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.

Sino Biological Launches A Panel of Research Reagents for SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant (B.1.1.529)

Sino Biological, Inc. (https://www.sinobiological.com; SHE: 301047) announced today that it has launched a panel of research reagents for the newly identified Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus

From Sino Biological Inc. 6 Dec 2021

Texas toughens ban on medication-by-mail abortions with jail time and hefty fine

Texas already had the most restrictive abortion laws in the U.S. — and they just got tougher. On Wednesday, a new law took effect that adds penalties of jail time and a fine of up to $10,000 for anyone who prescribes pills for medication abortions through telehealth or the mail.

6 Dec 2021

$3.4 million funding to explore how COVID-19 has affected the health of people with preexisting chronic conditions

Gayenell Magwood, Ph.D., of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) has received more than $3.4 million in funding from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) to investigate how COVID-19 has affected the health and quality of life of Black South Carolinians with preexisting chronic conditions and their caregivers.

6 Dec 2021

COVID-19 vaccines shown to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection rate in cancer patients

A study recently published in the journal JAMA Oncology has stated that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines are more than 55% effective in reducing the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in cancer patients.

5 Dec 2021

Unvaccinated mothers encourage pregnant women to take up COVID-19 vaccine

Unvaccinated women who suffered with COVID-19 during their pregnancies have told their harrowing stories of battling the virus, from being hospitalized to having emergency c-sections, as part of a new campaign encouraging expectant mothers to get the vaccine.

5 Dec 2021

Equipment-free handheld microfluidic injection provides visible readout of SARS-CoV-2 detection

In this paper, a group of researchers from Harvard Medical School, McGill University, and Tianjin University describes an on-chip diagnostic technology for the direct detection of SARS-CoV-2 N protein in nasal samples that combines the advantages of hydrodynamic microfluidic filtration and sandwich immunoassay.

5 Dec 2021

Scientists identify molecular features of antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike

New study identifies diverse molecular features of public antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

5 Dec 2021

Maternal morbidities and outcomes in pregnant women with COVID-19

Researchers aimed to determine whether maternal morbidities and adverse obstetrical outcomes were more frequent in pregnant women with COVID-19.

5 Dec 2021

New approach to COVID-19 immune profiling using blood-based machine learning

A new study discusses the application of a novel deconvolution model AImmune to predict moderate and severe cases of COVID-19.

5 Dec 2021

Strict COVID anti-contagion policies can provide long-term health benefits

Researchers assess the short- and long-term benefits of these policies on health outcomes in the Chinese population.

5 Dec 2021

The emergence and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and its VOCs

A review article discusses the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and the emergence of variants of concern.

5 Dec 2021

Review: Diagnostic radiologists at higher risk of burnout

A review co-authored by Dr. Bradley Spieler, Vice-Chair of Scholarly Activity and Research in the Department of Radiology at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, and Dr. Neil Baum, of Tulane's Department of Urology, reports that although burnout affects more than 50% of health care workers, diagnostic radiologists are at even higher risk.

4 Dec 2021

Mobile robot detects social distancing breaches to reduce the spread of COVID-19

A new strategy to reduce the spread of COVID-19 employs a mobile robot that detects people in crowds who are not observing social-distancing rules, navigates to them, and encourages them to move apart.

4 Dec 2021

Report quantifies health and wellbeing benefits of the UK's woodlands

Visits to the UK's woodlands boosts mental health and is estimated to save £185 million in treatment costs annually, a landmark report published by Forest Research finds today (4 December).

4 Dec 2021

Telomeric DNA damage response may increase susceptibility of elderly people to COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2 causes the pandemic coronavirus disease COVID-19, that is more harmful for elderly people, who show more severe symptoms and are at higher risk of hospitalization and death.

3 Dec 2021

Is it time to change the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’?

As more indoor venues require proof of vaccination for entrance and with winter — as well as omicron, a new covid variant — looming, scientists and public health officials are debating when it will be time to change the definition of "fully vaccinated" to include a booster shot.

3 Dec 2021

Minister for Equalities calls for everyone to get COVID-19 jabs

The final report into Covid-19 disparities sets out how Government research identified the key virus risk factors - such as occupation, household size and wider living circumstances - for specific groups and used that data to provide targeted, evidence-based guidance and advice on how to reduce the risk of infection.

3 Dec 2021