General Interest
IDSA response to plan for supplemental vaccine doses for vaccinated individuals.
19 Aug, 2021 | 09:02h | UTC
Viewpoint: Confronting the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2.
19 Aug, 2021 | 09:03h | UTCConfronting the Delta Variant of SARS-CoV-2, Summer 2021 – JAMA
Studies: COVID vaccine protection waning against infection but not hospitalization.
19 Aug, 2021 | 09:05h | UTCStudies: COVID vaccine protection waning against infection but not hospitalization – CIDRAP
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Very excited to share our most recent publication about #CovidVaccine effectiveness, just published today by the IVY network. Especially relevant in light of today’s news about #boosters (spoiler – I’m skeptical about the need for boosters for all). 🧵https://t.co/GbAxgzpo7R
— Nida Qadir, MD (@NidaQadirMD) August 18, 2021
Vaccine stockpiling by nations could lead to increase in COVID-19 cases, novel variant emergence.
19 Aug, 2021 | 08:58h | UTCVaccine nationalism and the dynamics and control of SARS-CoV-2 – Science
Commentary on Twitter
Published at @sciencemagazine, a new @PrincetonEnviro study shows that stockpiling driven by vaccine 'nationalism' could increase #COVID19 cases and the potential emergence of novel variants, stressing the importance of rapid global vaccine equity. https://t.co/ziN5fX0u2X
— Princeton University (@Princeton) August 18, 2021
U.S. officials’ decision on Covid-19 booster shots baffles — and upsets — some scientists.
19 Aug, 2021 | 09:00h | UTCU.S. officials’ decision on Covid-19 booster shots baffles — and upsets — some scientists – STAT
Commentary on Twitter
Scientists I spoke to today had a lot of questions about the administration's decision to start giving Americans 3rd doses of the mRNA vaccines next month. “I’m not sure we had enough [data] to pull the trigger right now," one said. https://t.co/eHUndOrQL4
— Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 (@HelenBranswell) August 18, 2021
As use of widely prescribed stimulants increases, experts see troubling parallels to opioid crisis.
19 Aug, 2021 | 08:46h | UTC
ANALYSIS- Here’s why there may be no need for boosters for everyone just yet.
18 Aug, 2021 | 09:00h | UTCANALYSIS- Here’s why there may be no need for boosters for everyone just yet – CNN
Lab study shows heterologous AstraZeneca/Pfizer vaccination produces strong immune response against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant.
18 Aug, 2021 | 09:04h | UTCRelated:
Another study shows increased immune response with heterologous Oxford-AstraZeneca/mRNA vaccination (several articles on the subject)
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Mix and match vaccines, AZ then mRNA (@BioNTech_Group) achieves a very strong immune response against the Delta variant.
This is the 1st report to look at mix vs Delta, specifically.https://t.co/6N46cUh8HW @TheLancet pic.twitter.com/cvlHp2XtXJ— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) August 17, 2021
U.S. to recommend COVID vaccine boosters at 8 months.
18 Aug, 2021 | 09:02h | UTCSources: US to recommend COVID vaccine boosters at 8 months – Associated Press
See also: Biden administration expected to advise Covid booster shots for most Americans – CNN AND US experts expected to recommend Covid booster shots for all – The Guardian
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
This decision seems to reflect a common fallacy; trying to reason about whether we "need X" just based on what things are like without X, rather than how much X will do to help.
It's surprising to see it at play in a decision of such consequence.
— Wes Pegden (@WesPegden) August 17, 2021
Editorial: COVID-19 vaccine equity and booster doses – “by Aug 9, only 12·6 million of the 4·46 billion doses administered globally were in low-income countries”.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:58h | UTCCOVID-19 vaccine equity and booster doses – The Lancet Infectious Diseases
See also: New waves, new variants, old inequity: a continuing COVID-19 crisis – BMJ Global Health
Has COVID taught us anything about pandemic preparedness?
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:55h | UTCHas COVID taught us anything about pandemic preparedness? – Nature
Commentary on Twitter
Pandemic preparedness needs good surveillance in all countries, rapid and transparent data sharing, consistent implementation of public health measures, attention to Equity & global Solidarity https://t.co/GlouOA4Om3
— Soumya Swaminathan (@doctorsoumya) August 14, 2021
Editorial: The WHO is right to call a temporary halt to COVID vaccine boosters.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:56h | UTCThe WHO is right to call a temporary halt to COVID vaccine boosters – Nature
The animal origin of SARS-CoV-2 – “Trading of animals susceptible to bat coronaviruses is the likely cause of the COVID-19 pandemic”.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:53h | UTCThe animal origin of SARS-CoV-2 – Science
Video: Evolutionary Origins of SARS-CoV-2
Related: Fauci says natural origins theory of coronavirus is still the most likely.
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Big news! Our perspective on the origins of SARS-CoV-2 is now out at @ScienceMagazine❗❗ https://t.co/lrCQHgARdB
— Spyros Lytras (@SpyrosLytras) August 17, 2021
Opinion | Go Ahead. Vaccinate the Kids. The risk of vaccinating children will never be zero, but the alternative is so much worse.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:50h | UTCGo Ahead. Vaccinate the Kids. – The Atlantic
U.S. Study: Nearly half of surveyed female surgeons experienced major pregnancy complications.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:42h | UTCNews release: Nearly half of surveyed female surgeons experienced major pregnancy complications – Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Original study: Incidence of Infertility and Pregnancy Complications in US Female Surgeons – JAMA Surgery
Commentary on Twitter
Challenges of pregnancy as a surgeon: Compared to male surgeons & their partners, female surgeons
•More likely to delay children & need assisted reproduction
•Have 1.7X ↑ risk pregnancy complications;long OR hrs ↑risk by 1.6x
•↑ risk postpart https://t.co/tJhz93newO— JAMA Surgery (@JAMASurgery) July 29, 2021
Dementia risk in former professional footballers is related to player position and career length.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:39h | UTCNews release: Dementia risk in former professional footballers is related to player position and career length – University of Glasgow
Commentaries:
Dementia risk greatest for defenders, says new research – BBC
Commentary on Twitter
"Field Position, Career Length, and Risk of Neurodegenerative Disease in Male Former Professional #Soccer…" https://t.co/EI2rzZH72W
via @JAMANeuro part of @JAMANetwork #CTE #dementia #football pic.twitter.com/VJz91y3OUc
— Dr Willie Stewart (@WillStewNeuro) August 2, 2021
Professional rugby may be associated with changes in brain structure.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:38h | UTCNews release: Professional rugby may be associated with changes in brain structure
Original study: White matter abnormalities in active elite adult rugby players – Brain Communications
Commentary on Twitter
1/ Almost a quarter of elite adult rugby players have brain structure abnormalities as a result of repeated head impacts, research finds pic.twitter.com/HnkGeRZq0c
— Sciencebeta (@sciencebeta) July 26, 2021
The use of Twitter by medical journals: systematic review of the literature.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:31h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
The Use of #Twitter by Medical Journals: #SystematicReview of the Literature by Erskine & Hendricks https://t.co/3M8UgqmghI
"4 key strategies implemented by #medjournals: tweeting the title & link of the article, infographics, podcasts, & hosting monthly … journal clubs."
— Carrie Price (@carrieprice78) August 16, 2021
Scientific medical conferences can be easily modified to improve female inclusion: a prospective study.
17 Aug, 2021 | 08:53h | UTCAuthor Interview: Victoria Salem on improving female inclusion in conferences
Commentaries:
Women participate less at conferences, even with gender-balanced delegates – Imperial College London
Women participate less at conferences, even if gender-balanced – study – The Guardian
Commentaries on Twitter
🗣conference organisers take note: female chairs and picking first questions from females are easy modifications for scientific medical conferences to improve female inclusion https://t.co/pt722RB6E8
— A/Prof Sharleen O’Reilly (@OReillySharleen) August 5, 2021
"If women are not visible at conferences, they cannot act as role models…creating a self-perpetuating cycle."
How scientific medical conferences can be easily modified to improve female inclusion. Read in @TheLancetEndo—https://t.co/3vK5KCdqco #GenerationEquality pic.twitter.com/YPaqnlcCZo
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) July 30, 2021
https://twitter.com/WiebkeArlt/status/1420976987049537538
Perspective | Don’t panic, but breakthrough cases may be a bigger problem than you’ve been told.
16 Aug, 2021 | 01:17h | UTCDon’t Panic, But Breakthrough Cases May Be a Bigger Problem Than You’ve Been Told – Intelligencer
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
The vaccines are still performing quite well in preventing severe disease. But with Delta they are doing much worse in stopping transmission. Breakthroughs are probably now 10-20% of new infections, and perhaps as much as 5% of new deaths. A thread. (1/x) https://t.co/NvGends1ZP
— David Wallace-Wells (@dwallacewells) August 12, 2021
CDC Guidance: Pregnant people should be vaccinated against COVID-19.
16 Aug, 2021 | 01:19h | UTCCOVID-19 Vaccines While Pregnant or Breastfeeding – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Related:
Opinion | Should pregnant women have a COVID vaccine? The evidence says it’s safe and effective.
[Preprint] Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on early child cognitive development: initial findings in a longitudinal observational study of child health.
16 Aug, 2021 | 01:11h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Preprint on the development of children born before and during the pandemic in the US.
"We find that children born during the pandemic have significantly reduced verbal, motor, and overall cognitive performance compared to children born pre-pandemic."
1/https://t.co/NInexSUDAi— Prof Francois Balloux (@BallouxFrancois) August 15, 2021
Bioethics | Should we tell stories of vaccine sceptics who have died of COVID?
16 Aug, 2021 | 01:06h | UTCShould we tell stories of vaccine sceptics who have died of COVID? – The Conversation
Opinion: “fear of covid-19 in kids is getting ahead of the data”.
16 Aug, 2021 | 01:09h | UTCFear of COVID-19 in Kids Is Getting Ahead of the Data – The Atlantic
Systematic review: Enteral tube feeding for people with severe dementia – “We found no evidence that tube feeding improves survival; improves quality of life; reduces pain; reduces mortality; decreases behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia”.
16 Aug, 2021 | 00:54h | UTCEnteral tube feeding for people with severe dementia – Cochrane Library
Summary: Enteral tube feeding for people with severe dementia – Cochrane Library
Related: Viewpoint: Tube Feeding and Deteriorating Patients (resources on the subject)
Commentary on Twitter
🚨🚨So happy our @CochraneUK review on enteral tube feeding in #dementia is now published – no evidence tube feeding improves #survival; improves quality of life; reduces #pain; reduces #mortality. But was evidence of increase risk of pressure ulcers https://t.co/uUHJEboNCd
— Nathan Davies (@NathanDavies50) August 13, 2021