Here is what the editors at Physician’s Briefing chose as the most important COVID-19 developments for you and your practice for the week of July 19 to 23, 2021. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
Vaccinations Start to Climb in States Hit Hard by Delta Variant
FRIDAY, July 23, 2021 (HealthDay News) — In a sign that vaccine-hesitant Americans are starting to worry about the rapid spread of the highly infectious delta variant, vaccinations are beginning to rise in some states where COVID-19 cases are soaring, White House officials said Thursday.
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Circulation of Respiratory Viruses Low During COVID-19 Pandemic
FRIDAY, July 23, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Circulation of respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, was low during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research published in the July 23 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Black, Hispanic Communities Devastated by Loss Are Taking COVID-19 Safety Precautions
FRIDAY, July 23, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Black and Hispanic community perspectives on COVID-19 mitigation behaviors and testing are informed by devastating experiences, yet vaccine skepticism still exists, according to a study published online July 15 in JAMA Network Open.
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Primary Care Plays Key Role in Vaccinating Older Individuals
FRIDAY, July 23, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Primary care physicians have been the largest provider of vaccinations for older individuals, according to a study published online in the July 1 issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
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As Olympics Begin, Tokyo Posts Highest Number of New COVID-19 Cases in Six Months
THURSDAY, July 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — One day before the official start of the Tokyo Olympics, the city has recorded its highest number of new COVID-19 cases in six months. The 1,979 cases reported on Thursday are the most seen since 2,044 cases were recorded on Jan. 15, according to the Associated Press.
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Biden Says Full Approval for COVID-19 Vaccines Coming Soon
THURSDAY, July 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — As he urged Americans who are still hesitant to get vaccinated, President Joe Biden told an Ohio town hall on Wednesday night that he expected the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would soon give final approval to COVID-19 vaccines. The president also said he expected children under the age of 12 years would be approved to get it on an emergency basis “soon, I believe.”
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COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness for Delta Variant Differs by Dose Number
THURSDAY, July 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Following two doses, the effectiveness of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccine is modestly lower against the delta variant versus the alpha variant, but the difference widens with only one dose, according to a study published online July 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Should Changes Made to Clinical Trials During Pandemic Be Kept?
THURSDAY, July 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Many of the alterations made to clinical trial procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic should be implemented in the post-COVID-19 roadmap, according to an article published online July 21 in Cancer Discovery.
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24 Percent of Young Adults Hesitant to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
THURSDAY, July 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Twenty-four percent of young U.S. adults are hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a study published online July 14 in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
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Prior Statin Use Linked to Reduced Risk for Death in COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, July 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) — For patients hospitalized with COVID-19, prior use of statins, with or without antihypertensives, is associated with a reduced risk for death, according to a study published online July 15 in PLOS ONE.
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In a First for the Continent, Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Will Be Produced in South Africa
WEDNESDAY, July 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be produced for the first time in Africa by a South African firm, Pfizer announced Wednesday.
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More Than 1 Million Children Orphaned From COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, July 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) — More than 1 million children aged younger than 18 years in 21 countries experienced the death of a primary caregiver from COVID-19, according to a study published online July 20 in The Lancet.
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COVID-19 Vaccine Effectively Cuts Infection in Pregnant Women
WEDNESDAY, July 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is associated with a significantly lower risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in pregnant women, according to a study published online July 12 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines Effectively Prevent Infection in VA Population
TUESDAY, July 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccines used in the Veterans Affairs health system are effective for preventing infection, according to a study published online July 20 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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U.S. Issues Toughest Travel Alert for Britain as COVID-19 Cases There Climb
TUESDAY, July 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. government issued its most dire warnings against travel to Britain on Monday as COVID-19 cases surged in that country while nearly all restrictions were lifted in an effort to restart the economy.
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Federal Court Backs COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate at Indiana University
TUESDAY, July 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — An Indiana University mandate that most students be vaccinated in order to attend classes was upheld by a federal judge on Monday in what may be the first such ruling in the United States.
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Canada to Welcome Fully Vaccinated Americans in August
TUESDAY, July 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Fully vaccinated U.S. travelers will be allowed into Canada as of Aug. 9, Canadian officials announced Monday.
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Prescription Drug Dispensing to Children Down During Pandemic
TUESDAY, July 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — During April to December 2020, prescription drug dispensing to children was 27.1 percent lower than during the same period in 2019, according to a study published online July 20 in Pediatrics.
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AAP Advises All School Children, Staff Should Continue to Wear Masks
TUESDAY, July 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — All U.S. students, teachers, and staff should wear masks when in school, regardless of their vaccination status, the American Academy of Pediatrics said Monday.
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More Than One-Quarter of Eligible Teens Have Received COVID-19 Shot
TUESDAY, July 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — About one-quarter of vaccine-eligible adolescents have received one or more COVID-19 vaccine doses, while about one half report intent for vaccination, according to research published in the July 16 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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ASH Suggests Not Using Outpatient Thromboprophylaxis for COVID-19
MONDAY, July 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — A new draft recommendation relating to anticoagulation for discharged patients with COVID-19 has been issued by the American Society of Hematology.
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U.S. Surgeon General Backs Local Mask Mandates When Needed
MONDAY, July 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, M.D., said Sunday that he supports reinstating local mask mandates when they are needed to curb the spread of COVID-19 among unvaccinated people.
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Court Blocks Lifting of COVID-19 Restrictions on Cruise Ships
MONDAY, July 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — A federal appeals court has ruled that Florida-based cruise ships will be able to keep COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in place for now.
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Canada Surpasses U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Rates
MONDAY, July 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 vaccination rates in Canada have now beaten those in the United States.
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COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Reduces Infections in Cirrhosis Patients
MONDAY, July 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Although the immune response is slow and the level of protection against infection is modest, mRNA vaccine reduces COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths in patients with cirrhosis, according to a study published online July 13 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Neck Symptoms Occur Relatively Frequently in MIS-C
MONDAY, July 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Neck symptoms are a relatively common manifestation of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, according to a brief report published online June 26 in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.
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An Estimated 279,000 Deaths Averted by U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Program
MONDAY, July 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The vaccination program in the United States played a crucial role in slowing the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing an estimated 279,000 additional deaths and up to 1.25 million additional hospitalizations by the end of June 2021, according to a report published online July 7 by The Commonwealth Fund.
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