DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Omicron subvariants are resistant to key antibody treatments, putting people with weak immune systems at risk of Covid
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Emerging omicron subvariants are resistant to key antibody treatments for HIV patients, kidney transplant recipients and other immunocompromised people, making them particularly vulnerable to Covid this winter, the White House warned this week. While this may be true for the general population, it is not the case for people with weak immune systems. Evusheld is an antibody cocktail authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to prevent Covid in people ages 12 and older who have moderately or severely compromised immune systems. Evusheld, made by AstraZeneca , has helped fill a gap in protection for those with weak immune systems who cannot mount a strong response to the vaccines. Jha acknowledged at the White House on Tuesday that the U.S. has dwindling treatment and prevention options for people with weak immune systems as Covid evolves.

☆ Omicron subvariants pose a new threat to people with immune deficiencies
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Benjamin Ryan | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Troubling recent reports reveal the emergence of new omicron subvariants that not only evade AstraZeneca’s Evusheld, the antibody drug authorized to prevent Covid infection, but also the sole antibody drug that has retained effectiveness as treatment for Covid, Eli Lilly’s bebtelovimab. Doctors have cautioned that should Laura get Covid, this could aggravate her autoimmune disease and lead to catastrophic kidney damage. Evusheld is a long-acting antibody injection given every six months that studies have suggested provides a robust buffer to the immunosuppressed. For now, immunocompromised people are anxiously watching the pandemic forecast to see if the subvariants that research indicates evade monoclonal antibodies will become predominant. “If fewer people are prescribed Evusheld,” she said, “there’s less incentive for drug companies to start developing newer therapeutics.

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoOct 21 (Reuters) - U.S. health regulators on Friday estimated that BQ.1 and closely related BQ.1.1 accounted for 16.6% of coronavirus variants in the country, nearly doubling from last week, while Europe expects them to become the dominant variants in a month. The two variants are descendants of Omicron's BA.5 subvariant, which is the dominant form of the coronavirus in the United States. New variants are monitored closely by regulators and vaccine manufacturers in case they start to evade protection offered by current shots. The World Health Organization this week said BQ.1.1 is circulating in at least 29 countries. The U.S. CDC said on Friday BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 last week were estimated to make up 9.4% of circulating variants.

☆ Addiction drug shows promise lifting long COVID brain fog, fatigue
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Julie Steenhuysen | Nancy Lapid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Lauren Nichols, who has long COVID, takes a break and rests in a lounge bed in the office in her home in Andover, Massachusetts, U.S., August 3, 2022. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterResearchers chasing long COVID cures are eager to learn whether the drug can offer similar benefits to millions suffering from pain, fatigue and brain fog months after a coronavirus infection. Younger, author of a scientific review of the drug as a novel anti-inflammatory, in September submitted a grant application to study LDN for long COVID. It worked so well that he ran a pilot study among 38 long COVID patients. He studied LDN in 18 long COVID patients, with 11 showing improvements, and said he believes larger, formal trials could determine whether LDN offers a true benefit.

☆ 'Should I get my omicron booster and flu shot at the same time?' and other questions about fall vaccines, answered
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Though the CDC says it's completely fine to get a flu vaccine and Covid-19 shot simultaneously, there hasn't been specific guidance pertaining to the newly formulated booster. 'When should I get my flu vaccine?' The timing of when you get your flu shot should be aligned with the time frame that would allow you to have the best antibody response during the beginning of flu season, Hatziioannou tells CNBC Make It. At this time, Hatziioannou recommends getting your flu shot at the end of October or early November to have the highest protection throughout December. 'Should I get my omicron booster and flu shot at the same time?'

☆ Read the letter a virologist sent his family on how to best protect themselves from the Omicron variant
▼ + stars: | 2021-12-23 | by ( Guido Vanham | Peter Vanham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

We know you're worried also for the kids, who are facing a difficult situation in school. Sadly, the Omicron "variant" of the COVID-19 virus is spreading all over the world now. Here's what I think you should know:First, this Omicron "variant" is a new form of the COVID-19 virus, which causes a new wave of infections because it's somehow more potent than the previous variant. Omicron can infect people who have already been infected with previous variants and even those who were vaccinated several months ago. So I know you're all lining up for your boosters and you're doing the right thing.

Search resuls for: "virologist"

6 mentions found