In June 2021, the world got some more good news about the fight against COVID-19. A vaccine developed by Novavax, Inc., showed in phase 3 clinical trials that it offers a greater than 90 percent efficacy at preventing symptomatic infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Officially called NVX-CoV2373, this vaccine also offers 100 percent protection from moderate and severe COVID infections, which typically require medical treatment and hospitalization. 

For individuals in high-risk categories—those aged 65 or older, and younger people with serious underlying health conditions—the protein-based Novavax vaccine demonstrated 91 percent efficacy in keeping them from developing symptoms of COVID-19. 

These results are approximately equal to those obtained with the currently authorized Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.

The phase 3 research showed that the Novavax vaccine is safe and, overall, well-tolerated by recipients. Similar to the transitory side effects experienced by many people who have received the other COVID vaccines, the Novavax trial participants reported a day or two of headaches, muscle aches, and fatigue. And like the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the Novavax product requires a regimen of two shots in order to achieve proper effectiveness. 

Novavax, Inc., is a smaller pharmaceutical manufacturer based in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The company’s vaccine development was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and a research department of the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.

Help beyond borders

Experts note that the Novavax product may be more useful beyond the U.S., since the country’s vaccine supply is currently saturated with the previously approved brands. Novavax’s leadership has stated that they are considering waiting for emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration until the fall of 2021. Meanwhile, looking toward a likely role in stemming COVID-19 in the rest of the world, Novavax has applied for official licensing in India, South Korea, the European Union, and the United Kingdom. 

The company plans to manufacture approximately 100 million doses monthly by the close of the third quarter of 2021, followed by about 150 million per month by the end of the year. 

Novavax’s results highlight the question of vaccine access for less-resourced countries like India and other nations still in the thick of battle against COVID-19. The fact that the new vaccine can be stored at room temperature enhances its suitability for the developing world. 

A global perspective on public health

As time progresses, the U.S.’s supply of authorized vaccines—the mRNA-based Pfizer and Moderna and the one-shot, adenovirus-based Johnson & Johnson—is growing. The U.S. simply may not need to provide additional emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for new vaccines, since it already has a steady supply of safe and reliable options.  

Through the international vaccine-sharing program Gavi, Novavax has already committed to distributing more than 1 billion doses in countries where the need remains great. 

The question of booster shots for immunity does carve out another potential role for Novavax in the U.S., however: the new vaccine’s protein-based structure likely gives it the potential to be effective at amplifying the protection of different vaccines administered previously.

Bitcoin experienced notable price fluctuations over the span of only a few months in the first half of 2021, even considering that volatility is built into its design as a nascent asset class.  

Although bitcoin reached an all-time high in April of $64,829.14, by June 8 it had dropped by almost half. Looking at bitcoin’s value over the entire preceding 12 months, however, its price still remained up by more than 230 percent. The continued interest is driven largely by growing confidence on the part of big corporations such as Elon Musk’s Tesla, and by institutional investors generally.

El Salvador makes it official

One country had enough confidence in the world’s best-known cryptocurrency to officially make it legal for use in all transactions. On June 9, media reported that El Salvador became the first nation to pass legislation declaring bitcoin to be legal tender within its borders. The so-called Bitcoin Law cleared the small Central American nation’s congress with a strong majority, with 62 of 84 legislators voting in favor.

The new law allows citizens of El Salvador to pay their taxes in bitcoin, and merchants can display prices in bitcoin. Additionally, bitcoin will not be subject to taxes on capital gains. Within days of the passage of the law, even small neighborhood stores in the economically distressed country were posting signs saying they accepted payment in bitcoin.

Shortly after El Salvador’s vote, the price of Bitcoin rose to $34,239.17, an increase of 5 percent. 

But is it viable?

Critics noted that it remains undetermined exactly how El Salvador’s government will be able to roll out use of bitcoin in the real world. Based on bitcoin’s history of mercurial price fluctuations, there are still plenty of experts who doubt its stability as any type of approved national currency over the long term.

 Before the new law, the only current official currency of El Salvador was the United States dollar. The country’s Bitcoin Law provides that the exchange rate between the cryptocurrency and the dollar will be “freely established by the market.”

A geothermal edge

Furthermore, El Salvador plans to mine bitcoin using geothermal energy from volcanoes. Only hours after the Bitcoin Law was passed, President Nayib Bukele ordered the state-owned geothermal energy company to come up with a plan for using geothermal energy to facilitate bitcoin mining. El Salvador and its neighbors have recently focused heavily on developing their geothermal power, given the region’s hundreds of volcanoes.

By the beginning of June 2021, Dogecoin (DOGE) had come out of a recent downturn to reach a year-over-year price increase of more than 12,000 percent. The popular—and controversial—cryptocurrency’s rise is partly thanks to heavy promotion by Elon Musk and other celebrity investors. But its success is also anchored in what increasing numbers of experts view as an intriguing overall brand and potential (though ultimately unlikely) big-payday investment opportunity.

Cheap, accessible, and appealing

Dogecoin is an open-source, peer-to-peer cryptocurrency that got its start in late 2013. It was originally conceived as a joke, and is still viewed as an altcoin, a cryptocurrency with notable differences from the original Bitcoin. Dogecoin derives its supporting technology from Litecoin, a “fork” of Bitcoin that uses different blockchain protocols.

Among Dogecoin’s most touted advantages is its low barrier to entry for investors. It uses a scrypt algorithm, its supply is unlimited, and its price remains under a dollar. 

Additionally, as seemingly endless social media memes attest, Dogecoin offers perhaps the most accessible logo around today: an image of a smiling Shiba Inu dog that looks eager to play. 

But is it worth it?

Serious investors aren’t sold on Dogecoin. Mark Cuban, for example, continues to express skepticism, although he has purchased thousands of Dogecoin for his young son, as a way to introduce him to trading. 

In a June 3, 2021, online update, the Motley Fool investment news service noted that Dogecoin still comes with significant risk. The service even called it a potentially “dangerous” investment, and recommended that most of its readers would be better served by making safer purchases from among the S&P 500, although these investments don’t offer the excitement or the possibility of a get-rich-quick payout of Dogecoin.

The Motley Fool also points out that, since Dogecoin still lacks the widespread merchant acceptance of Bitcoin, its real-world utility and long-term value remain in doubt. 

Driven by community

But one of Dogecoin’s creators, Billy Markus, finds the cryptocurrency’s outsider status as a “parody” of crypto markets, as well as its user-friendliness, to be key selling points. Despite admitting its volatility as an investment, he noted that Dogecoin’s very identity is its success.

An entire younger generation of influencers, YouTubers and other brand ambassadors understands and appreciates the ironic, even “meta” nature of the Dogecoin meme. It’s their passion for the brand that keeps it moving and trading, and that has propelled it into a rare position of mainstream recognition. 

In fact, an entire community has built up around Dogecoin. In 2014, fans contributed almost 30 million of the cryptocurrency units to fund the Jamaican bobsled team’s travels to compete in that year’s Winter Olympics. The community has also made substantial donations to global service projects, such as building a well in Kenya. Additionally, even such a venerable American charitable institution as the American Cancer Society recently decided to accept donations made in Dogecoin. 

Like other viruses, the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 can evolve into new variants, given enough time and enough of a susceptible population. Now that highly effective vaccines have changed the outlook for much of the world as far as the original SARS-CoV-2 virus is concerned, researchers are looking to figure out just how much we can rely on existing vaccines to prevent infection or serious illness in the case of variants.

More virus, more variants

The more a virus circulates in a population, the more people become infected and go on to infect others, and the greater the potential for the virus to mutate into variants. Many variants of SARS-CoV-2 appear to be just as vulnerable, or nearly as vulnerable, to the existing Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, although some variants have become of special concern for epidemiologists.

Variants – potentially more transmissible and deadly

Among the variants is the B.1.1.7 variant that emerged in the United Kingdom. B.1.1.7 is about 50 percent more transmissible than the original virus, and it is possibly more severe in its effects. This variant has spread extensively throughout the United States and in other countries far outside the UK.

The B.1.351 variant first made itself known in South Africa. Like the UK variant, it is about 50 percent more transmissible from one person to another. 

The P.1 variant, first identified in Brazil and Japan, has produced more than a dozen unique mutations. Several of these change the receptor-binding domain on the virus’ spike protein, worrying researchers. The spike protein is the mechanism by which the virus binds to human receptor cells and enters the body. 

All these variants have caused illness and death, both where they were first identified and beyond international borders.

Vaccines save lives – even from variants

As of mid-2021, researchers had seen ample proof that at least the mRNA-based Pfizer and Moderna vaccines authorized for emergency use in the US offer about a 95 percent efficiency rate in preventing infection with the original SARS-CoV-2, as well as an unbroken record of preventing life-threatening disease and death.

As for variants, scientists are beginning to agree that current vaccines offer a strong barrier against infection, although perhaps not as high as against the original virus. While it remains too soon to tell with complete certainty, scientists are reasonably confident that current vaccines are highly effective at keeping infection with a variant from leading to serious illness or mortality. 

A growing body of tests supports this supposition. A recent Pfizer studied 44,000 individuals around the world, including a South African cohort exposed to B.1.351. This research concluded that the original Pfizer mRNA vaccine was 100 percent effective at preventing hospitalization and death. 

As of May 18, 2021, some 600,000 young people ages 12 to 15 had received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to protect them against COVID-19. The Pfizer vaccine was approved for use in these younger teens only the week before. 

Kids and their parents had eagerly awaited the day when the company’s mRNA vaccine, previously only studied and pronounced safe and effective for people 16 and up, would become available to them. Pfizer’s is to date the only COVID-19 vaccine to receive United States Food and Drug Administration approval for use in people under 18. 

The rollout of the vaccine for this age group ensures that American middle school students can be fully vaccinated with the two-dose shot by the time school begins in Fall 2021. 

Children in COVID’s Crosshairs

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about 14 percent of all current COVID-19 cases in the country have occurred among children. The total number translates to almost 4 million children infected with the disease as of mid-May, 2021. 

Researchers have known since almost the beginning of the pandemic that children can contract SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Statistically, however, only a tiny percentage of children have become seriously ill with the disease, and many sail through its course with no symptoms at all.

Still, the US has recorded more than 240 deaths in children under 18 from COVID over the course of the pandemic. Alarmingly, children in Brazil, where the P.1 COVID variant is rampant, are dying at much higher rates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasizes that the Pfizer vaccine has shown itself highly effective at guarding against the P.1 and other known variants in fully vaccinated people. 

Long Haul COVID Affects Kids, Too

Even without the threat of death to the overwhelming majority of young people who contract the virus, researchers have produced recent troubling reports about just how serious “long haul” COVID can be in youth. Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, has even dedicated an entire new wing to these young people experiencing the chronic, and sometimes even debilitating, effects of long COVID. 

The bizarre and terrifying list of long haul symptoms in adults and children includes extreme fatigue, depression, loss of normal memory functions, and abnormally fast heartbeat. While a number of physicians believe these symptoms can improve or completely resolve in six to 12 months, that time frame is an eternity for a child. For some, for example those with badly scarred lungs, long haul COVID may be their “new normal.”

Additionally, children can also develop a rare but potentially deadly COVID-associated illness called multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C). This condition can cause dangerous levels of inflammation in the heart, brain, and other major organs. School-age children make up the bulk of MIS-C cases. 

For all these reasons and more, families with middle school and high school students can now enjoy much more peace of mind when they send their vaccinated children back to school this year. 

The speed at which effective vaccines against COVID-19 were developed is unprecedented in the history of medicine. Less than a year after the World Health Organization declared the spread of the novel coronavirus a pandemic, researchers had developed hundreds of potential vaccines, and several earned widespread approval as both safe and effective for administration under emergency conditions. 

Compressing the timeline

By means of comparison, scientists first identified the polio virus in 1908, but it was not until the 1950s that the first inoculations began. The pre-COVID timeline for the development of a vaccine to address a new type of virus often spanned a decade or more. In the 1960s, the development of a mumps vaccine in a mere four years was extraordinary. So, it was the very speed of development of the COVID vaccines that has contributed to disinformation campaigns questioning—without evidence—their safety and reliability.

The long view

The big picture of the development of today’s COVID vaccines shows that the miracle of a year was built on decades of focused, painstaking study and development of innovative methodologies. University and government researchers, as well as pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, had already explored similar viruses and similar techniques for delivering vaccines against them. 

Long before SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, garnered panic-stricken headlines, researchers had mapped structures, effects, and vulnerabilities of its close genetic relatives, the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus and the MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) virus. In addressing SARS-CoV-2, researchers also had access to existing designs for vaccines against flu and other viral infections. 

The validation that came quickly

In addition, timelines for clinical trials on the vaccines and their manufacture were able to coincide to some degree without cutting corners on safety. By fall 2020, the virus raged out of control in many parts of the United States and the world. Tragically and ironically, the fact that it had permeated the population to such an extent meant that there was much less of a time lag than usual in getting accurate data on vaccine effectiveness in the decisive trials. That second wave resulted in a de facto living laboratory proving the vaccinated volunteers’ robust immunity.

It’s also important to note that people from a wide demographic participated in the clinical trials, including a substantial number of older adults and people of color. The effectiveness of the vaccines currently approved in the US have thus been shown both safe and effective across most categories of gender, age, and ethnicity.

Putting dollars where they count

Funding also played an outsize part. In 2020 the United States government committed enormous resources to fighting COVID, pledging more than $10 billion to pharmaceutical firm researchers. The unprecedented scale of the global health crisis also spurred drug manufacturers and major philanthropists to raise their own commitments of money and attention. Relieved of pressure to constantly fundraise, researchers were able to concentrate on what they do best: follow the science.

As more adults have become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, families are beginning to start looking forward to traveling and public activities again. But though most adults can now safely get the vaccine, none of the current approved vaccines are available to individuals under the age of 16.

This is expected to change soon—as of May 7, the FDA is reported to be on the verge of authorizing the Pfizer vaccine for use in children ages 12 to 15.  However, children younger than this may not be able to receive a vaccine for some time.

This begs the question, what activities or types of travel are safe for families if the adults are vaccinated, but the children in the family are not? Can you as vaccinated adults safely go out and travel without worrying about bringing home the virus to your unvaccinated children? Should you allow visitors in your home? Here are some things to keep in mind when your children still aren’t vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Can We Visit Extended Family?

For many people around the world, it has been well over a year since they have been able to safely visit extended family who don’t live nearby. People are looking forward to visiting with these relatives now that more and more people are vaccinated, and restrictions have begun to lift. But is this safe if you have unvaccinated children that you’ll be taking with you or seeing at your family gatherings?

Most experts say that as long as you and other adults in your group are vaccinated, you should be relatively safe. But keep in mind, if you are at an indoor gathering with multiple unvaccinated children in attendance, it is best to wear a mask and continue to wash your hands (and the children’s hands) frequently. In general, outdoor activities are safer than indoor gatherings, so keep that in mind when planning your family events.

Travel Safety

Fully vaccinated people can now travel in relative safety, but if you are bringing unvaccinated children along, consider some additional safety precautions. If possible, try to travel by car to avoid the extra risk you will incur if traveling by airplane. In a plane, you’ll not only be confined to an enclosed place for an extended period of time; you will also be exposed to significantly more people, who may or may not be vaccinated like you. Car travel limits that exposure.

As far as international travel goes, most health experts would advise against traveling to international destinations at the moment. There are several coronavirus variants of concern in different countries around the world, many of which may be more resistant to vaccines and more contagious. For now, it’s best to keep all travel destinations domestic, to avoid unnecessary risk to your family.

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout is well underway, but that doesn’t mean that new infections will be over. It may be more likely that these coronavirus infections will be less severe than in the past, and that could mean you won’t need a stay in the hospital, which is a good thing. However, you will still need to know how to treat your case of COVID-19 at home without direct supervision from your healthcare provider.

COVID-19 is a type of viral infection, and as such, there are not too many medications that will treat it effectively. But there are a few things you can do at home to help potentially shorten the length of infection and care for yourself while you are ill.

Medications for Coronavirus

Most of the medications that have been used to treat COVID-19 infections at this point are only approved for use in extremely severe cases. For milder cases that can be managed at home, healthcare providers suggest instead that you use some readily available over-the-counter medications to deal with pain and reduce fever, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. You might also try other medications that can help with a cold or the flu, including cough medicines, lozenges, or home remedies like honey and lemon. These can help with a cough or sore throat if you experience these symptoms.

At-Home Treatments

If you find yourself at home with a milder case of COVID-19, healthcare providers advise that you take steps similar to those you might take if you had a bad cold or a case of the flu. Try to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water or juice, eat nutrient-rich foods, and rest. Getting good rest is perhaps the most important thing you can do at home to take care of yourself. Be sure to get plenty of sleep and try to avoid any strenuous activity while you are feeling ill to allow your body time to recover and fight off the virus. Stay isolated in the home and wear a mask when you are able so that you don’t put other members of your household at risk. Try to sanitize high-touch surfaces frequently, and avoid having any unnecessary visitors in your home.

Warning Signs

While treating your case of COVID-19 at home, stay alert for warning signs that you might need more intensive medical attention. If you have trouble breathing, bluish lips, new feelings of confusion, difficulty staying awake, and persistent chest pain or pressure, call your doctor right away to seek advice.

With the vaccine rollout underway around the world, many people expected to see an end to new coronavirus infections, particularly for those who have already been vaccinated. But the reality is no vaccine, no matter how good, can be completely, 100% effective. There will always be so-called “breakthrough infections” in individuals that are fully vaccinated, which the CDC defines as more than two weeks out from the final vaccine.

In the media, these breakthrough infections have made headlines. However, here’s what scientists and medical experts have to say about them.

Not an Unexpected Development

Health experts around the world have noted that breakthrough infections are not unexpected. No vaccine is 100% effective. For example, the Pfizer vaccine was 95% effective and the Moderna vaccine was 94.1% effective at preventing COVID-19 in clinical trials.

Given these statistics, it’s inevitable that some people who have been fully vaccinated will still come down with an infection. Dr. Anthony Fauci notes that there are likely to be hundreds and maybe even thousands of fully vaccinated individuals who get COVID-19.

However, it is crucial to compare these numbers with the tens of millions of people who have been vaccinated. Breakthrough infections are extremely rare. The CDC announced 5,800 breakthrough COVID-19 infections out of nearly 77 million people who have been fully vaccinated. Most of these 5,800 people did not require hospitalization. Many did not even exhibit symptoms. Just 7% of the 5,800 needed to be hospitalized, and 74 people died of their infection. These deaths are obviously tragic, but 74 out of 77 million is an extremely miniscule percentage.

The Case for Vaccines

Vaccines are still incredibly effective and an essential tool for stopping the pandemic. Breakthrough infections are possible, but rare. What’s more, even if you do come down with a breakthrough after being fully vaccinated, your illness is likely to be much less severe than it would be if you weren’t vaccinated.

In addition, medical experts note that the vaccine is still recommended even if you have already had a COVID-19 infection. Though there is some natural immunity that comes from a previous infection, such natural immunity is unpredictable and inconsistent among different people. For some, it may be long-lasting, but for others, it can be much shorter and weaker. As many as 9% of people who have recovered from COVID-19 may not show detectable antibodies, and as many as 5% might lose immune protection completely within just a few months.

In contrast, the vaccines generate T-cell and antibody responses with much greater strength and consistency than any immunity you might get from an infection.

All over the United States, vaccine eligibility is beginning to open up to the general population. As this happens, many are asking what they should do with their CDC vaccination card once they have been fully vaccinated.

Proving that you have had a coronavirus vaccine is something that might become important, especially for travel purposes. Those who plan on traveling internationally in the next year might find themselves obligated to prove vaccination. Vaccine passports are now a hot topic in the United States, with many opinions on both sides. Proving vaccination for various purposes has been around for years. For instance, children are required to prove they have received appropriate vaccines before starting school, and traveling to certain countries requires proof of specific vaccinations as well.

There are no official vaccine passports set up yet, but the prospect is on the horizon. In the meantime, if you have received both doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, here is what you should do with your white vaccination card from the CDC.

The CDC Vaccination Card

While waiting for official ways to document your status as fully vaccinated against coronavirus, that white CDC vaccination card is your best bet to prove your fully vaccinated status. Many people are rushing to find ways to preserve their card and protect it, but before you rush out to laminate your vaccine record card, there are a few other things you can do.

Certainly, laminating the card could help preserve it and protect it from moisture or other things that might damage it, but consider waiting. Experts suggest taking a photo of your card after each dose, if possible, just in case you happen to lose it between doses. E-mail a copy of the photo to yourself to ensure you have a digital copy. Additionally, you might consider making a copy of the card and laminating that instead of the original. Because the vaccine is so new, we don’t yet know if we will need to get booster shots in the future. Leaving your original vaccination card as-is would allow for booster shots to be documented on the original card.

For now, you may want to store your original vaccination card in a safe space, like a fireproof safe or another protected area, along with other important documents like passports, birth certificates, and Social Security cards. Keep a digital or physical copy of the card with you, if possible, and keep an eye out for news regarding legitimate vaccine passports.

Featured Image courtesy Marco Verch | Flickr