Analysis

COVID school closures cost children one-third of a year’s learning Nature - A sustained catch-up effort is needed to help students to recover lost skills and knowledge. Naddaf, Miryam nature

Children lost out on more than one-third of a school years’ worth of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, an analysis has found. Their mathematics skills were more affected than their reading abilities.

Kids fight off COVID-19 quickly but don't develop adaptive immunity - UPI.com Children's amped-up immune systems allow them to beat back COVID-19 easily, producing a strong initial response that quickly slaps away the virus. But there might be a price to be paid for that sharp reaction. UPI

Because the initial response provides such a swift takedown, kids' immune systems don't remember the virus and don't adapt to be prepared for future infections, according to scientists with the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney.

Record number of deaths in US from cardiovascular disease early in pandemic: Report shows New data from the American Heart Association highlights the major impact COVID-19 had on cardiovascular health and death rates during the first year of the pandemic. ABC News ABC News

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The next worrisome coronavirus variant could come from China — will it get detected? Nature - Genomic surveillance is crucial for tracking the next ‘variant of concern’, but many countries are winding back their monitoring. Lewis, Dyani nature

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It remains crucial that variants be tracked, yet scientists question how quickly the next variant of concern will be detected as many countries wind down surveillance efforts.

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