COVID-19 affects children of all ages, though pediatric cases typically present with milder illness than adults experience. While most infected children recover without serious complications, some require hospitalization, intensive care, or mechanical ventilation support, with fatalities occurring rarely. Infants under one year face elevated risk of severe disease, particularly those born prematurely. Children with underlying health conditions—including chronic lung disease, heart disease, and diabetes—face substantially higher risk, with cumulative risk factors further increasing severity likelihood. Vaccination during pregnancy provides protective antibodies that transfer to newborns, reducing post-birth infection risk. Symptoms typically emerge two to fourteen days after exposure and commonly include fever and cough, sometimes accompanied by respiratory distress indicators such as nostrils flaring or chest retractions. Additional symptoms may involve loss of taste or smell. Testing confirms COVID-19 diagnosis. Getting vaccinated represents a critical prevention strategy for reducing serious illness, hospitalization, and mortality in vulnerable pediatric populations.

Long COVID can significantly impact the nervous system, affecting cognitive function, sleep, balance, sensation, and autonomic regulation according to clinical analysis by the Acıbadem Hospitals Group's neurology specialists. Common neurological manifestations include brain fog, headaches, dizziness, numbness, fatigue, and sleep disturbances that may persist for weeks or months following initial COVID-19 infection. These symptoms arise from dysfunction involving the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and autonomic nervous system, which controls automatic functions like breathing and circulation. The presentation varies considerably among patients—some develop persistent neurological symptoms after mild infections, while others recovering from severe illness experience multiple overlapping complications. Cognitive symptoms such as impaired concentration, slowed processing, and difficulty multitasking may fluctuate daily and worsen with stress or overexertion. Specialist neurological evaluation is essential to distinguish post-COVID neurological changes from deconditioning, other treatable conditions, or concurrent medical issues. Understanding these diverse presentations helps clinicians appropriately diagnose and manage Long COVID's nervous system involvement, which substantially impacts patients' ability to work, study, exercise, and maintain normal daily functioning.

Persistent cardiac symptoms affect many post-COVID syndrome patients despite the absence of structural heart disease, with evidence pointing to immune dysregulation, endothelial dysfunction, and low-grade cardiovascular inflammation as underlying mechanisms. The Myoflame-19 trial, a multicenter double-blind study of 279 participants with inflammatory cardiac involvement confirmed by cardiovascular magnetic resonance, investigated whether losartan combined with prednisolone could provide targeted treatment. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive either the drug combination or matching placebos for 16 weeks. The primary endpoint—change in left ventricular ejection fraction—showed neutral results, with a between-group difference of 0.74 percentage points that was not statistically significant. However, several prespecified secondary endpoints, including symptom scores on the Canadian Chest Pain Scale and NYHA functional class, as well as cardiac imaging measures, demonstrated numerical improvements favoring treatment, though confidence intervals encompassed the null value. The treatment was safe and well-tolerated. These findings suggest losartan-prednisolone lacks efficacy for the primary outcome but may inform future immunomodulatory approaches and trial designs for post-COVID cardiac involvement.

The European Commission has granted marketing authorization for Pfizer and BioNTech's 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine formulation targeting the XFG variant, a strain within the JN.1 lineage, for individuals aged six months and older across all 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. The authorization follows the European Medicines Agency's Emergency Task Force recommendation that XFG targeting would provide optimal protection against COVID-19. The approval is based on cumulative clinical, non-clinical, and real-world data demonstrating strong immune responses against multiple circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants including XFG, XFG.1.1, NB.1.8.1, PQ.17, and PQ.2.8.1. Pfizer and BioNTech have proactively begun manufacturing the monovalent XFG-adapted vaccine to ensure adequate supply ahead of the respiratory disease season when vaccination demand peaks. The mRNA-based vaccine represents the companies' continued commitment to monitoring evolving COVID-19 epidemiology and meeting global public health requirements through vaccine adaptations.

Researchers conducted an exploratory structural and diffusion MRI study investigating the neurobiological mechanisms underlying long COVID symptoms, specifically tremor-like symptoms, internal vibrations, and neuromuscular fatigue. The study focused on the mammillary body-fornix pathway, a critical brain structure implicated in memory and neural connectivity. Using advanced neuroimaging techniques, the researchers examined whether structural or diffusion abnormalities in this neural gateway correlate with these debilitating symptoms. The findings suggest that disruptions in the mammillary body-fornix circuit may contribute to the pathophysiology of long COVID's neurological manifestations. This research matters because long COVID affects millions globally with poorly understood mechanisms, and identifying specific neural pathways involved in symptom generation could facilitate the development of targeted diagnostic markers and therapeutic interventions. The study adds to growing evidence that long COVID involves central nervous system dysfunction beyond commonly recognized complications.

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Long COVID affects far more Americans than commonly recognized, with prevalence estimates ranging from 6.9% to 16% of the adult population, potentially representing 54 million people. While fatigue, brain fog, and respiratory symptoms dominate public discourse, emerging evidence reveals significant foot and lower extremity complications that remain poorly understood and undertreated. WeTreatFeet Podiatry has documented increasing cases of burning feet, aching, and swelling in Long COVID patients since 2020, patterns now validated by peer-reviewed research. The underlying mechanisms involve the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which remains biologically active even after acute infection resolves. Research published in Clinical Infectious Diseases in 2023 demonstrated circulating spike protein detectable in Long COVID patients months post-infection, indicating a persistent viral reservoir, likely in the gut, continuously releasing antigen into circulation. This persistent antigenic presence, combined with other cellular mechanisms, explains the varied, stubborn nature of foot symptoms resistant to conventional treatment approaches. Recognizing podiatric manifestations of Long COVID is critical for improving patient outcomes in this undertreated population.

Researchers led by Dr. Rachel Gross at New York University School of Medicine and Dr. Harrison Reeder at Harvard Medical School analyzed data from the NIH RECOVER pediatric cohort to examine how Long Covid affects school functioning in children aged 6–11 years and adolescents aged 12–17 years. The study encompassed approximately 400 children and 1,600 adolescents, with roughly one-third experiencing Long Covid. Children with Long Covid demonstrated approximately twice the risk of experiencing worse grades compared to peers without the condition, with about one in five reporting academic decline. They also faced 2.5 times higher risk of moderate to severe attention difficulties, affecting two in five affected children, and nearly three times higher risk of reduced peer enjoyment. Adolescents with Long Covid showed similarly concerning patterns, facing 2.5 times higher risk of grade decline, over three times higher risk of attention problems, and twice the risk of diminished social enjoyment. Both age groups with Long Covid were significantly more likely to require or be considered for special educational support services. This research, supported by Solve ME/CFS Initiative and led by prominent researchers including Drs. Akiko Iwasaki, Amy Proal, and Carmen Scheibenbogan, highlights Long Covid's substantial impact on pediatric academic and social development, extending understanding beyond pandemic-related isolation effects.

# Professional Summary Following COVID-19 infection, emerging clinical evidence demonstrates a significant association between the acute viral illness and the subsequent development of autoimmune manifestations in a subset of patients. This phenomenon reflects the complex interplay between viral pathogenesis and dysregulated immune responses, wherein SARS-CoV-2 infection can trigger or exacerbate underlying autoimmune conditions or precipitate newly diagnosed autoimmune diseases. The study examined documented cases of autoimmune manifestations emerging in the post-acute phase of COVID-19, analyzing the temporal relationship between viral infection and disease onset. Key findings indicate that molecular mimicry, bystander activation, and epitope spreading represent plausible mechanisms linking coronavirus infection to autoimmune activation. The research highlights diverse autoimmune presentations including rheumatological, hematological, and endocrinological disorders reported in COVID-19 survivors. This association carries substantial clinical implications for healthcare providers managing post-COVID patients, necessitating heightened surveillance for autoimmune symptoms and appropriate screening protocols. Understanding these immunopathological mechanisms is critical for developing preventive strategies and optimizing long-term management of affected individuals, particularly as the global burden of post-COVID sequelae continues to evolve.

This peer-reviewed article examines ten critical areas of COVID-19 policy, arguing that pandemic response strategies have often relied on preliminary data and have been slow to adapt as scientific evidence evolved. The authors conduct a comprehensive review of the latest evidence to reassess pandemic control measures in light of expanding vaccine rollouts and accumulated knowledge. The ten policy domains addressed include equitable vaccine distribution expansion, easing restrictions as hospitalization and mortality decline, prioritizing educational and harm reduction approaches over coercive measures, promoting outdoor activities, reopening schools, addressing the substantial economic and psychosocial consequences of prolonged lockdowns, eliminating ineffective surface disinfection protocols, reassessing testing policies, increasing access to outpatient therapies and prophylactics, and strengthening pandemic preparedness frameworks. The authors emphasize that while vaccines have proven remarkably effective, many underlying assumptions driving current policies warrant reevaluation based on contemporary evidence. This analysis is particularly timely as it challenges policymakers to recalibrate their COVID-19 response strategies with evolving scientific knowledge and real-world epidemiological trends.

This open-access case study, published in July 2026, examines the critical role of trust and historical experience in shaping public attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination in Ghana. The research investigates how Ghanaian citizens' responses to vaccination campaigns are fundamentally influenced by their prior experiences with health interventions and their confidence in medical institutions. By analyzing these socio-historical factors, the study provides insights into vaccine hesitancy and acceptance patterns within a specific cultural and institutional context. The findings highlight that public health messaging and vaccination programs cannot ignore the legacy of past medical experiences, including historical instances of mistrust or inadequate healthcare provision. Understanding these determinants is essential for policymakers and health communicators seeking to improve vaccination uptake and build sustainable public health resilience. The research contributes valuable context-specific knowledge for designing culturally sensitive interventions that address underlying concerns and strengthen community engagement in disease prevention efforts.

Alzheimer's Disease remains the leading cause of dementia globally, affecting over 55 million individuals. While classical research has focused on amyloid-β and tau accumulation, emerging evidence suggests that neuroimmune dysregulation plays a critical role in early disease development, particularly during preclinical stages. Age-associated immune remodeling, including T-cell exhaustion and impaired antigen presentation, disrupts central nervous system immune surveillance. Dysregulated signaling through immune checkpoint molecules such as Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 and Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Associated Protein 4 may influence microglial activation, peripheral immune infiltration, and neuroinflammatory cascades preceding neurodegeneration. Advanced biomarker technologies including cerebrospinal fluid immune profiling, peripheral immunophenotyping, and molecular neuroimaging are revealing measurable neuroimmune signatures in early disease states. However, challenges remain regarding biomarker specificity and implementation across diverse healthcare systems. This review proposes that understanding neuroimmune dysfunction as a trackable component of AD pathogenesis could enable early risk stratification and preventative interventions, integrating insights from immunology, neuroscience, and public health research to address this critical public health challenge.

Long COVID presents a complex post-viral syndrome affecting multiple biological systems simultaneously, defying traditional medical categorization as neither an ongoing infection nor a psychiatric condition. Clear Health Centers in Salt Lake City addresses this challenge through a holistic therapeutic framework that moves beyond conventional specialty-based medicine. Rather than routing individual symptoms to separate specialists, the clinic employs comprehensive multi-system evaluation and advanced testing targeting mechanisms below standard diagnostic thresholds, including cytokine profiles, viral reactivation titers, mitochondrial function markers, autonomic assessments, and gut health evaluation. This approach recognizes that most significant Long COVID cases involve multiple concurrent biological processes. Standard laboratory panels often appear normal despite substantial pathology, necessitating specialized marker analysis. The clinic's treatment protocol is sequenced and layered, addressing biological drivers of persistent symptoms rather than managing them in isolation. Clinical evaluation incorporates detailed symptom timelines mapping when acute infection occurred and tracking symptom onset, constancy, fluctuation, and recovery patterns. This comprehensive diagnostic framework enables targeted intervention strategies that account for the interconnected nature of Long COVID pathophysiology, offering patients appropriate care for a condition that conventional medical models inadequately serve.

A prospective cross-sectional study reveals that persistent ocular symptoms (POS) affect a substantial portion of non-hospitalized COVID-19 survivors, lasting from three months to three years post-infection. Using symptom assessments, clinical examinations, and biofluid proteomics, researchers identified POS manifestations including near vision disturbances, strabismus, weakened pupillary reflexes, corneal neurodegeneration, and chronic immune cell activation on the ocular surface. Proteomic analysis identified dysregulated proteins including ITGB6, NFASC, CTGF, TPSAB1, and CKMT1A-CKMT1B, with elevated JUN correlating to pupil dysfunction and increased ANGPTL2, SKAP2, and DAPP1 levels associated with dendritic and T cell dysregulation. The findings implicate chronic T cell-mediated neuroinflammation in POS pathogenesis, characterized by strabismus, ocular dysautonomia, and peripheral ocular neuropathy. Diagnostic models combining clinical examination with biomarkers achieved 77-91% accuracy in predicting POS. These results address a significant gap in understanding long-COVID sequelae, as up to 35% of severe COVID-19 patients experience ocular symptoms, yet lack established diagnostic criteria and biomarkers, hindering recognition and clinical management of this debilitating syndrome.

A prospective cross-sectional study reveals that persistent ocular symptoms following COVID-19 affect non-hospitalized individuals for up to three years post-infection, causing significant vision disability. Beyond routine clinical findings, patients experience near vision disturbances, strabismus, corneal neurodegeneration, and weakened pupillary reflexes. Proteomic analysis of tear fluid identifies chronic T cell dysregulation and elevated inflammatory markers including ITGB6, NFASC, and ANGPTL2. Diagnostic models incorporating clinical examinations and biomarkers predict persistent ocular symptoms with 77-91% accuracy, implicating chronic T cell-mediated neuroinflammation as the underlying mechanism. These findings establish post-COVID ocular syndrome as a debilitating long-term sequela characterized by neuroinflammatory changes in ocular surface tissues and autonomic dysfunction.

Public health systems across the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union face significant infrastructural and epistemic crises, exemplified by debates surrounding the 2026 US childhood vaccination recommendations. Vaccination has become a focal point for political weaponization of scientific uncertainty, revealing deeper structural issues beyond external attacks on science or misinformation. Formal hierarchies of evidence, particularly the dominance of randomized controlled trials and quantification, narrow what constitutes legitimate knowledge in public health. While these approaches enhance rigor and accountability, they marginalize contextual, experiential, and social evidence. This epistemic limitation creates vulnerabilities that political actors exploit to amplify uncertainty and undermine collective health interventions. Addressing this crisis requires more than defending science; it demands rebuilding social, institutional, and epistemic foundations for evidence production. Interdisciplinary collaboration and meaningful community engagement are essential for developing plural, reflexive, and socially grounded evidence to sustain public health as a collective endeavor.

A comprehensive review of the billions of COVID-19 vaccine doses made with mRNA technology shows that these vaccines are safe and effective.

COVID-19 is associated with an increased, of new-onset autoimmune disease, most reproducibly affecting connective tissue, COVID-19 cohort showed markedly ...

The computational workflow developed in this study enables the identification and prioritization of candidate HLA-DRB5*01:01-restricted CD4+ T-cell epitopes ...

RNA therapeutics manufacturing is undergoing a transformative shift from batch-based to continuous processing systems, powered by artificial intelligence and advanced automation. The industry is moving beyond achieving scale to focus on reducing costs, improving accessibility, and enabling personalized therapies. Manufacturers are investing in continuous processing workflows that integrate synthesis, purification, and formulation into streamlined operations, alongside next-generation RNA platforms such as self-amplifying RNA and circular RNA. These integrated technologies create more stable production kinetics, reduce manufacturing inefficiencies, and enable real-time quality monitoring. This evolution represents a broader industry trend toward adaptive, data-driven, and decentralized biomanufacturing ecosystems that promise significant improvements in production efficiency and therapeutic accessibility.