CORONA Main Coronavirus thread

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-inflammation-tied-to-heart-deaths-6-years-later

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COVID-19 Inflammation Tied to Heart Deaths 6 Years Later
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jun 08, 2026 2 hours, 27 minutes ago

A growing body of evidence suggests that COVID-19 may leave behind health consequences that extend far beyond the initial infection. Now, a new study has found that inflammation triggered during COVID-19 could be linked to serious cardiovascular complications and even death as long as six years after recovery.

Researchers discovered that two inflammatory biomarkers measured during the acute stage of COVID-19—interleukin-6 (IL-6) and serum amyloid A (SAA)—were strongly associated with future risks of heart attacks, abnormal heart rhythms, and mortality. The findings add to mounting concerns that the biological effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection may continue to influence cardiovascular health for years.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Department of Nephrology and Internal Disease Clinic at University Hospital “Saint Anna,” the Faculty of Medicine at Medical University Sofia, the Department of Clinical Laboratory at University Hospital “Alexandrovska,” and Comac-Medical Ltd. in Bulgaria, along with scientists from Grenoble University Hospital and Grenoble Alpes University in France.


Looking Beyond the Acute Infection
Since the start of the pandemic, researchers have learned that COVID-19 is far more than a respiratory illness. The virus can affect blood vessels, the immune system, the kidneys, the brain, and the heart. While many patients recover from the initial infection, studies have repeatedly shown that survivors face an increased risk of cardiovascular problems months and even years later.

Scientists have long suspected that excessive inflammation during the acute phase of infection may be a key driver of these long-term complications. IL-6 and SAA are two important markers of inflammation that rise sharply when the immune system is activated. Elevated levels of these biomarkers have previously been linked to cardiovascular disease, but their long-term significance after COVID-19 has remained unclear.

To investigate this possibility, researchers followed 97 individuals with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections for six years after their initial illness.


A Concerning Pattern Emerges
During the six-year follow-up period, researchers documented a significant burden of cardiovascular disease among participants.

Seven individuals developed clinically significant arrhythmias, nine suffered myocardial infarctions, and five died. Overall, 14.4 percent of participants experienced at least one major adverse event.

When researchers examined biomarker levels measured during the acute phase of COVID-19, a clear pattern emerged. Individuals who later experienced cardiovascular complications consistently had much higher IL-6 and SAA levels than those who remained free of serious events.

The differences were substantial and remained significant even after researchers adjusted for age, sex, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and prior cardiovascular disease.


Elevated IL-6 Strongly Linked to Mortality
Among all outcomes examined, IL-6 showed the strongest association with death. Participants who died during the six-year follow-up period had dramatically higher IL-6 levels during their COVID-19 infection compared to survivors. In some cases, IL-6 concentrations were many times higher than those seen in individuals who remained healthy.

IL-6 is a powerful inflammatory signaling molecule that plays a central role in the body's immune response. While essential for fighting infections, excessive IL-6 activity can damage blood vessels, promote clot formation, contribute to arterial plaque instability, and trigger harmful changes within the heart muscle itself.

The findings suggest that the intensity of inflammation during acute COVID-19 may provide important clues about an individual's long-term health trajectory.


Serum Amyloid A Reveals Future Heart Attack Risk
Serum amyloid A also emerged as a powerful predictor of future cardiovascular problems.

Participants who later suffered heart attacks had markedly higher SAA levels than those who did not. In fact, SAA showed particularly strong associations with myocardial infarction and the study's composite endpoint, which included heart attacks, arrhythmias, and death.

SAA is produced by the liver during inflammation and is known to influence blood vessel function, lipid metabolism, and immune responses. Previous research has linked elevated SAA levels to vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis, making it a biologically plausible marker of future cardiovascular risk.

Researchers noted that SAA appeared especially effective at identifying individuals vulnerable to long-term ischemic heart disease.


Two Biomarkers May Offer Better Risk Prediction
One of the most important findings was that IL-6 and SAA appeared to provide complementary information.

While IL-6 was most strongly associated with mortality and arrhythmias, SAA showed stronger links to heart attacks and overall cardiovascular events.

Together, they offered a broader picture of an individual's long-term cardiovascular vulnerability following COVID-19 infection.

This Medical News report notes that the combined assessment of these two biomarkers could potentially help physicians identify high-risk patients who may benefit from closer monitoring and more aggressive management of cardiovascular risk factors after recovering from COVID-19.


Conclusions
The study provides some of the longest follow-up data available examining the relationship between acute COVID-19 inflammation and future cardiovascular outcomes. The findings suggest that elevated IL-6 and serum amyloid A levels during the initial phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection are associated with significantly increased risks of heart attacks, arrhythmias, and death up to six years later. Although the study cannot establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship and involved a relatively small cohort, the results reinforce growing evidence that severe inflammatory responses during COVID-19 may leave lasting biological effects that continue to influence cardiovascular health long after apparent recovery. The researchers emphasize that larger multicenter studies are needed to confirm the findings and determine whether these biomarkers can eventually be incorporated into clinical risk assessment strategies. If validated, measuring IL-6 and SAA during acute infection could help identify individuals at greatest risk of developing serious cardiovascular complications years down the road.

The study findings were published in the peer reviewed International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/11/4721

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

BA.3.2.2 and the Imaginary Child Reservoir: How a Sequencing Signal Became a Vaccination Sales Pitch (simplified version!)

A new scientific paper suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 (SC-2) sublineage BA.3.2.2 may be spreading more easily in children and that children could become a reservoir from which new variants might emerge (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.05.730251v2.full

voiceforscienceandsolidarity.substack.com

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EMPHASIS IN ORIGINAL (not mine)

The more scientific version of this post can be found here: BA.3.2.2 and the Imaginary Child Reservoir: How a Sequencing Signal Becomes an Insane Vaccination Sales Pitch



BA.3.2.2 and the Imaginary Child Reservoir: How a Sequencing Signal Became a Vaccination Sales Pitch (simplified version!)
Geert Vanden Bossche
Jun 15, 2026

A new scientific paper suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 (SC-2) sublineage BA.3.2.2 may be spreading more easily in children and that children could become a reservoir from which new variants might emerge (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.05.730251v2.full).

The authors even suggest that this could justify future COVID-19 (C-19) vaccination campaigns in children using updated, variant-matched vaccines.

This interpretation is deeply misleading.

The first problem is simple: finding more BA.3.2.2 sequences in children (see below) does not automatically mean that this variant is truly better adapted to children. Sequencing data are not the same as real-world infection rates. They depend on who gets tested, whose samples are selected for sequencing, where outbreaks are investigated and whether age information is properly recorded. So, even if BA.3.2.2 appears more often in samples from children, this does not prove that children are a special reservoir for this virus.



But even if BA.3.2.2 were temporarily more common in children, that still would not mean that the virus has become ‘child-adapted.’

A much more plausible explanation is that children simply have a different immune background from highly C-19-vaccinated adults. Most adults in highly C-19-vaccinated countries have been repeatedly exposed to the spike (S) protein through vaccination and vaccine-breakthrough infections. Their immune systems have therefore been strongly shaped by repeated exposure to SC-2 antigens. This has created a highly complex, vaccine-imprinted immune landscape. The virus is now trying to escape from this population-level immune pressure, but it is becoming increasingly constrained.

BA.3.2-derived sublineages illustrate this very well. As previously discussed in several of my more recent substack articles, the virus can still add new mutations in the S protein but each additional mutation seems to provide only a smaller and more conditional advantage.

In other words, the virus can still move, but it has less and less room to move. Its evolutionary options are becoming narrower.

This is why BA.3.2.2 should not be seen as evidence of a new child-specific viral strategy. It is more likely a sign that SC-2 is running into the limits of classical S-based immune escape in highly C-19-vaccinated populations.

The authors argue that children, especially those without strong exposure to the original Wuhan-like virus or original C-19 vaccines, may provide a special immunological niche for BA.3.2.2. But this turns the situation upside down.

Children are not just small adults. Their immune systems work differently. Young children rely more strongly on broad, fast-reacting innate humoral and cellular immune effectors. These effectors are not narrowly directed against one specific S variant. They can be trained rapidly through natural exposure to circulating respiratory viruses, including SC-2.

The authors also note that a similar age pattern was not seen when the virus moved from XBB-lineage variants to BA.2.86/JN.1, even though BA.2.86/JN.1 was also antigenically distinct and escaped many antibodies (Abs). They argue that this means simple immune naivety cannot fully explain why BA.3.2.2 appears more often in children. That point deserves an answer.

In my view, the XBB-to-BA.2.86/JN.1 transition was mainly about escape from strong, broadly neutralizing Abs. BA.3.2.2 seems different. It may represent a more limited and stepwise form of S adaptation. By accumulating enough S mutations, BA.3.2.2 may escape not only Omicron-refocused Abs in weakly imprinted people, but also partly alter conserved RBD regions that are normally recognized by broad, naturally occurring IgM Abs in young children. These IgM Abs are part of the child’s early, innate-like defense against infection.

If that is correct, children could be temporarily more susceptible to BA.3.2.2 than to BA.2.86/JN.1. But this would still not mean that BA.3.2.2 is truly adapted to children or that children will become a lasting reservoir.

It would only mean that the virus has found a short-lived opening in a broad innate-Ab barrier. That opening should close rapidly as children’s innate immune responses are trained by exposure, turning children from a temporarily permissive group into an increasingly resistant barrier to sustained BA.3.2.2 transmission.

This is important. A child who is immunologically naïve and more susceptible today can quickly and efficiently train its innate immune system as it gets exposed to circulating SC-2 variants. As this happens, the pool of truly susceptible children shrinks. Instead of becoming a permanent reservoir for BA.3.2.2, children are likely to become increasingly resistant to this and other co-circulating variants.

We saw a similar mistake during the MIS-C (Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children). At the time, some interpreted the increased disease burden in children as evidence of a special pediatric problem that required mass C-19 vaccination of children!

But the pattern faded. A more plausible explanation is that children’s immune systems matured and became broadly trained through exposure. But not a single one of the so-called experts or public health authorities admitted that they had completely missed the ball in persuading parents to let their young children get vaccinated!

It is reasonable to assume that a similar logic applies here. A temporary increase of BA.3.2.2 in children does not prove sustained child-driven transmission! It simply reflects a temporary gap in immune experience. That gap will close naturally as children get repeatedly exposed and develop broad natural immune protection.

The authors’ suggestion that children should be vaccinated with updated C-19 vaccines therefore misses the point.

If the current problem is the result of a C-19-vaccine-imprinted immune landscape in adults, then imposing a similar vaccine imprint on children is not a solution. It may simply drag children into the same immunological trap.

Young, unvaccinated children may still be able to develop broad, naturally trained protection against SC-2. This protection is not based on repeatedly chasing the latest S variant with updated C-19 vaccines. It is based on the rapid training of innate immune defenses, which reduce infection, viral replication, and transmission.

This is why children will not serve as a persistent reservoir for BA.3.2.2. This is also why BA.3.2.2 is not going to maintain itself indefinitely by spreading through children.

The more likely outcome is that children will become increasingly resistant, thereby adding further non-selective immune pressure on the virus.

This additional pressure may have an important consequence, though. It may not simply push the virus toward yet another small step in S-based immune escape. Instead, it may push the virus toward a more dramatic evolutionary transition.

In my view, SC-2 is now approaching the limits of ordinary antigenic drift. The virus may therefore be forced to find a different route to increase its fitness. I strongly believe that this route will involve changes that are not primarily directed at escaping specific Ab epitopes but at enhancing systemic infection through other mechanisms, such as altered glycosylation patterns or glycan-dependent interactions. This is the type of transition I have described in relation to Hi-Vi-Cron.

In that scenario, the real danger is not that children will become a permanent reservoir for BA.3.2.2. The real danger is that the virus, under growing immune pressure from C-19 vaccinated adults and increasingly resistant children, may be pushed toward a major phase transition.

That is why the current pediatric BA.3.2.2 narrative is so misleading. It takes a sequencing signal and turns it into a vaccine argument. It suggests that children are the problem, when in reality the problem is the population-level immune landscape created by the mass C-19 vaccination experiment.

BA.3.2.2 is, therefore, not a warning that children need another C-19 vaccine. It is a warning that SC-2 is running out of productive S-based escape options in highly C-19-vaccinated populations. Children are not the reservoir. Children are more likely to become the barrier.

And that is exactly why the proposal to vaccinate them against this supposed pediatric threat is not only unnecessary but immunologically insane.

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[Heliobas Disciple]

https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/cdc-awards-pfizer-over-1-billion-dollars-covid-vaccines-kids-adults/

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CDC Awards Pfizer $1.24 Billion for COVID Vaccines for Kids and Adults
The roughly $735 million pediatric and $505 million adult COVID-19 vaccine grants cover 2026 and 2027, according to federal records. The monetary infusion has revived debate among critics and public health experts around the safety and efficacy of the vaccines and reliance on mRNA technology.
by Henrick Karoliszyn, DSW
June 12, 2026

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recent decision to award Pfizer $1.24 billion for COVID-19 vaccines has renewed debate over the government’s continued investment in mRNA technology.

The contracts, awarded on June 1, include about $735.7 million for pediatric COVID-19 vaccines and nearly $505.3 million for adult doses for fiscal year 2026-2027.

Critics say the funding reflects a continued commitment to vaccines associated with high rates of serious injuries and deaths, and a lack of adequate safety testing and monitoring.

Public health experts argue the investment is necessary to protect vulnerable populations and prepare for future outbreaks.

The latest contracts come as mRNA technology expands beyond COVID-19.

A recent review in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics found that mRNA-based therapeutics were identified in more than 550 registered clinical trials. The authors reported that more than 90% of the projects involved mRNA vaccines and that most products remain in early-stage testing before broader adoption.


‘Unnecessary and often harmful injections’

The procurement of monetary resources signals that federal officials intend to continue investing heavily in mRNA technology despite declining public demand and ongoing controversy over vaccine safety monitoring, critics say.

Jeffrey Tucker, president and founder of the Brownstone Institute, told The Defender there was “no scientific justification” or “market demand” for the latest mRNA vaccine funding.

“This raises a serious question concerning how these captured agencies really work,” Tucker said. “We are talking about vast amounts of tax dollars flowing to support unnecessary and often harmful injections.”

$735,720,598.00 just awarded to Pfizer by the CDC for infant Covid shots. Another $505,272,000.00 awarded for adult vaccines. Sam Acquisition 360 Sam Acquisition 360 pic.twitter.com/JT01Igw208​

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— Jeffrey A Tucker (@jeffreytucker) June 12, 2026​

“This is $1.24 billion for what is essentially a cold in minor children,” said Children’s Health Defense Chief Scientific Officer Brian Hooker.

Daniel O’Connor, publisher of TrialSite News, which covers global biomedical and clinical research, told The Defender Americans “better start asking the hard questions.”

“If demand is falling, safety questions remain contested and many reporting vaccine injuries say they’ve been left behind, why is Washington committing another $1.24 billion to vaccine procurement instead of first providing a transparent accounting of need, benefit, risk, and responsibility?”


‘COVID-19 has not disappeared’

Public health experts disagreed, saying their support of vaccinations is supporting the prevention of future pandemics.

Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an associate professor in the?Department of Internal Medicine?at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, in Dallas, told The Defender that the monetary installments will help stave off another public health crisis because “COVID-19 has not disappeared.”

“While the emergency phase of the pandemic is over, the virus continues to cause significant illness, hospitalizations and deaths each year,” she said. “This investment reflects the reality that vaccines remain one of our most effective tools for preventing severe disease, particularly among those at highest risk. Maintaining access to updated vaccines is an important part of ensuring the country remains prepared for future COVID-19 surges.”

Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist and professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, said the contracts will ensure “continuing availability of safe and effective COVID vaccines through the next two years.”

“COVID vaccines have repeatedly been demonstrated to provide protection against the most severe manifestations of COVID infection: hospitalization, intensive care unit admission and death,” Schaffner said. “This is particularly applicable to those persons at increased risk of becoming seriously ill: persons age 65 and older, anyone with a chronic medical condition, persons who are immunocompromised and persons who are pregnant.”

However, some studies suggest claims that the COVID-19 vaccines saved millions of lives are based on flawed models and incorrect calculations.


Legality of funding in question

The contracts also raise questions about federal vaccine spending.

Under the CDC’s Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, the federal government agrees to buy and provide free vaccines through negotiated contracts for eligible children.

Current CDC price schedules list Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines at roughly $69 to $91 per dose, depending on the formula, while Moderna doses range from about $78 to $83.

Dr. Robert Malone, a pioneer and expert in mRNA vaccines, however, questioned the legal authority to use federal funding for the Pfizer contracts because the purchase wasn’t approved by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

“Use of VFC funds requires ACIP authorization,” he said. “But there is no ACIP.”

Earlier this year, U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy issued an injunction blocking many of the recent ACIP appointments made under U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The injunction stemmed from a lawsuit filed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) against Kennedy and the U.S, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The AAP accused Kennedy of violating procedures when he fired previous ACIP members and replaced them.

The ruling effectively paralysed ACIP and cast doubt on the legitimacy of its membership structure.

Requests for comment from ACIP went unanswered.

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/study-finds-that-sars-cov-2-ba-2-86-and-jn-1-variants-exhibit-enhanced-tropism-for-the-intestines-and-also-intestinal-adaptation

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Study Finds That SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 and JN.1 Variants Exhibit Enhanced Tropism for the Intestines and also Intestinal Adaptation
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jun 08, 2026

A new study by researchers in Hong Kong has revealed that two SARS-CoV-2 variants, BA.2.86 and JN.1, possess a unique biological advantage that may have helped them spread widely around the world. Unlike many previous Omicron variants that primarily focused on the respiratory tract, these newer variants appear to have developed an enhanced ability to infect and replicate in the human small intestine. The findings provide fresh insights into how SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve and adapt within the human body.

The study was conducted by scientists from the School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong; the Centre for Immunology and Infection (C2I), Hong Kong Science Park; and the Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.


Researchers Investigate Tissue Preferences of Emerging Variants
Since the appearance of the Omicron variant in late 2021, numerous descendants have emerged, including BA.5, XBB.1.5, EG.5.1, BA.2.86, and JN.1. Although many studies have focused on immune evasion and respiratory transmission, less attention has been given to whether these variants prefer infecting different organs and tissues.

To answer this question, the research team used human bronchial tissues, lung tissues, airway organoids, colon cells, and laboratory-grown human proximal intestinal enteroids that closely mimic the upper small intestine. By comparing the replication abilities of multiple variants in these models, the scientists were able to determine where each variant grew most efficiently.


BA.2.86 and JN.1 Show Enhanced Ability to Infect the Small Intestine
One of the most important discoveries was that BA.2.86 and JN.1 replicated far more efficiently in proximal intestinal enteroids than the EG.5.1 variant. While EG.5.1 excelled in respiratory tissues, BA.2.86 and JN.1 demonstrated a clear preference for cells found in the upper small intestine.

The researchers observed that these variants successfully infected multiple intestinal cell types, including enterocytes, goblet cells, and Paneth cells. Enterocytes are responsible for nutrient absorption, goblet cells produce protective mucus, and Paneth cells play a crucial role in maintaining gut immunity. The ability to infect all of these cell types suggests that BA.2.86 and JN.1 have become particularly well adapted to the intestinal environment.

Importantly, this enhanced intestinal tropism was not observed in the same way within colon cells, indicating that the small intestine may be a particularly favorable site for these variants.


Respiratory Fitness Was Lower Than Some Earlier Variants
Although BA.2.86 and JN.1 performed well in intestinal tissues, they did not replicate as efficiently in respiratory tissues as certain other variants.

The study found that BA.5, XBB.1.5, and especially EG.5.1 achieved significan tly higher replication levels in human bronchial and lung tissues. EG.5.1 also demonstrated enhanced infection of lung cells associated with more severe respiratory disease.

These findings suggest that BA.2.86 and JN.1 may have followed a different evolutionary path. Rather than maximizing replication in the respiratory tract, these variants appear to have gained advantages through adaptation to the intestinal tract.


Possible Implications for Viral Shedding and Transmission
Another significant finding involved the immune response triggered by these variants. JN.1 generated relatively low levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines despite replicating efficiently in intestinal tissues. This means the virus may be capable of extensive replication without causing strong intestinal symptoms.

The researchers noted that previous clinical studies have reported increased viral shedding in fecal samples from individuals infected with BA.2.86 and JN.1. Their laboratory findings provide a possible explanation for these observations.

This Medical News report notes that efficient intestinal replication combined with limited inflammation may allow infected individuals to shed virus through fecal material while experiencing few or no digestive symptoms. Such characteristics could potentially support continued transmission and contribute to the widespread success of these variants.

ACE2 Receptors Play a Key Role
The study also revealed that BA.2.86 and JN.1 depend heavily on ACE2 receptors and the TMPRSS2 enzyme to infect intestinal cells. The small intestine naturally contains high levels of ACE2 receptors, making it an ideal environment for these variants.

When researchers blocked ACE2 or TMPRSS2 activity, viral replication dropped dramatically. JN.1 was particularly dependent on ACE2, suggesting that stronger receptor utilization may be a key factor behind its enhanced intestinal adaptation.

These findings help explain why BA.2.86 and JN.1 replicate so effectively in the small intestine and may partially account for their ability to outcompete other variants in global circulation.


Conclusions
The findings demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve through complex biological adaptations that extend beyond the respiratory tract. BA.2.86 and JN.1 appear to have developed enhanced tropism for the human small intestine and show clear evidence of intestinal adaptation. Their ability to efficiently infect multiple intestinal cell types, exploit ACE2-rich environments, and replicate while inducing relatively limited inflammation may provide important advantages for persistence and transmission. The study highlights the importance of monitoring gastrointestinal infection patterns alongside respiratory disease characteristics when evaluating future SARS-CoV-2 variants. Understanding these adaptations may prove critical for anticipating how emerging variants spread and for developing more comprehensive surveillance strategies in the years ahead.

The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Nature Communications.

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.86 and JN.1 expand tropism in human proximal intestinal epithelium - Nature Communications

EG.5.1 uses dual entry pathways and replicates better in alveolar cells. BA.2.86 and JN.1 depend on TMPRSS2 for airway entry but replicate more efficiently in intestinal enteroids, with JN.1 showing increased gut tropism and low inflammation.

www.nature.com

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/ai-designed-universal-coronavirus-vaccine-dna-contamination-risk/

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AI-Designed Universal Coronavirus Vaccine Raises DNA Contamination Fears
The developers of a universal coronavirus vaccine designed by AI are promoting it as a solution to future pandemics. But critics question whether a single vaccine can protect against an entire family of rapidly evolving viruses. They also warn that the vaccine carries the risk of DNA contamination — and likely other unknown risks.
by Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D.
June 17, 2026

The developers of a universal coronavirus vaccine designed by artificial intelligence (AI) are promoting it as a solution to future pandemics. But critics question whether a single vaccine can protect against an entire family of rapidly evolving viruses. They also warn that the vaccine carries the risk of DNA contamination — and likely other unknown risks.

The vaccine’s co-developers — the University of Cambridge and its Bill Gates-linked biotech spinoff DIOSynVax — claim the results of the first clinical trials for humans show that the Sarbeco coronavirus vaccine is “safe and has no significant side-effects.”

The vaccine uses an AI-designed “super-antigen” that its developers say protects against the entire family of Sarbeco coronaviruses, which includes the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for COVID-19.

According to the researchers, the trial — which involved 39 healthy participants ages 18-50 in England — was the first successful human trial of a universal coronavirus vaccine, and the first trial of a vaccine whose active ingredient was developed entirely by AI.

In a statement, the University of Cambridge said the vaccine “triggered immune responses in the volunteers” to a range of related coronaviruses, including SARS, SARS-CoV-2 and “related bat viruses that could potentially jump from animals to humans and cause future pandemics.”

“This represents a fundamental new vaccine technology that could prevent future pandemics before they begin,” the University of Cambridge said in a statement.

In a study of the clinical trial’s results, published in the Journal of Infection, the researchers said that no serious adverse reactions were recorded during the trial and that the results show the vaccine is “safe and well tolerated.”

In all, 15 adverse events of special interest were recorded during the clinical trial, all with low severity. The study noted 121 unsolicited adverse events, 23 of which were deemed definitely, probably or possibly vaccine-related. This amounts to nearly four adverse events per trial participant.

According to the Association of Health Care Journalists, solicited adverse events are “those that the trial investigators specifically ask participants about because they are either expected or likely based on known reactions to other vaccines, such as headaches or nausea. Unsolicited adverse events are those that participants report that were not expected or previously known. An example is myocarditis, an unsolicited adverse event (no one expected it) that was reported frequently after the Covid vaccine in VAERS.”

Christof Plothe, D.O., a member of the World Council for Health steering committee, said the researchers’ announcement “demands scrutiny, not celebration.”

“The original mRNA COVID vaccines were sold with identical rhetoric — safe, effective, groundbreaking — yet they failed on their central promises. They never stopped transmission,” Plothe said.

According to the BBC, the researchers’ work “is still in the early stages,” but they are now developing “separate vaccines that could tackle flu and Ebola.”

Karl Jablonowski, Ph.D., senior research scientist for Children’s Health Defense (CHD), said universal vaccines are unlikely to succeed.

“Vaccines already struggle with efficacy, and a non-specific vaccine will struggle even more so,” Jablonowski said. “Viruses mutate and can gain advantage. A virus in a population with ‘universal’ vaccinations can mutate to gain advantage and circumvent that ‘universal’ vaccine.”

Immunologist and biochemist Jessica Rose, Ph.D., agreed. “‘Vaccines’ against coronaviruses are pointless — see natural immunity,” she said.

Jablonowski also questioned whether Big Pharma would favor a catch-all vaccine.

“The end-all-be-all vaccine, if it works as advertised, would end a very lucrative revenue stream for Pharma. Why would Pharma shoot themselves in the foot? A new revenue stream may be found from the constant stream of boosters to the ‘universal’ vaccine,” Jablonowski said.

DNA contaminants in vaccines can lead to cancer, autoimmune issues

The Sarbeco vaccine is administered as a “DNA vaccine through a micro fluid jet” that sprays the fluid through the patient’s skin.

The researchers said DNA vaccines work by causing plasmid DNA to “penetrate the cell nucleus to be transcribed.”

Although they are less effective than mRNA vaccines at reducing disease, the researchers claim that DNA vaccines are easy to produce, store, distribute and administer as they don’t require needles.

Jablonowski said the Sarbeco vaccine technology poses a risk of DNA contamination in recipients. “What happens to cellular function when one cell gets too many plasmids?” he asked.

In 2023, researchers found that COVID-19 vaccines were contaminated with plasmid DNA from the manufacturing process, putting recipients at risk of inflammation, cancer and DNA damage that could affect their offspring.

The contaminants found in the vaccines included simian virus 40 (SV40), a cancer promoter that was not disclosed to regulators.

These findings prompted Canada’s public health agency, Health Canada, to confirm the presence of DNA plasmids in the COVID-19 shots.

In 2024, a peer-reviewed study identified the presence of DNA plasmids in Pfizer’s COVID-19 shot at levels ranging from 360 to 534 times higher than the 10 nanogram per dose limit set by regulators globally.

Another study published that year found DNA in Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines at levels three to four times higher than regulatory limits. And a study published earlier this year and partially funded by CHD found residual DNA in Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 mRNA shots, often in forms that standard testing doesn’t typically detect.

‘We cannot trust the FDA to review this for safety’

Jablonowski said regulatory agencies have not done a good job regulating the presence of DNA contaminants in vaccines.

“Pharma already does a horrible job with DNA contamination. The FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] does a horrible job keeping Pharma accountable on DNA contamination,” Jablonowski said.

Kevin McKernan, chief scientific officer and founder of Medicinal Genomics, agreed. McKernan, who helped lead several studies that identified the presence of DNA contaminants and SV40 in the COVID-19 shots, said, “We cannot trust the FDA to review this for safety as they showed quite clearly they are incapable of doing such with COVID-19 vaccines.”

“When undisclosed sequences are discovered, regulators act to cover up the problem as opposed to addressing it,” McKernan told The Defender.

This lack of disclosure may place the public at risk. Studies have shown that DNA contaminants can transfer from a pregnant woman to her fetus, and that genetic material from COVID-19 shots can integrate into the human genome, potentially triggering aggressive cancers.

Scientist: risks of needle-free DNA vaccine ‘unknown’

McKernan said the presence of plasmids in the Sarbeco vaccine is undisclosed.

“I can’t find any disclosure of the sequence of plasmid vector being used nor any data on its clearance or persistence from patients,” McKernan said. “I would not inject/tattoo anything where the plasmid sequence is not known and scrutinized by the public.”

Tattooing refers to the practice of spraying a DNA vaccine through the skin.

McKernan said that while the risk posed to the public by coronaviruses is “low,” the “risks of the plasmid tattoos are entirely unknown.”

“DNA contamination is the regulatory elephant in the room,” Plothe said. “The same manufacturing process using plasmid DNA templates means the same contamination risk applies to every batch of this new universal vaccine.”

Plothe said many of the potential adverse health effects of these vaccines — and their contaminants — are unlikely to manifest or be detected in a brief clinical trial.

“Claiming safety from such limited data for a novel AI-designed antigen delivered via a platform with known DNA contamination is scientifically dishonest.”

Plothe added: “Phase I/II trials enrolling dozens to perhaps 100 participants over months cannot detect autoimmune conditions developing over years, oncogenic signals requiring 5-15 years to manifest, reproductive effects, or immune imprinting only apparent upon subsequent wild-type virus exposure.”

Plothe said needle-free vaccine delivery also poses potential health risks.

“Needle-free administration — whether jet injection or intranasal delivery — introduces additional risks, including direct bloodstream access bypassing lymphatic processing, and in the intranasal case, a direct pathway to the central nervous system via the olfactory nerve that bypasses the blood-brain barrier entirely,” Plothe said.

Last year, a group of scientists and researchers launched a petition urging the FDA to suspend or withdraw the mRNA COVID-19 shots, in part due to previous findings about DNA contaminants in those products.

AI models can’t predict effects of still-unknown viruses

The research team claimed that using AI to develop the Sarbeco vaccine could lead to revolutionary breakthroughs in targeting future infectious diseases.

“Vaccines developed in this way could protect against future emerging virus threats. The technology also reduces the need for frequent reformulation, which is a fundamental limitation of current vaccines,” the University of Cambridge said in its statement.

Jonathan Heeney, Ph.D., a University of Cambridge professor, head of its Lab of Viral Zoonotics and the project’s scientific lead, said in a statement that “We’ve converted vaccine development from being reactive to being future proof.”

For Plothe, though, the use of AI introduces new problems to the process of vaccine development. He said computational models “cannot predict how a never-before-seen synthetic antigen will behave in a living human immune system over years.”

Gates Foundation linked to development of Sarbeco vaccine

The Gates Foundation is listed as one of the funders of DIOSynVax, although the level of its investment hasn’t been publicly disclosed.

In 2022, then-U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that DIOSynVax would receive $42 million to develop a universal coronavirus vaccine.

The investment was led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, widely known as CEPI, which lists the Gates Foundation and the World Economic Forum among its co-founders and investors.

In 2021, CEPI announced its “100 Days Mission” to build the capability to develop a vaccine for a future pandemic within 100 days.

At least one of the researchers involved in the development of the Sarbeco vaccine disclosed links to other vaccine makers, including Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, GSK, Janssen, Merck, Novavax and Sanofi.

Plothe questioned the safety of a rapid vaccine development timeline — and the narrative claiming that a universal vaccine can prevent future pandemics.

“Media coverage insinuating that universal vaccines will prevent future lockdowns inverts reality: Lockdowns were political choices, and the proposition that we must accept experimental, AI-designed, DNA-contaminated vaccines as the price of freedom is coercive medical propaganda.

“CEPI’s 100-day mission is an explicit commitment to compressing development timelines to the point where meaningful safety assessment becomes impossible — a pipeline for medical coercion, not genuine preparedness.”

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-is-causing-a-surge-in-new-onset-allergic-diseases

(fair use applies)


COVID-19 is Causing a Surge in New-Onset Allergic Diseases
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jun 09, 2026

A growing body of scientific evidence is revealing a troubling consequence of COVID-19 that extends far beyond the acute infection phase. Researchers are increasingly finding that people who recover from SARS-CoV-2 infection face a significantly higher risk of developing new allergic diseases, including asthma and allergic rhinitis, months after recovery. While doctors have long recognized the respiratory complications associated with COVID-19, scientists are now uncovering biological mechanisms that may explain why the virus appears to leave many individuals more vulnerable to allergies.

A new review by researchers from Nanchang University, Nanchang, China, brings together the latest findings from immunology, epithelial biology, and neuroimmune research to explain how COVID-19 may trigger long-lasting immune changes that promote allergic disease.


Growing Evidence of Increased Allergy Risk
Several large multinational cohort studies have consistently shown that individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 are more likely to develop allergic disorders after recovering from the virus. The findings indicate that the risk of developing asthma is more than twice as high among COVID-19 survivors, with a hazard ratio of 2.25. The risk of allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever, is also elevated, with a hazard ratio of 1.23.

Importantly, these increased risks remain detectable for more than six months after infection. Scientists are still debating whether COVID-19 creates entirely new allergic sensitivities or simply uncovers previously silent allergic tendencies that had never produced symptoms before.


How COVID-19 Primes the Body for Allergies
The researchers propose that the process begins when SARS-CoV-2 damages the protective lining of the airways and other tissues. This injury triggers the release of powerful immune alarm molecules known as IL-33, TSLP, and IL-25. Collectively referred to as the "alarmin triad," these molecules serve as distress signals that activate immune pathways closely linked to allergic disease.

Once released, these alarm signals stimulate specialized immune cells called group 2 innate lymphoid cells and dendritic cells. These cells help establish a type 2 immune response, the same immune pattern commonly associated with asthma, eczema, and seasonal allergies. The review suggests that these responses may become reinforced through epigenetic memory, allowing the immune system to remain primed for exaggerated allergic reactions long after the virus has disappeared.


Lasting Changes to Immune Regulation
Another major concern is the impact of COVID-19 on regulatory T cells, which normally act as brakes on excessive immune responses. The researchers found evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection may reduce the number or function of these critical cells, weakening the body's ability to control inflammation.

The review also highlights the possibility that sev ere inflammation during acute infection, particularly elevated levels of interleukin-6, may reprogram blood-forming stem cells in the bone marrow. Although further studies are needed to confirm this mechanism, such changes could produce generations of immune cells that remain predisposed toward allergic inflammation.

At the same time, dendritic cells may adopt characteristics that encourage allergy-promoting immune responses, lowering the threshold for future allergic sensitization.


Mast Cells, Nerves, and Long COVID Connections
The researchers also identified mast cells as potential key players. These cells are central to allergic reactions and may be directly activated by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein through ACE2 receptors.

Once activated, mast cells engage in continuous communication with nearby sensory nerves. This interaction amplifies inflammation and may contribute to neuroinflammatory processes associated with long COVID. Scientists believe this mast cell-neuron communication network could help explain why some long COVID patients experience symptoms that overlap with allergic disorders.

This Medical News report notes that these interconnected biological processes may create a vulnerable post-infection period during which ordinary environmental allergens trigger disproportionately strong immune responses.


Identifying High-Risk Individuals
Researchers suggest that future screening strategies could help identify those most at risk of developing post-COVID allergic diseases. Factors such as the severity of the original infection, eosinophil counts, immunoglobulin E levels, and genetic susceptibility markers may prove useful in predicting future allergy risk.

Potential treatments under consideration include low-dose interleukin-2 therapy, mast cell stabilizers, and biologic drugs that target alarmin pathways. However, these approaches will require extensive clinical testing before becoming standard practice.


Conclusion
The accumulating evidence suggests that COVID-19 may leave behind far more than temporary respiratory symptoms. By damaging epithelial barriers, activating allergy-promoting immune pathways, disrupting immune regulation, stimulating mast cells, and potentially altering the development of future immune cells, SARS-CoV-2 may significantly increase the likelihood of developing allergic diseases after recovery. As millions of people worldwide continue to recover from COVID-19, understanding and monitoring these long-term immune consequences will be essential for reducing the growing burden of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and other allergy-related conditions in the years ahead.

The study findings were published as an abstract in the peer reviewed journal: Frontiers in Immunology. A full paper will be published soon.

Frontiers | New-onset allergic diseases after SARS-CoV-2 infection: mechanistic hypotheses and emerging strategies for risk stratification

Multinational cohort studies consistently associate SARS-CoV-2 infection with elevated incidence of allergic diseases, with hazard ratios of 2.25 for asthma ...

www.frontiersin.org

 

[Zoner]

Eric Daugherty
@EricLDaugh

HOLY CRAP! DNI Tulsi Gabbard has shocked the deep state by on her last day in office releasing bombshell files that Dr. Fauci used TAX DOLLARS to fund the WUHAN LAB responsible for COVID and millions of deaths AND he purposefully covered it up.
HE LIED TO CONGRESS! Fauci deserves charges! Tulsi is a patriot.

“Dr. Fauci provided millions in US taxpayer dollars to fund dangerous gain-of-function research at the Wuhan lab, worked with politicized elements within the Intelligence Community to suppress the truth about his actions and hide the virus’ lab-leak origins, and lied to Congress while under oath in 2024. It’s time you know the truth.”

“Dr. Fauci was the behind-the-scenes advisor who, alongside his hand-picked so-called experts, pushed the intelligence community to endorse a natural animal origin to hide his dangerous gain of function research that he funded using taxpayer dollars.”

“All of this in a deliberate attempt to cover up the truth and shift the blame and attention away from Fauci's own actions.”

“The tactics that were used to hide the truth are straight from the Deep State playbook. Politicized self-serving leaders, like Dr. Fauci, covered up their own wrongdoing and abuses of power, manipulated intelligence, lied to Congress, and undermined a duly elected president by restricting his access to the vital facts he needed to keep the country safe.”

VIDEO - 5 MIN. RT

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2067927087252455874

View: https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2067927087252455874?s=20

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

Eric Daugherty
@EricLDaugh

HOLY CRAP! DNI Tulsi Gabbard has shocked the deep state by on her last day in office releasing bombshell files that Dr. Fauci used TAX DOLLARS to fund the WUHAN LAB responsible for COVID and millions of deaths AND he purposefully covered it up.
HE LIED TO CONGRESS! Fauci deserves charges! Tulsi is a patriot.

“Dr. Fauci provided millions in US taxpayer dollars to fund dangerous gain-of-function research at the Wuhan lab, worked with politicized elements within the Intelligence Community to suppress the truth about his actions and hide the virus’ lab-leak origins, and lied to Congress while under oath in 2024. It’s time you know the truth.”

“Dr. Fauci was the behind-the-scenes advisor who, alongside his hand-picked so-called experts, pushed the intelligence community to endorse a natural animal origin to hide his dangerous gain of function research that he funded using taxpayer dollars.”

“All of this in a deliberate attempt to cover up the truth and shift the blame and attention away from Fauci's own actions.”

“The tactics that were used to hide the truth are straight from the Deep State playbook. Politicized self-serving leaders, like Dr. Fauci, covered up their own wrongdoing and abuses of power, manipulated intelligence, lied to Congress, and undermined a duly elected president by restricting his access to the vital facts he needed to keep the country safe.”

I guess I shouldn't be, but I'm really surprised this isn't getting ANY traction in the news. It's just being ignored. hmm.
I found it on Epoch Times, but the main players aren't touching it.

Gabbard Releases Documents on Fauci’s Alleged Role in Wuhan Lab Research Linked to COVID

‘It’s time the American people learn the real story,’ National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard said.

www.theepochtimes.com

(fair use applies)


Gabbard Releases Documents on Fauci’s Alleged Role in Wuhan Lab Research Linked to COVID
Aldgra Fredly
6/19/2026

Outgoing National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard on June 18 released documents exposing Dr. Anthony Fauci’s alleged role in directing U.S. funding for “dangerous gain-of-function research” at a Wuhan lab linked to the origin of the COVID-19 virus.

Gabbard said in a video statement posted on X that the documents reveal that Fauci, former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), provided “millions in U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund dangerous gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology” in China before the COVID-19 outbreak.

Gain-of-function research refers to experiments that genetically alter an organism to enhance its biological functions.

The research at the Wuhan lab, Gabbard said, is now widely regarded as the source of the “unintentional lab leak” of the virus that led to the pandemic.

Gabbard also released what she called “never-before-seen communications” that show how Fauci allegedly manipulated intelligence assessments on the virus’s origins.

She alleged that Fauci had selected NIAID-funded scientists to advise the intelligence community, which helped shape assessments that were later cited as scientific consensus to refute the COVID-19 lab-leak theory.

Gabbard also accused Fauci of lying to Congress while under oath in 2024 by denying knowledge of or participation in discussions with intelligence officials about viral research.

“The tactics used to hide the truth are straight from the deep state playbook: politicized self-serving leaders like Dr. Fauci covered up their own wrongdoing and abuses of power, manipulated intelligence, lied to Congress, and undermined a duly elected President by restricting his access to vital facts needed to keep the country safe.

“It’s time the American people learn the real story,” Gabbard said in a statement released by her office.

The Epoch Times attempted to reach out to Fauci for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

The release was part of Gabbard’s declassification review, which included testimony from intelligence whistleblowers who allegedly faced retaliation after challenging Fauci’s COVID-origin conclusions.

Fauci has headed the NIAID since 1984 but became a household name in early 2020 when he began delivering interviews to media outlets about the COVID-19 pandemic. He stepped down from the role in December 2022.

Gabbard announced last month that she was resigning as director of national security, citing her husband’s recent cancer diagnosis. She said at the time that her resignation would take effect on June 30.

In the latest update on social media, Gabbard said her final day would be on June 18, the same day she released the materials concerning Fauci’s work.

President Donald Trump has named William Pulte, who leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to become acting director of national intelligence.

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miiRsb-3Qtk
Bombshell Declassification: Fauci Funded Wuhan Lab!
Vejon Health
Streamed live June 19 2026
21 min 34 sec

On her final day as Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard released never-before-seen communications and documents exposing Anthony Fauci’s central role in the early COVID-19 origins debate. The materials show that Fauci directed U.S. taxpayer funding toward gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology while simultaneously advising intelligence agencies and publicly labelling the lab-leak hypothesis a conspiracy theory.

The declassified files detail a closed information loop in which Fauci supplied NIAID-funded scientists to shape intelligence assessments, creating what critics describe as a self-reinforcing narrative favouring natural origins. They also reference retaliation against intelligence analysts who advocated examining the lab-leak possibility, with Gabbard referring those accounts to the Inspector General.

 

[Tristan]

It's just being ignored. hmm.

Of course it is.

I found it on Epoch Times, but the main players aren't touching it.

Of course they aren't. I'm sure you know why...

The "main players" were complicit in perpetrating that vile operation. Whether for pay, politics or ideology, who knows. Maybe all of the above.

As I said on the Fauci Ran Out the Clock thread:

There's just too many fingers in that horrible pie; and the concern is once they begin pointing out responsibilities it'll land on many, many others than just the Malignant, Psychopathic Gnome.


(I apologize for cluttering up the thread. It's become a very important archive of critically important info.)

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

The "main players" were complicit in perpetrating that vile operation. Whether for pay, politics or ideology, who knows. Maybe all of the above.

As I said on the Fauci Ran Out the Clock thread:

There's just too many fingers in that horrible pie; and the concern is once they begin pointing out responsibilities it'll land on many, many others than just the Malignant, Psychopathic Gnome.


(I apologize for cluttering up the thread. It's become a very important archive of critically important info.)

Those comments do not at all clutter up the thread . That's what the thread is for. I agree with you - too many fingers in the pie , all complicit and all covering their own hides. And agree we don't know the motivation - some for money, some for politics, some for ideology, and there were some who really didn't know better because they weren't high enough on the totem pole to be read in....

HD

 

[Tristan]

Those comments do not at all clutter up the thread . That's what the thread is for. I agree with you - too many fingers in the pie , all complicit and all covering their own hides. And agree we don't know the motivation - some for money, some for politics, some for ideology, and there were some who really didn't know better because they weren't high enough on the totem pole to be read in....

HD

And the PsyOp worked.

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

GEERT IS BACK!

One quick comment, during the last 5 minutes of the video Geert said he was going to stop talking about this at the end of 2026. I think Philip missed his 'wink-wink' point, I think he was saying - without actually making an out and out prediction - that his supercovid illness will happen by the end of the year. Does anyone else have that understanding when they watch the last 5 minutes? Or is it just me and I am reading too much into it?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPpvau-YjGI
The Pandemic Never Really Ended | Geert Vanden Bossche on Immune Escape
Vejon Health
Streamed live Jun 20 2026
1 hr 18 min 56 sec

In this important discussion, I sit down with Geert Vanden Bossche to explore his latest thinking on the current trajectory of SARS-CoV-2 and why he believes the pandemic has still not transitioned into a true endemic phase. We look at his recent statements from Voice for Science and Solidarity and his Substack, including the idea that the apparent calm may be misleading, and that the virus-host relationship remains unstable rather than settled.

We also discuss what this could mean clinically and immunologically, including immune escape, persistent infection, chronic immune dysfunction, and whether medicine may be looking for the wrong signals. Whether you agree fully with Geert or not, this conversation is designed to examine his arguments carefully, test the logic behind them, and ask what clinicians and the wider public should be paying attention to next.

Chapters

0:00 Introduction: Why Bring Geert Back Now?
2:41 Geert’s Background in Vaccines, Immunology and Global Health
6:32 Speaking Out Against the Industry Narrative
9:40 Is COVID Really Over? Why Geert Says No
12:53 Wastewater, Viral Evolution and the False Endemicity Claim
14:54 Why COVID Is Not Behaving Like Seasonal Flu
18:35 The Lab-Origin Question and the Furin Cleavage Site
24:52 Why Geert’s Timeline Was Wrong — and Why the Theory Remains
29:51 HIVICRON, Mild Symptoms and Later Clinical Collapse
32:04 Chronic Immune Pressure, Suboptimal Immunity and Persistent Infection
36:46 World Cup Mixing, BA.3.2 and Variant Families
39:04 The Evolutionary Bottleneck: Why New Variants Are Gaining Less
41:06 Glycosylation: The “Easy Solution” the Virus May Find
46:53 Could a Hyperacute COVID Variant Be Mislabelled as Something Else?
50:52 AI, Scientific Reasoning and Testing Geert’s Hypothesis
55:53 How Would We Know the Dangerous Transition Has Begun?
1:10:56 Antiviral Intervention, Zinc Ionophores and the Missed Opportunity
1:15:51 Final Reflections: Why Geert May Stop Speaking Publicly

 

[Zoner]

2:46 rt

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2068484039456035244

View: https://twitter.com/ValerieAnne1970/status/2068484039456035244?s=20

 

[Zoner]

GEERT IS BACK!

One quick comment, during the last 5 minutes of the video Geert said he was going to stop talking about this at the end of 2026. I think Philip missed his 'wink-wink' point, I think he was saying - without actually making an out and out prediction - that his supercovid illness will happen by the end of the year. Does anyone else have that understanding when they watch the last 5 minutes? Or is it just me and I am reading too much into it?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPpvau-YjGI
The Pandemic Never Really Ended | Geert Vanden Bossche on Immune Escape
Vejon Health
Streamed live Jun 20 2026
1 hr 18 min 56 sec

In this important discussion, I sit down with Geert Vanden Bossche to explore his latest thinking on the current trajectory of SARS-CoV-2 and why he believes the pandemic has still not transitioned into a true endemic phase. We look at his recent statements from Voice for Science and Solidarity and his Substack, including the idea that the apparent calm may be misleading, and that the virus-host relationship remains unstable rather than settled.

We also discuss what this could mean clinically and immunologically, including immune escape, persistent infection, chronic immune dysfunction, and whether medicine may be looking for the wrong signals. Whether you agree fully with Geert or not, this conversation is designed to examine his arguments carefully, test the logic behind them, and ask what clinicians and the wider public should be paying attention to next.

Chapters

0:00 Introduction: Why Bring Geert Back Now?
2:41 Geert’s Background in Vaccines, Immunology and Global Health
6:32 Speaking Out Against the Industry Narrative
9:40 Is COVID Really Over? Why Geert Says No
12:53 Wastewater, Viral Evolution and the False Endemicity Claim
14:54 Why COVID Is Not Behaving Like Seasonal Flu
18:35 The Lab-Origin Question and the Furin Cleavage Site
24:52 Why Geert’s Timeline Was Wrong — and Why the Theory Remains
29:51 HIVICRON, Mild Symptoms and Later Clinical Collapse
32:04 Chronic Immune Pressure, Suboptimal Immunity and Persistent Infection
36:46 World Cup Mixing, BA.3.2 and Variant Families
39:04 The Evolutionary Bottleneck: Why New Variants Are Gaining Less
41:06 Glycosylation: The “Easy Solution” the Virus May Find
46:53 Could a Hyperacute COVID Variant Be Mislabelled as Something Else?
50:52 AI, Scientific Reasoning and Testing Geert’s Hypothesis
55:53 How Would We Know the Dangerous Transition Has Begun?
1:10:56 Antiviral Intervention, Zinc Ionophores and the Missed Opportunity
1:15:51 Final Reflections: Why Geert May Stop Speaking Publicly

I agree with you HD. He wanted to make a prediction that we will see an outbreak by the end of this year but stopped short because of all of his other failed predictions. But he predicted he will not speak publicly anymore after this year as you say, done with a wink in the way he was talking, implying he won't have to speak any more because the outbreak will be evident.

 

[Old Greek]

GEERT IS BACK!

One quick comment, during the last 5 minutes of the video Geert said he was going to stop talking about this at the end of 2026. I think Philip missed his 'wink-wink' point, I think he was saying - without actually making an out and out prediction - that his supercovid illness will happen by the end of the year. Does anyone else have that understanding when they watch the last 5 minutes? Or is it just me and I am reading too much into it?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPpvau-YjGI
The Pandemic Never Really Ended | Geert Vanden Bossche on Immune Escape
Vejon Health
Streamed live Jun 20 2026
1 hr 18 min 56 sec

In this important discussion, I sit down with Geert Vanden Bossche to explore his latest thinking on the current trajectory of SARS-CoV-2 and why he believes the pandemic has still not transitioned into a true endemic phase. We look at his recent statements from Voice for Science and Solidarity and his Substack, including the idea that the apparent calm may be misleading, and that the virus-host relationship remains unstable rather than settled.

We also discuss what this could mean clinically and immunologically, including immune escape, persistent infection, chronic immune dysfunction, and whether medicine may be looking for the wrong signals. Whether you agree fully with Geert or not, this conversation is designed to examine his arguments carefully, test the logic behind them, and ask what clinicians and the wider public should be paying attention to next.

Chapters

0:00 Introduction: Why Bring Geert Back Now?
2:41 Geert’s Background in Vaccines, Immunology and Global Health
6:32 Speaking Out Against the Industry Narrative
9:40 Is COVID Really Over? Why Geert Says No
12:53 Wastewater, Viral Evolution and the False Endemicity Claim
14:54 Why COVID Is Not Behaving Like Seasonal Flu
18:35 The Lab-Origin Question and the Furin Cleavage Site
24:52 Why Geert’s Timeline Was Wrong — and Why the Theory Remains
29:51 HIVICRON, Mild Symptoms and Later Clinical Collapse
32:04 Chronic Immune Pressure, Suboptimal Immunity and Persistent Infection
36:46 World Cup Mixing, BA.3.2 and Variant Families
39:04 The Evolutionary Bottleneck: Why New Variants Are Gaining Less
41:06 Glycosylation: The “Easy Solution” the Virus May Find
46:53 Could a Hyperacute COVID Variant Be Mislabelled as Something Else?
50:52 AI, Scientific Reasoning and Testing Geert’s Hypothesis
55:53 How Would We Know the Dangerous Transition Has Begun?
1:10:56 Antiviral Intervention, Zinc Ionophores and the Missed Opportunity
1:15:51 Final Reflections: Why Geert May Stop Speaking Publicly

Just watched the whole thing - very interesting and scary!

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjy-73Fo5J0
Vaccine lies
Dr. John Campbell
Jun 20, 2026
19 min 4 sec

John plays and comments with incredulity on Ron Johnson questioning Julie Gralow, M.D. Chief Medical OfficerAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology about the covid vaccine.

Full vaccines and cancers hearing: video and text

Plausible Mechanisms of COVID-19 Injections Causing Cancer and Attacks on Scientific Publications and Research - Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs

www.hsgac.senate.gov

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN0layYvTUg
Cancer evidence to Senate
Dr. John Campbell
Jun 21, 2026
1 hr 7 min 45 sec

The connection between mRNA COVID vaccines and cancer relapse and occurrence.

By Prof Angus Dalgleish MD FRCP FRACP FRCPath FMedSci

My name is Professor Angus Dalgleish. I am an oncologist and immunologist with decades of experience in cancer immunotherapy and HIV research, including early clinical use of cancer immunotherapy in the United Kingdom long before checkpoint inhibitors were approved. I am Professor Emeritus and Foundation Chair of Oncology at the University of London, and Principal of the Institute of Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy.

Beginning in late 2021, I observed a series of unexpected cancer relapses and unusually aggressive disease presentations among patients whose conditions had remained stable for years. A consistent pattern quickly became apparent: these relapses followed repeated COVID booster administration. These were patients in long-term remission who suddenly relapsed after being advised to receive additional doses of the vaccine. Despite the seriousness of these observations, there was little willingness to openly investigate these potential safety signals. From my background in HIV research and immunology, including early work involving the CD4 receptor, I was particularly sensitive to signals involving T-cell function and immune dysregulation. This led me to become concerned that repeated boosting strategies might contribute to impaired immune surveillance in vulnerable individuals, a concern later supported by evidence of exhausted T-cell responses following repeated vaccination. Over time, however, it became increasingly clear that the pattern extended far beyond relapse in vulnerable cancer patients alone. I began observing something far more alarming: unusually aggressive cancers, advanced-stage disease in younger individuals, and clinical presentations that differed sharply from what we would normally expect in routine oncology practice. Something broader — and far more concerning — appeared to be emerging. In my own clinical practice, I observed a marked increase in unexpected cancers among boosted patients, including breast, prostate, pancreatic, lymphoma, gall bladder, glioma, and bladder cancers. Some of the most striking observations came from colorectal cancer surgeons, who described a shift from earlier-stage, more routinely detected disease toward patients presenting with metastatic stage IV cancers and unusual thrombotic features. Increasingly, these patterns extended beyond clinical settings and into personal lives. I watched close friends develop aggressive late-stage cancers and rapidly deteriorate following repeated booster administration. At that point, the issue no longer felt purely academic or theoretical. It became deeply personal. I became increasingly concerned by unresolved questions surrounding the biologic behavior of mRNA-based platforms. Emerging literature proposed several biologically plausible mechanisms linking these vaccines to cancer progression, including immune dysregulation, vascular injury, and effects involving oncogenic and tumor-suppressor pathways. Additional issues involved residual DNA fragments and SV40 promoter/enhancer sequence elements identified in certain vaccine lots, findings which I believe warranted far greater regulatory scrutiny and independent investigation given their potential oncogenic implications. Through my previous work with mRNA experts and service on the Scientific Advisory Board of CureVac, I also became increasingly uneasy about questions involving biologic stability, genomic interaction, and the adequacy of long-term safety evaluation surrounding repeated mRNA exposure. For example, unresolved questions remain regarding potential interactions with cellular genetic processes, potentially activating cancer-promoting pathways while disrupting tumor suppression. The consistency of these clinical observations, combined with emerging mechanistic evidence, should have prompted far greater scientific scrutiny and open investigation than they received. Instead, many clinicians and researchers became increasingly hesitant to openly question or investigate these potential safety signals at all. As a UK citizen, I found it striking that several members of the Royal Family, who were vaccinated, publicly disclosed unexpected cancer diagnoses during the same period many clinicians were reporting unusually aggressive cancers more broadly.

Given what we know already, I have no doubt in my mind that the mRNA vaccine likely played a significant role in the development of these unexpected cancers. I raise this not to imply certainty regarding any individual case, but to illustrate how difficult open scientific discussion surrounding these broader patterns has become, even when the observations are highly visible.

 

[Zoner]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2068605212659442101

View: https://twitter.com/WWG1WGA_QQ/status/2068605212659442101?s=20

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

Scientists Tracked 4,500 Animals During COVID – What They Discovered Was Surprising

New research shows that wildlife reacts differently to human presence than to human-made landscapes.

scitechdaily.com

(fair use applies)


Scientists Tracked 4,500 Animals During COVID – What They Discovered Was Surprising
By University of California - Santa Barbara
June 11, 2026

New research shows that wildlife reacts differently to human presence than to human-made landscapes.

For centuries, people have transformed landscapes, forcing wildlife to adjust to a rapidly changing world. New research suggests that animals are not only responding to altered habitats, but also to the direct presence of humans.

Researchers from UC Santa Barbara, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, and Yale University combined GPS tracking data from 37 animal species with cellphone location information collected across the United States. Their study, published in Science, found that animals respond to human activity in very different ways depending on the species and the condition of the surrounding habitat. The results point to the need for more tailored conservation and wildlife management strategies.

“Humans have complicated effects on wildlife — from our physical presence to how we reshape habitats — but we can’t understand our full impact without information on both,” said co-lead author Ruth Oliver, an assistant professor in UCSB’s Bren School of Environmental Science & Management.

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unusual opportunity to examine these effects separately. As lockdowns changed how people moved through their communities, researchers were able to compare the influence of human presence with the effects of long-term landscape changes.

The team analyzed weekly GPS records from 4,581 mammals and birds across the continental United States during the same periods in 2019 and 2020. Measuring human activity required a more direct approach than researchers typically have available.

Reliable public data on human movement are limited. As a result, studies of human-wildlife interactions often rely on indirect indicators such as urban development, agriculture, or pandemic restrictions. Because these measures do not directly track where people are, the researchers turned to anonymized cellphone geolocation data at the neighborhood level. According to the authors, this is the first study to use this type of information to examine how human presence affects animal movement.

“The cell phone data we used was made available to researchers during the pandemic to help reveal the impacts of COVID-19 shutdowns,” said co-lead author Scott Yanco, a research ecologist at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. “Typically, private companies hold onto these, which made this a rare opportunity for us to quantify how human presence impacts wildlife, and to demonstrate that there is more to consider than just land modification to create robust conservation plans.”


Untangling Human Impacts on Wildlife

The researchers examined how human activity influenced both the area used by individual animals and their environmental niches, which describe how species interact with habitats and available resources. Their analysis showed that, for most species, the effects of habitat modification cannot be fully understood without also accounting for human presence.

Overall, 57% of the species studied were affected by a combination of human presence and landscape changes. Human activity was linked to shifts in occupied area or environmental niche size for 67% of mammal species and 68% of bird species.

In many cases, the effects of human presence and habitat modification were closely connected. About 67% of mammal species and 41% of bird species reduced the areas they used when both factors increased. These responses were often strongest in less developed settings, such as national parks, where animals appeared more sensitive to people than in heavily urbanized environments.

Species responses were far from uniform. Wolves were unusual in that they expanded their ranges in response to human presence, potentially reflecting a tendency to spread farther apart and avoid people.

White-tailed deer and sandhill cranes reacted in opposite ways. Deer expanded their environmental niches as landscapes became more modified but contracted them when human presence increased. Sandhill cranes showed the reverse pattern.

“These findings highlight the critical importance of species-based conservation,” Oliver said. “Every species has different habitat requirements, has its own particular behavioral tendencies and faces unique threats. Effective conservation requires that we understand the particular challenges that each species faces.”


Lessons From the “Anthropause”

The study is part of the COVID-19 Bio-Logging Initiative, a global collaboration established to investigate wildlife responses to pandemic lockdowns, a period researchers called the “anthropause.”

Earlier studies from the initiative documented widespread behavioral changes among mammals, major shifts in marine traffic, and the value of tracking human movement when studying wildlife responses during the Anthropocene (the time period when human activities have had an environmental impact on the Earth). The effort brought together 600 partners and collected about 1 billion location records from roughly 13,000 animals.

The new findings demonstrate how combining animal GPS data with mobile device location information can provide a more detailed understanding of human impacts on wildlife. The approach allows scientists to separate the effects of infrastructure and habitat alteration from the effects of people themselves.

Oliver’s team is now investigating how human-driven changes to landscapes and climate influence wildlife mortality.

“Our current study shows that animals change how they use space and resources, but we don’t know if these changes are helping them adapt or are a sign of stress,” she pointed out. “Our group is now digging into that question by asking whether animals that change their behavior in response to human pressures are at greater or lower risk of dying.”

The pandemic offered researchers a rare chance to study human influences on wildlife in ways that were previously impossible. As a result, conservation policies developed before this period lacked many of the insights now emerging about how animals respond to people.

“Our results give me some optimism that we can achieve wildlife-coexistence through more nuanced policies that more smartly consider where and when we need to give animals space,” Oliver said.

Reference: “Interacting effects of human presence and landscape modification on birds and mammals” by Ruth Y. Oliver, Scott W. Yanco, Diego Ellis-Soto, Brett R. Jesmer, Juliet Cohen, Song Gao, Robert Patchett, Tal Avgar, Keith Bildstein, Nicholas W. Bakner, David Barber, Kristin Barker, Joseph G. Barnes, Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Jerrold L. Belant, John F. Benson, Joël Bêty, Dean E. BeyerJr., David Bird, Nathaniel Bowersock, Andy J. Boyce, Ben S. Carlson, Michael L. Casazza, Michael J. Chamberlain, Michael J. Cherry, Bret A. Collier, Alyson Courtemanch, Sarah C. Davidson, Darren DeBloois, Vickie DeNicola, Christopher R. DeSorbo, Robert C. Dowler, Daniel Dupont, L. Mark Elbroch, John Elliott, Betsy A. Evans, W. Mark Ford, David Hancock, Molly Hardesty-Moore, Jason E. Hawley, Mackenzie R. Jeffress, Scott Jennings, Matthew J. Kauffman, Roland Kays, Marcella J. Kelly, Bryan M. Kluever, Myles Lamont, Scott LaPoint, Tayler N. LaSharr, Josee Lefebvre, Pierre Legagneux, Matthias-Claudio Loretto, David Lumpkin, Lindsay A. Martinez, John M. Marzluff, Douglas McCauley, Fiona McDuie, Tony W. Mong, Kevin L. Monteith, Thomas Mueller, Levi Newediuk, Anna C. Ortega, Federico Ossi, Cory Overton, J. Clint Perkins, Tyler R. Petroelje, Laura Prugh, Kimberly A. Sager-Fradkin, Michael Seer, Avery L. Shawler, Shannon Skalos, Rachel A. Smiley, Julia Sommerfeld, Daniel R. Stahler, John A. Stephenson, Richard D. Stevens, Nathan J. Svoboda, Jean-Francois Therrien, Philippe J. Thomas, Meredith VanAcker, Eric Vander Wal, Dan E. Varland, Tana L. Verzuh, Brittany L. Wagler, Nils Warnock, Stephen L. Webb, Christopher K. Williams, Christopher C. Wilmers, David W. Wolfson, Julie K. Young, Christian Rutz and Walter Jetz, 21 May 2026, Science.
DOI: 10.1126/science.adq3396

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2068605212659442101

View: https://twitter.com/WWG1WGA_QQ/status/2068605212659442101?s=20

This clip is from a longer video.
The part shown in the tweet you posted can be found at around 23 minutes in.

Covid, through our eyes
53 min 24 sec

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D_uBVJ1nw4

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/rand-paul-issues-subpoena-forcing-anthony-fauci-testify-under-oath-covid-origins/

(fair use applies)


Rand Paul Issues Subpoena Forcing Fauci to Testify Under Oath
An inside source with knowledge of Sen. Rand Paul’s plans told The Defender on condition of anonymity that Dr. Anthony Fauci is expected next month to testify under oath before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs about “everything” — from his involvement in funding gain-of-function research that may have created COVID-19 to the subsequent cover-up of a possible lab leak.
by Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D.
June 23, 2026

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Monday subpoenaed Dr. Anthony Fauci to testify publicly next month before the U.S. Senate, after Fauci backed out of a voluntary appearance.

Fauci will have to testify before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, which Paul chairs.

“Today, I have issued a subpoena requiring him to testify before the Committee, in public, next month,” Paul wrote in a post on X on Monday.

Last week, Anthony Fauci notified us he will NOT voluntarily testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, even though he had previously agreed to do so.​

​

Therefore, today I have issued a subpoena requiring him to testify before the Committee,…​

​

— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) June 22, 2026 ​

An inside source with knowledge of Paul’s plans told The Defender on condition of anonymity that Fauci is expected to testify under oath about “everything” — from his involvement in funding gain-of-function research that may have created COVID-19 to the subsequent cover-up of a possible lab leak.

In an interview with Semafor, Paul said he will also ask Fauci about the destruction of federal records and about the preemptive pardon former President Joe Biden granted him last year.

The pardon shields Fauci from federal prosecution for his official acts dating back to 2014.

“He’s been slow-walking information to us for six months or more,” Paul told Semafor. “We’ve been negotiating over the date for several months. He agreed, then he said he wouldn’t. So, I think it’s time that we bring him in. I think there’s a lot to discuss.”

Speaking to CNBC’s “Squawk Box” today, Paul credited U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for aiding in Paul’s COVID-19 origins investigation.

“We’ve gotten more evidence over the last year. From the Biden administration, they revealed nothing. From the Trump administration, particularly with Secretary Kennedy, we’ve gotten a lot of information,” Paul said.


Deposition ‘about holding Fauci to account’

Investigative journalist Paul D. Thacker, editor of The Disinformation Chronicle and a former Senate investigator, said the deposition “will be about holding Fauci to account for the sake of all the Americans who were harmed by his policies and who were ridiculed as ‘conspiracy theorists’ for noting his dishonesty.”

Paul did not formally announce the date when Fauci is scheduled to testify, but the hearing has reportedly been set for July 29. Paul told CNBC, though, that Fauci may challenge the subpoena in court.

Paul said:

“I think it’s going to be a challenge to get him. I think we will have to fight him in court. But the one thing about the January 6th committee that was a good precedent is the courts have upheld congressional subpoenas. So I think there’s a very good chance the court will command him to come.”​

Children’s Health Defense CEO Mary Holland applauded the subpoena. She said:

“It is not shocking that Sen. Rand Paul finally issued a subpoena to Dr. Tony Fauci, the voice of the government and mainstream media during COVID. What is shocking is that Dr. Fauci refuses to testify voluntarily, after having agreed to do so.​

​

“People who trusted, supported and nearly beatified Dr. Fauci throughout COVID must wonder why he refuses to speak.”​

Attorney Greg Glaser said the subpoena “is a direct consequence of the public trust being exhausted.”

“Rand Paul subpoenaing Fauci is essential for accountability in the post-COVID era. For five years, Fauci has operated as an untouchable figure behind a wall of institutional immunity and media deference. That wall is finally cracking,” Glaser said.


‘The very definition of a cover-up’

In several follow-up posts on X, Paul elaborated on his allegations that Fauci oversaw risky gain-of-function research, which increases the transmissibility or virulence of viruses, at U.S. biolabs and China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology.

In one post, Paul wrote that U.S. taxpayer money “funded gain-of-function research” at the Wuhan lab, which “likely caused the COVID pandemic.”

Here is what we know: U.S. taxpayer money, funneled through USAID and NIH, funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. That research likely caused the COVID pandemic that killed millions and cost trillions.​

​

Dr. Fauci personally signed off on these…​

​

— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) June 22, 2026 ​

“Dr. Fauci personally signed off on these experiments, then lied to Congress about it. Biden tried to protect him with a last-minute pardon. That’s the very definition of a cover-up.”

Fauci’s subpoena comes just days after outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released documents indicating that Fauci funded gain-of-function research that led to the development and subsequent leak of COVID-19 — and that he sought to suppress evidence of the funding and the lab leak.

“Anthony Fauci didn’t just fund dangerous research at the Wuhan lab. He personally shaped what the intelligence community told the American people about COVID’s origins,” Paul wrote on X.

Declassified documents confirm what I’ve been saying for years: Anthony Fauci didn’t just fund dangerous research at the Wuhan lab. He personally shaped what the intelligence community told the American people about COVID’s origins. 18 agencies relied on his guidance. That’s the…​

​

— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) June 22, 2026​

The subpoena also comes on the heels of Senate testimony last month by CIA whistleblower James E. Erdman III. He testified that Fauci intentionally helped cover up evidence showing that COVID-19 emerged from the Wuhan lab.

“There is such overwhelming evidence that Dr. Fauci used the intelligence agencies to support his gain-of-function agenda, that it’s truly shocking that just one Congressman is subpoenaing him,” said Stephanie Weidle, executive director of Feds for Freedom, a watchdog group Erdman co-founded.

Glaser said the evidence against Fauci goes beyond what was contained in the documents Gabbard recently released. “The Gabbard documents are not the only evidence. There is a growing body of material showing that the intelligence community had information about a lab incident that was suppressed,” he said.

Rutgers University molecular biologist Richard Ebright, Ph.D., agreed. He suggested that Fauci’s responsibility for gain-of-function research is only the tip of the iceberg.

“Fauci willfully violated federal policies on gain-of-function and enhanced potential pandemic pathogen research; committed conspiracy to defraud, fraud, perjury, destruction of federal records, and obstruction; and caused a pandemic that killed 20 million and cost $25 trillion,” Ebright said.


‘There could be some real drama on the way’

Legal experts and commentators have suggested that Biden’s preemptive pardon may not fully protect Fauci during his congressional testimony next month.

“Fauci can be indicted if he fails to be honest about his former lies, for which he needed a pardon,” Thacker said, noting that Fauci may otherwise face perjury charges.

“His pardon means no 5th Amendment protection, according to court precedent, so he might have to tell the truth. There could be some real drama on the way,” said Jeffrey Tucker, president and founder of the Brownstone Institute.

Conservative commentator Michael Knowles told NewsNation’s “CUOMO” that Fauci committed perjury during his 2024 congressional testimony, when he claimed that he did not discuss COVID-19’s origins with intelligence officials. Recently released documents show that Fauci discussed COVID-19’s origins with intelligence officials.

“That was clear perjury, and that’s within the statute of limitations,” Knowles told NewsNation. “We know that from CIA briefings. We know that from whistleblowers.”

In an interview with The Defender earlier this month, Ebright said Fauci faces a limited range of options regarding how to approach his congressional testimony.

Ebright said Fauci can respond truthfully, “confessing that he committed conspiracy to defraud, fraud, perjury, misuse of federal funds, destruction of federal records and obstruction.” Or he can provide false testimony and risk perjury charges, or feign mental incapacitation and inability to recall.

During a closed-door interview with the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024, Fauci claimed more than 100 times that he did not recall details about the federal pandemic response and COVID-19’s origins.

“Fauci has proven himself extremely wily in testimony in the past, but that was before we had all the receipts,” Tucker said. “At this point, he will face a genuine grilling on established facts and known relationships.”

“People are going to get to see ‘The Real Anthony Fauci‘ next time he appears in the Senate to mumble, ‘I do not recall,’ hundreds of times,” Holland said.


Is Biden’s preemptive pardon of Fauci unconstitutional?

Paul has pushed for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to indict Fauci on perjury charges for allegedly lying to Congress during testimony in May 2021 by claiming that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) never funded gain-of-function research.

The five-year statute of limitations for indicting Fauci for his May 2021 testimony expired last month.

However, Fauci provided similar testimony in July 2021, telling the Senate that NIAID did not fund gain-of-function research, that research involving bat coronaviruses did not fit the definition of such research and that he hadn’t previously lied to Congress. The statute of limitations for that testimony expires next month.

Others have suggested Fauci may face perjury charges as late as 2029, for congressional testimony in 2024 when he claimed he never conducted official National Institutes of Health (NIH) business using his personal email account.

In April, a grand jury indicted Dr. David Morens, formerly a top aide to Fauci at NIAID, for attempting to shield information about COVID-19’s origins from potential Freedom of Information Act review by illegally using his personal email account.

According to Thacker, the DOJ faces organizational challenges that may make it difficult for it to pursue a prosecution of Fauci.

“I don’t believe that Fauci will be indicted. [Attorney General] Todd Blanche is down thousands of attorneys at DOJ, and I’m not sure there’s much appetite for going after Fauci,” Thacker said.

But last week, Paul told The National News Desk that the pardon Biden granted Fauci is likely unconstitutional and “should be challenged in court.”

“How do you pardon someone in advance of a charge?” Paul asked. “A court could look at this and say that’s way too broad.”

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://www.technologynetworks.com/drug-discovery/news/common-diabetes-drug-may-reduce-long-covid-risk-413581

(fair use applies)


Common Diabetes Drug May Reduce Long COVID Risk
Published: June 12, 2026
Original story from the University of Minnesota

New findings from the ACTIV-6 randomized clinical trial provide important confirmation of prior clinical trial results that metformin, a widely available and inexpensive medication with an established safety record, reduced the risk of clinician-diagnosed long COVID when started during acute COVID-19 infection.

The study, published in Clinical Infectious Disease and co-led by a University of Minnesota Medical School research team, evaluated nearly 3,000 outpatient adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 across 90 sites in the United States. Participants were randomized to receive either metformin or placebo within seven days of symptom onset and were followed for six months.

At six months, participants who received metformin experienced a 50% relative reduction in the risk of clinician-diagnosed long COVID compared with those receiving placebo, indicating that metformin cut the risk of a medical diagnosis of long COVID by approximately half.

Among participants followed through 180 days, clinician-diagnosed long COVID occurred in 0.56% of those receiving metformin compared with 1.17% of those receiving placebo.

"This trial provides additional evidence that treating acute infection with this intervention that acts on metabolic health can reduce the likelihood of developing long COVID," said Carolyn Bramante, MD, MPH, assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, internist and pediatrician with M Health Fairview and lead author of the study. "The finding is particularly important because metformin is inexpensive, globally available and has decades of clinical use supporting its safety."

As a National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)-funded CTSI Scholar, Dr. Bramante developed a program to study metformin as an outpatient treatment for acute SARS-CoV-2 because of its history as an anti-viral in the early 1900s and because of its known anti-inflammatory actions.

The ACTIV-6 trial enrolled adults considered to be low, standard, or high risk between September 2023 and May 2024 during a period when most participants already had substantial immunity from prior vaccination, prior infection or both. More than 83% of participants had evidence of prior partial immunity, making the results highly relevant to the current phase of the pandemic.

While the trial's primary endpoint - responding yes to having any COVID-19 symptoms on Day 180 after starting the trial - did not meet the pre-specified threshold for efficacy, metformin consistently favored improved long-term outcomes. Investigators observed a high probability of benefit for reducing symptom burden and preventing clinician-diagnosed long COVID. Additionally, no safety concerns emerged during the study.

The findings replicate results from the earlier University of Minnesota-led COVID-OUT randomized trial, which reported a similar reduction in long COVID among participants treated with metformin during acute infection.

“Reproducing research is very important, and both trials have also been replicated in analyses of electronic health record data. Together, these independent studies support that in low- to high-risk adults, metformin is an effective strategy to reduce the risk of long COVID,” said David Boulware, MD, MPH, professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, infectious disease physician with M Health Fairview and steering committee co-chair of the trial.

Next steps in this research include looking at biospecimens taken during acute infections and seeing if similar actions exist during other infections.

Reference: Bramante CT, Stewart TG, Boulware DR, et al. Metformin on the presence of COVID-19 symptoms 6 months after infection: The ACTIV-6 randomized clinical trial. Clin Infect Dis. 2026:ciag335. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciag335

https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciag335/8702406?login=false

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/spike-protein-fragments-not-intact-spike-may-be-the-real-driver-of-dangerous-covid-19-blood-clots

(fair use applies)


Spike Protein Fragments Not Intact Spike May Be the Real Driver of Dangerous COVID-19 Blood Clots
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jun 17, 2026

As scientists continue to investigate why some COVID-19 patients develop dangerous blood clots, a new scientific letter is offering an important explanation that could help resolve years of conflicting research. The new findings suggest that the intact SARS-CoV-2 spike protein may not be responsible for abnormal clotting behavior. Instead, it may be smaller spike protein fragments that form harmful amyloid structures after being broken down inside the body.
Researchers Per Hammarström and Sofie Nyström from Linköping University and the Science for Life Laboratory in Sweden have proposed a new hypothesis that could unify several seemingly contradictory studies on COVID-19-related blood clotting disorders.


Conflicting Studies Spark New Investigation
Blood clotting abnormalities have been one of the most concerning complications associated with COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. Scientists have long debated whether the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein directly alters fibrinogen, a blood protein that plays a crucial role in clot formation.

Recently, researchers Kangro and colleagues reported that the full-length native trimeric spike protein can bind to fibrinogen but does not significantly affect clot formation, clot structure, or the body's ability to break down clots. Their findings challenged earlier studies that suggested spike protein could trigger abnormal clotting behavior.

Seeking to explain these differences, the Swedish researchers carefully examined previous evidence and proposed that the answer may lie in the form of the spike protein being studied.


Why Intact Spike Protein May Be Harmless
According to the researchers, the naturally folded and intact spike protein appears to be relatively inactive when it comes to influencing fibrinogen and blood clot formation.

However, the situation changes dramatically after the spike protein undergoes proteolytic processing inside the body. During this process, enzymes cut the spike protein into smaller fragments.

The researchers point out that histological studies have found spike protein and spike fragments inside blood clots from COVID-19 patients. Earlier investigations also showed that the S1 portion of the spike protein could alter fibrin structure and promote the formation of abnormal amyloid-like clots.


Amyloid Fragments May Be the Real Culprit
One of the most important findings highlighted by the Swedish team involves the formation of amyloid fibrils. Amyloids are misfolded protein structures that can accumulate and disrupt normal biological processes.

Previous work by the same researchers demonstrated that when spike protein is broken down by neutrophil elastase, an enzyme released during inflammation, the resulting spike fragments can form amyloid fibrils. In contrast, the intact folded spike protein does not readil y form these structures.

Further studies revealed that these spike-derived amyloid fibrils can interfere with both fibrin formation and fibrinolysis, the natural process that dissolves blood clots. This suggests that abnormal clotting may arise not from the native spike protein itself but from misfolded fragments generated after enzymatic cleavage.

This Medical News report highlights how the new hypothesis may help explain why some studies observed harmful clotting effects while others found little or no impact from spike protein exposure.


A New Unified Explanation
The researchers propose that pathological changes in fibrinogen are not an intrinsic property of the native spike protein. Instead, harmful effects emerge only after spike fragments are generated and subsequently assemble into amyloid fibrils.

In this abnormal state, the spike-derived structures may alter clot architecture, reduce clot breakdown, and contribute to the thrombotic complications observed in some COVID-19 patients.


Conclusion
The new hypothesis offers a compelling framework for understanding the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and abnormal blood clotting. Rather than viewing all spike proteins as equally harmful, the research suggests that the biological context is crucial. Intact spike protein appears largely inert with respect to fibrinogen, while proteolytically generated spike fragments that form amyloid fibrils may possess the ability to disrupt normal clotting processes. Future studies investigating COVID-19-associated thrombosis may need to focus more closely on these fragmented and misfolded forms of spike protein, which could ultimately become important therapeutic targets for preventing severe clotting complications.

The hypothesis was published as a letter in the peer reviewed journal: Blood Advances.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2473952926004386

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/sabine-hazan-clinical-trial-doctor-published-studies-covid-treatments-pharma-investors-retracted/

(fair use applies)


Exclusive: Clinical Trial Doctor Published Studies Showing COVID Treatments Worked. Pharma Investors Got The Studies Retracted.
In an exclusive interview with The Defender, Dr. Sabine Hazan detailed her harrowing experiences of being attacked as a scientist for publishing research that showed that early treatments of COVID-19 worked. “The American people deserve transparent, rigorous science,” Hazan said.
by Suzanne Burdick, Ph.D.
June 17, 2026

Pharma-driven investors with no medical background managed to force the retraction of four published studies that undermined the COVID-19 vaccine mainstream narrative, according to the studies’ lead author, Dr. Sabine Hazan, a gastroenterologist and CEO of the research genetic sequencing lab ProgenaBiome.

In an exclusive interview with The Defender, Hazan detailed her harrowing experiences of being attacked as a scientist.

Her research examined the effectiveness of early COVID-19 treatments, including ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, vitamins C and D, and zinc. She also found COVID-19 vaccines killed a type of good gut bacteria needed for a healthy immune response.

Hazan said the retractions were driven by investors’ desire to promote the COVID-19 vaccine — not because the studies had major flaws.

According to Hazan, it’s a problem when U.S. Food and Drug Administration agents, pharma personnel and politicians are allowed to buy stock in a pharmaceutical company.

“There’s a natural instinct to promote a product because you’re being incentivized by the price of that stock,” Hazan said. “Everybody who bought stocks in Moderna and Pfizer was incentivized to see it grow, and therefore they were biased, and it biased the research, frankly.”

One person heavily involved in getting her papers retracted, Hazan said, is Kevin Patrick, an investor with no medical training.

Patrick posts on X under the alias Cheshire. He is also a commenter on PubPeer, a platform critics have nicknamed “PubSmear.”

PubPeer allows anonymous commenters — many of whom are single individuals with multiple usernames — to push for post-publication reviews of articles that have already passed peer review.

The anonymous critiques — which usually focus on minor graphic or typographic mistakes — are often combined with social media attacks to launch coordinated campaigns against individual researchers.

PubPeer recently attacked a peer-reviewed study by Children’s Health Defense Chief Scientific Officer Brian Hooker and vaccine researcher Neil Miller. The study compared health outcomes in vaccinated and unvaccinated children.

According to Hazan, Patrick and others on PubPeer are part of a “network of investors and scientists that basically play the stock market.”

After the anonymous commenters convince the journal to retract the study, the website Retraction Watch publishes an article that undermines the scientist’s reputation.

For instance, Retraction Watch last July ran an article about Hazan under the headline, “Microbiome company CEO who linked COVID vaccine to bacterial decline now has four retractions.”

In addition to Hazan, Patrick has attacked research by others — including Kevin McKernan and Jessica Rose, Ph.D. — who published findings that contradict the mainstream COVID-19 vaccine narrative.

Hazan, who largely funded her lab’s research with her own savings, called the retractions “really painful.”

“This was the work of my whole team that risked their lives during the pandemic,” she said.

Hazan discovered COVID vaccines kill important gut bacteria

Although Hazan has over three decades of experience running clinical trials for leading pharmaceutical companies, she does not adhere to the mainstream mantra that the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are safe and effective.

She and her colleagues discovered that the COVID-19 vaccines greatly reduced the levels of good gut bacteria. They published an October 2022 abstract with their findings in the American Journal of Gastroenterology. The abstract has not been retracted.

Good gut bacteria are important for cancer prevention, Hazan told federal lawmakers at a June 3 congressional hearing on the links between COVID-19 vaccines and cancer.

Bifidobacterium is a probiotic gut microbe “critical for immune regulation, metabolism, gut barrier integrity. and neurological health,” Hazan said in her written testimony.

Research shows that the bifidobacterium plays an important role in preventing and fighting cancer.

The hearing, which also focused on how platforms like PubPeer attack scientists such as Hazan, was the latest held by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, chaired by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.).

‘Imagine the possibilities if scientists could publish without fear’

Hazan said her four papers were retracted “over minor, easily correctable issues.”

Her lab was the first to document whole genome sequencing of the virus that causes COVID-19 in patient feces — an important scientific step in understanding COVID-19. After six months of rigorous peer review, her team published its findings in Gut Pathogens in January 2021.

However, the journal retracted the paper in May 2025 “without valid scientific justification,” she said.

In February 2022, Hazan and co-authors, including Dr. Peter McCullough, published a paper in Future Microbiology showing that COVID-19 patients with low oxygen levels improved greatly when given a combination of ivermectin, an antibiotic called doxycycline, zinc, and vitamins D and C.

Although the paper had passed eight months of rigorous peer review, it was retracted in January 2025.

In July 2022, Hazan published an article in Frontiers in Microbiology showing how ivermectin could protect against COVID-19 by boosting bifidobacterium levels in the gut.

Less than a year later, the journal retracted the article.

In December 2024, Hazan, McCullough and others published results in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders from a clinical trial of COVID-19 patients treated with hydroxychloroquine, the antibiotic azithromycin, zinc, and vitamins C and D.

They found that participants who received the drugs all reported normal heart function — contradicting the belief that it was dangerous to treat COVID-19 with hydroxychloroquine because it interfered with cardiac rhythms.

However, the journal in February 2025 retracted the paper.

Hazan told lawmakers:

“Imagine the possibilities if scientists could publish without fear of politically motivated retractions — if we could focus on advancing knowledge instead of defending it. The American people deserve transparent, rigorous science.”

Patrick did not immediately respond to our request for comment.

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-induced-cytokines-can-reprogram-sperm-and-alter-offspring-brain-development-and-behavior

(fair use applies)


COVID-19 Induced Cytokines Can Reprogram Sperm and Alter Offspring Brain Development and Behavior
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jun 20, 2026

Scientists have uncovered new evidence suggesting that inflammatory molecules generated during viral infections such as COVID-19 may have effects that extend far beyond the infected individual. A new study has found that key cytokines associated with immune responses can alter sperm molecular profiles and influence the brain development, behavior, and metabolic responses of future offspring.

The research was conducted by scientists from the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, the Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health at The University of Melbourne, the Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry at La Trobe University, and the Department of Anatomy and Physiology at The University of Melbourne, Australia.


Growing Concerns About Paternal Health Before Conception
Over the last few years, researchers have become increasingly interested in how a father's health before conception can affect offspring. Previous studies demonstrated that paternal infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, could alter offspring behavior and metabolic responses through changes in sperm epigenetics. Similar effects were also observed when scientists triggered immune responses in male animals using viral mimics rather than actual infections.

However, the precise biological factors responsible for these changes remained unclear. The new study sought to determine whether inflammatory cytokines themselves could be driving these effects.

The researchers focused on two powerful pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), both of which are commonly elevated during viral infections and inflammatory conditions, including severe COVID-19.


Cytokines Alone Were Enough to Trigger Long-Term Effects
Male mice were administered a single dose of either IL-1ß or TNF-a before mating with healthy female mice several weeks later. The treated males initially displayed classic sickness responses, including reduced movement, decreased food intake, weight loss, and reduced water consumption. These effects were temporary and resolved within days.

Importantly, the cytokine exposure did not affect fertility, litter sizes, sex ratios of offspring, or maternal care after birth. This allowed researchers to isolate the effects of paternal immune signaling on offspring development.

The findings revealed striking offspring changes. Male offspring of fathers exposed to TNF-a displayed increased anxiety-like behavior. They were less willing to explore open areas and showed greater hesitation during behavioral testing.

Meanwhile, offspring of fathers exposed to IL-1ß showed altered responses to fasting. These animals lost more body weight during food deprivation and consumed significantly more food after fasting, suggesting disruptions in metabolic regulation.

The researchers also found sex-specific effects. Female offspring of IL-1ß-exposed fathers demonstrated altered stress-coping behavior, spending more time immobile during stress-related testing, while male offspring showed different behavioral responses.


Sperm RNA Changes Provide Clues
One of the most important findings involved changes in sperm small non-coding RNAs. These tiny RNA molecules do not produce proteins but help regulate gene activity during early embryonic development.

Analysis revealed that IL-1ß exposure significantly altered several transfer RNA-derived small RNAs and PIWI-interacting RNA clusters in sperm. These molecular changes are considered important epigenetic signals capable of influencing developmental processes after fertilization.

Interestingly, TNF-a exposure produced fewer detectable sperm RNA alterations, despite causing measurable behavioral changes in offspring. This suggests that multiple biological pathways may be involved in transmitting paternal immune signals to future generations.

This Medical News report notes that several of the altered sperm RNA molecules were linked to biological pathways involved in gene regulation, transcriptional control, cellular development, and behavioral outcomes, providing a potential mechanistic explanation for the observed offspring effects.


Implications for COVID-19 and Future Disease Outbreaks
The findings are particularly relevant in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cytokines such as IL-1ß and TNF-a are major components of the inflammatory response triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study suggests that immune activation itself may play a crucial role in shaping biological outcomes in future offspring.

The researchers emphasize that the work was performed in mice and further studies will be required to determine whether similar mechanisms occur in humans. Nevertheless, the findings provide some of the strongest evidence to date that paternal immune responses before conception can leave lasting biological marks that influence the next generation.


Conclusions
The study provides the first direct evidence that inflammatory cytokines can act as mediators of paternal epigenetic inheritance. Exposure to IL-1ß and TNF-a before conception altered sperm small non-coding RNA profiles and produced measurable changes in offspring behavior, stress responses, anxiety-like traits, and metabolic regulation. These findings help explain how infections such as COVID-19 may exert effects beyond the infected individual by influencing reproductive biology and developmental programming. The research also highlights the importance of paternal health before conception and raises important questions about how immune activation associated with viral infections could contribute to long-term neurodevelopmental and psychiatric risks in future generations.

The study findings were published in the peer reviewed Molecular Psychiatry.

Paternal cytokine administration alters sperm small ncRNAs and offspring brain and behavior - Molecular Psychiatry

Paternal pre-conceptual exposure to pathogenic infection can alter offspring phenotypes via changes to sperm epigenetics, including small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). This phenomenon occurs even in the absence of infection when pathogen mimetics trigger paternal immune activation (PIA). While this...

www.nature.com

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/study-validates-that-new-omicron-variants-such-as-ba-2-86-and-jn-1-exhibit-enhanced-tropism-for-the-human-intestines

(fair use applies)


Study Validates That New Omicron Variants Such as BA.2.86 and JN.1 Exhibit Enhanced Tropism for the Human Intestines
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jun 23, 2026


Medical News: New Research Reveals Why Recent COVID-19 Variants May Spread Differently
A groundbreaking new study has found that newer SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants, particularly BA.2.86 and JN.1, have developed an enhanced ability to infect the human small intestine. While many earlier studies focused on how COVID-19 variants affect the lungs and airways, this latest research highlights a potentially important shift in viral behavior that could influence how these variants spread among humans.

The study was conducted by researchers from the School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong; the Centre for Immunology and Infection (C2i), Hong Kong Science Park; and the Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.


Comparing Multiple Omicron Variants
Researchers examined a wide range of Omicron variants, including BA.1, BA.2, BA.5, XBB.1.5, EG.5.1, BA.2.86, and JN.1. Using human bronchial tissues, lung tissues, airway organoids, colon cells, and laboratory-grown human intestinal tissues known as proximal intestinal enteroids, the team investigated where these variants replicate most effectively.

The findings showed that variants such as XBB.1.5 and EG.5.1 replicated more efficiently in bronchial and lung tissues than BA.2.86 and JN.1. This suggests that XBB.1.5 and EG.5.1 possess stronger respiratory fitness and may be better adapted to infecting the airways and lungs.

However, the picture changed dramatically when the researchers examined tissues from the small intestine.


BA.2.86 and JN.1 Thrive in the Small Intestine
The most striking discovery was that BA.2.86 and JN.1 replicated significantly better than EG.5.1 in tissues that mimic the upper small intestine. In fact, these variants showed a clear preference for infecting intestinal cells, including enterocytes, goblet cells, and Paneth cells.

The researchers found that this enhanced intestinal infection depended heavily on two important host factors known as ACE2 and TMPRSS2. These molecules help the virus gain entry into cells. Interestingly, intestinal tissues contained higher levels of ACE2, helping explain why BA.2.86 and JN.1 were so successful in this environment.

The study also found that JN.1 was especially dependent on ACE2 and demonstrated one of the strongest intestinal infection profiles among the variants tested.


Possible Link to Fecal Transmission
An important implication of the findings is the possibility that BA.2.86 and JN.1 may spread more efficiently through fecal shedding. Previous clinical observations had already suggested that patients infected with these variants shed larger amounts of virus in stool samples.

According to the researchers, stronger replication in the small intestine could increase the amount of virus released through the dig estive tract. This Medical News report notes that many gastrointestinal viruses spread through fecal-oral transmission after replicating extensively in the intestine, raising concerns that similar mechanisms could contribute to the spread of these newer SARS-CoV-2 variants.


JN.1 May Spread Quietly
Another intriguing observation involved the body's inflammatory response. Despite replicating efficiently in intestinal tissues, JN.1 triggered relatively low levels of inflammatory cytokines compared to several other variants.
This means infected individuals may experience few or no digestive symptoms even while the virus is actively replicating in their intestines. Such silent intestinal infections could potentially allow infected individuals to unknowingly contribute to viral spread.

The researchers believe this combination of strong intestinal replication and limited inflammation may have helped JN.1 become one of the world's dominant COVID-19 variants.


Respiratory Strength Versus Intestinal Adaptation
The study highlights a major evolutionary difference among recent Omicron variants. Variants such as BA.5, XBB.1.5, and EG.5.1 appear better adapted to the respiratory tract and lungs, while BA.2.86 and JN.1 seem to have developed a stronger preference for the small intestine.

Scientists suggest that this intestinal adaptation may provide an additional transmission advantage even though these variants replicate less efficiently in respiratory tissues than some of their predecessors.


Conclusions
The study provides compelling evidence that BA.2.86 and JN.1 have evolved enhanced tropism for the human small intestine, distinguishing them from many earlier Omicron variants. Their ability to efficiently infect intestinal tissues, combined with reduced inflammatory responses and increased fecal shedding, suggests that the digestive tract may play a more important role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission than previously recognized. These findings underscore the need for continued surveillance of emerging variants and greater attention to gastrointestinal infection pathways.

The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Nature Communications.

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.86 and JN.1 expand tropism in human proximal intestinal epithelium - Nature Communications

EG.5.1 uses dual entry pathways and replicates better in alveolar cells. BA.2.86 and JN.1 depend on TMPRSS2 for airway entry but replicate more efficiently in intestinal enteroids, with JN.1 showing increased gut tropism and low inflammation.

www.nature.com

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

RFK Jr. Announces He’s Ending Emergency Liability Protection for COVID-19 Vaccine Makers

‘We’re reinforcing public confidence that emergency authorities are temporary and targeted,’ the health secretary said.

www.theepochtimes.com

(fair use applies)


RFK Jr. Announces He’s Ending Emergency Liability Protection for COVID-19 Vaccine Makers
‘We’re reinforcing public confidence that emergency authorities are temporary and targeted,’ the health secretary said.
Zachary Stieber
6/30/2026

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is ending emergency declarations for COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and medical devices, after determining that the circumstances that resulted in the declarations are no longer in place.

The health secretary in office in early 2020 issued emergency declarations, providing liability protections for companies that made products for COVID-19 and enabling regulators to issue emergency authorizations, which have a lower evidentiary threshold than regular approval.

The declarations were extended multiple times, most recently in 2024 by then-Health Secretary Xavier Becerra through the end of 2029. They provided broad immunity to manufacturers of the products, as well as people who administered them to others.

Becerra said in the latest extension that while the COVID-19 public health emergency expired in May 2023, COVID-19 “continues to present a credible risk of a future public health emergency” and that keeping the protections in place was necessary to keep the United States prepared for that threat.

Kennedy disagreed, writing in a notice of termination that “circumstances no longer exist to justify emergency use of drugs and biological products during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He cited how regulators in 2025 revoked emergency authorization for COVID-19 vaccines, transitioning to typical approval for all the shots across all available ages.

“Americans deserve a regulatory system that is transparent, accountable, and rooted in the rule of law,” Kennedy said in a statement. “By ending these COVID-19 emergency use authorization declarations, we’re reinforcing public confidence that emergency authorities are temporary and targeted.”

To terminate emergency declarations, a health secretary has to provide advance notice that would give a reasonable amount of time to companies to withdraw the products that have been generated under the declarations.

The Food and Drug Administration determined that 12 months is a sufficient period of time, according to health officials. The declarations for vaccines and drugs will thus terminate effective June 29, 2027.

The declarations for medical devices such as COVID-19 tests will only stay in place for 180 days, or until Dec. 26, 2026.

The FDA has been working with manufacturers of all products still under emergency authorization about seeking approval for continued use, and it is reasonable to conclude that manufacturers will be able to generate data that would support fresh filings to regulators, the notice stated.

Officials plan to notify Congress of the development, the Department of Health and Human Services said.

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

Supreme Court rejects legal battle over New York's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers

The dispute arose after New York's Department of Health issued an emergency rule that required healthcare workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

www.cbsnews.com

(fair use applies)


Supreme Court rejects legal battle over New York's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers
Melissa Quinn
June 29, 2026

Washington — The Supreme Court on Monday turned away a legal battle involving New York's now-repealed mandate for healthcare workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine during the pandemic.

The dispute arose after the New York Department of Health issued an emergency rule in 2021 that required all licensed healthcare workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to address the spread of the virus in medical facilities and nursing homes. State officials said the rule allowed healthcare employers to accommodate religious exemptions in certain ways, but did not permit blanket exemptions from the vaccine mandate.

The vaccine requirement was repealed as of October 2023 after the Biden administration ended the federal COVID-19 public health emergency.

A group of employees at New York healthcare facilities sought religious exemptions from the vaccine mandate, arguing that their sincerely held religious beliefs prevented them from receiving the COVID-19 shots. But their employers rejected the workers' requests for religious accommodations and fired them.

They then filed a lawsuit against Gov. Kathy Hochul and other state officials, as well as their employers — New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System, Trinity Health and Westchester Medical Center Advanced Physician Services.

The workers, who are unnamed in court papers, argued that their employers' refusal to grant exemptions violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits workplace discrimination because of religion and requires employers to make religious accommodations unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on their business.

They also said that Title VII trumps the state's vaccination mandate.

A federal district court tossed out the case, and an appeals court upheld that decision.

The workers appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit allows state rules to supersede Title VII's requirements that employers provide religious accommodations.

"State laws that are contrary to federal nondiscrimination laws must yield to the demands of federal law," they wrote in a filing with the Supreme Court.

The former healthcare workers argued New York's COVID-19 vaccine mandate sanctioned the "blanket rejection" of all requests for religious accommodations under Title VII regarding the shots, regardless of whether they were reasonable or whether the accommodations could be provided without undue hardship.

The 2nd Circuit, they said, "permitted compliance with contrary state laws to excuse noncompliance with Title VII. This cannot be the law, and the Nation's Charter demands a different outcome."

But the healthcare facilities argued that state law did not forbid employers from providing any religious accommodation, only "complete exemptions" on religious grounds.

The rule "did not prohibit the healthcare respondents from granting any accommodation whatsoever to petitioners. It merely prohibited the particular accommodation on which petitioners insisted: namely, a complete exemption," they wrote in a Supreme Court filing.

Hochul and other state officials, meanwhile, told the high court that the state's vaccine rule doesn't prohibit all religious accommodations. Instead, it allowed employers to offer options that moved unvaccinated workers into roles that wouldn't expose personnel, patients or nursing home residents to COVID-19 if they were infected.

"The rule thus allowed religious accommodations, albeit not petitioners' preferred accommodation, in accordance with Title VII," they argued in a filing. "When the rule's scope is properly understood, this case does not present any question about the validity of a state law that, unlike the rule here, prohibits employers from providing any religious accommodations whatsoever."

 

[Tristan]

RFK Jr. Announces He’s Ending Emergency Liability Protection for COVID-19 Vaccine Makers

‘We’re reinforcing public confidence that emergency authorities are temporary and targeted,’ the health secretary said.

www.theepochtimes.com

(fair use applies)


RFK Jr. Announces He’s Ending Emergency Liability Protection for COVID-19 Vaccine Makers
‘We’re reinforcing public confidence that emergency authorities are temporary and targeted,’ the health secretary said.
Zachary Stieber
6/30/2026

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is ending emergency declarations for COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and medical devices, after determining that the circumstances that resulted in the declarations are no longer in place.

The health secretary in office in early 2020 issued emergency declarations, providing liability protections for companies that made products for COVID-19 and enabling regulators to issue emergency authorizations, which have a lower evidentiary threshold than regular approval.

The declarations were extended multiple times, most recently in 2024 by then-Health Secretary Xavier Becerra through the end of 2029. They provided broad immunity to manufacturers of the products, as well as people who administered them to others.

Becerra said in the latest extension that while the COVID-19 public health emergency expired in May 2023, COVID-19 “continues to present a credible risk of a future public health emergency” and that keeping the protections in place was necessary to keep the United States prepared for that threat.

Kennedy disagreed, writing in a notice of termination that “circumstances no longer exist to justify emergency use of drugs and biological products during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

He cited how regulators in 2025 revoked emergency authorization for COVID-19 vaccines, transitioning to typical approval for all the shots across all available ages.

“Americans deserve a regulatory system that is transparent, accountable, and rooted in the rule of law,” Kennedy said in a statement. “By ending these COVID-19 emergency use authorization declarations, we’re reinforcing public confidence that emergency authorities are temporary and targeted.”

To terminate emergency declarations, a health secretary has to provide advance notice that would give a reasonable amount of time to companies to withdraw the products that have been generated under the declarations.

The Food and Drug Administration determined that 12 months is a sufficient period of time, according to health officials. The declarations for vaccines and drugs will thus terminate effective June 29, 2027.

The declarations for medical devices such as COVID-19 tests will only stay in place for 180 days, or until Dec. 26, 2026.

The FDA has been working with manufacturers of all products still under emergency authorization about seeking approval for continued use, and it is reasonable to conclude that manufacturers will be able to generate data that would support fresh filings to regulators, the notice stated.

Officials plan to notify Congress of the development, the Department of Health and Human Services said.

Well damn, that took a minute!

Um, meant to say that it's good to see some movement in that area.

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

The Evolutionary Legacy of Mass Covid-19 Vaccination

I recently came through the following preprint: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.11.731720v1.

voiceforscienceandsolidarity.substack.com

(fair use applies)


EMPHASIS IN ORIGINAL (not mine)

The Evolutionary Legacy of Mass Covid-19 Vaccination
Geert Vanden Bossche
Jul 01, 2026

I recently came through the following preprint: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.11.731720v1.

I am not convinced that the data presented in this preprint will deliver the new insights into the life cycle and global evolution of SARS-CoV-2 (SC-2) that the authors appear to anticipate. My concern is that the study interprets viral evolution largely through a conventional virological lens while underestimating the profound impact that population-level immune dynamics have had on viral adaptation in highly COVID-19 (C-19)-vaccinated populations.

I am therefore trying to reconstruct the chain of evolutionary events as I see it, so that the individual pieces of the puzzle can be understood as parts of a coherent evolutionary process:

- Mass C-19 vaccination during ongoing viral circulation created strong population-level immune pressure on transmissible SC-2 variants.​

​

- This pressure favored the emergence and selection of increasingly infectious immune escape variants.​

​

- These variants generated repeated vaccine-breakthrough infections (VBTIs).​

​

- Repeated VBTIs progressively reinforced immune refocusing toward increasingly obsolete viral targets.​

​

- Immune refocusing contributed to increasingly dysfunctional and less effective antiviral adaptive immune responses.​

​

- Such immune dysfunction created favorable conditions for prolonged and chronic SC-2 infections in susceptible individuals (‘long Covid’).​

​

- Prolonged infections provided an ideal environment for accelerated intra-host viral evolution and the emergence of highly mutated saltation variants under sustained immune pressure.​

​

- Following their emergence, these saltation variants were subjected to population-level selection in highly C-19-vaccinated populations.​

​

- However, the transmissibility gains conferred by successive immune escape mutations have become increasingly marginal, resulting in the long-term co-circulation of only a limited number variant families that have converged on similar adaptive solutions (i.e., XFG, NB.1.8.1 and BA.3.2).​

​

- This prolonged co-circulation under narrowing evolutionary constraints is now creating the conditions for a major evolutionary phase transition, which I have referred to as Hi-Vi-Cron.​

In my view, the current evolutionary landscape is therefore not one of stable endemicity, but of metastability. The virus continues to adapt, yet increasingly within a restricted evolutionary corridor in which additional immune escape yields diminishing returns. Such systems do not typically evolve through endless fine-tuning. When incremental adaptive pathways become exhausted, evolutionary systems tend to reorganize — sometimes abruptly and dramatically.

My conclusion remains that mass vaccination with non-sterilizing C-19 vaccines during the circulation of increasingly transmissible SC-2 variants has laid the groundwork for a prolonged immune escape pandemic and may ultimately favor the emergence of a fundamentally different viral phenotype capable of triggering a major evolutionary phase transition in highly C-19-vaccinated populations.

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-causes-premature-aging

(fair use applies)


COVID-19 Causes Premature Aging
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jun 26, 2026

Emerging research is reshaping how the medical community views the long-term fallout from SARS-CoV-2 infections. Beyond acute respiratory illness and well-documented long COVID symptoms, mounting evidence reveals that COVID-19 can accelerate biological aging at the cellular and molecular levels, effectively causing premature aging in many survivors. This phenomenon involves epigenetic modifications, telomere erosion, vascular stiffening, and even accelerated brain aging, with effects persisting months or years after recovery.


Epigenetic Clocks Uncover Accelerated Biological Aging
A landmark 2022 study published in Nature Communications by Cao and colleagues provided compelling evidence of this process. Researchers analyzed DNA methylation profiles from 413 COVID-19 patients (194 non-severe and 213 severe cases) and 232 healthy controls using the Illumina EPIC array. They applied five epigenetic clocks—Horvath (multi-tissue), Hannum (blood-specific), PhenoAge, skinHorvath, and GrimAge—along with a DNA methylation-based telomere length estimator.

COVID-19 patients exhibited significantly older DNA methylation ages across most clocks compared to controls. After adjusting for chronological age, significant epigenetic age acceleration occurred for Hannum, PhenoAge, skinHorvath, and GrimAge clocks (all p < 0.0001), alongside accelerated telomere attrition (p < 0.0001). Patterns held in both younger (<50 years) and older (=50 years) subgroups. Acceleration increased progressively from healthy individuals to non-severe patients to severe cases. Severe patients showed the strongest acceleration across all clocks and telomere measures (p < 0.0001 versus controls; p < 0.05 versus non-severe). GrimAge demonstrated the most pronounced differences linked to severity. Patients developing pneumonia also exhibited greater acceleration.

Longitudinal analysis in a smaller cohort of six patients and controls revealed that epigenetic age acceleration peaked during early inflammatory and critical phases but partially reversed during convalescence in some individuals. Telomere attrition followed a similar trajectory but showed less consistent reversal. These findings suggest COVID-19 perturbs the epigenetic landscape, with potential contributions to post-COVID syndrome.


Telomere Shortening Parallels Premature Aging in Survivors
Telomeres—protective caps on chromosomes—shorten with normal aging, but COVID-19 appears to hasten this process. A 2021 study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences by Mongelli and colleagues examined 117 post-COVID-19 survivors and 144 COVID-free controls using pyrosequencing of four CpG sites (Bekaert’s algorithm) for biological age estimation and telomere length measurement.

Post-COVID survivors displayed a mean DeltaAge (biological minus chronological age) of 10.45 ± 7.29 years, representing an acceleration of approximately 5.25 years beyond the method’s normal range of variability. Controls averaged 3.68 ± 8.17 years. The difference was statis tically significant (p < 0.0001). Notably, acceleration was prominent even in younger survivors under 60 years. Telomere length was dramatically shorter in the post-COVID group (3.03 ± 2.39 kb versus 10.67 ± 11.69 kb in controls; p < 0.0001). ACE2 receptor expression was also reduced in survivors. These epigenetic and telomeric changes may underlie persistent symptoms and impaired tissue regeneration.

Supporting data from a 2022 longitudinal study by Pang and colleagues (21 participants, median 8.35 weeks post-diagnosis) showed PhenoAge acceleration of 2.1 years and GrimAge of 0.84 years in individuals over 50 following infection. Younger participants exhibited some deceleration, possibly due to robust immune activation. A 2024 review in Frontiers in Immunology confirmed consistent patterns of epigenetic dysregulation and telomere shortening across multiple studies, especially in severe cases.


Vascular and Brain Aging Add to the Picture
COVID-19’s systemic effects extend to blood vessels. The 2025 CARTESIAN study published in the European Heart Journal (nearly 2,390 participants across 16 countries, mean age 50) measured carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), a key marker of arterial stiffness and vascular age. All COVID-positive groups showed significantly higher PWV (approximately +0.4 m/s) versus controls at six-month follow-up. Effects were strongest in women: +0.55 m/s (mild), +0.60 m/s (hospitalized), and +1.09 m/s (ICU). An increase of ~0.5 m/s equates to roughly five years of vascular aging and a 3% higher cardiovascular disease risk in a 60-year-old woman. Persistent symptoms correlated with higher PWV in women. At 12 months, PWV stabilized or improved in COVID groups while progressing in controls.

Brain imaging studies add another layer. Research published in Nature Communications (2025) found the COVID-19 pandemic itself accelerated gray and white matter aging by an average 5.5-month brain age gap, independent of infection in many cases, likely due to stress, isolation, and health disruptions. Effects were more pronounced in those who had COVID-19 and correlated with reduced cognitive performance in infected individuals.


Mechanisms Driving Premature Aging
Inflammation (“inflammaging”), oxidative stress, immune cell dysregulation, and direct viral effects on cellular pathways likely contribute. Shortened telomeres may upregulate ACE2, increasing susceptibility, while epigenetic shifts reflect immune exhaustion and senescence.

This Medical News report raises concerns for long COVID, where fatigue, cognitive issues, and cardiovascular risks may stem partly from accelerated aging. Younger survivors appear particularly vulnerable to epigenetic remodeling. In Thailand and globally, this underscores the need for long-term monitoring, lifestyle interventions (exercise, anti-inflammatory diets), and further research into therapies targeting senescence or telomerase activation.

The accumulating data paint a clear picture: COVID-19 does more than cause temporary illness—it can leave lasting molecular scars that speed up the aging process across multiple organ systems, with severity-dependent impacts that may influence quality of life for years. Partial recovery of epigenetic markers in convalescence highlights biological plasticity, yet the overall burden on survivors, especially those with severe disease or persistent symptoms, demands proactive clinical attention and public health strategies focused on prevention and rehabilitation.


References:

Accelerated biological aging in COVID-19 patients - Nature Communications

Age is a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe disease. Here the authors perform DNA methylation analyses in whole blood from COVID-19 patients using established epigenetic clocks and telomere length estimators, and describing correlations between epigenetic aging and the risk of...

www.nature.com

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/11/6151

Covid infection ages blood vessels, especially in women

Frontiers | The impact of COVID-19 on “biological aging”

https://publications.ersnet.org/content/erj/62/suppl67/pa3916

Accelerated immune ageing is associated with COVID-19 disease severity - Immunity & Ageing

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/yet-another-study-validates-that-covid-19-accelerates-aging

(fair use applies)


Yet Another Study Validates That COVID-19 Accelerates Aging
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jun 26, 2026


Researchers Discover That COVID-19 Leaves Lasting Changes in the Immune System That Resemble Faster Biological Aging
Scientists have uncovered more evidence that COVID-19 does much more than cause a temporary viral illness. A new study has found that the virus can leave behind long-lasting changes in the immune system that closely resemble accelerated biological aging. The findings suggest that even after recovery from infection, the immune system may behave as though it has aged faster than expected.

The research was led by scientists from the Key Laboratory of Geriatrics, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, National Health Commission, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, together with researchers from Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, and Capital Medical University, all in China.


A New Way to Measure Immune Aging
The research team analyzed blood samples from 195 healthy adults aged between 25 and 93 years and also followed 94 of these individuals after they had recovered from COVID-19. Using advanced immune sequencing technology, they examined millions of immune receptor patterns found on T cells and B cells, the body's frontline defenders against infections.

The researchers then developed a sophisticated "immune aging clock" using machine learning. Instead of simply looking at a person's calendar age, the new tool estimated biological aging based on how the immune system had changed over time.


COVID-19 Made the Immune System Look Older
The study revealed that aging naturally reduces the diversity of immune cells, making it harder for the body to recognize and fight new infections. However, COVID-19 dramatically intensified these age-related changes.

People who had recovered from COVID-19 showed fewer unique immune cell clones, reduced immune diversity, larger populations of over-expanded immune cells, and significant alterations in the genes and amino acids used to build immune receptors. These are all characteristics normally associated with older age.

The researchers also discovered that immune diversity declined sharply around the age of 60, but COVID-19 appeared to push the immune system further along this aging pathway regardless of a person's actual age.


Machine Learning Confirmed Accelerated Biological Aging
One of the most important findings was that the newly developed immune aging clock consistently estimated older biological ages in people who had recovered from COVID-19. Their calculated biological age exceeded their actual age, indicating accelerated immune aging.

This & lt;strong>Medical News report highlights that the researchers also found reduced intrinsic capacity among post-COVID participants. Intrinsic capacity refers to the body's overall physical and mental ability to function, suggesting that immune aging may be linked to broader declines in health and resilience.

The study also found evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection altered immune memory. Certain immune cell populations expanded dramatically after infection, particularly those linked to SARS-CoV-2, while the overall immune repertoire became less diverse and more unevenly distributed. Older adults showed a weaker ability to generate new immune clones after infection, suggesting a reduced capacity to respond to future health threats.


Important Implications for Long COVID and Healthy Aging
The findings provide strong evidence that COVID-19 may speed up processes normally associated with aging of the immune system. Such immune remodeling could help explain why some people continue experiencing health problems months or even years after infection and why repeated infections may have cumulative effects on long-term health.

The researchers believe that their immune aging clock may eventually become a valuable clinical tool for identifying individuals at higher risk of immune decline, age-related diseases, and persistent post-COVID complications.


Conclusion
The study provides compelling evidence that COVID-19 leaves lasting biological effects that extend well beyond the initial infection. By accelerating changes normally seen during aging, the virus appears to weaken immune diversity, promote abnormal immune cell expansion, and reduce overall immune resilience. The newly developed immune aging clock offers an innovative way to measure these changes and may become an important tool for monitoring long-term health after COVID-19. The findings also reinforce growing concerns that preventing repeated infections remains important for preserving healthy aging and maintaining a strong immune system throughout life.

The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Aging Cell.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acel.70580

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/cat-s-claw-extracts-show-potential-to-block-sars-cov-2-cell-entry

(fair use applies)


Cat’s Claw Extracts Show Potential to Block SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jun 30, 2026


Traditional Plant Use Sparks Scientific Interest
A new study conducted by researchers from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and the Universidade Federal do Maranhão (Brazil) has found that a traditional medicinal plant, commonly known as cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa), may help block the COVID-19 virus from entering human cells.

During the pandemic, many communities relied on natural remedies due to limited access to healthcare, prompting scientists to investigate whether these practices have scientific merit.


Widespread Use of Medicinal Plants During COVID-19
Researchers surveyed 400 individuals in São Luís, Brazil, and found that 22.75% used medicinal plants to prevent or manage COVID-19 symptoms. Usage was higher among older adults and women.

Most participants depended on advice from family and friends rather than healthcare professionals. A significant number also used medicinal plants alongside prescription drugs without informing their doctors, raising safety concerns.


Cat’s Claw Identified as the Most Popular Remedy
Among 38 medicinal plants reported, cat’s claw emerged as the most frequently used. Traditionally known for its anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting properties, it was commonly consumed as a tea made from its leaves. Despite its widespread use, scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness against COVID-19 has been limited until now.


Laboratory Tests Reveal Strong Virus Blocking Activity
Researchers tested extracts from both the leaves and the stem bark to evaluate their ability to block the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the ACE2 receptor, a critical step for viral entry into human cells.

The findings showed that stem bark extracts were significantly more effective. Ethanolic extracts achieved up to 98.09% inhibition, while water-based extracts showed 73.40% inhibition. Leaf extracts showed much lower activity.


Key Compounds Behind the Effects
Chemical analysis identified important bioactive compounds in the plant, including oxindole alkaloids and flavonoids. These compounds are known for their antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immune-modulating properties and likely contribute to the observed effects.

This Medical News report highlights the importance of exploring traditional medicinal plants as potential sources of new antiviral agents.


Safety Concerns and Usage Gaps
The study also revealed that many individuals used medicinal plants without proper medical guidance, especially alongside conventional medications, increasing potential health risks.

Additionally, although the bark showed stronger activity in laboratory tests, most people used the leaves due to availability, indicating a gap between traditional use and scientific findings.


Conclusion
The study provides strong preliminary evidence that Uncaria tomentosa contains compounds capable of interfering with the entry of the SARS-CoV-2 virus into human cells. However, these findings are based on laboratory experiments and do not confirm clinical effectiveness in humans. Further research, including controlled human trials, is necessary to determine safety, proper dosing, and therapeutic value. The results also emphasize the importance of aligning traditional medicinal practices with scientific validation while ensuring safe and informed use.

The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Plants

https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/15/13/1998

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/study-finds-that-covid-19-raises-risk-of-developing-obstructive-sleep-apnea-even-years-later

(fair use applies)


Study Finds That COVID-19 Raises Risk of Developing Obstructive Sleep Apnea Even Years Later
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jul 02, 2026

Millions of people who recover from COVID-19 may continue facing unexpected health challenges long after the infection has passed. A new study has found that the virus is linked to a significantly higher risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a serious sleep disorder that can increase the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cognitive decline.

Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, New York, USA, discovered that the increased risk remained evident for as long as 4.5 years after infection, regardless of whether patients were hospitalized or managed their illness at home. This Medical News report highlights findings that could reshape long-term follow-up care for millions of COVID-19 survivors.


Large Study Followed More Than 900,000 Adults
The research team analyzed electronic health records from 910,393 adults who underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing between March 2020 and August 2024 within the Montefiore Health System in New York. Individuals with a previous diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea or inadequate follow-up were excluded to ensure only newly diagnosed cases were evaluated.

Participants were grouped into hospitalized COVID-19 patients, non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and COVID-negative individuals. After adjusting for age, medical conditions, socioeconomic factors, vaccination status, and other variables, researchers found that hospitalized patients had a 41% higher risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea, while non-hospitalized patients had a 33% higher risk compared to people who never tested positive.

To strengthen the findings, the researchers also compared results with a historical pre-pandemic group of 621,046 people. The increased risk remained consistent, confirming that COVID-19 itself appears to be independently associated with the later development of sleep apnea.


Why COVID-19 May Trigger Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, causing interrupted breathing, reduced oxygen levels, and frequent awakenings that often go unnoticed.

The researchers believe several biological mechanisms may explain why COVID-19 increases the risk. Persistent inflammation after infection may weaken the muscles that keep the airway open during sleep. Elevated inflammatory molecules, including IL-6 and TNF-a, may interfere with breathing control while damaging the body's normal respiratory regulation.

COVID-19 has also been shown to affect the nervous system, including areas of the brainstem responsible for controlling breathing. Long-lasting autonomic nervous system dysfunction, persistent fatigue, muscle weakness, and changes in body weight following infection may further increase the likelihood of airway collapse during sleep. Toge ther, these factors may either trigger entirely new cases of sleep apnea or reveal previously silent disease.


Certain Groups Face Even Greater Risk
The study found that some populations were especially vulnerable.

Among hospitalized patients, younger adults under 60 years of age, Black individuals, and people with asthma showed stronger links between COVID-19 and new sleep apnea diagnoses.

Among patients who were never hospitalized, women, Hispanic individuals, and people with multiple chronic medical conditions experienced particularly elevated risks.

Interestingly, vaccination status did not significantly change the likelihood of developing sleep apnea after COVID-19, suggesting that the mechanisms responsible for this complication may not be fully prevented by vaccination alone.


Serious Health Problems May Follow
The consequences extended beyond disturbed sleep. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients who later developed obstructive sleep apnea also faced significantly greater risks of heart failure and pulmonary hypertension compared to COVID-negative individuals.

Among non-hospitalized patients, developing sleep apnea was associated with an increased risk of obesity, adding another layer of concern because obesity itself can worsen sleep apnea, creating a harmful cycle that may progressively damage overall health.

The researchers emphasized that many people experiencing ongoing fatigue, poor concentration, excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, or breathing pauses during sleep after COVID-19 should be evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea, even if they do not fit the traditional profile for the condition.


Conclusion
The findings provide compelling evidence that COVID-19 can have lasting effects on sleep health by increasing the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea years after infection. The results also suggest that the virus may trigger biological changes affecting breathing regulation, inflammation, nerve function, and muscle control. Early screening of high-risk COVID-19 survivors could allow earlier diagnosis and treatment, potentially reducing future cardiovascular complications and improving long-term quality of life for millions of patients worldwide.

The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Scientific Reports.

Risk of new-onset obstructive sleep apnea up to 4.5 years after COVID-19 in the urban population - Scientific Reports

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive morbidity. Although COVID-19 has been associated with long-term respiratory and neurological sequelae, its role in precipitating new-onset OSA remains unclear. We evaluated whether SARS-CoV-2 infection increases...

www.nature.com

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-may-be-triggering-sleep-problems-that-last-for-over-a-year

(fair use applies)


COVID-19 May Be Triggering Sleep Problems That Last for Over a Year
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jul 04, 2026

For many people, recovering from COVID-19 does not always mean a complete return to normal health. A growing body of research suggests that sleep problems can continue long after the infection has cleared, affecting daily life, mental well-being, and overall health. A new study by researchers from the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, and the Center for Community Health and Health Equity at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, has found that many COVID-19 survivors continue to struggle with insomnia, fatigue, excessive daytime sleepiness, and even vivid dreams for more than a year after infection.


Researchers Examined Long-Term Sleep Changes
The investigators analyzed data from 245 adults who had previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Participants completed detailed surveys comparing their sleep habits before and after COVID-19 infection. The average participant was 53 years old, with women making up nearly three-quarters of the study group. Researchers also reviewed medical records to account for existing health conditions and medications that could influence sleep.


Sleep Became Harder After COVID-19
The findings revealed a clear deterioration in sleep quality following infection. Before contracting COVID-19, about 31% of participants reported difficulty falling asleep. After infection, that figure climbed to 39%. Problems staying asleep increased even more dramatically, rising from 43% to 57%.

Researchers also found that the use of sleep medications increased after COVID-19. At the same time, participants were far more likely to report waking up feeling unrefreshed, experiencing persistent daytime fatigue, and taking naps during the day because of overwhelming tiredness. These changes suggest that COVID-19 affects not only nighttime sleep but also daytime functioning and energy levels.


Unexpected Rise in Vivid Dreams and Hallucinations
One of the most surprising discoveries was the increase in unusual dream-related experiences.

More than 31% of participants developed vivid dreams after recovering from COVID-19. Reports of hypnagogic hallucinations—dream-like experiences occurring while falling asleep—also increased significantly. Although these symptoms are sometimes associated with neurological sleep disorders, researchers noted that this appears to be among the first studies documenting their persistence after COVID-19 infection.

Interestingly, snoring did not increase significantly, suggesting that the virus mainly affected insomnia-related sleep disturbances rather than breathing-related sleep disorders. This Medical News report highlights that the virus may influence the brain's sleep regulation systems in ways scientists are only beginning to understand.


Problems Continued Beyond One Year
Perhaps the most concerning finding was the persistence of symptoms. Nearly 28% of participants continued experiencing sleep disturbances for more than 12 months after their initial COVID-19 infection. Difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, daytime fatigue, frequent napping, vivid dreams, and hallucination-like experiences remained common well beyond a year.

Researchers also observed shifts in sleep duration. Many participants slept fewer hours than they had before becoming infected, while a smaller number reported sleeping longer than usual. Women appeared to be more affected than men, with statistically significant changes in sleep duration occurring primarily among female participants. Importantly, these sleep problems occurred regardless of whether participants had conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, or anxiety and depression, suggesting that COVID-19 itself played an important role.


Why These Findings Matter
Sleep is essential for immune function, memory, emotional health, and physical recovery. Persistent insomnia and daytime fatigue can reduce work performance, increase the risk of accidents, worsen mood disorders, and negatively affect quality of life.

The researchers believe their findings strengthen evidence that long COVID extends well beyond respiratory symptoms. Instead, it appears capable of producing lasting neurological and sleep-related effects that deserve greater attention from healthcare providers. Identifying and treating these problems early may improve recovery and reduce the long-term burden experienced by COVID-19 survivors.


Conclusion
The study demonstrates that COVID-19 can leave behind long-lasting sleep disturbances that persist for more than a year in a substantial number of people. Beyond insomnia, survivors may experience excessive fatigue, altered sleep duration, vivid dreams, and unusual sleep-related hallucinations that continue long after the initial illness. The findings underscore the importance of recognizing sleep disorders as a significant component of long COVID and highlight the need for larger, more diverse studies to understand the underlying biological mechanisms and develop effective treatments that restore healthy sleep and improve long-term recovery.

The study findings were published on a preprint server and are currently being peer reviewed.

https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202305.0836

 

[bev]

My DH started complaining of a sore throat and felt some swelling there a couple days ago. Yesterday he walked the dog and came back saying he just didn’t feel good. Nothing specific except the sore throat.

He felt the same this morning and went to urgent care, thinking it might be strep. Nope, it’s Covid!

He was given a rx for an anti-viral - if he had no insurance, it would have been $1,200!

He has had “long Covid“ since 2020, when he was sick enough with it to require 10 days in the hospital.

Yes, he was fully vaxxed.

 

[bev]

Heliobas Disciple - many thanks for all your work on this subject!

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

My DH started complaining of a sore throat and felt some swelling there a couple days ago. Yesterday he walked the dog and came back saying he just didn’t feel good. Nothing specific except the sore throat.

He felt the same this morning and went to urgent care, thinking it might be strep. Nope, it’s Covid!

He was given a rx for an anti-viral - if he had no insurance, it would have been $1,200!

He has had “long Covid“ since 2020, when he was sick enough with it to require 10 days in the hospital.

Yes, he was fully vaxxed.

I am so sorry for him to read this. Covid is still around and I'm about to post evidence of exactly that in the next post. There are plenty of home remedies on this thread - zinc with quercitin, elderberry, Vitamin C and D are some of them. I hope this passes quickly for him and doesn't make any long covid he may still be dealing with worse. I will add my prayers for him.

HD

 

[Heliobas Disciple]

In light of what Bev posted, I am going to post a few headlines and the first paragraph of each article in one post instead of devoting a post to each of them. You get a better picture of what's going on to see them all in one place.

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-cases-increasing-gradually-in-japan-once-again

(fair use applies)

COVID-19 Cases Increasing Gradually in Japan Once Again
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jul 06, 2026
Weekly Surveillance Shows Steady Rise
Japan is witnessing another gradual increase in COVID-19 activity, according to the latest weekly sentinel surveillance data released on July 3, 2026. During the week of June 22–28, the nationwide average climbed to 1.08 COVID-19 patients per medical facility, up by 0.23 from the previous week. The figures are based on reports from about 5,000 medical institutions participating in Japan's fixed-point observation system, now the country's primary method of tracking community transmission.

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/australia-reports-rise-in-covid-19-infections-in-new-south-wales-with-1098-new-cases-and-a-positivity-rate-of-3-3-percent

(fair use applies)

Australia Reports Rise In COVID-19 Infections in New South Wales with 1,098 New Cases and a Positivity Rate of 3.3 Percent
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jul 06, 2026
Winter Surveillance Detects Mild Increase in COVID-19 Activity
New South Wales has recorded a rise in COVID-19 infections during the latest respiratory surveillance period, with health officials confirming 1,098 new notifications for the week ending June 27, 2026. The figure represents a 7.5 percent increase from the previous reporting week. This Medical News report highlights that despite the increase, NSW Health continues to classify overall COVID-19 activity as remaining at a low level while closely monitoring trends through July.

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/who-warns-of-rising-covid-19-infections-with-7000-new-cases-in-brazil-and-3600-in-thailand-over-28-days-ending-june-14

(fair use applies)

WHO Warns of Rising COVID-19 Infections with 7,000 New Cases in Brazil and 3,600 in Thailand Over 28 Days Ending June 14
James Josh Fact checked by: TMN
Jul 06, 2026
WHO Data Signals Continued COVID-19 Activity
New data from the World Health Organization COVID-19 dashboard shows that COVID-19 infections continue to rise in both Brazil and Thailand. Over the 28-day period ending June 14, approximately 7,000 new cases were officially reported in Brazil, while Thailand recorded about 3,600 cases. Latest official updates from WHO are still pending, suggesting the figures may change as additional reports are received. This Medical News report highlights growing concerns that official statistics may underestimate the true scale of ongoing transmission.

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/quezon-city-in-philippines-records-sharp-265-percent-surge-in-covid-19-cases-as-health-officials-intensify-surveillance

(fair use applies)

Quezon City in Philippines Records Sharp 265 Percent Surge in COVID-19 Cases as Health Officials Intensify Surveillance
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jul 07, 2026
COVID-19 Cases Climb Rapidly Across the Philippine Capital
The Quezon City government has reported a significant increase in COVID-19 infections, raising concerns as health authorities continue to monitor transmission trends across the city. According to the Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division (QCESD), confirmed COVID-19 cases for 2026 have now reached 146 following a dramatic rise over the past several weeks. In this Medical News report, the latest surveillance data highlights a worrying resurgence while reinforcing the importance of public health precautions.

https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/taiwanese-health-officials-warn-of-possible-summer-covid-19-surge-as-cases-starts-rising

(fair use applies)

Taiwanese Health Officials Warn of Possible Summer COVID-19 Surge as Cases Starts Rising
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team
Jul 07, 2026
Taiwan Closely Monitors Rising COVID-19 Activity
Taiwanese health authorities are warning that the country could face a summer increase in COVID-19 infections after surveillance data showed virus activity has risen for three consecutive weeks. While overall case numbers remain far below those recorded in previous years, officials from Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) say the steady upward trend, together with increasing global activity, warrants close monitoring. This Medical News report highlights the latest developments as authorities strengthen preparedness and encourage additional preventive measures among vulnerable populations.