Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/ILJxdVWBzTQ

A home rapid antigen CoVid test on day 6 of a quarantine overestimates the risk that you are still infectious by some 40%.  This from a Boston-based study run by researchers from Harvard, MIT, and Boston  University.

Forty young CoVid-vaccinated and 90% boosted young adults, mean age 32 years, were studied after testing PCR-positive for CoVid Omicron.  All underwent both rapid antigen testing and viral culture testing on day 6 of their quarantine.  The rapid antigen test on that day declared that 75% of the group remained positive.  However, the viral cultures indicated that only 35% were continuing to carry live, transmissible virus.

The investigators conclude that a negative rapid antigen test on day 6 should be the signal to end the quarantine.  If your rapid antigen test is positive, there is a good chance that you aren’t actually caring live virus.  However, only a negative viral culture or PCR test will permit you to end your isolation at that time.  If you don’t have that, continuing the quarantine an additional 5 days would be necessary ending it after that time if you’re asymptomatic.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.03.22271766v1.full.pdf+html

#CoVid #quarantine #rapidantigentest #viralculture #pcr

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/E8apkDZdsmY

A 3rd shot of CoVid vaccine following the 1 or 2 dose primary vaccination provides 50% more protection against an Omicron infection.  Cornell University investigators followed 15,102 vaccinated students from December 5th to 31st, 2021.  Of that number, 1,706 had also received a CoVid booster prior to the beginning of the study.  The vaccines used included the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaxes and the Johnson & Johnson viral vector vax.

The incidence rate of breakthrough cases began to rise quickly around day 3 of the study and leveled off around day 10.  As the month of December wore on, the incidence rate of new CoVid infections was 1.4 per 100 person-days for the unboosted students.  This figure was double the 0.7 per 100 person-day figure for those who received the booster.

This study proves the protective effect in young adults of a CoVid booster for any of the FDA approved CoVid vaccines.  If you haven’t yet had a booster, get it now.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.08.22272056v1.full.pdf+html

#CoVid #omicron #vaccination #booster #students

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/yX495mNhYZA

You may get more than a case of the Mondays if you hit the ol’ office water fountain after a weekend or holiday closure.  Purdue University engineers issue this warning after their in-depth study of water in a 10 year old 3 story so-called green office building.  

The building’s water quality was assessed for minerals and bacteria including legionella, the bug that causes Legionnaire’s disease.  The investigators found that the drinking water flowing after a weekend had elevated levels of lead, copper, and the legionella bacteria.  The concentration of the protective disinfectant chlorine in the water decreased to suboptimal levels.

Take away points:  

1. Stagnant water in an unoccupied building is unsafe for consumption.
2. Bring your own bottled water on Mondays or following holidays.
3. Even in your own home or vacation home, run the water to bring in a fresh supply that will dilute and flush any contaminants.

https://journals.plos.org/water/article?id=10.1371/journal.pwat.0000006

#water #stagnation #bottledwater #legionnella

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/JmgpYgCRlc4

Cases due to the Omicron Subvariant BA2 that I call Omicron BA2 are on the rise all over the world, and this subvariant is on the way to eclipsing cases due to the initial Omicron subvariant BA1.  It is already the dominant cause of cases in Denmark, Singapore, India, South Africa, and Austria.  Reports from England indicate that children are harder hit than adults, and a number of them have developed Omicron2 within weeks to months after an infection with Omicron1.  Omicron2 cases now represent nearly 12% of new cases in the US.

Let’s look at some of OmicronBA2’s characteristics.  OmicronBA2 is more difficult to identify even with PCR tests presenting a challenge to public health officials attempting to quantitate numbers of cases.  It has been nicknamed the stealth variant.  The accuracy of home rapid CoVid tests for Omicron detection is not well documented.

OmicronBA2 is estimated to be 40% more transmissible than OmicronBA1 due to a change in its spike protein mutations.  It is significantly more transmissible than the original CoVid strain.  It begins to approach the infectivity levels for measles, the most infectious common virus with an estimated reproduction number, R0, of about 12.

The protective antibodies generated by mRNA vaccines are slightly less effective against OmicronBA2 than OmnicronBA1.  Only those who have been boosted within the past 3 to 5 months enjoy any significant protection against contracting either Omicron subvariant.

The good news is that OmicronBA2 infections do not seem more severe than OmicronBA1 infections and hospitalization or worse seems not to be significantly more likely.  Early reports suggest that OmicronBA2, like OmicronBA1, preferentially attacks the nose and throat rather than the lungs.

The CDC indicates that our current CoVid pills, Paxlovid and molnupiravir, should be effective against all Omicron subvariants. 

https://scdhec.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/10509-CHA-12-31-2021-COVID-19-Theraputics.pdf

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.25.22271511v1.full.pdf+html

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.14.480335v1.full.pdf

https://twitter.com/profesterman/status/1501794498225262595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1501794498225262595%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-40331450394072905127.ampproject.net%2F2202230359001%2Fframe.html

#CoVid #omicron #BA1 #BA2 #vaccination 

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/D6Qh5wSgILQ

The FDA and Tennessee Technical Coatings Corp. are recalling Tennessee Technical Coatings Hand Sanitizer Isopropyl Alcohol Antiseptic 75%.  This product is contaminated with poisonous methyl alcohol or methanol for short.  Methanol can cause neurologic damage, blindness, and gastrointestinal distress.  This product was sold in Tennessee.  If you bought this product, stop using it immediately and return it to the place of purchase for a refund.  For additional information, contact Tennessee Technical Coatings by calling 1-931-359-6666 or via the e-mail address [email protected]. 

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/tennessee-technical-coatings-corp-issues-nationwide-voluntary-recall-hand-sanitizer-isopropyl

#tennesseetechnical #handsanitizer #methanol #poisoning #recall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/xfgwa9VmZk4

The FDA and Damascus Bakery are recalling Bantam Classic Stuffed Bagels with Cream Cheese.  This product contains undeclared egg allergens.  Those allergic to eggs could develop life-threatening allergic reactions should they ingest these bagels.  If you bought these bagels and have an egg-allergic person in your household, you should dispose of them and contact Bantam Bagels customer service at 1-866-451-6744 for a replacement coupon.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/damascus-bakery-recalls-one-lot-bantam-classic-bagels

#bantambagels #bagels #creamcheese #egg #allergy #recall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/TDo2aE0zCXA

The FDA and Stutzman Farms have recalled all of the Stutzman Farms Einkorn Products including berries, flour, pretzels, grate nuts, and crackers.  What is einkorn you might ask.  It is the the oldest form of wheat known to man first grown 5,000 years ago.  Einkorn is German for “single grain,” is considered to be an extremely healthy form of wheat, and has a deep, nutty, and toasty flavor.  Unfortunately, these Stutzman Farm products are not labeled as containing wheat.  If a person with a wheat allergy should ingest einkorn, a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction could result.  These products were sold in: Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.  Those with a known wheat allergy should return these products to Stutzman or dispose of them.  You can reach Stutzman Farms by phone at 1-330-674-1289 extension 2, and be prepared to leave a message for a callback.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/stutzman-farms-issues-voluntary-recall-its-einkorn-products-undeclared-wheat-allergen

#stutzman #einkorn #wheat #allergy #recall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/IRMUdD7Z6XY

The CPSC and Danby Products are recalling all Danby Brand Freestanding and Slide-in Electric and Gas Ranges.  If these appliances aren’t secured to a back wall or to the floor with anti-tipover brackets, they may tip over when heavy materials are placed on an open oven door.  This creates entrapment, injury, and also burn hazards if hot foods and liquids in cookware on the top burners were to spill on bystanders. About 1700 of these ranges were sold at Home Depot, ABC Appliance, and other appliance stores nationwide.  If you have one of these Danby ranges, contact the company by phone at 1-877-246-2296 to find out whether your appliance is involved in this recall and to schedule a free home service call to be certain that the tip-over bracket is properly installed.  Meanwhile, keep things off an open oven door.

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2022/Danby-Products-Recalls-Free-Standing-and-Slide-in-Electric-and-Gas-Ranges-Due-to-Tip-Over-Hazard-and-Risk-of-Burn-Injuries

#danby #ranges #tipover #injuries #burns #recall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/D5QtmXCfkL8

The CPSC and Olight Ecommerce Technology Ltd. have recalled Olight M2R Pro and Warrior Mini LED pocket flashlights in a variety of colors including lack, camouflage, desert tan, OD green, Patriotic Edition, gunmetal gray, orange, blue, ocean camouflage, purple, white, seasonal titanium, copper, and antique bronze colors.  These flashlights may accidentally turn on in your pocket or in a holster, become extremely hot, and burn your pants and skin.  About 215,000 of these flashlights were sold online at Olightstore.com, Amazon.com and through small independent stores nationwide.  Stop using these led flashlights and contact Olight by phone at 1-888-889-6870 or via email at [email protected] for a full refund in the form of a store credit or a free replacement flashlight.

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2022/Olight-Ecommerce-Technology-Recalls-Flashlights-Due-to-Burn-Hazard

#olight #ledflashlight #overheating #burns #fire #recall

Crate and Barrel Be the Band Music Sets May Fragment

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/86IL9EXry5s

The CPSC and Crate and Barrel have recalled Crate and Barrel Be the Band Music Sets.  The maracas in these sets may break or detach from their handles, release the metal beads within, and create a choking, aspiration, and suffocation hazard for young children.  About 620 of these music sets were sold online at crateandbarrel.com.  If you bought one of these toys, immediately sequester it from your children and make certain that none of the beads have already escaped. Contact Crate and Barrel by phone at 1-800-967-6696 for instructions on how to receive a refund in the form of a $20 store credit.

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2022/Crate-and-Barrel-Recalls-Be-the-Band-Music-Sets-Due-to-Choking-and-Suffocation-Hazards

#crateandbarrel #musicset #maracas #foreignbodies #choking #suffocation #recall