Covid-19 News

    Interest grows in 3 experimental Covid treatments


    Interest grows in 3 experimental Covid treatments - ISRAEL21c
    Two months ago, vaccines were seen as the great hope to end Covid-19. Now, as the virus continues to mutate, interest in emerging Israeli treatments is growing…
    www.israel21c.org


    Just two months ago, interest in Covid therapeutics was done. Everyone thought it was over because the vaccines were working well. And then Delta came along,” says Shai Novik, executive chairman of Novik says that the large number of unvaccinated people in the world “creates a playing field for mutations,” currently the Delta (Indian) and Delta-plus variants.


    That means there’s an urgent need for “a slew of therapeutics for mild, moderate, severe and critical cases of Covid-19,” he tells ISRAEL21c, explaining that not every patient responds the same, and different levels of illness require different drugs or drug combinations.


    Here we report on the progress of three promising Israeli drug candidates for treating Covid-19. One is given intravenously; one is swallowed as a pill; and one is inhaled.


    Allocetra by Enlivex Therapeutics


    Allocetra is an immunotherapy drug candidate that reprograms malfunctioning immune cells called macrophages.


    It’s based on the research of Enlivex chief scientific and medical officer Dr. Dror Mevorach, chief of internal medicine at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem and head of one of its coronavirus units.


    Allocetra is given once by an IV infusion to severe or critical patients in the hospital.


    “To date, we’ve treated 10 critical and 11 severe Covid-19 patients,” says Novik.


    “The results were encouraging. We did not see any issue with safety and tolerability. Nineteen of the 21 patients were released from the hospital in 5.6 days, on average, after receiving our drug product — less time than you’d expect at this level of illness.”


    Enlivex now is initiating a Phase IIb randomized, controlled study of 152 patients in Israel and Europe, half getting Allocetra and half a placebo.


    “The objective is to get final clarity and confirmation of whether our drug product is as effective as we think it is in severe and critical patients. The study has an endpoint for each type of patient,” Novik says.


    “Assuming the data will be supportive, we will use it to try getting regulatory approval in various locations to get it on the market.”

    Allocetra is specific to severe and critical patients, he emphasizes.


    “Some of the antibodies approved for use in the US were taken from the plasma of recovered patients or developed in the lab. These were mostly given to moderate patients who didn’t already have organ failure but had a high quantity of virus in their system,” says Novik.


    “Sicker patients have little virus left in the body; they’ve developed other serious issues. If approved, our therapy would be like shooting with a tank instead of a rifle.”


    Opaganib by RedHill Biopharma


    Opaganib is being evaluated as an oral drug with antiviral and anti-inflammatory actions to treat severe Covid-19 pneumonia.

    A Phase II/III study involving 475 patients on several continents was completed on July 19. RedHill COO Gilead Raday tells ISRAEL21c that the findings will be available soon pending data accumulation and analysis.


    Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem gave the drug candidate to 23 patients on a compassionate use basis in April and May 2020 and compared outcomes to control patients. Results, published in the Journal of Emerging Diseases and Virology, were encouraging though anecdotal.


    “All the patients showed improvement across several clinical parameters and biomarkers,” says Raday. “There were zero events of mechanical intubation and ventilation, while a third of the control patients did have to be intubated and ventilated. The patients treated with our product also improved in terms of oxygen requirement, lymphocyte count and other inflammatory markers.”


    A Phase II study of opaganib in 40 American hospital patients demonstrated consistent benefit compared to those on drugs such as remdesivir and helped them to be discharged faster, he adds.

    Because opaganib doesn’t act on the spike protein of the coronavirus, but rather on a mechanism the virus uses in the body to replicate and spread, “we think it will continue to be effective against Delta and any future variants with differences in the spike protein,” says Raday.


    An oral pill is easy to distribute and administer to non-hospitalized patients, which describes most of the Covid patients around the world, he points out.


    “Experts are now focusing on oral therapy for outpatients early in the diagnosis of the disease to prevent deterioration and hospitalization,” Raday says.


    The drug’s ability to inhibit virus replication is potentially helpful at early stages of Covid-19, while its anti-inflammatory ability to reduce the hyperimmune response is potentially helpful in later stages, he explains.


    “If our global Phase II/III studies confirm or replicate the results we saw in compassionate use and Phase II studies, opaganib would be a gamechanger in treating Covid-19. The pill could be broadly implemented to patients in various stages of disease.”


    RedHill Biopharma also has a second oral pill candidate, with a different antiviral mechanism, under investigation for treating Covid-19 patients.


    EXO-CD24


    EXO-CD24, an experimental inhaled medication developed by Prof. Nadir Arber at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, is designed to stop the “cytokine storm” that occurs in the lungs of 5-7% of Covid-19 patients.


    A cytokine storm is when the immune system goes haywire and starts attacking healthy cells with an overabundance of cytokine cells, which normally control the growth and activity of other immune system cells.


    Results of a Phase I trial released last February showed all 30 patients treated with EXO-CD24 recovered, 29 of them leaving the hospital within three to five days of treatment.


    On August 5, the medical center reported that 93% of 90 serious Covid-19 patients, treated in several Greek hospitals with EXO-CD24 as part of a Phase II clinical trial, were discharged within five days.


    No significant side effects were seen in patients in the Phase I or II trials, probably because EXO-CD24 is delivered directly to the lungs.

    The preparation is given by inhalation, once a day for only a few minutes, for five days,” said Dr. Shiran Shapira, director of Arber’s laboratory, which studies the CD24 protein and its role in regulating the immune system.


    “The drug is based on exosomes, [vesicles] that are released from the cell membrane and used for intercellular communication. We enrich the exosomes with CD24, a protein expressed on the surface of the cell,” explained Shapira.


    Arber describes EXO-CD24 as a precision medication because it targets only the mechanism involved in cytokine storms. It does not affect the entire immune system, as steroids do.


    The drug now goes into Phase III controlled studies involving 155 Covid-19 patients in Israel. Two-thirds will receive EXO-CD24, while the remaining one-third will get a placebo. This study is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.


    “Even if the vaccines perform their function, and even if no new mutations are produced, then still in one way or another the corona will remain with us,” said Arber, director of the medical center’s Integrated Cancer Prevention Center.

    IVERMECTIN SAVES INDIA!


    Why do people still ask for Ivermectin studies??

    About 1'000'000'000 people in India took Ivermectin 1/8 of the earth population with outstanding success In prevention and curing CoV-19.

    Only two states Kerala and Maharashtra are responsible for most of India's cases & deaths. All Ivermectin states behave much better as all the western vaccine terror states?


    Für Deutsch sprechende : https://youtu.be/MaL0ZgcVvGg


    Only fear mongered people take a vaccine and kill themselves.

    Over a Million Americans Inappropriately Access 3rd Vaccine Jab While a Confluence of Conditions Lead to Crisis


    Over a Million Americans Inappropriately Access 3rd Vaccine Jab While a Confluence of Conditions Lead to Crisis
    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for the immunocompromised, but the federal
    trialsitenews.com


    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for the immunocompromised, but the federal government hasn’t authorized COVID-19 booster shots for the rest of Americans. The CDC recently confirmed the government’s direction for the immunocompromised, as reported by CNBC. But the momentum toward a third jab picks up with chatter from the health power brokers that this could be a reality by fall. In the meantime, from a health equity perspective, Bloomberg’s vaccine tracker reveals that the 52 least wealthy countries, making up 20.5% of the world’s human population, has received about 2.7% of the vaccinations. So rich countries over-vaccinate while the market forces ensure poorer ones, also known as low-and middle-income countries (LMICS), access either subpar vaccines produced in China or Russia.


    But given that many leaders in LMICs follow the World Health Organization (WHO), they understand they must wait, often working actively to suppress access to any early care treatments until completely validated by WHO-sanctioned studies. That leaves great masses of the world’s population in a bind with delta variant-driven COVID-19 raging. And in the United States, a million Americans have already received a third jab. That’s right, even though they are not authorized from a regulatory perspective.


    The Powerful Weigh In

    Dr. Anthony Fauci recently declared that the government is monitoring the situation carefully and will act “quickly” should it assess that another dose is needed (other than for the immunocompromised).


    Recently on CBS Face the Nation, Fauci shared that while the elderly, and perhaps others not in that cohort, may ultimately require a third jab, he declared that this isn’t the time yet. The federal government, via POTUS’ chief medical advisor, Health and Human Services’ FDA, and CDC, monitors the situation “on a daily and weekly basis,” the nation’s top doctor declared, indicating that if the data points to more jabs than they “will be absolutely prepared to that very quickly.” Note that Israel has already implemented a booster program for those over 60.


    According to some data from the CDC, about 3% of the American population would be eligible for the COVID-19 third jab, those that are moderately or severely immunocompromised.


    Recently, Fauci’s boss, Dr. Francis Collins, who directs the NIH, told Fox News on Sunday that right now is a “tricky situation,” in that “we may need boosters…we have not made that decision yet.” That’s because Collins indicated the data presently points to a reality that those who are vaccinated are “protected.” Collins noted that the unvaccinated in America were “sitting ducks” for the delta variant.


    Fall Booster Program?

    Fauci and Collins are keeping tight-lipped about any third booster timeline. But recently, the Associated Press reported that the NIH could decide on a course of action involving third COVID-19 vaccine boosters by this fall. It’s predicted that prioritization will start with health care workers, nursing home residents, and the elderly.


    What about Breakthrough Infections?

    TrialSite has reported on growing numbers of breakthrough infections worldwide, starting in Israel, one of the world’s most vaccinated nations. An analysis of the top 15 most vaccinated nations reveals 12 of them are struggling with tremendous delta-driven surges. By itself, this doesn’t prove that the vaccine’s strengths are waning but most certainly reflects an important data point. Delta is more transmissible and includes a much larger viral load.


    A recent study led by Mayo Clinic, still not peer-reviewed, suggests that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine loses considerable strength, with 42% effectiveness associated with July data involving delta variant cases. The Moderna vaccine was considerably more effective in July, according to this study.


    In Israel, third jabs are now a norm because of the number of breakthrough infections and data revealing that mRNA-based vaccine’s effectiveness wane with time and new stronger variants, such as the delta variant of interest.


    But TrialSite has reported on growing breakthrough infections in America. However, data still indicates the overwhelming majority of such infections lead to mild-to-moderate symptoms and not hospitalization. But this did change the narrative of health authorities and politicians, pivoting from the use of mass vaccination to accelerate herd immunity to the use of vaccines to prevent more hospitalizations and deaths.


    In Israel, we reported that a recently interviewed doctor at Herzog Hospital reported many of those recently hospitalized were vaccinated. According to CDC data, the vast majority of those hospitalized are unvaccinated.


    But there needs to be more investigation into just how many breakthrough infections there are (CDC doesn’t keep track of those not hospitalized) and probes into the strength of natural immunity post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. One longitudinal study we reported on recently, led by Fred Hutchinson and Emory, evidenced a robust immune response to infection.


    At this stage, TrialSite’s continuous scanning of studies and expert discussions points to a confluence of factors and forces that could lead to a huge demand for booster shots for entire populations. But, of course, the companies seek profit maximization and will target the wealthy countries first despite enormous health equity issues apparent during this pandemic.


    Health consumers in rich countries understand that the waning vaccine effectiveness combined with more elusive and powerful variants such as delta leads to a desire for the jab. Government health authorities will seek to regulate that access, perhaps starting with the elderly or those with comorbidities first.


    Meanwhile, the controversy continues around mandatory vaccination and other actions that many fret impedes traditional constitutional liberties.


    Mandates Galore

    The mandates and various policies to force vaccination spread around the world as protests grow in numbers. NBC recently reported that vaccine mandate protests spread and grew in numbers across America.


    Earlier this month, New York City mandated vaccine passports for a number of activities. Recently, Ashley Wong of the New York Times reported more on the mandate that those 12 and older will have to show proof of having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine if they want to go out and have fun, eat at a restaurant, work out in a gym or for that matter go to a comedy club. Ms. Wong shared the New York City government mandate here. CNBC suggested implementing these efforts isn’t straightforward and could place costs on small restaurant owners. After all, ensuring staff are trained while establishing the ability to enforce the rules could impose higher costs and burdens on these small businesses.


    And a sizable number of people in every community aren’t pleased with these mandates.


    Just recently in Sacramento, California, health care workers protested at the Capitol against mandates. Protests also emerged in Washington and many other places.


    Meanwhile, many thousands in both France and French-speaking Canada have been protesting vaccine passport mandates. Is it a fight between civil liberties and social responsibility, or is it more complicated than that? In France, protests intensify in reaction to the laws to force on people “Pass Sanitaire,” a passport proving one has been vaccinated before they can step out to eat, travel, or participate in any material cultural events, reported Forbes.


    A large portion of African Americans and other minorities, for historical reasons, may have more vaccine hesitancy. As TrialSite’s Dr. Ron Brown articulated recently, vaccine mandates may actually serve to discriminate against minorities. Are all vaccine-hesitant people just a bunch of paranoid minorities or a group of right-wing loons? A group of writers under Vaccine Truth question that narrative.


    The Lawsuits are Coming

    Several lawsuits have followed various institutional mandates, such as health care systems or universities. But thus far, the plaintiffs (civil libertarians) are losing. For example, recently, Fox reported that a judge dismissed a lawsuit challenging UConn’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.


    A Texas federal judge upheld a hospital system’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination rules, dismissing the lawsuit that declared that the COVID-19 vaccines were still experimental and that such forced action would be unethical and illegal. At Houston Methodist, 117 employees were instructed to get the jab and made the case that the FDA’s vaccine products are not approved formally.


    However, a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Lynn Hughes, declared, “This claim is false, and it is also irrelevant.” The plaintiffs now appeal the decision, and one of the leads declared, “This will be taken all the way to the Supreme Court.”


    TrialSite concurs that the plaintiffs have some argument that products are still experimental; that’s the very definition inherent in a product that is authorized for emergency use authorization. But the law may factor in several elements, from safety records to public health policy. For the FDA’s definition of emergency use authorization (EUA), see their website.


    What about Safety?

    Safety is a contentious issue, as rarely has there been so much division in points of view and understanding. And one’s point of view matters here. On the one hand is the argument that the vaccines are overwhelmingly safe, that of the over 300 million jabs, there are few material safety issues. TrialSite has repeatedly stated that the vaccines are safer for most people than a drive on Los Angeles freeways, which millions of people must do every day.


    On the other hand, it’s not right to ignore indicators. And there are a number of them suggesting that issues can manifest with such a vast, orchestrated mass vaccination program.


    With hundreds of millions of vaccinations, any claim that no injury or death follows isn’t straight. These vaccines are meant to trigger the immune systems and can lead to severe over-reactions and, in some cases, even death.


    Right now, the overwhelming consensus of the federal government, academic medical establishment, health systems, and medical communities, not to mention unsurprisingly industry, points to dramatic overall safety. The dominant paradigm cannot fathom why there are still so many vaccine holdouts.


    TrialSite can attest that even within the organization, there are mixed views. That’s OK because what isn’t alright is censorship, centralized control, and suppression of scientific debate, and even dissension. Not in a free and open society. Some reports are that the number of adverse events and deaths reported in the CDC Vaccine Event Reporting System or “VAERS” is unprecedented and must be seriously reviewed by authorities. Over 11,000 deaths are recorded, but authorities quickly retort that few, if any, of these can be proven with a causal link.


    Authorities now are far more concerned with the risk calculus associated with SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern such as delta or possibly lambda and others. They argue that the risks of COVID-19 far outweigh the possible side effects or adverse events. The risks associated with COVID-19 aren’t the same for everyone. TrialSite recently reported on growing questions, however. Recently, a Johns Hopkins professor, Marty Makary, questioned the CDC’s interpretation of COVID-19 risk to children as an example. In contrast, reports abound of growing numbers of younger people ending up in hospitals. TrialSite can attest that schools are places where delta variants are circulating.


    It’s unfortunate that such powerful forces stifle any real scientific debate. That’s the importance of the TrialSite. It’s an open platform for objective, unbiased discussions, where constructive arguments can occur without censorship.


    For example, no mainstream media would entertain the analysis of Belgium’s Geert Vanden Bossche, a vaccine expert, because he doesn’t follow an exact script. An OpEd contributor for TrialSite, Bossche articulates that the worldwide mass vaccination program, in response to a public health emergency of international concern, actually can trigger worse problems. That’s blasphemous in majority circles at this point. Still, the European scientist argues that “Mass vaccination in the middle of a pandemic is prone to promoting selection and adaptation to spike protein (S)-directed antibodies (Abs), thereby diminishing protection in vaccines and threatening the unvaccinated.”


    This is a very different point of view coming from a serious expert. Is this correct? We cannot say, of course, with any certainty. We know that most experts would argue the exact opposite, that if everyone doesn’t get vaccinated, the pathogen can mutate faster. But it most certainly is worth discussing, listening, and debating.


    Science involves openness, dealing with conflicting data points, observations, and rational interpretations, not about establishing one program and the subsequent ramrodding all thought into that paradigm. While it may turn out that history will show mass vaccination to be a “rational” response given all we knew at the time, the suppression of scientific debate and dissension, as articulated by TrialSite’s Dr. Erin Stair, indicates there could be a severe price we all pay.


    At least part of the truth typically exists in multiple points of view. The key is to bring people together, not tear them apart, for more constructive, critical, and holistic discussion about the most appropriate paths forward.


    In some ways, the West and its mass vaccination policy follow a Chinese approach known as the zero-tolerance COVID-19 policy. As TrialSite reported recently, at least some prominent academic economists in China have growing concerns about the costs of this intense nationwide COVID eradication program.


    That’s because the recent outbreak of nearly 1,000 delta variant cases reveals mounting costs at the local municipal government level. It is these local health authorities that incur incredible costs associated with constant monitoring, contact tracing, and roving quarantine programs. It has kept the virus at bay but at what cost, asked some well-known Chinese academics. They observe that nearly every major municipality goes into the red over the zero-tolerance program. But perhaps hurting China, even more, is the stifling of local consumer markets—vital for that country’s economic future.


    The U.S., Europe, and other rich countries are following a similar program. However, the focus is on mass vaccination and targeted, orchestrated shutdowns in some locations, such as parts of Australia and Canada and some states within America. Dr. Ron Brown is working on research evidence that, in part, the World Health Organization (WHO) was greatly influenced by China’s policies, and thus authoritarian-like measures surfaced in the West. His recent piece suggests personal liberties were lost in the pandemic.


    Of course, the other side of the argument is that such policies are required to beat the virus. Hence once Biden was elected, he declared COVID-19 created war-time-like conditions. Could both views be correct? That kind of situation defines a crisis.

    Molecular mechanisms of coronavirus drug candidate Molnupiravir unraveled


    Molecular mechanisms of coronavirus drug candidate Molnupiravir unraveled
    The antiviral agent incorporates RNA-like building blocks into the genome of the virus.
    www.sciencedaily.com


    The United States recently secured 1.7 million doses of a compound that could help to treat Covid-19 patients. In preliminary studies, Molnupiravir reduced the transmission of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen and the Julius Maximilians University Würzburg have now elucidated the underlying molecular mechanism. The antiviral agent incorporates RNA-like building blocks into the RNA genome of the virus. If this genetic material is further replicated, defective RNA copies are produced and the pathogen can no longer spread. Molnupiravir is currently being tested in clinical trials.


    Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, numerous scientific projects set out to investigate measures against the new virus. At full stretch, researchers are developing various vaccines and drugs -- with different degrees of success. Last year, the antiviral drug Remdesivir gained attention when it became the first drug against Covid-19 to be approved. Studies, including work by Patrick Cramer at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen and Claudia Höbartner at the Julius Maximilians University Würzburg (Germany), showed why the drug has a rather weak effect on the virus.


    Molnupiravir, another antiviral drug candidate, was originally developed to treat influenza. Based on preliminary clinical trials, the compound promises to be highly effective against Sars-CoV-2. "Knowing that a new drug is working is important and good. However, it is equally important to understand how Molnupiravir works at the molecular level in order to gain insights for further antiviral development," Max Planck Director Cramer explains. "According to our results, Molnupiravir acts in two phases."


    Mutations in the genome stop the virus


    Molnupiravir is an orally available drug which becomes activated through metabolization in the body. When it enters the cell, it is converted into RNA-like building blocks. In the first phase, the viral copying machine, called RNA polymerase, incorporates these building blocks into the RNA genome of the virus. However, unlike Remdesivir, which slows down the viral RNA polymerase, Molnupiravir does not directly interfere with the function of the copying machine. Instead, in the second phase, the RNA-like building blocks connect with the building blocks of the viral genetic material. "When the viral RNA then gets replicated to produce new viruses, it contains numerous errors, so-called mutations. As a result, the pathogen can no longer reproduce," says Florian Kabinger, a doctoral student in Cramer's department. Together with the other first authors, Carina Stiller and Jana Schmitzová, he conducted the crucial experiments for the study.


    Molnupiravir also appears to trigger mutations in other RNA viruses, preventing them from spreading further. "The compound could potentially be used to treat a whole spectrum of viral diseases," tells Höbartner, a professor of chemistry at the University of Würzburg. "Molnupiravir has a lot of potential." Currently, the promising drug candidate is in phase III studies, where it is being tested on a large number of patients. Whether Molnupiravir is safe to be approved as a drug will probably be announced in the second half of the year. The U.S. government is already optimistic and has recently secured about 1.7 million doses worth more than a billion dollars.

    Shilling for Pfizer!!!


    Dr. Fauci Warns Not to Do This If You Got Pfizer


    Dr. Fauci Warns Not to Get a Moderna Booster If You Got Pfizer - Best Life
    During a recent interview, Dr. Fauci, warned people who got the Pfizer vaccine to not seek out a Moderna booster shot.
    bestlifeonline.com


    The COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. have all been found to be highly effective. But as the Delta variant has quickly spread to become the dominant strain, breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people have become more of a concern for some. But during a recent interview, Anthony Fauci, MD, chief White House COVID adviser, took time to warn people who got the Pfizer vaccine to not do one thing in the wake of a new study.

    While appearing on CBS' Face the Nation on August 15, Fauci was asked about a recent study that found the Moderna vaccine to be more effective against the surging Delta strain. When asked by host Nancy Cordes whether or not this meant anyone who originally got a Pfizer vaccine should seek out a Moderna booster shot when they become available, Fauci immediately pushed back.


    "That study, first of all, is a preprint study, [and] it hasn't been fully peer-reviewed," he said. "I don't doubt what they're seeing, but there are a lot of confounding variables in there about when one was started, the relative amount of people in that cohort, that's Delta versus Alpha. We already implemented boosters for the immune-compromised. It's clear we want to make sure we get people, if possible, to get the boost from the original vaccine that they had."


    The new research in question refers to a preprint study conducted by nfrence and the Mayo Clinic, which found that Pfizer's effectiveness dropped substantially against the Delta variant. The Aug. 8 study concluded that the vaccine was only 42 percent effective against the virus in July when Delta was the dominant variant, marking a significant drop in protection from the 95 percent efficacy recorded in clinical trials. On the other hand, researchers found that the effectiveness of Moderna against COVID infection dropped to 76 percent in July, down from 86 percent earlier in the year when Alpha was the most common version of the virus in the U.S.

    Based on the data that we have so far, it is a combination of [two] factors," the study's lead author, Venky Soundararajan, PhD, told Axios last week. "The Moderna vaccine is likely—very likely—more effective than the Pfizer vaccine in areas where Delta is the dominant strain, and the Pfizer vaccine appears to have a lower durability of effectiveness."


    But during the interview, Fauci also explained that there were some other differences between the vaccines that might explain the variation in levels of protection against the Delta variant. "Remember, the original dose of the Moderna is about three times what the dose of the Pfizer is," he said. "So you may have a difference in durability, but in general, the vaccines that have been approved for emergency use authorization and hopefully will be approved for a full authorization…are all really highly effective in preventing severe disease."



    Still, it may be some time before booster shots become available to the general public. During an interview on CBS This Morning on Aug. 12, Fauci admitted that while it was likely everyone will someday need a COVID-19 booster shot regardless of whether they originally received Pfizer or Moderna, officials would only be focusing on getting extra doses to the vulnerable parts of the population for the time being. "We don't feel at this particular point that, apart from the immune-compromised, we don't feel we need to give boosters right now," he said.


    6 Things To Know If You're Immunocompromised And Considering A 3rd Shot

    NPR Cookie Consent and Choices


    6. Do I need to get the same vaccine I got for my first two doses? And what do I do if I got the J&J vaccine?


    The CDC recommends you get the same vaccine you got for your first two doses, so if you got the Pfizer or Moderna the first two doses, get that one for your third shot. But if that is not feasible, the CDC committee said an additional dose with the other mRNA vaccine is permitted.

    Quote from Fm1

    that “we may need boosters…we have not made that decision yet.”

    This would be committing that the gen therapy aka "vaccines" don't work and people will needed endless gen therapy...

    Quote from Fm1

    Still, the European scientist argues that “Mass vaccination in the middle of a pandemic is prone to promoting selection and adaptation to spike protein (S)-directed antibodies (Abs), thereby diminishing protection in vaccines and threatening the unvaccinated.”


    This is a very different point of view coming from a serious expert. Is this correct?

    Of course its correct: Its from the medical teaching text books. Never vaccinate into a running pandemic!


    Quote from Fm1

    Based on preliminary clinical trials, the compound promises to be highly effective against Sars-CoV-2.

    It failed in clinical trials. Why should it suddenly work????

    New studies hint that the coronavirus may be evolving to become more airborne


    New studies hint that the coronavirus may be evolving to become more airborne
    More coronavirus RNA is in fine aerosols than in larger droplets, but masks can reduce the amount of virus in the air.
    www.sciencenews.org


    Small aerosol particles spewed while people breathe, talk and sing may contain more coronavirus than larger moisture droplets do. And the coronavirus may be evolving to spread more easily through the air, a new study suggests. But there is also good news: Masks can help.


    About 85 percent of coronavirus RNA detected in COVID-19 patients’ breath was found in fine aerosol particles less than five micrometers in size, researchers in Singapore report August 6 in Clinical Infectious Diseases. The finding is the latest evidence to suggest that COVID-19 is spread mainly through the air in fine droplets that may stay suspended for hours rather than in larger droplets that quickly fall to the ground and contaminate surfaces.


    Similar to that result, Donald Milton at the University of Maryland in College Park and colleagues found that people who carried the alpha variant had 18 times as much viral RNA in aerosols than people infected with less-contagious versions of the virus. That study, posted August 13 at medRxiv.org, has not been yet been peer reviewed. It also found that loose-fitting masks could cut the amount of virus-carrying aerosols by nearly half.


    Sign up for e-mail updates on the latest coronavirus news and research

    In one experiment, the Maryland team grew the virus from the air samples in the lab. That could be evidence that may convince some reluctant experts to embrace the idea that the virus spreads mainly through the air.


    The debate over aerosol transmission has been ongoing since nearly the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, 200 scientists wrote a letter to the World Health Organization asking for the organization to acknowledge aerosol spread of the virus (SN: 7/7/20). In April, the WHO upgraded its information on transmission to include aerosols (SN: 5/18/21). The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had acknowledged aerosols as the most likely source of spread just a few weeks before.


    Previous studies in monkeys have also suggested that more virus ends up in aerosols than in large droplets. But some experts say that direct evidence that the virus spreads mainly through the air is still lacking.


    “There’s lots of indirect evidence that the airborne route — breathing it in — is dominant,” says Linsey Marr, a civil and environmental engineer at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, who studies viruses in the air. She was one of the 200 scientists who wrote to the WHO last year. “‘Airborne’ is a loaded word in infection control circles,” she says, requiring health care workers to isolate patients in special rooms, wear protective equipment and take other costly and resource-intensive measures to stop the spread of the disease. For those reasons, infection control experts have been reluctant to call the coronavirus airborne without especially strong proof.


    Most COVID-19 cases have been among close household contacts — typically within the 6-feet splash zone of large droplets. It can be hard to tease out whether such infections were passed on by large droplet contamination or by breathing the same air. But for other situations, such as when patrons get infected while sitting across a restaurant from someone with COVID-19, aerosols are really the only explanation, Marr says.


    Mechanical engineer Kwok Wai Tham of the National University of Singapore set out to sample how much virus COVID-19 patients produce when they breathe, talk or sing, in part, to address skeptics’ concerns. “I’m doing this to convince some very close friends,” he says. He and colleagues rolled a mobile lab into 22 patients’ rooms and had volunteers stick their heads into a large metal cone.

    The researchers collected both aerosols and larger droplets that the patients exhaled while breathing quietly for 30 minutes, while repeating passages from Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham for 15 minutes, or while singing simple tunes like the “Happy Birthday” song, “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” or the “ABCs” for 15 minutes. The scientists tested both aerosols and large droplets in the air samples for coronavirus RNA and calculated how many copies of the virus’s nucleocapsid protein gene, or N gene, were present. That gives an estimate of how much virus is in a sample.


    Of the 22 patients who sang for science, only 13 spewed forth detectable levels of viral RNA. In general, singing created the most virus-laden aerosols, but some people generated more while talking. Those differences might be attributable to the volume at which volunteers sang, Tham says. “Some people were shy and sang softer. Others were quite uninhibited.”


    The overall amount of virus that people produced varied widely. Scientists already knew that some people are more likely to spread the virus than others, including some people involved in superspreading events (SN: 6/18/20). In this new study, the differences weren’t due to symptoms — some asymptomatic people made more virus than those with fevers, coughs or runny noses.


    Only one factor stood out as affecting the amount of virus emitted. People who were earlier in the course of infection tended to produce more virus, the researchers found. That agrees with data from lab animal studies and other human studies suggesting that people are most contagious in the first week after catching the coronavirus (SN: 3/13/20).


    So far, Tham’s skeptical virologist friends aren’t convinced that he’s demonstrated that aerosol transmission is the major route of COVID-19 spread. “They say, ‘we need the golden evidence. Show me a live virus that is retrieved from the air,’” Tham says.


    Viral RNA could be debris from dead viruses that can’t cause infection, says Andrew Pekosz, a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who was not involved in either study. “In the absence of infectious virus, the significance of aerosols on transmission is still a bit unclear.”


    See all our coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

    The study from the Maryland group may provide that evidence. In that study, people with asymptomatic or mild coronavirus cases recited the ABCs, shouted “Go Terps!” (the Maryland mascot) or sang “Happy Birthday” into a similar device. In this study, the infected people did the activities once while wearing a mask and once while not wearing one.


    About 45 percent of fine aerosol particles contained viral RNA, as did 31 percent of coarse aerosols larger than 5 micrometers and 65 percent of droplets called fomites collected from swabs of the volunteers’ mobile phones, the researchers found.


    In addition, the increased amount of alpha variant in aerosols may suggest that the coronavirus is evolving toward more efficient airborne spread, the researchers propose. The study was done from May 2020 to April 2021, before the delta variant began its surge in the United States.


    Researchers were able to grow infectious virus from two of 66 aerosol samples, both collected while people were wearing masks. None of the coarse aerosols or fomites yielded any infectious virus.


    Although the Maryland group used an efficient way to look for infectious virus in aerosols, it was still rare to find them, Pekosz says. “It would be difficult to make the case that this was what is responsible for increased spread of alpha.”


    But Marr says the data do suggest the coronavirus is evolving toward more efficient spread through the air. Although the study involved only four patients infected with alpha, those people consistently released more virus than people infected with other variants. “These results combined with epidemiological observations about the spread of alpha, and now delta, support the idea that these variants are supercharged when it comes to aerosol transmission,” she says.


    The masks volunteers wore in the Maryland study were mostly loose-fitting. They ranged from a single-layer homemade cloth mask early on and progressed over the course of the study to double-layer commercially made cloth masks, to double masks, surgical masks and one KN95 mask by the end. On average, the masks reduced the number of virus-containing, coarse aerosols produced by 77 percent compared with no mask. And virus-laden fine aerosols were reduced an average of 48 percent, though the reduction ranged from 3 percent to 72 percent. Masks performed equally well against the alpha variant as for other variants. Previous studies have suggested that well-fitting masks — ones that seal tightly to the face and don’t leave gaps at the tops, bottoms or sides for the virus to pass unfiltered — may reduce coronavirus exposure by 96 percent if everyone is wearing them (SN: 2/12/21).


    The latest results suggest that masks can help reduce the amount of virus people give off, though the coronavirus can still escape if the face coverings are worn loosely. “With the dominance of newer, more contagious variants than those we studied, increased attention to improved ventilation, filtration, air sanitation, and use of high-quality tight-fitting face masks or respirators … will be increasingly important for controlling the pandemic,” the researchers wrote. That’s especially important in places with low vaccination rates.

    WHO says some Covid data suggests increased risk of hospitalization from delta variant


    WHO says some Covid data suggests increased risk of hospitalization from delta variant
    A top World Health Organization official said data from some countries suggests the delta variant causes an increased risk of hospitalization in those infected.
    www.cnbc.com


    KEY POINTS

    A top World Health Organization official said data from some countries suggests that the delta variant causes an increased risk of hospitalization in those infected.

    However, she said, people infected with the delta variant "have not died more often than with the other strains."

    Health officials have struggled with the question for months, awaiting real-world data to play out in countries that are experiencing high levels of spread of the delta variant.

    Health officials have struggled with the question for months, awaiting real-world data to play out in countries that are experiencing high levels of spread of the delta variant. Van Kerkhove said WHO officials meet daily to discuss the rapidly spreading variant.

    Like other strains, the delta variant is particularly dangerous for people who have underlying conditions, such as obesity, diabetes or heart disease, WHO officials say. It's far more contagious than other variants, however, so it's infecting more people and straining global health systems.


    "The risk factors for severe disease and death are the same," Van Kerkhove said. "If you have underlying conditions, no matter what age you are, you're at an increased risk of hospitalization."


    The delta variant also quickly overtakes all other variants wherever it's detected, she said.


    "The prevalence of lambda variant is going down ... and the delta variant is increasing," Van Kerhove said. "The delta variant, everywhere that it's identified it quickly replaces other variants that are circulating."


    It is spreading into Central and South American countries and is quickly overtaking the lambda variant that is currently dominant in that part of the world.


    "We still do not know exactly what the impact of delta is going to be in Latin American countries," the Pan American Health Organization's incident manager, Dr. Sylvain Aldighieri, said at a briefing last week.


    The delta variant, which was first detected by scientists in India in October, has spread to at least 142 countries so far. Found in the U.S. just a few months ago, it now accounts for more than 90% of all sequenced cases, according to the CDC.


    Those most at risk in the U.S. have been fully vaccinated, with booster doses for people with weakened immune systems approved on Friday and available for administration immediately.


    There are currently discussions about opening up booster doses for the general population, a move that would go against strong recommendations by the WHO to share doses with the rest of the world before giving boosters to people who've already received their initial shots.


    More than 200 million people across the world have become infected with Covid since the beginning of the pandemic, doubling from 100 million cases in the last six months. With the more transmissible delta variant rapidly spreading, the number could easily hit 300 million early next year, WHO officials said last week.


    "Whether we reach 300 million and how fast we get there depends on all of us," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last week.

    Crazy state of Kerala.. People are proud to follow the science...or being left...


    NDTV.com
    Coronavirus Outbreak: Find the latest worldwide information and live news from NDTV related to COVID-19 cases, deaths caused, prevention measures, helplines,…
    www.ndtv.com

    (A pro vaxx site)

    The overview shows that now Kerala also in total cases now is the worst performing state if India. Some reason is also the use of the wrong vaccines....

    Some See Israel as a ‘Grim Warning’ as Breakthrough Cases Can Reach 50%+


    Some See Israel as a ‘Grim Warning’ as Breakthrough Cases Can Reach 50%+
    Israel, one of the most vaccinated nations on the planet, is in full crisis mode as the delta variant-driven surge approaches the worst yet of the
    trialsitenews.com


    Israel, one of the most vaccinated nations on the planet, is in full crisis mode as the delta variant-driven surge approaches the worst yet of the pandemic. According to Our in World Data, about 60% of the nation’s population is completely vaccinated (nearly all at-risk populations such as the elderly), while about 65% have received one jab. 78% of all Israelis over 12 are fully vaccinated. But as TrialSite has been reporting, the situation there just worsens, and a recent entry by Science suggests it could be “a grim warning.”


    The Numbers

    Israel has experienced now four COVID-19 pandemic surges, and we include the following in the Table:


    COVID-19 Surge Spike 7-day Avg. Daily Cases Highest Deaths Daily

    March-April 2020 615 new cases, April 3, 2020 9 deaths, April 21, 2020

    June-Oct 2020 6,272 new cases, Sept 27 2020 39 deaths, October 14, 2020

    Nov 20-March 21 8,624 new cases, Jan 17 2021 65 death, January 25, 2021

    July 21 to ongoing 6,534, new cases, Aug 17, 2021 19 deaths, August 17, 2021

    Note that this fourth delta variant-driven surge only started in July and appears on an incredibly steep growth curve that, if this continues, will surpass the very worst of the pandemic back in the period between November 2020 and March 2021. The death rates are overall lower more than likely due to a confluence of factors from vaccination to more treatment options in the hospital, among others. But this comparison requires a number of calculations.


    What is the Situation?

    As reported recently in Israeli media, the Health Ministry reports over 8,500 new cases, leading to a SARS-CoV-2 infection rate of 6.20%. 559 patients are in serious condition, a rise from 31 the other day, and 89 of them are connected to ventilators.


    Israel has administered a booster vaccine to over 1 million people now, reports multiple news sources.


    One recent study conducted at Sheba Medical Center indicated a relatively low breakthrough infection involving health care workers—at 2.6%. The authors reported some limitations.


    But TrialSite has followed very different real-world scenarios. We summarized a hospitalization report from the Jerusalem Post declaring that in one cluster of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 58% of the patients were vaccinated while 39% were unvaccinated.


    A lead physician at Herzog Hospital went on television there and reported that “90% of severe COVID-19 hospitalizations are fully vaccinated,” at least in this one instance. Moreover, data from the Israeli government indicates that in one day—August 11—the most new SARS-CoV-2 infections were reported since March 2021, 405. Apparently, well over half of the patients at 250 were fully vaccinated.


    Caution with Interpretation

    Note that these figures don’t mean that the vaccine program has failed in Israel. The vaccines are not perfect at protecting all cases, and as TrialSite reported recently, some studies indicate the vaccines may wane in strength over time. When combined with the more transmissible and virulent delta variant, some assumptions associated with the mass vaccination program may need to be revisited. For example, a recent Mayo Clinic and nference study indicated that by last month (July), the Pfizer vaccine was only 42% effective, as compared to Moderna’s at 76%. One hypothesis is that those with 5+ months since the last jab and other risk factors may need a booster.


    Clearly, the deaths are considerably down in Israel, indicating positive attributes of the vaccination program.


    A ‘Grim Warning’

    Recently in Science, Meredith Wadman wrote that with a major booster program now underway, the situation in Israel could be “…a warning to the world.” With one of the highest vaccination rates at 78%, the vast majority having received Pfizer’s BNT162b2, “Yet the country is now logging one of the world’s highest infection rates.” Ms. Wadman continues in Science, of the “650 new cases daily per million” over 50% are fully vaccinated, “underscoring the extraordinary transmissibility of the Delta variant and stroking the concerns that the benefits of vaccination ebb over time.”

    Jamaica Struggles in What Emerges as the Worst COVID-19 Pandemic Surge to Date


    Jamaica Struggles in What Emerges as the Worst COVID-19 Pandemic Surge to Date
    Jamaica’s COVID-19 crisis has been contentious, much like many other places, as TrialSite reported in “Calling for Ivermectin Acceptance on the ‘Rock’ to
    trialsitenews.com


    Jamaica’s COVID-19 crisis has been contentious, much like many other places, as TrialSite reported in “Calling for Ivermectin Acceptance on the ‘Rock’ to Mitigate Risk of a Third COVID-19 Spike While the Vaccination Program Ramps Up Ever So Slowly.” Well, the spike came via the delta variant. Starting in July, the Island nation headed toward a real crisis. Vaccination there moves at a “snail’s pace.” At the same time, mounting pressure by doctors and some in the business community led to at least a permit to allow imports of some stocks of ivermectin, not for public health use, but rather, private physician off-label options. Mounting pressure to vaccinate, hampered by slow access to product coupled with a culture leery of vaccines, generally has led to intensified social tensions over options or the lack thereof. Recently, a reggae star stepped into the ivermectin debate, declaring, “why I don’t get to decide.” TrialSite’s colleagues in Jamaica were terribly concerned about the confluence of a third SARS-CoV-2 spike with not enough vaccine nor ivermectin for early treatment. A horrible delta variant-driven surge now tests the entire nation.


    Worst Combination: Delta Spike plus Low Vaccination Rate

    In June, TrialSite reported that this nation of about 3 million people faced a real challenge then, and they do now even more. By May 26, 2021, a prominent group of doctors here submitted an open letter to government health officials to bring attention to accumulating data on the benefit of ivermectin in low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs) as they await vaccination. At the time, about three (3) months ago, only about 5% of the island’s residents had even received one dose of any COVID vaccine. Fast forward to today, and less than 5% have been fully vaccinated, and less than 10% have received one dose.


    The delta-driven spike has led to near-record cases and deaths, with eleven (11) people dying due to the disease just yesterday.


    A Real Crisis

    Recently Jamaica’s “Prime Time News” interviewed Dr. Carl Bruce, Medical Chief of Staff and Consultant Neurosurgeon for the University Hospital of the West Indies. Highlighting the crisis, he explained that they averaged 31 COVID-19 patients at peak in Jamaica’s first wave. During the height of the second wave, 41 patient beds were filled with COVID-19 patients. Now just about 25% into this third delta-driven peak, according to Dr. Bruce, they are already over capacity at 60 COVID-19 patients in the COVID ward at this government-run hospital.


    Dr. Bruce has emphasized as people have bypassed getting other ailments treatment, the comorbidities worsen the crisis.


    He shared that most of the hospitalizations are unvaccinated persons or those with one dose of the vaccine. He emphasized, “If you are vaccinated you have some protection.”


    Because of the crisis, Dr. Bruce declared it incumbent on the hospital and physicians to get the vaccination message out to Jamaicans. This early in the third wave, he believes they must go to the public to get vaccinated and wear a mask.


    The doctor emphasized they will be stretched for PPE and oxygen and staff, which portends further trouble.


    All along, ivermectin proponents pleaded to secure access to the drug in anticipation of a situation similar to this, as Omar Azan told TrialSite’s Founder Daniel O’Connor months ago. Mr. Azan, a prominent businessman here, leads a Jamaican manufacturers group concerned about the economic impacts of the pandemic and is pro-vaccination and pro-early treatment. All are needed, he has shared.


    A Snail’s Pace

    While rich countries move to third booster shots (in fact, it’s reported by Fortune recently that at least 1 million Americans have somehow improperly accessed the booster), TrialSite reported that COVID-19 vaccines are not widely available in most low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) in anywhere near sufficient volume. The same occurs in Jamaica, though the country was expected to get more vaccine supply this month.


    Jamaica was the first country to receive COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility, a global initiative formed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Gavi, UNICEF, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the Pan American Health Organization, and the World Health Organization to ensure vaccine equity around the globe. The overall goal of COVAX is to provide vaccines for 20% of each participating country’s population in 2021, though first-round shipments were meant to cover only 2-3% of each country’s population. Both the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization do not recommend ivermectin for treating COVID-19, suggesting it should only be used in clinical trials. TrialSite suggests a hard look into COVAX’s performance.


    In Jamacia, a new group was formed to facilitate some of the vaccine rollouts. The Private Sector Vaccine Initiative (PSVI) was organized to help facilitate vaccination in companies and healthcare.


    Operating under protocols designed by the Jamaica Ministry of Health and Wellness, PVSI, which represents a coalition of Jamaica’s private sector interests, reported it serves as an agent on behalf of the government. On July 29, the Jamaica Gleaner reported that they would facilitate a pilot program to vaccinate 1,200, working with 14 companies from various sectors.


    The group’s chair of logistics and operations is Peter Melhado, President and CEO of the ICD Group, a Jamaican conglomerate. Apparently, the group hooked up with UNICEF to use a “digital vaccine information management platform” to oversee Jamaica’s national COVID-19 vaccine deployment, reports UNICEF.


    The Push for Ivermectin as an Early Care Option

    Jamaicans sought ivermectin for months, hence the prominent doctors’ pleas months ago. Part of the effort, as mentioned previously, was led by Omar Azan, a business leader concerned about the pandemic’s impact on the economy. Mr. Azan’s quest to secure ivermectin as an early care treatment isn’t to compete with vaccines, but rather to augment and complement use. Vaccine hesitancy is high in Jamaica, where many have a mistrust of government and a deep-seated connection to organic living—including a commitment to local indigenous medicines—thus the pragmatic Azan and many doctors’ concern to get early treatments on the island.


    Among the influential Rasta community, few would accept one of the vaccines, and across this Caribbean nation, only about a third declared they would accept a vaccine, reported Reuters recently. While Dr. Bruce and others seek ways to accelerate vaccine acceptance, it’s not clear if that will occur.


    Import Permit for Ivermectin Signed

    The ivermectin proponents had some possibly positive news, TrialSite reported on July 25 when Jamaica’s Minister of Health and Wellness signed a permit to allow imports of ivermectin stock into the country.


    Dr. Christopher Tufton, Health and Wellness Minister, announced the greenlight to permit ivermectin supplies into the country, but he was very careful with his words publicly. Of course, driving the move was a growing number of physicians lobbying the minister to open up and allow the importation for use targeting COVID-19.


    But the minister put all on notice that the import permit was not to treat COVID-19, as he declared there isn’t enough clinical trial evidence to merit such a decision. He declared in the Jamaica Observer Online, “The drug is used for parasitic treatment and the advisory of the ministry remains that there is no evidence that it will benefit COVID-19 patients” in a move ensuring grant givers from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the like were paying attention. WHO has said the current evidence on the use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 patients is inconclusive.


    But in a sort of coded message, Dr. Tufton also declared in the same press release, “While it is not being offered in the public healthcare system, Tufton said doctors and patients can decide how they choose to use it.” Thus the head of the nation’s health care system appeared to be sending a green light to doctors to use the drug off label if they and their patients concurred.


    Undoubtedly, Tufton better watch his moves—the stakes are large in the $100 billion+ vaccine program worldwide. Nothing can be deemed competitive, yet of course, up in the United States, hundreds of millions of public funds are going into antiviral therapeutic studies led by pharmaceutical companies. Early treatment and vaccines complement each other if pharmaceutical corporations control them, argues some proponents for low cost, repurposed generic drugs. Perhaps it depends on one’s vantage.


    The import permit for ivermectin was undoubtedly driven by the rising cases associated with the delta variant and increasing public pressure. Supplies were to be provided by Edenbridge Pharmaceuticals in New Jersey and distributed by LASCO Pharmaceuticals in Jamaica.


    TrialSite reported last month that the Minister of Health and Wellness’ current stance isn’t that different from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel, which updated their guidelines at the beginning of the year to a more neutral position on ivermectin.


    Why Not Given the Choice?

    With governing elites seeking to position ivermectin as “anti-vax” and divisive—which isn’t the case at all—a growing debate in Jamaica rages about the right to secure early care access—that is, “the right for people to decide for themselves what they wish to do to reduce symptoms,” reports the Jamaica Observer.


    Enter Tanya Stephens, a superstar reggae artist with several albums and hits. As reported by the Jamaica Observer, she is “one of the island’s more socially conscious artists” and in a recent Instagram post declared:


    “I need to take something to protect others. But taking it won’t stop me getting or giving the malady to the others I’m supposed to be doing it for. It will reduce my symptoms (something the pill they’re fighting has constantly done) which, in essence, means this is supposedly only of real benefit to me, but I don’t get to decide on an alternative.”


    While she didn’t explicitly call out ivermectin, that’s what she was referring to. She went on intensifying her critique of the governing class there:


    “Meanwhile, every mention of any proven alternative and research results which counter the narrative being sold is censored and the trial being pushed is slowly becoming mandatory as per demand for proof of it to gain access to regulatory human activities, and that info is also being censored.”


    Recently, the Jamaica Gleaner reported on growing numbers of doctors advocating for early care at home in Jamaica. Led by neurosurgeon Dr. Roger Hunter, the group has multiple concerns, including the duty costs of importing home monitoring equipment. They emphasize treatment within the six days of onset, as soon as possible. Hunter declared, “Early treatment works. I have treated many patients with Ivermectin, Zithromax, Xarelto blood thinners, and with steaming, and they have all lived.”

    Early Growth Response Gene Upregulation in Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-Associated Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)


    Early Growth Response Gene Upregulation in Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-Associated Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) - PubMed
    Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic multisystem disease exhibiting a variety of symptoms and affecting multiple systems.…
    pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov


    Abstract

    Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic multisystem disease exhibiting a variety of symptoms and affecting multiple systems. Psychological stress and virus infection are important. Virus infection may trigger the onset, and psychological stress may reactivate latent viruses, for example, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It has recently been reported that EBV induced gene 2 (EBI2) was upregulated in blood in a subset of ME/CFS patients. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the pattern of expression of early growth response (EGR) genes, important in EBV infection and which have also been found to be upregulated in blood of ME/CFS patients, paralleled that of EBI2. EGR gene upregulation was found to be closely associated with that of EBI2 in ME/CFS, providing further evidence in support of ongoing EBV reactivation in a subset of ME/CFS patients. EGR1, EGR2, and EGR3 are part of the cellular immediate early gene response and are important in EBV transcription, reactivation, and B lymphocyte transformation. EGR1 is a regulator of immune function, and is important in vascular homeostasis, psychological stress, connective tissue disease, mitochondrial function, all of which are relevant to ME/CFS. EGR2 and EGR3 are negative regulators of T lymphocytes and are important in systemic autoimmunity.



    Long COVID Might Be The Manifestation of a Different Virus Reawakened in The Body


    Long COVID Might Be The Manifestation of a Different Virus Reawakened in The Body


    People who struggle to recover from COVID-19 could be battling more than just SARS-CoV-2. Their immune systems might also be involved with another virus as well.

    Ever since patients first started reporting long hauls of COVID-19, many of their lingering symptoms, such as fatigue and brain fog, have been compared to chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).

    New research suggests that's no coincidence. In some cases, both chronic illnesses might have similar roots. A recent study among 185 COVID-19 patients in the United States has found the majority of 'long haulers' the researchers tested were positive for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation.

    Recent research has found that a subset of CFS/ME patients show signs of EBV reactivation, and now, it seems that a potentially large percentage of people with long COVID do as well.

    EBV is one of the most common viral infections out there. The vast majority of people around the world contract the virus at some point in their lives, and after the acute infection phase, an inactive version of the virus sticks around in the body for a lifetime.

    Sometimes, EBV can reactivate and cause flu-like symptoms, such as during periods of psychological or physiological stress.

    Like, say, a global pandemic.

    "We ran Epstein-Barr virus serological tests on COVID-19 patients at least 90 days after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection, comparing EBV reactivation rates of those with long COVID symptoms to those who never experienced long COVID symptoms," explains biologist Jeffrey Gold of World Organization.

    We found over 73 percent of COVID-19 patients who were experiencing long COVID symptoms were also positive for EBV reactivation."

    What's more, many of the reported symptoms are very similar to those that arise from EBV reactivation, including extreme fatigue, frequent skin rashes and Raynaud's phenomenon, which causes decreased blood flow to the fingers and toes. In the past year, long haulers have even taken to calling their swollen and red extremities 'COVID toes'.

    Although the size of the sample studied here is very small, the results suggest many long COVID symptoms may not actually arise from SARS-CoV-2 itself, but from EBV reactivation, potentially triggered by the widespread inflammation of COVID-19.

    Among all 185 randomly selected COVID-19 patients, researchers found nearly a third experienced unshakeable symptoms that lasted for months, sometimes even more than a year.

    In a random sample of the study subjects, nearly 67 percent of long haulers showed antibodies for EBV reactivation in their bloodwork. At the same time, only 10 percent of patients with no long-term symptoms tested positive for EBV reactivation.

    The researchers also recruited a second group of people whose COVID-19 diagnoses had been received 21-90 days before. Even in these short-term subjects, the ratio of EBV reactivation was similar.

    We found similar rates of EBV reactivation in those who had long COVID symptoms for months, as in those with long COVID symptoms that began just weeks after testing positive for COVID-19," says molecular microbiologist David Hurley from the University of Georgia.

    "This indicated to us that EBV reactivation likely occurs simultaneously or soon after COVID-19 infection."

    Earlier this year in Wuhan, China, researchers also found evidence that EBV reactivation might be associated with COVID-19 in its earliest stages. Within two weeks of COVID-19 infection, more than 50 percent of all 67 COVID-19 patients in the study showed signs of EBV reactivation. And this co-infection of EBV and SARS-CoV-2 was associated with more severe symptoms.

    As early as last year, in fact, another small ICU study in Europe showed that positive EBV DNA was observed in roughly 87 percent of the 104 COVID-19 patients examined.

    If EBV really does reactivate in such a large percentage of COVID-19 patients, it's worth understanding their relationship further.

    The researchers behind this latest study think that it could even be worth testing new COVID patients for EBV antibodies. If these patients show signs of EBV reactivation, they could possibly receive further medical treatment to protect them against the risk of developing severe or long forms of COVID-19.


    Of course, not all long haulers will show EBV reactivation, and some recovered COVID-19 patients can show evidence of EBV reactivation without suffering from any lingering symptoms. That said, a test like this could help identify where health risks are greatest and help us plan accordingly.

    While there is currently no drug that is licensed to specifically treat EBV reactivation, there are medications that can help reduce the viral load, giving the immune system a break.

    A recent study from China, for instance, found that administering the antiviral drug, ganciclovir, can decrease the risk of severe illness developing among COVID-19 patients.

    A similar drug, known as valganciclovir, also appears to reduce some of the symptoms of CFS/ME, at least among patients who show antibodies for EBV, but research in this area is still in its infancy.

    How EBV is connected to certain cases of CFS/ME is still hotly debated. There are those who think the virus can directly trigger this chronic illness, while others think the illness comes first before causing inflammation that can reactivate EBV infections.

    While diseases and autoimmune conditions other than COVID-19 are known to trigger EBV reactivation, the authors say SARS-CoV-2 appears particularly good at poking this viral beast.

    "While EBV reactivation may not be responsible for all cases of recurring fatigue or brain fog after recovering from COVID-19, evidence indicates that it likely plays a role in many or even most cases," the researchers explain.

    The study was published in Pathogens.

    Antibodies reveal who’s protected by Moderna’s COVID vaccine

    Trial results add to growing evidence that low levels of ‘neutralizing’ antibodies are a marker of vulnerability to COVID-19.


    Antibodies reveal who’s protected by Moderna’s COVID vaccine
    Trial results add to growing evidence that low levels of ‘neutralizing’ antibodies are a marker of vulnerability to COVID-19.
    www.nature.com


    Antibody levels in blood can predict the level of protection provided by Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. After receiving the vaccine, people with relatively low levels of antibodies were more likely to develop symptomatic infections than were those who mounted a stronger antibody response, according to a new analysis of such ‘breakthrough’ infections during the trial of the vaccine’s efficacy1.


    The study, posted as a preprint on 11 August, examined neutralizing antibodies, which can block viral infection of cells. The authors compared levels of neutralizing antibodies in the nearly 50 vaccinated trial participants who developed breakthrough infections with those of matched controls who were not diagnosed with COVID-19.


    The authors’ modelling found that people with undetectable levels of neutralizing antibodies were 10 times more likely to develop COVID-19 than individuals whose antibody levels placed them in the 90th percentile of all study participants. That meshes with the team’s finding, reported in the same preprint, that the bulk of the protection conferred by Moderna’s vaccines is due to levels of neutralizing antibodies.

    David Benkeser, a study co-author and a biostatistician at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, cautions that the analysis does not mean that there is a threshold level of antibodies that ensures protection. “It’s not like if you have some antibody, but not enough, you’re a sitting duck, and if you hit a magic number your protection hits 100,” he says.


    He hopes the analysis will help researchers and regulators to identify a ‘correlate of protection’ for COVID-19 vaccines, allowing them to predict the efficacy of new vaccines on the basis of the immune responses of a relatively small number of people, instead of using large-scale trials. The study could also help to determine the extent to which coronavirus variants, such as Delta, sap the Moderna vaccine’s protection, as well as the benefits of additional doses. But such applications need to be validated, Benkeser adds. The findings have not yet been peer-reviewed.


    Miles Davenport, an immunologist at the Kirby Institute in Sydney, Australia, says the study is important because it shows a clear relationship between high antibody levels and a lower risk of COVID-19. But he notes that most participants in the Moderna vaccine trial mounted a robust antibody response. So it’s difficult to make a confident determination of the effects of low antibody levels — including of those against antibody-evading SARS-CoV-2 variants.


    Variant forecast

    In another effort to determine how new variants affect vaccines, Davenport and his colleagues drew on antibody and trial data from seven COVID-19 vaccines, including Moderna’s. In laboratory assays, neutralizing antibodies generally show reduced potency against a variant than against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2. The team’s modelling, posted to a preprint server on 13 August, showed that such assays accurately predict the results of epidemiological studies of vaccine effectiveness in places where a specific variant is present2. The findings have not yet been peer reviewed.


    This tool should allow researchers to quickly take the pulse of any variants that emerge, says Davenport.


    doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-02237-8

    Molecular basis of immune evasion by the delta and kappa SARS-CoV-2 variants


    Molecular basis of immune evasion by the delta and kappa SARS-CoV-2 variants
    Worldwide SARS-CoV-2 transmission leads to the recurrent emergence of variants, such as the recently described B.1.617.1 (kappa), B.1.617.2 (delta) and…
    www.biorxiv.org


    Abstract

    Worldwide SARS-CoV-2 transmission leads to the recurrent emergence of variants, such as the recently described B.1.617.1 (kappa), B.1.617.2 (delta) and B.1.617.2+ (delta+). The B.1.617.2 (delta) variant of concern is causing a new wave of infections in many countries, mostly affecting unvaccinated individuals, and has become globally dominant. We show that these variants dampen the in vitro potency of vaccine-elicited serum neutralizing antibodies and provide a structural framework for describing the impact of individual mutations on immune evasion. Mutations in the B.1.617.1 (kappa) and B.1.617.2 (delta) spike glycoproteins abrogate recognition by several monoclonal antibodies via alteration of key antigenic sites, including an unexpected remodeling of the B.1.617.2 (delta) N-terminal domain. The binding affinity of the B.1.617.1 (kappa) and B.1.617.2 (delta) receptor-binding domain for ACE2 is comparable to the ancestral virus whereas B.1.617.2+ (delta+) exhibits markedly reduced affinity. We describe a previously uncharacterized class of N-terminal domain-directed human neutralizing monoclonal antibodies cross-reacting with several variants of concern, revealing a possible target for vaccine development.


    The ongoing spread of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, results in the continued emergence of variants. The B.1.351 (beta, β) variant of concern was originally described in South Africa and remains the isolate associated with the greatest magnitude of immune evasion, as measured by reduced neutralizing antibody (Ab) titers in vitro (1–3). Conversely, the B.1.1.7 (alpha, α) variant of concern, which was first detected in the United Kingdom, has a modest impact on neutralizing Ab titers but a marked enhancement in ACE2 receptor binding affinity and transmissibility which led to worldwide dominance in the early months of 2021 (2, 4).


    The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein is exposed at the surface of the virus and mediates entry into host cells. S is the main target of neutralizing antibodies and the focus of most vaccines (5, 6). The S glycoprotein is subdivided into two functional subunits, designated S1 and S2, that interact non-covalently after proteolytic cleavage by furin during synthesis (5, 7, 8). The S1 subunit contains the receptor-binding domain (RBD), which engages the receptor ACE2 (5, 7, 9, 10), and the N-terminal domain (NTD) that recognizes attachment factors (11–13). The S2 subunit contains the fusion machinery and undergoes large-scale conformational changes to drive fusion of the virus and host membranes (14), enabling genome delivery and initiation of infection. Abs that bind to specific sites on the RBD (15–22), the NTD (23–26), or the fusion machinery stem helix (27– 31) interfere with receptor attachment or membrane fusion. Serum neutralizing Ab titers are a correlate of protection against SARS-CoV-2 in non-human primates (32–35).


    In late 2020, B.1.617 variants including B.1.617.1 (kappa, κ) and B.1.617.2 (delta, δ) were first detected in India and caused devastating epidemics before spreading globally (36, 37). The variant S harbors T95I, G142D, E154K, L452R, E484Q, D614G, P681R and Q1071H substitutions whereas the B.1.617.2 variant S carries T19R, G142D, E156G, L452R, T478K, and D950N substitutions and a deletion of residues 157 and 158 (157-158del) (Table S1). Most of these mutations localize to the RBD and NTD which are the major targets of neutralizing Abs in convalescent and vaccinated individuals, raising concerns about the efficacy of available vaccines and therapeutic monoclonal Abs (mAbs) against these variants. Moreover, the K417N mutation was detected in the B.1.617.2 lineage, known as the B.1.617.2+ (delta plus, δ+) variant, which is shared with the B.1.351 (beta, β) variant of concern and was previously shown to reduce neutralization potency of some monoclonal Abs (2, 38).

    The COVID-19 pandemic came as an unwelcome, but not unexpected, event for scientists and governments who have long been bracing for a global viral outbreak. Still, COVID-19 has demonstrated that the world was even less prepared than most had imagined. As pandemic-prevention plans shape up around the world, Nature spoke to more than a dozen researchers to ask what stands in the way of a better system for identifying and controlling new outbreaks, and what must change.

    Nature | 13 min read

    As a brief followup regarding Chlorine Dioxide (which is not bleach), I've discovered that a network of thousands of doctors called Comusav - around the world - have been using ClO2 to treat Covid-19. Apparently many find it to be even more effective that ivermectin. Here are a couple of short videos. The first with a doctor involved in the group, and second with a home-made way to make the stuff for drinking. (Pills can also be purchased to put in water). It can be ingested or injected. I assumed it could be nebulized for inhalation but I haven't seen that yet, but then I haven't looked either.


    Over 100,000 documented COVID patients healed with CLO2. AMAZING 99.6% recovery rate! This will change the world!
    Dr. Manuel Aparicio Alonso, Medical Director of COMUSAV International & Vice-President of COMUSAV Mexico will be sharing COMUSAVs amazing fast, safe and…
    www.brighteon.com


    How to make CDS Chlorine Dioxide Solution.
    Over a decade ago Andreas Kalcker was cured of debilitating arthritis using The Universal Antidote (aka MMS/CDS/Chlorine Dioxide). Since that time, Andreas has…
    www.brighteon.com

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