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 Aug. 2 to 6, 2021. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
Many Parents Do Not Plan to Vaccinate Youngest Child for COVID-19
FRIDAY, Aug. 6, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Many parents do not intend to vaccinate their youngest child for COVID-19, according to one report published online July 17 in The Journal of Pediatrics and a second report published online July 23 in Vaccine.
White House Outlines Effort to Vaccinate Young as Schools Start to Reopen
FRIDAY, Aug. 6, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Worried about low vaccination rates among the young as the new school year looms, the White House on Thursday unveiled a new initiative to get shots into the arms of more students.
White House Considering Stronger Measures to Boost COVID-19 Vaccinations
FRIDAY, Aug. 6, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Tougher steps to compel long-term care facilities, universities, and other institutions to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations are being considered by the Biden administration.
All Health Care, Long-Term Care Workers in California Must Get COVID-19 Shots
FRIDAY, Aug. 6, 2021 (HealthDay News) — All 2.2 million health care workers and long-term care workers in California will now have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Sept. 30, the California Department of Public Health said Thursday.
Novavax Seeks Approval for Vaccine in Needy Countries First
FRIDAY, Aug. 6, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Novavax said Thursday that it has applied for emergency use approval of its COVID-19 vaccine in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Antibody Levels High With COVID-19 Vaccination for Previously Infected
FRIDAY, Aug. 6, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibody levels are higher in previously infected individuals than in infection-naive individuals after one dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) vaccine, according to a research letter published online Aug. 6 in JAMA Network Open.
Moderna Vaccine’s Protection Does Not Wane After Six Months: Report
THURSDAY, Aug. 5, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Moderna Inc. announced on Thursday that the potency of its vaccine does not dim in the first six months after the second dose.
Largest Operator of Nursing Homes in U.S. Issues Vaccine Mandate for All Workers
THURSDAY, Aug. 5, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The largest operator of nursing homes in the United States said Wednesday that its workers must get vaccinated against COVID-19 if they want to keep their jobs.
Record Number of COVID-19 Hospitalizations Seen in Florida
THURSDAY, Aug. 5, 2021 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 hospitalizations in Florida reached a new high this week, the Florida Hospital Association says.
Antibody Combo Prevents Infection From SARS-CoV-2 Exposure
THURSDAY, Aug. 5, 2021 (HealthDay News) — For household contacts of infected persons, subcutaneous REGEN-COV, a combination of the monoclonal antibodies casirivimab and imdevimab, prevents symptomatic and asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Small Proportion of Children With SARS-CoV-2 Have Prolonged Illness
THURSDAY, Aug. 5, 2021 (HealthDay News) — A small proportion of children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection have prolonged illness duration, according to a study published online Aug. 3 in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.
COVID-19 Vaccines Seem Safe in Rheumatic, Musculoskeletal Disease Patients
THURSDAY, Aug. 5, 2021 (HealthDay News) — For patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, flare is uncommon following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 mRNA vaccination, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
WHO Slams COVID-19 Booster Shots in Wealthy Nations
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Wealthy nations should not be giving COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to their citizens while poor nations struggle to get first doses of vaccines, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.
REGEN-COV Authorized for Postexposure Prophylaxis in High-Risk Individuals
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The monoclonal antibody therapy REGEN-COV was authorized for emergency use as a postexposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 in those at high risk for severe disease, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday.
Full Approval of Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Could Come in September
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is speeding up its timetable for full approval of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, hoping to complete the process by early September.
Wuhan Tests All Residents as Delta Variant Rages Where Pandemic Began
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) — All 11 million residents of the city of Wuhan will be tested for COVID-19 after three locally transmitted cases were reported in the city on Monday, Chinese officials said Tuesday.
Biden Offers COVID-19 Vaccines to Migrants in Custody Along Mexican Border
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 vaccines will be offered to migrants in U.S. custody at the Mexican border, federal government officials said Tuesday.
Papers on COVID-19 in Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis Carry Risk for Bias
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Published papers addressing the risk and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis receiving biologic therapies have a high risk for bias, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
Enrollment in Cancer Treatment Trials Largely Unchanged by Pandemic
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) — During the COVID-19 pandemic, participation in cancer clinical treatment trials recovered, according to a study published online July 29 in JAMA Network Open.
AAP Provides Guidance for Follow-Up Care for Pediatric COVID-19
TUESDAY, Aug. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection should receive pediatric follow-up care to monitor for symptom resolution and screen for and address health concerns, according to guidance published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
For U.S. Teens, Most Adverse Events to COVID-19 Vaccine Nonserious
TUESDAY, Aug. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — For U.S. adolescents aged 12 to 17 years receiving Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination, most adverse events are nonserious, according to research published in the July 30 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Indiana University COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Upheld by Federal Appeals Court
TUESDAY, Aug. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Indiana University can mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for students and employees, a Chicago-based federal appeals court ruled Monday.
NYC Becomes First to Require Vaccination Proof for Indoor Activities
TUESDAY, Aug. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — New York City on Tuesday became the first urban center in the United States to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for those wishing to dine indoors, watch live performances inside, or use the gym. The rule, which also applies to employees in these settings, will take effect later this month, The New York Times reported.
Delta Variant Accounts for Most Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 Cases
TUESDAY, Aug. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The delta variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 accounts for most cases of breakthrough infection among vaccinated individuals, according to research published in the July 30 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Myopia Incidence Up in Hong Kong Schoolchildren During COVID-19
TUESDAY, Aug. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of myopia increased among schoolchildren in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published online Aug. 2 in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
Pandemic Not Tied to Changes in Preterm Births, Stillbirth Rates in Canada
TUESDAY, Aug. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — There was no unusual change in preterm birth or stillbirth rates in Canada in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published online Aug. 3 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
Women’s Preventive Health Service Use Down in 2020
TUESDAY, Aug. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Women’s use of a range of preventive health services was down in 2020, according to a study published online July 2 in JAMA Health Forum.
Transthoracic Echocardiography May ID Higher-Risk COVID-19 Patients
TUESDAY, Aug. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Transthoracic echocardiography may identify hospitalized COVID-19 patients at higher risk for in-hospital death, according to a study published online July 20 in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation.
COVID-19 Booster Shots to Be Offered to 32 Million Brits
TUESDAY, Aug. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Booster COVID-19 shots will be offered to 32 million people in Britain starting early next month because of fears that the power of vaccines may be starting to wane.
New Data Show the Power of COVID-19 Vaccines
MONDAY, Aug. 2, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines is borne out in new government data showing that more than 99.99 percent of fully vaccinated Americans have not had a breakthrough infection resulting in hospitalization or death.
Florida Sees Record Number of COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations
MONDAY, Aug. 2, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Florida reached another grim milestone on Sunday when it broke a previous record for COVID-19 hospitalizations that was set before vaccines were available.
Troubling Rise Seen in Both COVID-19, RSV Cases Among Children
MONDAY, Aug. 2, 2021 (HealthDay News) — A rise in cases of respiratory syncytial virus is unfolding just as COVID-19 infections are increasing among children.
Socioeconomic Characteristics of Increased COVID-19 Mortality ID’d
MONDAY, Aug. 2, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The socioeconomic characteristics associated with increased all-cause mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic are described in a report published in the August issue of Health Affairs.
Patients Report Memory Problems After Mild COVID-19
MONDAY, Aug. 2, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Memory problems are a common part of the postacute sequelae of COVID-19, according to a research letter published online July 29 in JAMA Network Open.
Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 Infections ID’d in Fully Vaccinated
MONDAY, Aug. 2, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Breakthrough severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections among fully vaccinated health care workers are mainly mild or asymptomatic, according to a study published online July 28 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Cancer Screenings Disrupted During Pandemic at Federally Qualified Health Centers
MONDAY, Aug. 2, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer screenings among patients at federally qualified health centers, according to a study published online June 30 in Preventive Medicine.
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