COVID-19

Analysis is based on previously reported data collected in March and April 2022, with the FDA granting emergency use authorization for individuals aged 6 months to 4 years on June 17.

During the surge caused by the Delta variant, a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine reduced infections and COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths among patients in long term care facilities.

Analysis includes nearly 43 million individuals aged 13 year and older who received at least 1 dose in England between December 1, 2020, and December 15, 2021.

Survey data indicates that people experiencing homelessness had a lower annual incidence of COVID-19 despite having a higher burden of infectious diseases, suggesting opportunities for better integration of homelessness status in infectious disease reporting.

Results also show that no association with an increased frequency of myocarditis, venous thromboembolism, or worsening HF in these individuals.

The mRNA-1273.222 vaccine candidate targets both the original SARS-CoV-2 strain in addition to the BA.4/BA.5 subvariants of the Omicron strain.

The companies are prepared to deliver doses of the Omicron-adapted bivalent vaccine for September, pending authorization.

Less than half of fully vaccinated individuals in the United States have received a COVID-19 booster dose, with lower uptake rates among individuals with less education, lower socioeconomic status, and current enrollment in Medicaid.

Investigators report that while lateral flow tests do not detect the start of infectiousness well, they can identify individuals who will not infect others and can safely leave isolation.

Francesca Ceddia, MD, senior vice president of respiratory vaccines at Moderna, said the company is in early stages of development for a combined mRNA vaccine for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV.

Overall low awareness of the Omicron variant infection contributed to high transmission rates and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 in communities.

The announcement marks the first protein-based COVID-19 vaccine authorized in the United States for this patient population.

University of Minnesota Medical School Analysis shows comparison with fluvoxamine and ivermectin in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized study.

Francesca Ceddia, MD, senior vice president of respiratory vaccines at Moderna, discussed how mRNA vaccines could change the treatment landscape for respiratory illnesses.

Resources for health care professionals include FDA’s patient eligibility screening checklist tool for prescribers.

Survey results reflect positive sentiments from older adults for the proposed Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act.

Investigators from University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston analyze data from individuals aged 5 to 18 years enrolled in the Texas CARES survey.

Researchers discovered that a common anti-inflammatory drug could lower the number of patients on ventilators from COVID-19, increasing the likelihood of survival by more than 50%.

Pharmacists can help familiarize young patients with the vaccinations appropriate for pediatric use.

Hearing and vision may not be considered hierarchically superior senses anymore, as a new study sheds light on the importance of taste and smell for quality of life.

Health care providers’ recommendations will make a difference, results of a new poll from the University of Michigan show.

A recent study suggests that homologous and heterologous vaccines protect against the Omicron variant of COVID-19, but the heterologous appears more durable.

Health care workers who got 4 total doses against COVID-19, 2 doses of which are boosters, experienced more than 10% lower breakthrough infection rate than those with only 3 total doses.

A new neutralizing monoclonal antibody could become an inhaled cocktail for long-term COVID-19 prevention.

The CDC published a new study, which found that a second mRNA booster shot would be effective against the Omicron variants of COVID-19.

In addition to expanding patient access to Paxlovid, the recent authorization of pharmacists to prescribe the drug marks a step toward provider status.

While the vaccines continue to provide critical, evidence-based protection against the coronavirus, rare cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported.

The suggested wave 4 of the opioid crisis saw high opioid-involved overdose death rates in urban counties and high acceleration of overdose deaths in rural counties, indicating that the opioid crisis worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Delays in anticancer drug therapy, radiation, and surgery were found to be associated with factors such as race and ethnicity, multimorbidity, COVID-19 vaccination, and severity of COVID-19, suggesting disparities in cancer care.

Increasing population immunity decreased transmission of COVID-19 and allowed for reductions in quarantine and testing, encouraging 2-dose vaccine and booster uptake.