Health
Cases of COVID variant BA.2.86 have tripled in 2 weeks, says CDC report
Cases of the COVID-19 variant Omicron BA.2.86, also known as Pirola, have tripled in two weeks, comprising between 5% and 15% of all infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The COVID-19 variant Omicron BA.2.86 — as well as its offshoots, including JN.1 — has been reclassified as a “variant of interest” by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Despite its prevalence, BA.2.86 “does not appear to be driving increases in infections or hospitalizations in the United States,” the CDC stated in its report.
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Both the CDC and WHO agree that “the public health risk posed by this variant is low compared with other circulating variants.”
The updated COVID-19 vaccines that were approved by the FDA in September are believed to “increase protection against BA.2.86, as they do for other variants,” the CDC noted.
Cases of the COVID-19 variant Omicron BA.2.86, also known as Pirola, have tripled in two weeks, comprising between 5% and 15% of all infections, according to the CDC. (iStock)
“To date, existing vaccines have been very effective in protecting people, particularly those who have been boosted multiple times through a vaccine or natural infection, not only from symptomatic infection, but importantly from severe disease, hospitalization and death,” said Richard Reithinger, PhD, a distinguished research fellow in the Global Health Division at International Development Group in Washington, D.C., in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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The CDC said it is not clear whether BA.2.86 causes different symptoms — but noted that most variants produce similar effects.
“The types of symptoms and how severe they are usually depend more on a person’s immunity than which variant causes the infection,” the statement said.
Despite its prevalence, BA.2.86 (also known as Pirola) “does not appear to be driving increases in infections or hospitalizations in the United States,” the CDC stated in its report. (iStock)
The variant is also expected to respond to the current tests and treatments.
Reithinger noted that while the pandemic is officially over, COVID-19 is not a thing of the past.
“A concern of the new BA.2.86 variant was that because it has 35 mutations in the spike protein, it would be able to evade the immune response more readily than other variants that emerged in the last couple of months,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Early clinical data does not seem to indicate this being the case.”
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The increase in BA.2.86 cases is due to the U.S. entering the “COVID-19 season” and also a sufficient number of people having developed non-BA.2.86 immunity, according to the doctor.
Outside of vaccines, Reithinger recommends that high-risk groups adopt risk-mitigating behaviors, including wearing masks, frequently washing hands and avoiding crowded environments.
The updated COVID-19 vaccines that were approved by the FDA in September are believed to “increase protection against BA.2.86, as they do for other variants,” the CDC noted. (iStock)
“People — particularly those with greater risk of infection and severe disease — should continue to be sensitized and vigilant about COVID-19 and the disease it may cause,” he told Fox News Digital.
“People who are at greater risk of infection and severe disease should consult with their physicians about whether they should be administered one of the currently available boosters,” he added.
Those at highest risk include people older than 60 years, the immunocompromised, those with comorbidities such as asthma and diabetes, and people working in high-risk-of-exposure employment, such as the service industry, Reithinger noted.
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Health
'Vaccine fatigue' blamed as roughly half of people in US will skip COVID and flu shots this year
A growing number of U.S. adults are hesitant to get recommended vaccines this fall, a new survey found.
The poll, which included 1,006 people, found that only 43% of respondents have gotten or plan to get the COVID vaccine.
Only a slight majority (56%) of adults said they have gotten or plan to get the flu shot this fall.
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The poll also found that 37% of those who have gotten vaccines in past years plan to skip the shots this season.
A growing number of U.S. adults are hesitant to get recommended vaccines this fall, a new survey found. (iStock)
Around one-third of respondents also said they don’t believe they need the vaccines mentioned in the survey — flu, COVID, RSV or pneumococcal pneumonia.
Vaccine hesitancy tends to skew younger, as adults aged 65 and older are the most likely to get the recommended immunizations.
The nationwide survey was conducted by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in mid-August 2024.
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These findings come just weeks after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer for the 2024-2025 season.
“We’re at the start of respiratory virus season, when you have the triple threat of flu, COVID-19 and RSV,” said Nora Colburn, MD, medical director of clinical epidemiology at Ohio State’s Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital, in a press release.
Around one-third of respondents also said they don’t believe they need the vaccines mentioned in the survey — flu, COVID, RSV or pneumococcal pneumonia. (iStock)
“Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation about vaccinations, but the reality is that they are safe and highly effective in preventing serious illness and death,” she went on.
“Older adults, people with certain chronic medical conditions, and those who are pregnant are especially at risk during respiratory virus season.”
‘Vaccine fatigue’
Dr. Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a San Francisco biotechnology company, reacted to the poll’s findings.
“It’s obviously not surprising that 37% of people said they had been vaccinated in the past but weren’t planning to this year,” he told Fox News Digital.
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“We just had a vaccine mandate a couple of years ago, and furthermore, childhood vaccines are very broadly administered, so those 37% are people who wouldn’t be getting a vaccine normally anyway.”
The reported rate of 56% for the flu shot is a little above average, Glanville said, as it tends to hover at around 50%.
“Coronavirus vaccination rates are a little lower than for the flu,” he noted.
Adults aged 65 and older are the most likely to get the recommended immunizations. (iStock)
This could be due to lack of clarity with the public over how COVID should be treated post-pandemic, according to Glanville.
“It’s also fatigue due to the COVID vaccines not being particularly effective at preventing symptoms, which causes people to believe that they are not effective (although they do protect against severe illness),” he added.
‘Concerning’ trend
Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, said he finds the poll’s findings concerning.
“Both vaccines wane over six months, so a yearly booster makes sense for high-risk groups,” he told Fox News Digital.
“I recommend a yearly booster for the elderly, immunocompromised and those with chronic illness.”
Siegel estimates that this year’s flu season will be similar to last year’s, which was “moderate,” with 25,000 deaths and 400,000 hospitalizations.
“The flu shot decreases severity and number of hospitalizations by about a quarter, and helps to provide community immunity,” he added.
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For COVID, Siegel warned that the virus’ activity is still fairly high — “especially in the western U.S.”
The doctor also warned of a new variant circulating in Europe, which he expects will soon be in the U.S., known as the XEC subvariant.
Everyone 6 months and older is advised to get vaccinated against influenza, according to the CDC. (iStock)
“It seems to be more contagious — it causes congestion, cough, loss of smell and appetite, sore throat and body aches,” he told Fox News Digital.
“The new vaccine should provide at least some coverage.”
Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center and an attending physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, told Siegel that very young children are being hospitalized at a greater rate — “likely because they haven’t been vaccinated with the primary series.”
“I recommend a yearly booster for the elderly, immunocompromised and those with chronic illness, along with anyone who is at risk for long COVID or has had it previously,” Siegel said.
The CDC’s vaccine recommendations
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued the following vaccine recommendations.
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Flu: Everyone 6 months and older is advised to get vaccinated against influenza.
COVID-19: The latest version of the COVID vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
The latest version of the COVID vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months and older. (iStock)
RSV: The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine is recommended for everyone aged 75 and older, as well as those aged 60 to 74 who have certain chronic medical conditions, such as lung or heart disease, or who live in nursing homes, as they are at a higher risk of severe disease. Pregnant women are also advised to get the vaccine during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy.
Pneumococcal: Everyone younger than 5 years and age 65 and older is advised to get the pneumococcal vaccine, along with those who are at increased risk of severe disease.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the OSU research team for comment.
Health
Alzheimer’s disease could be slowed by boosting a certain protein in the brain, researchers say
Boosting a specific protein in the brain could help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study has found.
The longstanding theory is that Alzheimer’s occurs when a protein called amyloid-beta 42 (Aβ42) transforms into plaques that build up in the brain, causing damage to neural cells and leading to cognitive decline.
Researchers from the University of Cincinnati have challenged that assumption, instead suggesting that the disease is caused by low levels of healthy, functioning Aβ42, according to a UC press release.
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They based this hypothesis on the fact that newly approved monoclonal antibody medications — including lecanemab (Leqembi) and donanemab (Kisunla) — have had the unintended outcome of raising levels of the protein in the brain.
Boosting a specific protein in the brain could help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study has found. (iStock)
“The new Alzheimer’s treatments, which were designed to remove amyloid plaques, unintentionally raised Aβ42 levels, and this may explain their positive effects on cognition as much as — or better than — amyloid reduction,” lead study author Alberto J. Espay, MD, professor of neurology at the Gardner Family Center for Parkinson’s disease and Movement Disorders at UC, told Fox News Digital via email.
“Higher Aβ42 levels after treatment were associated with slower cognitive decline, suggesting that restoring this protein to normal levels might be more beneficial for Alzheimer’s patients than removing amyloid.”
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In the study, the researchers reviewed data from nearly 26,000 Alzheimer’s patients who participated in 24 randomized clinical trials for the newly approved antibody treatments.
They compared the cognitive abilities of patients before and after taking the new medications, and found that the increased amounts of Aβ42 were linked to “slower cognitive impairment and clinical decline.”
The findings were published in the medical journal Brain on Sept. 11.
Understanding amyloid
Amyloid plaques aren’t necessarily a bad thing, according to the researchers.
“Along with other studies, the collective evidence suggests that amyloid plaques are a response of a normally reactive brain to many stressors, some infectious, some toxic, some biological,” Espay told Fox News Digital.
The longstanding theory is that Alzheimer’s occurs when a protein called amyloid-beta 42 (Aβ42) transforms into plaques that build up in the brain, causing damage to neural cells and leading to cognitive decline. (iStock)
“They are a sign the brain is dealing with a stressor appropriately.”
The researcher referred to amyloid plaques as “the tombstones of Aβ42,” noting that they can’t do anything harmful to the brain.
“Most researchers do not believe Alzheimer’s is driven by only one biological mechanism.”
“Amyloid plaques don’t cause Alzheimer’s, but if the brain makes too much of them while defending against infections, toxins or biological changes, it can’t produce enough Aβ42, causing its levels to drop below a critical threshold,” he said.
“That’s when dementia symptoms emerge.”
The study questions the long-entrenched idea that amyloid plaques directly cause Alzheimer’s and that removing them is part of the solution.
“Beta amyloid is certainly an important and key player, but we also know that tau protein, the immune system, vascular system, metabolic health, environment and more all play a role in the disease process,” an Alzheimer’s expert said. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
“Building the levels of Aβ42 without removing amyloid — which is quite futile, and can be harmful — is worth testing as a future therapy,” Espay added.
Looking ahead, the UC research team plans to investigate therapies that directly increase Aβ42 levels without targeting amyloid.
‘A very complex disease’
Ozama Ismail, PhD, director of scientific programs at the Alzheimer’s Association in Washington, D.C., was not involved in UC’s study, but commented on the findings.
“While this Aβ42-related hypothesis may turn out to be a part of what causes and encourages progression of Alzheimer’s, it is a very complex disease, and most researchers do not believe Alzheimer’s is driven by only one biological mechanism,” he told Fox News Digital.
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“Beta amyloid is certainly an important and key player, but we also know that tau protein, the immune system, vascular system, metabolic health, environment and more all play a role in the disease process.”
While FDA-approved drugs targeting amyloid are now available and in use, Ismail calls for a comprehensive approach to Alzheimer’s treatment that involves multiple approaches.
“Understanding the entire underlying biology and related mechanisms is important to expand our pipeline of treatments and prevention strategies,” an expert said of Alzheimer’s treatment. (iStock)
He recommends “a combination of therapies targeting multiple mechanisms, as well as lifestyle interventions, much like how other major diseases like diabetes, HIV/AIDS and heart disease are treated.”
Added Ismail, “Understanding the entire underlying biology and related mechanisms is important to expand our pipeline of treatments and prevention strategies.”
Potential limitations
Espay also acknowledged the limitation that none of the published studies have allowed access to the individual-level data.
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“We can only work with the group-level data published,” he told Fox News Digital. “Despite this limitation, the results were robustly supported.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to Biogen and Eisai (makers of Leqembi) and Eli Lilly (maker of Kisunla) requesting comment.
There’s a reason quotes and inspirational sayings from people of all walks of life (and many periods of history) have staying power.
Words of wisdom and reflection can offer solace, comfort and inspiration when times are hard.
They can do this at any time, really.
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Here, in no particular order, are 51 memorable quotes that offer strong reminders of the importance of self-care and of the power of positive thinking — and more.
51 memorable quotes for staying strong, healthy and motivated
1. “Love yourself first and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” — Lucille Ball
“Love yourself first and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” — Lucille Ball (CBS via Getty Images)
2. “When you let fear make your decisions, you relinquish your belief in yourself or in another person.” — Admiral Bob Harward
3. “Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the face.” — Helen Keller
4. “We must be our own before we can be another’s.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
5. “Keep good company, read good books, love good things, and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can.” — Louisa May Alcott
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6. “I remain an incorrigible optimist. America has overcome daunting odds time and again … I would never bet against the American people.” — Neil Gorsuch
7. “The most important investment you can make is in yourself. Very few people get anything like their potential horsepower translated into the actual horsepower of their output in life. Potential exceeds realization for many people … The best asset is your own self. You can become to an enormous degree the person you want to be.” — Warren Buffett
8. “We have to be intentional with the life that we have.” — Amy Grant
“We have to be intentional with the life that we have.” — Amy Grant (Allison Dinner/Getty Images)
9. “Our bodies are our gardens, to which our wills are gardeners.” — William Shakepeare
10. “Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.” — Alice Walker
11. “I might tell a story, but usually I try to remind people that they should be happy.” — Don McLean
12. “If you’re facing a problem, don’t tell yourself that you can’t do it. Convince yourself that you have the strength to deal with almost anything … And you do! Recognizing your core strengths is an important step toward having joie de vivre. You can count on better days to come because of the good days that came before. And you can find joy in the moment because you have the resiliency to overcome the problems that may be hanging over you.” — Ruth K. Westheimer
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13. “The most important thing in life is to stop saying ‘I wish’ and start saying ‘I will.’ Consider nothing impossible, then treat possibilities as probabilities.” — Charles Dickens
14. “Faith is the very first thing you should pack in a hope chest.” — Sarah Ban Breathnach
15. “You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.” — Bob Marley
16. “Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.” — Carol Burnett
“Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.” — Carol Burnett (Getty Images)
17. “The secret to a happy life is to accept change gracefully.” — Jimmy Stewart
18. “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.” — Melody Beattie
19. “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” — C.S. Lewis
20. “A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.” — Phyllis Diller
21. “Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it’s holy ground. There’s no greater investment.” — Stephen Covey
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22. “I really built myself up, darn it, to be very strong.” — Barbara Bush
23. “My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose — somehow we win out.” — Ronald Reagan
24. “Reinforce yourself by remembering that you have been resilient and have persevered to overcome challenging and troublesome situations in the past.” — Jennifer Guttman
25. “I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.” — Tony Robbins
“I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.” — Tony Robbins (FOX)
26. “When I am constantly running there is no time for being. When there is no time for being there is no time for listening.” — Madeleine L’Engle
27. “If you’re peaceful at home, then you extend that to your family, extend that to your community. And I hope that if we extend that to a critical mass, we can have a more peaceful, just, sustainable, healthier and joyful world. That’s the ultimate dream.” — Deepak Chopra
28. “If you want to live an authentic, meaningful life, you need to master the art of disappointing and upsetting others, hurting feelings, and living with the reality that some people just won’t like you. It may not be easy, but it’s essential if you want your life to reflect your deepest desires, values, and needs.” — Cheryl Richardson
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29. “Make the mental commitment that, God willing, nothing will stop you from ‘going the distance.’” — Alex McFarland
30. “If you aren’t good at loving yourself, you will have a difficult time loving anyone, since you’ll resent the time and energy you give another person that you aren’t even giving to yourself.” — Barbara De Angelis
31. “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger
32. “A balanced life doesn’t come from being a know-it-all about every nuance of Ashtanga yoga. It comes instead from knowing what you need so that you can keep learning and evolving for months and years to come.” — Mariel Hemingway
“A balanced life doesn’t come from being a know-it-all about every nuance of Ashtanga yoga. It comes instead from knowing what you need so that you can keep learning and evolving for months and years to come.” — Mariel Hemingway (Getty Images)
33. “I’m just thankful for everything, all the blessings in my life, trying to stay that way. I think that’s the best way to start your day and finish your day. It keeps everything in perspective.” — Tim Tebow
34. “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
35. “Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” — A. A. Milne
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36. “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves.” — Marie Curie
37. “Life shrinks or expands according to one’s courage.” — Anaïs Nin
38. “Self-care should include the cold shower as well as the scented tub.” — Mary Catherine Bateson
39. “Relax. Look around. Make a call.” — Jocko Willink
“Relax. Look around. Make a call.” — Jocko Willink (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
40. “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” — Virginia Woolf
41. “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” — Mahatma Gandhi
42. “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” — Nora Ephron
43. “Just as self-respect and pride bring out the best in an individual, pride in family, pride in teammates, pride in hometown bring out the best in groups of people.” — Andy Rooney
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44. “The only bad workout is the one that didn’t happen.” — Unknown
45. “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come without leaving happier.” — Mother Teresa
46. “If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” — Albert Einstein
“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” — Albert Einstein (iStock)
47. “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” — Babe Ruth
48. “We turn not older with years but newer every day.” — Emily Dickinson
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49. “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” — Dale Carnegie
50. “It takes courage to live in this world. It takes courage to speak truth, and it takes even more courage to live according to the highest ideals of your heart.” — Joan Gattuso
51. “A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” — Irish proverb
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25531782/STK175_Trump_Crowd_Lines_Glitches_shooting.jpg "Trump is hawking tokens for a crypto project he still hasn’t explained")
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