Practice Management
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 4 updated 2026–2027 COVID-19 vaccines for the upcoming respiratory virus season. All of the new formulations have been updated for XFG variant, according to FDA, and all follow the somewhat tighter age and risk restrictions that were introduced in 2025. Prior to the 2024–2025 season, vaccination was broadly recommended for everyone aged 6 months and older. Now, a healthy 50-year-old with no underlying risk factor, for example, …
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Researchers found the oral antiviral drug nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) is safe for kids as young as age 6 with mild/moderate COVID-19 who were at increased risk for severe disease, as published in Pediatrics. Of the in 75 children in the international study, 81% had 1 risk factor for severe COVID-19, most commonly obesity (49%) or chronic lung disease (40%). Additionally, 56% were unvaccinated. Children aged 6–17 years who weighed 40 kg or more received 300 mg …
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Researchers found high effectiveness of the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine among adults treated across 381 emergency department and/or urgent care sites and 246 hospitals in 6 states between September 2024 and September 2025, as published this week in JAMA Internal Medicine. Among adults, vaccination was associated with a 26% reduction in COVID-19–related emergency department and urgent care visits, a 35% reduction in COVID-19–related hospitalizations, and a 41% reduction in critical illness compared with no vaccine. Protection …
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Children often experience less severe symptoms from the SARS-CoV-2 infection, and a study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases found that kids’ frequent rhinovirus infections may be at least one factor that offers protection from both the risk and severity of SARS-CoV-2. Participants in this 6-month study (May 2020-February 2021) who had rhinovirus in the previous 30 days had a 48% lower risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 and, if infected, showed 9.6-fold lower viral loads (p=0.0031). …
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It seems that artificial intelligence (AI) models can detect early acute systemic inflammation in response to viral respiratory tract infections (VRTIs) through biometric data collected from wearable devices, according to a small study published in Lancet Digital Health. In the prospective study, 55 healthy adults aged 18–59 years were monitored before and after receiving a live attenuated influenza vaccine, which simulated real-world infection. Participants continuously wore a smart ring, smart watch, and smart shirt, which …
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It’s no surprise that the prevalence of respiratory illnesses continued its upward slant in the waning days of 2023. Respiratory illness indicators surged across two-thirds of the nation, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), particularly impacting the Midwest and Northeast, where COVID cases were prevalent. COVID hospitalizations rose by 16.7%, causing 29,000 admissions, contributing to a 10% increase in deaths. The Midwest and Northeast reported moderate to …
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