CategoryVariant

Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers wanted to know how well human beings are holding up against an onslaught of new variants.

But, to figure out if our immune systems are up to the task would require a mathematical feat. So researchers turned to sophisticated computer models to find the answer.

Think of the coronavirus as one side of a zipper and the other side your immune system.

If every tooth matches and you can zip it up, your immune system is able to block invaders – but if the teeth don’t match and the sides can’t slide together, then your immune system can’t match up with invading molecular virus parts.

We’re not talking about antibodies, we’re talking about T-cells.

“That side of the immune system is significantly more secure and significantly more robust,” said Dr. Eric Vail, Director of Molecular Pathology at Cedars-Sinai.

A zipper is a simple analogy of HLA types found on human T-cells and parts of antigens found on viruses. We need our HLAs to recognize viruses so we can defend ourselves.

“Can your body recognize the virus when it comes in? (Do) the markers that are on your immune cells… have the capability to even see it at all?”

“We still have an enormous amount of functional reserve. They tested against 90% of the world’s population. But in that 90%, the worst that happened was a drop off of 15%,” he said.

The study found that in the last two years most people’s T-cells have developed a memory that will fire up when faced with different variants. Exposure is part of the reason, but Vail says much of the credit goes to vaccines.

“It’s basically training for your immune system. It trains it how to recognize and see a pathogen and how to respond against it in a way that protects you,” Vail said.

His advice is to get vaccinated and get boosted. The more training, the better.

https://abc7.com/covid-variants-immune-system-vaccine-virus/11575669/

Another day — another border reopens.

In the past two weeks, a slew of countries announced plans to reopen or relax border restrictions. These include places that have maintained some of the strictest pandemic-related border controls in the world.

The announcements come on the heels of a record-setting period of global infections. According to the World Health Organization, Covid-19 cases hit a new peak worldwide in late January, with more than 4 million cases registered in a single day.

However, many countries are signaling that they can’t economically afford — or are no longer willing — to stay closed.

The pervasiveness of the omicron variant, which started spreading in countries — both open and closed — late last year, led people to question the utility of locked border policies.

In addition, more than half (54%) of the world’s population is now vaccinated, according to Our World in Data. Medical treatments can successfully thwart and treat severe infections. And, many experts are now “cautiously optimistic” — as top American medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci has stated — that a new phase of the pandemic may be within reach.

New Zealand – Another so-called “fortress” announced plans to welcome back vaccinated international visitors.

Unlike Australia, New Zealand last week outlined a five-step phased reopening plan that won’t allow international travelers to enter until July, at the earliest. Vaccinated travelers must also self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival.

After closing its borders in March 2020, the Philippines announced plans to reopen today to vaccinated travelers from more than 150 countries and territories.

Despite rising infections, Bali, Indonesia, opened to vaccinated international travelers last week.

Malaysia’s National Recovery Council on Tuesday recommended that the country reopen to international travelers as early as March 1, according to Reuters.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/10/australia-new-zealand-bali-malaysia-philippines-reopen-for-travel.html

🦠It is a question that has plagued the pandemic, sparking furious debate over Britain’s dinner tables.

Is coronavirus really any more deadly than flu?

Thread 🧵👇

📈Before the vaccine roll-out and omicron surge, the answer was undoubtedly: “yes”.

Even at the end of December, the rolling seven-day Case Fatality Rate for coronavirus was about 0.3% or one death in 333 cases, based on a 21-day lag between testing and death

In comparison, the death rate for flu sits somewhere between 0.1 and 0.2%.

➡️ Or between one death in 1,000 and one death in 500

🔺It was previously much worse. In May 2020, the Covid case fatality rate peaked as high as 15% – one death in six cases.

But it is fair to say that throughout the pandemic coronavirus has been far deadlier than flu

However, the situation has changed dramatically in the last few weeks.

🔻The millions of cases sparked by the omicron wave have translated into relatively few deaths, bringing an important change in the deadliness of Covid

📉Latest case fatality rates in England in the seven days up to January 26 are now just 0.14% – one death in 714 positive cases…

…having fallen further since hundreds of thousands of reinfections were added to the case data

The infection fatality rate – the number of deaths for all infections, not just positive cases – tells a similar picture.

➡️Prof Paul Hunter, of the University of East Anglia, estimates it to be around 0.06%

🦠It is likely now, that even with millions of Covid cases in December and January, excess winter mortality this year will not even approach a bad flu year – let alone the levels we have seen in previous waves

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/02/01/covid-really-deadly-flu-omicron-came-along/

Originally tweeted by The Telegraph (@Telegraph) on February 2, 2022.

Covid19 was up to 13 times deadlier than flu especially in over 50s when it first appeared, but immunity and Omicron made it like flu, although it’s still 2 times deadlier in over 60s.

Originally tweeted by Luke O’Neill (@laoneill111) on January 31, 2022.