Monday, May 05, 2025

More COVID-Related Symptoms You Don't Really Want

When you keep reading about the long-term consequences of getting COVID, why on earth would you refuse to be vaccinated? Do you  prefer living like this?

---------------------------------------

From CIDRAP 5/5/25:  "Data link long-term COVID-related loss of smell to depression, anxiety

"COVID-19 survivors who lose their sense of smell for at least 6 months have more serious depression and anxiety than those without the dysfunction, University of Mons researchers in Belgium write in the Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

"At a single medical center, 218 patients with olfactory dysfunction (OD) and 102 asymptomatic controls completed the Olfactory Disorder Questionnaire, General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire, and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and underwent the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 and threshold, identification, and discrimination testing from August 2023 to January 2024. 

"The average age was 51.3 years in OD patients and 41.2 in controls. Thirteen OD patients (5.9%) and 5 (4.9%) controls reported a depression diagnosis in the last 5 years.

"The olfaction plays a crucial role in human social interactions, in transforming eating from a simple vital function to a pleasant activity, and for detecting environmental hazards," the authors noted. 

Women had higher burden of both measured conditions

"At enrollment, the average duration of OD was 31.1 months. OD patients had anosmia (loss of smell; 26.3%), hyposmia (reduced ability to smell; 33.7%), or parosmia (distorted sense of smell; 40.0%), respectively.

"The average PHQ-9 score was significantly higher in OD patients (6.12; mild depression) than in controls (4.4; minimal depression), as were average GAD-7 scores (4.6 vs 3.5; mild and minimal anxiety, respectively). 

"Rates of mild-to-severe depression (51.2% vs 44.1%) and mild-to-severe anxiety (39.5% vs 32.4%) were significantly higher in OD patients than in controls; OD patients had a significantly higher percentage of moderate and severe depression and anxiety than those with intact olfaction. 

"Relative to hyposmia and parosmia, anosmia was tied to severe anxiety. Women scored higher on the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 than men. The average PHQ-9 scores of unvaccinated patients were significantly higher than those of vaccinated participants, indicating a higher depression burden (6.9 vs 5.9). The severity of depression and anxiety increased with OD severity and nasal symptoms.

"While the causality relationship remains unclear, depression and anxiety symptoms must be investigated in this subgroup of patients with long COVID-19," the authors concluded."

No More Excuses: Antisemites are Plain Evil

Dave Portnoy's response to this brazen display of Jew-hatred? Paying these haters' way to Auschwitz for a "teachable moment". I doubt that will help at all.

Item: (USA Today 5/5/25)  Student suspended, Dave Portnoy responds after antisemitic sign seen at Barstool bar in Philadelphia

"A Temple University student was suspended and police are investigating after Barstool Sports' Dave Portnoy responded to videos showing an antisemitic sign was displayed at the company's downtown Philadelphia bar over the weekend.

"When customers order bottle service at the Sansom Street bar, they can also choose a few words to put on a large sign displayed inside. At least one student was involved with an order for “(expletive) the Jews” to be mounted on the sign Saturday, May 3, according to the university and Portnoy.

"The incident was followed by widespread condemnation once images of the hate speech circulated online."

-----------------------------

These losers hate Jews so much they will even attack a special needs school.

Item: From Israelly Cool, 5/4/25: Israel-Haters Target School For Autistic & Intellectually Disabled Kids

"Pro-Hamas protesters in Montreal have been filmed chanting “All the zionists are racists. All the Zionists are terrorists. Zionists, fascists, it’s you the terrorists!” – in French, of course 

"Chanting that at least 95% of the world’s Jews are terrorists and fascists is itself merdique. But what elevates this to even plus merdique status is that this took place outside The Donald Berman Yaldei Developmental Center.

"According to their website, Yaldei is a not-for-profit developmental centre and school devoted to helping children reach their full potential. It includes a school offering special education for students diagnosed with autism, moderate to several intellectual disability, and profound intellectual disability.

"One can assume it was targeted because the building is named after Sylvan Adams, a proud Jew and supporter of Israel, who obviously donated a lot to the center.

"But autistic kids be damned, right? Just like kids with cancer and other patients.

"Because these protesters are morally disabled."

Sunday, May 04, 2025

Dr Ruth's COVID & Health News, 5/4/25

Here's the latest information-packed newsletter from Dr Ruth Ann Crystal:

------------------------------------------------

COVID & Health News, 5/4/25

Acute respiratory illness levels are now LOW across America. Influenza B is decreasing and COVID cases are declining as well.

COVID

SARS-CoV-2 wastewater levels are at LOW levels according to the CDC in most places in the U.S., as are Emergency Department visits for COVID and COVID deaths.

JP Weiland estimates about 220,000 new COVID infections per day in the United States with 1 in 152 Americans currently infected as of May 3. COVID transmission is slowly declining and is at low levels. Per WastewaterSCAN, the highest SARS-CoV-2 wastewater levels are in Bangor, Maine; Boise, Idaho; Millbury, MA; and Montpelier, Vermont. Most counties in California are reporting low wastewater levels, but San Luis Obispo County is very high this week.

LP.8.1 is still the dominant COVID variant without major challengers at this point. Our immunity is starting to wane and many people have not had a COVID booster since the fall, but transmission is low in most places right now.

From: https://data.wastewaterscan.org/

Antiviral treatments

Two new antiviral compounds, AVI4516 and AVI4773, developed by UCSF and the Gladstone Institute are broad-spectrum coronavirus MPro inhibitors that outperformed Paxlovid in preclinical models against SARS-CoV-2 and MERS. The new drugs show broad pan-coronavirus protection, a million-fold reduction in viral load compared to Paxlovid, exceptional brain penetration and minimal side effects. Researchers are pushing for clinical trials despite losing key federal funding, emphasizing their potential as shelf-stable treatments for future coronavirus outbreaks.

COVID and Mast Cells

A new study from China shows that coronavirus spike proteins can trigger mast cell degranulation by binding to cellular receptors and activating the Src/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, leading to increased calcium levels and mast cell granule release. This mechanism was confirmed across several human coronaviruses and may contribute to the inflammation seen in COVID.

From: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jvi.00078-25

A group from Mexico found that serum levels of mast cell-derived mediators tryptase, CPA3, chymase, and prostaglandin D2 were elevated in COVID patients and correlated with markers of inflammation and coagulopathy. While individual markers showed limited ability to predict severe disease on their own, a combined profile improved predictive power, suggesting that a mast cell activation signature may serve as a useful biomarker and therapeutic target in COVID and other inflammatory conditions.

From: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165247825000598

About 20% of the US population have chemical intolerance and react to low levels of chemicals that are used in everyday life. Increased use of disinfectants and sanitizers during the pandemic worsened symptoms for many, leading to health challenges and social isolation. A new study from San Antonio, Texas showed that people with chemical intolerance were found to have a higher prevalence of COVID infections associated with more severe symptoms and also had a higher risk of Long COVID. In theory, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and chemical intolerance could possibly be related.

Share

Long COVID

Stanford researchers studied 24 patients with Long-COVID-associated POTS (LC-POTS) to identify underlying causes of autonomic dysfunction. Compared to healthy COVID-recovered controls, LC-POTS participants showed greater increases in heart rate during tilt-table testing, higher norepinephrine levels, impaired sweat responses, and reduced small nerve fiber density. Surprisingly, 8.7% had phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (P-Syn) deposits in skin biopsies which is a protein associated with Parkinson’s Disease. The study supports the idea that autonomic dysfunction in LC-POTS is driven by multiple pathophysiological mechanisms “including orthostatic tachycardia, sympathetic adrenergic hyperactivity, small fiber neuropathy, and dermal P-Syn deposition.”

A new study in Nature used high-resolution immune profiling and proteomics to compare people with Long COVID to healthy COVID convalescents. Although immune cell types and T cell responses were mostly similar between groups, individuals with Long COVID had weaker neutralizing antibody responses and elevated levels of co-inhibitory receptors (like PD-1 and TIM-3) on non-spike-specific CD8+ T cells. Plasma protein analyses linked breathlessness in Long COVID to a distinct protein signature associated with inflammation and cell death, particularly involving CD40, IL-18, and NF-κB pathways. Persistent respiratory symptoms after COVID may reflect localized lung inflammation and damage from residual antigen exposure rather than broad immune dysfunction.

H5N1

Top virologists from more than 40 countries are urging global leaders to take immediate action against the growing threat of H5N1 avian flu. They emphasize strengthening global surveillance, investing in preparedness, and improving response capabilities to avoid a future pandemic. Without action, the experts warn that the virus could evolve to spread more easily among humans.

The CDC canceled a planned National Academy of Sciences workshop focused on preventing human H5N1 bird flu infections, despite growing concerns over the virus's spread among U.S. cattle and poultry. The event was set to train farmworkers and veterinarians on proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), but was abruptly terminated by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Measles

As of May 1, 2025 in the US, a total of 935 Measles cases were reported by 29 states, 13% have been hospitalized for measles complications and 3 deaths have been reported.

Ontario, Canada has a major Measles outbreak with more than 1,200 cases reported this year. MMR vaccination rates are low in Ontario with only 38% of 5 year olds and 70% of 7 year olds vaccinated.

"Less than 80% of eligible children in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Romania were vaccinated with MCV1 in 2023”. Low vaccination rates due to pandemic disruptions fueled resurgence of measles in 2024 particularly in some WHO European Region countries like Romania (30,692 cases) and Kazakhstan (28,147 cases).

Vaccines, HHS, and Misinformation

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to spread misinformation about vaccines. In recent interviews, he falsely claimed that the MMR vaccine contains "aborted fetus debris" and advised parents to "do your own research" rather than trust decades of proven vaccine science. The MMR vaccine does not contain fetal tissue, and it has safely protected against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella for over 50 years.

Instead of promoting vaccination amid rising measles cases, RFK Jr. has now called for the development of new measles treatments. We do not need to waste time and money on new measles treatments when the MMR is proven to protect 97% against Measles. As Benjamin Franklin famously advised, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Kennedy is also now planning placebo vaccine trials for all vaccines, which experts say violate medical ethics since the effectiveness of existing vaccines is well established and giving a placebo would be akin to malpractice. Separately, FDA commissioner Marty Makary is reviewing whether to authorize updated COVID boosters for next winter citing “a lack of data on booster shots” despite the fact that billions of doses of COVID vaccines have been given safely worldwide. As of May 2023, 677 million doses of COVID vaccines had been given in the United States alone.

Share

Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Whooping cough (Pertussis) infections in the U.S. have more than doubled this year, with 8,077 cases reported through mid-April—marking the worst outbreak in 70 years. At least four deaths, including two infants, have been linked to the surge which experts attribute to waning immunity and falling childhood vaccination rates. With fewer than 93% of kindergartners fully vaccinated against pertussis for the 2023–2024 school year, health officials warn that protection against vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and pertussis is weakening. The CDC urges up-to-date vaccinations and boosters especially for infants, pregnant individuals, and adults who have not been immunized.

Other news

A Stanford study shows that women who experienced hypertensive disorders like preeclampsia during pregnancy show changes in their blood protein profiles, especially in complement and coagulation pathways, for years. Proteomic signatures identified during the postpartum period continued to distinguish between affected women and controls in mid-life, suggesting a biological link between pregnancy complications and later cardiovascular disease risk.

A preliminary trial and studies in mice suggest a link between fibromyalgia chronic pain and alterations in the gut microbiome. Supplementing with specific gut microbes appeared to alleviate chronic pain symptoms in some patients.

A high-fat, low-fiber Western diet prevented gut microbiome recovery in mice after antibiotics, while a fiber-rich chow diet enabled full recovery of microbial diversity and function. The Western diet suppressed microbial diversity, reduced functional gene recovery, and prevented the re-establishment of metabolically supportive cross-feeding between microbes. The study showed that diet was more important than fecal transplants for restoring gut health, highlighting the need for complex carbohydrates to support recovery after antibiotics.

Researchers found that imbalances in the nasal microbiome may be linked to both smell loss and cognitive decline in older adults. These changes may affect the brain through inflammation or other pathways, suggesting a possible early warning sign of neurodegenerative diseases. The findings could help identify new targets for early intervention in cognitive decline.

New government data shows that a single dose of the HPV vaccine provides strong protection against cancer-causing infections, similar to the traditional two-dose regimen. Giving only one dose could really help simplify vaccination efforts.

A case-control study found molecular similarities between Human Papillomavirus (HPV) viral proteins, particularly HPV18, and key receptors involved in thyroid eye disease (TED), suggesting that viral mimicry may trigger autoimmune responses. Patients with TED had significantly different levels of HPV18 antibodies in orbital tissue compared to controls, with the strongest differences seen in those with active TED.

A large study from South Korea found that metabolic syndrome increases the risk of developing dementia before age 65 by 24%. The risk was even higher among women and those diagnosed with the condition in their 40s. Researchers recommend early lifestyle changes to lower the risk of young-onset dementia.

From: https://www.neurology.org/doi/abs/10.1212/WNL.0000000000213599

In April, the Guinness World Records smallest dog Pearl met up with the world’s tallest dog Reggie. Despite Pearl the Chihuahua being 3.6 inches tall and Great Dane Reggie 3 foot, 4 inches tall, the unlikely duo played happily together.

From: Natalie Behring/Guinness World Records

Have a great week,

Ruth Ann Crystal MD

A Discovery Regarding Long COVID

It's so encouraging how these new answers on COVID are being found more often now.

------------------------------------------------

From UVA Health 5/2/25:

Discovery Explains Long COVID Breathing Problems 

"Groundbreaking research from the School of Medicine has revealed crucial new insights into the immune systems of COVID-19 survivors, particularly those struggling with persistent breathing issues. The study shows that these patients have distinct changes in their immune system that link to the severity of their lung damage. The discovery holds promise for developing targeted treatments for the lung complications of Long COVID.

"The researchers were struck by the diversity of immune patterns they discovered, and they say the findings highlight how varied the underlying drivers of Long COVID can be, even among patients with the same symptom. 

"A key innovation of the study was its ability to connect immune data from the blood with lung injury. For the first time, the team was able to differentiate immune patterns in patients suffering from more severe lung injury, offering a path toward more personalized and effective treatments.

“Long COVID is complex, with a variety of potential underlying causes. For this reason, understanding the immune response in patients with lung disease has been especially difficult,” said UVA Health’s Judith A. Woodfolk, MBChB, PhD, part of the Department of Medicine’s Division of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology. “Our findings reveal crucial differences in the blood that reflect the extent of lung damage. By analyzing many different immune measures, we can pinpoint potential targets that may not only predict who might experience worse outcomes but also help guide more tailored and effective treatments in the future.”

Understanding Long COVID

"To dive deeper into the persistent respiratory symptoms of Long COVID, Woodfolk and her team examined extensive clinical and immune datasets from 110 patients at UVA Health’s Long COVID Clinic. Most had been hospitalized with severe COVID-19 before vaccines were available, and many had been on ventilators during their hospital stay.

"Researchers used a form of artificial intelligence called machine learning to study long-term changes in patients’ T cells, a type of immune cell. Their analysis found marked differences in the numbers and types of T cells according to the severity of lung disease. After analyzing hundreds of additional cellular and molecular features, the team was able to link these changes in T cells to other important components of the immune system. This approach revealed strikingly different “immune landscapes” in patients with milder lung disease compared with more severe cases hallmarked by lung fibrosis (scarring).  

“By uncovering distinct immune patterns in patients who have different types of restrictive lung disease after infection, we can better understand the immune drivers of lung injury and how these patterns may reflect different stages of the same disease process,” Woodfolk said. “Our ability to distinguish immune changes linked to lung disease from those linked to other disorders typical of Long COVID also adds a new dimension to our understanding of this complex illness.”

“Our ultimate goal is to help patients by guiding new treatments that could stop or even reverse lung damage caused by COVID-19,” Woodfolk added “This study simply would not have been possible without the dedication of an exceptional team of physicians and scientists and the participation of patient volunteers. We’re excited to broaden our strategy into new areas so we can gain insight into other types of chronic lung diseases and inflammatory conditions.” 

Hating Trump

Here's the latest column by New York Post columnist Michael Goodwin 5/3/25. I''ve always said that these radicals hate Trump so much, and anyone associated with Trump like Elon Musk, that they have blinded themselves to the good they do.  Illegal aliens have become their sympathetic cause since Trump put an end to the incessant flow of aliens that Biden and Harris refused to stop. And they hate Jews and Israel so much that they are willfully blinded to the harm Hamas and other Islamic terrorist groups have done and will continue to do.  Can you imagine what it'd be like now if Kamala Harris had actually become President?  We have to keep the Democrats out of the White House and keep hitting back against this propaganda press.

------------------------------------

The press hates Trump more than it loves the truth — and the hyperbolic fear-mongering we’ve seen is proof 

"When there is a Republican president, the leftist-dominated White House press corps likes to gang up and try to put him on defense.

"The ultimate fantasy is repeating the glory days of Watergate by driving the president from office.

"That was certainly the aim in Donald Trump’s first term, where the hunt by Democrats with press passes — and the help of a corrupt FBI — was so intense that they produced a near-daily flood of lurid allegations, with the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax being the grand climax.

"But Trump 2.0 is turning out to be a far different story, though not because the press has decided to be fair in its coverage.

"Far from it.

"Many editors and reporters are still predicting the end of the world every time he says or does something they don’t like. 

"Their definition of a scandal is when he deviates from past presidents, as if the Oval Office is a straitjacket.

"Take recent front page headlines in The New York Times describing the president’s moves and agenda:

“A Fusillade of Actions That Have Upended American Life”

“Behind The Rush To Discard Rules And Reshape Life”

“Driven by Vengeance, Trump Shreds Rules On His Crusade”

Shrill fear-mongering

"It’s hyperbolic fear-mongering, and largely explains why public trust in the media has plummeted since Trump entered politics.

"The press hates him more than it loves the truth.

"Although the media haven’t changed, the rules of the game they’re playing this time around have changed — because the president and his new team have learned how to fight back much more effectively.

"So much so that they are flipping the script in a big way.

"Now the media are being forced to play defense in a desperate bid to fight off the president’s effort to upend their monopoly on access to him and the administration.

"Given the technology revolution and Trump’s determination, the legacy outlets are fighting a losing battle.

"Make no mistake — the monopoly they hold is extremely valuable, both financially and in the power it gives them to set the terms of the national debate.

"If, for example, the large legacy outlets — of which there are only about 20 — declare that something the president said or did is outrageous or dangerous, that view will dominate national and even international coverage.

"Big TV and radio networks, small town papers and everything from comedy shows to many churches and synagogues will echo the same narrative.

"Opposing views will die in darkness.

"The big twist of Trump’s second term is that he’s attacking the power of the monopoly by democratizing access.

"The media landscape is expanding with new outlets that reach increasing numbers of Americans in different ways, and Trump’s communication team is opening the White House doors to them.

"At the same time, the president, as part of his budget cuts, aims to shut off the money spigot to PBS and NPR, government-funded outlets that parrot the Democrats’ agenda.

"Because he is making headway on both fronts, the media pushback is instructive — and occasionally hilarious.

"The heart of their defense is based on the outrageous claim that they deserve unique access and favored treatment because they are “independent.”

"Independent of what?

"Because members of the White House press corps all think and act in unison, as if they are members of a guild, they’ve already lost the argument.

"Consider that none of them saw any sign of Joe Biden’s cognitive decline — until it jeopardized his chances of beating Trump.

"Instantly, they all joined the call for Biden to step aside and anoint Kamala Harris as the Dem nominee.

Independence daze

"Still, the vague claim of “independence” is the only argument they have and it’s not a coincidence that both the Times and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting used the word to defend their perks and declare themselves holier than thou.

"In a recent article that covered nearly two full pages in the print edition, the Times sneered at White House attempts to broaden access to the president in the Oval Office and briefing room by making space for newcomers, including bloggers and podcasters.

"To the Gray Lady, letting in upstarts who don’t subscribe to leftist pieties is an affront to all that is good and decent.

“Longtime White House reporters say the result has been an erosion of their independence,” the Times sneered, without defining what independence it was referring to.

"It went on to claim that adding newer media outlets “has undercut the briefing as a space to relay accurate information to the American public and hold the president to account.”

"It offers no evidence of those claims, except to show that the newer outlets sometimes get to ask questions of the press secretary that are different from the ones the Times thinks should be asked.

"Heaven forbid!

"That’s the left in a nutshell: Diversity is a good idea as long as everybody thinks alike!

"NPR reacted with the same don’t-you know-who-we-are arrogance.

"It said Trump’s executive order defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which in turn funds PBS and NPR, is “an affront to the First Amendment rights of NPR . . . and locally owned and operated the First Amendment rights of station listeners and donors who support independent news and information.”

"So let’s get this straight: By saving taxpayers $500 million a year by pulling the funding, Trump is violating the First Amendment rights of both recipients and listeners.

"Is there a lawyer in the house?

Free speech gatekeepers

"The sense of entitlement perfectly captures the arrogance of the leftist outlets.

"They not only want a monopoly, they also demand that taxpayers fund it.

"What they really fear is that breaking their stranglehold will lead to the public hearing different perspectives and that will be the end of their cookie jar.

"Think about the implications: These are the supposed guardians of the First Amendment, yet they try to squelch the free flow of information because it threatens their sinecures and control of what the public knows about its government.

"Bad as it is, the position would be more defensible if the legacy media didn’t distort everything by putting their leftist spin on all news and commentary. 

"Their lack of fairness and balance is the ultimate reason why they should lose their dominance.

"Unfortunately for them, the second Trump White House sees the pattern and is determined to throw open the doors.

"Moreover, the administration is wise to the grifters’ false claims of being independent and is now insisting they actually live up to the word.

"In his Friday executive order ending funding for PBS and NPR, Trump cited why the outlets should be forced to do without government money.

“Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence,” the president wrote.

"Touche!"

Saturday, May 03, 2025

New COVID Drugs That Work Better Than Paxlovid

Here's an encouraging piece of news, excerpted from the SciTech Daily article:

-------------------------------------------------

From SciTech Daily May 3, 2025: "New Drugs Outperform Paxlovid – A Game Changer for COVID and Future Pandemics", by University of California - San Francisco, May 3, 2025

"Researchers at UC San Francisco and the Gladstone Institutes have developed new drug candidates that show strong potential against the virus responsible for COVID-19, as well as other coronaviruses that could drive future pandemics.

"In preclinical studies, these compounds outperformed Paxlovid in combating both SARS-CoV-2 and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus, a pathogen known for causing deadly outbreaks around the world.

“In three years, we’ve moved as fast as a pharmaceutical company would have, from start to finish, developing drug candidates against a totally new pathogen,” said Charles Craik, PhD, UCSF professor of pharmaceutical chemistry and co-corresponding author of the paper, which appears April 23 in Science Advances.

“These compounds could inhibit coronaviruses in general, giving us a head start against the next pandemic,” Craik said. “We need to get them across the finish line and into clinical trials.”

"The work was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to prepare for the next coronavirus epidemic – work that pharmaceutical companies have largely abandoned. But the grant to UCSF has since been terminated, and the group’s antiviral drug candidates face an uncertain future.

"The discovery came out of UCSF’s Antiviral Drug Discovery (AViDD) Center for Pathogens of Pandemic Concern, which funded the work of several hundred scientists at UCSF and beyond. It is one of nine centers that NIAD created in 2022 to bolster the nation’s pandemic preparedness."

A Disgraceful Attack on Fetterman

I  have admired John Fetterman greatly since he overcame his debilitating stroke, speech problems, and the depression that normally follows such a serious medical event. The fact that he has been able to become a Senator and the fact that he has had a moderate view on many issues has been very inspiring.

He is also strongly pro-Israel.

I think the fact that he supports Israel, , he met with Netanyahu in Israel, and he visited Trump at Mar-A-Lago, has put him in the crosshairs of his radical Democrat colleagues, and the result is the shameless New Yorker hit piece. I find it odd that these same Democrats couldn't seem to recognize Biden's obvious cognitive decline, but the can diagnose Fetterman!  I  just hope these despicable Dems don't succeed in forcing him out of office.

============================

John Fetterman faces new spotlight on health, family drama, sparking online uproar; Gisele Fetterman reportedly clashed with her husband over support for Israel
By Charles Creitz Fox News, May 2, 2025  

"A new exposé about Sen. John Fetterman's, D-Pa., time on Capitol Hill set social media ablaze on Friday. 

"The report raised questions about alleged tensions with his wife, Gisele, over his health regimen, his stance on Israel and her reported run-ins with his staff.

"In "All By Himself: John Fetterman insists he is in good health, but staffers past and present say they no longer recognize the man they once knew," New York Magazine’s Intelligencer lays out recollections from current and former staff members who worked for the Pennsylvania Democrat. In May 2022, Fetterman suffered a serious stroke mid-Senate campaign against Dr. Mehmet Oz.

"The article relates several reported instances, including a February 2023 situation at a Democratic caucus retreat at the Library of Congress.

"A staffer told the outlet that he received a message questioning how Fetterman was doing, as he was found sitting at a table alone, silently drinking a soda.

"The report went on to claim the lawmaker was "nearly struck by a car" and found "wandering" Capitol Hill.

"Physicians at George Washington University Hospital later determined he was severely dehydrated, and had not had a second stroke as feared.

"An ensuing discussion with then-Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, found Fetterman to be nearly "catatonic" when Brown tried to talk with him. Soon after, on Feb. 15, he was admitted to Walter Reed Medical Center.

"After being discharged, Fetterman "threw himself into" his Senate work and became more vociferous than ever on issues like the Israel-Gaza conflict and other topics that have rankled his Democratic colleagues.

"He also took a leading role in calling for the ouster of now-former Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., amid corruption allegations.

"Former and current staffers paint a picture of an erratic senator who has become almost impossible to work for and whose mental-health situation is more serious and complicated than previously reported," the article read.

"After staffers wrote a letter about Fetterman's "gutting betrayal" supporting Israel, the report went on to allege Gisele confronted him about Jerusalem "bombing refugee camps — how can you support this?"

"Gisele "reportedly also went to staffers with her concerns, while a Senate physician in December 2023 reported him "acting bizarrely" near the Senate subway, while he had not had bloodwork in months.

"The hulking lawmaker also reportedly nearly knocked over folks walking in the Capitol.

"Both types of incidents reportedly rankled his wife, who was vociferous on the matter, according to the magazine piece.

"Fox News Digital reached out to Fetterman for comment.

"Social media became abuzz after the article dropped, with Bloomberg columnist Matthew Yglesias calling it "a very sad story here on a human level, but of course, it’s also politics and can’t be addressed purely on that level."

"Left-wing former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan wrote that the story and color from former staffers therein "makes clear that Fetterman should not be serving in the Senate. Every Senate Democrat should read this and be asked about it."

"A California progressive group reacted by writing that the story is an indictment of populist lawmakers.

"Whether they're left or right, whether they agree with your preferred policies or not, populism will not get you the best leaders," Bay Area New Liberals wrote.

"Another user said the story showed Gisele as "evil."

"These are not red flags, this is a siren going off. John Fetterman is not taking his meds… He needs inpatient care," commented another.

"Funny how they didn't run these hit pieces or question Fetterman's mental health during the campaign when he was barely able to speak or when he so spectacularly fumbled the debate against Dr. Oz. But now that he turned out not to be a deranged Trump hater, a psychotic terrorist lover, or an obedient progressive, suddenly they're starting to question his mental acuity," a different user wrote.

"Knocking him out early before he can do anything in 2028?" wrote another, who conjectured that both Fetterman and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro could end up battling each other in the next Democratic presidential primary."

--------------------------

Also see this article at Twitchy:  Just Amazing: New York Magazine Runs Story on John Fetterman's Health That Reads Like a Hit Piece

Friday, May 02, 2025

Don't Mess With Vaccine Success!

Remember the saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"? Well, our COVID vaccine system isn't broke, and RFK Jr. shouldn't tamper with it. And imagine if the Fall vaccine is delayed and we end up having another big COVID surge.

---------------------------------------

Updated Covid vaccines for the fall may be in jeopardy under Kennedy's new rules. If the FDA deems Pfizer’s and Moderna’s updated vaccines “new” products, it’s extremely unlikely the doses would be ready for the fall, vaccine experts say 

y

"The anticipated rollout of updated Covid vaccines this fall might be at risk after a change by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in how vaccines are tested, experts say.

"Under the change by Kennedy, according to an HHS spokesperson, all new vaccines will need to go through placebo-controlled clinical trials — where some people get the actual shot and others get something inactive, like a saline shot — to compare the results.

"Running trials that include a placebo group is already routine for most new vaccines.

"The original Covid vaccines, from Pfizer and Moderna, approved in late 2020, went through placebo-controlled trials. But as the virus continued to mutate and the vaccines needed to be updated to match the circulating strain, drugmakers moved to a flu vaccine-like model — using smaller studies to test how well the updated shots triggered an immune response against the variant in question.

"Like the annual flu shot, the updated Covid vaccines weren’t treated as entirely new products, since they still used the same formula, with just a tweak to what strain the vaccine would be targeting. The mRNA Covid vaccines were designed so that this change would be particularly easy to make, in the event the shots needed to be quickly updated.

"Quickly, in this case, turns out to be several months. In order to have enough Covid doses ready to go for the fall, vaccine-makers are told what strain to target in the spring.

"The Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine advisory committee is expected to meet in May or June to make a recommendation on which strains should be included in the next round of shots. A person familiar with the matter, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said the FDA had planned to schedule a meeting for May 22. An HHS spokesperson declined to comment on the meeting date.

"If the FDA deems Pfizer’s and Moderna’s updated vaccines “new” products, requiring fresh trials, it’s extremely unlikely the doses would be ready for the fall, experts said.

"Dr. Paul Offit, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a member of the FDA's vaccine advisory committee, said the change would almost certainly delay the rollout of the updated shots from Pfizer and Moderna by “months,” as it would take time for the drugmakers to design the new trials and enroll participants.

"That would only be the start — the drugmakers would then have to run the actual trial, which would take several months on its own, at minimum, and analyze the results.

"Even the Covid vaccines — which were hailed as “the most successful government science program” because of how quickly they were developed, according to Dr. Alex Greninger, a professor of laboratory medicine and pathology at UW Medicine in Seattle — still took at least about six months to run their Phase 3 trials.

"The HHS spokesperson didn’t directly respond to a question about whether the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines would require new clinical trials.

"However, the spokesperson said in a statement that “FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary has indicated that significant updates to existing vaccines — such as those addressing seasonal strain changes or antigenic drift — may be considered ‘new products’ requiring additional clinical evaluation.”

“As we’ve said before, trials from four years ago conducted in people without natural immunity no longer suffice,” the spokesperson said. “A four-year-old trial is also not a blank check for new vaccines each year without clinical trial data,” they said, adding that the flu shot would be exempt from the new rule, because it “has been tried and tested for more than 80 years.”

"The FDA has already delayed the approval of Novavax’s updated Covid vaccine, requiring the company to carry out a new clinical trial because the strain included in the shot differs from what was originally authorized.

"Vaccine experts panned the new requirements.

"It’s “unethical,” Offit said, noting that it’s generally frowned upon in the scientific community to give someone a placebo when an approved product already exists that can protect them.

"Dr. Stanley Plotkin, a pediatrician who played a key role in developing the rubella vaccine, said the move would make “no sense.”

“What would be reasonable is to compare the old vaccine with the new vaccine to see whether the new vaccine gives better immunologic responses,” Plotkin said. “We have vaccines against Covid, where we have pretty concrete ideas as to what works and what doesn’t work. We know they’re not perfect, but we have vaccines we know work.”

"Spokespeople for Pfizer and Moderna did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

"Former government officials have said HHS, under Kennedy, was moving to slow-walk vaccine approvals, including by imposing new regulatory hurdles on drugmakers, such as changing the requirements for approval or seeking additional clinical trial data. 

"Vaccine experts also fear the rule change is part of a broader effort by Kennedy to sow distrust in vaccines and limit public access to them.

“The goal is to make vaccines more onerous to make, more onerous to test by bringing up these sort of false safety concerns or false efficacy concerns,” Offit said.

"Dr. Sean O’Leary, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases, said the change is unlikely to affect brand-new vaccines. But it could have major implications for vaccines that may require updates besides Covid — like those for RSV — since placebo trials are costly and take significantly more time to conduct.

“It’s really not feasible, and would lead to lots of hospitalizations and deaths,” O’Leary said.

"Plotkin added that vaccines being developed for infections that are incurable, like HIV, may also be at risk.

“Suppose you wanted to develop a new HIV vaccine?” he asked. “Would you do a placebo-controlled trial in that situation? I mean exposing children to a disease which is very serious without offering them anything.”

Thursday, May 01, 2025

Glorifying Murder

I thought this had to be a sick joke in very poor taste when I heard about it today, but sadly, it's actually true. Can you imagine what Brian Thompson's widow must think of this? Whatever happened to common decency?

------------------------------

Luigi Mangione Musical Set to Debut Next Month. The Entire Run Is Already Sold Out 

"Luigi Mangione is getting the Roxie Hart treatment.

"The accused murderer will be the subject of a new musical set to premiere next month in San Francisco, titled Luigi: The Musical.

"Also appearing as characters in the musical will be two of Mangione’s fellow inmates at the Metropolitan Detention Center - Sean "Diddy" Combs and Sam Bankman-Fried.

"The play is already sold out for its entire run.

"The premiere comes 99 years after Hart - a fictional character based on accused murderer Beulah Annan - made her Broadway debut in Chicago.

"Annan, like Hart, was ultimately acquitted of murder. 

"A synopsis of the musical, which is set to run at the Taylor Street Theater, suggests the work is more a reimagining of that beloved Broadway classic than an original idea.

“A wildly irreverent, razor-sharp comedy that imagines the true story of Luigi Mangione, the alleged corporate assassin turned accidental folk hero,” writes the theater company.

"It goes on to say that Mangione “navigates friendship, justice, and the absurdity of viral fame” all with “his real-life cellmates … by his side.”

The Pot Calling The Kettle Black

How's this for chutzpah

And if, as they say, COVID was indeed present here in 2019, it was only because a few of our soldiers brought it home with them from the World Military Games, which were held in --- Wuhan, China!

---------------

China blames US for origin of COVID-19 and turning 'deaf ear to the numerous questions over its conduct'; A paper published by the Chinese Communist Party also blames the US for not doing enough to combat the virus 

"China is blaming the United States for the origin of COVID-19, accusing Washington of 'evading responsibility' for the virus amid multiple statements by President Donald Trump that it was leaked from a lab in Wuhan.

"In a multipage paper, the Communist regime said the infectious disease was present in the U.S. earlier than what was officially determined. 

"The US should cease from shifting blame and evading responsibility, stop finding external excuses for its internal malaise, and genuinely reflect on and overhaul its public health policies," the paper states. "The US cannot continue to turn a deaf ear to the numerous questions over its conduct."