FDA’s advisers vote for revamped COVID-19 boosters
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 16, 2023
Vaccine advisers to the FDA on Thursday voted unanimously to recommend that new COVID-19 shots for fall tackle the highly prevalent XBB omicron subvariant of SARS-CoV-2.
Latest COVID shot cuts hospitalizations in seniors by 81 percent: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 10, 2023
Seniors who receive an omicron-adapted shot are 81% less likely to be hospitalized with severe COVID-19, according to a new study from Israel.
Rising omicron variants will likely defeat current mABs treatments: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 12, 2022
Two emerging omicron subvariants will likely evade monoclonal antibody treatment. Antiviral drugs, however, should retain their efficacy, investigators have found.
Vaccination study finds 9-month, 60 percent protection against omicron reinfection
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 01, 2022
A primary vaccination series protected recipients against COVID-19 reinfection across the alpha, delta and omicron variant periods, investigators say.
Omicron BA.2 subvariant tied to less severe illness than delta, original omicron
Oct 28, 2022
Mortality rates are lower for omicron BA.2 than for delta variant and early omicron, investigators report.
First human trial of Pfizer’s bivalent booster finds shot safe, effective
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 14, 2022
New data from a trial in humans shows that the omicron-adapted COVID-19 booster made by Pfizer and BioNTech is safe and effective in older adults, according to the drugmakers.
CDC: Seniors’ comparative rate of hospitalization spiked during omicron wave
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 26, 2022
Rates of hospitalization among seniors rose higher in comparison to younger adults during the BA.2 wave, with vaccinations providing less protection, new data show.
Time from infection to COVID symptoms shortens with each new variant, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 24, 2022
The average incubation period of SARS-CoV-2 has gradually shortened, from 5 days to 3.4. Determining incubation periods can help to pinpoint effective patient isolation periods, investigators say.
Variant-adapted COVID shot approved in U.K.; Novavax requests U.S. booster nod
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 16, 2022
Novavax wants its U.S. vaccine authorization to extend to a booster shot, and the U.K. has approved a two-component vaccine that directly tackles the omicron variant.
Clinical briefs for Thursday, July 21
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
Jul 21, 2022
CDC: Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 now account for 91% of COVID cases … “Large percentage” of dementia risk is modifiable, study finds … Two-thirds of stroke survivors with depression do not receive...