#my brain is not working after the second pfizer dose

[besanii]

shattered mirrors 73

[ set after #69 ]

He’s stumbling forward before he even realises he’s moving, knocking into the low desk with his foot and almost falling over if not for Lan Wangji’s steady hand around his elbow. His limbs feel like lead and his body moves as though wading upstream against a rushing river. His ears are ringing, his vision spotting at the edges, but through all of that he sees the person before him.

“A-Xian.” A sob bubbles up inside his throat at the sound of his name in her voice. “A-Xian.”

She too is stumbling towards him, arms outstretched and tears in her eyes. He wants desperately to fall into her arms, to bury himself in her embrace and let her warmth wrap around him and wash away the horrors of the last fourteen years. Pretend as though he is still Wei Ying, the ward of Yunmeng, her brother in all but name and blood, the little boy who had grown up as her second shadow.

Instead, he sinks to his knees at her feet and presses his forehead to the floor. Lan Wangji follows him to the floor, hovering protectively around him

“Your guilty subject pays respects to Gongzhu-dianxia,” he says. “I humbly beg Dianxia’s forgiveness for failing my duty to Yunmeng Jiang.”

There. He’s said it. The words that had been eating away at him all these years, the constant shadow of guilt lingering in the corner of his mind. His family had been tasked with the protection of Yunmeng and its royal family, it had been their job to gather intelligence and wield it in their defence.

He’d failed. And Yunmeng had fallen.

A strangled noise leaves Jiang Yanli’s throat.

“A-Xian, no,” she says. “No, A-Xian, there is nothing to forgive. Please, get up—”

She reaches for his hands, tugging at them to make him stand, but he remains resolutely prostrate.

“Gongzhu-dianxia, this guilty subject does not dare.”

Her hands tighten around his almost painfully for a moment before she sighs, her whole body sagging with the movement.

“You did everything you could,” she tells him. When he goes to deny it, she squeezes his hand again. “Look at me.” He reluctantly raises his head and sees her looking back at him with a tremble in the firm line of her mouth. “A-Xian, I would be dead—or perhaps worse—if not for you. You saved me.”

He presses his lips together in a hard line, his breath heavy through his nose as he struggles to keep the tears at bay.

“I could have done more,” he whispers. “I could have—”

“You did everything you could,” she repeats firmly. “A-Xian, there was nothing more you could have done. Not under those circumstances.”

A raw, wounded noise tears itself from his throat, through his tightly closed lips.

“I should have realised the reports were false,” he argues, hands twisting in the fabric of his robes. “I should have verified them personally, I—”

She takes his face between her hands, shocking him into silence.

There are new lines on her face, around her eyes and mouth, that hadn’t been there before; she’s older, he realises, and has had to fend for herself for many years. The Jiang Yanli before him now glows with health and vigour, dressed in the thick, coarse garments of the northern border tribes rather than the silks of the capital—a far cry from the sheltered princess from Yunmeng she had been in their youth. Her hands, still so small against his cheek, are rough and callused from hard labour.

“A-Xian, you did everything you could,” she repeats firmly. “It is in the past. Do not blame yourself any longer. Alright?”

He closes his eyes with a shuddering sigh.

And then he’s falling forward into Jiang Yanli’s waiting arms with an aborted cry, clutching at the back of her heavy cloak desperately. Her scent is different—the lotus blossoms replaced by something earthier and less floral—and the arms she wraps around him are stronger, the hug firmer than what he remembers. But the way her fingers run through his hair, the warmth of her body, the way she envelopes him in her embrace despite the difference in stature—there is no mistaking it. He would know it anywhere.

“Jiejie.” He’s repeating himself, over and over again, the way he has not done since they were children and it was still allowed. This is not a dream. “Jiejie, jiejie, jiejie—”

“A-Xian.” Jiang Yanli laughs, her voice thick with tears. “Oh, A-Xian, I’m so glad you’re alive. I’ve missed you so.”

He’s missed her too. There are no words to describe how much he’s missed her. So he just holds her tighter, buries his face in her shoulder as they sink to their knees in the middle of the study floor. He’s dimly aware of movement around them—the servants, perhaps, or Lan Wangji, stepping away to give them some privacy—but he doesn’t acknowledge them, overwhelmed by the fact that Jiang Yanli is here, in his arms, safe and sound after so many years.

“Fourteen years…” She pulls away, running her hands over his hair and face as she does, drinking in the sight of him. “A-Xian, you’ve lost weight.”

He shakes his head and laughs. “I’m alright. Don’t worry about me.” He leans into the hand resting on his cheek. “You look good, Jiejie. You haven’t changed at all.”

It’s her turn to shake her head, falling so easily into their familiar banter as she admonishes him for lying.

“Nonsense. Look at me.” She sits back on her heels and raises her arms to show off the travel-worn garb beneath her heavy cloak. “I’m just a humble farmer’s wife now.”

At the word ‘wife’, Wei Wuxian is suddenly reminded they are not alone. His attention is drawn to the doorway where Jin Zixuan stands with his arm around a boy of no more than ten. Gone are the fine, embroidered silks and gilded jewels signature to the Crown Prince of Lanling. Instead, both are dressed in the same thick, northern-style robes as Jiang Yanli, both with the same broad shoulders, sun-kissed skin and matching vermilion marks between their brows. Jin Zixuan offers him a nod when their eyes meet.

“Wei Wuxian, it’s been a while.” After a moment, he hastily corrects himself and bows. “My apologies, I did not mean any disrespect. Jin Zixuan greets Hanguang-wangye, Hanguang-wangfei.”

“Taizi—Jin-gongzi.” Wei Wuxian corrects himself quickly, returning his greeting with a short bow. “There is no need for such formality. It is good to see you all well.”

He is surprised to find he means it sincerely; there was no such goodwill the last time they had crossed paths, young and foolhardy as they were. But those days are long past. Gone is the spoilt young prince who had spurned the woman he regarded as a sister, buried beneath the cold ashes of a war that took everything from them in one fell swoop. This Jin Zixuan is a husband, a father, who had done the unthinkable—renouncing his claim to the throne of Lanling to search for Jiang Yanli without knowing whether or not she was even alive—and had been rewarded for his devotion.

Jiang Cheng, ah, Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian thinks. I think even you would hold a bit of respect for him now.

Jin Zixuan’s eyes shift to Lan Wangji, standing silently behind Wei Wuxian, and offers a deeper bow, which Lan Wangji returns with an incline of his head. Jiang Yanli follows suit from where she is still on her knees with Wei Wuxian, bowing low at the waist.

“Jiang Yanli greets Hanguang-wangye, Hanguang-wangfei,” she echoes. “Thank you for taking care of A-Xian. Yunmeng owes you a great debt.”

Before either of them can react to dispute her claim, she turns to beckon the boy—her son, Wei Wuxian’s heart leaps with realisation—closer with one hand, dabbing at her eyes with the sleeve of the other. She draws the boy closer, turns him to face both Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji with a warm smile and a comforting hand on his back. The boy looks up at them with something akin to awe in his eyes.

“A-Ling, come and pay respects to Wangye and Wangfei,” she tells him. “They are our family’s benefactors. Without their help, we would not be here today, so we must repay this debt however we can.”

“Yes, A-Niang.” Jin Ling steps away from his mother, squaring his little shoulders in a way that reminds Wei Wuxian of his father when they had first met, trying to put on an air of importance despite his small stature; he clasps his fingers in front of his chest and performs a textbook-perfect bow from the waist. “Jin Ling pays respects to Hanguang-wangye, Hanguang-wangfei.”

Wei Wuxian looks back at Lan Wangji, helpless in the face of their collective insistence, and sees the corner of Lan Wangji’s lips twitch. He sighs in defeat.

“Jin-xiao-gongzi,” he says, struggling to keep his voice steady. “Your mother’s family took me in when my parents passed, kept the roof over my head and the clothes on my back. Without them, I would not be here today. Whatever debt there is between us, let us wipe the slate clean now and start anew.”

He sees Lan Wangji incline his head in agreement, eyes soft as he holds out a hand to help him to his feet. His arm is warm and steady around his waist, his hand firm in his, holding him upright as he works to calm the storm of emotions warring within his chest. Finally, he gives the hand in his a brief squeeze and turns back to their guests with a bright smile.

“Now, let’s dispense with all this formality,” he says. “You must be tired from your journey—you must stay with us, here in Hanguang Manor. In fact, I insist upon it.”

Jiang Yanli exchanges a quick look with her husband.

“We do not wish to—” Wei Wuxian clears his throat pointedly, and Jiang Yanli falters mid-sentence, pauses and acquiesces with an amused sigh. “Then it would be impolite of us to decline such a generous offer.”

--

Translations

Gongzhu-dianxia (公主殿下) - Your Highness, the Princess

wangfei (王妃) - consort to the Duke, his legitimate wife/spouse

--

Notes

Approximately a billion years later!!!!

WWX called JYL jiejie as a child, before they got older and it was inappropriate to do so, after which he sometimes called her shijie in private, but mostly addressed her as Gongzhu-dianxia in public.

Any errors or inconsistencies will...be addressed at some point. It’s been a while and I need to revisit some things to remind myself what’s happened >_>

--

buy me a ko-fi!

more shattered mirrors fic | verse

[elfpuddle]

It’s been a hot minute since I shared, so I’ll take a moment now to do it. I don’t know how to do the “read under the cut”, so I apologize for the huge block of text appearing on your dash. For those of you who are new, a little context: Instead of dealing with a pandemic, hording, and whatever else was going on last year, I was busily going from doctor to doctor trying to learn why my body suddenly had such severe edema that my feet were actually ovals (as one example...the edema was full body), why I suddenly had such intense foot pain that I could not stand without feeling like I was being tortured, and more. From April to July, I was bed ridden, trying to keep my feet above my heart. I left the bed to walk six feet back and forth to the bathroom, a trip that took 30 minutes because of the pain, and to go to doctor appointments. We discovered that I have hyperparathyroidism, causing hypercalcemia, causing gout-like pain in my feet. I have a full team of doctors working on me, and had scheduled surgery twice last November and December. Both were canceled--the second because my parathyroid and calcium levels were too good; the surgical team had no measure to judge when to stop the surgery.

Since then, I’ve added another doctor, a podiatrist, to the team, because the foot pain simply wasn’t getting better the way my blood levels said it should, and the feet/calf edema was still persistent.

My podiatrist had given me a prescription for a topical arthritis ointment for my feet. It took a few days, but I developed a really "lovely" coating of hives. Yes, I stopped using it and added another drug to my list of allergies. My doctors and I decided that coping with the anxiety and depression caused by the hyperparathyroidism wasn't good enough any more. I'm now taking Prozac, and am much the better for it. I've slept better in since then than I have in over a year, and am much more my normal self. (My dreams are really super odd and vivid, but I'm getting used to my sleeping brain on drugs. I don't actually recommend that part, but I'll deal with it since the rest is so much better.) The xrays of my feet showed that some of my bones to be nearly transparent. Not in the ghost-like way of all xrays...actually not enough bone where bones should be. There was enough calcium in my veins that some of them showed up in the xray. This really disturbed the podiatrist, who ordered a bone density scan and an MRI. Also concerning was the way my left calf, ankle, and heel bones were jammed so tightly together that they overlapped.

My bone density scan technician, for reasons I cannot quite comprehend, didn't scan my feet, which are the area of prime concern. In good news, the rest of me is normal, so my parathyroid isn't extracting calcium from everywhere, nor do I have osteoporosis (yet?). My MRI was much more informative. I have a page and a half of information that, in a nutshell, means that my talus and calcaneus (ankle bones) have bruises and microfractures. I have plantar fasciitis with no tear, two heel spurs, mild/moderate arthritis in my feet, and most likely sinus tarsi syndrome shown by the complete loss of fat cushion in the tarsal sinus (hollow of ankle bones). In sum, for those of you like me that are not experts in the area, my parathyroid has been eating the calcium out of my feet and ankle bones. This, combined with arthritis in the feet and the swelling of the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of my feet, helping connect toes to heel, caused itty bitty fractures in the heel. In addition, it caused the tissues that are supposed to cushion the bones from scraping against each other to compress, deteriorate, and otherwise go away. All the feet and ankle swelling I've had hasn't been fluid building up, but a combination of feet tissues being pushed out of where they should be and swelling from the things that are broken and hurting (much like a jammed or broken finger will swell up until it heals). The cushion rearranging is why I've been so unsteady on uneven ground and steps; my ankle doesn't quite have the ability to deal with anything other than a perfectly flat surface. Usually, one would increase their vitamin d and calcium to help the body fix itself and get the nutrients that have left. But my hyperparathyroidism is causing hypercalcemia, both making too much calcium and depleting my body of it at the same time. Adding more isn't going to help as much as it should. I’m adding a bit more vitamin D to my drug schedule, and some vitamin C. My rheumatologist would add even more of both if it were possible, as the two of them will help rebuild collagen, which is the major ingredient in my missing tissues. I’m also continuing to wear compression socks, but increasing the pressure, to support feet and ankles and make sure that the swelling is minimized. (Like wrapping that jammed finger.) I’ve got a new pair of shoes that have a “rocker bottom” (be careful googling that) like a walking cast, so that my feet and ankle bones stop jamming together when I walk. The shoes have the most arch support I’ve ever seen. I've also got a list of exercises to do for the plantar fascitis to strengthen those tissues and keep them from getting too stiff from the swelling. While the parathyroid is causing havoc, there isn't a lot else to do other than monitor the situation. Unless I show symptoms of getting worse instead of holding steady or getting better, I next have my parathyroid and calcium levels checked in early July. There's three ways it could go: 1) Everything gets better and my body heals. That's not likely, but I do believe in miracles. 2) Everything stays the same...levels slightly elevated, but so close to "normal" that I'm not a candidate for surgery. 3) Levels get high enough, and I get sick enough, that surgery is necessary. I've been bouncing back and forth among the three for a year, so that's not really news. In good news, HubbyTMC and I both got the second doses of our Pfizer Covid vaccines. He was tired and achy in that "I'm coming down with something but don't really have a fever or anything specific" sort of way for a few days. I was hit by a nap rather suddenly a few hours after my shot. That exhaustion lasted for less than 24 hours, and otherwise I had no reaction whatsoever. Huzzah! I have my spiffy new rockerbottomarchsupportarthritisandeverythingelsegoingonsupport shoes. I wear them everywhere and they are helping. They also make me feel even taller than normal, since I'm wearing shoes while HubbyTMC isn't. And without them, I’m a hair under 6′, so this is a fun development. Yesterday, for the first time in a year, I got to go to Mass. I hugged my village of friends. I hung out at their house, just like I did every Sunday before my body went to hell. My village (the two of us, and three other married couples and their ten living children, as well as all the members of the Church Triumphant who hang with us, including our miscarried children) got to go to lunch after Mass and be together as the family we are. GoddaughterHufflePunk took solicitous care of me. She’s Six-and-A-Half, so I got to sit at the border of the adult side of the table, and the children’s side of the table, which is where I belong. My spiritual and emotional health is on the path to healing. Thank God for vaccines and all the people who got them to me. This has been a hard year for a lot of you, too, in ways different than my problems, but just as soul crushing. Know that I'm praying for all of you, and hoping that you are finding light at the end of your tunnels.  Thank you for your continued prayers. I know that they are helping. 

[icu3po]

The vaccine may have saved a life... and almost ended another’s.

When my patient was admitted, direct transfer from a smaller hospital, I assumed the worst. The story was all too familiar: white male, 70’s, cardiac and pulmonary history, Mr. “R” presented to the ER with shortness of breath and hypoxia. His oxygen needs had advanced to BiPAP and so he needed an urgent transfer an hour away to my ICU.

The only thing different about this patient’s history, is that he had received both doses of the COVID vaccine. Exposure happened shortly after the second dose and so he had not yet built up the necessary immunity. Mr. “R” had dismissed his initial symptoms as side effects of the shot, but eventually tested positive when his worsening symptoms prompted him to seek medical help.

When his BiPAP need became only CPAP that night, I was cautiously optimistic. I overheard the admitting provider tell my patient, “getting the shot may have saved your life.” Mr. “R” slept soundly that night. No rapid respirations, no sudden desaturations, and no constant coughing. He had no fever and no DVT’s. CT showed bilateral opacities consistent with COVID pneumonia, but his lungs sounded clear, if diminished. What was going on? Mr. “R” wasn’t behaving like the hundreds of COVID patients that have rolled through this hospital over the last year. A glimmer of hope began to grow in the back of my mind. I ignored it, so as not to scare it away.

I floated to other units for the next few shifts, so I hoped Mr. “R” would continue to improve and move out of the ICU while I was away. Days later, I peeked into his room and was disappointed to see a familiar sight: Mr. “R” was intubated and proned. “They all turn out this way,” I told myself. What did I expect?

But just as before, his trajectory skewed differently than expected. He only needed a small amount of supplemental oxygen through the ventilator, and he was tolerating a respiration rate that was about half the rate that the traditional COVID patient wanted to breathe. His numbers looked good when he was returned to his back, so there was no need to prone or paralyze him again. His sedation medication needs were minuscule compared to the famously “sedation-resistant” COVID patients I was used to. The doctor told Mr. “R’s” family not to worry about him needing a trach, because their loved one would likely be extubated within a few days, if not sooner.

Was all this thanks to the vaccine? Is this what I can expect for my COVID patients going forward? I began to hope again, the light shining brighter as I finally acknowledged the glimmer from before.

—————————————————————-

A new admit rolls in to the unit. Not my patient, but as usual it’s all hands on deck. “Post-code” is all I hear as the bed rattles to a stop. A flurry of PPE, screens, cords, and tubing, various alarms and beeps, and people dashing across the unit for supplies, as everyone works together to stabilize the patient, get labs and imaging, and begin the critical cooling process to protect brain and cardiac function. As activity dies down, I learn more details of his arrest and resuscitation. Something perks my attention. “He had just gotten his second COVID shot,” his nurse tells me. “He got it earlier today. His wife figured he was just having side effects.”

My thoughts race. Could the vaccine have had something to do with this patient’s heart stopping? Has this happened before? Will I be seeing other patients with similar stories and outcomes? Which vaccine did he get? Pfizer? Moderna? Could it be completely unrelated? What if this happened to my loved ones?

Intellectually I knew that, even if it were an adverse reaction to the vaccine, the mortality rate of the vaccine is significantly lower than COVID-19 itself and so it should not be a reason to avoid getting vaccinated. I knew this. Objectively. As a nurse.

But as a spouse, and a daughter, and a granddaughter... it gave me pause. Despite my scientific brain telling me “correlation is not causation,” I felt myself hesitate. Maybe I should wait to have my spouse vaccinated... I should find out which manufacturer produced his shot... maybe this is happening a lot and it’s not reported as an adverse effect?

—————————————————————

Now, sitting in my car after a long few shifts, I am able to write and process and gain perspective.

How easily our emotions take over. It’s been a long pandemic. I forgive myself for wavering. I must remember to be kind to myself. We’ve been through a lot as healthcare providers. It’s okay to have hope for the future and it’s also okay to be nervous. We are writing the playbook as it happens. So give in to that glimmer, even when it seems hope is lost.

[xtruss]

Why Is Pfizer – The Shoddiest Vaccine – Enjoying the Most Approval From Government?

Especially for Pfizer there is evidence that protection vanes quickly

— Daniel Horowitz | 9 September, 2021

August was a remarkable month. In the face of all the bad reactions to the vaccines, we learned that after all that pain, the vaccines aren’t even lasting. Concurrently, cases and deaths are skyrocketing more than before anyone had a vaccine. Yet precisely at the time when the shots are wearing off, the FDA not only quasi-approved the vaccine, but picked the leakiest of all to greenlight and also authorized emergency use of a third shot … of the same failed substance.

Even the most unflinching supporters of the COVID vaccines who deny any risks whatsoever should be asking the following salient question: Why is it the Pfizer vaccine that is getting the first full approval, the first booster approval, and the first emergency use for children, given that Moderna clearly works better?

Any intellectually honest person at this point would have to admit that Moderna has won the battle of vaccine champions vs. Pfizer. According to a Mayo Clinic study, as of July, Americans were twice as likely to experience breakthrough infections after having had the Pfizer shot compared to Moderna. [I would like to see the comparison to AZ, J&J, and Sinovac.] “In Florida, which is currently experiencing its largest COVID-19 surge to date, the risk of infection in July after full vaccination with mRNA-1273 (the Moderna shot) was about 60% lower than after full vaccination with BNT162b2 (Pfizer),” the researchers said.

Overall, the Mayo Clinic researchers pegged Pfizer’s efficacy at 42% vs. 76% for Moderna.

Israel, a country where almost the entire adult population got the Pfizer shot, Found Just 39% Efficacy in the Pfizer shot from data that is now two months old. And evidence is mounting that the efficacy wanes with every increasing month. Given these numbers, and the known risks of leaky viruses creating stronger, more durable viral immune escape, isn’t anyone interested in researching whether Pfizer’s leakiness is the possible culprit for both the U.S. and Israel seemingly experiencing a worse surge than ever before?

The fact that Pfizer is leaking with antibodies waning much quicker is not surprising. A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that Moderna recipients had twice the antibody levels of those who received the Pfizer shots after a similar follow-up period after the second shot.

“Pfizer is the lowest dose of mRNA, at 30 micrograms per shot [which isn’t necessarily a bad thing], and it’s therefore obvious that Pfizer has the lowest estimated vaccine efficacy,” said Dr. Peter McCullough, a world-renowned cardiologist who has raised serious questions about the mass vaccination strategy.

McCollough said that the differential vaccine efficacy is not merely about academic intrigue but has real-life consequences. “A common question I’m asked by my patients is which vaccine is the best and how can it be safely given,” he said. Based on the government’s stronger and quicker approval of Pfizer, the public perception is that Pfizer is the best bet, and Pfizer is winning the market share and almost completely owns the teen demographic.

However, how can “the experts” ask Americans now to take a risk on a booster from Pfizer, in itself an indictment of Pfizer’s existing efficacy, with the same failed formula without giving proper informed consent about the efficacy of each vaccine? Israeli researchers came out with a new study concluding that “elderly individuals (60+) who received their second dose (of Pfizer) in March 2021 were 1.6 (CI: [1.3, 2]) times more protected against infection and 1.7 (CI: [1.0, 2.7]) times more protected against severe COVID-19 compared to those who received their second dose in January 2021.” They found similar results across all age groups; it’s just that most of the seniors were vaccinated earlier, so they are experiencing waning immunity quicker.

There are so many unanswered questions based on the existing science. Why should Pfizer be the first to be rewarded with a third shot if its product failed quicker than anyone else’s? And how will another dose of the same formula with an ever-evolving virus work even as long as last time? Shouldn’t we first study why the vaccine is so leaky and whether the leakiness is the culprit for this bizarre viral enhancement we seem to be experiencing, which is so unnatural? Typically, a virus that is more transmissible becomes less virulent, not more virulent.

Here’s another question: With the current vaccines leaking to various degrees, why does the FDA Continue To Slow-Walk Novavax, which is closer to a traditional vaccine? With a rapidly deteriorating situation in America, wouldn’t we be desperate for a new solution rather than doubling down on the most failed vaccine?

By now, the wheels in your brain should begin to churn and come to the realization that, to borrow a line from Orwell, not all animals are created equal. Clearly, some companies have more pull than others. Nobody can deny that the tendentious treatment of Pfizer in the face of contrary scientific evidence demonstrates that politics and money supersede science. Pfizer is an exponentially larger company than Moderna, with an entrenched lobbying arm dating back decades. So just maybe – maybe – our entire approach to this virus, from the use of remdesivir and vaccines over early, cheap therapeutics to the failed capacity restrictions and masking are also rooted in political science rather than natural science?

— Source: The Blaze

[covid19updater]

COVID19 Updates: 08/24/2021

Iowa:  Iowa school district delays school start due to staff COVID-19 outbreak LINK

US:  The US could have the pandemic under control by spring of 2022 if the "overwhelming majority" of the population gets vaccinated, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Monday. LINK

India:  #COVID19 | Kerala reports 24,296 new cases, 173 deaths and 19,349 recoveries today; Test positivity rate at 18.04%

UK: New cases by day in Scotland since 08/09:  

2021-08-24: 4323

2021-08-23: 3189

2021-08-22: 3190 2021-08-21: 3464 2021-08-20: 3613 2021-08-19: 3367 s021-08-18: 2531 2021-08-17: 1815 2021-08-16: 1567 2021-08-15: 1498 2021-08-14: 1383 2021-08-13: 1542 2021-08-12: 1525 2021-08-11: 1498 2021-08-10: 1032 2021-08-09: 851

Florida:  32-yo #Florida Polk County Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Broadhead has died of #COVID19. Sheriff Grady Judd said ~50 deputies have #COVID19 & at least 4 are hospitalized LINK

World:  The SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant is poised to acquire complete resistance to wild-type spike vaccines LINK

US:  US covid hospitalizations reached nearly 96,000 today. That's 74% of pandemic peak, despite some recent reduction in rate of rise (and it isn’t even fall yet)

RUMINT (US):  I have a friend who just tested positive. She's vax'd and her household has VERY little exposure. She and husband work from home and son is virtual school. They only do curbside pickup for groceries. She 1st lost taste/smell then started forgetting things and mixing up words.  She was sure she couldn't possibly have covid but had someone pick up home tests. Her husband tested neg. The only exposure is husband took son to a covid safe appointment last week. Fever is 99. Worst part is major brain fog. This is getting WILD and scary

Israel:  Are we doomed? Israel's Prime Minister is crazy (or an idiot): "People who received two vaccine shots walk around feeling like they are protected... they don't understand that the second vaccine has faded against the "Delta" - they must quickly get vaccinated with the 3rd dose!".  Israel government next outrageous step: The "Green passport" will be valid only for 6 months from the moment you received the 2nd shot! Tomorrow the director of the iMoH will decide whether the booster shots will be permitted/coerced for 30+ people(or for the entire population?!)

Florida:  Florida’s COVID-19 resurgence: State reports 42,143 new cases and 726 new deaths over two days LINK

US:  U.S. COVID update: 253K new cases as many states, including Florida, dump weekend backlogs - New cases: 253,182 - Average: 158,238 (+8,764) - In hospital: 95,743 (+1,556) - In ICU: 23,994 (+496) - New deaths: 1,312

Singapore:  All 62 Covid-19 cases detected among migrant workers from the North Coast Lodge dormitory in Woodlands on Monday (Aug 23) were fully vaccinated, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Tuesday.

Louisiana:  A tense standoff in Slidell, Louisiana, over mask mandates is one of dozens that have unfolded at local school board meetings across the US in recent weeks as schools debate how to return to in-person instruction amid the resurgent threat of the Delta variant;

Hawaii:  Hawaii’s Governor has asked that visitors & residents reduce travel to the islands, while the state struggles to control the spread of Delta variant. Gov David Ige said on Monday local time that he wants to curtail travel to Hawaii through to the end of October;

World:  #BREAKING US VP Kamala Harris' trip to Hanoi delayed due to 'health incident': embassy

UK: +30,838. That is 4k more cases than this time last week. 174 new deaths. The most since early March.

Israel:  The Ministry of Health of Israel announced that today, Tuesday, that 9,831 new cases of coronavirus were diagnosed yesterday. This is the highest figure recorded since last January, and almost the most cases ever for a single day. The infection rate is currently 6.63%. Currently, there are 72,572 active cases of COVID-19 nationwide, including 1,124 who are hospitalized. The number of patients in serious condition is 678. Of this number, 168 are in critical condition and 123 are intubated on artificial respirators.

Japan:  JAPAN WILL EXTEND THE COVID STATE OF EMERGENCY TO HOKKAIDO AND SEVEN MORE PREFECTURES

World:  JUST IN - Pfizer CEO says #COVID19 vaccine-resistant variant likely to emerge, but the big pharma company would be able to turn around a "variant-specific" new mRNA jab within 3 months (Fox)

Ohio:  After 8 fully-vaccinated family members get COVID, Miami Valley woman still encourages vaccines LINK

Arkansas:  BREAKING: There are no empty ICU beds left in Arkansas, according to Gov. Asa Hutchinson. LINK

Tennessee:  Nashville public schools reported 395 students and 67 teachers tested positive for COVID in the last week. LINK

Alabama:  "Per the Alabama Hospital Association, the state currently has 1,536 staffed ICU beds and 1,589 ICU patients. That means the state’s ICU bed deficit has ballooned to 53." LINK

California: LA COVID-19 Breakthrough Cases Climb As Young Adults Drive Spread LINK

Florida:  Orange County Public Schools in Florida reported 400 students + teachers have tested positive for COVID overnight. LINK

Canada: British Columbia:  As of Aug 25, masks will be mandatory in all indoor public spaces for people 12+, to help slow COVID-19 transmission and help prepare for the fall respiratory illness season. This applies to everyone, regardless of vaccination status. LINK

Op/Ed: Doctor:  My extreme confidence in effectiveness of vaccines was misplaced. It was based largely on how well they performed initially in Israel, which is nearly fully vaccinated. The recent data there is horrible with even deaths now picking up.

RUMINT (Florida):  My son went back to school yesterday for his senior year after missing the last 1.5 years of in person edumication. He was nervous but loved it and even more so today....he did say prepare to get sick (even though we got a vax) as the halls were so packed between classes that kids could barely move. Did report that everyone appeared to be following mask protocols at least, and outdoor lunchtime with friends (which they all do need)....but his exact words were: "PREPARE TO BE SICK". Only 2 days in and not heard of any reported cases yet....I say give it week. They have enacted strict seating charts so that if someone does get sick, they ONLY toss out temporarily those other kids sitting immediately around the infected one instead of the entire class like last year (but for each class the infected kid was in)...and there is currently NO plan in place for those forced to quarantine from school for 10 days to be able to at least stay up on the classes missed via ZOOM watching (not interactive ZOOM like last year...no ZOOM at all!). Just a 10 day paid vacation from school...oh, and they will have to keep up on their own apparently. I will provide an update on this after Labor Day unless all hell breaks loose before then....mega sigh.

Georgia:  Nearly 2K Georgia children testing positive for COVID-19 a day on average. School districts in metro Atlanta are reporting that over 13,000 children and teens have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the school year. LINK

[uozlulu]

TMI time

I have to remember to take that research study survey about vaccines affecting your cycle because this cycle has been such a weird experience so far. 

Like last time under the influence of 1 dose of Pfizer I had increased pain, increased flow, etc...etc.. but this time is such a pain in well, everywhere. Also the 10 hour overnight pads that last me about 8 or so hours usually on nights 1 and 2 lasted me more like 7 hours and last night barely made it to 8. 

That said, I would definitely take all this nonsense over having an actual coronavirus infection because I don’t want to know how much worse that would be. Like I mean if the vaccine caused a pretty intense inflammatory response after the second dose, I can only begin to imagine what kind of inflammatory response the actual virus would cause. I probably would end up in the hospital. That is definitely something I want to avoid. 

Also, if you’re intimidated by the fact your period might get heavier, be late, be early, etc...etc... one thing to note is that it’s actually a rather minimal change in flow for me. I am already excessively heavy and last moth I noticed I just had to use my overnight pads one night longer than usual, and when I normally can get away by doubling up on liners for the last about 2 - 3 days of a 7 - 8 day cycle, I was still using my super maxi pads up to the end, but it was more of a change them every 5 - 6 hours rather than every 4 hours like it is when I’m relying on the super maxi pads during a normal cycle for me. Last month I was 1 day early, this month I was 4 days late after feeling like I could start at ANY TIME for a whole week. So that was wild and a bit frustrating because I don’t like wasting my pads. 

And the pain I’ve been feeling is exaggerated versions of pain I’ve felt before with my period. Like I had almost a whole day of ovarian pain that felt a bit like it was snagged on something. Felt it before that intensely, but it just lasted longer this time. Or today when I laid down to help pelvic pain it only got worse when every other time in the 26 years of me having periods that always makes it better. So I just sat for a while and tried laying down later and it worked like normal. Luckily I haven’t been feeling the cervical pain I get from time to time, but I think it all comes down to where the inflammation strikes and how your body handles it. 

Anyway, just wanted to empty my brain a bit so I can sleep. It’s been a long day

[stephenmccull]

Mysterious Ailment, Mysterious Relief: Vaccines Help Some Covid Long Haulers

An estimated 10% to 30% of people who get covid-19 suffer from lingering symptoms of the disease, or what’s known as “long covid.”

This story is part of a partnership that includes NPR and KHN. It can be republished for free.

Judy Dodd, who lives in New York City, is one of them. She spent nearly a year plagued by headaches, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and problems with her sense of smell, among other symptoms.

She said she worried that this “slog through life” was going to be her new normal.

Everything changed after she got her covid vaccine.

“I was like a new person. It was the craziest thing ever,” said Dodd, referring to how many of her health problems subsided significantly after her second shot.

As the U.S. pushes to get people vaccinated, a curious benefit is emerging for those with this post-illness syndrome: Their symptoms are easing and, in some cases, fully resolving after vaccination.

It’s the latest clue in the immunological puzzle of long covid, a still poorly understood condition that leaves some who get infected with wide-ranging symptoms months after the initial illness.

The notion that a vaccine aimed at preventing the disease may also treat it has sparked optimism among patients, and scientists who study the post-illness syndrome are taking a close look at these stories.

“I didn’t expect the vaccine to make people feel better,” said Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at the Yale School of Medicine who’s researching long covid.

“More and more, I started hearing from people with long covid having their symptoms reduced or completely recovering, and that’s when I started to get excited because this might be a potential cure for some people.”

While promising, it’s still too early to know just how many people with long covid feel better as a result of being vaccinated and whether that amounts to a statistically meaningful difference.

In the meantime, Iwasaki and other researchers are beginning to incorporate this question into ongoing studies of long haulers by monitoring their symptoms pre- and post-vaccination and collecting blood samples to study their immune response.

There are several leading theories for why vaccines could alleviate the symptoms of long covid: It’s possible the vaccines clear up leftover virus or fragments, interrupt a damaging autoimmune response or in some other way “reset” the immune system.

“It’s all biologically plausible and, importantly, should be easy to test,” said Dr. Steven Deeks of the University of California-San Francisco, who is also studying the long-term impacts of the coronavirus on patients.

Patient Stories Offer Hope

Before getting the vaccine, Dodd, who’s in her early 50s, said she felt as if she had aged 20 years.

She had trouble returning to work, and even simple tasks left her with a crushing headache and exhaustion.

“I’d climb the subway stairs and I’d have to stop at the top, take my mask off just to get air,” Dodd said.

After she got her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine in January, many of Dodd’s symptoms flared up, so much so that she almost didn’t get her second dose.

But she did — and a few days later, she noticed her energy was back, breathing was easier and soon even her problems with smell were resolving.

“It was like the sky had opened up. The sun was out,” she said. “It’s the closest I’ve felt to pre-covid.”

In the absence of large studies, researchers are culling what information they can from patient stories, informal surveys and clinicians’ experiences. For instance, about 40% of the 577 long-covid patients contacted by the group Survivor Corps said they felt better after getting vaccinated.

Among the patients of Dr. Daniel Griffin at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, “brain fog” and gastrointestinal problems are two of the most common symptoms that seem to resolve post-vaccination.

Griffin, who is running a long-term study of post-covid illness, initially estimated that about 30% to 40% of his patients felt better. Now, he believes the number may be higher, as more patients receive their second dose and see further improvements.

“We’ve been sort of chipping away at this [long covid] by treating each symptom,” he said. “If it’s really true that at least 40% of people have significant recovery with a therapeutic vaccination, then, to date, this is the most effective intervention we have for long covid.”

A small U.K. study, not yet peer-reviewed, found about 23% of long-covid patients had an “increase in symptom resolution” post-vaccination, compared with about 15% of those who were unvaccinated.

But not all clinicians are seeing the same level of improvement.

Clinicians at post-covid clinics at the University of Washington in Seattle, Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, National Jewish Health in Denver and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center told NPR and KHN that, so far, a small number of patients — or none at all — have reported feeling better after vaccination, but it wasn’t a widespread phenomenon.

“I’ve heard anecdotes of people feeling worse, and you can scientifically come up with an explanation for it going in either direction,” said UCSF’s Deeks.

Why Are Patients Feeling Better?

There are several theories for why vaccines could help some patients — each relying on different physiological understandings of long covid, which manifests in a variety of ways.

“The clear story is that long covid isn’t just one issue,” said Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, which is also studying long covid and the possible therapeutic effects of vaccination.

Some people have fast resting heart rates and can’t tolerate exercise. Others suffer primarily from cognitive problems, or some combination of symptoms like exhaustion, trouble sleeping and issues with smell and taste, he said.

As a result, it’s likely that different therapies will work better for some versions of long covid than others, said Deeks.

One theory is that people who are infected never fully clear the coronavirus, and a viral “reservoir,” or fragments of the virus, persist in parts of the body and cause inflammation and long-term symptoms, said Iwasaki, the Yale immunologist.

According to that explanation, the vaccine might induce an immune response that gives the body extra firepower to beat back the residual infection.

“That would actually be the most straightforward way of getting rid of the disease, because you’re getting rid of the source of inflammation,” Iwasaki said.

Griffin at Columbia Medical Center said this “viral persistence” idea is supported by what he’s seeing in his patients and hearing from other researchers and clinicians. He said patients seem to be improving after receiving any of the covid vaccines, generally about “two weeks later, when it looks like they’re having what would be an effective, protective response.”

Another possible reason that some patients improve comes from the understanding of long covid as an autoimmune condition, in which the body’s immune cells end up damaging its own tissues.

A vaccine could hypothetically kick into gear the “innate immune system” and “dampen the symptoms,” but only temporarily, said Iwasaki, who has studied the role of harmful proteins, called autoantibodies, in covid.

This self-destructive immune response happens in a subset of covid patients while they are ill, and the autoantibodies produced can circulate for months later. But it’s not yet clear how that may contribute to long covid, said John Wherry, director of the Institute for Immunology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Another theory is that the infection has “miswired” the immune system in some other way and caused chronic inflammation, perhaps like chronic fatigue syndrome, Wherry said. In that scenario, the vaccination might somehow “reset” the immune system.

With more than 77 million people fully vaccinated in the U.S., teasing apart how many of those with long covid would have improved even without any intervention is difficult.

“Right now, we have anecdotes; we’d love it to be true. Let’s wait for some real data,” said Wherry.

This story is part of a partnership that includes NPR and KHN.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

USE OUR CONTENT

This story can be republished for free (details).

Mysterious Ailment, Mysterious Relief: Vaccines Help Some Covid Long Haulers published first on https://smartdrinkingweb.weebly.com/

[differentnutpeace]

Mysterious Ailment, Mysterious Relief: Vaccines Help Some COVID Long-Haulers

An estimated 10% to 30% of people who get COVID-19 suffer from lingering symptoms of the disease, or what's known as "long COVID." หวย บอล เกมส์ คาสิโนออนไลน์

Judy Dodd, who lives in New York City, is one of them. She spent nearly a year plagued by headaches, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and problems with smell, among other symptoms.

She says she worried that this "slog through life" was going to be her new normal.

Everything changed after she got her COVID-19 vaccine.

"I was like a new person, it was the craziest thing ever," says Dodd, referring to how many of her health problems subsided significantly after her second shot.

And she's not alone. As the U.S. pushes to get people vaccinated, a curious benefit is emerging for those with this post-illness syndrome: Their symptoms are easing and, in some cases, fully resolving after they get vaccinated.

Judy Dodd suffered lingering symptoms of COVID-19 for nearly a year, until she got her vaccine.

Judy Dodd

It's the latest clue in the immunological puzzle of long COVID, a still poorly understood condition that leaves some who get infected with wide-ranging symptoms months after the initial illness.

The notion that a vaccine aimed at preventing the disease may also be a treatment has sparked optimism among patients, and scientists who study the post-illness syndrome are taking a close look at these stories.

"I didn't expect the vaccine to make people feel better," says Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at the Yale School of Medicine who's researching long COVID.

Article continues after sponsor message

"More and more, I started hearing from people with long COVID having their symptoms reduced or completely recovering, and that's when I started to get excited because this might be a potential cure for some people."

HEALTH

Iwasaki On How The Coronavirus Vaccines Affect Long-Haul COVID-19 Patients

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While promising, it's still too early to know just how many people with long COVID are feeling better as a result of being vaccinated and whether that amounts to a statistically meaningful difference.

In the meantime, Iwasaki and other researchers are beginning to incorporate this question into ongoing studies of long-haulers by monitoring their symptoms pre- and post-vaccination and collecting blood samples to study their immune response.

There are several leading theories for why vaccines could alleviate the symptoms of long COVID: It's possible the vaccine clears up leftover virus or fragments, interrupts a damaging autoimmune response, or in some other way "resets" the immune system.

"It's all biologically plausible and importantly should be easy to test," says Dr. Steven Deeks of the University of California, San Francisco, who is also studying the long-term impacts of the coronavirus on some patients.

Patient stories offer hope

Before getting the vaccine, Dodd, who's in her early 50s, says she felt like she had aged 20 years.

She had trouble returning to work and even simple tasks left her with a crushing headache and exhaustion.

"I'd climb the subway stairs and I'd have to stop at the top, take my mask off just to get air," Dodd says.

After she got her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine in January, many of Dodd's symptoms flared up, so much so that she almost didn't get her second dose.

But she did — and a few days later, she noticed her energy was back, breathing was easier and soon even her problems with smell were resolving.

"It was like the sky had opened up. The sun was out," she says. "It's the closest I've felt to pre-COVID."

SHORT WAVE

What's It Like To Be A COVID-19 'Long Hauler'

In the absence of large studies, researchers are culling what information they can from patient stories, informal surveys and clinicians' experiences. For instance, about 40% of the 577 long COVID patients contacted by the group Survivor Corps say they felt better after getting vaccinated.

Among the patients of Dr. Daniel Griffin at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, "brain fog" and gastrointestinal problems are two of the most common symptoms that seem to resolve post-vaccination.

Griffin, who is running a long-term study of post-COVID illness, initially estimated that about 30% to 40% of his patients felt better. Now, he believes the number may be higher, as more patients receive their second dose and see further improvements.

"We've been sort of chipping away at this [long COVID] by treating each symptom," he says. "If it's really true that at least 40% of people have significant recovery with a therapeutic vaccination, then, to date, this is the most effective intervention we have for long COVID."

A small U.K. study, not yet peer-reviewed, found about 23% of long COVID patients had an "increase in symptom resolution" post-vaccination, compared to about 15% of those who were unvaccinated.

But not all clinicians are seeing the same level of improvement.

Clinicians at post-COVID clinics at the University of Washington in Seattle, Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, National Jewish Health in Denver and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center tell NPR that so far, a small number of patients — or none at all — have reported feeling better after vaccination, but it wasn't a widespread phenomenon.

"I've heard anecdotes of people feeling worse, and you can scientifically come up with an explanation for it going in either direction," says UCSF's Deeks.

Indeed, doctors and online surveys also have found that a smaller fraction of patients say their symptoms worsened after vaccination, although generally doctors continue to advise that those with long COVID get vaccinated to protect against reinfection.

Why are patients feeling better?

There are several theories for why vaccines could help some patients — each relying on different physiological understandings of long COVID, which manifests in a variety of ways.

"The clear story is that long COVID isn't just one issue," says Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, which is also studying long COVID and the possible therapeutic effects of vaccination.

Some people have fast resting heart rates and intolerance to exercise. Others suffer primarily from cognitive problems, or some combination of symptoms like exhaustion, trouble sleeping and issues with smell and taste, he says.

As a result, it's likely that different therapies will work better for some versions of long COVID than others, says Deeks, the UCSF professor.

SHOTS - HEALTH NEWS

When Does COVID-19 Become A Disability? 'Long-Haulers' Push For Answers And Benefits

One theory is that people who are infected never fully clear the coronavirus, and a viral "reservoir," or fragments of the virus, persist in parts of the body and cause inflammation and long-term symptoms, says Iwasaki, the Yale immunologist.

According to that explanation, the vaccine might induce an immune response that gives the body extra firepower to beat back the residual infection.

"That would actually be the most straightforward way of getting rid of the disease because you're getting rid of the source of inflammation," Iwasaki says.

Griffin at Columbia Medical Center says this "viral persistence" idea is supported by what he's seeing in his patients and hearing from other researchers and clinicians. He says patients seem to be improving after receiving any of the four different COVID vaccines, generally about "two weeks later when it looks like they're having what would be an effective, protective response."

THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

1 Shot Or 2 Shots? 'The Vaccine That's Available To You — Get That'

Another possible reason that some patients improve comes from the understanding of long COVID as an autoimmune condition, in which the body's immune cells end up damaging its own tissues.

A vaccine could hypothetically kick into gear the "innate immune system" and "dampen the symptoms," but only temporarily, says Iwasaki, who has studied the role of harmful proteins, called autoantibodies, in COVID-19.

This self-destructive immune response happens in a subset of COVID-19 patients while they are ill, and the autoantibodies produced can circulate for months later. But it's not yet clear how that may contribute to long COVID, says John Wherry, director of the Institute for Immunology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Another theory is that the infection has "miswired" the immune system in some other way and caused chronic inflammation, perhaps like chronic fatigue syndrome, Wherry says. In that scenario, the vaccination might somehow "reset" the immune system.

With more than 53 million people fully vaccinated in the U.S., teasing apart how many of those with long COVID would have improved even without any intervention is difficult.

"Right now, we have anecdotes, we'd love it to be true, let's wait for some real data," says Wherry.

Real data — and more answers on how the vaccine might help — may come as soon as the next few months, says Topol, of the Scripps research institute.

"We have no treatment and the vaccine is the first real candidate treatment," he says. "That's why this is a desperate situation."

[covid19updater]

COVID19 Updates: 03/01/2021

Japan:  JUST IN - Tokyo requests Beijing to stop taking anal swabs for #COVID19 on Japanese citizens, citing psychological pain (Reuters)

Israel: Fetus infected with coronavirus dies in the womb after mother fell ill with the disease in second known case of its kind in Israel LINK

World: Study:  Virus itself does not cause immune neurological damage, but rather T-cell, microglia activation forming Lewy bodies in brain (Parkinson's and Dementia).

World:  Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine may be less effective in people w/obesity, data suggests. Italian researchers discovered that healthcare workers with obesity produced only about half the amount of antibodies in response to a second dose of the jab compared with healthy people;

Finland:  Finnish gov’t declared state of emergency over rising covid cases. PM Sanna Marin last week had made an in-principle decision on declaring a state of emergency. The main reason for the decision, is that restaurants cannot be closed under the current Infectious Diseases Act

Pennsylvania:  *PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR SAYS LIFTING SOME COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS

Brazil: FT:  Brazil virus variant evades natural immunity

Italy:  Italy's 7-day new cases average at three weeks ago: 11,964 two weeks ago: 12,074; one week ago: 12,806; today: 17,073

US:  Biden to refuse Mexico’s request to share vaccine supply LINK

China:  China says it aims to vaccinate 40% of population by June LINK

RUMINT (Italy):  According to a personal conversation with a health care worker in the Covid emergency department at Lucca hospital in Tuscany, Italy, they are currently seeing a spike of 60-70 new cases of Covid/day involving nearly all newly vaccinated people. Make of it what you will.

World:  ‘I left a tap on and flooded my flat’ — long Covid’s dementia symptoms in Germany LINK

RUMINT (China):  French Scientists stopped working on coronavirus strains in the Wuhan lab in 2019, claiming they were too dangerous to handle safely!

UK:  Boris Johnson accused of 'unforgivable incompetence' over hunt for Brazil variant patient LINK

Brazil:  COVID-19 in Brazil: 'The country is at risk of becoming one big Manaus' LINK

World:  WHO panel: Hydroxychloroquine should not be used to prevent COVID-19 LINK