Jonna Lorenz is a freelance journalist with more than 20 years of experience. Her background is in business and health care news, including reporting, editing and research for newspapers and websites.
Antibiotic Therapy Often Used Improperly in Kids with MIS-C Related to COVID-19
July 17th 2022Most children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 receive improper antimicrobial treatment, according to a recent study that highlights an urgent need to improve diagnosis and treatment of the condition.
Read More
Predicting Vaccine Effectiveness Based on Genetic Distance of SARS-CoV-2 Variants
June 30th 2022A computational framework for estimating vaccine effectiveness based on genetic differences of SARS-CoV-2 variants showed promising results in a new study that verified the model with clinical trial data.
Read More
CDC Identifies Adenovirus Infections in 45% of Acute Hepatitis Cases in Children
June 24th 2022The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking more data on a possible cause of acute hepatitis in children, calling on clinicians to screen for adenovirus infections along with a broad range of possible exposures.
Read More
Routine Surveillance Details Rapid Spread of COVID-19 at Cornell University During Omicron Surge
June 15th 2022High vaccination rates at Cornell University prevented severe disease during the Omicron surge of the COVID-19 pandemic but didn’t stop the rapid spread of the virus, even with comprehensive public health measures.
Read More
COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Among Children Dropped During Omicron Wave, Increased with Booster
May 25th 2022A new study from the CDC underscores the importance of staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, showing a rapid drop in vaccine effectiveness among children during the Omicron wave that increased with booster doses.
Read More
Maribavir Reduces Hospital Stays for Transplant Patients with Cytomegalovirus Infections
May 13th 2022Phase 3 clinical trial data showed Takeda Pharmaceuticals’ antiviral drug maribavir (Livtencity) was superior to conventional antiviral treatment for clearing cytomegalovirus infections in transplant recipients.
Read More
Monoclonal Antibodies for Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Could Saves Lives and Money
May 9th 2022Using monoclonal antibodies as post-exposure prophylaxis could be a cost-effective approach to battling COVID-19 in scenarios that include high transmission of susceptible variants, a new study suggests.
Read More
Few Readmissions After Hospitalization for CAP Are Avoidable
April 18th 2022An analysis of readmissions after hospitalization with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in France found that few readmissions were avoidable, supporting criticism that the measure may lead to unfair penalties under pay-for-performance programs.
Read More
COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy Doesn’t Increase Peripartum Risks
April 4th 2022A pair of new studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association add to growing evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are safe during pregnancy, showing no increased risk for adverse outcomes among women who were vaccinated during pregnancy and their babies.
Read More
Booster Doses of mRNA Vaccines Protected Against Severe COVID-19 from Omicron
March 20th 2022Recent booster shots of mRNA vaccines prevented severe infection, hospitalization and death during the Omicron wave of the pandemic, despite a higher rate of breakthrough infections than was seen during the Delta wave, a new study found.
Read More
Oral Nirmatrelvir Highly Effective Against COVID-19 in Phase 2/3 Trial
March 16th 2022Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill Paxlovid, which includes nirmatrelvir and ritonavir, reduced the risk of hospitalization and death by 89% among adults at high risk for severe disease, recently published phase 2/3 trial data show.
Read More