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.

UK self-tests overstate accuracy and pose usability risks

Analysis of UK self-tests reveals critical flaws in accuracy claims, highlighting risks and the need for enhanced regulatory standards for consumer safety.

28 Jul 2025

Global vaccination effort saved 2.5 million lives from SARS-CoV-2

Thanks to vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2 in the period 2020-2024 2.533 million deaths were prevented at global level, one death was avoided for every 5,400 doses of vaccine administered. The 82% of the lives saved by vaccines involved people vaccinated before encountering the virus, 57% during the Omicron period, and 90% involved people aged 60 years and older. In all, vaccines have saved 14.8 million years of life (one year of life saved for 900 doses of vaccine administered).

28 Jul 2025

Study finds past H1N1 exposure shields animals from deadly H5N1

Preexisting immunity to the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus provided near-complete protection against severe H5N1 disease and transmission in ferrets, even after high-dose exposure. In contrast, H3N2 immunity alone offered only partial, inconsistent protection.

28 Jul 2025

CoVerage outperforms rivals in early detection of COVID mutations

The CoVerage system monitors SARS-CoV-2 evolution, predicting variants and scoring amino acid changes to inform vaccine efficacy and public health strategies.

24 Jul 2025

Infants and preschoolers show unique signs of long COVID

Infants, toddlers and preschoolers exhibit symptoms of long COVID, but the symptoms can be different and more difficult to identify in these children, according to Rutgers Health research.

23 Jul 2025

Study reveals pandemic life made brains age faster, even without catching COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated biological brain aging in older adults by an average of 5.5 months over less than three years, regardless of infection status. Social disruption, age, male sex, and socioeconomic disadvantage heightened vulnerability, while only infected individuals showed measurable declines in executive function.

23 Jul 2025

New method genetically blocks mosquitoes from transmitting malaria

Mosquitoes kill more people each year than any other animal. In 2023, the blood-sucking insects infected a reported 263 million people with malaria, leading to nearly 600,000 deaths, 80% of which were children.

23 Jul 2025

Heavy drinking now poses greater liver disease risk than two decades ago

Americans who drink heavily are more than twice as likely to develop significant liver disease compared to 20 years ago, according to a new Keck Medicine of USC study published today in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

23 Jul 2025

Scientists make breakthrough in developing Nipah virus vaccine for pigs

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have taken a major step forward in tackling one of the world's most dangerous viruses, the Nipah virus, by evaluating vaccine candidates for pigs.

23 Jul 2025

New analysis reveals hidden economic burden of PTSD in the UK

The annual UK cost of the mental health disorder PTSD is likely to top £40 billion, but the figures are based on 2020-1 prevalence rates-the most recently available-and don't include many indirect costs, such as family support services, finds a cost analysis published in the open access journal BMJ Open.

22 Jul 2025

Over 14 million children miss lifesaving vaccines threatening global goals

More than 14 million children missed out on lifesaving vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough last year, putting global goals off track, new UN data shows.

22 Jul 2025

Funding cuts threaten decades of progress in the fight against HIV

Countries worldwide must step up to support the fight against HIV or face the “ticking time bomb” left by the wholesale withdrawal of US funding, warns UNAIDS.

22 Jul 2025

Covid-19 pandemic linked to accelerated brain aging

A new study, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, has found that the Covid-19 pandemic may have accelerated people's brain health, even if they were never infected with the virus.

22 Jul 2025

Low-cost diagnostic tool delivers COVID-19 test results in under an hour

An affordable new diagnostic tool that delivers COVID-19 test results in under an hour could help boost pandemic preparedness in resource-poor regions, according to a team of researchers.

22 Jul 2025

AI and wastewater surveillance unite to detect emerging viruses

Wastewater surveillance became a popular choice among public health officials looking to track rapid virus mutations and spread patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

21 Jul 2025

Early smartphone use linked to poorer mental health in young adults

Owning a smartphone before age 13 is associated with poorer mind health and wellbeing in early adulthood, according to a global study of more than 100,000 young people.

21 Jul 2025

One-third of U.S. public schools mandate mental health checks for students

Nearly one-third of the nation's K-12 U.S. public schools mandate mental health screening for students, with most offering in-person treatment or referral to a community mental health professional if a student is identified as having depression or anxiety, according to a new study.

18 Jul 2025

Study underscores the need for enhanced child abuse detection during public health emergencies

Child physical abuse (CPA) is a leading cause of injury-related death among infants and young children. Common indicators include bruises, fractures, and particularly retinal and intracranial hemorrhages.

18 Jul 2025

Rethinking childhood obesity through gentle nutrition and emotional support

Over the past decades, childhood obesity has become a global health crisis, intensified by the sedentary routines and dietary disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

18 Jul 2025

Insurers and customers brace for double whammy to Obamacare premiums

Most of the 24 million people in Affordable Care Act health plans face a potential one-two punch next year — double-digit premium increases along with a sharp drop in the federal subsidies that most consumers depend on to buy the coverage, also known as Obamacare.

18 Jul 2025