This year in COVID-19 vaccine research
Over the past year, Healio has covered new discoveries about the COVID-19 vaccine, including evidence of its efficacy, the impact of vaccination during pregnancy, uptake disparities and more.
Other updates on COVID-19 vaccination include the recent emergency use authorization of Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech’s omicron-targeting bivalent boosters for young children, and the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee approval to add COVID-19 vaccination to the recommended childhood immunization schedule.
Catch up on some of Healio’s COVID-19 vaccine coverage below:
PCP outreach efforts increased COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Black, Latino adults
Receiving electronic secure messages and mail from primary care physicians increased COVID-19 vaccination rates among older Black and Latino adults, according to researchers. Read more.
Regular exercise may enhance effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine
Exercising regularly may improve effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, and the benefits appear to rise with activity levels, according to researchers. Read more.
Study adds evidence that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy 'safe and beneficial'
Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant did not increase the risk for peripartum outcomes and may lower the infant’s risk for NICU admission and intrauterine fetal death, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis. Read more.
Studies indicate bivalent boosters reduce risk for severe COVID-19
Findings from two real-world studies published in MMWR indicate that bivalent COVID-19 messenger RNA vaccines reduce the risk for severe outcomes from the disease, including hospitalization. Read more.
Americans likely to need annual COVID-19 booster, officials say — but questions abound
Experts raised questions about comments from U.S. officials that the new bivalent COVID-19 boosters are likely the first of what will become annual shots against SARS-CoV-2. Read more.
Infants whose mothers were vaccinated while pregnant better protected from severe COVID-19
Infants aged younger than 6 months were better protected from serious COVID-19 outcomes if their mothers received two doses of the vaccine while pregnant, according to researchers. Read more.
FDA authorizes omicron boosters for young children
The FDA expanded its emergency use authorization of Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech’s omicron-targeting bivalent COVID-19 boosters to include children aged as young as 6 months in the United States. Read more.
CDC committee recommends adding COVID-19 vaccine to childhood immunization schedule
The CDC’s vaccine advisory committee voted to approve the addition of COVID-19 vaccines to the recommended childhood immunization schedule. Read more.
Survey: One in seven parents do not discuss COVID-19 vaccines with kids’ PCPs
About 15% of parents have not discussed any vaccines with their child’s primary care provider during the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent national survey found. Read more.
Disparities in COVID-19 vaccine equity persist, though the situation has improved
Although COVID-19 vaccine equity has improved globally as the pandemic has progressed, some disparities in access have remained, according to experts. Read more.