Category: Health

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7 Podcasts Concerning the Wonders of Science

7 Podcasts About the Wonders of Science

Starter episode: “Urban Rodentology”

The premise behind this decade-old show is simple: we all have science stories to tell, because simply to exist in the world means we are interacting with science all the time. The Story Collider is a nonprofit group founded by two physicists who wanted to expand personal stories that “spark emotional connections with science,” a mission summarized in their podcast. Most of the episodes present two stories that share a common thread about the human experience behind scientific experiments, interactions with animals, or how biological impulses shape our lives. Since November, the show has been telling “Stories of Covid-19” from different perspectives, such as the effects of the pandemic on different generations or how society is adapting to a new normal.

Starter episode: “Celebrating 10 years: Our favorite stories”

The title may sound hyperbolic, but in general it’s pretty accurate. In each episode of this iHeartRadio show, presenters Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick address a different scientific phenomenon, mystery, or dilemma that will expand your understanding of how the world works. “Deep in the back of your mind, you always felt that there was something strange about reality,” reads the show’s official teaser, which leads you to suspect that you spent an hour thinking about crazy conspiracy theories. But “Stuff to Blow Your Mind” is always evidence-based and thoroughly researched, regardless of whether it is about seemingly inconspicuous topics (tomatoes, squirrels, sinkholes), mythical figures like the Minotaur or the question of whether Santa Claus is a god.

Updated

Jan. 26, 2021, 8:18 ET

Starter Episode: “Psychedelics: The Manifested Mind, Part 1”

Crooked Media, known for left-wing political hits like “Pod Save America”, broadened its horizons a few years ago and debuted in September 2019 with “America Dissected” with the aim of “discussing pressing health issues in America”. Six months later, it was renamed America Dissected: Coronavirus for obvious reasons, and now devotes each weekly episode to a different aspect of the pandemic. The show is directed by Dr. Moderator is Abdul El-Sayed, a doctor and epidemiologist who became known as Detroit’s director of public health during the Flint water crisis. It offers both a ruthless analysis of the federal government’s Covid-19 failures and a more hopeful blueprint for how the country can move forward.

Starter Episode: “The Vaccine Episode”

If you like your science stories with a side of Sherlock Holmes-esque intrigue, this adorable BBC series is the place for you. In “The Curious Cases”, written by the “science people” Dr. Adam Rutherford and Dr. Hosted by Hannah Fry, the duo tackle listener-submitted scientific riddles many of which may have asked themselves (why do we find noises like a fork scratching? A plate that is so unbearable?) And others that you may never bother with thought (how many hamsters on wheels would it take to power London?). Regardless of the topic, the chemistry and ironic relationship of the moderators makes every episode a joy.

Starter episode: “The Mosquito Conundrum”

The sheer volume of misinformation surrounding the coronavirus has become such a danger that it has been dubbed “infodemia,” but it is also a symptom of a larger and more systemic anti-science movement. On this Gimlet Media show, journalist Wendy Zukerman pitches “fads, trends, and the opinionated crowd” against science – checking factual gaps and delivering the truth in a fun and authoritative style. Although many of the recent episodes are devoted to the myth-busting of Covid-19, Science Vs offers a lot of escape through other questions as well: Is there a scientific basis for astrology? Can laboratory-grown meat really replace the original? And did the CIA plant a virus in Cuba in the 1970s?

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Johnson & Johnson JNJ earnings This autumn 2020 beat estimates

Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine: Analysts are cautiously optimistic

Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday reported fourth quarter earnings and sales that exceeded Wall Street expectations. The company also said it would “soon” release important details about its coronavirus vaccine.

According to Refinitiv’s average estimates, J&J has fared compared to Wall Street expectations as follows:

  • Adjusted earnings per share: $ 1.86 per share versus $ 1.82 expected.
  • Revenue: $ 22.48 billion versus $ 21.67 billion expected.

“I am incredibly proud of our Johnson & Johnson teams around the world who are committed to meeting stakeholder needs,” said CEO Alex Gorsky in a press release. “We are continuing to develop our COVID-19 vaccine candidate and look forward to publishing details from our Phase 3 study soon.”

J & J’s share price remained essentially unchanged in premarket trading after the report.

J & J’s pharmaceutical business, which is working on a coronavirus vaccine, had sales of $ 12.26 billion. This corresponds to an increase of 16% over the previous year as the demand for prescription drugs increased. The company’s consumer unit, which makes products like Listerine, had sales of $ 3.6 billion, up 1.4% year over year. The medical device unit generated $ 6.58 billion, down 0.7%.

The company forecast adjusted earnings of $ 9.40 to $ 9.60 per share and revenue of between $ 90.5 and $ 91.7 billion in 2021.

J&J is expected to release data from its Phase 3 study testing the Covid-19 vaccine this week.

US officials and Wall Street analysts are eagerly awaiting J & J’s nationwide approval of the vaccine, which could come as early as next month. Unlike the vaccines approved by Pfizer and Moderna, which require two doses three to four weeks apart, J&J only requires one dose. This means that patients don’t have to return for another dose, which simplifies logistics for healthcare providers.

Joseph Wolk, J & J’s chief financial officer, told CNBC Tuesday that the company expects the data from the Phase 3 study to be “robust.” He said it was possible that there were differences in results for people tested in places like South Africa, where there is a new, highly contagious strain of the virus.

Moderna said Monday it was working on a booster shot to protect against the strain seen in South Africa after it was found the current vaccine appeared to be less effective.

“It will be very comprehensive when it comes to specific ethnicities [such as] Blacks, Hispanics, and the elderly, “Wolk said on” Squawk Box. ” Because it is so diverse due to its geographical representation that it could provide many insights. ”

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Medical doctors, Going through Burnout, Flip to Self-Care

Doctors, Facing Burnout, Turn to Self-Care

Elizabeth M. Goldberg is an associate professor of emergency medicine at Brown University in Providence and an emergency physician. “In March and April you felt like you were choosing either your patients or yourself and it was your expectation to be there,” said Dr. Goldberg, 38, who has three young children. “A lot of us wanted to be there, but I was scared and uneasy about going to work.”

She attended a free health care worker support group that she had never run before. “It was great to hear other people have similar experiences with me when I wasn’t sleeping well, worried about our family’s health, and spoke openly about our fears and fears of illness,” she said.

Kathleen S. Isaac, 32, a clinical assistant professor at NYU Langone Health who also practices in New York, started a weekly support group for residents in June. But not many doctors showed up. She attributes part of this to time constraints and demanding schedules, but also to the fact that many simply tried to be stoic and powerful.

“Asking for help is less stigmatized in the psychological community, but sometimes I think it gives a sense of ‘I’m fine, I know what I’m doing’,” she said. “There’s a culture of perfectionism and it’s so competitive that people want to do their best. It’s harder to admit that they have problems. “

This also applies to their own life. She talks to friends and coworkers, does exercises, goes to therapy, and admits to watching the sitcom “That’s So Raven” to relax.

Dr. Thompson credits the Body Mind Skills group for helping them change their own self-care routine and checking in with themselves every hour. “I ask myself, ‘What do I need? How do I take care of myself in this moment? Do i need a cup of tea? Should I use mind-body medicine? ‘”, She said.

This can include gentle stomach breathing, dancing, mindful eating, or just going outside for some fresh air. “Maybe I just need to use the bathroom and take time to attend to simple, basic self-care needs,” she said.

“This has been the hardest time of my life and I’m super grounded and very balanced,” she added. “I’m fine, but it’s constant work and I need to be aware of myself.”

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President Joe Biden targets 1.5 million Covid vaccinations a day, up from 1 million

President Joe Biden targets 1.5 million Covid vaccinations a day, up from 1 million

President Joe Biden makes remarks before signing a “Made in America” ​​executive order on January 25, 2021 in the Auditorium of the South Court at the White House in Washington, DC.

Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images

President Joe Biden said Monday the United States could hit 1.5 million Covid-19 vaccinations per day, surpassing its previously targeted pace of 1 million per day, which the Trump administration has already neared.

Biden has pledged to give 100 million shots of coronavirus vaccine in his first 100 days in office, which equates to a rate of 1 million shots a day.

“That is my promise that we will get 100 million vaccinations,” he said on Monday. “I think if the grace of God and the goodwill of the neighbor and the fools don’t rise as the old saying goes, we can maybe bring that to 1.5 million a day instead of 1 million a day, but we have to target that of a million a day. “

Some public health professionals criticized Biden’s promise to give 100 million vaccine shots in his first 100 days in office as being too modest. By the time Biden took over the presidency last week, the US was well on its way to the necessary pace of 1 million shots a day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US exceeded an average of 1.1 million vaccinations per day for seven days on Sunday.

And with the expected launch of Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine next month, the Biden administration is now saying the pace of 1 million shots a day is more of a floor than a target. The two currently approved vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna require two doses to achieve maximum protection against the virus. The potential approval of JNJ’s one-time vaccine could significantly accelerate the mass effort.

But just last week, Biden rejected the idea that the goal of 100 million vaccinations in 100 days might be too low a threshold, claiming he was told before he took office that the target might be too high.

“I find it fascinating that yesterday the press asked, ‘Is 100 million enough?’ The week before they said, “Biden, are you crazy? You can’t make 100 million in 100 days, “said the President on Friday.” God willing, we will not just do 100 million, we will do more than that. “

Biden said Monday that the administration is working to increase the number of people who administer the shots, increase production of the cans, and create more facilities where people can schedule appointments and get their vaccinations.

“Time is of the essence,” he said. “We are trying to get at least 100 million vaccinations in 100 days and move in the next 100 days where we are way beyond that to get to the point where we can get herd immunity in a country.” of over 300 million people. “

His change of tune reflects comments made by White House Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anthony Fauci, who served in the Trump administration, handed in this weekend. Fauci said Sunday that Biden’s goal of 100 million doses in 100 days was not a final number.

“It’s really a floor, not a ceiling,” Fauci told CBS’s Face The Nation program. “It’s going to be a challenge. I think it was a sensible goal that was set. We always want to do better than the goal you set.”

With a limited dose offer, states are still rationing life-saving recordings and setting a wide variety of approval parameters. The Trump administration, and now the White House in Biden, have encouraged both states to quickly move through the eligibility stages in an attempt to expand the population able to receive the vaccines.

Biden said Monday from a reporter when the US will get to the point where anyone who wants to get the vaccines will be able to, Biden said this spring. But he added it would be “a logistical challenge that surpasses anything we’ve ever tried in this country.”

“I am confident that by the summer we will be well on the way to achieving herd immunity,” he said.

But even when Biden voiced a more aggressive target for the vaccination campaign, he added Monday that the US “will see between 600,000 and 660,000 deaths before we start turning the corner in the right direction”.

And the president painted an even gloomier picture last week, saying, “There is nothing we can do to change the course of the pandemic over the next few months.”

– CNBC’s Nate Rattner contributed to this report.

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In Israel, Infections Drop Sharply After One Shot of Vaccine

In Israel, Infections Drop Sharply After One Shot of Vaccine

JERUSALEM – Israel, das weltweit führend bei der Impfung seiner Bevölkerung gegen das Coronavirus ist, hat einige ermutigende Neuigkeiten hervorgebracht: Frühe Ergebnisse zeigen einen signifikanten Rückgang der Infektion nach nur einem Schuss eines Impfstoffs mit zwei Dosen und bessere Ergebnisse als erwartet nach beiden Dosen.

Experten des öffentlichen Gesundheitswesens warnen davor, dass die auf dem Pfizer-BioNTech-Impfstoff basierenden Daten vorläufig sind und keinen klinischen Studien unterzogen wurden. Trotzdem bezeichnete Dr. Anat Ekka Zohar, Vizepräsident von Maccabi Health Services, einer der israelischen Organisationen zur Erhaltung der Gesundheit, die die Daten veröffentlicht haben, sie als „sehr ermutigend“.

Im ersten frühen Bericht verglich Clalit, Israels größter Gesundheitsfonds, 200.000 Menschen ab 60 Jahren, die eine erste Dosis des Impfstoffs erhalten hatten, mit einer entsprechenden Gruppe von 200.000, die noch nicht geimpft worden waren. Es hieß, dass die teilweise geimpften Patienten 14 bis 18 Tage nach ihren Schüssen mit einer um 33 Prozent geringeren Wahrscheinlichkeit infiziert waren.

Etwa zur gleichen Zeit gab Maccabis Forschungsabteilung an, nach nur einer Dosis einen noch größeren Rückgang der Infektionen festgestellt zu haben: eine Abnahme von etwa 60 Prozent, 13 bis 21 Tage nach dem ersten Schuss, bei den ersten 430.000 Personen, die ihn erhielten.

Maccabi gab keine Altersgruppe an oder gab an, ob die Daten mit einer übereinstimmenden, nicht geimpften Kohorte verglichen wurden.

Am Montag veröffentlichten das israelische Gesundheitsministerium und Maccabi neue Daten zu Personen, die beide Dosen des Impfstoffs erhalten hatten, und zeigten extrem hohe Wirksamkeitsraten.

Das Ministerium stellte fest, dass von 428.000 Israelis, die ihre zweite Dosis erhalten hatten, eine Woche später nur 63 oder 0,014 Prozent an dem Virus erkrankt waren. In ähnlicher Weise zeigten die Maccabi-Daten, dass mehr als eine Woche nach Erhalt der zweiten Dosis nur 20 von ungefähr 128.600 Menschen, etwa 0,01 Prozent, an dem Virus erkrankt waren.

In klinischen Studien erwies sich der Pfizer-Impfstoff nach zwei Dosen als zu 95 Prozent wirksam bei der Verhinderung einer Coronavirus-Infektion bei Menschen ohne Anzeichen einer vorherigen Infektion. Die israelischen Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass die Wirksamkeit sogar noch höher sein könnte, obwohl strenge Vergleiche mit nicht geimpften Menschen noch nicht veröffentlicht wurden.

“Dies sind sehr ermutigende Daten”, sagte Dr. Zohar. “Wir werden diese Patienten genau überwachen, um zu untersuchen, ob sie weiterhin nur an leichten Symptomen leiden und keine Komplikationen infolge des Virus entwickeln.”

Sowohl Clalit als auch Maccabi warnten davor, dass ihre Ergebnisse vorläufig seien, und sagten, dass ihnen bald eine eingehendere statistische Analyse in von Experten begutachteten wissenschaftlichen Veröffentlichungen folgen werde.

Israel, wo mehr als 40 Prozent der Bevölkerung bereits eine erste Dosis des Impfstoffs erhalten haben, ist zu einem internationalen Testfall für die Wirksamkeit der Impfung geworden.

Mit seiner geringen Bevölkerungszahl, dem hochdigitalisierten universellen Gesundheitssystem und der schnellen Einführung militärisch unterstützter Impfstoffe bieten Israels reale Daten eine nützliche Ergänzung zu klinischen Studien für Forscher, Pharmaunternehmen und politische Entscheidungsträger.

Israel hat mit Pfizer einen Vertrag abgeschlossen, bei dem das Pharmaunternehmen dem Land eine frühzeitige und stetige Versorgung mit Impfstoffen im Austausch gegen Daten sicherstellte. Das Gesundheitsministerium hat eine redigierte Fassung der Vereinbarung veröffentlicht.

Trotz seines Wettlaufs um die Impfung leidet Israel unter einer verheerenden dritten Welle des Coronavirus. Die Regierung hat diesen Monat nach wochenlangen Infektionen und Todesfällen eine strikte nationale Sperre verhängt.

Israel sollte die meisten Flugreisen innerhalb und außerhalb des Landes ab Mitternacht am Montag einstellen, um die Ankunft neu auftretender Virusvarianten zu blockieren, die die Impfkampagne des Landes gefährden könnten. Zwei Impfstoffhersteller sagten am Montag, dass ihre Impfstoffe gegen eine der neuen Varianten etwas weniger wirksam seien.

Solche realen Daten aus Israel sind zwar nützlich, unterliegen jedoch Variablen, die die Ergebnisse verzerren können und die durch klinische Studien berücksichtigt werden sollen.

Covid19 Impfungen >

Antworten auf Ihre Impfstofffragen

Wenn ich in den USA lebe, wann kann ich den Impfstoff bekommen?

Während die genaue Reihenfolge der Impfstoffempfänger von Staat zu Staat unterschiedlich sein kann, werden die meisten Ärzte und Bewohner von Langzeitpflegeeinrichtungen an erster Stelle stehen. Wenn Sie verstehen möchten, wie diese Entscheidung getroffen wird, hilft dieser Artikel.

Wann kann ich nach der Impfung wieder zum normalen Leben zurückkehren?

Das Leben wird erst wieder normal, wenn die Gesellschaft als Ganzes ausreichend Schutz gegen das Coronavirus erhält. Sobald die Länder einen Impfstoff zugelassen haben, können sie in den ersten Monaten höchstens einige Prozent ihrer Bürger impfen. Die nicht geimpfte Mehrheit bleibt weiterhin anfällig für Infektionen. Eine wachsende Anzahl von Coronavirus-Impfstoffen zeigt einen robusten Schutz vor Krankheit. Es ist aber auch möglich, dass Menschen das Virus verbreiten, ohne zu wissen, dass sie infiziert sind, weil sie nur leichte oder gar keine Symptome haben. Wissenschaftler wissen noch nicht, ob die Impfstoffe auch die Übertragung des Coronavirus blockieren. Selbst geimpfte Menschen müssen vorerst Masken tragen, Menschenmassen in Innenräumen meiden und so weiter. Sobald genügend Menschen geimpft sind, wird es für das Coronavirus sehr schwierig, gefährdete Personen zu finden, die infiziert werden können. Je nachdem, wie schnell wir als Gesellschaft dieses Ziel erreichen, könnte sich das Leben im Herbst 2021 einem normalen Zustand nähern.

Muss ich nach der Impfung noch eine Maske tragen?

Ja, aber nicht für immer. Die beiden Impfstoffe, die möglicherweise in diesem Monat zugelassen werden, schützen die Menschen eindeutig vor einer Krankheit mit Covid-19. Die klinischen Studien, die diese Ergebnisse lieferten, waren jedoch nicht darauf ausgelegt, festzustellen, ob geimpfte Personen das Coronavirus noch verbreiten können, ohne Symptome zu entwickeln. Das bleibt eine Möglichkeit. Wir wissen, dass Menschen, die von Natur aus mit dem Coronavirus infiziert sind, es verbreiten können, ohne Husten oder andere Symptome zu haben. Die Forscher werden diese Frage bei der Einführung der Impfstoffe intensiv untersuchen. In der Zwischenzeit müssen sich selbst geimpfte Menschen als mögliche Spreizer vorstellen.

Wird es wehtun? Was sind die Nebenwirkungen?

Der Impfstoff gegen Pfizer und BioNTech wird wie andere typische Impfstoffe als Schuss in den Arm abgegeben. Die Injektion unterscheidet sich nicht von denen, die Sie zuvor erhalten haben. Zehntausende Menschen haben die Impfstoffe bereits erhalten, und keiner von ihnen hat ernsthafte gesundheitliche Probleme gemeldet. Einige von ihnen haben jedoch kurzlebige Beschwerden verspürt, darunter Schmerzen und grippeähnliche Symptome, die normalerweise einen Tag anhalten. Es ist möglich, dass die Leute planen müssen, nach dem zweiten Schuss einen Tag frei zu nehmen oder zur Schule zu gehen. Obwohl diese Erfahrungen nicht angenehm sind, sind sie ein gutes Zeichen: Sie sind das Ergebnis der Begegnung Ihres eigenen Immunsystems mit dem Impfstoff und einer starken Reaktion, die eine dauerhafte Immunität gewährleistet.

Werden mRNA-Impfstoffe meine Gene verändern?

Nein. Die Impfstoffe von Moderna und Pfizer verwenden ein genetisches Molekül, um das Immunsystem zu stärken. Dieses als mRNA bekannte Molekül wird schließlich vom Körper zerstört. Die mRNA ist in einer öligen Blase verpackt, die mit einer Zelle verschmelzen kann, so dass das Molekül hineinrutschen kann. Die Zelle verwendet die mRNA, um Proteine ​​aus dem Coronavirus herzustellen, die das Immunsystem stimulieren können. Zu jedem Zeitpunkt kann jede unserer Zellen Hunderttausende von mRNA-Molekülen enthalten, die sie produzieren, um eigene Proteine ​​herzustellen. Sobald diese Proteine ​​hergestellt sind, zerkleinern unsere Zellen die mRNA mit speziellen Enzymen. Die mRNA-Moleküle, die unsere Zellen herstellen, können nur wenige Minuten überleben. Die mRNA in Impfstoffen ist so konstruiert, dass sie den Enzymen der Zelle etwas länger standhält, sodass die Zellen zusätzliche Virusproteine ​​bilden und eine stärkere Immunantwort auslösen können. Die mRNA kann jedoch höchstens einige Tage halten, bevor sie zerstört wird.

Die frühen israelischen Zahlen basieren auf den ersten Personen, die den Impfstoff erhalten haben. Solche Leute, sagen Experten, sind wahrscheinlich besorgter oder über das Virus informiert und daher vorsichtiger in Bezug auf soziale Distanzierung und das Tragen von Masken. Sie könnten sich auch von denen unterscheiden, die sich nicht beeilten, den Standort und den sozioökonomischen Status zu bestimmen.

Experten sagen auch, dass sich die Krankheit im Laufe der Zeit ändert. Prof. Ran Balicer, Chief Innovation Officer bei Clalit und führender israelischer Epidemiologe, sagte, dass zwei Wochen alte Daten wie Beweise aus einer anderen Zeit oder “in israelischer Hinsicht vor etwa einer Million Impfstoffen” sein können.

Maccabi sagte, dass es wöchentlich mehr Daten veröffentlichen würde. “Die Hauptbotschaft”, sagte Maccabi in einer Erklärung, ist, dass bereits die erste Dosis des Impfstoffs “wirksam ist und die Morbidität verringert und Krankenhausaufenthalte um viele zehn Prozent senkt.”

Experten weisen darauf hin, dass die Veröffentlichung von Rohdaten die Gefahr birgt, dass sie falsch interpretiert werden.

Nachdem Clalit vor zwei Wochen erstmals seine frühen Zahlen veröffentlicht hatte, hörten viele Menschen von einem Rückgang der Fälle um 33 Prozent, nicht von den erwarteten 95 Prozent, und kamen zu dem falschen Schluss, dass der Pfizer-Schuss nicht funktionierte.

In Großbritannien gab es einen Aufruhr, bei dem die Behörden die Abgabe der zweiten Dosis um bis zu 12 Wochen verzögert haben, im Gegensatz zu der 21-tägigen Lücke, auf die Pfizer seine Versuche stützte.

Professor Balicer betrachtete die Ergebnisse als gute Nachricht und war bestürzt darüber, wie sie interpretiert wurden.

“Wir waren beruhigt genug, um allen zu sagen, dass wir sehen, was wir gleich nach Tag 14 sehen sollten”, sagte er. “Ich weiß nicht, wie es zu einer Botschaft von ‘Oh mein Gott, es funktioniert nicht’ wurde.”

Professor Balicer, der auch Vorsitzender des Expertenteams ist, das die israelische Regierung bei ihrer Reaktion auf Covid-19 berät, hoffte, dass die positiven Ergebnisse einen Einfluss auf eine bevorstehende Regierungsentscheidung bezüglich einer dritten Sperrung haben könnten.

“Covid hat uns alle zu Amateurwissenschaftlern gemacht”, sagte Talya Miron-Shatz, außerordentliche Professorin und Expertin für medizinische Entscheidungsfindung am Ono Academic College in Zentralisrael. “Wir alle betrachten Daten, aber die meisten Menschen sind keine Wissenschaftler.”

Israel, das am 20. Dezember mit der Impfung von Menschen begann, hat mehr als 2,6 Millionen Israelis einen ersten Schuss gegeben und beide Schüsse mehr als einer Million Menschen.

Nachdem Israel mit Menschen ab 60 Jahren, Beschäftigten im Gesundheitswesen und anderen gefährdeten Personen begonnen hat, bietet es jetzt Impfungen für Menschen über 40 und Schüler im Alter von 16 bis 18 Jahren an, damit sie wieder zur Schule gehen können. Das Militär unterstützt die Bemühungen und 700 Reservemediziner der Armee helfen in Impfzentren.

Prof. Jonathan Halevy, der Präsident des Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, hatte die Ergebnisse der HMOs nicht untersucht, sagte jedoch, dass er zwei Wochen nach Einführung der ersten Dosis in schweren Fällen einen Rückgang bemerkte.

“Ich kenne mehrere Leute, die sich kurz vor dem Impfstoff infiziert haben, aber sie haben ihn leicht bekommen”, sagte er.

Dennoch bleibt Israel unter einer nationalen Sperre und die Beamten sind besorgt über die Entstehung neuer, hoch ansteckender Varianten. Es bleibt abzuwarten, wie wirksam die Impfstoffe gegen die neuen Varianten sind.

Trotz des scheinbar frühen Erfolgs des Impfstoffs richtet das Virus in Israel weiterhin Chaos an. Professor Halevy sagte, die Covid-Stationen seines Krankenhauses seien immer noch voll und er rechne damit, dass es weitere zwei oder drei Wochen dauern würde, bis ein Rückgang zu verzeichnen sei.

Das Virus hat allein in diesem Monat mehr als 1.000 Israelis getötet, fast ein Viertel derjenigen, die insgesamt an dem Pandemievirus gestorben sind.

Gesundheitsbeamte und Experten haben einen Großteil des jüngsten Anstiegs der Infektion auf die sich schnell ausbreitende Variante zurückgeführt, die erstmals in Großbritannien entdeckt wurde.

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar needs sports activities stars to advertise Covid vaccinations

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wants sports stars to promote Covid vaccinations

NBA legend Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Adam Jeffery | CNBC

Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Basketball Hall said it supports teams and players who use their platforms to promote Covid-19 vaccinations.

The former National Basketball Association star joined CNBC’s “Closing Bell” on Monday and discussed vaccination. Abdul-Jabbar announced that he received his vaccination shots this month and that the league should raise awareness to slow down Covid-19 infections.

“From what I’ve seen, the vaccination is much less bad than the virus,” said Abdul-Jabbar. “So we have to vaccinate as many people as possible. And I hope that every effort in this direction will be fruitful.”

President Joe Biden is committed to delivering 100 million Covid-19 vaccine shots within his first 100 days. Abdul-Jabbar mentioned the importance of the black community to get vaccinated, but acknowledged the story of the Tuskegee experiment for suspicion of vaccination among blacks.

The event dates back to 1932 in Tuskegee, Alabama, when black men were given placebos to treat syphilis. In 1972 the Associated Press reported that the federal government allowed men to go untreated for over 40 years because penicillin was found to be the treatment for the disease in 1947.

“That put a terrible strain on the problem of trust with the black community,” said Abdul-Jabbar of the experiment. “We have to overcome that, and we have to overcome this moment. The more people that can come on board with the promotion of vaccinations, the more this will definitely change and put this in a positive light.”

In a poll conducted by Pew Research in November, only 42% of blacks polled said they were planning to get a vaccination, compared with more than 60% of Americans overall.

The NBA released its latest Covid-19 report on January 20, which tested 11 new players positive. Abdul-Jabbar urged players to make public announcements about vaccinations. When asked whether athletes should have special access to vaccinations, Abdul-Jabbar said no.

“I don’t think you can get people out of line, so to speak, so that sports stars come out on top,” said Abdul-Jabbar. “But anyone with a following in our country can do a great job of getting people to understand that they need to be vaccinated ASAP. And I don’t think there is a problem with that.”

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Flaming Lips Use of Plastic Bubbles at Live shows Go away Covid-19 Specialists Uncertain

Flaming Lips Use of Plastic Bubbles at Concerts Leave Covid-19 Experts Unsure

There are Covid-19 bubbles – small groups of friends or family members who agree to only interact with one another during the pandemic – and then there are the types of bubbles the Flaming Lips have used in recent concerts.

Band members and concert goers rocked and bounced while trapped in large, individual plastic bubbles amid bright, swirling lights in trippy scenes at concerts on Friday and Saturday in Oklahoma City.

The band took elaborate precautions during their live performances to protect themselves from the transmission of the coronavirus, but some health experts were unsure of the effectiveness of these measures.

“I would need to see how the air exchange works between the outside and the inside of the bubbles to be able to tell if it is overall safe or if it reduces the risk of transmission,” said Dr. Eric Cioe-Peña, director of global health at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, NY

The Friday and Saturday concerts were originally scheduled for December, but the band postponed them due to the increasing cases of Covid-19 in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

“It’s a very limited, weird event,” the band’s front man Wayne Coyne told Rolling Stone last month. “But the craziness is that we can enjoy a concert before we endanger our families and everyone.”

“I think it’s a bit of a new normal,” he added. “You might go to a show, maybe not, but I think we can do it.”

In March, Mr Coyne posted a sketch on Instagram showing what the bubble concert might look like.

Nathan Poppe, a videographer and photographer documenting the show for the band, said on Twitter that the floor was constructed in a grid of 10 bubbles by 10 bubbles. “Each bladder can contain one person or two or maybe three,” he said.

Photos showed fans climbing into the balls on the concert floor, where the bubbles were then blown up with leaf blowers.

Each bladder was equipped with a high-frequency speaker, a water bottle, a fan, a towel, and a sign for when someone needed to use the toilet or when it was too hot inside. If it got too stuffy inside, the bladder could be filled with cool air, said Mr. Poppe.

He said concert goers could take off their masks in the bladder but would have to wear them after exiting the bladder.

“You roll your bladder to the exit and open it on the door,” he said.

It was not immediately clear what became of the bubbles used after the 90-minute performances, each attended by around 200 people.

Some health professionals have had concerns about the safety of users in the bladders.

“There is no evidence of the effectiveness – or the absence – of these bubbles from an infectious disease transmission point of view,” said Dr. Sandro Galea, dean of the Boston University School of Public Health.

He said that controlling virus transmission relies on good air circulation and filtration.

“If air filtration is good, protective barriers can theoretically increase and decrease the risk of transmission. However, I would hesitate to go to a concert in a bubble right now unless further researched,” he said.

Dr. Cioe-Peña said the plastic bubbles used at the concerts appeared to be unventilated. But if each of the bubbles had “a bidirectional filtered air supply,” he said, “it would effectively prevent covid transmission between the bubbles.”

While a plastic bladder could help reduce exposure to “infectious agents” when filled with filtered air, it could also lead to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the bladder, said Richard E. Peltier, associate professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

“My recommendation would be to add a small CO2 sensor to the bladder,” he said. “While they’re not always the most precise, they should be enough to tell a concert-goer that it’s time to take a break and freshen up the stale air. And then safely enjoy the music again. “

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California lifts statewide Covid stay-at-home order, permitting eating places to reopen

California lifts statewide Covid stay-at-home order, allowing restaurants to reopen

A person wearing a protective mask arranges a table outside a restaurant in San Francisco, California, July 14, 2020.

David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images

California will cancel its home stay order across the state on Monday, paving the way for restaurants and personal care services to reopen with operations changed, according to a statement from the California Department of Health.

The stay-at-home order, first announced by Governor Gavin Newsom on December 3, divided the state into five regions and was based on one area’s ICU capacity. Three of those regions – the San Joaquin Valley, Bay Area, and Southern California – were still in the works before they were lifted on Monday.

As part of the order, restaurants were only allowed to offer take-out and delivery services, and personal care businesses such as hair salons and barbershops were forced to close. Retailers were allowed to stay open with limited capacity. The state is expected to revert to its tiered county-to-county reopening system that will allow businesses to reopen based on the level of Covid-19 prevalent in their area.

Virtually every county will start at the most widespread, restrictive reopening stage, meaning many businesses, including restaurants and gyms, will only be allowed to reopen for outdoor services, according to the state’s Department of Health. Retailers can reopen their stores at a quarter of their capacity below the most widely used level.

State health officials are now predicting that ICU capacity, the percentage of beds used, will drop below 85% in each region in four weeks after running at or near maximum capacity for weeks. This will allow Newsom to hold the home stay order across California. The Sacramento region left the Order as early as Jan. 12, and the Northern California region never joined the order, the state health department said.

“California is slowly beginning to emerge from the most dangerous wave of this pandemic yet. This is the light at the end of the tunnel that we have hoped for,” said California Health and Welfare Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly in a statement.

“Seven weeks ago our hospitals and health professionals had reached their limits, but the Californians heard the urgent message to stay home if possible, and our post-December vacation recovery did not overwhelm the health system as much as we feared,” Said Ghaly.

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An Organ Recital, With a Coronavirus Shot

An Organ Recital, With a Coronavirus Shot

SALISBURY, England – One Saturday afternoon, 83-year-old Margaret Drabble sat under the towering arches of Salisbury Cathedral, swinging her legs under her chair like a school girl.

Minutes earlier, she had received her first shot of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus in a booth near the cathedral entrance. But that wasn’t why she looked so happy, she said. Instead, it was the elaborate organ music that gently echoed inside the cathedral.

“Oh, I love the organ,” said Drabble, a former school teacher. “It’s so beautiful, it makes me cry almost every time I hear it.”

“I’ve always wanted to play it,” she said wistfully. Then she looked at the 4,000 pipes on the organ outside the cathedral and sat up straight to listen. She had been told to sit for 15 minutes to make sure she did not develop an allergic reaction.

Britain is in the middle of a mass vaccination campaign trying to escape the spread of the virus as a new variant discovered in the land floods soars. So far, around 6.3 million people have received a first dose, just under 10 percent of the population.

The UK’s National Health Service has signed contracts with dozens of large venues to serve as vaccination centers. 33 new locations were announced on Monday, including an Oxford football stadium, several sports centers and a concert arena.

Patients have been receiving the vaccine in Salisbury Cathedral since January 16. There are vaccinations for around 1,200 people per day twice a week. Sessions last approximately 12 hours and most of the time, David Halls and John Challenger, the cathedral organists, provide a musical backdrop that ranges from iconic hymns to fairground tunes to euphoric classical works.

This makes the cathedral one of the few places in the country where live music can currently be heard. With much of Britain under lockdown restrictions for the third time, theaters, museums and concert halls have had to close. But in recent weeks, the UK government’s race to vaccinate its people has given some cultural venues a surprising lease on life.

Some – like the Thackray Museum of Medicine in Leeds in the north of England and the Hertford Theater north of London – have become vaccination centers that take advantage of their large, well-ventilated rooms and crowd skills. Visitors now line up to get recordings instead of looking at showcases or singing along to musicals.

At least one well-known London attraction, the Science Museum, is under consideration, according to local authorities, and even circus operators have offered their big tops.

Salisbury Cathedral is of course more of a religious than a cultural place. In addition to organ accompaniment, anyone who was inoculated into the 13th-century Gothic building in south-west England can also marvel at its architecture and view several works of art spread across the site, including a giant reclining figure by sculptor Henry Moore and a tapestry of the contemporary British artist Grayson Perry.

Covid19 vaccinations>

Answers to your vaccine questions

If I live in the US, when can I get the vaccine?

While the exact order of vaccine recipients may vary from state to state, most doctors and residents of long-term care facilities will come first. If you want to understand how this decision is made, this article will help.

When can I get back to normal life after the vaccination?

Life will only get back to normal once society as a whole receives adequate protection against the coronavirus. Once countries have approved a vaccine, they can only vaccinate a few percent of their citizens in the first few months. The unvaccinated majority remain susceptible to infection. A growing number of coronavirus vaccines show robust protection against disease. However, it is also possible that people spread the virus without knowing they are infected because they have mild or no symptoms. Scientists don’t yet know whether the vaccines will also block the transmission of the coronavirus. Even vaccinated people have to wear masks for the time being, avoid the crowds indoors and so on. Once enough people are vaccinated, it becomes very difficult for the coronavirus to find people at risk to become infected. Depending on how quickly we as a society achieve this goal, life could approach a normal state in autumn 2021.

Do I still have to wear a mask after the vaccination?

Yeah, but not forever. The two vaccines that may be approved this month clearly protect people from contracting Covid-19. However, the clinical trials that produced these results were not designed to determine whether vaccinated people could still spread the coronavirus without developing symptoms. That remains a possibility. We know that people who are naturally infected with the coronavirus can spread it without experiencing a cough or other symptoms. Researchers will study this question intensively when the vaccines are introduced. In the meantime, self-vaccinated people need to think of themselves as potential spreaders.

Will it hurt What are the side effects?

The vaccine against Pfizer and BioNTech, like other typical vaccines, is delivered as a shot in the arm. The injection is no different from the ones you received before. Tens of thousands of people have already received the vaccines, and none of them have reported serious health problems. However, some of them have experienced short-lived symptoms, including pain and flu-like symptoms that usually last a day. It is possible that people will have to plan to take a day off or go to school after the second shot. While these experiences are not pleasant, they are a good sign: they are the result of your own immune system’s encounter with the vaccine and a strong response that ensures lasting immunity.

Will mRNA vaccines change my genes?

No. Moderna and Pfizer vaccines use a genetic molecule to boost the immune system. This molecule, known as mRNA, is eventually destroyed by the body. The mRNA is packaged in an oily bubble that can fuse with a cell, allowing the molecule to slide inside. The cell uses the mRNA to make proteins from the coronavirus that can stimulate the immune system. At any given point in time, each of our cells can contain hundreds of thousands of mRNA molecules that they produce to make their own proteins. As soon as these proteins are made, our cells use special enzymes to break down the mRNA. The mRNA molecules that our cells make can only survive a few minutes. The mRNA in vaccines is engineered to withstand the cell’s enzymes a little longer, so the cells can make extra viral proteins and trigger a stronger immune response. However, the mRNA can last a few days at most before it is destroyed.

Few visitors watched it on Saturday, but some listened carefully to the music.

“I live locally and we all said, ‘Have you been to the organ concert?’” Said Pam Scoop, 86. “We don’t say, ‘Have you been for a push?’” She added with a British term for a shot. Then she closed her eyes and listened as Halls played the uplifting Bach chorale “Jesus, joy in human desire”.

Nicholas Papadopulos, the dean of the cathedral, said he offered the building as a vaccine center as soon as he heard that a successful shot had been developed. “Our thought was that many elderly, vulnerable people who hadn’t been away from home much, if at all, in the past year would come,” he said, adding that the team “wanted to create an environment that was welcoming and calming and calming. “

“The obvious solution was to make music,” he said.

David Halls, the cathedral’s music director, said he had started playing famous classical pieces like Bach, Mozart and Handel. He said he then decided to branch out and play show songs like “Old Man River” and English music hall hits like “I Like To Be By The Sea” in the hopes that they would play would bring happy memories to older listeners.

“The phrase ‘smooth classics’ came to mind,” said Halls. “We didn’t want anything too prickly or uncomfortable or too fast.”

John Challenger, the cathedral’s assistant music director, said some residents have started sending inquiries via email. Someone suggested a work by the Australian organist and composer George Thalben-Ball, he said; On Saturday someone else emailed to ask about a play by Olivier Messiaen, including the time the work should be played.

“It’s weird what people want, isn’t it?” Challenger said.

Dan Henderson, one of the doctors overseeing the center, said the cathedral is a perfect place for vaccinations because its large, draughty space reduces the risk of contracting the virus. The music was a bonus, he added, but it had medicinal benefits because it reduced people’s anxiety. “It changes that from a medical intervention to an event,” he said, “and that really calms the patient down.”

There was only an occasional downside, he added. “We let patients sit in the observation area for half an hour to listen to music when they were only supposed to be there for 15 minutes. Sometimes it actually hampers the patient flow, ”said Henderson. “But I think that’s a pretty nice problem.”

Many visitors that last Saturday seemed to feel the urge to stick to the music and enjoy it. Sue Phillips, 77, sat in the waiting area with her husband, William, after being shot. The organists paused and she seemed disappointed with the silence.

“It would be nice if the organ played,” said Phillips. “All of these old people, including us, had a year without culture, music and beauty, then we have the chance to get our kick off to organ music.”

But shortly afterwards the organ came to life and the familiar tones of Hubert Parry’s “Jerusalem”, a patriotic English hymn, filled the room.

Phillips’ eyes lit above her mask. “Oh wonderful!” She said. “That’s magical.”

She looked at her husband and said, “I think we’ll stay 10 minutes.”

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Health

Trial in London utilizing tech to observe wellbeing of weak folks

Trial in London using tech to monitor wellbeing of vulnerable people

Half point | iStock | Getty Images

Two local authorities in London are said to control “in-home sensors” to monitor vulnerable residents who live in public apartments.

The idea is yet another example of how connected devices can play a role in feeding and supporting those who need them.

The Richmond and Sutton City Councils in the south of the UK capital are partnering with IoT Solutions Group, which provides IoT technology and solutions, to test 200 sensors on properties owned by the Richmond Housing Partnership and Sutton Housing Partnership.

The European Commission has described the Internet of Things as the merging of “physical and virtual worlds that create intelligent environments”. Think of devices that are connected to the Internet and can “talk” to each other.

In an announcement earlier this week, SHP said the technology provides “automated, real-time insights into how active a person is in their own home.”

The idea behind the technology is relatively simple. When the sensors detect a decrease in activity from your home, an automatic alarm is sent to caregivers or people known as Independent Living Officers. This enables them to make a proactive, urgent visit to the property rather than relying on a scheduled appointment or contacting residents.

Steve Tucker, executive director of the Sutton Housing Partnership, said in a statement released Monday that the pilot “would really improve the lives of the elderly residents in need.”

While the potential of sensors such as those used in Sutton and Richmond is interesting, some may be concerned about privacy issues for those using the service, especially when the technology is being installed in people’s homes.

To allay those fears, SHP said Monday that “no visual or audio recording” will take place and no personal information will be collected.

As technology has developed, the number of monitoring devices that can be installed in the homes of the elderly and vulnerable has increased.

The Carers UK charity lists several including: passive infrared detectors; Property output sensors; Panic buttons; GPS tracker; and sensors that send notifications to caregivers when someone has fallen.

A changing landscape

For many, digital technologies are playing an increasingly important role in their healthcare system.

Apps accessed on a mobile phone can now remind patients to take their medication, schedule appointments with their doctor, and access test results.

The adaptability of this type of technology was highlighted in 2020 when countries launched contact tracing apps to help fight the coronavirus pandemic and limit the spread of the virus.

Over the past year, the way patients interact with doctors has changed as health care providers and governments try to reduce their prevalence.

Many first personal appointments now take place online using video conferencing software that can be accessed via laptops, cell phones or tablets.

In the UK, the National Health Service states that after an online consultation, medical practices will contact their patients by email, phone or video call, or personal appointment.

There were more than 1 million users in a blog post by Susie Day, program director of the NHS app, last November. This is “more than twice as much” as at the beginning of March.