CDC's change in COVID guidance could misrepresent risks of virus The CDC has changed its guidelines for isolating with a COVID infection. Experts say this could backfire Nicole Karlis Salon.com

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Mpox outbreak slowed because of behavior changes, not vaccine - UPI.com New research finds the 2022 mpox outbreak among gay and bisexual men began to slow down after just a few months -- even though just 8% of high-risk people had received the mpox vaccine. UPI

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That suggests that it was changes in gay and bisexual men's sexual behaviors, not the vaccine, that caused the outbreak to subside, researchers concluded.

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Cognitive decline 'measurable' in those with lasting COVID symptoms Researchers have found that there is 'measurable' cognitive decline in people who had COVID-19, particularly in those whose symptoms persisted after 12 months, though these may not be severe or long-lived. Finn Cohen

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Those who received at least two vaccinations and had fewer repeat infections, and those who were infected with later variants of SARS-CoV-2 had lower measures of cognitive decline.

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CDC'S releases on COVDID updates and Vaccine Effectiveness

...A new CDC report finds that the updated (2023-2024) COVID-19 vaccines cut the risk in half for visiting the emergency department, urgent care, or being hospitalized with COVID-19 for most people.

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Nearly 500 deaths per day from excessive drinking during COVID-19 pandemic: CDC report Excessive drinking is associated with chronic dangers such as liver cancer, high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. Fox TV Stations FOX 7 Austin

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The Covid-19 pandemic killed off one strain of the flu, and that will change the next vaccines | CNN For 10 years, Americans have had access to flu shots that protect against four strains of the virus: two A strains and two B strains. Brenda Goodman CNN

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In 2020, all the precautions that helped people avoid Covid had an unexpected benefit: An entire branch of the flu’s family tree, a B strain that geneticists call the Yamagata clade, disappeared, and it hasn’t been detected since.

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Covid-19 increases risk of developing autoimmune disease, but vaccination helps, large study shows A large study in Japan and South Korea shows that Covid-19 increases risk of developing autoimmune disease, but vaccination helps. Isabella Cueto STAT

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Researchers also found that vaccination against Covid, with either mRNA or viral vector shot, reduced the risk of developing a new autoimmune disease. They did not spell out in the study exactly how much vaccines reduced the risk of AIRDs.

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Low iron may play key role in long COVID Patients who went on to develop long COVID showed more problems with regulation of blood iron levels, including anemia, as soon as 2 weeks after acute infection, suggesting low iron levels may play a role in the chronic condition, according to a new study in Nature Immunology. CIDRAP

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the researchers found that long COVID was associated with how quickly inflammation and low iron levels regulated after acute infection. People who took a longer time to demonstrate regulation, and had more severe initial infections, were at an increased risk of long COVID.

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Flu shots are doing OK vs. virus, US numbers indicate Early estimates suggest flu shots are performing OK in the current U.S. winter flu season. The vaccines were around 40% effective in preventing adults from getting sick enough from the flu that they had to go to a doctor’s office, clinic or hospital. AP News

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Officials generally are pleased if a flu vaccine is 40% to 60% effective.

The shots tend to do better when they are well matched against the circulating flu strains. Officials say that’s what’s happened during this — relatively typical — flu season.

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US respiratory virus levels remain high as flu rises in central states Respiratory illness levels in the United States remained high but stable last week, with flu activity rising in some regions of the country and indicators declining for both COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its latest data updates. CIDRAP

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CDC advisory panel says people 65 and older should get a Covid spring booster shot An expert panel advising the CDC on vaccines on Wednesday recommended that people 65 and older should get an additional Covid-19 vaccine shot this spring. Helen Branswell STAT

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The recommendation was approved by CDC Director Mandy Cohen, allowing the United States to join Canada and the United Kingdom in offering a spring booster this year to people at high risk of severe disease if they contract Covid.