Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/1IyG20nlX-A

An analysis of Delta variant cases pinpoints 20 US counties as “Delta Danger Zones.”  Surgo Ventures, a public health think tank whose analyses are used by the CDC, has identified these hot spot counties in seven states including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas.

Delta is driving 83% of all new CoVid cases in the US, and these counties are particularly vulnerable due to their low vaccination rates.  They are: in Arkansas, Hempstead; in Florida, Baker, Holmes, Washington; in Georgia, Charlton, Lanier, Telfair, Heard, Jeff Davis, Treutlen, and Bacon; in Missouri, McDonald, Ripley, Carter, Texas; in South Dakota, Ziebach; in Tennessee, Grundy; and in Texas, Newton, Motley.

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210723/these-20-us-counties-are-delta-danger-zones

https://precisionforcovid.org/ccvi

#CoVid #delta #vaccination

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/1IyG20nlX-A

An analysis of Delta variant cases pinpoints 20 US counties as “Delta Danger Zones.”  Surgo Ventures, a public health think tank whose analyses are used by the CDC, has identified these hot spot counties in seven states including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas.

Delta is driving 83% of all new CoVid cases in the US, and these counties are particularly vulnerable due to their low vaccination rates.  They are: in Arkansas, Hempstead; in Florida, Baker, Holmes, Washington; in Georgia, Charlton, Lanier, Telfair, Heard, Jeff Davis, Treutlen, and Bacon; in Missouri, McDonald, Ripley, Carter, Texas; in South Dakota, Ziebach; in Tennessee, Grundy; and in Texas, Newton, Motley.

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20210723/these-20-us-counties-are-delta-danger-zones

https://precisionforcovid.org/ccvi

#CoVid #delta #vaccination

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/89NcqXjpYP0

CoVid vaccine hesitancy dropped by a factor of one-third from this past winter to spring.  This the conclusion of an epidemiological study from Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh that surveyed more than 5 million US adults. (5,121,436)

Vaccine hesitancy dropped the most in communities of color.  Persistent vaccine hesitancy risk factors include: younger age, non-Asian ethicity, those with a PhD or less than a high school diploma, rural residents, red county residents, lack of concern about CoVid, those working outside the home, those never avoiding contact with others, those who were not vaccinated against the flu, those fearing side effects, those with governmental distrust, and those with a wait and see attitude.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.20.21260795v1.full.pdf+html

#vaccine #CoVid #hesitancy 

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/89NcqXjpYP0

CoVid vaccine hesitancy dropped by a factor of one-third from this past winter to spring.  This the conclusion of an epidemiological study from Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh that surveyed more than 5 million US adults. (5,121,436)

Vaccine hesitancy dropped the most in communities of color.  Persistent vaccine hesitancy risk factors include: younger age, non-Asian ethicity, those with a PhD or less than a high school diploma, rural residents, red county residents, lack of concern about CoVid, those working outside the home, those never avoiding contact with others, those who were not vaccinated against the flu, those fearing side effects, those with governmental distrust, and those with a wait and see attitude.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.20.21260795v1.full.pdf+html

#vaccine #CoVid #hesitancy 

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/3tpTX7uovOY

The Delta CoVid variant B.1.617.2 that arose within India and carries 4 mutations that make it more transmissible and dangerous is spreading throughout the US and the world and creating infections even in those vaccinated. So far, the available data is sparse, but here's what we know.

Public Health England is tabulating the best data to date.  Their numbers indicate that most vaccines are 10 percentage points less effective against Delta with prevention of a symptomatic infection in 79% rather than 89% or more against the initial strain.  Studying the 238,773 CoVid infections that did occur in vaccinated Brits, 3.8% required an ER visit, 2.9% required hospitalization, and 0.8% died.

What to do?  All those vaccinated should wear masks indoors or outdoors in crowds, distance, and cleanse very carefully. Avoid indoor dining and prolonged indoor exposures.  Especially key for those over 65 and those with chronic medical conditions  If you test positive, quarantine for 10 days.  If you’re unvaccinated, DON’T BE.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1001354/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_17.pdf

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/955342

#CoVid #delta #variant #masking #vaccination

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/3tpTX7uovOY

The Delta CoVid variant B.1.617.2 that arose within India and carries 4 mutations that make it more transmissible and dangerous is spreading throughout the US and the world and creating infections even in those vaccinated. So far, the available data is sparse, but here's what we know.

Public Health England is tabulating the best data to date.  Their numbers indicate that most vaccines are 10 percentage points less effective against Delta with prevention of a symptomatic infection in 79% rather than 89% or more against the initial strain.  Studying the 238,773 CoVid infections that did occur in vaccinated Brits, 3.8% required an ER visit, 2.9% required hospitalization, and 0.8% died.

What to do?  All those vaccinated should wear masks indoors or outdoors in crowds, distance, and cleanse very carefully. Avoid indoor dining and prolonged indoor exposures.  Especially key for those over 65 and those with chronic medical conditions  If you test positive, quarantine for 10 days.  If you’re unvaccinated, DON’T BE.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1001354/Variants_of_Concern_VOC_Technical_Briefing_17.pdf

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/955342

#CoVid #delta #variant #masking #vaccination

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/0ZAL_mXIBpA

If you guys out there are worried about your virility and fertility, University of Miami urologists have some good news for you.  They performed a longitudinal study of 45 young men in their 20s before and after vaccination with with the Moderna or Pfizer mRNA CoVid vaccines.

The tabulated data revealed a baseline median sperm count of 26 million/ml and a total motile sperm count of 36 million.  After two doses of the vaccines, the media sperm count actually increased to 30 million/ml and the total motile sperm count increased to 44 million.  Semen volumes and absolute motility also increased.  The changes were significant but within the range of normal variation.  More dramatic: seven of eight men with low sperm counts had increases into the normal range. 

The bottom line: CoVid vaccination won’t hurt men’s fertility, and it could actually help,.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2781360

#CoVid #vaccination #sperm #fertility #motility

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/0ZAL_mXIBpA

If you guys out there are worried about your virility and fertility, University of Miami urologists have some good news for you.  They performed a longitudinal study of 45 young men in their 20s before and after vaccination with with the Moderna or Pfizer mRNA CoVid vaccines.

The tabulated data revealed a baseline median sperm count of 26 million/ml and a total motile sperm count of 36 million.  After two doses of the vaccines, the media sperm count actually increased to 30 million/ml and the total motile sperm count increased to 44 million.  Semen volumes and absolute motility also increased.  The changes were significant but within the range of normal variation.  More dramatic: seven of eight men with low sperm counts had increases into the normal range. 

The bottom line: CoVid vaccination won’t hurt men’s fertility, and it could actually help,.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2781360

#CoVid #vaccination #sperm #fertility #motility

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/UzKWftF0UAE

Pregnant women infected with the Delta variant suffer more severe infections and worse pregnancy outcomes than when infected with the original strain or the alpha British variant.  British pediatricians and obstetricians reviewed the records of 3371 pregnant women.

Pregnant women infected and admitted to the hospital  during the current delta-predominant period were 80% more likely to require respiratory support compared with pregnant women admitted during the initial strain predominance and 35% more likely to require it compared with those admitted with the alpha variant.  No fully vaccinated pregnant women were admitted during the data collection period of this study.

The bottom line: delta is bad news and vaccination helps.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.22.21261000v1.full.pdf+html

#CoVid #pregnancy #delta #alpha #ventilators

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/UzKWftF0UAE

Pregnant women infected with the Delta variant suffer more severe infections and worse pregnancy outcomes than when infected with the original strain or the alpha British variant.  British pediatricians and obstetricians reviewed the records of 3371 pregnant women.

Pregnant women infected and admitted to the hospital  during the current delta-predominant period were 80% more likely to require respiratory support compared with pregnant women admitted during the initial strain predominance and 35% more likely to require it compared with those admitted with the alpha variant.  No fully vaccinated pregnant women were admitted during the data collection period of this study.

The bottom line: delta is bad news and vaccination helps.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.22.21261000v1.full.pdf+html

#CoVid #pregnancy #delta #alpha #ventilators