The Week in Review provides an overview of the past week’s top health care content, including industry news and trends, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic Laboratories news, and upcoming events.

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Industry News

Immunity To COVID-19 Could Last Longer Than You'd Think

All around the world, there seem to be signs that immunity to SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19, doesn't last very long after you're vaccinated. Israel is now having one of the world's worst COVID-19 surges about five months after vaccinating a majority of its population. And in the U.S., health officials are recommending a booster shot eight months after the original vaccine course. So, how long does immunity last after two doses of the vaccine? Six months or so? And at that point, how much protection is left over? It all depends on which type of immunity you're talking about, says immunologist Ali Ellebedy at Washington University in St. Louis. Six months after your vaccine, your body may be more ready to fight off the coronavirus than you might think. Via National Public Radio

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In midst of hurricane season, Jacksonville-area hospitals evaluating disaster plans

Hospitals across the country are dealing with a large number of COVID-19 patients, and the situation is especially difficult in New Orleans where Hurricane Ida left power outages. In Jacksonville, hospitals are monitoring reports of what’s happening in New Orleans hospitals and evaluating their disaster plans. Louisiana hospitals in the path of Category 4 Hurricane Ida were forced to evacuate dozens of patients. Some had their roofs torn and were relying on emergency generators for electricity. Via News4Jax

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CDC Urges Unvaccinated People To Not Travel Labor Day Weekend

The CDC is asking unvaccinated people to not travel this Labor Day weekend, citing the surge in COVID-19 cases largely driven by the Delta variant. Via Axios

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Mayo Clinic News

If You Notice This on Your Legs, Have Your Heart Checked, Says Mayo Clinic

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for over 650,000 fatalities per year. Behind many of those deaths is atherosclerosis, a condition in which the arteries become hardened and narrowed due to a buildup of fatty plaque, obstructing blood flow… That's exactly why it's so essential to know the signs of this serious condition—and to have your heart screened if you notice symptoms of PAD. In particular, the Mayo Clinic is shedding light on one surprising symptom that you may notice in your legs—and it's something you may otherwise overlook. Read on to learn about this major red flag, and what to do if you notice it on your own body. Via Best Life

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Mayo study finds antibody treatment can help COVID-19 patients

Among high-risk patients with mild symptoms, infused antibodies seemed to lower the risk of hospitalization. A subset of COVID-19 patients who received infusions of laboratory-made antibodies ran a lower risk of requiring hospital care for their illnesses, according to a Mayo Clinic study released Monday. "These are excellent results with reductions in hospitalizations," Dr. Raymund Razonable, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist and senior author of the study, said in an interview. Via Star Tribune

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Mayo Clinic study: Infusions reduce COVID hospitalization 60-70%

A Mayo Clinic study has produced more evidence that early outpatient infusion of monoclonal antibodies (mAB) can dramatically reduce the risk of hospitalization for high-risk patients following diagnosis with COVID-19. The study, published Monday in The Lancet journal EClinical Medicine, compared the outcomes for roughly 700 patients given the treatments with that of 700 control patients between December 2020 and April 2021. It used a combination of the biologics casirivimab and imdevimab, variant-tailored treatments manufactured by the drugmaker Regeneron. Via Pioneer Press

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