Satisfaction with government recommended pre-procedural mouth rinses in the mitigation of Covid-19 in Hong Kong SAR: A triple blind randomized controlled clinical trial.

Objective: To evaluate satisfaction and acceptability with three pre-procedural mouthrinses recommended by the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Material And Methods: A triple-blind parallel-arm randomised controlled clinical trial was conducted. Following eligibility assessment, participants were block-randomised to the three intervention pre-procedural mouthrinses groups: Povidone-iodine, Hydrogen Peroxide and Chlorhexidine Digluconate.

Three-dose vaccination-induced immune responses protect against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2: a population-based study in Hong Kong.

Background: The ongoing outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 infections in Hong Kong, the model city of universal masking of the world, has resulted in a major public health crisis. Although the third vaccination resulted in strong boosting of neutralization antibody, vaccine efficacy and correlate of immune protection against the major circulating Omicron BA.

Effectiveness of influenza vaccination in institutionalized older adults: a systematic review.

Introduction: Influenza infection is common among institutionalized older adults. Many nonrandomized observational studies on influenza vaccination suggested that it could reduce influenza-related hospitalizations and mortality in institutionalized older adults. Criticism regarding the effectiveness of influenza vaccine estimated by nonrandomized observational studies include the frailty selection bias and use of nonspecific outcome, such as all-cause mortality.

Erratum: Human H7N9 avian influenza virus infection: a review and pandemic risk assessment.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/emi.2013.

Human H7N9 avian influenza virus infection: a review and pandemic risk assessment.

China is undergoing a recent outbreak of a novel H7N9 avian influenza virus (nH7N9) infection that has thus far involved 132 human patients, including 37 deaths. The nH7N9 virus is a reassortant virus originating from the H7N3, H7N9 and H9N2 avian influenza viruses. nH7N9 isolated from humans contains features related to adaptation to humans, including a Q226L mutation in the hemagglutinin cleavage site and E627K and D701N mutations in the PB2 protein.

Efficacy of trivalent seasonal influenza vaccination in reducing mortality and hospitalization in Chinese nursing home older adults.

Objective: To examine the clinical efficacy of the trivalent seasonal influenza vaccination among Chinese older adults residing in a nursing home.

Design: A 12-month prospective cohort study. Participants were divided into 2 groups based on their own choice on vaccination of trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine: vaccinated group and unvaccinated group.