Coronavirus BRIEFING
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Crisis Response Tactics

COVID Vaccines Safe for Young Children, Study Finds

By Staff
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 8:02 AM COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are safe for children under age 5 years, according to findings from a study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Anxiety, Your Brain, and Long COVID: What the Research Says

By Staff
Monday, June 5, 2023 7:59 AM Anxiety, depression, and COVID-19 can be a bad combination for your brain—and your long-term health. Having anxiety and depression before a COVID infection increases the risk of developing long COVID, researchers have found.

Uninsured Rate Hits Record Low of 8.3%

By Staff
Monday, June 5, 2023 6:09 AM The uninsured rate in the U.S. has fallen to a record-low 8.3%, but that percentage is expected to gradually increase as insurance protections from the COVID-19 pandemic wind down, according to officials from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

Catching the Optimal Amount of Z's May Be Protective Against Long COVID

By Staff
Friday, June 2, 2023 6:09 AM Healthy sleep behaviors before and during the pandemic may be protective against long COVID, a prospective cohort study suggested.

Pfizer, Moderna Hit With New Patent Lawsuits Over COVID-19 Vaccines

By Staff
Thursday, June 1, 2023 8:02 AM Biotech company Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc filed new lawsuits on Friday against Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc in Delaware federal court, again claiming that the companies' COVID-19 vaccines infringe its patents.

COVID and Leukemia: What’s the Connection?

By Staff
Thursday, June 1, 2023 7:59 AM Once you test negative after a bout with COVID-19, it's a great idea to get a full health screening. This is especially important for people who are at risk for, or have, blood cancers like leukemia.

COVID Boosters Effective, but Not for Long

By Staff
Wednesday, May 31, 2023 8:02 AM I am here today to talk about the effectiveness of COVID vaccine boosters in the midst of 2023. The reason I want to talk about this isn't necessarily to dig into exactly how effective vaccines are. This is an area that's been trod upon multiple times.

Overuse of Some Disinfectants Can Do More Harm Than Good

By Staff
Wednesday, May 31, 2023 6:09 AM Antimicrobial resistance remains a pressing public health concern and a leading cause of death around the world. Treating infections with antibiotics is a decision made by the healthcare provider after carefully considering the benefits and risks of treatment. However, healthcare providers may not think as carefully about the benefit-risk trade-offs when using antimicrobial products liberally to disinfect high traffic surfaces such as door handles and exam tables.

Kidneys From COVID-19-Positive Donors Safe for Transplant

By Staff
Tuesday, May 30, 2023 8:02 AM Patients receiving kidneys transplanted from donors with either resolved or active COVID-19 show no greater risk of poor outcomes or death, shows new research, which also indicates that the reluctance to use those kidneys early in the pandemic appears to be waning.

One in 10 People Who Had Omicron Got Long COVID, Study Says

By Staff
Tuesday, May 30, 2023 8:02 AM About 10% of people infected with Omicron reported having long COVID, a lower percentage than estimated for people infected with earlier strains of the coronavirus, says a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Pfizer's COVID Antiviral Paxlovid Gains Full US Approval

By Staff
Friday, May 26, 2023 8:02 AM The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday granted full approval to Pfizer's oral antiviral COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid, clearing the way for the drugmaker to sell it at market rates once U.S. government supplies dwindle.

Neurologic Events After COVID-19 Vaccines Assessed

By Staff
Friday, May 26, 2023 6:09 AM All patients hospitalized with new or relapsing neurologic events after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination at a New York tertiary hospital had one or more risk factors for their neurologic condition, a prospective study showed.

U.S. Asks Court to Dismiss Ruling Against Travel Mask Directive

By Staff
Thursday, May 25, 2023 8:02 AM The Justice Department on Tuesday asked an appeals court panel to vacate an April 2021 ruling that had declared unlawful a government order requiring masks on airplanes and other transportation modes during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the issue was now moot because the national emergency was now over.

Major Increase in Vitamin D Deficiency in Kids With Mental Illness Due to COVID Lockdowns?

By Staff
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 8:02 AM During the pandemic, there was a significant increase in vitamin D deficiency in pediatric patients with major depressive disorder, in new findings that suggest spending more time indoors may have fueled this uptick.