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New Mexico Is Set to Legalize Leisure Marijuana

New Mexico Is Set to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

New Mexico was set to be the 16th state to legalize recreational marijuana after lawmakers passed a bill on Wednesday that joined a national movement to reconsider anti-drug laws that are increasingly seen as obstacles to racial justice and the economy.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, said she would sign the bill, which would also clear criminal records of people who owned marijuana for personal use. She said in a statement that workers, entrepreneurs and the government will benefit from the new industry, creating jobs and tax revenue.

“And those harmed by this country’s failed drug war, disproportionate color communities, will benefit from our state’s smart, fair and equitable new approach to previous low-level convictions,” she said.

The bill was passed the same day that New York State legalized recreational marijuana. Lawmakers in both states said they were motivated to create a legal, tax-revenue-generating industry that used to run underground and end the arrests for low-level crimes.

New Mexico law allows people over 21 to ingest up to two ounces of marijuana, and individuals can have six plants at home, or up to 12 per household. The sale would begin in April 2022 at the latest and be taxed at 12 percent, eventually at 18 percent plus gross income taxes.

According to a tax analysis quoted by the Albuquerque Journal, the industry is government regulated and will generate estimated revenues of $ 20 million for the state and $ 10 million for local governments in 2023.

The New Mexico move is part of a growing consensus in the United States in favor of decriminalizing marijuana. According to the Pew Research Center, 91 percent of Americans support legal medical or recreational use in 2019. Voters in Arizona, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota voted to legalize recreational marijuana in November, while Mississippi and South Dakota became the 34th and 35th states to allow medicinal marijuana.

New Mexico law ignored Republican objections, but not all opposed legalization. Some only argued over the details, including how the industry would be taxed, licensed, and regulated.

Supporters including Emily Kaltenbach, Senior Director for States of Residence and New Mexico for the Drug Policy Alliance, welcomed the passage of the bill.

“Today’s adoption of the cannabis legalization and expulsion package will ensure equitable opportunities and long overdue justice – including automatic expulsion – for farmers and other small businesses – for those with previous cannabis arrests or convictions,” she said in a statement.

According to The Associated Press, around 100 prisoners will have their sentences reconsidered under the new law.

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Salmonella Outbreak Is Linked to Wild Birds and Feeders, C.D.C. Says

Salmonella Outbreak Is Linked to Wild Birds and Feeders, C.D.C. Says

A salmonella outbreak related to exposure to wild songbirds and birdhouses left 19 people ill in eight states, eight of whom were hospitalized.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they were studying salmonella infections in California, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington state in people aged 2 months to 89 years.

Six cases have been reported in Washington and five in Oregon. No deaths were reported.

Public health officials across the country surveyed 13 of the infected and asked them about animals they had come into contact with a week before they became ill, the CDC said. Nine said they owned a bird feeder and two reported that they came into contact with a sick or dead bird. Ten people said they had pets that had access to or contact with wild birds, the agency said.

To avoid further cases, the CDC recommends cleaning birdhouses and bird baths once a week or when dirty. People should avoid bare-handed feeding of wild birds and wash their hands with soap and water after touching bird food or bathing, or handling a bird.

In California, where three human cases have been reported, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife warned of an outbreak in February and reported that it had been “swamped” by calls from Californians finding sick or dead finches at birdhouses.

Andrea Jones, director of bird protection at Audubon California, said the state had determined that most of the birds affected by the outbreak were pine teats, a species of finch that spends the winter in California. That year, numerous pine cisks gathered in California, which allowed the outbreak to spread among the birds.

“It can happen any year, but this has been a particularly bad year,” said Ms. Jones. “Pine Siskins aren’t very good at social distancing.”

Sick birds often look weak, sluggish, or appear to have difficulty breathing, Ms. Jones said. She added that most birds die within 24 hours of being infected with salmonella.

Many pine teats are now leaving California for Canada, Ms. Jones said, adding that she hoped the outbreak could end soon.

Salmonella bacteria can spread from birds to pets and humans. According to the CDC, people can experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps six hours to six days after being infected. Children, adults aged 65 and over, and people with compromised immune systems sometimes have worse cases of salmonella, although most people will recover without treatment in one case a week or less.

With many people recovering quickly and not being tested for salmonella, it was likely that the actual number of cases caused by the outbreak was much higher than the number of reported cases, according to the CDC.

About 1.35 million cases of salmonella are reported in the US each year. Of these, about 26,500 will have to be hospitalized and 420 will die, according to the CDC

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Billions in New Obamacare Subsidies Are Now Obtainable on Healthcare.gov

Billions in New Obamacare Subsidies Are Now Available on Healthcare.gov

Federal officials reprogrammed Healthcare.gov, bringing new benefits to tens of millions of Americans, weeks after Congress approved billions in spending on additional healthcare law subsidies.

The Biden administration doubled Obamacare’s advertising budget to take the floor and will now spend $ 100 million telling Americans about newly affordable options.

Virtually anyone with an Affordable Care Act health insurance plan can now qualify for higher premium financial assistance through the website. Many Americans who purchase their own insurance outside of the ACA marketplaces may also be eligible for significant assistance and benefit from considering options and switching to an eligible plan. Uninsured Americans also qualify.

For some, the savings could be substantial: a 64-year-old earning $ 30,000, for example, would cut monthly rewards from $ 195 for a mid-level plan to $ 85. A family of four earning $ 40,000 would go from a $ 136 premium to nothing.

According to a new government analysis, more than six million people, or about three in five Americans currently uninsured, in the Healthcare.gov states will be able to find health insurance plans that do not cost them any premiums (the government will pay the premiums in full monthly premium) .

“These changes are really important because there are a number of people who have not previously qualified,” said Laura Packard, executive director of Get Covered America. “Maybe they gave up trying, maybe they have an inferior policy elsewhere. This is a great opportunity for them to get coverage. “

In order to maximize the subsidies, you need to sign up for the correct plan. If you are getting financial help right away, then you need to register with Healthcare.gov. The federal government will not automatically apply the new subsidies to the existing premiums of 8.2 million participants. Instead, those who buy their own insurance will have to log into their accounts and sign up for insurance again. People who don’t will still get the money, but they will have to wait.

About 3.3 million people buying their coverage outside of the state market could now qualify for subsidies in the market. These are usually higher-income Americans who previously earned too much to qualify for help. These individuals must switch to a marketplace plan in order to take advantage of the bonus tax credits.

The Biden administration added another $ 50 million in advertising to a previous marketing commitment of $ 50 million. The campaign will run on television, radio and online and highlight the reduced costs. In early March, the administration announced $ 2.3 million in grants for nonprofits to help attract consumers for coverage. In contrast, shortly after taking office, the Trump administration cut its public relations and publicity budget for the health bill.

“People deserve the reassurance that they can take care of their health without going into debt,” Xavier Becerra, the secretary for health and human services, said in a statement.

As a rule, you can only register for a short period in autumn. This year people will have more time. Customers can take out insurance or switch plans until August 15.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the new subsidies will help 1.3 million uninsured Americans obtain coverage over the next two years. Some analysts say the policies could further reduce the number of uninsured Americans. The additional subsidies are expected to expire in late 2022, although the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress are working to expand them through future legislation.

Linda Blumberg, a health policy expert at the Urban Institute, said the challenges of letting people know about their new options and the temporary nature of the program could limit its impact. However, Biden’s government has an opportunity to make a greater impact.

“If a great, aggressive and diverse effort is made to educate people about these much larger premium subsidies that are available to them, I believe it can overcome these types of concerns and obstacles,” she said.

Brokers and navigators who help people register for benefits expect the new subsidies will result in a high number of registrations – and are already making some inquiries about the changes.

“It’s likely going to be quite busy, and the increased marketing and promotion will really help with that,” said Shelli Quenga, program director at the Palmetto Project, a nonprofit that operates an insurance broker in South Carolina.

Ms. Quenga has started working with some participants to clarify their new subsidies. She has a family who are deterred from buying insurance by a monthly premium of $ 1,200. She expects to sign up once the amount drops to $ 700. Another customer who is now paying $ 30 a month will see their premium go away.

Some people have to wait longer for the health benefits of the stimulus bill. There are 15 states that have their own marketplaces and some will take a little longer to update their websites with the new premium amounts.

The stimulus bill provides additional subsidies for Americans who took out unemployment insurance this year. These individuals are entitled to a free health plan on the market. However, this benefit is more complex to manage and won’t be available until July on Healthcare.gov.

Buyers who don’t re-enroll for insurance will end up receiving their insurance subsidies. Instead of appearing as a monthly discount on insurance premiums, they’ll be included on that person’s tax return for 2021 next spring.

If you don’t have insurance or are trying to decide whether to switch plans, this guide can be helpful.

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Tips on how to Spot Despair in Younger Youngsters

How to Spot Depression in Young Children

Dr. Busman said she works with children who may say, “I don’t want to kill myself, but I feel so bad that I don’t know what else to do and say.”

When a child talks about wanting to die, ask what that child means and seek help from a therapist if you are concerned. Such a statement can be a real signal that a child is in need. So don’t fire them or write them down as something the child says just for attention, she said.

“Parents should take children’s symptoms very seriously,” said Jonathan Comer, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Florida International University. “In serious forms, they are snowballs over time, and starting earlier is associated with poorer lifespan outcomes.”

In a longitudinal study from 2016, Dr. Kovacs and her colleagues traced the course of depression from childhood and found recurring episodes later in life.

So, if you notice changes such as withdrawal from activity, irritability or sadness, fatigue or difficulty sleeping that last two weeks, you should consider having the child examined by someone who is familiar with mental health problems in children of this age. Start with your pediatrician who is aware of the resources available in your area.

Parents should insist on a comprehensive mental health assessment, said Dr. Busman, including capturing parent’s history, time with child, and conversation with school. An assessment should include questions about symptoms of depression as well as finding other problems, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or anxiety, that may be causing the child’s distress.

Early treatment is effective, said Dr. Comer: “There is excellent evidence of family-centered treatment for depression in children – it focuses on family interactions and their effects on mood.” In children 3 to 7 years old, he said, versions of the parent-child Interaction therapy, known as PCIT, is used which essentially coach parents and help them emphasize and praise the positive about their children’s behavior.

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Medical doctors Accuse UnitedHealthcare of Stifling Competitors

Doctors Accuse UnitedHealthcare of Stifling Competition

UnitedHealth is competing directly with U.S. Anesthesiology, according to the lawsuit in Texas, through an interest in Sound Physicians, a large medical practice that provides emergency and anesthesiology services. Sound Physicians plans to expand into markets like Fort Worth and Houston, and US Anesthesia alleges in the lawsuit that its doctors were contacted by Sound Physicians to persuade them to leave and the non-compete agreements in their contracts to work with the United Group in To ask a question.

The primary insurer is throwing its weight around in other ways, the lawsuit alleges. While the company’s Optum division, which runs the surgery centers and clinics, is technically segregated from the health insurer, doctors are accusing United of forcing OptumCare facilities to sever their ties with the anesthesia group and forcing the network’s surgeons to do theirs Operations to relocate hospitals or facilities that do not have contracts with US Anesthesia.

“United and its subsidiaries have expanded their tentacles to almost every aspect of the healthcare sector, enabling United to crush, suffocate and destroy any market participant who stands in the way of United’s higher profits,” the doctors claim in their lawsuit.

According to United, it is common for an insurer to sponsor the use of hospitals and doctors on its network.

Unlike many smaller medical groups struggling with the pandemic, United has maintained a strong financial position and propped up profits while elective surgeries and other legal proceedings have been suspended, resulting in fewer medical claims. The company was therefore expanded further, more doctors were hired and additional practices were bought up. The company plans to add more than 10,000 salaried or affiliate doctors this year.

The relationship between insurers and providers has become more complicated as more and more insurers own groups of doctors or clinics. “You want to be the referee and play on the other team,” said Michael Turpin, a former United CEO who is now executive vice president of USI, an insurance broker.

Employers who rely on UnitedHealthcare to insure their employees have difficulty assessing who will benefit when insurers fail to reach an agreement to keep a provider on the network. “This is as much about profit as it is principle,” said Turpin.

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Use Your Newspaper to Make Flowers

Use Your Newspaper to Make Flowers

“There are always flowers for those who want to see them,” said Henri Matisse. Also in this newspaper – just glue a skewer between two colored or painted pieces of newspaper and cut it into simple flower shapes.

Group the flowers together to form an everlasting and inexpensive centerpiece for your spring table or place one on each place setting. Mini versions can be used as place cards. They would make even a tiny congregation feel special. If you don’t leave the bottom of the skewers decorated, you can stick the flowers in a cake or cupcake for an instant decoration. Or brighten up the work situation from home with a bouquet of flowers made of potted paper; They will thank you a few.

  • Newspaper (find colorful spots or paint it)

  • Acrylic craft paint and brush (if you want to paint the newspaper)

  • pencil

  • scissors

  • Wooden skewers

  • white glue

  • Small bowl and brush (optional for the glue)

  • Glue stick (optional)

  • Small flower pots, vases, recycled bottles or glasses.

  • Fine gravel or sand (available at craft stores, optional)

1. If you want, paint a few sheets of newspaper.

2. Cut two sheets of paper to the height and width of your planned flower, your leaf and stem or just the flower head.

3. Brush or squeeze a thin strip of tape down the center of the paper, place the dowel on top and apply a little more glue. Apply a layer of thinking glue to the rest of the newspaper and place the other piece on top. Gently push it down. (If you want to use as a cake topper, leave the end of your dowel free.)

4. Lightly draw a design in pencil (you can use the here as a guide or make your own) and cut it out. Let Matisse’s flowers inspire you.

5. Plant the flowers in small flower pots, vases, or repurposed bottles or jars. Pour an inch or two of sand or fine gravel into the container to anchor the stems in place.

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She Suffered Stability Points for Years. Was It a Mind Tumor?

She Suffered Balance Issues for Years. Was It a Brain Tumor?

But when he saw the dental CT, he immediately ordered a conventional CT of her head. The dental scan is designed to get a three dimensional image of the jaw and teeth so it cannot be expected to show the entire skull. Full CT confirmed that there was a small mass in the left sinus. Based on her appearance, her doctor suspected it was a remnant of an infection from the years before. But on the right side was something else: a mass the size of a strawberry had destroyed much of the mastoid bone just behind her ear. It was in the same location as the much smaller abnormality seen in the first few years of MRI. Now it was big enough to compress one of the vessels that led to the jugular vein. The radiologist said it looked like an infection. Or possibly a rare type of bone cancer.

Since cancer was possible, the patient decided she needed a second opinion. She reached out to the Mayo Clinic’s Arizona office in Phoenix, and two weeks later she was supposed to be Dr. Visit Peter Weisskopf. Weisskopf listened as the patient described the dizziness, tinnitus, and hearing loss, as well as debilitating fatigue and the terrible feeling of impending doom. “I’m not sure this mass could be causing all of this,” he said, but he agreed that an MRI would provide important diagnostic information. He suspected that she had something known as a cholesteatoma. These are benign cell growths that become trapped in the ear – or rarely, as in this patient’s case – in the brain and begin to grow. Sometimes these cells are imported into the ear after a chronic infection, but most of the time they stay there during the development of the fetus.

Weisskopf checked the MRI. As expected, the brain tissue showed up as light and dark gray stripes, surrounded by fluid that appears black. But just behind this patient’s ear, embedded in the lower edge of the mastoid bone of the skull, was a large bright white cloud. Because of this appearance, Weisskopf knew what she had. It was a cholesteatoma. Although this is not a cancer, these types of tumors need to be removed. If they stay in place, they will continue to enlarge until they cause real problems. The patient really wanted to have the thing removed. She was sure that it must be behind the symptoms she had been living with over the years.

Removing the bulk required two surgeries, the second late last spring. But it was worth it, the patient told me. The worst symptoms have completely disappeared. Her tiredness and feelings of oppression and doom disappeared after the first operation. But even after the second she still has the tinnitus, which is sometimes very loud. She still has problems with her balance. Your hearing is not as good as it used to be.

Weisskopf does not believe that the mass caused the patient’s symptoms. The patient respectfully disagrees; Where it really matters, with her mood, her well-being, she feels back to something like her old self. And while her doctor can’t make the connection, she’s sure it all came from this growth, which she thought might not have been quite as harmless as her doctors and textbooks say.

Lisa Sanders, MD is a contributing writer for the magazine. Her latest book is Diagnosis: Solving the Most Confusing Medical Mysteries. When you have a resolved case you like Dr. To tell Sanders, write to Lisa at .Sandersmd @ gmail.com.

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Edith Prentiss, Fierce Voice for Disabled New Yorkers, Dies at 69

Edith Prentiss, Fierce Voice for Disabled New Yorkers, Dies at 69

Edith Prentiss, a fiery disabled attorney who struggled to make the city she loved more navigable for all, died on March 16 at her home in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. She was 69 years old.

The cause was cardiac arrest, said her brother Andrew Prentiss.

In 2004, the city’s taxi fleet had only three wheelchair-accessible taxis – minivans with ramps – and people like Ms. Prentiss had less than one in 4,000 chances of calling one. “They’re like unicorns,” she told the New York Times earlier this year. “You have to be clean to catch one.”

The number of vehicles available would eventually increase to 231, but it took nearly a decade and a class action lawsuit – of which Ms. Prentiss was the plaintiff – before the city’s taxi and limousine commission agreed to make the fleet 50 percent accessible by 2020. (This deadline has been postponed due to the pandemic and other issues; the fleet is now 30 percent.)

Ms. Prentiss also fought for accessibility in subways and in police stations, restaurants and public parks. And she fought on issues that did not directly concern her, such as those that could hinder people with intellectual, visual, acoustic, or other disabilities.

When the city held a hearing in 2018 on banning plastic straws, a matter close to environmentalists but not the disabled community, they made sure a group was put together and an opinion was given. There are those who cannot hold a cup the group wanted to point out, and straws are an essential tool when visiting a restaurant.

At the meeting, group after group testified in favor of the ban. But Ms. Prentiss and her colleagues were not called.

“It’s hard to miss us – most people are in wheelchairs,” said Joseph G. Rappaport, executive director of the Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled and communications and strategy director of the Taxis for All Campaign. Prentiss was the chair, “but it went on and on and finally Edith had it. She said, “Hey, we’re here to speak. We have an opinion on this bill. ‘“The group was allowed to speak.

“She worked inside, she worked the angles, and when she had to scream, she did,” added Rappaport. “And she did well.”

She was bristle and relentless and always prepared. Woe to the city officials who failed to keep their promises or did their homework. She knew up to an inch how long a ramp was and how high a curb should be cut. She drove her motorized wheelchair while she spoke with tremendous confidence and sometimes a little deliberate recklessness; She wasn’t overwhelmed with riding the toes of anyone in her way.

Among the many New York officials who made statements about Ms. Prentiss’s death were Gale Brewer, president of Manhattan District, and, in a joint statement, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Victor Calise, mayor’s commissioner for people with disabilities.

In May, Ms. Prentiss will be inducted into the New York State Hall of Fame for Disability Rights, and Mr. Calise will appear in her place at the virtual ceremony.

“She was brilliant,” Ms. Brewer said in a telephone interview. “She didn’t take any prisoners. She skipped the finer points, but her heart was so generous. “

Edith Mary Prentiss was born on February 1, 1952 in Central Islip, NY, on Long Island. She was one of six children (and the only daughter) of electrician Robert Prentiss and social worker Patricia (Greenwood) Prentiss.

Edith was an asthmatic and later a diabetic. She started using a wheelchair when her asthma became severe when she was in her late 40s.

After graduating from Stony Brook University on Long Island with a degree in sociology, she attended the College of Art and Science at Miami University, Ohio.

Early in her career, Ms. Prentiss was an outreach clerk for ARC XVI Fort Washington, a senior services center. She worked at the Port Authority’s bus station, doing blood pressure tests, and helping elderly people apply for city services and other benefits. She later worked with Holocaust survivors. Fern Hertzberg, the executive director of ARC, said Ms. Prentiss’ last job before she retired around 2006 was at a physical therapy center in her neighborhood.

Ms. Prentiss was president of the 504 Democratic Club, which focuses on disability rights, and has held positions with many other interest groups.

She was not only known for her strong arms. Years ago, Susan Scheer, now the executive director of the Institute for Career Development, a working and training group for the disabled, was a government official in New York City, and she met Ms. Prentiss the usual way: being yelled at in hearings. But when Ms. Scheer, who suffers from spina bifida, started using a wheelchair about a decade ago, she called Ms. Prentiss for help. She realized she had no idea how to navigate the bus from her East Village apartment to her town hall job.

“Don’t worry,” she remembered Ms. Prentiss. “I am on the way.” (It took a while, with the usual obstacles like broken subway elevators.)

Once there, Ms. Prentiss led Ms. Scheer out of her building and through the growl of traffic on 14th Street, blocking the vehicles that threatened her as she trained Ms. Scheer through her first bus launch which was rocky. As she ping-pong down the aisle, she ran over the driver’s toes. “Not your problem,” Mrs. Prentiss called from behind her.

Ms. Prentiss then instructed the less enthusiastic driver to secure Ms. Scheer’s chair (the drivers are not always diligent at this step). And when the passengers groaned and rolled their eyes, said Ms. Scheer, Ms. Prentiss stared at them and announced: “We’re learning here, folks. Let’s be patient. “

On her extensive travels, her brother Andrew said, Ms. Prentiss has had many road accidents and was hit by numerous vehicles, including taxis, a city bus, and a FedEx truck. She was often in the emergency room, but if there was a community board meeting or hearing in town, she made sure to call from the hospital.

In addition to her brother Andrew, her other brothers Michael, Robert Anthony, William John and David Neil survive.

In early January, Ms. Prentiss received her first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at the Fort Washington Armory. Needless to say, she had some ailments when she told Ms. Hertzberg: The pens used to fill out the health questionnaire were known as golf pens and were too small for people with certain manual disabilities. The writing on the questionnaire wasn’t big enough. And the chairs in the waiting area after the vaccination didn’t have arms that many people can use to stand up.

She called the hospital that administered the program there – and Ms. Hertzberg said you can be sure that it would not take long to fix the problems.

For the past three years, photographer, writer and filmmaker Arlene Schulman has been working on a documentary entitled “Edith Prentiss: Hell on Wheels,” a title that originally addressed the subject. She didn’t think it was strong enough.

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Virus Variants Threaten to Draw Out the Pandemic, Scientists Say

Virus Variants Threaten to Draw Out the Pandemic, Scientists Say

Seit Wochen ist die Stimmung in weiten Teilen der USA lebhaft. Fälle, Krankenhausaufenthalte und Todesfälle durch das Coronavirus sind stark von ihren Höchstständen gefallen, und täglich werden Millionen von Menschen neu geimpft. Restaurants, Geschäfte und Schulen haben wieder geöffnet. Einige Staaten, wie Texas und Florida, haben die Vorsichtsmaßnahmen ganz aufgegeben.

Auf messbare Weise gewinnen Amerikaner den Krieg gegen das Coronavirus. Leistungsstarke Impfstoffe und ein beschleunigter Rollout garantieren beinahe eine Rückkehr zur Normalität – zu Gartengrills, Sommercamps und Übernachtungen.

Es wird jedoch zunehmend klarer, dass die nächsten Monate schmerzhaft sein werden. Sogenannte Varianten breiten sich aus und tragen Mutationen, die das Coronavirus sowohl ansteckender als auch in einigen Fällen tödlicher machen.

Selbst als Ende letzten Jahres Impfstoffe zugelassen wurden, die einen Weg zum Ende der Pandemie aufzeigten, waren Varianten Großbritanniens, Südafrikas und Brasiliens betroffen. Es sind immer wieder neue Varianten aufgetaucht – in Kalifornien in einer Woche, in New York und Oregon in der nächsten. Diese neuen Versionen des Coronavirus drohen, ein Ende der Pandemie zu verschieben, wenn sie Wurzeln schlagen.

Im Moment scheinen die meisten Impfstoffe gegen die Varianten wirksam zu sein. Die Beamten des öffentlichen Gesundheitswesens sind jedoch zutiefst besorgt darüber, dass künftige Iterationen des Virus möglicherweise resistenter gegen die Immunantwort sind und die Amerikaner sich für regelmäßige Auffrischungsrunden oder sogar neue Impfstoffe anstellen müssen.

“Wir haben keine Evolution auf unserer Seite”, sagte Devi Sridhar, Professor für öffentliche Gesundheit an der Universität von Edinburgh in Schottland. “Dieser Erreger scheint sich immer so zu verändern, dass es uns schwerer fällt, ihn zu unterdrücken.”

Gesundheitsbeamte erkennen die dringende Notwendigkeit an, diese neuen Viren zu verfolgen, wenn sie durch die Vereinigten Staaten kriechen. Bereits jetzt steigt B.1.1.7, die hoch ansteckende Variante, die Großbritannien ummauerte und in Kontinentaleuropa Chaos anrichtet, in den Vereinigten Staaten exponentiell an.

Begrenzte Gentests haben mehr als 12.500 Fälle ergeben, viele davon in Florida und Michigan. Ab dem 13. März machte die Variante landesweit etwa 27 Prozent der Neuerkrankungen aus, gegenüber nur 1 Prozent Anfang Februar.

Die Regierung von Biden hat eine „Anzahlung“ in Höhe von 200 Millionen US-Dollar zugesagt, um die Überwachung zu beschleunigen. Diese Infusion soll es ermöglichen, wöchentlich 25.000 Patientenproben auf Virusvarianten zu analysieren. Es ist ein ehrgeiziges Ziel: Das Land sequenzierte im Dezember nur wenige hundert Proben pro Woche und skalierte ab dem 27. März auf etwa 9.000 pro Woche.

Bis vor kurzem wurde der Anstieg von B.1.1.7 durch sinkende Infektionsraten insgesamt getarnt, was die Amerikaner in ein falsches Sicherheitsgefühl wiegte und zu vorzeitig gelockerten Beschränkungen führte, sagen Forscher.

“Der beste Weg, über B.1.1.7 und andere Varianten nachzudenken, besteht darin, sie als separate Epidemien zu behandeln”, sagte Sebastian Funk, Professor für Dynamik von Infektionskrankheiten an der London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “Wir verdunkeln die Sicht wirklich, indem wir sie alle addieren, um eine Gesamtzahl von Fällen zu erhalten.”

Andere in Südafrika und Brasilien identifizierte Varianten sowie einige erstmals in den USA beobachtete Virusversionen verbreiteten sich langsamer. Aber auch sie sind besorgniserregend, weil sie eine Mutation enthalten, die die Wirksamkeit der Impfstoffe verringert. Erst diese Woche erzwang ein Ausbruch von P.1, der Variante, die Brasilien zerschmetterte, die Schließung des Skigebiets Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia.

Die Welt befindet sich in einem Sprint zwischen Impfstoffen und Varianten, und die Schüsse werden schließlich gewinnen, sagen Wissenschaftler. Da sich das Coronavirus bei jeder Infektion weiterentwickeln kann, müssen Impfungen in den USA und anderswo so schnell wie möglich durchgeführt werden.

Die Infektionen nehmen wieder zu, was durch B.1.1.7 und andere Varianten in ungewissem Maße bedingt ist. Anfang dieser Woche bat Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Direktorin der Zentren für die Kontrolle und Prävention von Krankheiten, die Amerikaner, weiterhin Maskierung und soziale Distanzierung zu üben, und sagte, sie habe das Gefühl eines „bevorstehenden Untergangs“.

“Wir dürfen uns so sehr freuen – so viel Versprechen und Potenzial, wo wir sind, und so viel Grund zur Hoffnung”, sagte sie. “Aber im Moment habe ich Angst.”

Das Coronavirus sollte sich nur langsam verändern. Wie alle Viren würde es Mutationen aufnehmen und sich zu Tausenden von Varianten entwickeln, sagten Wissenschaftler zu Beginn der Pandemie. Aber es würde sich jahrelang nicht wesentlich ändern – ein dummes Virus, wie manche es nannten.

Der Erreger widersetzte sich diesen Vorhersagen. “Wir haben erwartet, dass sich das Virus ändert”, sagte Dr. Michael Diamond, ein viraler Immunologe an der Washington University in St. Louis. “Wir haben nicht genau erwartet, wie schnell es passieren wird.”

Eine Variante ist nur dann von Belang, wenn sie ansteckender ist, schwerere Krankheiten verursacht oder die Immunantwort abschwächt. Die in Großbritannien, Südafrika, Brasilien und Kalifornien identifizierten Varianten erfüllen alle die Kriterien.

B.1.1.7, das als erstes allgemein bekannt wurde, ist nach jüngsten Schätzungen etwa 60 Prozent ansteckender und 67 Prozent tödlicher als die ursprüngliche Form des Virus.

Aktualisiert

3. April 2021, 15:04 Uhr ET

Die Variante unterscheidet sich nicht von der ursprünglichen, wie sie sich verbreitet, aber infizierte Menschen scheinen mehr und länger vom Virus zu tragen, sagte Katrina Lythgoe, eine Evolutionsbiologin an der Universität von Oxford. “Sie sind für mehr Tage ansteckender”, sagte sie.

B.1.1.7 ist so ansteckend, dass es Großbritannien erst nach fast drei Monaten strenger Anweisungen für den Aufenthalt zu Hause und einem aggressiven Impfprogramm gelungen ist, Infektionen zu bekämpfen. Trotzdem fielen die Fälle viel langsamer als bei einer ähnlichen Sperrung im März und April.

In Kontinentaleuropa bildete sich monatelang eine Welle von B.1.1.7-Fällen, die unter einer stetigen Abwanderung von Infektionen meist unbemerkt blieb. Die Variantenwelle erklimmt jetzt.

Polens Rate an täglichen Neuerkrankungen hat sich seit Mitte Februar verfünffacht, was die Schließung der meisten öffentlichen Veranstaltungsorte erzwingt. Deutschlands hat sich verdoppelt und ein Verbot von nächtlichen Versammlungen in Berlin ausgelöst.

In Frankreich, wo B.1.1.7 drei Viertel der Neuinfektionen verursacht, mussten einige Krankenhäuser Coronavirus-Patienten nach Belgien bringen, um Betten freizugeben. In Europa sterben jeden Tag ungefähr so ​​viele Menschen an Covid-19 wie vor einem Jahr.

Zu lange ignorierten Regierungsbeamte die Bedrohung. “Fallplateaus können die Entstehung neuer Varianten verbergen”, sagte Carl Pearson, ein wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter an der London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “Und je höher diese Hochebenen sind, desto schlimmer ist das Problem.”

In den Vereinigten Staaten begannen die Coronavirus-Infektionen im Januar rapide abzunehmen, was viele Staatsoberhäupter bald dazu veranlasste, Geschäfte wieder zu eröffnen und Beschränkungen zu lockern. Wissenschaftler warnten jedoch wiederholt davor, dass der Tropfen nicht von Dauer sein würde. Nachdem die Rate Mitte März bei etwa 55.000 Fällen und 1.500 Todesfällen pro Tag ihren Tiefpunkt erreicht hatte, verzeichneten einige Bundesstaaten – insbesondere Michigan – einen Anstieg.

Seitdem sind die nationalen Zahlen stetig gestiegen. Ab Samstag lag die tägliche Zahl bei fast 69.000, und der wöchentliche Durchschnitt lag um 19 Prozent über dem Wert von zwei Wochen zuvor.

Selbst wenn die Fälle zurückgingen, stellten die Forscher die Vorstellung in Frage, dass Impfungen der Grund seien. Millionen von Amerikanern werden jeden Tag geimpft, aber selbst jetzt haben nur 31 Prozent eine Einzeldosis eines Impfstoffs erhalten, und nur 17 Prozent der Bevölkerung haben vollen Schutz, so dass eine große Mehrheit anfällig ist.

“Tatsache ist, dass wir immer noch in einer Position sind, in der wir nicht genug geimpfte Menschen haben”, sagte Kristian Andersen, Virologe bei Scripps Research in San Diego. „Und wenn wir wie Texas sagen, dass wir mit Covid-19 fertig sind, wird B.1.1.7 hereinkommen und uns daran erinnern, dass wir nicht richtig liegen. Ich habe keinen Zweifel.”

Die Variante ist besonders in Florida verbreitet, wo der Staat die Beschränkungen aufhob und zunächst keinen Anstieg verzeichnete. Beamte in anderen Staaten führten dies als Begründung für die Wiedereröffnung an. Aber jetzt steigt Floridas Infektionsrate nach oben.

Die Variante wurde möglicherweise nur durch das verdeckt, was Wissenschaftler gerne als Saisonalität bezeichnen. Infektionen der Atemwege sind in Florida im Frühjahr normalerweise selten, bemerkte Sarah Cobey, Evolutionsbiologin an der Universität von Chicago. Coronavirus-Infektionen erreichten im Sommer letzten Jahres in Florida ihren Höhepunkt, als die Hitze die Menschen in Innenräumen trieb und dies möglicherweise erneut tun wird.

“Ich glaube immer noch nicht, dass wir nicht im Wald sind”, sagte Dr. Cobey und bezog sich auf das ganze Land. “Wenn wir diesen Frühling keine weitere Welle haben, werde ich mir wirklich große Sorgen um den Herbst machen.”

Während die meisten Impfstoffe gegen B.1.1.7 wirksam sind, sind Forscher zunehmend besorgt über andere Varianten, die eine Mutation namens E484K enthalten. (Wissenschaftler bezeichnen es oft angemessen als “Eek”.)

Diese Mutation hat sich in vielen Varianten weltweit unabhängig entwickelt, was darauf hindeutet, dass sie dem Virus einen starken Überlebensvorteil bietet.

In Laborstudien scheinen die Impfstoffe Pfizer-BioNTech und Moderna gegen B.1.351, die in Südafrika identifizierte Variante, etwas weniger wirksam zu sein. Diese Variante enthält die Eek-Mutation, die es dem Virus zu ermöglichen scheint, die Immunantwort des Körpers teilweise zu umgehen. Die von Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca und Novavax hergestellten Impfstoffe waren gegen B.1.351 noch weniger wirksam.

“Ich denke, für die nächsten ein oder zwei Jahre wird E484K die am meisten besorgniserregende Mutation sein”, sagte Jesse Bloom, Evolutionsbiologe am Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Die Mutation verändert das sogenannte Spike-Protein, das auf der Oberfläche des Coronavirus sitzt, geringfügig, was es für Antikörper nur ein wenig schwieriger macht, sich an den Eindringling zu binden und ihn zu zerstören.

Die gute Nachricht ist, dass das Virus nur ein paar Überlebenstricks in der Tasche zu haben scheint, und das erleichtert es Wissenschaftlern, diese Abwehrkräfte zu finden und zu blockieren. “Ich fühle mich ziemlich gut bei der Tatsache, dass es nicht so viele Möglichkeiten gibt”, sagte Michel Nussenzweig, Immunologe an der Rockefeller University in New York.

Die Eek-Mutation scheint die primäre Abwehr des Virus gegen das Immunsystem zu sein. Forscher in Südafrika berichteten kürzlich, dass ein neuer Impfstoff gegen B.1.351 auch alle anderen Varianten abwehren sollte.

Pfizer, BioNTech und Moderna testen bereits neu entwickelte Booster-Shots gegen B.1.351, die gegen alle Varianten wirken sollen, von denen bekannt ist, dass sie die Immunantwort abschwächen.

Anstelle eines neuen Impfstoffs gegen Varianten könnte es für Amerikaner jedoch genauso effektiv sein, innerhalb von sechs Monaten bis zu einem Jahr eine dritte Dosis der Pfizer-BioNtech- oder Moderna-Impfstoffe zu erhalten, sagte Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, Leiter des National Institut für Allergien und Infektionskrankheiten.

Dies würde die Antikörperniveaus bei jedem Empfänger hoch halten und jede Variante überwältigen – eine praktischere Strategie als die Herstellung eines speziellen Impfstoffs für jede neue Variante, sagte er.

“Meine einzige Sorge bei der Jagd nach allen Varianten ist, dass Sie fast Whac-A-Mole spielen würden, wissen Sie, weil sie immer wieder auftauchen”, sagte Dr. Fauci.

In der einen oder anderen Form wird das neue Coronavirus bleiben, glauben viele Wissenschaftler. Im Land können mehrere Varianten gleichzeitig im Umlauf sein, wie dies bei Erkältungs-Coronaviren und Influenza der Fall ist. Um sie in Schach zu halten, ist möglicherweise ein jährlicher Schuss erforderlich, wie z. B. der Grippeimpfstoff.

Der beste Weg, um die Entstehung gefährlicher Varianten zu verhindern, besteht darin, die Fälle jetzt gering zu halten und die große Mehrheit der Welt – nicht nur die Vereinigten Staaten – so schnell wie möglich zu immunisieren. Wenn bedeutende Taschen der Welt ungeschützt bleiben, wird sich das Virus auf gefährliche neue Weise weiterentwickeln.

“Dies könnte etwas sein, mit dem wir uns noch lange befassen müssen”, sagte Rosalind Eggo, Epidemiologin an der London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Dennoch fügte sie hinzu: “Auch wenn es sich wieder ändert, was sehr wahrscheinlich ist, sind wir in einer besseren, viel stärkeren Position als vor einem Jahr, um damit umzugehen.”

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Health

Biden speaks on U.S. vaccination plan after CDC chief points dire warning

Biden speaks on U.S. vaccination plan after CDC chief issues dire warning

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President Joe Biden made a comment on Monday on the government’s Covid-19 measures and vaccination efforts across the country.

Biden’s remarks come just hours after the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Rochelle Walensky had given reporters a grim warning. She said she was concerned that the US was facing “impending doom” as daily Covid-19 cases rise again and threaten to send more people to hospital even as vaccinations increase across the country.

U.S. health officials are urging Americans to get vaccinated as soon as possible while following pandemic safety measures.

A CDC study of health care workers and other key workers published Monday found that Pfizer and Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccines were 80% effective against coronavirus infections two weeks after a single dose. Two doses were better than one, with vaccines effectiveness increasing to 90% two weeks after the second dose, the agency found.