From the TWiV Vault This Week in Virology

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses FDA authorizing the first over-the-counter at-home test to detect both influenza and COVID-19, monoclonal antibody for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infection in infants and children, epidemiologic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 recombinant variant XBB.1.5, COVID-19 vaccines vs pediatric hospitalization, maternal SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and infant protection against SARS-CoV-2 during the first six months of life, immunoglobulin, glucocorticoid, or combination therapy for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, fatal fulminant cerebral edema in six children with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 infection in Taiwan, certifying deaths due to COVID-19, efficacy of first dose of COVID-19 vaccine vs no vaccination on symptoms of patients with long COVID, and the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on long COVID.

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses the efficacy and safety of two RSV vaccines in older adults, health care vaccine mandate remains as some push for an end, past SARS-CoV-2 infection protection against re-infection, a third vaccine dose equalizes the levels of effectiveness and immunogenicity of heterologous or homologous COVID-19 vaccine regimens, Sotrovimab retains activity against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BQ.1.1 in a non-human primate model, effect of higher-dose Ivermectin for 6 Days vs placebo on time to sustained recovery in outpatients with COVID-19, viral burden rebound in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 receiving oral antivirals in Hong Kong, serological response to vaccination in post-acute sequelae of COVID, sex differences in cardiovascular complications and mortality in hospital patients with COVID-19, association of COVID-19 vaccination with risk for incident diabetes after COVID-19, postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 in university setting, the CDC’s long-Covid deception, and podcast companies, once walking on air, feel the strain of gravity.

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses the political polarization of COVID-19 treatments among physicians and laypeople in the United States, seven alternatives to evidence-based medicine, Malawi’s cholera death toll crosses 1,300 in its deadliest outbreak on record, impact of coronavirus infections on pediatric patients at a tertiary pediatric hospital, maternal mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and delta or omicron infection or hospital admission in infants, yes masks reduce the risk of spreading infection, despite a review saying they don’t, COVID-19 and airborne transmission: science rejected, lives lost. can society do better, what were the historical reasons for the resistance to recognizing airborne transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic, a randomized trial comparing Omicron-containing boosters with the original COVID-19 vaccine mRNA-1273, SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies after bivalent vs. monovalent booster, the impacts of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine dose separation and targeting on the COVID-19 epidemic in England, intra-host evolution provides for the continuous emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants, real-world use of Nirmatrelvir–Ritonavir in outpatients with COVID-19 during the era of Omicron variants including BA.4 and BA.5 in Colorado, viral burden rebound in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 receiving oral antivirals in Hong Kong, and guidance on the use of convalescent plasma to treat immunocompromised patients with COVID-19.

In his weekly clinical update Dr. Griffin discusses the consistency of COVID-19 trial preprints with published reports and impact for decision making, the negative effect of preexisting immunity on Influenza vaccine responses transcends the impact of vaccine formulation type and vaccination history, highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus infection in farmed minks in Spain, Peru confirms H5N1 avian flu in marine mammals, prior vaccination enhances immune responses during SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection with early activation of memory T cells followed by production of potent neutralizing antibodies, bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine for prevention of COVID-19 and other respiratory tract infections in older adults with comorbidities, incidence of chronic spontaneous urticaria following receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine booster in Switzerland, relationship between immune response to SARS-CoV2 vaccines and development of breakthrough infection in solid organ transplant recipients, early treatment with pegylated interferon lambda for COVID-19, and how long-term high-dose immunoglobulin successfully treats long COVID patients with pulmonary, neurologic, and cardiologic symptoms.