Covid-19 Sentry

Contents

• From Preprints
• From Clinical Trials
• From PubMed
• From Patent Search

From Preprints

• Covid19Vaxplorer: a free, online, user-friendly COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Comparison Tool -

  Background: There are many COVID-19 vaccines currently available, however, Low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) still have large proportions of their populations un- vaccinated. Decision-makers must decide how to effectively allocate available vaccines (e.g. boosters or primary series vaccination, which age groups to target) but LMIC often lack the resources to undergo quantitative analyses of vaccine allocation, resulting in ad- hoc policies. We developed Covid19Vaxplorer (https://covid19vaxplorer.fredhutch.org/), a free, user-friendly online tool that simulates region-specific COVID-19 epidemics in con- junction with vaccination with the purpose of providing public health officials worldwide with a tool for vaccine allocation planning and comparison. Methods: We developed an age-structured mathematical model of SARS-CoV-2 trans- mission and COVID-19 vaccination. The model considers vaccination with up to three different vaccine products, primary series and boosters. We simulated partial immunity de- rived from waning of natural infection and vaccination. The model is embedded in an online tool, Covid19Vaxplorer that was optimized for its ease of use. By prompting users to fill information through several windows to input local parameters (e.g. cumulative and cur- rent prevalence), epidemiological parameters (e.g basic reproduction number, current social distancing interventions), vaccine parameters (e.g. vaccine efficacy, duration of immunity) and vaccine allocation (both by age groups and by vaccination status). Covid19Vaxplorer connects the user to the mathematical model and simulates, in real time, region-specific epidemics. The tool then produces key outcomes including expected numbers of deaths, hospitalizations and cases, with the possibility of simulating several scenarios of vaccine allocation at once for a side-by-side comparison.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Covid19Vaxplorer: a free, online, user-friendly COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Comparison Tool
• Prosocial behavior in emergencies: Evidence from blood donors recruitment and retention during the COVID-19 pandemic -
  The impact of COVID-19 represents a specific challenge for voluntary transfusional systems sustained by the intrinsic motivations of blood donors. In general, health emergencies can stimulate altruistic behaviors. However, in this context, the same prosocial motivations, besides the personal health risks, could foster the adherence to social distancing rules to preserve collective health and, therefore, discourage blood donation activities. In this work, we investigate the consequences of the pandemic shock on the dynamics of new donors exploiting the individual-level longitudinal information contained in administrative data on the Italian region of Tuscany. We compare the change in new donors’ recruitment and retention during 2020 with respect to the 2017-2019 period, considering donors’ and their municipalities of residence characteristics. Our results show an increment of new donors, with higher growth for older donors. Moreover, we demonstrate that the quality of new donors, as proxied by the frequency of subsequent donations, increased with respect to previous years. Finally, we show that changes in extrinsic motivations, such as the possibility of obtaining a free antibody test or overcoming movement restrictions, cannot explain the documented improvement in performances.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Prosocial behavior in emergencies: Evidence from blood donors recruitment and retention during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Clinical and Economic impact of updated Fall 2023 COVID-19 vaccines in the Immunocompromised Population in Canada -

  Background: Immunocompromised (IC) individuals are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection-related severe outcomes. Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are available in Canada, and differences in vaccine effectiveness (VE) have been found between the two in IC individuals. The objective of this analysis was to compare the clinical and economic impact of a Moderna XBB.1.5 updated COVID-19 mRNA Fall 2023 vaccine to a Pfizer-BioNTech XBB.1.5 updated COVID-19 mRNA Fall 2023 vaccine in Canadian IC individuals aged ≥18 years. Methods: A static decision-analytic model estimated the number of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, deaths, and resulting quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) over a one-year time horizon (September 2023-August 2024) in the Canadian IC adult population (n=894,580). Costs associated with COVID-19 infection were estimated from health care and societal perspectives. The predicted VE of the updated Moderna vaccine was based on prior variant versions, which were well-matched to the circulating variant. Pfizer-BioNTech VE was calculated based on a meta-analysis of comparative effectiveness between both vaccines (relative risk for Moderna vaccine: infection=0.85 [95%CI 0.75-0.97], hospitalization=0.88 [95%CI 0.79-0.97]). The model combined VE estimates with COVID-19 incidence and probability of COVID-19 related severe outcomes. Sensitivity analyses tested the impact of uncertainty surrounding incidence, hospitalization and mortality rates, costs, and QALYs. Results: Given the expected higher VE against infection and hospitalizations with the Moderna Fall 2023 vaccine, its use is predicted to prevent an additional 2,411 infections (3.6%), 275 hospitalizations (3.7%), and 47 deaths (4.0%) compared to the Pfizer-BioNTech Fall 2023 vaccine, resulting in 330 QALYs gained, and savings of $7.4M in infection treatment costs, and $0.9M in productivity loss costs. Results were most sensitive to variations in VE parameters, specifically the relative risk of infection and hospitalizations between the vaccines, and waning rates. Conclusions: If the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Fall 2023 vaccines protect against infection and hospitalizations similar to previous vaccines, using the Moderna Fall 2023 vaccine would result in substantial public health benefits in IC individuals, as well as provide health care and societal cost savings.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Clinical and Economic impact of updated Fall 2023 COVID-19 vaccines in the Immunocompromised Population in Canada
• Generation and characterization of a multi-functional panel of monoclonal antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 research and treatment -
  The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an ongoing threat to global public health. To this end, intense efforts are underway to develop reagents to aid in diagnostics, enhance preventative measures, and provide therapeutics for managing COVID-19. The recent emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants with enhanced transmissibility, altered antigenicity, and significant escape of existing monoclonal antibodies and vaccines underlines the importance of the continued development of such agents. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its receptor binding domain (RBD) are critical to viral attachment and host cell entry and are primary targets for antibodies elicited from both vaccination and natural infection. In this study, mice were immunized with two synthetic peptides (Pep 1 and Pep 2) within the RBD of the original Wuhan SARS-CoV-2, as well as the whole RBD as a recombinant protein (rRBD). Hybridomas were generated and a panel of three monoclonal antibodies, mAb CU-P1-1 against Pep 1, mAb CU-P2-20 against Pep 2, and mAb CU-28-24 against rRBD, were generated and further characterized. The monoclonal antibodies were shown through ELISA to be specific for each immunogen/antigen and to be reactive by immunoblotting against RBD. Monoclonal antibody CU-P1-1 has limited applicability other than in ELISA approaches and basic immunoblotting. Monoclonal antibody CU-P2-20 is shown to be favorable for ELISA, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry (IHC), however, not live virus neutralization. In contrast, mAb CU-28-24 is most effective at live virus neutralization as well as ELISA, immunoblotting, and IHC. Moreover, mAb CU-28-24 was active against rRBD proteins from Omicron variants B.2 and B.4/B5 as determined by ELISA, suggesting this mAb may neutralize live virus of these variants. Each of the immunoglobulin genes has been sequenced using Next Generation Sequencing, which allows the expression of respective recombinant proteins, thereby eliminating the need for long-term hybridoma maintenance. These hybridomas and related mAbs are now protected by Intellectual Property agreements with the Clemson University Research Foundation and are Patent Pending based on their unique amino acids within the complementary determining regions (CDRs).
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Generation and characterization of a multi-functional panel of monoclonal antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 research and treatment
• The influence of COVID-19 fear beliefs on the relationships between positive mood and loss-of-control eating: a ten-day diary study -
  Objectives: Loss-of-control eating (LOCE), a perceived inability to stop eating or to resist eating onset, is driven by mood. LOCE prevalence increased following onset of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19 has been associated with significant increase in stressors, such as fear beliefs regarding contracting illness. Fear beliefs could in turn impact a relationship between mood and LOCE. It was also hypothesized that daily protective strategies meant to prevent contagion may be associated with LOCE, in line with ego depletion theory. Design: This was a two-phase study with a cross-sectional phase and daily diary design. Methods: 108 adults from the United States completed a diary study over ten days regarding daily LOCE, positive and negative mood, and protective behaviors against contagion. Participants rated COVID-fear beliefs at a baseline assessment, hypothesized to predict LOCE directly between subjects and have a cross-level interactive effect on predictors within-subjects. Data were analyzed both within- and between-subjects with a multilevel model. Results: Negative mood was associated with LOCE at both levels, although protective behaviors evinced no significant associations. Positive mood did not reveal significant direct associations with LOCE, although there was an interactive effect such that positive mood was a significant model predictor at low COVID fear beliefs. Johnson-Neyman analyses showed that when COVID-fear beliefs were low, positive mood had a significant inverse association with LOCE. Conclusion: Negative mood and protective strategies are directly associated with LOCE but the relationship between positive mood and LOCE may be moderated by the degree of COVID-19 fear beliefs.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: The influence of COVID-19 fear beliefs on the relationships between positive mood and loss-of-control eating: a ten-day diary study
• A comparison of four self-controlled study designs in an analysis of COVID-19 vaccines and myocarditis using five European databases -

  Abstract Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the possible extent of bias due to violation of a core assumption (event-dependent exposures) when using self-controlled designs to analyse the association between COVID-19 vaccines and myocarditis. Methods: We used data from five European databases (Spain: BIFAP, FISABIO VID, and SIDIAP; Italy: ARS-Tuscany; England: CPRD Aurum) converted to the ConcePTION Common Data Model. Individuals who experienced both myocarditis and were vaccinated against COVID-19 between 1 September 2020 and the end of data availability in each country were included. We compared a self-controlled risk interval study (SCRI) using a pre-vaccination control window, an SCRI using a post-vaccination control window, a standard SCCS and an extension of the SCCS designed to handle violations of the assumption of event-dependent exposures. Results: We included 1,757 cases of myocarditis. In unadjusted analyses, agreement between study designs varied by vaccine brand. There was good agreement between all designs for AstraZeneca and Pfizer, but for Moderna we found harmful incidence rate ratios (IRR) using the standard and extended SCCS (standard SCCS: IRR = 3.12, 95%CI = 1.53, 6.40; extended SCCS: IRR = 2.43, 95%CI = 1.11, 5.33) compared with no association with the SCRIs (SCRI-pre: IRR = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.27, 1.33; SCRI-post: IRR = 0.86, 95%CI = 0.34, 2.19), although confidence intervals were wide. There was very good agreement between all designs for the unadjusted second dose analyses, confirming the known harmful association between the second dose of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and myocarditis. Conclusions: In the context of the known association between COVID-19 vaccines and myocarditis, we have demonstrated that two forms of SCRI and two forms of SCCS led to largely comparable results, possibly because of limited violation of the assumption of event-dependent exposures.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: A comparison of four self-controlled study designs in an analysis of COVID-19 vaccines and myocarditis using five European databases
• Collateral effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on endocrine treatments for breast and prostate cancer in the UK: implications for bone health -

  Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment pathways. This study examined the impact of the pandemic on incidence and trends of endocrine treatments in patients with breast or prostate cancer; and endocrine treatment-related side-effects. Methods: Population-based cohort study using UK primary care Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD database. There were 13,701 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and 12,221 prostate cancer patients with ≥1-year data availability since diagnosis between January 2017-June 2022. Incidence rates (IR) and incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated across multiple time periods before and after lockdown to examine the impact of changing social restrictions on endocrine treatments and treatment-related outcomes, including osteopenia, osteoporosis and bisphosphonate prescriptions. Results: In patients with breast cancer, aromatase inhibitor prescriptions increased during lockdown compared to pre-pandemic (IRR: 1.22 [95% Confidence Interval: 1.11-1.34]), followed by a decrease post-first lockdown (IRR: 0.79 [95%CI: 0.69-0.89]). In patients with prostate cancer, first-generation antiandrogen prescriptions increased compared to pre-pandemic (IRR: 1.23 [95% CI: 1.08-1.4]). For breast cancer patients on aromatase inhibitors, diagnoses of osteopenia, osteoporosis and bisphosphonate prescriptions were reduced across all lockdown periods compared to pre-pandemic (IRR range: 0.31-0.62). Conclusion: During the first two years of the pandemic, newly diagnosed breast and prostate cancer patients were prescribed more endocrine treatments compared to pre-pandemic, due to restrictions on hospital procedures replacing surgeries with bridging therapies. But breast cancer patients had fewer diagnoses of osteopenia and osteoporosis, and bisphosphonate prescriptions. These patients should be followed up in the coming years for signs of bone thinning. Evidence of poorer management of treatment-related side-effects will allow us to determine whether there is a need to better allocate resources to patients at high risk for bone-related complications.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Collateral effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on endocrine treatments for breast and prostate cancer in the UK: implications for bone health
• Post-Vaccination Syndrome: A Descriptive Analysis of Reported Symptoms and Patient Experiences After Covid-19 Immunization -

  Introduction: A chronic post-vaccination syndrome (PVS) after covid-19 vaccination has been reported but has yet to be well characterized. Methods: We included 241 individuals aged 18 and older who self-reported PVS after covid-19 vaccination and who joined the online Yale Listen to Immune, Symptom and Treatment Experiences Now (LISTEN) Study from May 2022 to July 2023. We summarized their demographics, health status, symptoms, treatments tried, and overall experience. Results: The median age of participants was 46 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 38 to 56), with 192 (80%) identifying as female, 209 (87%) as non-Hispanic White, and 211 (88%) from the United States. Among these participants with PVS, 127 (55%) had received the BNT162b2 [Pfizer-BioNTech] vaccine, and 86 (37%) received the mRNA-1273 [Moderna] vaccine. The median time from the day of index vaccination to symptom onset was three days (IQR: 1 day to 8 days). The time from vaccination to symptom survey completion was 595 days (IQR: 417 to 661 days). The median Euro-QoL visual analogue scale score was 50 (IQR: 39 to 70). The five most common symptoms were exercise intolerance (71%), excessive fatigue (69%), numbness (63%), brain fog (63%), and neuropathy (63%). In the week before survey completion, participants reported feeling unease (93%), fearfulness (82%), and overwhelmed by worries (81%), as well as feelings of helplessness (80%), anxiety (76%), depression (76%), hopelessness (72%), and worthlessness (49%) at least once. Participants reported a median of 20 (IQR: 13 to 30) interventions to treat their condition. Conclusions: In this study, individuals who reported PVS after covid-19 vaccination had low health status, high symptom burden, and high psychosocial stress despite trying many treatments. There is a need for continued investigation to understand and treat this condition.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Post-Vaccination Syndrome: A Descriptive Analysis of Reported Symptoms and Patient Experiences After Covid-19 Immunization
• One year health outcomes associated with systemic corticosteroids for COVID-19: a longitudinal cohort study -

  Background In patients with COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen, dexamethasone reduces acute severity and improves survival, but longer-term effects are unknown. We hypothesised that systemic corticosteroid administration during acute COVID-19 would be associated with improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL) one year after discharge. Methods Adults admitted to hospital between February 2020 and March 2021 for COVID-19 and meeting current guideline recommendations for dexamethasone treatment were included using two prospective UK cohort studies. HRQoL, assessed by EQ-5D-5L utility index, pre-hospital and one year after discharge were compared between those receiving corticosteroids or not after propensity weighting for treatment. Secondary outcomes included patient reported recovery, physical and mental health status, and measures of organ impairment. Sensitivity analyses were undertaken to account for survival and selection bias. Findings In 1,888 participants included in the primary analysis, 1,149 received corticosteroids. There was no between-group difference in EQ-5D-5L utility index at one year (mean difference 0.004, 95% CI: -0.026 to 0.034, p = 0.77). A similar reduction in EQ-5D-5L was seen at one year between corticosteroid exposed and non-exposed groups (mean (SD) change -0.12 (0.22) vs -0.11 (0.22), p = 0.32). Overall, there were no differences in secondary outcome measures. After sensitivity analyses modelled using a larger cohort of 109,318 patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, EQ-5D-5L utility index at one year remained similar between the two groups. Interpretation Systemic corticosteroids for acute COVID-19 have no impact on the large reduction in HRQoL one year after hospital discharge. Treatments to address this are urgently needed.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: One year health outcomes associated with systemic corticosteroids for COVID-19: a longitudinal cohort study
• Protective non-neutralizing mAbs Ab94 and Ab81 retain high-affinity and potent Fc-mediated function against SARS-CoV-2 variants from Omicron to XBB1.5 -
  Antibodies play a central role in the immune defense against SARS-CoV-2. Strong evidence has shown that non-neutralizing antibodies (nnAbs) are important for anti-SARS-Cov-2 immunity through Fc-mediated effector functions. These nnAbs bind to epitopes that could be less subjected to mutations in the emerging variants. When protective, such nnAbs would constitute a more promising alternative to neutralizing mAbs (nAbs). Here, we show that six nnAbs retain binding to Omicron, while two nAbs do not. Furthermore, two of our nnAbs, which are protective in vivo, retained binding to XBB, XBB.1.5, and BQ.1.1. They appear to bind to conserved epitopes on the N-terminal and receptor binding domain (RBD), respectively. As a proof of concept, we show that these protective non-neutralizing antibodies retain potent Fc-mediated opsonic function against BQ.1.1 and XBB. We also show that the Fc-mediated function is further enhanced by expressing the antibodies in the IgG3 subclass and combining them into a dual antibody cocktail. Our work suggests that opsonizing nnAbs could be a viable strategy for anti-SARS-CoV-2 mAb therapies against current and future SARS-CoV-2 variants.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Protective non-neutralizing mAbs Ab94 and Ab81 retain high-affinity and potent Fc-mediated function against SARS-CoV-2 variants from Omicron to XBB1.5
• Proximal immune-epithelial progenitor interactions drive chronic tissue sequelae post COVID-19 -
  The long-term health effects of SARS-CoV-2, termed Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), are quickly evolving into a major public health concern, but the underlying cellular and molecular etiology remain poorly defined. There is growing evidence that PASC is linked to abnormal immune responses and/or poor organ recovery post-infection. However, the exact processes linking non-resolving inflammation, impaired tissue repair, and PASC are still unclear. In this report, we utilized a cohort of respiratory PASC patients with viral infection-mediated pulmonary fibrosis and a clinically relevant mouse model of post-viral lung sequelae to investigate the pathophysiology of respiratory PASC. Using a combination of imaging and spatial transcriptomics, we identified dysregulated proximal interactions between immune cells and epithelial progenitors unique to respiratory PASC but not acute COVID-19 or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Specifically, we found a central role for lung-resident CD8+ T cell-macrophage interactions in maintaining Krt8hi transitional and ectopic Krt5+ basal cell progenitors, and the development of fibrotic sequelae after acute viral pneumonia. Mechanistically, CD8+ T cell derived IFN-{gamma} and TNF stimulated lung macrophages to chronically release IL-1{beta}, resulting in the abnormal accumulation of dysplastic epithelial progenitors in fibrotic areas. Notably, therapeutic neutralization of IFN-{gamma} and TNF, or IL-1{beta} after the resolution of acute infection resulted in markedly improved alveolar regeneration and restoration of pulmonary function. Together, our findings implicate a dysregulated immune-epithelial progenitor niche in driving respiratory PASC and identify potential therapeutic targets to dampen chronic pulmonary sequelae post respiratory viral infections including SARS-CoV-2.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Proximal immune-epithelial progenitor interactions drive chronic tissue sequelae post COVID-19
• Occupational resilience factors among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a 2-year prospective cohort study -
  Background. Healthcare workers (HCWs) in COVID-19 pandemic hotspots were exposed to workplace stressors. Structural occupational factors that prevent stressor exposure from translating into mental health problems (i.e., resilience factors) remain poorly understood. This study identifies resilience factors actionable at the workplace and examines the role of cumulative stressor exposure for developing depressive symptoms. Methods. We prospectively followed a convenience sample of HCWs working in Spain. We used a survey to collect self-reported data on (a) sociodemographic characteristics, (b) workplace and COVID-19-related stressors, (c) potential occupational resilience factors, and (d) depression symptoms, at three time points (2020, 2021 and 2022). We operationalised resilience as low stressor reactivity (SR), quantified as individual deviations from the normative relation between exposure to stressors and depressive symptoms. We performed linear and quadratic multiple regression analyses to examine the prospective association between (a) potential resilience factors and (b) prior stressor exposure, with SR across waves. Results. Our sample consisted of 1,872, 1,560, and 431 participants at time points 1, 2, and 3, respectively (median age 42-43 years, 77-80% female). The occupational factors support from colleagues (SOCwork), trust in the workplace (TRUSTwork), and perceived ability to recover from adversity (REC) were prospectively associated with resilience and thus identified as resilience factors. Stressor exposure at baseline was inversely associated with resilience at follow-ups. Conclusions. Occupational strategies that promote key resilience factors and reduce cumulative or prolonged stressor exposure may enhance resilience in times of crisis. The observational design and the large drop in response rates warrant further studies.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Occupational resilience factors among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a 2-year prospective cohort study
• DEFEN-CE: Social Dialogue in Defence of Vulnerable Groups in Post-COVID-19 Labour Markets. Report on Finland and Sweden -
  This is a comparative country report on Finland and Sweden for the DEFEN-CE project: Social Dialogue in Defence of Vulnerable Groups in Post-COVID-19 Labour Markets. DEFEN-CE is a research project funded by the Directorate-General for Employment, the European Commission (Grant number: VS/2021/0196). The project investigates the experiences of various stakeholders in the design and implementation of Covid-19-related policies relevant to work and employment in EU member states (Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Czechia, Slovakia, Italy and Spain) and two candidate countries, Serbia and Turkey. The aim of the project is to identify the role of social dialogue in facilitating policy implementation that addresses the labour market situation of vulnerable groups in the post-Covid-19 labour markets. Based on this aim, the report seeks to answer three main research questions from a comparative perspective, emphasising similarities and differences in Finland’s and Sweden’s pandemic response, industrial relations (with a focus on social dialogue structures and interactions), policy design, and protection of vulnerable groups. 1. What public policy and social dialogue measures targeting the selected vulnerable groups were implemented for employment and social protection during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020–2022? 2. To what extent and how did social dialogue play a role in the implementation of the social and employment rights of selected vulnerable groups in the Covid-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2022? 3. What lessons and opportunities does the Covid-19 pandemic yield for strengthening social dialogue in the studied countries? The report combines analysis and findings based on the construction of country-specific Defence Databases (one for Finland and one for Sweden) and qualitative interviews with national stakeholders. The respective database gathers information on more than 30 country- specific Covid-19 policies that have been gathered from international databases (e.g., Eurofound, Eurostat, and OECD/AIAS ICTWSS), national and international policy documents and legislation, reports from trade unions and employers’ organisations, and academic literature. The policies are systematised with information on who adopted the policy (e.g., executive branch, parliament, central bank), policy form (e.g., legislation and statutory regulations, recommendations, social partner agreements), policy area (e.g., labour market, health and safety, and social security), time period, targeted vulnerable groups (based on employment status, social risks, and health safety), and social partners’ involvement.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: DEFEN-CE: Social Dialogue in Defence of Vulnerable Groups in Post-COVID-19 Labour Markets. Report on Finland and Sweden
• Importations of SARS-CoV-2 lineages decline after nonpharmaceutical interventions in phylogeographic analyses -

  The onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic marked a period of substantial challenges as the virus and its variants rapidly spread, placing enormous strain on both society and healthcare systems. Prior to the widespread availability of vaccines, non-pharmaceutical interventions such as reducing contacts, antigenic testing, or travel restrictions were the primary means of reducing viral transmission and case numbers, and quantifying the success of these measures is therefore key for future pandemic preparedness. Using SARS-CoV-2 genomes collected in systematic surveillance, we studied lineage importations for the third, pandemic wave in Germany, employing a large-scale Bayesian phylogenetic and phylogeographic analysis coupled to a longitudinal assessment of lineage importation dynamics over multiple sampling strategies. We evaluated the effect of twelve major nationwide nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on lineage importations and dissemination within the country. All NPIs were followed by reduced lineage importations, with the most substantial decreases seen for the provision of free rapid tests, the strengthening of regulations on mask-wearing in public transport and stores, as well as on internal movements and gatherings. Most SARS-CoV-2 lineages first appeared in the three states with the largest populations and most cases, and from there spread within the country. Importations began to rise before and peaked shortly after the Christmas holidays. Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 data revealed the substantial effects of free rapid tests and obligatory medical/surgical mask-wearing, suggesting these as key for pandemic preparedness, given their relatively few, negative socioeconomic effects. The approach quantifies the relationships between environmental factors at the host population level to viral lineage dissemination from genomic surveillance data, facilitating similar analyses of rapidly evolving pathogens in the future.

  🖺 Full Text HTML: Importations of SARS-CoV-2 lineages decline after nonpharmaceutical interventions in phylogeographic analyses
• Emergence and spread of feline infection peritonitis due to a highly pathogenic canine/feline recombinant coronavirus -
  Cross-species transmission of coronaviruses (CoVs) poses a serious threat to both animal and human health. Whilst the large RNA genome of CoVs shows relatively low mutation rates, recombination within genera is frequently observed and demonstrated. Companion animals are often overlooked in the transmission cycle of viral diseases; however, the close relationship of feline (FCoV) and canine CoV (CCoV) to human hCoV-229E, as well as their susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 highlight their importance in potential transmission cycles. Whilst recombination between CCoV and FCoV of a large fragment spanning orf1b to M has been previously described, here we report the emergence of a novel, highly pathogenic FCoV-CCoV recombinant responsible for a rapidly spreading outbreak of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), originating in Cyprus. The recombination, spanning spike, shows 97% sequence identity to the pantropic canine coronavirus CB/05. Infection is spreading fast and infecting cats of all ages. Development of FIP appears rapid and likely non-reliant on biotype switch. High sequence identity of isolates from cats in different districts of the island is strongly supportive of direct transmission. A deletion and several amino acid changes in spike, particularly the receptor binding domain, compared to other FCoV-2s, indicate changes to receptor binding and likely cell tropism.
  🖺 Full Text HTML: Emergence and spread of feline infection peritonitis due to a highly pathogenic canine/feline recombinant coronavirus

From Clinical Trials

• Clinical Evaluation of the Panbio™ COVID-19/Flu A&B Panel to Support Home Use - Conditions: COVID-19; Influenza A; Influenza Type B
  Interventions: Diagnostic Test: Panbio™ COVID-19/Flu A&B Panel
  Sponsors: Abbott Rapid Dx
  Recruiting

• Building Engagement Using Financial Incentives Trial - Colorectal Cancer Screening - Conditions: Health Behavior; Colorectal Cancer; Influenza; COVID-19; Vaccine Hesitancy; Vaccine-Preventable Diseases; Healthcare Patient Acceptance
  Interventions: Behavioral: Financial incentive for colorectal cancer screening; Behavioral: Financial incentive for flu shot; Behavioral: Financial incentive for COVID-19 shot
  Sponsors: Tulane University; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
  Not yet recruiting

• Effects of Rehabilitation Combined With a Maintenance Program Compared to Rehabilitation Alone in Post-COVID-19 - Conditions: Post-COVID-19 Syndrome
  Interventions: Procedure: Rehabilitation + maintenance program; Procedure: Rehabilitation only
  Sponsors: Schön Klinik Berchtesgadener Land; Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care (Funding); Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund (German pension insurance) (Design); Betriebskrankenkassen Landesverband Bayern (Bavarian health insurance) (Design)
  Not yet recruiting

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Literacy for Primary Schools Teachers. A Multicomponent Intervention - Conditions: Child Mental Health
  Interventions: Behavioral: Child Mental Health Literacy Program
  Sponsors: Universidad de Valparaiso
  Recruiting

• Brief Digital Intervention to Increase COVID-19 Vaccination Among Individuals With Anxiety or Depression - Conditions: Misinformation; Vaccine Hesitancy; Anxiety; Depression; COVID-19
  Interventions: Behavioral: Attitudinal inoculation; Behavioral: Cognitive-behavioral therapy-informed intervention; Behavioral: Conventional public health messaging
  Sponsors: City University of New York, School of Public Health; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  Not yet recruiting

• A PhaseⅡ Study to Evaluate the Safety and Immunogenicity of COVID-19 Vaccine - Conditions: SARS-CoV-2 Infection
  Interventions: Biological: COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (ZSVG-02-O); Biological: COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (ZSVG-02-O); Biological: COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell) ,Inactivated
  Sponsors: CNBG-Virogin Biotech (Shanghai) Ltd.
  Recruiting

• Pilot Randomized Study of RD-X19 Tx Device in Subjects With PCC (Long Covid) in the Outpatient Setting - Conditions: Post COVID-19 Condition (PCC)
  Interventions: Device: RDX-19
  Sponsors: KNOWBio Inc.; NAMSA
  Recruiting

• CPAP Therapy Through a Helmet or a Full Face Mask in Patients With Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure: Cross-over Study - Conditions: Pneumonia, Bacterial; Respiratory Failure; COVID-19 Pneumonia
  Interventions: Diagnostic Test: Arterial blood gases; Diagnostic Test: Respiratory rate (RR); Diagnostic Test: Pulseoximeter; Diagnostic Test: Assessment of accessory respiratory muscles work; Diagnostic Test: Esophageal pressure measurement; Diagnostic Test: Discomfort Visual Analog Scale (VAS); Diagnostic Test: Noninvasive blood pressure; Diagnostic Test: Heart rate
  Sponsors: I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University
  Recruiting

• Investigation of Efficacy and Safety of Electrical Signal Therapy Provided by Dr Biolyse® Device in COVID-19 Disease - Conditions: COVID-19 Pneumonia; Virus Diseases; COVID-19
  Interventions: Device: Signal Therapy provided by Dr.Biolyse device; Other: Liquid Support Treatment
  Sponsors: AVB Biotechnology
  Recruiting

• A Phase 1 Study to Evaluate the Safety and Immunogenicity of COVID-19 Vaccine - Conditions: SARS-CoV-2 Infection
  Interventions: Biological: Placebo; Biological: COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell) ,Inactivated; Biological: COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (ZSVG-02-O) 10 μg; Biological: COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (ZSVG-02-O) 30 μg; Biological: COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine (ZSVG-02-O) 60 μg
  Sponsors: CNBG-Virogin Biotech (Shanghai) Ltd.; Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital
  Recruiting

• SAFE Workplace Intervention for People With IDD - Conditions: Communicable Diseases; Prevention; Workplace Intervention
  Interventions: Behavioral: SAFE Employment Training
  Sponsors: Temple University; National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research
  Recruiting

• Effects of an EMDR Intervention on Traumatic and Obsessive Symptoms - Conditions: Adult ALL; Post-traumatic Stress Disorder; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Disgust; Guilt; Shame
  Interventions: Behavioral: EMDR
  Sponsors: University of Pisa
  Completed

• Lithium Long COVID Dose-finding Study - Conditions: Long COVID
  Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Lithium
  Sponsors: State University of New York at Buffalo
  Not yet recruiting

• Pharmacokinetics and Safety of GST-HG171 Tablets in Subjects With Impaired and Normal Renal Function - Conditions: COVID-19 Pneumonia
  Interventions: Drug: GST-HG171 Tablets
  Sponsors: Fujian Akeylink Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
  Recruiting

• Preoperative Educational Videos on Maternal Stress Whose Children Received Congenital Heart Disease Surgery: During COVID-19 Panic - Conditions: COVID-19; Educational Videos; Maternal; Uncertainty; Anxiety; Depression; Congenital Heart Disease; Children
  Interventions: Other: Preoperative educational videos plus routine education; Other: Preoperative routine education
  Sponsors: Chung Shan Medical University
  Completed

From PubMed

• Beneficial effects of the combination of BCc1 and Hep-S nanochelating-based medicines on IL-6 in hospitalized moderate COVID-19 adult patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial - CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the combination of BCc1 and Hep-S inhibits IL-6 as a highly important and well-known cytokine in COVID-19 pathophysiology and presents a promising view for immunomodulation that can manage CSS.

• Safety of bempedoic acid in patients at high cardiovascular risk and with statin intolerance - CONCLUSIONS: Bempedoic acid was well-tolerated compared with placebo. Safety data from the long-term CLEAR Outcomes study reinforce the positive benefit-risk profile of bempedoic acid.

• In their absence; intensive care nurses’ experiences of communicating and supporting relatives from a distance - CONCLUSION: Visiting restrictions in the ICU meant that ICU nurses missed vital information about their patients as a person, which might have had a negative effect on personalizing and centring the patient care. But using a combination of digital and audio tools helped nurses to guide the relatives to a clearer picture of the situation as a whole. The support that nurses were able to provide to relatives was often insufficient due to the visiting restriction and as a consequence, they…

• Evaluation of experiences of the patients discharged from the COVID-19 intensive care unit: a qualitative research - Making arrangements by learning how intensive care patients feel due to a disease called as fatal worldwide can make it easier for patients to cope with the disease. For this reason, it is important for healthcare professionals to understand the patients who have been infected and discharged during the COVID-19 pandemic. The experiences of the patients may affect the perspective of the disease and cause different changes in the perception of it. This study, which was conducted based on this…

• Fangchinoline inhibits SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV entry - The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, lead to mild to severe respiratory illness and resulted in 6.9 million deaths worldwide. Although vaccines are effective in preventing COVID-19, they may not be sufficient to protect immunocompromised individuals from this respiratory illness. Moreover, novel emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 pose a risk of new COVID-19 waves. Therefore, identification of effective antivirals is critical in controlling SARS and other coronaviruses, such as MERS-CoV. We…

• Antibody-mediated spike activation promotes cell-cell transmission of SARS-CoV-2 - The COVID pandemic fueled by emerging SARS-CoV-2 new variants of concern remains a major global health concern, and the constantly emerging mutations present challenges to current therapeutics. The spike glycoprotein is not only essential for the initial viral entry, but is also responsible for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 components via syncytia formation. Spike-mediated cell-cell transmission is strongly resistant to extracellular therapeutic and convalescent antibodies via an unknown…

• ceRNA Network Analysis Reveals Potential Key miRNAs and Target Genes in COVID-19-Related Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - The continued spread of SARS-CoV-2 has presented unprecedented obstacles to the worldwide public health system. Especially, individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at a heightened risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 infection due to their pre-existing respiratory symptoms that are not well-managed. However, the viral mechanism of affecting the expression of host genes, COPD progression, and prognosis is not clear yet.This study integrated the differential expression…

• Discovery of the covalent SARS-CoV-2 M^pro inhibitors from antiviral herbs via integrating target-based high-throughput screening and chemoproteomic approaches - The main proteases (M^(pro) ) are highly conserved cysteine-rich proteins that can be covalently modified by numerous natural and synthetic compounds. Herein, we constructed an integrative approach to efficiently discover covalent inhibitors of M^(pro) from complex herbal matrices. This work begins with biological screening of 60 clinically used antiviral herbal medicines, among which Lonicera japonica Flos (LJF) demonstrated the strongest anti-M^(pro) effect (IC(50) = 37.82 μg/mL). Mass…

• An efficient eco-friendly, simple, and green synthesis of some new spiro-N-(4-sulfamoyl-phenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-carboxamide derivatives as potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 proteases: drug-likeness, pharmacophore, molecular docking, and DFT exploration - INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a global health crisis. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly contagious virus that can cause severe respiratory illness. There is no specific treatment for COVID-19, and the development of new drugs is urgently needed.

• Lipid and cholesterols modulate the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 viral ion channel ORF3a and its pathogenic variants - SARS-CoV-2 accessory protein, ORF3a is a putative ion channel which immensely contributes to viral pathogenicity by modulating host immune responses and virus-host interactions. Relatively high expression of ORF3a in diseased individuals and implication with inflammasome activation, apoptosis and autophagy inhibition, ratifies as an effective target for developing vaccines and therapeutics. Herein, we present the elusive dynamics of ORF3a-dimeric state using all-atoms molecular dynamics (MD)…

• The anti-SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 vaccine suppresses mithramycin-induced erythroid differentiation and expression of embryo-fetal globin genes in human erythroleukemia K562 cells - The COVID-19 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein (S-protein) plays an important role in the early phase of SARS-CoV2 infection through efficient interaction with ACE2. The S-protein is produced by RNA-based COVID-19 vaccines, that were fundamental for the reduction of the viral spread within the population and the clinical severity of COVID-19. However, the S-protein has been…

• Optimizing indoor air quality: CFD simulation and novel air cleaning methods for effective aerosol particle inhibition in public spaces - In contemporary building ventilation, displacement and mixing ventilation demand high air volumes for rapid virus elimination, resulting in elevated energy consumption. To minimize the spread of viruses and decrease energy consumption for ventilation, this study employed CFD to explore the efficacy of a downward uniform flow field in impeding the transmission of aerosol particles in a high-traffic public facility, like a supermarket. The findings indicate that the downward uniform flow field…

• Modulation of the replication of positive-sense RNA viruses by the natural plant metabolite xanthohumol and its derivatives - The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of identifying new potent antiviral agents. Nutrients as well as plant-derived substances are promising candidates because they are usually well tolerated by the human body and readily available in nature, and consequently mostly cheap to produce. A variety of antiviral effects have recently been described for the hop chalcone xanthohumol (XN), and to a lesser extent for its derivatives, making these hop compounds particularly attractive for…

• Unmasking an Allosteric Binding Site of the Papain-like Protease in SARS-CoV-2: Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Corticosteroids - To date, mechanistic insights into many clinical drugs against COVID-19 remain unexplored. Dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, is one of them. While treating the entire corticosteroid database, including vitamins D2 and D3, with cutting-edge computational techniques, several intriguing results are unfolded. From the top-notch candidates, dexamethasone is likely to inhibit the viral main protease (Mpro), with vitamin D3 exhibiting multitarget [Mpro, papain-like protease (PLpro), and nucleocapsid…

• Enhancing Employee Job Satisfaction Responding to COVID-19: The Role of Organizational Adaptive Practices and Psychological Resilience - CONCLUSION: The study provides a new perspective on increasing JS during the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby expanding the scope of the antecedents of employee JS in crisis situations. It also reveals the mediating role of EE and deepens the research on the mechanism by which OAP and PR affect individuals, providing practical guidance for organizations to improve employee satisfaction in sudden public crisis situations.

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