covid 19 News and Research

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New compounds reduce inflammation without weakening immune defense

Scripps Research scientists have developed a new class of drug compounds that reduce harmful inflammation while leaving the body's ability to fight infections intact-a long-sought goal in treating autoimmune diseases.

6 Apr 2026

Estonian study reveals varied stress responses during first pandemic year

Karel Kulbin, a well-being researcher at Tallinn University, focuses in his doctoral thesis on how perceived stress levels and depressive symptoms among Estonian residents changed during the first year of the pandemic and what role active leisure activities played in this.

6 Apr 2026

Requests for “unvaccinated” blood lead to delays and patient harm

The trend for unvaccinated blood donations raises concerns about patient safety and resource efficiency, emphasizing the need for better transfusion protocols.

6 Apr 2026

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.3.2 shows no signs of greater danger

The Global Virus Network (GVN), representing eminent human and animal virologists from more than 90 Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in over 40 countries dedicated to advancing research, collaboration, and pandemic preparedness, is monitoring the SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.3.2, sometimes informally referred to in media reports as the "cicada" variant, and emphasizes that current evidence does not indicate cause for alarm or heightened public concern.

3 Apr 2026

Study reveals widening gender gap in veteran well-being after COVID-19

While the COVID-19 pandemic challenged all veterans transitioning to civilian life, female post-9/11 veterans experienced a sharper decline in overall well-being compared to their male counterparts, according to new research from the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State.

3 Apr 2026

New drying technique stabilizes vital vaccines at room temperature

A significant challenge in global healthcare and biotechnology is the "cold chain"-the network of refrigerated storage and transport required to keep protein-based drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic tests from degrading.

2 Apr 2026

PCV schedule shift associated with increased vaccination inequalities in England

Vaccine uptake data has been examined to assess the impact of moving from a '2+1' to a '1+1' Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) dose schedule on vaccine coverage and health inequalities among infants in England.

1 Apr 2026

Walking remains most popular activity despite low guideline adherence

In a study of U.S. adults, walking was, by far, the most popular leisure-time physical activity, while rural residents also enjoyed gardening, hunting and fishing, and urban residents more commonly reported running, weightlifting and dance. Urban residents were more likely than rural residents to meet physical activity guidelines.

1 Apr 2026

Study finds higher heart disease risk in long COVID patients

People with long COVID are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in eClinicalMedicine.

1 Apr 2026

Boosting retail sales and nutrition through entrance-level produce displays

Placing fruit and vegetable sections near supermarket entrances increases the amount purchased and may improve the quality of women's diets, according to a new study funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

1 Apr 2026

Reusable antimicrobial masks shed toxic metals during washing

Study shows reusable masks may leach harmful metals into aquatic environments, emphasizing the environmental risks of metal nanoparticles in manufacturing.

1 Apr 2026

Common antibacterial soaps and wipes may worsen antibiotic resistance crisis

An international team of scientists is warning that everyday antibacterial soaps, wipes, sprays, and other "germ‑killing" products are quietly contributing to the global rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) while providing no added health benefit for most consumer uses.

31 Mar 2026

New T cell mechanism could lead to longer-lasting vaccines

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine have identified a possible way to make longer lasting vaccines for respiratory viruses like influenza and the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

31 Mar 2026

Children’s screen use surged significantly during and after pandemic

First systematic review to track long-term trends across pre- and post-pandemic periods finds dramatic rise in screen use among children and adolescents.

30 Mar 2026

Antidepressant fluvoxamine reduces long COVID fatigue in clinical trial

A randomized placebo-controlled trial found that fluvoxamine, a low-cost antidepressant, reduced fatigue and improved quality of life in adults with long COVID, offering one of the first evidence-based medication options for this persistent condition. In contrast, metformin did not provide meaningful benefit for established long COVID fatigue, highlighting fluvoxamine as the more promising treatment candidate in this study.

30 Mar 2026

Aging lung cells drive severe inflammation in flu and COVID

Older adults are much more likely to become seriously ill from flu or COVID because aging lung cells can drive excessive immune responses, according to a new study led by researchers at UC San Francisco.

27 Mar 2026

Do multi-strain probiotics improve long covid symptoms?

Multi-strain probiotics show potential to modulate gut microbiome in long COVID, yet their impact on inflammation and recovery is not statistically significant.

27 Mar 2026

Global maternal deaths decline but progress slows worldwide

Global maternal deaths have declined over the past three decades, yet progress has slowed in recent years and remains uneven across countries, according to new Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 research published today in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women's Health.

26 Mar 2026

CDC tracks SARS-CoV-2 BA.3.2 global rise and finds early signals in U.S. wastewater

CDC surveillance shows that the highly divergent SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.3.2 spread to at least 23 countries and was detected in U.S. travelers, patients, airplane wastewater, and wastewater samples across multiple states. The report highlights wastewater and traveler-based genomic surveillance as early warning tools while noting that BA.3.2 has immune-evasion potential but has not rapidly displaced other circulating lineages.

25 Mar 2026

COVID-19 virus evolved quickly but within strict genetic limits

A new paper in Genome Biology and Evolution, published by Oxford University Press, indicates that while the COVID-19 virus has developed rapidly since 2019, it has done so within limited genetic channels.

25 Mar 2026