Coronavirus / COVID

The CDC director endorsed the vote, and vaccines could be available to this young pediatric population by later this week.

This past week has been extremely busy in infectious disease with a lot of vaccine news that could impact young children. In addition, GSK reported on its phase 3 study on its RSV vaccine for seniors.

Following VRBPAC recommendations earlier this week, both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines were FDA-authorized for children as young as 6 months.

Government agencies and researchers continue to monitor the potentially troubling trend.

Out of 102 monoclonal antibodies tested, only Cv2.1169 and Cv2.3194 cross-neutralized all variants of concern, including Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants.

The FDA VRBPAC votes to recommend mRNA vaccines in youngest children; WHO moves to rename monkeypox; Anthony Fauci is diagnosed with COVID-19; and Pfizer stops recruiting for a Paxlovid trial.

Today, the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) unanimously voted to recommend both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months old.

High 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.

The first report from WHO Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) concedes SARS-CoV-2 source remains a mystery.

The committee voted twice splitting the questions into younger children (6-11 years) and adolescent (12-17 years) cohorts due to different vaccine dosing amounts.

Aethlon Medical’s proprietary Hemopurifier is being studied to treat COVID-19, and they recently reported results.

Sanofi and GSK’s booster vaccine candidate is modeled on the Beta COVID-19 variant, and increases Omicron-neutralizing antibody titers 40-fold.

Rather than developing vaccines for each new variant, some officials are pushing to follow the flu vaccine model, with annual vaccination.

Merck’s antiviral drug molnupiravir may benefit nonhospitalized patients with mild or moderate COVID-19, according to a secondary analysis of phase 3 clinical trial data.

Immunization against COVID-19 benefits pregnant women as well as their offspring.

AstraZeneca’s Evusheld, dual injections of tixagevimab and cilgavimab, reduced the risk of severe or fatal COVID-19 disease by 50%. When administered within 3 days of symptom onset, Evusheld had an 88% risk reduction.

Rebound in COVID-19 symptoms, retesting positive for SARS-CoV-2, and recurring infectivity after Paxlovid treatment mars "test and treat."

Moderna’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster, mRNA-1273.214, generated nearly twice the protective antibodies against Omicron.

The vote was 21-0 in favor of an emergency use authorization (EUA), with one voter abstaining.

Impairment of cognitive function is a growing, concerning effect of "long COVID."

Adults living with HIV were more likely to have a breakthrough COVID-19 infection after vaccination, suggesting a need for additional vaccine doses in this population.

The advisory group is meeting on Tuesday to discuss the vaccine’s presenting data and a potential authorization.

New vaccine for COVID-19 employing receptor-binding domain-dimer-based platform achieves 87.6% efficacy against severe to critical illness.

The study authors determined that COVID-19 patients with HIV were 38% more likely to die than those without HIV.

COVID-19 mortality is most frequent in men 60-77 years old with acute lung injury.