General Interest
Double vaccination halves risk of Long COVID.
3 Sep, 2021 | 10:29h | UTCNews release: Double vaccination halves risk of Long COVID – King’s College London
Commentaries:
Largest study of its kind finds face masks reduce COVID-19 – University of California – Berkeley
Study: Vaccines slash long-haul COVID, hospital rates – CIDRAP
Vaccination reduces risk of long Covid, even when people are infected, U.K. study indicates – STAT
Being fully vaccinated reduces odds of long-term Covid-19 symptoms by half, UK study suggests – CNN
Coronavirus vaccines cut risk of long Covid, study finds – BBC
Related: M-A: More than 50 long-term effects of COVID-19.
Commentary on Twitter
NEW evidence on breakthrough infections indicates people who tested positive for #SARS-CoV-2 after 1 or 2 vaccine doses had significantly lower odds of severe disease, hospitalisation, or #LongCOVID than unvaccinated. https://t.co/MgHt7Ztqa0 @TheLancetInfDis pic.twitter.com/nt2b7jVrH9
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) September 1, 2021
WHO says it is monitoring a new Covid variant called ‘mu’.
3 Sep, 2021 | 10:21h | UTCWHO says it is monitoring a new Covid variant called ‘mu’ – CNBC
See also:
What’s the Mu variant? And will we keep seeing more concerning variants? – The Conversation
WHO monitoring new coronavirus variant named ‘Mu’ – France 24
New ‘mu’ coronavirus variant could escape vaccine-induced immunity, WHO says – LiveScience
WHO monitoring new coronavirus variant named Mu – The Guardian
[Preprint] Largest study of masks yet details their importance in fighting Covid-19.
3 Sep, 2021 | 10:30h | UTCLargest study of masks yet details their importance in fighting Covid-19 – NBC News
Original study: The Impact of Community Masking on COVID-19: A Cluster-Randomized Trial in Bangladesh – Innovations for Poverty Action
See also: A Study In Bangladesh Tripled The Rate Of Mask-Wearing. Can It Help In The U.S.? – NPR
Commentaries on Twitter (thread – click for more)
This is arguably the most important single piece of epidemiological research of the entire pandemic.
A MASSIVE randomized trial launched a pro-mask campaign in some Bangladeshi villages, but not others.
The result: masking villages got less COVID. https://t.co/8uKPXAvvnU
— Lyman Stone 石來民 🦬🦬🦬 (@lymanstoneky) September 1, 2021
(thread from the author – click for more)
Some misinterpretation of our #Bangladesh Mask RCT by those who don’t read research, which I’ll ignore, but also some parochial/racist reactions, which I must respond to https://t.co/FFeqz1zox5
— Mushfiq Mobarak (@mushfiq_econ) September 2, 2021
EU agency says to focus on vaccines first not booster shots.
3 Sep, 2021 | 10:34h | UTCEU agency says to focus on vaccines first not booster shots – Associated Press
See also: European officials say COVID-19 booster isn’t urgent – CIDRAP
Opinion | “The downsides of masking young students are real”.
3 Sep, 2021 | 10:24h | UTCThe Downsides of Masking Young Students Are Real – The Atlantic
Commentary with a rebuttal on Twitter (thread – click for more)
I'm not greatly interested in the school/mask debate, but I must say this is pretty wild – the article leads with this statement and then proceeds to offer no evidence whatsoever of any harms except "subjective [sic] shortness of breath" https://t.co/JL1Iadt8fy pic.twitter.com/5bZmvOhWo7
— Health Nerd (@GidMK) September 2, 2021
Long COVID: the physical and mental health of children and non-hospitalized young people after SARS-CoV-2 infection – one in seven children may still have symptoms 15 weeks after infection.
2 Sep, 2021 | 10:10h | UTCCommentaries:
Long Covid in children ‘nowhere near scale feared’ – BBC
Related:
Cohort study: Risk factors for long covid in previously hospitalized children.
M-A: More than 50 long-term effects of COVID-19.
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
The worlds biggest study of post acute #COVID19 symptoms in children is out as a pre-print – the CLoCK study!
Fortunately results are very reassuring regarding symptom frequency and impact
Some important lessons, let's take a look 🧵
— Alasdair Munro (@apsmunro) September 1, 2021
Another study shows Pfizer mRNA vaccine immunity is reduced over time.
2 Sep, 2021 | 10:05h | UTCWaning of BNT162b2 vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in Qatar – medRxiv
Related:
Studies: COVID vaccine protection waning against infection but not hospitalization.
Pfizer says it’s time for a Covid booster; FDA and CDC say not so fast.
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
The evidence of mRNA vaccine effectiveness (VE) waning grows: large Qatar experience shows substantial 5 month attrition for symptomatic infection VE below 50% and, to a lesser extent, vs hospitalization and deathhttps://t.co/4lIG68Bxm0 pic.twitter.com/rnyo0Si3RP
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) August 27, 2021
Perspective | COVID-19 boosters in rich nations will delay vaccines for all.
1 Sep, 2021 | 09:56h | UTCCOVID-19 boosters in rich nations will delay vaccines for all – Nature
Commentaries on Twitter
In @NatureMedicine, @zchagla & I ask:
Are we as a species willing to protect all humankind, or do we mostly care about optimizing protection for people in wealthy nations?https://t.co/LCS5Dxf1II pic.twitter.com/vdn4oRiYyz
— Madhu Pai, MD, PhD (@paimadhu) August 31, 2021
"There remain 3.5 billion people on this earth, nearly half of the world’s population, who have not received even a first dose of vaccine. Only 2% of the African population has received even a single dose." #Equity #COVID19 Via @NatureMedicine https://t.co/k6cG6vyQ5d pic.twitter.com/DsbWVvQ9R7
— Muin J. Khoury (@MuinJKhoury) August 31, 2021
Prioritising COVID booster shots in high income countries is unethical – until health care workers and those at high risk in low and middle income countries have been vaccinated. @paimadhu and @zchagla wrote this much better than I could – thank you! https://t.co/F89o8y9V8P
— Ben Johnson 🦠📝 (@drbenjohnson) August 31, 2021
Why is a third COVID-19 vaccine dose important for people who are immunocompromised?
1 Sep, 2021 | 09:57h | UTCRelated:
RCT: third dose of Moderna mRNA vaccine increases immunity in transplant recipients.
Study shows young children gained weight during the pandemic.
31 Aug, 2021 | 08:59h | UTCNews release: Young children gained weight during the pandemic – Kaiser Permanente
Original study: Changes in Body Mass Index Among Children and Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic – JAMA
Commentary on Twitter
#KPResearch showed significant weight gain occurred during COVID-19 pandemic among youth in Southern California, especially among youngest kids.
Research: @KPSCalResearch & @UMchear
In @JAMANetwork
Authors incl @CKoebnickPhD @RohmDeborah @MargoSidell https://t.co/IqiUxo75bW pic.twitter.com/8XA7G6J3Bu— Kaiser Permanente Research (@KPSCalResearch) August 27, 2021
Study demonstrates a significantly higher humoral immunogenicity induced by the SARS-CoV-2 Moderna vaccine compared with the Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine.
31 Aug, 2021 | 09:04h | UTCComparison of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response Following Vaccination With BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 – JAMA
Related:
Moderna may be superior to Pfizer against Delta variant — breakthrough odds rise with time.
Do kids get long COVID? And how often? A pediatrician looks at the data – Children also get Long Covid, but much less often than adults.
31 Aug, 2021 | 08:57h | UTCDo kids get long COVID? And how often? A paediatrician looks at the data – The Conversation
Related:
Cohort study: Risk factors for long covid in previously hospitalized children.
M-A: More than 50 long-term effects of COVID-19.
#ESCCongress – RCT: Influenza vaccination early after a myocardial infarction (MI) or in high-risk coronary heart disease resulted in a lower risk of a composite of all-cause death, MI, or stent thrombosis compared with placebo.
31 Aug, 2021 | 08:52h | UTCCommentaries:
IAMI: Influenza Vaccine Beneficial for Post-MI Patients – TCTMD
Influenza Vaccination After Myocardial Infarction – IAMI – American College of Cardiology
Flu vaccine after heart attack reduces risk of death – Cardiovascular Business
Commentary on Twitter
The IAMI trial showed that #fluvaccine within 72 hours of angiography/PCI/hospitalization among patients with recent #cvMI or high-risk coronary heart disease resulted in a salutary effect on CV outcomes at 12 months compared w/ placebo: https://t.co/csnS3G8vsa #ESCCongress pic.twitter.com/5JB4iUmMbV
— American College of Cardiology (@ACCinTouch) August 30, 2021
Study with over 29 million people in England shows Covid-19, not vaccination, presents biggest blood clot risks.
29 Aug, 2021 | 18:57h | UTCPress release: Covid-19, not vaccination, presents biggest blood clot risks – University of Oxford
Editorial: Strengthening international surveillance of vaccine safety – The BMJ
Commentaries:
Covid: Vaccine complications dwarfed by virus risks – BBC
Commentary on Twitter
#BMJInfographic Fast track research looked at patient level data for ~30 million people vaccinated in England and found that thrombosis risks associated with covid-19 vaccines are lower than that associated with covid-19 infection https://t.co/R0JlcuvMez @JuliaHCox pic.twitter.com/XMzXK6UOBc
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) August 27, 2021
Cohort study: Patients with Covid-19 infected with the Delta variant are twice as likely to need hospital admission or emergency care attendance.
29 Aug, 2021 | 19:02h | UTCCommentaries:
Covid: Delta variant patients twice as likely to need hospital care – BBC
Covid-19 hospitalization risk doubles with Delta variant, UK study suggests – CNN
Commentary on Twitter
The Delta variant is bad enough, but there has been debate as to whether it, per se, carries a higher risk of hospitalization (H) beyond its very high contagiousness. A new, rigorous study shows a doubling of the H rate https://t.co/qom8l6fw4v pic.twitter.com/CwXPOU0YWi
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) August 27, 2021
Opinion | 10 Images That Illustrate The Shameful Global Vaccine Inequity – “This series of 10 images tell the story behind the great vaccine apartheid – the single biggest moral and scientific failure during this global crisis”.
29 Aug, 2021 | 18:53h | UTC10 Images That Illustrate The Shameful Global Vaccine Inequity – by Madhukar Pai
Commentary on Twitter
Please don't look away!
My new post @NatureMicrobiol offers
10 Images That Illustrate The Shameful Global Vaccine Inequityhttps://t.co/5iwINN1IeN #COVID19 #vaccinequity
— Madhu Pai, MD, PhD (@paimadhu) August 28, 2021
Many predicted some kind of ‘Covid slide’ in learning. Test results show how bad it is.
29 Aug, 2021 | 18:55h | UTCMany predicted some kind of ‘Covid slide’ in learning. Test results show how bad it is – CNN
Report: Learning during COVID-19: Reading and math achievement in the 2020-21 school year – NWEA
Related:
Unvaccinated, unmasked teacher infected more than half of students in class with Covid-19, CDC reports.
29 Aug, 2021 | 18:52h | UTC
M-A: Factors associated with household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 – recent studies showed higher household secondary attack rates than earliest reports (13.4% vs. 31.1%); more transmissible variants and vaccines may lead to further changes.
29 Aug, 2021 | 18:48h | UTCCommentary: 1 in 5 people with COVID-19 pass it to others in household, study finds – UPI
Commentary on Twitter
The findings of this meta-analysis suggest that the household remains an important site of #SARSCoV2 transmission, and recent studies have higher household secondary attack rates estimates compared with the earliest reports. https://t.co/lFmkaz0zUe
— JAMA Network Open (@JAMANetworkOpen) August 27, 2021
New CDC Guidance says influenza and Covid vaccines can be given together – “COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines may now be administered without regard to timing”
29 Aug, 2021 | 18:51h | UTCCommentary: Flu shot and a COVID jab? New 2021-2022 flu vaccine guidance points to both – McKnight’s
#ESCCongress – Cluster RCT: Among patients at increased risk for stroke, salt substitution (75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride by mass) reduced the rates of stroke, major cardiovascular events, and death from any cause.
29 Aug, 2021 | 19:21h | UTCEffect of Salt Substitution on Cardiovascular Events and Death – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
News release: Low-sodium salt prevents stroke – European Society of Cardiology
Commentary: Massive SSaSS Study Shows Switch to Salt Substitute Cuts Stroke, CVD – TCTMD
Commentary on Twitter
SSaSS: In RCT that compared salt substitute w/ regular salt, rates of stroke, major CV events, death lower with salt sub. #ESCCongress https://t.co/Yt6vMrYSDh pic.twitter.com/jtymS36zqs
— NEJM (@NEJM) August 29, 2021
It’s not just SARS-CoV-2: Most respiratory viruses spread by aerosols.
27 Aug, 2021 | 10:18h | UTCOriginal article: Airborne transmission of respiratory viruses – Science
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
1/ AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION OF RESPIRATORY VIRUSES
A new peer-reviewed paper in @ScienceMagazine, reviewing the scientific literature on this topic. We conclude it is important not just for COVID-19, but also for other respiratory diseases such as the fluhttps://t.co/vik1deBzeB
— Prof. Jose-Luis Jimenez (@jljcolorado) August 26, 2021
[Press release – not published yet] Study shows vaccine protection wanes over time, but vaccines still offer good protection against severe disease.
27 Aug, 2021 | 10:11h | UTCPress release: Is COVID vaccine protection fading? – ZOE Covid Study
Commentaries:
Covid infection protection waning in double jabbed – BBC
[Preprint] Observational data suggests natural immunity after a SARS-CoV-2 infection confers longer lasting and stronger protection compared to vaccine-induced immunity.
27 Aug, 2021 | 10:16h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
https://twitter.com/andrew_croxford/status/1430799815693250562
Editorial: The Guardian view on global vaccine inequality: unwise as well as unethical.
27 Aug, 2021 | 10:09h | UTCThe Guardian view on global vaccine inequality: unwise as well as unethical


