10/26/2021The RJ Harris Breakfast Show on WHP580

According to data from the Department of Health and Human Services, just 7.62 percent of the nation’s inpatient hospital beds have patients who are being treated for COVID-19. Right now, in Pennsylvania there are 2,786 Covid positive patients, down from 3,400 last month. Down from 6,600 last winter. In Pennsylvania 6.5% of hospital beds are occupied by Covid positive patients. Montana is the highest, with 15.58 percent of hospital beds in the state treating a COVID-19 patient — but even that state, overall, is using just 74 percent of its hospital beds. Nationally, a bit more than 75 percent of hospital beds are in use.

Take Home- our hospitals are NOT being overrun with Covid patients. The trend is going the right direction in every part of the country. 

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In a large series of random and frequent Covid tests of 207,000 school age children in multiple urban settings, the positive rate was 0.21%, the seven-day moving average was 0.15%. 

 Coronavirus Disease 2019–Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET)¶ data to describe COVID-19–associated hospitalizations among U.S. children and adolescents aged 0–17 years. During March 1, 2020–August 14, 2021, the cumulative incidence of COVID-19–associated hospitalizations was 49.7 per 100,000 children and adolescents. The hospitalization rate for seasonal flu in children in 2018-19 was 40 per 100,000. 

The CDC reports 542deaths( ~342/year) from Covid during the pandemic ages 0-18. The US population under 18 is 73Millionchildren. Mortality rate is 0.00074% or ~ 7 per million. In 2018-19 there were 480 childhood deathsfrom the seasonal flu. In a normal year 1,200 children die from cancer, 12,000 children die from accidents.

Take Home- INCHILDREN UNDER 18, Covid-19 is NOT WORSE than the seasonal flu in case rates, hospitalization rates and mortality rates. Almost all children who died from Covid were either very ill to start or suffered from the risk factor of obesity. Unvaccinated children have a lower mortality rate from Covid than vaccinated adults. We have failed to give context to the very low risk of Covid in the pediatric age group. 

To compare apples to apples. Mortality rates, ages 0-18,

Covid 4.4 deaths per million population per year

Flu 6.2 deaths per million population per year

Cancer 15.4 deaths per million population per year

Accidents 154.0 deaths per million population per year

This month, accidents will kill approximately 35X the number of children as Covid-19.

Each is a tragedy. Some are preventable.

 Is anyone calling for highway speed limits of 10 MPH?

Is anyone calling to outlaw swimming, or sports, or recess?

Is the setback in education, the disruption of their lives, and the terror inflicted on these children appropriate for this level of risk?

If you answer yes, then make these changes permanent because to our children the seasonal flu is more dangerous.

Covid-19 is a disease of the elderly and nursing homes. They are the vulnerable people that need special protection.

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The FDA is allowing Americans who want a booster to "MIX and MATCH" the three approved boosters.

Initial Series BOOSTER IMMUNE RESPONSE

Pfizer Pfizer 21 X

Pfizer Moderna 32 X

Moderna Pfizer 20 X

Moderna Moderna 56 X

J and J Pfizer 45 X

J and J Moderna 76 X

J and J J and J 4 X

In the NIH study, the people with the highest overall antibody levels were those who received the Moderna vaccine for their first two doses and Moderna as a booster. Next came people who got the Pfizer vaccine and a Moderna booster, followed by Moderna and a Pfizer booster. 

One combination delivered a far-lower antibody boost than the rest: the original one-dose J&J shot followed by another shot of J&J, which boosted antibodies fourfold. By comparison, an original J&J shot followed by a Moderna booster increased antibodies 76-fold, while a Pfizer-BioNTech booster raised them 35-fold.

15% of Americans over 65 years old have had a booster. 50% of adults in Israel have had a booster.

They are safe. Every combination has someshort termeffect. Long term results are unknown!!

Take Home- If you need or want a booster, always check with your doctor, given a choice, while all are effective, the Moderna is more effective as reported in a relatively small study. 

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