Articles related to Infectious Diseases

At the outset of the pandemic, biotechnology company Novavax was one of the frontrunners to bring a vaccine against COVID-19 to market. But nearly two years later, Novavax’s vaccine has yet to appear. In a compelling article, the BMJ details the repeated delays and setbacks that have torpedoed Novavax’s once-promising vaccine candidate and rendered it unnecessary now that other vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca flood the global marketplace.

A study published in Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) argues that immunosuppressed patients and people with compromised immune systems need more than two vaccine doses to achieve adequate protection against COVID-19. After two vaccine doses, immunocompromised patients saw 77% vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization, versus 90% for immunocompetent individuals.

Only 8 of 35 studies could be included in the meta-analysis. Combined, these indicate a 25% risk reduction for physical distancing, 53% for mask-wearing, and 53% for hand washing. The accompanying BMJ editorial explores the possible reasons for the findings and the oddity that so little quality research is available on such an important topic.