Health

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that at present, fewer pregnant women are being vaccinated against COVID19 in the US as compared to women who are not pregnant. The agency has noted that the uptake of vaccines is significantly low among women who are in the age range of 18 to 24 years and those who belong to Black and Hispanic minority groups. Health officials have said enhanced outreach to health care providers and pregnant women might increase vaccine coverage and assurance that might bridge the gap in the rate of vaccination. The study has been done by officials from the CDC. The new report has looked at the health data of around 136000 pregnant women who have been taking treatment at eight health systems across the country. Experts have taken the data from medical records of pregnant women from Bloomington-based HealthPartners institute as well. The study has found that around 11.1 percent of women have been fully vaccinated against COVID19 from December 2020 to May 2021, as compared to 24.6 percent of non-pregnant women in the age range of 18 to 49 years who have taken the shot. Dr. Malini DeSilva, who is one of the co-authors of the study, has said that health officials need to spread awareness about the risk of COVID19 and severe infection among pregnant women.

Dr. DeSilva has said that the rate of vaccination is expected to shoot up as the availability of shots and access increase. As more safety data regarding the effects of COVID19 shots in pregnant women is available, it might influence more expecting mothers to take the shots. Since pregnant women have not been enrolled in the clinical trials of COVID19 shots, they are more hesitant to take the shots. Health experts are worried that vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women might reduce the overall rate of vaccination in the country. Dr. DeSilva has noted that there is a growing number of evidence that COVID19 shots are quite safe and effective among pregnant women. Women who are pregnant are at a greater risk of severe infection and death due to COVID19 as compared to non-pregnant women of reproductive age. However, experts have said that it is hard to assess additional risk. The authors of the study have said that COVID19 can shoot up the risk of preterm birth and other complications during pregnancy. Many studies have shown that pregnant women who have been vaccinated during pregnancy might transfer COVID19 antibodies to their newborns through the placenta and breast milk.

The authors of the study have said that health care providers who are treating pregnant women should discuss the benefits of vaccination with them and make them aware of safety and protection from COVID19. They have said that increased awareness about vaccination might lead to an increase in the rate of immunization in pregnant women. As per the latest, data around 17 percent of Asian women and 14 percent of white women who are pregnant have been vaccinated with two doses of COVID19 shot. While only 7.7 percent of Hispanic women who are pregnant have taken the shot. In addition, only 3.7 percent of black women have been vaccinated against COVID19. There has been 15.9 percent vaccination coverage among pregnant women who are in the age range of 35 to 49 years.

Among pregnant women who are in the age group of 25 to 34 years, the vaccination coverage has been 10.9 percent. There has been 3.1 percent vaccination coverage in pregnant women, who are in the age group of 18 to 24 years, said the experts. Experts have said that though vaccination coverage has been low among young women, broad access to vaccines has been available for a limited duration of the study period. This is the reason; study authors think that as access to vaccines has become easier, more women who are pregnant might have been vaccinated. It shows women’s growing comfort and confidence in COVID19 shots. An analysis of safety data emerging from vaccination among pregnant women has shown that there is no safety hazard linked to COVID19 shots for pregnant women.

The officials from Health Ministry in Israel have said that they have been investigating a tiny number of cases of heart inflammation in people who have been given the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID19 vaccine. They have said that they have not been able to draw any conclusions yet. The officials from the company Pfizer have claimed that they have not seen a higher rate of such a side effect than what is expected in the general population. The pandemic response coordinator of the country, Nachman Ash has said that early findings of a report have shown that tens of cases of myocarditis have been taking place in more than five million people who have been given the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, especially after the second jab. Nachman Ash has noted that experts have not been able to identify whether the rate of heart inflammation has been unusually high or it is linked to the vaccine. As per the report, most of the cases of myocarditis have been found in those people who are in the age range of 30 years and above. Health experts are trying to find out if these cases are happening due to a higher number of morbidity or these cases can be linked to the Pfizer vaccine.

Health experts from Israel have said that identifying a cause behind these myocarditis cases would be hard as the disease often fades away without leading to any complications. The disease can be caused by a wide range of viruses. Similar numbers of cases of heart inflammation have been reported in the country in the past as well. The drugmakers are helping health officials in Israel to review data on their COVID19 vaccine. The officials of the company have admitted that they are aware of the analysis of myocarditis cases by the Israeli government where a number of young men have been diagnosed with the condition, who has been vaccinated with their COVID19 vaccine. The company has said that a causal link between these cases of myocarditis and their vaccine has not been determined yet. Scientists from the company have said that at this time, it cannot be concluded that myocarditis is a risk linked to the use of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine.

Israel has been leading in the vaccine rollout program across the world. As per the report, nearly 60 percent of its 9.3 million population has been vaccinated with the two full doses of the Pfizer vaccine. The nationwide database has revealed that the vaccine is extremely effective in preventing the symptoms of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and severe infection linked to COVID19. Since the vaccine rollout program has started in the country, the rate of daily new infections has reduced from 10000 to 129 per day within a week. The director of the School of public health at Israel’s Ben Gurion University, Nadav Davidovitch has said that even if a link between myocarditis cases and the Pfizer vaccine is identified, health officials should not stop administering the vaccine, as the side effect does not seem to be severe enough. He has said that the situation needs to be investigated properly and the officials should wait for a final report. An interim analysis has shown that the risk of contracting the virus is much higher than the adverse reactions of the vaccine. Nadav Davidovitch has said that the risk of such heart inflammation after getting the vaccine is much lower as of now.

A phase 1b-2 clinical trial has shown that two doses of the COVID19 vaccine made by AstraZeneca and Oxford University might not be effective against the B1351 variant of coronavirus, which has been found in South Africa. The findings of this early trial have been released in the New England Journal of Medicine. This trial is known as a double-blind multicenter study. It has been done by experts from the South African Medical Research Council Vaccines and Infectious Disease Analytics Research Unit. During the study, experts have tested the safety and efficacy of the AstraZeneca ChAdOx1 nCov-19 vaccine. Two doses of the vaccine have been given to HIV-negative people who have been in the age group of 18 to 64 years. Participants have been given either two regular doses of the vaccine or a placebo in a 1:1 ratio in the gap of 21 to 35 days from June 24 to November 9, 2020. Median follow-up after the second dose has been 121 days, said the experts. Around 750 participants have been included in the study. Nearly 19 participants have been found to have mild to moderate symptoms of COVID19 for more than 14 days after the second dose of the vaccine as compared to 23 people out of those who have been given a placebo. The cases of COVID19 in the vaccine group have been 731 per 1000 person-years as compared to 93.6 per 1000 person-years in the placebo group for an efficiency of 21.9 percent. Around 39 COVID19 cases out of 42 total cases have been caused by the B1351 variant, said the experts. The efficacy of the vaccine against this variant has been 10.4 percent. All patients with COVID19 have been dealing with mild infections and none of them have been admitted to the hospital.

The authors of the study have said that they have seen in the trial that two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have not been effective enough against the B1351 variant. The vaccine has not been able to prevent mild to moderate COVID19 infection. They have said that the lack of efficiency of the vaccine against the B1351 variant needs to be measured in the context of the 75 percent efficacy in averting mild to moderate infection with onset at least 14 days after even the single dose of the vaccine that was seen before this strain has been found in South Africa. The rates of adverse events have been the same in the placebo group and vaccine group. Only one adverse event in the vaccine group has occurred after the first dose, which has been a fever of 40 0C. However, the fever has subsided after 24 hours. There have been no adverse events after the second dose of the vaccine. The authors of the study have said that they have not seen severe cases of COVID19 during the study, which might be a sign of the relatively young mean age of the participants. Therefore, the study has not been able to identify whether the AstraZeneca vaccine will be effective against the severe infection caused by the B1351 variant. They have said that the degree to which the efficiency of other COVID19 vaccines can be affected by the strains with mutations equal to those of the B1351 and P1 variant, which has been found in Brazil might rely on the level of antibodies produced by vaccination. Experts have said that they are unsure that an improved antibody retort due to a larger gap between the first and second doses of the vaccine might give a better antibody response against the B1351 strain than what has been seen in the trial.

The authors of the study have said that though the development of the second-generation shots has started that might be effective against the strains such as B1351 and P1, but the vaccines which have been formulated against the original strain are going to be available for the rest of 2021. They have said that until new vaccines are available, health experts will have to rely on the AstraZeneca vaccine. The South African officials have stopped the rollout of this vaccine to examine whether it is effective against the new strains. The country has started using the one-shot vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson. Many health care workers have been vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson vaccine in South Africa. Health experts are worried that many new strains of the virus might be spreading around carrying the same kind of mutations.

A report has revealed that the frequency of distress calls to the National Eating Disorder Association has shot up by 70 to 80 percent during the COVID19 pandemic. Pine Lake Behavioral Health in Lincoln as well has reported an increase in people who have been suffering from eating disorders during the pandemic. Health experts have said that young people in the age range of 12 to 17 years, who are dealing with anorexia and bulimia, are the most affected people. In some cases, people are involved in binge eating as well, said the experts. During the National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, diet experts have said that there are some signs of eating disorders that need to be closely watched such as drastic weight loss, dental issues, hair loss, and change in skin color. They have said that if somebody starts making excuses to not eat food or starts eating too much at one time, it can be a sign of eating disorders. Professionals have said that some people who are dealing with eating issues might be using it as a coping mechanism to deal with stress during the pandemic. Stephanie Delgado, a mental health counselor has said that if people with eating disorders like to eat peppers and salads, then their loved ones should load their house with such food items. She has said that mental health professionals need to find out the root cause of such eating disorders as it involves more of a mental health background when it comes to eating disorders.

Stephanie Delgado has said that sometimes it is necessary to ask people who are dealing with eating disorders how they would want to be assisted and supported through their issues. She has said that institutions, which provide help and treatment to those who are dealing with eating disorders, have been having waiting lists of up to six months. Therefore, identifying ways to assist these patients at home might be beneficial in long run. As per the experts, family members of such patients should avoid blaming themselves or the patients for their eating disorders. She has said that family members should avoid keeping a track of patients’ progress by weighing them. They should listen to patients more often, as many such people with eating disorders might be willing to talk about their issues. These people should not be tagged as patients with eating disorders as they are much more than their issues. Patients with eating disorders are much like people who want to navigate through life but they do not have any clue how to do that in the best way. Stephanie Delgado has said that if parents suspect that their kids might be dealing with eating disorders, it will be a good idea to ask them to join on a shopping trip to a grocery store or shopping mall.

Health experts have said that family members should show concern towards their loved ones who are dealing with eating disorders in a more loving way. They have said that seeking professional help such as going to a counselor, attending a support group, or setting an appointment to tackle the disorder with medicines might be a good option. As per the experts, eating disorders might be an outcome of mental health issues and originates from a lack of self-esteem. However, seeking professional help sooner than later might prevent the long-term effects of eating disorders. Pine Lake Behavioral Health does not provide specific treatment to people who are suffering from eating disorders but it offers support groups and counseling to such patients.

The Australian Health Care Department has made a national legislation change in the health care system of the country, which is termed as active ingredient prescribing. Under the new ruling, doctors will not be allowed to prescribe medicines by their brand names anymore. Now, the prescription will list the name of the active ingredients of the drugs rather than the brand names. This legislation change has been long overdue for Australian Health Care. Experts have said that using the chemical name of the drug rather than the brand names will change the way in which people have been using the medications. It will lead to fewer medication errors by the patients and doctors. The active ingredient shows the main chemical composition of the medicine, which affects the body. Experts test the drugs to make sure that they contain the same active ingredient irrespective of their brands.

There is only one active ingredient name for each type of chemical composition though they can contain different strengths. Some types of drugs have many active ingredients such as Panadeine Forte, which have both paracetamol and codeine. Doctors have been prescribing a mixture of brands and active ingredient names until now. As per an Australian study, doctors have been using brand names for 80.5 percent of their prescriptions.

Experts have reported that up to 12 brands are available for most of the medicines. When combined with active ingredient names, it accounts for more than thousands of different brand names, which is quite hard for patients and pharmacists to remember. The main objective of the new rule is to simplify the language of the medications. Experts aim to accustom people to using one standard name for each medicine. It will help them to talk about medicines to their health care provider or family members. Experts have said that people make fewer errors by understanding the medications they use. It helps them to make more precise decisions about their medicines.

Health experts have said that the new rule is not going to load doctors with extra work. As per the new legislation, doctors can include the brand name in the prescription, if they feel it is crucial for patients. Apart from some exceptions, the active ingredient names need to be listed in the prescription. The names of active ingredients should be listed first in the prescription, said the experts. Some names of the active ingredient might be too long and more complex than certain brand names, in such a case, there might be a period of adjustment for consumers. However, in the long run, the new rule is going to be implemented across the country, which will change the terminology around the medications. It will make things easy and safe for patients and doctors.

A school district in Colorado recently said that a large-scale disease outbreak forced all of its schools to temporarily close. In a statement posted on its website on Wednesday morning, Mesa County Valley School District 51 – Colorado’s 14th District, with more than 22,000 students – announced that it will close more than 40 schools until after the Thanksgiving holiday, due to the high infectious gastrointestinal disease.

The statement said that the conclusion was activated after more than a dozen schools began reporting that the absence rate was above average, which is extraordinary because the region has never had to close all schools in the area because of the disease. D51 Care Coordinator Ms. Tayna Marvin said in a statement: “We are taking this particularly unusual action because the virus is extremely contagious and spreads rapidly in our schools.” “Also, it seems that there is a second type of related virus that is distressing students, some of whom have been sick in recent weeks. The mixture of these two viruses has caused an unprecedented spread of disease. The specific disease that makes students and faculty feel uncomfortable is not known. However, Mesa public health officials said in a statement issued to Twitter that it “acts much like a Norovirus. Norovirus is a gastrointestinal disease and is sometimes called “winter vomiting bed bug.” It usually causes nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, and is easy to spread. A common way to spread the virus is to get in close contact with the infected person. This is direct or indirect, such as shared bathrooms, dormitories or other public spaces.

More specifically, the virus is spread by feces and vomit. Mesa County public health officials said in a statement, there have been multiple vomiting incidents in public places in schools. Lee-Ann Jaykus, head of science at NoroCORE, a food safety program, told Fox News in the US: It takes only a few viral particles to make people sick.

The doctors in the USA used CRISPR first time to treat the patient having a genetic disorder. CRISPR is a reliable gene-editing technique. For this first time study, Victoria Gray got ready as a volunteer. She went through sickle cell disease treatment by using the CRISPR technique in Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville. Through this way, Gray became the first patient as being involved in the study of this technique. It will take some months or a few years to confirm the positive test results, and for this period, Gray will be under observation. In her childhood only, she was diagnosed with sickle cell disease. The symptoms restricted her to play and enjoy like other children’s.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic defect, and around 100,000 individuals in the U.S. get affected by sickle cell disease. In sickle cell disease, the bone marrow produces defective protein. This protein makes sickle-shaped blood cells sticky and hard. This cell gets stuck in blood vessels, and they do not carry oxygen. This situation results in weakening and sometimes generates life-threatening complications. In this study, doctors used cells of the bone marrow of the patient. These cells are genetically modified with CRISPR to make them produce a necessary protein. This protein usually gets produced by babies and fetuses after their birth for a short period. The doctors have hope that this protein will cover up defective protein that results in sickle cell disease. Also, this will help the patient to live healthily and generally for the rest of life.

Some of the doctors and specialist says that this is a very new technology. Also, there are many unknown things about this test. When treated with a human being, there are some risks, and this test might make patient sicker. However, Gray said that she is aware of all these risk factors. She also added that she knew that this is the initial step, and other patients might see benefits after some months.

We all drink without keeping track of how many pegs or glasses we are down, a dietician is suggesting healthiest ways to drink alcohol. Alcoholic beverages have surprisingly very high calories. One gram of alcohol is about 7 calories. The amount of calories in a standard drink is about 70 calories. Besides alcohol is linked to cardiovascular as well as digestive issues. It also increases risk of cancer. As we know it dehydrates the body temporarily which leads to headaches, and mood swings. Many people believe that drinking red wine is good for health but if consumed in extreme moderation. It is beneficial for gut bacteria as well. Vodka is considered least in the number of calories and rose wine is highest.

Dietician suggests few tips to limit the calorie intake and keep oneself healthy even after attending regular parties. Eating a healthy meal before going to a party so that when one drink, it is not instantly absorbed in the bloodstream as the digestion process is ongoing. Also have a meal an hour or two before the party and have it in moderate quantities because if one drinks while stomach full, chances are you may vomit and spoil the party. Often times, cheesy party foods such as salami, crackers, and pretzels are high in sodium which increases the thirst. These foods are usually offered complementary by bars so that alcohol consumption of the visitors goes up without their knowledge. Drinking water after every drink is also advisable as it naturally limits alcohol consumption and keeps you away from consuming energy dense drinks.

Trying booze-free options or switching to mocktails is also an option very few people opt for. Also, Kombucha or wine spritzers are great alternatives. Planning how much alcohol you want to gulp down before going to the party is a good strategy. You can have appropriate gaps between your drinks at the party if you choose to limit alcohol consumption.