Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a novel post-infectious inflammatory condition associated with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), characterized by prolonged fever, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and rash.¹ To some extent, the disease resembles Kawasaki disease (KD), toxic shock syndrome (TSS), and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), increasing the difficulty in differential diagnosis in clinical practice.¹ In an interview with Omnihealth Practice, Dr. Cheung, Wai-Yin Eddie discussed the challenge of evaluating suspected MIS-C cases in real-life scenarios and emphasized the importance of timely intervention among children who were infected with or recently recovered from COVID-19. He also shared a clinical case of a 7-year-old girl with MIS-C who presented with early MIS-C symptoms and was managed with immunomodulatory treatment, swiftly achieving favorable outcomes.

During the fifth wave of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [B.1.1.529 (Omicron), predominant] infected over a million people and claimed more than 9,000 lives in Hong Kong.¹ Elderly people aged ≥60 years were the most vulnerable population and accounted for ≥95% of the total death cases.¹ Among the deceased, most were unvaccinated (>70%), or had received only 1 dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and/or were with known chronic diseases.¹ Even for people who have received 2 doses of vaccines, increasing evidence showed that protection against severe COVID-19 would be reduced due to the waning immune responses against the Omicron variant.² As such, in an interview with Omnihealth Practice, Professor HUNG, Fan-Ngai Ivan, addressed the rising concern about Omicron and presented the latest data showing that BNT162b2 boosters are still highly effective against the new threat. He also provided some updates on the development of new Omicron-adapted vaccines for conferring better protection to people.