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.

Paxlovid has been free so far. Next year, sticker shock awaits.

Nearly 6 million Americans have taken Paxlovid for free, courtesy of the federal government. The Pfizer pill has helped prevent many people infected with covid-19 from being hospitalized or dying, and it may even reduce the risk of developing long covid.

7 Dec 2022

Innovative technique uses AI and a digital camera to monitor blood pressure

Monitoring blood pressure using a digital camera could soon be the norm, thanks to an innovative technique demonstrated by Australian and Iraqi researchers.

7 Dec 2022

COVID-19 disruptions associated with lowest number of Australia’s public hospital elective surgeries

The number of patients treated in the 2021–22 financial year from Australia’s public hospital elective surgery waiting lists (‘elective’ meaning non-emergency) fell to the lowest level since 2010–11. This was associated with disruptions to hospital services as a result of COVID-19.

7 Dec 2022

Physical functions among Japanese children deteriorated after the onset of pandemic, study finds

A team of researchers from Nagoya University in central Japan investigated how restrictions on children's activities during the COVID-19 pandemic affected their life habits and their abilities to perform physical activities.

6 Dec 2022

Government launches new Elective Recovery Taskforce to bust the Covid backlogs

Patients will benefit from quicker access to treatment and lifesaving diagnostic tests close to home following the launch of a new Elective Recovery Taskforce and approval of 19 new one stop shops for tests, checks and scans, the Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay announced today.

6 Dec 2022

Pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 antibodies may increase the breadth of mRNA vaccines, study suggests

Nearly three years into the pandemic, many of us now carry antibodies against the virus - due to an infection or two, a few doses of mRNA vaccine, or a round of monoclonal-antibody treatment.

6 Dec 2022

Drug overdose deaths reach a record high among pregnant and postpartum women, study reveals

Drug overdose deaths among pregnant and postpartum women increased more than 180 percent in the past five years, according to a new study conducted at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

6 Dec 2022

COVID-19 vaccination may cause temporary menstrual disturbances in adolescent girls

The Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine may increase the risk of menstrual disturbances in adolescent girls in their first cycle after vaccination.

6 Dec 2022

Colorectal cancer doesn’t wait - DNA methylation tests facilitate earlier treatment

In this interview, Yantao Li and Zhe Wang, Director of Cancer Early Screening Products and the Product Director of Oncology at BGI Genomics, talks to NewsMedical about colorectal cancer (CRC), including why incidences are important and the importance of screening.

From BGI Genomics 6 Dec 2022

Mental health support needed for care home nurses to help recover from Covid trauma

Those on the front line of the Covid pandemic need mental health support to help them recover from, or manage, the stress and trauma they faced - according to University of East Anglia research.

6 Dec 2022

Is remdesivir treatment associated with reduced risk of inpatient mortality among US patients hospitalized with COVID-19?

Researchers assessed the effect of remdesivir on inpatient COVID-19-associated mortality among individuals hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infections in an enormous dataset of US residents beyond clinical trial settings.

6 Dec 2022

Is course delivery model (entirely online vs mix of online and in-person classes) associated with college students’ mental health?

Researchers assessed the association between the model of course delivery and mental distress among students attending college in the United States.

6 Dec 2022

Wearing face masks can temporarily disrupt decision-making in some situations

Wearing a face mask can temporarily disrupt decision-making in some situations according to University of Queensland research.

5 Dec 2022

Vaccine hesitancy linked with future COVID-19 vaccination side effects

While the production of COVID vaccines could have been the "light at the end of the pandemic tunnel", this outcome was hampered at critical stages by vaccine hesitancy, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "the reluctance or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines".

5 Dec 2022

Wearing glasses does not reduce risk of COVID-19

A new study determines the impact of wearing glasses on the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses.

5 Dec 2022

Plans to amend pension rules will boost NHS workforce, retain more experienced clinicians

All NHS staff, including senior doctors, will benefit from proposed plans to fix pension rules, supporting them to remain in work for longer and boosting the workforce as the NHS continues to take action to tackle the Covid backlogs.

5 Dec 2022

Trial aims to make it easier, convenient for patients to perform health checks and reduce pressure on GPs

A landmark trial aiming to make it easier and more convenient for patients to carry out important health checks and reduce pressure on GPs has been launched in Cornwall.

5 Dec 2022

How did the seasonal patterns of RSV infections in 2022 compare with those from other COVID-19 pandemic and pre-pandemic years?

Researchers assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the seasonal patterns of RSV infections among young children residing in the US.

5 Dec 2022

Exploring effects of COVID-19 pandemic on neurodevelopment and mental health in adolescents

Researchers examined the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on adolescents' neurodevelopment and mental health.

5 Dec 2022

Much of the CDC is working remotely. That could make changing the agency difficult.

Earlier this year, top leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began a monumental task: turning the sprawling, labyrinthine organization known for its highly specialized, academically focused scientific research into a sleek, flexible public health response agency primed to serve the American public.

5 Dec 2022

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

Paxlovid has been free so far. Next year, sticker shock awaits.

Innovative technique uses AI and a digital camera to monitor blood pressure

COVID-19 disruptions associated with lowest number of Australia’s public hospital elective surgeries

Physical functions among Japanese children deteriorated after the onset of pandemic, study finds

Government launches new Elective Recovery Taskforce to bust the Covid backlogs

Pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 antibodies may increase the breadth of mRNA vaccines, study suggests

Drug overdose deaths reach a record high among pregnant and postpartum women, study reveals

COVID-19 vaccination may cause temporary menstrual disturbances in adolescent girls

Colorectal cancer doesn’t wait - DNA methylation tests facilitate earlier treatment

Mental health support needed for care home nurses to help recover from Covid trauma

Is remdesivir treatment associated with reduced risk of inpatient mortality among US patients hospitalized with COVID-19?

Is course delivery model (entirely online vs mix of online and in-person classes) associated with college students’ mental health?

Wearing face masks can temporarily disrupt decision-making in some situations

Vaccine hesitancy linked with future COVID-19 vaccination side effects

Wearing glasses does not reduce risk of COVID-19

Plans to amend pension rules will boost NHS workforce, retain more experienced clinicians

Trial aims to make it easier, convenient for patients to perform health checks and reduce pressure on GPs

How did the seasonal patterns of RSV infections in 2022 compare with those from other COVID-19 pandemic and pre-pandemic years?

Exploring effects of COVID-19 pandemic on neurodevelopment and mental health in adolescents

Much of the CDC is working remotely. That could make changing the agency difficult.

Best practices - optimize qPCR processes for pathogen detection eBook

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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