!

 

[Tiger]

Vaccinated People Have Up to 58% Lower Risk of Long COVID

People vaccinated against COVID-19 were significantly less likely to have long COVID during the first few years of the pandemic, a new study from Michigan shows.

www.webmd.com

Study shows 43% to 58% lower prevalence of long COVID among vaccinated people

www.cidrap.umn.edu

Vaccination Dramatically Lowers Long COVID Risk

Several new studies reveal that getting multiple COVID vaccine doses provides strong protection against lingering symptoms

www.scientificamerican.com

Past results do not guarantee future performance! Again, will a given booster continue to protect going forward? We'll only know in hindsight!

Quick question before devling deeper: Were these comparisons of

• non-protected vs vaccinated,
• or previously exposed vs previously unexposed vaccinated or
• previously exposed vs. previously exposed vaccinated?

Assuming most people are more or less exposed nowdays, the most valuable comparison going forward would be:

• previously exposed vs. previously exposed vaccinated

And ofcourse yeah, past results don't guarantee a future!

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Again, will a given booster continue to protect going forward? We'll only know in hindsight!

I’m living on the edge these days. I am going to start masking only in indoor crowded areas with long exposures. And maybe at work in certain situations (people love to come to work sick). On vacation I am not bothering to mask in hotel hallways, elevators, etc. I have seven vaccines so obviously I am invincible.

We’re coming up on some extremely exciting decisions on which variant they will target for the booster. Novavax claims they can’t be ready in time unless the feds pick some old variant that is irrelevant now. Hopefully the feds will ignore them!

If I don’t get COVID soon (50/50 proposition I assume), I am going to do my booster of a booster strategy again and get Novavax later in the year in November/December. That would take me to 9…hoping for no additional natural vaccine in the meantime.

 

[PianoAl]

All vaccines and boosters, and I got Covid two weeks ago. I'm super fit, but it was still pretty unpleasant. Clear Covid rebound even though I didn't take Paxlovid. That is, after one week I was 90% of normal, and then I felt worse again.

Still tired. I'm 70. Hope to be surfing in two days.

My wife traveled to Colorado to visit the grandkids. We figure she picked it up coming home either on the Uber ride (the driver was coughing and she was in the front seat) or the plane.

 

[DrGriz]

Quick question before devling deeper: Were these comparisons of

• non-protected vs vaccinated,
• or previously exposed vs previously unexposed vaccinated or
• previously exposed vs. previously exposed vaccinated?

Assuming most people are more or less exposed nowdays, the most valuable comparison going forward would be:

• previously exposed vs. previously exposed vaccinated

And ofcourse yeah, past results don't guarantee a future!

As best I understand, these studies looked at vaccinated vs. unvaccinated who had not yet been diagnosed with Covid. Since it is known that vaccination reduces the likelihood of subsequent cases of Covid in those who have already had it, it would be expected to reduce the likelihood of Long Covid in those patients as well from that effect alone.

 

[cwerdna]

This is the current consumer gold standard.. they are expensive relative to rapid antigen tests. I get them online for ~ $33 each to have in case or when I’m visiting ppl in chemo or elderly.

Pfizer bought them about a year ago.

LUCIRA® by Pfizer for COVID-19 & Flu At Home Test

LUCIRA® by Pfizer is the first COVID-19 and flu test available over the counter that puts the power of the lab quality testing in your hands.

www.lucirabypfizer.com

Yeah, because Lucira went BK: Remember Lucira Health's 30 Minute Home Test Kit? Pfizer Just Bought the Bankrupt Company Via Winning Auction Bid.

My work also had some Lucira COVID-only tests pre-BK. I didn't like them much because it seemed like you had to go really far up your nose (not comfortable) whereas the Cue tests (besides having way less plastic waste) had a line on the swab and you didn't need to go far up at all.

Back to Cue, from SEC Filings | Cue Health Inc., is a pointer to 0001193125-24-148163 | 8-K | Cue Health Inc. and SEC Filing | Cue Health Inc..

"As of May 24, 2024, the Company terminated all of its employees and executive officers, including Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Clint Sever, Chief Business Officer Chris Achar and Chief Accounting Officer Randall Pollard. The Company notified all employees and executive officers of the upcoming terminations on May 20, 2024."

He's dead, Jim.

On this note, from At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests, if you search for molecular, there are two other now apparently viable choices. Long ago, when I looked, two of those players didn't have a product yet. Will post more later.

BTW, I'm still a TiVo user and have been using them since Series 1 (had two of those). Long live the TiVolution!

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Least surprising news ever:

https://wapo.st/3VnatIP

 

[DrGriz]

Least surprising news ever:

View attachment 1053049

https://wapo.st/3VnatIP

Yes, humans resist change, and when it was first identified, it was believed Covid would not aerosolize. Consequently, droplets and 6 feet, based on other viruses and dogma which said >5 micron (IIRC) and no aerosol. Turns out other factors in physics (mass, density) affect that threshold.

Practical experience (and some of the world's few aerosol experts) told us fairly early on (well, maybe a year out) that Covid was aerosolizing after all. It just took a long time for the experts to accept; which, they finally have. So that's news.

 

[tivoboy]

All vaccines and boosters, and I got Covid two weeks ago. I'm super fit, but it was still pretty unpleasant. Clear Covid rebound even though I didn't take Paxlovid. That is, after one week I was 90% of normal, and then I felt worse again.

Still tired. I'm 70. Hope to be surfing in two days.

My wife traveled to Colorado to visit the grandkids. We figure she picked it up coming home either on the Uber ride (the driver was coughing and she was in the front seat) or the plane.

Sorry to hear that.. silly question, did your wife wear any protection at all while transiting the travel complex? Airport, plane, Uber, etc.?

one of the things that has come out of the post mortem (sorry, bad term) is that other than using really high quality masks, N95+, hand washing or using sanitizer frequently when touching shared surfaces would be the next best protection. My opinion is that this is a pretty low pain task that people could continue to utilize in various situations. And really not only for covid, but any virus, including things like Norovirus or other human to human touch transmissible viruses.

 

[iPlug]

The classic droplet and aerosol terms seemed unrealistically binary and un-nuanced, good to see guidelines being updated on this.

A patient with a respiratory illness or even allergies when sneezing or coughing can be seen to have a similar same spray of particles suspended in the air if the light strikes just right. Even if somehow a standard surgical mask could magically trap these particles, many enter around it during ones inspiratory phase with such an inadequately sealed mask, as these were never designed for a proper seal.

In a room with little or no air flow, largely devoid of UV light, and temperatures delaying viral denaturation...

Many years ago during residency, a few of us involved with the case of an ICU patient who proved to have a novel adenovirus infection came down with severe upper respiratory infections (and attending with conjunctivitis). Including that experience, out of caution would then wear N-95 masks when encountering potentially transmissible serious respiratory infections such as seasonal influenza.

 

[PianoAl]

Sorry to hear that.. silly question, did your wife wear any protection at all while transiting the travel complex? Airport, plane, Uber, etc.?

She did not. In hindsight, she says, "I should have." We were very good about masks in the past, but Covid has been off our radar for a while.

She says that perhaps 2% of people wore masks.

 

[tivoboy]

She did not. In hindsight, she says, "I should have." We were very good about masks in the past, but Covid has been off our radar for a while.

She says that perhaps 2% of people wore masks.

Yeah, a solid fitting N95 while going through all the crowd places like planes, Uber, shuttles etc. can work wonders.

But yeah, it can be hard to do for a 6-7 hour flight overall or say an 8 hour end to end travel day.

My last four flights, I counted between 7-10% of ppl on flights ppl had masks (#’s in the 20-27 wearers on say 757-200 or 737-800 aircraft), but half of them fairly simple and useless surgical only which won’t really help at all with an airborne respiratory virus.

 

[Dave EV]

Least surprising news ever:

View attachment 1053049

https://wapo.st/3VnatIP

I would still argue that this also had the side-effect of limiting density in enclosed areas, which also reduces the odds of spreading airborne disease.

Outdoors, 6 ft could give you enough space to significantly reduce the risk of catching COVID from someone that's sick.

Would you rather be 1 ft away from someone that's sick, or 6 ft away? Or 60 ft away?

Besides filtration, dilution is the solution to pollution.