Overcast 40°
Tag:

Omicron

News
COVID-19: Here's What To Know About New XEC Strain That's Arrived In US From Europe COVID-19: Here's What To Know About New XEC Strain That's Arrived In US From Europe
Covid-19: Here's What To Know About New XEC Strain That's Arrived In US From Europe A new highly transmissible COVID-19 strain that first appeared in Europe is now beginning to spread in the United States. Called XEC, the offshoot of the Omicron strain was initially identified in Germany early this past summer before quickly spreading throughout Europe. It is not causing more serious symptoms than other COVID strains, but it is causing concern. “The rate of infections from XEC they're seeing in some countries rose pretty quickly compared to previous variants in those same places," Dr. Scott Roberts, a Yale Medicine infectious diseases specialist said in YaleMedicine.…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: KP.3.1.1 Strain Now Makes Up About 60 Percent Of US Cases; Here Are Symptoms COVID-19: KP.3.1.1 Strain Now Makes Up About 60 Percent Of US Cases; Here Are Symptoms
Covid-19: KP.3.1.1 Strain Now Makes Up About 60 Percent Of US Cases; Here Are Symptoms A highly contagious COVID-19 variant known as KP.3.1.1 now accounts for nearly 60 percent of infections in the United States. Data from the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that in a two-week period ending Saturday, Sept. 28, the strain made up 58.7 percent of cases nationally, with the KP.2.3 variant second at 9.4 percent. Both KP.3 and KP.2 are offshoots of the highly contagious Omicron variant and are members of a newly identified group of variants known as  “FLiRT.” Neither is causing more serious symptoms than other COVID strains, according to experts.…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: New Highly Contagious KP.3 'FLiRT' Variant Now Accounts For Majority Of US Cases COVID-19: New Highly Contagious KP.3 'FLiRT' Variant Now Accounts For Majority Of US Cases
Covid-19: New Highly Contagious KP.3 'FLiRT' Variant Now Accounts For Majority Of US Cases A new highly contagious COVID-19 variant known as KP.3 now accounts for most infections in the United States. Data from the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that in a two-week period ending Saturday, June 8, the strain made up 25 percent of cases nationally, just ahead of the KP.2 variant (22.5 percent). Both KP.3 and KP.2 are offshoots of the highly contagious Omicron variant and are members of a newly identified group of variants known as  “FLiRT.”  COVID-19: New 'FLiRT' Variants Now Dominant In US Neither is expected to cause more serious symptom…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: New 'FLiRT' Variants Now Most Dominant In US COVID-19: New 'FLiRT' Variants Now Most Dominant In US
Covid-19: New 'FLiRT' Variants Now Most Dominant In US New so-called "FLiRT" COVID-19 variants have quickly become the most dominant in the United States, and authorities are monitoring their rise as summer approaches. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the two members of the  “FLiRT” group, KP.2, is now No. 1 among strains nationally, accounting for about 24.9 of all current infections. The JN.1 strain had been dominant in the US before the emergence of KP.2. Both variants are offshoots of the highly contagious Omicron strain. The No. 4 variant in the US, KP.1.1, which makes up …

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: JN.1, Making Up 93 Percent Of US Cases, Likely More Contagious Than Other Variants COVID-19: JN.1, Making Up 93 Percent Of US Cases, Likely More Contagious Than Other Variants
Covid-19: JN.1, Making Up 93 Percent Of US Cases, Likely More Contagious Than Other Variants If you've had a case of COVID-19 recently, then it's overwhelmingly likely it came from a new highly contagious strain of the virus that has quickly become most dominant in the United States, and around the world. JN. 1, an off-shoot of the Omicron strain, now makes up 93 percent of COVID cases in the United States after accounting for less than 5 percent of infections nationally in early November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. JN.1 cases in the US have more than doubled over the last month.  "Its rapid spread suggests it is either more transmissi…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Here Are Symptoms For New Strain That's Surged To Leading Cause Of US Infections COVID-19: Here Are Symptoms For New Strain That's Surged To Leading Cause Of US Infections
Covid-19: Here Are Symptoms For New Strain That's Surged To Leading Cause Of US Infections As a new COVID-19 subvariant has become the leading cause of infections in the US, details on reported symptoms have started to emerge. Click here for a new, updated story - COVID-19: Rapid Spread Of Highly Mutated JN.1 May Mean It's More Contagious Than Other JN.1, an offshoot of the highly transmissible Omicron variant and one of its subvariants, the BA.2.86 strain known as Pirola, now accounts for 44 percent of US cases, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on Friday, Dec. 22. JN.1 has more than doubled its prevalence in on…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: JN.1 Subvariant Becomes Fastest Growing In US As WHO Issues New Advisory COVID-19: JN.1 Subvariant Becomes Fastest Growing In US As WHO Issues New Advisory
Covid-19: JN.1 Subvariant Becomes Fastest Growing In US As WHO Issues New Advisory A new COVID-19 subvariant has become the fastest-growing in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Click here for a new, updated story - COVID-19: Here Are Symptoms To Watch For With New Subvariant Spreading Fast JN.1, an offshoot of the highly transmissible Omicron strain and one of its subvariants, the BA.2.86 strain known as Pirola, now accounts for 21.4 percent of US cases, according to brand-new data. It's estimated that it makes up one-third of cases in the Northeast. The World Health Organization declared JN.1 to be "a variant of interest"…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Here Are Symptoms For New Variant That's Now Most Dominant In US COVID-19: Here Are Symptoms For New Variant That's Now Most Dominant In US
Covid-19: Here Are Symptoms For New Variant That's Now Most Dominant In US A new COVID-19 variant has quickly become the most dominant in the nation just as respiratory virus season arrives. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HV.1 now makes up 25.2 percent of COVID cases in the US, just ahead of the EG.5 variant (21.9 percent). The EG.5 strain, known as Eris, was first identified in August. It remains the most prominent strain worldwide at about 46 percent of cases across the globe.  HV.1 was also first identified over the summer but in low numbers. Like EG.5, HV.1 is an offshoot of the highly contag…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Cases Of Eris Subvariant EG.5 Jump; Here Are Symptoms COVID-19: Cases Of Eris Subvariant EG.5 Jump; Here Are Symptoms
Covid-19: Cases Of Eris Subvariant EG.5 Jump; Here Are Symptoms Cases of a COVID-19 strain known as Eris, whose official name is EG.5, have increased according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).Already the most prevalent subvariant in the US, Eris now accounts for 29.4 percent of COVID cases in the US in the CDC's report released Saturday, Sept. 30. Two weeks ago, Eris accounted for 24.5 percent of US cases. Eris is an offshoot of the highly-contagious Omicron strain. In a Risk Evaluation statement on the EG.5 strain released late last week, the World Health Organization said cases of the subvariant have …

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Here's How To Order Free At-Home Tests Through Mail Now COVID-19: Here's How To Order Free At-Home Tests Through Mail Now
Covid-19: Here's How To Order Free At-Home Tests Through Mail Now The federal program offering free COVID-19 rapid at-home tests through the mail has just been restarted. Every American household may order four of the tests starting Monday, Sept. 25 by visiting covid.gov/tests, the Department of Health and Human Services says. But first, before throwing out tests past their expiration dates, HHS recommends visiting this page to see if expiration dates have been extended. The news comes as a newly identified COVID-19 strain BA.2.86 strain, known as Pirola, with around 30 mutations, has now been identified in 10 states. Earlier report - COVID-…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Here's When Free At-Home Tests Will Become Available Again By Mail COVID-19: Here's When Free At-Home Tests Will Become Available Again By Mail
Covid-19: Here's When Free At-Home Tests Will Become Available Again By Mail Just days after the rollout of a COVID-19 vaccination booster shot started, the Department of Health and Human Services announced on Wednesday, Sept. 20 that its program of offering free rapid tests for the virus through the mail will be restarted. Every American household may order four of the tests starting Monday, Sept. 25 by visiting covid.gov/tests. But first, before throwing out tests past their expiration dates, HHS recommends visiting this page to see if expiration dates have been extended. The news comes as a newly identified COVID-19 strain BA.2.86 strain, known as Pirola, w…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Increase In Cases Sparks Concern At Start Of School Year COVID-19: Increase In Cases Sparks Concern At Start Of School Year
Covid-19: Increase In Cases Sparks Concern At Start Of School Year There's always plenty of anxiety at the start of a new school year, but that's especially true now due to increased COVID-19 cases. COVID-related hospitalizations have increased in the US for six straight weeks, with a 19-percent increase reported in the most recent week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The White House announced that First Lady Jill Biden tested positive for COVID on Monday morning, Sept. 5, and is experiencing “mild symptoms." Three school districts in Kentucky and Texas briefly suspended in-person classes after surges of COVID cases. T…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US COVID-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US
Covid-19: These Are Most Likely Symptoms Of New Pirola Variant Spreading In US The most likely symptoms of a new COVID-19 variant with around 30 mutations are expected to be similar to the highly contagious Omicron strain based on reports so far. COVID-related hospitalizations have increased in the US for six straight weeks, with a 19-percent increase reported in the most recent week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The BA.2.86 strain, known as Pirola, has now been identified in five states: New York, Texas, Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio. The strain was first detected in Israel around Sunday, Aug. 20, and cases have also been identif…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: New EG.5 Variant Identified Amid Rise In Cases, Hospitalizations COVID-19: New EG.5 Variant Identified Amid Rise In Cases, Hospitalizations
Covid-19: New EG.5 Variant Identified Amid Rise In Cases, Hospitalizations New update - COVID-19: New Eris Strain Already Most Prevalent Version Of Virus A new COVID-19 variant has been identified amid a rise in hospitalizations and cases being reported by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). COVID hospital admissions during the week ending Saturday, July 29, increased 12.5 percent over the previous week, according to CDC data. In addition, visits to the emergency room were up more than 21.8 percent, and the positive test percentage increased 1.3 percent. One of the causes of the trend could be excessive heat, which is sending…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: These Pair Of Symptoms Distinguish Arcturus From Other Omicron Subvariants COVID-19: These Pair Of Symptoms Distinguish Arcturus From Other Omicron Subvariants
Covid-19: These Pair Of Symptoms Distinguish Arcturus From Other Omicron Subvariants Two symptoms of a new highly contagious COVID-19 strain are distinguishing it from other Omicron subvariants. Arcturus, officially known as XBB.1.16, was labeled "a variant of interest" by the World Health Organization late last month. Arcturus now accounts for 12.5 percent of cases in the US, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) variant tracker. XBB.1.16 spreads about 1.20 times more than another Omicron subvariant known as Kraken (XBB.1.5), according to a study by the University of Tokyo.  Kraken now accounts for about 65 percent of US cases…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: ‘Arcturus' Now Labeled A 'Variant Of Interest'; Here Are Symptoms COVID-19: ‘Arcturus' Now Labeled A 'Variant Of Interest'; Here Are Symptoms
Covid-19: ‘Arcturus' Now Labeled A 'Variant Of Interest'; Here Are Symptoms A new highly contagious COVID-19 variant that evolved from the Omicron strain has now been labeled "a variant of interest" by the World Health Organization. Arcturus, officially known as XBB.1.16, accounts for 14.6 percent of cases in the US, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) variant tracker. After first being detected in New York in January, cases of XBB.1.16 have now been reported in 33 countries, according to the WHO, as well as 31 states in America. The highest number of Arcturus cases in the US have been reported in New York, New Jersey, and…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: CDC Says It's Now Tracking More Immune-Evasive XBB Variant Growing In Northeast COVID-19: CDC Says It's Now Tracking More Immune-Evasive XBB Variant Growing In Northeast
Covid-19: CDC Says It's Now Tracking More Immune-Evasive XBB Variant Growing In Northeast With more than 300 COVID-19 Omicron sublineages circulating around the globe, a new potentially more contagious variant called XBB is being closely monitored by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). XBB is considered more immune-evasive than other Omicron variants, Chief White House medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said last week. But government officials said they don't think XBB will become a threat at the level of Omicron, which first emerged on the global scene almost exactly a year ago. Though XBB now accounts for just over 3 percent of new cases in t…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Newly Emerging Omicron Mutant Strain Sparking Concerns Among Scientists COVID-19: Newly Emerging Omicron Mutant Strain Sparking Concerns Among Scientists
Covid-19: Newly Emerging Omicron Mutant Strain Sparking Concerns Among Scientists More people are contracting the Omicron strain of COVID-19 multiple times in quicker sequences compared to other subvariants, and a newly emerging mutant of the strain is sparking concerns among scientists. The BA.5 strain is now the most dominant COVID variant in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  A new mutation of the Omicron strain -- identified as BA.2.75 -- is being described as perhaps the most contagious yet. "Previous infections from Omicron are not giving us the same antibody protection against the newer variants," Dr. Alok Patel of St…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Increasing Number Of Reinfections Being Reported, Sometimes Within Weeks COVID-19: Increasing Number Of Reinfections Being Reported, Sometimes Within Weeks
Covid-19: Increasing Number Of Reinfections Being Reported, Sometimes Within Weeks With the number of new COVID-19 variants and wild strains evolving, Americans are reporting an increasing number of reinfections of the virus across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19 means a person was infected, recovered, and then later became infected again, sometimes within weeks of the initial infection. Officials said that after recovering from COVID-19, most individuals will have some protection from repeat infections, however, reinfections have become more common during the m…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: First Spread In US Due To New Sub-Variants Of 'Stealth Omicron' Reported In NY COVID-19: First Spread In US Due To New Sub-Variants Of 'Stealth Omicron' Reported In NY
Covid-19: First Spread In US Due To New Sub-Variants Of 'Stealth Omicron' Reported In NY Two new sub-variants of BA.2. or the so-called COVID-19 "Stealth Omicron" strain, could be considerably more contagious, say health officials who are reporting a surge in cases in Central New York State,  the first such outbreak in the nation. The New York State Department of Health on Wednesday, April 13 announced the emergence of the two Omicron sub-variants: BA.2.12 and BA.2.12.1.  BA.2 now accounts for more than 50 percent of COVID cases nationally and 80.6 percent in New York.  The sub-variants have been estimated to have a 23- to 27-percent growth advantage above …

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: These Are Most Common Symptoms For New 'Stealth Omicron' Variant COVID-19: These Are Most Common Symptoms For New 'Stealth Omicron' Variant
Covid-19: These Are Most Common Symptoms For New 'Stealth Omicron' Variant With the number of COVID-19 cases linked to the subvariant of the Omicron strain on the rise, attention is turning to its symptoms. The so-called "Stealth Omicron" strain now accounts for about 35 percent of new COVID cases in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Those infected with the BA.2 subvariant have been mainly reporting symptoms common to Omicron, NBC News reported. They are: Cough Fatigue Congestion Runny nose In addition, dizziness that may come and go during the day has been reported among those infected with the BA.2 sub…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: US Infections Expected To Rise As Subvariant Cases Triple Every Two Weeks COVID-19: US Infections Expected To Rise As Subvariant Cases Triple Every Two Weeks
Covid-19: US Infections Expected To Rise As Subvariant Cases Triple Every Two Weeks Federal health experts are cautioning Americans about a new, highly-contagious COVID-19 Omicron variant that may lead to a sudden rise in new infections. The emerging variant, called BA.2, is believed to be upwards of 60 percent more transmissible than Omicron, according to infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, though it is not more severe than the original strain. Earlier story - COVID-19: New Strain Of Virus Detected That Combines Two Omicron Sub-Variants According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), BA.2 has been tripling its presence in the US every two wee…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US COVID-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US
Covid-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US With the new “stealth” COVID-19 sub-variant emerging from the shadows in the US and overseas, researchers are concerned that one subset of Americans could potentially lead to a possible new surge of infections. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Omicron, which is known as B.1.1.529, has three sub-variants: the original BA.1 that remains the dominant strain, the “stealth” BA.2, which is picking up steam, and the more elusive BA.3. The new “stealth” variant - named for its difficulty to identify due to a lack of certain genetic characteristics - has been becoming more of a co…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: FDA Changes Course On Vaccine Authorization For Kids Under 5 COVID-19: FDA Changes Course On Vaccine Authorization For Kids Under 5
Covid-19: FDA Changes Course On Vaccine Authorization For Kids Under 5 Federal health officials delayed a planned public meeting to review Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children under five. Citing the need to see more data as part of its rolling application process, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Friday, Feb. 11 that it would be delaying the planned meeting, raising questions about how soon children should get the COVID-19 shot. The FDA’s outside experts had been set to meet on Tuesday, Feb. 15 to discuss if children under the age of 5 could safely receive a low dose of the vaccine safely. Pfizer said on Friday that it will be waiting fo…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Here's When Americans Can Order Free At-Home Tests COVID-19: Here's When Americans Can Order Free At-Home Tests
Covid-19: Here's When Americans Can Order Free At-Home Tests With the Omicron COVID-19 variant raging, Americans will soon have access to free at-home test kits that will be made available through a federal website. Beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 19, the White House announced that it will be distributing one billion tests that it plans to buy this year that will be provided to Americans in need for free. According to the White House, tests will take approximately seven to 12 days to ship, and can be requested at COVIDTests.gov beginning on Jan. 19. Officials said that "tens of millions” of tests are already on hand, and a half billion will be availabl…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Pfizer CEO Announces When Vaccine Targeting Omicron Variant Will Be Ready COVID-19: Pfizer CEO Announces When Vaccine Targeting Omicron Variant Will Be Ready
Covid-19: Pfizer CEO Announces When Vaccine Targeting Omicron Variant Will Be Ready A vaccine targeting the highly transmissible Omicron COVID-19 variant could be on the way from Pfizer. On Monday, Jan. 10, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that booster targeting Omicron will be ready as soon as March, as the company has already begun ramping up production of the doses. “This vaccine will be ready in March,” Bourla told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “We (are) already starting manufacturing some of these quantities at risk.” Related story - COVID-19: Fauci Offers New Prediction On When Omicron Wave May Break The vaccine will not exclusively target Omicron, but will also be able to fig…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Omicron May Be Milder, But Variant Can Still Lead To Long-Term Symptoms, Fauci Says COVID-19: Omicron May Be Milder, But Variant Can Still Lead To Long-Term Symptoms, Fauci Says
Covid-19: Omicron May Be Milder, But Variant Can Still Lead To Long-Term Symptoms, Fauci Says Symptoms of the highly transmissible COVID-19 Omicron strain may be milder, but the variant can still lead to so-called "Long Covid," according to Dr. Anthony Fauci."Long Covid can happen no matter what virus variant occurs," Fauci told Spectrum News. "There's no evidence that there's any difference between Delta or Beta or now Omicron." Fauci,  the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Chief Medical Advisor to the President, added that "We should always be aware that when people get symptomatic infection - anywhere from 10 to up to…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Omicron Doesn't Attack Lungs As Strongly As Other Variants, Studies Show COVID-19: Omicron Doesn't Attack Lungs As Strongly As Other Variants, Studies Show
Covid-19: Omicron Doesn't Attack Lungs As Strongly As Other Variants, Studies Show Brand-new studies are suggesting why the highly contagious COVID-19 strain Omicron is not as severe as other variants of the virus. Omicron is milder because it doesn't attack the lungs as strongly as other variants, according to the studies. Omicron produced less damaging infections, often limited largely to the upper airway - the nose, throat, and windpipe - in testing conducted on mice and hamsters, The New York Times reports. “The variant did much less harm to the lungs, where previous variants would often cause scarring and serious breathing difficulty," the report says. The findings…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning COVID-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning
Covid-19: 'Omicron's A Different Animal,' Says Expert, Sounding Alarm Over In-Person Learning A pediatrician who is an expert on disease and vaccine development is sounding the alarm about the ability of schools to resume in-person learning during the height of the new wave of the COVID-19 pandemic sparked by a surge of cases from the highly contagious Omicron variant. Connecticut native Dr. Peter Hotez is the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine and co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. "Here's the problem," Hotez said in an interview on MSNBC Wednesday morning, Dec. 29. "We're kind of going off ol…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: FDA OKs First Authorized Home Treatment For Virus COVID-19: FDA OKs First Authorized Home Treatment For Virus
Covid-19: FDA OKs First Authorized Home Treatment For Virus The fight against COVID-19 took a step forward as federal health officials authorized the first pill that Americans will be able to take at home to head off the worst effects of the virus. On Wednesday, Dec. 22, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency authorization for Pfizer’s COVID-19 treatment pill, which has been recommended for people at high risk of developing severe cases of COVID-19. The pill could be available as soon as this weekend, according to Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. Related story - COVID-19: Pfizer Releases Data On Anti-Viral Pill's Effective…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: First Findings Released On Vaccine Effectiveness Against Omicron Variant COVID-19: First Findings Released On Vaccine Effectiveness Against Omicron Variant
Covid-19: First Findings Released On Vaccine Effectiveness Against Omicron Variant The first findings on the effectiveness of vaccines against the COVID-19 Omicron variant have been released. Pfizer and its European partner BioNTech said that a booster shot offers significant protection against Omicron and "neutralizes" the strain. Two vaccine doses "show significantly reduced neutralization titers" but could protect against severe disease from COVID, the companies said. The findings come from an initial laboratory study. According to the companies’ preliminary data, "a third dose provides a similar level of neutralizing antibodies to Omicron as is observ…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi