- A study into the infection dynamics of the original strain of COVID-19 conducted on unvaccinated adults found that the incubation period averaged only 46 hours, shorter than current estimate of 5 to 6 days.
- A study on why some people are more susceptible to COVID-19 than others suggests that people with high levels of pre-existing T cells from common cold coronaviruses are less likely to become infected.
- Medicare announced it will begin covering up to eight over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per-beneficiary per-month for free. This policy follows a Biden Administration requirement for commercial health plans to cover at-home tests.
- Pfizer submitted its COVID-19 vaccine for children aged six months to five years old to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency approval. Pfizer only submitted data for two doses even though it is still testing a third dose on this population.
- The CDC updated its website and guidelines including What You Need to Know About Variants and Self-Testing.
White House and Federal Agencies
- Medicare announced it will begin covering up to eight over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per-beneficiary per-month for free. This policy follows a Biden Administration requirement for commercial health plans to cover at-home tests.
- The Biden Administration is reportedly planning on embracing a post-Omicron messaging and policy shift, emphasizing a “new normal” for living with COVID-19.
Economy, Vaccines, Testing and Treatment
- Pfizer submitted its COVID-19 vaccine for children aged six months to five years old to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency approval. Pfizer only submitted data for two doses even though it is still testing a third dose on this population.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) said that infections of the BA.2 form of the Omicron variant do not seem more severe than the original BA.1 form, and that vaccines provide similar protection against both forms of Omicron.
- A study into the infection dynamics of the original strain of COVID-19 conducted on unvaccinated adults found that the incubation period averaged only 46 hours, shorter than current estimate of 5 to 6 days.
- The study also showed that rapid tests performed well at tracking virus levels, including in asymptomatic participants. However, results did not always come back positive when there were lower levels of the virus at the start and end of infection.
- Merck’s CEO says that the company is expecting to meet its target of distributing 3.1 million courses of its COVID-19 treatment antiviral pill, molnupiravir, in the next few days.
- A study on why some people are more susceptible to COVID-19 than others suggests that people with high levels of pre-existing T cells from common cold coronaviruses are less likely to become infected.
- Studies into the roles of vaccination status and genetics on susceptibility are ongoing.
- New data from Los Angeles County shows that hospitalization rates among unvaccinated individuals were 23 times higher than among those who were fully vaccinated and boosted in an Omicron wave.
- Unvaccinated individuals were 3.6 and two times as likely to become infected, respectively, compared to fully vaccinated individuals who also received a booster and fully vaccinated individuals who had not received a booster.
- Americans who have received a booster shot are 97 times less likely to die of COVID-19 than unvaccinated individuals. Fully vaccinated Americans who have not taken a booster are 14 times less likely.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Updates
- The CDC published the following reports and website updates:
- Overall U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update as of Wed, 02 Feb 2022 06:00:00 EST
- Cases in the U.S.
- SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Hospitalization Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years, by Vaccination Status, Before and During SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Predominance — Los Angeles County, California, November 7, 2021–January 8, 2022
- COVID-19 Testing: What You Need to Know
- Risk for COVID-19 Infection, Hospitalization, and Death By Race/Ethnicity
- Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Overview and Safety
- Self-Testing
- Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
- How To Talk To Your Close Contacts
- COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots
- Omicron Variant: What You Need to Know
- What You Need to Know About Variants
- CDC Media Telebriefing: COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance
