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Duke health experts concerned about possibility that future COVID variants could evade vaccines :: WRAL.com

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By Maggie Brown, WRAL multiplatform producer

Durham, N.C. — While the latest COVID-19 subvariant of omicron, BA.2, is not as severe as previous variants, health experts are still concerned the virus could mutate and evade vaccines.

David Montefiori, a viral expert at Duke University, said Thursday that vaccines are holding up well against the latest variants of COVID-19. But that could change as the virus continues to mutate, especially among people who have not received a booster shot.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of all eligible Americans have not yet received a booster shot.

Research shows that people who were vaccinated several months ago, or have not yet received a booster shot, could still fall ill with coronavirus.

A third booster shot was approved for older Americans three weeks ago, and Montefiori said it’s likely that a third booster will be recommended for all Americans.

“At some point, I feel like everyone will want to get a second booster,” he said. “But at this point, it’s unclear.”

Health experts concerned over unknowns surrounding waning immunity

Montefiori said herd immunity is having a major impact on the number of people hospitalized and dying from coronavirus, but health experts are unsure how long herd immunity will last.

Over time, immunity built up from both a prior infection and vaccine could fade, and different variants of coronavirus could become more severe.

Montefiori said he hopes the public will build up enough immunity “to where [coronavirus] will become a common cold, no worse than the flu.”

“We are seeing these new forms acquiring increased transmissibility and out-competing the earlier form,” he said. “We will continue to have omicron lineages that will evolve and hopefully not be able to evade the vaccines.”

Montefiori said as immunity wanes and different variants of coronavirus become more dominant, it will be important that vaccines change to keep up with the virus.

The good news? Montefiori says that viruses tend to evolve to become less severe. He also added that coronaviruses aren’t as good as evading vaccines as flu viruses.

“I think this virus is always going to be with us,” Montefiori said. “I think it’s going to be something we have to live with.”

Risks of taking public transportation

Infectious disease expert with Duke University Cameron Wolfe said he was concerned about airlines and public transportation dropping mask mandates after the federal government’s recent decision.

While airlines have done plenty to help mitigate someone’s risk of COVID-19, “it’s a misnomer to assume the risk is zero,” he said.

If someone testing positive for COVID-19 is sitting next to you on an airplane and they aren’t wearing a face mask, there is a good chance you could get sick.

Wolfe said that public health officials are continuing to encourage people to make “individual decisions” about their own health risk, but for some people, that’s not a luxury.

Many people don’t have a choice whether or not to take public transportation and are being put at-risk by the federal government’s latest decision, he said.

Those who tend to rely on public transportation, like buses or trains, are typically economically disadvantaged and at higher risk of contracting and falling sick from COVID-19. They are also less likely to be vaccinated.

Relying on testing numbers

“You have to concede the numbers are a significant underestimate of the actual burden of COVID-19 in the community,” Wolfe said, “but that’s always been the case.”

Wolfe said that the CDC determines one’s risk for COVID-19 by factoring in the number of people hospitalized and the number of deaths in a community.

“We are trying to accommodate this virus, co-exist with COVID,” Wolfe said.

Wolfe said that even though hospitalizations and deaths are still well-below what they were this time last year, people are still dying from the virus.

Some people unfortunately have a severe inflammatory reaction to the virus, he said, especially those who are immunocompromised. He hopes that health officials will continue to learn how to mitigate the effects of the virus on those who are vulnerable.

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Scientists finds gene differences in severe COVID patients

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Scientists have pinpointed 16 new genetic variants in people who developed severe COVID-19 in a large study published on Monday that could help researchers develop treatments for very sick patients.

The results suggest that people with severe COVID have genes that predispose them to one of two problems: failure to limit the ability of the virus to make copies of itself, or excessive inflammation and blood clotting.

The scientists said their discoveries, published in the journal Nature, could help prioritize the likely treatments that could work against the disease.

Eventually, the information could even help predict which patients were likely to become severely ill.

“It is potentially possible in future that we will be able to make predictions about patients based on their genome at the point of presenting (for) critical care,” said Kenneth Baillie, consultant in critical care medicine at the University of Edinburgh and one of the study authors, told reporters.

Scientists said the latest discovery could help prioritize treatments.
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The genetic analysis of nearly 56,000 samples from people in Britain showed differences in 23 genes in COVID-19 patients who became critically ill, when compared with the DNA of other groups included in the study, including 16 differences that had not been previously identified.

The new findings could help guide scientists in their search for existing drugs that might be useful for treating COVID-19.

For example, the researchers found changes in key genes that regulate the level of factor VIII, a protein involved in forming blood clots.

“Blood clotting is one of the main reasons why patients with COVID develop a shortage of oxygen. So that’s potentially targetable to prevent those clots from forming,” Baillie said.

But “we can’t know if these medicines will work until we try them in people”.

One of the previously discovered genes, TYK2, is targeted by Eli Lilly’s arthritis drug baricitinib, now being studied as a treatment for COVID-19.

The drug was shown last week to cut the risk of death and hospitalization in COVID-19 patients by 13% in a trial.

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COVID Omicron Updates: CDC releases new guidance for some Americans to get additional vaccine booster shot

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NEW YORK (WABC) — The CDC has shortened the amount of time people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised need to wait before getting a fourth COVID vaccine booster dose.

They now recommend that the severely immunocompromised can get an additional Pfizer or Moderna shot three months after their third dose instead of five months.

The CDC also encourages people with weakened immune systems who originally got a Johnson & Johnson vaccine to take two additional doses, instead of just one.

RELATED: What are the symptoms of the COVID omicron variant?

Here are more of today’s COVID-19 headlines:

US death toll hits 900,000, sped by omicron
Propelled in part by the wildly contagious omicron variant, the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 900,000 on Friday, less than two months after eclipsing 800,000. The two-year total, as compiled by Johns Hopkins University, is greater than the population of Indianapolis, San Francisco, or Charlotte, North Carolina. The milestone comes more than 13 months into a vaccination drive that has been beset by misinformation and political and legal strife, though the shots have proved safe and highly effective at preventing serious illness and death.

Scientists study why some never catch coronavirus
Scientists are trying to unlock the mystery of why some people seem never to catch COVID. While there is no clear-cut answer, one factor may lie in our DNA, giving people with certain genetic traits more pre-existing protection. Researchers in London have also found that people with higher levels of T-cells generated from other previous coronavirus infections like a common cold were less likely to get COVID. “If there are overlapping sequences that are shared between the common cold coronaviruses and the sarscov2, that T-cell can react very quickly to mount a defense against sarscov2,” said Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, professor of immunology, Yale University.

More vaccinations will lead to lifting mask rules: Hochul
Records show 80% of 12-to 17-year-olds in New York State have gotten their first dose of the COVID vaccine, and Gov. Kathy Hochul says more vaccinations will lead to the lifting of mask mandates in schools. “The more children we have vaccinated, the safer they will be in school,” she said, explaining vaccination rate will be a factor in decisions on mask rules. “And they wont need a mask anymore,” Hochul promised. “But we are just not there yet. It is all based on data.” Data shows 40% of 5-to 11-year-olds have gotten their first dose.

COVID falling in 49 of 50 states as deaths near 900,000
With omicron easing, new cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. are falling in 49 of the 50 states, even as the nation’s death toll closes in on another bleak round number: 900,000. The number of lives lost to the pandemic in the U.S. stood at about 899,000 as of Friday afternoon, with deaths running at an average of more than 2,400 a day, back up to where they were last winter, when the vaccine drive was still getting started. But new cases per day have tanked by almost a half-million nationwide since mid-January, the curve trending downward in every state but Maine.

CT crosses grim milestone
Connecticut reported an additional 175 COVID deaths since last week, bringing the state’s total across the 10,000 threshold to 10,083. The state’s positivity rate is currently 6.57%, with 869 current hospitalizations.

Palin resumes court battle with NY Times after COVID illness

Sarah Palin’s libel suit against The New York Times went to trial Thursday in a case over the former Alaska governor’s claims the newspaper damaged her reputation with an editorial linking her campaign rhetoric to a mass shooting. The trial is a rare example of a jury deciding the validity of a persistent refrain from Palin and other Republicans: That a biased news media is willing to bend the truth to make conservatives look bad. Palin, a one-time Republican vice presidential nominee, told journalists as she arrived at the courthouse that she was looking for “Justice for people who expect truth in the media.” Opening statements to the jury were initially scheduled for last week, but were postponed when Palin tested positive for COVID-19.
“We come to this case with our eyes wide open and keenly aware of the fact we’re fighting an uphill battle,” Palin attorney Shane Vogt said. “Give us a fair shot. We’re not here trying to win your votes for Governor Palin or any of her policies.”

Medicare opens up access to free at-home COVID-19 tests
The Biden administration says people with Medicare will be able to get up to eight free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per month, starting in early spring. It’s seeking to fill a frustrating gap in coverage for coronavirus tests. Last month, the administration directed private insurers to cover rapid COVID-19 tests for people on their plans. But until now officials were trying to figure out what to do about Medicare, which covers older people particularly vulnerable to severe illness from COVID-19. Laws and regulations that govern the program stood in the way. Free tests will be available through participating pharmacies and other locations. AARP has praised Medicare’s decision.

Russia mulls loosening restrictions amid record virus surge
The Russian president says his government is considering loosening some coronavirus restrictions, even as the country is facing a record-breaking surge of infections because of the highly contagious omicron variant. Vladimir Putin on Thursday insisted that authorities are not planning any lockdowns or other additional restrictions because of the surge. Moreover, the government is considering lifting restrictions for those who come into contact with COVID-19 patients, “to give people the opportunity to continue working in peace.” Existing regulations mandate that people who come in contact with someone with COVID-19 must self-isolate for seven days. On Thursday, the country’s state coronavirus task force reported 155,768 new infections, a daily tally 10 times higher than a month ago.

How many times can I reuse my N95 mask?
How many times can I reuse my N95 mask? It depends, but you should be able to use N95s and KN95s a few times. The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention says health care workers can wear an N95 mask up to five times. But experts say how often the average person can safely wear one will vary depending on how it’s used. Using the same mask to run to the grocery store, for example, is very different than wearing it all day at work.
When am I contagious if infected with omicron?

When am I contagious if infected with omicron? It’s not yet clear, but some early data suggests people might become contagious sooner than with earlier variants – possibly within a day after infection. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the few days before and after symptoms develop. But that window of time might happen earlier with omicron, according to some outside experts. That’s because omicron appears to cause symptoms faster than previous variants – about three days after infection, on average, according to preliminary studies. Based on previous data, that means people with omicron could start becoming contagious as soon as a day after infection.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 COVERAGE

Omicron variant symptoms: what to know even if you are vaccinated
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus

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Experts explain what’s making BA.2 omicron subvariant more contagious than the original

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SAN FRANCISCO — There’s a new “subvariant” of the omicron variant that’s been spreading across Europe and the U.S.

Preliminary data shows it’s more contagious than omicron. Scientist have named it BA.2 a variant that’s closely related to the original omicron strain.

“In Denmark where it’s sort of taken over it looks like it’s 1 and a half times more infectious than the original omicron which was more infectious than delta,” said Dr. Deepak Srivastava, President of the Gladstone Institutes.

The CDC confirmed BA.2 is circulating at a low level in the US. Two cases of BA.2 were confirmed in Santa Clara County last week. Is it worse than omicron or delta? Dr. Srivastava explains.

RELATED: What to know about BA.2, new omicron subvariant detected in several US states

“It looks like this is going to transmit more, but so far it looks like it’s not more severe, but we still need to study that,” said Dr. Srivastava.

UCSF Professor Nevan Krogan is the Director of Quantitative Biosciences Institute. He broke down BA.2 in comparison to the original omicron strain.

“In many ways they are similar. Each have about 50 mutations. There are 30 mutations that are overlapping between these two viruses,” said Professor Krogan.

Professor Krogan’s team identify the section where the majority of transmission is forming within the BA.2 variant.

RELATED: How concerned should you be of new omicron subvariant BA.2 if you’re vaccinated or boosted?

“There’s a couple other ones here that we think may be involved in suppressing the immune response. This new variant may be more effective in doing that versus the original variant,” said Professor Krogran.

Experts are also calling BA.2 “stealth omicron.” They’ve noticed there’s a key difference in its genetic sequence that makes it harder to track.

“It does not have a mutation in a region that makes it drop out so it looks very much like delta on a PCR test so you can’t tell the difference, and that is why we call it stealth,” said Dr. Srivastava.

Both experts agree vaccines and boosters continue to be effective against both strains.

“I don’t think we should be concerned every time. We should realize that the virus mutates. I think there should be some satisfaction knowing that the scientific world has tools that we’ve never had before,” said Professor Krogan.

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COVID Omicron Updates: Variant may be headed for a rapid drop in US

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NEW YORK (WABC) — Scientists are seeing signals that COVID-19’s alarming omicron wave may have peaked in Britain and is about to do the same in the U.S., at which point cases may start dropping off dramatically.

The reason: The variant has proved so wildly contagious that it may already be running out of people to infect, just a month and a half after it was first detected in South Africa.

“It’s going to come down as fast as it went up,” said Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle.

At the same time, experts warn that much is still uncertain about how the next phase of the pandemic might unfold. The plateauing or ebbing in the two countries is not happening everywhere at the same time or at the same pace. And weeks or months of misery still lie ahead for patients and overwhelmed hospitals even if the drop-off comes to pass.

Take a look at cases and hospitalizations in New York City:

RELATED: What are the symptoms of the COVID omicron variant?

Here are more of today’s COVID-19 headlines:

No change to schools’ mask mandate after Nassau County executive order
One week after Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed an executive order allowing school boards to decide whether students wear masks in schools, not one school district has changed their mask policies.

Blakeman said school board members have told him privately that they feel threatened by Governor Kathy Hochul and state officials.

When am I contagious if infected with omicron?
When am I contagious if infected with omicron? It’s not yet clear, but some early data suggests people might become contagious sooner than with earlier variants – possibly within a day after infection. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the few days before and after symptoms develop. But that window of time might happen earlier with omicron, according to some outside experts. That’s because omicron appears to cause symptoms faster than previous variants – about three days after infection, on average, according to preliminary studies. Based on previous data, that means people with omicron could start becoming contagious as soon as a day after infection.

3,000 United Airlines employees test positive for COVID
United Airlines said it is reducing its flight schedule in hopes of stemming COVID-related staffing shortages that have caused thousands of flight cancellations across the industry. In a new company-wide memo, CEO Scott Kirby said the airline is “reducing our near-term schedules to make sure we have the staffing and resources to take care of customers.” Kirby did not specify by how much the airline is drawing down flights. But the memo added that “the omicron surge has put a strain on our operation, resulting in customer disruptions during a busy holiday season.” He went on to thank employees for their professionalism in handling the delays.

CDC says it will update mask ‘information’
The CDC says it plans to update its mask information to “best reflect the multiple options available to people and the different levels of protection they provide.” The CDC did not say when its guidance will be updated. In the meantime, the CDC said in a statement, “any mask is better than no mask, and we encourage Americans to wear a well-fitting mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19.” Since the arrival of omicron, health experts have urged Americans to upgrade their cloth masks to an N95 or KN95 because the new variant is so highly transmissible. But these higher-grade masks are costly and hard to find.

Multiple states issue emergency declarations
Governors in multiple states are issuing emergency declarations as the omicron variant depletes vital health care resources. The CDC says the variant now makes up 98% of all new cases, and new numbers, accounting for the weekend backlog, show the U.S. tallied a record 1.4 million cases in a single day. The CDC has determined the unvaccinated are 17 times more likely to be hospitalized than vaccinated Americans.

Virginia issued a 30-day state of emergency to help health care facilities increase bed space and staff, while New Jersey and Washington, DC, are also under emergency orders. Maryland, Maine, and Massachusetts are all leaning on the National Guard as a record number of COVID patients flood hospitals.

Police: Nurse in Italy caught faking shots, ditching vaccine
Police in Italy have arrested a nurse on charges he faked giving coronavirus vaccinations to at least 45 people so they could get a health pass without actually getting the shot. The nurse ditched the vaccines in a bin and even put bandages on his “patients” so the scam would not be detected. Police in Ancona, on Italy’s eastern coast, also placed four alleged accomplices under house arrest, accusing them of finding anti-vaccine customers who were willing to pay for a health pass rather than get the shots. Forty-five people who allegedly received the fabricated passes are under investigation.

Stay home or work sick? Omicron poses a conundrum for workers without paid sick days
As the raging omicron variant of COVID-19 infects workers across the nation, millions of those whose jobs don’t provide paid sick days are having to choose between their health and their paycheck. While many companies instituted more robust sick leave policies at the beginning of the pandemic, some of those have since been scaled back with the rollout of the vaccines, even though omicron has managed to evade the shots. Meanwhile, the current labor shortage is adding to the pressure of workers having to decide whether to show up to their job sick if they can’t afford to stay home.

“It’s a vicious cycle,” said Daniel Schneider, professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. “As staffing gets depleted because people are out sick, that means that those that are on the job have more to do and are even more reluctant to call in sick when they in turn get sick.”

Federal officials issue warnings about fake COVID-19 testing kits
COVID-19 cases continue to rise dramatically, leading to brutally long lines at testing sites and empty shelves at stores where at-home rapid test kits were once in stock. Now, an additional problem has emerged: The Federal Trade Commission is warning about fraudulent testing kits being sold online to desperate customers.

Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the CDC determined the unvaccinated are 17% more likely to be hospitalized. This article has been updated to say 17 times more likely.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 COVERAGE

Omicron variant symptoms: what to know even if you are vaccinated
New York City COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker
New Jersey COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus

Submit a News Tip or Question

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NC coronavirus update December 17: 3 new COVID 19 omicron cases identified in North Carolina

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Here’s the latest news and information on COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccines.

4:35 p.m.
Wake County Public Health has confirmed an outbreak of COVID-19 at Raleigh Rehabilitation Center, 616 Wade Ave.

This is the facility’s fourth outbreak. The previous outbreaks occurred in June 2020, December 2020 and September 2021. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services defines an outbreak as two or more people – residents or employees – testing positive for the virus. Because of the possibility for rapid spread of COVID-19 in long-term settings, NCDHHS shares guidance on the steps these facilities should take following an outbreak.

2:45 p.m.
Orange County has confirmed its first case of the Omicron variant.

The person is at home in isolation, has mild symptoms and is fully vaccinated but had not yet received a booster, the health department said.

There have been 344 new cases of COVID-19 in the past two weeks in Orange County, compared to 190 in the previous two weeks.

Genomic sequencing was conducted at UNC Hospitals to determine that the case was caused by the Omicron variant.

“The first case of Omicron is a reminder of the importance of vaccination, boosters, andgeneral prevention strategiesneeded to protect against COVID-19,” said Orange County Health Director Quintana Stewart. “Everyone 5 and older should get vaccinatedand boosters are recommended for everyone 16years and older.”

FRIDAY MORNING HEADLINES
Three unrelated cases of the omicron variant were discovered in Pitt County, which is about an hour east of Raleigh.

Pitt County Health Department said holiday travel and activities brought the variant to Pitt County.

It’s not a surprise, since experts have said omicron appears to be highly contagious and will likely eventually become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States.

Pitt County is the second in North Carolina to report finding the omicron variant. Mecklenburg County identified a case earlier this week.

THURSDAY
3:16 p.m.
One hundred three Marines have been discharged for refusing to take the COVID vaccine, the Marine Corps said Thursday, as the military services have begun to discharge a pool of possibly as many as 30,000 active duty service members who still refuse to be vaccinated — even after multiple opportunities to do so past vaccination deadlines.

In late August, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered that the COVID vaccine become mandatory for all U.S. military personnel; until then it had been voluntary.

2:52 p.m.
Dr. Anthony Fauci said booster shots “may not protect much against infection, but … will go a long way to protect against severe disease.”

Fauci predicted data on COVID-19 vaccines for children younger than 5 should be available early next year (first quarter 2022).

He also said the U.S. could be in for a difficult winter with the current Delta surge, and Omicron, but “You can enjoy the holiday season with your family if you’re vaccinated, and your family members are vaccinated”

1:14 p.m.
COVID-19 metrics continue to creep up in North Carolina as the weather gets colder and new variants emerge.

NCDHHS reported 4,165 new cases, about the same as last Thursday (4,153) and the highest since early October.

The daily percent positive stands at 7.5%, down from 9.1% the previous day.

The state reported 43 more people were hospitalized for a total of 1,604. That number is up from the previous two weeks and mirrors mid-October numbers.

NCDHHS also reported 29 new deaths for a total of 19,099 since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As for vaccinations, 62% of the full NC population is at least partially vaccinated as is 73% of the adult population.

Copyright © 2021 ABC11-WTVD-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved – The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Second omicron case confirmed in NC :: WRAL.com

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By Leslie Moreno, WRAL multimedia journalist

Raleigh, N.C. — A second case of the coronavirus’ omicron variant has been confirmed in North Carolina, a researcher said Wednesday.

Dirk Dittmer, an immunologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said he couldn’t provide specifics about the person infected with the fast-spreading variant, only that the case wasn’t in Charlotte, where North Carolina’s first omicron case was confirmed last week.

“It appears that the virus is getting around the state,” Dittmer told WRAL News.

Duke University Health System already worry the new variant could once again swamp hospitals with very sick patients.

More than 1,500 people statewide are hospitalized with COVID-19, and health experts say that number will quickly increase if people don’t protect themselves during the holiday season.

“We are really concerned that we are beginning to see the post-travel impact now in the hospitalizations of people,” said Dr. Becky Smith, an infectious disease expert with Duke Health.

Coronavirus infections and related hospitalizations have been rising steadily since Thanksgiving. The 3,755 new cases reported Wednesday were a 14 percent jump from a week ago, and the 3,200 cases a day over the past week is the highest the state’s average has been in two months.

When combined with holiday travel and the start of the flu season, the omicron variant and the still-present delta variant of the virus create a perfect storm for infections, Smith said. She added that she believes omicron will be the dominant variant in North Carolina by January.

“It’s really going to put a strain on ICU capacity, really hospital bed capacity,” she said. “[This is] just a plea to anyone who has not yet been vaccinated: Please protect yourself.”

Already, 86 percent of the COVID-19 patients at Duke Health’s hospitals are unvaccinated, as are 96 percent of those in intensive care.

“What I really wanted to do was reach out to everyone, to just remind you that vaccination remains highly protective against severe disease, hospitalization and death,” Smith said.

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One year after FDA authorized Pfizer’s COVID vaccine, cases are on the rise

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Saturday marks one year since the Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine — the first of three COVID-19 vaccines now in use in the United States.  

During that time, more than 480 million shots have been administered, and just over 60% of eligible Americans are fully vaccinated. But even with those protections, case numbers have gone up 22% in the past two weeks. 

Confirmed COVID cases showed up this week at an average rate of 120,000 per day, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ninety-nine percent of those new cases are from Delta variant, not Omicron.

The hope is that current vaccines will also be effective in beating back the Omicron variant.   

But government officials are still preparing for the worst. 

In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul issued a statewide indoor mask mandate on Friday. Anyone entering a New York business that does not have a vaccination policy is required to wear a mask.  

Hochul said now is the time to take action to stop the spread of the Omicron COVID variant. 

“We’re entering a time of uncertainty and we could either plateau here or our cases could escalate beyond control,” said Hochul. 

More Omicron variant cases surfaced this week, with at least 75 known cases in 25 states. The CDC analyzed 43 of those cases and found nearly 80% of the people afflicted are fully vaccinated. 

Additionally, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said there was a pattern in the cases studied. 

“Over half were between the ages of 18 and 39 and about one-third reported international travel before they were diagnosed,” she said.  

 Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to the president, continues to urge people to get vaccinated and get booster shots to protect against the virus. 

New cases increased some 37% since last week — pushing case numbers up in 44 states. 

Case numbers continue to compromise health care delivery in some places, according to St. Joseph County deputy health officer Dr. Mark Fox.  

“Not just the ability to treat COVID patients, but the ability to treat everything else,” he said. “There are surgeries being delayed for cancer, for a heart valve, for everything you can think of, and a number of patients who are boarding in the emergency room waiting for beds, so the system is really stressed right now,” said Fox.  

A survey of 250 hospitals from across the country shows that unvaccinated COVID patients are eight times more likely to require hospitalization than vaccinated people. 

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NC COVID 19 update December 10: NC sees first reported case of Omicron variant, a UNC Charlotte student

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Here’s the latest news and information on COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccines.

10:50 p.m.
Infectious disease experts weighed in with ABC11 now that the first case of the Omicron variant has been reported in North Carolina.

Earlier today, UNC Charlotte said a student has tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The student, who was fully vaccinated, traveled out of state during the Thanksgiving break. They have since recovered from their symptoms.

Dr. Cameron Wolfe, an Infectious Diseases Specialist at Duke University Hospital, said there is still a lot we don’t know about the Omicron variant

WATCH: Dr. Wolfe discusses Omicron with ABC11’s Josh Chapin

He said it does appear to be more infectious and maybe will make you sicker faster — but perhaps not “as sick.”

Omicron might be correlated to more breakthrough infections, but that’s unclear right now, Wolfe said.

“Whether it truly outcompetes our current Delta issue is unknown,” Wolfe said. “It certainly appears to be doing that in South Africa, but we have a Delta issue in the United States. It’s not yet an Omicron issue. Again there’s no reason being fully vaccinated and boosted won’t help you get away with a really mild illness if you get sick at all.”

He urged people to get booster shots if they are eligible.

“What this should be is a good alert to people to say we are coming into winter, we know cases are on the rise of Delta, so use this as a pre-Christmas travel plan to get boosted, and if you feel sick get a test because we know these are coming,” Wolfe said.

Dr. Katie Passaretti is an infectious disease expert at Atrium Health in Charlotte, which had a news conference minutes after the university’s announcement.

“Again early reports out of South Africa suggest the severity of the illness might be a bit less, which is a very good thing, but we are still very early in what we are learning, and we need to continue to monitor that over time,” Passaretti said.

Wolfe said any large surge in cases will hit the healthcare system in ways “that make it more complicated.”

“It is with some anxiety that you see the rates of hospitalizations in North Carolina have plateaued and as winter and Thanksgiving and we’re coming into Christmas, they’ve drifted back up again,” Wolfe said.

He had a message for those who have not been vaccinated.

“If you’re unvaccinated at this point, you have to start thinking about when you get COVID, and what is that going to mean for you,” Wolfe said. “What does that mean to take 10 days out of work as you recover or not be allowed to go back to any small business.”

He said he hopes Omicron proves to be “mild” as early data suggests, but “I don’t think we know that yet.”

— Reporting by ABC11’s Josh Chapin

5:16 p.m.
More than 50 million Americans have now received a booster shot, according to newly updated CDC data, ABC News reported..

On average, federal data shows about 2.03 million total shots are being administered each day. More than half of those shots — 1.1 million — are booster doses.

The data also shows that more than half of fully vaccinated people 65 years and older have received a booster.

3:13 p.m.

The Durham County Department of Public Health will begin offering booster doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for people ages 16 and 17.

To receive a booster vaccination at DCoDPH, all eligible individuals may call (919) 560-9217 to schedule an appointment, or visit the clinic at 414 E. Main St., Durham during our walk-in hours Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In addition to booster vaccinations for all people 16 or older, DCoDPH also continues to provide first second dose vaccinations for all people ages 5 and older, and third dose Moderna and Pfizer vaccinations for people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised.

2:45 p.m.
Eligibility for Pfizer’s COVID-19 booster shot has been expanded to include 16- and 17-year-olds, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends a booster for 16- and 17-year-olds following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorization for 16- and 17-year-olds to receive a Pfizer booster six months after the date of their second Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine dose.

Recent studies indicate that while protection against severe disease and death remains strong for individuals who are fully vaccinated, people may be more likely to develop milder or asymptomatic COVID-19 over time, including 16- and 17-year-olds. A single booster dose will help provide continued protection against COVID-19. Data on Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine show they are safe and effective, NCDHHS said.

2 p.m.
It was only a matter of time, and now North Carolina has reported its first case of the Omicron variant.

UNC Charlotte said a student has tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19. The student traveled out of state during the Thanksgiving break and has subsequently recovered from their symptoms.

All close contacts were notified through the University’s contact tracing protocols, and no additional positive cases have been identified.

The university said students, faculty and staff must adhere to campus face-covering requirements, and, if unvaccinated, must continue to participate in the ongoing weekly mitigation testing.

The university also said it is offering optional exit testing for students and employees who wish to be tested prior to traveling for the winter break.

1:46 p.m.
No, COVID-19 vaccines don’t cause immunodeficiency syndrome.

A claim making the rounds on social media say COVID-19 vaccines are causing a new illness called “VAIDS,” short for vaccine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

VAIDS is not a real condition, nor do COVID-19 vaccines cause a syndrome matching this description, an immunotherapy expert confirmed to The Associated Press.

Widely circulating Twitter and Reddit posts falsely identified VAIDS as an emerging condition that is “similar to AIDS but caused by the shots.

“Some social media users kept their posts vague, asking, “What is VAIDS?” Meanwhile, Google searches for the term skyrocketed. A blogger identified only as “Jack” also claimed to have coined the term, writing on Nov. 23 that “sometimes, a situation calls for the creation of a brand new term,” and defining it as the “gradual destruction of the human immune system by vaccines.”

In reality, there’s no such thing as VAIDS, and research shows the available COVID-19 vaccines provide recipients with increased protection against the coronavirus.

“AIDS is a generalized body-wide compromise of a specific subset of immune cells (mostly CD4+ lymphocytes) caused specifically by infection with the HIV-1 virus,” said Dr. Grant McFadden, director of the Biodesign Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy at Arizona State University. “There is no vaccine-induced counterpart of AIDS.”

Given that billions of people around the world have already been vaccinated against COVID-19, McFadden said, “if such a thing as VAIDS existed, we would have detected it by now.”

A search across legitimate biomedical literature found no mention of vaccine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others shows the COVID-19 vaccines boost the immune response. The mRNA vaccines work by training the immune system to recognize the spike protein on the surface of the virus that causes COVID-19, allowing it to generate an immune response, experts say.

12:45 p.m.
North Carolina is reporting 3,606 new coronavirus cases for a total of 1,566,269 since the start of the pandemic.

The total is down from a week ago but well up from two weeks ago when 1,988 cases were added

Despite today’s lower number, the average weekly average is increasing (3,180 new cases a day this week vs. 2,265 last week).

The percent positive stands at 7.4%. It remains high but stable as the previous day saw 7.1%.

Hospitalizations are at 1,493, with 20 new ones added. Since Thanksgiving, 455 more patients have been hospitalized.

Twenty-one new deaths were recorded, bringing the state total to 18,976.

As for vaccinations, 62% of the full NC population is at least vaccinated; 73% of the adult population

NCDHHS said 58% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated; 69% of the adult population is fully vaccinated

11:43 a.m.
Wake County Public Health will be expanding its COVID-19 vaccine offerings on Monday to administer single-shot boosters of Pfizer-BioNTech to 16- and -17-year-olds.

“This is another step forward in extending protections against COVID-19 for everyone in Wake County,” said Wake County Associate Medical Director & Epidemiology Program Director Dr. Nicole Mushonga. “Now is the perfect time before the holidays to better protect your teenagers before they travel or attend family gatherings.”

Wake County has been administering Pfizer booster doses since September and Moderna boosters since November to anyone 18 years of age and older. Now, the CDC is expanding those eligible for Pfizer booster doses by recommending booster shots for all vaccinated people ages 16 years and older.

Residents 18 years and older will be able to receive any authorized brand of the COVID-19 vaccine for their booster shot. Some people may prefer the vaccine type they originally received, and others may prefer to get a different brand of the booster.

Those seeking a booster shot can go to any provider that has COVID-19 vaccine as long as it has been six months after their initial series of Pfizer or Moderna, and two months after their first dose of Johnson & Johnson. Recipients do NOT need to go back to the place where they received the first two doses. All five of Wake County Public Health’s vaccine clinics will be offering all brands, with appointments six days a week, including evening and Saturday hours. Walk-ins are no longer permitted. You can also call the N.C. COVID-19 Help Line at (888) 675-4567.

There is no cost, no ID, no insurance and no proof of medical condition or employment required. You must bring your vaccine card. Staff will check the N.C. COVID-19 Vaccine Management System to confirm your vaccination record. You will be asked to self-attest that you are from the eligible populations for Pfizer and Moderna boosters.

THURSDAY
4:26 p.m.
Since the onset of the pandemic, more than 7 million children and adolescents have tested positive for coronavirus.

As the U.S. experiences a winter COVID-19 resurgence, experts say a confluence of factors is likely driving the country’s infection rate up, including high case rates among the pediatric population.

Since the start of the U.S.’ summer delta surge, about 3.2 million children have tested positive for the virus. With so many children and adolescents unvaccinated, the Delta variant has been the catalyst for viral spread among children. Federal data shows that about 1 in every 5 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, during that time frame, has been in a child.

In recent weeks, children have accounted for about a quarter of the country’s reported weekly COVID-19 cases. Most recently, 133,000 new pediatric cases were reported last week – down from the pandemic high of 252,000 weekly pediatric cases, reported in early September. Of note, other age groups still have a higher number of new cases, per capita.

However, data shows that many other factors are also to blame for the country’s recent COVID-19 surge. Most notably, millions of unvaccinated Americans continue to fall ill and be hospitalized with the virus. At this time, about 95 million Americans remain unvaccinated.

In addition, relaxed restrictions, increased transmission as a result of the highly transmissible delta variant — which still accounts for 99.9% of new cases — and waning vaccine immunity, are all playing a major factor in the nation’s latest COVID-19 surge.

— Reporting by ABC News

1:05 p.m.
COVID-19 cases reached a level they have not been at since early October.

The newest metrics released Thursday showed 4,153 new COVID-19 cases in North Carolina. That’s a 78% increase from two weeks ago and the first time adding more than 4,000 new cases in a single day in two months.

The percentage of positive cases ticked down slightly to 7.1%–down from 8% yesterday and 7.4% a week ago.

COVID-19 hospitalizations took a significant jump up. Just one day after seeing a slight decline in the number of patients being treated for COVID-19, hospitals across the state added 102 people.

Hospitals are currently treating 1,473 people for COVID-19 and 375 o those are in Intensive Care Units.

THURDAY MORNING HEADLINES
The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the first monoclonal antibody therapy for use before COVID-19 exposure.

AstraZeneca’s Evusheld antibody cocktail can now be given to certain people for preventative use against the virus, including those who are moderately to severely immunocompromised due to a medical condition or medication, and those who have a history of severe adverse reactions to a COVID-19 vaccine. People also must not be currently infected with COVID-19 or have been recently exposed to the virus.

In a recent Phase III clinical trial, AstraZeneca found that the therapy reduced the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 infections by 83% in people who did not have the virus, had not been exposed to it, and were unvaccinated when compared to the placebo group.

AstraZeneca told ABC News it is testing the product against the new omicron variant and is “hopeful” that it will hold up against it. Results are expected to become available “within weeks,” the company said. So far, Evusheld has been found to neutralize all previous COVID-19 variants of concern, it said.

AstraZeneca said it has agreed to supply the U.S. government with 700,000 doses of Evusheld, which will be distributed to states and territories at no cost and on a pro-rata basis.

Copyright © 2021 ABC11-WTVD-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved – The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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Health

Coronavirus: LA County confirms 2 more omicron COVID cases

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LOS ANGELES COUNTY (CNS) — Los Angeles County confirmed two more cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19 on Friday, including one that was locally acquired, while health officials again stressed that vaccines appear to be effective in preventing serious illness from the variant.

The two new omicron cases bring the total number confirmed by the county to six.

Long Beach, which has its own health department, has confirmed one case.

According to the county Department of Public Health, one of the new omicron patients had recently traveled to several countries in Africa.

The omicron variant was first detected in South Africa, where it is blamed for a rash of infections. The patient was fully vaccinated, including a booster dose, and developed only mild symptoms.

READ ALSO: How severe is omicron? Expert says variant’s 50 mutations could be its downfall

“Multiple” close contacts of the person were identified, but all were vaccinated and all have tested negative, according to the Department of Public Health.

The second new patient had no recent travel history, so the infection has been deemed a case of local transmission of the variant.

The person was also fully vaccinated, but without a booster dose, and also developed only mild symptoms, health officials said.

At least one of the person’s close contacts has also tested positive and is in isolation.

It was unclear if that close contact also has the omicron variant.

“We anticipate seeing increased numbers of individuals infected with the omicron variant as we are beginning to see cases of local transmission among residents that have not traveled,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement.

READ ALSO | Traces of omicron found in Southern California sewage, scientists say

“All indications are that among those fully vaccinated, illness severity if infected with omicron is mild, reminding us that all eligible residents need to urgently get vaccinated or boosted.”

“The vaccines are likely to provide much needed protection against serious illness caused by omicron and are already known to provide protection against infection and disease associated with the delta variant that continues to dominate across the county,” she said.

The omicron variant has been deemed a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, it remains unclear if the variant is more easily transmitted or can cause more severe illness.

The previously identified delta variant — blamed for the most recent surge in cases nationwide — remains the dominant mutation in circulation, representing more than 99% of all COVID specimens that have undergone genetic testing in the county, Ferrer said this week.

Ferrer said Thursday the county is seeing increases in COVID infections following the Thanksgiving holiday, potentially marking the beginning of a feared winter surge in cases.

She said that on Dec. 1, the county’s seven-day average daily number of new cases topped 1,000 — a 19% increase from the previous week.

She also noted a resulting increase in hospitalizations, with the daily number of COVID patients nearing roughly 600.

The county’s average daily rate of new infections rose to 13 per 100,000 residents, up from 8 per 100,000 residents a week ago. The seven-day cumulative rate of infections rose to 113 per 100,000, moving the county back into the category of “high” transmission as defined by CDC.

The county was previously in the less-severe “substantial” transmission category.

That category requires a county to have a cumulative seven-day transmission rate of less than 100 cases per 100,000 residents.

Ferrer acknowledged that with the widespread availability of vaccines and the benefit of more experience preventing and treating infections, the county can be considered to be “much better off” than it was ahead of last winter’s surge that threatened to overwhelm hospitals.

“I don’t want to downplay the fact that we continue to now be back in what the CDC classifies as the tier of ‘high’ transmission,” she said. “So we have a lot of community transmission going on. And when you have a lot of community transmission going on and there’s lots and lots of opportunities of people intermingling, you run the risk of these numbers just continuing to grow. And every time they grow and we see more and more cases, we all know it results unfortunately in a higher number of people that will end up in the hospital and tragically pass away.”

The county reported another 16 COVID-19 deaths on Friday, raising the death toll to 27,304.

Another 1,924 new infections were also reported, giving the county a pandemic total of 1,543,784.

According to state figures, there were 684 COVID-19-positive patients in Los Angeles County hospitals as of Friday, up from 667 on Thursday and continuing an upward trend. The number of those patients being treated in intensive care was 165, up from 158 a day earlier.

The rolling average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus was 1.2% as of Friday.

According to the most recent figures, 83% of county residents aged 12 and over have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 75% are fully vaccinated.

Of all eligible residents aged 5 and over, 77% have received at least one dose, and 69% are fully vaccinated. Of the more than 6.15 million fully vaccinated people in the county, 84,931 have tested positive, or about 1.38%.

A total of 2,798 vaccinated people have been hospitalized, for a rate of 0.046%, and 537 have died, for a rate of 0.009%.

Copyright 2021, City News Service, Inc.

Copyright © 2021 by City News Service, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



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