General Interest
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
— 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)
Interesting and a lot of threads already but I wanna throw a spanner in the works with an annoying question that I hope someone will be able to answer so I can better understand the relevance of this study.https://t.co/5cE0omt6FH
— Andrew L. Croxford (@andrew_croxford) August 26, 2021
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
Covid-19 vaccines flirted with perfection at first. Reality is more complicated.
27 Aug, 2021 | 10:05h | UTCCovid-19 vaccines flirted with perfection at first. Reality is more complicated – STAT
Commentary on Twitter
The mixed blessing of the 95% VE: When Pfizer & Moderna reported late last year that their Covid vaccines were highly effective, our expectations for these vaccines soared. It's time for us to get more realistic about what the vaccines can do. https://t.co/BFpje2qRmS
— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) August 25, 2021
5 Crucial Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy.
26 Aug, 2021 | 09:05h | UTC5 Crucial Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy – Self
Related: CDC Guidance: Pregnant people should be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Commentary on Twitter
My latest @SELFmagazine: examining what we know about pregnancy and COVID-19 infections and vaccines. https://t.co/tnDAyQmoeu
— Dr. Tara C. Smith (@aetiology) August 25, 2021
WHO: More than 700 million people with untreated hypertension – Number of people living with hypertension has doubled to 1.28 billion since 1990.
26 Aug, 2021 | 08:54h | UTCMore than 700 million people with untreated hypertension – World Health Organization
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
The number of adults aged 30-79 living with #hypertension has doubled from 650 million to 1.28 billion since 1990, according to a ? comprehensive global ??? analysis of trends in hypertension prevalence, detection, treatment and control.
? https://t.co/MI48CX2kEO pic.twitter.com/ARpS8uipeY
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) August 25, 2021
CDC Report: Unvaccinated 5 times more likely to get COVID-19 and 29 times more likely to be hospitalized than vaccinated individuals.
25 Aug, 2021 | 09:56h | UTCCommentary: CDC: Unvaccinated 5 times more likely to get COVID-19 – CIDRAP
Commentary on Twitter
A new CDC study finds that while the #DeltaVariant surged in Los Angeles, CA the COVID-19 vaccines continued to prevent #COVID19 related infections, hospitalizations, ICU stays, or deaths. Get a COVID-19 vaccine to help protect yourself and others. More: https://t.co/zMQN3NOytB. pic.twitter.com/j8GTOd13vm
— CDC (@CDCgov) August 24, 2021
What we actually know about the vaccines and the delta variant – “Covid-19 vaccines still are effective in preventing hospitalization. But vaccinated people are more likely to get sick than before”.
25 Aug, 2021 | 09:09h | UTCWhat we actually know about the vaccines and the delta variant – Vox
CDC Report: Vaccine effectiveness dropped from 91% to 66% since the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant became predominant.
25 Aug, 2021 | 09:11h | UTCCommentaries:
Messenger RNA COVID vaccines 66% effective against Delta: US study – Associated Press
Perspective | Delta has changed the pandemic risk calculus – “If you’re confused about what you can do right now, you should be”.
25 Aug, 2021 | 09:05h | UTCDelta Has Changed the Pandemic Risk Calculus – The Atlantic
Systematic review: The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on child and adolescent mental health.
25 Aug, 2021 | 08:58h | UTCRelated: M-A: Child and youth mental health problems have doubled during COVID-19. (several articles on the subject)
Digital transformation of major scientific meetings induced by the COVID-19 pandemic: insights from the ESC 2020 annual congress.
25 Aug, 2021 | 08:35h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
One of the COVID-19 induced challenges: How to run a major scientific online meeting as the annual European Society of Cardiology congress with >125.000 registrants?! Read all about it in EHJ – Digital Health https://t.co/Zv2pu6vv5n@escardio @ProfMartinCowie @rafavidalperez pic.twitter.com/utgsebYMoB
— Nico Bruining (@BruiningNico) August 23, 2021
How will Delta evolve? Here’s what the theory tells us.
24 Aug, 2021 | 09:58h | UTCHow will Delta evolve? Here’s what the theory tells us – The Conversation
Opinion | The FDA really did have to take this long – “If vaccine approval feels maddeningly scrupulous, that’s because the alternative is worse”.
24 Aug, 2021 | 10:01h | UTCThe FDA Really Did Have to Take This Long – The Atlantic
Perspective | How should schools and daycare treat colds in the covid age? It’s complicated. – “Will every sniffle and cough be treated as potential Covid until proven otherwise?”.
24 Aug, 2021 | 09:53h | UTCHow Should Schools And Daycare Treat Colds In The Covid Age? It’s Complicated. – Romper
COVID vaccines protect against Delta, but their effectiveness wanes.
24 Aug, 2021 | 09:57h | UTCCOVID vaccines protect against Delta, but their effectiveness wanes – Nature
Original study: [Preprint] Pfizer vaccine effectiveness against Delta declines faster than AstraZeneca, both offering the same protection after 4 months.
Cluster RCT: Effects of a large-scale social media advertising campaign on holiday travel and COVID-19 infections.
23 Aug, 2021 | 00:01h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
Even though we are tired, we should continue trying to educate the public through social media – “Social media messages recorded by health professionals before the winter holidays in the US led to a significant reduction in holiday travel and subsequent COVID-19 infections” https://t.co/kyeKTe4sJn
— gilberto lopes (@GlopesMd) August 22, 2021
[Preprint] Study shows symptomatic breakthrough infections are probably less transmissible than SARS-CoV-2 infections in unvaccinated individuals.
22 Aug, 2021 | 23:59h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Did you hear vaccinated people with Delta “have just as much virus in their nose so are just as infectious as unvaccinated”?
Turns out vaccinated people have significantly less culturable virus present at the same Ct count
They are LESS INFECTIOUS ? https://t.co/OX0Ul0ntWc pic.twitter.com/3vDQSJ6j84
— Alasdair Munro (@apsmunro) August 22, 2021
Evidence mounts that people with breakthrough infections can spread Delta easily.
22 Aug, 2021 | 23:57h | UTCOriginal study: Shedding of Infectious SARS-CoV-2 Despite Vaccination when the Delta Variant is Prevalent – Wisconsin, July 2021 – medRxiv
Commentary on Twitter
The evidence that supports Delta breakthrough infections ability to spread (and why fully vaccinated people need to ? up)https://t.co/27NOf6mYCM @NatGeo by @Ecquis w/ studies and input by @GuptaR_lab and @KasenRiemersma
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) August 20, 2021
Hot, Cold, and Deadly – Extreme temperature is a threat to global health.
22 Aug, 2021 | 23:01h | UTCHot, Cold, and Deadly – Think Global Health