Covid-19
[Not published yet] Initial data from South Africa showed vaccine protection vs. Omicron infection may drop to 30% but does cut severe disease.
15 Dec, 2021 | 08:38h | UTCVaccine protection vs. omicron infection may drop to 30% but does cut severe disease – NPR
See also: South Africa Omicron study finds drop in vaccine protection, fewer hospitalized – CIDRAP
Proposed subtypes of long-Covid and their respective potential therapies.
14 Dec, 2021 | 09:49h | UTCRelated:
EuGMS Guidance: Management of post-acute COVID-19 patients in geriatric rehabilitation.
Addressing Post-COVID Symptoms: A Guide for Primary Care Physicians.
Update to post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection: Caring for the ‘long-haulers’.
Systematic Review: Short-term and long-term rates of postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
WHO Consensus: A clinical case definition of post COVID-19 condition (Long Covid).
Characterizing long COVID: a living systematic review.
Long Covid – The illness narratives.
New guidelines to help doctors manage long COVID patients published.
M-A: More than 50 long-term effects of COVID-19. (several articles on the subject)
Omicron: WHO updated technical brief and priority actions.
14 Dec, 2021 | 09:50h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
🆕 Technical Brief & Priority Actions for Member States on enhancing readiness for Omicron https://t.co/tOu6iIvFZP #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/huPP4QFS35
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) December 12, 2021
[Preprint] SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron evades neutralization by sera from vaccinated and convalescent individuals.
14 Dec, 2021 | 09:46h | UTCCommentary: SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant may evade host immune responses – News Medical
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
⚠️OMICRON “EVADES” NEUTRALIZATION—1st ever #Omicron variant study of blood from Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer vaccinated, vs survivors of Alpha, Beta, Delta variants. Omicron #B11529 evasive—but 2x Pfizer/mixed stronger>> convalescent; 3x hit best.🧵 https://t.co/292o740rHy pic.twitter.com/NYei6MACkj
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) December 13, 2021
Recommendations for equitable COVID-19 pandemic recovery in Canada.
14 Dec, 2021 | 09:47h | UTCNews Release: Equitable COVID-19 pandemic recovery in Canada: New guideline – Canadian Medical Association Journal
Editorial: Build back more equitably
Lab study shows significant immune escape of pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron.
14 Dec, 2021 | 09:43h | UTC
[Preprint] Reduced neutralization of SARS-COV-2 variant Omicron by post-immunization serum.
14 Dec, 2021 | 09:45h | UTC[Preprint] Reduced neutralisation of SARS-COV-2 Omicron-B.1.1.529 variant by post-immunisation serum – medRxiv
News release: Vaccines shown to induce lower levels of neutralising antibodies against Omicron coronavirus variant – University of Oxford
[Preprint] COVID vaccines cut the risk of transmitting Delta — but not for long
14 Dec, 2021 | 09:42h | UTCCOVID vaccines cut the risk of transmitting Delta — but not for long – Nature
Original Study [preprint]: The impact of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on Alpha & Delta variant transmission – medRxiv
An observational study showed Moderna is associated with increased effectiveness vs. Pfizer vaccine against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.
13 Dec, 2021 | 09:52h | UTCComparative effectiveness of mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection – Med
Related:
Opinion | Is Moderna really better than Pfizer—or is it just a higher dose?
Commentary on Twitter
New @MedCellPress
Comparative effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines over time, in both the Alpha and Delta US waves, vs symptomatic infections https://t.co/RlWUXeZ2f2
consistent 8-12 % points advantage for Moderna pic.twitter.com/IwHXFIKaEp— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) December 11, 2021
UK Report on SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern finds significantly lower vaccine effectiveness (VE) against Omicron infection, but a moderate to high VE of 70 to 75% is seen after a third (booster) dose.
13 Dec, 2021 | 09:53h | UTCCommentaries:
Omicron: Three vaccine doses key for protection against variant – BBC
Two jabs offer little protection against Omicron infection, UK data shows – The Guardian
UK Says Omicron to Become Its Dominant Variant Within Days – Associated Press
How to recognize and manage COVID-19-associated coagulopathy.
13 Dec, 2021 | 09:45h | UTCHow to recognize and manage COVID-19-associated coagulopathy – Hematology, ASH Education Program
Covid-19: Do vaccines work against omicron—and other questions answered.
13 Dec, 2021 | 09:49h | UTCCovid-19: Do vaccines work against omicron—and other questions answered – The BMJ
COVID-19 and thrombosis: searching for evidence.
13 Dec, 2021 | 09:47h | UTCCOVID-19 and thrombosis: searching for evidence – Hematology, ASH Education Program
Fauci says Omicron-specific version of Covid-19 vaccines may not be necessary.
13 Dec, 2021 | 09:51h | UTCFauci says Omicron-specific version of Covid-19 vaccines may not be necessary – STAT
Opinion: Revoke the Omicron travel ban against African countries.
13 Dec, 2021 | 09:48h | UTCRevoke the Omicron Travel Ban Against African Countries – The New York Times (a few articles per month are free)
Commentary on Twitter
Revoke the Omicron Travel Ban Against African Countries https://t.co/RhuHtnCYgR. Well said @SaadOmer3 this is not based in science and simply unjustifiable and needs to end now.
— Carlos del Rio (@CarlosdelRio7) December 11, 2021
SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals: measurement, causes and impact.
10 Dec, 2021 | 10:23h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals: measurement, causes and impact https://t.co/dd91AkYmu4 pic.twitter.com/1ByzLeTdlh
— Nature Rev Immunol (@NatRevImmunol) December 7, 2021
Editorial | Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants: shooting the messenger.
10 Dec, 2021 | 10:19h | UTCEmerging SARS-CoV-2 variants: shooting the messenger – The Lancet Infectious Diseases
Commentary on Twitter
"Omicron is the latest variant but is unlikely to be the last. We cannot risk disincentivising nations from alerting the world to new variants. In fact, globally, we would benefit from upscaling genomic surveillance" @TheLancetInfDis #IDTwitter #MedEd https://t.co/3Mz6WAgsKD
— Antibiotic Steward Bassam Ghanem 🅱️C🆔🅿️🌟 (@ABsteward) December 9, 2021
The emergence, genomic diversity and global spread of SARS-CoV-2.
10 Dec, 2021 | 10:21h | UTCThe emergence, genomic diversity and global spread of SARS-CoV-2 – Nature
Omicron spreads, but severe cases remain low in South Africa.
10 Dec, 2021 | 10:17h | UTCOmicron spreads but severe cases remain low in South Africa – WHO Africa
Infodemics: a new challenge for public health.
10 Dec, 2021 | 10:18h | UTCInfodemics: A new challenge for public health – Cell
See also:
What is an infodemic and how can we prevent it?
Commentary on Twitter
What pandemics and infodemics don’t have in common could help us learn how to fight them, experts suggest in a new @CellCellPress Commentary. Read more here: https://t.co/15nVCiebLI@Walter4C pic.twitter.com/7viNB9yRvR
— Cell Press (@CellPressNews) December 9, 2021
CDC chief says Omicron is ‘mild’ as early data comes in on US spread of variant.
10 Dec, 2021 | 10:14h | UTCCDC chief says Omicron is ‘mild’ as early data comes in on US spread of variant – The Guardian
Large observational study in Israel showed a third dose (booster) of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine had 90% effectiveness at preventing death due to Covid-19 compared to a two-dose regimen.
9 Dec, 2021 | 10:35h | UTCBNT162b2 Vaccine Booster and Mortality Due to Covid-19 – New England Journal of Medicine
Editorial: Booster Doses and Prioritizing Lives Saved
[Press release – not published yet] Lab study suggests a third dose (booster) of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine may be necessary to provide an adequate immune response to the Omicron variant.
9 Dec, 2021 | 10:29h | UTCPress release: Pfizer and Biontech provide update on Omicron variant
Commentaries:
Omicron likely to weaken COVID vaccine protection – Nature
Pfizer-BioNTech says COVID booster should protect against Omicron – CIDRAP
Covid: Pfizer says booster shot promising against Omicron – BBC
Large observational study in Israel showed a third dose (booster) of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine reduced the rates of confirmed Covid-19 and severe illness compared to a two-dose regimen.
9 Dec, 2021 | 10:32h | UTCProtection against Covid-19 by BNT162b2 Booster across Age Groups – New England Journal of Medicine
Editorial: Booster Doses and Prioritizing Lives Saved
As 57 countries report Omicron cases, Pfizer says its boosters offer protection – but WHO cautions more research is needed.
9 Dec, 2021 | 10:28h | UTCSee also: Covid: Vaccines should work against Omicron variant, WHO says – BBC