Omicron

[ốc]

Bệnh từ mũi mà vào (bệnh tòng tị nhập):

Exposure to one nasal droplet enough for Covid infection – study
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...nfection-study

The study found that the infection first appears in the throat and that infectious virus peaks about five days into infection, by which point the nose has a much higher viral load than the throat.

The study also suggested that lateral flow tests are a reassuringly reliable indicator of whether infectious virus is present. Swabbing the nose and throat makes it more likely to detect infections during the first few days, the work suggests.

Exposure to a single nasal droplet is sufficient to become infected with Covid-19, according to a landmark trial in which healthy volunteers were intentionally given a dose of the virus.

The trial, the first to have monitored people during the entire course of infection, also found that people typically develop symptoms very quickly – on average, within two days of encountering the virus – and are most infectious five days into the infection.

Trùng trùng đại họa cô vi
Thân này thôi có còn gì mà mong
(Dịch trường tân thanh)

[Triển]

Cuộc khảo sát này làm chi cho tốn tiền, vi trùng cúm nào mà không có vụ truyền nhiễm, nhuốm bệnh và phát bệnh như vậy.

[ốc]

Chắc muốn coi thử có phải đại dịch này là do CIA bày ra. Con vi trùng corona này coi bộ dữ hơn mấy con vi trùng cúm khác.

Người từ trăm năm
Về đây truyền dịch...

[Triển]

Theo chân to ái

---

German vaccine body backs fourth COVID-19 shot for most vulnerable

Germany's vaccination commission has recommended second booster shots for people in coronavirus at-risk groups, including those aged over 70 or with immunodeficiencies.



Germany's expert vaccine commission, the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO), came out on Thursday in favor of fourth COVID-19 vaccine doses — or second booster shots — for people belonging to particularly at-risk groups.

The commission recommended that people aged 70 and over, people with immunodeficiency, and people who live in in care facilities, as well as employees of care and medical facilities, should all be given a fourth dose.

STIKO reasoned that the waning protection offered by existing vaccines against the virus means that a second booster after six months — with vaccines that are already on hand in Germany — would help protect the most vulnerable.

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach welcomed STIKO's decision, calling it "correct" and saying it "gives added protection to [older people and at-risk patients]."

"Nevertheless, first vaccines and boosters should remain our priority," the minister added.

Following in Israel's footsteps

"The latest data from Israel shows that a fourth dose can provide a slight improvement in protection against infection and notable protection from a serious case of illness," STIKO head Thomas Mertens told German newspapers under the umbrella of the Funke Media Group publisher ahead of the announcement on Thursday.

Several pharmaceutical companies, such as Moderna and Germany's BioNTech, have said they will make a new shot that is more effective against the highly infectious omicron variant of the virus. Mertens said the STIKO was awaiting clinical data from these companies on the new omicron-adapted vaccines.

In January, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said a fourth COVID-19 shot would be made available to medical workers, along with people aged 60 and older. Hundreds of thousands of people in the Mediterranean country have already received a fourth jab so far, although one Israeli study suggested another shot might be less effective against omicron.

The STIKO also noted in its announcement that "the data on the effectiveness and safety of a second booster vaccination is still limited."

Is a fourth shot necessary yet in Germany?

It's unclear, however, whether such an approach will work in Germany, where vaccine hesitancy remains strong. So far, around 74% of Germans are vaccinated at least twice, a figure lower than other European countries such as France and Spain. Various politicians, including Health Minister Lauterbach, have repeatedly said the main priority is to improve that quota.

STIKO also recommended the use of the Novavax vaccine on Thursday. This one is based on more conventional vaccine technology and it is hoped that some people who have been hesitant to receive already approved vaccines may accept the Novavax one.

German lawmakers are discussing making COVID-19 vaccination obligatory to fight the pandemic, but it's unclear whether the idea will become public policy. Cases have surged in recent weeks, with Germany reporting a record 236,120 new infections on Thursday and a seven-day incidence of more than 1,220 per 100,000.

Beyond that, Germany's vaccination cycle began considerably later than Israel's, meaning most people who have so far received three shots would have likely had their initial "booster" later than a typical Israeli.

Differing opinions over the benefits of boosters

The Greens' health policy expert, Janosch Dahmen, told Funke newspapers that a fourth dose would probably be advisable for people with preexisting immune system concerns or who rely on medication that can compromise their immune system. But he said for many Germans it could also prove unnecessary, at least at present.

"The vast majority of people in Germany who have received a booster vaccination did so in December or January. Their immune protection against serious bouts of COVID is currently very good," Dahmen said.

Global health authorities, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), have condemned the use of booster shots by wealthy countries. The WHO has said the booster approach is contributing to global vaccine inequity, particularly in Africa.

ab, wd/sms (Reuters, dpa)

/* source: https://www.dw.com/en/german-vaccine...ble/a-60640400

[ốc]

Social distancing: sợ Cô vít hay sợ Ma cà rồng?

Putin’s massive table
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-massive-table



[QUOTE]Russia’s leader is using a five-metre table for one-on-one meetings, but is it just a super-cautious Covid measure?/QUOTE]

Keep you French close.

[ốc]

Puytanh sợ Ma cà rồng:

Macron was kept away from Putin in Kremlin for ‘refusing Russian Covid test’
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ian-covid-test

But the two sources, who have knowledge of the French president’s health protocol, told Reuters Macron had been given a choice: either he accepted a PCR test done by the Russian authorities and was allowed to get close to Putin, or he refused and had to abide by more stringent social distancing.

The second source in Macron’s entourage confirmed Macron declined to take a Russian PCR test. The source said Macron instead took a French PCR test before departure and an antigen test done by his own doctor once in Russia.

Thứ nhất sợ kẻ anh hùng
Thứ nhì sợ Ma cà rồng của Tây

[Triển]

[Triển]

What we know about the Covid variant EG.5 dubbed 'Eris'



The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a new sub-variant of Covid called EG.5 - unofficially named "Eris" - a variant of interest and is asking countries to monitor it as cases grow globally.

But the organisation says it poses a low risk to public health, with no evidence that it causes more severe disease than other variants circulating at the moment.

What is EG.5 and why has it been dubbed Eris?

Ever since it first emerged, Covid has been mutating or shape-shifting and becoming incrementally different. The new genetic versions that keep appearing are called variants.

EG.5 is another off-shoot of the Omicron variant of Covid. According to the WHO, it was first seen in February 2023 and cases have been increasing steadily.

It has been dubbed Eris on social media - also the name of a goddess in Greek mythology.

The unofficial nickname may follow on from the WHO convention of using letters of the Greek alphabet to assign, "simple, easy-to-say labels" for key variants.

The WHO naming system arose after experts agreed scientific names were difficult to remember and prone to misreporting. It was also intended to stop variants being named after the countries they were first spotted in.

In its latest assessment, the WHO includes EG.5 and sub-variants very closely related to it, including 5G.5.1.

According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), 5G.5.1 now makes up about one in seven cases of Covid picked up by hospital tests.

Dr Meera Chand, the agency's deputy director, said "it was not unexpected" to see new variants emerge.

She continued: "EG.5.1 was designated as a variant on 31 July 2023 due to continued growth internationally and presence in the UK, allowing us to monitor it through our routine surveillance processes."

Cases of EG.5 are also rising in the US, where it has narrowly surpassed other circulating omicron sub-variants, according to estimates published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Is Eris more dangerous?

Based on the available evidence, WHO officials say there is no suggestion the sub-variant is causing more severe disease and the risks are no higher than other current variants of interest.

Some tests suggest it can evade our immune systems more easily than some circulating variants but this has not been translated into people becoming more seriously ill.

In the UK, there has been a small increase in people in hospital in recent weeks, particularly those aged over 85, but experts say the numbers remain lower than previous waves. There has been no increase in people severely unwell in intensive care.

Experts around the world will continue to monitor the sub-variant and assess its impact, particularly as schools and universities reopen.

Where is EG.5 spreading?

According to the WHO, infections have been reported in 51 countries, including China, the US, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia, Singapore, the UK, France, Portugal and Spain.

What are the symptoms?

Experts say there is no evidence to suggest it causes any new Covid symptoms.

Symptoms of Covid can include:

• fever
• continuous cough
• change in sense of taste or smell
• fatigue
• runny nose
• sore throat

How can you protect yourself?

As with other Covid variants, the risk of serious illness remains highest for people who are elderly or have significant underlying health conditions.

UKHSA officials say vaccination remains the "best defence against future Covid waves, so it is still as important as ever that people take up all the doses for which they are eligible as soon as possible".

People eligible for Covid vaccines this winter include all adults aged 65 and over, adults living in care homes and a number of people who have health conditions that put them at increased risk.

The WHO says it continues to assess the impact of variants on the performance of vaccines to inform decisions on updates to vaccine composition.

UKHSA experts recommend regular handwashing and staying away from others where possible if you have symptoms of a respiratory illness.

/* src.: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-66461727

[ốc]

N5 lấy cái N95 ra xài cho chắc ăn:

gatherings blamed for Covid rise in Germany

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ny-say-experts

According to the government’s Pandemic Radar, which is updated daily by the health ministry, visits to the doctor due to a Covid 19 infection are up 175% on the previous week, with 2,400 cases reported to the RKI this week compared with 400 the previous week, and double the rate of a month ago.

Hospital admissions of people with coronavirus are up 50%.

New York has recently recorded a doubling in hospitalisations due to the EG.5 Eris variant of Omicron, which the World Health Organization last week classified as a “variant of interest”.

Đông vui lây.

[Triển]

N5 lấy cái N95 ra xài cho chắc ăn

Hồi 3 năm trước, lúc cái hội Kiu A nần còn hoạt động mạnh. Cho là chích ngừa là tiêm chip vào người. Lúc đó hoảng quá, nhưng cũng nhờ các anh chị bự giành giật thuốc, nên trong người mình có tới 3 cái chips khác nhau: AstraZenecca, BionTech-Pfizer và sau rốt là Moderna. Nhiều chip như vậy thì có vi trùng nào dám ghé thăm nữa.