On this episode of Petri Dish, we have two updates on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic! First, the FDA has approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine on children ages 5 and up! Second, there is a new promising small molecule drug coming out of clinical trials that seems to reduce severe COVID by 50% in high-risk patients AND it can be taken orally! Find out about the science behind these two topics this week on Petri Dish!
References:
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.056135
https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-positive-topline-results
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/myocarditis.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/myocarditis.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/myocarditis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352539
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41594-021-00651-0
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02783-1
https://www.merck.com/news/merck-and-ridgebacks-investigational-oral-antiviral-molnupiravir-reduced-the-risk-of-hospitalization-or-death-by-approximately-50-percent-compared-to-placebo-for-patients-with-mild-or-moderat/