The coronavirus can sicken children in very different ways, a new study finds.

https://news.google.com/articl…=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

A large nationwide study has found important differences between the two major ways children have become seriously ill from the coronavirus. The findings may help doctors and parents better recognize the disease and understand more about the children who are at risk for either condition.

The study, published Wednesday in JAMA, analyzed 1,116 cases of young people who were treated at 66 hospitals in 31 states between March 15 and Oct. 31, 2020. About half the patients in the study had acute Covid-19, the predominantly lung-related illness that afflicts most adults who get sick. The rest had the inflammatory syndrome that has emerged in some children weeks after an initial infection that typically was mild.

The researchers found some similarities, but also significant differences, in the symptoms the two groups experienced and in the characteristics of the patients, who ranged in age from infants to 20-year-olds.

Young people with the syndrome, called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children or MIS-C, were more likely to be between 6 and 12; more than 80 percent of the patients with acute Covid-19 were either younger than 6 or older than 12.

Autumn COVID-19 surge dates in Europe correlated to latitudes, not to temperature-humidity, pointing to vitamin D as contributing factor

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-81419-w

Abstract

To determine the factor triggering the sudden surge of daily new COVID-19 cases arising in most European countries during the autumn of 2020. The dates of the surge were determined using a fitting of the two last months of reported daily new cases in 18 European countries with latitude ranging from 39° to 62°. The study proves no correlation between the country surge date and the 2 weeks preceding temperature or humidity but shows an impressive linear correlation with latitude. The country surge date corresponds to the time when its sun UV daily dose drops below ≈ 34% of that of 0° latitude. Introducing reported seasonal blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration variation into the reported link between acute respiratory tract infection risk and 25(OH)D concentration quantitatively explains the surge dynamics. Several studies have already substantiated a 25(OH)D concentration impact on COVID-19 severity. However, by comparing different patient populations, discriminating whether a low 25(OH)D concentration is a real factor underlying COVID-19 severity or only a marker of another weakness that is the primary severity factor can be challenging. The date of the surge is an intrapopulation observation and has the benefit of being triggered only by a parameter globally affecting the population, i.e. decreases in the sun UV daily dose. The results indicate that a low 25(OH)D concentration is a contributing factor to COVID-19 severity, which, combined with previous studies, provides a convincing set of evidence.

Discussion

Many studies support an impact of low 25(OH)D concentrations on respiratory impairment in coronavirus or viral diseases9 and recently on the COVID-19 pandemic as well (see10 for a detailed review and analysis of 14 studies reporting such impacts). Low 25(OH)D concentrations are also more prevalent in populations at risk, i.e. aged people11,12, obese patients13, people with coloured skin living in high latitude countries14 and diabetic patients15.

However, by comparing COVID-19 severity between different populations, determining whether the 25(OH)D concentration is a real factor of COVID-19 severity or only a marker of another weakness that is the primary severity factor can be challenging.

The date of the surge is an intrapopulation observation and has the benefit of being triggered only by a parameter globally affecting this population. There is no correlation with temperature, humidity, or school opening dates (see Excel file), but there is an impressive latitude correlation (Fig. 3). The remaining common parameter affecting these populations monotonically at different times depending on latitude is the sun UV daily dose (Fig. 4).

This UV index dependence was already observed for influenza epidemics16, although the temperature dependence appeared more important. A global seasonality study also evidenced a monthly correlation between other pre-existing human seasonal coronavirus activities and temperature and humidity17. However, this study did not consider latitude as a confounding factor, and on a monthly scale, there is a correlation between temperature-humidity and latitude. On the daily scale used in the present study, this correlation no longer exists as each country is temporally affected by different wind directions. This feature allows us to clearly discriminate between temperature-humidity and latitude impacts.

Decreasing sun UV insolation can impact COVID-19 dynamics in two ways: by decreasing outdoor SARS-CoV-2 inactivation or by decreasing the population 25(OH)D concentration.

However, many European countries were able to break the surge in November by implementing additional safety rules. Activities where people cannot wear face masks, such as collective sports or relaxation in pubs and restaurants, were forbidden, and festive activities where people often forget distancing recommendations were forbidden. In contrast, the population continued their professional and outdoor relaxing activities wearing face masks at work, in public transport, in itinerant outdoor markets (European use) and in parks. The success of these rules supports the major role of airborne transport of SARS-CoV-2 versus contamination by outdoor contact with infected material.

Equations (7, clearly illustrate that the potential impacts on COVID-19 dynamics of outdoor SARS-CoV-2 inactivation and a decrease in 25(OH)D concentration are fundamentally different. Indeed, Fig. 2B indicates that even if the 25(OH)D concentration slowly decreased after the summer solstice, its impact on contagiousness becomes increasingly important with time and leads the dynamics to strongly diverge from a monoexponential trend after a while as shown in Fig. 2D, which is in line with the data in October. In contrast, Fig. 2A indicates that the impact of outdoor SARS-CoV-2 inactivation decrease on COVID-19 contagiousness becomes increasingly less important with time, which should correspond to an increase in July–September, moving towards a doubling time stabilisation, as shown in Fig. 2C.

Another feature discards the potential role of solar UV inactivation: in Europe, people spend the majority of their time indoors, so even if contact with a contaminated surface can be a source of transmission, the contact probability is lower outdoors than indoors where solar UV inactivation is absent. This is in line with a one week recent study showing that outdoor contamination is much less frequent than indoor ones18.

The obtained β/α ratios range from 1.02 to 1.37 (Table 2), which is in line with the estimated ratio of 1.18 as Eq. (9) neglects any country dependence and was based on a small cohort (n = 8) follow-up.

The positive linear slope of the sun UVB threshold versus the country latitude (Fig. 4) is also in line with the fact that, due to natural adaptation, populations have increasingly pigmented skin when the latitude decreases. As a result, skin vitamin D production in northern populations is affected by the sun UVB decrease in a slower manner than that of the southern populations. Figure 4 is also in line with the low population mortality observed within ± 35° latitudes19 and reported in Hubei located at 31° latitude, because these regions are above the sun UV daily dose 34% average threshold most of the year.

The present study thus suggests that a low 25(OH)D concentration is a contributing factor of COVID-19 severity, as already shown by previous studies10, which together constitute a convincing bundle of evidence. By increasing the coronavirus load in the respiratory tract, the contagiousness in the population is also increased, starting a chain reaction that explains the wave surge.

This study has three strengths. The utilisation of the date of the surge is not dependent on the differences between the safety measures implemented in the countries but can only depend on the change in a global parameter affecting the whole country population. The correlation analysis on a daily scale prevents the interpretation from being blurred by the seasonal latitude-climate correlation existing on a monthly scale. Using the relation reported between ARTI and 25(OH)D concentration together with the reported seasonal 25(OH)D concentration variation, the derived prediction of the daily new case slope increase is in line with the observation.

The study has several weakness. Some countries have a homogeneous population distributed at a few latitudes, such as France, Germany, and Russia, which could twist or blur the correlation. Access to reported regional new daily cases should be very valuable. The surge intensity analysis was performed using the 25(OH)D concentration reported in a small volunteer cohort. Observed autumn 25(OH)D concentration decrease for several countries should be helpful to further increase the confidence in the vitamin D status contribution.

Researchers find worrying new coronavirus variant in New York City

https://news.google.com/articl…=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

(CNN)Two separate teams of researchers said this week they have found a worrying new coronavirus variant in New York City and elsewhere in the Northeast that carries mutations that help it evade the body's natural immune response -- as well as the effects of monoclonal antibody treatments.

Genomics researchers have named the variant B.1.526. It appears in people affected in diverse neighborhoods of New York City, they said, and is "scattered in the Northeast."

One of the mutations in this variant is the same concerning change found in the variant first seen in South Africa and known as B.1.351. It appears to evade, somewhat, the body's response to vaccines, as well. And it's becoming more common.

The mutation in this variant that most concerns researchers is called E484K and it gives the virus the ability to slip past some of the body's immune response, as well as the authorized monoclonal antibody treatments. This mutation is popping up independently in many different cases but appears in one particular variant, as well -- the one called B.1.526.

"It is this novel variant that is surging, alarmingly, in our patient population over the past few weeks," the Columbia team wrote in a copy of their report provided to CNN.

"We find the rate of detection of this new variant is going up over the past few weeks. A concern is that it might be beginning to overtake other strains, just like the UK and South African variants," Ho told CNN.

"However, we don't have enough data to firm up this point now."

But the E484K mutation is seen in at least 59 different lineages of coronavirus, they said -- which means it is evolving independently across the nation and across the world in a phenomenon known as convergent evolution. It may give the virus an advantage.

New COVID-19 variant spreading in New York, found in samples from November 2020, studies claim

https://news.google.com/articl…=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

A new form of the coronavirus is spreading rapidly in New York City, and it carries a worrisome mutation that may weaken the effectiveness of vaccines, two teams of researchers have found. The new variant, called B.1.526, first appeared in samples collected in the city in November. By the middle of this month, it accounted for about one in four viral sequences appearing in a database shared by scientists. One study of the new variant, led by a group at Caltech, was posted online Tuesday. The other, by researchers at Columbia University, is not yet public. Neither study has been vetted by peer review nor published in a scientific journal. But the consistent results suggest that the variant’s spread is real, experts said.

"It’s not particularly happy news," said Dr Michel Nussenzweig, an immunologist at Rockefeller University who was not involved in the new research. "But just knowing about it is good, because then we can perhaps do something about it."

Covid hair loss affecting a quarter of patients - all the symptoms to look out for

https://news.google.com/articl…=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

Almost a quarter of coronavirus patients are suffering hair loss within six months of getting infected, a new study has found.

Researchers investigating so-called 'long Covid' looked at patients who had been in hospital in Wuhan with confirmed Covid-19 and were discharged between January 9 and May 29, 2020.

They found that 22 per cent had experienced hair loss - a long Covid symptom NOT listed by the NHS.

Those examined in the study were also afflicted with fatigue or muscle weakness, sleep difficulties, and anxiety or depression.

72% effective from dying a far cry from 92%

Study of Pfizer in Israel shows 72% effective at preventing death after 1st dose

‘Real world’ data analyzing 600,000 vaccinations published by New England Journal of Medicine also finds shots just as effective in over 70s as young people, prevented infection

https://www.timesofisrael.com/…ing-death-after-1st-dose/

Study of Pfizer in Israel shows 72% effective at preventing death after 1st dose

‘Real world’ data analyzing 600,000 vaccinations published by New England Journal of Medicine also finds shots just as effective in over 70s as young people, prevented infection

The vaccine was 92% effective at preventing severe disease after two shots and 62% after one. Its estimated effectiveness for preventing death was 72% two to three weeks after the first shot, a rate that may improve as immunity builds over time.

California coronavirus variant is resistant to antibodies, but vaccines should still work

https://www.sfchronicle.com/he…resistant-to-15976713.php

Early studies show the coronavirus variant that’s spreading widely across California is somewhat resistant to antibodies that fight off infection, but the vaccines still should offer plenty of protection, infectious disease experts say.

Antibodies generated by the vaccines, or by previous coronavirus infection, were two to four times stronger against earlier versions of the virus compared to the new variant, scientists at UCSF found in laboratory studies. They released preliminary results this week.

The finding is disappointing, but not cause for alarm, said scientists involved with the study as well as outside observers. The vaccines are extremely powerful, and even with a drop in antibody strength, they likely will be about as effective against the variant as they are against the original version of the virus they were designed to fight.

If there is a reduction in effectiveness, the vaccines still should prevent almost all cases of severe illness and death, even from the new variant.

“In my opinion it will make no difference in terms of the efficacy of the vaccine,” said Raul Andino, a UCSF virologist who led the variant antibody research. “I would say there is nothing to be afraid of just now.”

The California variant is now dominant in much of the state; there are technically two variants, known as B.1.429 and B.1.427, but they are nearly identical and carry the same key mutations. Scientists generally are studying them as a singular variant.

South Africa Has Found About 4,000 Covid-19 Re-Infections

https://www.bloomberg.com/news…00-covid-19-re-infections

About 4,000 cases of re-infection with Covid-19 have been found in South Africa, Barry Schoub, the chair of the country’s Ministerial Advisory Committee on Vaccines, said.

“This is probably to a large extent due to the variant” of the virus that was first identified in the country, he said on a webinar on Wednesday.

The mutation, known by scientists as B.1.351, was identified in the country last last year and has become the dominant strain in the nation. With over 1.5 million known coronavirus infections and almost 50,000 deaths, South Africa has been the hardest hit country on the continent.

The South African government plans to soon release the results of a study into the transmissibility of the variant, whether it can cause re-infection and whether it causes more severe disease. A briefing arranged for Thursday has been postponed.

Cases rising in india, eastern europe, and the middle east, next wave?

Drop in Israel's COVID Infection Rates Comes to a Halt, Raising Concerns of Renewed Outbreak

https://news.google.com/articl…=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

Israel's decline in coronavirus infection rates in recent weeks is slowing as concerns mount ahead of the Purim holiday and two and a half weeks after the country exited its third lockdown.

The Health Ministry has recorded a rise in the COVID-19 infection rate known as the R number – the average number of people each coronavirus carrier infects – from 0.83 to 0.9 in the past two days.

After a decline in the spread of the disease in the past week to 3,500 new cases a day, that number jumped to 4,389 new cases on Tuesday, with 6.1% of 74,000 testing positive for the virus. The increase began about two weeks after preschools and lower grades reopened in areas where the rate of infection was lowest, and a few days after the second stage of reopening began with more children back in school and shops reopening.

The rise in the infection rate was expected following the lockdown exit, which raises exposure to the virus. The spread of the British and South African variants and that children under 16 aren’t yet vaccinated has refocused the attention of health professionals on the education system.

However, it appears that the source of the rise in infections is not the school system. The data points to a decline in the infection rate among those 18 and under, through children in this age group are still a significant factor in the spread of the virus.

Photosynthetically Controlled Spirulina, but Not Solar Spirulina, Inhibits TNF-α Secretion: Potential Implications for COVID-19-Related Cytokine Storm Therapy

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10126-021-10020-z

Abstract

An array of infections, including the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), trigger macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) and subsequently hypercytokinemia, commonly referred to as a cytokine storm (CS). It is postulated that CS is mainly responsible for critical COVID-19 cases, including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Recognizing the therapeutic potential of Spirulina blue-green algae (Arthrospira platensis), in this in vitro stimulation study, LPS-activated macrophages and monocytes were treated with aqueous extracts of Spirulina, cultivated in either natural or controlled light conditions. We report that an extract of photosynthetically controlled Spirulina (LED Spirulina), at a concentration of 0.1 µg/mL, decreases macrophage and monocyte-induced TNF-α secretion levels by over 70% and 40%, respectively. We propose prompt in vivo studies in animal models and human subjects to determine the putative effectiveness of a natural, algae-based treatment for viral CS and ARDS, and explore the potential of a novel anti-TNF-α therapy.

Quote from Fm1

72% effective from dying a far cry from 92%

Study of Pfizer in Israel shows 72% effective at preventing death after 1st dose

They said it was 65% after the first dose. 72% is better, although the margin of error is large, so it isn't much better. 95% was after the second dose. 92% is what they measured in Israel, but it is within the margin of error so the difference is not significant.

A tale of two Europes? Covid infections fall for some but others fear a 'third wave

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/…rs-fear-a-third-wave.html

Some parts of Europe are seeing a worrying rises in new coronavirus infections as authorities grapple with outbreaks and the spread of more infectious variants of the virus.

It has prompted fears of a "third wave" of Covid cases, despite the number of new coronavirus infections falling dramatically in some parts of the region.

Portugal, Spain and the U.K. and have seen infections decline in recent weeks, but this contrasts sharply with countries including France, Germany and Greece which are all seeing rises in weekly cases compared to the previous week.

Very similar to the first wave last year, east to west along latitude lines. The next wave is coming

Eastern europe infections are rising along with india

Epidemiologist warns Covid-19 situation in Latvia has worsened again

https://bnn-news.com/epidemiol…has-worsened-again-222361

After a drop that lasted several weeks the epidemiological situation in Latvia has become worse again, because the number of Covid-19 infection cases in a seven-day period is on a rise, said epidemiologist of the State Disease Prevention and Monitoring Centre Jurijs Perevoščikovs at a meeting of the government.

Currently, according to the epidemiologist, data no longer suggest a reduction – instead an increase of 0.4% was observed for the seven-day period.

At the same time, the number of performed Covid-19 tests has increased over the course of the week. However, this increase, according to the epidemiologist is not major to suggest the number of infection cases is on a rise simply because more tests are performed. «This increase is largely related to the general situation – which has worsened,» said Perevoščikovs.

The 14-day cumulative infection index per 100 000, according to the epidemiologist, has reduced insignificantly over the course of the past several days. For example, between Tuesday and Wednesday it has declined from 502.5 to 501 cases.

Capak: 30% Increase in Number of New Coronavirus Cases Compared to Last Week

https://www.total-croatia-news…ses-compared-to-last-week

ZAGREB, 24 February 2021 - The director of the Croatian Institute for Public Health (HZJZ), Krunoslav Capak, said on Wednesday that the number of new coronavirus cases in the first three days of this week was 30% higher than in the same period last week.There were 1,103 new cases of coronavirus in the period between Monday and Wednesday while last week there were 844 cases in the comparable period," Capak said at a regular press conference of the national COVID-19 response team.

Currently the 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 population is 115.3 and Croatia continues to be in third place in the EU, with Finland and Denmark having a lower incidence rate.

The highest increase in the number of new cases has been registered in Dubrovnik-Neretva and Split-Dalmatia counties and Capak believes that that is because people have relaxed and socialise more.

mast cell activation part 2

Coronavirus infections in the Netherlands increased by nearly 20% in a week

Tuesday, 23 February 2021

https://www.brusselstimes.com/…d-by-nearly-20-in-a-week/

The Netherlands recorded 19% more coronavirus infections in the past week than the week before, the country’s National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reported.

In total, 29,977 people tested positive in the Netherlands over the past week.

pandemics and solar activity

Coronavirus latest: India cases hit highest in nearly a month

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotli…highest-in-nearly-a-month

2:10 p.m. India reports 16,738 cases in the last 24 hours -- the highest daily spike in nearly a month -- bringing the country total to 11.05 million. Deaths rose by 138 to 156,705.

The next wave is beginning to roll

Some good news:

https://www.nytimes.com/intera…g-home-covid-vaccine.html

Nursing Homes, Once Hotspots, Far Outpace U.S. in Covid Declines