Tag: covid19

Masks are bad for you, study confirms (yet again)

[T]he lack of negative correlations between mask usage and COVID-19 cases and deaths suggest that the widespread use of masks at a time when an effective intervention wasย most needed, i.e., during the strong 2020-2021 autumn-winter peak, was not able to reduce COVID-19 transmission. Moreover, the moderate positive correlation between mask usage and deaths in Western Europe also suggests that the universal use of masks may have had harmful unintended consequences.

Study: Correlation Between Mask Compliance and COVID-19 Outcomes in Europe

CIMB | Free Full-Text | Intracellular Reverse Transcription of Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 In Vitro in Human Liver Cell Line

Preclinical studies of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine BNT162b2, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, showed reversible hepatic effects in animals that received the BNT162b2 injection. Furthermore, a recent study showed that SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be reverse-transcribed and integrated into the genome of human cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of BNT162b2 on the human liver cell line Huh7 in vitro. Huh7 cells were exposed to BNT162b2, and quantitative PCR was performed on RNA extracted from the cells. We detected high levels of BNT162b2 in Huh7 cells and changes in gene expression of long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1), which is an endogenous reverse transcriptase. Immunohistochemistry using antibody binding to LINE-1 open reading frame-1 RNA-binding protein (ORFp1) on Huh7 cells treated with BNT162b2 indicated increased nucleus distribution of LINE-1. PCR on genomic DNA of Huh7 cells exposed to BNT162b2 amplified the DNA sequence unique to BNT162b2. Our results indicate a fast up-take of BNT162b2 into human liver cell line Huh7, leading to changes in LINE-1 expression and distribution. We also show that BNT162b2 mRNA is reverse transcribed intracellularly into DNA in as fast as 6 h upon BNT162b2 exposure.
โ€” Read on www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/44/3/73

โ€œWe also show that BNT162b2 #mRNA is reverse transcribed intracellularly into #DNA in as fast as 6 h upon #BNT162b2 exposure.โ€

Ivermectin administration is associated with lower gastrointestinal complications and greater ventilator-free days in ventilated patients with COVID-19: A propensity score analysis – ScienceDirect

Ivermectin administration is associated with lower gastrointestinal complications and greater ventilator-free days in ventilated patients with COVID-19: A propensity score analysis – ScienceDirect
โ€” Read on www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1341321X21003603

Children develop robust and sustained cross-reactive spike-specific immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection | Nature Immunology

SARS-CoV-2 infection is generally mild or asymptomatic in children but a biological basis for this outcome is unclear. Here we compare antibody and cellular immunity in children (aged 3โ€“11 years) and adults. Antibody responses against spike protein were high in children and seroconversion boosted responses against seasonal Beta-coronaviruses through cross-recognition of the S2 domain. Neutralization of viral variants was comparable between children and adults. Spike-specific T cell responses were more than twice as high in children and were also detected in many seronegative children, indicating pre-existing cross-reactive responses to seasonal coronaviruses. Importantly, children retained antibody and cellular responses 6 months after infection, whereas relative waning occurred in adults. Spike-specific responses were also broadly stable beyond 12 months. Therefore, children generate robust, cross-reactive and sustained immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 with focused specificity for the spike protein. These findings provide insight into the relative clinical protection that occurs in most children and might help to guide the design of pediatric vaccination regimens. SARS-CoV-2 infection is milder in children, but direct comparison with adults is rare. Here the authors show that immune responses are higher in children, retained for 12 months or longer and can neutralize Alpha, Beta and Delta variants.
โ€” Read on www.nature.com/articles/s41590-021-01089-8

A Theology of the Face: How Endless Mask-Wearing Hides the Image of God and Hinders the Church | Via Emmaus

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. โ€“ 2 Corinthians 3:18 โ€“ For God, who said, โ€œLet light shine out of darkness,โ€ has shone in ourโ€ฆ
โ€” Read on davidschrock.com/2020/10/31/a-biblical-theology-of-the-face-what-endless-mask-wearing-does-to-the-image-of-god-the-gospel-and-the-church/

Vaccine Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (VAIDS): ‘We should anticipate seeing this immune erosion more widely’ | America’s Frontline Doctors

‘If immune erosion occurs after two doses and just a few months, how can we exclude the possibility that effects of an untested “booster” will not erode more rapidly and to a greater extent?’
โ€” Read on americasfrontlinedoctors.org/news/post/vaccine-acquired-immune-deficiency-syndrome-vaids-we-should-anticipate-seeing-this-immune-erosion-more-widely/