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A new study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases involving over 460,000 children and adolescents across 40 paediatric hospitals in the USA suggests that children who were infected with COVID-19 for the second time during the Omicron wave had more than double the risk of developing long COVID.

Conducted by researchers under the US National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded RECOVER Initiative*, this is the largest study to date examining the long-term effects of COVID-19 reinfection in young people. The study analysed electronic health records from January 2022 through October 2023, a period dominated by the highly transmissible Omicron variant. Researchers compared health outcomes following children’s first and second documented COVID-19 infections to isolate the risks associated with reinfection.

They found that after a first COVID-19 infection, about 904 children per million developed long COVID within six months. Following a second infection (reinfection), this number more than doubled to approximately 1,884 children per million. The higher risk was observed across many different groups in the study, regardless of whether they were vaccinated, how serious their first illness was, their age, gender, race or ethnicity, or if they were living with overweight or obesity. The authors say this increased risk of long COVID following reinfections highlights the continued importance of preventing COVID-19 infections through vaccination and other protective measures such as masking and social distancing.

Reinfection was linked to a wide range of rare but persistent and sometimes serious conditions potentially associated with long COVID in children, including heart inflammation (myocarditis), blood clots, kidney injury, cognitive difficulties, fatigue, and respiratory problems.

The authors emphasise that while vaccines and other prevention measures may not completely eliminate the risk of contracting COVID-19, they remain the most effective way to prevent both initial infections and reinfections, thereby reducing the risk of long-lasting symptoms in children. They say the study’s findings reinforce the need to strengthen public health efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccination coverage among children and adolescents.

*The NIH’s RECOVER (Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery) Initiative is dedicated to understanding long COVID, developing better treatments, and guiding strategies to protect people of all ages from the prolonged effects of COVID-19.

Reference:

Zhang, Bingyu et al., Long COVID associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection among children and adolescents in the omicron era (RECOVER-EHR): a retrospective cohort study, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, DOI:10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00476-1.

Researchers have found in a new randomized, triple-blinded clinical trial that silver diamine fluoride (SDF) was more effective in halting initial approximal caries lesions in adults during the first six months of treatment. This offers significant disease-control benefits for high-risk patients presenting with multiple early lesions, providing a minimally invasive option for managing dental decay.

The study, published in Journal of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics (Jaradat et al., 2025), involved adults with early interproximal lesions who were randomly assigned to receive either SDF or a placebo. Lesions were evaluated at six- and twelve-month intervals using bitewing radiographs, digital subtraction radiography (DSR), and histogram analysis of subtraction radiographs (HA). Results showed that while over 90% of lesions in both groups were arrested over 12 months, the SDF-treated lesions performed significantly better during the first six months when assessed using DSR. By the 12-month mark, differences between the groups were no longer statistically significant, but the early benefit highlights SDF’s effectiveness in rapid intervention for lesion control.

What this really means is that SDF can serve as a simple, low-cost, and minimally invasive strategy for arresting early interproximal decay, particularly in adults at high risk for multiple lesions. By stopping the progression of early caries, dental practitioners can reduce the need for more invasive restorations and improve long-term oral health outcomes. The authors also note that while the short-term benefits are clear, further studies are needed to confirm sustained efficacy beyond a year and to explore optimized application protocols. For patients, this study reinforces the importance of early detection and treatment of interproximal lesions, which are often difficult to manage and frequently go unnoticed until more advanced decay develops. Clinicians may consider incorporating SDF into preventive care plans for high-risk adults to enhance early caries control and minimize future restorative needs.

Reference: Jaradat, M., Kolker, J., Owais, A., Guzman-Armstrong, S., Haes, A., Anamali, S., Comnick, C., Zeng, E., & Kanellis, M. (2025). Silver diamine fluoride effectiveness in arresting initial approximal caries lesions in adults: A triple-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial. Journal of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, 28(9), 892–898. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12440336/

Keywords: silver diamine fluoride, approximal caries, minimal intervention, subtraction radiography, dental disease control, Jaradat, Journal of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics.

Jaipur: The Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL) has imposed a ban on the distribution and use of a batch of cough syrup following reports of adverse reactions in Bharatpur and Sikar districts.

Patients reported alarming symptoms, including vomiting, drowsiness, anxiety, dizziness, restlessness, and even unconsciousness, after taking the medication.

Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar directed RMSCL to conduct an urgent probe and take immediate action upon receiving the complaints. Acting swiftly, RMSCL suspended the use of the Dextromethorphan HBr Syrup IP 13.5mg/5ml (Batch No. 440) pending test results.

Principal Secretary of the Medical and Health Department, Gayatri Rathore, confirmed that statutory samples were collected by Drug Control Officers and forwarded to the State Drug Testing Laboratory for quality analysis. She said further steps will be taken once the test results are available.

As per IANS, RMSCL has also ordered a ban on 19 other batches of the same drug supplied by the concerned manufacturer. RMSCL Managing Director Pukhraj Sain emphasised that strict quality control procedures are in place under the Chief Minister’s Free Medicine Scheme.

Every drug batch supplied is first tested in approved laboratories, and only medicines meeting prescribed standards are released for hospital use. If any batch fails, it is barred from distribution. In cases where complaints are received, drugs are retested at the State Drug Testing Laboratory to ensure public safety. Officials stressed that public health remains the government’s top priority and assured that necessary regulatory action will follow based on laboratory findings.

Patients have been advised to immediately discontinue use of the affected batches until further notice. The incident has raised concerns over drug safety standards, but authorities have reiterated their commitment to strict monitoring and swift corrective measures to protect patients.

A 5-year-old child died after reportedly consuming cough syrup supplied under the government’s free medicine scheme in Sikar district. The family alleged that the child, identified as Nityansh, stopped breathing immediately after taking the dose.

Similar incidents have surfaced in Srimadhopur and Bharatpur. In Sikar, three children reportedly fell ill after consuming the same cough syrup. In Bharatpur, even a doctor who examined the children later experienced health complications after consuming the medicine.

The most recent case occurred in Khori Brahmanan village of Sikar, where Nityansh’s family claims that the cough syrup provided at a government hospital was directly responsible for his sudden death.