The Science Supporting the U.S. Case for COVID Boosters
U.S. health officials laid out the scientific rationale for a third dose of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines for all U.S. adults on Wednesday, relying on published and unpublished CDC data, as well as a preprint study. Overall, they said that there is evidence that vaccine effectiveness against infection — both symptomatic and asymptomatic — has […]
CDC Panel Backs Third COVID Shot for the Immunocompromised
Moderately to severely immunocompromised people who received mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 should receive an additional dose, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) said on Friday. In a unanimous 11-0 vote, the ACIP recommended an additional dose of the Pfizer (ages 12 and up) or Moderna vaccine (ages 18 and up) following a primary […]
Wildfire smoke may have contributed to thousands of extra COVID-19 cases and deaths in western U.S. in 2020
Thousands of COVID-19 cases and deaths in California, Oregon, and Washington between March and December 2020 may be attributable to increases in fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke, according to a new study co-authored by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study is the first to quantify the degree […]
More than one in ten COVID-19 patients infected in hospital in UK’s first pandemic wave, study finds
More than one in ten COVID-19 patients in 314 UK hospitals caught the infection in hospital during the first pandemic wave say researchers conducting the world’s largest study of severe COVID-19. The research into hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) was led by Dr Jonathan Read from Lancaster University with colleagues from other UK universities including the Universities […]
FDA Authorizes COVID Booster Shots for Certain Populations
After weeks of speculation, the FDA amended the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for Pfizer and Moderna‘s COVID-19 vaccines to include an additional booster dose for certain immunocompromised people, the agency said late Thursday. These populations include solid-organ transplant recipients or others diagnosed with conditions “considered to have a similar level of immunocompromise.” The FDA kept […]
New Orleans Jazz Fest Cancelled Over COVID Surge
Latest Coronavirus News TUESDAY, Aug. 10, 2021 (HealthDay News) Skyrocketing numbers of COVID-19 cases in Louisiana have forced the cancellation of this year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The annual event was to take place in October and is one of the city’s largest attractions next to Mardi Gras, CBS News reported. […]
Full-Dose Heparin Benefit in Certain COVID-19 Patients Confirmed
A therapeutic dose of heparin was associated with increased probability of survival for non-critically ill COVID-19 patients versus usual-care thromboprophylaxis, but not for the most severe patient population, peer-reviewed results from the REMAP-CAP, ACTIV-4a, and ATTACC multi-platform trial showed. In the non-critically ill cohort, therapeutic dose anticoagulation with heparin was superior to usual care prophylaxis, […]
AAN Issues Formal Position Statement on COVID-19 Vaccine
Based on existing evidence, neurologists should recommend COVID-19 vaccination to their patients, a newly released American Academy of Neurology (AAN) paper said. “Barring the rare circumstance of an absolute contraindication to available vaccine formulations, it is the American Academy of Neurology’s formal position that eligible patients should be offered the COVID-19 vaccine,” wrote Elisabeth Marsh, […]
CDC: Lower Vax Rates in Nursing Homes Among Low-Wage Staff
COVID-19 vaccination rates varied widely among healthcare personnel (HCP) who worked in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), with less than half of aides vaccinated, researchers found. In March 2021, the highest vaccination rates were seen in physicians and advanced practice providers (75%), while the lowest rates occurred in aides (45.6%), reported James T. Lee, MD, of […]
Why uncertainty makes us change our behavior — even when we shouldn’t
People around the world dramatically changed their shopping behaviours at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Faced with new uncertainty, shoppers began stocking up on basic household items — especially toilet paper — to account for the new unknown. This buying frenzy led to shortages, even though, in most cases, there would have been enough […]