Sources and updates, September 10
Sources and updates for the week of September 10 include monoclonal antibody costs, viral persistence in Long COVID, and Medicaid unwinding.
Read MoreNew data on BA.2.86 suggest the fall booster may work well
Since BA.2.86 emerged a couple of weeks ago, scientists around the world have been racing to evaluate this variant. Several teams posted data in the last week, and the news is promising: while BA.2.86 does have an advantage over past variants, the lab findings suggest that vaccines (including the upcoming boosters) and past infections provide protection against it.
Read MoreAnswering reader questions: Incubation period, vaccines coming this fall, nasal sprays
I received a couple of reader questions in recent weeks that I’d like to answer here, in the hopes that my responses will be more broadly helpful. The questions cover COVID-19’s incubation period (i.e. time between exposure and symptoms), vaccine effectiveness for this fall, and nasal sprays.
Read MoreNational numbers, September 10
After two months of consistent increases in major COVID-19 metrics, we have once again reached, “Has the surge peaked?” territory. Preliminary data from wastewater and testing are suggesting potential plateaus, while more people are still getting hospitalized with COVID-19.
Read MoreCOVID source shout-out: People’s CDC in-person gathering guide
The People’s CDC, a public health advocacy organization that seeks to provide COVID-19 communication and guidance where the federal CDC has failed, recently shared an update to its guide for safer in-person gatherings.
Read MoreSources and updates, September 3
Sources and updates for the week of September 3 include a new CDC updates page, Long COVID research, and people who are more vulnerable to severe COVID-19.
Read MoreWastewater surveillance is crucial for tracking new variants, BA.2.86 shows us
This week, the health department in New York City, where I live, announced that they’d identified new variant BA.2.86 in the city’s wastewater. I covered the news for local outlet Gothamist/WNYC, and the story got me thinking about how important wastewater surveillance has become for tracking variants.
Read MoreNational numbers, September 3
The late-summer COVID-19 surge is still in full swing, with all major metrics showing further increases in disease spread this week. BA.2.86 isn’t spreading widely yet but is worth continued surveillance.
Read MoreCOVID source callout: CDC infection control committee may roll back protections
A little-known CDC advisory committee is suddenly in the public spotlight, as it considers recommending fewer safety measures to reduce infection in hospitals and other healthcare settings. Despite major pushback at a recent meeting, it’s unclear whether this committee will actually live up to its infection control duties.
Read MoreSources and updates, August 27
Sources and updates for the week of August 27 include funding from Project Next Gen, wastewater testing for more viruses, health misinformation, and more.
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