US Tracking Of Virus Variants Has Improved After Slow Start

Jewish Directory — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 13:00:00 +0000

After a slow start, the United States has improved its surveillance system for tracking new coronavirus variants such as omicron, boosting its capacity by tens of thousands of samples per week since early this year. Viruses mutate constantly. To find and track new versions of the coronavirus, scientists analyze the genetic makeup of a portion of samples that test positive. They’re looking at the chemical letters of the virus’s genetic code to find new worrisome mutants, such as omicron, and to follow the spread of known variants, such as delta. It’s a global effort, but until recently the U.S. was contributing very little. With uncoordinated and scattershot testing, the U.S. was sequencing fewer than 1% of positive specimens earlier this year. Now, it is running those tests on 5% to 10% of samples. “Genomic surveillance is strong,” said Kelly Wroblewski, director of infectious diseases at the Association of Public Health Laboratories. Contributing to the effort are nearly 70 state and local public health labs, which are sequencing 15,000 to 20,000 specimens each week. Other labs, including those run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its contractors, bring the total to 40,000 to 80,000 weekly. Nine months ago, about 12,000 samples each week were being analyzed in this way. “We’re in a much, much better place than a year ago or even six or nine months ago,” said Kenny Beckman of the University of Minnesota, who credited federal dollars distributed to public and private labs. He directs the university’s genomics laboratory, which now sequences about 1,000 samples a week from Minnesota, Arkansas and South Dakota. A year ago, the lab did no sequencing. Relying on $1.7 billion in President Joe Biden’s coronavirus relief bill, the U.S. has been setting up a national network to better track coronavirus mutations. Still, about two dozen countries are sequencing a larger proportion of positive samples than the U.S., said Dr. William Moss of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Omicron’s emergence could “stimulate the United States to do this better.” “I think we still have a long way to go,” Moss said. Some states are sequencing only about 1% of samples while others are in the range of 20%, noted Dr. Phil Febbo, chief medical officer for Illumina, a San Diego-based company that develops genomic sequencing technologies. “We could be more systematic about it and more consistent so we ensure there are no genomic surveillance deserts where we could miss the emergence of a variant,” Febbo said. Aiding the surveillance effort, standard PCR tests that use nasal swabs sent to laboratories can detect a sign that someone probably has the omicron variant. If a PCR test is positive for only two of the three target genes — a so-called S-dropout test result — it’s a marker for omicron even before the extra step of genetic sequencing to prove it. “It’s fortuitous,” said Trevor Bedford, a biologist and genetics expert at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. “If you need to do sequencing to identify the variant you’re always going to be lagged a bit and it’s going to be more expensive. If you just rely on this S-dropout as identification then it’s easier.” He said other variants also have sparked this quirk in PCR test results, but not the delta variant. […]

The post US Tracking Of Virus Variants Has Improved After Slow Start appeared first on Jewish Directory.

No Appointment? No Problem! These NYC Mass Vaccine Sites Now Allow Walk-ins for 75+

Jewish Directory — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 14:38:00 +0000

New Yorkers age 75 and older can now walk into any of three 24/7 city-run mass vaccine sites and get dosed without an appointment. They can bring a friend to get dosed, too.

It’s part of an ongoing effort by the city’s Test & Trace Corps to reach the most vulnerable. As of this week, qualifying New Yorkers (again, those age 75-plus) and an eligible escort of any age can get vaccinated together at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, Bathgate Contract Postal Station and Citi Field sites, which run 24/7.

No advance scheduling is required. All qualifying New Yorkers have to do is show proof of age upon arrival at the site. While their accompanying party can be of any age, that person must also be eligible under state guidelines.

“New Yorkers 75 and over are at high risk from COVID-19, and we need to do everything in our power to help them get vaccinated,” Dr. Ted Long, executive director of the NYC Test & Trace Corps and senior vice president of Ambulatory Care and Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals, said in a statement. “We need to tear down all barriers for New Yorkers 75 and older to be vaccinated, and our new practice of walk-up vaccinations for them and an eligible escort makes it as convenient as possible for them and their loved ones.”

The new walk-in program is available at the following locations:

Brooklyn Army Terminal
140 58th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11220
Bathgate Contract Postal Station
4006 3rd Avenue
Bronx, NY 10457
Citi Field
36-2 126th St
Queens, NY 11368

The city offers free transportation to and from vaccine sites for adults who are older than 65 or have an ambulatory, visual, intellectual, or developmental disability. To reserve transportation, including ambulette and cab options, call 877-VAX-4-NYC. An operator will walk through eligibility and provide other options over the phone based on the caller’s need, the city says.

New York state expanded vaccine access to all New Yorkers age 30 and older as of Tuesday, an influx that caused major headaches for those needing to schedule appointments. Next week, all New Yorkers age 16 and older will be eligible.

The post No Appointment? No Problem! These NYC Mass Vaccine Sites Now Allow Walk-ins for 75+ appeared first on Jewish Directory.

Coronavirus – Jewish Directory

US Tracking Of Virus Variants Has Improved After Slow Start

No Appointment? No Problem! These NYC Mass Vaccine Sites Now Allow Walk-ins for 75+