Pandemic News and Research

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A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

Officials agree: Use settlement funds to curb youth addiction. But the ‘how’ gets hairy.

When three teenagers died of fentanyl overdoses last year in Larimer County, Colorado, it shocked the community and “flipped families upside down,” said Tom Gonzales, the county’s public health director.

25 Sep 2023

COVID-19 pushed upstate New Yorkers to embrace backyard farming

During the COVID-19 pandemic, upstate New Yorkers turned to backyard and wild food production to gain more control over their food supply, according to a study by Cornell University. The research highlights how the pandemic-related disruptions in conventional food supply chains led to a significant uptick in gardening, poultry rearing, and foraging as a strategy to improve food security.

25 Sep 2023

Has the COVID-19 pandemic widened the mental health gap in the UK?

The study explores the varying mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the UK's adult population, revealing increased inequalities and distress. Utilizing both surveys and focus group discussions, the research emphasizes the urgent need for targeted interventions and policy responses to address deteriorating mental health and growing disparities.

24 Sep 2023

COVID-19 pandemic has increased mental health burden on family and friends of patients

Family members and close friends of people with COVID-19 have elevated symptoms of depression and anxiety, a study from Karolinska Institutet published in The Lancet Regional Health - Europe reports.

22 Sep 2023

Could creatine supplementation be the answer to post-COVID-19 fatigue?

In a recent study published in the journal Food Science & Nutrition, researchers investigated creatine supplementations as a potential intervention strategy to attenuate the clinical symptoms of post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome.

22 Sep 2023

VAX-seq: the future of mRNA vaccine analysis and quality assurance?

Researchers proposed a simplified approach for analyzing mRNA vaccines using long-read sequencing.

22 Sep 2023

Cough analysis as a tool to predict severe pneumonia in COVID-19 patients

While most individuals impacted by COVID-19 experience milder symptoms and recover within a few weeks, the global pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to pose a significant health challenge.

21 Sep 2023

Unlocking the power of mRNA vaccines: From COVID-19 to cancer and beyond

A comprehensive review in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy delves into the versatility and effectiveness of mRNA vaccines, from their game-changing role in COVID-19 to potential applications in cancer and rare diseases. Despite drawbacks like stability and high immunogenicity, advancements in vaccine technology have poised mRNA platforms as a robust tool for both preventive and therapeutic interventions.

21 Sep 2023

Biden administration to ban medical debt from Americans’ credit scores

The Biden administration announced a major initiative to protect Americans from medical debt on Thursday, outlining plans to develop federal rules barring unpaid medical bills from affecting patients' credit scores.

21 Sep 2023

New UK funding will help tackle the world's most pressing health challenges

New UK funding will help achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals by boosting health security and improving health and wellbeing around the world.

21 Sep 2023

Study offers new insight into immune cells critical to successful vaccination against SARS-CoV-2

A study has revealed new details about a key population of immune system cells critical to successful vaccination against the pandemic virus, SARS-CoV-2.

21 Sep 2023

Study highlights brain area that plays a key role in psychological loss

Psychological loss can occur when someone loses a job, loses a sense of control or safety or when a spouse dies.

21 Sep 2023

Think again: Suppressing negative thoughts may actually improve mental health

Suppressing negative thoughts may not be harmful after all, says new study from University of Cambridge researchers. Training participants to actively suppress worrisome thoughts led to less vivid fears and improved mental health, challenging the notion that thought suppression is maladaptive.

21 Sep 2023

Has the COVID-19 pandemic made young adults less fit?

A recent study in Scientific Reports reveals that one year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, young adults experienced significant declines in physical fitness parameters, including explosive power, aerobic and anaerobic capacities, and weight. These changes could have serious health implications, especially for those with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, underscoring the importance of promoting physical activity during and after pandemics.

20 Sep 2023

Calm and hope may be promising routes to psychological wellbeing after crisis

Periods of collective stress, such as a pandemic or climate crisis, have a major impact on our psychological wellbeing.

20 Sep 2023

Study highlights mental health toll of the pandemic on older adults with COPD

A new longitudinal study published online in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease found that older adults with COPD had a heightened risk of depression during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

20 Sep 2023

Nanotechnology-based strategies for preventing, treating, and diagnosing viral infections

Newly emerging and recurrent cases of viral infections constitute a significant problem and a huge challenge to public health.

20 Sep 2023

Obesity linked to poorer outcomes in people with bipolar disorders

The obesity pandemic is particularly hard on people with bipolar disorders. This has been shown in a study conducted at the University of Gothenburg.

20 Sep 2023

How will rural Americans fare during Medicaid unwinding? Experts fear they’re on their own

Abby Madore covers a lot of ground each day at work. A staffer at a community health center in Carson City, Nevada, Madore spends her days helping low-income residents understand their health insurance options, including Medicaid.

20 Sep 2023

Is sucralose the safer sweetener for your gut health?

The study found that consuming a beverage sweetened with sucrose significantly increased bacterial endotoxin levels in the blood, a marker for inflammation and gut barrier dysfunction, while no such effect was observed with sucralose-sweetened drinks. The findings suggest that sucralose may be a safer alternative to sucrose in terms of intestinal health and inflammation.

19 Sep 2023