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Children of all ages appeared susceptible to COVID-19, and there was no significant sex difference. Although clinical manifestations of children’s COVID-19 cases were generally less severe than those of adult patients, young children, particularly infants, were vulnerable to infection. The distribution of children’s COVID-19 cases varied with time and space, and most of the cases were concentrated in Hubei province and surrounding areas. Furthermore, this study provides strong evidence of human-to-human transmission. (Dong et al, 6/1)

In 3 large prospective cohorts with up to 32 years of follow-up, greater adherence to various healthy eating patterns was consistently associated with lower risk of CVD. These findings support the recommendations of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that multiple healthy eating patterns can be adapted to individual food traditions and preferences. (Shan et al, 6/15)

In 2018, the Trump administration proposed sweeping changes to the “public charge” rule that would make it more difficult for applicants to obtain green cards or temporary visas if they have used noncash public benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, or housing assistance. Though the rule was not implemented until February 2020, research indicates that “chilling effects,” whereby immigrant families avoided programs specified in the rule as well as other public programs out of fear of immigration-related consequences, were widespread even before implementation. (Haley, Kenney, Bernstein and Gonzalez, 6/18)

A new review and meta-analysis of studies conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) shows that on average, more than half of all patients seeking healthcare for any reason at primary care facilities receive an antibiotic, researchers reported yesterday in PLOS Medicine. The review, which examined 48 studies reporting on the use of prescription medications in primary care in LMICs over the last decade, found that the pooled prevalence of antibiotic prescribing in primary care was 52%—far higher than the 30% recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). (Dall, 6/17)