Coronavirus weekly need-to-know: long COVID in kids and teens, cases, Biden & more
In the United States, more than 91 million people have tested positive for the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic as of Friday, Aug. 5, according to Johns Hopkins University.
In addition, more than 1 million people in the U.S. have died. Worldwide, there have been more than 582 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, including about 7 million in the past week. Additionally, over 6.4 million have died from the virus globally.
About 223 million people in the U.S. are fully vaccinated as of Aug. 5 — 67% of the population — and over 107 million of those have gotten their first booster shot, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
Most of the country, roughly 81%, lives in a location where COVID-19 community levels are considered medium and high, the agency says as of Aug. 5. Masks are advised in high-level regions.
About 19% of Americans reside where COVID-19 levels are low, according to the CDC.
The omicron BA.5 subvariant dominated U.S. cases for the week ending July 30and made up nearly 82% of COVID-19 cases, agency data estimates show.
Here’s what happened between July 30 and Aug. 4:
Long COVID conditions in kids include heart issues, blood clots & more, CDC study says
For children and teens who have gotten COVID-19, there is a higher chance they may develop certain health conditions — including heart issues, blood clots, and more — in the weeks following an infection, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.
Known as long COVID, the CDC describes it as “new, recurring, or ongoing health problems” that could appear at least four weeks after catching COVID-19.
While several studies have examined long COVID conditions and symptoms in adults, there is less data about long COVID in children and teenagers, the CDC notes.
In the study, the most common post-COVID conditions in patients ages 0 to 17 were blood clots in the lungs and veins, heart problems including myocarditis and cardiomyopathy, kidney failure and type 1 diabetes, according to the research.
These conditions are “rare or uncommon” for children and teens who have never gotten COVID-19 and are “potentially serious,” the study noted.
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Long COVID conditions in kids include heart issues, blood clots & more, CDC study says
Why it seems nearly everyone has COVID now — and what to do about it, from a UNC doctor
Even with official COVID numbers down (there were nearly 32,000 new cases reported in North Carolina last week, down from the more than 33,000 from the week before), it seems like lots of people are getting sick lately.
Everyone knows someone, or many someones, with COVID-19 right now.
And in lots of cases, those testing positive are people who managed to defy infection for the past two-and-a-half years.
So what’s going on? Aren’t we supposed to be getting back to “normal”? Do we need to start wearing masks again?
Continue reading below:
Why it seems nearly everyone has COVID now — and what to do about it, from a UNC doctor
President Biden tested positive for COVID-19 again. What to know about rebound cases
After testing negative early last week, President Joe Biden experienced a rebound case of COVID-19.
When he first tested positive on July 21, Biden experienced mild symptoms, including runny nose, fatigue and high temperature, CNN reported. He also completed a five-day course of Paxlovid, a drug used to treat COVID-19 symptoms that is available for people 12 and older who are at high risk of severe illness.
Some people who complete Paxlovid treatment can test positive for COVID-19 and experience symptoms in what is known as “COVID-19 rebound,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For more, keep reading:
President Biden tested positive for COVID-19 again. What to know about rebound cases
Biden tests COVID-19 positive for sixth straight day
President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 again on Thursday, Aug. 4, but feels “very well,” his physician, Kevin O’Connor, said in an update two weeks after the president first tested positive.
Biden has tested positive for six days with a rebound COVID-19 infection that has been seen in some patients who take the antiviral treatment Paxlovid. He first tested positive for COVID-19 on July 21 and ended his isolation last week before testing positive again on July 30.
The article continues below:
Biden tests COVID-19 positive for sixth straight day
Penn State is changing its guidelines on COVID quarantine, isolation ahead of fall semester
With classes set to begin in just three weeks /on Aug. 22, Penn State is providing a clearer picture of its latest COVID-19 precautions and guidelines.
This fall, Penn State will greatly reduce its on-campus quarantine and isolation spaces available for students, according to a statement. The university also said it will continue recommending, but not requiring, COVID-19 vaccinations.
Until the end of Penn State’s spring 2022 semester, the university required indoor masking at campuses whose counties reflect a high community level from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now, Penn State will only recommend masks in those areas, following similar guidelines announced by State College Area School District earlier this summer.
Keep reading here:
Penn State is changing its guidelines on COVID quarantine, isolation ahead of fall semester
McClatchy News reporters Evan Moore, Brooke Cain, Alex Gangitano and Matt DiSanto also contributed to this report.
