Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
BA.5 Now Dominates The US; Covid Reinfections Raise Risk Of Other Illness
CNN: Covid-19 Reinfections May Increase The Likelihood Of New Health Problems
Repeatedly catching Covid-19 appears to increase the chances that a person will face new and sometimes lasting health problems after their infection, according to the first study on the health risks of reinfection. The study, which is based on the health records of more than 5.6 million people treated in the VA Health System, found that, compared with those with just one Covid-19 infection, those with two or more documented infections had more than twice the risk of dying and three times the risk of being hospitalized within six months of their last infection. They also had higher risks for lung and heart problems, fatigue, digestive and kidney disorders, diabetes and neurologic problems. (Goodman, 7/5)
The Wall Street Journal: The Health Risks Of Getting Covid-19 A Second (Or Third) Time
Covid-19 reinfections can bring some new risks of serious medical problems, hospitalization and death, a new study has found. Protection provided by vaccines and prior infection has greatly improved Covid outcomes since the pandemic’s early days, and reinfections are typically less severe than initial ones. Yet each new infection carries a risk of medical problems, including hospitalization, death and long Covid, according to preliminary data from a study of patients in the Veterans Affairs health system. (Reddy, 7/5)
In related news —
Axios: COVID Was Third Leading Cause Of Death In 2020 And 2021
COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020 and 2021, accounting for 1 in 8 lives lost, according to a new review of death certificate data in JAMA Internal Medicine. (Bettelheim, 7/6)
And more on the spread of omicron —
The Hill: New Omicron Subvariant BA.5 Now A Majority Of US COVID-19 Cases
A new omicron subvariant known as BA.5 now comprises a majority of U.S. COVID-19 cases, according to data released Tuesday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The data is a sign of the rise of the highly transmissible subvariant, which has prompted concern about a new increase in cases. (Sullivan, 7/5)
CIDRAP: BA.4/5 COVID-19 Variants Now Dominant In All US Regions
Combined, the two subvariants make up more than 70% of recently sequenced samples, up sharply from 52.3% the previous week. Of the variants CDC is tracking, BA.5 now makes up 53.6%, and BA.4 makes up 16.5%. The proportion of BA.2.12.1—first detected in New York—continues to decline. (Schnirring, 7/5)
The Boston Globe: Experts: Keep A Sharp Eye Out For COVID-19 Symptoms Now That Fourth Gatherings Have Passed
“After a holiday, we see increases in cases because people are more likely to gather in larger groups, spend more time indoors at larger gatherings. Those are conditions that increase the rates of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.” said Dr. Sabrina Assoumou, an assistant professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and an attending physician in the section of infectious diseases at Boston Medical Center. (Finucane, 7/5)
In testing news —
Dallas Morning News: UT Southwestern Researchers Design Rapid COVID Test That Identifies Variants
UT Southwestern researchers have created a rapid COVID-19 test that can identify different variants of the coronavirus in as little as four hours. The researchers hope doctors can use their test, called CoVarScan, to tailor COVID-19 treatments to patients based on which variant the patients have. CoVarScan could also be used to track which variants are cropping up in different communities, and even identify new ones. (Ramakrishnan, 7/5)
Anchorage Daily News: Capstone Clinic To Reopen Two Of Its Busiest Alaska COVID-19 Testing Sites After Demand From Public
After initially closing its COVID-19 testing facilities around the state last week, one of Alaska’s largest private testing providers has reopened two sites in Southcentral. The locations, one at the Old Sears store in Wasilla, and the other in South Anchorage at 100 E. 104th Ave. (near Cabela’s and Target off C Street), reopened after Capstone Clinic received calls to keep testing opportunities in place after they shuttered all of their sites. (Krakow, 7/5)
