Covid-19 increases risk of developing autoimmune disease, but vaccination helps, large study shows A large study in Japan and South Korea shows that Covid-19 increases risk of developing autoimmune disease, but vaccination helps. Isabella Cueto STAT

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Researchers also found that vaccination against Covid, with either mRNA or viral vector shot, reduced the risk of developing a new autoimmune disease. They did not spell out in the study exactly how much vaccines reduced the risk of AIRDs.

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Low iron may play key role in long COVID Patients who went on to develop long COVID showed more problems with regulation of blood iron levels, including anemia, as soon as 2 weeks after acute infection, suggesting low iron levels may play a role in the chronic condition, according to a new study in Nature Immunology. CIDRAP

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the researchers found that long COVID was associated with how quickly inflammation and low iron levels regulated after acute infection. People who took a longer time to demonstrate regulation, and had more severe initial infections, were at an increased risk of long COVID.

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Flu shots are doing OK vs. virus, US numbers indicate Early estimates suggest flu shots are performing OK in the current U.S. winter flu season. The vaccines were around 40% effective in preventing adults from getting sick enough from the flu that they had to go to a doctor’s office, clinic or hospital. AP News

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Officials generally are pleased if a flu vaccine is 40% to 60% effective.

The shots tend to do better when they are well matched against the circulating flu strains. Officials say that’s what’s happened during this — relatively typical — flu season.

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US respiratory virus levels remain high as flu rises in central states Respiratory illness levels in the United States remained high but stable last week, with flu activity rising in some regions of the country and indicators declining for both COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its latest data updates. CIDRAP

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CDC advisory panel says people 65 and older should get a Covid spring booster shot An expert panel advising the CDC on vaccines on Wednesday recommended that people 65 and older should get an additional Covid-19 vaccine shot this spring. Helen Branswell STAT

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The recommendation was approved by CDC Director Mandy Cohen, allowing the United States to join Canada and the United Kingdom in offering a spring booster this year to people at high risk of severe disease if they contract Covid.

COVID-19 no longer means five days in isolation, CDC says U.S. health officials say Americans with COVID-19 no longer need to stay in isolation for five days. AP News

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans who test positive for COVID-19 no longer need to stay in isolation for five days, U.S. health officials announced Friday.

Racial minorities have greater long-term harms from COVID-19, data show A longitudinal study yesterday in Frontiers in Public Health shows Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) COVID-19 patients in America had greater post-COVID-19 burdens than non-Hispanic, white peers. CIDRAP

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Few Americans say they know how much health care will cost: Gallup Less than 20 percent of Americans say they know how much they will have to pay before receiving health care treatments, according to a report. The Bentley-Gallup Business in Society Report survey, … lsforza The Hill

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Many Americans postpone surgeries due to cost, job worries - UPI.com Older adults frequently delay needed surgery because of financial concerns, a new study finds. UPI

...Nearly half of people ages 50 and older who were very concerned about the cost of surgery wound up not having an operation they had considered, researchers reported Tuesday in the journal JAMA Network Open. 

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Where Are the Nation’s Primary Care Providers? It’s Not an Easy Answer - KFF Health News Politicians keep talking about fixing primary care shortages. But flawed national data leaves big holes in how to evaluate which policies are effective. Lydia Zuraw KFF Health News

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Measles making a comeback in US due to vaccine skepticism, says CDC The highly transmissible disease was found in north-east states in recent weeks and is likely to spread to the midwest and west coast The Guardian

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