Coronavirus / COVID

2 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine reduced Omicron hospitalizations by 68% in children 5-11 and by 40% in adolescents 12-18 years old.

The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines were found to produce different antibody and killer T-cell responses, suggesting a “mix and match” booster approach may provide the best protection against COVID-19.

“Together these 2 diseases create a perfect storm”: Black people with cancer were more likely to have severe or fatal COVID-19 disease.

New policy appears inconsistent and, on the surface, unfair, expert says.

The new action by the federal agency now means the additional booster shot can be administered to people 50 years and older.

The coronavirus pandemic caused the first global recorded decline in human life expectancy.

The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) announced a pause in sotrovimab distribution in regions where BA.2 is the dominant COVID-19 variant, citing evidence that the monoclonal antibody therapy would not effectively neutralize the BA.2 Omicron variant.

The federal agency is expected to provide the EUAs prior to their next VRBPAC meeting on April 6.

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People with immune dysfunction are at increased risk for COVID-19 breakthrough infection after vaccination, and should take additional precautions.

The company is developing a single combination vaccine to cover SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as well as another candidate for endemic human coronaviruses.

This designation of the company’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine candidate, PF-06928316, will help to expedite its development and review.

The findings are significant given that a second booster dose may soon be recommended.

Research set to be presented next month found that people with resolved COVID-19, and in some cases active COVID-19, could safely donate organs.

Along with reporting positive data in the youngest pediatric population, the company is working with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use authorization of its vaccine in children 6 years to under 11 years as well as the 12-17 age groups.

COVID-19 vaccines were less protective against symptomatic infection from the Omicron COVID-19 variant than the Delta variant.

The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 had a secondary attack rate of 25.1% in Norwegian households compared with 19.4% for the Delta variant.

A matched cohort study found COVID-19 infection increased the risk of new type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Compared to patients with acute upper respiratory tract infections, COVID-19 patients were 28% more likely to develop diabetes.

There are many unknowns about the BA.2 COVID-19 variant. It appears 50-60% more transmissible than the original Omicron variant, but health experts are mixed on whether cases will spike dramatically.

Recent 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.

A Texas study found children and adolescents who previously contracted COVID-19 retained protective antibodies for 6 or more months after infection. However, natural infection plus vaccination remains the best defense against COVID-19.

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The submission is for a fourth dose of its Spikevax (mRNA-1273) vaccine in adults 18 years of age and older.

Policies keep case counts down even when vaccination rates are low, new analysis finds.

A study of over 8 million participants found no correlation between COVID-19 vaccination and developing neurological conditions. However, a risk of some neurological conditions was increased after COVID-19 infection.