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Three Years Since The World Wide Pandemic
COVID cases and hospitalization rates had a relatively small peak in early January but have been steadily down in North America since.
Global Health Update
The world is now far enough past the 2023 Lunar New Year’s celebration that we can say that it did not result in a significant surge in cases.
Respiratory Disease Update
In the United States, as of last week, about 70% of counties in the country have moved to the CDC “low community impact” designation
Current Respiratory Disease Outlook
The greatest unknown at present is the effect of the Lunar New Year regional and global travel on case growth.
Global Health Update
A new variant has taken center stage and predictably, mainstream news organizations are saying this is the “most infectious variant ever seen.”
Holiday Season Health Update
We are at a very different place heading into the holiday season than we were last year, and with some forethought and precautions, we all can have a good end of the year.
Respiratory Disease Prevention
This flu season is bad compared to recent years. But it’s not just flu. Thankfully, we are not seeing significant increases in COVID rates.
Health Update: RSV and Flu
This may be hard to believe, but the first human infection with SARS-CoV2, probably occurred right around now, three years ago.
COVID and Flu Season Update
The impact of COVID continues to decline with 80% of US counties in the CDC “Green” level and only just over 2% remaining in the “Red” level.
Global Health Update
We are expecting to see the current low levels of flu activity will end and we will start to see the typical early signs of flu season.
COVID and Flu Season
Today is the first full day of fall, which is also the typical beginning of cold and flu season, and potentially COVID resurgence season.
New Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine
The biggest news this week is the authorization and distribution of the new “bivalent” vaccine for COVID-19.
Brief COVID Update
The FDA formally authorized (EUA) updated COVID-19 boosters this week. We recommend that anyone who is eligible for this booster should get it.
World Health Update
While still a little too soon to say Monkeypox is on its way out, the peak in cases appears to have occurred about 3 weeks ago
Brief Health Issues Update
Globally, there are about 38,000 cases of Monkeypox, in Europe there are roughly 19,000 cases and in the US there are nearly 13,000.
Monkeypox and COVID-19 Update
It is important to keep a couple of comparisons between COVID and Monkeypox in mind as you process the news about Monkeypox.
Brief COVID Update
Case counts remain relatively flat in US, although there may be indications of beginning of a slight downward trend.
COVID-19 and Monkeypox Update
While there continues to be COVID news, over the last week, the media has been less focused on COVID and much more focused on Monkeypox.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Boosters, and New Variants
What is driving most increases and keeping a floor under decreases is omicron BA4/BA5 and of those two, primarily BA5.
Omicron Variants, Epidemiology and Vaccines
COVID is not going away easily. Omicron sub-variants BA4 and BA5 are rapidly replacing BA2 and BA 2.12.1 in much of the world.
Epidemiology, Vaccines, Natural Immunity, and Monkeypox
Over the past few weeks, you may have noticed many people having upper respiratory infections. Well, you are not imagining things.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Treatments, and Monkeypox
One thing that is very clear is that we have lost control of good data on the dynamics of the COVID epidemic.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, New Variants, and Practical Thoughts
Omicron keeps churning out new variants, each being a little more infectious and a little bit further away from the original strains of COVID.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Therapeutics, and Vaccine Developments
Looking at the dynamics of the epidemic, in North America, cases are up by about 13%, including over 25% in the United States.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Mitigation, and Omicron Subvariants
Most areas of the world are shifting in mindset, from pandemic to endemic, what does that mean for day-to-day life?
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Travel, and Testing
For at least a few months maybe even into next year, it is very likely that people will continue to catch COVID at reasonably high rates.
Second Booster Shot
This week, the FDA and CDC updated their authorization and guidelines to allow certain individuals to be eligible for another mRNA booster.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, BA2, and Boosters
Last week was the second anniversary of the initial declaration of a national emergency related to COVID on March 13.
Epidemiology, Variants, Boosters, and Long COVID
Over the coming week, we will have the 2-year anniversaries of the first Emergency Declaration by President Trump and the first school closures.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, CDC Risk Ranking, and Treatments
The downward trend in case numbers throughout the Americas has continued, with the 7-day average of cases down 30% in the last week.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Boosters, and CDC Data
The US CDC acknowledged that they have been withholding various aspects of statistical analysis out of fears that the data could be misinterpreted.
Omicron BA.2, Epidemiology, and Clinical Medicine Developments
Most areas in Europe have seen, or will shortly see, the removal of vaccine passport restrictions in most settings.
COVID-19 Mandates, Vaccines, and Masks
New data has driven new recommendations on when to wear a mask. This will have implications for both businesses and individuals.
Omicron BA.2, Testing, and Epidemiology
Late last week there were several news stories expressing concern that BA.2 should be considered a variant of concern
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Testing, Vaccinations
Cases in North America continue to fall at a fairly rapid pace but are still at levels higher than any other time in the epidemic.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Omicron, and Vaccines
Last week, it looked like some areas were starting to see the crest of the omicron wave, this week, the peaks have been confirmed.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Treatments, and Common Questions
Looking at the current epidemiology of omicron, it is responsible for over 98% of cases in the United States.
COVID-19 Treatments, Guidance, and Omicron
Omicron is extremely infectious, maybe even more than we thought, the data supports relative infectiousness compared to Delta at 2 or 3 times.
COVID-19 Testing, Treatments, and Omicron
This week saw the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention own up to a very major error in their assessment of the spread of omicron.
Omicron and Holiday Gatherings
In about 2 weeks omicron has gone from barely showing up in surveillance to being the dominant variant in circulation.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Omicron, and Vaccines
While there were many data anomalies due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the overall trend has been just very lightly upward.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Travel, and the Holiday Season
The very first analyses of vaccine efficacy against omicron have started to come in from both Pfizer and Moderna.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Vaccines, and the Omicron Variant
The news this last week has been dominated by the omicron variant and what we know and don’t know about it.
The Omicron Variant
Late last week, following data from South Africa, a new variant was rapidly displacing Delta as the primary COVID-19 variant in circulation.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Boosters, and Vaccine Requirements
This week, several major state health departments have made statements encouraging an expansive interpretation of the booster guidance.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Vaccines, and News
Globally, Europe has once again become the main center of COVID case increases around the world.
COVID-19 Epidemiology and Vaccines
The Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on the recommendation for Pfizer COVID vaccination for children ages 5 to 11.
COVID-19 Epidemiology and Booster Shots
In the US, cases are continuing to decrease on a week-over-week basis, but the rate of decrease is shrinking.
COVID-19 Booster Shots, Case Rates, and Holiday Gatherings
In considering how to safely have a holiday gathering, the biggest question is how to hold an event at reasonable risk
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Testing, Vaccines, and Travel
One of our greatest concerns over the past couple of months has been why the COVID rate in the UK has remained stubbornly high.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Testing, and Treatments
A major alert went out today regarding a high number of false positives from the highly touted Ellume test kits from Australia.
COVID-19 Booster Shots, Treatments, and Epidemiology
The advisory committee on immunization practices and the CDC director weighed in on the final US government recommendations for vaccination.
COVID-19 Case Rates and Booster Shots
It looks like much of the world is emerging from a summer of COVID and is now on the downward side of the epidemic curve.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Boosters, and Testing
Earlier this week, a formal internal advisory report from the US FDA said that the data did support boosters for the general population.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Boosters, and New Data
As of the middle of this week, new case rates are down in more than half of the United States and the overall rate is down approximately 5%.
COVID-19 Booster Shots, Statistics, and the Delta Variant
Over the last week, between 5 and 10% of US states have seen a downward trend in the number of cases, but, the overall upward trend in the US has not turned around.
COVID-19 Vaccine Approval and Breakthrough Infections
The big news of the last week is that the first Covid vaccine has been fully approved for full licensure in the United States.
COVID-19 Booster Shots and Vaccine Guidance
The FDA authorized what is not a booster, but guidance that primary immunization for immunocompromised individuals should consist of 3 shots.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Testing, and Prevention
The major discussion this week is whether Delta is crowding out other variants so rapidly it will run out of susceptible hosts over a 6-8 week period.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Travel, and CDC Guidance
For the fourth week in a row, COVID cases averaged across the United States have increased by about 50%, at 27 cases per 100,000 per day.
The Effect of the Delta Variant on the COVID-19 Pandemic
The effects of the delta variant have changed both the public and governmental attitudes away from a sense of being nearly over this.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Vaccinations, and Booster Shots
North American and European Nations appear to have run into a wall on vaccination acceptance at about 50% of the population fully vaccinated.
COVID-19 Epidemiology and Common Questions
In the US, over half of all new COVID cases appear to be due to the Delta variant and that will likely continue to increase.
COVID-19 Epidemiology and the Delta Variant
As of this week, the Delta variant has become the predominant strain in the US, just as it is in the UK and in nearly all of Europe.
COVID-19 Mutations and Risks of the Delta Variant
The Delta variant mutation caused a specific fold in the geometry of the spike protein that causes it to bind to cells more efficiently.
COVID-19 Case Rates, Vaccines, and Treatments
In the United States, COVID-19 case rates have decreased to three cases per hundred thousand per day.
COVID-19 Case Rates, Vaccinations, and the Delta Variant
Over the last few days, estimates are that the delta variant is responsible for 10% of all new cases in the United States.
COVID-19 Case Trends and Vaccinations
In the US, over the last week, the rate of decrease in numbers of cases and deaths has fallen, and 20 states have seen an increase in cases.
COVID-19 Case Rates, Herd Immunity, and Summer Travel
In the United States case levels are down to levels not seen since the “14 days to stop the Virus” in March of last year.
COVID-19 Vaccinations, Booster Shots, and Black Fungus
In most of the world, the steady improvement trends continue. Even India has seen rates fall to roughly half of where they were 3 weeks ago.
COVID-19 Case Rates, CDC Guidance, and Travel
The recent news is the CDC’s statement that in most situations people who are vaccinated do not need to wear a mask either indoors or out.
This Week on COVID-19: Case Rates, Vaccines, and Reopening
In the United States cases dropped over 21% in the last week, now running at about 12 cases per 100,000 per day.
COVID-19 Case Rates, Vaccines, and Common Questions
The US data continues to be going in the right direction with cases decreased by another 10% this past week.
COVID-19 Statistics, Variants, and the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
Over last weekend, the US FDA and CDC jointly announced lifting the “pause” on the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19 Case Rates, Vaccines, Testing, and Treatments
After 5 consecutive weeks of a slow upward trend in U.S. cases, we have seen nearly a 12% drop in the case rates over the previous week.
This Week on COVID-19: Epidemiology, Treatments, and the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
The CDC and FDA recommended an immediate pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson single dose COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19 Case Rates, Epidemiology, and Vaccines
In the United States, the nation is still on track to be able to deliver the vaccine to all willing adults over the next 4 to 6 weeks.
This Week on COVID-19: Herd Immunity and Vaccines
The CDC announced data regarding the efficacy of the major vaccines against infections and infectiousness exceeds 90%.
This Week on COVID-19: Case Rates, Treatments, Prevention, and Vaccines
We have not seen the predicted 4th wave in March, what we have seen is a flattening of what had been a steep decline in the number of cases.
COVID-19 Case Rates, Treatments, and Vaccines
Over the last week, the overall rate of the United States is only down by about 5%, but half of the states are actually ticking upward again.
COVID-19 Statistics, Vaccines, and New Guidance
It now appears that the pace of vaccination and the movement towards herd immunity has blunted the effect of more virulent COVID-19 variants.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Treatments, and Vaccines
The most important news this week is the approval and release of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine for COVID-19.
COVID-19 Case Rates, Testing, Treatments, and Vaccines
Real-world studies looking at vaccine effectiveness have confirmed Pfizer’s study findings of 95% efficacy after two doses.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Vaccine Statistics, and Q&A
In the United States, individual case counts have seen their lowest number over the previous two days since the middle of October 4 months ago.
COVID-19 Case Rates, Therapies, and Vaccines
In the United States, the overall rate of new COVID-19 infections decreased by nearly 1/4 in the last week.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Testing, Treatment, and Vaccines
In the US, the seven-day average of cases is down by over 46% from the peak during the second week of January.
Current COVID-19 Case Rates, Vaccinations, and Treatments
In the US, cases are down about 20% from their post-New Year peak and similar downward trends are seen in Asia and Australia.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Testing, and Vaccinations
The United States and the United Kingdom have clearly crested the wave on their latest peaks in terms of new cases.
This Week in COVID-19, New Strains and Vaccinations
We are still in the midst of the biggest wave of COVID-19 cases yet in the US, with rates increasing throughout most of the world.
This Week in COVID-19, Recent News, Vaccinations, and New Strains
News this week has been dominated by vaccine issues. That is understandable, as vaccines are what will bring us out of this epidemic.
COVID-19 Epidemiology, Testing, and Treatment
Two weeks ago, just about every state was seeing rapid increases in case numbers, currently, case numbers are decreasing throughout the US.
COVID-19 Testing, Therapeutics, and Vaccine Distribution
With the first COVID-19 vaccinations being administered, the biggest question on everyone’s mind is “when will I be able to get the vaccine?” and the answer is, “ it depends.”
This Week On COVID-19, Emergency Use Authorizations and Operation Warp Speed
This week marks two of the most important milestones in this entire COVID epidemic. The first person to receive a vaccine and formal independent review by the U.S. FDA.
This Week on COVID-19, Case Rates and Vaccine Progress
Just in time for Thanksgiving, COVID rates have started to come off the highs that we saw through the month of November.
This Week on COVID-19, Increasing Case Rates and Thanksgiving
As of Wednesday, about 11 and a half million Americans are known to have been infected with SARS CoV2.
This Week in COVID-19, Epidemiology, Holidays, and Vaccines
The combined effort of Pfizer and BioNTech announced that their vaccine has a 90% protective efficacy in vaccinated individuals.
This Week in COVID-19, What We’ve Learned Since March
There is very little news to report this week, so instead, we will look back at some of the original reports from March.
Weekly Update & Holiday Travel
Year-end holidays are traditionally times when people travel distances to reunite friends and families, or even have simple parties to celebrate the milestones of another year. What we have learned over the past few months is that these types of events are exactly what fuels COVID-19 outbreaks and even spread as people take infections back with them when they go home.
COVID-19 Prevention, Treatment, and Epidemiology
There was a Large study announced this week from Australia addressing the survival of the virus on various surfaces. The virus can be recovered over a longer duration of time than previously thought.
This Week on COVID-19: Halts on Vaccine and Therapeutic Trials
In the US, current levels are at about 75% of the peak seen in mid-July, but they are still steadily rising…not as fast as of late June and early July, but there is no evidence of a new peak.