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Here’s how severe weather is affecting Covid-19 vaccinations in these states

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“I don’t believe that it’s anticipated it will have long-reaching outcomes, but certainly for the next week to two weeks, we might expect to see some impact from the weather,” Lori Tremmel Freeman, CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, told CNN on Wednesday.

“The two biggest shippers involved here — UPS and FedEx — have major either hubs or warehouses down in the South, in Memphis and in other areas. So, we do expect there could be a blip in delivery of vaccine that is weather related specifically,” Freeman added.

Here’s what we know about how weather is affecting vaccinations in each state.

Alabama

Dr. Karen Landers of the Department of Public Health said weather conditions could delay some shipments.

“Vaccine allocated to Alabama will be shipped when weather conditions allow, and clinics will be scheduled accordingly,” Landers added.

A Monday news release said multiple health department locations would be closed Tuesday due to weather.

The release said health officials will assure residents the opportunity to get their second Covid-19 dose over the next two weeks, with extended clinic hours “as staffing availability permits.”

Arizona

Steve Elliott, a spokesperson for the Health Department, said all allocations of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are delayed due to weather — but that doesn’t mean residents expecting shots over the next few days will have appointments canceled.

“This situation is fluid and will depend on each provider’s current supply,” Elliott said. “At this time, there are enough Pfizer doses available for all sites, including state PODs in Maricopa County, to maintain operations without interruption. These PODs handle a large proportion of vaccination in Maricopa and Pima counties, which are positioned to work with the rigorous storage requirements and large lot sizes of the Pfizer vaccine.”

As for rural counties, and smaller providers in Pima and Maricopa counties, they can administer the Moderna vaccine, Elliott added.

“Counties are the local allocators for vaccine across Arizona, and specific information on any impacts on appointments in each local jurisdiction would come from the individual counties,” the spokesperson added. “For those living in rural Arizona or having appointments for first or second doses at providers administering the Moderna vaccine, we recommend checking with your county health department or the provider in question.”

Arkansas

A state spokesperson said Wednesday that delays were possible but have mostly been on schedule.

“Vaccinations through our statewide system of providers are continuing as possible, but some appointments will be rescheduled and certain clinics that had been planned this week have been moved into next week,” the spokesperson added.

California

Local leaders have provided updates on how vaccinations will be affected.

San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said local officials were notified that expected vaccine shipments will not arrive.

“It’s very likely that as early as tomorrow a number of vaccination sites will have to pause, some appointments that were made will have to be rescheduled, and then we will have limited dosages until the supply chain opens up,” Fletcher said Wednesday.

Monterey County health officials also said Wednesday there were vaccine delays.

Santa Barbara health officials announced in a news release Wednesday they had been notified by the California Department of Public Health that their allotment of the Moderna vaccine “is continuing to be delayed due to severe weather conditions across the country.”

“CDPH has indicated that they do not have information on expected delivery time frames for the order, however will communicate as soon as shipments of all held orders are resumed,” the release said.

Some Thursday and Friday appointments will be rescheduled, the release said.

Colorado

In Colorado, state officials said in a news release Tuesday that winter storms affecting a vaccine distribution hub in Tennessee have caused a delay in vaccine shipments.

The release said health officials were working with local providers and public health agencies to make adjustments “to make sure appointments and clinics do not need to be canceled.”

“In anticipation of the holiday weekend, Colorado requested and received doses Friday that were originally scheduled for this week. This decision helps us have enough on hand to work with providers to move doses around to prevent cancellations,” the release said.

Connecticut

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said Thursday the state’s vaccination efforts had seen minimal impact.

“Look, there are disruptions,” said Lamont. “Fortunately, we’ve got almost all our doses for this week and so far so good. No cancellations are anticipated, but time will tell.”

Delaware

Jennifer Brestel, spokesperson for the Division of Public Health, told CNN on Wednesday that weather conditions in other parts of the country are having an impact on vaccine deliveries from the federal government to the state.

“While this is not directly impacting our vaccination activities currently, we are keeping an eye on supply and will continue to coordinate with our vaccine partners,” Brestel added.

Florida

Florida’s Department of Emergency Management said in a tweet Thursday that it had been notified shipments of the Moderna vaccine were “still delayed by severe weather.”

“The state is working closely with providers to reschedule appointments as needed & we will continue to provide updates as they are received,” the tweet said.

Georgia

The health department said Tuesday that Pfizer and Moderna vaccines scheduled to arrive early this week would be delayed due to weather.

“As a result, many providers statewide, including health departments, are being forced to reschedule appointments for vaccination. Rescheduling appointments will depend on when shipments resume and when the vaccine arrives in Georgia. Delays are expected to continue through the week,” the department said in a news release.

Idaho

Niki Forbing-Orr, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Welfare, told CNN on Wednesday Moderna didn’t ship any vaccine Monday or Tuesday and Pfizer shipped “only very limited quantities.”

Officials are aware of some delays that vary by health district and provider.

“If people with appointments are not contacted and told that their appointments have been canceled, they should assume it is still on schedule,” Forbing-Orr added.

Indiana

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver said Wednesday more than 43,000 vaccine appointments have been affected by weather this week, with more than 80 clinics around the state closed.

Weaver added the state has not received its Moderna vaccines for the week and more appointments could be rescheduled over the next couple of days.

Iowa

During a Wednesday news conference, Kelly Garcia, director of the Department of Human Services, said officials will make up for supply-chain delays within the week.

Kentucky

Gov. Andy Beshear said in a news release regional vaccination centers will stay open Thursday.

People can reschedule online if they need to, the release said.

Louisiana

According to the Department of Health website, vaccine shipments to the state are delayed.

“As we learn more information and have greater understanding of estimated times of arrival, we will share that information,” a message reads.

Officials encourage residents with vaccine appointments this week to contact their providers for updates.

Maryland

Maryland health officials said they anticipate delays in their vaccine shipments, with limited vaccines sent to the state in recent days due to winter weather that “created a significant backlog.”

The state says stopped shipments could have a “significant impact on providers’ ability to hold clinics as scheduled.”

“We anticipate a significant backlog of orders for distribution once operations resume and every effort will be made to catch up as soon as possible while safely delivering the vaccines,” officials said in a bulletin shared with vaccine providers.

The Baltimore City Health Department said Wednesday it was postponing all Covid-19 testing and vaccine operations Thursday, including several mobile vaccination clinics.

“The Baltimore City Health Department will reschedule everyone with a 2/18 appointment to Saturday, February 20th. Those with second-dose appointments scheduled for Thursday will be receiving an email this afternoon detailing their rescheduled appointment time, as well as an opportunity to change your second dose appointment if Saturday does not work for your schedule,” the department said in a Facebook post.

Michigan

Health officials wrote Tuesday on Twitter, “We recommend confirming vaccine appointments scheduled in the next couple days as there may be some delays in vaccine shipments as a result of the inclement winter weather.”

Minnesota

A spokesperson said Wednesday local public health agencies in the state were having some delivery delays.

“We are adjusting our vaccination schedules to ensure the most efficient delivery of vaccine possible under those circumstances,” the spokesperson said.

Nevada

Greg Cassell, with the Southern Nevada Health District, said Wednesday the Moderna vaccine shipment for the week did not come, so all Moderna second doses are canceled.

Appointments will be rescheduled for next week if vaccines are available by then, Cassell added.

New Jersey

Officials said Wednesday shipments were delayed this week and vaccine sites have been relying on their inventory on hand to keep scheduled appointments.

If vaccine sites don’t have enough vaccine, there should be plans to reschedule appointments, officials said.

New Mexico

Matt Bieber, Health Department spokesperson, said some Pfizer shipments were delayed and public health offices had to cancel some vaccine events this week.

“We expect this to be a momentary blip in our operations,” Bieber said Wednesday.

New York

New York City, where Mayor Bill de Blasio said officials were already dealing with a short supply, is also seeing vaccine shipment delays.

Vaccines that were scheduled to come in by Tuesday or Wednesday will be arriving later, the mayor said.

“That means we’re going to have to hold back appointments that New Yorkers need, because the vaccine isn’t arriving,” he said.

As many as 30,000 to 35,000 or more appointments will have to be held back and not scheduled, he added.

“So, this is now a real challenge on top of everything else we’re facing,” the mayor said Wednesday. “We’re watching it hour to hour.”

North Carolina

Shipments of vaccines to North Carolina have been impacted as well, according to a news release Thursday from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

The agency said it was notified by the federal government of “continued delays in some shipments and deliveries of COVID-19 vaccine this week due to severe weather,” impacting shipments of both first and second doses.

At the time, the NCDHHS said the Moderna vaccines had not been shipped this week, and only a limited number of Pfizer vaccines had been shipped.

“These delays may cause vaccination appointments to be postponed or rescheduled,” the release said, and the NCDHHS told providers to “assess current appointments and notify recipients accordingly based on on-hand supplies.”

The state is working with the CDC and vaccine providers to “help minimize the potential effects of these delays,” the release said.

Ohio

Officials said Tuesday they were advised both Pfizer and Moderna shipments could be delayed by one or two days.

“Many providers are continuing with their scheduled vaccination appointments, but some have canceled appointments due to snow emergencies,” officials said.

Providers that have canceled appointments are contacting patients by phone, email or posting on social media.

“Ohioans who haven’t heard from their provider and are concerned about whether or not their appointment is still scheduled should contact their provider or visit their website,” officials added. “Ohioans who need to cancel their vaccination for any reason should contact their provider to reschedule.”

Oklahoma

Keith Reed, Deputy Commissioner of Health, said Wednesday weather conditions were impacting the state’s ability to get shots into arms and have “forced many cancellations and reschedules.”

“Shipments have been delayed, too,” Reed added. Shipments that normally come during the week will this time likely come over the weekend.

“We have had to very closely monitor storage of vaccine as well to ensure we do not lose anything to power outages. So far so good. We have had to move vaccine around to more secure/stable environments, but no loss of vaccine so far.”

The state was planning to ramp up its vaccine efforts starting this weekend to make up for “lost ground,” Reed added.

“We are also sending vaccine to some targeted health systems such as dialysis centers to help us reach our comorbidities population,” Reed said.

Oregon

Health Authority spokesperson Jonathan Modie said Wednesday about 67,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine were expected to arrive in Oregon this week but will likely be delayed until next week.

“Severe weather in the Midwest has delayed COVID-19 vaccine shipments across the country, including in Oregon,” Modie said. “In addition, the severe weather in Oregon impacted the ability for vaccine sites to actually administer vaccines.”

Residents who are scheduled to have their vaccine and have questions on possible delays can check in with their vaccine providers for updates, Modie added.

Pennsylvania

Maggi Barton, deputy press secretary for the Health Department, told CNN Wednesday vaccine shipments would be delayed.

“Since the vaccine is sent directly from the federal government to providers, they will work to ensure vaccine is delivered safely and efficiently despite winter weather,” Barton said.

Local health leaders will reschedule appointments if necessary, Barton added.

“If a resident is unable to make their appointment due to the weather, they should contact their provider to cancel and find time to reschedule that appointment.”

Meanwhile, James Garrow, a spokesperson for Philadelphia’s Health Department, said the city had not received its expected deliveries of vaccines.

“At this time, the Health Department has been able to transfer doses between sites to ensure that clinic operations can continue. If delays continue for much longer, operations may be affected and some clinics may be forced to close until they are resupplied,” Garrow said.

Utah

Tom Hudachko, a Health Department spokesperson, told CNN Wednesday some vaccine providers had to reschedule clinics from this week to next week because of shipping delays.

“Other providers are working together to transfer doses among themselves to cover appointments. We do not have an official count of appointments that have been rescheduled,” he said.

Virginia

In a news release Thursday, the Virginia Department of Health said it expected the delivery of approximately 106,800 doses to be delayed, “due to distribution channels in the Midwest and elsewhere that are currently shut down.”

There could be additional delays for orders the state is placing this week, the release said, because of weather. “Even if the roads are clear in Virginia, the fulfillment of orders and the movement of these vaccine and ancillary supplies may be delayed in other parts of the country.”

Providers have also been forced to postpone multiple vaccination events that were supposed to take place in the next few days. Individuals who had appointments will be contacted about rescheduling.

Washington state

Shelby Anderson, spokesperson for the Department of Health, said Wednesday officials were informed that Moderna vaccines were not shipped this week.

“A limited number of Pfizer vaccine shipments were processed Tuesday and a similar plan is in effect for today. I do not have the number of doses impacted, but I am told it is a very significant amount of the state’s allocation this week,” Anderson said.

Wyoming

A Health Department spokesperson told CNN on Wednesday officials were made aware that some Moderna vaccine shipments were delayed but did not have information on how those delays could affect scheduled appointments.

“We are hoping to get more information soon, as is everyone else affected,” the spokesperson said.

CNN’s Jacqueline Howard, Christopher Rios, Amanda Watts, Gisela Crespo, Kristina Sgueglia, Andrea Diaz, Deidre McPhillips, Michael Nedelman, Lauren Mascarenhas, Ashley Ahn, Nadia Kounang, Naomi Thomas, Virginia Langmaid, John Bonifield contributed to this report.



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Health

Imaging Reveals COVID Can ‘Cause the Body to Attack Itself,’ Leading to Severe Long-Lasting Symptoms, Northwestern Study Shows – NBC Chicago

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Medical imaging has revealed that COVID-19 can in some cases “cause the body to attack itself,” marking the first glimpse at what is behind mysterious severe, long-lasting and sometimes bizarre symptoms – even in those who never knew they contracted the virus, a new study has found.

From rheumatoid arthritis flares to autoimmune issues to “COVID toes,” there have been several reports of unusual and potentially concerning symptoms associated with coronavirus, many of which have been a mystery during the pandemic.  

But according to a Northwestern Medicine study, radiological imaging has “for the first time, confirmed and illustrated the causes of these symptoms.”

“We’ve realized that the COVID virus can trigger the body to attack itself in different ways, which may lead to rheumatological issues that require lifelong management,” corresponding author Dr. Swati Deshmukh said in a release.

The study, which was published Wednesday in the journal Skeletal Radiology, showed that imaging through CT scans, MRIs and ultrasounds can help explain why some patients suffer from “prolonged musculoskeletal symptoms” after contracting the virus.

“Many patients with COVID-related musculoskeletal disorders recover, but for some individuals, their symptoms become serious, are deeply concerning to the patient or impact their quality of life, which leads them to seek medical attention and imaging,” Deshmukh, an assistant professor of musculoskeletal radiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine musculoskeletal radiologist, said. “That imaging allows us to see if COVID-related muscle and joint pain, for example, are not just body aches similar to what we see from the flu — but something more insidious.” 

In some cases, the imaging can even suggest a patient has had COVID-19, but otherwise did not know they had it, the study revealed.

According to the Deshmukh, experts look for fluid or swelling in tissues, collections of blood, or gangrene.

“In some patients, the nerves are injured and in others, the problem is impaired blood flow,” Deshmukh said.

Bizarre symptoms like “COVID toes,” which in some cases can last for months, have been reported throughout the pandemic, though are not as prevalent as other common symptoms associated with the virus.

According to the study, however, there have been a “surprising number of extra-pulmonary manifestations” associated with the virus, along with emerging reports of other abnormalities and musculoskeletal disorders, which “can have dire short- and long-term consequences.”

Such long-term inflammation recently made headlines after Gwyneth Paltrow revealed she has been suffering from certain ailments for months after her initial diagnosis.

“I had COVID-19 early on, and it left me with some long-tail fatigue and brain fog,” Paltrow wrote in a recent post for her website, Goop.

Paltrow said she had tests done in January that showed she had “really high levels of inflammation in my body.”

Researchers in the Northwestern study said they hope their findings will help doctors to properly treat certain rare ailments the can come with a coronavirus diagnosis.

“I think it’s important to differentiate between what the virus causes directly and what it triggers the body to do,” Deshmukh said. “It’s important for doctors to know what’s happening in order to treat correctly.”



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Science

Neanderthal genes could lower some people’s risk of severe COVID-19

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  • Some people may have genes inherited from Neanderthals that reduce their risk of severe COVID-19 by 22%, a study found.
  • But the same researchers previously found that Neanderthal DNA can also put people at higher risk of respiratory failure due to COVID-19. 
  • The inherited genes are more common in Europe and Asia.
  • Visit the Business section of Insider for more stories.

As an emergency room doctor, Hugo Zeberg has seen first-hand how widely COVID-19 infections can vary in severity. So he started digging for answers in a place that was familiar to him: the genome of Neanderthals.

Zeberg works at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, and for the last couple of years, has been studying the degree to which Neanderthals — an extinct human species that died out about 40,000 years ago — passed along genes to modern humans through interbreeding.

Scientists think Neanderthal DNA makes up 1% to 2% of the genomes of many people of European and Asian descent. That small fraction of people’s genetic codes may hold important clues about our immune responses to pathogens.

In a study published this week, Zeberg and his colleague Svante Pääbo at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology suggest that some people may have inherited a genetic advantage that reduces their risk of getting severe COVID-19 by 22%.

The advantage comes from a single haplotype — or long block of DNA — on chromosome 12. The same haplotype has been shown to protect people against West Nile, hepatitis C, and SARS (another coronavirus that shares many genetic similarities with the new one, SARS-CoV-2). 

“The protective effect of this haplotype is probably not unique to SARS-CoV-2, but a more general part of our immune system,” Zeberg told Insider. 

Some Neanderthal genes are helpful, others are harmful

An artistic representation of a Neanderthal male at the Neanderthal Museum in the Croatian town of Krapina.

Reuters


Zeberg and Pääbo found that the Neanderthal-inherited haplotype may have become more common among humans in the last 1,000 years. One possible explanation for this, Zeberg said, is the genes’ role in protecting people against other diseases caused by RNA viruses.

For their new study, the team relied on the genomes of three Neanderthals — two whose remains were found in southern Siberia and one from Croatia. The DNA dates back 50,000 to 120,000 years. They compared those Neanderthal genomes to the DNA of thousands of people with severe COVID-19.

The haplotype associated with less severe COVID-19 was found in all three Neanderthal genomes. It codes for proteins that activate enzymes that help degrade RNA viruses.

However, a prior study from Zeberg and Pääbo, published in September, showed that not all Neanderthal DNA confers an advantage. In that research, they found that some modern humans have inherited a haplotype on chromosome 3 that puts them at higher risk of respiratory failure due to COVID-19. That particular gene cluster was found in the Neanderthal from Croatia.

“If you have that variant, you have twice the risk of getting severely ill with COVID-19 — perhaps even more,” Zeberg said. 

Zeberg’s research suggests that around 25% to 30% of people in Europe and Asia carry the protective haplotype, while up to 65% of people in South Asia and 16% of people in Europe carry the dangerous one. Unfortunately, he said, the protective haplotype doesn’t offset the risk of the dangerous one for those who have both.

Lingering mysteries about how genes influence COVID-19



A medical worker administers a COVID-19 test at a mobile testing unit in Marseille, France, on November 12, 2020.

Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Images


For the most part, people in Africa don’t seem to have inherited any genes from Neanderthals.

“Neanderthals went to Europe and to Asia and lived there before modern humans,” Zeberg said. “Then modern humans came 100,000 years ago and they probably mixed 60,000 years ago. So Africa has never met Neanderthals.”

He added, though, that it’s possible that Africans inherited other genetic variants from different ancestors that confer their own protection against COVID-19 .

“There are variants in Africa that we and others are looking into,” Zeberg said.



Scientists test COVID-19 samples at New York City’s health department on April 23, 2020.

Brendan McDermid/Reuters



Scientists still don’t know how much of our protection against disease was inherited from ancient ancestors versus acquired more recently. Figuring that out is made more difficult by the fact that part of the Neanderthal genome is still missing.

But studying ancient genes could still help reveal more about how the body responds to the coronavirus. A December study, for instance, identified eight locations on human chromosomes where particular gene variants were more common among critically ill COVID-19 patients.

“If we can get a deeper understanding of how our evolutionary history has shaped our immune system, that can be valuable,” Zeberg said. 

It’s possible, for example, that human ancestors relied on specific genes to protect them from viruses that have since died out. That may explain why certain people’s immune systems overreact to the new coronavirus, triggering inflammation that can prove fatal. 

Zeberg said scientists have just started to scratch the surface of these findings.

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Health

If This Is in Your Blood, You May Be Safe You From Severe COVID

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While masking, social distancing, and getting vaccinated as soon as possible are all good ways to lower your chances of catching COVID, new research suggests that there’s a certain genetic factor that may mitigate your risk of developing more severe COVID symptoms. According to a new study conducted by researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, a particular DNA marker may keep a person safe from a severe case of COVID that merits hospitalization. Read on to discover what the researchers found and how it could affect you. And if you want to protect yourself, know that If You’re Layering These Masks, the CDC Says to Stop Immediately.

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In the new study, which will be published in the March 2021 volume of PNAS, researchers discovered that a particular group of Neanderthal genes—specifically those affecting chromosome 12—that still exist in individuals today can help reduce a person’s risk of having a case of COVID that necessitates intensive care treatment by 22 percent.

“Despite Neanderthals becoming extinct around 40,000 years ago, their immune system still influences us in both positive and negative ways today,” geneticist and study co-author Svante Pääbo, PhD, explained in a statement. And for the latest COVID news delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

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The study’s authors discovered that the particular genetic variant passed down from the Neanderthal DNA was capable of reducing the severity of COVID through a specific mechanism. This particular genetic factor—which has been identified in three Neanderthals running the gamut from 50,000 years old to 120,000 years old—spurs the production of virus-fighting enzymes within the human body. “It seems that the enzymes encoded by the Neanderthal variant are more efficient, reducing the chance of severe consequences to SARS-CoV-2 infections,” said Pääbo. And if you want to stay safe when you’re out of the house, beware that The CDC Just Issued a Warning About This Kind of Face Mask.

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The study’s researchers found that the genetic variant is widespread throughout much of the world. “It is present in populations in Eurasia and the Americas at carrier frequencies that often reach and exceed 50 percent,” according to the PNAS study.

In Japan, around 30 percent of individuals bear the genetic trait, while the study’s researchers found it to be “almost completely absent” in sub-Saharan Africa. And for more on what could keep you safe you from severe COVID, check out This Common Medication Could Slash Your Risk of COVID Death, Study Says.

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While the identified Neanderthal DNA variant may offer some protection to those who have it, it won’t necessarily cancel out other risk factors for developing severe COVID. “Of course, other factors such as advanced age or underlying conditions such as diabetes have a significant impact on how ill an infected individual may become,” explained Pääbo. “But genetic factors also play an important role and some of these have been contributed to present-day people by Neanderthals.” And if you’ve got your vaccine appointment, know that The CDC Is Warning You Not to Do This Right Before You Get Vaccinated.

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Health

Covid-Linked Syndrome in Children Is Growing and Cases Are More Severe

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“We’re now getting more of these MIS-C kids, but this time, it just seems that a higher percentage of them are really critically ill,” said Dr. Roberta DeBiasi, chief of infectious diseases at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. During the hospital’s first wave, about half the patients needed treatment in the intensive care unit, she said, but now 80 to 90 percent do.

The reasons are unclear. The surge follows the overall spike of Covid cases in the United States after the winter holiday season, and more cases may simply increase chances for severe disease to emerge. So far, there’s no evidence that recent coronavirus variants are responsible, and experts say it is too early to speculate about any impact of variants on the syndrome.

The condition remains rare. The latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show 2,060 cases in 48 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, including 30 deaths. The median age was 9, but infants to 20-year-olds have been afflicted. The data, which is complete only through mid-December, shows the rate of cases has been increasing since mid-October.

While most young people, even those who became seriously ill, have survived and gone home in relatively healthy condition, doctors are uncertain whether any will experience lingering heart issues or other problems.

“We really don’t know what will happen in the long term,” said Dr. Jean Ballweg, medical director of pediatric heart transplant and advanced heart failure at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha, Neb., where from April through October, the hospital treated about two cases a month, about 30 percent of them in the I.C.U. That rose to 10 cases in December and 12 in January, with 60 percent needing I.C.U. care — most requiring ventilators. “Clearly, they seem to be more sick,” she said.

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Health

Blood Thinners May Be Able to Prevent Severe COVID, Study Says

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One of the biggest challenges plaguing doctors since the start of the coronavirus pandemic has has been figuring out how to treat the novel virus. Fortunately, as time has gone on, new studies have found certain existing medications that could reduce symptoms, severe cases, and even death. Now, another common medication has been found to be effective at keeping the disease from progressing or turning fatal. According to a Feb. 2021 study published in The BMJ, patients who are given blood thinners within a day of being admitted to a hospital with COVID have a greater chance of survival than those who are not. Read on to discover what the new research says, and if you’re worried about you risk factors, know that Lacking This Vitamin Could Put You at Risk of Severe COVID, New Study Says.

The researchers looked at data from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs on 4,297 COVID patients with a mean age of 68 years. They found that those who were provided with blood thinners within 24 hours of being admitted to the hospital with COVID had their relative risk of dying from the disease reduced by 34 percent as compared to individuals who were not provided anticoagulants.

Blood clots are a common—and frequently fatal—occurrence in COVID patients; according to a review of research published in the Jan. 2021 volume of the journal Medical Hypotheses, approximately one-third of severe COVID patients present with blood clotting or elevated levels of D-dimer, a protein found in the bloodstream after a clot has come apart.

While more research is needed, the study’s authors say their findings “provide strong real world evidence to support guidelines recommending the use of prophylactic anticoagulation as initial treatment for patients with COVID-19 on hospital admission.”

Read on to discover which other medications and supplements could be key to surviving the virus, and if you want to protect yourself every day, know that If You See This on Your Mask, the FDA Says Toss It Immediately.

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In February, researchers at the University of Oxford discovered that tocilizumab, an anti-inflammatory medication frequently prescribed to individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, could reduce COVID mortality rates. In reviewing research from the Randomized Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial, researchers found that COVID patients given tocilizumab had a death rate of 29 percent in the first 28 days of treatment versus a death rate of 33 percent among patients who weren’t prescribed the drug. And for more ways to stay safe, beware that If You’ve Done This, You’re Twice as Likely to Develop Severe COVID.

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Flushing out your nose with a particular kind of nasal spray might make you less susceptible to COVID, according to a new study. According to a preprint of an in vitro study published through bioRxiv, Xclear Sinus Care nasal spray significantly reduced the amount of virus in a test sample. Researchers posited that this was due to the combination of grapefruit seed extract (GSE) and xylitol, a non-caloric sweetener, used in the spray’s formula.

“GSE significantly reduces the viral load while xylitol prevents the virus attachment to the core protein on the cell wall,” explained the study’s authors. And if you’re eager to protect yourself against COVID, check out If You Live in These States, You Can Now Get Vaccinated at Walgreens.

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Omega-3 fatty acids have emerged as a surprising means of reducing severe COVID symptoms, according to a new study. According to Jan. 2021 research published in the journal Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, individuals with the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood had a 75 percent lower risk of COVID death compared to those with lower circulating omega-3 levels. This “strongly suggests that these nutritionally available marine fatty acids may help reduce risk for adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients,” explained Arash Asher, MD, the study’s lead author. And for the latest COVID news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

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Melatonin, a popular sleep aid, may help individuals avoid contracting COVID, recent research claims. A Nov. 2020 study led by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic found that study subjects who used melatonin were 30 percent less likely to develop COVID than those who didn’t use the supplement.

However, that doesn’t mean you should go out and grab a bottle for yourself. “It is very important to note these findings do not suggest people should start to take melatonin without consulting their physician,” said the study’s lead author Feixiong Cheng, PhD, assistant staff in Cleveland Clinic’s Genomic Medicine Institute. And for a jarring prediction about what’s to come with the pandemic, check out The U.K.’s Top Scientist Has a Chilling COVID Warning for Americans.

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Health

Roche arthritis drug reduces death in hospitalized patients with severe Covid, Oxford researchers say

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A pharmacist displays a box of tocilizumab, which is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, at the pharmacy of Cambrai hospital, France, April 28, 2020.

Pascal Rossignol | Reuters

A drug used to treat people with rheumatoid arthritis appears to reduce the risk of death in hospitalized patients with severe Covid-19, especially when it was combined with the steroid dexamethasone, researchers at the University of Oxford said Thursday.

Oxford researchers also found tocilizumab, an intravenous drug manufactured by a division of Swiss drugmaker Roche, also shortened patients’ length of stay at hospitals and reduced the need for a ventilator. The study was part of the RECOVERY trial, which has been testing a range of potential treatments for Covid-19 since March.

“Previous trials of tocilizumab had shown mixed results, and it was unclear which patients might benefit from the treatment,” Peter Horby, a professor at the University of Oxford and joint chief investigator for RECOVERY, said in a statement. “We now know that the benefits of tocilizumab extend to all COVID patients with low oxygen levels and significant inflammation.”

A total of 2,022 patients were randomly selected to receive tocilizumab, which is marketed under the brand name Actemra, by intravenous infusion and were compared with 2,094 patients randomly selected to receive standard care alone. The researchers said 82% of the patients were also taking a steroid such as dexamethasone, another drug that has been found to reduce deaths in the sickest Covid-19 patients.

Researchers said 596 patients in the tocilizumab group died within 28 days compared with 694 patients in the standard care group. That means for every 25 patients treated with tocilizumab, “one additional life would be saved,” Oxford researchers said.

The drug increased the probability of discharge within 28 days from 47% to 54%, according to the researchers. The benefits were seen in all patients, including those requiring mechanical ventilators in an intensive care unit, they added. Among patients not on a ventilator before entering the trial, tocilizumab reduced the chance of progressing to invasive mechanical ventilation or death from 38% to 33%, the researchers said.

The researchers said using tocilizumab in combination with dexamethasone appears to reduce mortality by about one third for patients requiring oxygen and nearly one half for those requiring a ventilator.

Results from the Oxford study have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Public health officials and infectious disease experts say world leaders will need an array of drugs and vaccines to end the pandemic, which has infected more than 107.4 million people and killed at least 2.3 million in a little over a year, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration has approved Gilead Sciences’ antiviral drug remdesivir as a treatment for for Covid-19 patients at least 12 years old and requiring hospitalization.

The FDA has authorized the use of two monoclonal antibody treatments as well as two vaccines – from Pfizer and Moderna. A third vaccine, from Johnson & Johnson, is expected to be authorized by the FDA as early as this month.

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If This Sounds Like You, You’re at Risk for Severe COVID, Says Doctor 

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One of the most curious aspects of COVID-19 is that when infected, some people remain completely asymptomatic, while others end up hospitalized and unable to breathe. Since the start of the pandemic, health experts and researchers have been studying the highly infectious virus in hopes of understanding why the type of infections varies so dramatically on a person-by-person basis. According to one infectious disease expert, it boils down to three factors. Read on to find out the three most common factors that influence the type and severity of COVID symptoms—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had Coronavirus. 

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The first and only controllable part of the equation is how the individual is infected and the dose of the virus they receive, says Carlos R. Oliveira, MD, Ph.D., Yale Medicine pediatric infectious disease doctor. “For example, if an individual infected with COVID-19 coughs directly on you, you will likely get a much higher dose of the virus than if you are infected by touching a contaminated surface,” he points out. “A higher infectious dose usually leads to more rapid onset and more severe symptoms.” 

This is a prime example of why wearing a mask and social distancing is so crucial in protecting yourself and others. Multiple studies have concluded that masks are effective in preventing tiny, infected viral particles from transmitting from person-to-person. While they might not stop all of them, they will certainly help reduce the viral load, likely resulting in a less serious infection. 

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Another crucial factor in determining the type and severity of COVID symptoms is “the health status at the time of infection,” according to Dr. Oliveira. Early on in the pandemic, it became clear that people with certain pre-existing conditions were more prone to severe infection than others. 

According to the CDC, anyone who is suffering from cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), Down Syndrome, heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies, an immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant, obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2), severe Obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2), sickle cell disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, are pregnant, or a smoker, are at the highest risk of severe infection. 

“It is especially important for people at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and those who live with them, to protect themselves from getting COVID-19,” the CDC warns. 

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Age is also a very important factor, according to Dr. Oliveira, influencing not only the severity of the virus but the symptoms it can manifest. “Several studies (including Agyeman, Mayo Clinic, 2020) have shown that in adults, loss of smell is a common early manifestation, occurring in up to 40-60% of infections. It may also be the only manifestation of infection in some adults,” he points out. 

In contrast, loss of smell is rarely seen in children, he adds, citing the COVID Symptom Study. “In fact, gastrointestinal symptoms, like abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and diarrhea, are frequent initial manifestations in children, occurring in about 1 in 3 cases.”

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“As is the case for many infectious diseases, the progression of discernible symptoms can be quite variable,” Dr. Oliveira says.

RELATED: 7 Tips You Must Follow to Avoid COVID, Say Doctors

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Due to the fact that asymptomatic spread is a common characteristic of COVID, taking precaution even when you feel healthy is crucial in order to prevent the spread of the virus. So follow Dr. Anthony Fauci‘s fundamentals and help end this surge, no matter where you live—wear a face mask, social distance, avoid large crowds, don’t go indoors with people you’re not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, get vaccinated when it becomes available to you, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don’t visit any of these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID. 

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