Good Afternoon SARS2PAians!

Once again, I am requesting you accept my apology for shifting some posts to Monday instead of Friday. The past few weeks were...somethin'.

And I hope you are enjoying your SUMMER! ☀️

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:ms_arrow_right: Wastewater

Nothing has really changed tho, wastewater numbers are going WAY UP nationally and kids aren't even back to school yet.: https://ibb.co/X555c7w

Wearing a quality respirator should be considered in crowds, in places of low ventilation AND in ANY close contact...even outside.

Controlling this stuff at the source (which is other people already infected) NOW will prevent LEARNING LOSS this winter.

We don't want LEARNING LOSS.....do we? 🤔

While regionally, our Northeast region is still doing much, much better than the rest of the country, and Chester is doing much better than a few weeks ago, Harrisburg is still AT THE TOP of wastewater results for our region. Please respirator-up and be aware of social contacts in H-burg!: https://ibb.co/bHXf3SP

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:ms_arrow_right: Other Pathogens

🔴Mpox

There's....um...still quite a lot going on that's not SARS2.

Mpox has been declared a Public Health Emergency of international Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Org.

This is NOT...N O T the same beast as in 2022.

This is a different clade (Clade I) which is many times more deadly than the 2022 version.

***EDIT: CLADE I IS THE NEWER VERSION OF MPOX AND I'VE ALSO EDITED THE REDDIT POST.***

Mpox Clade II has been separated out on WastewaterSCAN and you can see testing results for it there.: https://ibb.co/WDMzmjM

Yes there are some vaccines for it,: https://x.com/sailorrooscout/status/1824100811351244818

and they are both from smallpox as Mpox is in the same family and they are genetically similar enough to be cross-effective.

One is JYNNEOS (Imvanex, IMVAMUNE) which is non-replicating and pretty much safe for everyone. The ACTUAL smallpox vaccine is live virus which makes it...not really all that ideal because you have to be soooooo much more careful with it, but STILL effective for life as long as exposure remains low.

Mpox is not new and there are effective antivirals against it; however this clade is NEW and its high death rate is of concern.

We MUST ramp up vaccine production against this disease.

🔴H5N1

H5N1 is a version of Influenza A and is also separated out on WastewaterSCAN.: https://ibb.co/LZpj7pT

There are still new herds testing positive for H5N1 (Bird Flu/Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza/HPAI).

We MUST pull out all the stops and keep testing our food supply chain, especially pigs. Pigs are asymptomatic against H5N1 (which is like the woooooorst news I will probably learn this entire year) and yet they are the ideal mix of human-like and animal-like genomes that could trigger dangerous mutations.: https://ibb.co/HBNpXVW

DO NOT consume non-pasteurized dairy.

DO NOT consume undercooked meat and eggs (no dippy eggs, y'all!)

You might want to consider Ultra-Pasteurized dairy instead of "pasteurized" dairy and plant-based meat replacements.

🔴Cats have an especially VERY high death rate from H5N1, with end results similar to rabies (massive brain swelling and damage). Please keep your kitties indoors and away from dead birds.

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:ms_arrow_right: Fire/PM2.5

So far so good with wildfire smoke over here in PA. While most of Canada is enveloped in lower air quality, we are so far not in the windpath of it.

Keep those Corsi-Rosenthal boxes handy in case the wind takes a turn for the worst for us. Keeping windows tightly closed is good for wildfire smoke but terrible for pathogen control. CR boxes can make up for this loss of filteration!

Honestly, everyone should have a CR box at home, and every classroom should have one. Especially this winter.

:coronavirus: This winter is going to be...somethin'...if we don't do some source control NOW.

:canparrot: We can do this with some empathy and a LOT of source control!

Please have a safe Summer and upcoming Fall! ☀️🍁☀️

#COVID19 #COVID #COVIDisNotOver #SARS2PA
#Pennsylvania #PA #KP3 #S31Del

#Mpox #Wastewater

#H5N1 #HPAI

#pm2_5 #Fires #wildfires

#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #WashHands
#VaccinesSaveLives #StayHomeIfSick !

Good Morning SARS2PAians!

I hope you're enjoying this break from the brain-melting heat and humidity this summer. (It's so much better sleeping 😴)
Wastewater

My focus will be on wastewater as nothing has really changed mutation-wise. KP.3.x.y still wrecking us due to antigenic drift.

KP.3.x.y rising exponentially right now in wastewater. The positivity rate is not as terrible, but +rate is a lagging indication compared to wastewater.

CDC has the VAST MAJORITY of States experiencing VERY HIGH levels of SARS2 concentration in wastewater.: https://ibb.co/nR2kb6Q

PA is in the Moderate category on this map, and indeed the Northeast is in the lowest slot for WW increases out of all regions.:https://ibb.co/3r4j6KH

And actually the PA Wastewwater monitoring map looks much better than last time, but the peak isn't in sight yet.: https://ibb.co/9shCm3M

The highest raised levels in PA are in the Harrisburg region. Folks there might want to consider respirators in public and watch social contacts as school IS NOT going to make this metric better.: https://ibb.co/xG3rY4L

These increases nationally are matching what SHOULD be a post-Holidays winter wave.: https://ibb.co/sVwBs9L

There COULD be a chance that the latest KP.3.x.y variants are more gut-related, so people are shedding more in wastewater than compared to other variants, which in turn, means the +rate will not be as terrible...but using caution, wearing a quality respirator, keeping the air fresh and clean and being aware of social contacts means this wil be controlled for the new school year and we won't have to find things out the hard way.

PLEASE use some common sense and caution going into September.

🔴Vaccines have not been released yet, as soon as they are available, please get vaccinated with the newset version of COVID (JN.1 or KP.2) and the latest flu shot.

🔴Remember there is a two-week "prep stage" as it works through the system before a vaccine is fully effective.

:canparrot: With some common sense and source control we can stop the uphill statistics and prevent lots of life, finance, and learning loss.

I hope you continue to have a GREAT SUMMER! ☀️🔥☀️

#COVID19 #COVID #COVIDisNotOver #SARS2PA
#Pennsylvania #PA
#KP3 #S31Del

#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #WashHands
#VaccinesSaveLives #StayHomeIfSick !

Good Morning SARS2PAians!

I hope you're staying cool. Or at least dehumidified in this murky summer air. 😖

Reminder: I'll try to be better "approving" posts on Reddit in the future. I've approved of all previous posts so they should be more accessible now. I apologize not doing this sooner, I had a whole six months of family emergencies (not COVID) and those details kinda got lost along the way.

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VOCs

Nationally, the fastest mover so far, KP.3.1.1, has taken over the top slot in the variant leaderboard between Friday and today.

Friday: https://ibb.co/3Cx513s
Today: https://ibb.co/QCx4LPW

Genetic shift and waning immunity is causing a substantial uptick in ED visits in most States on the Eastern half of the contiguous US.: https://ibb.co/SncRcpj

There are still no new variants on the horizon that can compete with KP.3.x.y. so far, but it is blazing fast and immune resistant due to genetic mutations.

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Wastewater

Nationally, levels are now HIGH on every monitoring site, and in most States. They're actaully pretty much even with what is usually a winter outbreak.

The wastewater levels by HHS region keep rising, though the Northeast is the lowest of all regions.: https://ibb.co/hmYGbJ8

Please consider wearing a quality respirator in enclosed rooms and crowded areas so we can get these numbers down.

Compared to other areas though Pennsylvania is doing well, well below national averag: https://ibb.co/N9SM8Rb

but the Harrisburg area is getting hit particularly hard right now.: https://ibb.co/JnYLNVx

JN.1/KP.2 vaccines are supposed to be available starting late this month or September for all major manufacturers (Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax).

:canparrot: PLEASE GET VACCINATED as soon as these are available.

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Other Issues

The fires in Canada and Western US are underway and spreading dangerous pollutants. PM2.5 levels are tolerable in PA right now, but remember respirators and Corsi-Rosenthal boxes will definitely help if things get out of control again.: https://ibb.co/ZhDFzvb

We are getting closer and closer to human-to-human transmission for H5N1, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI/H5N1).

:coronavirus: Please consider reducing dairy products in your diet and DO NOT drink or eat raw or undercooked animal products AT ALL.

:coronavirus: Consider moving up from "pasteurized" to "ultra-pasteurized" milk.

:coronavirus: Consider replacing meat with plant-based alternatives. (They can be delicious too!)

I hope we can cooperate NOW to make this winter healthy and safe for all of us.

We can prevent so much life, economic, and learning loss with jsut a little precaution and oding SOME form of source control.

Have a great (and dehumidified UGH) week! 🔥☀️🔥

#COVID19 #COVID #COVIDisNotOver #SARS2PA
#Pennsylvania #PA
#KP3 #S31Del

#HPAI #H5N1

#Wildfire #CanadianFires #FireMonitoring #PM2_5

#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #WashHands
#VaccinesSaveLives #StayHomeIfSick !

The virological characteristics
of SARS-CoV-2 KP.3.1.1

@systemsvirology

These results suggest that KP.3.1.1 has the potential to be predominant due to its higher infectivity and increased immune evasion. In particular, #S31del in spike, the common mutation in KP.3.1.1, LB.1 and KP.2.3, is likely to be a key mutation.

KP.3.1.1 (JN.1.11.1.3.1.1). This variant harbors these mutations.
KP.3.1.1 spike = KP.3 spike + S31del. 4/

#KP3111 #LB1 #KP23

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1813465697252688273.html

Good Morning/Afternoon SARS2PAians!

I apologize for not posting for a week or so. I'm taking care of a needy relative (not COVID) and honestly sometimes that absorbs A LOT of my time, entire mornings and sometimes entire days.

Again, also it's also harder to get accurate info about SARS2 as most virologists I follow are getting totally absorbed into the extremely concerning HPAI/H5N1/bird outbreak monitoring and advocacy.

I hope you're having a great Summer and have recovered from the heat waves! 🔥☀️🔥

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VOCs

KP.3.x.y is still making its way through the world, causing rising numbers wherever it goes.

Most of our current mutations travelling around are some form of KP.3.: https://ibb.co/R74xdfC

There are no upcoming mutations/lineages that can compete with it so far.

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Wastewater, +rate

WastewaterSCAN shows national levels as HIGH everywhere in the US.: https://ibb.co/n0Fgg28

🔴In fact, SARS2 is THE ONLY PATHOGEN right now on WWS that is considered at HIGH levels!!

Levels are increasing in our HHS region (Region 5, and in fact PA has some of the highest levels tested here.: https://ibb.co/phrHxDD

The PA Wastewater dashboard has levels increasing substantially in McKean County and West Chester.: https://ibb.co/Nngwjt2

The National +rate, despite abysmal levels of testing, is very high right now and is in fact higher than it was IN JANUARY this year.: https://ibb.co/1dxn41F

PA's rate continues to upwardly climb as KP.3's shifted mutations are highly capable of immune escape.: https://ibb.co/Jn1MJs4

🔴Vaccines should be out by the major manufacturers (Moderna, Pfizer, Novavax) very soon, either next month or September. PLEASE get vaccinated as soon as possible.

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H5N1

These are outbreaks continuing almost daily in US cattle and bird farms.

A cluster of poultry workers with H5N1 symptoms is being monitored in Colorado. This is the first time a CLUSTER of H5N1 has occurred. Ten cases in one month...compare this to 880 cases in the entire world over 21 years.

51 herds so far affected in Colorado, which is also the only the state that seems to care enough to start some methods of mandatory testing and developing a tracker tool for outbreaks.: https://ag.colorado.gov/animal-health/reportable-diseases/avian-influenza/hpai-in-dairy-cattle

There have been 173 nationwide herds affected with H5N1 so far.

There is sufficient evidence that H5N1 is now travelling mammal-to-mammal. This is really really very bad.: https://ibb.co/9wnP7vp

🔴PAians might want to consider some increased food safety practices:

Move up from "pasteurized" milk to "ultra-pasteurized".

Consider non-dairy food sources such as plant beverages and tofu.

Do not consume meat that is NOT fully cooked. Have steaks medium insread of rare or medium rare.

🔴DO NOT🔴 consume raw/unpasteurized dairy products.

Just don't.

Don't be That Guy™.

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Fire Monitoring

Fire season is very much underway. So far, we are not in the path of dangerous PM2.5 levels.: https://ibb.co/HXscYcF

As fires spread in Canada and Western US it's just as important to watch these levels as they have a detrimental effect on air quality and long-term respiratory health!

The same precautions work against SARS2, H5N1, and wildfore smoke. Wearing a quality respirator (at least a very well-fitted KN95/N95 and making sure fllters are a high enough grade help control all these potential respiratory hazards.

🔴If you MUST keep doors/windows closed due to fire, oppressive humidity or a heatwave, PLEASE get yourself some MERV filters, a box fan, and go build a Corsi-Rosenthal box. Controlling oppressive weather hazards and PM2.5 smoke by keeping houses tightly closed is totally antithetical to controlling SARS2.

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Between PM2.5 monitoring, COVID and H5N1, that's....a lot going on.😳

But the methods of prevention and source control are all THE SAME: quality respirators and MERV13 filters. :canparrot:

If we can keep SARS2 controlled enough during the summer, it will make for a much better, not-terrible Fall and Winter. But we must start controlling it NOW.

Hope you have a great weekend and again I apologize for dropping updates lately. ☀️☀️☀️

#COVID19 #COVID #COVIDisNotOver #SARS2PA
#Pennsylvania #PA
#KP3 #S31Del

#HPAI #H5N1

#Wildfire #CanadianFires #FireMonitoring #PM2_5

#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #WashHands
#VaccinesSaveLives #StayHomeIfSick !

Info over de meest kansrijke/besmettelijke/immuunontwijkende Sars-Cov-2 variant van dit moment: KP.3.1.1.
Sleutelmutatie: #S31del
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1813465697252688273.html

Good Afternoon SARS2PAians!

I apologize for my late post today and not posting at all last week. The situation did not change all that much last week so there was not that much new info to go on anyway.

Also, most virologists are slowly getting more absorbed into the more potentially devastating H5N1 pandemic currently playing out in the animal kingdom, which is totally understandable but...still takes away from SARS2/C19 discussion. 😣

🔴Just a quick reminder that if you need to keep windows and doors shut during this 🔥HEATWAVE🔥, you might want to start using or build a Corsi-Rosenthal Box as keeping houses and businesses tightly shut against the elements is diametrically opposed to virus control.

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VOCs

There are no recent drastic changes in the COVID19 landscape so far.

Nationally, KP.2.3 in the lead, and quite a few mutations based on KP.3 right after.: https://ibb.co/jgsnv72

The newest mutation to watch seems to be KP.4.1 which is in very low numbers, currently under 1%, for now.

There are no specifics on the Tableau site so for for PA as far as mutations are concerned.

In NY/NJ, LB.1.7 in the lead, and again KP.3.1.1 is shown to move fast over there at 10% of leaderboard share.: https://ibb.co/vCFVRmN

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+rate

Nationally, according to Walgreens, the +rate is going almost stright up. No doubt the East being shut inside for extreme hot/humid weather is NOT helping this, as is waning vaccination effectiveness due to mutational drift.: https://ibb.co/8M4ZFMb

🔴PLEASE get vaccinated when JN.1/KP.2 versions come out in the next few months.

Out of about 5,000 PCR tests done, over a third (39.6%) are positive.

This is a STRONG swing upward that started in April.

The swing upward is mirrored in PA, but only 52 tests have been done. If you aren't feeling well, PLASE use a home test and stay home if you are sick!: https://ibb.co/WnymxfP

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Wastewater

WastewaterSCAN has numbers considered HIGH nationally even though the CDC site is considering them LOW. (🙄): https://ibb.co/C7z96yy

Wastewater levels are LOW compared to the first Omicron wave but HIGH considering that we should not be experiencing this increased sickness in July at all.

In our HHS region, Region 3, we have quite a few stations reporting quickly rising numbers. Harrisburg and Chester rising steadily and now surpasses the highest stations in Maryland, which has been consistently high.: https://ibb.co/R7JXkND

Our region average has been going vertical in wastewater concentration in late June.: https://ibb.co/fSTXbPB

In Region 2 (NY/NJ), the Oakhurst Station has been going vertical and other stations steadily and slowly rising.: https://ibb.co/FzJL7BV

Again, extra caution by using quality air filteration (either by CR box or by a KN95, N95 or better respirator) will keep these numbers down for the summer.

Keep cool and have a GREAT WEEK! 🔥🔥🔥

#COVID19 #COVID #COVIDisNotOver #SARS2PA
#Pennsylvania #PA
#KP3 #LB1 #DeFLiRT #S31Del #KP41

#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #WashHands
#VaccinesSaveLives #StayHomeIfSick !

Good Afternoon SARS2PAians!

I hope you're enjoying the beautiful weather today!! ☀️☀️☀️

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VOCs

Nationally, nothing really new as far as VOCs go, we still have KP.2.3 in the lead, with a very tight race for the top 5 slots on the leaderboard in random sequencing.: https://ibb.co/gjbxpV0

According to Sato Lab in Japan, KP.2.3 is blazingly fast (along with LB.1) and bears a mutation (S:S31del) that makes it immune resistant and more infectious.: https://x.com/SystemsVirology/status/1806464518270369889

Numbers rising already worldwide and in the US from these S-deletion mutations.

In PA, the LB.x.y set seems to be more successful than the KP.2.3 set. This doesn't mean we don't have both out there, but LB.1.7 is showing up more often in recent random sequencing.: https://ibb.co/s3VTsy4

KP.3.1 is also very fast, and the extremely tight race shows that this is a result of mutations that are ALL very fast and infectious.

In NY/NJ, LB.1.7 is at the top of the chart just like in PA. KP.2.3 is right behind it and other fast mutations are gaining, like LP.1.: https://ibb.co/HGDhcjm

Walgreens still has a huge portion of the lower 48 states in the highest positivity growth bracket.: https://ibb.co/1b64Kns

In PA, we're stable right now but numbers are comparable to a mid-winter illness level, and these are only the reported cases.: https://ibb.co/k8VV8Cv

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Wastewater

The PAWSS has a lot of increases across the board. Moderate increases in Allegheny, Indiana, Centre, Cumberland, MontCo and around Philly, and Delaware Cos. Some HIGH increases in Monroe Co.: https://ibb.co/JkWTcfh

🔴Vaccines with newer mutation formulas should be available in mid-July for Novavax and earliest Fall for mRNA (Moderna/Pfizer etc.). Moderna has announced they're interested in a JN.1 formula along with Novavax and is looking to start getting in arms in August. Pfizer is still leaning toward KP.2.

The FDA needs to be pushed to get these to kids BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS.

Please get you and your kid(s) vaccinated. Don't be That Guy.

Get whatever is available, as they'll definitely be more effective than year-old XBB shots.

If you have a strong reaction to the mRNA shots though you might want to switch to Novavax (I did!!) but it's usually harder to find.

That's all I have this week as not much has changed even though numbers are still going up. Consider wearing a quality respirator in crowds and in places with poor ventilation.

I hope you have a BEAUTIFUL day and a healthy early summer! ☀️☀️☀️

#COVID19 #COVID #COVIDisNotOver #SARS2PA
#Pennsylvania #PA
#KP3 #LB1 #DeFLiRT #S31Del

#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #WashHands
#VaccinesSaveLives #StayHomeIfSick !