What is the New COVID-19 Variant BA.2, and Will it Cause Another Wave of Infections in the US?

What is the New COVID-19 Variant BA.2, and Will it Cause Another Wave of Infections in the US?

By Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti, The Conversation What is BA.2, and how is it related to omicron? BA.2 is the latest subvariant of omicron, the dominant strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. While the origin of BA.2 is still unclear, it has quickly become the dominant strain in many countries, including India, […]

If You’ve Never Had COVID, Should You Relax or Worry?

If You’ve Never Had COVID, Should You Relax or Worry?

By Marcia Frellick, WebMD If you’re among those people in the United States who never had COVID-19, how should you think about your risk? According to the CDC, more than half the people in the U.S. are in the never-got-COVID-19 category. The CDC estimates that by the end of January, 43.4% in the U.S. had […]

If I am Vaccinated and Get COVID-19, What are My Chances of Dying? The Answer is Surprisingly Hard to Find

If I am Vaccinated and Get COVID-19, What are My Chances of Dying? The Answer is Surprisingly Hard to Find

By Lisa Miller, The Conversation Thankfully, most people who get COVID–19 don’t become seriously ill – especially those who are vaccinated. But a small fraction do get hospitalized, and a smaller fraction do die. If you are vaccinated and catch the coronavirus, what are your chances of getting hospitalized or dying? As an epidemiologist, I […]

Why New York City’s Public Schools are Among the Safest Places for Young People

Why New York City’s Public Schools are Among the Safest Places for Young People

By David C. Banks, Dr. Ted Long and Dr. Dave A. Chokshi Across the country, we have seen schools grapple with how to safely return to in-person learning. From navigating vaccine requirements and launching in-school testing to distributing KN95s and other PPE, adapting to the realities of this pandemic has been no easy feat. In […]

Americas Most Unequal Region in the World in Fight against COVID-19: PAHO

Americas Most Unequal Region in the World in Fight against COVID-19: PAHO

Washington (Feb 3): While 63% of people in Latin America and the Caribbean have now been vaccinated against COVID-19, coverage remains uneven, with 14 countries and territories immunizing 70% of their populations and the same number failing to reach even 40% coverage, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Carissa F. Etienne said during a […]

Is the Omicron Variant Mother Nature’s Way of Vaccinating the Masses and Curbing the Pandemic?

Is the Omicron Variant Mother Nature’s Way of Vaccinating the Masses and Curbing the Pandemic?

By Prakash Nagarkatti & Mitzi Nagarkatti, The Conversation In the short time since the omicron variant was identified in South Africa in November 2021, researchers have quickly learned that it has three unique characteristics: It spreads efficiently and quickly, it generally causes milder disease than previous variants and it may confer strong protection against other […]

Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic in the Americas Threatens Growth and Development of Children, Says PAHO Director

Millions miss out on routine care, including vaccination. Educational crisis also impacts their social, mental, and physical wellbeing.

Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic in the Americas Threatens Growth and Development of Children, Says PAHO Director

Washington D.C. January 26 (PAHO) – As the COVID-19 outbreak reaches its third year in the Americas, millions of children are missing out on routine vaccinations, putting countries at risk of losing two decades of immunization progress, the Pan American Health Organization Director Carissa F. Etienne warned. “Countries are seeing outbreaks of diseases that for […]

Two New York Nurses Were Arrested After Making $1.5 Million in Fake COVID-19 Vaccine Card Scheme

Two New York Nurses Were Arrested After Making $1.5 Million in Fake COVID-19 Vaccine Card Scheme

By Katie Balevic, Insider Two Long Island nurses were arrested this week after investigators uncovered a COVID-19 vaccine card fraud scheme in which they made millions selling bogus vaccine cards, and then entering false information into the state vaccine database. Julie DeVuono, a 49-year-old pediatric nurse practitioner, and Marissa Urraro, a 44-year-old licensed practical nurse, […]