Covid19-Sources

Nature Communications - Determining the prevalence of Long COVID is challenging because many symptoms attributed to the syndrome could have other causes. Here, the authors estimate the prevalence...

DMZ – WISSENSCHAFT ¦ Sarah Koller ¦ Studie untersucht Strategien zur Umstellung auf jährliche SARS-CoV-2-Impfkampagnen in den Vereinigten Staaten Nach dem erstmaligen Einsatz von Impfstoffen zur Eindämmung der globalen Belastung durch COVID-19 verabreichen viele Länder jetzt Auffrischungsimpfungen, um die nachlassende Immunität zu bekämpfen und die Schwere neuer und hochansteckender Varianten von SARS-CoV-2 zu lindern. In den Vereinigten Staaten haben sich die Zeitpläne für die Auffrischungsimpfungen seit dem Auftreten der Omikron-Variante geändert und sind von einer anfänglichen Empfehlung von 6 Monaten nach Abschluss der Grundimpfserie oder einer bekannten Infektion auf 2 Monate reduziert worden, als die bivalente Auffrischungsimpfung verfügbar wurde. Um die Häufigkeit der Auffrischungsimpfungen zu formalisieren, hat die US-amerikanische Food and Drug Administration (FDA) vorgeschlagen, jährliche Einzeldosenimpfungen für SARS-CoV-2 ähnlich wie bei der Influenzaimpfung durchzuführen, mit einer möglichen zweiten Dosis für Personen mit einem hohen Risiko für schwere Verläufe, einschließlich Kinder unter 2 Jahren und Erwachsene ab 50 Jahren. Die saisonalen Muster für SARS-CoV-2, die in verschiedenen geografischen Regionen und Ländern beobachtet werden, werden von mehreren Faktoren beeinflusst, darunter das Auftreten neuer Varianten, die Heterogenität der Impfabdeckung auf unterstaatlicher Ebene sowie andere öffentliche Gesundheitsmaßnahmen. Diese Muster können sich von Jahr zu Jahr ändern, aber SARS-CoV-2 könnte jährliche Zyklen ähnlich wie bei der saisonalen Influenza aufweisen, sobald es den endemischen Zustand erreicht. Ein synchronisiertes Muster zwischen den beiden Krankheiten legt nahe, dass Impfkampagnen gegen SARS-CoV-2 vor einem erwarteten Anstieg die Krankheitslast reduzieren würden. Langfristig wird erwartet, dass die gleichzeitige Verabreichung von Impfstoffen gegen SARS-CoV-2 und saisonale Influenza eine bevorzugte Strategie wird. Die Wirksamkeit dieser Strategie ist jedoch unklar, da der Zeitpunkt eines Anstiegs unbekannt ist und die Möglichkeit halbjährlicher COVID-19-Epidemien besteht. Trotz der weit verbreiteten Verfügbarkeit von mRNA-bivalenten Impfstoffen seit September 2022 hat nur 17% der US-Bevölkerung eine Auffrischungsimpfung erhalten. Ein Übergang zu jährlichen Kampagnen könnte die Akzeptanz von bivalenten Auffrischungsimpfungen in Richtung der Influenzaimpfung erhöhen. Um die Wirksamkeit jährlicher Kampagnen zu bewerten, wurde ein altersstrukturiertes dynamisches Modell zur Übertragung infektiöser Krankheiten entwickelt und mit Schätzungen der epidemiologischen Merkmale von SARS-CoV-2 und der Wirksamkeit von mRNA-Impfstoffen parametrisiert. Die primäre Simulation verwendete die von der FDA vorgeschlagene jährliche Impfkampagne mit einer zweiten Dosis für Kinder unter 2 Jahren und Erwachsene ab 50 Jahren, wobei von einer altersspezifischen Akzeptanz ausgegangen wurde, die der Influenzaimpfung ähnelt. Es wurden alternative Szenarien erkundet, in denen die zweite Dosis an die folgenden drei Altersgruppen von Erwachsenen verteilt wurde: 65 Jahre oder älter, 50 bis 64 Jahre oder 18 bis 49 Jahre. In der Frühphase des Jahres 2023 prüfte die FDA einen Vorschlag zur Umstellung auf jährliche SARS-CoV-2-Impfungen. Der Vorschlag empfiehlt eine Einzeldosis für die meisten Personen mit einer zweiten Dosis für Kinder unter 2 Jahren und Erwachsene ab 50 Jahren. Unter Verwendung eines altersstrukturierten dynamischen Modells der Übertragung infektiöser Krankheiten, das auf Winter- und Spätsommer-Peaks in der COVID-19-Hospitalisierung kalibriert wurde, wurde die Wirksamkeit der vorgeschlagenen jährlichen Impfung mit einer Akzeptanz ähnlich der Influenzaimpfung bewertet. Es wurde auch der optimale Intervall zwischen der ersten und zweiten Dosis geschätzt, der die direkten Gesundheitskosten minimiert. Die Analyse ergab, dass der Übergang zu einer jährlichen Kampagne die Krankheitslast bei Erwachsenen ab 50 Jahren moderat verringern würde. Im Vergleich dazu würde die von der FDA vorgeschlagene Kampagne zu einer 15%igen Reduzierung der Hospitalisierungen und einer 18%igen Verringerung der Todesfälle im Vergleich zur jährlichen Kampagne führen. Unter der Annahme eines zweiten Höhepunkts bei den Hospitalisierungen ergab das Modell, dass die von der FDA vorgeschlagene Kampagne den größten Nutzen bringt, wenn die zweite Dosis 5 Monate nach der ersten Dosis verabreicht wird, wobei der Nutzen über ein 6-monatiges Dosierungsintervall hinaus abnimmt. Insgesamt zeigt die Studie, dass die von der FDA vorgeschlagene Kampagne mit einer zweiten Dosis, die 5 Monate nach der ersten Dosis verabreicht wird, die direkten Gesundheitskosten im Vergleich zur jährlichen Kampagne am stärksten reduziert. Die Effektivität dieser Strategie bleibt jedoch abhängig von der Impfrate und der Abnahme der Impfimmunität. Zur Studie

Why SARS-CoV-2 elicits mild symptoms at first but then, for a subset of patients, turn potentially fatal a week or so after infection? A recent study showed that distinct stages of illness correspond with the coronavirus acting differently in 2 different populations of cells 1/ pic.twitter.com/hjSTGoS17R— Vipin M. Vashishtha (@vipintukur) March 29, 2024

Nature Cell Biology - Duan et al. show that ACE2-dependent and ACE2-independent entry of SARS-COV-2 in epithelial cells versus myeloid cells differentially regulates viral replication and...

While the early effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the United States labor market are well-established, less is known about the long-term impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection and Long COVID on employment. To address this gap, we analyzed self-reported data from a prospective, national cohort study to estimate the effects of SARS-CoV-2 symptoms at three months post-infection on missed workdays and return to work. The analysis included 2,939 adults in the Innovative Support for Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infections Registry (INSPIRE) study who tested positive for their initial SARS-CoV-2 infection at the time of enrollment, were employed before the pandemic, and completed a baseline and three-month electronic survey. At three months post-infection, 40.8% of participants reported at least one SARS-CoV-2 symptom and 9.6% of participants reported five or more SARS-CoV-2 symptoms. When asked about missed work due to their SARS-CoV-2 infection at three months, 7.1% of participants reported missing ≥10 workdays and 13.9% of participants reported not returning to work since their infection. At three months, participants with ≥5 symptoms had a higher adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of missing ≥10 workdays (2.96, 95% CI 1.81-4.83) and not returning to work (2.44, 95% CI 1.58-3.76) compared to those with no symptoms. Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 symptoms were common, affecting 4-in-10 participants at three-months post-infection, and were associated with increased odds of work loss, most pronounced among adults with ≥5 symptoms at three months. Despite the end of the Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and efforts to “return to normal”, policymakers must consider the clinical and economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s employment status and work absenteeism, particularly as data characterizing the numerous health and well-being impacts of Long COVID continue to emerge. Improved understanding of risk factors for lost work time may guide efforts to support people in returning to work. ### Competing Interest Statement I have read the journal's policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: AHI receives research grant funding from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center during the conduct of the study and being a member of the Stryker Belfast Clinical Advisory Board outside the submitted work. AV receives grants from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the SAEM Foundation outside the submitted work. ESS receives grant funding from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL151240), and the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (HM-2022C2-28354). JCCM receives research grant funding from SAMHSA (1H79TI084428-01 and 1H79TI085981-01, PI LeSaint), FDA (75F40122C00116, PI Anderson), NIH-NINDS (U24NS129501, PI Rodriguez) outside the submitted work. JE is Editor-in-chief of the Adult Primary Care topics at UpToDate. KLR receives research grant funding from Abbott Diagnostics, DermTech, MeMed, Prenosis, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, PROCOVAXED funded by NIAID 1R01AI166967, and PREVENT funded by CDC U01CK00048 outside the submitted work. KNO receives research grant funding for PROCOVAXED funded by NIAID R01 AI166967, PI: Rodriguez outside the submitted work. MG receives grant funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority Research Grant, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Society of Directors of Research in Medical Education Grant outside the submitted work. MJH receives research grant funding from an Investigator Award from Merck, MISP 100099, PI: Hill outside the submitted work. The following authors have declared that no competing interests exist: HY, KAS, RAW. ### Clinical Trial NCT04610515 ### Clinical Protocols ### Funding Statement Yes ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Not Applicable The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: All 8 study sites received institutional review board approval from their institutions, including Rush University (IRB#20030902-IRB01), Yale University (IRB#2000027976), the University of Washington (IRB#STUDY00009920), Thomas Jefferson University (IRB##20P.1150), the University of Texas Southwestern (IRB#STU-202-1352), the University of Texas, Houston (IRB#HSC-MS-20-0981), the University of California, San Francisco (IRB#20-32222) and the University of California, Los Angeles (IRB#20-001683). Written informed consent was obtained electronically for all study participants. I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Not Applicable I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Not Applicable I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Not Applicable The existing analytic dataset includes protected health information and personally identifiable information, including dates, which cannot be shared due to privacy and confidentiality of research health information.

Vier Jahre nach Beginn der Corona-Pandemie haben wir fünf Forscherinnen und Forscher um eine Einschätzung zum Stand der Dinge gebeten. Demnach bleiben die Impfungen weiterhin wichtig, um Risikogruppen zu schützen. Besorgt zeigen sich Experten über das verlorene Vertrauen in der Gesellschaft.

IntroductionSARS-CoV-2 infection increases the risk of worse outcomes in cancer patients, including those with breast cancer. Our previous study reported tha...

DMZ – WISSENSCHAFT ¦ A. Aeberhard ¦ Ein Artikel greift eine Umfrage aus Australien auf, die aussagen soll, dass es kein Long Covid gibt und dass die Verwendung dieses Begriffs unnötige Angst schürt. Diese Behauptung steht im Widerspruch zu einer Fülle von wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen und Studien, die weltweit von renommierten Institutionen und Fachleuten durchgeführt wurden. Es ist wichtig zu betonen, dass solche Falschmeldungen bereits mehrfach verbreitet wurden und nicht den realen Erfahrungen zahlreicher Betroffener entsprechen. Es wäre fahrlässig, aufgrund einer einzelnen Umfrage die Existenz und die Herausforderungen von Long Covid zu negieren. Zu den Fakten Seit Beginn der Coronavirus-Krankheit 2019 (Covid-19) Pandemie haben weltweit schätzungsweise 400 Millionen Menschen Symptome gemeldet, die als "Long Covid-19" bezeichnet wurden. Long Covid ist als ernsthaftes und langanhaltendes Gesundheitsproblem anerkannt ist, das viele Menschen nach einer Covid-19-Infektion betrifft. Die Symptome von Long Covid, darunter anhaltende Müdigkeit, Atemnot, neurologische Probleme und andere Beschwerden, wurden von zahlreichen Betroffenen weltweit gemeldet und von Fachleuten dokumentiert. Die Aussage, dass die Symptome von Long Covid nicht von denen anderer postviraler Erkrankungen wie der Grippe unterscheidbar sind, ignoriert die spezifischen Merkmale von Long Covid, die von vielen Betroffenen erlebt wurden. Diese Aussage steht im Gegensatz zu den Erkenntnissen zahlreicher Studien, die gezeigt haben, dass Long Covid sich von anderen Erkrankungen unterscheidet und ein eigenständiges Gesundheitsproblem darstellt. Des Weiteren wird im Artikel Christoph Kleinschnitz zitiert, der Zweifel an Studien zu Long Covid äußert und behauptet, dass eine psychische Komponente oft ignoriert werde. Diese Aussage ist irreführend und vernachlässigt die tatsächlichen Erfahrungen und das Leiden vieler Betroffener. Zahlreiche Fachleute und medizinische Organisationen haben Long Covid als ernsthaftes Gesundheitsproblem anerkannt und betonen die Notwendigkeit weiterer Forschung und Unterstützung für Betroffene.

There is a strong coordinated effort by vaccination groups all over the world to put an end to the current crisis of COVID-19. Now sufficient data are…

Finland's epidemic 22 March 2024: the force driving up excess deaths continues to strengthen. In the past 12 months, the momentum — or 'torque' — of excess deaths among those under 25 has more than quadrupled. Strongest growth is seen among 5-9 year olds.1/x pic.twitter.com/vFWMH0cXPi— Ilkka Rauvola (@jukka235) March 22, 2024

Background: Beau’s lines are transverse grooves in the nail plate that result from transient interruption of the growth of the proximal nail matrix after severe disease. The aim of this study is to systematically report all evidence on the association of Beau’s lines with COVID-19 infection or vaccination against COVID-19. Methods: PubMed and Scopus databases were searched up to January 2024 for articles reporting Beau’s lines associated with COVID-19 infection or vaccination for COVID-19. PROSPERO ID: CRD42024496830. Results: PubMed search identified 299 records while Scopus search identified 18 records. After screening the bibliography, nine studies including 35 cases were included in our systematic review. The studies were reported from different areas around the world. Included studies documented Beau’s lines following COVID-19 vaccination (two studies) or after COVID-19 infection (seven studies). High variability was recorded in onset and resolution times among included cases, averaging 3 months and 6 months after COVID-19 infection, respectively. In the two studies reporting Beau’s lines after vaccination, onset was at 7 days and 6 weeks and resolution occurred after 8 and 17 weeks, respectively. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review reporting the association of Beau’s lines with COVID-19 infection and vaccination. Severe immune response can result in the formation of these nail disorders. Of importance, Beau’s lines represent a potential indicator of prior severe COVID-19 infection or vaccination for COVID-19, as well as a sign of long COVID-19 syndrome.

The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on public health and the estimated number of excess deaths may be more than three times higher than documented in official statistics. Numerous studies have shown an increased risk of severe COVID-19 and ...

The study published in Nature Cardiovascular Research reveals that SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, can directly infect coronary vessels and arterial plaques, heightening the risk of cardiovascular complications like heart attacks and strokes. These findings offer critical insights into the increased long-term cardiovascular risks for COVID-19 survivors and open new avenues for targeted therapies.

Mounting scientific evidence reveals that being infected with SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID — profoundly impacts brain health in many ways.

CoV-lineages has 18 repositories available. Follow their code on GitHub.

𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗔 𝗙𝗟𝗨𝘈 𝘮𝘦𝘨𝘢-𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 @gemcarey pic.twitter.com/T6GBuBWPxG— Emmanuel (@ejustin46) March 25, 2024

Journal of Medical Virology is a clinical virology journal focused on the diagnosis, epidemiology, immunology and pathogenesis of human viral infections & diseases.

COVID-19 in pregnant people increases the risk for poor maternal–fetal outcomes. However, COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy remains due to concerns over the vaccine’s potential effects on maternal–fetal outcomes. Here we examine the ...

We examined factors contributing to the transmission of an acute respiratory virus within multi-use facilities, focusing on an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a movie theater in the Republic of Korea.

An economic evaluation was conducted to predict the economic and clinical burden of vaccinating immunocompromised (IC) individuals aged ≥30 years with mRNA-1273 variant-adapted COVID-19 vaccines in Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 versus BNT162b2 variant-adapted vaccines in France. The number of symptomatic COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, deaths, and long COVID cases, costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) was estimated using a static decision-analytic model. Predicted vaccine effectiveness (VE) were based on real-world data from prior versions, suggesting higher protection against infection and hospitalization with mRNA-1273 vaccines. VE estimates were combined with COVID-19 incidence and probability of COVID-19 severe outcomes. Uncertainty surrounding VE, vaccine coverage, infection incidence, hospitalization and mortality rates, costs and QALYs were tested in sensitivity analyses. The mRNA-1273 variant-adapted vaccine is predicted to prevent an additional 3,882 infections, 357 hospitalizations, 81 deaths, and 326 long COVID cases when compared to BNT162b2 variant-adapted vaccines in 230,000 IC individuals. This translates to €10.1 million cost-savings from a societal perspective and 645 QALYs saved. Results were consistent across all analyses and most sensitive to variations surrounding VE and coverage. These findings highlight the importance of increasing vaccine coverage, and ability to induce higher levels of protection with mRNA-1273 formulations in this vulnerable population. ### Competing Interest Statement MK is a shareholder in Quadrant Health Economics, Inc., which was contracted by Moderna, Inc. to conduct this study. AL and MM are consultants at Quadrant Health Economics Inc. CD, NE and MU are employees of Moderna France and hold stock/stock options in the company. KJ and EB are employees of Moderna Inc and hold stock/stock options in the company. BD received fees for consultation from Moderna France. ### Funding Statement This study was funded by Moderna, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes

Background Since March 2020, COVID-19 has evolved from a localized outbreak to a global pandemic. We assessed the seroprevalence of COVID-19 in three towns in the Centre Sud region of Burkina Faso. Methods A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in three medium-sized towns in Burkina Faso’s Centre Sud region, from June to July 2021. Subjects aged 16 or over at the time of the survey were considered for this seroprevalence study. The Biosynex COVID-19 BSS rapid test was used to detect immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) against SARS-CoV-2. A standardized questionnaire was also administered to collect additional information. Results A total of 2449 eligible participants (age ≥ 16 years) were identified. Serological tests for COVID-19 were performed in 2155 individuals. Finally, 2143 valid tests were retained and analyzed. Out of the entire sample, 246 positive tests were observed, corresponding to a prevalence of 11.48%. Prevalence was 9.35% (58 cases) in Kombissiri, 12.86% (80 cases) in Manga and 11.99% (108 cases) in Pô. By gender, 13.37% of women (164 cases) tested positive, and 8.95% of men (82 cases). Women accounted for 66.67% of all positive test subjects. The results show a significantly higher seroprevalence in women (P = 0.007), people over 55 years old (P = 0.004), overweight or obese people (P =0.026) and those with drinking water sources at home (0.013). Conclusions The results of this study show that the COVID-19 virus also circulates in the population of medium-sized towns in Burkina Faso, far more than is officially reported in the country. The study also highlighted the greater vulnerability of women to the epidemic, and the challenge of access to water in the face of diseases such as COVID-19. The preventive measures put in place to fight the pandemic must take these different factors into account. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement This study was funded by ANRS MIE, an antonomous agency of Inserm, and by the French Development Agency (AFD). ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: The Health Ethics Research Committee of the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso gave approval for this work. I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors.

School reopenings in 2021 and 2022 coincided with the rapid emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants in the United States. In-school mitigation efforts va…

Beckman et al. show that SARS-CoV-2 proteins are found in olfactory areas of the brains of rhesus macaques at 7 days post infection. In addition to direct neuronal infection, extensive neuroinflammation and vascular disruptions are observed, and these effects are exacerbated in aged, diabetic animals.

Press release of the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Einige Menschen tragen das Coronavirus über einen langen Zeitraum in sich, wie Studien aus Großbritannien und den USA belegen

Wer mit dem Coronavirus erkrankt ist, muss weiter Vergütung erhalten. Selbst dann, wenn die Krankheit symptomlos verläuft. Die Richter am Bundesarbeitsgericht entschieden den Fall eines Produktionsarbeiters.

Recent research shows that bivalent mRNA COVID vaccines do not increase stroke risk, a claim previously unverified large-scale studies.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant medical, social, and economic impacts globally, both in the short and long term. Although most individuals recover within a few days or weeks from an acute infection, some experience longer lasting effects. Data regarding the postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory...

In children aged 5–11 years, mRNA vaccines are moderately effective against infections with the omicron variant, but are likely to protect well against COVID-19 hospitalisations. Vaccines were reactogenic but probably safe. Findings of this systematic review can serve as a basis for public health policy and individual decision making on COVID-19 vaccination in children aged 5–11 years.