South Africa

Johnson & Johnson's booster shot provides high levels of protection against the omicron variant of Covid-19, according to data from a trial of healthcare workers in South Africa released Thursday.

Preliminary results from the Sisonke study, which have not been peer-reviewed, found that for people who had received one vaccine dose, the booster improved protection against hospitalization to 85 percent from 63 percent.

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Testing for Omicron may need re-evaluation--South African study

Wed, 2021-12-29 00:51 — mike kraft

Are We Testing for Omicron Wrong? South African study suggests nasal swabs aren't the best way John Gever medpagetoday

If confirmed in follow-up research and if the diagnostics industry can pivot quickly enough, findings from a South African study could make COVID-19 testing a lot easier for patients and healthcare workers, as the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant becomes the dominant source of infection.

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Trying to reach the unvaxed: Eforts by pastors, rabbis, undertakers

Tue, 2021-12-28 17:55 — mike kraft

Undertakers, rabbis join global fight promoting COVID shots | AP News In Germany, Lutheran pastors are offering COVID-19 shots inside churches. In Israel’s science-skeptical ultra-Orthodox community, trusted rabbis are trying to change minds. And in South Africa, undertakers are taking to the streets to spread the word. AP NEWS

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South Africa small study suggests Omicron could displace Delta

Tue, 2021-12-28 15:53 — mike kraft

South Africa study suggests Omicron could displace Delta Research by South African scientists suggests that Omicron could displace the Delta variant of the coronavirus because infection with the new variant boosts immunity to the older one. Reuters Reuters

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U.S. to lift travel curbs on eight African countries

Fri, 2021-12-24 16:17 — mike kraft

Exclusive: U.S. to lift travel curbs on eight African countries The Biden administration will lift travel restrictions on eight southern African countries imposed last month over concerns about the fast-spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant, the White House said Friday. David Shepardson Reuters

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OVERVIEW: South Africa relaxes isolation reqirements and other international developments,

Fri, 2021-12-24 16:09 — mike kraft

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Reuters Reuters

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Overview: Asia/Pacific, Europe, U.S., Africa, Mideast

Thu, 2021-12-23 18:54 — mike kraft

Factbox: Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus Two vaccine makers said their shots protected against Omicron as UK data suggested it may cause proportionally fewer hospital cases than the Delta coronavirus variant, though public health experts warned the battle against COVID-19 was far from over. Reuters Reuters

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Omicron Infections Seem to Be Milder, Three Research Teams Report, but more contageous

Thu, 2021-12-23 16:20 — mike kraft

Three separate teams of scientists on two continents have found that Omicron infections more often result in mild illness than earlier variants of the coronavirus, offering hope that the current surge may not be quite as catastrophic as feared despite skyrocketing caseloads.

The researchers examined Omicron’s course through populations in South Africa, Scotland and England. The results in each setting, while still preliminary, all suggested that the variant was less likely to send people in hospitals.

“Given that this is everywhere and given that it’s going to be so transmissible, anything that would lower severity is going to be better,” said Natalie Dean, a biostatistician at Emory University in Atlanta.

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