Anticoagulant has beneficial side-effects for COVID-19 patients

 Clotting problems and resulting complications are common in COVID-19 patients. Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna have now shown that a member of the anticoagulant group of drugs not only has a beneficial effect on survival of COVID-19 patients, but also influences the duration of active infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The results were recently published in the journal Cardiovascular Research.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a multifaceted infectious disease. While, at the start of the global pandemic, it was assumed that COVID-19 was primarily a disease of the lungs, it is now known that several functional systems in the human body are affected following infection with the pathogen SARS-CoV-2. One of these functional systems is blood clotting. COVID-19 patients have an increased risk of thromboses and embolisms, such as strokes, pulmonary or myocardial infarctions, and even deep vein thromboses. The use of drugs that inhibit blood clotting has been part of the treatment guidelines for COVID-19 since July 2020. "These complications during hospitalisation have a direct impact on the well-being of patients and increased the risk of dying from COVID-19," reports David Pereyra from MedUni Vienna's Department of General Surgery, who is first author of the publication. The underlying coagulopathy is still not fully understood.

COVID-19 triggers unique clotting problems

"The coagulopathy observed in COVID-19 patients is novel and differs in many respects from previously known coagulation problems," says Alice Assinger, group leader at the Institute of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research at the Medical University of Vienna and last author of the publication, "COVID-19-associated coagulopathy displays characteristics that, although partially comparable with other coagulation diseases, cannot be fully explained by them." Alice Assinger's group therefore started to look for an explanation for this sub-condition of COVID-19 in the spring of 2020, in an early phase of the pandemic.

In a multi-centre analysis of COVID-19 patients in Vienna, Linz and Innsbruck, the group observed that COVID-19-associated coagulopathy occurs almost exclusively in patients requiring intensive care or in patients who die as a result of COVID-19. Although anticoagulant drugs improve the survival of COVID-19 patients, they show no effect on immunological processes related to blood coagulation (immunothrombosis).

Low-molecular-weight heparin curtails duration of infection

The analyses showed, however, that the period of active SARS-CoV-2 infection is curtailed in patients treated with low-molecular-weight heparin, the most commonly used anticoagulant. "In patients who receive this drug, infection time is an average of four days shorter than in patients who are not treated with low-molecular-weight heparin. We were surprised to see that low-molecular-weight heparin may have a direct effect on coronavirus and its infectivity," said David Pereyra. Experimental data show that heparin can inhibit the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to bind to cells, thereby preventing them from being infected.

These observations were made in the context of a close collaboration between the three hospitals involved -- the Favoriten Hospital in Vienna, the Innsbruck Regional Hospital Innsbruck and the Johannes Kepler University Hospital in Linz -- as well as through the active exchange between basic researchers and clinicians," says Alice Assinger, underscoring the relevance of good cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic for a better understanding of the disease and its treatment.

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Story Source:

Materials provided by Medical University of Vienna. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Journal Reference:

1. David Pereyra, Stefan Heber, Waltraud C Schrottmaier, Jonas Santol, Anita Pirabe, Anna Schmuckenschlager, Kerstin Kammerer, Daphni Ammon, Thomas Sorz, Fabian Fritsch, Hubert Hayden, Erich Pawelka, Philipp Krüger, Benedikt Rumpf, Marianna T Traugott, Pia Glaser, Christa Firbas, Christian Schörgenhofer, Tamara Seitz, Mario Karolyi, Ingrid Pabinger, Christine Brostjan, Patrick Starlinger, Günter Weiss, Rosa Bellmann-Weiler, Helmut J F Salzer, Bernd Jilma, Alexander Zoufaly, Alice Assinger. Low-molecular-weight heparin use in coronavirus disease 2019 is associated with curtailed viral persistence: a retrospective multicentre observational study. Cardiovascular Research, 2021; DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvab308

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211112122548.htm

Okla. Guard 'Goes Rogue' As New Commander Rejects Vax Mandate; Pentagon To Respond 'Appropriately'

 The Biden administration is having another bad week. One day before an appeals court upheld a stay against Biden's 'vaccine-or-test' requirement for private businesses, the Oklahoma National Guard 'rescinded' the Pentagon's requirement that service members receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

On Wednesday, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Army Brig. Gen. Thomas Mancino as the state's new adjutant general - replacing Army. Maj Gen. Michael Thompson, a vaccine advocate who was previously scheduled to transfer command to Mancino on Jan. 15, 2022 according to the Oklahoman.

Army Brig. Gen. Thomas Mancino issued an order halting the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard's mandatory COVID-19 vaccine rollout on Nov. 11, 2021, less than 24 hours after his sudden appointment as the state's top general. (Oklahoma National Guard via ArmyTimes)

Mancino's first order of business? A memo formally 'rescinding' the Covid-19 vaccine requirement for Guardsmen.

"No Oklahoma Guardsman will be required to take the COVID-19 Vaccine," it reads, adding that Gov. Stitt is the force's "lawful Commander in Chief" when not mobilized by the federal government.

"No negative administrative or legal action will be taken against Guardsmen who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine."

When reached for comment, the Pentagon said they would respond "appropriately" to the memo.

"We are aware of the memo issued by the Oklahoma Adjutant General regarding COVID vaccination for Guardsmen and the governor’s letter requesting exemption. We will respond to the governor appropriately," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told Axios in a statement, adding "That said, Secretary Austin believes that a vaccinated force is a more ready force. That is why he has ordered mandatory vaccines for the total force, and that includes our National Guard, who contribute significantly to national missions at home and abroad."

Stitt had previously requested that the Department of Defense not enforce the mandate on the state's Army and Air National Guard members. In a Nov. 2 letter cited by Mancino, Stitt said that 10% of the state's troops had refused the vaccine, and that the mandate was "irresponsible," according to the Army Times.

Although National Guard troops do belong to their governors when not mobilized by the Pentagon, federal requirements often supersede any state uses of the Guard, as senior leaders often emphasize. That’s because the vast majority of Guard funding, training and equipment comes from the federal government.

It’s not yet clear whether the order will jeopardize that funding.

Title 32, the section of the U.S. Code that pertains to the National Guard, includes a section specifying that states that do not comply with Title 32 regulations forfeit their federal funding for the Guard. It’s not clear, though, whether the vaccine mandate meets that legal threshold. -Army Times

The Stitt administration is confident they have the authority to defy the Biden administration - as top spokesperson, Charlie Hannema, told the Army Times that the "only way Oklahoma would ‘forfeit’ any federal funding for failing to comply with Title 32 would be to ignore the lawful order of the dually elected civilian authority, i.e. The Governor of Oklahoma."

National Guard Bureau spokesperson, Air Force Maj. Matthew Murphy, begged to differ - telling Stars & Stripes that the vax mandate was a "legal gray area that would have to be reviewed by our lawyers."

"This is where the difference between Title 32 and Title 10 becomes a real becomes an issue," said Murphy. "In most instances, the guardsmen are in their Title 32 capacity, which means they’re on state duty. In order to be federalized, they have to be on Title 10."

As we said, not a great week for the Biden administration.

https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/oklahoma-national-guard-goes-rogue-after-new-commander-rejects-vaccine-mandate-pentagon

Surgeon general warns of uptick in COVID-19 cases as cold weather arrives

 Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned Americans on Sunday of a possible uptick of COVID-19 cases as the winter season approaches while reiterating the urge for people to get vaccinated. 

“A couple of things that are critical though for people to keep in mind and number one is if you are vaccinated….your chances of both getting sick and transmitting the virus to someone else are much much lower,” Murthy told "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace.  “So this makes it all the more important as winter approaches to get vaccinated.” 

Murthy urged Americans to get booster shots in anticipation of an uptick of cases over the holidays.

The Biden administration in September recommended booster doses for most Americans who received a coronavirus vaccine in order to combat waning immunity and the prevalence of the delta variant.

Top administration health officials said people would need boosters beginning eight months after their second dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine.

California, Colorado, and New Mexico have approved booster shots for all adults over the age of 18, which Murthy encouraged. 

“What people should know though, is that the FDA has already made millions of people eligible for booster shots, people who are above 65 who have other illnesses that put them at higher risk and who are at higher risk for exposure based on where they live or work,” Murthy said.

“As winter approaches again and as people get prepared for the holidays ... we should be prepared for the fact that there may be an uptick in cases that we see in various parts of the country with cold weather,” Murthy told Wallace. 

https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/581457-surgeon-general-warns-of-uptick-in-cases-as-cold-weather-arrives

US asks China to free jailed Wuhan citizen journalist

 The US state department has urged China to release citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, expressing deep concerns over her deteriorating health.

She was given a four-year jail term over her reporting of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan when the pandemic began.

Zhang has been on an intermittent hunger strike since she was detained in May last year.

The US moves comes after reports that she is perilously close to death.

"We have repeatedly expressed our serious concerns about the arbitrary nature of her detention and her mistreatment during it," US State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters.

"We reiterate our call to the PRC for her immediate and unconditional release."

Zhang, a 38-year-old former lawyer, had initially travelled to Wuhan in February 2020 after reading an online post by a resident about life in the city during the outbreak.

Once there, she began documenting what she saw on the streets and hospitals in livestreams and essays, despite threats by authorities, and her reports were widely shared on social media

In May she was found guilty of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" - a charge that is commonly levelled against activists and whistle blowers seen as undermining the government's efforts to control information in the country.

Zhang started a hunger strike in protest while in jail. Since then, she has drastically lost weight and reportedly been held in physical restraints and force-fed through a tube.

Her family have sought medical parole amidst fears she will not make it through the winter. However, her brother told Hong Kong media that the chance of approval is 'extremely slim'.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-59216601

Arizona’s new COVID-19 surge starting with already diminished hospital capacity

 From Friday to Sunday, Arizona health officials reported over 3,000 COVID-19 cases each day. That number is down slightly today at 2,657, but the last time the state had over four consecutive reporting days that high was September 1 to September 5, which corresponds to the period when the summer COVID-19 surge settled into a plateau.

Trends are moving in the wrong direction. The 14-day average of newly added cases has risen for eight consecutive days resulting in an 18% increase in cases during that time alone.

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Unlike case numbers from early September, confirmed COVID-19 infections are increasing steadily for all age group categories tracked by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

On average, age groups have added eight daily infections per capita since this time last month. About 65% of positive COVID-19 tests are still coming from Arizonans under 45, slightly higher than their total pandemic share of 63%. At the height of the summer surge in mid-August, younger people made up 75% of daily reported infections.

The reason to track COVID-19 cases during any surge is they inevitably lead to a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations. What is unique about the most recent rise is that Arizona is already seeing higher hospital occupancy rates than at the start of any of the other surges.

The state’s hospital systems reported to the health department that only 11 of the past 100 days had bed availability rates at or slightly above 10%. That same metric for ICUs saw only 13 out of the last 100 days of reporting. Last winter’s surge had similar rates of bed availability but only for 60 days.

COVID-19 projections from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health metrics forecast that at the peak of this surge the state should only need about 70% of the COVID-19 beds needed for the winter surge. The forecast does not consider bed capacity for non-COVID healthcare issues.

COVID-19 hospitalizations are already on the rise in Arizona. Inpatient bed use has risen from 1,842 beds on October 31 to 1,943 beds yesterday, an almost 9% increase.

https://www.abc15.com/news/coronavirus/arizonas-new-covid-19-surge-starting-with-already-diminished-hospital-capacity