Study shows COVID-19 was associated with higher self-reported incidence of fatigue and other symptoms. Medscape Medical News…

BackgroundLate outbreak identification is a common risk factor mentioned in case reports of large respiratory infection outbreaks in long-term care (LTC) homes. AimTo systematically measure the association between late SARS-CoV-2 outbreak identification and secondary SARS-CoV-2 infection and mortality in residents of LTC homes. MethodsWe studied SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks across LTC homes in Ontario, Canada from March to November 2020, before the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Our exposure (late outbreak identification) was based on cumulative infection pressure (the number of infectious resident-days) on the outbreak identification date (early: ≤ 2 infectious resident-days, late: ≥ 3 infectious resident-days), where the infectious window was −2 to +8 days around onset. Our outcome consisted of 30-day incidence of secondary infection and mortality, based on the proportion of at-risk residents with a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection with onset within 30 days of the outbreak identification date. ResultsWe identified 632 SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks across 623 LTC homes. Of these, 36.4% (230/632) outbreaks were identified late. Outbreaks identified late had more secondary infections (10.3%; 4,437/42,953) and higher mortality (3.2%; 1,374/42,953) compared with outbreaks identified early (infections: 3.3%; 2,015/61,714; p 

BackgroundDespite the unprecedented measures implemented globally in early 2020 to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2, Sweden, as many other countries, experienced a severe first wave during the COVID-19 pandemic. AimWe investigated the introduction and spread of SARS-CoV-2 into Sweden. MethodsWe analysed stored respiratory specimens (n = 1,979), sampled 7 February–2 April 2020, by PCR for SARS-CoV-2 and sequenced PCR-positive specimens. Sequences generated from newly detected cases and stored positive specimens February–June 2020 (n = 954) were combined with sequences (Sweden: n = 730; other countries: n = 129,913) retrieved from other sources for Nextstrain clade assignment and phylogenetic analyses. ResultsTwelve previously unrecognised SARS-CoV-2 cases were identified: the earliest was sampled on 3 March, 1 week before recognised community transmission. We showed an early influx of clades 20A and 20B from Italy (201/328, 61% of cases exposed abroad) and clades 19A and 20C from Austria (61/328, 19%). Clade 20C dominated the first wave (20C: 908/1,684, 54%; 20B: 438/1,684, 26%; 20A: 263/1,684, 16%), and 800 of 1,684 (48%) Swedish sequences formed a country-specific 20C cluster defined by a spike mutation (G24368T). At the regional level, the proportion of clade 20C sequences correlated with an earlier weighted mean date of COVID-19 deaths. ConclusionCommunity transmission in Sweden started when mitigation efforts still focused on preventing influx. This created a transmission advantage for clade 20C, likely introduced from ongoing cryptic spread in Austria. Therefore, pandemic preparedness should have a comprehensive approach, including capacity for large-scale diagnostics to allow early detection of travel-related cases and community transmission. …

BackgroundAirport and luggage (also called Odyssean) malaria are chance events where Plasmodium infection results from the bite of an infected mosquito which was transported by aircraft from a malaria-endemic area. Infrequent case reports and a lack of central data collection challenge a comprehensive overview. AimTo update the epidemiological, clinical and biological understanding of airport and luggage malaria cases in Europe. MethodsWe conducted a systematic review of studies indexed from 1969 to January 2024 in MEDLINE, Embase and OpenGrey databases. A data call to EU/EEA and UK public health institutes was launched in December 2022. ResultsOf the 145 cases (89 cases from 48 studies and 56 cases from the data call) described from nine countries, 105 were classified as airport malaria, 32 as luggage malaria and eight as either airport or luggage malaria. Most airport malaria cases were reported in France (n = 52), Belgium (n = 19) and Germany (n = 9). Half of cases resided or worked near or at an international airport (mean distance of 4.3 km, n = 28). Despite disruptions in air travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic, one third of cases reported since 2000 occurred between 2018 and 2022, with a peak in 2019. ConclusionWhile airport and luggage malaria cases are rare, reports in Europe have increased, highlighting the need for effective prevention measures and a more structured surveillance of cases in Europe. Prevention measures already in place such as aircraft disinsection should be assessed for compliance and effectiveness. …

This focused after-action review (AAR) investigated the use of evidence in the Finnish advice-making process for school interventions from December 2021 to January 2022, when the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant was circulating and schools remained open.

Dette efterår kan du igen få overblik over vaccinedækningen for covid-19 og influenza.

Udmattelse som senfølge efter smitte med covid-19 er mindre udbredt end frygtet, viser nyt studie fra Statens Serum Institut. Udviklingen ses især efter, at vaccinationerne blev indført, og at omikron-varianten blev den fremherskende covid-19-variant.

Nearly 90% of babies who had to be hospitalized with COVID-19 had mothers who didn\'t get the vaccine while they were pregnant. KFF Health News…

BackgroundAfter most COVID-19 pandemic control measures were lifted in 2022, many infectious diseases re-emerged. An increase in invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) infections among adults and young children was reported by several countries. Viral infections including influenza and varicella, known risk factors for iGAS infection, also increased. AimTo estimate the proportion of GAS skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) and pneumonia/sepsis in children (≤ 5 years) attributable to varicella, and the proportion of GAS pneumonia/sepsis in children and adults attributable to potentially predisposing respiratory viruses influenza A and B, RSV, hMPV and SARS-CoV-2 in the Netherlands. MethodsWe performed time series regression using weekly data on respiratory viruses, varicella and non-invasive GAS infections and GAS isolates cultured from blood, lower airways, skin, pus and wounds, from January 2010 to March 2023. ResultsIn 2010–19, 50% (95% CI: 36–64) of GAS SSTI in children were attributable to varicella. Between January 2022 and March 2023, 34% (95% CI: 24–43) of GAS SSTI cases were attributable to varicella. Of iGAS pneumonia/sepsis between January 2022 and March 2023, 34% (95% CI: 20–49) and 25% (95% CI: 18–32) was attributable to respiratory virus infections in children and adults, respectively, with the largest contributor (17%) being influenza A. ConclusionsPredisposing viral infections likely contributed to, but cannot fully explain, the observed iGAS increase among children and adults in 2022–23 in the Netherlands. Public health measures to control viral infections, such as vaccination against varicella or influenza, might reduce the iGAS disease burden. …

This report describes the percentage of older adults with a COVID-19 diagnosis who received a recommended COVID-19 antiviral medication.

This report describes COVID-19-associated hospitalizations among adults.

Physicians detail their predictions on the upcoming COVID-19 and flu season, sharing recommendations to increase patient awareness and advise on vaccinations. WebMD Health News…

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need to modernize public health data systems. Health providers play a key role, says CDC\'s Dr. Jennifer Layden. CDC Expert Commentary…

Statens Serum Institut påviser, at covid-19 har været forbundet med mere end dobbelt så mange indlæggelser og dødsfald set i forhold til influenza.

A new study hints at a possible connection between infections and unexplained infant deaths. Medscape Medical News…

This report describes COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates among infants…

A new COVID-19 variant called XEC is on the rise, and it has experts who track variants on alert. WebMD Health News…

The EMA has approved Penbraya for protection against invasive meningococcal disease and an update of the composition of two COVID-19 vaccines. Medscape Medical News…

Repræsentanter fra 22 lande i Europa samt ECDC og WHO mødes i denne uge i København til en 3-dages workshop for at udveksle erfaringer og diskutere nye metoder og muligheder til overvågning af overdødelighed under epidemier som covid-19 og influenza.

This Reporting Protocol describes data collection for influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory viruses (such as RSV or new viruses of public health concern) in the EU/EEA and wider WHO European Region. Data collection is integrated for most datasets in line with the operational considerations for respiratory virus surveillance in Europe.

The use of antipsychotics for schizophrenia was associated with higher risk for severe cases of COVID-19 and non–COVID-19 respiratory infections but not mild infection. Medscape Medical News…

BackgroundLong-term effectiveness data on bivalent COVID-19 boosters are limited. AimWe evaluated the long-term protection of bivalent boosters against severe COVID-19 among ≥ 65-year-olds in Finland. MethodsIn this register-based cohort analysis, we compared the risk of three severe COVID-19 outcomes among ≥ 65-year-olds who received a bivalent booster (Original/Omicron BA.1 or Original/BA.4–5; exposed group) between 1/9/2022 and 31/8/2023 to those who did not (unexposed). We included individuals vaccinated with at least two monovalent COVID-19 vaccine doses before 1/9/2022 and ≥ 3 months ago. The analysis was divided into two periods: 1/9/2022–28/2/2023 (BA.5 and BQ.1.X predominating) and 1/3/2023–31/8/2023 (XBB predominating). The hazards for the outcomes between exposed and unexposed individuals were compared with Cox regression. ResultsWe included 1,191,871 individuals. From 1/9/2022 to 28/2/2023, bivalent boosters were associated with a reduced risk of hospitalisation due to COVID-19 (hazard ratio (HR): 0.45; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.37–0.55), death due to COVID-19 (HR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.38–0.62), and death in which COVID-19 was a contributing factor (HR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.31–0.51) during 14–60 days since vaccination. From 1/3/2023 to 31/8/2023, bivalent boosters were associated with lower risks of all three severe COVID-19 outcomes during 61–120 days since a bivalent booster (e.g. HR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.39–0.71 for hospitalisation due to COVID-19); thereafter no notable risk reduction was observed. No difference was found between Original/Omicron BA.1 and Original/BA.4–5 boosters. ConclusionBivalent boosters initially reduced the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes by ca 50% among ≥ 65-year-olds, but protection waned over time. These findings help guide vaccine development and vaccination programmes. …

En ekstra vaccination mod covid-19 giver en markant sundhedsgevinst til immunsvækkede personer, viser en ny nordisk undersøgelse, som Statens Serum Institut (SSI) har ledet.

Statens Serum Institut (SSI) er i fuld gang med at udsende invitationer til vaccination mod influenza og covid-19 til alle, der er fyldt 65 år. SSI sikrer også, at vaccinerne leveres, så vaccinationsstederne er klar den 1. oktober, hvor vaccinationsperioden begynder.

This report describes the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices\' recommendations for the 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccines.

Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines are updated to better match currently circulating COVID strains, while the Novavax adjuvant will target the JN.1 variant — a predecessor of KP.2. Medscape Medical News…

BackgroundCOVID-19 remains a major infectious disease with substantial implications for individual and public health including the risk of a post-infection syndrome, long COVID. The continuous changes in dominant variants of SARS-CoV-2 necessitate a careful study of the effect of preventative strategies. AimWe aimed to estimate the effectiveness of post-vaccination, post-infection and hybrid immunity against severe cases requiring oxygen support caused by infections with SARS-CoV-2 variants BA1/2 and BA4/5+, and against long COVID in the infected population and their changes over time. MethodsWe used a Cox regression analysis with time-varying covariates and calendar time and logistic regression applied to national-level data from Czechia from December 2021 until August 2023. ResultsRecently boosted vaccination, post-infection and hybrid immunity provide significant protection against a severe course of COVID-19, while unboosted vaccination more than 10 months ago has a negligible protective effect. The post-vaccination immunity against the BA1/2 or BA4/5+ variants, especially based on the original vaccine types, appears to wane rapidly compared with post-infection and hybrid immunity. Once infected, however, previous immunity plays only a small protective role against long COVID. ConclusionVaccination remains an effective preventative measure against a severe course of COVID-19 but its effectiveness wanes over time thus highlighting the importance of booster doses. Once infected, vaccines may have a small protective effect against the development of long COVID. …

The program\'s end will leave the Canadian province without a valuable tool for monitoring infectious disease. Medscape Medical News…

A large study shows higher rates of depression and mental illness up to a year after COVID-19, especially severe cases of the infection, in unvaccinated adults. Medscape Medical News…

COVID-19 vaccination was not associated with increased risk for multiple sclerosis relapse, except in those with high MS activity. Medscape Medical News…

BackgroundVaccine uptake differs between social groups. Mobile vaccination units (MV-units) were deployed in the Netherlands by municipal health services in neighbourhoods with low uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. AimWe aimed to evaluate the impact of MV-units on vaccine uptake in neighbourhoods with low vaccine uptake. MethodsWe used the Dutch national-level registry of COVID-19 vaccinations (CIMS) and MV-unit deployment registrations containing observations in 253 neighbourhoods where MV-units were deployed and 890 contiguous neighbourhoods (total observations: 88,543 neighbourhood-days). A negative binomial regression with neighbourhood-specific temporal effects using splines was used to study the effect. ResultsDuring deployment, the increase in daily vaccination rate in targeted neighbourhoods ranged from a factor 2.0 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.8–2.2) in urbanised neighbourhoods to 14.5 (95% CI: 11.6–18.0) in rural neighbourhoods. The effects were larger in neighbourhoods with more voters for the Dutch conservative Reformed Christian party but smaller in neighbourhoods with a higher proportion of people with non-western migration backgrounds. The absolute increase in uptake over the complete intervention period ranged from 0.22 percentage points (95% CI: 0.18–0.26) in the most urbanised neighbourhoods to 0.33 percentage point (95% CI: 0.28–0.37) in rural neighbourhoods. ConclusionDeployment of MV-units increased daily vaccination rate, particularly in rural neighbourhoods, with longer travel distance to permanent vaccination locations. This public health intervention shows promise to reduce geographic and social health inequalities, but more proactive and long-term deployment is required to identify its potential to substantially contribute to overall vaccination rates at country level. …

BackgroundA new respiratory virus surveillance platform, based on nationwide hospital laboratory data, was established in Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic. AimWe aimed to evaluate the performance of this platform with respect to the detection of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) from week 36 in 2020 to week 15 in 2023, and how it fits with the World Health Organization (WHO) mosaic surveillance framework. MethodsData of respiratory samples from hospitalised patients sent for laboratory confirmation of influenza virus or RSV from 25 general hospital laboratories nationwide were collected. We analysed the weekly number and percentage of samples positive for influenza virus or RSV vis-à-vis SARS-CoV-2 activity and compared data from the new surveillance platform with existing surveillance platforms. Using data in the new surveillance platform, we analysed early stages of a 2021 out-of-season RSV outbreak and evaluated the capabilities of the new surveillance system with respect to objectives and domains of the WHO mosaic framework. ResultsThe new hospital-laboratory surveillance platform captured the activity of influenza virus and RSV, provided crucial data when outpatient sentinel surveillance was not operational and supported an out-of-season RSV outbreak investigation. The new surveillance platform fulfilled important objectives in all three domains of the mosaic framework and could serve for gathering additional information to fulfil more domain objectives. ConclusionThe new hospital laboratory surveillance platform provided essential data during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, fulfilled important domain objectives of the mosaic framework and could be adapted for the surveillance of other viruses. …

Ny undersøgelse fra WHO/Europa bekræfter den livsreddende effekt af covid-19-vacciner. Statens Serum Institut (SSI) har bidraget til undersøgelsen, som er relevant i en tid med flere årlige smittebølger.

Administering anti–IL-6 therapy in later pregnancy may be safe for women who would benefit from it, showed a study that evaluated its safety in critically ill pregnant women with COVID-19. Medscape Medical News…

BackgroundShigella is a leading cause of moderate-to-severe diarrhoea worldwide and diarrhoeal deaths in children in low- and-middle-income countries. AimWe investigated trends and characteristics of shigellosis and antimicrobial resistance of Shigella sonnei in Israel. MethodsWe analysed data generated by the Sentinel Laboratory-Based Surveillance Network for Enteric Pathogens that systematically collects data on detection of Shigella at sentinel laboratories, along with the characterisation of the isolates at the Shigella National Reference Laboratory. Trends in the shigellosis incidence were assessed using Joinpoint regression and interrupted time-series analyses. ResultsThe average incidence of culture-confirmed shigellosis in Israel declined from 114 per 100,000 population (95% confidence interval (CI): 112–115) 1998–2004 to 80 per 100,000 population (95% CI: 79–82) 2005–2011. This rate remained stable 2012–2019, being 18–32 times higher than that reported from the United States or European high-income countries. After decreasing to its lowest values during the COVID-19 pandemic years (19/100,000 in 2020 and 5/100,000 in 2021), the incidence of culture-confirmed shigellosis increased to 39 per 100,000 population in 2022. Shigella sonnei is the most common serogroup, responsible for a cyclic occurrence of propagated epidemics, and the proportion of Shigella flexneri has decreased. Simultaneous resistance of S. sonnei to ceftriaxone, ampicillin and sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim increased from 8.5% (34/402) in 2020 to 92.0% (801/876) in 2022. ConclusionsThese findings reinforce the need for continuous laboratory-based surveillance and inform the primary and secondary prevention strategies for shigellosis in Israel and other endemic high-income countries or communities. …

As other European countries, France is experiencing a resurgence of pertussis in 2024. Between 1 January and 31 May 2024, 5,616 (24.9%) positive Bordetella pertussis qPCR tests were identified, following a 3-year period of almost null incidence. Of 67 cultured and whole genome sequenced B. pertussis isolates, 66 produced pertactin and 56 produced FIM2, in contrast to pre-COVID-19 years. One isolate of genotype Bp-AgST4 was resistant to macrolides. Pertussis resurgence may favour isolates that produce FIM2 and pertactin. …

COVID-19 vaccine maker BioNTech\'s cancer drug candidate BNT111 showed significant improvement in the response rate in patients with advanced melanoma during a Phase 2 trial,... Reuters Health Information…

This Reporting Protocol describes data collection for influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory viruses (such as RSV or new viruses of public health concern) in the EU/EEA and wider WHO European Region. Data collection is integrated for most datasets in line with the operational considerations for respiratory virus surveillance in Europe.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of Candida auris have changed the epidemiological landscape of candidaemia worldwide. AimWe compared the epidemiological trends of candidaemia in a Greek tertiary academic hospital before (2009–2018) and during the early COVID-19 (2020–2021) and late COVID-19/early post-pandemic (2022–2023) era. MethodsIncidence rates, species distribution, antifungal susceptibility profile and antifungal consumption were recorded, and one-way ANOVA or Fisher’s exact test performed. Species were identified by MALDI-ToF MS, and in vitro susceptibility determined with CLSI M27-Ed4 for C. auris and the EUCAST-E.DEF 7.3.2 for other Candida spp. ResultsIn total, 370 candidaemia episodes were recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. Infection incidence (2.0 episodes/10,000 hospital bed days before, 3.9 during the early and 5.1 during the late COVID-19 era, p 

BackgroundAs Ireland prepared for an autumn 2023 COVID-19 vaccination booster campaign, there was concern that vaccine fatigue would affect uptake, which has been abating. AimThis study aimed to quantify the direct impact of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Ireland on averted COVID-19-related outcomes including symptomatic presentations to primary care/community testing centres, emergency department (ED) presentations, hospitalisations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and deaths, in individuals aged ≥ 50 years, during Omicron dominance. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective observational COVID-19 vaccine impact study in December 2021–March 2023 in Ireland. We used national data on notified outcomes and vaccine coverage, as well as vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates, sourced from the World Health Organization’s live systematic review of VE, to estimate the count and prevented fraction of outcomes in ≥ 50-year-olds averted by the COVID-19 vaccination programme in this age group. ResultsThe COVID-19 vaccination programme averted 48,551 symptomatic COVID-19 presentations to primary care/community testing centres (36% of cases expected in the absence of vaccination), 9,517 ED presentations (53% of expected), 102,160 hospitalisations (81% of expected), 3,303 ICU admissions (89% of expected) and 15,985 deaths (87% of expected). ConclusionsWhen Omicron predominated, the COVID-19 vaccination programme averted symptomatic and severe COVID-19 cases, including deaths due to COVID-19. In line with other international vaccine impact studies, these findings emphasise the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination for population health and the healthcare system and are relevant for informing COVID-19 booster vaccination programmes, pandemic preparedness and communicating the reason for and importance of COVID-19 vaccination in Ireland and internationally. …

BackgroundWastewater surveillance is an effective approach to monitor population health, as exemplified by its role throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. AimThis study explores the possibility of extending wastewater surveillance to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, focusing on identifying priority pathogen targets that are relevant and feasible to monitor in wastewater for these events. MethodsA list of 60 pathogens of interest for general public health surveillance for the Games was compiled. Each pathogen was evaluated against three inclusion criteria: (A) analytical feasibility; (B) relevance, i.e. with regards to the specificities of the event and the characteristics of the pathogen; and (C) added value to inform public health decision-making. Analytical feasibility was assessed through evidence from peer-reviewed publications demonstrating the detectability of pathogens in sewage, refining the initial list to 25 pathogens. Criteria B and C were evaluated via expert opinion using the Delphi method. The panel consisting of some 30 experts proposed five additional pathogens meeting criterion A, totalling 30 pathogens assessed throughout the three-round iterative questionnaire. Pathogens failing to reach 70% group consensus threshold underwent further deliberation by a subgroup of experts. ResultsSix priority targets suitable for wastewater surveillance during the Games were successfully identified: poliovirus, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, mpox virus, SARS-CoV-2 and measles virus. ConclusionThis study introduced a model framework for identifying context-specific wastewater surveillance targets for a mass gathering. Successful implementation of a wastewater surveillance plan for Paris 2024 could incentivise similar monitoring efforts for other mass gatherings globally. …

BackgroundEffective pandemic preparedness requires robust severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) surveillance. However, identifying SARI patients based on symptoms is time-consuming. Using the number of reverse transcription (RT)-PCR tests or contact and droplet precaution labels as a proxy for SARI could accurately reflect the epidemiology of patients presenting with SARI. AimWe aimed to compare the number of RT-PCR tests, contact and droplet precaution labels and SARI-related International Classification of Disease (ICD)-10 codes and evaluate their use as surveillance indicators. MethodsPatients from all age groups hospitalised at Leiden University Medical Center between 1 January 2017 up to and including 30 April 2023 were eligible for inclusion. We used a clinical data collection tool to extract data from electronic medical records. For each surveillance indicator, we plotted the absolute count for each week, the incidence proportion per week and the correlation between the three surveillance indicators. ResultsWe included 117,404 hospital admissions. The three surveillance indicators generally followed a similar pattern before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The correlation was highest between contact and droplet precaution labels and ICD-10 diagnostic codes (Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.84). There was a strong increase in the number of RT-PCR tests after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. DiscussionAll three surveillance indicators have advantages and disadvantages. ICD-10 diagnostic codes are suitable but are subject to reporting delays. Contact and droplet precaution labels are a feasible option for automated SARI surveillance, since these reflect trends in SARI incidence and may be available real-time. …

AstraZeneca said on Monday that the European Union drug regulator has accepted a market authorisation application for its investigational COVID-19 prevention drug,... Reuters Health Information…

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that individuals aged six months and older should be given an updated COVID-19 vaccine for the 2024-25... Reuters Health Information…

BackgroundSince its emergence in December 2019, over 700 million people worldwide have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 up to May 2024. While early rollout of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 has saved many lives, there was increasing immune escape of new virus variants. Longitudinal monitoring of population-wide SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses from regular sample collection irrespective of symptoms provides representative data on infection and seroconversion/seroreversion rates. AimTo examine adaptive and cellular immune responses of a German SARS-CoV-2 outbreak cohort through several waves of infection with different virus variants. MethodsUtilising a 31-month longitudinal seroepidemiological study (n = 1,446; mean age: 50 years, range: 2–103) initiated during the first SARS-CoV-2 superspreading event (February 2020) in Heinsberg, Germany, we analysed acute infection, seroconversion and virus neutralisation at five follow-up visits between October 2020 and November 2022; cellular and cross-protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants were also examined. ResultsSARS-CoV-2 spike (S)-specific IgAs decreased shortly after infection, while IgGs remained stable. Both increased significantly after vaccination. We predict an 18-month half-life of S IgGs upon infection. Nucleocapsid (N)-specific responses declined over 12 months post-infection but increased (p 

The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with reported declines in cancer screenings. Now a new study suggested these decreases extended through 2022 for cervical cancer screening in particular. Medscape Medical News…

BackgroundNon-severe adverse events (AE) including pain at injection site or fever are common after COVID-19 vaccination. AimTo describe determinants of AE after COVID-19 vaccination and investigate the association between AE and pre- and post-vaccination antibody concentrations. MethodsParticipants of an ongoing prospective cohort study (VASCO) completed a questionnaire on AE within 2 months after vaccination and provided 6 monthly serum samples during May 2021–November 2022. Logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate AE determinants after mRNA vaccination, including pre-vaccination Ig antibody concentrations against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain. Multivariable linear regression was performed in SARS-CoV-2-naive participants to assess the association between AE and log-transformed antibody concentrations 3–8 weeks after mRNA vaccination. ResultsWe received 47,947 completed AE questionnaires by 28,032 participants. In 42% and 34% of questionnaires, injection site and systemic AE were reported, respectively. In 2.2% of questionnaires, participants sought medical attention. AE were reported more frequently by women, younger participants (