COVID in California: Definition of ‘up to date’ on vaccinations changed by CDC

CDC updates what it means to be ‘up to date’ on vaccination

With the recommendation for the updated bivalent COVID-19 boosters last month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday updated its vaccine recommendations to say individuals are considered to be “up to date” once they complete a COVID-19 vaccine primary series and receive the most recent booster dose recommended. “The more people who stay up to date on their vaccinations, the better chance we have of avoiding a possible surge in COVID-19 illness later this fall and winter,” the agency said, recommending people use its online tool to determine when to get booster doses.

Paxlovid significantly reduces coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths, studies confirm

Patients who are prescribed the anti-viral treatment Paxlovid are about two times less likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 and about four times less likely to die from the coronavirus than those who might be eligible for Paxlovid but did not receive a prescription, according to a dual-team study shared by UCSF’s Bob Wachter over the weekend. The study was completed by two independent teams of clinicians and research scientists, using a data set of more than 163 million patients from 173 Epic Research organizations including over 1,000 hospitals and over 22,500 clinics, serving patients in all 50 U.S. states and Lebanon. While the data show unvaccinated individuals over 65 benefited most from the treatment, the results were positive for all eligible age groups. “In our unadjusted analysis, for patients aged 50+ who have received a complete primary series of a COVID-19 vaccination with or without a booster, there is a statistically significant difference in the hospitalization rate for those who received Paxlovid and those who didn’t. This remains true regardless of vaccination status,” the researchers wrote. 

FDA warns newer variants can evade Evusheld

The Food and Drug Administration is advising health care providers to inform patients receiving Evusheld of the increased risk for developing COVID-19 when exposed to newer coronavirus variants that can evade neutralization. The main subvariant of concern is BA.4.6, which has gradually growing in proportion in the U.S. over the past few weeks. Evusheld is currently the only protection option for use in immunocompromised individuals who may not mount an adequate response to COVID-19 vaccination, and for individuals for whom COVID-19 vaccination is not recommended due to a history of a severe adverse reaction. “Health care professionals should inform patients of this risk and advise patients who develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 to test for SARS-CoV-2 infection and promptly seek medical attention, including starting treatment for COVID-19, as appropriate if they test positive,” the advisory issued Monday said.

Kyiv residents asked to wear masks as cases surge

Health authorities in Ukraine’s capital city, Kyiv, are asking residents to wear masks due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, according to a report from Agence France-Presse. In the past week, Ukraine has recorded 44,137 new confirmed cases, 6,667 hospital admissions, and 161 virus-related deaths across the country, according to the health ministry. Masking is recommended in “public transport, in places that serve clients, and in educational facilities” in Kyiv, officials said. The World Health Organization has described Ukraine’s health system as “badly affected but still resilient” following the invasion of Russian forces.

Number of US suicides rose 4% in 2021, CDC data shows

After recording two consecutive years of declines, the number of deaths by suicide in the U.S. rose in 2021, according to new federal data. There were 47,646 suicides last year, according to provisional data published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics — or about 14 per 100,000 individuals. That marks a 4% increase from 2020, when 45,979 suicides that were recorded at the rate of 13.5 per 100,000. There was a 1.7% decline in deaths by suicide from 2019 to 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the report found. The most substantial increase was recorded among teens and young adults, between the ages of 15 to 24, with the rate increasing form 14.2 suicides per 100,000 in 2020 when most were sheltering-in-place at home to 15.3 per 100,000 in 2021 when schools reopened. For anyone in a crisis and considering self-harm, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741.

Former Beatle Ringo Starr cancels tour due to illness

Ringo Starr, the 82-year-old drummer for the Beatles, has canceled a handful of his upcoming tour dates with his All Starr Band after becoming infected with the coronavirus. “It has been confirmed today that Ringo has COVID and the tour will be on hold while Ringo recuperates,” his publicist Elizabeth Freund said in a statement. Among the shows canceled was a scheduled stop in Minnesota and several dates across Canada. “Ringo hopes to resume as soon as possible and is recovering at home. As always, he and the All-Starrs send peace and love to their fans and hope to see them back out on the road soon,” Freund said.

Here’s how Bay Area residents really feel about returning to the office

The sudden switch to working from home was an unexpected change for millions of people during the early days of the pandemic.

But after years of working remotely, the push to bring workers back to their offices has been full of stops and starts. Now, as more companies signal their intent to bring more workers back into workplaces, many are taking a harder line on time spent back in the office, upending the routines people have built during the last two-plus years. Read more here about the state of the work-from-home debate here. 

Newsom signs bill restricting misinformation by doctors

California doctors who spread COVID-19 misinformation could face disciplinary action after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that holds physicians and surgeons accountable for “unprofessional conduct.” The bill, AB2098,  introduced by Democratic Assembly Member Evan Low, restricts the dissemination of “misinformation or disinformation” about the prevention, treatment, and effectiveness of vaccines related to the coronavirus. Those who engage in misconduct could potentially lose their license to practice in the state. “To be clear, this bill does not apply to any speech outside of discussions related to COVID-19 treatment within a direct physician-patient relationship,” Newsom said at the signing, in reference to critics who said the law limits doctors’ First Amendment right.

Long COVID: Tens of millions likely suffering from long-term loss of smell, taste

Roughly 5% of adults who reported losing their sense of smell or taste after a bout with COVID-19 may develop long-term smell and taste problems, newly published research suggests. 

An estimated 15 million adults may experience long-term problems with their sense of smell, and 12 million may have persistent issues with taste, the research found. 

“Given the huge impact that loss of smell and taste can have on quality of life and general health, this could contribute to the rising burden of long COVID,” the researchers wrote. 

Half of adults know little or nothing about updated COVID boosters 

While bivalent COVID booster shots have been widely available for weeks, nearly half of adults have reported hearing little or no information about them, according to a recent report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Awareness of the updated shots was “relatively modest,with about half of adults saying they’ve heard “a lot” (17%) or “some” (33%) about the new shots, the foundation found. 

Nearly a third of adults said they’ve already gotten a booster, or intended to get one “as soon as possible.”

U.K. hospitals strain under weight of surging new number of COVID hospitalizations

Hospitals in the U.K. were struggling to contend with a rapidly rising number of COVID-related hospitalizations, which have increased nearly 37% in a week, the Guardian reported. 

Several hospitals were canceling operations and urging people to steer clear of hospital settings, unless there was an emergency. In the past, the ebbs and flows of the pandemic in the U.K. have served as bellwethers for the U.S., which may raise concerns about a possible fall or winter surge stateside.