Coronavirus

Nearly 150 million people were affected by common symptoms of long COVID in 2020 and 2021, according to an analysis of global data on more than 1.2 million people.

The simple truth is that the long-lasting symptoms of COVID are something we should all be worried about.

What makes Novavax’s COVID-19 booster different? The adjuvanted vaccine “has kept recognizing variants that arise,” says Novavax executive director Germán Áñez, MD.

Our cover story for the October 2022 print edition of Contagion details the original coronavirus.

At IDWeek 2022, Erica Stohs, MD, MPH, presented surprising findings about unnecessary antibiotics in a cohort coinfected with COVID-19 and pneumonia.

Despite no significant reduction in time to discharge or recovery, inhalable SNG001 may lessen common symptoms of “long COVID.”

Breakthrough COVID-19 infections were rare in fully vaccinated individuals, but the average breakthrough occurred just under 50 days after complete vaccination.

The Novavax booster dose administered in a small study induced more robust antibody responses and its safety profile was considered favorable.

Overall, 91.5% of the hospitalized adults with COVID-19 were unvaccinated and 8.5% of patients were fully vaccinated.

Before the emergence of COVID-19, this precursor virus was a global concern.

Articles covering respiratory infections were our most-clicked this week.

Moderna’s new bivalent COVID-19 booster, which includes 25 micrograms each of messenger RNAs from the Wuhan-Hu-1 and Omicron B.1.1.529 variants of SARS-CoV-2, elicited antibody responses that were superior to those elicited by the original vaccine.

Preliminary results from a phase 2/3 trial suggest Pfizer-BioNTech’s Omicron BA.4/BA.5 bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine provides better protection for younger and older adults.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports the rise in pediatric acute respiratory illnesses especially as there is a decrease in hygiene measures that were previously employed during the pandemic.

The Moderna vaccine can be administered to children as young as six years old and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for kids as young as five years old.

A comprehensive cohort study of COVID-19 data has reinforced the effectiveness of the various vaccines, boosters, and prior infection in protecting against infection, hospitalization and death.

A recent study broke down hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 in adults between January 2021 and April of this year, based upon vaccination status.

These were our most popular articles this week. Catch up with these trending infectious disease stories.

The CDC is urging all eligible persons to receive a flu shot, but a new survey shows fewer adults are planning to get the vaccine this season.

Catch up on Contagion's top stories from the month of September.

The investigational therapy demonstrated time to first resolution of the five COVID-19 symptoms was significantly reduced in those treated with low dose of medication.

Interim data show a bivalent vaccine that contains the Omicron variant may be more effective.

These vaccines target the wild strain as well as the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 variants.

Investigators examined all-cause excess mortality and sought to uncouple it from COVID-19 in US states with high vaccination rates.

Progress in rapid diagnostic and point-of-care testing propelled by the pandemic can improve timeliness and precision of anti-infective treatment.

The Paxlovid approval reaffirms the importance of pharmacists in fighting COVID-19.

In 2020 alone, the COVID-19 pandemic may have caused an additional 10500 heart attacks, strokes, and other blood clot complications across England and Wales.

Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides in the gut microbiome are important to vaccine responsiveness and could be used in vaccine adjuvants in the future, a recent review shows.

The vaccine is available in adults 18 years and older.

The Lancet Commission called for global cooperation to end the continued spread of COVID-19 and effectively prevent future pandemics.