Delhi, the national capital of India, has experienced multiple SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in 2020 and reached population seropositivity of over 50% by 2021. During April 2021, the city became overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases and fatalities, as a new variant B.1.617.2 (Delta) replaced B.1.1.7 (Alpha). A Bayesian model explains the growth advantage of Delta through a combination of increased transmissibility and reduced sensitivity to immune responses generated against earlier variants (median estimates; ×1.5-fold, 20% reduction). Seropositivity of an employee and family cohort increased from 42% to 87.5% between March and July 2021, with 27% reinfections, as judged by increased antibody concentration after a previous decline. The likely high transmissibility and partial evasion of immunity by the Delta variant contributed to an overwhelming surge in Delhi.

10.1126/science.abj9932 PREVIOUS ARTICLEReplication and single-cycle delivery of SARS-CoV-2 repliconsPreviousNEXT ARTICLEMechanism of siRNA production by a plant Dicer-RNA complex in dicing-competent conformationNext

Genomic characterization and epidemiology of an emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant in Delhi, India

10.1038/s41591-021-01548-7

The effectiveness of the BNT162b2 and ChAdOx1 vaccines against new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections requires continuous re-evaluation, given the increasingly dominant B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of these vaccines in a large, community-based survey of randomly selected households across the United Kingdom. We found that the effectiveness of BNT162b2 and ChAdOx1 against infections (new polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive cases) with symptoms or high viral burden is reduced with the B.1.617.2 variant (absolute difference of 10–13% for BNT162b2 and 16% for ChAdOx1) compared to the B.1.1.7 (Alpha) variant. The effectiveness of two doses remains at least as great as protection afforded by prior natural infection. The dynamics of immunity after second doses differed significantly between BNT162b2 and ChAdOx1, with greater initial effectiveness against new PCR-positive cases but faster declines in protection against high viral burden and symptomatic infection with BNT162b2. There was no evidence that effectiveness varied by dosing interval, but protection was higher in vaccinated individuals after a prior infection and in younger adults. With B.1.617.2, infections occurring after two vaccinations had similar peak viral burden as those in unvaccinated individuals. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination still reduces new infections, but effectiveness and attenuation of peak viral burden are reduced with B.1.617.2.

Effect of Delta variant on viral burden and vaccine effectiveness against new SARS-CoV-2 infections in the UK

Some more graphs of us vs our European neighbours. Spot the odd one out.

What do we know about the AstraZeneca vaccine in pregnancy?

We have been asked lots of questions on WhatsApp regarding the use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in pregnancy. Here we answer a collection of the queries. 

Exclusive: NHS Confederation head fears efforts to tackle backlog of 5 million patients will be derailed

Implement ‘plan B’ winter measures now or risk NHS crisis, Johnson warned

A recent Editorial in this journal argued that, despite mixed reactions to the news that Pfizer-BioNTech's mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine was efficacious, immunogenic, and safe in children aged 12–15 years, “there might be a case for vaccinating children in the not-too-distant future”.1The Lancet Infectious DiseasesShould we vaccinate children against SARS-CoV-2?.Lancet Infect Dis. 2021; 21: 889Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (1) Google Scholar The Editorial concluded with “whether at present the children of high-income countries should be prioritised for vaccination over vulnerable adults in LMICs is a matter for serious ethical and practical debate”. Yet, we would argue these debates must remain fair to children and refrain from deprioritising children on ethical and evidential reasoning that betrays a bias towards adults.

Vaccinating children: fairness and childism

10.1016/S1473-3099(21)00483-7

A video on Facebook, performed in the style of a rap battle and viewed more than 36,000 times, makes a number of misleading claims about Covid-19 and the vaccines. 

Vaccine rap battle full of misinformation

10.1038/s41593-021-00926-1

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can damage cerebral small vessels and cause neurological symptoms. Here we describe structural changes in cerebral small vessels of patients with COVID-19 and elucidate potential mechanisms underlying the vascular pathology. In brains of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected individuals and animal models, we found an increased number of empty basement membrane tubes, so-called string vessels representing remnants of lost capillaries. We obtained evidence that brain endothelial cells are infected and that the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (Mpro) cleaves NEMO, the essential modulator of nuclear factor-κB. By ablating NEMO, Mpro induces the death of human brain endothelial cells and the occurrence of string vessels in mice. Deletion of receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIPK) 3, a mediator of regulated cell death, blocks the vessel rarefaction and disruption of the blood–brain barrier due to NEMO ablation. Importantly, a pharmacological inhibitor of RIPK signaling prevented the Mpro-induced microvascular pathology. Our data suggest RIPK as a potential therapeutic target to treat the neuropathology of COVID-19.

The SARS-CoV-2 main protease Mpro causes microvascular brain pathology by cleaving NEMO in brain endothelial cells

Multiple summer events, including large indoor gatherings, in Provincetown, Massachusetts (MA), in July 2021 contributed to an outbreak of over one thousand COVID-19 cases among residents and visitors. Most cases were fully vaccinated, many of whom were also symptomatic, prompting a comprehensive public health response, motivating changes to national masking recommendations, and raising questions about infection and transmission among vaccinated individuals. To characterize the outbreak and the viral population underlying it, we combined genomic and epidemiological data from 467 individuals, including 40% of known outbreak-associated cases. The Delta variant accounted for 99% of sequenced outbreak-associated cases. Phylogenetic analysis suggests over 40 sources of Delta in the dataset, with one responsible for a single cluster containing 83% of outbreak-associated genomes. This cluster was likely not the result of extensive spread at a single site, but rather transmission from a common source across multiple settings over a short time. Genomic and epidemiological data combined provide strong support for 25 transmission events from, including many between, fully vaccinated individuals; genomic data alone provides evidence for an additional 64. Together, genomic epidemiology provides a high-resolution picture of the Provincetown outbreak, revealing multiple cases of transmission of Delta from fully vaccinated individuals. However, despite its magnitude, the outbreak was restricted in its onward impact in MA and the US, likely due to high vaccination rates and a robust public health response.

10.1101/2021.10.20.21265137

Evidence of transmission from fully vaccinated individuals in a large outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in Provincetown, Massachusetts

The agency has promised to move quickly on the request and tentatively plans to meet on Oct. 26 to consider it. A decision could come soon after Halloween.

Pfizer Asks F.D.A. to Authorize Its Covid-19 Vaccine for Children 5 to 11

As Australia strives to reach its national COVID vaccination targets, there’s unprecedented focus on the biological effects of vaccines.

No, COVID vaccines don’t stay in your body for years

The only remaining randomized trial that found a benefit for ivermectin on Covid-19 mortality has serious issues

Is Ivermectin For Covid-19 Based On Fraudulent Research? Part 5

Covid misinformation remains on site for months adding to concern over impact of social media on young people

Revealed: anti-vaccine TikTok videos being viewed by children as young as nine

10.31235/osf.io/qk25r

This paper explores how a global health crisis affects the causes and consequences of social movements. Drawing on media coverage, press releases, emails, and other available primary data sources, we examine how the pandemic changed the opportunities and conditions for activists on the right and left and those they challenge. We begin by considering the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and the concomitant government response, which alters the structure of political opportunities activists face. We then look at the development of a range of protest campaigns that have emerged in response, assessing changes in opportunities for activists to reach and mobilize target constituencies, the construction of grievances, nature of alliances, as well as innovation in tactics and organization. Finally, we consider the potential outcomes of these protests during the pandemic and extending afterward.

Protest During a Pandemic: How COVID-19 Affected Social Movements in the U.S.

10.1038/d41586-021-02783-1

The Merck pill, which could become the first oral antiviral COVID treatment, forces the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus to mutate itself to death.

How antiviral pill molnupiravir shot ahead in the COVID drug hunt

10.1038/d41586-021-02691-4

International agencies need the mandate, funds and expertise to connect information — otherwise pandemics, hunger and unsustainability will go unsolved.

COVID’s lessons for climate, sustainability and more from Our World in Data

10.31234/osf.io/y3hp7

From time immemorial, the plagues and pandemics have been a challenge to the church. The covid-19 is such a challange to the church. The cure is not in sight, hence the talk of adaptation and healing in the context of a pandemic such as covid-19. These interventions will include the role of the church. This is because the church is one of the important social pillars that has huge influence on people at any given time. It is because of this understanding that this paper will discuss the role of the church in such a context. A practical ecclesiological method will be employed because of its disciplinary nature so as to consider the empirical issues related to the pandemic, the historical perspective in studing the church's role in the response against pandemics, the hermeneutical perspective into such a role of the church, and then strategise on how best the church can contribute to nurture, healing and adaptation. Though this paper treats the pandemic of covid-19 globally, it however has a special interest to the Zimbabwean situation.

The role of the church in the context of Covid-19. Adaptation and religious practices

Vaccine-specific CD4+ T cell, CD8+ T cell, binding antibody, and neutralizing antibody responses to the 25-μg Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine were examined over 7 months post-immunization, including multiple age groups, with a particular interest in assessing whether pre-existing cross-reactive T cell memory impacts vaccine-generated immunity. Vaccine-generated spike-specific memory CD4+ T cells 6 months post-boost were comparable in quantity and quality to COVID-19 cases, including the presence of T follicular helper cells and IFNγ-expressing cells. Spike-specific CD8+ T cells were generated in 88% of subjects, with equivalent memory at 6 months post-boost compared to COVID-19 cases. Lastly, subjects with pre-existing cross-reactive CD4+ T cell memory had increased CD4+ T cell and antibody responses to the vaccine, demonstrating the biological relevance of SARS-CoV-2–cross-reactive CD4+ T cells.

10.1126/science.abj9853 PREVIOUS ARTICLEA priori control of zeolite phase competition and intergrowth with high-throughput simulationsPreviousNEXT ARTICLEA year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in AfricaNext

Low-dose mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine generates durable memory enhanced by cross-reactive T cells

Serious cases among vaccinated: 7 people in 10,000 for #AstraZeneca 6 people in 10,000 for #Pfizer these numbers should get lower as we vaccinate more! Go get your #vaccine we can't afford another lockdown or surge in cases! #VaccinesWork

this is the Giesicke argument from Sweden- it makes sense only if you assume there will be no medical progress in the delay period. With vaccines and treatment improvements we know this to be empirically false.

am a cognitive scientist at the University of Bristol. My research explores these major streams: People’s responses to misinformation and propaganda, and how corrections affect our memory. Why people reject well-established scientific facts, such as climate change or the effectiveness of vaccinations. The potential conflict between the architecture of our online information ecosystem and democracy.

Seeking to understand the conflict between global change and human cognition

Cradle of auto industry was poised for U.S.'s 1st seat belt law in early '80s, but mandate faced a bitter battle.

Michigan seat belt law turns 30 after bitter battle

A large study reveals the scale of long Covid, with symptoms affected by sex, age and severity of infection

Covid: 37% of people have symptoms six months after infection

10.31234/osf.io/xwtmy

Objective: Past research suggests that having a stronger ability to regulate feelings and behaviors can help individuals cope during stressful events, but little is known about why and when this might be the case. We examined if being more focused on prevention (i.e., health security motives) impacted personal well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examined possible underlying mechanisms for this effect, and whether perceived social support buffered it. Design: We conducted a pre-registered longitudinal study over one month (N = 1,269). Main outcome measures: Regulatory focus, worry for health (T1), adherence to preventive measures (T2, two weeks after T1), loneliness, negative and positive affect, frequency of social interactions, and perceived social support (T3, two weeks after T2). Results: Prevention scores (T1) increased the adherence to health behaviors (T2), which then predicted negative affect (T3). Exploratory results further showed that prevention scores predicted more loneliness and more negative affect (T3), but only for individuals with fewer social interactions and less perceived social support. Conclusions: Security motives in threatening times can be a double edge sword, with benefits for health behaviors and negative consequences for personal well-being. Having a strong social network during these times appears to alleviate these consequences.

Security motives and personal well-being during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic

10.31234/osf.io/65qfj

Participants performed a categorization training task, where each trial presented an example scenario in which an individual makes a claim based on an observation, and participants marked which fallacy or bias, if any, the individual in the scenario was committing. In two studies, we measure the effect of this training task on critical thinking, measured using an open-ended critical thinking assessment, both pre- and post-training. In Study 1, we pilot these materials in an online college course across a full academic semester and observe credible improvements in critical thinking performance. In Study 2, we conduct a pre-registered randomized controlled experiment using online research participants and observe credible improvements in critical thinking relative to no training, and relative to comparable learning activities focused on conventional curricular content. We infer that the categorization training task facilitated inductive learning of patterns of biased and flawed reasoning, which improved participants’ ability to detect and identify such patterns in the delayed open-ended critical thinking assessment. Such categorization training shows promise as an effective and practical method for improving learners’ resistance to online disinformation.

Learning to Call Bullsh*t via Induction: Categorization Training Improves Critical Thinking Performance

10.31234/osf.io/6s4vf

Here, we aim to investigate the effect of background uncertainty on decision making systematically. After reviewing the existing empirical studies, we argue that two types of uncertainty should be distinguished: a) ambiguity, i.e., uncertain outcomes without probability information, and b) risk, i.e., uncertainties involving probabilities regarding a negative outcome. We test the hypothesis that the type of uncertainty moderates the effect of background uncertainty on risk preferences. To test our hypothesis, we conducted four experimental studies. In this project we host all analyses scripts, data and linked preregistration of Study 3 and Study 4.

Background Uncertainty Can Increase Risk Aversion in Decision Making

10.31234/osf.io/nqjb9

The news media can influence how the public and policymakers feel about vaccination. Perhaps under the impression that such messages can be fear-inducing and thus mobilizing, the media often laments low immunization rates. This could, however, activate a powerful descriptive social norm (“many people are not getting vaccinated”) and may be especially ill-advised in the absence of a herd-immunity explanation (that if enough people have immunity through vaccination, the virus is contained). To identify typical media practices, we analyzed the content of 160 vaccination-related news stories by nine highest-trafficked news websites in Serbia, published July–December 2017, around the start of the measles outbreak. We coded both the news story as a whole and every vaccination-rate mention (N = 339). News stories framed current vaccination rates and changes in vaccination rates in a predominantly negative way (175/241 and 67/98, respectively) (e.g., “only 50% vaccinated”, “fewer parents vaccinating their children”). A total of 24/86 of news stories mentioning vaccination rates did not provide any numerical values. Reference groups for vaccination rates were rarely specified. Out of the 32 news stories mentioning the term herd or collective immunity, 11 explained the effect. We show that even routine communication of vaccination rates can be biased through (often negatively valenced) attribute frames and imprecise descriptions. We provide initial recommendations for news media organizations and journalists, including strategies to promote positive dynamic norms and prescriptive norms and explain benefits of herd immunity.

Negativity In Online News Coverage Of Vaccination Rates In Serbia: A Content Analysis

Current Vaccine Intro Status

COVID-19 Data

Background Pre-Delta, vaccination reduced transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from individuals infected despite vaccination, potentially via reducing viral loads. While vaccination still lowers the risk of infection, similar viral loads in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals infected with Delta question how much vaccination prevents onward transmission. Methods We performed a retrospective observational cohort study of contacts of SARS-CoV-2-infected index cases using contact testing data from England. We used multivariable logistic regression to investigate the impact of index case and contact vaccination on transmission, and how this varies with Alpha and Delta variants (classified using S-gene detection/calendar trends) and time since second vaccination. Results 51,798/139,164(37.2%) contacts tested were PCR-positive. Two doses of BNT162b2 or ChAdOx1 vaccines in Alpha variant index cases independently reduced PCR-positivity in contacts (aOR, adjusted odds ratio vs. unvaccinated=0.18[95%CI 0.12-0.29] and 0.37[0.22-0.63] respectively). The Delta variant attenuated vaccine-associated reductions in transmission: two BNT162b2 doses reduced Delta transmission (aOR=0.35[0.26-0.48]), more than ChAdOx1 (aOR=0.64[0.57-0.72]; heterogeneity p<0.001). Variation in viral load (Ct values) explained only a modest proportion of vaccine-associated transmission reductions. Transmission reductions declined over time since second vaccination, for Delta reaching similar levels to unvaccinated individuals by 12 weeks for ChAdOx1 and attenuating substantially for BNT162b2. Protection from vaccination in contacts also declined in the 3 months after second vaccination. Conclusions Vaccination reduces transmission of Delta, but by less than the Alpha variant. The impact of vaccination decreased over time. Factors other than PCR-measured viral load are important in vaccine-associated transmission reductions. Booster vaccinations may help control transmission together with preventing infections.

10.1101/2021.09.28.21264260

The impact of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on Alpha and Delta variant transmission

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students worldwide have experienced fundamental changes to their learning. Schools had to shift to distance education as part of the effort to stop the spread of the virus. Although distance learning undoubtedly resulted in challenges for all students, there is much concern that it exacerbated existing educational inequalities and led to disadvantages – particularly for students who were already struggling academically and lacking support from family and school. The aim of this paper was to investigate the possible impact of family and child characteristics, school performance prior to lockdown, and support at home and from school during lockdown in coping with self-regulated distance learning during times of COVID-19. The paper draws on data from a two-wave longitudinal study surveying 155 lower secondary school students aged 13–14years from a rural-alpine region in Austria. Data were collected 1year before the start of the pandemic and directly after schools had returned to in-class teaching after the first lockdown. Our findings support the notion that distance learning poses a substantial risk for exacerbating existing educational disadvantages. They show that coping with out-of-school learning was especially challenging for students with low academic achievement and learning motivation prior to the pandemic. Furthermore, findings demonstrate that the support from parents and teachers foster students’ capabilities to cope with the self-regulatory demands connected with distance learning. Although the importance of competencies for self-regulated learning became particularly evident in the context of the pandemic, from our findings, it can be concluded that in the future, schools should strengthen their investment in promoting competencies for self-regulated learning. Self-regulation must be recognized as an essential educational skill for academic achievement and life-long learning.

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.701255

Predicting Coping With Self-Regulated Distance Learning in Times of COVID-19: Evidence From a Longitudinal Study

The UK government has decided to let the virus spread among young people. Paediatricians are split over how much harm it will cause

Will Covid become a disease of the young? The world is watching England to find out

Philip Dormitzer says company opted for low-dose shot to avoid side effects

Pfizer’s chief scientist defends vaccine booster push and jab potency

Only 2 percent of the 1.3 billion people who live in Africa have been vaccinated. Yet there are plenty of surplus doses in wealthy countries. Fair distribution has been little more than an illusion so far.

Unfair Distribution Hampers Global Vaccination Drive

Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed a major threat to pregnant women's mental health. This study aimed to characterize the patterns of perceived stress in pregnant Chinese women during the COVID-19 pandemic, to examine the profile differences on anxiety and resilience, and to investigate whether the differences in these profiles on anxiety were mediated by resilience.

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.696132

Perceived Stress, Resilience, and Anxiety Among Pregnant Chinese Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Latent Profile Analysis and Mediation Analysis

CHICAGO — The American Medical Association (AMA) today released a new survey (PDF) among practicing physicians that shows more than 96 percent of surveyed U.S. physicians have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, with no significant difference in vaccination rates across regions. Of the physicians who are not yet vaccinated, an additional 45 percent do plan to get vaccinated.

AMA survey shows over 96% of doctors fully vaccinated against COVID-19

Analysis: Despite vaccines Ireland faces uncertainty as schools reopen and winter looms

Why does Ireland have one of the highest Covid infection rates in Europe?

no it doesn't- it reflects the statistics of what, mathematically, has to happen as more and more people are vaccinated with a vaccine of less than 100% efficacy (as all vaccines are)

Yesterday, the McAllen City Commission took decisive action to protect public health and safety.

City of McAllen statement on tent facility in response to migrant surge