COVID-19 – What Have We Learned?
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The Fourth Year of COVID-19
After four years of COVID-19, with the global emergency over, COVID-19 has not gone away. It has just entered an endemic phase, which means that the virus will continue to circulate indefinitely. New variants arise. It is still a significant risk for older adults as they represented 90% of the deaths in the U.S. from COVID in 2023. Ageism has long been a problem in American society, but it spiked during the Pandemic. Overall, more than 1.18 million people have died in the U.S., many more millions around the world, and people continue to sicken and die from COVID-19. Many of the losses could have been avoided especially among the elderly.
One thing we have learned is the value of information we can trust. Misinformation is deadly and has led to the rise of vaccine hesitancy with serious consequences, especially for children.
Knowledge and trust are two of the most powerful tools in fighting this Pandemic and others that will follow. Lots of information appears online, but please confirm the reliability of the sources, particularly information shared on social media. You check the weather forecast regularly, forecasts that can change quickly as new information becomes available, and it is worth your time to check in on the latest health news as well.
COVID-19 is Not Done Yet
The World Health Organization (WHO), says that the pandemic has reached a “transition point.” They go on to say, “As such, long-term public health action is critically needed. While eliminating this virus from human and animal reservoirs is highly unlikely, mitigation of its devastating impact on morbidity and mortality is achievable and should continue to be a prioritized goal.”
Almost 10,000 coronavirus deaths were reported in December 2023, and admissions to hospitals and intensive care units surged, according to World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Although COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, the virus is still circulating, changing and killing,” said Tedros.
The risk continues to be high for the most vulnerable such as the elderly, pregnant women and people with underlying conditions (diabetes, heart disease, immunocompromised, etc.).
The risk is not shared equally as revealed by the toll it has taken on children and families in marginalized communities, warns a National Academies report focused on Black, Latino, and Native American families and low-income families. These numbers paint a disturbing reality:
—Nationwide, more than 200,000 children have lost a parent or caregiver to Covid and 65% of children who lost a parent or primary caregiver to Covid-19 are from Black, Latino, or Native American families.
—Relative maternal mortality rates increased by 33%, with the largest increases for Black and Latina women.
“Across almost every outcome, low-income and racially and ethnically minoritized children and their families have borne the brunt of the pandemic’s negative effects, and without urgent, thoughtful interventions for their health and well-being, they will continue to bear it,” the report says.
Where are We Now
The rate of vaccine hesitancy has hampered prevention efforts, particularly in the number of people receiving at least one booster. Vaccines offer the most hopeful view of the Pandemic. Updated vaccines now provide an effective booster.
“From the start of the US vaccination campaign through the end of November 2021, COVID-19 vaccines prevented about 1.1 million deaths and 10.3 million hospitalizations in the United States,” according to estimates by the health care foundation The Commonwealth Fund. Read more about lives saved in this Vox report.
In addition, the Royal Health Society has just published a report showing the effectiveness of prevention measures during the Pandemic – data proving that they work.
Global COVID Snapshot
World deaths from COVID have reached nearly 7 million (with experts including WHO estimating a much higher toll). Resistance to vaccines continues to challenge progress in defeating this highly contagious virus. Nearly 15 million more people may have died during the first two years of the Pandemic than was reported, WHO found.
Compounding the catastrophic death toll, globally, more than 10.5 million children have lost one or both of their parents during the coronavirus pandemic, nearly double the previous estimates, according to a research letter published in JAMA Pediatrics. READ MORE about the loss of parents.
Another alarming result of 4 years of COVID-19 can be seen in the fact that the largest sustained decline in childhood vaccinations in approximately 30 years has been recorded in official data published by WHO and UNICEF. READ MORE about this threat to children.
US COVID Status
The United States has consistently had among the highest COVID-19 mortality rates in the world, making COVID-19 the most deadly pandemic in American history. The U.S. still reports new infections and deaths in the CDC COVID data tracker.
Vaccine Hesitancy
Health authorities address vaccine hesitancy as a significant barrier to community immunization. The wearing of masks and proper hand washing guard against infection for those who have not received the vaccine are still helpful and for those who have received the vaccine as well. Prevention and getting vaccinated are both necessary to stop COVID-19. In addition, the booster shots are another important level of protection. Being “up-to-date” on vaccination matters in the struggle with this fast changing virus.
Health Inequity
COVID-19 has exacerbated existing ethnic inequalities in health. READ MORE in the Lancet on a new study confirming the effects of ethnic health care inequalities.
The pandemic has proven especially lethal in predominantly Black and other neighborhoods of color that face systemic inequality including lack of access to quality health care combined with a shrinking safety net for critical public services. According to the COVID Racial Data Tracker, COVID has had a deadly impact on Black, Indigenous, Latinx and other people of color with Black people dying at twice the rate of white people. In both rich and poor countries, the virus exposed and exploited every weak point in the health infrastructure. Where you live may determine whether you live or die. While some of those issues have been addressed, many of the basic causes of health inequity remain.
Global health inequity retains its deadly potential in communities of color with poor health care access as vaccine distribution lagged dangerously behind better-resourced neighbors. Vaccine hesitancy is also playing a significant role in countries and in communities in the U.S. where in the past the public health system has failed the people, leading to a historic mistrust of authorities. This lack of trust also highlights the importance of robust information and public education campaigns to promote vaccination. The COVID-19 Pandemic has brought new attention to the health equity crisis on a national and global scale and the complexity of building solutions.
Unmask the Facts
COVID-19 Vaccine Added to Immunization Schedules
COVID-19 vaccines are now part of the routine shots recommended by the CDC for kids, teens, and adults. The vaccine schedule represents the current guidelines for how to protect people against common diseases. These guidelines suggest that all people 6 months old and older should get their COVID-19 vaccines and a booster shot when they can. READ MORE about the CDC vaccination schedule.
Pregnancy-related Misinformation
Misinformation has hindered vaccine uptake among pregnant women. A recent poll found that one in seven adults (14%) have heard that pregnant women should not get the COVID-19 vaccine and believe it to be true, rising to nearly one in four (24%) among women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. READ MORE about this lingering misinformation.
COVID-19 caused a large increase in pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. The death rate of mothers after childbirth in the U.S. is higher than many other high-income countries. Black women had a higher maternal death rate than White and Hispanic or Latina women. READ MORE about new study.
COVID-19 Vaccines Reduce the Risk of Post-COVID Heart Attacks and Strokes
In the largest study to date, experts found that the risk of heart attack or stroke after catching COVID-19 was reduced by 41% in people who got at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. This study suggests that COVID-19 vaccines may help protect against some post-COVID-19 health problems as well. READ MORE about reducing heart attack and stroke risk...
Urging Vaccinations for Children
More than 40% of parents who have children 6 months to 4 years old say that they will “definitely not” get their child vaccinated against COVID-19. Scientists and medical experts have worked hard to ensure the vaccine is safe for these young kids. The COVID-19 virus, on the other hand, can be very dangerous to them. READ MORE about vaccine hesitancy affecting children.
The CDC recommends that all children 6 months through 5 years of age should receive a COVID-19 vaccine. READ MORE about the recommendation.
Kids 5 years old and older should get their COVID-19 booster shot. These boosters can better defend kids and adults from getting very sick from COVID-19. READ MORE about the booster for children.
Federal Reports on Long COVID
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released two reports on Long COVID. The National Research Action Plan on Long COVID details advances in current research and charts a course for future study. The Services and Supports for Longer-Term Impacts of COVID-19 report highlights resources for health care workers, and those effected by broader effects of COVID-19, including not only Long COVID but also effects on mental health and substance use, and loss of caregivers and loved ones. READ MORE about COVID long term effects.
Antiviral Pills
FDA regulators authorized two antiviral medications to treat covid-19, one from Pfizer and a second from Merck. Both the Paxlovid pill from Pfizer and Merck’s Molnupiravir are considered useful tools in the fight against the coronavirus. In order to be effective, however, they must be given very early in an infection.
Paxlovid must be taken within five days after symptoms begin. READ MORE about Paxlovid.
Rebound Effect
Reports of a rebound effect from some people who have used an antiviral medication have generated a closer look at the specifics of its use, according to a story from NPR. READ MORE about the rebound effect.
