Vaccinations alone may not be enough to protect people with compromised immune systems from infection, even if the vaccine has generated the production of antibodies, new research from the University of Cambridge has shown. The findings, published today in Science Advances, suggest that such individuals will need regular vaccine boosters to protect them and reduce the risk of infections that could be severe and also lead to new ‘variants of concern’ emerging.

Older people have greater general happiness, life satisfaction and sense of purpose than they did before the Covid-19 pandemic.

A new study analyzing Long COVID healthcare utilization in Colorado reveals a significant shift from acute care to outpatient services following diagnosis, shedding light on evolving treatment patterns and the broader healthcare burden posed by the condition.

A first-of-its-kind study provides a snapshot of the substantial mental health burden on nurses around the world. Published in the journal International Nursing Review, the research documents the impact of three years of intense working conditions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Older adults who didn’t have enough savings to cover emergency expenses during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic faced another surprising problem: higher levels of loneliness.

To study how playfulness shapes people’s responses to constraints and disruptions, scientists surveyed 503 Americans about their behavior and feelings during Covid-19. They found that people who were more playful were more positive about an uncertain future, while remaining realistic about the facts of the present. They were better at adapting to challenges and constraints, experienced more joy and immersion in daily activities, and were more resilient. The scientists called these playful people’s cognitive and behavioral redirecting, creatively imagining and actively pursuing more positive outcomes, ‘lemonading’.  

Scientists at the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) have uncovered key insights into how T cells – the body's frontline immune soldiers – respond to infections like COVID-19. These findings could help scientists refine immune response strategies to improve long-term protection against diseases. Furthermore, these insights could contribute to more precise treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases.

About The Study: In this cohort study, over the time period including the COVID-19 pandemic, primary care practices reported a decline in access to care, while average practice capabilities improved. Integrated practice ownership and accountable care organization participation were both associated with better access and capability scores, suggesting that value-based payment and integrated care delivery support the development of higher-quality primary care. Variations across practices point to large opportunities for improvement overall and underscore the importance of incentives and structures as levers to improve primary care delivery.

About The Study: The results of this study show that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a notable drop in the number of common ophthalmic procedures among Medicare beneficiaries, especially in laser peripheral iridotomy, while eye drug injections saw minimal changes. The Northeast experienced the largest reductions, highlighting the pandemic’s association with changes in eye care and indicating a need for focused recovery efforts in the hardest hit areas. 

Researchers at University of Tsukuba observed a decline in breast cancer screening participation rates in Japan during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic according to the data of the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions. They also identified groups that experienced a greater decline, including women aged 45-49 years and those covered by employee insurance (dependent person).