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News for February 5 — Prior Pneumonia as Severe COVID Predictor

Prior pneumonia as severe COVID predictor: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-021-00383-x . After age, pneumonia is the most important severe COVID predictor, according to this study of electronic medical records. Climate change encourages pandemics: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-change-coronavirus-bats-study/ . Good grief … AstraZeneca vaccine effective against UK variant: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/astra-vaccine-shown-to-maintain-effect-against-uk-variant/ar-BB1dqmYY?li=BBnb7Kz . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/astrazeneca-vaccine-effective-against-u-k-covid-19-variant-in-study-11612530912 . WSJ: More on South African variant: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-covid-19-strain-in-south-africa-what-we-know-11609971229 . …

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News for February 4 — UK Variant Gains in US; Variant Risk

UK variant gains in US: https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/02/04/coronavirus-variant-on-track-to-become-dominant-in-california-and-florida-hot-spots-testing-company-says/ (link replaced 3/16/21). Not surprising, and not good news. Variant risk: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/why-new-coronavirus-variants-emerge-and-what-that-means-for-you . The global vaccine divide in charts and maps: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/4/the-vaccine-divide-in-maps-and-charts . US finally wakes up on genomic testing: https://apnews.com/article/us-catch-up-coronavirus-variants-4290ca14029d97cdf01446cb32a96e3a . As the prior enterprise proved, stupid knows no bounds. And the result is 450,000 deaths and climbing. …

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News for February 3 — Nanobodies; Keeping the Variants in Check

Llama nanobodies, updated: https://www.ucsf.edu/magazine/covid-aeronabs . Given the “traditional” solution of vaccines, it is not surprising that there is not enough outside-the-box thinking in the investment community to pursue llama nanobodies. Keeping the variants in check: https://www.salon.com/2021/02/03/can-the-us-keep-covid-variants-in-check-heres-what-it-takes_partner/ . As regularly noted here, the lack of genomic testing is the US makes it virtually impossible to control …

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News for February 2 — The Cancer Pandemic; Sputnik V Vaccine

The cancer pandemic: https://news.trust.org/item/20210202100728-ijh2j/ . There were 19.3 million new cases of cancer diagnosed globally in 2020. That is expected to grow to 30 million in 2040 (a 55% increase). Breast cancer has overtaken lung cancer as the most common diagnosis (almost 12% of all cases). Colorectal cancer is third. The COVID pandemic is disrupting …

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News for February 1 — Category 5 COVID Event Coming

UK variant Category 5 COVID event coming, says Osterholm: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/michael-osterholm-category-5-hurricane-coronavirus_n_60178a0fc5b63b0fb2823174 . This article reflects Osterholm’s comments Sunday on “Meet the Press”, and contains a link to the full comments. Keep in mind that the South African variant and others are also moving through the US by community spread. South Africa receives first vaccine doses: https://abcnews.go.com/International/1st-vaccine-doses-arrive-south-africa-amid-variant/story?id=75611629 …

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News for January 31 — Vaccine Priorities; Vaccine Anaphylaxis Risk

Vaccine priorities: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/essential-workers-get-lost-in-the-vaccine-scrum-as-states-prioritize-the-elderly/ar-BB1dg9Vn?li=BBnb7Kz . Deaths are concentrated in the elderly. 80% are over age 65, and 95% are over age 50. As such, my view is that the elderly should be vaccinated first. If we knew more about persons most likely to become COVID long-haulers, I would also prioritize them. Hopefully, most elderly and essential …

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News for January 30 — Variants Mutating in Similar Ways

Variants mutating in similar ways: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/01/coronavirus-evolving-same-mutations-around-world/617721/ . This article also contains some explanation of the names assigned to different variants. WSJ: COVID citizen scientists are cataloging their symptoms and experiences: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-patients-are-doing-their-own-research-11611982860 . WSJ: COVID citizen volunteers building vaccine access websites: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-confusion-leads-volunteers-to-create-online-guides-11612002601 . COVID can affect menstrual cycles: https://www.salon.com/2021/01/30/doctors-puzzled-as-to-why-coronavirus-is-affecting-some-womens-menstrual-cycles/ . Orange Julius’ crew lost track of …

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News for January 29 — J&J and Novavax Trial Results

J&J vaccine trial results: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/29/covid-vaccine-jjs-one-shot-drug-is-72percent-in-the-us-but-less-effective-elsewhere.html . Dr. Gottlieb makes the interesting point that because variants are on the rise, any vaccine trial will show a lower effective rate than if the same trial was performed two months earlier. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/j-j-vaccine-is-still-a-win-for-the-public-11611937523 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/j-js-covid-19-vaccine-how-effective-is-it-and-when-will-it-be-available-11611940438 . And: https://www.wsj.com/articles/j-j-covid-19-vaccine-was-66-effective-in-late-stage-study-11611925201 . Novavax vaccine trial results: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55850352 . …

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News for January 28 — Autoantibodies May Cause COVID Long-haulers

Autoantibodies may cause COVID long-haulers: https://bgr.com/2021/01/28/long-covid-symptoms-cause-explained-autoantibodies/ . Previous focus on autoantibodies has found deep links to the COVID disease mechanism. “COVID tongue” possible symptom: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-tongue-may-be-another-coronavirus-symptom-british-researcher-suggests-n1256078 . More: https://www.today.com/health/what-covid-tongue-swollen-sore-tongue-may-be-possible-coronavirus-t207340 . New US cases drop substantially: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-01-28/new-covid-19-cases-plunge-as-behavior-changes . At-home COVID tests come to market: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/home-covid-19-tests-offer-promises-questions-n1255269 . Protein biosensors new way to detect COVID and antibodies: https://phys.org/news/2021-01-biosensors-quickly-coronavirus-proteins-antibodies.html . …

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News for January 27 — Melatonin in Lungs Prevents COVID

Melatonin in lungs prevents COVID infection: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-01/fda-mpi012721.php . The article partially addresses the question of whether melatonin could be used in an inhaler to prevent COVID. Wear a quality mask: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-01-25/biden-pushes-mask-messaging-as-europe-pushes-mask-upgrades . US still has N95 mask supply shortage: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/as-new-coronavirus-strains-raise-questions-about-mask-quality-the-n95-market-in-the-u-s-is-still-facing-supply-issues-11611774634 . COVID-19 and the brain: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-does-sars-cov-2-affect-the-brain . Remember that many long-haulers experience brain fog. Why …

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