February 2024 Medical News Summary

Benjamin D. Sommers, MD, PhD, of Harvard University, speaks with JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian, MD, MPP, and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin, PhD, about differences in Medicaid enrollment as measured in surveys and administrative data. These differences have implications for estimating coverage now that the federal policy of continuous Medicaid eligibility during the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. Related Content: Survey-Reported Coverage in 2019-2022 and Implications for Unwinding Medicaid Continuous Eligibility

Rural Maternity Care Is in Crisis—Here’s What Could Help; Type and Severity of Immunodeficiency Affect Speed of SARS-CoV-2 Clearance, Study Finds Related Content: More Than Half of US Rural Hospitals No Longer Offer Birthing Services—Here’s Why When It Comes to SARS-CoV-2 Clearance, People Who Are Immunocompromised Are Not All Alike

Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were recommended for children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years in the US, but were they effective? JAMA Associate Editor Tracy A. Lieu, MD, MPH, spoke with author Leora R. Feldstein, PhD, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about the effectiveness of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents. Related Content: Effectiveness of Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Children and Adolescents Aged 5 to 17 Years

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions in ambulatory care. In this interview with JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian, MD, MPP, and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin, PhD, Rishi K. Wadhera, MD, MPP, MPhil, of Harvard Medical School discusses how access to care and preventive services changed for different racial and ethnic groups in the US from 2019 to 2022. Related Content: Changes in Health Care Access and Preventive Health Screenings by Race and Ethnicity

Two recent studies find that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is safe for infants and effective for children aged 1-4 years. JAMA Pediatrics Editor in Chief Dimitri Christakis, MD, and JAMA Pediatrics Associate Editor Alison Galbraith, MD, discuss clinical and policy implications with Grace Lee, MD, MPH, professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California. Related Content: Newborn and Early Infant Outcomes Following Maternal COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy Effectiveness of Monovalent mRNA Vaccines Against Omicron XBB Infection in Singaporean Children Younger Than 5 Years

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of diabetes in childhood increased. JAMA Associate Editor Anne R. Cappola, MD, ScM, and Ezio Bonifacio, PhD, from the Center for Regenerative Therapies at the Dresden University of Technology, discuss SARS-CoV-2 infection and its association with islet autoimmunity in early childhood. Related Content: SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Development of Islet Autoimmunity in Early Childhood

Interview with Jay F. Piccirillo, MD, author of Efficacy of Gabapentin For Post–COVID-19 Olfactory Dysfunction: The GRACE Randomized Clinical Trial. Hosted by Paul C. Bryson, MD, MBA. Related Content: Efficacy of Gabapentin For Post–COVID-19 Olfactory Dysfunction

In this interview, JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian, MD, MPP, and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin, PhD, explore with Erin K. McCreary, PharmD, and Atheendar S. Venkataramani, MD, PhD, how a large regional health system used a weighted lottery and intensive outreach to provide high-risk individuals in disadvantaged communities more equitable access to scarce monoclonal antibodies for preventing COVID-19. Related Content: Weighted Lottery to Equitably Allocate Scarce Supply of COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Moving Beyond Intent and Realizing Health Equity

JAMA Health Forum Editor John Ayanian, MD, and Deputy Editor Melinda Buntin, PhD, discuss with Sandra B. Nelson, MD (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston), her JAMA Health Forum study of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools in Massachusetts during 2 different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. She found transmission rates were very low but varied by district and the availability of vaccines. Related Content: Prevalence and Risk Factors for School-Associated Transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Interview with Rishi P. Singh, MD, author of Risk of New Retinal Vascular Occlusion After mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination Within Aggregated Electronic Health Record Data. Hosted by Neil Bressler, MD. Related Content: Risk of New Retinal Vascular Occlusion After mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination Within Aggregated Electronic Health Record Data