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Two systematic reviews by US federal agencies on the possible link between antiviral treatment for COVID-19 and viral rebound—one specifically on Paxlovid—find no consistent association. The studies were published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The National Institutes of Health COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines recommend early treatment with a first-line (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir [Paxlovid] or remdesivir) or second-line (molnupiravir [Lagevrio]) antiviral drug to help prevent hospitalization and death in high-risk COVID-19 patients with mild or moderate illness. (Van Beusekom, 12/21)

When you get ready to travel for the holidays, you may want to know how sick people are in destination where you are going. As of Friday, 17 states are reporting “high” or “very high” levels of respiratory illness activity, federal health data shows. The states where illness activity is highest are scattered throughout the U.S. but most of the Southeastern states are seeing high levels, along with Western states like California, Nevada and Colorado. New Jersey and New York City also are seeing high levels, based on percentage of visits to outpatient healthcare providers or emergency departments for fever and cough or sore throat. (Goodman, 12/21)

With COVID-19 cases and other respiratory illnesses rising across the region, some area hospitals have begun to bring back face mask requirements to halt the spread of infections. Boston Medical Center said Thursday it would resume masking requirements in all patient-care areas beginning Friday. On Monday, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute reinstated its mask requirements in all clinical and public spaces, and the Beth Israel Lahey Health system (BILH) updated its policies to require masking for all health care personnel upon entry to a patient room or bed space. (Piore, 12/22)

The post-Thanksgiving COVID-19 wave is threatening to become an annual rite of passage, as predictable as Black Friday crowds and holiday weight gain. But public health officials say this year’s seasonal surge has a new, potentially deadly wrinkle: the lowest vaccination rates since the start of the pandemic. Though the latest version of booster shots confers broad protection against a new, highly contagious variant that is expected to gain dominance in the coming weeks, just 17 percent of Massachusetts residents have received it, according to the latest numbers from the Department of Public Health. (Piore, 12/21)

A year-long investigation into federal procurement revealed that BTNX, a small rapid test supplier based outside Toronto, deleted dozens of specimens, or samples, from a study it submitted to Health Canada. The deletions made BTNX’s test appear more reliable and sensitive than it really was, according to researchers Global News consulted. (Sonntag, 12/21)