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A new study analysing long-Covid among children and teenagers in the US has found that <keyword id="44308" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="symptoms" source="Orion">symptoms</keyword> differed between the two groups. While children faced more brain and stomach-related problems, teenagers experienced fatigue, <keyword id="950054" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Physical-Pain" source="Orion">physical pain</keyword>, and loss of smell and taste. Moreover, long-Covid symptoms common in both adults and teens were more than those between teens and children, highlighting the importance of age groups-based COVID-19 research, according to the team of over 140 researchers that conducted the study. Published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the study is part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH)'s 'RECOVER' Initiative, aimed at understanding and preventing long-Covid, which refers to a set of persisting symptoms months after having COVID-19 <keyword id="6393040" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="infection" source="Orion">infection</keyword>. The researchers studied more than 5,300 children and adolescents, of whom about 3,860 -- - 751 children and 3109 adolescents -- had a history of the viral infection. Caregivers were surveyed for about 75 symptoms that occurred at least 90 days after an initial COVID-19 infection and lasted for at least a month. They were also enquired about their child's overall health and quality of life. Among children aged 6-11 years, the most common long <keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Covid" source="Orion">COVID</keyword> symptoms were headache (57%), followed by trouble with memory/focusing, trouble sleeping (44 %) and stomach pain (43 %), the study found. Among the adolescents, about 80% had tiredness or low energy during the day, while physical pain in the body, muscles and joints affected 60% of them. Headaches persisted in 55% of the teens, while 47% of them continued to have trouble remembering or concentrating. While identifying groups of symptoms distinct to each age group, the researchers developed a long-Covid research index that indicates the likelihood of the condition in a child or a teenager. The index, separate for both age groups, included 18 prolonged symptoms that were more common in children and 17 common among teenagers. "The symptoms that make up the research index are not the only symptoms a child may have and they're not the most severe. But they are most predictive in determining who may have long COVID," said lead author of the study Rachel Gross, an associate professor in the departments of <keyword id="492850" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paediatrics" source="Orion">Paediatrics</keyword> and Population Health at New York University. In the study group, 45% of the infected (338) and 33% of the uninfected children, along with 39% of the infected and 27 % of the uninfected adolescents reported having at least one prolonged symptom, the authors of the study said. Twenty-six symptoms among infected school-age children and 18 symptoms in infected adolescents persisted in at least 5% of the participants, they said.

Symptoms of long Covid differ between children, teens: US study

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new study found that teen girls' brains aged faster during the pandemic.</li><li>Researchers measured cortical thinning, a natural process that can be accelerated by stress.</li></ul>This week, a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2403200121">new scientific paper</a> sent a ripple through the world of child psychology.Researchers at the University of Washington published brain scans of teenagers taken three years apart, in 2018 and 2021.The team expected significant findings, since the second scans were taken after all of the kids had their lives suddenly upended and socially stunted by COVID lockdowns.They hypothesized that girls would be more impacted, because they're more reliant on peer relationships for emotional support than teen boys. But "we didn't expect it to be as dramatic a difference," lead author Dr. Neva Corrigan told Business Insider.The average acceleration for teen girls was 4.2 years, compared to 1.4 for boys.While more research is needed, the study offers a glimpse into the effects the pandemic had on brain development. It comes at a time when teen girls have seen a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-report-teen-girls-alarming-rates-sadness-hopelessness-sexual-violence-2023-2">sharp rise in sadness and hopelessness</a>, often attributed to social media use.<h2 id="c81b7065-67f7-4f59-9455-c4636815bed5">Isolation may have played a role</h2>The original intention of the study was to track typical adolescent brain development, Corrigan, who specializes in MRI data acquisition and analysis, told BI. In 2018, her team took MRI data from 160 adolescents ages 9, 11, 13, 15, and 17, and planned to follow up at a later date.But after the pandemic, "we realized that we could no longer call this typical development," Corrigan said. "These kids had undergone a huge change in their lives." Her team knew they had a unique opportunity to examine how aspects of the pandemic, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/public-teacher-homeschool-own-kids-2024-5">remote learning</a>, affected the brain.In 2021, about 130 of the subjects returned for more testing. The team measured cortical thinning, a natural process that usually begins in late childhood and is believed to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3791607/">improve cognitive performance</a>.The age acceleration was more than double the size in teen girls, and the regions most impacted were all related to social cognition, such as facial recognition and language comprehension.Because females generally rely more on <a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17328705/">relationships for emotional support</a> than males, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modern-loneliness">loneliness</a> during the pandemic could have caused teen girls more stress, speeding up their cortical thinning.<h2 id="ca6c015e-1e33-410a-957c-fdee9576f795">Cortical thinning isn't always negative</h2>Corrigan said there's a lot we still don't know about cortical thinning, such as whether it's reversible.However, she said past studies have shown that accelerated cortical thinning can put people at higher risk for neurodegenerative disorders in old age, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.It can also increase the odds of developing psychiatric disorders such as depression or anxiety.At the same time, quicker brain aging isn't necessarily all bad. It's believed that the cortex thins to reduce the effect the environment has on brain development, Corrigan said. If the brain is less vulnerable to external stressors, "that could make these kids a little bit more resilient to stress," she said.<h2 id="47b59dfa-19bd-494b-98ab-6151b36b2682">There are still many unknowns</h2>Bradley S. Peterson, a pediatric psychiatrist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles who wasn't part of the study, told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/09/health/teen-brains-pandemic-girls.html">The New York Times</a> that it had some limitations. One was that the data came from different subsets of the group, rather than measuring each individual's brain changes.The study also didn't track the participants' individual habits, so it can't confirm if other elements of the pandemic, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/surgeon-general-social-media-warning-label-mental-health-crisis-children-2024-6">increased screen time</a>, contributed to quicker cortical thinning.Corrigan said the biggest takeaway for parents is to be mindful of the potential risks of their teens developing anxiety or depression. "Perhaps they can help stave that off by talking to their kids and providing emotional support for them."

Brain scans show teen girls aged 4 years faster than boys during COVID lockdowns. We asked the researcher what that means long-term.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The general public's attitude toward COVID is more relaxed than ever, even amid a summer surge.</li><li>Doctors say relaxed COVID precautions are to be expected and are not necessarily a bad thing.</li></ul>Gone are the days of scrubbing surfaces, sudden <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-shut-down-school-two-days-after-classes-started-2022-1">school closures</a>, and social distancing.Where a positive COVID-19 test once wrought panicked <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-mistakes-us-focus-on-contact-tracing-not-sequencing-2021-3">contract tracing </a>and guaranteed two weeks of isolation, these days, a diagnosis sparks relatively little worry for most people.Even amid a summer spike in cases — everyone from President <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-tests-positive-for-covid-19-2024-7#:~:text=President%20Joe%20Biden%20tested%20positive,Press%20Secretary%20Karine%20Jean%2DPierre.">Joe Biden</a> to the 2024 Summer Olympians seems to be battling the virus — the general public's attitude toward the pandemic that upended our lives more than four years ago is more relaxed than ever.The federal public health emergency for COVID expired in May 2023, officially <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-covid-19-global-health-emergency-is-over-who-says-2023-5">ending the crisis</a>, at least in name, more than three years after it was first declared. Since then, thanks to high infection and immunization rates, the country has continued climbing toward the herd immunity doctors so desperately sought in the early days of the pandemic, four medical professionals told Business Insider."The risk perception and anxiety around acute COVID infection has definitely lessened," said Dr. Anita Chopra, an internist at the University of Washington medical system. "People are interacting and mingling more like in pre-pandemic times."Healthcare professionals told BI that the public's more relaxed attitude toward COVID is ultimately a good thing. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/life-returning-to-normal-labor-market-vaccines-pandemic-2021-11">A return to normality</a> was the goal, after all.But COVID is still very present and very much a potential threat, especially for the immunocompromised and those unlucky enough to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-official-individuals-coronavirus-infection-unlucky-long-covid-2022-6">develop long COVID symptoms</a> — up to 10% of patients, according to some doctor estimates. Meanwhile, relaxed masking and declining vaccination rates, while to be expected at this point, could be linked to the rising case numbers doctors are seeing in clinics around the country, medical professionals told BI."We need to acknowledge that we're in a very different place now than we were at the height of the pandemic," said Dr. Eric Chow, chief of communicable disease epidemiology and immunizations at Public Health Seattle and King County. "But so long as COVID-19 continues to circulate, there are health implications to getting infected."<h2 id="8540c815-ae27-4465-8106-21a572b3f035">Evolving behaviors and beliefs</h2>Many of the early-day pandemic precautions have all but disappeared in 2024. Chief among them, according to doctors, are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mask-mandates-lifted-states-reasonable-experts-2022-2">masking</a>, isolations, and vaccinations.Soon after the pandemic emerged, medical professionals emphasized masking as a key way to slow the spread of the virus.The face coverings quickly became a contentious cultural topic and among the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-decision-to-oppose-masks-bizarre-self-sabotaging-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-6">most politicized aspects</a> of COVID. But these days, even many who once championed masks have ditched the deterrent entirely. An August 2023 Yahoo News/YouGov <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/only-12-percent-of-americans-wear-mask-in-public-194019882.html">poll</a> of 1,665 US adults found that 12% of respondents said they were masking — down from 60% in January 2022. And doctors told BI that they've seen a steady decrease in masking since then."I think the public has appropriately adjusted their attitudes to what they hear in the news and what they see around them," said Dr. Edward Jones-Lopez, infectious disease specialist with Keck Medicine at the University of Southern California.More worrying to medical professionals is the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-vaccine-us-vaccination-sites-joe-biden-2021-4">decline in vaccinations.</a>While early immunization rates helped bolster immunity, vaccination uptake has been on the decline in recent years, and fewer and fewer people are keeping up to date with their booster shots, a preventive step the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cdc.gov/covid/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html#:~:text=Everyone%20aged%205%20years%20and,of%20updated%20COVID%2D19%20vaccine.">CDC recommends</a> in its COVID guidelines.Most medical professionals also recommend a yearly COVID-19 vaccine. There's a new shot coming out in September. But Chow, who previously worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the height of the pandemic, said most people aren't aware of the recommended vaccine schedule — a challenge that is indicative of a larger problem doctors are trying to navigate in this new COVID age."People are much more fatigued by COVID messaging," he said. "We're trying to right-size the appropriate message to make sure people continue to acknowledge the health impacts of COVID."<h2 id="3c719499-920d-46e7-b315-35ec4a1cdc50">The long COVID scare</h2>Relaxed attitudes are not necessarily a bad thing, according to doctors."I think it's to be expected as we learn more about the virus over these four years and as we've developed these other COVID countermeasures to address infection," said Dr. Jessica Bender, a primary care doctor at Harbor View Medical in Seattle and the co-director at the university's long COVID clinic.On the one hand, people are generally not getting as sick as they once did when ill with COVID, medical professionals told BI. On the other hand, this summer seems to have brought yet another COVID surge with a spike in cases.People don't typically equate respiratory illnesses with the warmer months, but an increase in summer socializing combined with the general decrease in preventive measures is likely fueling the uptick, Bender said.For an unlucky subset of patients, a COVID diagnosis — even in this new relaxed era — could mean <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/long-covid-survivor-its-wrecked-my-life-2022-1">long-term challenges.</a>Doctors define long COVID as any infection related to the virus that is present for at least three months, said Chopra, who treats patients at the UW long COVID clinic. The often <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/healthcare-workers-nurses-long-covid-impact-careers-labor-shortage-2022-5">debilitating</a> condition is indiscriminate in who it affects. Up to 10% of all people who get COVID are susceptible, according to Chopra, and patients of all ages, genders, races, and vaccination statuses can present with long COVID.<div type="image" title="A young girl gets a COVID vaccine" height="2661" width="4000" msid="112065018" hostid="261" sizebytes="341938"></div>Even as the country relaxes its COVID response, doctors said they are still seeing many new patients presenting with long COVID each day. The condition has at least <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/common-long-covid-symptoms-hair-loss-vertigo-low-libido-2022-7">200 known signs and symptoms</a> that range from shortness of breath to chronic fatigue and brain fog.Doctors told BI they'd treated several patients who have been forced to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/long-covid-symptoms-disability-insurance-unemployment-quit-job-2022-11">stop working</a> or rendered unable to participate in any physical activity because of a long COVID diagnosis. A 2023 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9721155/">study</a> published in the National Library of Medicine explored a possible link between long COVID and the risk of suicide because of the condition's tendency to inflict depression, anxiety, posttraumatic symptoms, sleep disturbances, fatigue, and cognitive deficits.Medical professionals are doing their best to understand long COVID, but admit that there's still much to learn. According to the CDC, about 17 million people <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/long-covid.htm">reported</a> having long-term COVID-19 in March 2024.For these people, the pandemic is still very real."When I treat people with long COVID, they are always masked," Chopra said.<h2 id="c71342ed-0973-4d09-978b-dae3bd11fc3e">The future of COVID</h2>As doctors look to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/red-cross-says-world-is-dangerously-unprepared-for-next-pandemic-2023-1">future</a> of COVID, little is for sure."We always say the one thing that is predictable about COVID is its unpredictability," Chow said.But medical professionals told BI they are optimistic that even as the virus continues to evolve, the next few years will continue to look like the past year, with small seasonal surges and hopefully less intense illness.While lax attitudes may be a welcome sign of a cautious new normal, doctors said it's important to remember the lessons we've collectively learned from COVID. The precautions that proved useful against the virus protect people from other illnesses, too.Just because the world has adapted to COVID-19, medical professionals say, doesn't mean we should drop the hygiene, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-circulation-coronavirus-how-to-judge-ventilation-systems-2020-8">ventilation</a>, and masking lessons learned along the way."We've learned so much about how we can protect ourselves," Chow said. "It's hard to see people leave some of those precautions behind."Doctors recommend people gauge their individual risk, as well as the risk of those close to them when considering which precautions to take in this new COVID age. Most medical professionals still recommend masking, testing, and visiting a doctor after testing positive."We're aiming to get to a state where COVID is not a threat to our healthcare system," Bender said. "And not a threat to our lives and livelihoods.

Most people don't really care about COVID anymore. That's good — and bad. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Bella DePaulo has always been single and chooses to spend most of her time alone.</li><li>She used to feel self-conscious but now shares her experience to help other singles.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Bella DePaulo, 71, a social scientist and author who lives in California. The following has been edited for length and clarity.As a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-always-been-single-loves-being-in-control-of-life-2024-9">71-year-old single woman</a> who's happily never had a serious romantic relationship, people are often confused by my lifestyle.They think I must wish I was coupled up and just can't understand that being on your own, even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solo-travel-things-to-know-before-first-trip">vacationing alone</a>, can be a wonderful experience rather than something sad, desperate, and lonely.There's a preconception that if you're single, you're either stuck at home alone or forced to do things on your own because you don't have anyone. And while that can be true of some people, we're really misled when we think that's true of all single people.I consider myself single at heart, which means I'm happiest and most fulfilled when I'm not in a relationship.Those who know me well know that I enjoy being with others, especially close friends and family, and I also really love <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/introvert-parenting-tips-managing-energy-2024-9">doing things on my own</a>.I actively enjoy spending a weekend, or even an entire week alone. I love getting to decide what I want to do, when I want to do it, how long I want to stay up, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/couple-married-60-years-different-dinners-compromise-annie-korzen-2024-11">what I want to eat</a>, and whether I want to be with other people, and if so, who and for how long.<h2 id="f8399624-bf24-4099-bd0b-1e3e2cb07c33">I see friends once or twice a week</h2><div type="image" title="Bella DePaulo headshot" height="1344" width="982" msid="115211828" hostid="261" sizebytes="59204"></div>Through my early to mid-adulthood I liked having one to two days a week all to myself. As I've gotten older it's flipped and I'm happy to have five or six days a week to myself, although I'm happy to do more socializing than that.On an average week, I see friends once or twice, usually for lunch or dinner.I almost always go out for a daily walk. I live in Summerland, California, which is right on the cusp of the Pacific Ocean, so I either walk along the beach or one of the spectacularly beautiful trails.On the weekends, I often do some errands, maybe going <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-gen-z-splurge-groceries-spending-inflation-gen-z-boomers-2024-4">grocery shopping</a> or something like that. Sometimes I'll go to a farmers market and get fresh fruit and vegetables to make a wonderful dinner. I wish somebody else would swoop in and clean up afterwards and then leave, but I do like the cooking and the eating part.At night I like watching TV or a movie or reading a novel. I'm a social scientist and author and a lot of times I do my writing and reading relevant to work because I really enjoy it. I study and write about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/never-date-again-prefer-drama-free-single-life-2024-10">the joy of single life</a> and have recently been touring my book "Single at Heart," around Washington DC, New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle.<h2 id="8456ada1-18d6-43c3-a485-44106a851273">I'm happy to spend the holidays alone</h2><div type="image" title="Bella DePaulo sits on a plastic chair at a table on the beach." height="1200" width="1600" msid="115211825" hostid="261" sizebytes="119148"></div>Growing up, my house was a really sociable place. I was raised in Pennsylvania with several siblings, and my mom had a lot of siblings who all lived near us. So there were big family gatherings all the time.Over Christmas, my mom would make tons and tons of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-easy-cookie-recipe-icing-professional-baker-2023-12">Christmas cookies</a> and we'd have waves of people coming in. That was fun up to a point, but I was also happy when they left.Before I moved to California in 2000, I worked at the University of Virginia, which was 377 miles away from my family home, so I always went back there for family Thanksgivings.I don't have a yearly Thanksgiving or Christmas tradition now but I've celebrated them with friends, family, and on my own. I'm happy with whichever.I have a friend who visits me every other year for Thanksgiving. Another friend often comes for New Year's Eve, and sometimes, I travel. Just before COVID, I spent Christmas in Mexico, and that was a lot of fun.I don't have any plans for Christmas yet.<h2 id="be2425a0-ef8e-4c88-93ea-505610948973">I used to feel self-conscious about being alone on big holidays</h2><div type="image" title="Bella DePaulo holds a copy of her book &quot;Single At Heart&quot; in a Spanish restaurant." height="1352" width="1036" msid="115211819" hostid="261" sizebytes="103502"></div>I've always enjoyed spending time on my own, even on days like Christmas when you're "supposed" to be with people. What's changed is that I used to be self-conscious about it.When I was younger, I felt judged and hoped that nobody would ask me what my plans were, even though being alone was what I wanted.I've gotten way past that now. I feel proud to be happy on my own and show up to an event filled with couples and upend their expectations.I hope that by being open about that, I'm making it easier for other people, too.

I'm 71 and have always been happily single. I used to feel judged for enjoying time alone, including the holidays, but now I'm proud.   

The <keyword id="22407175" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="U-WIN" source="keywords">U-WIN</keyword> portal, a replication of the <keyword id="19897423" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19" source="keywords">Covid-19</keyword> vaccine management system Co-WIN, is set for a pan-India launch likely by the end of August, aiming to maintain an electronic registry of routine immunisations, official sources said. Currently, U-WIN is in pilot mode across all states and Union Territories, except for West Bengal, which is yet to start uploading data, the sources told PTI, adding that it is still under consideration in the state. The U-WIN platform captures every <keyword id="19933690" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccination" source="keywords">vaccination</keyword> event for pregnant women and children under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). Minister of Finance <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> had announced in the interim Budget for 2024-2025 that U-WIN, along with intensified efforts under Mission Indradhanush, will be rolled out nationwide for managing <keyword id="21423640" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="immunisation" source="keywords">immunisation</keyword>. "The U-WIN will ensure timely administration of vaccine doses by digitally recording every vaccination event under the Universal Immunisation Programme among all pregnant women and children aged 0-5 years," an official told PTI. "The portal will target 2.9 crore pregnant women and 2.6 crore infants (0-1 years) annually by providing 11 vaccines against 12 vaccine preventable diseases -- diphtheria, measles, rubella, and tetanus through more than 1.2 crore vaccination sessions across the country," the official added. The platform generates a uniform QR-based, digitally verifiable e-vaccination certificate, similar to Covid vaccination certificate, which can be accessed anytime by the citizens through a single click. Vaccination records under UIP are being maintained manually as of now. So this will do away with the hassle of keeping a physical record, the officials explained. It will enable the digitisation of session planning, and updating vaccination status on a real-time basis, they added. "Also, there is no mechanism of individual tracking. There is also lack of awareness among beneficiaries about session location and date especially in urban areas and iniquity in immunisation coverage in states and UTs," another official said. "Besides, another major issue is that immunisation at private health facilities is not recorded," the official added. The U-WIN is going to be the single source of information for immunisation services which will record pregnancy details and outcome, newborn registration and immunisation at birth. It will update vaccination status, and delivery outcome, among others, on real time, the official said. As of July 9, 2024, the pilot has registered 5.33 crore beneficiaries on U-WIN. Over 83.55 lakh vaccination sessions have been digitally conducted, and 18.15 crore vaccine doses have been recorded. The platform aims to reduce zero-dose and left-out children through a name-based tracking mechanism and empower citizens with anytime, anywhere access to vaccination services, particularly benefiting migratory populations, the official said. "The U-WIN portal is likely to be launched pan <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> in August end," the official stated. Citizens can self-register for vaccinations via the U-WIN web portal or its Android mobile application, select preferred vaccination centres, and schedule appointments. Automated SMS alerts inform citizens about registration confirmations, administered doses, and upcoming dose reminders, ensuring timely and age-appropriate vaccinations. It also facilitates the creation of Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) IDs for comprehensive health record maintenance. The U-WIN also supports the frontline workers to digitally record all vaccination events for children and pregnant women for complete, accurate and easy record maintenance, the official said.

Pan-India rollout of U-WIN to track routine immunisations likely by Aug end

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="23853547" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="betsy-smith" source="keywords">Betsy Smith</keyword> weighed 500 pounds at her heaviest in July 2021.</li><li>The 53-year-old lost a total of 270 pounds through diet, exercise, and using <keyword id="20078155" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mounjaro" source="keywords">Mounjaro</keyword>.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Betsy Smith, a mother of three from Billings, Montana. It has been edited for length and clarity. A sign on the wall at the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/fitness/best-weight-loss-apps">weight management </a>clinic inspires me every time I go for my body composite exam. "Being overweight is hard," it says. "Losing weight is hard," it says. Then, underneath, it says, "Choose your hard." It's empowering because it lets you know it's your choice whether to stay heavy or make every effort to get healthy and feel better. I'm just 12 pounds off my goal of 218 pounds — which means I will have lost 285 pounds since beginning my journey in July 2021 — and I'm determined to reach that number on the scale. It's been the toughest battle of my life. But I know that it is literally saving my life. <h2>I've always been big</h2>I've always been a big person. I was a 10-pound baby and 23.5 inches long. I stopped growing at 6ft 2in tall — the same height as my dad. It runs in the family. One of my sons is 6ft 5in. But I'm overweight because I always eat my feelings. Whenever I felt emotional — if something was wrong and I was unable to deal with it — I'd reach for something to eat. My parents were concerned about my size when I was a child. They <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pediatrician-mom-parenting-advice-basics-essentials-2024-1">took me to the pediatrician</a> for advice. I felt confused in the doctor's office when I was in elementary school because they mentioned words like diabetes. We tried to work on things like portion control, but it wasn't easy. We would eat inexpensive things like pasta in a big dish in the center of the table. <h2>I was a yo-yo dieter</h2>Carbohydrates were not good for me, but I hated being singled out as the one who wasn't supposed to take as much as the others. Then, when I was 10, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ive-been-through-divorce-on-both-ends-2023-4">my parents got divorced</a>. It was an emotional upheaval. The summer between fifth and sixth grade, I gained probably 35 to 40 pounds. Other kids said some nasty things to me, especially in middle school. But I was 6ft tall by 12 and able to defend myself physically. If there were a problem, I'd say, "No, you're not going to do that to me." Instead, I internalized my pain. I gave birth to my first child at 20 after putting on a lot of weight during the pregnancy. The same thing happened with my other two kids. Diets have come and gone over the years. They generally involve calorie counting and walking. I once lost over 110 pounds and kept it off for six years, but whenever something went wrong in my life, I'd put it back on. <h2>I was shocked when I registered 500 pounds on the scale</h2>I couldn't move the way I felt like I should be able to move and not be uncomfortable. I'd go up and down the stairs at work and get winded. Things came to a head in July 2021 when I saw my doctor for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/live-entertainment-is-back-with-no-masks-or-social-distancing-2021-9">the first time since COVID-19</a>. I stepped on the scale and felt mortified. I was 499.9 pounds. "How the heck did this happen?" I thought. I didn't cry but wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere. I was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/diabetes-risk-other-health-condition-complication-study-2022-3">diagnosed with type 2 diabetes </a>and prescribed medication to lower my blood sugar. I managed to lose 84 pounds before qualifying for an appointment at a weight management clinic in March 2022. The main reason I lost that initial weight was dental work. My teeth were bad from so many years of abuse and loss of enamel. I got dentures, which allowed me to chew healthy, crunchy food like apples. But weight management opened up everything for me. They said I was a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/traveled-to-mexico-for-gastric-bypass-surgery-results-2023-4">good candidate for stomach surgery,</a> but I opted out. I underwent therapy, knowing that my brain needed to change my eating habits, not a quick-fix operation. <div type="image" title="A woman in a blue T-shirt carrying a small dog." height="697" width="929" msid="115024370" hostid="261"></div>The doctor put me on the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/weight-loss-glp-1-drugs-ozempic-wegovy-mounjaro-effects-future-2023-12" target="_blank">GLP-1 agonist injections</a> Trulicity and then Mounjaro. However, I realized that all the medications in the world wouldn't help me unless I learned the foundations of a healthy lifestyle. My intent was to lose the weight and keep it off. The answers included eating on a schedule. I eat a certain amount — a small meal of around 300 calories — every two and a half hours. It could be a protein shake or yogurt with a couple of strawberries. It could be a quarter of a cup of the leanest ground beef you can get with steamed vegetables. I limit my carbohydrates and increase my protein intake, such as turkey. I've also learned to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables, such as tomatoes and cucumbers. I buy the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-costco-kirkland-signature-prepared-meals-from-family-which-to-skip">mixed stir fry from Costco </a>without sauce. For exercise, my husband, Steph, 54, and I set up a gym in our spare room. I ride the recumbent bike for an hour and 15 minutes and do 750 calf raises seven days a week. I also do 200 sit-ups and 200 crunches five days a week. Now, at 230 pounds, I've gone from a 6X to a 1X. I can wear jeans for the first time in years, lace up my tennis shoes, and carry my dog, <keyword id="20150266" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="toby" source="keywords">Toby</keyword>, a 19-year-old <keyword id="23853546" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="yorkie" source="keywords">Yorkie</keyword>, up and down the stairs 30 times a day. <h2>I'm struggling with body dysmorphia</h2>Unfortunately, I continue to struggle with body image. When they're telling you to lose weight, nobody points out you're probably going to have at least 20 pounds worth of skin hanging on your arms, legs, and stomach. Your clothing doesn't look right and it's uncomfortable because it causes irritation, even infection. Luckily, I have a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-topical-steroid-withdrawal-how-treat-tws-symptoms-2023-7">cortisone prescription</a> from my dermatologist. I'll see my 500-pound self in the mirror. I often feel like I haven't lost much weight at all. It's only when I compare my before-and-after photos that I really notice the difference. People said I should consider plastic surgery. But I have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/anesthesia-side-effects">trouble thinking about anesthesia</a>. Still, my confidence grows every day. Steph is prouder of me than I am of myself at the moment, but I'm getting there. Correction: November 7, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated the type of medication sold under the brand names Trulicity and Mounjaro. They're both GLP-1 agonists but not semaglutide. Do you have an interesting story to share with <keyword id="19935969" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="business-insider" source="keywords">Business Insider</keyword> about weight loss? Please send details to <a target="_blank" href="mailto:jridley@insider.com">jridley@businessinsider.com</a>

I lost half my weight in 3 years. I have body dysmorphia from all the loose skin I have.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Eliza Evans, 38, inherited many items from her grandmother, who was an antique dealer.</li><li>The millennial felt overwhelmed by the amount of stuff she had to carry around whenever she moved.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Eliza Evans, a brand strategist in Chicago. It has been edited for length and clarity.From the age of 7, I'd visit my <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grandparents-do-tiktok-dance-challenges-in-matching-outfits-2020-6">grandparents in Florida</a> and enter their magical world of buying and selling antiques.We'd get in their van at 6 a.m. on a Saturday and show up three hours before the opening of an estate sale to get first dibs. Grandma was in her element as she picked out the items she wanted.Grandma died in 2000 when I was 14. My mother and aunt <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grandmother-inheritance-lesson-letting-go-2024-10">inherited most of her possessions</a> and gave several to me. I told them I was going to set up a museum in my house to display the precious items. Then, as I became an adult, I began to see some of the things as a burden. Every time I visited Mom, she'd hand me dishes, linens, and clothes. I thought it would be disrespectful not to take them, but it got to the point where I felt overwhelmed.<h2 id="6a64ccbc-4515-412c-9b2c-9a8fb3b1a791">I helped Mom decide what to keep, sell, give away, or store</h2>Back when I was a kid, I'd help my grandma set up her stand at antique shows and garage sales, watching in admiration as she sold each piece. Her house was packed with treasures she'd never part with, including a musket <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/historian-rates-civil-war-battles-in-movies-2023-9">from the Civil War</a> that had been in our family for generations.She organized her collection of tiny porcelain and metal shoes and drawers full of costume jewelry in a certain way. I'd spend hours trying on the rhinestones and looking in the mirror. Back then, I wanted all the stuff. Many years after my grandma's death, I met my future husband, Chris, now 40. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-9-5-for-slow-minimalist-life-as-youtuber-2024-10">He was a minimalist</a> who wanted us to keep our home simple. I embraced his style, especially because we lived in small apartments in a city."What on earth am I going to do with Grandma's stuff?" I thought. "It has to go somewhere." There were several trips to Goodwill over the years, but I still couldn't part with the sentimental stuff.In 2013, Mom downsized by moving from Virginia to Florida. I helped her go through the items, trying to decide what to keep, sell, or give away. Still, a lot of the stuff went into storage.Then, in 2021, Chris and I flew to Spain to visit friends. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/catching-covid-19-twice-differences-symptoms-isolation-rules-uk-coronavirus-2022-3">We caught COVID</a> and were stuck in Europe because of the travel restrictions. We lived out of a suitcase for months, never knowing when we were going to get home. My brain went nomadic and when we got back, I figured I didn't want to live in a house that was bigger than a hotel room.<div type="image" title="A hand-painted dresser on a curb, waiting to be picked up by a passer-by." height="2268" width="3024" msid="114988878" hostid="261" sizebytes="413944"></div>We relocated from Richmond to Virginia in 2022 and had to move within 30 days because of our lease. Our studio apartment was 450 square feet. It was the push I needed to get rid of my guilt and offload much of my belongings.It was sad, but they included an old dresser with hand-painted flowers that Mom had given me. It didn't have any value, and we left it out on the curb. It was gone within a few hours, so I like to think it found a good home.I owned a Depression-era glass candy bowl, which I gave to my stepmother because it matched her decor. My sister-in-law <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-wahlberg-catholic-not-popular-hollywood-wont-deny-faith-2023-2">is a devout Catholic, </a>and I gave her a porcelain figure of the Madonna and Child that my grandmother always had on her bureau.Both items were very special to me but were fragile and hard to move. I don't know whether my relatives will use or pass them on, but it felt good to gift them to those I care about.<h2 id="53516ccb-2c83-4929-8e6a-4a0784d4ef16">I've kept a few treasured items that fit on a small shelf</h2>We wanted to donate the Civil War rifle to a museum, but none of them had room for it. So we sold it to a buyer for around $800. I took a lot of photographs of the other items. You can preserve a key memory in a photo.Meanwhile, I've kept a collection of things from my grandmother that are tiny enough to display on small shelves, including my grandpa's Swiss Army knife. There's even a piece of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-from-the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall-2016-11">the Berlin Wall </a>from 1989. When Grandma gave it to me, she explained the Berlin Wall because I was too little to know.There's also an antique wooden box that has a secret button to open it. It fascinated me as a child. I'm glad to have learned that it's OK to choose what works for you and not keep the pieces that you feel you're supposed to.Do you have an interesting story to share with Business Insider about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-way-declutter-is-facebook-group-buy-nothing-2024-10">decluttering</a> or dealing with inherited "stuff" you don't need? Please send details to <a target="_blank" href="mailto:jridley@insider.com">jridley@businessinsider.com</a>.

I felt guilty about not keeping my grandma's stuff. I live in a 450-square-foot apartment and was overwhelmed by all the things she had.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Walking pneumonia infections rose nationwide as kids returned to school this fall.</li><li>The infection can be tricky to diagnose, and testing is expensive.</li></ul>A common infection known as "walking pneumonia" has been on an uptick across the US in recent months, especially among kids and teens.The respiratory illness caused by mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria is often called walking pneumonia because it tends to be milder than other lung infections. Patients may feel run down, with a cough and a slight fever, but are often still well enough to continue their daily life."It can be a little incognito, it can sneak up on people," Dr. Elizabeth Schlaudecker, medical director of infectious diseases at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, told Business Insider.The illness can be tough to identify and expensive to test for, and it can linger for several weeks, making it a frustrating sickness for families. Plus, treatment isn't necessarily one-size-fits-all.Here's what to know about how to spot it and treat it.<h2 id="c3f3c068-3915-4781-ba32-003daf8df1ce">Look out for a persistent cough, fever, and fatigue</h2><div type="image" title="kids going to school" height="1147" width="1600" msid="114857745" hostid="261" sizebytes="163892"></div>The tell-tale signs of walking pneumonia are not obvious. Illnesses caused by mycoplasma pneumoniae tend to be milder than infections caused by the more common bacterial pneumonia, streptococcus pneumoniae.ER doctor Russell Migita at Seattle Children's Hospital says it's hard to know exactly how many of the patients he sees have walking pneumonia cases, versus strep pneumonia or viral pneumonia. Often, doctors use a stethoscope to listen for a characteristic, localized "crackling" noise in patients with walking pneumonia, but not every patient has that.Testing for the bacteria that causes walking pneumonia is also expensive, relatively new, imperfect, and may not be covered by insurance, Migita said, so it's hard for experts to know exactly how bad this fall outbreak really is, compared to years past.The latest CDC data on the tests that are being done suggests more toddlers are getting walking pneumonia this year than was thought to be typical; the illness used to be viewed as more common in school-age kids. There have also been outbreaks among young adults living in dorms, where the bacteria has plenty of time to incubate and spread.Schlaudecker is part of the CDC surveillance network testing patients for mycoplasma bacteria across the country. She said test results indicate a surge in infections peaked in late August and early September as kids headed back to school, and started trading germs again. "Hopefully it's starting to slowly decline, but we're definitely still seeing it," she said.People who've recently <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/walking-pneumonia">had the flu</a> are also at increased risk for developing walking pneumonia.<h2 id="bd4d6715-82de-4c8c-8927-c9f2b650d92c">Amoxicillin may not be your doctor's first choice</h2><div type="image" title="amoxicillin tablets" height="2167" width="3250" msid="114857752" hostid="261" sizebytes="441756"></div><a target="_blank" href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12519-024-00831-0">New studies</a> suggest there isn't always a clear winner when it comes to the best treatment for walking pneumonia.Even though macrolide antibiotics, like azithromycin, are the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7307a3.htm">recommended treatment</a> and should perform better than penicillin-based antibiotics like amoxicillin on this bacteria, there isn't great data on which medication actually helps shorten and improve the course of this infectious disease best.In practice, Migita says doctors often use a mix of their own experience, local disease trends, and a particular patient's history and preferences to get a sense of what might work. In some cases, patients will get better without medication, but for bacterial pneumonia, an antibiotic can help. Doctors assess the situation on a case-by-case basis, similar to how they would treat an ear infection."Empiric treatment is what we do in most cases for most pediatric infections because it's hard to say for sure what's causing it," he said. "If you're not getting better on your first antibiotic in two to three days, then get seen again."Doctors say even though walking pneumonia doesn't tend to be as severe as other seasonal illnesses kids pass around like the flu, COVID, or RSV, it can still be a burdensome one for families, because it tends to last for a long time. In rare cases, walking pneumonia can prompt brain swelling, kidney issues, and difficulty breathing, and people with lung issues, and weakened immune systems may be especially at risk of hospitalization with walking pneumonia.Earlier this year, Schlaudecker's 15-year-old daughter had a persistent cough that continued for a week after what her mom thought was just a cold. They went to see her pediatrician, who listened to the girl's chest with a stethoscope.Without any testing, the daughter was diagnosed with walking pneumonia, and prescribed a Z-Pak (azithromycin). Within 24 hours of beginning her medication, the teenager felt great again."She was like, 'Wow, this is so cool that we figured out what it was and got on the right drug," Schlaudecker said. "It was a good medical success story."

Walking pneumonia is spreading. Doctors share the tell-tale symptoms to look for, and varied ways to treat it.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>As a night owl, Sophie Daquis felt exhausted by working a rigid 9-to-5 schedule.</li><li>She started cutting down on social obligations and carving out more time for hobbies.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sophie Daquis, a 33-year-old YouTuber. The following has been edited for length and clarity.Growing up, I internalized the idea that the busier you are and the faster you get things done, the better. But after five years of working this way, I realized it would never fulfill me.I made gradual changes until I was able to live a slower, more intentional life as a YouTuber.Now I make videos about leading a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/couple-moved-to-philippines-debt-free-slow-life-2023-8">slow, minimalist life</a>. As a YouTuber I have much more flexibility around when I work and can balance work, self-care, hobbies, and my social life. I am so much happier, but it took a while to get here.I'm <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-differences-between-us-south-korea-expat-2023-12">American-Korean</a>, and both cultures wear productivity as a badge of honor. I went to college in San Diego, and when I graduated in 2013, I had three part-time jobs. I worked as a waitress, did freelance work at the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-vs-nokia-flip-phone-dumbphones-are-the-new-smartphones-2024-7">phone company Nokia</a>, and taught English to foreign students.I just felt like I should be working as much as I could. It was a completely different mindset, and thinking back, maybe I wanted to distract myself from sitting with myself.Almost all hours of my day were taken up by working so I didn't have much time to myself. This meant I would stay up really late to almost <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/revenge-bedtime-procrastination">try to get some of the time back </a>and feel exhausted the following morning.<div type="image" title="Sophie Daquis sits on rocks by the ocean, playing a ukelele." height="1080" width="1620" msid="114693170" hostid="261" sizebytes="122598"></div>I moved to Maui in Hawaii in 2016 to live with my now-husband, who grew up on the island.I felt pressure from my parents to get a 9-to-5 job, and got hired in Maui as a family services manager at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-3d-printed-home-habitat-for-humanity-zero-interest-2021-7">Habitat for Humanity,</a> a nonprofit that helps low-income families find affordable housing.I enjoyed the work, and I loved my colleagues, but not the schedule.I'm a night owl who loves to start my day at 2:30 p.m. and work through the night. When<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-9-to-5-job-schedule-shocked-elder-millennial-2023-11"> I worked 9 to 5</a>, it felt like I was forcing myself into that mold.I tried to make it work, but I never really felt fulfilled, and I couldn't pinpoint why.<div type="image" title="Sophie Daquis stands on a beach." height="1080" width="1620" msid="114693167" hostid="261" sizebytes="29202"></div><h2 id="0132782e-fee4-4964-8d00-fd925e758b2c">Change started with small habits</h2>I started thinking to myself, "Where does this stop?" or " How can I fix this?" because I was just always exhausted.Maui slowed me down. There's a slower pace of life on the island. People's mindsets and values there are so different from what I was used to, and it made me really reevaluate everything I'd been told about productivity.My journey into slower living started with small habits like taking a walk on my lunch break, looking at my phone less, enjoying my cup of coffee without any distractions, and journaling in the morning. At first, that was what slow living was for me—rearranging my days and my life to physically slow down. Just those little changes made a world of a difference, and I was like, OK, "What else can I do?"During COVID, I decided I was ready to embark on something different career-wise. I had been planning to transition from full-time to part-time work for quite some time, so I made sure to save up in advance to give myself some cushion.My husband and I had also just bought a house and were able to supplement our income by renting out a portion of itMy boss allowed me to work remotely and switch to part time and I started experimenting with YouTube. Initially, I was just trying out different formats, like footage of Hawaii or home-renovation videos. When I started documenting my slow-living journey, it resonated and that's what my channel became.The first video that really gained traction with my audience was "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=VTniB-wsgI0">My Calm Evening Routine,</a>" where I shared how I unwind after a typical day in my life.My goal became to create a library of content on slow-living and minimalism. I started doing YouTube more and my 9-to-5 less until I was able to become a full-time YouTuber. I am so blessed to have YouTube because it really allows me to work when I want to work.In August, my husband and I moved to Lisbon, Portugal. We lived in Portugal for eight months a few years ago, and weren't able to stop thinking about it. Even though we are now living in the city, I plan to always live a slow living lifestyle.<div type="image" title="Sophie Daquis sits on grass holding a small dog." height="4000" width="6000" msid="114693172" hostid="261" sizebytes="708400"></div><h2 id="ed409b9f-e7d4-497b-a74a-6b3ad80fa251">I prioritized finding time for the things I enjoy</h2>Once I had more flexibility in my work life, I became really intentional about what I wanted to prioritize and how I wanted to spend my time. I did a lot of journaling and reflected on what's important in my life and how I can prioritize those things. I stopped forcing myself to attend every work function. I avoided overloading my weekends and focused on just one or two important activities.Over time, slow living has transitioned into a whole mindset for me. It's like a lens through which I look at the world now.I've moved away from the need to hustle. I honor how I feel more, I don't feel the need to rush. I believe that things will happen on their own timeline. I do work hard when I need to, but I also prioritize balance, so I'll then give myself time to regenerate and rest.I've always enjoyed the simple moments in life, but slowing down has allowed me to enjoy them more fully and without the nagging feeling that I should be doing more.

I quit my 9-to-5 to lead a slow, minimalist life as a YouTuber. I'm happier, calmer, and more fulfilled.

As many as 290 cases of <keyword id="21545939" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="KP-2" source="keywords">KP.2</keyword> and 34 cases of <keyword id="21748081" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="KP-1" source="keywords">KP.1</keyword>, both sub-lineages of COVID-19 that are responsible for surge in cases in Singapore, have been found in India, according to official data. However, a source in the Union health ministry told PTI that they are all sub variants of <keyword id="20115417" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="JN1" source="keywords">JN1</keyword> and there is no associated increase in hospitalisation and severe cases. "So there is no reason for concern or panic. The mutations will keep happening at a rapid pace and this is the natural behaviour of viruses like SARS-CoV2," the source said. The source further said that the INSACOG surveillance is sensitive and is able to pick up the emergence of any new variant and samples are also picked from hospitals in a structured manner to detect any change in the severity of disease due to virus. Data compiled by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) showed that 34 cases of KP.1 have been found across seven states and UTs with 23 cases registered from West Bengal. The other states are Goa (1), Gujarat (2), Haryana (1), Maharashtra (4) Rajasthan (2) and Uttarakhand (1). As many as 290 cases of KP.2 have been registered with Maharashtra reporting the highest number at 148, according to the data. The other states and Union territories are Delhi (1), Goa (12), Gujarat (23), Haryana (3), Karnataka (4), Madhya Pradesh (1), Odisha (17), Rajasthan (21), Uttar Pradesh (8), Uttarakhand (16) and West Bengal (36). Singapore is seeing a new COVID-19 wave as the authorities recorded more than 25,900 cases from May 5 to 11 with KP.1 and KP.2 accounting for over two-thirds of cases in Singapore. Globally, the predominant COVID-19 variants are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages, including KP.1 and KP.2. KP.1 and KP.2 belong to a group of COVID-19 variants scientists have nicknamed 'FLiRT', after the technical names of their mutations. The strains in FLiRT are all descendants of the JN.1 variant, an offshoot of the Omicron variant. KP.2 was classified by the World Health Organization as a Variant Under Monitoring.

290 cases of COVID-19 variant KP.2, 34 cases of KP.1 detected in India: INSACOG data

<keyword id="19895045" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Singapore" source="keywords">Singapore</keyword> is seeing a new <keyword id="21710881" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Covid-19-wave" source="keywords">COVID-19 wave</keyword> as the authorities recorded more than 25,900 cases from May 5 to 11 even as <keyword id="19962428" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Health-Minister" source="keywords">Health Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19895083" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ong-Ye-Kung" source="keywords">Ong Ye Kung</keyword> on Saturday advised the wearing of masks again. "We are at the beginning part of the wave where it is steadily rising," said Ong. "So, I would say the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid- and end of June," The Straits Times newspaper quoted the minister as saying. The Ministry of Health (MOH) said the estimated number of COVID-19 cases in the week of May 5 to 11 rose to 25,900 cases, compared with 13,700 cases in the previous week. The average daily COVID-19 hospitalisations rose to about 250 from 181 the week before. The average daily intensive care unit (ICU) cases remained low at three cases, compared with two cases in the previous week. The MOH said that to protect hospital bed capacity, public hospitals have been asked to reduce their non-urgent elective surgery cases and move suitable patients to transitional care facilities or back home through Mobile Inpatient Care@Home, an alternative inpatient care delivery model that offers clinically suitable patients the option of being hospitalised in their own homes instead of a hospital ward. Ong urged those who are at greatest risk of severe disease, including individuals aged 60 years and above, medically vulnerable individuals and residents of aged care facilities, to receive an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if they have not done so in the last 12 months. Ong said that if the number of COVID-19 cases doubles one time, Singapore will have 500 patients in its healthcare system, which is what Singapore can handle. However, if the number of cases doubles a second time, there will be 1,000 patients, and "that will be a considerable burden on the hospital system", he pointed out. "One thousand beds is equivalent to one regional hospital," Ong said. "So, I think the healthcare system has to brace ourselves for what is to come." There are no plans for any form of social restrictions or any other mandatory kind of measures for now, as COVID-19 is treated as an endemic disease in Singapore, he said, adding that imposing additional measures would be a last resort. Ong said that with Singapore being a transport and communications hub, it will be one of the cities to get a wave of COVID-19 earlier than others. "So, COVID-19 is just something that we have to live with. Every year, we should expect one or two waves," he said. Globally, the predominant COVID-19 variants are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages, including KP.1 and KP.2. Currently, KP.1 and KP.2 account for over two-thirds of cases in Singapore. As of May 3, the World Health Organisation has classified KP.2 as a variant under monitoring. There are currently no indications, globally or locally, that KP.1 and KP.2 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other circulating variants, the MOH said. However, members of the public are urged to stay updated with vaccinations to protect themselves against current and emerging virus strains. The MOH said that to date, about 80 per cent of the local population have completed their initial or additional dose, but have not received a dose within the last year. The ministry added that since COVID-19 vaccination started in 2020 to 2021, the vaccines have consistently been proven to be safe and effective in protecting individuals from severe illness. Billions of doses have been administered globally, and safety monitoring internationally has shown that the vaccine is safe, it said. There have also been no long-term safety concerns with COVID-19 vaccination, and adverse effects from vaccines, including the mRNA vaccines, have all been observed to occur shortly after vaccination, the ministry added. 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