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Severe COVID-19 increases risk of future cardiovascular events

Study: COVID-19 severity and risk of subsequent cardiovascular events. Image Credit: Yurchanka Siarhei / Shutterstock.com

To date, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is the virus responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has infected over 603 million individuals and claimed more than 6.4 million lives worldwide.

About 30% of COVID-19 survivors continue to experience a wide range of persistent symptoms for several weeks since their initial diagnosis. This condition is commonly referred to as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) or “long COVID.”

Study: COVID-19 severity and risk of subsequent cardiovascular events. Image Credit: Yurchanka Siarhei / Shutterstock.com

Study: COVID-19 severity and risk of subsequent cardiovascular events. Image Credit: Yurchanka Siarhei / Shutterstock.com

Background

Even though multisystem inflammatory syndrome is the most common PASC syndrome in adults and children, a wide range of other symptoms, including sleep difficulties, persistent fatigue, type 1 diabetes, and neurological disorders, have been reported. The incidence of these symptoms varies from one person to another based on their demographic and clinical characteristics.

Several studies have indicated the manifestation of multiple cardiovascular complications, such as arrhythmia, hypertension, acute myocardial infarction, thromboembolism, and cerebrovascular accidents, in individuals who have recovered from COVID-19. However, a limited number of studies have confirmed that severe COVID-19 leads to a high risk of cardiovascular diseases.

A recent Clinical Infectious Diseases journal study determines the relationship between COVID-19 severity and risk of subsequent cardiovascular events (CVEs) in a large cohort.

Study findings

A retrospective cohort study was performed using nationwide health insurance claims data of adults from the United States Health Verity Real-Time Insights and Evidence database. Increased COVID-19 severity was found to enhance the risk of developing subsequent CVEs among individuals without a cardiac history in previous years. 

As compared to COVID-19 patients who required outpatient care, those who required hospital admission were more likely to experience CVEs. Among COVID-19 hospitalized patients, those admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were almost 80% more likely to develop CVEs than non-ICU hospitalized patients.

In fact, non-ICU hospitalized patients exhibited only a 28% possibility of experiencing CVEs thirty days after initial COVID-19 symptoms. Additionally, as compared to COVID-19 outpatients, hospitalized patients were more likely to be admitted for a CVE after recovering from COVID-19.

In younger adults, the incidence of cardiovascular sequelae was lower as compared to older adults. Aside from CVEs, other severe outcomes, such as thrombotic events and cerebrovascular accidents, were observed in patients who recovered from severe COVID-19. However, such observations were less likely in COVID-19 patients who required only outpatient care.

The study findings emphasize the importance of vaccination, as demonstrated by its ability to reduce severe disease. Similarly, prompt antiviral treatment of acute COVID-19 has been recommended, which would help reduce the possibility of transition to severe illness.

Both COVID-19 vaccination and timely therapeutic interventions would alleviate the risk of severe COVID-19 and subsequently decrease the possibility of experiencing CVEs.

The findings of the present study are consistent with previous research that has reported a higher incidence of myocarditis and pericarditis in patients who recovered from severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nevertheless, it was observed that elevated cardiovascular risk after acute infection may not be exclusive to COVID-19.

In fact, some other diseases that have been associated with an increased risk of long-term CVEs are influenza and pneumonia bacteremia. Additionally, 22-65% of sepsis survivors are at an increased risk of CVEs.

The underlying mechanism responsible for the increased risk of CVEs following SARS-CoV-2 infection has not been determined. SARS-CoV-2 infects cardiac myocytes through their interaction with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor, which might remain persistent; therefore, this interaction induces chronic inflammatory responses and subsequent tissue damage or fibrosis.

Another mechanism related to the development of CVEs following recovery from COVID-19 is an autoimmune response to cardiac antigens that causes delayed damage to cardiac tissues. Anti-heart antibodies also correlated with cardiovascular manifestation and COVID-19.

Viral toxicity is another possible mechanism that might cause long-term cardiac damage or thrombosis in vasculitis. However, in the future, more research is needed to confirm the mechanisms related to cardiac damage after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Conclusions

Due to the lack of a COVID-19-negative control group, the authors failed to quantify the elevated risk of CVEs in COVID-19 patients. The unwanted inclusion of patients with a history of CVEs could have overestimated the result as well. The impact of vaccination status on the incidence of CVE was not studied.

Despite these limitations, the present study strongly emphasized that patients who recovered from severe COVID-19 were at a greater risk of developing CVEs. As compared to COVID-19 patients who required outpatient care, those who were admitted to the ICU were at a higher risk of experiencing CVEs.

The importance of COVID-19 vaccination in preventing severe infection was strongly emphasized in this study.

Journal reference:

  • Wiemken, L. T., McGrath, L. J., Andersen, K. M., et al. (2022). COVID-19 severity and risk of subsequent cardiovascular events. Clinical Infectious Diseases. doi:10.1093/cid/ciac661.
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COVID vaccination clinics to be held at Caribbean Carnival, other summer events in Toronto – Toronto | Globalnews.ca

COVID vaccination clinics to be held at Caribbean Carnival, other summer events in Toronto - Toronto | Globalnews.ca

Toronto Public Health (TPH) says it will be holding COVID-19 pop-up vaccination clinics at the Caribbean Carnival and other summer festivals this week.

“Bringing COVID-19 vaccines to social and cultural events is part of Team Toronto’s ongoing equity-focused, hyper-local mobile strategy, providing accessible and convenient vaccination opportunities to residents in places where they live, work and play,” TPH said in a news release.

Read more:

COVID cases are rising across Canada. Where are the country’s top doctors?

According to TPH, the clinics will be held at the following locations:

  • Under the Stars at Regent Park located at 620 Dundas Street East on July 27 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Toronto Caribbean Carnival at Marilyn Bell Park located at 1095 Lake Shore Boulevard West on July 30 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  • Ghana Fest Canada at Earl Bales Park located at 4169 Bathurst Street on July 31 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

TPH said the clinics are family friendly and will offer first, second, third and forth doses, as well as pediatric shots to those who are eligible. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be available.

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The city said no appointment or health card is needed, and the clinics will operate on a walk-in basis.

Read more:

Toronto Pearson operator ‘pleased’ to see random COVID testing moved offsite

“All eligible residents are encouraged to get their third and fourth doses as soon as possible. As with vaccinations for other diseases, people are protected best when their COVID-19 vaccinations are up to date,” the news release read.

TPH said COVID-19 vaccinations “have been scientifically proven to lower the risk of illness, hospitalization and death while protecting people, their loved ones and the community.”


Click to play video: 'Experts urge caution amid summer COVID-19 surge'







Experts urge caution amid summer COVID-19 surge


Experts urge caution amid summer COVID-19 surge

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Modeling the influence of COVID superspreading events

Study: Exploring the Role of Superspreading Events in SARS-CoV-2 Outbreaks. Image Credit: StockTom / Shutterstock

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, University of Kansas researchers assessed the effect of superspreading events (SSEs) on the United States (US) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak dynamics.

Study: Exploring the Role of Superspreading Events in SARS-CoV-2 Outbreaks. Image Credit: StockTom / ShutterstockStudy: Exploring the Role of Superspreading Events in SARS-CoV-2 Outbreaks. Image Credit: StockTom / Shutterstock

Background

SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that emerged in late December 2019, has quickly swept over the globe, resulting in over 546 million illnesses and more than 6.3 million fatalities thus far. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has strained the US healthcare network, with several hospitals exceeding or nearing capacity and few limiting services. 

Governments at the state and national levels have responded by issuing guidelines and regulations for decreasing SARS-CoV-2 transmission, including social-distancing directives, mask mandates, stay-at-home instructions, and restrictions on big gatherings. However, insufficient adherence and compliance by the population have affected the efficiency of these laws and regulations, encouraging SSEs, which have assisted the SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

About the study

In the present study, the researchers developed a continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) model to examine the impact of SSEs on the dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in the US. The authors defined SSEs as social or public events that lead to numerous SARS-CoV-2 infections over a short period.

The current research sought to determine the effect of SSEs compared to non-SSEs on COVID-19 outbreak dynamics, the efficacy of hospitalization and quarantine as containment methods for SSE relative to non-SSE-dominated outbreaks, and the impact of quarantine violation on the efficacy of quarantine for SSE compared to non-SSE-dominated outbreaks.

The investigators simulated a CTMC model for SARS-CoV-2 spread utilizing Gillespie’s direct algorithm under three distinct scenarios: 1) neither hospitalization nor quarantine; 2) quarantine, hospitalization, premature hospital discharge, and quarantine violation; and 3) hospitalization and quarantine but not premature hospital discharge or quarantine violation. They also alter the rate of quarantine violations under realistic hospitalization and quarantine (RHQ) scenarios.

Results

The study results demonstrated that the SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks with SSE dominance were often more variable yet less severe and more prone to extinction than outbreaks without SSE dominance. The authors observed this after eliminating hospitalization and quarantine conditions or upon the inclusion of hospitalization, quarantine, early hospital discharge, and quarantine breach. 

However, the severity of the most catastrophic SSE-dominated outbreaks was higher than the most severe outbreaks without SSE dominance, despite most SSE-dominated outbreaks being less severe. Upon the inclusion of quarantine and hospitalization, while excluding quarantine breach and premature hospital discharge, SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks dominated by SSE were more susceptible to extinction than outbreaks without SSE dominance but were more severe and less variable.

Upon the inclusion of quarantine, hospitalization, premature hospital discharge, and halved quarantine breach, outbreaks dominated by SSE were comparable to when quarantine and hospitalization were included, but quarantine breach and premature hospital discharge were excluded. Besides, when quarantine breach was doubled outbreaks were similar to when quarantine and hospitalization were excluded.

Quarantine and hospitalization were more potent at regulating outbreaks dominated by SSE than those without SSE dominance in all scenarios. Similarly, quarantine breaches and premature hospital discharge were significant for outbreaks dominated by SSE.

SSE-dominated outbreaks were extremely improbable to become extinct when quarantine and hospitalization were excluded. They were moderately unlikely to become extinct when quarantine, hospitalization, premature hospital discharge, and quarantine violation were included. Furthermore, they were highly plausible to become extinct when hospitalization and quarantine were included, but quarantine breach and premature hospital discharge were excluded. 

Moreover, SSE-dominated outbreaks were more likely to become extinct when quarantine violations were halved. However, outbreaks dominated by SSE were less likely to become extinct when quarantine breaches were doubled.

Conclusions

Altogether, the study findings showed that COVID-19 outbreaks dominated by SSE differ noticeably from non-SSE-dominated outbreaks in their severity, variability, and chances of extinction. They also vary, albeit more low-key, from outbreaks dominated by superspreading individuals (SI). The possibility of hospitalization or quarantine and the likelihood of premature hospital discharge or violation of quarantine significantly impact the dynamics of SSE-dominated outbreaks.

Hospitalization and quarantine were substantially effective preventative interventions for COVID-19 outbreaks dominated by SSE. Nevertheless, premature hospital discharge and breach of the quarantine drastically diminished their efficacy. Besides, the team assessed control techniques using the probability of extinction.

The present findings have significant public health consequences, necessitating SARS-CoV-2 modelers must: 1) assess the contribution of SSEs or SIs to COVID-19 spread; and 2) differentiate between SSEs, SIs, and non-SIs/non-SSEs in their models. More research into the combined and individual effects of SSEs and SIs on SARS-CoV-2 outbreak dynamics and the efficacy of control strategies for various kinds of outbreaks were required to guide eradication and containment initiatives.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.

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COVID-19 superspreader events typically originate from few carriers

Study: Analysis of overdispersion in airborne transmission of COVID-19. Image Credit: oxinoxi / Shutterstock

A recent research paper published in the journal Physics of Fluids analyzed the overdispersion in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) airborne transmission.

Study: Analysis of overdispersion in airborne transmission of COVID-19. Image Credit: oxinoxi / ShutterstockStudy: Analysis of overdispersion in airborne transmission of COVID-19. ​​​​​​​Image Credit: oxinoxi / Shutterstock

Background

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has been characterized by overdispersion and superspreading events comparable to SARS and other respiratory virus outbreaks. Any incident that results in more than the typical number of secondary transmissions is referred to as superspreading.

Overdispersion is a non-random trend of grouping in the context of contagious diseases, which frequently involves a large proportion of zero cases and a limited percentage of large outbreaks.

Nevertheless, the specific functions and influences of established physical and viral factors correlated to transmission processes on overdispersion are still unknown. Moreover, the characteristics and nature of superspreading episodes are instrumental in explaining the spread of SARS-CoV-2. To date, mechanistic simulations depicting airborne transmission have not been combined with real-world occupancy and distribution data to better explain large-scale characteristics of disease dynamics, such as transmissibility overdispersion.

About the study

In the present study, the authors used real-world occupancy information from over 100,000 social contact contexts in 10 United States (US) metropolises to undertake mechanistic modeling of COVID-19 point-source transmission via infectious aerosols. The primary purpose of this study was to use the molecular basis of airborne disease transmission to investigate event-level SARS-CoV-2 spread overdispersion utilizing real-world data from a significant number of social engagements.

The team tried to establish an algorithm centered on aerosol dispersion with randomized data and obtainable occupancy information to derive the distribution of the number of secondary infections for every infectious case. They investigated whether observed trends of overdispersion in secondary transmissions could be replicated through simulations utilizing the above algorithm.

Further, the scientists aimed to develop an analytical function (rather than a fit) that may explain the probability density function of the number of secondary infections arising from the dynamics of the problem. Furthermore, they attempted to determine the dominant factors that cause overdispersion and the consequences for mitigation strategies.

To achieve this, the scientists used 100,000 random social-contact conditions to solve an aerosol dispersal model by combining real-world area and occupancy data with practical ventilation and viral load rate to attain the probability distributions for the number of secondary infections for each infectious case in those situations.

Results and discussions

According to the simulated results, the aerosol transmission pathway was compatible with overdispersed individual COVID-19 infectivity. In addition, with exposure time, ventilation rate, and speaking time, SARS-CoV-2 load fluctuation was the most substantial factor controlling secondary attack rates. According to the authors, they, for the first time, generated analytical equations that precisely characterized the modeled probability density functions of secondary attack and infection rates. Besides, the generated analytical expressions revealed how the quantitative link among personal-level viral load variance and event-level occupancy governs overdispersion simultaneously.

These findings reveal that even in the case of airborne transmission, about 4% of index cases in indoor contexts were responsible for 80% of secondary cases, underlining the need for identifying and concentrating mitigation efforts on superspreading event causes. The results emphasize the significance of interventions, including isolation through rapid testing to identify intense viral shedding periods, for reducing exposures during stages of heightened viral shedding, improved ventilation, and the higher likelihood of outbreaks with SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) correlated with superior viral loads. Ultimately, considering viral burden and occupancy over indoor environments, the present analytical function may predict the spatially specified likelihood of outbreaks and outbreak magnitude via point-source transmission events.

Conclusions

Overall, the study findings demonstrated that around 4% of COVID-19 index cases possibly caused 80% of secondary SARS-CoV-2 infections, resulting in an extended tail probability distribution function of secondary infections per infectious event. Overdispersion appears to be notably driven by personal-level heterogeneity in SARS-CoV-2 load, with occupancy coming in second. The team then developed an analytical function that mimics the modeled SARS-CoV-2 overdispersion. Further, they illustrated the efficacy of potential COVID-19 mitigation techniques using this analytical function.

The present analysis adds a relevant dimension to the growing body of proof regarding SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission by linking the mechanistic insights of COVID-19 aerosol spread with reported large-scale epidemiological features of outbreaks and thus unfolds as a potent tool for evaluating the likelihood of epidemics and the possible effects of mitigation actions on extensive disease dynamics. The simulation in this article covers overdispersion in the number of secondary cases rendered by each infectious case over an hour in such 100000 instances, assuming one index case at each site. The team mentioned that when combined with appropriate data, the current analytical expressions created and confirmed using simulations could explain overdispersion through drastically broader timeframes and contact vicinities.

Journal reference:

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Philly Launching Free COVID Test Program for Special Events

Philly Launching Free COVID Test Program for Special Events

NBC10 is one of dozens of news organizations producing BROKE in Philly, a collaborative reporting project on solutions to poverty and the city’s push toward economic justice. Follow us at @BrokeInPhilly.

Philadelphia is looking to stop super spreader events before they start by giving out COVID-19 tests in bulk to anyone planning a special event.

The city is now offering free rapid test kits to organizers of all sorts of events: from proms and graduations to funerals and weddings. They’ll get two at-home tests for each guest if they’re approved: one test to take before attending the event and the other to take afterward.

Organizers are urged to apply as soon as possible because it may take up to two weeks to review applications and distribute tests, the health department noted. If applications are approved, organizers will need to distribute the tests in the manner described in their application.

The department said it has at least 20,000 tests available for the program and may allocate more depending on how successful the program is.

Test distribution will be prioritized for events that are either in areas of Philadelphia that have suffered disproportionately from COVID, have a high number of people who are at higher risk for severe infection, or present a high risk for COVID-19 transmission, the department said.

Event organizers are asked to apply online. You can find the application here.

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Anxiety in America: COVID ‘Takes a Backseat’ to Global Events

Anxiety in America: COVID 'Takes a Backseat' to Global Events

With two years of COVID-19 in the rearview mirror, anxiety among US adults has turned instead toward global events, results from the annual Healthy Minds Poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) show.

“It’s not surprising that recent events, such as the war in Ukraine, racially motivated mass shootings, or the impacts of climate change, are weighing heavily on Americans’ minds,” APA President Vivian Pender, MD, said in a news release. 

“COVID-19 in a way has taken a backseat, but the pandemic and its mental health effects are very much still with us. It’s important that we are cognizant of that and continue to work to ensure people who need psychiatric care, whether the causes are tied to the pandemic or to other issues, can access it,” Pender added.

Results from this year’s poll were released yesterday during the APA 2022 Annual Meeting.

Record Low COVID Anxiety

The poll was conducted by Morning Consult between April 23-24 and included 2210 adult participants.  

Results showed that anxiety about COVID is at its recorded lowest, with 50% of respondents indicating they are anxious about the pandemic. This was down from 65% in 2021 and from 75% in 2020.

Instead, nearly three quarters (73%) of adults are somewhat or extremely anxious about current events happening around the world, 64% are anxious about keeping themselves or their families safe, and 60% worry about their health in general.

Overall, about one third (32%) reported being more anxious now than last year, 46% reported no change in their anxiety level, and 18% were less anxious.

About one quarter (26%) have spoken with a mental healthcare professional in the past few years, which is down from 34% in 2021. In addition, Hispanic (36%) and Black (35%) adults were more likely to have reached out for help than White (25%) adults.

Despite the US Surgeon General’s recent advisory on the mental health crisis among children, the poll results also showed that Americans are less concerned about their children’s mental health than last year. A total of 41% of parents expressed concern about this topic, which was down from 53% in 2021.

Still, 40% of parents said their children had received help from a mental health professional since the pandemic hit. Of that group, 36% sought help before the pandemic, whereas half said the pandemic had caused mental health issues for their children.

“While the overall level of concern has dropped, still 4 in 10 parents are worried about how their children are doing, and a third are having issues with access to care,” Saul Levin, MD, CEO and medical director of the APA, said in the release.

“This is unacceptable and as a nation, we need to invest in the kind of systems that will ensure any parent who’s worried about their child has access to lifesaving treatment,” Levin added.

Workplace Mental Health

In addition, the poll showed employees often have a tough time getting mental health support from employers, or are hesitant to ask for help.

“What’s troubling about the results of this poll is that even as the pandemic has continued and its mental health effects wear on, fewer employees are reporting that they have access to mental health services,” Pender said. 

“Workplaces need to ensure that they are paying attention to what their employees need, particularly now, and moving away from mental health benefits isn’t the right move,” she added.

About half (48%) of those polled said they can discuss mental health openly and honestly with their supervisor, down from 56% in 2021 and 62% in 2020.

Only about half (52%) said they feel comfortable using mental health services with their current employer, compared with 64% in 2021 and 67% in 2020.

In addition, fewer workers felt their employer is offering sufficient mental health resources and benefits. This year, 53% of workers thought resources and benefits were adequate, which was down from 65% in 2021 and 68% in 2020.

“It’s quite concerning to see that fewer people feel comfortable discussing mental health with a supervisor, at a time when people experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other conditions are on the rise and impact nearly every aspect of work, including productivity, performance, retention, and overall healthcare costs,” Darcy Gruttadaro, JD, director of the APA Foundation’s Center for Workplace Mental Health, said.

“As rates of these conditions rise, we should see more employees knowing about available workplace mental health resources, not less,” Gruttadaro says.

Strong Bipartisan Support 

Perhaps unexpectedly, the poll shows strong support among Democrats, Republicans, and Independents for three APA-backed approaches to improve timely access to mental health care and treatment.

Specifically, about three quarters of those polled support:

  • making it easier to see a mental health professional via telehealth,

  • allowing patients to receive mental health care through a primary care provider,  

  • funding mental health care professionals to work in rural or urban communities that are traditionally underserved.

“We’re in a moment when mental health is a big part of the national conversation, and clearly political party doesn’t matter as much on this issue,” Pender noted. 

“It’s a rare thing in Washington these days to see such a resounding endorsement, but there is strong support for these practical workable solutions that mean more access to mental health care,” she said.

“What you see in this poll is agreement: it’s hard to access mental [health care] but we do have great solutions that could work across party lines,” Levin added.

“Many policymakers, in the administration and in Congress, are already putting these ideas into action, and they should feel encouraged that the public wants to see Congress act on them,” he said.

American Psychiatric Association (APA) 2022 Annual Meeting. Released May 22, 2022.

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Morgan State University President Implements Mask Mandate For School-Sanctioned Events

Morgan State University President Implements Mask Mandate For School-Sanctioned Events

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Morgan State University is instituting a mask mandate for university-sanctioned indoor events and activities in response to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Maryland

President David Wilson sent an email to university students outlining his concerns on Friday. 

READ MORE: Baltimore City Health Commissioner Concerned About Rising COVID-19 Cases

Maryland had more than 2,400 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, and if cases continue growing, some jurisdictions may be forced to re-implement mask mandates.

So Wilson took the step of informing students that they—alongside faculty, staff, and guests of the university—will be required to wear the face masks at such events with 50 or more people starting on Monday.

“With the increased incidence of positive COVID-19 cases advancing across the nation—particularly here in Maryland, Morgan must take a proactive stance in safeguarding our campus community,” he said. “Recent upticks in Baltimore City, its surrounding counties, and right here on campus, have prompted the Morgan Campus Health Monitoring and Response Team (MCHMRT) to advise the wearing of masks for all University-sanctioned indoor events and activities.”

The measure “is being taken out of an abundance of caution and will be in place through the end of the semester,” he said.

READ MORE: Baby Formula Shortage Fueling Spike In Milk Bank Interest

The mandate will lead up to and include the President’s Commencement Luncheon, which is scheduled to kick off on May 21 at the University Student Center, Wilson said.

Earlier this week, Baltimore City Health Commissioner Letitia Dzirasa asked that people voluntarily wear masks at in-door public spaces.

The city’s COVID-19 level was recently moved from “low” to “medium” and if it moves to “high,” then masks will become mandatory, Dzirasa said.

“We will continue to monitor the rates of incidence and positivity in the days and weeks following the end of this spring semester, particularly as we lead into the summer months and the beginning of the upcoming fall semester,” Wilson said in his letter. “It is strongly advised that each of you remain connected to University communications, website and emails for any updates related to COVD-19 protocols.”

The indoor mask protocol is being instituted in addition to mask requirements for classroom settings, BEARtransit, and campus medical settings.

MORE NEWS: 79-Year-Old Man Shot In Carrollton Ridge Friday, Police Say

Additionally, Wilson encouraged students, faculty, and staff to get a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.

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Third doses of COVID-19 vaccines not associated with increase in reports of serious adverse events: study

Third doses of COVID-19 vaccines not associated with increase in reports of serious adverse events: study

A new study looking at data concerning around 48,000 people in the U.S. has found that third doses of mRNA vaccine, such as those from Pfizer or Moderna, are safe and did not cause any increase in reporting of serious adverse events.

The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open on Thursday, found that third doses did not result in an increase in severe adverse events compared to earlier doses, but did come with an increase in low-severity adverse events, such as fatigue and nausea.

“Results from this cohort study suggest that a third dose of the same type of vaccination after a BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 primary series is associated with safe outcomes,” the study stated.

The COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna were originally designed as two-dose regimes, supported by extensive clinical trials. As studies showed evidence of waning vaccine immunity, health experts began to suggest booster shots, which were found to be safe and effective. But there is still less data on these third doses than on the first and second doses, a gap in knowledge that researchers were hoping to close in this new study. 

Researchers accessed electronic medical records provided by 47,999 adults within the Mayo Clinic Enterprise, a non-profit hospital system in the U.S., all of whom who were vaccinated with three doses of the same mRNA COVID-19 vaccines between December 2020 and Oct. 17, 2021.

Around 38,000 participants received the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine for their three doses, while around 9,900 received the Moderna vaccine.

There were more than twice the amount of immunosuppressed individuals in the group who received Moderna than in the group that received Pfizer. No adverse events specific to a certain brand was reported in the study.

The most common adverse events after receiving the third dose were fatigue, the temporary swelling of lymph nodes, nausea and headache, with these symptoms reported by around two to five per cent of participants.

Less than two per cent of participants reported other common side effects such as joint pain, muscle aches, diarrhea and fever.

These numbers, while still small, represented a significant increase in how often these same participants had reported these side effects after their first or second dose.

After the third dose, two patients had anaphylaxis, four patients had a swelling of tissue around the heart called pericarditis and one patient reported myocarditis, meaning only 0.01 per cent of participants reported one of these serious adverse events.

“Reporting of severe adverse events was rare after the third dose and was not significantly increased compared with the frequency of reporting after the second dose,” the study stated.

Researchers also monitored emergency department visits for participants within two days of receiving each dose of the vaccine, and found that there was an increase in emergency department visits after a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine compared to the second. Overall, 0.29 per cent of people visited the emergency department after a third dose versus 0.2 per cent after the second dose.

There was no difference in ER visits for different doses for those receiving Moderna.

The overall results indicate that third doses are indeed safe, as they don’t come with an increase in severe adverse events, researchers said. They added that third doses had a better safety profile in this study than receiving a single dose did.

“Individuals who received exactly [one] dose of an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine had greater increases in incidence of adverse events after dose [one], compared with baseline, than what was observed in the [three]-dose cohort,” the study stated.

Researchers noted that there are limitations to the study, such as the fact that people receiving mixed brands were not included and that those receiving third doses are more likely to be older and immunosuppressed, thus potentially having a reduced immune reaction to the vaccine that could show less adverse effects.

Further studies into third doses will hopefully be able to flesh out more on the safety profile of mixing vaccine brands to further narrow down how frequent rare adverse events are, the study stated. 

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The Queen will limit the number of Jubilee events after battle with Covid

The Queen speaking to staff at the Royal London Hospital by video link

The ‘very tired’ Queen will limit her Platinum Jubilee appearances to ‘just a few’ events after battling covid two months ago and ongoing mobility problems, a royal expert warned today.

Her Majesty revealed that fighting coronavirus in February has left her ‘exhausted’ in a video call with NHS staff and patients last week. 

She told them: ‘It does leave one very tired and exhausted, doesn’t it? This horrible pandemic. It’s not a nice result.’  

Royal biographer Angela Levin said the Queen’s presence at jubilee events will be limited due to her frailty.

She said: ‘It’s going to be very difficult and I think they will only show her in a few instances, maybe at the service at St Paul’s. That will be very important to her because she is a Christian.

‘I don’t think we’ll see her around and about. Maybe she’ll be well enough to sit and watch horses. It won’t be her, everywhere. But if she is there, she will appreciate the fact the public will be wanting to be there and supporting her.

‘I imagine that the aides are worried that if the public don’t see her, people may think that if she’s not there it’s not worth us going.

‘I’m sure everyone in the Palace hopes that people will turn up to show their respects and say thank you for an extraordinary reign both in length and in breadth’.  

The Queen speaking to staff at the Royal London Hospital by video link

Royal commentator Angela Levin says the public should not expect to see her that often during the Platinum Jubilee in June

The Queen speaking to staff at the Royal London Hospital by video link where she revealed that having Covid has left her ‘tired and exhausted’. Royal commentator Angela Levin says the public should not expect to see her that often during the Platinum Jubilee in June

Staff and patients spoke about the trials and tribulations of managing Covid with the Queen

Staff and patients spoke about the trials and tribulations of managing Covid with the Queen

The Queen´s Platinum Jubilee celebrations programme in full 

The Queen has been on the throne for 70 years (Toby Melville/PA)

The Queen has been on the throne for 70 years (Toby Melville/PA)

Buckingham Palace has unveiled the line-up of celebrations to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee for the first time.

Street parties, a concert featuring some of the world’s biggest stars and a chance to see the Queen’s homes up close are all included in the programme to mark her 70 years on the throne.

Here is a list of all of the events taking place for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee:

– May 12-15: Platinum Jubilee Celebration

More than 500 horses and 1,000 performers will take part in a 90-minute show taking the Windsor Castle audience through history right from Elizabeth I to present day.

Bank Holiday: June 2: Queen’s Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour)

The colour will be trooped on Horse Guards Parade by the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards and over 1,200 officers and soldiers from the Household Division who will put on a display. Sandringham and Balmoral will also be open for residents and visitors to enjoy the celebrations across the Bank Holiday.

Platinum Jubilee Beacons

The UK will join the Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories to light a beacon to mark the Jubilee. The Principal Beacon will also be lit in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

June 3: Service of Thanksgiving

The Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen’s reign will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral.

June 4: Platinum Party at the Palace

Some of the world’s greatest entertainers are billed to perform at the concert at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the most significant moments from the Queen’s reign.

June 5: Big Jubilee Lunch

Street parties are being planned across the UK and neighbours are expected to join together for food and fun to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. It will mark the end of the Bank Holiday.

Platinum Jubilee Pageant

Performers will come together in London to tell the story of the Queen’s reign through a pageant that will include a “River of Hope” section made up of 200 silk flags that will make its way through The Mall, appearing like a moving river.

July: The Royal Collection Trust

Three displays marking the Queen’s accession to the throne, the Coronation and Jubilees will be put on at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

 

Ms Levin was asked by Sky News if Harry and Meghan will come to the UK for the jubilee events.  

She said: ‘I’m sure they won’t. I mean their behaviour just keeps going down and downhill. The fact that it is suspected in another royal book that Harry is really going to go for Charles and Camilla, I mean how many times does he have to have a go at his family. We’re all bored with that. Move on and try to enjoy your life, not go on and on endlessly about how badly you were treated. It’s just tragically sad and nothing like the Harry that I knew.

She added: ‘It’s quite painful to watch him. You just want to shake him and say: “Don’t you see what you’re doing”.’ We’ve all had enough of it. We’re bored stiff of it.

‘Show us a very happy man, because you’ve got what you wanted – and loads of money.

Which other Royals have caught Covid? 

As Covid brought Britain to a standstill after the first lockdown in March 2020, even the Royal family was not left unscathed.

Prince Charles has tested positive for the virus twice. He first became ill in March 2020 during the first lockdown and lost both his sense of taste and smell.

He became ill again in February and was forced to self-isolate for a second time.

His wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, tested positive for Covid for the first time in February and was also forced into isolation. Both have made a full recovery.

Prince William, 39, tested positive for Covid in April 2020 but kept his illness a secret to avoid causing worry, until it was reported seven months later by The Sun newspaper. The prince was reportedly ‘hit hard’ by Covid and struggled to catch his breath while self-isolating in Norfolk. 

Other royals known to have been laid up with the disease include Princess Anne’s husband Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence in December last year and Princess Michael of Kent in November 2020.

‘She [Her Majesty] would love to see him. She adores Harry. It doesn’t seem to bother him. I mean he should have been there for the memorial service. If he can go for the Invictus Games in Europe – it’s just a hop and a skip from there. You can rest assured that in Westminster Abbey there would have been every possible security in place with all the royals from home and abroad there as well as the Prime Minister and various celebrities. It’s a psychological decision that he has cut himself away’.

The Queen stoically attended the memorial service for her beloved  husband Prince Philip’s memorial service. But she asked Prince Andrew to support her as she walked. 

When Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen had tested positive at Windsor, it was said that she had ‘mild cold-like symptoms’.  While she had her weekly audience with the Prime Minister, she did not appear on scheduled video calls.  

Sources told the Daily Mail the cancellations to recent events were made because she sounded ‘croaky’ and ‘full of cold’ and not because her condition had worsened. She also pulled out of the annual Commonwealth Day service, albeit more due to mobility problems. 

However it seems that like many who have contracted Covid, the Queen – who is triple-jabbed and likely to have had her second booster injection by now – is suffering from after-effects including extreme exhaustion. 

This will no doubt add to the mounting health problems of the last six months, which saw her needing hospital care last autumn and unable to conduct an engagement outside palace walls for six months. 

The Queen notably missed the Commonwealth Day Service on Monday, March 14, which was attended in her absence by the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The monarch had previously been given rest orders by doctors even before catching Covid, and had been forced to cancel a two day trip to Northern Ireland on October 20 at the last minute.

Other affected events before Christmas included the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow on November 1 for which the Queen recorded a video message, the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on November 10 and the National Service of Remembrance on November 14. 

She was finally seen in public at the Duke of Edinburgh’s service of thanksgiving at the end of last month. 

While she has also pulled out of this week’s Maundy Service in Windsor for the first time ever due to her mobility and handed responsibility to the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, she has stoically continued video calls and audiences. 

Four key events are said to be considered as priorities for the Queen to attend in-person, The Express reports, including the state opening of Parliament in May, the Derby at Epsom, the Trooping of the Colour in June and a special service at St Paul’s Cathedral that same month to mark her Platinum Jubilee.

This week the Queen – who will celebrate her 96th birthday at the end of next week – marked the opening of the Queen Elizabeth Unit at The Royal London Hospital, of which she is patron, talking to staff and one former patient. 

Wearing a floral dress with a pearl necklace, she said the staff’s work was ‘splendid’. 

Nurse Charlie Mort said: ‘The amount of bravery that both the patients and my colleagues showed throughout the entire pandemic was amazing and the amount of kindness we were shown was inspiring. I think we will all be bonded together because of it, forever.’ 

‘It’s amazing, isn’t it, what can be done when needs be,’ the Queen said. 

Imam Faruq Siddiqi, hospital chaplain, said families ‘felt a sense of hope’ when they knew he was visiting their loved ones. ‘

Although I didn’t hold any miracles, I hope I was able to bring some sort of comfort to them through my presence and prayers,’ he said. 

The Queen replied: ‘It obviously was a very frightening experience to have Covid very badly, wasn’t it?’ 

Mr Siddiqi said: ‘I think what made it worse was being by themselves.’ ‘Exactly. So they were alone, too,’ the Queen remarked.

Mireia Lopez Rey Ferrer, senior sister, said that the intensive care unit had been ‘unrecognisable’ with so many patients. 

‘As nurses we made sure they were not alone,’ she said.

‘We held their hands, we wiped their tears, and we provided comfort. It felt at times that we were running a marathon with no finish line.’ 

‘It must have been a terrible time for all of you,’ the Queen said. ‘Not seeing your own families and also working so very hard… That [was] the unusual part of it wasn’t it, not being able to meet your relatives and being isolated.’ 

Asef Hussain, a former patient, explained how he and his family had contracted Covid in December 2020. His father and brother were also treated at the unit for Covid before they passed away. 

The Queen chatted with NHS workers and patients in a video call in which she shared her own difficulties while being treated for Covid in February

The Queen chatted with NHS workers and patients in a video call in which she shared her own difficulties while being treated for Covid in February

The Queen held an audience with the incoming and outgoing defence service secretaries at Windsor Castle on February 16

The Queen held an audience with the incoming and outgoing defence service secretaries at Windsor Castle on February 16

In a first for her reign, the monarch, 95, will instead be represented by Prince Charles at the Maundy Service, due to be held on Thursday, April 14.

In a first for her reign, the monarch, 95, will instead be represented by Prince Charles at the Maundy Service, due to be held on Thursday, April 14.

Elizabeth II with Rear Admiral James Macleod and Major General Eldon Millar (right) as she meets the incoming and outgoing Defence Service Secretaries at Windsor Castle

Elizabeth II with Rear Admiral James Macleod and Major General Eldon Millar (right) as she meets the incoming and outgoing Defence Service Secretaries at Windsor Castle

There were also fears the Queen would miss Prince Philip's memorial service at the end of March before a 'military-style' plan was hatched to ensure she could arrive comfortably. (Pictured: An emotional monarch during Philip's service)

There were also fears the Queen would miss Prince Philip’s memorial service at the end of March before a ‘military-style’ plan was hatched to ensure she could arrive comfortably. (Pictured: An emotional monarch during Philip’s service)

The Queen was accompanied by Prince Andrew as she attended the memorial service for the Duke of Edinburgh on March 29

The Queen was accompanied by Prince Andrew as she attended the memorial service for the Duke of Edinburgh on March 29

Mr Hussain, joined by his wife, Shamina, said his brother was admitted first and died that day. He was taken to hospital himself after struggling to breathe and was put to sleep for seven weeks. 

‘Once I woke up I saw the brilliant work the nurses, the doctors – the whole team here were doing. They supported me and my family in a fantastic way. 

‘Unfortunately while I was asleep my father passed away from Covid as well,’ he said. 

‘Are you better now?’ the Queen asked. ‘I’m getting there, I’m recovering, I’m much better,’ Mr Hussain said. 

Mr Hussain’s wife explained how she prayed for his recovery on Zoom calls with family around the world. ‘Praying for him, oh wonderful,’ the Queen said. 

She added: ‘I’m glad that you’re getting better. It does leave one very tired and exhausted doesn’t it, this horrible pandemic? It is not a nice result.’ 

The monarch also spoke to the team behind the building of the new unit and burst out laughing when Jeff Barley, project director, told her he plundered his ‘black book’ to find people to help him. 

The Queen replied: ‘That is marvellous isn’t it. It is very interesting isn’t it, when there’s some very vital thing, how everybody works together and pulls together. Marvellous, isn’t it.’ 

Mr Barley hailed the ‘little bit of Dunkirk spirit’ involved, prompting the Queen, smiling, to say: ‘Thank goodness it still exists’, amid laughter. The plaque was then unveiled and held up to show the monarch. 

The Royal London Hospital has served the residents of East London for the past 280 years. It was granted its royal title by the Queen during a visit in 1990 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its opening on the Whitechapel site.