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In this Research Report you will learn: Ø 13 COVID-19 variants thru XBB1.5 Ø Available vaccines Ø CDC, FDA, WHO organizations Ø Emerging new treatments Ø About kids, teens, moms Ø Pandemic vs. endemic Ø Masks, vaccinations, boosters Ø Covid tracker sites Ø Breakthroughs, what’s coming

Some questions the public has been asking:

· What’s all this talk on TV about new variants (versions or varieties) of COVID-19?

· Are they the same disease?

· A worse disease?

· Just fake news?

This Research Paper attempts to answer these questions and provide links to useful information.

First, some background.

Coronaviruses like COVID-19 are continually changing through a process of genetic mutation. We learned this in our 8^th grade biology class, but probably forgot about it. A mutation is a change in the viral RNA gene sequence. The viral genome with a mutation is called a variant. Now you remember … right? No, I didn’t either. Just think of them as new varieties of the basic COVID-19 virus.

All these new varieties of the COVID-19 virus are called variants in the world of viral epidemiology … a science we rarely hear about. Now all of a sudden, we are seeing epidemiologists talking about variants on the nightly news. Most variants created by mutating viruses are ineffective and die quickly. But some are significant. A few like, Delta and Omicron variants, were robust and deadly. They replaced earlier variants on a worldwide basis, and in turn, were replaced by more virulent ones. That’s how viruses, like the common flu, evolve.

New dangerous variants can outpace vaccination programs and overwhelm hospitals. This underscores the need to double down on some important safety strategies:

· Wearing face masks, not just bandanas.

· Hand washing to Jingle Bells sung twice.

· Disinfecting frequent-touch surfaces including cell phones, doorknobs, steering wheels.

· Social distancing at least 6 feet or two meters.

· Avoiding crowded or closed-in areas.

· Strengthening your immune system through diet and exercise.

Scientists are keeping track of some of the more serious variants of COVID-19 that have evolved out of the original wild-type. These deadly strains of coronavirus were first spotted in the UK, South Africa and Brazil and have spread around the world and across the U.S.

The World Health Organization (WHO) created a naming system to make these variants easier for the public to understand. Using the Greek alphabet, the non-scientific names assigned were Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon (A, B, C, D, E). WHO has continued to assign Greek letters as dangerous new variants emerge like Omicron and Mu (you frat ladies and men will get the terminology). The most recent variants have not followed this handy naming convention.

To get technical, the virus we are talking about is SARS-CoV-2. It causes the illness called Coronavirus Disease 2019, or simply COVID-19. So yes you guessed it … the COVID-19 disease is caused by a virus that is related to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) that swept out of Asia in February 2003.

NEWS FLASH: Bloomberg News reported, “On Jan. 7, 2020, Chinese authorities identified a new type of coronavirus — one that would become known as SARS-CoV-2 and cause the illness now called Covid-19. Since then, it has spread to virtually every corner of the world, and more than 230 million people have been infected and nearly 4.8 million have died.”

COVID-19 first appeared in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It was discovered in the U.S. in February 2020. It spread by mid-March to all 50 states, Washington D.C. and the U.S. Trust Territories. UNESCO contributed to this video of COVID-19 for children.

The current worldwide scourge of COVID-19 is called a pandemic because it appears to be a current disease that has spread worldwide. It if returns every year like the common flu (caused by four different viruses), then COVID-19 will become an endemic. The last big pandemic disease was the black plague, which still exists in small rodents in some Western States in the U.S.

Keeping up with all the emerging knowledge about COVID-19 variants can be a challenge. We are doing our part with this report on COVID-19 variants, to make these developments more understandable. The three largest threats to the world economy today are climate change, supply chain failure, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Variants of Concern

In September of 2020, the first significant COVID-19 variant was discovered in Kent, England. Initially called the UK variant, it was subsequently labeled the Alpha variant by WHO (the World Health Organization based in Rome, not the 1964 English rock band from London). Including the first one, we’ve gone from the UK variant through 13 major variants, plus countless other variants being monitored of lesser concern. The preponderance of each variant keeps changing. Others will surely follow. WHO has documented each major Variant of Concern.

Alpha (UK, Sept. 2020). This first COVID-19 variant seems to spread more easily, boosting transmission by about 50%. May carry an increased risk of hospitalization and death.

Beta (South Africa, May 2020). Seems to spread more easily, increasing transmission by 50% over earlier variants. Impacts the effectiveness of some monoclonal antibody medications. Also negatively affects antibodies produced by an earlier COVID-19 infection or COVID-19 vaccine.

Gamma (Brazil, Nov. 2020). Impacts some monoclonal antibody medications. Also negatively affects antibodies produced by an earlier COVID-19 infection or COVID-19 vaccine.

Delta (India, Dec. 2020). The Delta or doomsday variant has become the most prevalent COVID-19 variant in the U.S., supplanting the other variants. Mutated 20+ times. Transmitted easily in indoor events and homes. May negatively affect monoclonal antibody treatments and antibodies produced by a COVID-19 vaccine. With this more highly contagious variant, N95 masks work best.

Epsilon (Southern California, Winter 2020). Partly enabled by expanding Delta variant. Transmits more easily. Could be less susceptible to COVID-19 vaccines. More resistant to antibodies produced by an earlier COVID-19 infection.

Lambda (Peru, Aug. 2020). A more recent variant, also called C.37, evolved out of South America and is the predominant variant there and in 30 countries including the U.S. It may be more resistant to vaccines. Also, it may be more infectious. It has showed up in Dallas, Texas.

Mu (Colombia, Jan. 2021). WHO labeled this new variant a Variant of Interest. May be more transmissible than Delta variant. Has the potential to resist vaccines by evading antibodies. Biggest in California. Not as strong as Delta variant.

R1 (Japan, 2010). Newer Variant of Concern worth watching entered the U.S. in April, 2021. It’s a mutation of Beta and Lambda variants; CDC is watching. Less susceptible to COVID-19 vaccines. Can evade the antibodies produced by COVID-19 vaccines. Won’t displace Delta variant.

Omicron BA.1 (South Africa, Nov. 2021). WHO reports this latest Variant of Concern poses a major worldwide health risk. May be resistant to current vaccines. It’s in California and spreading across all of USA. Contagion is 5-6X that of Delta. Potential for a new vaccine. What Mayo Clinic has to say. Now dominant. Symptoms. Distinguishing Omicron from the Flu. Self-care if you catch it. Less severe than Delta but still serious threat. CDC briefing on Omicron.

Omicron BA.2 – the ‘Stealth Virus’ (40 countries including U.S., 2022). Widely considered more secretive than the original version of Omicron, being harder to detect. Could be 5-6X more contagious. A lot is unknown, including if it evades vaccines better or if symptoms become more severe. Contagious period. Some, but not all, monoclonal antibody treatments remain effective against Omicron. CDC now tracking. Not a lot of information on the difference between Omicron BA.2 variant and other COVID-19 variants. Symptoms. If you get BA.1, it may protect against BA.2. More info in Bing.

BA.4 and BA.5 – With current variants BA.4 and BA.5, there is no cough, no fever … but lots of joint pain, headache, neck and upper back pain, general weakness, loss of appetite, sore throat that resembles Strep Throat, and pneumonia. More virulent with a higher mortality rate, taking less time to go to extremes.

XBB.1.5 – Newest variant in the U.S. spreads much more easily. Now the predominant Omicron variation in the U.S., accounting for 66% of all cases and the only major variant increasing in proportion. What Mayo Clinic says. CBS Heath on new bivalent booster shots for XBB.1.5. Data Tracker page.

The WHO carefully monitors these and other COVID-19 variants around the world.

Vaccine findings

The vaccines being used around the world to combat the COVID-19 virus come in a variety of forms from a variety of companies and medical institutions. Some, like Sinovac and CoronaVac from China, are made from live SARS CoV-2 virus. Others developed by Pfizer and Moderna were made in a revolutionary process that uses small parts of recombinant DNA called mRNA that has no connection with a living or dead virus.

It appears all current forms of the COVID-19 vaccines listed below are still effective against the variants listed above and have saved many lives … as new variants evolve, vaccinesmay become less effective. Immunologistsare continually studying how well each vaccine performs with current variants.

The Delta variant tookover as the predominant strain of COVID-19 in North America, and started overwhelming some hospitals in the U.S., predominantly in states with the lowest vaccination rates. Omicron then began replacing Delta, and vaccines were somewhat less effective against it. Cases and hospitalizations went up but deaths held steady or declined because Omicron was less severe.

Prevention levels for leading COVID-19 vaccines around the world are estimated as follows (only the first 3 vaccines are used in the U.S.):

Vaccine Level of Prevention

• Pfizer-BioNTech 91.3% See Fortune article
• Moderna 90+%
• Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen 64-72%
• AstraZeneca 76%
• Sinovac 50.65%
• CoronaVac 50.65-83.5%
• Sputnik V 91.6%

These are pretty outstanding efficacy scores. Way better than those of the standard flu vaccine that Americans have been taking for years.

The FDA advisory panel recommends Johnson & Johnson single-shot users should now receive a second shot six months later. J & J users only need to wait two months to get their booster, and it can be a Pfizer or Moderna booster. What FDA says about a 4^th shot. What Mayo Clinic says about these vaccines. Both Pfizer and Moderna pushing FDA for approval of a 2^nd booster/4^th shot. And CDC vaccination recommendations.

There are other drugs and new treatments that are evolving to treat COVID-19 patients. Individual treatment plans are affected by dangerous underlying conditions that increase the severity of the disease. Everyone wants to compare and rate vaccines.

Some want to mix vaccines and some want nothing to do with the shot, with doctors and hospitals begging them to get vaccinated. There are many people in the U.S. who don’t want to be vaccinated. Here are some of their reasons:

1. Afraid to die or become zombies from getting the vaccine.

2. Their existing medical conditions may seriously worsen after the shots.

3. They don’t believe that the COVID-19 disease exists or is more serious than the common flu.

4. A prior bout of COVID-19 strengthened their immune system, so they don’t need the shots.

5. The vaccine was developed too rapidly and may have unknown long-term effects.

Big Pharma competitors Merck and Johnson & Johnson teamed up to get the job done faster.

The flu and COVID-19 together has been projected to lead to a Twindemic. With the arrival of RSV, there is now danger of a Tridemic.

Riverside University Health System has a new portal for residents of Riverside County, California, to report their at-home COVID-19 test results.

Boosters

What about getting a booster to improve your chances of countering alleged fading effectiveness/efficacy of the vaccine? This question is top-of-the-news these days.

In early August, 2021, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were telling Americans who had been vaccinated they “didn’t need a booster shot just yet.” But things have been changing on the ground rapidly, with reports leaking out that the immunity from the vaccines was waning. Now the subject of new boosters is a daily theme on the news. Latest from CDC on boosters. CDC just approved Pfizer booster for all 18 and up. FDA approved Pfizer, Modern and J&J boosters for all adults 18. The FDA approved the Pfizer booster for children 12 to 15 and soon for kids 2 to 5. CDC just approved a vaccine for children under 5. This means 20+ million children between 6 months and 5 years are now eligible for Covid vaccinations.  

The word is, get one as soon as you’re eligible. Especially for protection from the Omicron and newer variants.

Today, 6-and-8-month booster shots are here and people are lining up for them, with reports coming out of a shortened waiting period to 6 months following your last vaccination. CVS and Walgreens offering 3^rd Pfizer or Moderna booster shots to weakened immune subjects.

CDC and FDA now say it’s OK to mix ‘n match Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. In fact, test results show a slight improvement if you switch to the another mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) than the one you originally got.

FDA advisory panel recommends Johnson & Johnson single-shot protocol should now include a second shot six months later. J & J users only wait two months to get their booster.

Have become a repetitive event; true in San Francisco. May be every 6 months.

CDC on 2 years of Covid-19 vaccination.

How to locate an updated bivalent COVID-19 booster per CDC.

FDA has proposed a simplified approach for future vaccination efforts.

Anti-Viral Meds for COVID-19

New anti-viral meds hold great promise for the future. Here are some of the key ones to consider, if you do contract Covid-19:

Molnupiravir: Merck pill; getting $120 donation from Gates Foundation to accelerate worldwide access.

Monoclonal Antibodies: COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapeutics (mAbs) includes Remdesivir and Bamlanivimab that cut risk of hospitalization/death by up to 70%. Comparison table of Remdesivir to Ivermectin and Nitazoxanide. With Remdesivir, controversy abounds: The WHO said it should not be used with hospitalized Covid-19 patients, only a month after the FDA approved it to treat patients over age 12 who are hospitalized with Covid-19.

REGEN-COV (casirivimab/imdevimab): FDA EUA allows casirivimab/imdevimab together to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and children age 12+ years, weighing 40+ kg (88.9 lb.), with positive COVID-19 testing, and high-risk for severe COVID-19/hospitalization.

Baricitinib: FDA EUA for administering Baricitinib with Remdesivir for hospitalized COVID-19 cases.

Sotrovimab: FDA EUA for use by people 12+ years, recently tested positive for coronavirus, have had mild to moderate symptoms for up to 10 days, are not hospitalized, and at high risk for COVID-19 due to older age, obesity, or ongoing medical conditions (including lung, kidney, or heart disease, diabetes).

Check the FDA on current treatment options if you have COVID-19.

FDA FAERS Dashboard: This large FDA drug table reports on adverse effects of all meds.

Your Vaccination Record

And don’t lose your record of your COVID-19 shots; photocopy it or put it in your cell phone so you always have proof. California residents already have their own Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record (DCVR) portal where citizens check whether vaccinations were submitted by the shot provider. National vaccine record on the way in the U.S., and also in Canada. Forbes on this.Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.

Testing for Covid

The new USA-wide Test to Treat initiative provides quick access to free treatment for COVID-19.

But, what if you recovered from Covid, are symptom-free, and still test positive for Covid?

Covid Tracker Sites

A number of useful sites exist for tracking latest news about Coronavirus.

CDC: Summary for U.S., their A-to-Z Index CDC Data Tracker here

WHO: Covid Dashboard by country.

WHO: Weekly/monthly updates.

USA Facts Tracker

Johns Hopkins: Coronavirus Research Center

Maps: COVID-19 Stats by Geographic Region

MSN: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

NBC: General page and data. Other Tracker sites

California: CA Notify is a free service that lets you find out if you were exposed to Covid-19. You can also notify others if you test positive, while remaining anonymous. Your personal data is never collected.

Women scientists are capturing the public’s attention, like Dr Lyda Osorio who is advising the Columbian government on best COVID-19 strategies across the country while the disease rampages across the world.

Breaking News

· Average age of COVID-19 cases in hospitals is dropping rapidly from 60 to 40.

· Infection rates for those in their 30s has recently shot up.

V

accinated people can also transmit Delta variant says CDC; get sick; even die.

·

· Hospitals overloaded with living cases and the dead. Some can’t get in. Costs high.

· CDC: Delta variant hit pregnant moms, teens, and children some of whom are dying.

· CDC: New schedule for taking primary and booster shots, by age and vaccines taken.

· Mayo Clinic: How Covid is affecting kids. Johns Hopkins on talking to kids about Covid.

· FDA: Approval of Pfizer and Moderna vaccine for children 6-months to 5 years is coming. CDC has finally approved it.

· Vaccines for Covid proved effective in preventing infection and severe illness for children 5 – 11, according to JAMA Pediatrics.

· Pregnancy: Covid can be a big factor in pregnancies.

· Menstrual: Menstrual cycles can increase almost a day after vaccination per recent studies.

· Economy: Dark-side of various dollar stores, driven by the Covid virus.

· Society: Impact on the homeless. CDC guidance for homeless. False perceptions about COVID-19 and homelessness.

· Delta variant & immunity: COVID-19 infection strengthens immunity. Recombinant DNA not a cure yet but will be some day.

· Who can’t vaccinate: The immunocompromised are urged to vaccinate; some simply cannot.

· Breakthrough cases: 16+% of COVID-19 cases are due to breakthrough infections from Delta variant. CDC on breakthrough infections. Dr. Fauci on breakthroughs.

· Long-Haulers: Covid long-hauler effects are not fully understood; how brain has been affected. Yale Medicine on long Covid. Signs and symptoms.

· Positivity Rate: Good measure of how Corona virus is doing.

· Working Class: Even the stronger working class getting hit by Delta Variant.

· Vaccinations: Los Angeles City, Los Angeles County, New York City and other U.S. cities beginning to require COVID-19 vaccinations to enter restaurants, bars, and other public places. Situation heating up as opposition to masks and shots grows.

· Mandates: Like it or not, mandates are coming. Mandates can have unintended consequences.

· Tests: COVID-19 test kits getting cheaper or free in many cases.

· High Risk Cases: The CDC has updated their list of certain medical conditions that put people at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 to include additional disabilities, primary immunodeficiency, and physical inactivity.

· WHO on Monkey Pox: They declared it a world health crises. Virus works similar to Covid-19.

· What about travel?

Masks Masks Masks

Despite the best efforts of public health officials to get people to wear masks, unfortunately masks have become a political football. Pros on wearing masks. For the cons go here. Bribes to mask up are coming.

Protection of the eyes is provided by transparent Lucite face shields. Although CDC currently recommends against them, a mask/face shield combination is employed throughout Asia. And Asia has the lowest case numbers.

Controversies surrounding mask-wearing, vaccinations, boosters and several outlandish treatments abound. The Research Department at The Hemet Beat continually updates this report to reflect the latest news on responsible news sites.

It looks like cloth masks won’t cut it anymore. Fashion may be in.

AARP has this to say: Older adults and people who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 may want to consider swapping out their cloth mask for an N95 mask, also known as a respirator. The same goes for people who are taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19 and for grocery store workers, bus drivers and other individuals whose jobs require them to interact with the public. A long plane or train ride may also warrant a switch.

When well-fitted and worn properly, respirator masks are better at filtering out virus-sized particles and can provide a higher level of protection against COVID-19 than other types of face masks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says in its newly revised mask guidance.

Here is a Bing page to help you research the value of wearing a mask and the choices available.

Dr. Fauci on masks: “This Delta variant is not the original virus that we were dealing with. This has different capabilities much more efficient in transmitting from person to person,” he said, explaining why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its mask guidelines.

Some Final Thoughts

Try this COVID-19 vaccine FAQ: Answers to common questions. [Source: msn.com.]

As a recent CBS News report said, “There are currently four variants of concern: Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. Delta, which turned up in the U.S. in the spring, is more contagious and now makes up the overwhelming majority of U.S. cases — about 99% of new infections are Delta. Experts are also keeping an eye on the Mu variant, which emerged in Colombia in January, and which has mutations suggesting, “It may be able to bypass existing coronavirus antibodies.”

Well, that was last month’s news. Now the Omicron Variant has reared its ugly head and is quickly taking over; more virulent but with less serious effects. And it has a subvariant, Omicron BA.1 that could be worse.

It looks like the top world humanitarian threats of 2021 aren’t going away anytime soon.

OK, now go and impress your friends with your new-fangled medical knowledge. And remember, getting vaccinated doesn’t prevent you from transmitting the disease or even catching it. The benefits are in lowering your chance of getting it, and reducing the severity if you do contract it. But social distancing and wearing a mask help too. In the end, it’s your decision what course of action you take.

Watch for our related Research Report COVID-19 Protection Strategies.

For those of you who think this report sounds like your grandmother’s mishmash from Old Eastern Europe, I suggest looking up your 8^th grade Bio 101 teacher and taking her to lunch. Learning and personal growth can be part of a never-ending process for all of us.

* * * * *

Fletcher Research

Report Author: Dennis A. Fletcher — Reporter, researcher, and representative for Hemet Eye News and The Hemet Beat Studios. Focus: Science you can use. Beats:science, health, disaster preparedness.

Author Education: AA – Languages (German), Pasadena City College; BS – Industrial Marketing, Cal Poly Pomona University (honors); MBA, Cal State Los Angeles University.

Author Credentials: California Community College Teaching Credential. Published five IT textbooks. Secretary, Hemet Library Foundation. Secretary, Human Relations Council for Hemet, San Jacinto, and Menifee. Member, Advisory Council for San Jacinto Senior Center. Former Community Affairs Reporter at The Valley Chronicle. Official Fact Finder, Baja News. Reporter: Hemet Eye News and The Hemet Beat.

Research Reports: This Research Report is provided through the Research Department of Fletcher Marketing Services and The Hemet Beat. Reports focus on clarifying complex issues for the public. They shine a spotlight on careers in science, which can be best attained by taking STEM courses in school.

Research Reports now available or in development:

COVID-19 Variants & Vaccines in the U.S. – Dennis A. Fletcher – Available (ongoing updates)

COVID-19 High School Lesson Plan – Gena Estrin – Available

Particle Physics for Kids – Dennis A. Fletcher – Beta version available (ongoing updates)

COVID-19 Protection Strategies – developing

COVID-19 Symptom Checklist – developing

Developments in Astronomy/Cosmology – developing

Developments in Seismology – planning

Developments in Biology – developing

All reports will be located at – www.FletcherResearch.com (under development)

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End of Report … yes, that’s right. It’s finally over.