Oral antiviral simnotrelvir shows promise for treating mild COVID-19 The length of COVID-19 symptoms was on average 36 hours shorter in the simnotrelvir group. CIDRAP

..in the New England Journal of Medicine Chinese researchers have published positive trial results of simnotrelvir, an oral antiviral that can shorten the duration of mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms.

Cameroon starts world's first malaria vaccine program for children Cameroon will be the first country to routinely give children a new malaria vaccine as the shots are rolled out in Africa. AP News

Cameroon will be the first country to routinely give children a new malaria vaccine as the shots are rolled out in Africa.

The campaign due to start Monday was described by officials as a milestone in the decades-long effort to curb the mosquito-spread disease on the continent, which accounts for 95% of the world’s malaria deaths.

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How to stay healthy during cold, flu and COVID-19 season Getting through winter healthy means trying to protect yourself from respiratory viruses. January can be the worst month for these illnesses and vaccination rates are low. AP News

January can be the worst month for these illnesses. With vaccination rates low, what can you do to protect yourself from respiratory viruses, including influenza, COVID-19 and RSV?

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https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/long-covid-cause-study-immune-system-complement-response-rcna134530

Scientists have identified a persistent change in a handful of blood proteins in people with long Covid that indicates that an important part of their immune system remains on high alert for months after an acute infection.

The findings, published Thursday in the journal Science, could help explain what causes the persistent fatigue, brain fog and other debilitating symptoms of long Covid, as well as pave the way for diagnostic tests and potentially, a long-awaited treatment, experts say. 

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US and UK announce biosecurity alliance to counter pandemics and bioterrorism The two nations have entered into a new strategic dialogue on biological security. Sophie Wingate The Independent

The UK and US have agreed to work together to counter growing biological threats such as pandemics, antimicrobial resistance and bioterrorism.

The two nations announced a new strategic dialogue on biosecurity on Tuesday.

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As COVID cases rise, doctors worry about the consequences of misinformation Misinformation is still shaping how people perceive the virus and tools designed to protect individuals and communities against COVID’s worst outcomes, public health experts and doctors say. PBS NewsHour

Seeing COVID rates hit another high, and vaccine uptake remain low, doctors don’t have an antidote for something they see as an ongoing risk factor: the spread of misinformation, including on the presidential campaign trail.

California health officials shorten COVID isolation guidance as infections peak Under new guidance schools are advising that students who test positive for COVID-19 but do not have symptoms can continue to come to school if they wear masks indoors for 10 days after testing pos… ***@***.*** The Mercury News

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How Long Does It Take to Get COVID-19? Here's what a new study says. TIME

The length of time you spend around a person with COVID-19 seems to heavily influence your likelihood of getting sick, according to a recent Nature study that has been peer-reviewed but not fully edited. Most exposures that result in transmission last at least an hour, if not much longer, the researchers say.

Record budget for Gates Foundation as wider global health funding stalls The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation plans to spend more this year than ever before -- $8.6 billion -- as wider health funding for the lowest income countries stutters after the COVID-19 pandemic. Jennifer Rigby Reuters

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