General Interest | Page 24 of 169 | Links Medicus Content Curation & Alerts in Medicine

Merck to allow other nations to produce new COVID-19 antiviral.

28 Oct, 2021 | 10:18h | UTC

Merck to allow other nations to produce new COVID-19 antiviral – CIDRAP

Two observational studies cast doubt on the effects of school closures to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

28 Oct, 2021 | 10:17h | UTC

Study 1: No causal effect of school closures in Japan on the spread of COVID-19 in spring 2020 – Nature Medicine

Study 2: The impact of school opening model on SARS-CoV-2 community incidence and mortality – Nature Medicine

Commentaries on Twitter

Results from a study in the US published in @NatureMedicine indicate that schools can reopen for in-person learning without substantially increasing community case rates of SARS-CoV-2. However, the impacts are variable and more study is needed. https://t.co/NFt1vNNb76 pic.twitter.com/fNgsJn6WLg

— Nature Portfolio (@NaturePortfolio) October 27, 2021

(thread – click for more)

2 new @NatureMedicine papers
First from half of US public school data
"Schools can open for in-person learning during the pandemic with minimal contribution to sustained community incidence of infections, provided other public safety measures are adopted."https://t.co/gn8MzrYVxE pic.twitter.com/qGfQLMzDEW

— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 27, 2021

What COVID vaccines for young kids could mean for the pandemic.

28 Oct, 2021 | 10:15h | UTC

What COVID vaccines for young kids could mean for the pandemic – Nature

FDA advisory panel recommends Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine be authorized for children ages 5 to 11.

27 Oct, 2021 | 01:48h | UTC

FDA advisory panel recommends Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine be authorized for children – STAT

Heterologous AstraZeneca/Pfizer vaccination seems to be associated with increased effectiveness against Covid-19 compared to homologous Pfizer/Pfizer vaccination.

27 Oct, 2021 | 01:44h | UTC

Immunogenicity and efficacy of heterologous ChadOx1/BNT162b2 vaccination – Nature

Cohort Study: The effectiveness of heterologous AstraZeneca (AZ)/mRNA prime-boost vaccination was more significant (68%) compared to the effectiveness of homologous AZ/AZ vaccination (50%) against symptomatic Covid-19 infection in Sweden.

Should You Mix and Match Your Booster Shot?

Study evaluated several heterologous SARS-CoV-2 vaccine regimens; no efficacy data but there was increased antibody production on study days 15 and 29 after booster shots from Moderna and Pfizer.

A primer on what we know about mixing and matching Covid vaccines.

Real-world data shows increased reactogenicity in adults after heterologous compared to homologous prime-boost COVID-19 vaccination.

RCT: Safety and immunogenicity of heterologous vs. homologous prime-boost schedules with an adenoviral vectored and mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Another study shows increased immune response with heterologous Oxford-AstraZeneca/mRNA vaccination.

Heterologous Oxford–AstraZeneca and Moderna Vaccination induce increased levels of neutralizing antibody compared to 2 doses of Oxford–AstraZeneca.

Heterologous Oxford–AstraZeneca and BioNTech/Pfizer Vaccination induce increased levels of neutralizing antibody compared to 2 doses of Oxford–AstraZeneca.

[Preprint] Mixing Covid jabs has good immune response, study finds – “The Com-Cov trial looked at the efficacy of either two doses of Pfizer, two of AstraZeneca, or one of them followed by the other. All combinations worked well, priming the immune system”.

Phase 2 RCT: Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of a Pfizer-BioNTech booster in patients that have received a single dose of AstraZeneca vaccine – “BNT162b2 (Pfizer) given as a second dose in individuals prime vaccinated with ChAdOx1-S (AstraZeneca) induced a robust immune response, with an acceptable and manageable reactogenicity profile”.

Lab study shows heterologous AstraZeneca/Pfizer vaccination produces strong immune response against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant.

Lab study shows a heterologous AstraZeneca + Pfizer immunization strategy provides stronger immunogenicity against Covid compared to homologous AZ + AZ or Pfizer + Pfizer strategies.

RCT: Mixing 2 different Covid vaccines is associated with increased risk of side effects.

Commentary on Twitter

A dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine followed by a dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine confers better protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection than two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, according to a study in healthcare workers published in @Nature. https://t.co/6hIVkiOLQ1 pic.twitter.com/AmsyVUMpoj

— Nature Portfolio (@NaturePortfolio) October 26, 2021

Bioethics | The suggestion Covid deniers should stay out of Australian public hospitals is appalling.

27 Oct, 2021 | 01:37h | UTC

The suggestion Covid deniers should stay out of Australian public hospitals is appalling – The Guardian

COVID: how worried should we be about the new AY.4.2 lineage of the coronavirus?

26 Oct, 2021 | 02:01h | UTC

COVID: how worried should we be about the new AY.4.2 lineage of the coronavirus? – The Conversation

What It Means To Be Fully Vaccinated.

26 Oct, 2021 | 01:57h | UTC

What It Means To Be Fully Vaccinated – Think Global Health

How you’ll know when Covid-19 has gone from “pandemic” to “endemic”.

24 Oct, 2021 | 23:53h | UTC

How you’ll know when Covid-19 has gone from “pandemic” to “endemic” – Vox

[Press release – not published yet] A phase 3 trial with more than 10,000 participants showed a booster dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine had an efficacy of 95.6% against disease; there were 5 cases in the booster group and 109 cases in the non-boosted group, not classified according to severity.

22 Oct, 2021 | 10:34h | UTC

Pfizer and BioNTech Announce Phase 3 Trial Data Showing High Efficacy of a Booster Dose of Their COVID-19 Vaccine

Commentary: Booster dose of Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine shows 95.6% efficacy in Phase 3 trial, companies say – CNN

Commentaries on Twitter

This will presumably mean everyone gets boosters early next year. That’s great, because they do work. Except it’s likely to be boosters for rich countries at the expense of primary vaccination for poorer countries. You won’t stop the pandemic when half the world is unvaccinated https://t.co/F31DMSI2zf

— Niall Conroy (@NICU_doc_salone) October 21, 2021

The 1st randomized trial of a booster (3rd) shot in 10,000 people, placebo-controlled, shows 95.6% efficacy, with 5 cases (Pfizer vaccine) vs 109 in placebo group, Delta variant, broad benefit across age groups https://t.co/TQpF35d8Jk pic.twitter.com/3RkqvXNfsU

— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 21, 2021

WHO estimates that between 80 000 to 180 000 health and care workers could have died from Covid-19.

22 Oct, 2021 | 10:29h | UTC

News release: WHO and partners call for action to better protect health and care workers from COVID-19 – World Health Organization

WHO Statement: joint statement on WHO’s estimates of health and care worker deaths due to covid-19

Report: The impact of COVID-19 on health and care workers: a closer look at deaths – World Health Organization

Commentaries:

WHO calls for health worker protection against COVID-19 – CIDRAP

WHO estimate: 115,000 health workers have died from Covid-19, as calls for vaccine access grow – STAT

Covid may have killed up to 180,000 health workers globally, WHO says – The Guardian

Commentary on Twitter

.@WHO estimates 115,000 health workers have died from #Covid19. Huge, tragic loss.
And while some health workers in the US are QUITTING jobs because they don't want to be vaccinated, many HCWs around the world are still waiting for vaccine. Unconscionable. https://t.co/z4u9XSX2Wj

— Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 (@HelenBranswell) October 21, 2021

Vaccine apartheid: This is not the way to end the pandemic.

22 Oct, 2021 | 10:26h | UTC

Vaccine apartheid: This is not the way to end the pandemic – Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

Commentary on Twitter

Vaccine apartheid is devastating, especially for children@VSLanziotti @yoncabulutmd @surf4children @sgdambrauskas call for everyone to advocate for vaccine equity https://t.co/jzJd9kwcCi pic.twitter.com/0hEPk8B4xv

— Madhu Pai, MD, PhD (@paimadhu) October 21, 2021

Opinion | Politics is derailing a crucial debate over the immunity you get from recovering from Covid-19.

22 Oct, 2021 | 10:22h | UTC

Covid-19 Politics is derailing a crucial debate over the immunity you get from recovering from Covid-19 – STAT

Cluster RCT: Increasing the dietary sources of calcium and protein (by providing additional milk, yogurt, and cheese) reduced hip fractures and falls in older adults in residential care.

22 Oct, 2021 | 10:21h | UTC

Effect of dietary sources of calcium and protein on hip fractures and falls in older adults in residential care: cluster randomised controlled trial – The BMJ

News release: Increasing dairy intake reduces falls and fractures among older care home residents – British Medical Journal

Commentary on Twitter

Increasing intake of foods rich in calcium and protein such as milk, yoghurt, and cheese, reduces falls and fractures in older adults living in residential care, finds a randomised controlled trial published @bmj_latest today https://t.co/QzozG4Odjb

— BMJ Group (@bmj_company) October 21, 2021

FDA authorizes booster doses of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, says mix and match OK.

21 Oct, 2021 | 10:09h | UTC

FDA authorizes booster doses of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, says mix and match OK – CNN

Instead of quarantine for Covid-exposed students, some schools are trying test-to-stay.

21 Oct, 2021 | 10:08h | UTC

Instead of quarantine for Covid-exposed students, some schools are trying test-to-stay – CNN

Cluster RCT: Daily contact testing of school-based contacts was non-inferior to self-isolation for control of COVID-19 transmission.

Kids are losing school days to quarantines. Here’s a way to keep them in classrooms – “Test-to-stay could dramatically reduce close contact quarantines”.

Opinion | Data from routine Covid testing can help schools stay open this year.

Opinion | Understanding of research results, evidence summaries and their applicability—not critical appraisal—are core skills of medical curriculum.

21 Oct, 2021 | 09:57h | UTC

Understanding of research results, evidence summaries and their applicability—not critical appraisal—are core skills of medical curriculum – BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine

Commentary on Twitter

https://twitter.com/lucasmorin_eolc/status/1450876923798765572

In a major scientific advance, a pig kidney is successfully transplanted into a human.

21 Oct, 2021 | 09:52h | UTC

In a major scientific advance, a pig kidney is successfully transplanted into a human – NPR

Opinion | Is it time for Evidence-Based Medicine 2.0?

21 Oct, 2021 | 09:59h | UTC

Is it time for Evidence-Based Medicine 2.0? – Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine

CDC Study: Pfizer vaccine showed 93% effectiveness against Covid-19 hospitalization among children aged 12-18 years.

20 Oct, 2021 | 10:31h | UTC

Effectiveness of Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA Vaccination Against COVID-19 Hospitalization Among Persons Aged 12–18 Years — United States, June–September 2021 – CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)

Vaccination reduced the risk of hospitalization among 12–18-year-olds by 93%, according to a new CDC study. No vaccinated adolescents died or were admitted to the ICU.

— Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) October 19, 2021

Editorial: Preparing for “Disease X”.

19 Oct, 2021 | 09:54h | UTC

Preparing for “Disease X” – Science

Cluster RCT: An exercise intervention may improve academic achievement among children.

19 Oct, 2021 | 09:45h | UTC

Exercise Intervention for Academic Achievement Among Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial – Pediatrics

Commentary on Twitter

Physical inactivity is an important health concern worldwide. This study examined the effects of an exercise intervention on children’s academic achievement, cognitive function, physical fitness, and other health-related outcomes: https://t.co/Pdd0qZqYNN #Pediatrics pic.twitter.com/VkyPba3Sv2

— AAP CME Journals (@AAPJournals) October 18, 2021