Coronavirus Update

लंदन: ब्रिटेन की स्वास्थ्य सुरक्षा एजेंसी (यूकेएचएसए) को एक अध्ययन से पता चला है कि जिन लोगों को कोविड का टीका लगा है, उनमें कोविड से संक्रमित होने की संभावना कम होती है। बीबीसी के अनुसार, शोधकर्ता ने दुनिया भर के 15 अध्ययनों से अब तक के उपलब्ध साक्ष्यों को देखा और पाया कि कुछ लोग कोविड की चपेट में आए हैं, लेकिन उनमें संक्रमण का जोखिम कम हैं, लेकिन ऐसे लोगों में थकान जैसे लक्षण देखने को मिले हैं। समीक्षा में कुछ अध्ययनों ने टीकाकरण के प्रभाव को देखा और पाया कि कोविड वाले लोग, जिन्हें फाइजर, एस्ट्राजेनेका या मॉडर्न टीके की दो डोज या जानसेन वैक्सीन की एक डोज मिली, उन लोगों की तुलना में लगभग आधे लोग कोविड से संक्रमित थे। यह भी पाया गया कि 60 वर्ष और उससे अधिक आयु के लोगों में अधिकांश लंबे-कोविड लक्षणों के खिलाफ टीके की प्रभावशीलता सबसे अधिक पाई गई। यूकेएचएसए के अनुसार, यूके की आबादी के लगभग दो प्रतिशत ने लंबे समय तक कोविड के लक्षणों की सूचना दी है, जैसे कि थकान, सांस की तकलीफ और मांसपेशियों या जोड़ों में दर्द शामिल है। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि इस तरह के लक्षण संक्रमण के बाद चार सप्ताह से अधिक समय तक रह सकते हैं। इसमें कहा गया है कि जिन लोगों को कोविड के खिलाफ टीके की दो डोज मिली हैं, उनमें कोविड लक्षण होने की संभावना कम है या उनमें कोविड के लक्षण कम समय के लिए दिखाई देंगे। (एजेंसी) यह भी पढ़े► कोरोना के विषाणु सीवर की गंदगी को अपने में समाहित करने में सक्षम : शोध

Moscow: The Omicron strain of the Covid-19 may lead to neurological complications much like other Covid variants, according to a Russian expert. According to founder and chief executive of DNKOM research center Andrey Isaev, although Omicron has been touted as causing mild infections, it can lead to long Covid in adults and systemic inflammations among children, TASS news agency reported. The Omicron variant carries a large number of mutations and is also known to evade vaccine-induced immunity. Yet, several studies have shown that the Omicron variant is less able to infect the lungs and, as a result, is leading to less patients being admitted with pneumonia who require oxygen and ventilators. However, in many countries, particularly in the US and Israel, it spiked hospitalisations. Isaev stated that since Omicron is a variant of the SARS-CoV-2 which had been known to affect the brain as well as cause inflammation it may have some or the other post-infection effects, the report said. "Despite the lighter course of the Omicron, it is necessary to understand: if the coronavirus does not lead to pneumonia and artificial lung ventilation, it may have other consequences," he was quoted as saying. "Covid-19 in the past may lead to severe nervous system disturbances - neuro Covid and long Covid-19 may occur when infected with the Omicron as well," Isaev added. The variant also significantly affected children. Many children across US were hospitalised. Isaev noted that "systemic inflammations may evolve with children" due to Omicron. The predominant symptoms of Omicron include headache, lethargy, throat pain, dry cough, fever, and loss of appetite. So far studies have shown it to be largely affecting the upper respiratory system and are not known to affect the lungs much. But in January, Israel reported a case of a person with Omicron being treated for myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle.) Studies have shown that even mild cases of Covid-19 can trigger persistent symptoms. Long Covid is a possibility regardless of the variant, top US infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci was quoted as saying in a recent interview. "Long Covid can happen no matter what virus variant occurs. There's no evidence that there's any difference between Delta or Beta or now Omicron," he had said. (Agency) Read More► Previous Covid Infection May Improve Performance of Antibodies

Jerusalem: According to a new study, although over time the number of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies fall in both previously infected and vaccinated patients, the performance of antibodies improve only after the previous infection. The researchers, including Carmit Cohen of the Sheba Medical Center, indicated that while protection against re-infection lasts for a long time in SARS-CoV-2 recovered patients, breakthrough infections are increasingly common six months after vaccination. "While the number of antibodies decrease with time in both Covid-19 recovered (but never vaccinated) patients and vaccinated (but never infected) individuals, the quality of antibodies increases the following infection but not after vaccination," the researchers said. The study also found that, contrary to expectations, previously infected patients with obesity had a higher and more sustained immune response than overweight and normal weight range patients. For the study, to be presented at this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, the team analysed the humoral (antibody-induced) immune response in Covid-19 recovered but unvaccinated individuals for up to a year and compared it with those who had received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine (but no previous infection) over eight months. The study recruited previously infected-unvaccinated and double vaccinated never infected individuals from March 25 to November 25 2020 and closed in April 2021, just before the Delta variant arrived in Israel. The researchers followed up on 130 patients diagnosed with SARS-COV-2 using PCR testing. These patients had not been vaccinated and remained unvaccinated during the study. None of these patients were reinfected during the study period. (Agency) Read More► Post-Vax Exercise Bumps Up Antibodies: Study

Vitamin D, known as the "sunshine" vitamin and essential for bone health, is also known for promoting immune response, much needed to fight Covid-19, experts said here on Friday. Several studies have also shown how Vitamin D deficiencies can reduce vaccine efficacy and also increase the severity of Covid-19 infection in individuals. In a study led by Purdue University, researchers found that Vitamin D functions to reduce inflammation caused by immune cells, relevant to responses during severe Covid infection. "Because the Vitamin D receptor is expressed on immune cells and because these cells can synthesise the active Vitamin D metabolite. Vitamin D also has the potential to modulate adaptive immune responses," Dr Sanjay Kumar Gogia, Director, Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, told IANS. Further, Covid has been particularly worse to older adults, people with obesity and hypertension -- again a group with deficiency in Vitamin D. Another study led by Bar-Ilan University in Safed, Israel, Vitamin D levels, prior to Covid infection, may increase severity of the disease as well risk of mortality. The study found that patients with Vitamin D deficiency (less than 20 ng/mL) were 14 times more likely to have severe or critical cases of Covid than those with more than 40 ng/mL. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently stated that over 75 per cent of people who died due to Covid had comorbidities like uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, renal diseases and obesity. "Low Vitamin D levels have been associated with an increased risk of community-acquired pneumonia in older adults and children," Gogia said. He cited that in a meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials, vitamin D supplementation was shown to protect against acute respiratory tract infection. However, in few clinical trials, administering high doses of Vitamin D to critically ill patients with vitamin D deficiency (but not Covid-19) did not reduce the length of the hospital stay or the mortality rate when compared to placebos. "The rationale for using Vitamin D is based largely on immunomodulatory effects that could potentially protect against Covid-19 infection or decrease the severity of illness," Gogia noted. Vitamin D is most often recognised for its role in bone health, but low levels of the supplement have been associated with a range of autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases. According to Dr Amitav Banerjee, Prof & Head of Community Medicines, D.Y. Patil Medical College, Pune, cultural and social changes have led to the condition that today "young adults are about four times more likely to have Vitamin D deficiencies as compared to older adults". "Lifestyle changes do not only consist of diet and exercise but stepping outdoors for getting your mandatory dose of Vitamin D," Banerjee said. "Your body needs adequate amounts of Vitamin D to maintain and support the immune system," he said. (agency) Read More► Covid-19 May Soon Be Detectable Via An Eye Test