Omicron Variant

‘One Rule for All’: FDNY Unions Demand Mayor Lift Vaccine Mandate for All City Workers

A day after New York City Mayor Eric Adams doubled down on his controversial decision to lift the city’s vaccine mandate for professional athletes and performers, but not city workers, FDNY unions demanded a meeting to discuss the contradiction in policy. The heads of two firefighter unions delivered a request of the mayor Saturday to sit down within a week’s time to discuss the city’s vaccine mandate. Presidents of the Firefighters Association and FDNY-Fire Officers Association placed an emergency call hoping Adams would reconsider his new order and expand the mandate lift to all city employees. Currently, somewhere between 400 and 500 firefighters remain unvaccinated and are at risk of losing their jobs with the city, Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro estimated. Each week, anywhere from 5 to 10 firefighters receive an ultimatum to get a COVID-19 vaccine or step down, he said. When Adams was candidate mayor, or mayor-elect, he told de Blasio to sit down with the unions. Now it’s his turn to follow through on what Bill de Blasio did, Ansbro said during a virtual press conference. Mayor Adams, please sit down with us. The executive order that exempts New York City-based professional athletes and performers from the private sector COVID vaccine mandate means that Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, who has been outspoken about his decision to not get vaccinated, will be able to take the floor in at the Barclays Center on Sunday. We’re applauding the mayor’s actions of letting the children go back to school without masks, of rolling back the mandate for performers and athletes, but we insist that it be extended to the people that work in New York City, for New York City, Uniformed Fire Officers Association President Jim McCarthy said. According to the presidents, approximately 15 firefighters have been terminated since the implementation of the mandate, while many more opted for retirement. As the mayor says, the science changes. If you’re gonna force people to get vaccinated because the science changes, you also have to acknowledge that you’re allowing people to have exceptions because the science changes and it’s no longer necessary. So, one rule for all, Ansbro said. Facing full-court pressure, Adams on Friday emphasized that he was simply closing a loophole from the last administration, which prevented hometown athletes from playing home games if they weren’t vaccinated but allowed unvaccinated visiting players to still participate. You may consider this a double standard. I consider it an analysis that I made and I’m comfortable with my decision, Adams said at a press conference. vaccine mandate Mar 24 ‘I Am Unafraid:’ Adams Excuses NYC Athletes, Performers From Vaccine Mandate Amid Backlash vaccine mandate Mar 24 Controversy Brews With NYC Expected to Drop Vax Mandate for Athletes, Not Workers News of Adams’ intentions drew swift backlash, with many calling it unfair that city workers, many of whom worked through the pandemic when there was no vaccine available, remain suspended without pay for refusing the doses while millionaire performers get a pass. The city’s teachers union told NBC New York that If the rules are going to be suspended, particularly for people with influence, then the UFT and other city unions are ready to discuss how exceptions could be applied to city workers. This is a step away from following sensible public health-driven policies that prioritize equity, said City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is not related to the mayor. In response to her comments, the mayor said that there are things the City Council speaker will do that I will disagree with, but she has a role in city council, I have a role as mayor. The city suspended numerous public employees about 1,500 of them for refusing to get vaccinated, including public servants like firefighters and sanitation workers. All employers are supposed to bar unvaccinated workers from being in shared workplaces. Adams said Thursday he has no plans now to rehire them. There can’t be one system for the elite and another for the essential workers of our city, said Harry Nespoli, chair of the Municipal Labor Committee, an umbrella group of unions that together represent about 350,000 city workers. Reporter: ADAM, THERE ARE MANY CRITICS OF THE MAYOR u2019S LATEST MOVE WHO FEEL THAT MILLIONAIRE ATHLETES ARE GETTING MILLIONAIRE ATHLETES ARE GETTING A PASS WHILE CITY EMPLOYEES LOST THEIR LIVELIHOODS OVER THE SAME ISSUE. THE MAYOR INSISTS IT IS ABOUT THE CITY u2019S ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND LEVLG THE PLAYING FIELD FOR PERFORMERS AND PRO ATHLETES AND IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY WHICH MEANS KYRIE IRVING IS CLEARED TO PLAY HERE COME SUNDAY. AT THE HOME OF THE NEW YORK METS, MAYOR ERIC ADAMS ELIMINATED A VACCINE MANDATE FOR NEW YORK CITY BASED PRO ATHLETES AND PERFORMERS. AND PERFORMERS. WE u2019RE DOING IT BECAUSE THE CITY HAS TO FUNCTION. Reporter: A MOVE HE SAYS IS NECESSARY FOR NEW YORK CITY u2019S NECESSARY FOR NEW YORK CITY u2019S ECONOMIC HEALTH CITING THAT WE LEAD THE NATION IN UNEMPLOYMENT. SOME PEOPLE WILL BOO US BUT SOME PEOPLE WILL BOO US BUT ALSO THOSE WHO WILL BE EMPLOYED WILL CHEER US. Reporter: NO CHEERING FROM CITY UNIONS AFTER 1400 MUNICIPAL WORKERS LOST THEIR JOBS WHEN THEY DIDN u2019T GET VACCINATED. THE MOVE IS SEEING SWIFT BACKLASH FROM POLICE UNIONS BACKLASH FROM POLICE UNIONS I WANT TO THANK YOU, MAYOR ADAMS, FOR MAKING THIS COURAGEOUS DECISION. Reporter: THE UNION Reporter: THE UNION REPRESENTING SANITATION WORKERS SAYING, QUOTE, THERE CAN u2019T BE ONE SYSTEM FOR THE ELITE AND ANOTHER FOR THE ESSENTIAL ANOTHER FOR THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS OF OUR CITY. WHY IS A BASKETBALL PLAYER ALLOWED TO PLAY BASKETBALL BUT A COP THAT IS GOING TO SAVE PEOPLE u2019S LIVES OR A DETECTIVE THAT IS GOING TO SAVE LIVES HAS TO BE VACCINATED? TO BE VACCINATED? IT DOES NOT MAKE COMMON SENSE. Reporter: ADAMS SAYS THIS IS ABOUT PERFORMERS GETTING A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. THIS EXEMPTION HAS BEEN PUT THIS EXEMPTION HAS BEEN PUT IN OUR SPORTS TEAMS AS A SELF-IMPOSED COMPETITIVE SELF-IMPOSED COMPETITIVE DISADVANTAGE BUT THIS NEW ORDER WOULD HELP BOOST OUR ECONOMY. Reporter: CRITICS AND THERE ARE MANY SAY THE FIELD IS ANYTHING BUT LEVEL FOR THE EVERY DAY PEOPLE KEEPING THE CITY RUNNING. IT IS SETTING UP TWO CLASSES OF PEOPLE AND IS FUNDAMENTALLY UNFAIR. Reporter: THE EXEMPTION IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY WHICH MEANS WHEN THE NETS PLAY HERE AT MEANS WHEN THE NETS PLAY HERE AT BARCLAYS ON SUNDAYS STAR POINT GUARD KYRIE IRVING WHO IS GUARD KYRIE IRVING WHO IS UNVACCINATED WILL BE ABLE TO HIT THE COURT. FANS DON u2019T HAVE TO BE VACCINATED? I GOT VACCINATED ONLY BECAUSE I GOT SEASON TICKETS FOR THE ISLANDERS. IF I DIDN u2019T NEED THAT I WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN VACCINATED. Reporter: DO YOU THINK THE Reporter: DO YOU THINK THE MANDATES SHOULD BE LIFTED FOR PRO ATHLETES? FOR NO ONE. ABSOLUTELY NO ONE. WE ARE ALL THE SAME. Reporter: THE MAYOR Reporter: THE MAYOR REITERATED THAT EVERYONE PRO ATHLETE OR NOT SHOULD GET VACCINATED. KYRIE, YOU SHOULD GET Reporter: AND SOME LAWMAKERS ARE ALREADY POINTING OUT THAT THE MOVE COULD TRIGGER LAWSUITS. THE MOVE COULD TRIGGER LAWSUITS. THE MAYOR IN RESPONSE SAID TODAY HE WOULDN u2019T HAVE MADE THIS MOVE WITHOUT SPEAKING TO CITY ATTORNEYS AND FEELING CONFIDENT ATTORNEYS AND FEELING CONFIDENT THAT IT PASSES LEGAL MUSTER.”,”video_id”:”2016171075918_146″,”video_length”:”187588″,”video_provider”:”mpx”,”short_video_excerpt”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_low”:”G9oDVGwqodEg”,”pid_streaming_web_mobile_low”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_standard”:”q0skK8TnSnYV”,”pid_streaming_mobile_standard”:”L3ZOL3ju2IDx”,”alleypack_schedule_unpublish”:””,”feed_remote_id”:”mpx_2016171075918″,”feed_thumbnail_url”:”” ” data-livestream=”false” data-title=”NYC Vaccine Mandate Latest: Athletes and Performers Exempt, Workers Are Not” data-vidcid=”1:2:3615092″ data-vidurl=”https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/nyc-vaccine-mandate-latest-athletes-and-performers-exempt-workers-are-not/3615092/” data-islead=”false” data-catnames=” “1444”:”On Air”,”1445″:”As Seen On”,”64″:”News”,”65″:”Local” ” data-tagnames=” “659906”:”as seen on”,”671842″:”Coronavirus”,”677579″:”COVID-19″,”107″:”New York City”,”797063″:”NYC Vaccine Mandate”,”764844″:”vaccine mandate” ” data-customdata=” “ContentPartner”:”None”,”Source”:”WEBFM”,”SyndicationAllowed”:”true”,”mSNVideoCategories”:”MSN Video v4 Connector-most watched news”,”mSNVideoContentSupplierID”:”NBC_Local”,”mSNVideoCountry”:”us”,”subtitle”:”nosubtitle”,”uploadedByTeam”:”1″,”youtubeChannel”:”None” ” data-autoplay=”false” data-cplay=”true” Adams declared his a tough decision done as one of economic necessity and in the best interest of New York’s recovery from the pandemic. Adams has seemed prepared for the controversy that began to brew Wednesday. I’m mayor of the city and I m going to make some tough choices. People are not going to agree with some of them, Adams said Thursday. I was not elected to follow. I was not elected to be fearful but to be fearless. I must move this city forward. I’m not making this decision loosely or haphazardly, Adams said. The city has to function. Some will boo us, others will cheer us that is not only a game of baseball but that’s the game of life and we have to be on the field in order to win. Adding NYC-based performers, including outspoken unvaccinated ones like Irving, who has had to remain on the sidelines at home while playing away, to the exempt list is an equalizer, the mayor insisted, and economic booster. By putting our home teams on an equal playing field we increase their chances of winning and that has a real impact on this city. It’s not just fans in the stands, it’s fans in the stores, Adams said Thursday, arguing each home playoff game is worth millions in impact. These are real dollars and they play a major role. The amended exemption to the private sector vaccine mandate is effective immediately. In addition to Irving being allowed to play this weekend, the change allows any unvaccinated Met to take the home field on Opening Day next week. The Yankees will be able to do the same after their away series to open the season. KYRIE IRVING IS TALKING ABOUT HIS FUTURE. AND HIS REFUSAL TO GET THE COVID VACCINE. THE ALL-STAR SAYS HE IS NOT RETIRING. AND SINCE NOT GETTING THE VACCINE HE WON u2019T PLAY WITH THE NETS ANY TIME SOON. JOHN CHANDLER HAS BEEN TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THE BOROUGHs BROOKLYN. ALL OF THIS CENTERS AROUND THE CITY VACCINE MANDATE. KYRIE IRVING AS AN UNVACCINATED PERSON CAN u2019T PLAY AT HOME GAMES IN BROOKLYN FOR THE NETS. THE NETS SAID THEY DON u2019T WANT THE NETS SAID THEY DON u2019T WANT KYRIE AT ALL AS JUST A PART TIME PLAYER, UNTIL HE IS VACCINATED. AND THAT DOESN u2019T SEEM TO BE COMING ANY TIME SOON BASED ON WHAT KYRIE HAD TO SAY ON INSTAGRAM LAST NIGHT. KYRIE IRVING u2019S BAN FROM THE NETS ANSWERS THE OBVIOUS QUESTION. HE IS UNVACCINATED. HE IS UNVACCINATED. BUT THE 7-NBA ALL-STAR FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGED WHY. THIS IS ABOUT THE NETS, NOT ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION, NOT ABOUT THE NBA. ABOUT THE NBA. THIS IS IN THE POLITICS. IT u2019S NOT ANY ONE THING THAT I u2019M PINPOINTING HERE. IT u2019S ABOUT THE FREEDOM OF WHAT I WANT TO DO. KIR IS ON A SHORT LIST OF UNVACCINATED IN THE NBA WHERE ANTERIOR 957 OF PLAYERS RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE SHOT. THAT RATE IS AT NEARLY 85 AMONG ADULTS IN NEW YORK CITY. WHERE MANY EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH KYRIE. HE IS WORKING FOR AN HE IS WORKING FOR AN ORGANIZATION. AND, YOU KNOW, HIS COMPANY IS TELLING HIM HE NEEDS TO DO THIS. IN ORDER TO PLAY HE NEEDS TO DO THIS. STILL OERPS APPRECIATE HIS CANDOR. AND RESPECT HIS DECISION. IT u2019S HIS CHOICE. AND HE GOT TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE COSTLY. KYRIE u2019S STANCE WILL COST HIM MILLIONS IN SALARY. YOU THINK I WANT TO LOSE MONEY. KYRIE SAYS HE IS WILLING TO KYRIE SAYS HE IS WILLING TO LOSE MONEY AND EVEN BRINGING BROOKLYN A TITLE. YOU THINK I WANT TO GIVE UP THE LIVELIHOOD BECAUSE OF MANDATE. IN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THE VACCINATION RATES DIP AS LOW AS 53. SOME WORRY THE DECISION SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE. HE HAS A STRONG INFLUENCE ON THE FAN BASE. IF HE DECIDES TO VACCINATE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT MAYBE SITTING ON OF PEOPLE THAT MAYBE SITTING ON THAT FENCE, MAY GO GET VACCINATED JUST BECAUSE HE DOES. Reporter: WORTH NOTING KYRIE IRVING HAS OVER 15 MILLION FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM AT MANY POINTS DURING THE LIVE STREAM HE HAD OVER 907,000 VIEWERS TUNING IN TO HIS MESSAGE. NOW, THE NETS WITHOUT KYRIE IRVING WILL PLAY THE FINAL PRESEASON GAME AGAINST THE PRESEASON GAME AGAINST THE MINNESOTA TIMBER WOLVES ONE OF THE PLAYERS FROM NEW JERSEY CARL ANTINGLY TOWNS TENSE NJ.COM SAYS HE IS A PROPONENT OF GETTING VACCINATED. HE LOST HIS MOTHER AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS TO COVID-19″,”video_id”:”1961975875980_897″,”video_length”:”171071″,”video_provider”:”mpx”,”short_video_excerpt”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_low”:”As_IdP_9otz8″,”pid_streaming_web_mobile_low”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_standard”:”25qxiZ3eHvpH”,”pid_streaming_mobile_standard”:”n4S906Q5jE1D”,”alleypack_schedule_unpublish”:””,”feed_remote_id”:”mpx_1961975875980″,”feed_thumbnail_url”:”” ” data-livestream=”false” data-title=”Kyrie Irving Talks About His Refusal to Get Vaccinated” data-vidcid=”1:2:3323633″ data-vidurl=”https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/kyrie-irving-talks-about-his-refusal-to-get-vaccinated/3323633/” data-islead=”false” data-catnames=” “1444”:”On Air”,”1445″:”As Seen On”,”64″:”News”,”680747″:”Coronavirus Pandemic”,”65″:”Local”,”181″:”Sports”,”68″:”U.S. World” ” data-tagnames=” “659906”:”as seen on”,”17707″:”Barclays Center”,”76277″:”Ben Simmons”,”65784″:”Brooklyn Nets”,”671842″:”Coronavirus”,”677579″:”COVID-19″,”709602″:”covid-19 vaccine”,”679265″:”Kyrie Iriving”,”29547″:”Kyrie Irving”,”5002″:”NBA”,”681751″:”nets”,”107″:”New York City”,”795583″:”Squid Game”,”764844″:”vaccine mandate” ” data-customdata=” “ContentPartner”:”None”,”Source”:”WEBFM”,”SyndicationAllowed”:”true”,”mSNVideoCategories”:”MSN Video v4 Connector-most watched news”,”mSNVideoContentSupplierID”:”NBC_Local”,”mSNVideoCountry”:”us”,”subtitle”:”nosubtitle”,”uploadedByTeam”:”1″,”youtubeChannel”:”None” ” data-autoplay=”false” data-cplay=”true” Adams said the change only applies to a small number of people, since most have complied with the vaccine mandate. He didn’t say how many and he sought to make it clear he believes vaccination is the right course for everyone, including Irving. Adams has reiterated his peel-back-the-layers approach to COVID restrictions, citing this latest announcement as another layer in the process. Many are outraged. What about the janitors and ushers who serve Barclays Center, some have asked. What about the NYPD and FDNY, which had among the lowest vaccination rates citywide before the initial rollout of the mandate, leading to protests and sickouts? And what about the average private worker who has been suspended without pay? Asked just days ago, Adams said he had no plans to reevaluate the private-sector mandate just yet, calling the workplace an important environment. He said he was following the science and that baseball and basketball would have to wait. Called out about that Thursday, the mayor said, Two days is still a wait. He also said he had wanted to change the rule when he first took office but his medical team advised against it, given skyrocketing omicron infections across the country. The creation of special exemptions for athletes or entertainers could potentially lead to court challenges arguing the city isn’t applying the law evenly. More Coverage COVID-19 Mar 23 ‘stealth’ Variant Is Now Dominant COVID Strain in NY Region, CDC Says COVID-19 Mar 22 NYC Plans to Drop Mask Rule for Young Kids April 4, Keep Private Vaccine Mandate (https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/one-rule-for-all-fdny-unions-demand-mayor-lifts-vaccine-mandate-for-all-city-workers/3617394/)

‘Stealth’ Omicron Now Eyed in 71 of Local Infections, Dominates US as NYC Cases Climbs

What to Know According to the CDC, the stealth omicron variant, BA.2, now accounts for 71 of COVID circulating in the New York area right now, up from 39 two weeks ago. It’s also now the dominant U.S. strain New York City’s daily case average, meanwhile, is up 43 over the rolling average for the prior four weeks, but COVID hospitalizations and deaths remain on a steady decline as the recovery continues Still, the latest case increases are a fraction of what they were during omicron’s ascendance and peak in January, which is why officials urge context when assessing the numbers; testing is also slightly up again The so-called stealth omicron variant BA.2, which is fueling a fresh COVID case uptick in the New York area and elsewhere, is now the dominant virus strain in the country, according to the CDC’s latest data update on Tuesday. The all-too-familiar shift comes a week after BA.2, a subvariant of the wildly contagious strain that brought unprecedented spikes in cases and hospitalizations across much of the globe earlier this year, became the primary strain in the New York area, where CDC data shows it is circulating at a faster rate than nationally. BA.2 is now 55 of all positive COVID samples genomically sequenced nationally in the latest two-week data period, up from 35 in the CDC’s prior weekly update. In the New York region, which for CDC purposes includes New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands along with the Empire State, BA.2 is 71 of tested samples. That compares with a 52 share of tested cases in the same region last week and it comes amid a moderate uptick in COVID cases now stoking anxiety anew. The CDC updates its variant data on Tuesdays. New York City health officials have yet to isolate BA.2 from the original strain on its variant tracker page, with Department of Health data indicating omicron still accounts for 100 of tested cases as of Tuesday. Officials recognize the subvariant in text, writing, Omicron remains the dominant variant in NYC, and its BA.2 subvariant accounts for a modest but increasing number of cases in the city. Notably, the strain’s emergence comes at a time when New York City is testing for variants at a near-all-time high, isolating strains in about 12 of positive samples daily. That’s down from a peak of 14 in late February but up in the last week, mirroring slightly increasing trends in overall testing, health department data show. The five boroughs’ daily case average, meanwhile, is up 43 over the rolling average for the prior four weeks, but COVID hospitalizations and deaths remain on the decline. Those rolling metrics have dropped by 38 and 50 compared with the averages for the previous four weeks, and while hospitalizations and deaths are known lagging factors, officials say they don’t expect any new severe case surge. This chart shows the percent of NYC’s confirmed COVID-19 cases that have been tested for virus variants and reported to the Health Department over the past three months. This chart shows NYC PCR and antigen COVID tests by daily volume. Why not? Well, the latest case highs are markedly below what they were just two months ago, for one. The city’s rolling case average of 1,143 positives as of the latest data is down 79 from the 5,503 average reported on January 26. While the pendulum swings the other way an 85 increase in the rolling case average in the last month the overall numbers remain comparatively low, and experts say the vast majority of new COVID patients recover quickly at home. Manhattan has seen the highest transmission jumps in recent weeks, with TriBeca and Battery Park City leading the list of top neighborhoods in terms of rolling percent positivity and the borough accounting for 70 of the top 10 in that regard. NYC Rolling Percent Positivity by ZIP Code The raw numbers, though, provide the needed context that officials have pointed to as they seek to stem public worry. TriBeca, while experiencing the city’s highest rolling positivity rate by ZIP code right now, is a matter of 25 new positives. For Battery Park City, it’s even less. Sort the data by the raw numbers and you get a slightly different story. Manhattan neighborhoods still top the list, but those neighborhoods also report some of the highest median test rates in the city. NYC Transmission Data by New People Positive Ultimately, officials say BA.2’s dominance was expected and it’s expected that some other COVID variant will take its turn, too. That doesn’t necessarily exacerbate community risk. In the city, the alert level is still low. It doesn’t get any lower. BA.2 symptoms are similar to those experienced by people who contract other COVID strains, including fever or chills, runny nose and fatigue, among others. But much remains unknown about the subvariant to date. While the World Health Organization has said BA.2 is inherently more transmissible than the strain that came before it, there is no evidence at this point to indicate it is more vaccine-resistant or linked to more severe infections, which are far more critical benchmarks to city leaders. They’re not in alarmist mode. Plus, the FDA just authorized a fourth COVID vaccine dose for Pfizer and Moderna recipients, which is expected to provide added protection for millions more people. Public health and elected officials say they understand New Yorkers’ anxiety despite their reassurances, given what’s happened the past two years, and all agree the vigilant reopening process should move forward as they monitor the numbers. More Coverage China Mar 28 Shanghai Starts China’s Biggest COVID-19 Lockdown in 2 Years long COVID Mar 28 ‘Patients Are Frustrated’: Long COVID Poses Bumpy Road to Recovery Coronavirus Mar 24 Why Don’t Kids Get Covid Badly? Scientists Are Unraveling One of the Pandemic’s Biggest Mysteries Significant progress in that regard has been made the last month and is expected to continue, with New York City Mayor Eric Adams lifting the K-12 school mask mandate earlier this month and poised to drop the rule for kids aged 2 to 4 on April 4. The plan for the younger kids is contingent upon core viral rates remaining low, which they have thus far even amid the mild uptick in cases citywide. That said, the progressive steps haven’t come without controversy. Adams continues to face backlash over what some call his arbitrary decision last week to excuse New York City-based professional athletes and performers from the private-sector vaccine mandate implemented by his predecessor in December. Adams has insisted his tough choice was in the best economic interest of the city, while both private and public employees who have lost their jobs or faced potential termination because of the ongoing mandate are demanding what they say is a more equitable one rule for all. FIRST, BREAKING NEWS, THE FDA JUST AUTHORIZED ANOTHER BOOSTER OF THE PFIZER OR MODERNA BOOSTER OF THE PFIZER OR MODERNA VACCINE FOR PEOPLE AGE 50 AND UP. SO AGAIN, THAT IS A SECOND BOOSTER SHOT. THEY SAY IT u2019S GOING TO OFFER THEY SAY IT u2019S GOING TO OFFER PROTECTION FOR THE MOST VUBL VULNERABLE PEOPLE TO COVID-19 IN THE EVENT OF ANOTHER SURGE. THE EVENT OF ANOTHER SURGE. PFIZER AND MODERNA BOOSTERS, BOTH WILL BE AVAILABLE AT LEAST FOUR MONTHS AFTER YOU GOT YOUR FIRST BOOSTER DOSE. THE FDA HAS ALREADY AUTHORIZED A FOURTH SHOT FOR FOURTH SHOT FOR IMMUNOCOMPROMISED INDIVIDUALS, AS FEDERAL HEALTH OFFICIALS AS FEDERAL HEALTH OFFICIALS MONITOR AN EXTREMELY CONTAGIOUS OMICRON SUBVARIANT KNOWN AS OMICRON SUBVARIANT KNOWN AS BA.2, SPREADING THROUGH EUROPE AND THE USA RIGHT NOW. MAYOR ADAMS IS STANDING BY HIS DECISION TO LIFT THE VACCINE MANDATE FOR ATHLETES AND PERFORMERS. CITY WORKERS ARE HOLDING A RALLY SAYING THEIR LIVELIHOODS HAVE BEEN THREATENED BY THEIR CHOICE NOT TO GET VACCINATED WHILE STAR NOT TO GET VACCINATED WHILE STAR PLAYERS ARE GETTING REWARDED FOR IT. NEWS 4 u2019S ROMNEY SITTING IN IS IN FLESHING FLUSHING MEADOWS WITH MORE. ROMNEY? Reporter: ADAM, HERE BEHIND ME YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE AT THIS RALLY RIGHT NOW HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SAYING IT u2019S SIMPLY NOT FAIR. AND TODAY A COUNCILMAN IS DEMANDING THE FIRED CITY WORKERS DEMANDING THE FIRED CITY WORKERS BE REINSTATED. SANITATION, FDNY, TEACHERS, SANITATION, FDNY, TEACHERS, HEALTH CARE, AND OTHER WORKERS ARE SAYING THEY SHOULD BE REINSTATED. THEY NOT ONLY WANT THEIR JOBS BACK BUT WANT BACK PAY. MAYOR ADAMS MADE THE EXEMPTION FOR PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES AND PERFORMERS LAST WEEK AND THAT PERFORMERS LAST WEEK AND THAT THE MANDATE FOR EVERYONE ELSE WILL BE ROLLED BACK OVER TIME. BUT THE PEOPLE IMPACTED SAY THEY BUT THE PEOPLE IMPACTED SAY THEY WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK NOW AND THE COUNCILMAN IS MAKING A DEMAND ON THE MAYOR. MAYOR ADAMS, YOU CAN COME OUT A HERO TODAY BECAUSE WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE EACH AND EVERY ONE LIKE TO SEE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR CIVIL SERVANTS, THE AVERAGE JANE AND JOE THAT MAKE AVERAGE JANE AND JOE THAT MAKE UP THIS CITY, BACK TO WORK. Reporter: SPEAKING WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE EARLIER, THEY OF THE PEOPLE HERE EARLIER, THEY SAID THE MAYOR u2019S EXEMPTION FOR ATHLETES AND PERFORMERS TRULY SET UP A SYSTEM OF TWO DIFFERENT CLASSES IN NEW YORK CITY. AND THAT u2019S WHAT THEY SAY IS UNFAIR. THEY SAY IT u2019S NOT FAIR FOR THE THEY SAY IT u2019S NOT FAIR FOR THE MAYOR TO PRIORITIZE ENTERTAINERS MAYOR TO PRIORITIZE ENTERTAINERS AND ATHLETES, SAYING IT SHOWS THAT THEIR OWN JOBS DON u2019T”,”video_id”:”2017453635524_375″,”video_length”:”165232″,”video_provider”:”mpx”,”short_video_excerpt”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_low”:”n_dgd6Nik1eN”,”pid_streaming_web_mobile_low”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_standard”:”I5WlKgTifv2M”,”pid_streaming_mobile_standard”:”Mu85REd7_F8U”,”alleypack_schedule_unpublish”:””,”feed_remote_id”:”mpx_2017453635524″,”feed_thumbnail_url”:”” ” data-livestream=”false” data-title=”City Workers Call for Vaccine Mandate Changes” data-vidcid=”1:2:3620879″ data-vidurl=”https://www.nbcnewyork.com/local/city-workers-call-for-vaccine-mandate-changes/3620879/” data-islead=”false” data-catnames=” ” data-tagnames=” ” data-customdata=” “ContentPartner”:”None”,”Source”:”WEBFM”,”SyndicationAllowed”:”true”,”mSNVideoCategories”:”MSN Video v4 Connector-most watched news”,”mSNVideoContentSupplierID”:”NBC_Local”,”mSNVideoCountry”:”us”,”subtitle”:”nosubtitle”,”uploadedByTeam”:”1″,”youtubeChannel”:”None” ” data-autoplay=”false” data-cplay=”true” (https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/stealth-omicron-subvariant-now-dominant-us-strain-as-nyc-case-average-climbs-43/3620658/)

Should We Be Worried About China’s COVID Lockdown? Boston Doctors Explain

While China remains in its most stringent lockdown since the start of the pandemic, Boston-based infectious disease experts say it’s not something to lose sleep over. The country shut down its biggest city, Shanghai, which is home to 26 million people, to conduct massive testing and to control an outburst of Omicron cases. Because of the new round of lockdowns in China, many are left wondering if the spike in Omicron cases in China could mean a future of more COVID spikes for the U.S. Top Boston doctors explained what the U.S. should take away from the lockdowns in China during NBC10 Boston’s weekly COVID Q&A series. Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox. The doctors agreed that Americans, for the most part, should not be concerned. Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Chief of Infectious Disease, Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, said that China’s lockdown should not be a cause for concern at home. I don’t think we have to be worried about it in terms of what might happen here because what they are experiencing is what we already experienced in January and February, Kuritzkes said. The difference is that they have had so little other COVID that they haven’t boosted in the way we have. Their total level of immunity is much lower because they have a largely unexposed population. Dr. Sabrina Assoumou of Boston Medical Center agreed. She added that while it isn’t necessarily a cause for concern, China is still a part of the global community. We have to be worried about it in the sense that this is a global pandemic and we are all connected and it’s important to know about things that are happening in other places around the world, Assoumou said. I do agree that China is seeing their initial Omicron surge which we had last winter so we’re in a different place. Dr. Shira Doron, a hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, noted that there was a difference between what is going on in China, what is going on Europe, and what could potentially occur in the United States. I want to highlight the distinction between what is happening in countries who are just seeing their first Omicron spike, which doesn’t represent a forecast of what we would be likely to see, and countries predominately in Europe who are seeing a double spike due to BA.2. Doron said. That has more of a likelihood of informing what we are likely to see here over the next few weeks. NEW INFORMATION ON COVID-19 NUMBERS RISING IN CLASSROOMS. NUMBERS RISING IN CLASSROOMS. DATA IN BROOKLINE IS PARTICULARLY CONCERNING. I WANT TO GO TO ALYSHA PALUMBO WHO IS LIVE THERE FOR US THIS MORNING WITH THE LATEST. Reporter: WELL, AS YOU GUYS KNOW IT WAS A FEW WEEKS AGO MASKS CAME OFF AT MOST SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH AND JUST AS PARENTS HERE IN BROOKLINE AND AS PARENTS HERE IN BROOKLINE AND ACROSS THE STATE WERE STARTING TO FEEL LIKE THEIR KIDS u2019 SCHOOL WAS GETTING SOMEWHAT BACK TO WAS GETTING SOMEWHAT BACK TO NORMAL, COVID CASE NUMBERS IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE HAVE BEGUN TO RISE SOMEWHAT SIGNIFICANTLY. IT IS SURPRISING IT IS GOING UP AGAIN. Reporter: IT IS NEWS NO PARENT WANTS TO HEAR. COVID CASE NUMBERS HAVE BEGUN TO COVID CASE NUMBERS HAVE BEGUN TO RISE IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH. THAT u2019S NOT GOOD NEWS FOR PARENTS. Reporter: BROOKLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TOPPED THE CASE COUNT WITH 74 COVID CASES, UP WITH 74 COVID CASES, UP SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK WHERE THERE WERE ONLY 12 POSITIVE CASES REPORTED. WELLESLEY HAS THE SECOND HIGHEST WITH 69 STUDENTS AND STAFF POSITIVE FOR COVID. THAT u2019S UP FROM 18 THE WEEK PRIOR. STATEWIDE, THERE ARE MORE THAN 2500 STUDENTS AND STAFF WHO TESTED POSITIVE IN THE PAST TESTED POSITIVE IN THE PAST WEEK, UP FROM OVER 2,000 THE PREVIOUS WEEK. THAT u2019S A JUMP OF ALMOST 30 WEEK TO WEEK. TO WEEK. I THINK IT IS HAPPENING IN EUROPE, THERE u2019S ANOTHER WAVE. WHILE THIS IS A MOMENT FOR VIGILANCE, IT IS NOT A MOMENT FOR PANIC. Reporter: THIS DOCTOR WITH BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER SAYS THE BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER SAYS THE UP TICK IN CASES IS NOT SURPRISING BASED ON WASTEWATER SURPRISING BASED ON WASTEWATER DATA AND SPREAD OF THE BA.2 SUBVARIANT. WE NEED TO PUT THE DATA IN PERSPECTIVE. WE ARE AT A PLACE IN THE PANDEMIC WE u2019RE GOING TO SEE UPS PANDEMIC WE u2019RE GOING TO SEE UPS AND DOWNS IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER. RELATIVELY AS WE KNOW FROM HEIGHT OF OMICRON, WE ARE FAR, FAR DOWN IN TERMS OF CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS. Reporter: IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE TEST POSITIVITY RATE IN MASSACHUSETTS POSITIVITY RATE IN MASSACHUSETTS”,”video_id”:”2016473667593_520″,”video_length”:”125960″,”video_provider”:”mpx”,”short_video_excerpt”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_low”:”d7_XZu1P9LPN”,”pid_streaming_web_mobile_low”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_standard”:”rIHtQGRzaPQY”,”pid_streaming_mobile_standard”:”Cqwk08HG0Vfu”,”alleypack_schedule_unpublish”:””,”feed_remote_id”:”mpx_2016473667593″,”feed_thumbnail_url”:”” ” data-livestream=”false” data-title=”COVID Cases Rising in Mass. Schools Again” data-vidcid=”1:5:2678526″ data-vidurl=”https://www.nbcboston.com/on-air/as-seen-on/covid-cases-rising-in-mass-schools-again/2678526/” data-islead=”false” data-catnames=” “1813”:”On Air”,”1814″:”As Seen On”,”206944″:”News”,”705″:”Local” ” data-tagnames=” “241040”:”coronavirus”,”246083″:”COVID-19″,”8165″:”Education”,”124″:”Massachusetts”,”275960″:”massachusetts schools”,”1485″:”school”,”104337″:”SCHOOLS” ” data-customdata=” “ContentPartner”:”None”,”Source”:”WEBFM”,”SyndicationAllowed”:”true”,”mSNVideoCategories”:”MSN Video v4 Connector-most watched news”,”mSNVideoContentSupplierID”:”NBC_Local”,”mSNVideoCountry”:”us”,”subtitle”:”nosubtitle”,”uploadedByTeam”:”1″,”youtubeChannel”:”None” ” data-autoplay=”false” data-cplay=”true” The doctors noted that China deals with COVID-19 in a far more stringent way than other countries do, including the United States. China has a Zero-COVID policy, where they put restrictions on their population in terms curfews, businesses hours and public transportation. Doron noted that because of this strategy, China’s COVID curve is flat when compared to other nearby countries. I was using a data site to put together a graph showing what the curves look like in Asian countries and China’s curve is flat, Doron said. Their curve appears to be along those lines when you add it to the graph with Singapore, and Hong Kong in it. They are acting very aggressively to what we would consider to be great numbers. It is all relative when it comes to what a country is willing to tolerate and there is a lot of controversy over what the right approach is. Kuritzkes said that while the numbers for China would be considered big for the U.S., here at home, we are also still facing a large number of cases and deaths. If you look at the John Hopkins website, in the last 28 days, the United States recorded nearly 1 million cases of COVID-19 and 27,000 deaths. We are still having extraordinary incident and mortality of COVID that dwarfs what is going on in China right now and thinks we are on the downside, said Kuritzkes. IT MAKES ME FEEL COMFORTABLE TRYING TO TAKE ON THINGS AND GOING OUT INTO ANY EVENTS. A NEW NORMAL SO TO SPEAK. COVID ITSELF WILL FEEL LESS SCARY AND A SEASONAL THING LIKE THE FLU. HOPEFULLY. ASSUMING EVERY VARIANT IS LESS SEVERE THAN THE LAST. THAT NEW VARIANT OMICRON SUB VARIANT TAKING OVER AT THE DOMINANT STRAIN WORLDWIDE. WESTERN EUROPE EXPERIENCING A WAVE THAT EXPERTS SAY WILL EVENTUALLY REACH US. WE u2019RE NOT IN A PROBLEMATIC PLACE YET. IT u2019S EASY TO GET TO A PROBLEMATIC PLACE QUICKLY. PROFESSOR AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON WASTE WATER DATA TO STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE. NOTING COUNTIES ARE SEEING A SURGE. THE DATA IS A GOOD PREDICTOR OF WHAT u2019S TO COME IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO. SO FAR NO NEED TO PANIC. WE KNOW THAT THE PACE OF THE INCREASE SO FAR IS MUCH SLOWER THAN IT WAS IN DECEMBER. WHEN OMICRON REALLY TOOK OFF. PART OF THE PEACE OF MIND IS KNOWING THERE A TOOLS LIKE MASK, TESTING AND VACCINES. AND PREPARES US FOR WHAT COMES NEXT. I THINK WE u2019RE REALLY SHIFTING FROM THE IDEA WE u2019RE WAITING FOR THE PANDEMIC TO END. SO SAYING WE HAVE THE TREMENDOUSLY EFFECTIVE SAFETY MEASURES. WE HAVE VACCINES AND MEDICINES THAT VERY EFFECTIVELY TREAT COVID EARLY. LET u2019S USE THE TOOLS AND MAKE THAT THE NEW NORMAL. NOW THAT THE FDA APPROVED A SECOND BOOSTER FOR ADULTS 50 AND UP, DOCTOR HOPES THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO RECOMMEND FUTURE COVID SHOTS. NOT AS BOOSTERS. BUT AS SEASONAL VACCINES. THAT CAN BE TAKEN EVER SO MANY MONTHS. HE HOPES THIS WILL HELP”,”video_id”:”2017711171629_378″,”video_length”:”124792″,”video_provider”:”mpx”,”short_video_excerpt”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_low”:”bFV7sCpmHQRz”,”pid_streaming_web_mobile_low”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_standard”:”gTZ4oNE4exZL”,”pid_streaming_mobile_standard”:”3fYel_hLjrNJ”,”alleypack_schedule_unpublish”:””,”feed_remote_id”:”mpx_2017711171629″,”feed_thumbnail_url”:”” ” data-livestream=”false” data-title=”‘New Normal’: Where We Are in the COVID Pandemic” data-vidcid=”1:5:2681534″ data-vidurl=”https://www.nbcboston.com/on-air/as-seen-on/new-normal-where-we-are-in-the-covid-pandemic/2681534/” data-islead=”false” data-catnames=” “1813”:”On Air”,”1814″:”As Seen On”,”206944″:”News”,”248634″:”Coronavirus Pandemic”,”705″:”Local” ” data-tagnames=” “519758”:”BA.2″,”49″:”BOSTON”,”241040″:”coronavirus”,”517060″:”covid wastewater data”,”246083″:”COVID-19″,”124″:”Massachusetts”,”477934″:”omicron”,”248044″:”vaccine”,”562931″:”wastewater data” ” data-customdata=” “ContentPartner”:”None”,”Source”:”WEBFM”,”SyndicationAllowed”:”true”,”mSNVideoCategories”:”MSN Video v4 Connector-most watched news”,”mSNVideoContentSupplierID”:”NBC_Local”,”mSNVideoCountry”:”us”,”subtitle”:”nosubtitle”,”uploadedByTeam”:”1″,”youtubeChannel”:”None” ” data-autoplay=”false” data-cplay=”true” When will we see a surge? I think we are sort of seeing it now, Doron said. The question is does it look like our Alpha bump from this time last year or does it create a double spike? Given how unpredictable this virus is, we just cannot say what is going to happen and we have to be prepared. Part of that preparation is that we actually need the funding for all of the tools that we have. But those tools only exist for everyone, if they are funded for everyone. Assoumou echoed her colleague, adding that the year is not 2020 and the U.S, therefore, has the necessary tools to combat any potential surge in cases. I am hoping that we’ve learned and that we are going to keep using our surveillance to monitor and use those tools that we know are going to be critical to prevent large surges and deaths. Assoumou said. We have vaccines, we should be telling the public about these treatments to prevent hospitalization and death. testing, we have a lot of tools in our disposal so that we prevent lockdowns. We have tools and we have to be vigilant. More from this series Massachusetts Mar 31 As COVID Wastewater Levels Rise, Should We Expect Another Surge? coronavirus Mar 30 What Does the FDA Halt on Certain COVID Antibody Treatments Mean for Patients? (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/should-we-be-worried-about-chinas-covid-lockdown-doctors-explain/2683579/)

Highly Contagious Variant Drives 92 of NY-Area Cases, One of Highest US Transmission Rates

What to Know According to the CDC, omicron variant, BA.2, now accounts for 84 of COVID circulating in the New York area right now, up from 39 two weeks ago. It’s also now the dominant U.S. strain New York City’s daily case average, meanwhile, is up 39 over the rolling average for the prior four weeks, but COVID hospitalizations and deaths remain on a steady decline as the recovery continues Still, the latest case increases are a fraction of what they were during omicron’s ascendance and peak in January, which is why officials urge context when assessing the numbers; testing is also slightly up again The so-called stealth omicron variant BA.2, which is fueling a fresh COVID case uptick locally, nationally and abroad, now accounts for more than 92 of virus circulating in the New York region, a significantly higher prevalence than its national share and another marked increase in the last week, according to new CDC data. It is also driving the vast majority of new infections in New York City, data shows. And Manhattan’s transmission rate per 100,000 residents is the highest of all boroughs. For the CDC’s New York area, which for the agency’s purposes includes New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands along with the Empire State, that 92 number is up from 84 last week and 52 two weeks before that. It represents only positive COVID samples that are genetically sequenced to isolate variants, which means the actual prevalence is likely to be much higher, experts say. New York, for example, has sequenced about 3.43 of all positive samples submitted to labs over the course of the COVID pandemic, CDC data shows. That’s a lower percentage than the share among some of the highest-volume case states throughout the crisis like California but higher than Florida. In New York City, health department data puts BA.2 at 85 of positive COVID samples tested, but that data is a week behind that provided by the CDC. Officials say the omicron subvariant now accounts for most cases in the five boroughs. Just how many cases are attributed to BA.2 may never be known. The city says 13 of all positive samples were sequenced in the latest week of data, a slight drop from the previous week but still trending high compared with earlier this year. It’s not clear from the city’s health department page how many have been sequenced cumulatively. The state also intensely stepped up its variant surveillance efforts before the omicron wave started late last year. New York’s breakthrough case rates have seen an uptick in recent weeks, but it’s not clear what is responsible. The increase could reflect waning vaccine efficacy among some who have yet to be boosted or another cause. Most importantly, the age-adjusted vaccine effectiveness rate in terms of new hospitalizations hasn’t shifted in a statistically significant way. Nationally, less than a half percent of America’s nearly 80 million COVID cases to date have been genomically sequenced and made publicly available, CDC data shows, which likely reflects the exhaustive process that work entails. As of Tuesday’s update, BA.2 is about 86 of all national positive COVID samples genomically sequenced in the latest two-week data period, up from 72.2 in the CDC’s prior weekly update and from 35 in the one two weeks before that. ON THE COVID FRONT, THE BHA. ON THE COVID FRONT, THE BHA. 2 FRONT, COVID VARIANT IS THE LAERGE LARGEST. CASES ARE INCHING UP. CASES ARE INCHING UP. THE SUBVARIANT IS OUT. “TODAY IN NEW YORK u2019S ” MYLES MILLER. THE COLLEGE IN CROWN HEIGHTS. GETTING PEOPLE VACCINATED REMAINS IMPORTANT. WE u2019RE TALKING ABOUT A SECOND BOOSTER SHOT. THAT u2019S RIGHT. THE SECOND BOOSTER SHOT NOW BEING OFFERED HERE AT MEDGAR EDWARDS COLLEGE AT 8 THIS MORNING. IT u2019S A STATE-RUN SITE. THE GOVERNOR TELLING US JUST A FEW DAYS AGO THAT THE STATE WILL FEW DAYS AGO THAT THE STATE WILL FOLLOW THE NEW CDC GUIDELINES. THAT MEANS PEOPLE 50 AND OLDER, ADULTS WHO RECEIVED THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON SHOT AND IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PEOPLE 12 YEARS AND OLDER, IF THEY u2019VE HAD THEIR LAST BOOSTER DOSE FOUR MONTHS AGO. NOW IT COMES AS COVID CASES ARE SLOWLY STARTING TO RISE HERE IN SLOWLY STARTING TO RISE HERE IN THE CITY BECAUSE OF THOSE RISES IN CASES, CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 2 AND 4 YEARS OLD ARE BEING ASKED THEIR PARENTS ARE BEING ASKED TO CONTINUE TO PUT MASK ON THEM AS THEY GO TO SCHOOLS AND DAY CARES ACROSS THE CITY. IT COMES AFTER AN APPELLANT COURT ISSUED A STAY FRIDAY NIGHT KEEPING THE TODDLER MANDATE IN PLACE. THE CITY IS APPEALING AFTER A THE CITY IS APPEALING AFTER A STATEN ISLAND JUDGE ISSUED AN INJUNCTION AGAINST THE RULE AND THE CITY u2019S HEALTH COMMISSIONER SAYING THIS MORNING MASKS ARE STILL RECOMMENDED INDOORS. AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, THE AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, THE SITE IS SET UP HERE AT MEDGAR SITE IS SET UP HERE AT MEDGAR MEDGAREVERS COLLEGE. THEY WANT PEOPLE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD TO GET VACCINATED. THE PLACES THAT REALLY STILL HAVE THE ISSUE ABOUT VACCINATIONS INCLUDE THIS DISTRICT HERE IN CROWN HEIGHTS. IT u2019S ONE OF THE SITES THEY u2019VE SET UP AND GAVE PRIORITY BY ZIP SET UP AND GAVE PRIORITY BY ZIP CODE WHEN ALL OF THIS WAS BEING ROLLED OUT. ROLLED OUT. IT u2019S ALSO WHERE I GOT MY FIRST DOSE. AS THIS NEW SUBVARIANT AS THIS NEW SUBVARIANT SPREADS, NATURALLY PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. TO HELP ARREST SOME OF THOSE WORRIES, WE HAVE THE DEAN OF THE CUNY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. CUNY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. GOOD MORNING, GUS. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. LET u2019S BEGIN WITH THE COVID SUBVARIANT BA. 2. ARE WE GOING TO SEE ANOTHER WAVE LIKE WE SAW DURING THE HOLIDAYS AND JANUARY? AND JANUARY? TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IT u2019S VERY LIKELY THAT WE WILL. THERE ARE ALREADY 17 COUNTIES THERE ARE ALREADY 17 COUNTIES AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE REACHED THE LEVEL WHERE THE MASK MANDATE BY THE CDC IS INACTIVE. OF THOSE, THREE ARE IN NEW YORK. CENTRAL NEW YORK WE HAVE SEVERAL COUNTIES. THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES WARRANTS FOR THE GOVERNOR TO MANDATE MASK WEARING AGAIN. WEARING AGAIN. THE CASES ARE 38 PER 100,000 WHICH IS ALMOST DOUBLE FOR THE REST OF THE STATE. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN USING THAT TERMINOLOGY OF ENDEMIC BUT ENDEMIC MEANS NO PREVALENCE, ENDEMIC MEANS NO PREVALENCE, CONSTANTLY LOW PLEF VA LENS CIRCULATING AMONG US. I DON u2019T BELIEVE WE HAVE REACHED I DON u2019T BELIEVE WE HAVE REACHED THAT STATE BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW ARE CYCLIC RESURGE AGAINST. SO I WOULD CALL PRECAUTION. SO I WOULD CALL PRECAUTION. DEFINITELY THOSE THAT ARE NOW DEFINITELY THOSE THAT ARE NOW QUALIFIED. THOSE RECEIVING THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON AND A BOOSTER, THEY ARE QUALIFIED FOR A SECOND BOOSTER. I WOULD RECOMMEND BEING VERY CAREFUL AND EVEN IF THE MANDATES FOR MASKS IN OUR COUNTY OR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ARE NOT THERE, THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ARE NOT THERE, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE WILL NOT PRACTICE FIRST AND FOREMOST SAFETY. THE BOOSTER, YOU GOT IT. HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO THE FIRST BOOSTER? IS IT THE SAME SHOT? DOWN THE LINE DO YOU RECOMMEND EVERYONE GETTING IT IF THE CDC GUIDANCE CHANGES? YEAH. I THOUGHT IT WAS EASIER THAN THE LAST ONE. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF REDNESS AND JUST A LITTLE BIT OF REDNESS AND VERY LITTLE PAIN WHERE THE SHOT WAS GIVEN BUT I FOUND IT EASIER THAN THE PREVIOUS SHOTS. I THINK EVENTUALLY WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE A VACCINE THAT HAS MORE LASTING IMMUNITY. THE MESSENGER mRNA HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING THAT WAY, MEANING THAT EVERY SIX MONTHS IT SEEMS THAT EVERY SIX MONTHS IT SEEMS LIKE IMMUNITY WANES ENOUGH THAT YOU NEED TO GET ANOTHER SHOT. THERE ARE OTHER VACCINE TECHNOLOGIES, RECOMBINANT PROTEIN IS BEING TESTED IN TEXAS, IN HOUSTON. NEW VACCINES AND I HOPE NEW TECHNOLOGIES WILL ALLOW US TO AT LEAST BE PROTECTED FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO TIRE OF A SHOT EVERY SIX MONTHS. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE VERY IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE VERY REALISTIC IN THE LONG RUN. I u2019M HOPING FOR SOMETHING BETTER. DOCTOR, WE APPRECIATE YOUR”,”video_id”:”2019308099685_212″,”video_length”:”351318″,”video_provider”:”mpx”,”short_video_excerpt”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_low”:”xUEvulKPVY8V”,”pid_streaming_web_mobile_low”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_standard”:”bsn9TOZSvZ9t”,”pid_streaming_mobile_standard”:”vqZiyJHjhErr”,”alleypack_schedule_unpublish”:””,”feed_remote_id”:”mpx_2019308099685″,”feed_thumbnail_url”:”” ” data-livestream=”false” data-title=”New COVID Wave? Doc Answers Questions on BA.2, That 2nd Booster and More” data-vidcid=”1:2:3628340″ data-vidurl=”https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/new-covid-wave-doc-answers-questions-on-ba-2-that-2nd-booster-and-more/3628340/” data-islead=”false” data-catnames=” “64”:”News”,”680747″:”Coronavirus Pandemic” ” data-tagnames=” “866633”:”ba.2″,”776565″:”booster shot”,”760697″:”booster shots”,”688082″:”coronavirus vaccine”,”677579″:”COVID-19″,”872734″:”faq”,”821358″:”Omicron Variant” ” data-customdata=” “ContentPartner”:”None”,”Source”:”WEBFM”,”SyndicationAllowed”:”true”,”mSNVideoCategories”:”MSN Video v4 Connector-most watched news”,”mSNVideoContentSupplierID”:”NBC_Local”,”mSNVideoCountry”:”us”,”subtitle”:”nosubtitle”,”uploadedByTeam”:”1″,”youtubeChannel”:”None” ” data-autoplay=”false” data-cplay=”true” BA.2 is said to be inherently more transmissible than the original omicron strain perhaps the most contagious form of the virus to date, according to a WHO official but has not been scientifically linked to more severe cases or proven to be more vaccine-resistant to this point, which is cause for caution but no alarm, experts say. Anecdotally, reported symptoms are often exceptionally mild like those common with an innocuous cold that wouldn’t otherwise lay people out. In the case of BA.2, though, positive tests could last for days, complicating matters for a city and a country fervently trying to reassert its footing amid the pandemic recovery effort. The five boroughs’ daily case average, meanwhile, is up 38 over the rolling average for the prior four weeks, but reflects only an increase of 521 total cases in terms of raw numbers. COVID hospitalizations and deaths remain on the decline. Those rolling metrics have dropped by 11 and 60 compared with the averages for the previous four weeks, and while hospitalizations and deaths are known lagging factors, officials say they don’t expect any new severe case surge. Why not? Well, look at the raw numbers. That 60 decline in deaths is the difference between five and two fatalities, and the difference in hospitalizations is three patients. The latest case highs are markedly below what they were just two months ago, for one. The city’s rolling new case rate per 100,000 people of 158.45 is up from 125.84 a week ago but down 95 from the 3,115.97 per 100,000 reported on Jan. 9. Manhattan has seen the highest transmission jumps in recent weeks, with the borough reporting a rolling case average per 100,000 residents that is 87 higher than the citywide average and the highest of any of the five boroughs. Manhattan accounts for all but one of the top 10 ZIP codes in terms of rolling percent positivity, according to the latest health department, though Long Island City in Queens leads the pack. Again, the raw data tells a more complete picture. In the Long Island City ZIP code with the city’s highest rolling positivity rate right now, it’s a 27-case increase. In TriBeca, No. 2 on that metric, it’s a 29-case difference and just 12 for the Financial District’s 10004. NYC Rolling Percent Positivity by ZIP Code COVID transmission trends in NYC by ZIP code Ultimately, officials say BA.2’s dominance was expected and it’s expected that some other COVID variant will take its turn, too. That doesn’t necessarily exacerbate community risk. In the city, the alert level is still low. It doesn’t get any lower. Nationally, just 19 of America’s more than 3,200 counties are considered high risk by the CDC, based on its recently debuted community level threat tracker. More than 95 of U.S. counties, including all five in New York City and the entire states of neighboring New Jersey and Connecticut, are considered low risk as well. Parts of Central New York, though, like Onondaga and Cayuga counties, are now in the CDC’s high-risk zone and some surrounding areas have turned yellow recently. New York’s Department of Health on Wednesday announced the emergence of new subvariants of BA.2 which officials believe have fueled the sharp increase in Central New York and the surrounding areas. Data from March in those regions shows that the two subvariants were prevalent in more than 70 percent of cases in Central New York. In April, the rate has shot up to more than 90 percent of cases making the findings the first reported instances of significant community spread caused by the new subvariants in the U.S. Given the upticks, the feds plan to extend the nationwide travel mask mandate another two weeks at least, sources with knowledge of the decision said on Wednesday. Though infections are rising, most counties still have low levels of transmission and hospitalizations, which means people who live in those areas don’t need to wear masks indoors under CDC public health guidance. Dr. Anthony Fauci said this week COVID will continue to circulate in communities for the foreseeable future, and people will have to make their own decisions about the risk they’re willing to take based on their age and health status. The CDC tracks COVID on a community level basis. (https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/highly-contagious-variant-drives-92-of-ny-area-cases-manhattan-transmission-rate-nearly-2x-city-average/3641731/)

Illinois Coronavirus Updates: BA.2 Subvariant in Chicago, Pandemic’s Impact on Teen Mental Health

The BA.2 omicron subvariant is now accounting for more than half the COVID-19 cases across Chicago, according to the city’s top doctor. Meanwhile, a new study from the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than 40 of high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless over the last two years in the pandemic. Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today: Coronavirus in Illinois: 8K New Cases, 87 Deaths in Last Week as Cases Slightly Climb Illinois health officials reported 8,426 new COVID-19 cases over the past week, along with 87 additional deaths, marking a small increase in cases following weeks of decline, but a continued decline in deaths. The previous week, the state reported 8,039 and 109 deaths. The week before that, 7,467 new cases and 123 deaths were reported. In all, 3,069,650 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the state since the pandemic began, according to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The additional deaths bring the state to 33,394 confirmed COVID fatalities. Read more here. More Than 40 of High Schoolers Felt ‘Persistently’ Sad, Hopeless During COVID Pandemic: CDC A landmark study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than one-third of high school students said they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, while nearly half said they felt persistently sad or hopeless over the last two years. According to the survey, 44 of high school students said they felt persistently sad or hopeless during the COVID pandemic. Officials say 37 of students said they experienced poor mental health over the last year. Read more here. BA.2 Omicron Subvariant Is Dominant COVID Strain in Chicago, Top Doctor Says The BA.2 omicron subvariant is accounting for more than half the COVID-19 cases across Chicago as of Thursday, as the city continues to monitor the widespread strain, according to the city’s top doctor. Just as projected, we were estimating that approximately by the end of the month we would have seen the majority, meaning more than 50, of our cases here in Chicago and in the Midwest, being that omicron BA.2, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Thursday. And in fact that’s exactly where we are, 50.4. Read more here. COVID Vaccine Booster Shots: What to Know as 4th Dose Approved for Some Federal regulators have approved a second booster shot of the COVID vaccine, for certain groups, so who is now eligible and what can you expect with the fourth dose? Here’s a breakdown of what we know so far. Chicago to Continue Monitoring BA.2 Omicron Subvariant, Seeing Uptick in COVID Cases Chicago officials are continuing to monitor the BA.2 omicron subvariant as the city sees a slight increase in COVID-19 cases and test positivity over the past week, the health department said Wednesday. Despite the uptick, the Chicago Department of Public Health said the city remains in good control over the outbreak after lifting mask and vaccine requirements about one month ago. Read more here. BA.2 Symptoms, Protection and More: What We Know as Omicron Subvariant Grows News about the BA.2 omicron subvariant continues to grow as it becomes the dominant COVID strain not just in the Midwest but across the U.S., but what should you be watching for? Experts say what happens in the next few weeks in the U.S. could be critical to whether or not the U.S. will follow in Europe’s footsteps as several countries report outbreaks similar to levels seen during Chicago’s omicron surge in January. So what is BA.2, what are the symptoms associated with it, where has it been detected and how contagious is it? Here’s a breakdown. BA.2’stealth Omicron’ Subvariant Now the Dominant COVID Strain in the Midwest: CDC According to new estimates released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the BA.2 subvariant of COVID-19, otherwise known as stealth omicron, is now the dominant strain of the virus in the Midwest and in the United States. The data, released Tuesday, reflects estimates of COVID cases diagnosed between March 19 and March 26, according to the CDC’s website. Read more here. FDA OKs Another Pfizer, Moderna COVID Booster for 50 and Up U.S. regulators on Tuesday authorized another COVID-19 booster for people age 50 and older, a step to offer extra protection for the most vulnerable in case the coronavirus rebounds. The Food and Drug Administration’s decision opens a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to those people at least four months after their previous booster. Read more here. Illinois COVID Regions: Metrics Show Slight Upticks in Suburban Chicago Communities While most of the state of Illinois is seeing stability or even downward trends in COVID metrics, several Chicago-area communities are seeing slight upticks in positivity rates in recent days. According to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the highest positivity rate among the state’s 11 health care regions is in Region 8, comprised of Kane and DuPage counties. Read more here. Illinois to Stop COVID Testing at 10 State Sites Citing a sharp drop in the demand for COVID-19 testing services, Illinois’ health department announced plans to stop operating such sites in the state at the end of the month. According to health officials, the sites are running less than 1 percent of the tests being conducted statewide. The number of daily tests conducted at these sites is on track to be the lowest on record with each site seeing fewer than 50 individuals per day, according to IDPH data G, the health department states. Given the availability of free at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government, the statewide network of federally qualified health centers and the extensive number of SHIELD saliva testing sites throughout Illinois, there are ample, convenient opportunities for Illinois residents to obtain access to a test if needed. The department said the state is currently strongly positioned to respond to a potential surge, however. The 10 locations will stop operating for testing, vaccinations or both after March 31. Locations include: Aurora, Arlington Heights, South Holland, Fairview Heights, Peoria, Bloomington, Champaign, Harwood Heights, Rockford and Waukegan. How Much More Transmissible is BA.2 Than Omicron? Here’s What Doctors Say As the BA.2 omicron subvariant spreads in parts of the U.S., some are wondering about its transmissibility, specifically if BA.2 is more contagious than the original omicron strain. BA.2 has been steadily growing as a proportion of the COVID variants circulating in the U.S. since Feb. 5, when it represented about 1 of genetically sequenced virus samples, according to data published this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though BA.2 is rising in the U.S., leading public health officials are not expecting another dramatic surge in cases, largely due to the level of immunity from vaccination and the fierce outbreak during the winter omicron wave. Read more here. How Long Should You Quarantine With COVID? Here’s What the CDC Recommends As coronavirus cases start to tick upward in some parts of the United States, residents are seeking out reminders of what to do in the event that they are exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19. The BA.2 subvariant of omicron is driving upward trends in cases in numerous locations, including in the Midwest. According to the latest data from the CDC, the omicron variant is still the dominant strain of the virus in the U.S., with the BA.2 subvariant, otherwise known as stealth omicron, making up approximately 35 of cases in the last week. In the Midwest, the BA.2 subvariant is estimated to be responsible for more than 30 of new COVID cases within the last week. So what should you do if you are exposed to someone with COVID? It depends on whether or not you are up-to-date on your vaccinations. Here’s what you need to know. Chicago Travel Advisory: COVID Precautions Advised in 9 of US Under New Guidance The Chicago Department of Public Health on Friday urged COVID-19 precautions in areas of the country considered medium or high risk by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as it unveiled new travel advisory recommendations to align with federal guidelines. CDPH issued a news release, explaining it adjusted Chicago’s travel advisory to match the CDC’s county level guidance, which gives more weight to hospitalizations and hospital capacity, rather that strictly case numbers. Under the new protocols, counties are either considered low, medium or high risk for COVID transmission. In medium risk areas, people should consider wearing a mask in indoor public spaces, according to health officials. While in communities deemed high risk, people are advised to wear a mask in such settings. Read more here. What are the Symptoms of the Omicron Subvariant BA.2? Here’s What Experts Say So Far Months after the U.S. experienced a surge in cases of the omicron variant, focus has turned to different strain BA.2, a subvariant of omicron, also referred to as stealth omicron. BA.2 captured attention as it spawned a rise in infections in Europe earlier this month, and in recent weeks, case numbers have risen in New York City, where BA.2 appears to be on track to taking over as the dominant strain. As of March 19, the subvariant accounted for nearly 35 of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., a roughly 12 increase from the week prior, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In recent days, case numbers have also gone up in the Midwest. According to the CDC, the BA.2 subvariant made up just over 30 of new COVID cases in a six-state area, including Illinois, over the week ending March 19. The complete story can be found here. (https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/illinois-coronavirus-updates-ba-2-subvariant-in-chicago-pandemics-impact-on-teen-mental-health/2796880/)

Illinois Coronavirus Updates: Chicago Monitoring BA.2 Subvariant, 2nd COVID Booster Shots Latest

Chicago officials are continuing to monitor the BA.2 omicron subvariant as the city sees a slight increase in COVID-19 cases and test positivity over the past week, according to the health department. Meanwhile, federal regulators have authorized a second COVID booster shot for certain groups of people. Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today: COVID Vaccine Booster Shots: What to Know as 4th Dose Approved for Some Federal regulators have approved a second booster shot of the COVID vaccine, for certain groups, so who is now eligible and what can you expect with the fourth dose? Here’s a breakdown of what we know so far. Chicago to Continue Monitoring BA.2 Omicron Subvariant, Seeing Uptick in COVID Cases Chicago officials are continuing to monitor the BA.2 omicron subvariant as the city sees a slight increase in COVID-19 cases and test positivity over the past week, the health department said Wednesday. Despite the uptick, the Chicago Department of Public Health said the city remains in good control over the outbreak after lifting mask and vaccine requirements about one month ago. Read more here. BA.2 Symptoms, Protection and More: What We Know as Omicron Subvariant Grows News about the BA.2 omicron subvariant continues to grow as it becomes the dominant COVID strain not just in the Midwest but across the U.S., but what should you be watching for? Experts say what happens in the next few weeks in the U.S. could be critical to whether or not the U.S. will follow in Europe’s footsteps as several countries report outbreaks similar to levels seen during Chicago’s omicron surge in January. So what is BA.2, what are the symptoms associated with it, where has it been detected and how contagious is it? Here’s a breakdown. BA.2’stealth Omicron’ Subvariant Now the Dominant COVID Strain in the Midwest: CDC According to new estimates released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the BA.2 subvariant of COVID-19, otherwise known as stealth omicron, is now the dominant strain of the virus in the Midwest and in the United States. The data, released Tuesday, reflects estimates of COVID cases diagnosed between March 19 and March 26, according to the CDC’s website. Read more here. FDA OKs Another Pfizer, Moderna COVID Booster for 50 and Up U.S. regulators on Tuesday authorized another COVID-19 booster for people age 50 and older, a step to offer extra protection for the most vulnerable in case the coronavirus rebounds. The Food and Drug Administration’s decision opens a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to those people at least four months after their previous booster. Read more here. Illinois COVID Regions: Metrics Show Slight Upticks in Suburban Chicago Communities While most of the state of Illinois is seeing stability or even downward trends in COVID metrics, several Chicago-area communities are seeing slight upticks in positivity rates in recent days. According to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the highest positivity rate among the state’s 11 health care regions is in Region 8, comprised of Kane and DuPage counties. Read more here. Illinois to Stop COVID Testing at 10 State Sites Citing a sharp drop in the demand for COVID-19 testing services, Illinois’ health department announced plans to stop operating such sites in the state at the end of the month. According to health officials, the sites are running less than 1 percent of the tests being conducted statewide. The number of daily tests conducted at these sites is on track to be the lowest on record with each site seeing fewer than 50 individuals per day, according to IDPH data G, the health department states. Given the availability of free at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government, the statewide network of federally qualified health centers and the extensive number of SHIELD saliva testing sites throughout Illinois, there are ample, convenient opportunities for Illinois residents to obtain access to a test if needed. The department said the state is currently strongly positioned to respond to a potential surge, however. The 10 locations will stop operating for testing, vaccinations or both after March 31. Locations include: Aurora, Arlington Heights, South Holland, Fairview Heights, Peoria, Bloomington, Champaign, Harwood Heights, Rockford and Waukegan. How Much More Transmissible is BA.2 Than Omicron? Here’s What Doctors Say As the BA.2 omicron subvariant spreads in parts of the U.S., some are wondering about its transmissibility, specifically if BA.2 is more contagious than the original omicron strain. BA.2 has been steadily growing as a proportion of the COVID variants circulating in the U.S. since Feb. 5, when it represented about 1 of genetically sequenced virus samples, according to data published this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though BA.2 is rising in the U.S., leading public health officials are not expecting another dramatic surge in cases, largely due to the level of immunity from vaccination and the fierce outbreak during the winter omicron wave. Read more here. FDA Expected to Authorize a Second COVID Booster Shot This Week The Food and Drug Administration could authorize a second COVID-19 vaccine booster early this week, according to two people with knowledge of the plan. The move comes amid early signs that the U.S. could soon experience another Covid wave as the omicron subvariant, known as BA.2, spreads throughout Europe and other parts of the world. Other countries, including the U.K., Chile, Israel and Sweden, already allow for a fourth vaccine for certain vulnerable populations. Earlier this month, Moderna asked the FDA to authorize a fourth Covid shot for all adults, following Pfizer-BioNTech’s request for a second booster for people 65 and older. Both companies said protection from the initial booster weakened after a few months. Additional information is available here. How Long Should You Quarantine With COVID? Here’s What the CDC Recommends As coronavirus cases start to tick upward in some parts of the United States, residents are seeking out reminders of what to do in the event that they are exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19. The BA.2 subvariant of omicron is driving upward trends in cases in numerous locations, including in the Midwest. According to the latest data from the CDC, the omicron variant is still the dominant strain of the virus in the U.S., with the BA.2 subvariant, otherwise known as stealth omicron, making up approximately 35 of cases in the last week. In the Midwest, the BA.2 subvariant is estimated to be responsible for more than 30 of new COVID cases within the last week. So what should you do if you are exposed to someone with COVID? It depends on whether or not you are up-to-date on your vaccinations. Here’s what you need to know. Chicago Travel Advisory: COVID Precautions Advised in 9 of US Under New Guidance The Chicago Department of Public Health on Friday urged COVID-19 precautions in areas of the country considered medium or high risk by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as it unveiled new travel advisory recommendations to align with federal guidelines. CDPH issued a news release, explaining it adjusted Chicago’s travel advisory to match the CDC’s county level guidance, which gives more weight to hospitalizations and hospital capacity, rather that strictly case numbers. Under the new protocols, counties are either considered low, medium or high risk for COVID transmission. In medium risk areas, people should consider wearing a mask in indoor public spaces, according to health officials. While in communities deemed high risk, people are advised to wear a mask in such settings. Read more here. What are the Symptoms of the Omicron Subvariant BA.2? Here’s What Experts Say So Far Months after the U.S. experienced a surge in cases of the omicron variant, focus has turned to different strain BA.2, a subvariant of omicron, also referred to as stealth omicron. BA.2 captured attention as it spawned a rise in infections in Europe earlier this month, and in recent weeks, case numbers have risen in New York City, where BA.2 appears to be on track to taking over as the dominant strain. As of March 19, the subvariant accounted for nearly 35 of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., a roughly 12 increase from the week prior, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In recent days, case numbers have also gone up in the Midwest. According to the CDC, the BA.2 subvariant made up just over 30 of new COVID cases in a six-state area, including Illinois, over the week ending March 19. The complete story can be found here. (https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/illinois-coronavirus-updates-chicago-monitoring-ba-2-subvariant-2nd-covid-booster-shots-latest/2796007/)

NYC Starts 2nd COVID Boosters Today: What to Know About Eligibility, Where to Go

What to Know NYC-run COVID sites are offering second COVID booster doses Thursday, based on the latest federal guidance; shots are open to people aged 50 and up or with weakened immune systems At this point, NYC health officials urge that people who are eligible for a booster at least get one if they haven’t done so yet; like the CDC, they’re not fully recommending 4th doses ASAP for all now eligible The authorization comes as omicron subvariant BA.2 fuels fresh worries over the COVID pandemic; cases are rising but hospitalizations and deaths are still down and experts don’t expect a huge surge New York City-run COVID sites are officially offering second booster shots for eligible people starting Thursday, a day after initially turning some away as health officials ironed out the guidelines. Retail pharmacies are also on board. The CDC endorsed the FDA’s authorization of the fourth shot for Pfizer and Moderna recipients age 50 and older who are at least four months out from their most recent vaccine dose. The federal agency didn’t quite all-out recommend the second booster in its endorsement but suggested it as an option. The response was similar in New York City, where health officials late Wednesday announced their plans to distribute the shots while saying everyone should get at least one booster if they haven’t done so yet. Naturally, there are questions. Am I Eligible for a Second Booster Dose in NYC? New York City is following the CDC booster guidelines around eligibility, which apply to anyone 50 and older who had their last dose at least four months ago. For the more than 4 million Americans who got Moderna or Pfizer as their second shot, the CDC says an additional booster is only necessary if they meet the newest criteria a severely weakened immune system or are 50 or older. Until now, the FDA had allowed a fourth vaccine dose only for the immune-compromised as young as 12. Only the Pfizer vaccine can be used in those as young as 12; Moderna’s is for adults. Any adults who received Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccines and a booster shot four months ago can also get another dose. Learn more about potential side effects from the second booster and the latest plans for people not currently eligible in this round right here. Great, I’m Eligible. Where Can I Get One? New York City’s sprawling public sites are open for second booster doses as of Thursday, though it’s not immediately clear if every single site plans to offer them. You’ve probably got a good shot walking in or making appointments at sites closest to you to get the fourth dose, given there’s been no dramatic influx of vaccine-seekers in recent weeks compared with earlier in the pandemic. It wasn’t immediately clear if the city planned to open new pop-up sites to accommodate the rollout. Pharmacies, meanwhile, are also ready to assist. Rite Aid says all of its New York locations are now administering second boosters of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Walk-ins and appointments are accepted. CVS is also accepting second booster dose seekers via walk-in or appointment. Learn more about how to schedule one at that pharmacy network here. As for Walgreens, it says it is now accepting walk-ins for second boosters across its network. Online scheduling for those shots opens up on Friday. If none of those options work for you, you’re advised to consult your primary care physician or doctor network about getting a shot at one of those facilities. More Coverage covid booster shot 20 hours ago COVID Second Booster Shots: Who’s Eligible, When Can You Get One COVID-19 Mar 29 ‘stealth’ Omicron Now Eyed in 71 of Local Infections, Dominates US as NYC Cases Climbs COVID-19 Mar 29 Majority of U.S. Population Has Covid Antibodies, CDC Says Here’s What That Means for You What Should I Know About BA.2 in NYC? The new boosters come as vaccine demand rises, especially with infection trends rising yet again. New cases and positivity rates are inching up in New York City nowhere near where they were three months ago, but still, on the rise. Transmission rates are rising, especially in Manhattan, up 40 in just the last week and nearly 100 in two weeks. In Tribeca, the positivity rate is now over 9, and multiple other neighborhoods in the city are nearing 7. In absolute terms, though, the number of infections is still a tiny fraction of what it was two or three months ago. And according to health officials, the groups seeing the highest increases aren’t eligible for another booster. The BA.2 variant, sometimes called stealth omicron, has now become dominant in the United States, fueling the rise in cases. Ultimately, officials say BA.2’s dominance was expected and it’s expected that some other COVID variant will take its turn, too. That doesn’t necessarily exacerbate community risk. In the city, the alert level is still low. BA.2 symptoms are similar to those experienced by people who contract other COVID strains, including fever or chills, runny nose and fatigue, among others. But much remains unknown about the subvariant to date. While the World Health Organization has said BA.2 is inherently more transmissible than the strain that came before it, there is no evidence at this point to indicate it is more vaccine-resistant or linked to more severe infections, which are far more critical benchmarks to city leaders. They’re not in alarmist mode. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. (https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/nyc-starts-2nd-covid-boosters-today-what-to-know-about-eligibility-where-to-go-side-effects-and-more/3624498/)

NYC Toddler Mask Mandate Can Remain in Place After Appeals Court Issues Stay

New York City’s mask mandate for children between the ages of 2-4 can remain in place after the city was granted a stay from an appeals court late Friday evening. The stay was issued after a Staten Island judge just hours earlier struck down New York City’s mask mandate for toddlers, calling it arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable and issuing a permanent injunction against it. Mayor Eric Adams said in a tweet after the stay was granted that every decision we make is with our children’s health and safety in mind, saying that the young children should continue to wear their masks in school and daycare come Monday. Adams had said that the city was going appeal in order to seek the stay of Judge Ralph Porzio’s ruling. Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said the city was not recommending that young kids ages 2-4 stop masking yet, and he sounded a broader note of caution too. Cases are definitively rising and it’s gotten our attention, he said. They will continue to rise over the next few weeks, and it’s likely that over these weeks, we will move into a different level of overall risk across the city. Vasan said he was recommending people wear masks in public, indoor settings. Reporter: DAVID, THIS IS ALL UNFOLDING IN AN UNUSUAL TIME WHEN THE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAID THAT COVID CASES ARE RISING SAID THAT COVID CASES ARE RISING PRETTY STEADILY ACROSS ALL FIVE BOROUGHS. THE MAYOR u2019S PLAN WAS TO KEEP THE THE MAYOR u2019S PLAN WAS TO KEEP THE TODDLER MASK MANDATE IN PLACE. THEN THE JUDGE STEPPED IN AND SAID THE MANDATE WAS NOT PROPER TO BEGIN WITH. THE CITY FILED AN APPEAL. FOR NOW THEY ARE SENDING STRONG ADVICE TO FAMILIES. HERE IS THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE MAYOR TO PARENTS OF CHILDREN UNDER 5. UNDER 5. YOU SHOULD KEEP YOUR MASK ON YOUR CHILDREN. Reporter: SHOULD BUT AS OF NOW THEY DON u2019T HAVE TO. NOW THEY DON u2019T HAVE TO. AFTER A STATEN ISLAND JUDGE BLOCKED THE SO-CALLED TODDLER MASK MANDATE FOR KIDS AGE 2 TO 4 CALLING THE CITY u2019S RULE ARBITRARY, KPRISHCAPRICIOUS, AND UNREASONABLE. OF COURSE WE u2019LL COMPLY WITH ANY RULING FROM THE JUDGE. OUR LEGAL TEAM IS GOING TO PUT OUR LEGAL TEAM IS GOING TO PUT IN PLACE AN APPEAL AND ASK FOR A STAY. Reporter: THE CITY HEALTH COMMISSIONER SAID EVEN IF IT IS NO LONGER REQUIRED, MASKS SHOULD NO LONGER REQUIRED, MASKS SHOULD REMAIN AN INDOOR HABIT FOR NOW. YOU u2019LL NOTICE TODAY I MYSELF AM WEARING A MASK, BECAUSE IT IS WHAT I AM RECOMMENDING NEW YORKERS DO IN PUBLIC INDOOR SETTINGS ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE UNCERTAIN OF VACCINATION STATUS OF THOSE AROUND YOU. OF THOSE AROUND YOU. Reporter: THE DOCTOR SAID THE RISE OF AN OMICRON SUB VARIANT CALLED BA.2 HAS LED TO A SPIKE IN COVID CASES ACROSS THE CITY. SO FAR NOT A RISE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS. PARENTS OF DAYCARE AGED KIDS LIKE 2-YEAR-OLD VIHON GOT THE MESSAGE I THINK THAT IS A GOOD IDEA ESPECIALLY AT DAYCARES AND SCHOOLS BECAUSE THE KIDS TEND TO GET SICK A LOT AND TRANSMIT THE GET SICK A LOT AND TRANSMIT THE VIRUS MORE EASILY AND THE MASK SEEMS TO DO SOMETHING TO PREVENT THAT. Reporter: THE LATE Reporter: THE LATE DEVELOPMENT ON MASK GUIDANCE AND ASSESSMENT THAT COVID CASES COULD RISE THROUGH MUCH OF APRIL PERHAPS ADDING TO THE DEMAND FOR BOOSTER SHOTS. TODAY ON THE UPPER WEST SIDE WITH THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO LONGER AVAILABLE AS A VACCINE HUB, THESE SENIORS LINED VACCINE HUB, THESE SENIORS LINED UP FOR A SPOT ON THE VACCINE BUS. I THINK IT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH. WE HAVE TO GET OUR SHOTS WHEN THAT BECOMES AVAILABLE. Reporter: THE CITY u2019S LEGAL Reporter: THE CITY u2019S LEGAL DEPARTMENT FILED THE APPEAL IN SECOND APPELLATE DIVISION IN BROOKLYN, ASKING FOR AN EMERGENCY STAY SO A RULING COULD EMERGENCY STAY SO A RULING COULD”,”video_id”:”2019121731659_455″,”video_length”:”164164″,”video_provider”:”mpx”,”short_video_excerpt”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_low”:”0mGU27yd3MLX”,”pid_streaming_web_mobile_low”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_standard”:”iqjvaZJhw_Ie”,”pid_streaming_mobile_standard”:”uRz0V7vMNG5g”,”alleypack_schedule_unpublish”:””,”feed_remote_id”:”mpx_2019121731659″,”feed_thumbnail_url”:”” ” data-livestream=”false” data-title=”NYC Toddler Mask Mandate: City Will Fight Ruling That Ends Order” data-vidcid=”1:2:3627464″ data-vidurl=”https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/nyc-toddler-mask-mandate-city-will-fight-ruling-that-ends-order/3627464/” data-islead=”false” data-catnames=” “1444”:”On Air”,”1445″:”As Seen On”,”64″:”News”,”65″:”Local” ” data-tagnames=” “659906”:”as seen on” ” data-customdata=” “ContentPartner”:”None”,”Source”:”WEBFM”,”SyndicationAllowed”:”true”,”mSNVideoCategories”:”MSN Video v4 Connector-most watched news”,”mSNVideoContentSupplierID”:”NBC_Local”,”mSNVideoCountry”:”us”,”subtitle”:”nosubtitle”,”uploadedByTeam”:”1″,”youtubeChannel”:”None” ” data-autoplay=”false” data-cplay=”true” In a statement after the judge initially shot down the mandate, the city teachers union said that as the legal process continues, we need to keep the focus on other measures that are helping to keep schools safe encouraging vaccinations for those eligible, aggressive testing, and following cleaning and ventilation protocols. Things have changed since the mayor first announced a plan on March 22 to make masks optional as of April 4 for the youngest kids. Positivity rates and case totals are rising, and transmission rates in the city are up 19 over that time. The more critical metrics hospitalizations and deaths remain on the decline, and officials have said they don’t expect a new severe surge linked to BA.2. That said, the city is still erring on the side of caution. Right now, the community COVID alert level citywide is low, under the new benchmark system Adams unveiled earlier this month. It doesn’t get any lower. So far, the risk level hasn’t changed since the school mandate lifted on March 7, which the mayor called a great sign as he declared it time to peel back another layer. Kids younger than 2 have not been subject to mask mandates since the pandemic started. (https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/nyc-toddler-mask-mandate-can-remain-in-place-after-appeals-court-issues-stay/3627206/)

Illinois Coronavirus Updates: BA.2 Dominance, 2nd COVID Booster Approved for Some

The BA.2 omicron subvariant, also known as stealth omicron, is now the dominant COVID strain in the Midwest, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The shift comes as federal regulators authorize another COVID booster shot for certain groups. Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today: BA.2’stealth Omicron’ Subvariant Now the Dominant COVID Strain in the Midwest: CDC According to new estimates released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the BA.2 subvariant of COVID-19, otherwise known as stealth omicron, is now the dominant strain of the virus in the Midwest and in the United States. The data, released Tuesday, reflects estimates of COVID cases diagnosed between March 19 and March 26, according to the CDC’s website. Read more here. FDA OKs Another Pfizer, Moderna COVID Booster for 50 and Up U.S. regulators on Tuesday authorized another COVID-19 booster for people age 50 and older, a step to offer extra protection for the most vulnerable in case the coronavirus rebounds. The Food and Drug Administration’s decision opens a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to those people at least four months after their previous booster. Read more here. Illinois COVID Regions: Metrics Show Slight Upticks in Suburban Chicago Communities While most of the state of Illinois is seeing stability or even downward trends in COVID metrics, several Chicago-area communities are seeing slight upticks in positivity rates in recent days. According to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the highest positivity rate among the state’s 11 health care regions is in Region 8, comprised of Kane and DuPage counties. Read more here. Illinois to Stop COVID Testing at 10 State Sites Citing a sharp drop in the demand for COVID-19 testing services, Illinois’ health department announced plans to stop operating such sites in the state at the end of the month. According to health officials, the sites are running less than 1 percent of the tests being conducted statewide. The number of daily tests conducted at these sites is on track to be the lowest on record with each site seeing fewer than 50 individuals per day, according to IDPH data G, the health department states. Given the availability of free at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government, the statewide network of federally qualified health centers and the extensive number of SHIELD saliva testing sites throughout Illinois, there are ample, convenient opportunities for Illinois residents to obtain access to a test if needed. The department said the state is currently strongly positioned to respond to a potential surge, however. The 10 locations will stop operating for testing, vaccinations or both after March 31. Locations include: Aurora, Arlington Heights, South Holland, Fairview Heights, Peoria, Bloomington, Champaign, Harwood Heights, Rockford and Waukegan. How Much More Transmissible is BA.2 Than Omicron? Here’s What Doctors Say As the BA.2 omicron subvariant spreads in parts of the U.S., some are wondering about its transmissibility, specifically if BA.2 is more contagious than the original omicron strain. BA.2 has been steadily growing as a proportion of the COVID variants circulating in the U.S. since Feb. 5, when it represented about 1 of genetically sequenced virus samples, according to data published this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though BA.2 is rising in the U.S., leading public health officials are not expecting another dramatic surge in cases, largely due to the level of immunity from vaccination and the fierce outbreak during the winter omicron wave. Read more here. FDA Expected to Authorize a Second COVID Booster Shot This Week The Food and Drug Administration could authorize a second COVID-19 vaccine booster early this week, according to two people with knowledge of the plan. The move comes amid early signs that the U.S. could soon experience another Covid wave as the omicron subvariant, known as BA.2, spreads throughout Europe and other parts of the world. Other countries, including the U.K., Chile, Israel and Sweden, already allow for a fourth vaccine for certain vulnerable populations. Earlier this month, Moderna asked the FDA to authorize a fourth Covid shot for all adults, following Pfizer-BioNTech’s request for a second booster for people 65 and older. Both companies said protection from the initial booster weakened after a few months. Additional information is available here. How Long Should You Quarantine With COVID? Here’s What the CDC Recommends As coronavirus cases start to tick upward in some parts of the United States, residents are seeking out reminders of what to do in the event that they are exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19. The BA.2 subvariant of omicron is driving upward trends in cases in numerous locations, including in the Midwest. According to the latest data from the CDC, the omicron variant is still the dominant strain of the virus in the U.S., with the BA.2 subvariant, otherwise known as stealth omicron, making up approximately 35 of cases in the last week. In the Midwest, the BA.2 subvariant is estimated to be responsible for more than 30 of new COVID cases within the last week. So what should you do if you are exposed to someone with COVID? It depends on whether or not you are up-to-date on your vaccinations. Here’s what you need to know. Chicago Travel Advisory: COVID Precautions Advised in 9 of US Under New Guidance The Chicago Department of Public Health on Friday urged COVID-19 precautions in areas of the country considered medium or high risk by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as it unveiled new travel advisory recommendations to align with federal guidelines. CDPH issued a news release, explaining it adjusted Chicago’s travel advisory to match the CDC’s county level guidance, which gives more weight to hospitalizations and hospital capacity, rather that strictly case numbers. Under the new protocols, counties are either considered low, medium or high risk for COVID transmission. In medium risk areas, people should consider wearing a mask in indoor public spaces, according to health officials. While in communities deemed high risk, people are advised to wear a mask in such settings. Read more here. What are the Symptoms of the Omicron Subvariant BA.2? Here’s What Experts Say So Far Months after the U.S. experienced a surge in cases of the omicron variant, focus has turned to different strain BA.2, a subvariant of omicron, also referred to as stealth omicron. BA.2 captured attention as it spawned a rise in infections in Europe earlier this month, and in recent weeks, case numbers have risen in New York City, where BA.2 appears to be on track to taking over as the dominant strain. As of March 19, the subvariant accounted for nearly 35 of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., a roughly 12 increase from the week prior, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In recent days, case numbers have also gone up in the Midwest. According to the CDC, the BA.2 subvariant made up just over 30 of new COVID cases in a six-state area, including Illinois, over the week ending March 19. The complete story can be found here. (https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/illinois-coronavirus-updates-ba-2-dominance-2nd-covid-booster-approved-for-some/2795265/)

‘Stealth’ COVID Variant Spreading Faster in NY Than US, CDC Says: What to Know About BA.2

What to Know Another COVID variant is contributing to increasing cases in NYC and across America once again, fueling fresh worries as the pandemic recovery appears to hit an unprecedented stride According to the CDC, the stealth omicron variant, BA.2, accounts for 39 of COVID circulating in New York and New Jersey right now; that compares with a quarter of new infections nationally At this point, it’s unclear if BA.2 is linked to more severe COVID cases or is more vaccine-resistant but WHO says it is inherently more transmissible; a case uptick, but no major resurgence, is expected Rising COVID infections associated with the so-called stealth omicron variant BA.2 are fueling fresh leeriness about the state of the pandemic in New York City and America, just as life as we now know it is starting to return to normal. According to the CDC, that variant accounts for 39 of COVID circulating in New York and New Jersey right now. By comparison, it’s responsible for about a quarter of new infections nationally. Its prevalence has doubled in just the last week or so. So how worried should you be? Not much, experts say. On Friday, the Biden administration’s incoming COVID czar Dr. Ashish Jha said he wasn’t expecting the latest variant to trigger yet another national surge in infections, given the overwhelming prevalence of those vaccinated and boosted. More data is needed to determine whether the BA.2 variant poses a greater threat in terms of case severity, but WHO has already said it is inherently more transmissible than the original omicron strain that first besieged the globe in November. For now, experts say to expect a case uptick but no major resurgence. The CDC updates its variant tracker weekly. New York City’s new health leader, Dr. Ashwin Vasan, shared similar thoughts as he delivered his first official COVID briefing as the five boroughs’ health commissioner on Friday. Vasan, who took the reins for the Adams administration following Dr. Dave Chokshi’s planned exit earlier this week, told New Yorkers his department would continue to aggressively monitor COVID developments, including around the latest variant, and that right now the city’s risk remains low. But he acknowledged it can be easier to tell people not to worry than for people to avoid worrying themselves. I understand New Yorkers’ concern, given where we’ve been over the last three years in successive waves, that rising cases in other parts of the world will lead to anxiety, Vasan said. Know that as we have always done, we are tracking these variants very closely. He emphasized the same points others have stressed as they seek to calm an ever-wary public: There’s no evidence at this point BA.2 causes more severe illness or risk of hospitalization or that current COVID vaccines are less effective against it. We continue to monitor this, and we continue to stay vigilant, Vasan added, noting that anyone who tries to predict what’s going to happen next in the pandemic ends up with egg on their face. He’s not interested in doing that. Currently, the BA.2 variant doesn’t even appear on the city’s variant tracker. Omicron, the original version, still accounts for 100 of all tested cases. But that could change in fairly short order. State data put BA.2’s prevalence at 38.5 of positive samples that were linked to omicron, according to the latest updat e. About 44.5 of them are still that initial B.1.529 strain. Genomic surveillance identifies these COVID variants as the ones circulating in NYC right now, though the share of positive cases tested to determine strain remain low. New variants are expected to emerge and will continue to do so because that’s how viruses work, experts have said throughout the pandemic. Most of them are not more dangerous in terms of severity or contagiousness, but a handful certainly are. The latest development comes almost two weeks after New York City lifted its mask mandate for hundreds of thousands of public school students and its COVID vaccine-proof rule for businesses. Kids younger than age 5, who are ineligible for vaccination, are still required to wear masks indoors, but Mayor Eric Adams has said that might change soon. Asked about that Friday, Vasan said he understands parents’ predicament, as a father of a child in daycare who is not yet eligible for vaccination. He says he wants to unmask his own son, but he also wants to be sure he’s protecting him. The new health commissioner offered no new insight on when that mask mandate might lift, saying, We’re always looking at the data, as I’ve said, we have very clear benchmarks as for how we’re assessing risk and we’ll keep reevaluating whether that mandate should stay in place. Core viral rates citywide have remained remarkably low since the rapid plunge in infections and hospitalizations associated with the omicron wave. The current alert level for the five boroughs is low, according to the new community-based risk assessment tool the mayor debuted this month for tracking the COVID threat. It doesn’t get any lower than that. The steep declines the city saw in core viral rates a month or so ago, though, have ebbed. The rolling daily case average is down 2 this week compared with the rolling average for the prior four weeks. Hospitalizations and deaths remain down dramatically by 58 and 53, respectively by the same parameters. Experience, though, tells us those latter two metrics wouldn’t see an increase until there was a substantial increase in infections. This time around, though, experts and officials say soaring rises in severe cases may not accompany any potential increase in viral spread, so they urge continued awareness but no panic. Statewide in New York, cases have been on the slow rise over the last few weeks. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Thursday COVID update put new daily cases at 2,323, up from 2,107 a week ago and from 1,985 the week before that. Hospitalizations across the Empire State, though, have continued to decline over the last three-week stretch. On Friday, the Democrat said statewide COVID hospitalizations had fallen below 1,000 for the first time since August 4. Hochul’s office is distributing 20 million more at-home tests across New York in the coming weeks, though, in anticipation of any potential uptick in cases. National data from the CDC clearly shows the latest infection spike, though as is the case in New York, the agency’s risk assessment for the vast majority of America remains quite low. Learn more about the agency’s new community tool here. Daily US COVID case trends via the CDC The increasing case trends are evident globally, too. The number of new coronavirus deaths reported worldwide fell by 17 in the last week while COVID-19 infections rose, reversing a decline in cases that first began in January, according to the World Health Organization. In the U.N. health agency’s weekly report on the pandemic issued late Tuesday, WHO said there were more than 11 million new COVID-19 infections last week about an 8 rise and 43,000 new deaths. The number of COVID-19 deaths globally has been dropping for the past three weeks. More COVID-19 Coverage COVID-19 Mar 18 Stark Photos Show Iconic NYC Locations at Start of Pandemic and 2 Years Later coronavirus vaccine Mar 18 Moderna Seeks FDA Authorization for 4th Dose of COVID Shot The biggest increase in cases were seen in the Western Pacific and Africa, where infections rose by 29 and 12 respectively. Elsewhere, cases dropped by more than 20 in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the Americas. In Europe, cases inched up by about 2. WHO said those numbers should be interpreted with caution. It noted that many countries are changing their COVID-19 testing strategies as they exit the acute phase of the pandemic, and are testing far less than previously, meaning that many new cases are going undetected. (https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/stealth-covid-variant-spreading-faster-in-ny-than-us-cdc-says-what-to-know-about-ba-2/3605342/)

BA.2 Variant Now Accounts for 73 of COVID Cases in New England, CDC Says

Rising infections associated with the so-called stealth omicron variant BA.2 are fueling concerns that the U.S. could soon experience another COVID-19 wave. According to the CDC, that variant accounts for 72.6 of COVID circulating in New England. By comparison, it is responsible for 54.9 of new infections nationally. The CDC updates its variant tracker weekly. What is the stealth omicron, or BA.2, variant? BA.2, also known as stealth omicron, is considered a subvariant of omicron. The new strain has several key mutations, with the most important of those occurring in the spike protein that studs the outside of the virus. Those mutations are shared with the original omicron, but BA.2 also has additional genetic changes not seen in the initial version. So far, it has not yet been declared a variant of concern on its own. Health officials are looking very closely at whether or not BA.2 needs to be classified separately and monitored separately. But even without that it is a variant of concern, and is being monitored very closely at the local levels, at the state levels and at the national levels. What’s going on in China? China began its most extensive coronavirus lockdown in two years Monday to conduct mass testing and control a growing outbreak in Shanghai as questions are raised about the economic toll of the nation’s zero-COVID strategy. Shanghai, China’s financial capital and largest city with 26 million people, had managed its smaller previous outbreaks with limited lockdowns of housing compounds and workplaces where the virus was spreading. But the citywide lockdown that will be conducted in two phases will be China’s most extensive since the central city of Wuhan, where the virus was first detected in late 2019, confined its 11 million people to their homes for 76 days in early 2020. Millions more have been kept in lockdown since then. How worried should you be about BA.2? Medical officials don’t expect that the rise of BA.2 will result in a spike in cases similar to the omicron surge late last year into early 2022. Preliminary data indicate vaccinations and boosters are similarly effective in preventing symptomatic cases of BA.1, the original omicron variant, and BA.2. We do not see an increase in severity with BA.2. However, with huge numbers of cases you will see an increase in hospitalizations, and we have seen this in country after country, the World Health Organization’s Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove said. But it could result in some changes in transmission, and there could be serious economic impacts on the U.S. as well. What are the symptoms of BA.2? Medical experts say the symptoms for BA.2 are similar to those seen in many COVID infections. These can include: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache Loss of taste or smell Sore throat Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea But a CDC report released late last year showed that omicron tended to cause the following symptoms: Cough Fatigue Congestion Runny nose For some people, coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a couple weeks. For others, it may cause no symptoms at all. For some, the virus can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. Most vaccinated people either have no symptoms or exhibit very mild symptoms, according to health officials, and the virus rarely results in hospitalization or death for those individuals. More COVID-19 stories coronavirus 5 hours ago FDA Authorizes Fourth Pfizer and Moderna Covid Vaccine Doses for People Age 50 and Older coronavirus Mar 28 China Is Shutting Down Shanghai in Two Phases to Control Covid coronavirus 22 hours ago Mass. Reports 2,430 New COVID-19 Cases Monday (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/ba-2-variant-now-accounts-for-73-of-covid-cases-in-new-england/2681071/)

BA.2 Symptoms, Protection and More: What We Know as Omicron Subvariant Grows

News about the BA.2 omicron subvariant continues to grow as it becomes the dominant COVID strain not just in the Midwest but across the U.S., but what should you be watching for? Chicago’s health department said it is monitoring a slight increase in cases as BA.2 now represents more than 50 of Midwest COVID cases, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chicago’s top doctor had already said BA.2 would likely make up a majority of the city’s cases by the end of the month, a transition health officials are watching closely. Experts say what happens in the next few weeks in the U.S. could be critical to whether or not the U.S. will follow in Europe’s footsteps as several countries report outbreaks similar to levels seen during Chicago’s omicron surge in January. BA.2 Mar 23 ‘Large Surges’ Reported Around the World. What Does That Mean for US, Chicago? BA.2 Mar 22 BA.2 Subvariant Expected to Be Dominant in Chicago By End of Month, Top Doc Says So what is BA.2, what are the symptoms associated with it, where has it been detected and how contagious is it? Here’s a breakdown. What is BA.2? BA.2, also known as stealth omicron, is considered a subvariant of omicron. BA.2 has several key mutations, with the most important of those occurring in the spike protein that studs the outside of the virus. Those mutations are shared with the original omicron, but BA.2 also has additional genetic changes not seen in the initial version. So far, it has not yet been declared a variant of concern on its own. BA.2 is part of omicron, Dr. Isaac Ghinai, medical director for lab-based surveillance at the Chicago Department of Public Health, said Thursday. Omicron is a variant of concern, therefore BA.2 is a variant of concern. Same as BA.1 is a variant of concern. But that could change. People are looking very closely at whether or not BA.2 needs to be classified separately and monitored separately, Ghinai said. But even without that it is a variant of concern, it’s being monitored very closely at the local levels, at the state levels and at the national levels. How contagious is BA.2? According to several health experts, BA.2 appears to be more transmissible than omicron. There’s four unique mutations in the spike protein that are distinct in BA.2, and different from BA.1. It seems that these mutations will propel the transmissibility to about a 30 to 50 higher degree of contagiousness than the BA.1 variant, said Dr. Gregory Huhn, an infectious disease physician and the COVID-19 vaccine coordinator for Cook County Health. White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said BA.2 is about 50 to 60 more transmissible than omicron, but it does not appear to be more severe. It does have increased transmission capability, Fauci said Sunday on ABC’s This Week. However, when you look at the cases, they do not appear to be any more severe and they do not appear to evade immune responses either from vaccines or prior infections. Northwestern’s Dr. Michael Angarone, an associate professor of medicine in infectious diseases, said the increased transmissibility could be particularly strong in close contacts of those infected, but it’s still too early to tell. We’re still trying to figure out why are we seeing this rising number of cases in some of these countries in Europe and that is because there’s something markedly different about the virus, he said. So is it more transmissible? Are more people going to become infected from one infected individual? There might be some markers of that. What are the symptoms of BA.2? According to Angarone, the symptoms for BA.2 are similar to those seen in many COVID infections. So this is the same virus, so SARS Coronavirus 2, so we’re seeing the same symptoms, he said. Huhn noted that while omicron led to more upper respiratory symptoms, it remains too early to tell if BA.2 will continue that trend. I don’t know if we, right now, know the particular features that are distinct for BA.2 versus BA.1. I mean, for BA.1, we knew that it was mostly an upper respiratory-type infection rather than the lower respiratory infections that can lead toward pneumonia and further and greater complications, he said. Still, NBC News reported symptoms associated with BA.2 seem to largely mirror a small number of symptoms commonly reported in omicron infections. Those include: Cough Fatigue Congestion Runny Nose Anecdotal reports have suggested that dizziness could be a possible symptom, but they are so far unfounded. We will have to wait and see what exactly that means, said Dr. Rachael Lee, an associate professor of infectious disease and a health care epidemiologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Infections in general can cause dizziness if people become dehydrated, she said. When we are sick and our body is taking care of the infection, we can get things like fever, Lee said. If you have fever, in particular, and if you’re sweating a lot, you’re losing a lot of fluid. For some people, coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a couple weeks. For others, it may cause no symptoms at all. For some, the virus can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. Most vaccinated people either have no symptoms or exhibit very mild symptoms, according to health officials, and the virus rarely results in hospitalization or death for those individuals. Still, omicron presented a shift in common symptoms for many. Dr. Katherine Poehling, an infectious disease specialist and member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, told NBC News in January that a cough, congestion, runny nose and fatigue appear to be prominent symptoms with the omicron variant. But unlike the delta variant, many patients were not losing their taste or smell. She noted that these symptoms may only reflect certain populations. The symptoms COVID infections, according to the CDC, include: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache New loss of taste or smell Sore throat Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea Will BA.2 cause a surge in the U.S.? Experts said they’re watching closely, particularly as restrictions continue to lift across the U.S., but many say that even if a surge is seen, it likely won’t be to the level seen earlier this year. I’m not expecting a big surge here, but we’re gonna have to pay close attention and really be driven by data as we have throughout the whole pandemic, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said last week. Fauci also said he expects an uptick in cases due to BA.2, but not necessarily a massive surge like other variants have caused. This is different than the switch from delta to omicron. That truly was a much more drastic change in the virus and that’s where we really saw transmissibility increase magnitudes above delta, Huhn said. This is more of a slight variation and so we’re not seeing the transmissibility really accelerate as we did when we switched from delta to omicron. Ghinai said he doesn’t believe BA.2 will lead to a surge like the one previously seen during the omicron peak, but changes are expected at some point. We’re at a nearly historic low in terms of COVID here in Chicago, it’s very likely that there may be some changes in transmission, he said. I don’t expect it to be a surge like we saw the last few months because of omicron, because of delta. Huhn said experts will be closely watching as restrictions continue to loosen and some booster immunity may start to wane. Now that we’ve rolled back, you know, we’ll see again in the next few weeks if there will be an uptick in cases, he said. Where has BA.2 been detected? As most COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed across Europe, including Austria, Britain, Denmark, Germany and France, the numbers of infections have inched higher. Earlier this month, COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths both rose slightly in Britain. The uptick was driven in part by BA.2 and by people largely abandoning masks and gathering in bigger groups. According to new estimates released Tuesday by the CDC, the BA.2 subvariant of COVID-19, otherwise known as stealth omicron, is now the dominant strain of the virus in the Midwest and in the United States. The data, released Tuesday, reflects estimates of COVID cases diagnosed between March 19 and March 26, according to the CDC’s website. Those estimates peg the percentage of BA.2 cases at 50.4 of all COVID cases in a six-state region of the Midwest that includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. In the United States as a whole, the CDC estimates that 54.9 of all COVID cases are tied to the stealth omicron variant. The variant had already been detected in Illinois earlier this year. Northwestern Medicine’s Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution said the subvariant was found in a Chicago resident who was tested for COVID-19 on Jan. 18. While cases nationwide have begun to rise in recent weeks, case numbers in the state of Illinois have remained largely stable. As of Tuesday, the state is averaging 1,178 new cases of COVID per day, an increase of 10 in the last week. Hospitalizations remain near record lows, as do ICU admissions because of COVID, but officials say they will continue monitoring COVID trends in the event that a significant uptick in cases is observed. Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said while the COVID risk remains low in the city, data shows the number of cases of the BA.2 subvariant are doubling every week and the the city reports slight increases in daily COVID cases and positivity rates. I am pleased that one month after lifting the universal mask mandate and vaccine requirement for certain indoor public settings here in Chicago, the city remains in good control, Arwady said in a statement Wednesday. It is not surprising to see a slight increase in cases as behavior changes, but we continue to monitor this closely. If the increase in cases does concern people, the most important thing you can do to protect yourself from severe outcomes remains the same: ensure you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations. Small increases in overall case rates have also been noted in New York, and in hospital admissions in New England. While numbers are still low in the city in terms of new COVID cases, the uptick in cases has been noted by health experts. At this point, we’ve not seeing major signs like we’re seeing in Europe, but while we continue to watch, we’ll have a better sense of this honestly, probably by the end of the month when BA.2 will be predominant here, Arwady said last week. Why is the U.S. monitoring Europe? The World Health Organization last week reported that the number of new coronavirus cases increased two weeks in a row globally, likely because COVID-19 prevention measures have been halted in numerous countries and because BA.2 spreads more easily. There are signs in other countries currently experiencing an uptick in cases due in part to BA.2 that transmission may lead to a rise in hospitalizations and possibly even deaths. It is still now taking hold as the dominant variant in many countries Denmark, India, Philippines, UK, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Hong Kong, South Africa and many more regions, said Huhn. So particularly in the UK, where we now see that this is the dominant strain, we’ve seen some increased cases over the past several weeks, a doubling in the cases; we’ve seen increased hospitalizations and a little bit of signal for increased deaths. So with all these variants that have circulated throughout the past two years, many of the trends that start in Europe, and particularly in the UK, eventually, we see that here in the U.S. So that’s why we’re on heightened alert with the increase in cases of BA.2, increase in hospitalizations in the UK as an early warning signal for what could potentially occur here in the United States. Numerous countries across Europe, North America and elsewhere recently lifted nearly all their COVID-19 protocols, relying on high levels of vaccination to prevent another infection spike even as the more infectious omicron subvariant is causing an uptick in new cases. China locked down Shanghai this week to try to curb an omicron outbreak that has caused the country’s biggest wave of disease since the virus was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in 2019. British authorities, however, have said that while they expect to see more cases, they have not seen an equivalent rise in hospitalizations and deaths. Angarone said Europe is typically up to a month ahead of the U.S. in its COVID outbreaks. We often look at Europe as being that kind of bellwether of 2, 3, 4 weeks kind of ahead of us, he said. So are we going to see this kind of increase in a month or so? And we just don’t know. Arwady said she’s concerned about the situation in Europe and her team is in communication with officials there. Do vaccinations work against BA.2? Preliminary data indicate vaccinations and boosters are similarly effective in preventing symptomatic cases of BA.1, the original omicron variant, and BA.2. Already, the makers of the two mRNA vaccines currently approved for use in the U.S. are seeking approval for a second booster shot for certain populations. Drugmaker Moderna asked the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday to authorize a fourth shot of its COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose for all adults. The request is broader than rival pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s request for the regulator to approve a booster shot for all seniors. According to Ghinai, evidence so far also suggests infection with one omicron sublineage is believed to provide protection from other omicron sublineages, but Huhn noted that reinfection is possible, though rare. I think it’s very likely that what we’ve seen in Europe, where BA.2 is increasing in relative proportion, is going to happen here, Ghinai said. We’re going to see BA.2 causing an increase in proportion of the number of cases. We’ve already seen that. Arwady stressed that while the rise of COVID in other countries could be a sign of what’s to come, it’s not a guarantee. It is not a for sure thing, to be clear, that we will follow. We may, but there are some other countries that have gone through an omicron surge and we’ve not seen that resurgence yet, she said. So we’re still watching. (https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/coronavirus/ba-2-symptoms-protection-and-more-what-we-know-as-omicron-subvariant-grows/2795368/)

Illinois Coronavirus Updates: COVID Testing Sites to Stop, Metrics Show Slight Upticks

Metrics in parts of the Chicago area are showing signs of an increase in recent days. Meanwhile, the state is planning to stop COVID testing at 10 state sites. Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today: FDA OKs Another Pfizer, Moderna COVID Booster for 50 and Up U.S. regulators on Tuesday authorized another COVID-19 booster for people age 50 and older, a step to offer extra protection for the most vulnerable in case the coronavirus rebounds. The Food and Drug Administration’s decision opens a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to those people at least four months after their previous booster. Read more here. Illinois COVID Regions: Metrics Show Slight Upticks in Suburban Chicago Communities While most of the state of Illinois is seeing stability or even downward trends in COVID metrics, several Chicago-area communities are seeing slight upticks in positivity rates in recent days. According to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the highest positivity rate among the state’s 11 health care regions is in Region 8, comprised of Kane and DuPage counties. Read more here. Illinois to Stop COVID Testing at 10 State Sites Citing a sharp drop in the demand for COVID-19 testing services, Illinois’ health department announced plans to stop operating such sites in the state at the end of the month. According to health officials, the sites are running less than 1 percent of the tests being conducted statewide. The number of daily tests conducted at these sites is on track to be the lowest on record with each site seeing fewer than 50 individuals per day, according to IDPH data G, the health department states. Given the availability of free at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government, the statewide network of federally qualified health centers and the extensive number of SHIELD saliva testing sites throughout Illinois, there are ample, convenient opportunities for Illinois residents to obtain access to a test if needed. The department said the state is currently strongly positioned to respond to a potential surge, however. The 10 locations will stop operating for testing, vaccinations or both after March 31. Locations include: Aurora, Arlington Heights, South Holland, Fairview Heights, Peoria, Bloomington, Champaign, Harwood Heights, Rockford and Waukegan. How Much More Transmissible is BA.2 Than Omicron? Here’s What Doctors Say As the BA.2 omicron subvariant spreads in parts of the U.S., some are wondering about its transmissibility, specifically if BA.2 is more contagious than the original omicron strain. BA.2 has been steadily growing as a proportion of the COVID variants circulating in the U.S. since Feb. 5, when it represented about 1 of genetically sequenced virus samples, according to data published this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though BA.2 is rising in the U.S., leading public health officials are not expecting another dramatic surge in cases, largely due to the level of immunity from vaccination and the fierce outbreak during the winter omicron wave. Read more here. FDA Expected to Authorize a Second COVID Booster Shot This Week The Food and Drug Administration could authorize a second COVID-19 vaccine booster early this week, according to two people with knowledge of the plan. The move comes amid early signs that the U.S. could soon experience another Covid wave as the omicron subvariant, known as BA.2, spreads throughout Europe and other parts of the world. Other countries, including the U.K., Chile, Israel and Sweden, already allow for a fourth vaccine for certain vulnerable populations. Earlier this month, Moderna asked the FDA to authorize a fourth Covid shot for all adults, following Pfizer-BioNTech’s request for a second booster for people 65 and older. Both companies said protection from the initial booster weakened after a few months. Additional information is available here. How Long Should You Quarantine With COVID? Here’s What the CDC Recommends As coronavirus cases start to tick upward in some parts of the United States, residents are seeking out reminders of what to do in the event that they are exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19. The BA.2 subvariant of omicron is driving upward trends in cases in numerous locations, including in the Midwest. According to the latest data from the CDC, the omicron variant is still the dominant strain of the virus in the U.S., with the BA.2 subvariant, otherwise known as stealth omicron, making up approximately 35 of cases in the last week. In the Midwest, the BA.2 subvariant is estimated to be responsible for more than 30 of new COVID cases within the last week. So what should you do if you are exposed to someone with COVID? It depends on whether or not you are up-to-date on your vaccinations. Here’s what you need to know. Chicago Travel Advisory: COVID Precautions Advised in 9 of US Under New Guidance The Chicago Department of Public Health on Friday urged COVID-19 precautions in areas of the country considered medium or high risk by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as it unveiled new travel advisory recommendations to align with federal guidelines. CDPH issued a news release, explaining it adjusted Chicago’s travel advisory to match the CDC’s county level guidance, which gives more weight to hospitalizations and hospital capacity, rather that strictly case numbers. Under the new protocols, counties are either considered low, medium or high risk for COVID transmission. In medium risk areas, people should consider wearing a mask in indoor public spaces, according to health officials. While in communities deemed high risk, people are advised to wear a mask in such settings. Read more here. What are the Symptoms of the Omicron Subvariant BA.2? Here’s What Experts Say So Far Months after the U.S. experienced a surge in cases of the omicron variant, focus has turned to different strain BA.2, a subvariant of omicron, also referred to as stealth omicron. BA.2 captured attention as it spawned a rise in infections in Europe earlier this month, and in recent weeks, case numbers have risen in New York City, where BA.2 appears to be on track to taking over as the dominant strain. As of March 19, the subvariant accounted for nearly 35 of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., a roughly 12 increase from the week prior, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In recent days, case numbers have also gone up in the Midwest. According to the CDC, the BA.2 subvariant made up just over 30 of new COVID cases in a six-state area, including Illinois, over the week ending March 19. The complete story can be found here. (https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/illinois-coronavirus-updates-covid-testing-sites-to-stop-metrics-show-slight-upticks/2794362/)

Fact Vs. Fiction: Causes, Treatments for Seasonal Allergies

Sneezing, irritated eyes, runny nose or a scratchy throat. These are just some of the seasonal allergy symptoms that children, adults and even pets are experiencing this spring. We do see most sufferers coming in right around this time of the year, American Family Care Medical Director Dr. Kristina Orio said. Orio separated fact from fiction, myth busting the real causes and treatments for seasonal allergies. Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox. Does the COVID vaccine make allergies worse? Fact or fiction the COVID vaccine makes allergies worse? That’s actually fiction, Orio said. There’s no evidence that receiving the COVID vaccine or any kind of vaccine or injectable medication can make your allergies worse. I DON u2019T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS, I DON u2019T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS, MY ALLERGIES ARE ALREADY IN FULL BLOOM. IT IS A WHOLE THING. YOU u2019RE NOT ALONE. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FEELING THE PAIN OF ALLERGY SEASON. WE HAVE EAR, NOSE AND THROAT WE HAVE EAR, NOSE AND THROAT DOCTOR WITH TIPS TO GET THROUGH THE SEASON WITHOUT SUFFERING. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. LET u2019S GO AHEAD AND STATE THE OBVIOUS. SEEMS LIKE ALLERGY SEASON LIKE MARIA WAS SAYING HAS HIT US OVER THE HEAD A LITTLE EARLY. EARLY. YEAH, IT REALLY HAS. YEAH, IT REALLY HAS. AND WE FEEL ALLERGENS BECAUSE OF THE POLLEN IN THE AIR, BUT ALSO BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE IN COLDER BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE IN COLDER CLIMATES LIKE IN BOSTON AND NEW YORK, VITAMIN D LEVELS GO DOWN, YORK, VITAMIN D LEVELS GO DOWN, MAKES US HAVE WORSE ALLERGY SYMPTOMS. IT HAS BEEN AN IMPRESSIVE SPRING. WE NEED SUNSHINE. THAT u2019S WHERE WE GET VITAMIN D. WE CAN, MOSTLY FROM SUNSHINE. THAT u2019S WHY WE NEED TO SUPPLEMENT IN COLDER CLIMATES. IN COLDER CLIMATES. A LOT OF PEOPLE USE SUNSCREEN, A LOT OF PEOPLE USE SUNSCREEN, SO VITAMIN D SUP WILL HEPLEMENTS IMPORTANT. EVERYONE HAS THEIR EYES ON COVID TO BUILD UP IMMUNITY, ARE THERE WAYS TO BUILD UP IMMUNITY IN TERMS OF ALLERGIES? SURE. WITH ALLERGIES, IT IS YOUR BODY OVERREACTING TO ALLERGENS AND OVERREACTING TO ALLERGENS AND THINGS THAT WON u2019T HURT YOU. PRETREATING WITH ANTI-HIS AT THAT MEANS. THERE u2019S ALSO VITAMIN D, MAKE SURE YOU u2019RE AT GOOD LEVEL OF VITAMIN D. TALKING COVID, I FEEL LIKE THE OG TO COMBAT ALLERGIES WE HAVE GOTTEN USED TO, CRAZY AS IT HAVE GOTTEN USED TO, CRAZY AS IT SOUNDS, BY ROCKING THE MASK. I WAS TALKING TO MY MOM THE I WAS TALKING TO MY MOM THE OTHER DAY, WE u2019RE ALL VAXXED AND BOOSTED, SHE SAID I AM KEEPING BOOSTED, SHE SAID I AM KEEPING IT ON FOR THE PURPOSE OF ALLERGY SEASON. ESPECIALLY IF YOU SNEEZE A LOT. IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE AROUND YOU TO WEAR A MASK. I THINK THAT WHAT THE MASK MANDATES DID IS TAKE AWAY THE TABOO OF WEARING A MASK. I WOULD WEAR THEM IN THE HOSPITAL OR OPERATING ROOM BUT HOSPITAL OR OPERATING ROOM BUT THEN OFF IMMEDIATELY. NOW THAT THEY u2019RE ACCEPTABLE WITHOUT MANDATES, THEY u2019RE AN OPTION AND GREAT OPTION FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO OTHER WAY TO FILTER WHAT THEY BREATHE IN AND TO AVOID MEDICATIONS FOR SOME PEOPLE. WHAT u2019S TRICKY, I AM WORRIED ABOUT COVID. YOU u2019RE LIKE DO I HAVE THE FLU, YOU u2019RE LIKE DO I HAVE THE FLU, DO I HAVE COVID, DO I HAVE A SCRATCH IN THE THROAT FROM ALLERGIES. IS THERE A WAY TO IDENTIFY BETWEEN THEM? I MEAN, WITH COVID WE u2019RE LUCKY BECAUSE WE HAVE TESTING, THAT u2019S A QUICK WAY TO DIFFERENTIATE. YOU CAN GO IN ALMOST ANYWHERE AND BE TESTED. USUALLY IF IT IS SOMETHING ALLERGIC, IT DOESN u2019T INVOLVE A ALLERGIC, IT DOESN u2019T INVOLVE A FEVER AND YELLOW MUCOUS, BUT GETS REALLY HARD AND COVID HAS TURNED US ALL INTO DOCTORS AT TURNED US ALL INTO DOCTORS AT HOME AND IT IS HARD TO DIFFERENTIATE. TRY WITH A COVID TEST, THEN SEE OR SPEAK WITH YOUR DOCTOR TO DECIPHER THE REST OF THE SYMPTOM. STOCK UP ON VITAMIN D AND”,”video_id”:”2018746435517_436″,”video_length”:”200000″,”video_provider”:”mpx”,”short_video_excerpt”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_low”:”u_GqEWu73d78″,”pid_streaming_web_mobile_low”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_standard”:”iIqw_ae5eCwI”,”pid_streaming_mobile_standard”:”jIT8M6sSG7fy”,”alleypack_schedule_unpublish”:””,”feed_remote_id”:”mpx_2018746435517″,”feed_thumbnail_url”:”” ” data-livestream=”false” data-title=”What You Can Do to Stop the Suffering If Your Allergies Seem Worse Than Ever” data-vidcid=”1:5:2683515″ data-vidurl=”https://www.nbcboston.com/entertainment/hub-today/what-you-can-do-to-stop-the-suffering-if-your-allergies-seem-worse-than-ever/2683515/” data-islead=”false” data-catnames=” “841”:”Entertainment”,”1809″:”Hub Today” ” data-tagnames=” “24138”:”allergies”,”336868″:”allergy season”,”569452″:”dr linda dahl”,”569451″:”sneezing” ” data-customdata=” “ContentPartner”:”None”,”Source”:”WEBFM”,”SyndicationAllowed”:”true”,”mSNVideoCategories”:”MSN Video v4 Connector-most watched news”,”mSNVideoContentSupplierID”:”NBC_Local”,”mSNVideoCountry”:”us”,”subtitle”:”nosubtitle”,”uploadedByTeam”:”1″,”youtubeChannel”:”None” ” data-autoplay=”false” data-cplay=”true” Treatments: How to alleviate seasonal allergies What are some ways people can alleviate seasonal allergies ? If you listen to the morning news and you hear it’s going to be a high pollen count, stay inside, Orio said. If it’s going to be particularly windy, stay inside that day. Keep your windows closed and if it’s warm, run your air conditioning. If you do need to go outside, make sure that you change out your clothes as soon as you can. And that you shower and wash the pollen off of your skin and hair before going to bed at night so that you don’t have a continuous exposure. More on seasonal allergies BOSTON Apr 8 Do You Have Spring Allergies Or Is It COVID? Here’s What Local Doctors Say spring allergies Apr 4 Spring Allergies: Causes, Symptoms, Relief (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/fact-vs-fiction-causes-treatments-for-seasonal-allergies/2692521/)

Mass. Announces Availability of Second COVID-19 Boosters for 50+

Massachusetts officials announced Wednesday that following updated recommendations from the federal government, all residents age 50 and older or individuals who are younger with certain medical conditions can now access a second COVID-19 booster. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday recommended that certain immunocompromised individuals and everyone over age 50 get an additional booster dose. That followed authorization by the Food and Drug Administration for a second boster dose for these groups four months after their first booster of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Those eligible include: Individuals 50 years of age and older at least 4 months after getting a first booster Individuals 18 and older with certain medical conditions may get a second Moderna booster at least 4 months after first booster Individuals 12 and older with certain medical conditions may get a second Pfizer booster at least 4 months after the first booster. Separately, Massachusetts offiicals said individuals 18 and older who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson at least four months ago can now receive a second booster dose using an mRNA vaccine like Pfizer or Moderna. Residents may access booster doses from more than 1,000 locations, with appointments readily available for booking across Massachusetts. The state has capacity to administer over 150,000 boosters weekly. To find a location, go to vaxfinder.mass.gov. or call the COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Line Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 211. Vaccines including boosters are the most effective and widely available tool we have to prevent COVID infection, severe disease, and death,” said Dr. Larry Madoff, medical director of the state Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences. It is important that everyone stay up to date on their vaccines. If residents have questions about whether they are eligible to get an additional booster dose, DPH encourages you to talk with your doctor. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, CDC’s director, said it is especially important for older Americans those 65 and older and the 50-somethings with chronic illnesses such as heart disease or diabetes to consider another shot. They are the most likely to benefit from receiving an additional booster dose at this time, Walensky said. There’s evidence protection can wane particularly in higher-risk groups, and for them another booster will help save lives, FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said. For all the attention on who should get a fourth dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, only about half of Americans eligible for a third shot have gotten one and the government urged them to get up to date. Two shots plus a booster still offer strong protection against severe illness and death, even during the winter surge of the super-contagious omicron variant. The move toward additional boosters comes at a time of great uncertainty, with limited evidence to tell how much benefit an extra dose right now could offer. COVID-19 cases have dropped to low levels in the U.S., but all vaccines are less powerful against newer mutants than earlier versions of the virus and health officials are warily watching an omicron sibling that’s causing worrisome jumps in infections in other countries. Pfizer had asked the FDA to clear a fourth shot for people 65 and older, while Moderna requested another dose for all adults to provide flexibility for the government to decide who really needs one. FDA’s Marks said regulators set the age at 50 because that’s when chronic conditions that increase the risks from COVID-19 become more common. Until now, the FDA had allowed a fourth vaccine dose only for the immune-compromised as young as 12. Vaccines have a harder time revving up severely weak immune systems, and Marks said their protection also tends to wane sooner. Tuesday’s decision allows them another booster, too a fifth dose. Only the Pfizer vaccine can be used in those as young as 12; Moderna’s is for adults. The Associated Press contributed to this report. More COVID-19 stories coronavirus 24 hours ago What Does the FDA Halt on Certain COVID Antibody Treatments Mean for Patients? COVID-19 Mar 30 Biden Receives 2nd Booster, Presses Congress on Virus Funds COVID-19 Mar 30 WHO: COVID Deaths Jump by 40, But Cases Falling Globally (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/mass-announces-availability-of-second-covid-19-boosters-for-50/2682012/)

How Worried Should You Be About’stealth Omicron’? Here’s What Boston Experts Say

With COVID outbreaks being reported in a number of countries around the world and upticks being seen across Europe, many coinciding with a rise in BA.2 or stealth omicron cases, how worried should you be? Three top Boston doctors said this week it remains unclear what effect the BA.2 subvariant will have on the city’s fight against COVID, though they are keeping a close eye on what is happening in other parts of the world. Here’s what we know so far about BA.2: What’s happening in Europe and China? As most COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed across Europe, including Austria, Britain, Denmark, Germany and France, the numbers of infections have inched higher there in recent days as well. The uptick is driven in part by the slightly more infectious omicron descendant BA.2 and by people largely abandoning masks and gathering in bigger groups. Elsewhere, South Korea had its deadliest day yet of the pandemic on Tuesday, with 293 deaths reported in the latest 24 hours, as the country grapples with a record surge in coronavirus infections driven by the fast-moving omicron variant. China banned most people from leaving a coronavirus-hit northeastern province and mobilized military reservists Monday as the fast-spreading stealth omicron variant fuels the country’s biggest outbreak since the start of the pandemic two years ago. Could that be a signal of what’s to come for the U.S.? Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s chief of infectious disease, said the surge in China is a stark reminder that the pandemic happens in waves. This is further evidence that the pandemic is not synchronous. It doesn’t happen all together at the same time in all countries across the world, he said. What we are seeing is this wave of omicron finally making its way into Asia, which had been relatively closed off to travel and commerce previously. Boston Medical Center’s Dr. Sabrina Assoumou agreed with her colleague. She said officials should use this surge in China to prepare here at home. This is a time where we should prepare and make sure we get as many people vaccinated as possible to prevent another surge here, she said. Dr. Shira Doron, a hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, said that while that number of cases may seem low, China has a different approach than other countries. What China calls a surge is a number of cases that are way lower than what we tolerate, she said. They are taking aggressive measures to curb an increased case number that we here do almost nothing about. What is BA.2? BA.2, also known as stealth omicron, is considered a subvariant of omicron. BA.2 has several key mutations, with the most important of those occurring in the spike protein that studs the outside of the virus. Those mutations are shared with the original omicron, but BA.2 also has additional genetic changes not seen in the initial version. So far, it has not yet been declared a variant of concern on its own. Health officials are looking very closely at whether or not BA.2 needs to be classified separately and monitored separately. But even without that it is a variant of concern, and is being monitored very closely at the local levels, at the state levels and at the national levels. How worried should you be about BA.2? Medical officials don’t expect that the rise of BA.2 will result in a spike in cases similar to the omicron surge late last year into early 2022. Preliminary data indicate vaccinations and boosters are similarly effective in preventing symptomatic cases of BA.1, the original omicron variant, and BA.2. We do not see an increase in severity with BA.2. However, with huge numbers of cases you will see an increase in hospitalizations, and we have seen this in country after country, the World Health Organization’s Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove said. But it could result in some changes in transmission, and there could be serious economic impacts on the U.S. as well. If a new variant emerges out of the current surge, we’ll certainly have impacts on travel and commerce with Asia as they cope with the consequences of the current surge, Kuritzkes said. Doron echoed that statement. They have a different approach. They really are trying to reach that zero COVID status, but that in it itself will affect supply chains and other things like that. Is BA.2 in Massachusetts? Health experts said as far back as February that stealth omicron was probably already in Massachusetts. When asked at the time how likely it was that the new subvariant was in Massachusetts already, Doron said, Pretty likely. What we’ve learned is that, variants that are seen in other parts of the country don’t always take hold here, but they always get here to some extent, she said. So I think that we will find out that we have BA.2 in Massachusetts any day now. Later that same week, Massachusetts General Hospital said stealth omicron had been identified in the state. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported earlier this week that the BA.2 subvariant makes up nearly a quarter of all coronavirus variants now circulating in the U.S. And in states such as Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island, the subvariant now makes up about 38.6 of total cases. What else should you know? Based on how quickly new variants have arisen, some experts suggest the next one could arrive as early as May. Health officials say they are certainly expecting more variants to emerge, but it remains unclear if such variants will be more or less severe than previous strains. The biggest indicator of how severe a new variant could be comes from immunity and vaccination, experts agree. People seem to forget or not really understand that when you get vaccinated, you’re less likely to be infected and because you’re less likely to be infected, you’re less likely to transmit, Assoumou said earlier this year. Even if you became infected, you will shed for shorter periods of time because you will you will have a more rapid clearance of the virus, added Kuritzkes. That you’re going to be infectious for a shorter period of time is a very important point, because that’s how vaccination helps to contribute to the control of disease. More COVID-19 stories COVID Q&A Mar 17 Is a 4th COVID Shot Really Necessary? Boston Doctors Weigh in coronavirus Mar 17 COVID Outbreak Forces Closure at Massachusetts Middle School COVID-19 Mar 18 In Uptick From Prior Week, 2,022 COVID Cases Reported in Mass. Schools (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/how-worried-should-you-be-about-ba-2-or-stealth-omicron-heres-what-boston-experts-say/2672627/)

‘More Like a Bump Than a Peak’: What Increase in COVID Cases Means for Boston Area

COVID-19 cases are climbing in Massachusetts, and with the arrival of the warm weather, questions are being raised about what kind of spring and summer we can expect. It would be nice to get back to normal, for sure, said one woman walking along Plymouth Harbor. It’s a familiar refrain, with wastewater data in Greater Boston reflecting an increase in the virus. The state is reporting a near 40 jump in cases in the last week alone. This is not the rapid rise that we saw with the last peak. This is a much slower rise, it’s more like a bump than a peak, said Dr. C. Michael Gibson of the Harvard Medical School. That bump comes as people look to return to normal this weekend, with events like the Boston Marathon, the Red Sox’ home opener at Fenway Park and Easter Sunday. Some places around the country, like Philadelphia, are looking to reinstitute indoor mask mandates. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu says there are no plans to bring back the requirement right now. We’re not there yet in terms of the multi-layered metrics that we’re watching to move back into a masking mandate, Wu said. More on the COVID-19 pandemic Boston Symphony Orchestra Apr 12 Boston Symphony Orchestra Cancels Europe Dates Over COVID coronavirus Apr 12 COVID Wastewater Data, Cases Continue to Rise in Mass. So far, the experts say the latest surge is nothing like the one that resulted from the omicron variant. But they say the situation needs to be monitored. The most important thing people can do is, if you’re vaccinated, get boosted. If you haven’t gotten vaccinated, get vaccinated, said Gov. Charlie Baker. Hospitalizations remain a key factor in this debate. Those numbers have remained relatively low, but have been creeping upward, with 262 patients in Massachusetts hospitals with COVID as of Tuesday. (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/coronavirus/more-like-a-bump-than-a-peak-what-increase-in-covid-cases-means-for-boston-area/2692224/)

CDC, FDA Open Second COVID Boosters to 50 and Up, Others at Risk

Americans 50 and older can get a second COVID-19 booster if it’s been at least four months since their last vaccination, a chance at extra protection for the most vulnerable in case the coronavirus rebounds. The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized an extra dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for that age group and for certain younger people with severely weakened immune systems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention later recommended the extra shot as an option but stopped short of urging that those eligible rush out and get it right away. That decision expands the additional booster to millions more Americans. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, CDC’s director, said it was especially important for older Americans those 65 and older and the 50-somethings with chronic illnesses such as heart disease or diabetes to consider another shot. They are the most likely to benefit from receiving an additional booster dose at this time, Walensky said. Coronavirus Pandemic Coverage: COVID-19 Mar 29 Majority of U.S. Population Has Covid Antibodies, CDC Says Here’s What That Means for You coronavirus Mar 29 More Contagious Omicron BA.2 Subvariant Now Dominant in the U.S., CDC Says There’s evidence protection can wane particularly in higher-risk groups, and for them another booster will help save lives, FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said. For all the attention on who should get a fourth dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, only about half of Americans eligible for a third shot have gotten one and the government urged them to get up to date. Two shots plus a booster still offer strong protection against severe illness and death, even during the winter surge of the super-contagious omicron variant. The move toward additional boosters comes at a time of great uncertainty, with limited evidence to tell how much benefit an extra dose right now could offer. COVID-19 cases have dropped to low levels in the U.S., but all vaccines are less powerful against newer mutants than earlier versions of the virus and health officials are warily watching an omicron sibling that’s causing worrisome jumps in infections in other countries. Pfizer had asked the FDA to clear a fourth shot for people 65 and older, while Moderna requested another dose for all adults to provide flexibility for the government to decide who really needs one. FDA’s Marks said regulators set the age at 50 because that’s when chronic conditions that increase the risks from COVID-19 become more common. Until now, the FDA had allowed a fourth vaccine dose only for the immune-compromised as young as 12. Vaccines have a harder time revving up severely weak immune systems, and Marks said their protection also tends to wane sooner. Tuesday’s decision allows them another booster, too a fifth dose. Only the Pfizer vaccine can be used in those as young as 12; Moderna’s is for adults. What about people who got Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose shot? They already were eligible for one booster of any kind. Of the 1.3 million who got a second J&J shot, the CDC said now they may choose a third dose either Moderna or Pfizer. For the more than 4 million who got Moderna or Pfizer as their second shot, the CDC says an additional booster is only necessary if they meet the newest criteria a severely weakened immune system or are 50 or older. That’s because a CDC study that tracked which boosters J&J recipients initially chose concluded a Moderna or Pfizer second shot was superior to a second J&J dose. If the new recommendations sound confusing, outside experts say it makes sense to consider extra protection for the most vulnerable. There might be a reason to top off the tanks a little bit for older people and those with other health conditions, said University of Pennsylvania immunologist E. John Wherry, who wasn’t involved in the government’s decision. But while he encourages older friends and relatives to follow the advice, the 50-year-old Wherry who is healthy, vaccinated and boosted doesn’t plan on getting a fourth shot right away. With protection against severe illness still strong, I’m going to wait until it seems like there’s a need. While protection against milder infections naturally wanes over time, the immune system builds multiple layers of defense and the type that prevents severe illness and death is holding up. During the U.S. omicron wave, two doses were nearly 80 effective against needing a ventilator or death and a booster pushed that protection to 94, the CDC recently reported. Vaccine effectiveness was lowest 74 in immune-compromised people, the vast majority of whom hadn’t gotten a third dose. To evaluate an extra booster, U.S. officials looked to Israel, which opened a fourth dose to people 60 and older during the omicron surge. The FDA said no new safety concerns emerged in a review of 700,000 fourth doses administered. Preliminary data posted online last week suggested some benefit: Israeli researchers counted 92 deaths among more than 328,000 people who got the extra shot, compared to 232 deaths among 234,000 people who skipped the fourth dose. What’s far from clear is how long any extra benefit from another booster would last, and thus when to get it. The ‘when’ is a really difficult part. Ideally we would time booster doses right before surges but we don’t always know when that’s going to be, said Dr. William Moss, a vaccine expert at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Plus, a longer interval between shots helps the immune system mount a stronger, more cross-reactive defense. If you get a booster too close together, it’s not doing any harm you’re just not going to get much benefit from it, said Wherry. The newest booster expansion may not be the last: Next week, the government will hold a public meeting to debate if everyone eventually needs a fourth dose, possibly in the fall, of the original vaccine or an updated shot. Even if higher-risk Americans get boosted now, Marks said they may need yet another dose in the fall if regulators decide to tweak the vaccine. For that effort, studies in people of omicron-targeted shots alone or in combination with the original vaccine are underway. The National Institutes of Health recently tested monkeys and found no significant advantage to using a booster that targets just omicron. AP journalist Mike Stobbe contributed to this report. (https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/national-international/fda-oks-another-pfizer-moderna-covid-booster-for-50-and-up/2724365/)

LA County Boosters Are Now Available. Here’s a List of Locations

What to Know Boosters are also available for younger people who are considered immunocompromised and at higher risk of severe illness from the virus. Several sites in LA, Commerce, Encino and Santa Clarita began offering the second booster. The city of Long Beach also provided a list of locations. Los Angeles County health officials and other providers began offering second booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine to eligible residents Wednesday. The additional boosters were approved Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The second boosters of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were authorized for people who are aged 50 and over, and who received their last booster shot at least four months ago. Boosters are also available for younger people who are considered immunocompromised and at higher risk of severe illness from the virus. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health vaccination sites began offering the second doses to eligible residents Wednesday at: Obregon Park in East Los Angeles Ted Watkins Park in South Los Angeles Balboa Sports Complex in Encino Commerce Senior Citizens Center in Commerce Market Street Center in Santa Clarita Palmdale Oasis Recreation Center Norwalk Arts and Sports Complex Information about the sites is available online at VaccinateLACounty.com. Health officials said other non-county-operated sites may also have the secondary booster doses available. covid booster shot 20 hours ago COVID Second Booster Shots: Who’s Eligible, When Can You Get One COVID-19 22 hours ago City Council Lifts LA’s Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate The city of Long Beach, which operates is own health department separate from the county, also began offering additional boosters Wednesday at its vaccination locations at: Cabrillo High School, 2001 Santa Fe Ave. Long Beach City College Pacific Coast Campus, Orange Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway Houghton Park, 6301 Myrtle Ave. Cal State Long Beach, 6049 E. Seventh St. El Dorado Park West, 2800 N. Studebaker Road Many pharmacies were also making the secondary boosters available. Rite Aid announced that all of its locations in California are offering the shots. Find the Rite Aid scheduler here. The county announced 29 more COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, giving the county an overall total of 31,655. Another 587 cases were also reported, lifting the countywide pandemic total to 2,832,706. The number of COVID-positive patients in county hospitals was 325 as of Wednesday, up slightly from 321 on Tuesday. The number of those patients being treated in intensive care was 51, down from 57 a day earlier. The rolling average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus was 0.9 as of Wednesday, a slight rise from 0.7 over the past two weeks. Last week, the department reported an uptick in COVID infections attributed to the BA.2, an offshoot of the Omicron variant that spurred a winter surge in cases and hospitalizations. According to the county, the BA.2 sub-variant accounted for 14.7 of all specially sequenced cases from the week ending March 5 more than double the 6.4 rate from the previous week. Experts have suggested that BA.2 is at least 30 more contagious than the Omicron variant, which was already substantially more easily spread than the original COVID-19 virus. TODAY, THE FDA AUTHORIZED A SECOND COVID BOOSTER SHOT OVER THE AGE OF 50, AND THAT AGE THE AGE OF 50, AND THAT AGE GROUP WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE FOURTH JAB ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE LAST BOOSTER SHOT. AFTER THE LAST BOOSTER SHOT. MODERNA WOULD STILL LIKE TO SEE APPROVAL FOR EVERYONE, BUT DOES EVERYONE REALLY NEED THIS ADDITIONAL SHOT. THE I-TEAM JOEL GROVER ASKED SOME OF THE TOP PUBLIC EXPERTS. Reporter: IT IS STARTING TO Reporter: IT IS STARTING TO LOOK LIKE 2019, AND PEOPLE BACK AT THE GYM, BACK ON CAMPUS, AT THE GYM, BACK ON CAMPUS, PACKING INTO RESTAURANTS WITH NO MASKS. I THINK THAT RIGHT NOW IN THE UNITED STATES, WE ARE IN A UNITED STATES, WE ARE IN A FAIRLY GOOD SHAPE. Reporter: THIS DOCTOR FROM THE JOHN HOPKINS SCHOOL OF HEALTH. EXPERTS SAY THAT A FOURTH SHOT EXPERTS SAY THAT A FOURTH SHOT IS A GOOD IDEA FOR SOME PEOPLE. WE ARE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET. DR. ROBERT FIELDING FROM THE DR. ROBERT FIELDING FROM THE SCHOOL OF HEALTH. PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMUNE PEOPLE WHO ARE IMMUNE COMPROMISED AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE MULTIPLE MEDICAL ADDITIONS, AND OLDER, CERTAINLY OVER 65. Reporter: I HAD MY BOOSTER SHOT SIX MONTHS AGO AND AM I GETTING GOOD PROTECTION? YES, SIX MONTHS AFTER THE YES, SIX MONTHS AFTER THE BOOSTER DOSE, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE SEVERE DISEASE OR THE POSSIBILITY OF DEATH. Reporter: BUT A SECOND Reporter: BUT A SECOND BOOSTER PROVIDES BETTER PROTECTION ACCORDING TO NEW STUDY FROM ISRAEL THAT HAS NOT STUDY FROM ISRAEL THAT HAS NOT BEEN PEER REVIEWED, AND IT IS SAYING THAT THE SECOND BOOSTER REDUCED THE DEATHS FOR THOSE OVER 60 BY HALF, COMPARED TO THOSE WHO RECEIVED ONE BOOSTER, AND VACCINES ARE NOT ONE TOOL AND VACCINES ARE NOT ONE TOOL AVAILABLE, AND YOU GET GOOD AVAILABLE, AND YOU GET GOOD PROTECTION, FROM THE ARRAY OF DRUGS LIKE PAXLOVID. DRUGS LIKE PAXLOVID. YOU SHOULD ACCESS THEM QUICKLY. Reporter: AND THESE WILL PLAY A ROLE IN COVID, BECAUSE WE COULD ALL BE INFECTED SAYS DR. KIM FARLEY. SOONER OR LATER, ARE WE ALL GOING TO BE INFECTED? YES, WE CAN ALL EXPECT TO HAVE A DATE WITH COVID AT SOME HAVE A DATE WITH COVID AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES. Reporter: AND FORTUNATELY FOR”,”video_id”:”2017675331823_533″,”video_length”:”136437″,”video_provider”:”mpx”,”short_video_excerpt”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_low”:”_W_3nuBYvrSN”,”pid_streaming_web_mobile_low”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_standard”:”ZcZQc64hXkzk”,”pid_streaming_mobile_standard”:”FhSMOQYSdaYR”,”alleypack_schedule_unpublish”:””,”feed_remote_id”:”mpx_2017675331823″,”feed_thumbnail_url”:”” ” data-livestream=”false” data-title=”FDA Approves Second Booster Shot for Some People” data-vidcid=”1:9:2858801″ data-vidurl=”https://www.nbclosangeles.com/investigations/fda-approves-second-booster-shot-for-some-people/2858801/” data-islead=”false” data-catnames=” “806524”:”Coronavirus Pandemic”,”756756″:”News”,”866704″:”Coronavirus in SoCal”,”757727″:”Investigations”,”759974″:”On Air” ” data-tagnames=” “808217”:”COVID” ” data-customdata=” “ContentPartner”:”None”,”Source”:”WEBFM”,”SyndicationAllowed”:”true”,”mSNVideoCategories”:”MSN Video v4 Connector-most watched news”,”mSNVideoContentSupplierID”:”NBC_Local”,”mSNVideoCountry”:”us”,”subtitle”:”nosubtitle”,”uploadedByTeam”:”1″,”youtubeChannel”:”None” ” data-autoplay=”false” data-cplay=”true” According to the county, as of last Sunday, 83 of eligible county residents aged 5 and older had received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, and 75 were fully vaccinated. However, only 30 of children aged 5-11 have been fully vaccinated, the lowest rate of any age group. Among Black residents, only 55.4 are fully vaccinated, along with 58.9 of Latina/o residents, compared to 73 of white residents and 82 of Asians. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. (https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/la-county-covid-booster-long-beach-commerce-corona/2859527/)

What are the Symptoms of the Omicron Subvariant BA.2? Here’s What Experts Say So Far

Months after the U.S. experienced a surge in cases of the omicron variant, focus has turned to different strain BA.2, a subvariant of omicron, also referred to as stealth omicron. BA.2 captured attention as it spawned a rise in infections in Europe earlier this month, and in recent weeks, case numbers have risen in New York City, where BA.2 appears to be on track to taking over as the dominant strain. As of March 19, the subvariant accounted for nearly 35 of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., a roughly 12 increase from the week prior, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In recent days, case numbers have also gone up in the Midwest. According to the CDC, the BA.2 subvariant made up just over 30 of new COVID cases in a six-state area, including Illinois, over the week ending March 19. The subvariant is not the dominant strain, officials said this week, but the likelihood is that it will be by the end of next month. If you contract COVID-19, is there a way to tell if you’ve come down with omicron or BA.2? Some say specific symptoms may be associated with the subvariant, but others aren’t certain at this point. The symptoms for BA.2 are similar to those seen in many COVID infections, including: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache New loss of taste or smell Sore throat Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea But those associated with BA.2 seem to largely mirror a small number of symptoms commonly reported in omicron infections, NBC News reported. Those symptoms are the following: Cough Fatigue Congestion Runny Nose Anecdotal reports have suggested that dizziness could be a possible symptom, but they are so far unfounded. We will have to wait and see what exactly that means, said Dr. Rachael Lee, an associate professor of infectious disease and a health care epidemiologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Infections in general can cause dizziness if people become dehydrated, she said. When we are sick and our body is taking care of the infection, we can get things like fever, Lee said. If you have fever, in particular, and if you’re sweating a lot, you’re losing a lot of fluid. Another doctor noted omicron led to more upper respiratory symptoms, but said it’s just too early to tell with BA.2. COVID-19 Mar 26 FDA Expected to Authorize a Second COVID Booster Shot Next Week BA.2 Mar 25 What is BA.2 and Why Are You Hearing About the Omicron Subvariant? coronavirus Mar 23 Omicron’s’stealth’ Subvariant BA.2 Could Go ‘Wild’ in Europe Before Going Global, Top Epidemiologist Says I don’t know if we, right now, know the particular features that are distinct for BA.2 versus BA.1. I mean, for BA.1, we knew that it was mostly an upper respiratory-type infection rather than the lower respiratory infections that can lead toward pneumonia and further and greater complications, said Dr. Gregory Huhn, an infectious disease physician and the COVID-19 vaccine coordinator for Cook County Health. For some people, coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in a couple weeks. For others, it may cause no symptoms at all. For some, the virus can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. Most vaccinated people either have no symptoms or exhibit very mild symptoms, according to health officials, and the virus rarely results in hospitalization or death for those individuals. (https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/what-are-the-symptoms-of-the-omicron-subvariant-ba-2-heres-what-experts-say-so-far/2792800/)

LA County Sees Miniscule Uptick in COVID Hospitalizations

The number of COVID-positive patients at Los Angeles County hospitals showed a miniscule uptick Saturday, increasing by three people to 290, according to the latest state figures. The number of those patients in intensive care was 44, down from 47 on Friday. The hospitalization number has come down significantly from over 4,800 in mid-January at the height of the Omicron-fueled winter surge, and is generally at its lowest levels since last summer. The latest numbers come one day after LA County and the state marked another milestone in the pandemic by officially lifting the requirement that attendees at indoor mega-events such as sporting events or concerts show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test. It’s the latest pandemic-era mandate to be lifted, following the recent scrapping of rules requiring people to wear masks indoors at most locations. Masks are also no longer required at outdoor mega-events or on school campuses. The Los Angeles City Council agreed this week to drop its requirement that people show proof of vaccination to enter many indoor businesses. Health officials have noted, however, that private businesses are entitled to enact their own virus-control measures if they desire, such as requiring masks or checking for vaccinations or negative tests. Mask-wearing, while no longer mandated in most settings, is still strongly recommended by health officials. Masks also remain mandatory in select locations, such as health-care settings, aboard public transit and airplanes and in airports and transit centers. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer noted Thursday that whenever major public-health mandates are lifted, there tends to be an uptick in COVID infections as more people interact. She said that is being seen again now locally, with the county’s weeks-long decline in COVID case numbers suddenly leveling off this week. The county on Friday reported 1,167 new COVID infections, notably higher than the 784 reported on Thursday. Since the pandemic began, the county has recorded a cumulative total of 2,834,317 infections. But while case numbers have stopped their decline, hospitalizations of COVID-19-positive people are still falling with health officials crediting widespread vaccinations for preventing patients from falling seriously ill from infections. Another 16 virus-related deaths were reported Friday, raising the county’s overall death toll to 31,683. Health officials have said that the vast majority of people who die of COVID complications have underlying conditions, mainly hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. Ferrer said Thursday the highly infections BA.2 subvariant of COVID-19 was increasing its influence in the county, representing 32 of cases that underwent specialized laboratory sequencing to identify strains of the virus for the week ending March 12. That was nearly double the rate from the previous week. Business Apr 1 CDC Will End Sweeping Order Used to Expel Migrants at U.S. Borders During Covid Pandemic Business Apr 1 Myocarditis Risk Higher After Covid Infection Than Pfizer Or Moderna Vaccination, CDC Finds COVID-19 Apr 1 Study: Ivermectin Does Not Reduce Hospitalization From COVID-19 Infection BA.2 has been driving up infection numbers in nations around the world, most notably Australia and parts of Europe. Ferrer said the strain an offshoot of the Omicron variant likely accounts for an even higher percentage of cases locally, since the most recent figures were two weeks old. But she again stressed that the spread of BA.2 has not led to a rise in hospitalizations. The average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus was 0.9 as of Friday, down from 1.1 on Thursday. The county health department no longer reports COVID data on weekends. (https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/coronavirus/southern-california-coronavirus/la-county-sees-miniscule-uptick-in-covid-hospitalizations/2861519/)

Orange County COVID Hospitalizations Drop as LA’s Rise

What to Know The number of COVID-positive patients in Orange County hospitals has fallen to an even 100. The number of COVID-positive patients in LA County hospitals has climbed by 23 people to 373, departing from the recent downward trend. The last time hospitalizations were this low was in mid-July before the Delta variant-fueled summer surge. The number of COVID-positive patients in Orange County hospitals has fallen by 13 people to an even 100, according to the latest state figures. The number of those patients in intensive care was 20, up from 19 on Saturday. Those numbers come two days after local officials reported 171 new positive COVID tests and three additional deaths linked to the virus, raising the county’s cumulative totals to 546,296 cases and 6,860 deaths. The county does not report COVID data on weekends. BA.2 omicron subvariant Mar 27 COVID Hospitalizations Rise in LA County ba.2 Mar 24 What to Know About the BA.2 Sub-Variant and Its Rise in LA County coronavirus Mar 28 China Is Shutting Down Shanghai in Two Phases to Control Covid The last time hospitalizations were this low was in mid-July before the Delta variant-fueled summer surge. Comparatively, the number of COVID-positive patients in LA County hospitals has climbed by 23 people to 373, departing from the recent downward trend. Of those hospitalized in OC, 84 are unvaccinated and 86 percent of those in intensive care were not inoculated, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. The county’s case rate per 100,000 people was at 3.4. The testing positivity rate was at 1.7 and 2 in the health equity quartile, which measures underserved communities hardest hit by the pandemic, the OCHCA said. The case rate per 100,000 people who are fully vaccinated with a booster improved from 3.5 on March 12 to 3.2 on March 19, according to data released Thursday. For residents who were fully vaccinated with no booster the case rate improved from 3.2 to 2.4. For those not fully vaccinated the rate improved from 6 to 4.1. The number of fully vaccinated residents in Orange County rose from 2,443,437 last week to 2,446,410, according to data released Thursday. That number includes an increase from 2,287,201 to 2,290,047 of residents who have received the two-dose regimen of vaccines from Pfizer or Moderna. The number of residents receiving the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine increased from 156,236 to 156,363. Booster shots increased from 1,222,416 to 1,228,846. In the most recently eligible age group of 5 to 11 years old, the number of children vaccinated increased from 83,724 to 85,376, versus 183,204 who have not been vaccinated. It’s the least vaccinated age group in Orange County. The age group that has received the most booster shots is 55 to 64. The OCHCA noted that beginning this week, Friday’s new COVID case counts will be reported on Monday, while Saturday, Sunday and Monday case counts will be reported on Tuesday. (https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/orange-county-variant-covid-hospitalizations-drop-la-rise/2857767/)

COVID Hospitalizations Rise in LA County

The number of COVID-positive patients in Los Angeles County hospitals has climbed by 23 people to 373, departing from the recent trend that’s seen the total fall from over 4,800 in mid-January, according to the latest state figures out Saturday. The number of those patients in intensive care was 56, down by three from Friday’s total. The latest numbers came as the county reported 789 new positive COVID tests and 22 additional deaths associated with the virus, bringing the county’s cumulative totals to 2,830,048 cases and 31,594 deaths, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The health department has said that the vast majority of people who die of COVID complications have underlying conditions, mainly hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. The rolling average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus was 0.7 as of Saturday, roughly the same as it has been for the past two weeks. ba.2 Mar 24 What to Know About the BA.2 Sub-Variant and Its Rise in LA County COVID-19 Mar 27 COVID Hospitalizations Decline to 341 in Los Angeles County on Sunday On Thursday, the department reported an uptick in COVID infections attributed to the BA.2, an offshoot of the Omicron variant that spurred a winter surge in cases and hospitalizations. According to the county, the BA.2 sub-variant accounted for 14.7 of all specially sequenced cases from the week ending March 5 more than double the 6.4 rate from the previous week. Experts have suggested that BA.2 is at least 30 more contagious than the Omicron variant, which was already substantially more easily spread than the original COVID-19 virus. As the county sees growing cases of the more-infectious BA.2 subvariant, everyone, especially those who are at elevated risk or homebound, should be fully vaccinated and boosted, and Public Health thanks our partners who are working to provide access to these life-saving vaccines for these at-risk residents, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement Friday. County officials said they are expanding mobile vaccination efforts to reach homebound residents or others who are unable to reach a vaccine clinic or pharmacy on their own. According to the county, about 9,960 residents considered homebound have been vaccinated in the county in the past year. There are believed to be a total of 10,000 to 15,000 homebound residents in the county. Information on obtaining mobile vaccination service is available by calling 833-540-0473. Information is also available at vaccinatelacounty.com. COVID-19 Mar 26 FDA Expected to Authorize a Second COVID Booster Shot Next Week COVID-19 Mar 25 LA County COVID-19 Cases on the Rise Again Due to Omicron BA.2 Subvariant COVID-19 Mar 26 LA Superior Court to Lift Mask Mandate April 4 According to the county, as of last Sunday, 83 of eligible county residents aged 5 and older had received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, and 75 were fully vaccinated. However, only 30 of children aged 5-11 have been fully vaccinated, the lowest rate of any age group. Among Black residents, only 55.4 are fully vaccinated, along with 58.9 of Latina/o residents, compared to 73 of white residents and 82 of Asians. (https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/covid-hospitalizations-rise-in-la-county/2856703/)

FDA OKs Another Pfizer, Moderna COVID Booster for 50 and Up

U.S. regulators on Tuesday authorized another COVID-19 booster for people age 50 and older, a step to offer extra protection for the most vulnerable in case the coronavirus rebounds. The Food and Drug Administration’s decision opens a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to those people at least four months after their previous booster. Until now, the FDA had cleared fourth doses only for people 12 and older who have severely weakened immune systems. The agency said this especially fragile group also can get an additional booster, a fifth shot. The latest expansion, regardless of people’s health, allows an extra shot to millions more Americans and the question is whether everyone who’s eligible should rush out and get it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to weigh in. coronavirus Mar 23 Omicron BA.2 Subvariant Will Soon Dominate in U.S., But Fauci Doesn’t Expect Another Surge coronavirus Mar 23 Moderna Covid Vaccine for Kids Under 6 Years Old Was Up to 44 Effective Against Omicron Infection The move comes at a time of great uncertainty. COVID-19 cases have dropped to low levels after the winter surge of the super-contagious omicron variant. Two vaccine doses plus a booster still provide strong protection against severe disease and death, CDC data show. But an omicron sibling is causing causing a worrisome jump in infections in Europe and spreading in the U.S. even as vaccination has stalled. About two-thirds of Americans are fully vaccinated, and half of those eligible for a first booster haven’t gotten one. Pfizer had asked the FDA to clear a fourth shot for people 65 and older, while Moderna requested another dose for all adults to provide flexibility for the government to decide who really needs one. There’s limited evidence to tell how much benefit another booster could offer right now. FDA made the decision without input from its independent panel of experts that has wrestled with how much data is required to expand shots. There might be a reason to top off the tanks a little bit for older people and those with other health conditions, said University of Pennsylvania immunologist E. John Wherry, who wasn’t involved in the government’s decision. But while he encourages older friends and relatives to follow the advice, the 50-year-old Wherry who is healthy, vaccinated and boosted doesn’t plan on getting a fourth shot right away. With protection against severe illness still strong, I’m going to wait until it seems like there’s a need. None of the COVID-19 vaccines are as strong against the omicron mutant as they were against earlier versions of the virus. Also, protection against milder infections naturally wanes over time. But the immune system builds multiple layers of defense and the type that prevents severe illness and death is holding up. During the U.S. omicron wave, two doses were nearly 80 effective against needing a ventilator or death and a booster pushed that protection to 94, the CDC recently reported. Vaccine effectiveness was lowest 74 in immune-compromised people, the vast majority of whom hadn’t gotten a third dose. U.S. health officials also looked to Israel, which during the omicron surge opened a fourth dose to people 60 and older at least four months after their last shot. Preliminary data posted online last week suggested some benefit: Israeli researchers counted 92 deaths among more than 328,000 people who got the extra shot, compared to 232 deaths among 234,000 people who skipped the fourth dose. What’s far from clear is how long any extra benefit from another booster would last, and thus when to get it. The ‘when’ is a really difficult part. Ideally we would time booster doses right before surges but we don’t always know when that’s going to be, said Dr. William Moss of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Plus, a longer interval between shots helps the immune system mount a stronger, more cross-reactive defense. If you get a booster too close together, it’s not doing any harm you’re just not going to get much benefit from it, said Wherry. The newest booster expansion may not be the last: Next week, the government will hold a public meeting to debate if everyone eventually needs a fourth dose, possibly in the fall, of the original vaccine or an updated shot. As for updating vaccines, studies in people of omicron-targeted shots alone or in combination with the original vaccine are underway. The National Institutes of Health recently tested monkeys and found no significant advantage to using a booster that targets just omicron. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/national-international/fda-oks-another-pfizer-moderna-covid-booster-for-50-and-up/2680978/)

As COVID Wastewater Levels Rise, Should We Expect Another Surge?

As the stealth BA.2 omicron variant becomes more prevalent in New England, the latest wastewater data shows another modest uptick in COVID-19 levels throughout Boston. This data is prompting new concerns about what the wastewater levels mean for the weeks ahead in terms of a possible COVID spike. Top Boston doctors spoke to NBC10 Boston during our weekly COVID Q&A session about the rise in COVID levels in the wastewater data. The doctors said the future remains unclear. Dr. Shira Doron, a hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, said the similarities between the BA.1 variant and the BA.2 variant make it hard to interpret the wastewater data. If people with BA.2 have more virus, will you see more virus in the wastewater even in the absence of an increase in cases? Doron said. We’ve always said you can only look at wastewater data as it trends within a specific variant because there may be different viral loads associated with other variants, so this period where we are partly BA.1 and partly BA.2 is going to be a confusing time in terms of predictions. (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/as-wastewater-covid-levels-rise-should-we-expect-another-surge-heres-what-boston-doctors-say/2681826/)

NY State Releases 2nd COVID Booster Dose Guidance: Here’s What to Know

The latest expansion comes as omicron subvariant BA.2 fuels fresh worries over the COVID pandemic; cases are rising but hospitalizations and deaths are still down and experts don’t expect a huge surge What to Know NYS released its second COVID booster dose guidance on Saturday; the recommendations mirror those set by the federal government At this point, NYC health officials urge that people who are eligible for a booster at least get one if they haven’t done so yet; like the CDC, they’re not fully recommending 4th doses ASAP for all now eligible The expansion comes as omicron subvariant BA.2 fuels fresh worries over the COVID pandemic; cases are rising but hospitalizations and deaths are still down and experts don’t expect a huge surge New York state outlined its second COVID booster eligibility guidance on Saturday, days after the five boroughs started offering the fourth vaccine doses following the federal government’s authorization of those shots earlier in the week. The eligibility expansion mirrors that outlined by the FDA and CDC. New Yorkers age 50 or older who got their first booster at least four months ago, adult Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients last boosted at least four months ago and all age 12 and up who are moderately to severely immunocompromised are included. Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients can get a second booster of any mRNA COVID vaccine, which means Pfizer or Moderna. Those younger than 17 still must to stick with the Pfizer vaccine, though. Second boosters are free and widely available across New York, including at all state-run mass vaccine sites. State health officials continue to strongly encourage at least one booster dose for eligible adolescents and adults. Getting vaccinated and staying up-to-date with all recommended doses is the most effective way to prevent severe illness and hospitalization, and move safely forward through this pandemic, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett echoed the Democrat’s sentiments, saying, For each of us, vaccination remains our personal best line of defense against COVID. As we have seen with the recent increase of the omicron subvariant BA.2, COVID is still with us. These safe and effective vaccines remain free, including the second booster. According to CDC data from the recent omicron surge, those who were boosted were 21 times less likely to die from COVID-19 compared to those who were unvaccinated, and seven times less likely to be hospitalized, she pointed out. Retail pharmacies are on board with the second booster rollout as well and major chains, including Walgreens, CVS and Rite-Aid are already accepting appointments online or by walk-ins. Learn more about New York City’s rollout here. Omicron subvariant BA.2 is now the dominant COVID strain circulating in New York and in the country and is contributing to an uptick in cases. Hospitalizations and deaths, though, the more critical benchmarks, have remained on the decline. Experts say that while BA.2 may be more contagious than its predecessor, there’s no evidence at this point that it is linked to more severe disease or is more vaccine-resistant. Given those factors and high vaccination rates in New York, officials don’t expect the subvariant to trigger another major viral resurgence locally or in the U.S. (https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/coronavirus/new-york-state-releases-2nd-covid-booster-dose-guidance-heres-what-to-know/3627732/)

NYC Expects Huge Boost In Tourism in 2022 But One Group of Travelers Still Isn’t Back

Crowds have returned to NYC, and city residents may be noticing more people on the streets and in stores as officials look at other encouraging signs, like an uptick in hotel occupancy. While it’s not quite back to what it was before the pandemic, the city is hoping for a big boom of visitors this year, expecting a 70 percent increase in tourism from 2021, according to NYC & Company, New York’s official tourist organization. That represents the most positive outlook since the start of the pandemic. Look around you in Times Square, look at pedestrian traffic in the city. Hotel occupancy ticking up, it’s around 70 percent or so during the week, and 80 percent on the weekends, said Chris Heywood, the executive VP of Global Communications for the organization. nyc economy Mar 10 NYC Economic Revival Plan Includes Tourism, Clean Streets, Pot Sales NYC tourism Jan 28 NYC Tourism Sees Bumpy Recovery with Ongoing COVID Impact International tourism is critically important, making up about 20 percent of NYC visitors but bringing in more than half of the tourism dollars. The number of international travelers is expected to triple from last year, up to 8 million visitors. That international market is so crucial for us, because they stay longer, they spend more, Heywood said. The recovery hinges on both domestic and international tourism, and there is one big spending force that is still missing from the city: tourists from China. This week Shanghai entered its most extensive coronavirus lockdown in two years, a zero-COVID strategy that effectively brings tourism to a standstill. Our hope is that we will be able to get a good chunk of those visitors back, Heywood said. But it really depends on when those travelers can start traveling again. We’re optimistic that they’ll come by the fourth quarter. (https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-expects-huge-boost-in-tourism-in-2022-but-one-group-of-travelers-still-isnt-back/3623829/)

Mass. Reports 4,000 New COVID Cases Over the Weekend

Massachusetts health officials reported 4,000 new COVID-19 cases Monday in a data set that covers three days, from Friday through Sunday. The state also confirmed seven new deaths. In total, there have been 1,578,533 cases and 19,037 deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. More on the COVID-19 pandemic covid testing Apr 9 Mass. to Distribute At-Home COVID-19 Test Kits to Food Banks BOSTON Apr 8 Do You Have Spring Allergies Or Is It COVID? Here’s What Local Doctors Say The state reported 243 people hospitalized for COVID-19 as of Monday’s data release, with 87 of them, or 36, being primary cases. Of the total hospitalizations, 36 are in intensive care and 24 are intubated. The state’s seven-day average positivity rate rose to 3 Monday, compared to 2.93 on Friday. Massachusetts has released data on breakthrough COVID cases on Tuesdays, but did not post it last week. As of Monday, a note remained on the site reading The April 5, 2022 report will not be posted today. We will post as soon as it is available. Massachusetts’ COVID metrics, tracked on the Department of Public Health’s interactive coronavirus dashboard, have declined since the omicron surge, but case counts are starting to increase once again. That case increase has not, at least for now, corresponded with any dramatic increase in deaths. The state health officials reported zero COVID-19 deaths on Monday. There has been an uptick in COVID-19 levels found in wastewater tested by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s tracking system. The levels remain nowhere near where they were during the peak of the omicron surge, though they do reflect an increase that is hitting levels seen in February. (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/coronavirus/mass-reports-4000-new-covid-cases-over-the-weekend/2691124/)

‘New Normal’: Where We Stand in the Fight Against COVID-19

The days are getting warmer, people are enjoying the outdoors, and COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are low. For Kevin McPartland, who is training for the Boston Marathon in a few weeks, it feels like the home stretch of the pandemic. It kind of makes me feel a lot more comfortable kind of taking on things and going out to new events, he said. It’s a new normal for Brookline resident Natalie Quirk. COVID itself maybe will just start to feel less scary and more just like a seasonal thing that goes around like the flu, she said. Hopefully, assuming every variant is less severe than the last. The new BA.2 variant, a subvariant of omicron, has taken over as the dominant strain of COVID-19 worldwide, with Western Europe experiencing a wave that experts in Massachusetts say will eventually reach us. We’re not in a problematic place yet, but it’s easy to get to a problematic place quickly, warned Boston University Environmental Health Professor John Levy. BA.2 already accounts for 73 of COVID cases in New England, according to the CDC. Levy has been keeping an eye on state wastewater data to stay ahead of the curve, noting Essex County, Middlesex County and Suffolk County are seeing a surge in COVID-19. The data is a good predictor of what’s to come in the next week or two, said Dr. Paul Sax at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. We know that the pace of the increase in infections so far is much slower than it was in December when Omicron really took off, said Sax. Part of that peace of mind is knowing there are tools such as masks, testing and vaccines that, paired with growing herd immunity, prepares us for what comes next, argued Massachusetts General Hospital Infectious Disease Clinician Dr. Mark Siedner. I think we’re really shifting from this idea that we’re waiting for this pandemic to end, to saying we have these tremendously effective safety measures we have vaccines, there are medicines that are actually very effective now to treat COVID early in the disease so let’s use all those tools at our disposal and make that our new normal, he said. Experts say we may have to think of COVID-19 booster vaccines the same way we think of the flu shot. Those kind of tools allow for us to kind of keep living and socializing and having an exciting life, even with the potential new variant or wave, added McPartland. The FDA approved second booster shots of Pfizer’s and Moderna’s COVID vaccines for adults ages 50 and up. Siedner hopes the agency will soon start recommending future COVID shots not as boosters, but as seasonal shots taken every so many months a move he says will help normalize life with COVID. More on the COVID-19 pandemic coronavirus Mar 29 More Contagious Omicron BA.2 Subvariant Now Dominant in the U.S., CDC Says coronavirus Mar 29 CDC, FDA Open Second COVID Boosters to 50 and Up, Others at Risk (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/coronavirus/new-normal-where-we-stand-in-the-fight-against-covid-19/2681565/)

Mass. Health Officials Keeping a Careful Eye on COVID-19 Cases Abroad

Local doctors are keeping a close eye on the surging COVID-19 cases in Europe, saying we need to prepare for the next wave in the United States. A new subvariant of omicron, called BA.2, is fueling an outbreak overseas, and people back here at home are frustrated. I wouldn’t say I’m numb to it, but I’m definitely exhausted, said Liz Tomasi, who grew up in Lawrence. Germany had more than 250,000 new cases at the end of last week. Britain and the Netherlands are seeing more than 60,000 new cases a day. Now, health experts in Boston are bracing for the possibility of the next wave here. I encourage people not to panic simply based on number of cases, said Tufts Epidemiologist Dr. Shira Doron. She said it’s likely the U.S. will see an uptick in cases in the coming weeks, but that’s not a foregone conclusion. In South Africa, it is important to note that BA.2 is predominant, and they have not seen an increase in cases, Doron explained. The CDC said right now, BA.2 or stealth omicron makes up about 25 of the cases across the country. Here in New England, about 38 of positive cases. According to recent studies, it is not more severe, but is 30 more transmissible. With Lawrence down to fewer than 10 cases a day, Health Director Mike Armano is proud of how far the city has come. There were days when we had over a thousand cases, he said. As he keeps a close eye on BA.2, Armano knows there’s still a long way to go. We are not stopping, this is not something we are taking a break with, he explained. We have to stay vigilant we have to stay ahead of it. The best way to protect against this new subvariant is to get fully vaccinated. More on COVID-19 coronavirus 22 hours ago Mass. Reports 813 New COVID-19 Cases Friday coronavirus Mar 18 How Worried Should You Be About’stealth Omicron’? Here’s What Boston Experts Say COVID Q&A Mar 18 Deltacron COVID Variant: What Boston Doctors Say You Should Know (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/mass-health-officials-keeping-a-careful-eye-on-covid-19-cases-abroad/2673157/)