The New England journal of medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy and Safety of Bepirovirsen in Chronic Hepatitis B Infection.
Bepirovirsen is an antisense oligonucleotide that targets all hepatitis B virus (HBV) messenger RNAs and acts to decrease levels of viral proteins. ⋯ In this phase 2b trial, bepirovirsen at a dose of 300 mg per week for 24 weeks resulted in sustained HBsAg and HBV DNA loss in 9 to 10% of participants with chronic HBV infection. Larger and longer trials are required to assess the efficacy and safety of bepirovirsen. (Funded by GSK; B-Clear ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04449029.).
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Comparative Study
Lifting Universal Masking in Schools - Covid-19 Incidence among Students and Staff.
In February 2022, Massachusetts rescinded a statewide universal masking policy in public schools, and many Massachusetts school districts lifted masking requirements during the subsequent weeks. In the greater Boston area, only two school districts - the Boston and neighboring Chelsea districts - sustained masking requirements through June 2022. The staggered lifting of masking requirements provided an opportunity to examine the effect of universal masking policies on the incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in schools. ⋯ Among school districts in the greater Boston area, the lifting of masking requirements was associated with an additional 44.9 Covid-19 cases per 1000 students and staff during the 15 weeks after the statewide masking policy was rescinded.