September 23, 2022

The California Biotechnology Foundation is committed to keeping you up to date about COVID-19 testing, treatment and prevention advancements. The following resources track what progress has been made as of September 23, 2022. Notable advancements include:

• Patients who received Pfizer’s Paxlovid treatment during a COVID-19 infection are two times less likely to be hospitalized as a result of the disease, according to a new study by Epic Research.
• Receiving the updated bivalent booster from Pfizer and Moderna could provide additional immunity to future variants of COVID-19.
• The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects updated COVID-19 vaccine boosters targeting virus variants to be available for children aged 5-11 by mid-October.

Recent News

• New study reveals breakthrough infections increase immunity to COVID-19
  OHSU News – September 22, 2022
  Vaccine boosters and breakthrough infections following vaccination both provide a substantial and potentially pandemic-breaking immunity against COVID-19, according to new laboratory research from Oregon Health & Science University. The study, published in the journal Med, is the latest in a series of OHSU discoveries using blood samples to characterize immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
• Paxlovid Significantly Reduces COVID-19 Hospitalizations and Death
  PR News Wire – September 22, 2022
  A new study from Epic Research shows that the anti-viral treatment Paxlovid can meaningfully reduce COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths— even among patients under the age of 65. The rapid treatment of high-risk patients with Paxlovid, as well as receipt of prior COVID-19 vaccination, can have a critical lifesaving benefit in preventing the potentially deadly effects of COVID-19. Patients who received Paxlovid were two times less likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 and four times less likely to die of COVID-19 than those who didn’t. Fully vaccinated patients over the age of 50 who received the treatment were about three times less likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 than those who didn’t. Patients between the ages 40 and 49 who received the treatment are about two times less likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 than those who didn’t.
• When should I get the new COVID-19 Omicron bivalent booster? What experts say
  Los Angeles Times – September 22, 2022
  Although someone’s schedule could change depending on health, occupation or travel plans, officials generally recommend getting the additional bivalent dose ahead of the busy fall-and-winter holiday season. With Halloween a little over a month away, “planning to increase your protection by getting this updated booster in the next few weeks is a good idea,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.
• U.S. CDC expects Omicron COVID boosters for kids by mid-October
  Reuters – September 21, 2022
  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects COVID-19 vaccine boosters targeting circulating variants of the virus to be available for children aged 5-11 years by mid-October. The CDC said in a document released recently that it expects to make a recommendation in early- to mid-October on the use of the new bivalent vaccines in the group, if they are authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• Study proves efficacy of nanomaterial-based disinfectant developed to combat COVID-19 spread
  Phys – September 21, 2022
  A team of UCF researchers have proven the efficacy of a nanomaterial-based disinfectant they developed to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Through their experiments, they found that the disinfectant was able to kill several serious viruses including SARS and Zika. The results of their findings were recently published in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.
• New booster could provide better immunity against future variants, UC Davis doctor says
  Capitol Public Radio – September 19, 2022
  In an interview with CapRadio, UC Davis Dr. Dean Blumberg said the hospital system is seeing a decrease in both numbers and severity of COVID-19 cases. Blumberg said that new booster shots may also provide better public immunity ahead of future variants. “You know, one of the really interesting things about these boosters is that the immune response — not only will [the vaccines] be fine tuned to protect against the original strain and against current variants, but the broader immune response that’s achieved with these vaccines likely is going to provide better protection against future variants,” he said. “So I think that’s a real advance that we’re going to see with the immune response to these vaccines.”

Rely on California Biotechnology Foundation to monitor breaking news and provide updates on the latest advancements in COVID-19 diagnostics, vaccines and treatments.

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If you have any questions about informational briefings contact California Biotechnology Foundation Executive Director Patty Cooper at (916)764-2434 or [email protected].