- COVID survivors at increased risk of long-term gastrointestinal conditions | Ars Technica: Surviving a bout of COVID-19 can significantly increase the risk of developing long-term gastrointestinal symptoms and conditions, such as constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux, pancreatitis, and inflammation of the bile ducts. This was revealed in a study published this week in Nature Communications, which examined medical records of over 154,000 people who had COVID-19 between March 2020 and January 2021.
- Newsom tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of ‘major announcement’ on Thursday change: California Governor Gavin Newsom tested positive for COVID-19 and will be in isolation for the next five days. He is still planning to go on a statewide tour from March 16-19 to make policy announcements, and will hold a Zoom news conference with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and other state leaders on Thursday. President Joe Biden is also set to visit California on March 13.
- Long COVID: A recipe for recovery – Axios: After recovering from a mild case of COVID, I developed long COVID with debilitating symptoms. This experience prompted me to make huge changes in my life, such as following a daily routine, eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water, and exercising regularly.
- US COVID origins hearing renews debate over lab-leak hypothesis – Nature: The US House of Representatives held a public hearing on 8 March to explore the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of the Select Subcomittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic acknowledged that the question of where the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus originated has become highly politicized, but that both hypotheses describing its emergence must be explored. The committee chair Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) stated that exploring this question is fundamental to helping predict and prevent future pandemics, protecting health and national security, and preparing the US for the future.
- Moderna’s COVID vaccine gambit: Hike the price, offer free doses for uninsured – NPR: The U.S. government paid $10 billion to develop and purchase Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine as part of Operation Warp Speed. However, when it comes time to switch to the next version of the vaccine, individual patients will have to pay for it unless their health insurance covers it, with a proposed price of $130 per dose. Senator Bernie Sanders is outraged at this, saying that the CEO of the company should be thanking taxpayers for making him and his colleagues incredibly wealthy.
- People Are Far Less Likely to Get Long COVID After Omicron, Study Finds – TIME: A study presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in April showed that people infected with the Omicron wave of COVID-19 were no more likely to report lingering symptoms than those who had never had COVID-19, while those infected with the original SARS-CoV-2 variant were up to 67% more likely to report lingering symptoms.
- Early Metformin Cuts Long COVID Risk – Medpage Today: In a study of over 1,100 outpatients, early treatment with metformin reduced the risk of long COVID by 58%, compared to placebo. The findings suggest that metformin may be a safe, low-cost option for reducing the risk of long COVID.
- Covid Testing Order To Be Lifted Friday For People Traveling From China To US: The U.S. is lifting Covid-19 testing requirements for travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macau due to a decline in cases following a winter surge.
- New Zealand Covid-19 vaccine works, alliance says – Research Professional News: The Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand is seeking private support to progress beyond phase one trials of the Kiwi Vax, a Covid-19 vaccine with 100% effectiveness in mice. Phase one trials have been made possible by an anonymous philanthropist, but further development is uncertain.
- Study shows correlations between symptoms of long COVID and physical inactivity: A recent study by researchers at the University of São Paulo found that COVID-19 survivors with persistent symptoms were 57% more likely to be sedentary, and the presence of five or more post-acute sequelae of infection increased the odds of physical inactivity by 138%. This study was supported by FAPESP and is one of the first to assess the effects of physical activity in the context of long COVID.
- US COVID origins hearing renews debate over lab-leak hypothesis – Nature: The US House of Representatives held a public hearing on 8 March to explore the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic acknowledged that the question of where the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus originated has become highly politicized, but both hypotheses must be explored in order to prepare for future pandemics and protect national security.
- The Journal of Medical Internet Research | Chatbot Conversations During COVID-19: JMIR Publications published a study that examined the topics online users discussed with a commercially available chatbot during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors extracted 18 topics, which were categorized into five themes: questions asked to the chatbot, preventive behaviors, outbreak of COVID-19, physical and psychological impact of COVID-19, and people and life. The study also compared the sentiment expressed by users from five culturally different countries.
- Late budget request would fund scholarships for those who lost a parent to COVID-19: A state lawmaker is proposing a scholarship fund for New York children who lost a parent, caregiver, or sibling due to COVID-19. The fund would help cover the costs of education and other expenses. The CDC estimates 8% of adults suffer from long COVID-19 symptoms.
- Feds declare health emergency over, but/ COVID-19 still ravages Disability community: On March 5, 2023, the Biden administration announced its intent to end the national emergency and public health emergency declarations related to the COVID-19 pandemic on May 11, 2023. Prior to the vaccine’s availability, there was a collective vulnerability, reminding everyone that anyone could become disabled. The article in Workers World newspaper exposed the particularly disparate and increasing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic faced by individuals with disabilities.
- COVID-19 origins hearing witness blasts China’s ‘stonewalling’ – Fox News: Dr. Jamie Metzl testified at a House Select Subcommittee hearing that an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 is “three years overdue” and must prioritize holding China accountable for its lack of transparency. He urged the US to do more to ensure a thorough investigation.
- Science takes back seat to politics in first House hearing on origin of COVID-19 pandemic: Scientists and legislators had hoped that the US congressional hearing on the origin of COVID-19 would move beyond partisan politics and investigate the debate, but members of the House of Representatives’ Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic mostly stuck to their party’s talking points, not shedding any new light on the origin of the virus.
- Lawmakers clash over COVID-19’s origins at House GOP’s initial hearing | The Hill: At the initial hearing of a panel investigating the origins of COVID-19, Republican House members focused on the theory that it originated from a research lab in China. Witnesses for the majority said the evidence supports this theory, but it is not definitive. Former CDC director Robert Redfield said his analysis of the data indicates that it was more likely an accidental lab leak than a natural spillover event.
- Interview: Lessons learned during Covid and what the future holds for hybrid and decentralised trials: The Covid pandemic has led to an increase in hybrid clinical trials, which combine pre-pandemic practices with technology-driven learnings adopted during the crisis. This has resulted in improved efficiency, cost savings, and better patient experiences.
- Arkansas Tyson workers sue over lack of COVID-19 protections | The Journal Record: Thirty-four Tyson Foods employees, former employees and family members have filed a lawsuit against the company, claiming that it failed to take appropriate precautions at its meat-packing plants during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to emotional distress, illness and death. Tyson has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
- ANALYSIS | Power cuts: SA’s state of disaster heads to court – Covid rulings give clues to outcome: Courts will need to decide whether the government’s steps taken in response to the Covid-19 tobacco cases are necessary and objectively connected to what it aims to achieve. This includes considering the human rights implications of the lockdown regulations, such as the right to dignity, privacy, freedom and security of the person and the right to choose and practise a trade or occupation freely.
- Early Metformin Cuts Long COVID Risk – Medpage Today: In a study of over 1,100 outpatients, early treatment with metformin reduced the risk of long COVID by 58%, compared to placebo. This suggests that metformin may be a safe and low-cost option for reducing the risk of long COVID.
- Pilot trial tests nasal monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 – News Medical: Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital tested the nasal administration of the drug Foralumab, an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, on patients with COVID-19 and found evidence that it dampened the inflammatory T cell response and decreased lung inflammation. Further analysis showed that the same gene expression modulation occurred in patients with multiple sclerosis, suggesting that Foralumab could be used to treat other diseases.
Daily News Pulse for March 13, 2023
Summary: Princeton students have seen an overall improvement in course satisfaction since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Japan, many people are still wearing masks despite the government’s easing of guidelines.
