What We're Reading: Fauci on Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccination; Aromatherapy Spray Recalled; Brain Fog Persists

COVID-19 Vaccines Likely Available for Kids in November

As reported by Reuters, children aged 5 to 11 years will likely be able to be vaccinated against COVID-19 starting in early November. The chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden, Anthony Fauci, MD, said yesterday that he predicts the regulatory approval and recommendation from the CDC to be issued by the first or second week of November. Currently, FDA officials are reviewing the Pfizer/BioNTech application of its 2-dose vaccine in younger children, with a panel of outside advisers scheduled to meet on October 26. The CDC will meet to discuss their recommendations on November 2 and 3.

Aromatherapy Spray Recalled Due to Deadly Bacteria Contamination

Approximately 3900 bottles of an essential-oil aromatherapy spray from Walmart are being recalled due to potential contamination with a rare and deadly bacteria, Burkholderia pseudomallei. Reported by NPR, Walmart's Better Homes & Gardens–branded Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones has been associated with 4 confirmed cases, with 2 cases being fatal. The bacteria is known to cause meliodosis, a difficult-to-diagnose and deadly condition that typically develops in tropical climates, especially Southeast Asia and northern Australia.

JAMA Study Finds COVID-19–Related Brain Fog Can Last for Months

Reported by CNN, cognitive impairment from COVID-19, also known as brain fog, was found in a recent study o persist for months after infection, even in those without cases of severe disease or hospitalization, according to JAMA Network Open. In the study, findings indicated that nearly 1 in 4 patients with COVID-19 from the Mount Sinai Health System registry experienced a cognitive-related issue, with hospitalized individuals shown to be more likely to have brain fog after infection. Overall, 23% of patients reported issues with memory recall, 18% showed deficits in their cognitive processing speed, and 15% had deficits in phonemic fluency in their speaking.