We Need a ‘Vaccines Plus’ Approach to Mitigation
Vaccinated people account for 40% of Omicron deaths, analysis finds, multi-layer precautions necessary for safety
“A larger share of deaths were among vaccinated and boosted people during the omicron wave, according to a sample of deaths with known vaccine status from 23 state and county health departments assembled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” Experts warn that when collective mitigation measures are no longer implemented, many will suffer who would otherwise be protected, and placing pandemic measures in the hands of individuals incurs more fatalities even among the vaccinated. Even so, vaccines provide a critical layer of protection ever more necessary at a time of loosening mitigation, and decrease the odds of severe COVID.
GIVE IT A LISTEN! Dr. Yaneer Bar-Yam testifies in front of OSHA about the importance of proactive measures to control the pandemic. You can also read Dr. Bar-Yam’s full testimony here.
2-SIGN! Our petition to fight the overturning of the TSA mask mandate and to support masking on public transportation and on all flights!
Resources
Omicron as deadly as previous variants, new large study (Reuters, BioRxiv)
An emerging relationship between mysterious pediatric hepatitis and COVID-19 under investigation, in Israel, in the only study that investigated prior infection with COVID-19, all but one were confirmed to have been infected about three and a half months earlier (Medriva, Haaretz)
FDA approves the use of a COVID-19 diagnostic test using breath samples. Capacity is ramping up by 64,000 tests per month (US FDA)
Despite public declarations of the pandemic end by many governments, a second global summit to be held remotely will focus on ending the pandemic and preparing for future health threats: “The emergence and spread of new variants, like Omicron, have reinforced the need for a strategy aimed at controlling COVID-19 worldwide,” the White House said in a news release with the Group of Seven and Group of 20 nations.(Reuters) A joint statement between US, Belize, Germany, Indonesia, and Senegal was issued here (White House)
Moderna files for authorization of mRNA vaccines in children 6-month- under 6 years of age in Canada, soon to be followed by Europe (Moderna, Government of Canada)
Health officials say masks are still necessary to tame the pandemic (Market Watch)
Science
Accelerated cognitive aging related to COVID-19 (eClinical Medicine)
Safety, tolerability and viral kinetics during SARS-CoV-2 human challenge in 18 young adults adults (Nature)
In Community,
-The WHN