Is COVID-19 Still a Threat? An Expert Opinion Review on the Continued Healthcare Burden in Immunocompromised Individuals.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has had a profound global impact. The emergence of several variants during the pandemic has presented numerous challenges in preventing and managing this disease. The development of vaccines has played a pivotal role in controlling the pandemic, with a significant portion of the global population being vaccinated.

Evaluating in vivo effectiveness of sotrovimab for the treatment of Omicron subvariant BA.2 versus BA.1: a multicentre, retrospective cohort study.

Background: In vitro data suggested reduced neutralizing capacity of sotrovimab, a monoclonal antibody, against Omicron BA.2 subvariant. However, limited in vivo data exist regarding clinical effectiveness of sotrovimab for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to Omicron BA.

In outpatients with COVID-19 during Omicron variant circulation, molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir-ritonavir improved outcomes.

Sommer I, Ledinger D, Thaler K, et al. Ann Intern Med. 2023;176:1377-1385.

Monoclonal antibodies as COVID-19 prophylaxis therapy in immunocompromised patient populations.

Objectives: The objective of this review was to examine the latest literature regarding the effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies as COVID-19 prophylaxis therapy for immunocompromised patient populations.

Methods: Literature review of published real-world and randomized control trials (RCTs) from 2020 to May 2023.

Results: COVID-19 is highly transmissible with potentially serious health outcomes, underscoring the need for effective prevention and treatment strategies.

In critically ill patients with COVID-19, IL-6 receptor antagonists reduced mortality vs. control at 180 d.

Writing Committee for the REMAP-CAP Investigators; Higgins AM, Berry LR, Lorenzi E, et al. JAMA. 2023;329:39-51.

Comparing the usability of the World Health Organization's conventional tuberculosis guidelines to the eTB recommendations map: A two-arm superiority randomised controlled trial.

Best practices for the dissemination of global health guidelines has not undergone rigorous research. We used a new approach to digitizing World Health Organization (WHO) global tuberculosis guideline recommendations (eTB RecMap) and compared its usability to the conventional method of accessing TB recommendations using the WHO website. We conducted a two-arm superiority randomised controlled trial using a survey among global stakeholders who were past or planned future users of TB guidelines, recommendations, or policy advice.

Comparison of three dosing intervals for the primary vaccination of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine (BNT162b2) on magnitude, neutralization capacity and durability of the humoral immune response in health care workers: A prospective cohort study.

Objectives: The dosing interval of a primary vaccination series can significantly impact on vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy. The current study compared 3 dosing intervals for the primary vaccination series of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, on humoral immune response and durability against SARS-CoV-2 ancestral and Beta variants up to 9 months post immunization.

Methods: Three groups of age- and sex-matched healthcare workers (HCW) who received 2 primary doses of BNT162b2 separated by 35-days, 35-42 days or >42-days were enrolled.

Early Experience with Modified Dose Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir in Dialysis Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Background: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir was approved for use in high-risk outpatients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, patients with severe CKD were excluded from the phase 3 trial, and the drug is not recommended for those with GFR <30 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 .

Multistudy Research Operations in the ICU: An Interprofessional Pandemic-Informed Approach.

Unlabelled: Proliferation of COVID-19 research underscored the need for improved awareness among investigators, research staff and bedside clinicians of the operational details of clinical studies. The objective was to describe the genesis, goals, participation, procedures, and outcomes of two research operations committees in an academic ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design: Two-phase, single-center multistudy cohort.

Medical Masks Versus N95 Respirators for Preventing COVID-19 Among Health Care Workers : A Randomized Trial.

Background: It is uncertain if medical masks offer similar protection against COVID-19 compared with N95 respirators.

Objective: To determine whether medical masks are noninferior to N95 respirators to prevent COVID-19 in health care workers providing routine care.

Design: Multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial.

In high-risk outpatients with COVID-19, remdesivir reduced COVID-19-related hospitalization or all-cause death at 28 d.

Gottlieb RL, Vaca CE, Paredes R, et al. N Engl J Med. 2022;386:305-15.

In patients hospitalized for COVID-19, tocilizumab reduces mortality at 28 d.

WHO Rapid Evidence Appraisal for COVID-19 Therapies (REACT) Working Group; Shankar-Hari M, Vale CL, Godolphin PJ, et al. JAMA. 2021;326:499-518.

Assessment of the Burden of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern Among Essential Workers in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada.

This cohort study examines the burden of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern among frontline essential workers and by income in the City of Toronto and Region of Peel, Canada.

In patients with COVID-19, viral shedding time is 17 d and varies in some subgroups.

Yan D, Zhang X, Chen C, et al. Front Public Health. 2021;9:652842.

The Risk of Allergic Reaction to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines and Recommended Evaluation and Management: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, GRADE Assessment, and International Consensus Approach.

Concerns for anaphylaxis may hamper severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) immunization efforts. We convened a multidisciplinary group of international experts in anaphylaxis composed of allergy, infectious disease, emergency medicine, and front-line clinicians to systematically develop recommendations regarding SARS-CoV-2 vaccine immediate allergic reactions. Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, the World Health Organizstion (WHO) global coronavirus database, and the gray literature (inception, March 19, 2021) were systematically searched.

In South Africa, a 2-dose Oxford/AZ vaccine did not prevent mild to moderate COVID-19 (cases mainly B.1.351 variant).

Madhi SA, Baillie V, Cutland CL, et al. . N Engl J Med.

Characteristics of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Recovered COVID-19 Subjects.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). While detection of SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction with reverse transcription (RT-PCR) is currently used to diagnose acute COVID-19 infection, serological assays are needed to study the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin (Ig)G/A/M antibodies against spike (S) protein and its receptor-binding domain (RBD) were characterized in recovered subjects who were RT-PCR-positive ( = 153) and RT-PCR-negative ( = 55) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

In high-risk adults, the Moderna vaccine had 94% efficacy against COVID-19 ≥14 d after the 2nd dose.

Baden LR, El Sahly HM, Essink B, et al. N Engl J Med. 2021;384:403-16.