>> New Omicron on the block
>> A booster with more
>> The common similarity among children hospitalized with COVID
>> Risk group for shingles
>> Your Infection Forecast
The Med & Mic™ 04.20.22
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New Form of Omicron
One in five COVID infections in the U.S. are from a new form of Omicron, BA.2.12.1. It’s a sublineage of BA.2. In New York, BA.2.12.1 has been contributing to high infection rates in some parts of the state. Officials there estimate a 25% growth advantage over BA.2. Early signs suggest that illness is not more severe and that vaccines are still protective. A huge increase in cases is not expected. More in STAT News.
Two-Pronged Moderna Boosters
Moderna has tested a booster vaccine that contains two components: mRNA against the original novel coronavirus, and mRNA against the Beta variant first detected in South Africa. It does not have any specific ingredients against Delta or Omicron, but it did produce antibodies against all recent variants, such as Beta, Delta, and Omicron, more so than the existing vaccine. It is not yet known if the new vaccine prevents infections or severe disease better than the current one. The study is awaiting peer review. Moderna isn’t moving forward with this vaccine at this point. Instead, the company is planning a randomized study to compare the new booster with the original vaccine. More from STAT News.
90% of Children Hospitalized with COVID Were Unvaccinated
Nine out of ten American children hospitalized during the Omicron wave this winter were not vaccinated, according to CDC statistics on kids 5 to 11. Omicron caused a record number of pediatric hospitalizations this winter, and 20% of children hospitalized ended up in intensive care. Children in the 5 to 11 age group became eligible to receive a vaccine in November 2021 before Omicron hit. Recent data show only a third of these kids have been fully vaccinated. More from Bloomberg.
Shingles After COVID
A large, retrospective cohort study shows people 50 and older with COVID had a 15% higher risk for developing shingles. This occurred within one to two weeks. The risk was 21% higher for those who were hospitalized with COVID. Shingles is a reemergence of the chickenpox virus with a painful rash along the path of a single nerve. More from Healio.
New Forecasting Center For Infectious Diseases
The CDC has launched the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analysis, akin to a National Weather Service for Infectious Diseases. It is to serve as the early warning system for future pandemics and a guide for COVID-19 response. The new agency relies on voluntary reporting from state governments and hospitals. More from PBS News Hour.
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