Infectious Diseases

A vaccine created by the University of Oxford and biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca can protect people from developing a serious form of COVID-19 and slow the transmission of the virus, according to new research. Data from trials show that a single dose of the vaccine is 76 percent effective at preventing severe forms of COVID-19. However, timing seems to matter with the second dose. Researchers found that the vaccine’s overall efficacy began at 54.9 percent when the doses were given within less than six weeks but rose to 82.4 percent when they were spaced 12 or more weeks apart. John A. Sellick Jr., DO, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, notes: “Potentially, the first dose of the vaccine gives a lot of protection, but you’re going to need the second dose to get good, durable protection.”

Is it safe to travel? What changes if you have received the COVID-19 vaccine? “Travel carries an increased risk of getting infected with the new coronavirus. Obviously, no one wants to get infected for a variety of reasons,” says Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases. “The reasoning behind needing to quarantine or to test out of quarantine after travel outside New York State is because we still don’t know if you’ve been vaccinated whether you can become asymptomatically infected, therefore potentially infecting others,” says Russo. “Vaccination is not going to be perfect but all of this quarantine and testing if you’ve been vaccinated is about protecting other individuals,” Russo explains.

For many people, gathering together with friends and family to watch the Super Bowl is an annual tradition. But in the middle of a global pandemic, it is not recommended. “There is a significant risk to hosting or attending a Super Bowl party,” says Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases. “People are going to be indoors — that alone is a significant risk — food and drink is going to be going on, masks are going to be down while people eat, everyone will be excited and yelling … and that’s happening for four-plus hours,” he says. The safest thing to do, Russo says, is to “stay within your household and social bubble.”

John A. Sellick Jr., DO, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, debunked misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccination in a segment with WGRZ reporters.

In the fight against COVID-19, wearing a face covering is critical for preventing the spread of the virus. But due to ongoing shortages, finding medical-grade N95 respirators is still difficult for health care workers ― and everyone else. KF94 face coverings are the South Korean equivalent of the N95. Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, notes that although the KF94 is intended to be disposable and a single-use item, “given the circumstances we’re in, that’s not pragmatic.” To stretch out your supply, “the best way to do it is rotate them.” He recommends leaving your KF94 in an open paper bag or plastic bag — so that the moisture on the inside of the face covering evaporates — and then reusing it after any viable virus is no longer viable.

People are now spreading recently mutated, more contagious coronavirus strains around the United States, and the most infectious strains will rapidly become dominant. With this reality, it is time to improve our face coverings, say many infectious disease experts. “We need to double down on public health measures more than ever,” emphasizes Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases. Wearing face coverings outside our homes largely deprives the virus of new hosts. “If we could get everyone in the world to wear masks for four weeks, the virus would have nowhere to go,” says Russo. 

WGRZ reports on updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for quarantining after exposure to COVID-19. The article quotes Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, who said that following all guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 remains imperative. He explained, “If you’ve been fully vaccinated, that means you do not have to quarantine with this announcement, however you still need to continue to use public health measures whenever you interact with individuals who haven’t been vaccinated.”

With new, more infectious variants of COVID-19 spreading, doubling up on wearing face coverings is gaining traction as an idea to reduce COVID-19 transmission. “Experimental data show that for lower quality masks, double masking may improve performance,” says John A. Sellick Jr., DO, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases. “If you have a single or double-layered cloth mask, then double masking may provide better protection than just one mask.” He notes: “A triple-layered cloth mask with a middle filter layer that fits correctly should be sufficient to protect against the transmission of the novel coronavirus.”

The pharmaceutical company Novavax recently shared results of its Phase 3 clinical trial in the United Kingdom; its vaccine is nearly 90 percent effective at preventing COVID-19. The Novavax vaccine works differently than the two vaccines currently approved for use in the United States, which use a form of technology known as messenger RNA. The Novavax vaccine uses an insect cell line. The vaccine contains several spike nanoparticles, which attract immune cells. Those immune cells create antibodies to the spike protein that can help prevent future COVID-19 infections. The way the Novavax vaccine works is “not that different from our influenza vaccine — the parts are just slightly different,” explains Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases.

Reopening New York is something people have anticipated for months. Others, however, are asking: Is it too soon to start moving in that direction? “When we’re indoors, you’re sharing your air with someone else,” says John A. Sellick Jr., DO, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases. “And the question is: Who are you sharing that air with? Because you have to take your mask off to eat and to drink, and there may be people who are infected who are putting virus particles in to the air,” Sellick notes. He says we will need to have more people vaccinated before all restrictions can be lifted. Until then, he reminds everyone to wear face coverings, practice social distancing and follow other safety guidelines.

Nearly half of millennials surveyed say they’re comfortable socializing in public, about twice the percent of baby boomers who are more likely to continue to obey public health guidelines. The stories quote Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, who said it’s not clear yet what kinds of long term consequences the virus causes in young people. “It's possible that younger people that are getting infected may have taken a hit to their hearts, lungs, brains, kidneys. But that message just doesn't seem to have resonated with them at all either.”

Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, is quoted on the durability of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, which is administered in a single dose and does not need to remain frozen, unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. J&J’s vaccine can remain stable for three months when kept in a standard refrigerator (36-46 degrees F). “That’s a big advantage,” Russo said. 

A report that KF94 masks from South Korea are becoming popular quoted Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, who said that the N95, KF95 masks and KF94 “are the best types of masks to protect against COVID-19.”

WIVB-TV reported on the importance of masking now that the UK variant of COVID-19 has been detected in Niagara County. The segment quoted Timothy F. Murphy, MD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, who said “There’s no harm in wearing two masks so it’s not a bad idea but there’s no official recommendation. The most important thing is to wear a mask.”

A report that as people get vaccinated they may want to begin to travel quoted Thomas A. Russo, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, who said: “Between now and when you get vaccinated, continue to be rigorous with public health measures. He added that if you’re planning a trip, there’s a possibility that many people will start to require the vaccine. “It’s likely many venues will require the vaccine,” he said.