Category: Public Health

31% of parents say they’ll get children under 5 vaccinated as soon as available: KFF

Thirty-one percent of parents who have children younger than 5 said they plan to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey published Feb. 2. 

WHO head voices concern as countries roll back pandemic measures

The World Health Organization’s director-general is warning against relaxing pandemic restrictions too quickly as many countries roll back protocols, according to a Feb. 2 report from The New York Times.

Viewpoint: The past pandemic mistake the US shouldn’t make again

The U.S. should learn from past pandemics and specifically avoid one mistake made amid the 1918 influenza pandemic, according to an op-ed published Jan. 31 by The New York Times.

BA.2 severity likely same as original omicron strain; hospitalizations fall in Midwest, South — 7 COVID-19 updates

The omicron subvariant BA.2 appears to have the same severity as the original omicron strain, a World Health Organization official said Feb. 2. 

The Advice to ‘Vaccinate and Test’ Isn’t Much Help to Parents With Kids Under 5

Many parents of children too young for vaccines are exhausted. Some feel isolated and even forgotten by those who just want to move on even as omicron continues to sweep through parts of the country.

At Nursing Homes, Long Waits for Results Render Covid Tests ‘Useless’

As omicron surges, more nursing homes are facing a double whammy: Lab tests are taking too long, and fast antigen tests are in short supply.

Some governors push for endemic shift in COVID-19 strategy

Some governors are pushing for a return to normal and urging federal officials to take a more endemic approach handling the pandemic, according to a Jan. 31 New York Times report.

This unexpected symptom appears to be tied to omicron

With its rapid emergence and wide range of symptoms, omicron appears to be tied to one symptom that wasn’t as frequently reported with past coronavirus variants.  

Why some don’t want to confirm their COVID-19 diagnosis

Some physicians say they’re seeing more patients who want to avoid polymerase chain reaction testing for COVID-19 out of fear of the potential disruptions it could cause to their livelihoods, NPR reported Feb. 1. 

Omicron subvariant’s transmissibility: 4 early findings

The omicron subvariant BA.2 is more transmissible than the original strain, though vaccinated people are less likely to spread it to others, according to a Danish study published Jan. 30 in the medical preprint server MedRxiv.