There are 5 studies that show reduction of mortality for a 2nd booster (vs 1st booster), in people ranging from age 50+ to 80+, as I've tried to summarize here. All during Omicron and subvariants.

The US booster rate (34%) vs peer, high income countries

How did Japan, with ~40% more of its population age 65+ than the United States, have the lowest Covid death rate of any major country in the world? erictopol.substack.com/p/the-marked-c…

More on Japan's success without lockdowns, w/ few restrictions. I'd add lack of anti-science, anti-vaccines, and being noted for respecting elders. Appreciate thoughtful input from so many responders, especially those who read it bloomberg.com/news/articles/… Kanoko Matsuyama James Mayger

The BQ.1.1 variant appears to be on a sharp ascent path in many countries in Europe and the US (<-now ~9%), mainly NY. Graphs by Mike Honey The other v concerning variant—XBB—is linked to a significant new wave in Singapore with a slope of ascent similar to its BA.2/BA.5 waves

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An important editorial Science Magazine by its Editor-in-Chief. A recurrent theme during the pandemic has been dissemination of medical mis/dis-information from physicians with faculty appointments, while their universities remain silent, which boils down to default complicity

Characterization of the BA.2.75.2 variant, with "profound immune escape," resistance to Evusheld and Sotrovimab monoclonal antibodies (<-none left w/ efficacy), and significant growth advantage in the US thelancet.com/journals/lanin… Ben Murrell Daniel Sheward Tom Peacock

From 30 million people in the UK, what were the determinants of risk of severe Covid *after* 3 shots? (the largest study to assess severe outcomes after a booster) The Lancet thelancet.com/journals/lance… thelancet.com/journals/lance…

Adds to the list of factors that provide some people with intrinsic protection x.com/EricTopol/stat…

Important update of US genomic surveillance with noteworthy transition as BA.5 fades, BQ.1.1 quickly gains, along with other variants (BF.7, BA.2.75.2). covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tra…

"health workers are watching SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses tear through children “like nothing we’ve ever seen before,” says Charlotte Hobbs, a pediatric-infectious-disease specialist." By Katherine J. Wu, Ph.D. ow.ly/Y8Bi50Le2GU #publichhealth #news TEDMED

Great speech by my former colleague Mike Ryan (World Health Organization (WHO) ) But best summary statement from German minister Bjorn Kummel "All the big words that were mentioned here, I think it’s clear that none of us seems to have the right plan" #WHS2022 healthpolicy-watch.news/worlds-pandemi…

Latest data on Covid, vaccines and pregnancy cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/… 1. Covid induces significant risk to mother and newborn

The BA.4.6 variant accounts for ~12% of US Covid cases (pattern of growth below, left). Its level of immune escape was characterized NEJM today: 2-3 fold less neutralizing antibodies than BA.5 (below, right) nejm.org/doi/full/10.10… Barouch Lab

How could this have happened?! time.com/6223311/our-th…

I directed Service Delivery World Health Organization (WHO) #Covid19 showed -stressed #publichealth systems will only work if families involved in their #vaccinations - #healthcare sys can collapse anytime-involving families is only sustainable solution #selfcareready healthpolicy-watch.news/increased-self…

Do you know any of the >110 million Americans who got vaccinated but never got a booster? A summary of the data for why now is a good time erictopol.substack.com/p/a-booster-is…

Full agreement @KatriBertram ! In addition, #EU made promises to friends (like #Switzerland...) that it did not keep But for me, biggest issue was focus on #vaccines & not #vaccinations Millions of doses had to be destroyed after being hoarded in EU We must to better!

An, as always, incredible piece of #LongCovid education from Long COVID Physio. Thank you, team!