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.

To stoke rural vaccination rates, trusted farmers are asked to spread word

When he became eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in Illinois, Tom Arnold, 68, said he didn’t need any convincing. He raises cattle, hogs and chickens in Elizabeth, a small town in the state's northwestern corner.

19 Aug 2021

Covid politics and fatigue work against contact-tracing foot soldiers

Health departments nationwide scaled back their contact tracing in late spring or early summer when covid-19 cases started to decrease as vaccination efforts took center stage.

19 Aug 2021

Researchers study how the pandemic affected recreational anglers

Recreational fishing in the U.S. is largely a personal hobby that scales up to a multibillion-dollar economic activity. More than 44 million people in the U.S. identify as recreational anglers making this hobby second only to jogging in terms of popular outdoor activities.

19 Aug 2021

Lessons learnt from the COVID-19 swab crisis could help better prepare for future challenges

A major crisis that accompanied the rise of the pandemic was the lack of availability of the nasopharyngeal swab - necessary for testing for COVID-19, which in turn, was necessary to get a grip on the pandemic. An account of how one group addressed that crisis is published this week Journal of Clinical Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

19 Aug 2021

Scientists identify a potent neutralizing nanobody against SARS-CoV-1

In a recently published article in the journal Virologica Sinica, scientists have described the development and validation of a potent nanobody that targets the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). The nanobody efficiently and specifically blocks the interaction between RBD and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and neutralizes the virus.

19 Aug 2021

White-tailed deer are highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been shown to infect a wide range of animals naturally and experimentally, and prior studies indicate deer are susceptible to infection. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns have been found to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2.

19 Aug 2021

SFU research: Cultural considerations are key to fighting future pandemics

Strategies that not only conform to science but also consider the cultural context of countries are key to fighting future pandemics, according to researchers from Simon Fraser University and two U.S. universities.

19 Aug 2021

UT Health San Antonio professors urge uplifting US Latinos from obscurity to the forefront of health care

It is essential to lift the nation's Latino population from obscurity to the forefront of health care, public health intervention and societal presence, three professors from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio argue in a powerful commentary published Aug. 17 by the Journal of the American Medical Association.

19 Aug 2021

CDC declares four new COVID high-risk travel destinations

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), is far from over. As the cases continue to rise, countries grapple with controlling the viral spread. To date, over 209 million individuals have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, with more than 17 million cases recorded worldwide over the past 28 days.

18 Aug 2021

Vaccine nationalism may increase COVID-19 case numbers and the emergence of novel variants

The allocation of COVID-19 vaccine between countries has thus far tended toward vaccine nationalism, wherein countries stockpile vaccines to prioritize access for their citizenry over equitable vaccine sharing.

18 Aug 2021

ASU study shows how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted people’s sleep

Sleep has become elusive for many as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to new research from Arizona State University's Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation.

18 Aug 2021

Nearly 140,000 deaths prevented by early U.S. COVID-19 vaccine rollout, study finds

With COVID-19 cases again on the rise in the United States and around the world, vaccination campaigns continue to be of vital importance for a successful return to pre-pandemic life.

18 Aug 2021

Genomic surveillance is vital to combat COVID-19

Although the development and increasingly widespread availability of effective and safe vaccines provides the greatest hope for the future recovery from the increasingly devastating COVID-19 pandemic, genomic surveillance is emerging as a vital necessity to achieve effective mitigation and containment.

18 Aug 2021

Early COVID-19 vaccine campaign averted nearly 140,000 deaths in the U.S.

The early COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the U.S. prevented nearly 140,000 deaths and 3 million cases of COVID-19 by the second week of May, according to a new study.

18 Aug 2021

SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 and the expression of cytokine in human macrophages

A new study has determined the production of the SARS-CoV-2 SP-dependent ORF8.

18 Aug 2021

Study examines the use of wearable technologies and telehealth to treat Parkinson's patients

Wearable health technologies are vastly popular with people wanting to improve their physical and mental health. Everything from exercise, sleep patterns, calories consumed and heart rhythms can be tracked by a wearable device.

18 Aug 2021

Excess mortality from COVID-19 is the highest since 1918

A recent study provides an assessment of the ongoing pandemic by estimating excess deaths in Sweden, Switzerland, and Spain.

18 Aug 2021

Impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing of young people

In a recent study, researchers offer recommendations for the wellbeing of children and young people during the pandemic to prevent long-term consequences.

18 Aug 2021

Telehealth helped physical therapists to provide essential care for pediatric patients during pandemic

As a pediatric physical therapist in Clinton, Missouri, Jessica Luechtefeld was used to a hands-on coaching approach whenever meeting with her patients at their preschools, in their homes or at the Child's Play Therapy clinic.

18 Aug 2021

Why have COVID-19 caseloads been comparatively low in Africa?

A new study has been published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health that highlights the potential lessons that the world can draw from Africa on assumptions concerning viral pandemics. This is particularly important, given Africa’s long experience with dangerous infectious diseases.

18 Aug 2021