Vaccines averted the highest rate of deaths during the Delta period, with 68% of deaths averted.
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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As cases soar in both the UK and South Africa, scientists are scrambling to detail variant virus characteristics.
The next few months could be difficult, if Christmas and New Years gatherings and travel seed a new surge in infections.
A study of hospital air contamination in JAMA Network Open last week found that 17.4% of air samples from environments near COVID-19 patients were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, the virus that causes COVID-19, but only 8.6% contained viable virus.
Only two reinfections occurred in antibody-positive workers, both asymptomatic, and researchers said earlier infection appears to protect for at least 6 months.
One reason for concern: The variant has developed 23 mutations in just months.
More than 40% of US hospitals with ICUs are at 85% or higher capacity, as Pfizer agrees to supply 100,000 more vaccine doses.
France eases its ban on travel from England, a move prompted by the discovery of a rapidly spreading variant virus.
No COVID vertical transmission was found, but maternal antibody transfer was less than expected.
The findings provide hope that vaccines may generate long-term protection.
A multistate analysis of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the American Journal of Epidemiology yesterday found that 12.6% of patients died, with blacks especially hard hit.
