Omicron boosters are weaker against BQ.1.1 subvariant that is rising in U.S., study finds

Covid shots designed to protect against the omicron variant trigger a weaker immune response against the rapidly emerging BQ.1.1 subvariant than the previously dominant strain, according to a new lab study.

Scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch, in a study published online Tuesday in Nature Medicine, found that the booster shots performed well against the BA.5 subvariant they were designed to target.

Study spotlights disparities in COVID-19 clinical trials | CIDRAP

A study yesterday in JAMA Internal Medicine shows women and racial minorities were underrepresented in both COVID-19 clinical treatment trials and in disease prevention trials.

The research was conducted by a team from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, as well researchers from Beijing and London.

Youngkin moves toward reimbursements for ‘unjust’ COVID-19 fines in Virginia Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) announced on Tuesday that he plans to reimburse individuals and businesses who paid fines for violating most state COVID-19 restrictions put in place by his Democra… zschonfeld The Hill

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Emerging from the COVID pandemic, again For much of the world, 2022 marked the beginning of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Michele Gershberg Reuters

..Global health officials cautioned the public against letting its guard down, while acknowledging a change in outlook nearly three years after the virus was first detected. The World Health Organization (WHO) has yet to declare an end to the COVID public health emergency introduced in January 2020.

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China eases anti-COVID measures following protests BEIJING (AP) — China rolled back rules on isolating people with COVID-19 and dropped virus test requirements for some public places Wednesday in a dramatic change to a strategy that confined millions of people to their homes and sparked protests and demands for President Xi Jinping to resign . AP NEWS

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National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan | The White House Today, the U.S. government is releasing the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan – which will enable America to move forward safely, sustaining The White House

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The President’s National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan focuses on four key goals:

State sues company that failed to return N95 mask money BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts attorney general's office has sued a company it alleges failed to reimburse the state nearly $3.5 million for hundreds of thousands of N95 masks it failed to deliver as promised early in the COVID-19 pandemic. AP NEWS

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Pfizer partners with Clear Creek Bio to develop oral COVID-19 drug Pfizer Inc and Clear Creek Bio Inc on Tuesday announced a collaboration to identify a potential drug candidate and develop a new class of oral treatment against COVID-19, as Pfizer seeks to expand its anti-infective pipeline. Reuters Reuters

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COVID vaccine hesitancy linked to 'nocebo' side effects CIDRAP

Vaccine hesitancy about COVID-19 vaccines is a positive predictor of negative side effects with vaccination—an example of the "nocebo" effect—according to a study today in Scientific Reports.

Nocebo, a play on placebo, is a phenomenon in which people experience negative effects on health when they have negative views or expectations surrounding medical interventions.

Boston establishing 11 wastewater COVID-19 testing sites BOSTON (AP) — Boston is planning to establish 11 wastewater testing sites across the city to help monitor for spikes in the COVID-19 virus. The head of the Boston Public Health Commission said the city is partnering with vendors to create the sites as COVID-19 levels in wastewater across the region have begun rising. AP NEWS

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Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Boston’s public health commissioner, said the city will be sampling water from the sites on a weekly basis. Ojikutu said the testing will also help the city monitor for the appearance of new variants of the disease.

Exercise may increase the effectiveness of your Covid-19 vaccine, a new study found: Here’s how to get the most benefit

Having the most protection from severe outcomes following Covid-19 infection is largely attributed to vaccination. But, the shot’s effectiveness may be enhanced by physical activity, a new study found.

Elevated levels of physical activity appeared to be associated with higher effectiveness from the primary series of the Covid-19 vaccination, according to new research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. 

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