Coronavirus News and Research

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A small sensor can be used for rapid detection of RNA and DNA

In less than a second, a small sensor used in brain chemistry research can detect the key molecules that provide the genetic instructions for life, RNA, and DNA, a new study from American University shows

5 Mar 2021

U.S. counties need to implement crisis workforce strategies to deal with shortfalls in ICU doctors

Over the next month, 209 U.S. counties in the United States will need to implement crisis workforce strategies to deal with potentially dangerous shortfalls of intensive care unit doctors, according to a new analysis published today.

5 Mar 2021

FDA alerts consumers about improper use of thermal imaging systems, warns firms for marketing unapproved devices

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today alerted consumers, health care providers and other users of thermal imaging systems intended to measure human body temperature—also known as telethermographic systems, infrared thermographs, thermal cameras, and "fever cameras"—that improper use of the systems may provide inaccurate temperature readings due to a variety of factors.

5 Mar 2021

Failing to communicate COVID-19 vaccine uncertainties has negative consequences

All healthcare decisions come with uncertainty. In addition to the general risks that a healthcare professional is aware of, there is also uncertainty surrounding the associated probabilities, called ambiguity or radical uncertainties. These uncertainties grow as vaccines generated at an unprecedented pace are administered across the world.

4 Mar 2021

Preclinical study finds immune benefit in unrefrigerated Soligenix coronavirus vaccines

A new study reports positive outcomes from two new vaccine candidates. The research, led by Axel T. Lehrer from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, studied mice's immune response when administered the CoVaccine HT adjuvant with an insect-cell expressed SARS-CoV-2 spike protein ectodomain.

4 Mar 2021

Study explains how the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant is more transmissible

New research led by Thushan I. de Silva from the University of Sheffield proposes that increases in subgenomic RNA (sgRNA) expression cause increased viral transmissibility and subsequent infection. They suggest the ORF9 protein, found in high amounts of sgRNA, could be regulating interferon responses.

4 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2-derived mutant peptides hamper T cells' ability to recognize and destroy infected cells

A deep sequencing study of 747 SARS-CoV-2 virus isolates has revealed mutant peptides derived from the virus that cannot effectively bind to critical proteins on the surface of infected cells and, in turn, hamper activation of CD8+ killer T cells that recognize and destroy these infected cells.

4 Mar 2021

Novavax COVID-19 vaccine shows efficacy against South African SARS-CoV-2 variant

Researchers in the United States and South Africa report that the NVX-CoV2373 vaccine from Novavax has proved effective at preventing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the B.1.351 variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has recently emerged in South Africa.

4 Mar 2021

New mRNA treatment appears to stop replication of flu and Covid-19 viruses

With a relatively minor genetic change, a new treatment developed by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University appears to stop replication of both flu viruses and the virus that causes Covid-19.

4 Mar 2021

Brazilian SARS-CoV-2 P.1 variant shows resistance to antibody neutralization

Researchers in the United States say the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant – P.1 – that has recently emerged in Brazil shows a worrying level of resistance to neutralization by antibodies.

4 Mar 2021

Inflammatory heart disease is rare among professional athletes with mild COVID-19, study finds

Inflammatory heart disease is a rare finding among professional athletes with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 infection, a large-scale study has found.

4 Mar 2021

Combining terpenes and cannabidiol may be highly active against human coronaviruses

A group of researchers from a well-known technology company in Israel showed a significant antiviral effect of a combination of terpenes and cannabidiol against a human coronavirus strain 229E. This exciting and first-of-its-kind report is currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server.

4 Mar 2021

Kaiser Permanente, big player in California vaccine effort, has had trouble vaccinating own members

As managed-care giant Kaiser Permanente assumes a prominent role in California's new covid-19 vaccination strategy, it is drawing mixed reviews from members across the country for the way it has run its own vaccine program over the past two months.

4 Mar 2021

Administering zinc supplements to Covid-19 patients may help reduce mortality and recovery time

Administering zinc supplements to Covid-19 patients with low levels of this element may be a strategy to reduce mortality and recovery time.

4 Mar 2021

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Good and not-so-good news on Covid

There's good news and bad news on Covid-19 this week. On the one hand, several million doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine authorized by the FDA for emergency use are already going into the arms of people around the nation.

4 Mar 2021

Study reveals a small molecule inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in cells

Researchers found a small molecule that inhibits different virus proteins and significantly reduces infection in cells. Combined with the antiviral remdesivir, its potency increases significantly, suggesting it may be a potential antiviral candidate for the treatment of COVID-19.

4 Mar 2021

Delayed detection of oral fluid anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies increases the time to viral clearance

A prospective observational study has revealed that the late appearance of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in oral fluid, absence of fever as an early symptom, and elevated BMI are associated with delayed clearance of viral RNA in mild to moderate COVID-19 patients.

4 Mar 2021

Researchers show potential benefits of delaying second mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose

The currently approved mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech help create neutralizing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Both companies designed their vaccines to be delivered in two doses. However, given the limited supply of vaccines worldwide, a new modeling study has suggested that vaccinating more people with the first dose and delaying the second could be an alternate route to achieving population immunity that could reduce mortality rates.

4 Mar 2021

Multiple COVID-19 variants of concern have reached Houston, Texas

New research by a team at Houston Methodist Hospital in the United States has modeled the aggressive genomic sequencing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) observed in the United Kingdom to document viral community spread in Houston, Texas.

4 Mar 2021

Metastudy of pregnant women reveals risk factors for COVID-19

Researchers examine the influence of pregnancy on SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes on a wide scale, potentially informing future public messaging and COVID-19 prevention strategies.

4 Mar 2021

Coronavirus News and Research

A small sensor can be used for rapid detection of RNA and DNA

U.S. counties need to implement crisis workforce strategies to deal with shortfalls in ICU doctors

FDA alerts consumers about improper use of thermal imaging systems, warns firms for marketing unapproved devices

Failing to communicate COVID-19 vaccine uncertainties has negative consequences

Preclinical study finds immune benefit in unrefrigerated Soligenix coronavirus vaccines

Study explains how the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant is more transmissible

SARS-CoV-2-derived mutant peptides hamper T cells' ability to recognize and destroy infected cells

Novavax COVID-19 vaccine shows efficacy against South African SARS-CoV-2 variant

New mRNA treatment appears to stop replication of flu and Covid-19 viruses

Brazilian SARS-CoV-2 P.1 variant shows resistance to antibody neutralization

Inflammatory heart disease is rare among professional athletes with mild COVID-19, study finds

Combining terpenes and cannabidiol may be highly active against human coronaviruses

Kaiser Permanente, big player in California vaccine effort, has had trouble vaccinating own members

Administering zinc supplements to Covid-19 patients may help reduce mortality and recovery time

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Good and not-so-good news on Covid

Study reveals a small molecule inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in cells

Delayed detection of oral fluid anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies increases the time to viral clearance

Researchers show potential benefits of delaying second mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose

Multiple COVID-19 variants of concern have reached Houston, Texas

Metastudy of pregnant women reveals risk factors for COVID-19

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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