With inputs from Dr Monica Vasudev

CDC relaxes the Covid-19 indoor mask guidelines 

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has eased the COVID-19 guidelines for mask wearing, including in schools. The new guidelines shift the emphasis from the rate of transmission of Covid-19 to monitoring hospitalizations, hospital capacity and infection rates. Under the new policy, counties have been segregated into three categories - low, medium and high risk – on the basis of hospital capacity and cases. People in medium-risk communities who are at increased risk of complications, such as those who are immunocompromised, are advised to consult their doctors if they should wear a mask. Only schools in high-risk areas should continue with universal masking, says the CDC … (Reuters, February 26, 2022)

FDA revises EUA to increase dose of Evusheld for pre-exposure prophylaxis of Covid-19

The US FDA has revised the dose of Evusheld (tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab) used as pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 so that it is more activity against Omicron. The dose has now been increased to 300 mg of tixagevimab and 300 mg of cilgavimab from the earlier authorised dose of 150 mg of tixagevimab and 150 mg of cilgavimab administered as two separate consecutive intramuscular injections. Eusheld is authorized for use in adults and pediatric patients who are immunocompromised or who cannot take the vaccine due to history of severe adverse reaction. It is indicated for use only in persons who are not currently infected with SARS-CoV-2 and who have not had a known recent exposure to someone infected with SARS-CoV-2… (Source: US FDA, Feb 24, 2022)

Covid-19 vaccines protect against reinfection

Two studies reported in the New England Journal of Medicine have demonstrated strong protection with Covid-19 vaccines against reinfection. In one study from Israel by Hammerman et al, persons who recovered from Covid-19 and received at least one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were at a significantly lower risk of recurrent infection. Vaccine effectiveness was 82% for 16-64 age group and 60% for ≥65 age group. In the second study from the UK, vaccine effectiveness was greater than 90% for those who were vaccinated (Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine) after infection including in persons who had been infected more than a year back…(Medscape, Feb. 22, 2022)

CDC recommends longer interval between the two-vaccine doses 

In its updated guidance, the CDC has said that an 8-week gap between the first and second doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID vaccines may be more advantageous for individuals aged 12 years and older, especially for males. According to the CDC, this would reduce the risk of myocarditis. The earlier recommended interval of 3 weeks for Pfizer and 4 weeks for Moderna remains for persons aged ≥65 years, the immunocompromised or those at risk of severe infection. For children, the second dose should be taken 3 weeks after the first dose of Pfizer…(Source: Medscape, Feb. 24, 2022)

FDA restricts scope of sotrovimab monoclonal antibody

In a revised EUA letter issued to GlaxoSmithKline on Wednesday, the US FDA has said that “sotrovimab is not authorized for treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in geographic regions where infection is likely to have been caused by a non-susceptible SARS-CoV-2 variant, based on available information including variant susceptibility to this drug and regional variant frequency.” Sotrovimab is the only monoclonal antibody to retain some neutralizing activity against the Omicron variant. It has to be administered in a healthcare setting…(Source: US FDA, Feb. 23. 2022)

Mental health toll of the pandemic in adolescent females 

According to a new CDC study, more adolescent females (aged 12–17 years) visited the emergency department for mental health conditions during the pandemic than before. The number of ER visits for eating disorders increased 2-folds, while visits for tic disorders increased 3-folds. There were also more visits for anxiety,  trauma and stressor-related visits, including obsessive-compulsive disorders … (Source: MMWR, Feb. 25, 2022)