#COVID-19 variants

[fixing-bad-posts]

be on the lookout for symptoms of covid the respiratory virus

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source on hospitalizations: - government of canada - cbc news

[tomorrowusa]

COVID-19 has not gone away. It keeps mutating into new variants, and NB.1.8.1 is one we should be concerned about.

Public-health experts have warned for months that the COVID-19 virus isn’t gone—and, far from waning, SARS-CoV-2 has mutated yet again into a new variant. Called NB.1.8.1, it's causing a spike in infections in China. A few cases also recently appeared in the U.S. when people arriving at airports tested positive, according to a statement from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The World Health Organization has also designated it as a “variant under monitoring.” [ ... ] Symptoms are similar to those linked to other COVID-19 strains and include sore throat, fever, cough, and fatigue. So far, based on data from other countries where cases have been reported, the variant does not seem to cause more severe disease—but genetically, it is equipped with changes that allow it be infect cells more efficiently. That means it could spread more easily among people.

So it's average severity for COVID but can apparently be spread more easily.

Unfortunately, "Worm Brain" RFK Jr. is making it more difficult to get vaccinated.

Getting vaccinated, however, may become harder for other groups. In a series of unusual moves, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that the CDC will no longer recommend a yearly shot for healthy children and pregnant women; the FDA recently said it will not recommend it for healthy adults until vaccine makers conduct additional studies to prove its safety and effectiveness in this population. These changes mean that insurers may no longer cover the shot, and people who want to get vaccinated may have to pay out of pocket.

The Guardian adds this.

Like its predecessors, NB.1.8.1 carries mutations in the spike protein. This is the protein on the surface of the virus that allows it to infect us – specifically via the ACE2 receptors, a “doorway” to our cells. The mutations include T22N, F59S, G184S, A435S, V445H, and T478I. It’s early days for this variant, so we don’t have much data on what these changes mean yet. But a recent preprint (a study that has not yet been peer-reviewed) offers some clues about why NB.1.8.1 may be gathering traction. Using lab-based models, researchers found NB.1.8.1 had the strongest binding affinity to the human ACE2 receptor of several variants tested – suggesting it may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains.

So get the latest booster while it's still free. And it probably wouldn't hurt to wear a face mask when in crowded places like public transit.

[sbrown82]

Here we go! 🦠

[ricisidro]

The World Health Organization (WHO) designated LP.8.1 as a variant under monitoring in January 2025.

LP.8.1, was first detected in July 2024. It’s a descendant of Omicron KP.1.1.3, which is descended from JN.1, a subvariant that caused large waves of Covid infections around the world in late 2023 & early 2024.

#SARSCoV2 #covid #COVID19 #WHO

-https://theconversation.com/a-new-covid-variant-is-on-the-rise-heres-what-to-know-about-lp-8-1-253237?utm_medium=article_native_share&utm_source=theconversation.com

-https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/risk-evaluation-for-sars-cov-2-variant-under-monitoring-lp81

[faggotfungus]

I've been seeing tags like these for a while now, "x gave me couvid" or "I think I have couvid," and I've never understood how they're supposed to be funny. Congratulations, you've allowed yourself to be fooled into making a joke out of a virus that continues to disable and kill people daily 👏😀

[thepastisalreadywritten]

WHO: GLOBAL COVID-19 CASES ARE INCREASING AS NEW VARIANT EMERGES

The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a global rise in COVID-19 cases, with the test positivity rate climbing to 11%, a level not seen since July 2024.

Coinciding with this uptick of cases is the emergence of a new variant known as NB.1.8.1, a descendant of Omicron, which has been classified as a Variant Under Monitoring (VUM).

Since it was first identified earlier this year, cases have been reported in several countries, particularly in travelers from China, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

In China, NB.1.8.1 has become the dominant strain and is linked to increasing emergency room visits and hospital admissions.

According to Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control, NB.1.8.1 shows strong immune-evasion capabilities, making it more transmissible than earlier variants.

Despite the surge in nearby countries such as China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore, where some schools have returned to online learning, the Philippines’ COVID-19 situation remains stable, according to local health authorities.

While the WHO continues to assess the global public health risk as low, and current vaccines are expected to remain effective, everyone is encouraged to stay alert, practice good hygiene, and take precautions to protect their health.

[thegeminisage]

i hope everyone who voted third party is really happy :) i hope they're all really pleased today and really felt like they made their voices heard and that electing trump was worth saving their precious little feelings :) i'm really glad they didn't have to be adults long enough to hold their noses and vote because feeling good is way more important than doing good :) i hope they got what they wanted :)

actually i hope they all die, as a direct result of his presidency, so that we don't have to pander to them next election cycle, if there IS a next election cycle. "but you can't just say you hope people die!" sure i can! third party voters obviously want me and my disabled mom to die. they want gay and trans people to die. they want women and immigrants and palestinians and people of color to die. what's the problem? i'd say i hope they die in the big glorious revolution they promised but if they can't put up and shut up long enough to get their asses to a ballot box there's no way we're gonna see them firebombing the government or attending a protest. they'll just sit at home and wait for somebody else to do it, the same way they sat at home and waited for somebody else to elect harris. and i hope nobody suffers more in the next four or more years than them. but why worry, right? both candidates are the same! i'm sure they'll be fine!

also lmao at everyone like "uwu ok guys take a deep breath have a calming cup of tea and do some self care tell people you love them" self care and loving people isn't going to keep him out of office. we had our chance to do that and we blew it because leftists want to feel righteous and pure. like definitely don't kill yourself or anything (unless you're a third party voter, in which case the sooner the better) but don't fucking dress it up. all you're doing is checking out. and who can blame you! sounds like the only solid plan tbh.

[covid-safer-hotties]

‘Playing COVID roulette’: Some infected by FLiRT variants report their most unpleasant symptoms yet - Published July 8, 2024

As the summer travel season picks up, COVID cases and hospitalizations are rising in Los Angeles County — and some of those recently reinfected are finding their latest bout to be the worst yet.

There are no signs at this point that the latest coronavirus variants are producing more severe illness, either nationally or in California.

But some doctors say this latest COVID rise challenges a long-held myth: Although new COVID infections are often mild compared with a first brush with the disease, they still can cause severe illness. Even if someone doesn’t need to visit the emergency room or be hospitalized, people sometimes describe agonizing symptoms.

“The dogma is that every time you get COVID, it’s milder. But I think we need to keep our minds open to the possibility that some people have worse symptoms,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a UC San Francisco infectious diseases expert.

Each time you get COVID, he said, is “kind of like playing COVID roulette.”

This underscores the need for caution during summer travel and activities, even though the overall risk remains relatively mild.

Read the full article and join in the conversation at our covid board:

[aalt-ctrl-del]

its amazing how the trump administration wants to contact trace a fucking genetic predisposition, but they thought it was ludicrous to try contact tracing a highly contagious, and undocumented strain of virus.

ironically, faux news mocked the very notion of contact tracing the novel virus, and virtually ANY ATTEMPT to contain and protect individuals who may be most vulnerable to an unknown pathogen with a systematic an unknown pattern of infection in its host. BACK WHEN IT WAS IN THE LOWEST NUMBERS.

Oh but now its a matter of national emergency to figure out what 'causes' autism. Who 'has' autism. Autism must be stopped. Autism is a terrible 'illness'.

the hypocrisy of the right-wringers is mind boggling. I cannot fathom being this stupid. faux news even ASKED "oh, what will we do next, contact trace people with cardiac illnesses, tehehe!"

NO YOU DUMB CUCKS. YOU DON'T TOUCH SOMEONE AND GET CARDIAC ILLNESS.

But now we're interested in contact tracing a pattern of thoughts.

Imagine if we started contact tracing people that liked sports to an crazy obsessive level, the way these people felt the need to contact trace kids that liked trains, or adults who collected anime figurines. Holy shit, your kid likes to fish and/or golf?! I diagnose them with the autism.

No one ever shits a brick when people sport hunt deer and cover their walls with skins and butchered parts off the animals. BUT LORD FORBIDE IF A LITTLE CHILD HAS AN USUAL TALENT FOR CARD TRICKS OMGARSH.

[nancykhemchandani]

Understanding JN.1 COVID-19 Variant: Impact, Vaccines, and Concern

Explore the impact of JN.1 COVID-19 variant, vaccine efficacy, and expert insights. Stay informed and safe amid evolving situations.

[spacedocmom]

Doctor Beverly Crusher @SpaceDocMom I hope you have a nice Halloween but also remember that fun treats and safety masks are for any time! emojis: lollipop, candy, Jack-o-lantern, masked x 5, black heart, blue heart 1:43 PM · Oct 31, 2023

[ricisidro]

Covid infections are growing in nearly all states -- with the sharpest increases in the West, according to CDC data. The FLiRT and LB.1 variants are most common.

#SARSCov2

#COVID19 #Omicron #FLIRTvariant

#LB1

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/07/03/covid-rising-kp2-flirt-lb1/

[arctic-hands]

Out of curiosity, are there any variants going around where there are no respiratory symptoms but there is heavy fatigue? neither theta and I have any resp symptoms or fevers or anything, but we've been so dead tired that nothing's getting done. We're both chronically ill and disabled, but it's weird for both of us to be this tired and flaring at the same time

[kimberlychapman]

SciShow new video: Does Covid Cause Cancer?

Short answer: probably.

Long answer with tons of very current info and addressing the semantic issues with the question: see video link below.

It hasn't gone away and other very recent studies have shown that subsequent infections do indeed increase risk factors for other diseases including long covid and susceptibility to further covid infections. There is no current vaccine for covid that reduces spread, just impact, and even then new variants evade some vaccines. So it's worth getting the vaccine and being as boosted as possible, but you're still getting it, spreading it, and possibly suffering the long-term effects of it even while vaccinated.

So mask up, outdoors and indoors, anywhere where there's other people around. A crowded beer garden or concert is not safe. It lingers in the air for about two hours, so if you go into an empty restaurant you might still be sitting in the previous diner's breath cloud. Lifting your mask for photos, drinking, eating, etc. allows the air around you into the mask, and the places where people lift their mask "for just a second" are where everyone does that and more likely to have more covid in the air.

Masks are variant proof. A well-fitting N95/KN95/FFP2 or higher at all times around other people is how you protect yourself and others.

Not masking = not intersectional. And quite possibly increasing your risk factors for a pile of cancers over the next couple of decades.

Spread the word, not the germ.