The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is a two-dose vaccine, with a 12 week wait between the doses. However, in light of Greater Sydney’s serious outbreak of the Delta strain, NSW health is now recommending anyone who has already received the first dose to consider cutting the wait to 6-8 weeks. Dr Kerry Chant explained that sacrificing some long-term protection was warranted given the more immediate protection it would provide during the current outbreak. The UK made similar recommendations in June as they battle a wave of Delta COVID-19 cases.
An elderly woman in Belgium has become one of the first recorded cases of two simultaneous COVID-19 infections. The 90-year-old woman had been infected with both the Alpha and Beta COVID-19 variants, and unfortunately passed away 5 days after her initial diagnosis.
Have you ever found yourself getting sick after an all-nighter, or after burning the candle at both ends for too long? There’s a good reason – research shows that a lack of sleep weakens your immune system, making you more susceptible to getting sick. In fact, research even shows sleep deprivation can make vaccinations less effective, as your antibody response can be reduced by 50%.
Age significantly affects your sleep needs. Your sleep cycles, stress levels, exercise levels and diet change throughout the years, which all impact your sleep. While sleep habits differ for everyone, sleep experts have specific recommendations for each age group.
The Delta variant of the coronavirus is the most contagious version worldwide. Research shows it spreads around 225% faster than the original Wuhan strain, and it is dominating outbreaks around the world. So why is it spreading so fast?
If you think COVID-19 only impacts the elderly, think again. Yesterday, Dr Kerry Chant revealed that of the 37 people currently in hospital with COVID-19, 14 were under 55; 8 of those are under 35. Early research suggests that the Delta strain is more transmissible amongst younger people than previous COVID strains, thanks to some key mutations. This is amplified by the low vaccination rates amongst young Australians due to the current stage of the vaccine rollout.
New research suggests the Lambda COVID strain may be more transmissible than the Delta strain ravaging many countries. The Lambda strain has spread to nearly 30 countries in the last four weeks alone. Originally discovered in Peru, it now causes 82% of the countries cases. Furthermore, Peru now has the highest COVID mortality rate in the world, at nearly 10% of recorded cases.
New data from the Israel Health Ministry has revealed that the Pfizer vaccine is continuing to work well against the new Delta variant, effectively preventing hospitalizations and serious illness. Israel has had one of the world’s most effective vaccine drives – with around 57% of their population now fully vaccinated. Now, the Delta variant has spread to Israel, allowing us to see how it spreads in a country with high vaccination rates. From June 6 to July 3, the Pfizer vaccine prevented hospitalizations and serious illness with a 93% efficacy rate. However, the Delta variant seems to compromise Pfizer’s efficacy at preventing overall infection – dropping from 94.3% to 64%.
Urgent Product Defect Correction on Specific Philips Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), BiLevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiLevel PAP) devices, and Mechanical Ventilators
