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New Study Finds Possible Link Between Covid and Psychiatric Disorders

The past couple of years have been stressful for everyone. Many people have experienced social isolation, as well as the loss of loved ones and jobs, so it’s no wonder that so many are also dealing with mental health issues. But now researchers are linking Covid infection directly to psychiatric disorders, including psychosis. The long-term effects of having Covid are still being determined, but it seems that Covid patients are not only more likely to have long-term heart problems, but are also more likely to face mental health issues.

The Study

A new study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), has revealed that Covid infection seems to be linked to long-term mental health issues. The study included 153,000 patients who tested positive for Covid in the Veterans Affairs health system between March 2020 and January 2021, none of whom had had mental health diagnoses or treatment within the 2 years before being infected with Covid.

The study found that after having Covid :

39% of the patients were more likely to be diagnosed with depression compared with people who had not had Covid
35% were more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety in the months following their infection
38% were more likely to be diagnosed with stress and adjustment disorders
41% were more likely to be diagnosed with sleep disorders

“The risk of incident mental health disorders was consistently higher in the Covid-19 group in comparisons of people with Covid-19 not admitted to the hospital versus those not admitted to hospital for seasonal influenza, admitted to hospital with Covid-19 versus admitted to hospital with seasonal influenza, and admitted to hospital with Covid-19 versus admitted to hospital for any other cause,” the authors wrote.

Growing Needs

illustration of a man pulling a string from a person's head — *More people need mental health therapy because of Covid-19.*

All of this is disturbing news, especially since the World Health Organization has reported that the pandemic has disrupted or halted critical mental health services in 93% of countries worldwide, and that 72% of mental health services for adolescents were halted between June and August 2020.

“I think greater awareness that this is happening is an important first step,” Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, the study’s senior investigator and Chief of Research and Development at the VA St. Louis healthcare system, told news site Salon by email. “I also think that health systems should anticipate this and build capacity to provide equitable care to people with mental health disorders. It is important to identify people early, and treat them to mitigate the development of much larger problems down the road (e.g. suicide epidemic, or another opioid epidemic).”

“The wave of people with mental health disorders is going to be hitting the clinics in the next year or two or three, as a result of Covid and as a result of the pandemic,” Al-Aly said.

Omicron Variant May Be Mild But Is Spreading Fast & Is Now Responsible For Most New Cases

The omicron variant of Covid-19, which was first detected in South Africa in November of 2021, now accounts for at least three-quarters of all new cases of the virus in the United States. The new variant has been reported in nearly every state, and accounts for up to 90% of new cases in some areas of the country, like New York. And although the CDC and scientists have said that the variant seems milder than others, it is the most contagious Covid-19 variant thus far, prompting some countries to re-impose lockdowns.

Omicron’s Emergence

The omicron variant arrived in the US around Thanksgiving time, and less than a month later it had already accounted for around 73% of cases in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They have suggested that this variant of the virus is spreading more easily because it’s possible that a smaller amount of omicron is required to cause an infection.

Omicron’s Symptoms

The symptoms of the omicron variant are mild enough that many people are overcoming it, especially if they are both vaccinated and boosted. Still, some people are experiencing long Covid after being infected with the variant, especially if they are unvaccinated or have not received a booster shot.

The symptoms of this variant tend to come on more quickly after infection than with other variants, typically 3 days after exposure. “It’s mostly that runny nose, sore throat, and nasal congestion,” says Dr. John Vanchiere, the associate director of the Center for Emerging Viral Threats at LSU Health Shreveport. “The cough is milder [than previous variants] if there’s any cough at all, and fever seems to be a little less common.”

Doctors are saying that, even though the symptoms associated with omicron are mild, some people are experiencing symptoms for an extended period of time, a phenomenon known as long Covid. Most people that experience this will probably not die from Covid but could be left with debilitating symptoms that might be permanent. For example, around 30% of Covid-19 patients are experiencing chronic fatigue syndrome, which can be a lifelong disability.

“While omicron does appear to be less severe compared to delta, especially in those vaccinated, it does not mean it should be categorized as ‘mild,'” said the World Health Organization’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Thursday. “Just like previous variants, omicron is hospitalizing people and it is killing people.”

Indeed, hospitalizations across the U.S. now stand at more than 126,000 per day, and more than 1 in every 4 ICU beds is filled with a Covid-19 patient, according to the latest data from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Countries Locking Down

Some countries have responded to this new and highly contagious variant by reinstating lockdowns. For example, the Netherlands is locking down again, and Hong Kong authorities have announced a 2-week ban on flights from the U.S. and 7 other countries. The two-week ban will be in effect until January 21, and includes flights from Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Britain, and the United States.

When Will Omicron Peak?

Epidemiologists have created a mathematical model projecting omicron’s spread, which predicts that the United States is likely to document more Covid-19 cases in January than in any previous month of the pandemic, but that a smaller fraction of those cases will require hospitalization. They also say that the long-term implications of omicron remain unknown, but in the near term, everyone should expect a month of intense disruption.

Free At-Home Covid Test Kits: How Many Will Your Insurance Cover?

Although rates of Covid hospitalizations have been steadily declining, the pandemic is not yet over and there is still a danger of becoming infected with the virus. For this reason, it is important to stay vigilant and get tested if you have any symptoms or come into contact with someone who has Covid. But fortunately, getting tested for Covid is now a little bit easier: a few weeks ago, President Biden issued a directive requiring health insurance companies to cover at-home Covid test kits. Americans can now have access to free at-home tests, but how many will your insurance cover?

How Many Tests Are Covered?

covid tests — *Health insurance companies will now help cover the cost of 8 at-home antigen tests per household per month.*

Last month, the Biden Administration mandated that health insurance companies help cover the cost of 8 at-home antigen tests per household per month. In addition, if you are told by your doctor that you need to get tested more often because of underlying conditions, there is no limit on how many tests your insurance will cover.

In order to get the free tests, you will need to purchase them at any store where they are available and then apply for reimbursement from your health insurance company. It is important to note, though, that most insurers will only reimburse you up to $12 per test, which means you’ll have to pay for the rest out-of-pocket.

Several states are also issuing free COVID-19 tests to residents, including Colorado, Iowa, Connecticut, Washington, New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

In addition, you can get 4 free Covid test kits by requesting them online at covidtests.gov, or by calling 1-800-232-0233. If you order your tests this way, you can expect to receive them in 7 to 12 days.

How Much Are The Tests?

At-home Covid tests can be found at pharmacies like Walmart, Rite Aid, CVS, Walgreens, and even online at Amazon. The price varies depending on the type and the brand, but tests generally cost around $10 to $25 per kit, with two tests per kit. Currently, most Walgreens and CVS stores are selling Abbott’s BinaxNow and Quidel’s QuickVue tests (two of the first tests authorized by the Food and Drug Administration) for $24 for a pack of two.

What If You Don’t Have Health Insurance?

If you don’t have health insurance or any kind of coverage, you can order your 4 free tests; there will also be locations where you can pick up free at-home Covid tests. According to the Biden Administration, those without insurance will soon be able to access test kits at community health clinics and other local sites.

What If You Test Positive At Home?

If you take an at-home test and test positive, it is recommended that you share the results with your doctor or medical provider. You should also isolate for at least five days after getting your positive test result, and stay home until you are no longer symptomatic.

Health Experts Warn Against Ignoring These Covid-19 Omicron Symptoms

It seems like every time we think we have turned a corner in defeating the coronavirus, a new variant rears its ugly head. The Omicron Covid-19 variant, which is believed to have originated in South Africa, has now been detected in more than 19 states in the U.S. While researchers continue to study the seriousness of Omicron, health experts have come up with a list of symptoms that accompany the new variant, and warn that people should not ignore them, or mistake them for those of a common cold.

Too Soon To Tell

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Omicron variant to be a concern last month. As scientists continue to research this version of Covid, they have seen some similarities between it and the common cold, but so far, all experts are sure of is that the genetic makeup of the Omicron variant is different from other Covid-19 strains. They believe that it is not as severe as the Delta variant, but health officials say it is too soon to tell if Omicron infections are milder than those of other forms of the coronavirus. There are, though, some symptoms that health officials say people should take seriously if they experience them.

Omicron Symptoms

Two of the major symptoms that have been seen in those who have contracted Omicron are fatigue and body aches: in fact, with this variant, people have reported being fatigued over other Covid symptoms, such as loss of taste and smell. Symptoms can be different among infected individuals, but so far what has been noted is that symptoms are milder, and include:

Pain across different muscle groups
Feeling extremely tired or fatigued
Scratchy throat
Headache
Fever
Respiratory failure
Body chills
Shortness of breath
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

Researchers and doctors note that the range of symptoms depends on the person’s vaccination status, age, and health history. Unvaccinated people can experience more severe symptoms.

Omicron Is Spreading Fast

So far, from what has been seen over the last month and a half, the Omicron variant seems to spread at a faster rate than past variants. Researchers speculate this might be due to how the virus’ protein has mutated. “Estimates based on experience in South Africa allow scientists to postulate that the Omicron variant is at least three times more infectious than original versions of SARS-CoV-2,” says Dr. Nicholas Kman, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center “It may be possibly more contagious than the Delta variant, though [Delta] remains the dominant strain in the U.S., so it’s unclear if this is the case.”

In the meantime, doctors and health officials continue to urge Americans to get vaccinated to best protect themselves from Covid and its variants.

Could It Be? Another Covid Variant Spreading Through The U.S.?

Just when we thought we were getting Covid under control, yet another variant of the virus is getting attention as it spreads through multiple countries. Covid Delta variant AY.4.2, also known as “Delta Plus,” has been found throughout the United Kingdom, and has now been spotted in labs in at least 8 different states in the U.S. Health authorities are doing extensive research to find out just why this variant is spreading faster than other variants, as well as if the current vaccines are effective against this new strain.

The AY.4.2 Delta Variant

The AY.4.2 variant is a sub-lineage of the variant AY.4, and was first detected at the end of September, though it appears it surfaced in the UK around June. The U.K. has recorded one of the highest numbers of new Covid cases in any country in the past 30 days, second to the U.S.; the U.S., though, has so far only recorded 11 cases of the new variant, in California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Washington state (as well as the District of Columbia). So far, it appears that Delta Plus spreads faster than other variants, with some scientists estimating that AY.4.2 has a 10-15% transmission advantage over Delta. They have noted, though, that it does not appear to cause more severe illness.

“We have teams that are constantly reviewing the genetic sequence data and looking for blips, an increase in a certain proportion or just something that’s completely new,” says Dr. Summer Galloway, executive secretary of the U.S. government’s SARS-CoV-2 Interagency Group.

Will The Current Vaccine Suffice?

Health authorities believe that current vaccines do remain effective against the new Covid strain AY.4.2. It’s still too early to tell just how much of an impact this new variant will have on Americans, but health officials point out that it takes higher levels of population immunity from both vaccinations and past infections to slow down transmission, no matter which variant we are dealing with.

“Right now, I think there’s not a lot that we know. But in terms of the risk that it poses to public health, the prevalence is very low in the U.S. and we don’t really anticipate that the substitutions [of AY.4.2] are going to have a significant impact on either the effectiveness of our vaccines or its susceptibility to monoclonal antibody treatments,” said Galloway.Prof. Gupta, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, which advises the U.K. government, suggests that Delta is more contagious than previous variants because it can infect vaccinated people, who then pass it to other people. He says that “The high speed of replication means that the vaccinated person gets an infection and can spread it. Therefore, masks are an essential component of mitigation.”

It is still too early to tell how much of an impact the new Covid variant will have on the country, but researchers are closely monitoring this development to make sure we do not have another wave/surge in cases. Health officials are also hopeful that more people will continue to get vaccinated, because, as they point out, the more people get the shot, the better the chances of minimizing the new variant’s effects.

FDA OKs Moderna and J&J Covid Vaccine Booster Shots, Allows ‘Mix and Match’

We all witnessed some extraordinary things in 2020: not just a once-in-a-hundred-year pandemic, but also vaccines that were developed and administered in record time. Lockdown started in early 2020, and by late 2020, vaccines had begun rolling out for certain members of the population; the Pfizer vaccine was fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2021, with the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines remaining authorized for emergency use. Some people have even begun getting Pfizer booster shots, and now the FDA has given the okay for people to begin getting boosters of both the Moderna and J&J vaccines. The FDA has even approved “mix and match” vaccine boosters, meaning that, no matter what shot you originally got, you can choose to change it up and have a different vaccine booster – some experts are even saying it might be beneficial to do so.

More Boosters

shots laying on top of each other in a pile — *The FDA has now approved Moderna and J&J vaccine booster shots.*

The FDA has authorized vaccine boosters in order to combat any waning effectiveness of the shots that people have already gotten. “Today’s actions demonstrate our commitment to public health in proactively fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic,” acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock said in a statement.

“As the pandemic continues to impact the country, science has shown that vaccination continues to be the safest and most effective way to prevent COVID-19, including the most serious consequences of the disease, such as hospitalization and death,” she added.

The final ruling by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in which they endorsed all three of the vaccine booster shots, was given on Thursday, October 21st after they evaluated Moderna and J&J’s booster data.

Mix & Matching

The CDC says that now certain Moderna and J&J recipients can qualify for boosters just like Pfizer recipients, and that Americans can “mix and match” vaccine boosters. In a study published by the National Institutes of Health, all the combinations of boosters were shown to increase antibody levels; the study also noted that Moderna and Pfizer boosters appeared to work the best. All of this means that if one brand of the vaccine gave someone side effects, they can now get another dose from a different brand.

“Being able to interchange these vaccines is a good thing — it’s like what we do with flu vaccines,” FDA’s Dr. Peter Marks told reporters Wednesday evening. “Most people don’t know what brand of flu vaccine they received.”

older Caucasian woman with short hair and glasses smiling — *The booster shots will be more readily available to older adults with health issues.*

Who Is Eligible For Moderna Or J&J Booster Shots?

For now, the FDA has authorized a third Moderna shot for seniors and high risk people with health issues, which can be administered 6 months after their last shot. The Moderna booster will be half the dose that is used for the first 2 shots, because the lower-dose booster triggers fewer uncomfortable shot reactions such as fever and achiness; this strategy will also leave more vaccine available for the global supply.

“Now we have twice as much vaccine to go around,” Dr. Robert Murphy, executive director of the Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said in a statement. “That’s a big thing. By recommending half a dose, you just doubled the amount of vaccine available. And theoretically there could be fewer side effects with a lower dose.”

For those who got J&J’s single-shot vaccine, the FDA has said all U.S. recipients, no matter their age, can get a second dose at least two months following their initial vaccination. This is because the J&J shot has shown lower levels of protection than the other 2-shot rival vaccines.

The authorization of the Moderna and J&J boosters opens up booster doses to the more than 15 million people who have received the J&J shot, and the more than 69 million people who have been fully immunized with Moderna’s vaccine.