Emergence of variants of concern (VOCs) may potentially impact efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the ongoing continuation of the global vaccine rollout.
According to a recent viewpoint in Science, around one in three people with symptomatic COVID-19 still experience symptoms 12 weeks after the onset of infection, an outcome known as Post-COVID Conditions or Long COVID.
Maternal COVID-19 infection has resulted in elevated rates of preterm birth and low birth weight. According to a recent publication in JAMA Pediatrics, exposure to maternal COVID-19 infection may have broader implications on newborns later in life, suggesting a potential risk for long-term health outcomes among these individuals.
In a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers from the UK have estimated the effectiveness of vaccination in preventing symptomatic disease caused by the delta or alpha variants.
While scientists are striving to identify the specific protection mechanisms against SARS-CoV-2, a recent publication in Cell Reports Medicine followed a group of 254 COVID-19-recovered individuals who were infected during the first surge of COVID-19 in Seattle and Atlanta.
Mixing COVID-19 vaccine products has been done to maximize the number of people that can be fully vaccinated in settings where vaccine availability is limited or unpredictable.
How will the global population continue to interact with the virus in the long-term? Articles in Nature and the Journal of the American Medical Association offer several scenarios, ranging from the complete eradication of the virus to the potential for ongoing severe infections, and to the evolution of the virus, among others.
According to a recent New England Journal of Medicine article, more than 15 million cases of long COVID are expected in the United States alone.
The mRNA-based Pfizer vaccine has demonstrated remarkable efficacy and is approved for use across a wide range of age groups from children aged 12 and up to the elderly.
Variants of concern (VOCs) can potentially make COVID-19 vaccines less effective, both in terms of the immediate immune response and the durability of immunity.