COVID-19

Here PfizerBiontech report the results of a dose finding study of the BNT162b2 Covid-19 Vaccine for use in Children 5 to 11 Years of Age. Instead of 30 μg mRNA material (as for the vaccine in adults), they took the 10 μg version to the efficacy trial which included 2268 children (751 received placebo, 1517 the vaccine). Vaccine-related side effects were similar in type and frequency as for the vaccine in adults. The vaccine efficacy for Covid-19 with onset 7 days or more after the second dose was 90.7%( 95% CI, 67.7 to 98.3).

Here we yet have another analysis using data from the largest health care organization in Israel. The authors analyze the effectiveness of a third booster vaccination (between July 30, 2020 and Sept 23 2021) of the Pfizer/Biontech Covid vaccine in comparison to persons having received 2 vaccine doses at least 5 months before the recruitment date with careful matching methods. Mean age of those receiving a booster vaccination was 52 years.

Over a rather short follow-up period the absolute risks were very low, but vaccine effectiveness was over 80% for admission to hospital, for severe disease, and for COVID-19-related death.

Schwangere Frauen haben im Vergleich zu nicht-schwangeren Frauen gleichen Alters ein deutlich erhöhtes Risiko einen schweren COVID-19 Verlaufes, mit höherem Risiko für Intensivmedizinpflichtigkeit, Intubation und Mortalität. Zudem besteht ein mehrfach erhöhtes Frühgeburtsrisiko bei COVID-19 Erkrankung in der 2. Schwangerschaftshälfte im Vergleich zu nicht erkrankten Schwangeren. Neu wird die Impfung mit den in der Schweiz zugelassenen mRNA-Impfstoffen allen Schwangeren empfohlen, idealerweise ab dem 2. Trimester. Für die Impfung braucht es keine schriftliche Einverständniserklärung und keine ärztliche Verordnung mehr. Die mRNA Impfungen gegen COVID-19 haben keinen negativen Einfluss auf die Fertilität von Mann oder Frau. Nach einer mRNA-Impfung kann eine Schwangerschaft ohne Wartezeit angestrebt werden. Frauen, welche eine Schwangerschaft planen, wird die Impfung ausdrücklich empfohlen. Die mRNA-Impfungen gegen COVID-19 können in der Stillzeit ohne Einschränkungen verabreicht werden.

This prospective, multicenter longitudinal study (April–December 2020) in 60 mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or who have recovered from COVID-19 demonstrates (1) the absence ofSARS-CoV-2 RNA in breast milk from women with COVID-19and (2) the high intervariability and intravariability in the SARS-CoV-2 antibody response. Women with COVID-19 exhibited IgA, IgG and IgM antibodies in breast milk.

Here we have another analysis using data from the largest health care organization in Israel. The authors analyze the effectiveness of the Pfizer/Biontech Covid vaccine received by 10’861 pregnant women (between 20 December 2020 and 3 June 2021) compared to 10’861 non-vaccinated pregnant women. Vaccine effectiveness was 97% (91–100%) for infections with documented symptoms and 89% (43–100%) for COVID-19-related hospitalization.

Humoral and cell-mediated anti-COVID-19 vaccine response in patients with treatment history of anti-CD20 depleting agents (Rituximab or Ocrelizumab). Anti-spike IgG antiodies were detected in 49% of patients compred to 100% of healthy controls. SARS-CoV2 specific interferon-ɣ release was detected in 20% of patients and 75% of healthy controls. Time since last anti-CD20 therapy, peripheral CD19+, and CD4+ lymphocyte count predicted humoral vaccine response.

These Israeli data demonstrate a gradual loss of protection among individuals immunized with 2 doses of the Pfizer/Biontech mRNA vaccine, the rate of which corresponding with the time elapsed between vaccination an infection with the SARS-Cov2 delta-variant. Decline of protection was documented for all age groups including individuals >60 years of age with severe disease.

The number of cases, hospitalizations and ICU admissions in children and adolescents 0-17 years of age dramatically increased with the advent of the delta-variant in July and August 2021. However, the proportions admitted to hospital and ICU, respectively, did not change compared with earlier variants, indicating that clinical severity of COVID-19 associated remains unchanged.

This study analyzes symptoms that 6800 young people (11-17 years) reported 3 months after a positive or negative SARS-CoV-2 test. SARS-CoV-2 positive adolescents reported more single and multiple symptoms than the matched negative controls at any given time during this 3-month-period.

Using data from the largest health care organization in Israel, the authors present a comprehensive description of the risks for adverse events of the Pfizer/Biontech Covid vaccine in comparison to unvaccinated persons. In a second analysis they compare the risk of adverse events in persons with SARS-Cov-2 infection to a control group of uninfected and not-vaccinated persons. For example: myocarditis risk was 3.2 higher in vaccinated compared to unvaccinated (2.7 events per 100,000 persons higher), but 18.3 times higher in infected compared to uninfected and unvaccinated persons (11.0 events per 100,000 persons higher).