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.

Why did people report feeling better during COVID-19? A French study offers clues

Assessing well-being in France (2014-2023), the study finds COVID-19 influenced scores, with health symptoms significantly affecting emotional health.

21 Oct 2026

Daily vaping in the US rises by 230% from 2013-14

More people are likely vaping, and with greater frequency, in the US since 2013-14, suggests a data analysis published online in the journal Tobacco Control.

20 Oct 2026

Vaccination does not alter post-COVID smell and taste loss

Researchers examining whether COVID-19 vaccination affects persistent smell or taste problems after contracting the virus have found that, in most cases, it does not.

20 Oct 2026

Asian study shows ADHD disability burden peaks in early adolescence

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder and imposes a lifelong burden extending beyond core symptoms to academic achievement, quality of life, and long-term disability.

20 Oct 2026

Perceptions of science and scientists shape partisan views on common vaccines

How Americans view science and scientists is strongly associated with whether they think vaccines are safe and effective - and helps explain partisan differences in perceptions of some vaccines, according to a new study led by a team from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania.

20 Oct 2026

A study of 62.5 million people reveals what broad ethnic labels miss about rare diseases

Researchers analyzing health records from 62.5 million people in England found that the prevalence of 406 rare diseases varied substantially between ethnic communities, with important differences concealed by broad ethnic classifications. Recorded COVID-19 infections were also more common among people with the studied rare diseases (32.8% versus 29.0%), although differences in age, disease composition, and testing practices may have influenced these findings.

19 Oct 2026

What you did last week may be the strongest clue to how much you'll exercise this week

Researchers analyzing exercise records from 5.17 million Strava users across 65 countries found that recent exercise history was the strongest predictor of whether individuals would meet a weekly physical activity threshold during the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical activity patterns varied considerably across regions, with greater disruption in many middle-income countries and better adherence associated with greater access to outdoor exercise facilities.

18 Oct 2026

New AI project models human behavior to track epidemic spread

A consortium led by the University de Zaragoza, with the participation of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), has been selected in the 2026 Health Research Call by the "la Caixa" Foundation—one of the most competitive biomedical research funding calls in Spain and Portugal.

15 Oct 2026

Breast milk antibodies show promise against multiple respiratory viruses

Yona Tugg and colleagues show that a polyclonal secretory immunoglobulin A preparation, purified from breast milk pooled from multiple donors, neutralized respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human adenovirus type 5, and H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses in laboratory assays.

14 Oct 2026

Ebola vaccine triggers cross reactive T cells against Bundibugyo ebolavirus

The ongoing Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second-largest Ebolavirus outbreak globally, with more than 6,000 confirmed cases and a mortality rate of 48 percent.

14 Oct 2026

New review highlights expanding potential of therapeutic DNA vaccines

A new review published in Genes & Diseases highlights the expanding potential of DNA-based vaccines as a flexible platform for preventing infectious diseases, treating cancer and strengthening preparedness for future disease outbreaks.

12 Oct 2026

Systemic failures protect medical professionals who commit serious crimes

Institutional fear of litigation, reputation damage and career consequences can create a protective shield around the small minority of doctors who commit serious crimes against patients, experts warn.

12 Oct 2026

A simple handgrip test offers new clues about long COVID

Weaker handgrip strength correlates with severe long COVID symptoms, highlighting its potential as a measure for muscle dysfunction and recovery challenges.

12 Oct 2026

Severe long Covid associated with distinct oral and lung microbiomes

A study of more than 700 people has shown that those with long Covid have distinct differences in the mix of bacteria that live in their mouths and lungs, according to a study published today (Monday) in the European Respiratory Journal.

11 Oct 2026

Global cardiac rehabilitation access stagnates despite rising cardiovascular disease

Despite rising incidents of cardiovascular disease (CVD), along with evidence that cardiac rehabilitation programs improve outcomes for those living with CVD, availability of these programs has not increased worldwide in the past decade, according to a new study by York University researchers.

9 Oct 2026

Nasal immune adjuvant protects mice against respiratory viruses for months

The COVID-19 pandemic showed the challenges of protecting populations when a new respiratory virus emerges.

9 Oct 2026

Global wildfire incidents declined during pandemic lockdowns, study finds

When the COVID-19 pandemic brought human activity to a standstill around the world in the first half of 2020, wildfire incidents also declined by more than 12%.

9 Oct 2026

County analysis reveals deep geographic and racial heart disease disparities

Despite sustained declines in overall cardiovascular disease mortality in the U.S., disparities based on race, ethnicity and place still persist, with mortality varying far more across counties than states, according to a county-by-cause-by-population analysis published in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology (ACC).

7 Oct 2026

Randox signs UKHSA contract to strengthen UK pandemic preparedness

Randox has signed a contract with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to provide surge testing in support of the UK’s preparedness for future pandemics and public health emergencies.

7 Oct 2026

New model links long-term infection costs to higher vaccination rates

New modeling led by interdisciplinary scientists at the University of British Columbia (UBC) could help public health officials better factor in the long-term impacts of infectious disease when determining optimum vaccine coverage rates.

6 Oct 2026