“Happiness comes from spiritual wealth, not material wealth. Happiness comes from giving, not getting. If we try hard to bring happiness to others, we cannot stop it from coming to us also. To get joy, we must give it, and to keep joy, we must scatter it.”
Sir John Templeton, an American-born British investor, banker, fund manager, and philanthropist. He created the Templeton Growth Fund, which averaged growth over 15% per year for 38 years.
Pfizer said its coronavirus vaccine was 100% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children ages 12 to 15.
In participants aged 12-15 years old with or without prior evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 demonstrated 100% efficacy and robust antibody responses. The results exceeded those reported in trial of vaccinated 16-25 year old participants in an earlier analysis, and was well tolerated, according to Pfizer. The trial enrolled 2,260 participants in the United States.
Topline data from 2,260 adolescents demonstrated high antibody responses and 100% efficacy against #COVID19, and that the vaccine was well-tolerated. https://t.co/UsTd4d0mtg pic.twitter.com/hodMDoNBeX
— Pfizer Inc. (@pfizer) March 31, 2021
There were 18 confirmed COVID-19 infections observed in the placebo group and no confirmed infections in the group that received the vaccine, the company said. That resulted in a vaccine efficacy of 100%. The vaccine was also well-tolerated, with side effects generally consistent with those seen in adults.
Vaccinating children is crucial to ending the pandemic, public health officials and infectious disease experts say. Children make up around 20% of the U.S. population, according to government data. Between 70% and 85% of the U.S. population needs to be vaccinated against Covid to achieve herd immunity, experts say, and some adults may refuse to get the shots.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the company plans to submit the new vaccine data to the Food and Drug Administration and other regulators “as soon as possible,” with the hope that kids in the age group will be able to get vaccinated before the next school year.
All participants in the trial will continue to be monitored for long-term protection and safety for an additional two years after their second dose.
References:
The best COVID-19 vaccine for you is the vaccine you can get in your arm the soonest.
There are three vaccines approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration and some people are tempted to shop around. Some people may want the convenience of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose shot and its low rate of side effects. Others may be interested in the extremely high efficacy of the Pfizer and Moderna two-shot mRNA vaccines.
Bottom line: You should get the vaccine that’s available soonest. All three vaccines approved for emergency use have been shown to be safe and effective against severe complications of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In clinical trials, all three vaccines prevented hospitalizations and death, the worst outcomes of the virus. While these were not the primary outcomes measured (symptomatic infections were), this effectiveness continues to play out in post-vaccination studies. Very few people who have been fully vaccinated are getting sick and even fewer are hospitalized.
All three vaccines produce side effects in patients — but not all patients. Although, there are slight differences in side effects. People who get the J&J vaccine tend to experience fewer of them, but each vaccine produces side effects, mostly mild, in some patients. These side effects are short-lived.
The most common side effect is pain, redness or swelling at the injection site. Other people experienced tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever or nausea. But most of these side effects were mild to moderate and went away quickly.
Remember, these side effects are a sign that your body is reacting to the vaccine and building immunity to the virus (if you don’t have side effects, that doesn’t mean the vaccine isn’t working), according to Dr. Andrea Klemes, the Chief Medical Officer of MDVIP. They’re a small price to pay to get that protection. They’re also rarer in the general population than they were in clinical trials participants with a higher frequency after the second dose. About 372 out of every million administered doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines lead to a non-serious reaction report, according to the journal Nature. The most frequently reported side effects are headache (22.4%), fatigue (16.5%) and dizziness (16.5%), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The bottom line: You’ve waited this long for the vaccine; you shouldn’t shop around when the opportunity to get the vaccine presents itself. The faster everyone gets vaccinated, the faster we will be able to return to normal.
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When it comes to the benefits of omega-3 fish oil supplementation, the evidence shows that it benefits both the mind and heart. Our brains, hearts, and bodies appear to suffer when we don’t get enough of these healthy and essential fats. In terms of brain and heart health, omega-3s derived from wild cold water fish oil (or grass-fed animal fat and other kinds of seafood) are best because they are loaded with two particular brain- and heart-healthy essential fatty acids (EFAs) called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
A Harvard School of Public Health study published in 2011 found that omega-3 deficiency is likely the sixth biggest killer of Americans, and maybe the underlying factor of roughly 96,000 premature deaths each year!
DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) & EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) are the main marine Omega 3 Fatty Acids. They are essential for our bodies' health, and especially for our Brain🧠 Heart💜 Eyes 👁👁 and even Sperm Cells✅#omega3 #omega3fattyacids #fishoilomega3 #gemworthhealth #DHA #EPA pic.twitter.com/B8QXDLK2N5
— Gemworth Health (@GemworthUSA) July 16, 2020
First, the most important fact to remember about omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) is that they are indeed essential, meaning that your body needs to get them from your diet. Unfortunately, with today’s modern diet, which is light on omega-3-rich foods (fish, grass-fed meats, nuts, seed and dark leafy greens) and heavy on foods with saturated fats and oils (corn, safflower, soybean, sunflower, cottonseed, peanut, etc.) that are rich in omega-6 EFAs.
The American Heart Association recommend at least two oily fish meals per week (which equates to roughly 500 mg per day of EPA and DHA), a full gram per day for those with coronary heart disease—and even more for those with high triglyceride levels—there’s good reason.
Our brains, hearts, and bodies appear to suffer when we don’t get enough of these healthy fats. In terms of brain and heart health, omega-3s derived from wild cold water fish oil are best because they are loaded with two particular brain- and heart-healthy EFAs called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Literally, thousands of scientific studies have been conducted using fish oil rich in these two nutritional dynamos—with mostly promising results.
It has been scientifically demonstrated that your brain needs the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA to function optimally. Though not technically classed as essential, these fatty acids are called essential for a reason – our bodies need them, and the only sure way to get enough of them is through foods or supplements. Let’s take a closer look at these two most important omega-3 fatty acids.
Power Team: EPA + DHA
Humans need a variety of fatty acids for our cell membranes to function. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are essential to the functioning of all our 30 trillion cells. They’re building blocks for the membrane systems that do most of the heavy lifting for our cells.
We require premade EPA+DHA from our diet. Unfortunately, the modern diet has an unhealthy balance of fatty acids: we get an abundance of saturated and omega-6 fatty acids and not nearly enough omega-3s. Also, most of the omega-3s we do get must be converted to EPA+DHA, which the body doesn’t do effectively.
Numerous surveys indicate populations that don’t consume a lot of seafood (such as the U.S.) don’t get sufficient supplies of EPA and DHA from their diet. Since plant foods don’t supply them, the main dietary sources of EPA and DHA are cold-water fish and dietary supplements. Considering the widespread contamination of seafood by mercury and other toxins, many experts advise that taking a purified fish oil supplement could be a smart choice.
1. Promotes Healthy Mood
EPA+DHA have been tested on adults with mood problems in at least 26 randomized, controlled clinical trials. Two meta-analyses, which analyze the data pooled from all the best trials, have concluded that these omega-3s are consistently beneficial for mood. These meta-analyses also suggest that fish oils with more EPA than DHA work better, with the best ratio being around 1.5 to 1 EPA to DHA.
Children and adolescents with mood difficulties commonly have problems with academic performance, self-esteem, and socialization. In two clinical trials with youth aged 7-14 years, EPA+DHA 1600 mg per day (1400 mg EPA, 200 mg DHA) for 12 weeks substantially improved coping with distraction and stress – as well as mood, irritability, and self-esteem – compared with placebo.
2. Improves Attention and Behavior
Children and adolescents with attention and learning challenges often have low Omega-3 Index values (about 3% on average, compared to a healthy 8% or higher). A 2018 meta-analysis concluded that supplementation with EPA+DHA improved parental reports of attention and behavior, as well as mental focus on cognitive tests. The researchers concluded that to ensure the most benefit, the EPA dose should be at least 500 mg per day.
3. Essential for the Heart and Circulation
Numerous health agencies worldwide recommend EPA and DHA for promoting and enhancing cardiovascular health. Meta-analyses clearly indicate that supplementation with EPA+DHA at doses of 2-3 grams per day can promote healthy triglyceride status and blood pressure regulation. Additionally, EPA+DHA supplementation can improve blood vessel function, especially their capacities for relaxation and flexibility.
4. Supports Healthy Immunity
The immune system is the body’s security force. When the body is invaded, it goes on full alert to eliminate the threat. EPA and DHA support healthy immune responsiveness.
Having sufficient EPA+DHA in our tissues gives the immune system the option to generate messengers from them to coordinate its activities. Healthy immunity is held in delicate balance by EPA and DHA. No other omega-3s can substitute for EPA and DHA in this crucial role.
5. Vital for Healthy Pregnancy
Babies of mothers who have good EPA+DHA status through pregnancy have a lower risk for problems with mood, cognition, and behavior in their early childhood. DHA, the predominant omega-3 in our cell membranes, is essential to the developing fetal heart, brain, and retina.
A meta-analysis of 38 trials concluded that children born to mothers with higher prenatal EPA+DHA intakes show better motor, vision, and cognitive development in their first two years of life. Yet U.S. women on average have considerably lower EPA+DHA intakes than recommended by the U.S. National Institute of Medicine.
6. Total Brain and Body Protection
EPA and DHA have been shown to protect brain circulatory function and preserve memory and other cognitive capacities. EPA and DHA support many other organs and body systems including the liver (by preventing triglyceride buildup), the joints (promoting joint comfort), eyes (essential for retinal function), and muscles (protecting against mobility loss as we age).
With strong evidence supporting the positive effects of omega-3s EPA and DHA on the brain, heart, and entire body, taking a fish oil supplement daily can have a significant impact on individual wellness. BrainMD is proud to recommend its new, high EPA and DHA premium liquid fish oil…
https://twitter.com/yourwellbeing88/status/1278666518390165505?s=20
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Adverse reactions are usually mild to moderate in intensity and resolve within a few days following receipt of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, according to the CDC. The most common adverse reactions reported after vaccination in clinical studies included:
It takes time for your body to build protection after any vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines that require 2 shots may not protect you until about 2 weeks after your second shot.
After receiving the COVID-19 vaccination, the side effects you may experience are normal signs that your body is building protection and they should go away in a few days.
References:
Imagine operating a boat without the basic understanding of nautical rules of the road or even how to operate a boat. Scary thought.
Here’s another scary circumstance – one that is all too real. Many Americans are making financial decisions with minimal financial knowledge of investing, budgeting, and credit. The TIAA Institute conducted a survey on U.S. financial literacy, asking 28 basic questions about retirement saving, debt management, budgeting, and other financial matters. The average respondent answered only about half of the questions correctly.
Another study, conducted by Pew Research, found that one in four Americans say that they won’t be able to pay their bills on time this month.
It has been said that knowledge is power, and if that’s true, then too many Americans lack the power to control their financial futures. Financial success rarely happens by accident; it is typically the outcome of a journey that starts with education.
Talking about money is one of the most important skills to being a fiscally responsible and a financially literate person. However, 44% of Americans surveyed would rather discuss death, religion or politics than talk about personal finance with a loved one, according to CNBC.
Why? Two major reasons are embarrassment and fear of conflict, even though the consequences can be grave: 50% of first marriages end in divorce, and financial conflict is often a key contributor. Additionally, it is considered rude to discuss money and wealth.
The missing component is financial literacy education and training.
Mastering personal finance requires you to look at your financial situation holistically and come up with a plan for how to manage your money. In this TD Ameritrade video, we’ll look at helpful principles for six personal finance topics:
Make high impact adjustments to your finances to improve your financial future.
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“The vaccines are our best hope to contain the virus; and while the CDC’s guidance may change based on new evidence, you should follow their current guidance: Keep wearing your mask, practice social distancing and wash your hands.” Dr. Andrea Klemes
By Dr. Andrea Klemes, MDVIP’s Chief Medical Officer
It was March 11 last year when the World Health Organization first announced that the coronavirus had reached pandemic stage. At the time, there were 118,000 cases in 114 countries. A year later and there are more than 114 million cases and 2.5 million deaths worldwide.
In the year since the pandemic officially started, doctors, researchers and the American public have learned a lot about the virus. We know how it spreads — through droplets and in the air; we know how it likely doesn’t spread — on surfaces (you should still wash your hands regularly); we know the virus isn’t seasonal like flu – it didn’t go away during the summer; and we know that we can fight it, both through prevention and treatment.
Speaking of treatment, we’ve learned a lot about what works in the fight against COVID-19, the condition caused by the coronavirus. The anti-inflammatory steroid drug dexamethasone, for example, works in many patients on supplemental oxygen or ventilators. Antibodies — either from convalescent plasma or man-made ones from monoclonal antibody treatments — seem to keep some patients from more severe illness. These treatments have been granted emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration.
Even simple things, like turning patients prone (lying face down) have turned out to be lifesaving for many people hospitalized with the disease.
But there’s still much we don’t know. And there’s still a lot of misinformation and myths swirling around 12 months after the pandemic began. I thought it would be helpful to recap some key learnings.
Vaccines are here, but the virus isn’t going away any time soon.
It’s hard to believe that in a little less than a year scientists created numerous vaccines to combat the coronavirus. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration approved a third vaccine last week — and this one, from Johnson & Johnson, is a single-dose vaccine that’s easier to transport and store. It should help vaccines become more widely available in the next couple of months.
If you’ve already gotten your vaccine, your behavior shouldn’t change — that’s the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s because the vaccines prevent severe illness from infection. You may still be able to get the virus and spread it.
This advice may change. Promising but unpublished studies suggest that vaccinated individuals carry lower viral loads and may be at lower risk to spread the virus. If you’re thinking, why get the vaccine if I still have to wear a mask? Get the vaccine when it’s your turn. The vaccines are our best hope to contain the virus; and while the CDC’s guidance may change based on new evidence, you should follow their current guidance: Keep wearing your mask, practice social distancing and wash your hands.
One rule that has changed for those who have been vaccinated: You may not have to quarantine after exposure if you meet certain criteria and it’s been more than two weeks since your last dose.
Eating at a restaurant increases your risk of getting the virus.
We love eating at restaurants, but many are poorly ventilated and crowded with people. Even at reduced capacity, the CDC rates eating inside at a restaurant to be higher risk than other activities. A study from six months ago suggested that COVID-19 positive patients were twice as likely as those who tested negative to have eaten at a restaurant in the two weeks leading up to their illness.
It’s possible that people who eat at restaurants during the pandemic take other risks that increase their chances of getting the virus, but there are also early studies that track breakouts to restaurant eaters.
It’s still safer to get your food to go — or eat outside away from other diners.
So does gathering with your family.
Just like eating out, there are plenty of studies showing the transmission of the virus when families get together. Among adults with COVID-19, 42 percent reported close contact with a person with COVID-19 — and most of those close contacts were with family members.
In one case study from last summer, a single COVID-positive adolescent on a family vacation with three different families spread the illness to 11 other family members. There are dozens of cluster studies like these from contact tracing efforts — weddings, reunions, holiday parties, barbecues and even more intimate gatherings. Getting together with family without proper protocols can result in spreading events.
Even without gatherings, household members are often the point of contact for new COVID cases. Household transmission of this coronavirus is 16.6 percent higher than with past pandemics like SARS and MERS.
To be fair, more infections have been traced to other kinds of activities than seeing family — from workplaces to prisons to assisted living facilities to colleges. But you shouldn’t let your guard down when you’re around your family.
Six feet of distance probably isn’t enough.
Early guidance from the CDC defined close contact as spending 15 minutes or more within six feet of a person infected with COVID-19. The six-foot distance was based on COVID transmission from droplets, which we emit when we talk, sneeze or cough. We’ve been studying viral transmission by droplets since the 1890s.
Of course, there are plenty of studies over the years that suggest droplets can travel further. The problem with COVID is that you can become infected from aerosol transmission — smaller droplets and particles can float in the air for minutes and hours and travel far from the source. Still, the CDC says that most transmission comes from close contact with infected individuals.
As for time, that one’s trickier. Some school systems and employers liberally interpreted the 15 minutes to mean that as long as you kept contact brief, you were okay. But repeated exposure can also result in an infection, which is one reason the CDC changed the guidance last fall to 15 minutes over a 24-hour period. Here’s the bottom line: The more you interact with others and the longer that interaction lasts, the greater your chance of contracting COVID.
The best way to prevent spread is to avoid unnecessary exposure.
Yes, masks help prevent the spread of the virus.
I know a lot of people have had a hard time warming up to face masks. Early in the pandemic, public health officials lacked clear evidence about the effectiveness of masks and hesitated to recommend them. But 12 months later, there’s a raft of evidence that masks (double ply cloth, surgical and N95) reduce the transmission of the coronavirus. In fact, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S., which recently published a review of studies about masks and COVID-19 transmission, concluded:
“The preponderance of evidence indicates that mask wearing reduces transmissibility per contact by reducing transmission of infected respiratory particles in both laboratory and clinical contexts.”
Some study highlights:
Masks were 79 percent effective at preventing household transmission, if used by all members of the household before symptoms showed.
The devil is in the details. We know from COVID studies and previous viral studies that masks reduce risk of transmission for the wearer and for the people around them if the wearer is sick.
Double masks may even be better.
One mask works if you wear it correctly. Two might actually be better.
The CDC recently released new masking guidelines based on studies it did to determine how to improve their efficacy. The agency looked at wearing a cloth mask over a medical procedure mask (often called a surgical mask, but not an N95) and whether knotting the ear loops of a medical procedure mask and then tucking in and flattening the extra material close to the face would reduce risk.
Both modifications improved the masks effectiveness. According to the CDC’s experiments, an unknotted medical procedure mask blocked 42 percent of the particles from a simulated cough. A cloth mask blocked 44.3 percent. Knotting the surgical mask alone blocked 63 percent of particles. When the cloth mask was combined with the knotted surgical mask, it blocked 92.5 percent of particles.
The CDC has since updated its recommendations. If you use an N95 or KN95 mask, the agency does not recommend double masking. It also doesn’t recommend doubling up surgical masks.
Testing negative doesn’t mean you stay negative.
This may be one of the hardest things for people to understand. A lot of people get tested after they’re exposed, but you can test negative one day and positive the next, depending on the time from when you were exposed, the course of the infection and the type of test you took.
When you’re exposed to someone with the virus and become infected, symptoms may show a few days after exposure or up to two weeks later. If you test too soon, a test may not pick up the infection. If you’re asymptomatic, a rapid antigen test may not pick up your infection at all. Accuracy is lower in antigen tests than PCR tests, especially in those who aren’t showing symptoms.
That’s why it’s so important to observe CDC guidelines when it comes to testing and exposure. If you’ve been exposed to the virus, the CDC recommends you quarantine for 10 days, provided you remain asymptomatic. You can reduce this time to seven days if you show no symptoms and do not test positive for the virus on day 5 or later.
The new variants are a reason to be vigilant.
The new variants are more than troublesome. Many of them are more communicable and one, the British variant, is looking like it may be more virulent. This is why we need to keep washing our hands, wearing masks and practicing social distancing. And why we should get the vaccine when it’s our turn. Don’t let up now!
With a little extra effort from all of us, I believe we can beat back this virus, and we’re well on the way. We’re better at treating it, and we know how to stop its spread. If enough of us do these things, there’s a chance these variants won’t make the impact that some researchers currently fear.
We may have to take booster shots in the future, but that’s a lot better than where we were a year ago when we had no vaccine, few promising treatments and knew very little about COVID-19.
What a difference a year makes.
If you have questions about the COVID vaccine, including where you can get one, read this blog, written by our Chief Medical Officer Dr. Andrea Klemes. https://t.co/kTjjtju7EX
— MDVIP (@MDVIP) January 16, 2021
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COVID-19 Cases Are Dropping Fast. Four reasons: social distancing, seasonality, seroprevalence, and shots.
COVID-19 is in retreat in America. New daily cases have plunged, and hospitalizations are down almost 50 percent in the past month. The reason for the decline range Americans’ good behavior in the past month combined with (mostly) warming weather across the Northern Hemisphere has slowed the pandemic’s growth; at the same time, partial immunity and vaccines have reduced the number of viable bodies that would allow the coronavirus to thrive.
Fighting disease once meant prioritizing fresh air. How did we forget such a simple lesson? @sarahzhang reports: https://t.co/9gH2oHrH4f
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) February 22, 2021
The current decline of COVID-19 is crystal clear.
There has been a five-week downward trend in cases, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The highest 7-day moving average occurred on January 11, 2021 and was 249,048. The current 7-day average is 77,385 cases, which is a 68.9% decline.
Furthermore, the 24.5% decrease in the 7-day average number of daily cases reported compared with the prior week also provides an encouraging sign of recent progress. Even with these declines, however, the 69,165 cases reported on February 17 remains higher than what was seen during either of the first two peaks in the pandemic.
Daily Trends in COVID-19 Cases
The numbers of new hospital admissions of patients with confirmed COVID-19 have decreased from the national peak of 18,006 admissions on January 5, 2021 to 6,841 admissions on February 16 (a 62% decrease). The average number of daily admissions fell by 21.8% compared to the previous week.
Nationally, the number of COVID-19 deaths continue to fluctuate. There has been over 500,000 total COVID-19 deaths reported with 2,601 new deaths reported as of February 23, 2021. The 7-day average number of new deaths decreased by 9% to 2,708** new deaths per day compared to the previous 7-day period.
Why the decline?
Americans’ good behavior in the past month combined with warming weather across the Northern Hemisphere to slow the pandemic’s growth; at the same time, partial immunity and vaccines have reduced the number of viable bodies that allow the coronavirus to thrive.
According to a piece that ran in the Atlantic.:
1. Behavior: Americans finally got on board with wearing a mask and social-distancing thing.
Officials pointed to Google mobility data that demonstrated that Americans withdrew into their homes after the winter holidays and hunkered down during the subsequent spike in cases that grew out of holiday season socializing. New hospital admissions for COVID-19 peaked in the second week of January—another sign that social distancing during the coldest month of the year bent the curve.
2. Seasonality: The coronavirus is perhaps seasonal and destined to decline.
Behavior can’t explain everything regarding the decline. Mask wearing, social distancing, and other virus-mitigating habits and behaviors had some impact. But bottomline, COVID-19 is in retreat across North America and Europe. Since January 1, daily cases are down 70 percent in the United Kingdom, 50 percent in Canada, and 30 percent in Portugal. This raises the possibility that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is seasonal.
Many viruses fare best in cold and dry conditions; they’re not well designed to thrive in warmer, sunnier, and more humid outdoor areas, Harvard epidemiologist Michael Mina told New York magazine. Each virus is a bundle of genes and protein encased in a fatty lipid molecule. This fatty shell breaks down more easily in warmer and more humid environmental conditions.
3. Partial immunity: The virus is running out of bodies to infect
The coronavirus needs bodies in order to survive and replicate, and it now has access to fewer welcome hosts. Fifteen to 30 percent of American adults have already been infected with COVID-19, according to CDC estimates.
America’s seroprevalence—that is, the number of people with coronavirus antibodies from a previous infection—is probably concentrated among people who had little opportunity to avoid the disease.
This is partial immunity among the very populations that have been most likely to contract the disease, perhaps narrowing the path forward for the original SARS-CoV-2.
4. Vaccines: Despite naysayers and a few reluctant family members, the shots work.
The vaccines are highly effective at preventing infection. But preventing infection is not all they do. Among those infected, they also reduce symptomatic illness. And among those with symptoms, they reduce long-term hospitalization and death to something like zero.
It’s simple to show why this period of declining hospitalizations should keep going. Assuming the CDC is correct that about 25 percent of adults have COVID-19 antibodies from a previous infection and add to that number the 10 percent of adults who have received vaccine shots since December, that would mean one-third of adults currently have some sort of protection, either from a previous infection or from a vaccine. Thus, sometime this spring, half of American adults should have some kind of coronavirus protection.
"Americans’ good behavior in the past month has tag-teamed with (mostly) warming weather across the Northern Hemisphere to slow the pandemic’s growth," @DKThomp writes: https://t.co/ztuKOAFcDQ
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) February 18, 2021
Although the pandemic is far from over, the U.S. has reached the beginning of the end of COVID-19 as a threat to the health-care system and the senior citizen population.
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“COVID cases have dropped 77% in six weeks. Experts should level with the public about the good news.” Dr. Marty Makary, surgeon and professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health
Dr. Anthony Fauci, White House COVID adviser, reassured Americans that the millions of coronavirus vaccine doses delayed by winter storms in the Northeast and Texas would be delivered this week as the nation approaches the half million mark for deaths due to Covid-19.
Despite the delays in vaccine delivery, there are signs the pandemic has eased in the U.S. in recent weeks. The 7-day average for daily deaths has fallen more than a third since mid-January, while new infections are down nearly 70% since then, according to data from the New York Times. Additionally, according to data from John Hopkins University more than 498,900 people have died of COVID-19 as of Monday morning. Globally, 2.4 million people have passed due to the virus.
Dr. Marty Makary, a surgeon and a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, believes that the coronavirus will be “mostly gone” and ” normal life will return” by April 2021. In an op-ed published by The Wall Street Journal, Dr. Makary argued that half of the U.S. has already reached herd immunity because there are more coronavirus cases in the country, possibly 6.5 times as many, than the 28 million that have been reported.
“There is reason to think the country is racing toward an extremely low level of infection,” Makary wrote. “As more people have been infected, most of whom have mild or no symptoms, there are fewer Americans left to be infected. At the current trajectory, I expect COVID will be mostly gone by April, allowing Americans to resume normal life.”
Dr. Makary cites observational data which shows that the majority of Americans may already be protected not only from COVID-19 but also its new variants. He states, “My prediction that Covid-19 will be mostly gone by April is based on laboratory data, mathematical data, published literature and conversations with experts.”
“But the consistent and rapid decline in daily cases since Jan. 8 can be explained only by natural immunity,” Makary wrote. “Behavior didn’t suddenly improve over the holidays; Americans traveled more over Christmas than they had since March. Vaccines also don’t explain the steep decline in January. Vaccination rates were low and they take weeks to kick in.”
From @WSJopinion: Covid cases have dropped 77% in six weeks. Experts should level with the public about the good news: The pandemic is coming to an end, writes @MartyMakary. https://t.co/qGZlNfGKDX
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) February 19, 2021
Even with daily new infections falling below 70,000 on a 7-day rolling average, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that more contagious variants could cause those numbers to rise again.
The First Trust Covid-19 Tracker February 19 update.
Click here for the latest data: https://t.co/i6hK3TTqtt#FirstTrust #Covid #Covid19 pic.twitter.com/wGBCCex29O
— First Trust (@ftportfolios) February 19, 2021
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#1 cause of death in the U.S. is HEART DISEASE!
Heart disease is a catch-all phrase for a variety of conditions that affect the heart’s structure and function. Coronary heart disease is a type of heart disease that develops when the arteries of the heart cannot deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to the heart.
Despite the devastating toll of COVID-19, heart disease remains the most costly and leading cause of death in the United States. Specifically, myocardial infarction (MI) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are the leading causes of death in the U.S. and other Western societies.
90% of heart disease and stroke is preventable through lifestyle changes and risk factor modification. We would like to wish you all a happy Valentine’s Day, and to remind you to take care of your heart 💙 #HeartMonth pic.twitter.com/VJWMm6OEO9
— NIPC (@NIPCIRELAND) February 14, 2021
Coronary heart disease is often caused by the buildup of plaque, a waxy substance, inside the lining of larger coronary arteries. This buildup can partially or totally block blood flow in the large arteries of the heart.
Some types of this condition may be caused by disease or injury affecting how the arteries work in the heart. Coronary microvascular disease is another type of coronary heart disease. It occurs when the heart’s tiny blood vessels do not work normally.
The death rate from heart attacks has risen dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic because people are delaying or not seeking care after experiencing mild symptoms. And, symptoms of coronary heart disease differ from person to person even if they have the same type of coronary heart disease. However, because many Americans have no symptoms, they do not know they have coronary heart disease until they have chest pain, a heart attack, or sudden cardiac arrest.
Protect yourself…
90% of heart disease and stroke is preventable through lifestyle changes and risk factor modification. During Heart Month, it is critical to recommit to fighting this disease by promoting better health, wellness, and prevention awareness in your homes and communities.
There’s a lot you can do to prevent heart disease. You and your friends and family can begin by working together to meet your heart health goals. Move more, work on your weight and salt intake, quit smoking—it’s all easier when you have social support.
When it comes to fitness in the pandemic, you don’t have to go at it alone. Tag a friend for a walking challenge or drop a note in the comments if you’re looking for someone to keep you motivated and accountable for virtual workouts. #TryItTuesday #GoRedforWomen pic.twitter.com/yXs0cdAXNB
— American Heart Association (@American_Heart) February 9, 2021
Motivating Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles to prevent heart disease is the goal of Heart Month. Focusing on your heart health has never been more important. People with poor cardiovascular health are also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
Let’s celebrate American Heart month by incorporating heart-healthy cardio activity into your day today:
Make heart health a regular part of your self-care routine.
Wish all a Happy Valentine’s Day, and to remind you to take care of your heart
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