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 different loneliness tests still identify the same emotional struggles

Researchers examined how loneliness classifications, by frequency, distress, or chronicity, relate to cognitive and behavioral traits in 790 adults. Despite modest agreement between classification methods, the study found consistent psychological patterns among lonely individuals across all types of loneliness.

29 Apr 2025

Measles makes a deadly comeback in Europe as vaccine gaps widen

In 2024, measles cases in Europe soared to the highest levels in decades, with over 35,000 reported cases, 87% from Romania alone. Most affected were unvaccinated children, revealing critical immunity gaps and suboptimal vaccination coverage across the EU/EEA.

29 Apr 2025

Celebrating 25 years of GOARN's global health impact

The Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), an initiative coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO), marks its 25th anniversary today.

29 Apr 2025

Global Virus Network urges action to prevent H5N1 pandemic

Today, the Global Virus Network (GVN), representing eminent human and animal virologists from 80+ Centers of Excellence and Affiliates in 40+ countries, published a comprehensive analysis and call-to-action in The Lancet Regional Health-Americas on the North American avian influenza virus, or H5N1, outbreak. The GVN calls on world governments to address the threat of H5N1 avian influenza by enhancing surveillance, implementing biosecurity measures, and preparing for potential human-to-human transmission.

29 Apr 2025

Ultra-processed foods make up nearly half of US grocery purchases, raising public health concerns

A 2025 study of nearly 60,000 US households found that almost half of grocery purchases were ultra-processed foods (UPFs), with major disparities based on income, education, and race. Non-Hispanic white households led in UPF purchases, especially in beverages, reversing earlier trends.

28 Apr 2025

Scientists say global conditions are ripe for a yellow fever pandemic

A new study in npj Viruses warns that global trends like urbanization, travel, and mosquito spread are amplifying the risk of yellow fever virus (YFV) expansion into the Asia-Pacific. Researchers caution that the conditions for a devastating YF pandemic are now more favorable than ever.

27 Apr 2025

Measles could return to endemic status if US vaccination rates fall further

Declining childhood vaccination rates in the United States could lead to a resurgence of measles and other previously eliminated infectious diseases. Simulation models predict that even current vaccination rates may be insufficient to prevent measles from becoming endemic within 20–25 years.

27 Apr 2025

Perspective shows Brexit exposed vulnerabilities in the UK’s food system

A new perspective article in Foods analyzes how Brexit disrupted the UK's food standards, security, and agricultural policy. The authors argue that emerging neoliberal frameworks like neo-developmentalism and eco-extractivism are reshaping the UK’s food system and national resilience.

27 Apr 2025

CoVaRR-Net research network concludes with major contributions to pandemic preparedness

The operations of CoVaRR-Net, a national interdisciplinary research network initiated with the support of the University of Ottawa to study COVID-19 variants and enhance Canada's preparedness for future pandemics, have concluded following the expiration of funding.

25 Apr 2025

Telehealth in pediatric primary care linked to responsible antibiotic use

Children treated with primary care telehealth visits were less likely to receive antibiotics for acute respiratory tract infections than those examined in person, according to a new study.

25 Apr 2025

Moms in crisis, jobs lost: The human cost of Trump’s addiction funding cuts

When the Trump administration cut more than $11 billion in covid-era funds to states in late March, addiction recovery programs suffered swift losses.

25 Apr 2025

H5N1's evolutionary leap could undermine vaccines and heighten human infection risk

From egg prices to pet food recalls – and now, confirmation that another strain of bird flu has infected a large commercial flock of broiler chickens on a Mississippi farm – headlines are capturing escalating concern over H5N1's spread.

24 Apr 2025

Measles could become endemic again in the United States

Childhood vaccination rates have been falling in the United States, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

24 Apr 2025

Global immunization progress threatened by misinformation and funding cuts

Immunization efforts are under growing threat as misinformation, population growth, humanitarian crises and funding cuts jeopardize progress and leave millions of children, adolescents and adults at risk, warn WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi during World Immunization Week, 24–30 April.

24 Apr 2025

Scientists develop promising new drug candidates against coronaviruses

A team at UC San Francisco and Gladstone Institutes has developed new drug candidates that show great promise against the virus that causes COVID-19 and potentially other coronaviruses that could cause future pandemics.

23 Apr 2025

Study reveals cloth masks rival some medical masks, but only N95s deliver near-total protection

A PLOS ONE study tested the real-world filtration efficiency of cloth masks, medical masks, and respirators, revealing large differences in performance based on fit and mask type. Only N95s and CaN99s approached occupational safety standards without formal fit-testing.

23 Apr 2025