Sewer sampling, the authors say, could be expanded to track other infectious diseases such as H5N1 avian flu or mpox or to detect unexpected pathogens.
Plaque growth can lead to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and other life-threatening cardiovascular events for as long as 1 year.
Post-exertional malaise, or exercise intolerance, was seen in 36% of those with long COVID.
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In other developments, global COVID-19 cases and deaths declined again last week.
In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, life expectancy in the United States fell by 4.5 and 3.6 years for Hispanic and Black males, respectively, while declining 1.5 years for their White counterparts, finds a study published yesterday in PNAS.
At least 2.5 hours of moderate activity or 1.2 hours of vigorous exercise weekly was linked to lower risk.
In another development, Pfizer said the vaccine for younger kids still shows strong efficacy as it prepares to file an EUA for a BA.5/BA.4 bivalent booster for kids as young as 6 months.
A study published yesterday in JAMA Pediatrics suggests that long COVID is uncommon in children and teens and that risk factors include severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, younger age, and complex underlying chronic diseases.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines long COVID as continuous, relapsing, or new symptoms or conditions persisting at least 1 month after the initial infection.
In related developments, the FDA OKs emergency use of the Novavax vaccine for teens.
The average for all variants was 6.6 days, but it ranged from 5.0 for Alpha to 3.4 for Omicron.
Nonhospitalized, high-risk, vaccinated COVID-19 patients who received nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (NMV-r, or Paxlovid) saw a 45% drop in their relative risk of emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalization, and death by 30 days, suggests a study published late last week in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Rates of "brain fog," dementia, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy or seizures remained elevated.
A study of California public transportation workers published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) shows public transportation workers have higher rates of both COVID-19 incidence and mortality compared to other industries.
