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Coronavirus Updates

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Dr Veena Aggarwal, Consultant Womens’ Health, CMD and Editor-in-Chief, IJCP Group & Medtalks Trustee, Dr KK’s Heart Care Foundation of India    26 December 2021

With inputs from Dr Monica Vasudev

Molnupiravir gets FDA nod for emergency use in Covid-19 treatment

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued emergency use authorization for the antiviral drug, molnupiravir for “the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in adults with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, and for whom alternative COVID-19 treatment options authorized by the FDA are not accessible or clinically appropriate”. It is not authorized for use in children younger than 18 years. Treatment has to be started at the earliest after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within 5 days of symptom onset. Molnupiravir is available by prescription only… (Source: US FDA, December 23, 2021)

Israel expert panel recommends fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose

A Health Ministry expert panel has recommended a fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose for persons older than 60 years, those with immunocompromised status and for health workers in view of the swiftly spreading Omicron variant. It also recommended reducing the gap between the second and third doses to be decreased to three months from the current five months. The panel stated, “Such measures would be "part of the preparation for the fifth wave" of the pandemic” … (Source: Reuters, December 23, 2021)

Covid-19 vaccines mandatory for most persons aged 5 years and older in Ecuador 

Ecuador has made Covid-19 vaccine compulsory for most citizens aged five years and older. But persons with pre-existing medical conditions will be exempted from the mandate. According to a health ministry statement, “The decision was made due to an increase in new coronavirus cases, including the Omicron variant”. Ecuador requires vaccination certificates for public places such as restaurants, cinemas, theatres and shopping centres … (Source: CNN & BBC, December 24, 2021)

CDC updated guidance for isolation and quarantine for healthcare workers

In its updated guidance for isolation and quarantine for healthcare workers, the CDC has reduced their isolation time following infection with Covid-19. It has stressed that the new guidelines are not applicable to the general public and only meant for health care workers.

  • “Healthcare workers with COVID-19 who are asymptomatic can return to work after 7 days with a negative test, and that isolation time can be cut further if there are staffing shortages.
  • Healthcare workers who have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including a booster, do not need to quarantine at home following high-risk exposures.”

(Source: CDC, December 23, 2021)

Achieving 70% coverage with Covid-19 vaccines by Mid-2022

As per the Independent Allocation of Vaccines Group (IAVG), only 730 million of the estimated 8 billion doses of vaccine have been administered globally, which is less than 10%. It has expressed concern that the primary priority use of available vaccines is not consistent with the goals outlined in the Strategy to Achieve Global COVID-19 Vaccination by Mid-2022 and emphasizes the critical need to high levels of immunization coverage in all countries in view of the rapid emergence of the Omicron variant. Towards this end, IAVG has made the following recommendations:

  • Achievement of 70% coverage with COVID-19 vaccines in all countries as a global imperative. 
  • All countries to work with COVAX with considerable urgency to optimize the strategic use of the growing vaccine supply. 
  • All countries to have a steady, predictable supply of COVID-19 vaccines, which meet the unique needs of each country. Attention must be paid to addressing prohibitive absorptive challenges in countries that request support. 

(Source: WHO, December 23, 2021)

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