The Week's Most Significant COVID-19 Updates

This week marked the 2-year anniversary of COVID-19 vaccines in the US. One of this week's top stories estimated the morbidities and mortalities prevented by COVID-19 vaccinations, while another examined a blood-related syndrome in people who are vaccinated against or contract the virus.

We have long known that men are more susceptible to severe and fatal COVID-19, but new data released this week presents a promising theory of why this is.

Read all about these and other COVID-19 developments in Contagion's roundup of the past week's most-clicked COVID-19 stories.

1. Blood-Related Syndrome Is Being Seen After Developing COVID-19 or Vaccination

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is happening in people post-virus as well as within a 90-day period post-vaccination.

2. New Research Shows “Y” Men Are More Likely to Have Severe COVID-19

With these findings, the Uppsala University investigators believe loss of the Y chromosome in white blood cells can predict which patients are at high risk of severe COVID-19 disease progression.

3. Two Years of the COVID-19 Vaccine: How Many Severe and Fatal Infections Have Been Prevented?

In addition to avoiding additional infection, illness, and death, the COVID-19 vaccination program likely saved the US $1.25 trillion in medical costs.

4. CDC: Long COVID Responsible for Over 3500 Deaths

A new report looked at mortality over a 2 ½ year period, and the epidemiology of who was most affected.

5. Paxlovid: Reducing the Risk of Hospitalization, Mortality

A large health system saw a reduction of 40% and 70% respectively when the antiviral was prescribed.