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 Sept. 20 to 24, 2021. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome May Be Triggered by SARS-CoV-2 Infection
FRIDAY, Sept. 24, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Within a series of Guillain-Barré syndrome patients, 22 percent had confirmed or probable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, according to a study published online Sept. 23 in Brain.
WHO Issues Guidance for Use of Casirivimab-Imdevimab in COVID-19
FRIDAY, Sept. 24, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Use of two recombinant human monoclonal antibodies that bind to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike protein, casirivimab and imdevimab, is conditionally recommended for patients with nonsevere disease at highest risk for severe disease and for severe and critical infection among seronegative patients, according to a living guideline published online Sept. 24 in The BMJ.
CDC Endorses Booster Shots for Millions of Americans
FRIDAY, Sept. 24, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday recommended booster shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for millions of older and high-risk Americans, kicking off a new chapter in the national effort to protect the vulnerable from severe disease.
Antibodies ID’d in Neonates of Women Vaccinated Against COVID-19
FRIDAY, Sept. 24, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Neonates born to women vaccinated against COVID-19 during pregnancy have high levels of antibodies to the spike protein, according to a study published online Sept. 22 in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology: Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
Past Trauma Tied to Worse Mental Health During Pandemic for Aging Women
FRIDAY, Sept. 24, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Aging women with a history of childhood abuse or intimate partner violence have reported worse mental health, sleep, and conflict during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with women without these adverse experiences, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society, held from Sept. 22 to 25 in Washington, D.C.
FDA Approves Pfizer Booster Shots for Seniors, High-Risk Americans
THURSDAY, Sept. 23, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for people older than 65 years and for those at high risk for severe COVID-19. Under the emergency use authorization, the booster shots should be given at least six months after a person is fully vaccinated.
Emergency Help for Suicide-Related Issues Up During Pandemic for Some Youth
THURSDAY, Sept. 23, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Some youth subpopulations had a higher risk for suicide-related emergency department encounters during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but after shelter-in-place, overall rates were similar to those in 2019, according to a study published online Sept. 1 in JAMA Psychiatry.
CDC Expert Panel to Weigh In on Vaccine Boosters
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — An advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet on Wednesday to discuss which Americans, if any, should get Pfizer booster shots to rev up their immunity to COVID-19. Their recommendation will follow a decision by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration expert panel to only give booster shots to those older than 65 years and those in high-risk groups.
U.S. to Buy 500 Million More COVID-19 Vaccine Doses for Global Donation
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The United States will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine that it will donate to countries in need, President Biden announced at a virtual summit on the pandemic Wednesday.
Uptake Low for Monoclonal Antibodies for COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Uptake of monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 is low, according to a study published online Sept. 8 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
COVID-19 Does Not Seem to Impact Lung Function in Young People
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 infection does not appear to affect the lung function of children, adolescents, and young adults, according to two studies presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2021, held virtually from Sept. 5 to 8.
One-Third Have Symptoms Two Months After SARS-CoV-2
TUESDAY, Sept. 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) — One-third of individuals report having at least one symptom two months after having a positive test result for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, according to research published in the Sept. 17 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Booster Dose of J&J COVID-19 Vaccine May Increase Immunity
TUESDAY, Sept. 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Getting a second dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine substantially increased its protection, the company announced Tuesday.
Moderna Vaccine Top for Protection Against COVID-19 Hospitalization
TUESDAY, Sept. 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalization is higher for the Moderna vaccine than the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and vaccine effectiveness is higher for both mRNA vaccines than the Janssen vaccine, according to research published in the Sept. 17 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
COVID-19 Has Killed More Americans Than the Spanish Flu Did in 1918
TUESDAY, Sept. 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) — As the highly contagious delta variant has swept across the United States, the country has reached a tragic milestone. COVID-19 has now killed more Americans than the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic did, when roughly 675,000 people died.
Pandemic Tied to Fewer Concussion Visits
MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a decreased incidence of sports-related concussions, but patients with concussion were more hesitant to seek in-person care, according to a study published online Sept. 14 in the Journal of Neurotrauma.
Delta Variant Now Fueling 99 Percent of U.S. COVID-19 Cases
MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — If a person is diagnosed with COVID-19 in the United States right now, it is almost certainly caused by the delta variant.
Review of Booster Shots for Moderna, J&J Vaccines Just Weeks Away: Fauci
MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) â If Americans who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines are dismayed by the lack of information on booster shots for them, their wait should end soon.
U.S. Will Lift Restrictions on Fully Vaccinated International Travelers in November
MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Starting in November, the United States plans to lift travel restrictions on people coming from overseas who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Lower Dose of Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Works Well in Young Children
MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — A smaller dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine safely triggers a strong immune response in children as young as 5 years, the company announced Monday morning.
FDA Panel Says Yes to Pfizer Booster Shots for People 65+
MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday recommended a third Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster shot for all Americans aged 65 years or older, as well as for those deemed to be at high risk for severe illness.
Sharp Increase in BMI Rates Noted for Children During Pandemic
MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — During the pandemic, sharp increases in body mass index rates have been observed in children aged 2 to 19 years, according to research published in the Sept. 17 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Allergic Reactions to mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Characterized
MONDAY, Sept. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Women and those with a previous history of allergy seem to have an increased risk for allergy to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, according to a study published online Sept. 17 in JAMA Network Open.
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