Written by Steven Hansen

The U.S. new cases 7-day rolling average are 26.5 % HIGHER than the 7-day rolling average one week ago and U.S. deaths due to coronavirus are now 26.2 % LOWER than the rolling average one week ago. Today’s posts include:

• U.S. Coronavirus New Cases are 23,130
• U.S. Coronavirus deaths are at 366
• Awaited Ivermectin Review Is Out
• Pfizer to seek OK for 3rd vaccine dose; shots still protect
• How antibodies may cause rare blood clots after some COVID-19 vaccines
• 3 Scientists Missing From New Statement Claiming China Virus Has Natural Origins
• Bipartisan lawmakers press NIH for info on deleted coronavirus data
• Flossing your teeth may protect against cognitive decline, research shows
• House Report Spotlights Drug Company Stock Buybacks, High Salaries
• Biden to sign order to crack down on Big Tech, boost competition ‘across the board’
• New York City SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough cases predominantly Alpha and Iota variants
• Plus many more headlines …

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Hospitalizations Are The Only Accurate Gauge

Hospitalizations historically appear to be little affected by weekends or holidays. The hospitalization growth rate trend continues to improve.

source: https://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/covidnet/COVID19_3.html

Historically, hospitalization growth follows new case growth by one to two weeks.

As an analyst, I use the rate of growth to determine the trend. But, the size of the pandemic is growing in terms of real numbers – and if the rate of growth does not become negative – the pandemic will overwhelm all resources.

The graph below shows the rate of growth relative to the growth a week earlier updated through today [note that negative numbers mean the rolling averages are LOWER than the rolling averages one week ago]. As one can see, the rate of growth for new cases peaked in early December 2020 for Thanksgiving, and early January 2021 for end-of-year holidays – and it now shows that the coronavirus effect is improving.

In the scheme of things, new cases decline first, followed by hospitalizations, and then deaths. The potential fourth wave did not materialize likely due to immunizations.

Coronavirus and Recovery News You May Have Missed

Awaited Ivermectin Review Is Out – MedPage

Proponents of ivermectin for COVID-19 have long been talking about an expected review and meta-analysis led by Andrew Hill, PhD, of the University of Liverpool.

These results were finally published this week in Open Forum Infectious Diseases, and they’re positive — but they haven’t escaped criticism, and most researchers still want results from a randomized controlled trial.

The review and meta-analysis was conducted as part of the International Ivermectin Project Team from December 2020 to May 2021. Ivermectin proponents said Hill was conducting the analysis for the WHO, but MedPage Today was not able to confirm WHO involvement. Hill did not respond to an email request for comment.

Hill and colleagues assessed 24 randomized trials totaling 3,328 patients that involved some type of control, whether it was standard of care or another therapy. Sample sizes ranged from 24 to 400 participants. Eight of the studies had been published, nine were preprints, six were unpublished results shared for the analysis, and one was reported on a trial registry website.

In the 11 trials (totaling 2,127 patients) that focused on moderate or severe infection, there was a 56% reduction in mortality (relative risk [RR] 0.44, 95% CI 0.25-0.77, P=0.004), with 3% of patients on ivermectin dying compared with 9% of controls.

But the researchers noted that the total number of deaths was small (128) and there was no difference between ivermectin and controls in the subgroup with severe disease. As for moderate disease, they reported a 70% improvement in survival with ivermectin (RR 0.30, 95% CI 0.15-0.58, P=0.0004).

Use of ivermectin was also associated with a reduction in time to recovery of 1.58 days compared with controls (95% CI -2.8 to -0.35, P=0.01) and with a shorter duration of hospitalization (-4.27 days, 95% CI -8.6 to -0.06, P=0.05).

However, the drug was not associated with a lower risk of hospitalization, though a sensitivity analysis that included any hospitalizations within 12 hours of taking the drug did show a reduction with ivermectin (RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.13-0.80, P=0.01).

Many studies included in the analysis were not peer reviewed, which was a limitation; additionally, studies varied widely in terms of dosage, treatment duration, and inclusion criteria. Studies also included a range of comparators, including hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, standard of care, and placebo.

The authors concluded that their results “need to be validated in larger confirmatory trials” — a fact that David Boulware, MD, MPH, of the University of Minnesota, who has been interested in evaluating ivermectin for COVID-19 outpatients, agreed with.

Pfizer to seek OK for 3rd vaccine dose; shots still protect – AP

Pfizer is about to seek U.S. authorization for a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine, saying Thursday that another shot within 12 months could dramatically boost immunity and maybe help ward off the latest worrisome coronavirus mutant.

Research from multiple countries shows the Pfizer shot and other widely used COVID-19 vaccines offer strong protection against the highly contagious delta variant, which is spreading rapidly around the world and now accounts for most new U.S. infections.

Two doses of most vaccines are critical to develop high levels of virus-fighting antibodies against all versions of the coronavirus, not just the delta variant — and most of the world still is desperate to get those initial protective doses as the pandemic continues to rage.

But antibodies naturally wane over time, so studies also are underway to tell if and when boosters might be needed.

On Thursday, Pfizer’s Dr. Mikael Dolsten told The Associated Press that early data from the company’s booster study suggests people’s antibody levels jump five- to 10-fold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier.

[editor’s note: Pfizer and its vaccine partner BioNTech will seek FDA authorization for a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine, citing positive data from an Israeli study; in response, the CDC and FDA issued a joint statement saying data do not yet support the need for a third dose.

How antibodies may cause rare blood clots after some COVID-19 vaccines – ScienceNews

Some COVID-19 vaccines have been linked to dangerous but incredibly rare blood clots. Now a small study is revealing new details on how those clots form.

Vaccine-induced antibodies attach to a protein involved in blood clotting at a similar spot that the anticoagulant drug heparin does, spurring platelets to form clots, researchers report July 7 in Nature.

Researchers already knew that COVID-19 vaccines developed by Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca can sometimes cause the body to make antibodies that attach to a protein called platelet factor 4, or PF4, which then causes platelets to form clots (SN: 4/13/21; SN: 4/7/21; SN: 4/16/21). The vaccine-induced condition is similar to what happens with heparin, a blood thinner that can also attach to PF4. When heparin binds to the protein, some people’s immune systems then attack the bound molecules, a counterintuitive condition called heparin-induced thrombocytopenia also characterized by clotting.

Even in light of those similarities, it was still unclear whether antibodies sparked by heparin treatment or COVID-19 vaccines used the same mechanism to prompt platelets to clot.

Angela Huynh, a platelet immunologist at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, and colleagues analyzed PF4-recognizing antibodies from 10 heparin-induced thrombocytopenia patients and five patients with COVID-19 vaccine-induced clots, a condition called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia, or VITT. The immune proteins from VITT patients attached to a similar spot on PF4 as heparin does, hinting that heparin and COVID-19 vaccines cause blood to clot in similar ways.

PF4-binding antibodies might not be the whole story when it comes to clotting, the researchers say. Knowing how the clots form could help in treating them.

3 Scientists Missing From New Statement Claiming CCP Virus Has Natural Origins – Epoch Times

Three scientists are conspicuously missing from a new statement that claims the virus that causes COVID-19 developed naturally.

A group of scientists penned a letter published in The Lancet early last year that labeled ideas that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus was created in a laboratory “conspiracy theories,” citing several studies.

The same group—minus three signers—wrote a follow-up letter that was published on July 5 in the same journal. They said they’d received questions on whether they still support what they said last year.

“The critical question we must address now is, how did SARS-CoV-2 reach the human population? This is important because it is such insights that will drive what the world must urgently do to prevent another tragedy like COVID-19. We believe the strongest clue from new, credible, and peer-reviewed evidence in the scientific literature is that the virus evolved in nature, while suggestions of a laboratory-leak source of the pandemic remain without scientifically validated evidence that directly supports it in peer-reviewed scientific journals,” they wrote, linking to four studies.

A number of officials, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have said there is evidence supporting the lab leak theory, while some scientists have condemned the rush last year to write off the theory.

Three signatures were missing from the new letter. William Karesh, executive vice president for health policy at EcoHealth Alliance, Dr. Peter Palese, a microbiologist at the Icahn School of Medicine, and Bernard Roizman, who teaches virology at the University of Chicago, did not sign the missive.

Asked for comment, Palese said in an email, “NO COMMENTS!” Karesh did not reply to an inquiry submitted to the alliance and Roizman did not return a query.

Flossing your teeth may protect against cognitive decline, research shows – CNN

Flossing your teeth isn’t just important for keeping your dentist happy — it may also protect against cognitive decline.

Good oral health habits like brushing and flossing may prevent cognitive impairment and dementia, according to a new analysis led by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing.

“Given the staggering number of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia each year, and the opportunity to improve oral health across the life span, it’s important to gain a deeper understanding of the connection between poor oral health and cognitive decline,” said Bei Wu, a professor in global health at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and the senior study author, in a statement.

Researchers analyzed 14 studies on tooth loss and cognitive impairment conducted over an extended period of time, which involved a total of 34,074 adults and 4,689 cases of people with diminished cognitive function.

House Report Spotlights Drug Company Stock Buybacks, High Salaries – MedPage

Pharmaceutical companies spend lavishly on stock buybacks and executive salaries even as Americans struggle to pay for their high-cost prescription drugs, Democratic House members said.

“For too long, Big Pharma has charged patients in this country exorbitant prices for critically needed drugs,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), chairwoman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, which released a report Thursday afternoon on drug company spending. “Year after year drug companies rake in record profits, straining our healthcare system and forcing families to choose between medications and other essentials like food or retirement.”

The report — seventh in a series on drug company pricing — found that from 2016 to 2020, the 14 leading drug companies spent $577 billion on stock buybacks and dividends — $56 billion more than they spent on research and development (R&D) over the same period. In addition, pharmaceutical companies “have also spent over $3.2 billion to compensate their highest-paid executives over the past 5 years,” Maloney noted on a phone call with reporters.

“Some of these companies pay their executives millions of dollars, while raising prices on drugs that millions of Americans rely on,” she continued. “Our investigation has also shown that despite Big Pharma lip service about innovation, many drug companies are not actively spending significant portions of their research and development budget to discover innovative new treatments. Instead, these companies are spending their research and development dollars on finding ways to game the system and suppress generic competition … No one in this country should have to decide between putting dinner on the table and affording their medication.”

Biden to sign order to crack down on Big Tech, boost competition ‘across the board’ – CNBC

• President Joe Biden will sign a new executive order aimed at cracking down on anticompetitive practices in Big Tech, labor and numerous other sectors.
• The sweeping order, which includes 72 actions and recommendations that involve a dozen federal agencies, is intended to re-shape the thinking around corporate consolidation and antitrust laws.
• President Joe Biden’s administration will make the case that the biggest companies in the tech sector are wielding their power to box out smaller competitors and exploit consumers’ personal information.

Those wide-ranging goals and initiatives, according to a White House fact sheet on the order released Friday morning, include:

• Lowering prescription drug prices by supporting state and tribal efforts to import cheaper drugs from Canada
• Allowing hearing aids to be sold over the counter
• Urging the Federal Trade Commission to “challenge prior bad mergers” that previous administrations let slide
• Encouraging the Federal Communications Commission to restore “net neutrality” rules that were undone during the Trump administration
• Asking the FCC to block exclusivity deals between landlords and broadband providers
• Establishing a “White House Competition Council” to lead federal responses to large corporations’ growing economic power

New York City SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough cases predominantly Alpha and Iota variants – News-Medical

While Delta (B.1.617.2) has overtaken Alpha (B.1.1.7) as the dominant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant in the United States, Alpha remained a force to be reckoned with in New York City earlier this year. New research published on the preprint medRxiv* server details breakthrough infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals living in New York City.

The majority of infections came from either Alpha or the Iota (B.1.526) variant. The research team found no evidence of variants being more prevalent in the vaccinated population than in the unvaccinated.

… Most mutations occurred in unvaccinated individuals, and only the D614 site was equally mutated in both groups. However, 41 sites showed more mutations rates in vaccinated individuals infected with COVID-19.

Bipartisan lawmakers press NIH for info on deleted coronavirus data – The Hill

A bipartisan pair of lawmakers want information from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) about the deletion of data on the genetic sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that could provide answers as to the virus’s origin.

In a letter sent Friday and shared first with The Hill, Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) and Mark Green (R-Tenn.) ask for answers about the missing genetic sequences, and press NIH Director Francis Collins to ensure there are safeguards in place to protect scientific data.

The letter comes after a scientist last month said he found some of the genetic sequences of the virus that had previously been uploaded to an NIH server in March 2020 were subsequently deleted at the request of the Chinese researchers from Wuhan who initially uploaded them.

Jesse Bloom, a principal researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, wrote in a preprint paper that he recovered 13 missing sequences that purportedly show the virus was circulating in the Chinese city of Wuhan before a December outbreak of COVID-19 that was linked to a “wet market” selling live animals.

“Given that the true origin of SARS-CoV-2 remains a mystery, the NIH must fully account for the decision to delete information that could bring the world closer to a conclusion,” Green and Krishnamoorthi wrote.

The NIH said the requestor wanted the data removed from the agency’s Sequence Read Archive (SRA) and indicated it was being submitted to another database. Submitting investigators hold the rights to their data and can request withdrawal of the data, the agency said.

8 coronavirus variants in the U.S. – Mercury News

Alpha

This past spring, it was the B.1.1.7 or Alpha variant of coronavirus that was worrying public health officials. It swept across England quickly and then out into the world, quickly becoming the dominant lineage in the US.

As of Sunday, it accounted for just 28.7% of cases in the US, the CDC estimates, as it was replaced by Delta.

Beta

First seen in South Africa, the B.1.351 or Beta variant has both the E484K mutation that is linked with immune escape and the N501Y mutation suspected of helping make many other variants more contagious. It has been shown to be 50% more transmissible than older strains and evades Lilly’s dual monoclonal antibody treatment but not others.

Blood tests and real-life use both suggest it can infect people who have recovered from coronavirus and also people who have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Delta

As of July 3, the Delta variant accounted for 51.7% of cases in the US, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Delta is the most transmissible of the variants identified so far,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last month.

Gamma

The P.1 or Gamma variant that swept Brazil currently accounts for 8.9% of new infections in the US, according to CDC.

Gamma carries both the E484K and N501Y mutations, with more than 30 others. It has been demonstrated to evade the effects of Lilly’s monoclonal antibody treatment but not one made by Regeneron. Blood tests show it might partly escape both natural and vaccine-elicited immune responses.

Epsilon

The B.1.427 and B.1.429 variants are usually lumped together and known as Epsilon.

First seen in California, this one has the same L452R mutation carried by Delta, but not some of its other mutations and has not taken off in the way Delta has.

“Epsilon (B.1.427/B.1.429) has been associated with increased transmissibility, a modest decrease in susceptibility to some antibody treatments, and reduced neutralization by convalescent and post-vaccination sera,” WHO says.

Eta

First seen in the UK and Nigeria, Eta, also known as B.1.525, carries the E484K mutation. It’s decreasing in frequency in the US, now accounting for almost no samples tested.

Iota

It has what’s called a 484 mutation that should help the virus attach more easily to the cells it infects and also makes the virus less recognizable to the immune system.

It has what’s called a 484 mutation that should help the virus attach more easily to the cells it infects and also makes the virus less recognizable to the immune system.

Zeta

Circulating in Brazil since last year, this variant, also known as P.2, also carries the worrying E484K mutation and has not been found widely globally. It’s almost disappeared in the US, according to the CDC.

The following are foreign headlines with hyperlinks to the posts

Also on the international COVID-19 front, Australian officials warned of an extended lockdown in Sydney if the current case surge continues, and officials in Seoul, South Korea increased COVID-related restrictions to the highest level, just short of a lockdown, because of concern about a potential surge.

The U.S. is still closed to European travelers. It’s unclear when that’ll change.

Biden said the Taliban’s recent surge in Afghanistan would not change his decision to withdraw U.S. troops.

It’s illegal for children in China to play video games after 10 p.m. Facial-recognition software aims to enforce that rule.

India expects 3-4 mln Pfizer, Moderna vaccine doses through COVAX by August: Sources

The European Medicines Agency recommends that patients with a history of capillary leak syndrome do not take the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine.

Tunisia Says Health Care System Collapsing Due to COVID-19

Thailand Adds Nightly Curfew for Large Swath of Nation

90 Percent of Thailand’s COVID Deaths Have Occurred Since April

The following additional national and state headlines with hyperlinks to the posts

Michigan Attorney General, Police to Probe People Who Made Election Fraud Claims

US retailers say that after setting another record in May, import volumes will remain unusually strong by historical standards, further intensifying the operational bottlenecks along the US supply chain.

229% Surge in China-U.S. Shipping Costs Drives Inflation Pressure

As the world recovers, cooling export demand set to weigh on China economy

Pfizer says it is developing a version of its Covid vaccine against the Delta variant.

Toyota, a major donor to Republicans, says it will stop giving to those who disputed the 2020 presidential vote.

Too Much, Too Late: Health Groups Pan OSHA Rule on COVID Precautions

LA County authorities seize $1 billion in weed in historic takedown

Liberal Author, Censored by Twitter and YouTube After Questioning Fauci, Considers Suing

Federal Government Does Not Have Database of Who Has Received COVID-19 Vaccine: White House

Rents Keep Climbing, Overheating Inflation Debate

Reservoirs are drying up as consequences of the Western drought worsen

CDC says students vaccinated against the coronavirus can go maskless in fall; some states, schools had already lifted mask mandates

Rapid implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the U.S. averted an estimated 279,000 additional deaths and 1.25 million hospitalizations.

E-cigarette maker Juul purchased an entire issue of the American Journal of Health Behavior to publish articles written by Juul employees to “prove” that e-cigarettes and vaping are safe.

Durable antibody response at least 8 months following vaccination with J&J COVID vaccine

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study suggesting that individuals fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who develop breakthrough infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are less likely to transmit the virus to others than unvaccinated infected individuals.

Nevada’s COVID positivity rate has more than doubled in past month

FAA fines airline passenger more than $10K for refusing to wear mask

Most Republicans and Democrats Believe COVID Leaked From Chinese Lab: Poll

Biogen stock falls after FDA calls for federal investigation into Alzheimer’s drug approval

Berkeley Lovelace Jr.11 MIN AGO

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