Currently, the press is promoting some scare stories about two COVID variants.
The first one is JN.1, and the media concern trolls are focused on the rapid spread of the virus.
Even though it appeared only in September, the variant known as JN.1, a descendant of omicron, is rapidly spreading, representing between 39% to half of the cases, according to pre-holiday stats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Lab data indicates that the updated vaccines, as well as existing COVID rapid tests and medical treatments, are effective with this latest iteration. More good news is that it “does not appear to pose additional risks to public health beyond that of other recent variants,” according to the CDC. Even so, new COVID hospitalizations — 34,798 for the week that ended Dec. 30 — are trending upward, although rates are still substantially lower than last December’s tally. It’s early in the season, though. Levels of virus in wastewater — one indicator of how infections are spreading — are “very high,” exceeding the levels seen this time last year.
The other one is BA.2.86 — or ‘Pirola,’ which is a descendant of 2022’s Omicron variant and is supposed to be more “deadly” than the previous variants as it targets the lower lungs.
A new study by The Ohio State University found that BA.2.86 can infect cells in the lower lung and can enter cell membranes more efficiently than other versions of Omicron.Dr Shan-Lu Liu, senior author of the study and professor of virology professor at The Ohio State University, said the findings were ‘worrisome.”The concern is whether or not this variant, as well as its descendants, including JN.1, will have an increased tendency to infect human lung epithelial cells similar to the parental virus that launched the pandemic in 2020,’ he said.In lab tests, the researchers found that BA.2.86 was more efficient at infecting humans in the lower lung.Upper respiratory infections impact the throat and sinuses, including colds and sore throats.Lower respiratory infections, however, typically last longer and are more intense as they affect the airways and lungs.
Now that interest in the vaccines has completely waned, the Big Pharma arm of the mainstream media is pulling out microbiologists as experts to push for more funding for more research…paid by our tax dollars.
Still, there has been exciting new data on oral, inhaled vaccines that achieve high levels of mucosal immunity and protection against infections, which would be variant proof. The U.S. has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to rev up clinical trials for two different nasal vaccines with promising early clinical trial data, and for improved, variant-proof shots with better protection and durability. But most of these efforts started only recently and are not getting urgent priority for completion during 2024, nothing like what we saw with Operation Warp Speed in 2020.It’s crickets from the White House on COVID now, with no messaging on getting the updated booster or masking. The Biden administration has done far too little to accelerate research on effective treatments for long COVID.This passivity reinforces the illusion that the pandemic is behind us when it’s actually raging. And this season will be followed by a more quiescent period, which will, once again, lull us into thinking the pandemic is over. But there is no getting over it until we recognize reality and double down on the research that will allow us to block infections and virus spread, and achieve lasting, variant-proof immunity.
The pandemic is over. The disease is now endemic and will come in wave after wave…exactly as I predicted.
Perhaps the most interesting part about the above opinion is that the White House itself is done with COVID-19. I would imagine the polling numbers on policies that continue pandemic mania are sickly.
And the media is still pushing the vaccines.
Many people don’t realize that shots that protect against the newest variants are available, or that they should be vaccinated even if they are not at high risk, said Gigi Gronvall, a biosecurity expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.Even if the Covid vaccine does not prevent infection, it can shorten the duration and severity of illness, and minimize the risk of long-term symptoms, including brain fog, fatigue, movement problems and dizziness — collectively known as long Covid.“I’m sure also there are plenty of people who are actively hostile to the idea, but most of the people I encounter, they just don’t even know about it,” Dr. Gronvall said.
While COVID-19 vaccination should remain a personal choice, based on personal risks, building up the immune system with diet, exercise, and sunshine seems the most sensible approach for those not at high risk of disease.
The social media response has not been kind…to those who are trying to keep the public afraid.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY