Feds identify promising and ‘urgently needed’ COVID antiviral drug
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 04, 2021
The experimental drug TEMPOL has shown promise in early studies, halting the activity of a viral enzyme and limiting the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infections.
An antibody cocktail that halts disease progression in sick COVD-19 patients has been shown to prevent the disease altogether in healthy people who live in close contact with an infected person, the drugmaker...
More clinical benefits of molnupiravir ID’d in COVID-19
Jun 07, 2022
New benefits for certain COVID-19 patients, including reduced need for respiratory intervention, have been found for Merck’s COVID-19 pill molnupiravir.
CDC says COVID-19 vaccine boosters not yet necessary, while Pfizer seeks approval for third dose
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 12, 2021
Fully vaccinated Americans do not need a COVID-19 booster shot at this time, according to federal health officials. But Pfizer has asked to offer a third dose of its current vaccine and is developing an...
Severe long COVID linked to lasting cough, sputum production
By
Kristen Fischer
Nov 17, 2023
People who experienced severe long COVID had two stand-out symptoms: Persistent cough and a lot of sputum within the year after being hospitalized for their initial infection, according to a new study.
High blood pressure plus COVID doubles risk of hospital stay: study
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
Jul 25, 2022
Even after three COVID-19 vaccine doses, high blood pressure more than doubles the risk for hospitalization with an omicron variant infection, researchers report.
Fed’s booster OK too late? Nursing home loses 8 to coronavirus outbreak this fall
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 17, 2021
A Connecticut nursing home has weathered a facility-wide COVID-19 outbreak that has sickened 89 residents and staff. Booster shots were not yet authorized when the first cases appeared, the operator reports.
Best bet against omicron? Prior infection or a booster shot, early research suggests
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 09, 2021
A two-dose course of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may not be enough to effectively combat the new omicron coronavirus variant, but a booster shot may do the trick, two early lab studies suggest....
New wave of flu cases, COVID-19 hospitalizations hits U.S., impacting seniors
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 06, 2022
Flu activity was the highest in a decade last week and hospitalizations for three respiratory viruses are straining healthcare systems, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Monday.
Two years into pandemic, we’re better prepared to fight off virus variants
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 02, 2021
Despite the threat of the quickly spreading and highly mutated omicron coronavirus variant — which has just landed in the U.S. — we are safer than we were before the pandemic, some experts say.