General Interest
Phase 4 RCT: Concomitant administration of COVID-19 vaccines (AstraZeneca or Pfizer) with seasonal influenza vaccines in adults is safe and preserves antibody responses to both vaccines.
14 Nov, 2021 | 20:14h | UTC
What influences people’s responses to public health messages for managing risks and preventing infectious diseases? A rapid systematic review of the evidence and recommendations.
14 Nov, 2021 | 20:06h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
COVID-19 messages should:
1) be developed with communities
2) address uncertainty immediately + with transparency
3) focus on unifying messages from sources
4) frame messages aimed at increasing understanding, social responsibility + ind control https://t.co/faxtAgngAI— Caroline Tomes MFPH (@carotomes) November 12, 2021
Deaths in children and young people in England after SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first pandemic year – “In total, 99.995% of children and young people with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test survived”.
12 Nov, 2021 | 10:39h | UTCRelated:
Study: Children and young people remain at low risk of COVID-19 mortality
Commentaries on Twitter
Just published @NatureMedicine
An in-depth analysis of the 25 children who died from Covid in England during the 1st year of the pandemichttps://t.co/QK3gk1BXy5
Great that 99.995% of children w/ a positive test survived (not what is driving the need for ?in kids) pic.twitter.com/moXKl8ysmA— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) November 11, 2021
A clinical review of all pediatric deaths in England from March 2020 to February 2021 attributes 25 deaths to SARS-CoV-2 infection and identifies risk factors to guide interventions, according to a @NatureMedicine article. https://t.co/Bpjhf5sgow pic.twitter.com/v24Zf9CsXK
— Nature Portfolio (@NaturePortfolio) November 11, 2021
The COVID pandemic has harmed researcher productivity – and mental health – “Surveys show that women, parents of young children and people of color are most affected by pandemic-related disruptions and need more support”.
12 Nov, 2021 | 10:35h | UTCThe COVID pandemic has harmed researcher productivity – and mental health – Nature
Boosting immunity to COVID-19 vaccines – “New studies highlight the immunological benefits of COVID-19 vaccine boosters, but questions remain over how to best make use of a limited global supply”.
12 Nov, 2021 | 10:37h | UTCBoosting immunity to COVID-19 vaccines – Nature Medicine
Map: The world according to covid vaccine coverage.
12 Nov, 2021 | 10:34h | UTCThe world according to covid vaccine coverage – The BMJ
Commentary on Twitter
A year since the first covid vaccines were announced, rollouts are under way all over the world—to differing degrees.
This map shows the percentage of national population to have received two doses of covid vaccinehttps://t.co/rIU3qeWXIK @munkeatlooi pic.twitter.com/zZHr1XXBe8
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) November 11, 2021
WHO, CDC | Global progress against measles threatened amidst COVID-19 pandemic.
12 Nov, 2021 | 10:27h | UTCNews Release: Global progress against measles threatened amidst COVID-19 pandemic – World Health Organization
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
While reported #measles cases have fallen compared to previous years, progress toward measles elimination continues to decline and the risk of outbreaks is mounting, according to a ? report from @CDCgov & WHO.
? https://t.co/EjRVRexcGd pic.twitter.com/KnBU5RZn5i
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) November 10, 2021
COVID antiviral pills: what scientists still want to know – “Drugs like Molnupiravir and Paxlovid could change the course of the pandemic if clinical trial results hold up in the real world”.
11 Nov, 2021 | 08:59h | UTCCOVID antiviral pills: what scientists still want to know – Nature
Related:
The U.K. approves Merck’s COVID-19 antiviral pill, calling it a world first.
Merck to allow other nations to produce new COVID-19 antiviral.
Video: Merck’s Covid pill could transform treatment. Here’s how it works.
How antiviral pill Molnupiravir shot ahead in the COVID drug hunt.
What we know — and don’t know — about Merck’s new Covid-19 pill.
Merck’s Covid-19 pill is great news but may not be a game-changer.
Video | A Pill For COVID? A Doctor Explains Molnupiravir.
Perspective | COVID’s endgame: Scientists have a clue about where SARS-CoV-2 is headed.
11 Nov, 2021 | 08:55h | UTCCOVID’s endgame: Scientists have a clue about where SARS-CoV-2 is headed – NPR
A New Dementia Test Raises More Questions Than Answers – “A 5-minute assessment on an iPad could transform how we screen for dementia—or overwhelm the health care system with worried test-takers”.
11 Nov, 2021 | 08:29h | UTCA New Dementia Test Raises More Questions Than Answers – Wired
RCT: Pfizer vaccine shows 90.7% efficacy for preventing Covid-19 in children 5 to 11 years of age.
10 Nov, 2021 | 07:24h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
In this multi-phase trial, two 10-μg doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine administered 21 days apart were safe, immunogenic, and 90.7% effective against #COVID19 in 5-to-11-year-old children. #Covid19vaccine https://t.co/kuj2eI4YCE pic.twitter.com/BWEkYxn8a0
— NEJM (@NEJM) November 9, 2021
Perspective: Life lessons after a career in intensive care medicine.
10 Nov, 2021 | 06:54h | UTCLife lessons after a career in intensive care medicine – Intensive Care Medicine
Commentary on Twitter
Reflections/lessons from a life in #ICU:
1⃣work with people you like/love
2⃣take sabbaticals to recharge
3⃣prioritize family = those you love most
4⃣live every day as having terminal disease: focus on what most important@JRandallCurtis1 #ICMfromtheInsidehttps://t.co/X2GKXRM3rf pic.twitter.com/ytx1eMLkMW— Intens Care Med (@yourICM) November 8, 2021
We can be confident there have been far more than 5 million global Covid deaths – “Estimating ‘excess’ fatalities, a more robust analysis method, puts the pandemic’s grim toll between 10m and 19m people”.
9 Nov, 2021 | 01:43h | UTCWe can be confident there have been far more than 5 million global Covid deaths – The Guardian
Related:
Global Covid-19 deaths surpass five million.
Under-reporting of deaths limits our understanding of true burden of covid-19.
Study shows COVID-19 has caused the biggest decrease in life expectancy since World War II.
Just how do deaths due to COVID-19 stack up?
Exploring the gap between excess mortality and COVID-19 deaths in 67 countries.
COVID-19 has caused 6.9 million deaths globally, more than double what official reports show
Actions to transform USPSTF methods to mitigate systemic racism in clinical preventive services.
9 Nov, 2021 | 01:24h | UTCCommentary: USPSTF Proposes Strategies to Mitigate Racism in Preventive Care – HealthDay
Not all Covid waves look the same. Here’s a snapshot of the Delta surge.
9 Nov, 2021 | 01:28h | UTCNot all Covid waves look the same. Here’s a snapshot of the Delta surge – STAT
Commentary on Twitter
If you know someone on the fence about vaccination, show them this https://t.co/ndPLhpLlh4 pic.twitter.com/L6RLwHyGCi
— David Juurlink (@DavidJuurlink) November 8, 2021
Nose sprays, needle-free patches, durable immunity: towards the next generation of COVID vaccines.
9 Nov, 2021 | 01:31h | UTC
Perspective | Why scientific journal authorship practices make no sense “et al”.
9 Nov, 2021 | 01:07h | UTCWhy scientific journal authorship practices make no sense et al. – Science
Related:
Editorial: Authorship and Publication Matters: Credit and Credibility.
Opinion: No More First Authors, no More Last Authors
The authorship rows that sour scientific collaborations.
[Press release – not published yet] RCT: Pfizer’s novel Covid-19 oral antiviral treatment candidate reduced risk of hospitalization or death by 89% in interim analysis of phase 2/3 EPIC-HR study.
7 Nov, 2021 | 20:35h | UTCCommentaries:
Pfizer’s Good News Is the World’s Good News – Science
Experimental Pfizer pill prevents Covid hospitalizations and deaths – STAT
Pfizer reports good results against severe COVID-19 for its antiviral pill – CIDRAP
Covid: Pfizer says antiviral pill 89% effective in high-risk cases – BBC
Pfizer says COVID-19 pill cut hospital, death risk by 90% – Associated Press
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Pfizer’s oral protease inhibitor PF-07321332 for #COVID19 Reduced Risk of Hospitalization or Death from 6.7% (41/612) to 1.0% (6/607) when starting within 5 days of symptom onset.
10 vs 0 deaths. #idtwitter https://t.co/ZAIm6Y5mAt— David Boulware, MD MPH (@boulware_dr) November 5, 2021
Viewpoint | Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccines: What Parents, Practitioners, and Policy Makers Need to Know.
7 Nov, 2021 | 20:31h | UTCPediatric COVID-19 Vaccines: What Parents, Practitioners, and Policy Makers Need to Know – JAMA
Viewpoint | Children and COVID-19 in schools.
7 Nov, 2021 | 20:24h | UTCChildren and COVID-19 in schools – Science
Related:
Instead of quarantine for Covid-exposed students, some schools are trying test-to-stay.
Opinion | Data from routine Covid testing can help schools stay open this year.
CDC Report: Schools without mask requirements were more likely to have Covid-19 outbreaks.
Perspective | Schools have begun mass testing for COVID-19. But hurdles and uncertainties remain.
COVID and schools: the evidence for reopening safely.
COVID studies note online learning stress, fewer cases in schools with protocols
[Not published yet] Chinese drug firm Sinovac says Covid-19 vaccine safe for children and babies as young as six months old.
7 Nov, 2021 | 20:32h | UTCRelated:
Germany offers booster shots to everyone amid ‘very worrying’ surge in cases.
7 Nov, 2021 | 20:22h | UTCGermany offers booster shots to everyone amid ‘very worrying’ surge in cases – CNN
Mapping conflict of interests: scoping review.
7 Nov, 2021 | 20:10h | UTCMapping conflict of interests: scoping review – The BMJ
Press release: Study reveals “extensive network” of industry ties with healthcare – BMJ
Effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on life expectancy and premature mortality in 2020 – this time series analysis showed there were more than 28 million excess years of life lost in 2020 in 31 countries.
5 Nov, 2021 | 09:56h | UTCRelated:
Global Covid-19 deaths surpass five million.
Under-reporting of deaths limits our understanding of true burden of covid-19.
Study shows COVID-19 has caused the biggest decrease in life expectancy since World War II.
Just how do deaths due to COVID-19 stack up?
Exploring the gap between excess mortality and COVID-19 deaths in 67 countries.
COVID-19 has caused 6.9 million deaths globally, more than double what official reports show
Commentary from the author on Twitter (thread – click for more)
THREAD:
Our new #BMJ @bmj_latest study: >28 million EXCESS years of life were lost in 31 countries in 2020 alone! (more below)
w/ @martinwhite33 @kamleshkhunti @DmitriJdanov @Oxford_NDPH @bdi_oxford @UniofOxford @MRC_Epid @Cambridge_Uni @LDC_tweets @uniofleicester @MPIDRnews https://t.co/FGZau2Fg75
— Nazrul Islam (@_Nazrul_Islam) November 4, 2021
The U.K. approves Merck’s COVID-19 antiviral pill, calling it a world first.
5 Nov, 2021 | 09:51h | UTCThe U.K. approves Merck’s COVID-19 antiviral pill, calling it a world first – NPR
Related:
Merck to allow other nations to produce new COVID-19 antiviral.
Video: Merck’s Covid pill could transform treatment. Here’s how it works.
How antiviral pill Molnupiravir shot ahead in the COVID drug hunt.
What we know — and don’t know — about Merck’s new Covid-19 pill.
Merck’s Covid-19 pill is great news but may not be a game-changer.
Video | A Pill For COVID? A Doctor Explains Molnupiravir.