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 Oct. 18 to 22, 2021. This …
BNT162b2 Effectively Prevents Pediatric COVID-19 Hospitalization
Two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine highly effective for preventing hospitalization among children aged 12 to 18 years
Geriatrics-Focused Risk Factors ID’d for COVID-19 Death
Indicators other than age alone can be used to determine prognosis in older adults hospitalized with COVID-19
CDC Signs Off on Moderna, J&J Boosters, Backs Mix ‘n’ Match Shots
Agency plans to release guidance early next week about who might benefit from choosing one booster over another
BNT162b2 Highly Effective Against Delta Variant in Teens
At seven to 21 days after second dose, estimated effectiveness was 90 percent against infection, 93 percent against symptomatic COVID-19
Michigan Data Show Routine Vaccinations Plummeted in Early Pandemic
Authors say catch-up vaccinations of doses missed throughout the pandemic needed to stem outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases
Pfizer Says Lower Dose of Its COVID-19 Vaccine Protects Younger Children
Dose used in trial that included more than 2,200 children was 10 mcg, while the adult dose is 30 mcg
Northern Virginia Leads Measles Outbreak
The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently confirmed forty-two measles cases had been confirmed in 2021.
This CDC data published on October 13, 2021, indicates an over 100% increase in measles cases in just two weeks when twenty cases were confirmed.
Measles outbreaks can happen in areas where people may be unvaccinated or under-vaccinated, including the United States.
Last year, the CDC confirmed only thirteen measles cases in the U.S.
The new measles outbreak (as defined by 5+ cases) is centered in three jurisdictions, says the CDC.
U.S. FDA Changes COVID-19 Vaccination Authorizations
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced various actions to expand the use of COVID-19 vaccines in eligible populations.
The FDA amended the emergency use authorizations (EUA) for FDA Authorized or Approved COVID-19 vaccines to allow for the heterologous (“mix and match”) use of a single booster dose.
And the FDA confirmed the increased risks of inflammatory heart conditions for younger men following mRNA vaccination.
The highlight changes are as follows:
FDA Approves Moderna, J&J Booster Shots, Backs Mix ‘n’ Match Vaccines
Agency’s decision is one of the last steps toward a full rollout of booster shots to eligible Americans