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.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Oh, oh, omicron

This week, the U.S. passed the milestone of 800,000 dead from covid-19, as hospitals are starting to fill following the Thanksgiving holiday and the ominous omicron variant starts to spread rapidly.

16 Dec 2021

New study demonstrates SARS-CoV-2 Omicron antibody escape

A new study examined the neutralization of virus variants using three sets of antibodies: serum from individuals vaccinated or infected with earlier variants of the virus; concentrated human antibodies from plasma donors; and approved monoclonal antibodies.

16 Dec 2021

Moderna booster vaccination overcomes SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant antibody escape

A new study reports the results of a study focused on immune evasion characteristics, specifically the ability to escape neutralization by antibodies to the earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants or to the spike antigen used in COVID-19 vaccines.

16 Dec 2021

Study suggests convalescent plasma appears safe but does not prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection

A new study assesses the safety and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 convalescent plasma containing high titers of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies as PEP.

16 Dec 2021

WHO and Sanofi sign new agreement to sustain specific efforts to eliminate NTDs

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Sanofi – one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies – have signed a new agreement for donations of medicines to sustain specific efforts to eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

16 Dec 2021

Study finds high psychological distress among UK nursing and midwifery workforce during COVID-19

Extremely concerning levels of psychological distress are reported in results from a longitudinal study of the UK nursing and midwifery workforce during COVID-19. The findings could help how staff are supported in healthcare services now and in future.

16 Dec 2021

Study details the effectiveness of face masks to reduce the spread of respiratory infections

Findings from a new study published today provide guidance for increasing the effectiveness of face masks to reduce the spread of respiratory infectious pathogens including SARS-CoV-2. T

16 Dec 2021

Therapeutic antibodies deemed ineffective against Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2

A new study found that the Omicron S protein evades antibodies with a 44-fold higher efficiency than the Delta variant's spike, rendering therapeutic antibodies ineffective and likely negatively impacting antibody protection induced by infection or double vaccination.

16 Dec 2021

T cell responses remain broadly robust against Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2

A new study highlights the significance of robust T cell responses in preventing severe omicron infections.

16 Dec 2021

Neutralization potency of COVID-19 vaccine boosters against SARS-CoV-2 variant pseudoviruses

A new study has used this assay to evaluate sera, obtained from 239 individuals vaccinated via any of the above-stated vaccines against SARS-CoV-2’s original strain, the Delta, and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses.

16 Dec 2021

Study illustrates the impact of COVID-19 on breastfeeding

The percentage of infants fully breastfed at 1,3, and 6 months significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic among participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in Southern California.

16 Dec 2021

Human monoclonal antibody protects against SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV in vivo

Scientists identified a human monoclonal antibody (mAb), which successfully neutralized or bound all sarbecoviruses tested in vitro.

16 Dec 2021

Study suggests Omicron can be neutralized by BNT162b2 recipient sera optimally after three vaccine doses

Researchers from Westmead Hospital have been investigating the effect of a third dose on neutralizing antibody titres in already vaccinated individuals.

16 Dec 2021

Nurses in crisis over covid dig in for better work conditions

Nurses and health care workers across the country are finding strength in numbers and with labor actions not seen in years.

16 Dec 2021

Covid shots for kids are scarce — and demand is mixed — in rural Montana

When children ages 5 to 11 were approved for Pfizer's lower-dose pediatric covid-19 vaccine in November, Annie Edwards was eager to get her daughter Hannah, then 5, the shot because of underlying health conditions she has stemming from her premature birth.

16 Dec 2021

After ‘truly appalling’ death toll in nursing homes, California rethinks their funding

About 1 in 8 Californians who have died of covid lived in a nursing home. They were among the state's most frail residents: nearly 9,400 mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts and uncles whom Californians entrusted to a nursing home's care. An additional 56,275 confirmed covid cases among nursing home residents weren't fatal.

16 Dec 2021

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Oh, oh, omicron

New study demonstrates SARS-CoV-2 Omicron antibody escape

Moderna booster vaccination overcomes SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant antibody escape

Study suggests convalescent plasma appears safe but does not prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection

WHO and Sanofi sign new agreement to sustain specific efforts to eliminate NTDs

Study finds high psychological distress among UK nursing and midwifery workforce during COVID-19

Study details the effectiveness of face masks to reduce the spread of respiratory infections

Therapeutic antibodies deemed ineffective against Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2

T cell responses remain broadly robust against Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2

Neutralization potency of COVID-19 vaccine boosters against SARS-CoV-2 variant pseudoviruses

Study illustrates the impact of COVID-19 on breastfeeding

Human monoclonal antibody protects against SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV in vivo

Study suggests Omicron can be neutralized by BNT162b2 recipient sera optimally after three vaccine doses

Nurses in crisis over covid dig in for better work conditions

Covid shots for kids are scarce — and demand is mixed — in rural Montana

After ‘truly appalling’ death toll in nursing homes, California rethinks their funding

Vaccine effectiveness of mRNA-1273 during the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant

Study: Older people are less likely to fall for Covid-19 scams than younger or middle-aged adults

Study identifies five key elements common to successful mental health interventions

New UN-wide initiative to foster healthy aging and improve the lives of older people

Best practices - optimize qPCR processes for pathogen detection eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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