Pandemic roundup: Even mild Covid-19 can damage brain; more young children have been hospitalized during Omicron

Here's a roundup of recent news stories about the pandemic and vaccination efforts:

Hospitalizations of children under the age of five increased fivefold during the Omicron surge, but few died, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, even hospitalizations matter, not just because of the potential long-term side effects from a severe Covid-19 case, but because a glut of patients strains local and regional health-care resources. Read more here.

Even mild cases of Covid-19 can lead to brain damage, a new British study found. Read more here.

More than 200,000 children in the U.S. have lost a parent or caregiver to Covid-19, but efforts to help them have been haphazard. Read more here.

Moderna is seeking authorization for a second booster shot of its coronavirus vaccine for people ages 18 and up, citing concerns that immune protection from the vaccine wanes over time. Pfizer has also sought permission for a second booster, but only for seniors. Read more here.

An Israeli study found that health-care workers who got a second booster (the fourth shot total) only got a little more protection from reinfection than peers who only got three shots. However, the fourth shot did seem to make Covid-19 symptoms less severe. Read more here.