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vaccination

COVID-19 Roundup: Testing, Vaccine Complications And Storage, Excess Deaths

COVID Testing in Vaccinated Individuals1

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released updated guidance on COVID-19 testing in individuals who are fully vaccinated against the disease. Fully vaccinated people who do not have symptoms no longer need to be tested, even following a known exposure.

However, testing is still recommended in fully vaccinated individuals who are residents or employees of a correctional or detention facility, or a homeless shelter. This update accompanies the recommendations that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or social distance in both indoor and outdoor settings.

 

Vaccine Related Heart Complications2

The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association continue to encourage vaccination despite the possibility of rare heart complications, according to a new statement.

Myocarditis has been reported in several dozen adolescents and young adults after vaccination with either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccines. This complication is found more often in men than women, and more often following the second dose than the first. The development of myocarditis usually occurs within 4 days of vaccination.

The statement comes in response to the announcement that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently monitoring the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System and the Vaccine Safety Datalink for cases of this complication.

 

Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Storage3

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized storage of unopened, thawed vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at standard refrigerator temperatures of 35.6° to 46.4° Fahrenheit for up to 1 month.

The vaccine was originally stored at temperatures of -112° to -76° F, before being approved for standard freezer temperatures for up to 2 weeks. Prior to this authorization, the vaccine had most recently been authorized for storage in standard refrigerator temperatures for up to 5 days.

“Making COVID-19 vaccines widely available is key to getting people vaccinated and bringing the pandemic to an end,” said the director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Peter Marks, MD, PhD.

 

Underestimation of COVID-19 Deaths4

The COVID-19 death count in the United States has underestimated COVID-19 related excess deaths by 17%, according to the results of a recent study.

In this cross-sectional study, the researchers compared 2096 county-level COVID-19 mortality rates to all-cause mortality rates from January 2020 to December 2020. The results indicated that for every 100 deaths attributed to COVID-19, twenty additional deaths were attributed to other causes.

A more significant proportion of excess deaths was observed in counties with lower median household incomes, less formal education, more non-Hispanic Black residents, and locations in the South and West.

 

Antibody Protection From Mild Sickness5

Individuals who have recovered from mild COVID-19 may have lasting antibodies against the disease, according to the results of a recent study.

To better understand the role of antibodies following COVID-19 infection, the researchers examined bone marrow from 18 out of 77 participants who were already providing blood samples 7 or 8 months after mild infection. A second bone marrow sample was then provided by 5 of those participants 4 months later.

While antibodies decline rapidly in the first 4 months following infection, over the next 7 months the antibodies decline gradually. Antibodies were detected at least 11 months after infection. In addition, 15 individuals who provided bone marrow samples had antibody-producing cells that targets the virus that causes COVID-19, indicating the potential for lifelong antibody protection.

 

—Leigh Precopio

 

References:

  1. Interim public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people. News release. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; May 13, 2021. Accessed May 24, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html
  2. COVID-19 vaccine benefits still outweigh risks, despite possible rare heart complications. News release. American Heart Association; May 23, 2021. Accessed May 24, 2021. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/covid-19-vaccine-benefits-still-outweigh-risks-despite-possible-rare-heart-complications
  3. FDA in Brief: FDA authorizes longer time for refrigerator storage of thawed Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine prior to dilution, making vaccine more available. News release. US Food and Drug Administration; May 19, 2021. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-brief-fda-authorizes-longer-time-refrigerator-storage-thawed-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine
  4. Stokes AC, Lundberg DJ, Elo IT, Hempstead K, Bor J, Preston SH. COVID-19 and excess mortality in the United States: a county-level analysis. PLOS Med. Published online May 20, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003571
  5. Turner JS, Kim W, Kalaidina E, et al. SARS-CoV-2 infection induces long-lived bone marrow plasma cells in humans. Nature. Published online May 24, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03647-4