With input from Dr Monica Vasudev

1462:   Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a top White House COVID-19 advisor, is concerned how Americans will react once the pandemic is controlled. An American Psychological Association survey has noted high stress levels among people because of the pandemic. Hence, there are concerns about a possible mental health pandemic.

The survey has revealed the following:

• 61% of respondents reported experiencing undesired weight changes since the pandemic started.
• 67% reported changes in their sleep habits, with 35% reporting that they slept more while 31% slept less.
• 23% of the respondents reported drinking more alcohol to tackle stress.
• 47% reported that they delayed or canceled healthcare services because of the pandemic.
• 48% reported that their stress levels had increased. (WebMD)

1463: - The B.1.1.7 strain, first identified in Britain, is 30% to 100% more deadly than previous dominant variants. The strain is now found in over 100 other countries. Scientists have stated that it is about 40% to 70% more transmissible than previous dominant variants. In a UK study, published in The BMJ, infection with the new variant resulted in 227 deaths among 54,906 COVID-19 patients, compared to 141 deaths among the same number of patients matched for age, sex, sociodemographic background, date of infection, etc., who were infected with other variants. (Mint)

1464:  Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE stated that real-world data from Israel suggests that their COVID-19 vaccine is 94% effective in preventing asymptomatic infections. This would mean that the vaccine could significantly reduce transmission. The latest analysis of the data from Israel shows that the vaccine was 97% effective in preventing symptomatic disease, severe disease and death. This is in accordance with the 95% efficacy reported by the companies from the late-stage clinical trial in December. (Reuters)

1465: Interim phase 2 results from the oral experimental COVID-19 drug molnupiravir were presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) 2021 Annual Meeting. The drug led to significant reduction in the infectious virus in symptomatic patients who had tested positive for COVID-19 during the previous 4 days but were not hospitalized. After 5 days of treatment, none of the subjects who received molnupiravir had detectable virus, while 24% who received placebo did. (Medscape)

1466: How much physical distance is required to safely reopen schools?

1. A study, conducted in Massachusetts, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, noted that it did not make a difference to keep children 6 feet apart compared to half of that
2. Data over the last year have revealed that schools do not seem to be super-spreading environments.
3. Any outbreaks that may have happened in schools were associated with exposures in the community or happened in schools in the absence of protective protocols
4. The nonrandomized study compared COVID-19 rates in 242 Massachusetts school districts. Some of them kept students 6 feet apart while others maintained 3-foot distance over a 16-week period between September 2020 and January 2021. Student case rates were found to be similar in districts with ≥3 feet versus ≥6 feet of distance between students after adjusting for rates of SARS CoV-2 in the community.
5. Among school staff, there were similar case rates in districts with ≥3 feet versus ≥6 feet of physical distancing
6. Study authorsthus concluded that lower physical distancing policies can be adopted in schools with masking mandates.
7. The CDC also now recommends that a 3-foot distance can be used in situations where teachers are fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine
8. Physical distancing continues to be a part of the recommendations for schools, besides universal masking, hand hygiene, cohorting of students and teachers, and use of outdoor space when possible.
9. How to achieve herd immunity to COVID when children are excluded from vaccination? At least 70% of the population is required to have immunity, either through vaccination or natural infection, in order to reach herd immunity.
10. In the U.S., about 25% of the population is below 18 years of age. Considering the number of adults refusing vaccination, it would be difficult to attain herd immunity through vaccination unless children and teens are included.
11. Pfizer has completed enrolment for a clinical trial for older children (age 12 and up) and Moderna is having a trial underway in adolescents. (Medpage Today)

Dr KK Aggarwal

President CMAAO, HCFI and Past National President IMA