COVID-19

The updates follow the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practice meeting held June 26 to 28, 2024.

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A study found that cannabis use increased the risk of hospitalization and intensive care unit admission following a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Research presented at ASHP 2024 found that concerns around the safety of COVID-19 vaccines and the credibility of information from public health authorities were the biggest drivers of vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The vaccine, mRNA-1083, elicited noninferior responses vs individual COVID-19 and flu vaccinations.

The SpeedySwab COVID + FLU A&B Self-Test from Watmind is intended for at-home and point-of-care use and can simultaneously detect COVID-19, influenza A, and influenza B in 15 minutes.

Researchers addressed the association between COVID-19 vaccination status and incidents of post-COVID condition.

Check out these top featured stories from Drug Topics in May 2024.

Health care providers must listen to patients who voice their experiences with post–COVID-19 condition symptoms. Only then can a clearer picture of the condition emerge for the millions of patients who have the near-invisible disease.

A recent study found that, of 423 participants who were initially low responders, 90% increased their antibody concentrations to more than 400 AU/mL.

Designs of existing wearables overlook the specific needs of vulnerable populations, hindering their widespread adoption among increasingly interested communities.

Pemivibart will act as an additional preventive option for COVID-19 among moderately-to-severely immunocompromised adult and adolescent patients, who are disproportionally impacted by the condition.

Recent research on COVID-19 vaccination shows that vaccines help fight variants, led to lower cases among children in California, and that boosters provide longer lasting protection.

Collecting smell and taste scores from individuals with and without a history of COVID-19, researchers found significantly lower scores for smell in COVID-19-diagnosed individuals.

Overall, older adults with diabetes faced a 53% higher risk of developing at least 1 functional limitation during the pandemic compared to older adults without diabetes.

A study from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia found that a positive PCR test was not associated with an increased risk of a new asthma diagnosis in patients ages 1 to 16.

Understanding the role of pharmacies in vaccination rates can help prepare officials for the next public health emergency.

mRNA-1283 generated a stronger immune response against both the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 and the original virus strains of SARS-CoV-2 compared with Spikevax, Moderna’s licensed COVID-19 vaccine.

Two posters presented at APhA 2024 examined how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted pharmacists and their work.

Four posters presented at the American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting and Exposition explored how individuals and health care providers have been handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Researchers aimed to address the adverse effects of veterans with COVID-19 diagnoses 18 months after infections were documented.

The biotechnology company’s recombinant spike protein-based vaccine demonstrated an efficacy of 88% after 40 days, 82% after 120 days, and 77% after 180 days during the PREVENT-19 trial.

Moderna, Merck, and Pfizer-BioNTech are leading the charge with new vaccines for respiratory viruses in development.

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Study findings clarifying what to expect regarding the menstrual cycle after COVID-19 vaccination could help address low vaccine uptake.

Although the pandemic spurred a greater need and use of online health resources, certain demographics continue to report significantly low participation in digital health portals.

The increasing use of antidepressants observed before and after the public health crisis suggests a concerning mental health trend, especially among females.

Even during times of peak transmission, individuals preferred in-person screening over video or telephone screening for depression.

Participants of a recent study who experienced more daily cognitive symptoms had a greater likelihood of reporting moderate interference with functioning, less likelihood of full-time employment, and greater severity of depressive symptoms.

In terms of geographic representation, nonmetropolitan counties, the West, and the South had higher excess deaths than reported COVID-19 deaths.