3 doses of mRNA COVID vaccine show advantage against severe outcomes The authors said COVID-19 infection can result in a "brainstem insult" that results in clusters of physical long-COVID symptoms. CIDRAP

A team led by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) researchers studying Medicare claims data during the early Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant months conclude that a third dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine provides significant protection against hospitalization and death compared with two doses but wanes substantially after 4 months.

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Vaccine uptake influenced by politics and socioeconomics, study finds COVID-19 vaccination rates have varied significantly based on partisanship and socioeconomic factors, with Democrats getting vaccinated faster and at higher percentages than Republicans and Independents. Fernanda Pires Medical Xpress

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FDA authorizes sale of first home COVID/flu combo test outside of emergency use The test joins other over-the-counter COVID-19/flu tests already available under emergency use authorization. CIDRAP

As the country heads into the respiratory illness season, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced yesterday its marketing authorization of the first over-the-counter (OTC) rapid-antigen COVID-19/flu combination test outside of emergency use authorization.

GSK RSV shot 43% effective against severe disease in third yearhttps://