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 July 26 to 30, 2021. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
Israel Offers COVID-19 Booster Shots to Anyone Over 60
FRIDAY, July 30, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Israelis who are over the age of 60 and fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be offered booster shots, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Thursday.
Pandemic-Related School Closures Tied to Poor Mental Health of Students
FRIDAY, July 30 2021 (HealthDay News) — School closures in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the mental health of students, according to a U.S. study published online July 20 in JCPP Advances.
One in Four Survivors of COVID-19 Have Symptoms at Six Months
FRIDAY, July 30, 2021 (HealthDay News) — One in four COVID-19 patients still report symptoms six months after diagnosis, according to a study published online July 12 in PLOS ONE.
More Than Half of Personnel at LTCFs Fully Vaccinated for COVID-19
FRIDAY, July 30, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Overall, 56.8 percent of health care personnel working at long-term care facilities had completed COVID-19 vaccination through April 4, 2021, according to research published in the July 30 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Some Seniors Report Worsening Mental Health in Pandemic
FRIDAY, July 30, 2021 (HealthDay News) — About 20 percent of older adults reported worsening in their mental health since the start of the pandemic, according to research published online July 27 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Cognitive Impairment Reported After COVID-19 Infection
THURSDAY, July 29, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Cognitive impairment has been reported following recovery from COVID-19, according to two studies presented at the annual Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, held from July 26 to 30 in Denver.
CDC Now Says Vaccinated Should Be Tested After COVID-19 Exposure, Even Without Symptoms
THURSDAY, July 29, 2021 (HealthDay News) — People fully vaccinated against COVID-19 should be tested for the virus if they come into contact with infected people, whether or not they have symptoms, say updated testing guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Mississippi Health System Buckles Under ‘Astounding’ Rise in COVID-19 Cases
THURSDAY, July 29, 2021 (HealthDay News) — An “astounding” rise in COVID-19 cases in Mississippi is putting intense strain on the state’s health care system.
Most With Reaction to mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Tolerate Second Dose
THURSDAY, July 29, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Most patients with an immediate and potentially allergic reaction to the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine tolerate a second dose, according to a research letter published online July 26 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Sickle Cell Disease May Up Risk for Poor COVID-19 Outcomes
THURSDAY, July 29, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Sickle cell disease is associated with a fourfold increased risk for COVID-19-related hospitalization and a more than twofold increased risk for COVID-19-related death, according to a research letter published online July 20 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Pfizer Says Third Shot of Vaccine Boosts COVID-19 Protection
WEDNESDAY, July 28, 2021 (HealthDay News) — New data show that protection from both doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine decreases slightly over time but that a third dose significantly boosts levels of antibodies against several variants of the virus, including the highly contagious delta variant that is now dominant in the United States.
Vaccinated Americans Can Soon Visit the U.K. Without Quarantining
WEDNESDAY, July 28, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Starting Aug. 2, the United Kingdom will allow fully vaccinated travelers from the United States into the country without having to quarantine upon arrival, officials there announced Wednesday.
Biden Weighs ‘Vaccine or Testing’ Mandate for Federal Employees
WEDNESDAY, July 28, 2021 (HealthDay News) — President Joe Biden is considering a mandate that would require all civilian federal employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine or submit to regular testing, masking, and travel restrictions.
Depression, Suicide Concerns Up Among Teens During Pandemic
WEDNESDAY, July 28, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Depression and suicide concerns increased among adolescents during the pandemic, especially among females, according to a study recently published online in Pediatrics.
Third COVID-19 Vaccine Dose May Prompt Response in Transplant Recipients
WEDNESDAY, July 28, 2021 (HealthDay News) — A third dose of the mRNA-1273 vaccine induces a serologic response in 49 percent of kidney transplant recipients who did not respond after receiving two doses, according to a research letter published online July 23 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Mental Health Disorders Tied to Higher COVID-19 Mortality
WEDNESDAY, July 28, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Mental health disorders are associated with increased COVID-19-related mortality, according to a review published online July 27 in JAMA Psychiatry.
CDC to Advise Return to Masks Indoors for Some Vaccinated Americans
TUESDAY, July 27, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday is expected to recommend a return to masks indoors for the fully vaccinated in some areas of the country.
Federal, State Agencies Begin to Mandate COVID-19 Vaccines for Workers
TUESDAY, July 27, 2021 (HealthDay News) — In a sign that the United States has reached a “tipping point” in its campaign to vaccinate Americans, California and New York City announced vaccine or testing mandates for their employees on Monday, while the Department of Veterans Affairs said its frontline health care workers must get immunized or face possible termination.
Long COVID May Qualify as a Disability: Biden
TUESDAY, July 27, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Serious “long COVID” symptoms could qualify as a disability and make patients eligible for federal assistance, President Joe Biden said Monday.
Despite Reopening, Britain Sees Six Straight Days of Declines in COVID-19 Cases
TUESDAY, July 27, 2021 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 cases in Britain have fallen for six days in a row, even though the government lifted all but a few social-distancing restrictions last week.
Corneal Nerve Fiber Damage ID’d in Patients With Long COVID
TUESDAY, July 27, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Patients with long COVID, especially those with neurological symptoms, have corneal small nerve fiber loss and increased dendritic cell density, according to a study published online July 26 in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
Antibody Responses Seen After Mild SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children
TUESDAY, July 27, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Children and adolescents with mild or asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection generate robust and durable humoral immune responses, according to a study published online July 6 in JCI Insight.
Deaths Up in 2020, Even When Accounting for COVID-19
TUESDAY, July 27, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Even accounting for COVID-19 deaths, there were more deaths in 2020 for individuals younger than 65 years old than in previous years, according to a study published online June 30 in Health Care Management Science.
Medical Groups Call for Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination for Health Care Workers
MONDAY, July 26, 2021 (HealthDay News) — All health care workers should be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, dozens of major U.S. medical groups said in a joint statement released Monday.
Survey Shows U.S. Parents Split on COVID-19 Vaccination for Children Under 12
MONDAY, July 26, 2021 (HealthDay News) — As a new school year approaches, U.S. parents are nearly evenly split on whether they will vaccinate their young children when a COVID-19 vaccine is approved for their age group, according to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.
Most Unvaccinated Americans Want to Stay That Way: Poll
MONDAY, July 26, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Eight in 10 American adults who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine say they are unlikely to get one, according to the results of a new survey from the Associated Press.
Fauci Pushes Ambitious Plan to Guard Against Future Pandemics
MONDAY, July 26, 2021 (HealthDay News) — In an effort to avoid another pandemic in the coming years, Anthony Fauci, M.D., director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, wants to launch an ambitious plan to make prototype vaccines that could protect against pathogens from 20 families of viruses that threaten human lives.
U.S. to Stick With International Travel Restrictions
MONDAY, July 26, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The rapid spread of the highly contagious delta variant around the world means that the United States will continue with COVID-19 international travel restrictions for now, a White House official said Monday.
SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies May Persist Nine Months After Infection
MONDAY, July 26, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Antibody levels appear to remain positive for up to nine months after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, according to a study published online July 19 in Nature Communications.
Prostate Cancer Surgery Lagged for Black Men During Pandemic
MONDAY, July 26, 2021 (HealthDay News) — During the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the likelihood of undergoing surgery for prostate cancer was lower for Black than White patients, according to a study published online July 22 in JAMA Oncology.
Most Inflammatory, Cardiac Manifestations of MIS-C Resolve
MONDAY, July 26, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Most inflammatory and cardiac manifestations of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children resolve relatively quickly, according to a study published online July 15 in Pediatrics.
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