R
ecently, experts at the University of California shared their views on whether COVID-19 is here to stay. They now answer more questions related to COVID-19 vaccines, face masks, antibodies, herd immunity, and coronavirus variants.
Can people who got the vaccine be carriers?
The vaccine against COVID is intended to produce an immune response against the virus SARS-CoV-2, which causes disease as it tricks the immune system into thinking it is responding to an actual infection. Ideally, the best vaccine induces a stronger immune response than an actual infection. So far, the evidence is that the available vaccines against COVID-19 actually do a better job at inducing immunity than an actual infection.
Over the past year, it has been quite challenging to predict with certainty what will happen to the current pandemic. However, it has become clear that SARS-CoV-2 is here to stay for at least a few more years. While it is likely that the disease will persist, I would not worry yet. Over time, we may end up with a situation similar to the flu or the common cold. It is indeed now quite clear that the virus can mutate and escape some of the immunity generated by prior infections and/or vaccines. Scientists and health care workers will have to remain extremely vigilant, monitor virus evolution and most likely update their vaccine designs on a regular basis. There are still many scientific questions that remained unanswered. One of the most important one will be to find out how long it will take to lose immunity after infection or vaccination. Ultimately, we want to maintain a situation in which the disease is less severe for life to return to normal.
A political brawl at the Capitol - with weapons
Protesters engaged in violence often known to one another, and to police
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ALBANY An undercover State Police investigator was nearby, watching as supporters of President Donald J. Trump began gathering in East Capitol Park on the morning of Jan. 6.
Many in the small group, which would swell in size over the next few hours to about 35 people, were holding flags and wearing Trump paraphernalia. They were there as part of a coordinated Stop the Steal rally timed to coincide with the massive gathering in Washington, D.C., that would subsequently turn violent as thousands of protesters forced their way into the U.S. Capitol leaving five people dead.
Albany stabbings linked to protests; Two pro-Trump rally-goers stabbed by counter-protester, troopers say | The Daily Gazette
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ALBANY – Two pro-Trump rally-goers were stabbed by a counter-protester at Albany’s East Capitol Park, state police said Thursday.
Alexander Contompasis, 37, of Rensselaer, was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault and other charges, state police said.
State police responded to the park shortly after noon Wednesday during the pro-Trump rally. The preliminary investigation determined that after a fight broke out between rally-goers and counter-protesters, two of the rally-goers were stabbed by a counter-protester, state police said.
The suspect, Contompasis, then got into a vehicle and fled the scene. He was soon stopped by state police and taken into custody, state police said.