COVID boosters work – now, let’s tackle long COVID

There has been more positive COVID news in recent weeks about the impact of boosters and therapeutics—but we still have work to do on long COVID. (558 words, 2 minutes, 47 seconds)

New data highlights impact of COVID boosters, therapeutics

The pandemic is not quite over—but we’re in good shape to fight it.

COVID-19, by the numbers: The highly contagious XBB.1.5 variant is responsible for 80% of COVID cases in the U.S. But, less than 3% of counties report “high” community levels, per the latest CDC data (H/T San Francisco Chronicle).

Boosters work: People who received the updated bivalent booster were three times less likely to die from COVID than those who received only the original vaccines and 14 times (!!!) less likely to die than unvaccinated people, says a recent CDC study.

And vaccines reduce the risk of COVID-related cardiovascular problems, including heart attack and stroke in infected individuals, found a new Mount Sinai Hospital study. 

Remember Remdesivir? Gilead’s real-world study of more than half a million patients (including immunocompromised) found the therapeutic was associated with a “statistically significant reduction in mortality” across all variant periods.

What we need to do now: “As COVID continues to evolve, our protection wanes and needs to be reinforced—especially for people who are older and who have underlying conditions,” tweeted epidemiologist and former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden.  

There’s also more work to do on long COVID—keep reading.

Biotech continues the search for long COVID solutions

What do we know about long COVID—and what do we need to learn? The biotech community discussed yesterday during a webinar co-organized by BIO—here’s a recap.

Why it matters: 14.6% of adults who had COVID report having long COVID, said the CDC’s Dr. Priti Patel—including U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VT), who spoke about his own experience with long COVID.

A new version of an old problem: Long COVID is similar to previously known post-infection disorders, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, said Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Rachel Levine. “I believe we can leverage the existing science and the commonalities experienced by patients with all these conditions.”

But research is a challenge: The wide range of symptoms and levels of severity defy easy lab diagnosis and must be clinically diagnosed by a doctor, which means listening to patients is key, said Dr. David Putrino of New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital.

Patients lead the fight: “In order to get better, we must spend energy advocating for ourselves, but in order to not get worse, we must rest,” said Lisa McCorkell of the Patient-Led Research Collaborative, one of the first groups to recognize the condition.

Learn more: The webinar was the first in a series of events co-organized with Solve M.E. to supercharge the quest for long COVID solutions by providing essential scientific, economic, and public health information. The next event will occur in person during the BIO International Convention in June. 

Read more about how biotech is addressing long COVID.

Read our exclusive interview with the CEO of Solve M.E.

More Health News:

CNBC: Pfizer RSV vaccine for infants could receive FDA approval this summer
“Pfizer on Tuesday said the FDA is reviewing the vaccine on an expedited basis. The agency is expected to decide on whether to clear the shot in August, just before respiratory virus season.”

President Biden’s Wednesday: Meetings with the Bucharest Nine—a group of eastern flank NATO allies—NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, and members of the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, a day after issuing what CNN calls a “rallying cry” on the war in Ukraine. He’ll return to Washington tonight.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The House and Senate are quiet.