Unvaccinated children and adolescents were up to 20 times more likely to develop long COVID than their vaccinated peers, according to new research led by a team from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. However, the analysis they performed also indicated that protection afforded by the vaccine primarily comes from preventing…

California has halted a court-ordered medical parole program, opting instead to send its most incapacitated prisoners back to state lockups or release them early. The unilateral termination is drawing protests from attorneys representing prisoners and the author of the state's medical parole legislation, who say it unnecessarily puts this vulnerable population at risk. The move…

Even by rural hospital standards, Keokuk County Hospital and Clinics in southeastern Iowa is small. The 14-bed hospital, in Sigourney, doesn’t do surgeries or deliver babies. The small 24-hour emergency room is overseen by two full-time doctors. CEO Matt Ives wants to hire a third doctor, but he said finding physicians for a rural area…

Despite decades of progress, declining vaccine coverage during COVID-19 threatens a resurgence of measles, especially in vulnerable regions. This global study urges renewed focus on equitable immunization to prevent future outbreaks. Study: Global, regional, and national trends of measles burden and its vaccination coverage among children under five years old: an…

A new study suggests that elevated ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression in the nasal cavity significantly increases the risk of future SARS-CoV-2 infection, with certain nasal microbiome species influencing this expression. Study:  The nasal microbiome modulates risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection . Image Credit: Shutterstock AI Generator / Shutterstock.com A recent eBioMedicine…

Numerous treatment options for COVID-19 have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over the last four years, including antiviral drugs and monoclonal antibodies that suppress an excessive immune response. Now, research from the Keck School of Medicine of USC has found that COVID-19 therapies cause few serious side effects, based on an…

Mass firings at the FDA have decimated divisions tasked with releasing public records generated by the agency's regulatory activities in sectors including tobacco, food, medical devices, and veterinary medicine. But as the dust settled on the layoff melee, a notable exception emerged among the agency's staff charged with responding to Freedom of Information Act requests.…

A study revealed that Jun13296, a novel PLpro inhibitor, demonstrates potent antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects in vivo, offering hope for future COVID-19 therapies beyond Paxlovid. Study:  Design of quinoline SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease inhibitors as oral antiviral drug candidates . Image Credit: Shutterstock AI Generator / Shutterstock.com A study recently published in…

A groundbreaking preclinical study reveals how targeting a viral enzyme with a new drug could prevent long-COVID complications, offering hope for millions and a powerful tool for future coronavirus threats. Study: A novel PLpro inhibitor improves outcomes in a pre-clinical model of long COVID Over 77 million people globally have experienced…

Researchers have shown a new drug compound can prevent long COVID symptoms in mice – a landmark finding that could lead to a future treatment for the debilitating condition. The world-first study found mice treated with the antiviral compound, developed by a multidisciplinary research team at WEHI, were protected from long term brain and lung dysfunction –…