- A 2020 paper that spread controversial claims about the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19 was retracted last week. Published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, the paper was pulled for ethical concerns and other methodological problems. Earlier in the pandemic, the paper led to shortages of the drug for people with Lupus, which hydroxychloroquine also commonly treats. According to the journal Nature, it is the second-most-cited study ever to be withdrawn.
- A new Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) survey analysis found that one in five people with Long COVID reported “significant limitations carrying out daily activities.” A press release stated the importance of preventing COVID-19 through vaccination, clean air, and “good hygiene” but failed to mention masking, an effective and common tool against airborne viruses like SARS-CoV-2.
- Young adults have a higher burden from Long COVID and worse quality of life compared to older adults with the disease, a new study in Annals of Neurology found. The cross-sectional study included over 1,200 participants from a Long COVID clinic across age groups, including those who’d had “mild” or severe cases of COVID-19. “[Neurological Long COVID] principally affects adults in their prime, contributing to profound public health and socioeconomic impacts warranting dedicated resources for prevention, diagnosis and interventions,” the study’s authors wrote. They also highlighted the risk of repetitive infections in a press release.
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