U.S. officials have agreed to buy 66 million Moderna omicron boosters, intending to conduct additional launches this fall and winter. A new CDC report suggests that children may be at increased risk of blood clots, heart problems, kidney failure and type 1 diabetes after contracting COVID. The Chronicle’s Pandemic Issues Advice column addressed a question from a reader who asked how long COVID stays in the air after an infected person leaves the room.
How many animals have had COVID? The new tracker has the data
There have been 704 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in animals, in 27 different species from 39 countries, according to a new dashboard from Wildlife Conservation, which tracks cases worldwide. While the researchers say that number is likely lower because it is impossible to know the true impact of SARS-CoV-2 in the wild, preliminary data results include cases that have been confirmed by laboratory PCR tests. There are 582 outbreaks in the animal world, with most cases in minks, cats and dogs. Mortality from the disease among animals is close to 3%. Most symptoms among animals manifest as respiratory, gastrointestinal or behavioral problems, according to the data. Researchers say the dashboard is a work in progress. “The dashboard intends to support public education about the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission between humans and animals and to raise public awareness of possible wildlife conservation issues posed by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic,” they wrote in the companion study.
US unemployment rate falls to pre-pandemic level
US employers added a staggering 528,000 jobs last month despite raging inflation and worries about a possible recession, regaining all the positions lost in the coronavirus recession. Unemployment fell to 3.5%, the lowest level since the start of 2020, the Associated Press reported. There were 130,000 more jobs created in July than in June and the most since February. “Recession — what kind of recession?” wrote Brian Coulton, chief economist at Fitch Ratings, after the numbers came out. “The U.S. economy is adding new jobs at an annual rate of 6 million — three times faster than what we typically see in a good year historically.” Economists had expected just 250,000 new jobs in July.
Fauci: Get vaccinated and toughen up or ‘you’re going to be in trouble’
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, is urging people to keep up with their COVID-19 vaccines as the colder months approach. “There are enough people who don’t fall into (high-risk) categories that if they don’t get vaccinated, if they don’t get boosted, they’re going to get into trouble,” Fauci told KNX’s “In Depth.” show this week. About 77 percent of the U.S. population is not up to date on COVID-19 vaccines, according to an analysis of CDC data last week by researchers at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Fauci said this could lead not only to more infections, but also to the emergence of newer immune-resistant variants. “You don’t want COVID to dominate people’s lives in this country or the world, but you don’t want, wishing it was behind us and in the rearview mirror, to not do things that would be reasonable,” he said. “We’re not talking about blocking, we’re just talking about common sense, getting the appropriate interventions when they’re available to you — and right now we have boosters that are very effective at reducing every aspect of infection.”
The US is providing 66 million doses of Moderna’s omicron booster
The US government has agreed to buy 66 million doses of Moderna’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine candidate for potential use in the fall and winter. The announcement follows the FDA’s recommendation that vaccine manufacturers update their existing COVID-19 vaccines to create a bivalent booster that can target the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants that are now dominant in the United States. The administration previously secured 105 million bivalent booster doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer for potential use later this year. “We look forward to receiving these new variant-specific vaccines and working with state and local health partners to make the vaccines available for free in communities across the country this fall,” said Dawn O’Connell, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health of U.S. and Human Services, in a statement.
COVID increases risk of heart problems, diabetes in children – CDC study
Children and adolescents may be at increased risk of certain symptoms and conditions after COVID, including blood clots, heart problems, kidney failure and type 1 diabetes, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In an analysis of electronic health records of about 800,000 US children under the age of 18 who had COVID-19 from March 1, 2020, to January 31, 2022, researchers found increased rates of several symptoms and conditions of rare pediatric illnesses compared to a control group of 2.5 million children who were not infected with the coronavirus during the same period. “Covid-19 prevention strategies, including vaccination for all eligible children and adolescents, are critical to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection and subsequent illness, including post-COVID symptoms and conditions,” the researchers said.
Biden still positive, with ‘occasional cough’
President Biden still tested positive for the coronavirus, White House physician Kevin O’Connor said in an update Thursday. “He still has the occasional cough, but the cough is improving,” according to the note. The president will remain in strict isolation and will continue to work remotely from the executive residence. Biden tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time in late July and was released from isolation on July 27 before experiencing a re-infection on July 30.
Worried about entering a room after someone with COVID has left? Here’s the low point
How long does COVID stay in the air after someone with COVID (who is not wearing a mask) leaves the room? Assuming the windows are closed and there is no filtration system, how long do you have to worry about getting COVID if you are in the room without a mask? In the Chronicle’s Pandemic Issues column, we help clear the air, so to speak, on an issue that’s on the minds of one reader and no doubt on the minds of many others.
The CDC is expected to further roll back COVID rules, including for schools
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to ease quarantine and other recommendations to mitigate the coronavirus in the coming days, including for schools, according to sources familiar with the plan who spoke to CNN. Among other things, the agency is expected to lift its recommendation for physical distancing and de-emphasize regular screening tests for COVID-19 in schools as a way to monitor the spread of the virus. People who are sick with COVID-19 still need to self-isolate, which the new guidance is expected to emphasize. And the CDC will also emphasize schools that use better ventilation systems. State, local, and county regulations may take precedence over CDC advice, which is not legally binding.
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