New antigen test for the Fall from iHealth - FluA/FluB/COVID - $40 for 4 pack on Amazon. Progress.
Europeans have a quad test called Fluorecare (FluA, FluB, RSV, COVID) for $2.50 per test.
DJ As an example; cost per 4-in-1 test ex tax=2,44 (In NL including tax=2.95€ -but larger amount=lower price, if you buy 1500 of those tests 20% discount = 2,36€ per set including tax).
will lean forward strategically & make Fluorecare 4-in-1 tests available in the U.S. asap.
Awesome if ASPR sends combo tests for free in Sept
Combo tests for $2.50 would be game changer for respiratory infections & save lives
DJ, Governments should buy billions of those kinds of tests...flu A or B, CoViD and RSV...
It may be to early to go for Mpox testing this way...
Since governments don't do their job-just create wars-consumergroups can play a role...
Although I've been pretty diligent in wearing a surgical (or KN95) mask when in crowded public places for the past 4 years, I'll admit I don't usually doff the equipment as methodically as most infection control experts might like, and I often reuse masks (after UV exposure or 48 hours).
While I use hand sanitizer most of the time after removing my face covering, I'm not entirely consistent. But between my PPEs, my COVD/Flu vaccinations - and a little bit of luck - I've gone 3+ years without a COVID (or respiratory) infection.
Somewhat reassuringly, today we've a study in Nature that suggests that concerns over viral transfer from touching a contaminated face mask may be overblown.
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The risk of virus transmission via the touching of contaminated masks has long been assumed by infection control teams. Yet, robust evidence to support this belief has been lacking.
This risk was investigated in a laboratory setting by measuring the amount of viable influenza virus successfully transferred from artificially contaminated medical (surgical) mask surfaces to a human finger used to swipe their outer surface under various experimental conditions.
Despite being exposed to high levels of virus contamination on the masks, very little or no viable virus was successfully transferred from the mask to the finger in these experiments.
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This is not to say that hand-washing and fomite transmission precautions are not important. This study, together with another12, simply suggests that the risk of viral transmission via touching the surface of used masks is low.
DJ, The study did investigate some flu viruses...other diseases may have a somewhat different outcome. However in lots of AIRBORNE diseases it may be wise ;
-to focus on maximum ventilation (lower viral loads)
-Use a good mask that fits (cross the cords on the side of the head to make it more fitting !)
-Avoid crowded places/moments if you have alternatives !
-Stay informed !
Governments/politics simply fail to do a good job in public health. "Saving the rich/economy/profits" is the main goal of "politicians/experts for sale"...
So it comes to the indivuduals to make changes !
Masks should become a fashion item ! Fashion designers can make a mouth/nose-mask + eye protection a fashion item...
"Criminal politicians" making PPE/masks illegal may see a grass roots movement going against their stupidity ....
YES-Vaccines often limit risks ! But how many vaccines does a person need to get ? DJ-I have had SIX CoViD vaccines-still did catch (Long) CoViD ! So I am fed up with the "vaccines only" lies....
We have to see real changes in the way we live; Less air travel (diseases fly around the globe 24/7 for free !)...Less meat consumption-better deals for farmers....(supermarkets/multi nationals now decide on the price)...Less (e)cars !
It looks like a lot of us are "learning the hard way"....
Pupil absences due to ILLNESS are still 40% higher than pre-pandemic.
But Bridget hasn’t quite figured out that telling sick kids to come to school is counterproductive & just spreads the illness to everyone else so you end up with even MORE sickness!
What we need is CLEAN AIR!
DJ, Crazy "politicians" not only make PPE/masks illegal but also want to force ill people to spread disease at schools/workplaces "to save the economy"....
DJ, Even in the 19th century there were laws providing an income to ill workers to avoid massive illness...The idea of masks stopping diseases is THOUSENDS of years old !
"Mal-aria" meant "bad air" the "old" Greeks and Romans did think diseases may spread via the air...Is public insanity now that normal we do not return to the 19th century but to the Stone Age ????
Pupil absences due to ILLNESS are still 40% higher than pre-pandemic.
But Bridget hasn’t quite figured out that telling sick kids to come to school is counterproductive & just spreads the illness to everyone else so you end up with even MORE sickness!
What we need is CLEAN AIR!
DJ; STOP NATO WARS NOW !!!! Invest in healthcare, education, housing, transport FOR ALL !
As we drown in endless waves of Covid that generate millions of infections and thousands of deaths per week, our leaders have effectively stripped away every tool we have. They prefer a society that sacrifices themselves for short-term economic and political gains and then becomes ripe clientele for the pharmaceutical industry.
They collude with the media to push out a daily barrage of misinformation aimed exclusively at ensuring we continue to work, shop, and vacation, because that's what they care about. Meanwhile, they do absolutely nothing about pandemics on the way as dozens of diseases spread out of control, at levels 10 times worse than normal.
As the World Health Organization sounds alarms, telling us "we have arrived in the post-antibiotic era," and that we faced a future pandemic up to 20 times worse than Covid, our leaders focus on vibes.
That last part should get our attention.
Yes, we are here.
We have arrived in the time when superbugs aren't responding to antibiotics.
If that weren't bad enough, they're preying on our weakened immune systems.
Four years ago, we looked to plants to protect us from pathogens because vaccines and treatments weren't coming anytime soon. The minute those vaccines and antivirals came out, most people forgot all about plants. They reverted to their old assumptions that plants were for hippies.
Well, here we are again.
Our vaccines and treatments are failing, and when they work they're often in short supply, or we can't even get access to them. Moms and dads are rolling out the NyQuil in little cutesie Facebook posts, along with all the pills that treat the symptoms but leave the disease itself to roam free all over your body.
We can do better.
As we mask while demanding clean air and better medicine, it's time to revisit those plants and see what they can do.
Do they even work?
Yeah, they do.
A 2024 review of studies in Viruses identified 10 different plant compounds with broad antiviral properties and effectiveness specific to Covid (and in many cases several other viruses). As they write, "plat-derived molecules can tackle viruses by acting on different aspects of their infection process" and "inhibit coronavirus/host protein pathways" by blocking them. The authors initially identified 45 different compounds and then narrowed them to the 10 most effective.
Plants work because they contain terpenoids, flavonoids, phenols, and alkaloids that all demonstrate "high anti-viral potential against SARS-CoV-2 particles" as well as other viruses. They do this in a variety of ways that work across variants because they block virus entry while also tamping down replication and essentially "stopping its life cycle."
Sounds good to me...
DJ, There are lots of ways to avoid sinking in a multi-disease global healthcrisis....Point is governments NEED to have the will to stop that crisis...
Study: Sequencing-Based Detection of Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in Wastewater in Ten Cities
"H5N1 was detected in 10 of 10 cities, 22 of 23 sites, and 100 of 399 samples"
NEJM
DJ, The basic mistake is neo-liberalism. ANY state intervention in the more extreme neo-liberal "idea" is "socialism" and a "waste of tax payer money"....
So we have NO idea of what diseases are spreading where in general...The NEJM article only indicates H5N1 was detected in "10 out of 10 cities"...
CoViD is out of control...Mpox clades 1b (DRC) and 2b (the 2022 variant) spreading...with also lots of other diseases doing their thing...
Missouri: No clear exposure source in H5 avian flu case
"Missouri investigators have found no link to consumption of raw milk or other raw dairy products"
CIDRAP
"socialism"!
DJ-History shows government interventions did bring progress....From water safety to labor-laws...Somehow we deny that progress...
The crises that are the results of "governments NOT doing their job" are now "solved" by wars...
Even Bismarck-very conservative 19th century major German politician-did see a use for some social laws...You NEED to control spread of diseases...If you give up on that basic idea you end up in "health chaos"....
Missouri has reported the first human case of bird flu in the U.S. By that, health officials mean the first person "with no known animal contact." It's probably not the first case, just the first one we're hearing about. As infectious disease expert Michael Mina recently warned, "Given how few people get tested for flu, we have no idea how widespread H5 really is."
You know how these things work...
While Finland rolls out bird flu vaccines to its vulnerable populations, the U.S. has done virtually nothing to prepare, and nothing to respond to the rampant spread on dairy farms. Earlier this year, the USDA announced plans to "identify infected herds and wait for the virus to die out." The operative word here is wait. If we've learned anything from the current pandemic, it's that viruses don't die out. They evolve. They adapt.
They spread.
DJ....god article-of course NOT in any main stream media...
DJ-I am shocked to see the SE-USA getting hit this hard by climate collapse disasters...After "Helene" now "Milton" is on its way...lots of indications for a third major storm october 15-20 for the south and east of the US...
All may be major hurricanes (cat 3-4)...bringing lots of damage-over and over....
and FEMA is out of funds...
--------
CoViD can infect over and over again...decreasing immunity that did give Mpox -in 2022- chances to go global...With a new form of Mpox out of control in Africa...
Flu-types do mix...flu can spread with co-infection of other diseases...But I do not see any links to CoViD history in H5N1 cases...A lot of US farm workers very likely never got any kind of vaccination...do live in not such good housing-may have had CoViD...
We are in a downward spiral...wars/weather-disasters even make matters much worse...
"To effectively mitigate the airborne transmission of COVID-19, a multi-faceted approach focusing on indoor environments is crucial. Here are the key strategies to combat the spread of the virus:
-Ventilation Improvements
Enhancing ventilation is one of the most effective ways to reduce the concentration of airborne viral particles indoors.
Increase outdoor air supply: Boost the amount of fresh outdoor air circulating in indoor spaces.
This can be achieved through:
•Opening windows and doors when possible
•Adjusting HVAC systems to bring in more outdoor air
•Using window fans to exhaust indoor air and draw in fresh air
Optimize air exchange rates: Aim for higher air changes per hour (ACH) to dilute potential contaminants.
Disable demand-controlled ventilation: Turn off systems that reduce air supply based on occupancy or temperature during occupied hours.
Air Filtration and Purification
Use high-efficiency filters: Install MERV-13 or higher rated filters in HVAC systems to capture a greater percentage of airborne particles.
Deploy portable air cleaners: Use HEPA air purifiers in areas with poor ventilation or high occupancy.
-Air Disinfection
UV air disinfection: Install ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) systems to inactivate viruses in the air.
-Occupancy and Behavior Modifications
Reduce indoor occupancy:
Limit the number of people in enclosed spaces to decrease the potential for viral spread.
-Encourage mask-wearing:
Proper use of well-fitting masks can significantly reduce the emission and inhalation of respiratory droplets.
-Maintain physical distancing:
Keep at least 6 feet apart, especially during activities that increase respiratory droplet emission.
-Monitoring and Management
CO2 monitoring:
Use CO2 levels as an indicator of ventilation adequacy and potential viral spread.
-Regular maintenance:
Ensure HVAC systems and air cleaning devices are properly maintained and functioning optimally.
-Comprehensive Approach
It’s important to note that no single strategy is sufficient on its own. A layered approach combining multiple interventions is most effective in reducing the risk of airborne transmission.
Building owners and managers should consider consulting with HVAC professionals to implement these strategies safely and effectively.
By implementing these evidence-based measures, we can significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in indoor environments and help control the pandemic."
DJ, It is NOT "rocket science"....maybe being "low cost-limited profits" in "blind capitalism" is the problem....
"Politics for sale" going for high costs-high profits "answers" that will NOT solve the problem...any problem...Because solving problems no longer is the goal-making profits is....
Diseases may not be the main point; "blind capitalism" -profits above everything else- is the problem...
Yesterday Vanity Fair Magazine published a scathing review (and rebuke) of the United State's response to H5N1 in livestock by Katherine Eban (Inside the Bungled Bird Flu Response, Where Profits Collide With Public Health), which I suspect will be marked as `Exhibit A' in some future congressional subcommittee hearing.
Readers of this blog, and other members of Flublogia (FluTrackers, CIDRAP, Hogvet51, etc.) are already well aware of this dysfunctional response, and the fact that it is nothing new.
Fifteen years ago, in Swine Flu: Don’t Test, Don’t Tell, we looked at the reluctance of the swine industry to test pigs for novel flu viruses - fearing that bad publicity would cost them money - and the USDA's refusal to mandate testing.
In 2005, the 194 member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) - following the reporting debacle surrounding SARS in 2002-2003 (see SARS and Remembrance) - approved the biggest change to the IHR (International Health Regulations) since 1969.
IHR 2005 required that all member nations develop mandated surveillance and testing systems and to report certain disease outbreaks and public health events to WHO in a timely manner (usually within 48 hours).
While supposedly binding for all WHO member nations, the IHR is notoriously lacking in `teeth’. Nations agree to abide, but there is little recourse if they don’t follow through - a topic we looked at in depth in 2015 inAdding Accountability To The IHR.
Since then we've seen dozens of attempts to minimize or cover up disease outbreaks for economic or political reasons around the globe, including:
Egypt minimized the number of H5N1 cases in their record setting outbreak in 2015 (see EID Journal: H5N1 In Egypt),
Following China's `success' in managing outbreak information - and in order to `move on' from the pandemic - 90% of the world's nations (including the United States) gutted their COVID surveillance and reporting systems, and simply stopped counting COVID hospitalizations and deaths (see No News Is . . . Now Commonplace).
Although it is easy to conjure up justifications (it's a cost saving measure, we're protecting the ______ industry, it's needed to bolster the economy, it is vital to maintain political stability, etc.) it can be a slippery slope, and a dangerous one.
Just two weeks after the first cattle-related H5N1 human infection was reported (April 1st) in Texas, the following notice appeared in the CDC's weekly Fluview Reportannouncing the latest in a series of rollbacks of reporting requirements on COVID, Flu, and other respiratory illnesses.
While short-sighted, I'm sure that somewhere, someone thought this was a good idea.
Just like somewhere, someone decided it was best not to aggressively test for H5N1 in cattle, in the hopes that it would `burn itself out' and they wouldn't have to deal with it.
And if H5N1 had burned itself out last spring in Texas, that might have made sense. But over the past 7 months the HPAI virus has spread to more than 300 herds across 14 states (likely a gross underestimate), and has spilled over into humans repeatedly.
While governments have always `sanitized bad news for our (or their) protection', in recent years it has become increasingly blatant, with almost no attempt to disguise the fact.
Obfuscation has become the norm, and is done with impunity. We hear almost nothing about H5N1 - or any other disease outbreaks - from China or Russia, and near radio silence from the Middle East.
While ignorance may be bliss, the next pandemic threat may be much closer than we think. We simply can't know what threats lie ahead if we don't proactively look for, and report, outbreaks.
It's high time we start setting the right example here at home.
DJ, at least the US is providing "some" info....Also countries like NL may simply FAIL in testing & reporting-even with a very high density of farmanimals. NL/NetherLands has over 100 million farm animals...
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