Research recruitment in patient portal check-in; Omicron less likely to lead to long COVID; Pfizer plant could restart production in Q4 - Morning Medical Update

Research recruitment in patient portal check-in

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles recruited 40 times more research patients than usual by adding a study recruitment sheet into patients’ portal preCheck-in forms. Patients who signed up received a patient-reported outcomes survey after their appointment. The success of this method warrants further investigation.

Omicron less likely to lead to long COVID

The Omicron variant is less likely to lead to long COVID, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases. Similarly, Omicron patients are less likely to report loss of smell or taste. Ongoing vaccinations have experts hopeful that this trend will persist as the virus continues to mutate.

Pfizer plant could restart production in Q4

The Pfizer plant that sustained tornado damage on July 10 may resume production by the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2023. Most of the damage was done to the warehouse and not the production facilities. A temporary warehouse has been set up in the meantime.