- Virologists suggest that individuals who receive positive test results from rapid antigen tests are likely still contagious, even if that test is taken after the five-day isolation period from onset of symptoms recommended by federal guidelines.
- A new study suggests that pulse oximetry is unreliable for gauging COVID-19 severity across ethnic groups, due to its tendency to give falsely high readings in patients with higher levels of skin pigmentation.
- The FDA has granted full approval to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine was previously approved under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
- The Omicron sub-variant BA.2 is slightly (1.5 times) more transmissible than the original BA.1 strain, and is confirmed to be circulating in nearly half of U.S. states.
- Novavax has asked the FDA to authorize its COVID-19 shot for emergency use.
White House and Federal Agencies
- The White House is considering supporting a COVID-19 paid sick leave program that would provide all workers with COVID-related sick leave as well as COVID-related family and medical leave.
- The Biden administration says that 60 million households have ordered free at-home COVID tests as part of its program to distribute one billion tests and 400 million N95 masks.
- Federal programs to send at-home COVID-19 tests to Americans is causing test supply shortages for some pharmacies and state testing programs.
Economy, Vaccines, Testing and Treatment
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted full approval to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine was previously approved under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
- Moderna plans to submit data on the effects of its vaccine on children aged 2-5 to the FDA by March.
- Moderna is planning on requesting authorization for its Omicron targeted booster in the second half of 2022.
- Global health authorities have observed a sub-variant (BA.2) of the Omicron variant (BA.1). Data collected in the U.K. suggests that, for people who are at least two weeks from receipt of their booster shot, vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease is comparable for both the BA.1 and BA.2 sub-lineages of the Omicron variant.
- The Omicron sub-variant BA.2 is slightly (1.5 times) more transmissible than the original BA.1 strain, and is confirmed to be circulating in nearly half of U.S. states.
- Virologists suggest that individuals who receive positive test results from rapid antigen tests are likely still contagious, even if that test is taken after the five-day isolation period from onset of symptoms recommended by federal guidelines.
- Novavax has asked the FDA to authorize its COVID-19 shot for emergency use.
- Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics say that their oral COVID-19 drug molnupiravir is effective against the Omicron variant.
- A new study suggests that pulse oximetry is unreliable for gauging COVID-19 severity across ethnic groups, due to its tendency to give falsely high readings in patients with higher levels of skin pigmentation.
- A new study found similarities between what is believed to be the causal mechanism behind “brain fog” resulting from COVID-19 and “chemo brain” resulting from cancer treatments.
- One of the study’s scientists suggests that treatments for “chemo brain” may also be effective at treating patients suffering from COVID-19 related brain fog.
- Scientists are attempting to create a “pan-coronavirus vaccine” that would offer protection against all known variants of COVID-19 as well as a universal coronavirus vaccine that would offer protection against COVID-19 as well as other diseases like some common colds.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Updates
- The CDC published the following reports and website updates:
- Overall US COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update as of Sun, 30 Jan 2022 06:00:00 EST
- United States COVID-19 Cases, Deaths, and Laboratory Testing (NAATs) by State, Territory, and Jurisdiction
- Reporting COVID-19 Vaccinations in the United States
- COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination
- COVID-19 Vaccinations in the United States
- COVID-19 Guidance for Operating Early Care and Education/Child Care Programs
- CDC COVID-19 Response Staff Deployed Across America
- COVID-19 Vaccines While Pregnant or Breastfeeding
- Considerations for Case Investigation and Contact Tracing in K-12 Schools and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs)
- COVID Data Tracker Weekly Review
- Schools, Child Care, and Colleges
