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.

Checking the facts on Medicaid use by Latinos

Spending cuts, immigration, and Medicaid are at the top of the Washington agenda. That climate provides fertile ground for misinformation and myths to multiply on social networks.

17 Mar 2025

COVID-19 cut millions of healthy life years across Europe, study shows

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a staggering 16.8 million person-years of life lost across 18 European countries, with nearly 60% of those years expected to be lived without disability. The research highlights both direct COVID-19 deaths and indirect impacts like healthcare disruptions and rising non-COVID mortality.

16 Mar 2025

Long-COVID symptoms persist for two years in over half of cases

23% of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 between 2021 and 2023 developed long-COVID, and in more than half of them the symptoms persisted for two years.

14 Mar 2025

Older adults may have stronger immunity to bird flu, Penn study finds

Prior exposures to specific types of seasonal influenza viruses promote cross-reactive immunity against the H5N1 avian influenza virus, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

13 Mar 2025

California borrows $3.4 billion for Medicaid overrun as Congress eyes steep cuts

California's Medicaid program has borrowed $3.4 billion from the state's general fund — and will likely need even more — to cover ballooning health expenses for 15 million residents with low incomes and disabilities.

13 Mar 2025

What’s behind the rise in foodborne illness outbreaks? CDC uncovers key risks and fixes

Bacterial foodborne outbreaks in the U.S. increased while viral outbreaks declined between 2014 and 2022, with environmental contamination rising as a key cause. The study highlights how improved hygiene reduced viral transmission but shows persistent risks from improper food handling and temperatures.

13 Mar 2025

Scientists reveal how Epstein-Barr virus reactivation triggers MIS-C in children

Scientists reveal that reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), driven by TGFβ-induced immune suppression, is a key driver of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) following COVID-19. Blocking TGFβ may offer a potential new treatment for this life-threatening condition.

13 Mar 2025

Hospital gun-violence prevention programs may be caught in US funding crossfire

Seven years ago, Erica Green learned through a Facebook post that her brother had been shot.

13 Mar 2025

In Trump’s team, supplement fans find kindred spirits in search of better health

President Donald Trump's health officials want you to take your vitamins.

13 Mar 2025

Updates on influenza vaccine strain recommended by WHO (2025-2026 northern hemisphere)

To maintain vaccine efficacy, WHO regularly updates influenza vaccine strains based on global epidemiological, virological, and serological analyses.

From Sino Biological Inc. 12 Mar 2025

ADHD prescriptions in England surge by 18% since the pandemic

Prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in England have risen 18% year on year since the pandemic.

12 Mar 2025

Sent home to heal, patients avoid wait for rehab home beds

After a patch of ice sent Marc Durocher hurtling to the ground, and doctors at UMass Memorial Medical Center repaired the broken hip that resulted, the 75-year-old electrician found himself at a crossroads.

12 Mar 2025

COVID-19 pandemic caused significant loss of disability-free life in Europe

Among 289 million adults in 18 European countries, more than 16 million years of life were lost from 2020 through 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study published March 11th in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine by Sara Ahmadi-Abhari of Imperial College London, UK, and colleagues.

11 Mar 2025

How perception of risk affects COVID-19 infections in aircraft rescue and firefighting personnel

One category of first responders had close, daily contact with travelers during the COVID-19 pandemic: aircraft rescue and firefighting personnel.

11 Mar 2025

Who gives better health advice - ChatGPT or Google?

A new study compared four search engines and seven AI chatbots, including ChatGPT and GPT-4, to answer 150 health-related questions. Large language models outperformed search engines but showed sensitivity to prompts and risks of misinformation.

11 Mar 2025

Measles cases surge in Europe amid vaccine gaps

Data presented in the monthly measles and rubella update by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) indicate ongoing transmission of measles across a number of countries in EU/EEA, with a steep rise in cases reported during 2024.

11 Mar 2025

Study explores impact of pandemics on birth rates in Switzerland

Researchers at UZH have studied the impact of pandemics on the birth rate in Switzerland for the first time.

11 Mar 2025

Self-sampling could reduce disparities in cervical screening

New research from University of Manchester experts suggests that introducing a UK-wide self-sampling program alongside existing ‘smear tests’ could help to remove most of the current barriers to cervical screening.

11 Mar 2025

Canary in the coalmine: Study warns 21 million children missed measles shots in 2022

Researchers found that 21 million children missed measles vaccination in 2022, far exceeding those missing other vaccines, and 96% were in low- and middle-income countries. The study urges adding measles vaccination rates to global definitions of under-immunized children to better prevent deadly outbreaks.

10 Mar 2025

How falling measles vaccination rates put millions of children at risk

Two-dose measles vaccination coverage has fallen by 3.7% globally since 2019, leaving most WHO regions off track to meet Immunization Agenda 2030 targets. The study highlights a worrying rise in zero-dose children, especially in Africa, threatening global herd immunity against measles.

10 Mar 2025