Here is what the editors at Physician’s Briefing chose as the most important COVID-19 developments for you and your practice for the week of Feb. 28 to March 4, 2022. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
U.S. Surgeon General Investigates COVID-19 Misinformation
FRIDAY, March 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) — An investigation into health misinformation on COVID-19 has been launched by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, M.D.
NFL Drops All COVID-19 Restrictions
FRIDAY, March 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) — The National Football League COVID-19 protocols will be lifted immediately under a deal reached between the league and its players association. The agreement makes the NFL one of the first major sports leagues to take such action, CBS News reported.
Molnupiravir for Nonsevere COVID-19 Added to Living Guideline
FRIDAY, March 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Molnupiravir is recommended for patients with nonsevere COVID-19 who are at the highest risk for hospitalization, according to the updated World Health Organization living guideline on drugs for COVID-19, published online March 2 in The BMJ.
Vaccine Effectiveness Lower for Teens With Predominant Omicron
THURSDAY, March 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) — For adolescents, BNT162b2 vaccine effectiveness was lower against COVID-19-associated emergency department and urgent care encounters during omicron predominance, according to research published in the March 1 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Homologous Pfizer-BioNTech Booster Safe for Adolescents
THURSDAY, March 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) — For adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, reactions to homologous Pfizer-BioNTech booster vaccination occur with similar frequency as after receipt of the second vaccine dose, and they are generally mild to moderate in severity, according to research published in the March 1 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
White House Unveils New COVID-19 Response Strategy
THURSDAY, March 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Accelerated research into new vaccines that could be ready within 100 days of the emergence of a new variant is one of the key features of a new COVID-19 response strategy released by the White House on Wednesday.
Many Older Adults Still Have Not Received Care Delayed by COVID-19
THURSDAY, March 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) — The pandemic disrupted health care for around 30 percent of older adults, according to the results of the latest University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging.
Subsequent Vaccination Cuts Risk for COVID-19 Reinfection
THURSDAY, March 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) — For patients who have recovered from COVID-19, the risk for recurrent infection is reduced with receipt of at least one dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine, according to a study published online Feb. 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
CDC Estimates U.S. COVID-19 Infections Now Close to 140 Million
WEDNESDAY, March 2, 2022 (HealthDay News) — The United States has had about 140 million COVID-19 infections since the start of the pandemic, new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show. That number is far higher than the 74.3 million confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide as of Jan. 31.
Biden Unveils New ‘Test to Treat’ Plan as Key Part of New COVID-19 Strategy
WEDNESDAY, March 2, 2022 (HealthDay News) — A new “test to treat” plan will be a key part of a revamped national strategy to return the country to normal, President Joe Biden announced during his State of the Union speech Tuesday night.
Biden Extends FEMA COVID-19 Aid to States
WEDNESDAY, March 2, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Full coverage by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency for COVID-19 emergency response costs to states, tribes, and territories has been extended once more and will now continue through July 1, the White House said Tuesday.
Newly Diagnosed Diabetes at COVID-19 Admission Profiled
WEDNESDAY, March 2, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Among patients hospitalized for COVID-19, individuals with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus at the time of admission had lower readings for glycemic parameters and higher levels of inflammatory markers than those with preexisting DM, according to a study published online Feb. 4 in the Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications.
MIS-C Rare in 12- to 20-Year-Olds After COVID-19 Vaccination
WEDNESDAY, March 2, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children is rare after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccination, especially for those without evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, according to a study published online Feb. 22 in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.
Link Between COVID-19 Vaccination, Sudden Deafness Explored
TUESDAY, March 1, 2022 (HealthDay News) — The possible association between COVID-19 vaccination and sudden sensorineural hearing loss is unclear, according to two studies published online Feb. 24 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
ACP Issues Final Practice Points for Remdesivir Use in COVID-19
TUESDAY, March 1, 2022 (HealthDay News) — In a living systematic review and updated article published online March 1 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, final practice points are presented for use of remdesivir for hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
AAN: Tic Severity in Teens Tied to Social Media Use During Pandemic
TUESDAY, March 1, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Increased use of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic is correlated with increased tic severity and reduced quality of life among teens with tic disorders, according to a study scheduled for presentation at the upcoming annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, to be held from April 2 to 7 in Seattle.
Risk for Progression to Severe COVID-19 Lower With Nirmatrelvir + Ritonavir
TUESDAY, March 1, 2022 (HealthDay News) — For patients with symptomatic COVID-19, treatment with nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir results in a lower risk for progression to severe COVID-19, according to a study published online Feb. 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Vaccination Ups Infection-Acquired Immunity Against SARS-CoV-2
TUESDAY, March 1, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine are associated with high short-term protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, which wanes after six months, while immunity remains high for those with infection-acquired immunity boosted with vaccination, according to a study published online Feb. 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Nearly Half of 500 Million Free COVID-19 Tests Still Left
MONDAY, Feb. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) — As COVID-19 cases across the United States drop, nearly half of the 500 million free tests offered by the federal government have gone unused, according to the White House.
Systemic Anticancer Treatment Not Tied to Higher COVID-19 Mortality
MONDAY, Feb. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Cancer patients actively receiving systemic anticancer treatment who become infected with COVID-19 do not experience higher COVID-19 mortality, according to a study published online Feb. 21 in JAMA Network Open.
Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection Seems to Be Less Common
MONDAY, Feb. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Completely asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection seems to be less common than has been reported, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.
Children, Adults Can Transmit SARS-CoV-2 to Household Contacts
MONDAY, Feb. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Children and adults within a household can transmit and are susceptible to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, according to a study published online Feb. 23 in Pediatrics.
Vaccine Rollout Linked to Drop in Severe COVID-19 in Dialysis Patients
MONDAY, Feb. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of severe COVID-19 infections was lower than expected among dialysis patients from the beginning of vaccine rollout; and antibody titers against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein decrease substantially within the six months after COVID-19 vaccination in patients receiving maintenance dialysis, according to two studies published online Feb. 10 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Enhanced External Counterpulsation Eases ‘Long COVID’
MONDAY, Feb. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) — For patients with “long COVID,” enhanced external counterpulsation treatment is associated with improvement in symptoms, including fatigue and breathing difficulties, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology virtual Cardiovascular Summit, held Feb. 16 to 19.
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