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.

Cambridge launches program to tackle engineered pandemic risks

Covid-19 showed us how vulnerable the world is to pandemics – but what if the next pandemic were somehow engineered? How would the world respond – and could we stop it happening in the first place?

27 Feb 2025

How social media spreads diet misinformation—and what experts say must change

Systematic review reveals Instagram and YouTube as primary hubs for nutrition misinformation, notably promoting unverified "miracle diets" linked to orthorexia and COVID-19, urging public health institutions and healthcare professionals to prioritize digital literacy and evidence-based content.

27 Feb 2025

Wealth disparities impact telehealth access for mental health care

A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that mental health visits for patients with depression from high-wealth neighborhoods in Maryland were significantly more likely to happen via telehealth compared to patients with depression from low-wealth neighborhoods in Maryland from mid-2021 through mid-2024.

27 Feb 2025

Virtual lactation support shows promise in increasing breastfeeding rates

Mothers who were given access to virtual breastfeeding support (or telelactation) through a free app tended to report more breastfeeding than peers who did not receive such help, with a more-pronounced effect observed among Black mothers, according to a new RAND study.

27 Feb 2025

Young children rapidly adapt to new social norms during the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major and sudden effect on all aspects of life, requiring children and their families to rapidly change their habits and adopt new behaviors to stay healthy.

27 Feb 2025

Air sampling detects 70–90% of poultry viruses and reveals 50 more hidden threats

Researchers found that environmental sampling in live-bird markets detects 70–90% of poultry viruses, often outperforming traditional swab methods, and identified 50 additional viruses, some from non-avian sources.

26 Feb 2025

NSHAP study examines cognition and aging in post-COVID era

A new supplemental issue of The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences presents new measures, methods, and data collected during Round 4 (2021 to 2023) of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) - with a focus on cognition and how researchers adapted to working with participants as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

26 Feb 2025

Why life expectancy gains in Europe stalled—and how some countries stayed ahead

Life expectancy gains in Europe slowed after 2011, with the COVID-19 pandemic further accelerating declines—while some countries maintained progress through sustained public health policies.

25 Feb 2025

Routine psychological screening can improve maternal cardiovascular health

Integrating routine psychological health screening and treatment during and after pregnancy may reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and improve maternal cardiovascular health, according to a new scientific statement published today in a Go Red for Women spotlight issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

25 Feb 2025

Opioid cash grab: As federal funding dries up, states turn to settlement money

At a recent Nevada legislative committee hearing, lawmakers faced off with members of the governor's administration over how to fill gaping holes in the state's upcoming budget.

25 Feb 2025

Excessive screen time linked to manic symptoms in teens

Researchers examine the association between excessive screen time and manic symptoms in early adolescence.

25 Feb 2025

Can AI predict the next pandemic? A new study says yes

Researchers explore how artificial intelligence is transforming infectious disease modeling

25 Feb 2025

Telemedicine adoption leads to fewer low-value medical tests

Low-value care-medical tests and procedures that provide little to no benefit to patients-contributes to excess medical spending and both direct and cascading harms to patients.

24 Feb 2025

Study unlocks key differences in heart inflammation

A group of Berlin researchers in collaboration with international scientists have found differences in heart inflammation caused by COVID-19, anti-COVID-19 vaccination, and non-COVID-19 myocarditis.

24 Feb 2025

Why over 5 billion people still lack access to life-saving medical oxygen

The Lancet Global Health Commission highlights severe inequities in medical oxygen access, urging systemic reforms to ensure universal availability and affordability.

23 Feb 2025

Interferon gamma persistence offers clues to Long COVID and potential therapies

SARS-CoV-2 triggers the production of the antiviral protein IFN-γ, which is associated with fatigue, muscle ache and depression. New research shows that in Long COVID patients, IFN-y production persists until symptoms improve, highlighting a potential biomarker and a target for therapies.

22 Feb 2025