Vaccines

Black Americans were more likely than White Americans to have a significant decrease in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy over time.

This week, one of the m-RNA COVID-19 vaccine’s effectiveness was shown to drop from 68% to 12% in children 5-11 years old within a month. This data raises concerns of what should be done to protect this pediatric population.

However, those that do have significant influence—and may have affected vaccination rates and treatment use, research suggests.

A single-dose injection of nirsevimab before RSV season was proven to reduce infants’ risk of lower respiratory tract infection by 74.5%.

“COVID-19 need no longer control our lives,” President Biden said, detailing a plan to immediately provide free antiviral pills to anyone who tests positive.

New research points to vaccine effectiveness against infection dropping from 68% to 12% in this pediatric population within a month.

Although it is possible, a small Danish study showed the majority of these cases were often mild and in unvaccinated individuals.

Among fully vaccinated people, being older than 60 years and having kidney failure were the only consistent predictors of severe COVID-19 disease and death.

Although COVID-19 vaccination remains the primary focus for health care, other paramount vaccines need to be recognized. Here is a review.

This is the first authorized COVID-19 vaccine that was developed by a Canadian-based company, and the first that used a plant-based protein technology.

CDC expands recommended timeline between second and third COVID-19 vaccine to 8 weeks for people 12 years and older, especially for young men, to reduce the risk of myocarditis.

Pfizer’s TicoVac vaccine was developed to immunize young children and adults to prevent Tick-Borne Encephalitis.

Infection-acquired immunity to SARS-CoV-2 remains higher for longer when followed by vaccination.

The companies plan to seek regulatory authorization for the vaccine both in the US and Europe.

A clinician offers his perspective on how the virus is behaving and the role that vaccines and therapies will play.

Moderna was endorsed to begin phase 3 clinical trials for mRNA-1345, what could be the first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine.

An Israeli study found COVID-19 reinfection was "relatively rare," and previously infected persons who also received at least 1 dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine had an 82% reduced risk of reinfection.

Study highlights elevated levels of antibody response in those with history of COVID-19.

COVID-19 mRNA vaccine effectiveness wanes even faster during Omicron than during Delta variant predominance, but a booster dose still provides lasting defense against COVID-19 hospitalization and death.

A preprint study shows the variant is resistant to some monoclonal antibodies and vaccines.

Regular symptom screening revealed completely asymptomatic COVID-19 infection is highly unlikely among unvaccinated people.

The varicella zoster (chickenpox) virus has been essentially eradicated thanks to the vaccine developed by Japanese virologist Dr. Michiaki Takahashi, who would have been 94 years old today.

Investigators looked at full vaccination and booster dose observational data to offer some insights on protection and breakthrough infections.

The idea of a future with COVID-19 is settling in, and building strategies that improve quality of life as we live with this viral disease are paramount.

In a study of people living with HIV in Taiwan, COVID-19 vaccination was highly effective when implemented alongside non-pharmaceutical interventions.

A research agenda focusing on breakthrough infections, reinfections, severity, and sequelae is needed to inform clinical practice when COVID-19 emphasis shifts from eradication to living with the disease.

Pfizer-BioNTech previously asked for FDA approval to administer its COVID-19 vaccine in children 6 months-4 years of age, but has deferred the request after reviewing more data.

Their investigational vaccine, NVX-CoV2373, demonstrated 82% efficacy against the Delta variant in participants 12-17 years old.

A study looked at COVID-19 vaccination rates and new COVID-19 infections across US counties during the Delta surge last summer. Many of the highly infected counties were considered rural, highlighting some of the vaccination challenges surrounding these areas.

COVID-19 vaccination rates were higher in counties with more primary care physicians, suggesting doctors are in unique positions of trust with their patients and can encourage vaccination.