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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 May 17 to 21, 2021. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.<\/p>\n
Meds Used for Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Shifted Over 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n FRIDAY, May 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) — In 2020, there were marked shifts in the therapeutics used to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients, according to a research letter published online May 21 in JAMA Network Open<\/em>.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n Approved Vaccines ‘Respond’ to All COVID-19 Variants So Far: WHO<\/strong><\/p>\n FRIDAY, May 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Vaccines approved for use in the United States and Europe show protection against all of the more infectious coronavirus variants known to be circling the globe, the World Health Organization said Thursday.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n FDA Eases Storage Rules for Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine<\/strong><\/p>\n THURSDAY, May 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — New storage rules for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine after it has been thawed that will make it easier to transport and deliver the doses have been announced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n COVID-19 Booster Shots Likely Needed Within a Year: Fauci<\/strong><\/p>\n THURSDAY, May 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Fully vaccinated people will likely need a COVID-19 booster shot within about a year, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert and the Pfizer CEO said Wednesday.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n SARS-CoV-2 Seropositivity Not Associated With Low Vitamin D<\/strong><\/p>\n THURSDAY, May 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 seropositivity is not associated with low vitamin D levels, according to a study published online May 19 in JAMA Network Open<\/em>.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n Presentation of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Varies in Adults<\/strong><\/p>\n THURSDAY, May 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection have a heterogeneous clinical presentation, according to a research letter published online May 19 in JAMA Network Open<\/em>.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n About 1 Million Excess Deaths Reported in 29 High-Income Countries in 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n THURSDAY, May 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — In 29 high-income countries, there were about 1 million excess deaths in 2020, according to a study published online May 19 in The BMJ<\/em>.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n COVID-19 Pandemic Tied to Increase in Overdose Deaths<\/strong><\/p>\n THURSDAY, May 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — There was an increase in drug overdose deaths in San Francisco during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a research letter published online May 12 in JAMA Network Open<\/em>.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n Hospitalization Rates Overestimate COVID-19 Burden in Children<\/strong><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, May 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Reported hospitalization rates overestimate the burden of COVID-19 in children, according to a study published online May 19 in Hospital Pediatrics<\/em>.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n Fully Vaccinated Travelers Can Soon Visit EU Countries<\/strong><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, May 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The fully vaccinated will soon be welcome to visit countries in the European Union, officials there announced Wednesday.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n Less Than 1 Percent of COVID-19 Patients Experience Recurrence<\/strong><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, May 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — For every 10,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, there are approximately 4.3 recurrent cases, according to a study published online May 4 in PLOS ONE<\/em>.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n Venous Thromboembolic Event Rates Up With ChAdOx1-S Vaccine<\/strong><\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, May 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The rates of venous thromboembolic events, including cerebral venous thrombosis, are increased among recipients of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine ChAdOx1-S, although the absolute rates are small, according to a study published online May 5 in The BMJ<\/em>.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n mRNA Vaccines Effective for Preventing Symptomatic COVID-19<\/strong><\/p>\n TUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) — For health care personnel, the vaccine effectiveness of authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) against symptomatic COVID-19 illness is 82 and 94 percent for a single dose and for two doses, respectively, according to research published in the May 14 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report<\/em>.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n Ohio Lottery Will Award $1 Million to Five Vaccinated Residents<\/strong><\/p>\n TUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) — In an effort to boost COVID-19 vaccination numbers, Ohio officials said they will hold a weekly lottery in which five adult residents who have received at least their first dose of a vaccine will receive $1 million each.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n Infliximab May Reduce Immunogenicity to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine<\/strong><\/p>\n TUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Individuals with inflammatory bowel disease who are treated with infliximab rather than vedolizumab have reduced immunogenicity to a single dose of BNT162b2 and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccines, according to a study published online April 26 in Gut<\/em>.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n After Setbacks, Sanofi\/GSK COVID-19 Vaccine Performs Well in Early Trial<\/strong><\/p>\n TUESDAY, May 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline announced Monday that their COVID-19 vaccine candidate produced powerful responses in a preliminary trial that followed an earlier setback in the vaccine’s development.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n Hepatitis C Testing, Treatment Down During the Pandemic<\/strong><\/p>\n MONDAY, May 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The COVID-19 pandemic reduced routine hepatitis C virus testing and treatment, according to a study published online May 10 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine<\/em>.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n CDC Director Says New Mask Guidance Is Based on Science<\/strong><\/p>\n MONDAY, May 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The decision to ease mask rules for fully vaccinated Americans is based on science and not political pressure, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told media outlets on Sunday.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n Most Japanese Want Olympic Games Delayed or Canceled: Poll<\/strong><\/p>\n MONDAY, May 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) — More than eight in 10 people in Japan do not want their country to host the Olympics this summer, according to a poll conducted on the weekend as the nation combats a fourth COVID-19 wave.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n Systemic Reactogenicity Up With Heterologous COVID-19 Vaccine Doses<\/strong><\/p>\n MONDAY, May 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Participants receiving heterologous prime and boost doses of COVID-19 vaccines have an increase in systemic reactogenicity after the boost dose compared with those receiving homologous vaccine schedules, according to a research letter published online May 12 in The Lancet<\/em>.<\/p>\n Read Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n Risk for Severe Effects Low After SARS-CoV-2 Without Hospitalization<\/strong><\/p>\n MONDAY, May 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The risk for severe postacute complications is low after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection not requiring hospitalization, according to a study published online May 10 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases<\/em>.<\/p>\n