Embedded Files
COVID Uptick Concerns Medical Profession
Could the next pandemic be around the corner and worse than the last?
By: Haram Lee
As summer progresses into fall, COVID makes a return by driving several upticks throughout multiple regions of the world. Despite everybody having taken the vaccine to fight against the virus that caused a global shutdown, new variants are still putting people into hospitals and causing infections during its endemic phase, indicating that the virus remains a significant public health issue.
Health experts point to several contributing factors for the resurgence. One key factor is the general relaxation of health measures as society has shifted towards “living with the virus.” Masks have become rare in public spaces, and social distancing is often overlooked, especially during summer travel, festivals, and events that draw large crowds. Additionally, immunity from earlier vaccinations and infections has waned over time, leaving many individuals more susceptible to infection, especially in the absence of boosters.
CDC’s recent data (as of June 25) on the coronavirus suggests that these activities are growing most sharply in the West. Jasmine Reed, a CDC spokesperson, shows that periodical activity surges occur frequently following the pandemic, commonly during each season. Experts emphasize that viral evolution is inevitable, and newer variants might lead to seasonal surges in infections similar to the flu. Preeti Malani, an infectious diseases physician at the University of Michigan, states, “It’s important to track these [variants] from a public health standpoint, but, to me, this is normal, expected evolution.” Reed then mentions, “Immunity from previous infections and vaccinations also decreases over time.”
While none of these variants have proven to be significantly deadlier than the ones that caused the pandemic, some have become more transmissible. The FLiRT/KP and LB.1 variants are the most common circulating variants. FLiRT is responsible for over two-thirds of the current infections, while LB.1 accounts for 17.5% of these cases.
More recently, a new Covid hybrid-variant, the XEC, has been circulating and is said to be more contagious. It has already been found in 25 US states, Germany, France, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Like most variants, this one originated from other hybrids. Such as the Kp.3.3 and Ks.1.1 branches in the Omicron family, an earlier variant of concern to many during the pandemic. Health experts and scientists are figuring out how to prevent infections and contamination from this virus. RTI International epidemiologist Joëlla W. Adams says, “We often use what happens in Europe as a good indication of what might happen here. Whenever we’re entering a season where we have multiple viruses occurring simultaneously, like we are entering into flu season, that obviously complicates things.”
Even with upcoming and continuous upticks of COVID cases, several organizations (WHO, CDC, FDA) are researching and manufacturing developed booster vaccines. For example, the most recent ones came out in August 2024. Overall, variants bring forth new challenges for public health. However, by taking precautions and being informed on the latest COVID news can prevent contamination and infection cases. Take preliminary precautions such as sanitation, wearing masks if someone should show symptoms, and following isolation guidelines if positive with the virus.
Monkeypox Causes Scare Across the United States
Mpox: Should America be Concerned?
By: Zayna Saidi
In August of 2024, news of a resurgence of the virus mpox, previously known as monkeypox, spread across social media platforms. Although many began to worry over the possibility of another quarantine in the near future, information of infections in the United States varied between sources, leading one to wonder if this is truly something the country needs to be concerned about.
The first documented case of mpox in humans originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 1970s. Since then, the virus has still been seen throughout the country of Africa periodically. However, due to international traveling, cases have been seen throughout other countries, one being the United States. Despite its most well-known documentation in the United States being during the resurgence in cases during 2022, mpox has been in the United States for several years prior. The first outbreak of mpox in the United States occurred in May of 2003, when a young girl was bitten by an infected animal. In total, 71 people were infected, with all eventually recovering.
Mpox is mostly seen in animals such as rodents and primates, but also has the possibility of infecting humans. Infection can be through person-to-person or animal-to-person contact. Coming into contact with an infected person’s rashes or objects previously held by an infected person can increase the risk of infection. Whereas for animal infections, receiving a bite or scratch from an animal infected with mpox can increase one’s risk.
Symptoms of mpox tend to occur anywhere between 3 and 17 days after exposure, when the first sign of infection, that being a fever, appears. 1 to 4 days after this symptom rashes start to form, most commonly, on the hands, feet, and face. Additional symptoms consist of headaches, muscle aches, exhaustion, and more. On average, the human body recovers from mpox infection after 2 to 4 weeks. In some cases, recovered people reported major scarring on infected areas and, in extreme cases, blindness from rashes forming too close to the eyes.
The reason as to why many recently grew concerned about this virus is due to the current resurgence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which resulted in the World Health Organization declaring it as a health emergency. Despite how it may seem, mpox is not currently a virus to be concerned about. Due to the current vaccines made against mpox, as well as the fact that it has not officially spread to the United States despite what social media has reported, the U.S. government is not currently suspecting an outbreak of mpox now or in the near future.
Additionally, the government has taken note of the fact that it has been spreading throughout Africa, causing them to keep watch of any reported cases in the United States. If it were to spread through the U.S., though, there still is not much need for concern as the virus is difficult to transmit and, despite the uncomfortable symptoms, mpox is not threatening to lives, with its highest reported mortality rate only being 3.6% during a major outbreak. In the meantime, the CDC recommends staying sanitized through frequently washing your hands. Vaccinations are not currently suggested unless one has a high chance of coming into contact with an infected person or animal.
Hurricanes Debby...Helene, Milton: Wreak Unprecedented Havoc on Lives and Communities
Does anyone still question the legitimacy of global warming?
By: Sally Liao
While many had yet to bounce back from Hurricane Ian, early in August 2024, Hurricane Debby formed in the Gulf and reached Florida where communities braced for the category 1 hurricane as it grew stronger. Debby’s havoc will not be soon forgotten and tragically, has become part of a growing trend of monumental storms leaving behind unprecedented death and destruction in its wake.
Hurricane Debby started forming in the Atlantic Ocean in late July, long before the usual hurricane season. Into early August, Debby traveled up Cuba’s southern coast, growing into a tropical depression and quickly into Tropical Storm Debby on Saturday, August 3, when it created dangerous and devastating storm surges, and 75-100 mph winds that attacked the coast.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) alerted the Greater Antilles, Bahamas, Caribbean islands, as well as southeastern United States, to keep attentive tabs on Debby as the National Hurricane Center accurately predicted Debby would form into a Category 1 Hurricane over the week ahead. Nearby southern island counties were ordered to evacuate mobile homes and low areas that were at grave risk of flooding. Florida roadways and businesses shut down in preparation. Debby ultimately broke records for being one of the worst hurricanes before she headed for the Big Bend coast, resulting in the suspension of flights at the Tallahassee International Airport.
As the Tallahassee community prepared for rescues, the Fire Department had five units equipped with rescue watercraft available on stand-by for immediate deployment to handle water rescues and/or evacuations as needed. Residents in Hurricane Debby’s path braced for impact, gathering sandbags and some even evacuating to avoid the strong winds and torrential rains predicted. Debby continued to strengthen towards Florida and on the early morning of August 5, she struck Steinhatchee, Florida.
Debby’s impact brought an onslaught of flash flooding and storm surges throughout the northern and southern Florida region, leaving a reported 300,000 power outages and utility customers stranded without internet, with most of those outages in Lee, Collier, Pinellas, and Citrus counties. Manatee and Sarasota Florida counties got the worst of it, with at least 16 inches of rain falling, issuing hundreds of water rescues, for missing boaters. Thankfully there were only a few deathgs with Florida officials reporting that four people, including two children, were killed in Debby’s wake. Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, stated that “Mother Nature is not always fair” as those in hurricane-impacted areas emerged, and tried to recover and clean up debris reminiscent of conditions left behind following 2016’s Hurricane Hermine. DeSantis and other Florida officials at the Emergency Center (EOC) continued to warn residents of the dangers of Debby, issuing States of Emergencies for 61 Florida counties and sending 3,000 National Guard members to assist.
As the worst of Hurricane Debby blew over, she slowed down and was demoted to a Tropical Storm. Still, up to 20 inches of rain flooded South Carolina and Georgia coasts while Debby headed northward. The massive torrential rains further complicated things.
As the effects of Hurricane Debby lingered and communities struggled to piece their lives back together, scientists lament about the frequency of these catastrophic events. In recent years, hurricanes, along with other natural disasters, have been getting stronger and less predictable as the climate of the earth’s future looks uncertain. Debby is just one of the many storn events that scientists see as evidence that the earth's atmosphere is getting pushed to its limits. Some cities/towns/communities had yet to bounce back from Hurricane Ian of 2022 and some never will.
Sometime later in September 2024, yet another Hurricane, Helene, once again crossed the gulf and began in Florida before it crashed up America's East coast, killing 227 and causing $30 billion in damages by the time it was over. At press time, Hurricane Milton was threatening to create further destruction as a category 4 Hurricane packing 150 mph winds and heading towards the West coast of Florida.
Could Mother Nature be telling us something with these 100 year storms happening quite consistently now, leaving unprecedented damage and destruction in their paths? Exactly what level of havoc must be generated and how many must die and/or lose their homes/livelihoods, before the mankind unites in its global efforts to take better care of our world?
Hot Summers on The Rise
How will climate change impact our Earth in the years to follow?
By: Russell Collins
Nearly every U.S state and hundreds of cities are experiencing their ten warmest summer ever. Forecasters have expected this heat for some time. They have sent out warnings of this heat for months due to the deadly combination of El Nino and the vast amounts of fossil fuel pollution.
El Nino is a climate pattern that originates in the Pacific Ocean along the equator and impacts weather all over the world. Warm water is usually found in the western pacific by winds that blow from east to west towards Indonesia and Australia. During El Nino, the winds slow down and can even go in the opposite direction, allowing the warmer water to spread east sometimes all the way to South America. Scientists are still looking for an answer to why this happens. Typical El Nino years can affect U.S rainfall. More rain falls in the southwestern and southeastern United States, while the North experiences much drier and warmer weather. Regardless, experts speculate that El Nino impacts will only increase due to climate change.
The increasing amounts of fossil fuels we burn are making their mark. The burning of fossil fuels emits what we call greenhouse gas. The greenhouse effect is essential to life on earth however, too much of these greenhouse gasses can be detrimental. Too much of these emissions can be attributed to trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures. The combination of El Nino and too much fossil fuel pollution has led to a dramatic increase in heat.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, summer nights in the U.S look very different from many years prior. Summer nights have been warming nearly twice as fast compared to the earliest records in the late 1800s. This is an issue because warmer nights increase the potential hazard of heat by compounding heat stress through a reduction in the amount of time the body has to cool down naturally. As one could suspect, this has led to major heat waves in the U.S. In particular, many cities from New England to the Mid Atlantic are experiencing the hottest starts to the summer in history. Washington D.C has just surpassed its highest temperature record hitting 104 degrees. Some other notable cities with heat discrepancies are; Hartford, CT, New Haven, CT, and Syracuse, NY. In Hartford, the average temperature was 75.9F, differing from its usual temperature by 5.4F degrees hotter. In New Haven, the average is 74.8F, which is 5.2F degrees hotter than its normal temperature. Lastly, in Syracuse, the average is 73.6F, which is 5.2F degrees hotter than its normal temperature.
While many wonder what the Earth will look like in 10 years from now, it is clear that climate change has led to prolonged periods of heat waves never experienced on Earth before.
Technical Issues with the ‘Boeing Starliner’ Delay the Space Mission of Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams
How will the extended time in space impact the health of the astronauts?
By: Madyson Renna
Two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, are currently stranded in space for an unexpected eight-month stay after testing the Boeing Starliner. Wilmore and Williams left for the International Space Station in June. The test was supposed to last a week, but the two have yet to return. This is not only alarming for the astronauts, but also for their families, friends, and the workers back at NASA.
According to NASA, helium leaks and issues regarding the control thrusters would make it impossible to return to Earth safely. Multiple issues would occur if they attempted to return, which would bring harm to both astronauts.
Wilmore and Suni will return to Earth with the crew of another SpaceX mission in February of 2025. Northeastern University experts say that space exploration is supposed to be messy, chaotic, and never smooth sailing. An assistant professor of physics at Northeastern states, “The way I look at this, this is one bump in the road on mankind’s long, inevitable path to the stars (news.northeastern.edu).” That being said, this “one bump in the road,” puts the mental and physical health of the astronauts at risk. However, Hanuman Singh, a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Northeastern, believes that humans are better to send into space, rather than sending robots. Others question whether compromising human life is worth the risk when NASA could send robots up instead. They claim that the loss of a human life is far more devastating than a robot that can be replaced or rebuilt.
A major aspect of space preparation for the astronauts is expecting the possibility of a short trip turning into month long voyages. The International Space Station has plenty of supplies and materials that they will need to survive. The astronauts were also former test pilots and military veterans who are physically and psychologically ready for the worst. For example, in the space shuttle, they have a year's supply of food, undergarments, and other basic necessities. Both Williams and Wilmore calm the nerves of the public by reassuring them that they have dedicated their career to training for this space voyage. The astronauts find it peaceful to be up in space, and they are currently working on research, maintenance, and data analysis. They also voted in the November presidential election from space.
Their original plan in space was to travel to the ISS on a 15-foot-wide Boeing capsule with the name “Starliner.” This was launched on June 5 and docked with the ISS on June 6 2024. Williams and Wilmore are stuck in space due to a value problem on the Starliner. Engineers fixed the helium leak, which is unfortunate for the Starliner since it was competing with SpaceX. Space X has made over 20 successful trips to the space station. The latest update given by NASA disclosed that Williams and Wilmore are undergoing medical issues. Williams is said to have lost a significant amount of body mass, and Wilmore appeared malnourished in photos released earlier this month. Doctors are keeping an eye on the health of the astronauts to ensure their condition does not worsen.
Northern Lights Dazzle Connecticut
Throughout the Northern Hemisphere during the first week of October sky gazers were treated to varying views of the Northern Lights created by a massive G4 Solar Storm caused by charged particles blasted from the sun into space. As the Earth's magnetic field redirected these particles around the planet they crashed into gases in the upper atmosphere resulting in collisions that caused the colorful display to appear. It was a rare treat that folks enjoyed that was emphasized when photographed with cameras and cell phones. We hope you got a glimpse but if not, check out the beauty here!
Page updated
Report abuse