Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 4:00 pm CST, adding in the second, unpublished, study. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies transferred across the placenta in 87% of pregnant women who had COVID-19 at some point, suggesting that newborns of seropositive mothers may have some protection against the novel coronavirus at birth, according to a study today in

Two days ago, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act entered its 10th month, and a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report today says 27 of 31 previous implementation recommendations have not been resolved. This is the fifth report regarding the CARES Act, and as such, it covers similar topics as in its

Study: Vaccinating against 10 diseases will prevent 69 million deaths A modeling study published yesterday in The Lancet estimates that vaccination against 10 diseases from 2000 to 2030 will prevent 69 million vaccine-preventable deaths (VPDs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The study suggests that a baby born in 2019 in 98 LMICs countries will

COVID inflammatory syndrome in kids ranges from mild to life-threatening An international survey of 183 pediatric patients with the rare but serious COVID-19–related multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) shows broad clinical presentations, from mild illness featuring fever and inflammation to life-threatening shock similar to that of Kawasaki disease (KD). The study, led by researchers

Four months after their release from the hospital, more than half of 238 adult COVID-19 patients in northern Italy still had impaired lung function or mobility issues, and about one-fifth had symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a prospective cohort study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open found. The findings add to growing evidence and

The almost yearly Access to Medicine Index measures the 20 behemoths of the pharmaceutical industry, encapsulating 70% of global pharmaceutical revenues. However, the report doesn’t look at the bottom line: It looks at medicine accessibility in low- and middle-income companies (LMICs), and—as with everything in the past year—COVID-19 made its mark, demanding supply chain innovation

Groups criticize One Health Certified food label over antibiotic use standards A coalition of animal welfare, public health, environmental, and consumer organizations is speaking out against use of the One Health Certified (OHC) label on chicken and turkey products, claiming the standards behind the label don’t protect against overuse of medically important antibiotics in food-producing

In its weekly snapshot of COVID-19 activity, the World Health Organization (WHO) said cases fell for the second week in a row, mainly in the highest-burden countries, but it warned that the pattern masks sharp rises in other countries in some regions. Meanwhile, the world’s level of deaths, often a lagging indicator, stayed about the

A study today in JAMA Network Open reveals that 10.5% of children and teens in a Chinese province during distance learning early in the COVID-19 pandemic reported psychological distress—particularly among those who never wore a face covering or were physically active for less than a half hour a day. A team led by researchers from

Rift Valley fever outbreak reported in Kenya A Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreak in Kenya that began in the middle of November has led to 21 infections, 9 of them fatal, the World Health Organization (WHO) African regional office said yesterday in its weekly outbreaks and health emergencies report. All of the patients are male