Allergy & Immunology
Study: Immune system ‘remembers’ coronavirus for at least 6 months
20 Jan, 2021 | 01:44h | UTCImmune system ‘remembers’ coronavirus for at least 6 months: study – MedicalXpress
Original study: Evolution of antibody immunity to SARS-CoV-2 – Nature
Commentary on Twitter
Just published @nature: Memory B cells to #SARSCoV2 from 87 infectees persist >6 months, evolve, more potent than original antibodies, likely more resistant to "escape" spike mutations, antigen persistence in gut in 7/14 biopsied https://t.co/ImuoZdfzJO
@c_gaebler @NussenzweigL pic.twitter.com/P1wahDOuiI— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 18, 2021
RECOVERY trial: No Benefit from convalescent plasma in hospitalized patients with Covid-19
17 Jan, 2021 | 22:26h | UTCCommentary: Covid: ‘Convalescent plasma no benefit to hospital patients’ – BBC
Covid-19: Norway investigates 23 deaths in frail elderly patients after vaccination
17 Jan, 2021 | 22:21h | UTCCovid-19: Norway investigates 23 deaths in frail elderly patients after vaccination – The BMJ
See also: Covid-19 vaccination associated with adverse drug reactions in elderly people who are frail
[Preprint] Past COVID-19 infection provides some immunity but people may still carry and transmit virus
15 Jan, 2021 | 09:02h | UTCSee also: Covid-19: Past infection provides 83% protection for five months but may not stop transmission, study finds – The BMJ AND COVID reinfections are unusual — but could still help the virus to spread – Nature AND COVID-19 infection gives some immunity, but virus can still be spread, study finds – Reuters AND Expert reaction to a preprint from the SIREN study looking at SARS-CoV-2 infection rates in antibody positive healthcare workers – Science Media Centre
Covid-19 Vaccine — Frequently Asked Questions
15 Jan, 2021 | 08:49h | UTCCovid-19 Vaccine — Frequently Asked Questions – New England Journal of Medicine
Clinical trial finds vitamin D does not ward off colds and flu
15 Jan, 2021 | 08:33h | UTC
A guide to vaccinology: from basic principles to new developments
14 Jan, 2021 | 02:09h | UTCA guide to vaccinology: from basic principles to new developments – Nature Reviews Immunology
Guideline: Update on perioperative hypersensitivity reactions
14 Jan, 2021 | 01:44h | UTCUpdate on perioperative hypersensitivity reactions: joint document of the Brazilian Society of Anesthesiology (SBA) and Brazilian Association of Allergy and Immunology (ASBAI) – Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology
Part I: post-crisis guidelines and treatment
Part II: etiology and diagnosis
Perspective: Maintaining safety with SARS-CoV-2 vaccines
12 Jan, 2021 | 01:53h | UTCMaintaining Safety with SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines – New England Journal of Medicine
Commentary on Twitter
Anaphylactic reactions may be more likely with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines than other traditional vaccines (1 in 100,000 vs. 1 in 1,000,000); likely a reaction to carrier used to protect RNA component (polyethylene glycol, PEG), rather than the vaccine per se.https://t.co/lb7yBCavGQ pic.twitter.com/Pu2ju4K6qQ
— Dr Zoë Hyde (@DrZoeHyde) January 1, 2021
CDC Report: Anaphylaxis after Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is rare (11.1 cases per million doses)
12 Jan, 2021 | 01:52h | UTCCommentaries: CDC says severe allergic reactions to coronavirus vaccine are rare – CNN AND CDC reports more allergic reactions to Covid-19 vaccines, but cases remain few – STAT
[Preprint] Randomized trial: Arthritis drugs improve survival in critically ill patients with Covid-19
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:56h | UTCCommentaries: Covid-19: Arthritis drugs improve survival in intensive care patients, shows study – The BMJ AND Arthritis drugs could help save lives of Covid patients, research finds – The Guardian AND Expert comment – Two potentially life-saving drugs for critically ill COVID-19 patients – London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Commentary on Twitter
Two rheumatoid arthritis drugs will now be used to treat the patients with severe covid-19 in intensive care, after new findings have shown that they significantly improve survival and cut the time spent in hospital by a week to 10 days https://t.co/cxNM64L5S6
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) January 8, 2021
Debate: Should we delay second vaccine doses to give one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to more people?
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:51h | UTC- Editorial: U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Challenges Go Beyond Supply – Annals of Internal Medicine
- Speed Versus Efficacy: Quantifying Potential Tradeoffs in COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment – Annals of Internal Medicine
- A Public Health COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy to Maximize the Health Gains for Every Single Vaccine Dose – Annals of Internal Medicine
- Alternative Dose Allocation Strategies to Increase Benefits From Constrained COVID-19 Vaccine Supply – Annals of Internal Medicine
- Delaying the second COVID vaccine dose – a medical expert answers key questions – The Conversation
- Should we give one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to more people? The debate, explained. – Vox
- Debates intensify over dosing plans for authorized COVID-19 vaccines – Science
- Covid-19 vaccination: What’s the evidence for extending the dosing interval? – The BMJ Opinion
- Covid-19 vaccines: to delay or not to delay second doses – The BMJ Opinion
- Britain takes a gamble with Covid-19 vaccines, upping the stakes for the rest of us – STAT
- UK Delay of Second COVID-19 Vaccine Dose – A Risky Strategy That Could Give Rise To More Virus Mutations, Some Experts Warn – Health Policy Watch
- What’s the scientific basis for delaying the Covid vaccine second dose? – The Guardian
- FDA says people need both doses of coronavirus vaccines – CNN
- WHO experts weigh in on COVID-19 vaccine dose interval – CIDRAP
- For mRNA vaccines, we should stick to the schedule – The Guardian
- Expert comment on whether giving two doses of COVID vaccine separated by a longer period is sensible – Science Media Centre
- How safe is it to switch and space COVID-19 vaccine doses? – Reuters
Just published: Pfizer vaccine confers 95% protection against Covid-19
11 Dec, 2020 | 09:32h | UTCSafety and Efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine – New England Journal of Medicine
Editorial: SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination — An Ounce (Actually, Much Less) of Prevention
Commentary: Pfizer vaccine results published in peer-reviewed journal – MedicalXpress
Related: FDA advisory panel endorses Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine – STAT
Commentary on Twitter (Thread – Click for more)
I read the @pfizer @US_FDA vaccine briefing doc
3 take homes (1 obvious, 2 new takes I haven't seen before)
1. Efficacy is great to prevent #COVID19 & promising for severe illness (this has been said many times before)
Moving on…https://t.co/WLrEpjmuO8
— Anil Makam (@AnilMakam) December 10, 2020
UK to refine allergy warning on Pfizer vaccine sparked by two adverse reactions
10 Dec, 2020 | 08:41h | UTCUK to refine allergy warning on Pfizer vaccine sparked by two adverse reactions – Reuters
See also: UK probes whether COVID-19 vaccine caused allergic reactions – Associated Press AND NHS told not to give Covid vaccine to those with history of allergic reactions – The Guardian
The UK has approved a COVID vaccine — but scientists still have many questions. One of them is if the vaccines will prevent the transmission of the disease
7 Dec, 2020 | 00:52h | UTCThe UK has approved a COVID vaccine — here’s what scientists now want to know – Nature
Managing Asthma in Adolescents and Adults: 2020 Asthma Guideline Update From the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program
4 Dec, 2020 | 08:33h | UTCEditorial: Evolving Strategies for Long-term Asthma Management – JAMA
Commentaries: New Asthma Guidelines Published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, an Official Journal of the AAAAI – American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology AND New updates to federal guidelines revamp asthma management – NHLBI News
Moderna vaccine: Antibody levels persist for at least 4 months
4 Dec, 2020 | 08:16h | UTCDurability of Responses after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-1273 Vaccination – New England Journal of Medicine
Review: Cytokine Storm
3 Dec, 2020 | 08:46h | UTCCytokine Storm – New England Journal of Medicine
Commentary on Twitter
Cytokine storm is a prominent feature in severe #COVID19. This new @NEJM review on it is as good as it gets. By @DavidFajgenbaum @carlhjune @PennMedicine https://t.co/a4qE7xGR58 pic.twitter.com/Ul1HrnL8Ve
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) December 2, 2020
Moderna released more Covid-19 vaccine results. They’re very encouraging.
1 Dec, 2020 | 08:15h | UTCModerna released more Covid-19 vaccine results. They’re very encouraging. – Vox
Commentaries: ‘Absolutely remarkable’: No one who got Moderna’s vaccine in trial developed severe COVID-19 – Science AND Moderna to submit Covid-19 vaccine to FDA as full results show 94% efficacy – STAT AND More Good News For Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate – NPR AND Moderna to seek emergency authorization for COVID-19 vaccine – CIDRAP
Commentary on Twitter
Moderna has announced the final results of the 30,000-person efficacy trial for its #COVID19 vaccine candidate, reporting that the vaccine had 100% efficacy against severe disease. https://t.co/Cgg0I5nv9r
— News from Science (@NewsfromScience) November 30, 2020
Opinion: Pfizer and Moderna’s “95% effective” vaccines—let’s be cautious and first see the full data
1 Dec, 2020 | 08:13h | UTC
CDC Study showing decline in SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after infection suggests antibody surveys underestimate infections
26 Nov, 2020 | 09:08h | UTCCommentary: COVID-19 antibody surveys underestimate infections: study – MedicalXpress
Commentary on Twitter (Thread – Click for more)
1/📌Precipitous decline in #SARSCoV2 antibodies: study participants who'd been infected and had detectable antibodies were retested 60 days later. 94% showed antibody decline & 28% had no detectable antibodies. They had "seroreverted". How that impacts reinfection risk is unknown pic.twitter.com/QsvQTE9jVH
— Dr. Ali Nouri (@AliNouriPhD) November 25, 2020
Opinion: “The AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Data Isn’t Up to Snuff”
26 Nov, 2020 | 09:02h | UTCThe AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Data Isn’t Up to Snuff – Wired
Commentaries: A timeline of the oxford-Astrazeneca Covid-19 vaccine trials – by Hilda Bastian AND After Admitting Mistake, AstraZeneca Faces Difficult Questions About Its Vaccine – The New York Times AND AstraZeneca manufacturing error clouds vaccine study results – Associated Press
Randomized trial: Convalescent Plasma does not improve clinical status or overall mortality in severe Covid-19 pneumonia
25 Nov, 2020 | 09:17h | UTCCommentary: New trial of convalescent plasma for covid-19 falls flat, another setback for hyped treatment – Brief19
Commentary on Twitter
A Randomized Trial of Convalescent Plasma in Covid-19 Severe Pneumonia @NEJM A well conducted RCT shows no significant differences in clinical status or overall mortality between patients treated with CP and those who received placebo. https://t.co/C6NylbO2At
— Carlos del Rio (@CarlosdelRio7) November 24, 2020
With more data on its COVID-19 vaccine, Russian institute offers new evidence of success
25 Nov, 2020 | 09:13h | UTCWith more data on its COVID-19 vaccine, Russian institute offers new evidence of success – Science
Commentaries: Expert reaction to press release reporting the second interim analysis of the efficacy of the Sputnik V vaccine – Science Media Centre AND Russia says Sputnik V virus vaccine 95% effective – MedicalXpress
Why does the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine’s efficacy vary so much? Here’s what we know
24 Nov, 2020 | 09:30h | UTCWhy Does the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine’s Efficacy Vary So Much? Here’s What We Know – TIME
Related: Why Oxford’s positive COVID vaccine results are puzzling scientists – Nature


