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A Pill That Treats Covid? What This Could Mean for the Fight Against the Virus

As the fight against Covid-19 continues, with vaccines and booster shots still being widely discussed, one drug maker is now testing an experimental pill to treat Covid. Merck’s pill has shown positive results for people already sick with Covid-19, reducing hospitalizations and deaths by half in initial trials! While many are hailing this as great news, experts like Dr. Fauci fear that it could further deter people from getting vaccinated.

The Study

a di with a different number of heads on different sides. — *Merck’s study showed that the pill reduced the hospitalization and death rate of participants who took the pill.*

Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics have conducted a study tracking 775 adults with mild-to-moderate Covid-19 who were considered high risk due to comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, or heart disease, to determine if their drug, Molnupiravir, is effective at treating Covid-19. Patients took 4 pills, twice a day, for five days, and early results showed that people who received the pill within 5 days of the onset of Covid symptoms had about half the rate of hospitalization and death, compared to people who were given a placebo pill.

To be more exact, 7.3% of patients taking Molnupuravir were hospitalized at the end of 30 days, while 14.1% of patients taking the placebo pill faced the same result. At the end of the 30 days, there were no deaths among the people who took the pill, compared with 8 who died in the placebo group. Side effects were also more common among people who received the placebo pill.

The pill works by interfering with the virus’ ability to copy its genetic code and reproduce itself.

Will We Soon Be Treating Covid with a Pill?

Merck will be asking health officials in the U.S. and around the world to authorize the use of the pill. “This would allow us to treat many more people much more quickly and, we trust, much less expensively,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University who was not involved in the research.

If approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the drug would be available for distribution soon after.

The Importance of Vaccines

Although this pill could be the breakthrough many have been looking for to treat Covid, experts including Dr. Fauci are still stressing the importance of getting vaccinated. Dr. Fauci called the results “very good news;” however, he worried that people will see the drug as a miracle cure, resulting in fewer vaccinations.

White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said that vaccination will remain the government’s main strategy for controlling the pandemic. “We want to prevent infections, not just wait to treat them when they happen,” he said. Andrew Pekosc of Johns Hopkins University agreed, stating “These shouldn’t be seen as replacements for vaccination — the two should be seen as two strategies that can be used together to significantly reduce severe disease.”

The FDA is also continuing to focus on vaccines and booster shots for now. They are currently still deciding on whether to recommend a third shot for those who have received the 2-dose regimen of the Pfizer vaccine, saying in a briefing document, “Some observational studies have suggested declining efficacy of COMIRNATY (Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine) over time against symptomatic infection or against the Delta variant, while others have not.”

3 key vaccine dates that the FDA will be focusing on:

October 14- An advisory panel discussed Moderna’s request to recommend booster shots for people ages 18 and older.
October 15- The panel discussed whether those who got the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine need a booster.
October 26- The panel will discuss Pfizer’s data on its vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.

Will You Need Booster Shots? Moderna Tests Vaccine Longevity.

The Covid-19 vaccines have been available in the U.S. for around 9 months, and researchers are continuing to study their effectiveness, specifically questioning how long the protection they offer will actually last. And now, a recent analysis conducted by Moderna, who makes one of the two mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, has shown that the effectiveness of the vaccine decreases as time goes by. In fact, according to the study, people who got the shot last year are twice as likely to contract the virus as people who recently got the shot. Moderna is hoping that this new data will lead to approval of a third-dose booster shot for those who received the original two-shot dose.

The Study

The trial conducted over the summer by Moderna, labeled the 3 COVE Study, compared participants who received the vaccine between July 1, 2021 and August 27, 2021 to participants who got it between July 2020 and October 2020. Analysis of the data revealed that people who had recently received the vaccine had a lower risk of breakthrough infection than people who had been vaccinated last year. Specifically, “88 breakthrough cases of COVID-19 out of 11,431 people vaccinated occurred in the more recently vaccinated group (49.0 cases per 1000 person-years) compared to 162 cases out of 14,746 participants in the group vaccinated last year (77.1 cases per 1000 person-years).”

The study found that people who were vaccinated last year had a 50% higher rate of symptomatic breakthrough cases during the months of July and August compared to those who had received the vaccination later. And of those who received the vaccine more recently, there were no hospitalizations or deaths, compared to the 3 Covid-19 related hospitalizations of the earlier group, which resulted in 2 deaths.

“There’s a large debate, we all know, about whether or not vaccine boosters are going to be necessary in the fall,” Moderna President Stephen Hoge said. “That debate, what makes it really hard is it’s not really about whether the vaccine worked last month. It’s really about whether it’s going to work this winter.”

Is There a Need For A Booster Shot?

When the study and its data was presented, Moderna CEO Staphane Bancel stated that it proves the need for a booster shot.

“It is promising to see clinical and real-world evidence adding to the growing body of data on the effectiveness of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine,” Bancel said. “The increased risk of breakthrough infections in COVE study participants who were vaccinated last year compared to more recently illustrates the impact of waning immunity and supports the need for a booster to maintain high levels of protection.”

Currently, the White House’s plan is for people to get a third dose 8 months after their second shot of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. However, multiple scientists from the World Health Organization and 2 FDA officials claim it is “not appropriate” to widely distribute booster shots to the general public just yet.

Covid-19 Has Not Only Led To Academic Issues In Children, But Mental Health Issues Too

The pandemic forced many schools to close down in 2020, meaning many children spent the rest of the 2019-2020 school year and most, if not all, of the 2020-2021 school year learning online. It was not an easy transition for many children or for their parents, with reports from KFF Vaccine Monitor reporting that around four in ten parents of school-aged children ages 5-17 say at least one of their children fell behind academically. And academic issues have not been the only side effects of online schooling: mental health issues have also become much more common among children in the last year.

As this school year begins, though, most schools are transitioning back to in-person learning, which could end up being a mixed bag. Being physically at school can help with children’s development, but many will also experience some anxiety and panic as they return, so it is important to know how to help get your child back into the swing of things.

illustration of a girl sitting at a desk with her hands over her face — *One of the symptoms of mental health issues within children is difficulty concentrating or frequent headaches.*

Studies Show…

The Kaiser Family Foundation researchers recently asked more than 1,200 parents of children younger than age 18 about their children’s’ mental health; more than a third said their child had fallen behind in their social and behavioral development during the pandemic. Children whose school was at least partially online last year were more likely to have had their well being negatively impacted; not only that, but around 42% of the parents surveyed said their children showed at least one new mental health symptom during the pandemic.

Some of the symptoms included:

Difficulty concentrating on schoolwork (27%)
Problems with nervousness, or being easily scared or worried (19%)
Trouble sleeping (18%)
Poor appetite or overeating (15%)
Frequent headaches or stomach aches (11%)

Recognizing Signs of Stress & Other Mental Health Issues

Your child might not know how to express how they are feeling, so it is important to be able to recognize any signs of mental distress in your child. Each child or teen will exhibit different signs, but there are some common symptoms and changes in their behavior or development to look out for, including:

Irritability
Waking up more during the night
Separation anxiety
Bedwetting
Stepping back from personal relationships
Loss of interest in activities they previously enjoyed
Difficulty falling asleep
Change in appetite
Memory problems
Thoughts about death or suicide

What You Can Do To Help Prepare Your Child

While the transition back to in-person learning is undoubtedly good for children and their development, it might also be challenging for some, so it’s important to keep the lines of communication open. “Keep checking in with your kids,” Dr. Kyle Monk, a pediatrician at Cedars-Sinai, says. “Ask them how they’re doing and let them know how you’re feeling as well.”

If your child is anxious or scared about returning to school, have an open conversation with them, and take the time to listen to and validate their feelings. Here’s how you can help get them back into the swing of things:

Have an open conversation about the new year and what they can expect as they return to school.
Ween them off of their summer schedule by starting an earlier, consistent bedtime, and prepare them for getting up early. You might want to get them an alarm clock so they know exactly when they need to get up.
Make sure your child has a daily, predictable routine, with regular times for healthy meals, naps, and night sleep at home. Having a rested body and knowing what to expect at home helps children cope.
Sit down with your kids and have them put forward a couple of academic goals for the semester.
Establish a quiet zone or zones at home where kids can do homework, without the distractions of TV, videos, music, etc.
Reassure children about safety measures in place to help keep them safe and healthy, and prepare them to stay safe by talking about socially distancing, washing their hands, and wearing a mask all day.
Be on the lookout for any emotional or physical changes after the start of the school year, so you can help them cope, or get professional help if needed.

All ACA-approved health insurance plans cover mental health needs, including therapy, inpatient services, and any medications needed. Get free quotes on plans with great coverage and affordable prices by entering your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to a local licensed agent, call 888-350-1890.

Unvaccinated? Be Prepared To Pay More For Health Insurance

While President Biden had a goal of getting 70% of Americans vaccinated by July 4th, the vaccination rate in the U.S. is still only around 60% for those ages 12 and up. That means we are currently unable to reach herd immunity; not only that, but the Delta variant of the virus is spreading rapidly, causing another wave of the pandemic, with hospitals in certain areas again being overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients. And despite many companies offering Americans incentives to get the vaccine, many unvaccinated people still won’t get the free shot – but refusing to roll up your sleeve could soon start affecting your wallet.

Growing Speculation

paper with the words risk assessment on the top and a pen on the paper — *Just as health insurance companies can charge smokers more for being more risky, they can do the same for unvaccinated people.*

Health insurance companies have always reserved the right to deny coverage to or charge more for people who partake in risky behavior, such as rock climbing or smoking – in fact, some insurance companies even charge tobacco users up to 50% more for plans than what nonsmokers pay. Now there is speculation that insurance companies might penalize those who are unvaccinated by charging them higher premiums.

What is the reasoning behind the surcharge? Insurance companies argue that an unvaccinated person not only risks getting sick themselves, but can also infect others, leading to expensive medical bills; to help cover those extra costs, insurance companies feel that unvaccinated people should pay higher premiums for engaging in what they see as risky behavior. Experts speculate that insurers haven’t started raising rates for unvaccinated people yet because the vaccine is still only authorized for emergency use and has not yet received full approval from the FDA.

Employer Mandates

The low vaccination rates in some areas of the country are also causing problems for employers, and so many have been offering incentives to employees to encourage them to get vaccinated. On the other hand, some are considering penalizing employees, and are looking to charge them anywhere from $20-$50 more per paycheck for health insurance.

$20 dollar bill underneath a $50 bill — *Employers can penalize unvaccinated employees by charging them $20-$50 more per paycheck for health insurance.*

“Because of the emergence of the Delta variant and because vaccination levels have stalled out with employers, they’re trying to take some more ‘stick’-type measures rather than the incentive,” said Wade Symons, a partner at Mercer Health, a benefits consulting firm. “They’re looking for something that’s going to move the needle, and they’re looking at a surcharge as a potential option for that.”

Employers see these measures as not just a way to get employees vaccinated, but a move to help them save money. “Unvaccinated individuals have potential to cost the employer more from a health care spend perspective,” Symons told CBS MoneyWatch. “They could get Covid and incur expensive hospital costs up to $50,000 for an individual with a tough Covid case.”

Once the vaccine gains full approval from the FDA, employers can make the vaccine mandatory.

Both health insurance companies and employers who contribute to health insurance premiums want to save money, so in a push to get more people vaccinated, the time will most likely come when they make people who refuse to get the vaccine pay more in premiums. As of now, surcharges are only being talked about, but once the vaccine gets fully approved, they could become reality.

Covid-19 and Life Insurance Coverage

The events of the past year and a half, during which we tragically lost so many people to Covid-19, have prompted many people to think more about preparing for the unexpected. After all that has happened, you might be thinking more about life insurance; for example, you might be wondering if a policy will still deliver death benefits if the policy owner dies from Covid-19, or if insurance companies have changed their policies, meaning you’ve missed your opportunity to buy life insurance. So how are insurers handling Covid-19? Do they cover deaths from it? And has the pandemic affected how they are selling policies?

Can I Get Life Insurance?

Life insurance is important because it offers financial protection for your loved ones if you pass away unexpectedly – it’s no wonder, then, that so many people have realized during the pandemic how important purchasing a policy is. In fact, application activity for U.S. life insurance was up nearly 8% year-over-year in 2020 among people under age 44, according to MIB Group’s Life Index. And there’s no need to worry: you can absolutely still purchase a life insurance policy – and thankfully rates have not been not impacted by Covid-19! With that being said, though, there are a few exceptions to be aware of.

What If…

I’ve Been Overseas Recently?

Because of uncertain pandemic conditions in other countries, some insurance companies will postpone your application approval if you have recently traveled internationally. They will also postpone your application approval if you have plans to travel abroad, or if a member of your household has recently returned from travel outside of the U.S. Generally, if you have traveled overseas, you can submit your life insurance application 30 days after the date you returned to the U.S.

If you do not disclose any international travel or plans on your application, your insurance company can deny claims to your beneficiaries.

I Have Covid-19?

Each company will treat your application differently if you have or have had Covid-19, but in most cases insurers will postpone your application for 90 days, or until you have made a full recovery, if you are currently sick. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, though, some insurance companies could postpone your application for up to six months; in addition, if you – and others – suffer from long-lasting effects of the virus, life insurers will incorporate that information into their underwriting standards, which could affect the cost of coverage for Covid-19 survivors in the future. The most important thing to remember, though, is that you need to be honest on your application about having the virus: lying about it will automatically mean that your beneficiaries will not be able to collect your policy’s death benefit.

I Die From The Virus?

Traditional life insurance policies, such as whole and term life, will likely cover deaths from Covid-19, according to spokespeople from industry research group LIMRA, State Farm, and Farmers New World Life.

Your life insurance claims will be paid out, even if you pass away from the virus, as long as you:

Were approved for a life insurance policy, either before or during the pandemic.
Did not omit information or lie on your application.
Paid your insurance premiums and did not allow your policy to lapse.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been hard on many Americans, and the death toll in the U.S. has caused many younger Americans to worry what would happen to their families if they were to pass. The sad reality that many people have passed away unexpectedly from the virus, and have left their families unexpectedly, has put a new perspective on the importance of life insurance.

Remember, you can still purchase a life insurance policy and financially protect your family, as long as you are honest during the application process. If you’re looking for a policy and are unsure where to begin, work with an agent who specializes in life insurance; this is the best way to find the policy that is right for your specific needs. We have provided the top life insurance companies in the nation below; each offers hassle-free assistance and the most competitive rates. Always check multiple sites to make sure you have bargaining power and know the advantages of each company. Make sure a hard time isn’t made harder by a financial burden, check life insurance rates today.

Biden & Health Experts Warn the Delta Covid-19 Variant Could Be Dangerous

Just as we thought we were nearing the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new variant of the virus has been detected in the U.S., causing more panic and infecting more people. The Delta Covid-19 variant is very worrisome to health experts, who fear that it could be more dangerous for younger people who are waiting to get vaccinated, or who will not get vaccinated at all. The arrival of this deadly new variant could mean more spikes in cases this fall, unless more Americans get vaccinated.

The Delta Covid-19 Variant

person sneezing with red viruses spreading out — *Studies suggest that the Delta variant is 60% more transmissible than the Alpha variant.*

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky expects the Delta variant, which was first identified in India, to eventually become the dominant variant in the United States, because studies suggest it is around 60% more transmissible than the Alpha variant, the variant first identified in the United Kingdom. Within the last two weeks, the Delta variant has represented more than 20% of Covid-19 infections in the U.S., which is double what it was when the CDC last reported on its prevalence.

“Is the virus different? It is different, the Delta variant is much more likely to infect younger people…The fact that it catches all those people that aren’t vaccinated and it’s more likely to put them in the hospital, is a concern. We are paying more attention because the older folks are more highly vaccinated and we are seeing more of what there is of the disease occurring in the younger population.” said Kristiana McLarty, a third-year medical student at Morehouse School of Medicine.

Because of the seriousness of the Delta variant, the Biden Administration is urging more Americans to get vaccinated; while the White House acknowledges that they will not meet their goal of vaccinating 70% of all American adults by July 4, they are still hoping people will step up to fight this new variant.

“The Delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate Covid-19. We seem to be following the pattern with the Delta variant, with a doubling time of about two weeks,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said at a White House briefing on the virus. “Good news: Our vaccines are effective against the Delta variant.”

What To Expect This Fall

Currently, infections and deaths from Covid-19 are at their lowest rates since the start of the pandemic, averaging roughly 11,000 new infections and fewer than 300 deaths per day. The falling numbers have meant more states opening up and lifting mask mandates, but this could all change come fall if more people do not get vaccinated. As it is, experts are currently expecting a surge in cases this winter, since data shows that the rate of vaccination greatly slowed down after vaccines became more available. Some states, including Arizona and Missouri, are already witnessing a spike in Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths, largely among people who are not vaccinated.

According to Ali Mokdad, MD, professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington, 80-85% of Americans will have to be vaccinated by the end of the year to prevent a surge in cases, but that level of vaccination does not seem likely. As of now, only 16 states have reached the Biden administration’s goal of 70% of adults receiving at least one dose by July 4, and only around 50% of the total adult population has received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to CDC data.