It really can't be overstated how poisoned the brains of Facebook propaganda boomers are.

MORE than a million people in the UK are living with long covid, according to the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS). And while global figures vary, it is thought that about 14 per cent of people who catch covid-19 end up with lasting symptoms – which is some 25 million people worldwide. This could be a big underestimate, though, because less than 10 per cent of infections are thought to be detected, so the true figure could be nearer 250 million.

Long covid: Do I have it, how long will it last and can we treat it?

How people respond to health threats can influence their own health and, when people are facing communal risks, even their community’s health. We propose that people commonly respond to health threats by managing their emotions with cognitive strategies such as reappraisal, which can reduce fear and protect mental health. However, because fear can also motivate health behaviors, reducing fear may also jeopardize health behaviors. In two diverse U.S. samples (N = 1,241) tracked across 3 months, sequential and cross-lagged panel mediation models indicated that reappraisal predicted lower fear about an ongoing health threat (COVID-19) and, in turn, better mental health but fewer recommended physical health behaviors. This trade-off was not inevitable, however: The use of reappraisal to increase socially oriented positive emotions predicted better mental health without jeopardizing physical health behaviors. Examining the costs and benefits of how people cope with health threats is essential for promoting better health outcomes for individuals and communities.

10.1177/09567976211024260

Coping With Health Threats: The Costs and Benefits of Managing Emotions

"I think the #EU needs to be on the right side of history.” @JNkengasong Head of @AfricaCDC welcomes news of $1.2 bn EU investment but says the continent can produce vaccines at scale IF #patents are waived. "The time is always right to do the right thing..." PART I

Reading covid-19 prediction studies. It never gets old. Oh wait... It does.

THE ANTI-VACCINATION PROPAGANDA.

10.1016/S0140-6736(01)96975-2

Differences in life expectancy, car ownership and language may contribute to the racial and ethnic disparities

The Biggest Barriers to COVID Vaccination for Black and Latinx People

With new COVID-19 vaccine developments every day, it’s normal to have questions or concerns, and possibly feel hesitant about getting a vaccine. That's why we're providing accurate, evidence-based answers to questions about COVID-19 vaccines. Find out more.

COVID-19 vaccines ⁠–⁠ Is it true?

Move raises questions as China’s vaccines not approved in many countries to which it is opening travel

China to only allow foreign visitors who have had Chinese-made vaccine

Plan will also allow states most reliant on tourism to make bilateral arrangements with non-EU members – including UK

Covid: EU unveils 'digital green certificate' to allow citizens to travel

First dose COVID-19 vaccination rates among people aged 70 years and older who live in England, both in private households and communal establishments. Includes estimates for the population as a whole by age and sex, and for ethnic minorities, religious groups, those identified as disabled and by area deprivation.

Coronavirus and vaccination rates in people aged 70 years and over by socio-demographic characteristic, England: 8 December 2020 to 11 March 2021

Over-70s of black African heritage 7.4 times more likely not to have had first dose than white people, says ONS

Study reveals low Covid jab take-up among black people in England

n a letter to the editor published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Danuta M. Skowronski, MD, and Gaston De Serres, MD, PhD, reviewed documentation submitted to the Food and Drug Administration to derive vaccine efficacy for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, BNT162b2.1 In the original study, conducted by Polack et al, efficacy after the first dose was calculated to be 52.4% and collected during the first 2 weeks after injection, when “immunity would have still been mounting.”

COVID-19 Vaccine Efficacy After First Dose: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca

Hilda Bastian on the most important pandemic vaccine in the pipeline and why we’re on track for annual booster shots.

The scientist who’s been right about Covid-19 vaccines predicts what’s next

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany has administered only 15% of the AstraZeneca coronavirus shots it has available, the health ministry said, as the vaccine faces public resistance after trials showed it to be less effective than alternatives.

Only 15% of AstraZeneca vaccine available in Germany has been used

Alongside COVID-19 as a viral pandemic, the World Health Organization was quick to declare COVID-19 an infodemic, a superabundance of online and offline information with the potential to undermine public health efforts. Here, Dr. Elinor Carmi, Dr. Myrto Aloumpi and Dr. Elena Musi discuss how philosophical fallacies can be instrumentalised in response to the COVID-19 infodemic and assist those coming into contact with fake news resist its rhetorical appeal.

The Rule of Truth: How fallacies can help stem the COVID-19 infodemic

V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Through v-safe, you can quickly tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Depending on your answers to the web surveys, someone from CDC may call to check on you and get more information. V-safe will also remind you to get your second COVID-19 vaccine dose if you need one.

V-safe After Vaccination Health Checker

In December 2020, 2 mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) were granted Emergency Use Authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration as 2-dose series and recommended for use by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.1-3 In late February 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration granted Emergency Use Authorization for a third COVID-19 vaccine, a single-dose adenovirus vector-based vaccine from Janssen (Johnson & Johnson). In clinical trials of the mRNA-based 2-dose vaccines, participants reported local and systemic reactions (reactogenicity).4,5 Frequently reported reactions included injection site pain, fatigue, and headache; greater reactogenicity was reported following the second dose.4,5 Continued monitoring of reactogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines outside of clinical trial settings may provide additional information for health care practitioners and the public about transient local and systemic reactions following COVID-19 vaccination.

10.1001/jama.2021.5374

Reactogenicity Following Receipt of mRNA-Based COVID-19 Vaccines

Focusing on vaccine hesitancy could mean we are missing an opportunity to maximise uptake by better understanding people’s capability, opportunity and motivation to get the Covid-19 vaccination, say psychologists.

Using behavioural science could give vital boost to vaccination uptake, say psychologists

International travel won’t be ‘normal’ until 2022

New blow for foreign holidays as Boris Johnson predicts ‘difficult year’

10.1038/d41586-021-01557-z

Determining the duration of protective immunity to infection by SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for understanding and predicting the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical studies now indicate that immunity will be long-lasting.

A long-term perspective on immunity to COVID

10.1038/d41586-021-01579-7

Gemma Derrick revisits calls for a better research culture.

A year after lockdowns began, has research got any kinder?

Early research shows that 15 to 80 percent of people with certain medical conditions, such as specific blood cancers or organ transplants, are generating few antibodies after receiving coronavirus vaccines.

Coronavirus vaccines may not work in some people. It’s because of their underlying conditions.

Studies of two SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines suggested that they yield ∼95% protection from symptomatic infection at least short-term, but important clinical questions remain. It is unclear how vaccine-induced antibody levels quantitatively compare to the wide spectrum induced by natural SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vaccine response kinetics and magnitudes in persons with prior COVID-19 compared to virus-naı̈ve persons are not well-defined. The relative stability of vaccine-induced versus infection-induced antibody levels is unclear. We addressed these issues with longitudinal assessments of vaccinees with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection using quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of anti-RBD antibodies. SARS-CoV-2-naı̈ve individuals achieved levels similar to mild natural infection after the first vaccination; a second dose generated levels approaching severe natural infection. In persons with prior COVID-19, one dose boosted levels to the high end of severe natural infection even in those who never had robust responses from infection, increasing no further after the second dose. Antiviral neutralizing assessments using a spike-pseudovirus assay revealed that virus-naı̈ve vaccinees did not develop physiologic neutralizing potency until the second dose, while previously infected persons exhibited maximal neutralization after one dose. Finally, antibodies from vaccination waned similarly to natural infection, resulting in an average of ∼90% loss within 90 days. In summary, our findings suggest that two doses are important for quantity and quality of humoral immunity in SARS-CoV-2-naı̈ve persons, while a single dose has maximal effects in those with past infection. Antibodies from vaccination wane with kinetics very similar to that seen after mild natural infection; booster vaccinations will likely be required.

10.1021/acsnano.1c03972

Primary, Recall, and Decay Kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Antibody Responses

Air passengers in the U.S. yesterday were up 20% week-over-week, the biggest advance since February, and the highest total daily passengers—1.98m—since the pandemic started. I initially thought it was an error and held off posting it, but it's apparently correct.

FACT: Asking about vaccine status does NOT violate HIPAA. ¡También en #Español! Submit questions to impact4hc@gmail.com. #VaxUpIL #ThisIsOurShot #igottheshot #HIPAA

It’s getting even riskier to remain unvaccinated. The United States, as a whole, is still in good shape for the summer of reunions and revived activities. But for those who haven’t been immunized against Covid-19, there is a new concern: the emergence of yet another coronavirus variant, one with a nasty combination of features that makes it even more dangerous than the other strains that have caused global alarms.

More transmissible, wilier variant makes Covid-19 vaccinations even more crucial, experts say

No one is safe from #COVID19 until everyone is safe. This is why we must vaccinate health workers and highest risk populations in all countries first and at the same time. Donate. Doses. Now. #VaccinEquity

Today’s main headlines: Biden says US has ‘humanitarian obligation’ to donate Covid-19 vaccinesFDA extends shelf life of J&J Covid-19 jabECB sticks to bond-buying plan despite inflation forecastDelta variant ‘poised to take hold’ in Europe, WHO warnsModerna seeks authorisation to administer vaccine to children in US

Coronavirus: Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks return for crowds after pandemic — as it happened

We welcome Reddy’s editorial on covid-19 in India,1 but want to emphasise one further issue: how India’s national government has inappropriately prioritised people for covid-19 vaccination.

10.1136/bmj.n1464

Pandemic lessons from India: inappropriate prioritisation for vaccination

The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 Variant of Concern (VOC), first detected in India, is now dominant in the UK, having rapidly1Public Health EnglandSARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and variants under investigation in England, Technical briefing 13.https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/990177/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_13_England.pdfDate: May 27, 2021Date accessed: June 2, 2021Google Scholar displaced the B.1.1.7 strain2Rambaut A Loman N Pybus O et al.Preliminary genomic characterisation of an emergent SARS-CoV-2 lineage in the UK defined by a novel set of spike mutations.https://virological.org/t/preliminary-genomic-characterisation-of-an-emergent-sars-cov-2-lineage-in-the-uk-defined-by-a-novel-set-of-spike-mutations/563Date: Feb 4, 2021Date accessed: June 2, 2021Google Scholar that emerged in the UK with the second COVID-19 wave in late 2020. The efficacy of currently licensed COVID-19 vaccines against B.1.617.2 is unknown; although it possesses 12 mutations in its spike protein relative to the wildtype SARS-CoV-2 first detected in Wuhan, China, in December, 2019, B.1.617.2 lacks mutations at amino acid positions 501 or 484 in its ACE2 receptor-binding domain, commonly associated with VOCs (appendix p 2) or escape from neutralising antibodies (NAbs).

Neutralising antibody activity against SARS-CoV-2 VOCs B.1.617.2 and B.1.351 by BNT162b2 vaccination

10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01290-3

10.1038/s42005-021-00620-5

Despite a number of successful approaches in predicting the spatiotemporal patterns of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and quantifying the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions starting from data about the initial outbreak location, we lack an intrinsic understanding as outbreak locations shift and evolve. Here, we fill this gap by developing a country distance approach to capture the pandemic’s propagation backbone tree from a complex airline network with multiple and evolving outbreak locations. We apply this approach, which is analogous to the effective resistance in series and parallel circuits, to examine countries’ closeness regarding disease spreading and evaluate the effectiveness of travel restrictions on delaying infections. In particular, we find that 63.2% of travel restrictions implemented as of 1 June 2020 are ineffective. The remaining percentage postponed the disease arrival time by 18.56 days per geographical area and resulted in a total reduction of 13,186,045 infected cases. Our approach enables us to design optimized and coordinated travel restrictions to extend the delay in arrival time and further reduce more infected cases while preserving air travel.

Country distancing increase reveals the effectiveness of travel restrictions in stopping COVID-19 transmission

Bloomberg’s tracker shows which states are making the mostweek-by-week progress in closing their racial vaccination gaps.

There’s Now a White Vaccination Gapin 18 U.S. States: Covid-19 Tracker

Steady gains in high work-from-home (and better-paid) sectors, now just 1.6% below pre-pandemic employment. After initial slow rebound, now moving back to baseline. In low work-from-home sectors, jobs still way below pre-pandemic baseline.

Tui says half of its passengers booked to visit Portugal in June are still planning to travel

Holidays abroad: many Britons plan to press on despite government advice

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens is frustrated — the man heading up one of Canada’s most famous border towns could be getting many more of his citizens vaccinated if the federal government would get out of the way.

LILLEY: Trudeau blocks Canadians from getting American vaccine shots

You would think a time when we needed to be able to “follow the science” would have been systematic evidence’s shining hour. Yet we’ve seen questions asked like “Will Covid-19 be evidence-based medicine’s nemesis?” and is it “the new nihilism?” Some are arguing the approach needs re-defining. From the pre-existing systematic review base that often guided early decisions about travel restrictions, masks, and school closure, to systematic and living systematic reviews on the run – what’s gone wrong? What’s gone right? And what now?

Systematic Evidence and the Covid-19 Stress Test: Pass Or Fail?

One of the better things to come out of the pandemic has been a flourishing of medical research, and much of this depends on access to patient data, often derived from general practice electronic records. Some of this research has been enabled by the 2002 Control of Patient Information Regulations, which allow for emergency processing of data—regardless of patient identifiability—to control the spread of an infectious disease.1

Helen Salisbury: Should patients worry about their data?

10.1136/bmj.n1325

Moderna becomes second manufacturer to announce successful trial results in adolescents

Moderna jab stops Covid transmission in people aged 12 to 18, trial finds

As the United States continues our efforts to get every eligible American vaccinated and fight COVID-19 here at home, we also recognize that ending this pandemic means ending it everywhere. As long as this pandemic is raging anywhere in the world, the American people will still be vulnerable. And the United States is committed to bringing the same urgency to international vaccination efforts that we have demonstrated at home.

Statement by President Joe Biden on Global Vaccine Distribution

10.1038/s41467-021-23440-1

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was detected in China during the 2019–2020 seasonal influenza epidemic. Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and behavioral changes to mitigate COVID-19 could have affected transmission dynamics of influenza and other respiratory diseases. By comparing 2019–2020 seasonal influenza activity through March 29, 2020 with the 2011–2019 seasons, we found that COVID-19 outbreaks and related NPIs may have reduced influenza in Southern and Northern China and the United States by 79.2% (lower and upper bounds: 48.8%–87.2%), 79.4% (44.9%–87.4%) and 67.2% (11.5%–80.5%). Decreases in influenza virus infection were also associated with the timing of NPIs. Without COVID-19 NPIs, influenza activity in China and the United States would likely have remained high during the 2019–2020 season. Our findings provide evidence that NPIs can partially mitigate seasonal and, potentially, pandemic influenza.

Impact of COVID-19 outbreaks and interventions on influenza in China and the United States

Secretary of State Antony BlinkenAntony BlinkenBiden bars US investment in Chinese companies linked to surveillance What US policymakers can glean from Iceland's clean energy evolution The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Citizens' Climate Lobby - Deal or no deal? Biden, Capito continue infrastructure talks MORE said that the U.S. will soon announce the process for how it will distribute 80 million coronavirus vaccine doses across the world.

Blinken says US will soon announce process to distribute 80 million vaccines globally

Data on India's Covid-19 vaccination drive shows fewer women have taken vaccine shots in comparison to men.

Fewer women than men taking Covid shots in India's vaccination drive

A man from Wollert, a suburb in Melbourne’s north, breezed into Melbourne from South Australian hotel quarantine, stopped at a 7-11, had a curry, shopped in Epping, took a train, and at some point, had a passing encounter with a stranger. Perhaps he coughed or spoke, or was simply breathing, but that was enough for a waft of aerosol to transmit COVID-19 to Melbourne’s missing link.

Why do our COVID outbreaks always seem to happen in Melbourne? Randomness and bad luck