South Africa seeks new vaccine plan after halting AstraZeneca
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa is considering giving a COVID-19 vaccine that is still in the testing phase to health workers, after suspending the rollout of another shot that preliminary data indicated may be only minimally effective against the mutated form of the virus dominating the country.
The country was scrambling Monday to come up with a new vaccination strategy after it halted use of the AstraZeneca vaccine — which is cheaper and easier to handle than some others and which many had hoped would be crucial to combatting the pandemic in developing countries. Among the possibilities being considered: mixing the AstraZeneca vaccine with another one or giving Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine, which has not yet been authorized for use anywhere, to 100,000 health care workers while monitoring its efficacy against the variant.
The abrupt change in strategy was prompted by preliminary results in a small study that showed the AstraZeneca vaccine was only minimally effective against mild to moderate cases of the disease caused by the variant.
There is reason to hope the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may fare better in the country. Initial results from an international test of the vaccine showed it is 57% effective in South Africa at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19. That was less than in other countries — the rate was 72% in the U.S., for exam
ple — presumably due to the worrisome variant. It was even more effective — 85% internationally — at preventing the most serious symptoms.
“We can’t wait. We already have good local data,” said Dr. Glenda Gray, director of the South Africa Medical Research Council, who led the South African part of the global trial. She stressed that clinical trials show that the J&J vaccine is safe. Like AstraZeneca’s, it is also easier to handle than the super-frozen vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.
South Africa appears to be heeding her call. She said the country is making urgent plans to “roll it out and evaluate it in the field.”
South Africa’s inoculation strategy is being watched globally because the variant first detected and now dominant here is spreading in more than 30 countries. Officials say this form of the virus is more contagious, and evidence is emerging that it may be
more virulent; recent studies have also shown it can infect people who have survived the original form of the virus.
After a second surge, cases and deaths in South Africa have begun to fall recently, but it is still battling one of Africa’s most severe outbreaks, with more than 46,000 deaths. It is worried that another spike will come in May or June, when the Southern Hemisphere country heads into its winter.
“Our scientists must get together and quickly figure out what approach we’re going to use,” Health Minister Zweli Mhkize said Sunday night, announcing the suspension of the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is currently the only one available in South Africa. Deliveries of others, including the one made by Pfizer and BioNTech, are expected soon.
The suspension threw South Africa’s vaccination plans into disarray just one week after the country received its first 1 million doses of the vaccine. It came after the early results of a small clinical trial showed that the shot offered only minimal protection against mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 in young adults, according to an announcement by the University of Witwatersrand, which conducted the test.
The AstraZeneca study involved 2,000 healthy volunteers with a median age of 31. Scientists generally like to see larger studies before drawing conclusions, and experts say the vaccine may still prevent severe disease — and that would go a long way in slowing the pandemic and avoiding hospitals from becoming overwhelmed with patients.
“Vaccines that are effective against the more severe forms of disease may not affect milder forms, so there is optimism that severe disease will still be prevented by vaccines,” said Peter Openshaw, a professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London.
But the results were disappointing enough that South African officials decided to postpone the rollout of the vaccine, which was supposed to be given to front-line healthcare workers starting in mid-February.
The preliminary study has not been peer-reviewed — the gold standard in scientific studies — but was still “a reality check,” said Professor Shabir Madhi, who conducted the trial. “We were euphoric. We must recalibrate our expectations.”
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government announced Monday it is extending the country’s curfew until March 3, declaring that was necessary to slow the spread of the more infectious coronavirus variant first detected in Britain.
The curfew was to have expired Wednesday.
Justice Minister Ferd Grapperhaus said the decision was made after a team of experts that advises the government “urgently warned” ministers at a meeting Monday about the more infections variant.
The country’s 9 p.m.to-4:30 a.m. curfew was introduced Jan. 23 and triggered days of riots in towns and cities across the Netherlands. However, the
unrest has since subsided and the vast majority of residents adhere to the curfew.
The 7-day rolling average of daily new cases in Netherlands declined over the past two weeks, from 30.68 new cases per 100,000 people on Jan. 24 to 23.05 new cases per 100,000 on Feb. 7.
However, the country’s public health institute has repeatedly warned that the more infectious variant is spreading more rapidly and will lead to an increase in infections and hospitalizations.
Last week, Prime Minister Mark Rutte extended most of the country’s tough lockdown measures, already in force since mid-December, until March 2.
We all know abdominal strength is a must for a healthy core. Luckily, nearly every exercise our body performs means the core is being engaged to various levels. But then you need direct focus on the midsection as well.
Abdominal exercises look different to everyone, but restrictions and discomfort will guide us in our choices.
Our move today is a standing diagonal crunch. All you need is a clear space and possibly something to help with balance. This diagonal crunch will work your whole midsection with a focus on your transverse abdominals.
Start by standing tall on both feet, placed slightly wider than your hips. Keep your chest up and engage your midsection. Place one hand gently behind your ear with your elbow directing out from your body and your opposite hand on your hip. Unless you need added support for balance, you can hold a chair back or a ledge.
Proceed into your crunch by lifting the opposite leg of the hand that is gently placed behind your ear. Bend in the knee and slightly twist in the midsection guiding the elbow that is extended out from your body diagonally toward the bent knee. The idea is to slightly twist in the middle and aim the elbow and opposite knee toward each other in front of your body.
Once you reach your fullest contraction, and still keeping in control of your move, slowly return back to the start.
Keeping this motion on one side for a full set, continue your diagonal crunch for at least eight to 10 repetitions. Then take a small break and reposition your body for the opposite diagonal angle so you can work your other side. Continue your same amount of repetitions for at least three sets on each side.
This exercise can be modified in multiple ways. Whether you need assistance for standing or your balance needs a little work, you can perform the same movement sitting on the edge of a chair. And if you need intensity, you can simply add light ankle weights to create a bit more tension.
This exercise is great for all fitness levels, and adds variety to any core workout.