Here is what the editors at Physician's Briefing chose as the most important COVID-19 developments for you and your practice for the week of March 21 to 25, 2022. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal studies and other trusted sources that is most likely to affect clinical practice.
CDC: Vaccinated More Likely to Die During Omicron Wave If They Got J&J Shot
FRIDAY, March 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The COVID-19-related death rate among Americans who received Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine was more than double that of people who received other vaccines, new data from the omicron surge show.
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ACC: Pericardial Effusion Prevalent in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients
FRIDAY, March 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Pericardial effusion is prevalent among hospitalized patients with COVID-19, but is rarely due to pericarditis, according to a study published online March 21 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, ahead of presentation at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from April 2 to 4 in Washington, D.C.
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Psychotropic Meds Tied to Risk for Post-COVID Dementia in Seniors
FRIDAY, March 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Pre-COVID-19 psychotropic medication use is associated with higher risk for incident dementia following hospitalization for COVID-19 (post-COVID dementia) in older adults, according to a study published online March 18 in Frontiers in Medicine.
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Airlines Ask Biden to Drop Mask Mandates, COVID-19 Testing
THURSDAY, March 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- As COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths drop across the United States, the chief executives of the country's largest airlines have asked President Joe Biden to let a federal mask mandate at airports and on planes to lapse next month. Also included in the request is the dropping of COVID-19 testing for international travelers arriving in the United States.
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Risk for Myocarditis Low After Third Dose of BNT162b2 Vaccine
THURSDAY, March 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Among military recruits in Israel, the risk for f myocarditis was low after a third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine, according to a research letter published online March 17 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Fourth mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Immunogenic, Safe
THURSDAY, March 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- A fourth dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is immunogenic and safe, but has limited effectiveness against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, according to a study published online March 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Free COVID-19 Tests, Treatments for Uninsured Americans Cut for Lack of Funding
WEDNESDAY, March 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Uninsured Americans will no longer be covered for free COVID-19 tests and treatments because of the budget impasse in Congress, a Biden administration official said Tuesday.
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Moderna Will Ask FDA to Approve COVID-19 Vaccine for Young Children
WEDNESDAY, March 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Moderna announced Wednesday that it will ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve the emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine for children under 6.
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Ivermectin Effect in COVID-19 Varies With Strongyloidiasis Prevalence
WEDNESDAY, March 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- In trials of ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19, the relative risk of mortality varies with strongyloidiasis prevalence, according to research published online March 21 in JAMA Network Open.
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Emergency Mental Health Visits Up After COVID-19 Surges
WEDNESDAY, March 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Emergency departments may have increases in mental health visits after COVID-19 surges, according to a study published online March 16 in JAMA Psychiatry.
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Home COVID-19 Tests Can Cause Harm If Not Stored Safely: FDA
TUESDAY, March 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- At-home COVID-19 tests can cause harm if they are not used according to the manufacturer's instructions, and they also need to be kept out of reach from children and pets, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns.
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Low SARS-CoV-2 Positivity for Babies Born to Moms With COVID-19
TUESDAY, March 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Babies born to mothers with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection have low rates of SARS-CoV-2 positivity, according to a review published online March 16 in The BMJ.
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Effectiveness of Ad26.COV2.S Vaccine Stable for Six Months
TUESDAY, March 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The vaccine effectiveness of Ad26.COV2.S was stable over six months, including during a period of delta variant predominance, according to a study published online March 17 in JAMA Network Open.
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No Myocarditis Recurrence After SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination
TUESDAY, March 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccination seems safe for patients with prior history of myocarditis, with no evidence of recurrence, according to a study presented at ESC Acute CardioVascular Care 2022, held virtually from March 18 to 19.
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COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Rate Up During Omicron
MONDAY, March 21, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates increased during the period of omicron predominance, with the lowest rates among vaccinated adults who had received a booster or additional dose, according to research published in the March 18 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Risk for Shoulder Conditions Small After Vaccination in Deltoid Muscle
MONDAY, March 21, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- There is a small absolute risk for shoulder conditions after intramuscular vaccination administered in the deltoid muscle, according to a study published online March 22 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Majority of Survivors of Severe COVID-19 Recover Consciousness
MONDAY, March 21, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- A majority of survivors of severe COVID-19 recover command-following weeks after cessation of mechanical ventilation, according to a study published online March 7 in the Annals of Neurology.
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COVID-19 Vaccines Not Tied to Immune-Mediated Neurological Events
MONDAY, March 21, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- No safety signal is observed between COVID-19 vaccines and immune-mediated neurological events, but infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is associated with increased risks for Bell palsy, encephalomyelitis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome, according to a study published online March 16 in The BMJ.
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