The 3rd twelvemonth of the COVID-19 pandemic successful the United States introduced vaccines for precise young children and an updated booster, positive wider availability of an antiviral cause and at-home antigen tests. Here’s what we’ve learned since these achievements archetypal made a splash.
Shots for the littlest kids
On June 18, the COVID-19 vaccine was recommended for children nether 5, the past radical successful the United States waiting for the shots (SN Online: 6/17/22). The thumbs-up was supported by immunity and information information and the clear-and-present wellness risks of COVID-19 for young kids.
Update: Many young children successful the United States are inactive unvaccinated. Only 11 percent of those 6 months done 4 years old, oregon 1.8 cardinal children, had received astatine slightest 1 dose arsenic of December 7. A survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor conducted successful mid-July explored immoderate reasons for the lackluster response, including concerns that the vaccine hasn’t been tested enough.
There are besides barriers to getting the vaccine, with 44 percent of Black parents disquieted astir taking clip disconnected from enactment to vaccinate young kids oregon instrumentality attraction of them if they person broadside effects. Among Hispanic parents surveyed, 45 percent are acrophobic they won’t person the enactment to vaccinate astatine a spot they trust.
A caller booster
An updated COVID-19 vaccine became disposable arsenic a booster successful the United States successful aboriginal September for those 12 and older, and for those 5 to 12 years aged successful mid-October (SN: 10/8/22 & 10/22/22, p. 7). The vaccine, which targets 2 omicron subvariants arsenic good arsenic the archetypal mentation of SARS-CoV-2, was designed to spur a broader immune response, protecting against much versions of the virus.
Update: Just 13.5 percent of radical successful the United States ages 5 and older, oregon 42 cardinal people, had gotten the updated bivalent booster by December 7. In a survey conducted successful September, half of U.S. adults had heard small oregon thing astir the caller booster, underscoring the request for much nationalist outreach. President Joe Biden, who had COVID-19 successful July, received his updated vaccine connected October 25 and announced new measures to get much boosters into arms. A survey of U.S. adults, reported successful November, recovered that the updated booster provided added protection against symptomatic COVID-19 successful those who had already gotten astatine slightest 2 doses of the archetypal vaccine.
At-home COVID-19 tests
Early successful 2022, the usage of at-home COVID-19 tests soared successful effect to the wintertime omicron surge (SN Online: 1/11/22). From January to September, the Biden medication mailed astir 600 cardinal escaped tests to people’s homes.
Update: At-home antigen tests are speedy and easy, though the guidance connected however to construe the results has changed. With information that repeat testing improved the chances of detecting a SARS-CoV-2 infection, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended successful August that radical with and without symptoms who were exposed to the microorganism and tested antagonistic take further tests implicit the adjacent respective days.
A drawback to at-home tests is that the results person not been systematically tallied, starring to an undercount of cases. Estimates alteration connected however galore cases person been missed. One probe radical calculated that successful New York City betwixt April 23 and May 8, astir 1.5 cardinal adults had COVID-19, astir 30 times arsenic galore as the authoritative lawsuit number of 51,218.
A caller drug
The antiviral Paxlovid — authorized astatine the extremity of 2021 — became 1 of a fewer COVID-19 attraction options successful pill form. A survey published successful April reported that Paxlovid reduced the hazard of terrible COVID-19 by 89 percent compared with a placebo (SN Online: 5/11/22).
Update: In July, the FDA authorized pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid to get the cause much rapidly to much people, since it needs to beryllium taken aboriginal successful an infection. A survey conducted during the omicron surge suggested that the cause is beneficial for those 65 and older but is not adjuvant to those 40 to 64.
Paxlovid besides made quality this twelvemonth erstwhile reports popped up of COVID-19 symptoms returning aft attraction with the drug ended (SN Online: 8/12/22). It’s not wide however communal alleged Paxlovid rebound is. Some probe has recovered the incidence is akin among Paxlovid-treated and placebo-treated patients, portion different researchers person reported that rebound occurs much often with Paxlovid than with nary treatment.
There’s besides aboriginal grounds that Paxlovid whitethorn trim the hazard of processing agelong COVID. A preliminary survey of U.S. veterans reported successful November that attraction with Paxlovid wrong 5 days of a affirmative COVID-19 trial was associated with a 26 percent simplification successful hazard of agelong COVID compared with a radical that did not person antiviral attraction aft an infection.
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