Global & Public Health (all articles)
Pregnant women & vaccines against emerging epidemic threats: Ethics guidance for preparedness, research, and response
13 Jan, 2021 | 02:10h | UTC
Commentaries on Twitter
New paper via our PREVENT Group w 22 concrete recs that provide a roadmap for the ethically responsible, socially just, & respectful inclusion of the interests of pregnant women in the development & deployment of vaccines against emerging pathogens. https://t.co/tp6gt20dh0
— Ruth Faden (@fadenethx) May 6, 2019
Infectious disease outbreaks can severely affect the health interests of pregnant women and their babies. PREVENT's guidance promotes the inclusion of pregnant women in the development and deployment of vaccines against emerging pathogens ➡️ https://t.co/P8IKXCU8tI pic.twitter.com/LYDHfQ2f9y
— CEPI (@CEPIvaccines) May 13, 2019
Inferring the effectiveness of government interventions against COVID-19
13 Jan, 2021 | 02:17h | UTCInferring the effectiveness of government interventions against COVID-19 – Science
Commentary on Twitter
Do we really need #StayAtHome orders?
New @ScienceMagazine modeling explores what really works around the globe.
TL;DR: the answer is no. Targeted efforts work; the effect of stay at home is small👍https://t.co/Km7kfWyVUJ by @JanMBrauner @jankulveitb @OATML_Oxford @fhioxford pic.twitter.com/Uo0lhZD5WR— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) December 15, 2020
Covid-19: Breastfeeding women can have vaccine after guidance turnaround
13 Jan, 2021 | 02:11h | UTCCovid-19: Breastfeeding women can have vaccine after guidance turnaround – The BMJ
Related opinion: Why were breastfeeding women denied the covid-19 vaccine? – The BMJ
USPSTF recommends screening for Hepatitis B Virus infection in adolescents and adults
13 Jan, 2021 | 01:43h | UTCAuthor Interview: USPSTF Recommendation: Screening for Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Adolescents and Adults
Patient Page: Screening for Hepatitis B in Nonpregnant Adolescents and Adults – JAMA
CDC Study: Reducing quarantine to fewer than 14 days might be easier to comply with but carries some risk of spreading the virus
12 Jan, 2021 | 02:03h | UTCCommentaries: Shorter Quarantines Can Eliminate Most Contagion. Is Most Enough? New Data – Brief19 AND Some Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Occurs After Seven, 10 Days – Physician’s Wekly
Related (guideline and commentary): Why the CDC changed its Covid-19 quarantine guidelines
Commentary on Twitter
An ongoing CDC study of household spread of COVID-19 published in MWMR finds reducing quarantine to fewer than 14 days might be easier to comply with but carries some risk of spreading the virus. Learn more: https://t.co/3HCtyxCLiO pic.twitter.com/Frepnp0QRQ
— MMWR (@CDCMMWR) January 1, 2021
CDC Study: Among young, healthy athletes exposed to Covid-19, the probability of receiving positive test results after day 10 of quarantine is low (less than 5%)
12 Jan, 2021 | 02:01h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
A new @CDCMMWR looking at college athletes exposed to #COVID19 supports giving health departments options to potentially shorten quarantine periods to increase adherence. Learn more: https://t.co/WuPF7MWtOF. pic.twitter.com/irsA0Zn7d7
— CDC (@CDCgov) January 7, 2021
AAP: COVID-19 Guidance for Safe Schools
12 Jan, 2021 | 01:56h | UTCCOVID-19 Guidance for Safe Schools – American Academy of Pediatrics
Commentary: AAP updates guidance for in-school education – Contemporary Pediatrics
Systematic review: Prevention of childhood unintentional injuries in low- and middle-income countries
12 Jan, 2021 | 01:23h | UTCRelated: World report on child injury prevention – World Health Organization
New SARS-CoV-2 variants: increased transmissibility likely to cause more deaths and possibly a new wave of the disease
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:54h | UTC- SARS-CoV-2 Variants – World Health Organization
- Why epidemiologists are so worried about the new Covid-19 variants, in 2 charts – Vox
- We lost to SARS-CoV-2 in 2020. We can defeat B-117 in 2021 – STAT
- Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Lineage B.1.1.7 in England: insights from linking epidemiological and genetic data – Imperial College of London AND Commentary: New COVID-19 variant growing rapidly in England – Imperial College London
- Genetic Variants of SARS-CoV-2—What Do They Mean? – JAMA
- Podcast: Understanding SARS-CoV-2 Genetic Variants – JAMA
- Podcast: Understanding the New SARS-CoV-2 Mutation Found in England – JAMA
- Viral mutations may cause another ‘very, very bad’ COVID-19 wave, scientists warn – Science
- Mutant coronavirus in the United Kingdom sets off alarms, but its importance remains unclear – Science
- New variant of SARS-CoV-2 in UK causes surge of COVID-19 – The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
- Scientists are monitoring a coronavirus mutation that could affect the strength of vaccines – STAT
- Instead of debating ‘first-shot’ vs. ‘set-aside’ vaccine approaches, hospitals’ study should compare them – STAT
- The Mutated Virus Is a Ticking Time Bomb – Vox
- What We Know About The New U.K. Variant Of Coronavirus — And What We Need To Find Out – NPR
- The New Mutations – Science Translational Medicine
- New Virus Strain’s Transmissibility to Cause More Deaths: Study – Bloomberg
- U.K. variant puts spotlight on immunocompromised patients’ role in the COVID-19 pandemic – Science
- When unusually severe COVID is seen, rapid identification-and-virus-sequencing are needed world-wide – Science Speaks: Global ID News
- Covid-19: New coronavirus variant is identified in UK – The BMJ
- The looming questions scientists need to answer about the new variant of the coronavirus – STAT
- With limited surveillance of Covid-19 variant, it’s déjà vu all over again – STAT
- New coronavirus variant: What do we know? – BBC
- Covid-19 in South Africa: Scientists seek to understand new variant – BBC
- New coronavirus variant: what is the spike protein and why are mutations on it important? – The Conversation
Peter Doshi: Pfizer and Moderna’s “95% effective” vaccines—we need more details and the raw data
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:48h | UTC
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine phase III trial results published; it is 94.1% efficacious in preventing symptomatic COVID-19
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:49h | UTCEfficacy and Safety of the mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine – New England Journal of Medicine
Commentaries: Peer-reviewed report on Moderna COVID-19 vaccine publishes – NIH News Releases AND Peer-reviewed data show high protection for leading COVID vaccines – CIDRAP AND The Moderna Vaccine’s Antibodies May Not Last As Long As We Hoped – Forbes
Commentary on Twitter
In the phase 3 mRNA-1273 trial participants received 2 doses of vaccine or placebo 28 days apart. The mRNA-1273 vaccine showed 94.1% efficacy in preventing #SARSCoV2, including severe disease. #IDTwitter
— NEJM (@NEJM) December 30, 2020
Debate: Should we delay second vaccine doses to give one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to more people?
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:51h | UTC- Editorial: U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Challenges Go Beyond Supply – Annals of Internal Medicine
- Speed Versus Efficacy: Quantifying Potential Tradeoffs in COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment – Annals of Internal Medicine
- A Public Health COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy to Maximize the Health Gains for Every Single Vaccine Dose – Annals of Internal Medicine
- Alternative Dose Allocation Strategies to Increase Benefits From Constrained COVID-19 Vaccine Supply – Annals of Internal Medicine
- Delaying the second COVID vaccine dose – a medical expert answers key questions – The Conversation
- Should we give one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to more people? The debate, explained. – Vox
- Debates intensify over dosing plans for authorized COVID-19 vaccines – Science
- Covid-19 vaccination: What’s the evidence for extending the dosing interval? – The BMJ Opinion
- Covid-19 vaccines: to delay or not to delay second doses – The BMJ Opinion
- Britain takes a gamble with Covid-19 vaccines, upping the stakes for the rest of us – STAT
- UK Delay of Second COVID-19 Vaccine Dose – A Risky Strategy That Could Give Rise To More Virus Mutations, Some Experts Warn – Health Policy Watch
- What’s the scientific basis for delaying the Covid vaccine second dose? – The Guardian
- FDA says people need both doses of coronavirus vaccines – CNN
- WHO experts weigh in on COVID-19 vaccine dose interval – CIDRAP
- For mRNA vaccines, we should stick to the schedule – The Guardian
- Expert comment on whether giving two doses of COVID vaccine separated by a longer period is sensible – Science Media Centre
- How safe is it to switch and space COVID-19 vaccine doses? – Reuters
Sinovac vaccine 78% effective in Brazil trial, experts call for more details
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:46h | UTCSinovac vaccine 78% effective in Brazil trial, experts call for more details – Reuters
Long Covid: 6-month consequences of COVID-19 in patients discharged from hospital
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:43h | UTC6-month consequences of COVID-19 in patients discharged from hospital: a cohort study – The Lancet
Commentaries: Most patients hospitalized for Covid-19 still have symptoms six months later, China study finds AND Long-term follow-up of recovered patients with COVID-19 – The Lancet
Commentary on Twitter
Largest #LongCovid cohort @TheLancet just published:
6 months post-hospital,
—76% still had ≥ 1 symptom
—63% fatigue/muscle weakness
—sleep, anxiety, depression common
—Sig % w/CT lung abnormalities
—13% had abnormal kidney function https://t.co/zfRf7MGdxB pic.twitter.com/LI4DaJPis8— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 8, 2021
WHO: 10 global health issues to track in 2021
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:38h | UTC10 global health issues to track in 2021 – World Health Organization
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
As an unprecedented year comes to a close and a New Year beckons, here are 🔟 global health issues WHO and our partners will focus on in 2021
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) December 28, 2020
[Preprint] Characterizing Long COVID in an International Cohort: 7 Months of Symptoms and Their Impact
10 Jan, 2021 | 20:41h | UTCRelated: Explanations for ‘long Covid’ remain elusive. For now, believing patients and treating symptoms is the best doctors can do – STAT AND Long COVID: who is at risk? – The Conversation
Commentary on Twitter
How long is #LongCovid?
The most extensive symptom assessment and longest duration (7 months) of nearly 3,800 individuals shows how debilitating this is in young, predominantly women, w/ most unable to return to full prior work https://t.co/o0YUNse1EA @ahandvanish @AthenaAkrami pic.twitter.com/3miXJFdVp0— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) December 29, 2020
NICE Guideline: Managing the long-term effects of COVID-19
18 Dec, 2020 | 10:27h | UTC
NICE Guideline: Do not use Vitamin D to prevent or treat COVID 19
18 Dec, 2020 | 10:03h | UTCCOVID-19 rapid guideline: vitamin D – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
News release: NICE, PHE and SACN publish rapid COVID-19 guidance on vitamin D
Commentaries: Covid and vitamin D: ‘Not enough evidence’ for treatment – BBC AND Covid-19: Evidence is lacking to support vitamin D’s role in treatment and prevention – The BMJ
Commentary on Twitter
https://twitter.com/onisillos/status/1339485382501666816
Vaccines are here. We have to talk about side effects
18 Dec, 2020 | 09:59h | UTCVaccines Are Here. We Have to Talk About Side Effects – Wired
Commentary on Twitter
All vaccines have side effects and trust comes from freely discussing them. Nice piece by @marynmck https://t.co/eUISXTiFVP
— Madhu Pai, MD, PhD (@paimadhu) December 17, 2020
“Racial Bias in Pulse Oximetry Measurement”. In two large cohorts, Black patients had nearly three times the frequency of occult hypoxemia that was not detected by pulse oximetry as White patients
18 Dec, 2020 | 10:01h | UTCRacial Bias in Pulse Oximetry Measurement – New England Journal of Medicine
Commentary: Devices Used In COVID-19 Treatment Can Give Errors For Patients With Dark Skin – NPR
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
1/ Our research letter on racial bias in pulse oximetry measurement, out today in NEJM https://t.co/6dLuNGosxp pic.twitter.com/XXsfWfc5dv
— Michael Sjoding (@msjoding) December 17, 2020
COVID 5 times deadlier than flu for hospital patients, study finds
18 Dec, 2020 | 09:53h | UTCCOVID 5 times deadlier than flu for hospital patients, study finds – CIDRAP
Commentary on Twitter
Among people admitted to hospital, #COVID19 was associated with increased risk of various extrapulmonary clinical manifestations, compared with seasonal influenza #BMJResearch https://t.co/R0J9HCvsH2
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) December 16, 2020
Studies reveal deadliness of COVID-19, even in young adults
18 Dec, 2020 | 09:57h | UTCData reveal deadliness of COVID-19, even in young adults – CIDRAP
Studies warn of COVID vaccine access issues for low-income nations
18 Dec, 2020 | 09:54h | UTCStudies warn of COVID vaccine access issues for low-income nations – CIDRAP
Study 1: Reserving coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines for global access: cross sectional analysis – The BMJ
Editorial: Equitable global access to coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines – The BMJ
Inclusion of pregnant women in COVID-19 treatment trials: a review and global call to action
18 Dec, 2020 | 09:52h | UTCCommentaries: Pregnant women excluded from three-quarters of COVID-19 treatment trials – The Lancet AND Expert reaction to opinion piece on pregnant women and COVID-19 treatment trials – Science Media Centre
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
NEW—Pregnant women are among those most in need of safe and effective therapies against #COVID19, but are routinely excluded from 3/4 of treatment trials. Read the review published in @LancetGH: https://t.co/xvBfHqnHMe @WHO pic.twitter.com/pBuTcsUZ0O
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) December 17, 2020
Survey: Around 1 in 5 COVID-19 patients exhibit symptoms for a period of 5 weeks or longer; Around 1 in 10 COVID-19 patients exhibit symptoms for a period of 12 weeks or longer
18 Dec, 2020 | 09:49h | UTCThe prevalence of long COVID symptoms and COVID-19 complications – Office of National Statistics
Commentary on Twitter
The prevalence of long COVID symptoms & COVID-19 complications published by @ONS
10% of covid positive patients exhibit symptoms for a period of > 12 weeks
20% for > 5 weeksGreat work by @DanAyoubkhani @Vnafilyan https://t.co/8YgxkCG847
@martinmckee pic.twitter.com/Itizxkk8xC
— Prof Kamlesh Khunti (@kamleshkhunti) December 17, 2020


