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.

Robotic systems gain patient approval for contactless care

In the age of COVID-19, mobile robotic telehealth systems could help clinicians and patients interact without contact. Last spring, some health care systems deployed robotic systems within a hospital to evaluate and interact with patients.

5 Mar 2021

Research reveals gender disparities in COVID-19 clinical trial leadership

Less than one-third of COVID-19 clinical trials are led by women, which is half the proportion observed in non-COVID-19 trials, according to research led by Queen Mary University of London, University of St Andrews, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

5 Mar 2021

Study sheds light on experience of patients with substance use disorder during the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect across society, but it has been especially devastating for people with substance use disorder.

5 Mar 2021

Large declines in physical activity during COVID-19 associated with higher rates of depression

Exercise has long-been recommended as a cognitive-behavioral therapy for patients of depression, yet new evidence from the University of California of San Diego suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic changed the nature of the relationship between physical activity and mental health.

5 Mar 2021

Firefighters — ‘health care providers on a truck’ — signal pandemic burnout

Tim Dupin thought — or at least hoped — that Missouri firefighters, paramedics and other emergency medical services personnel would be among the first to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

5 Mar 2021

One school district’s struggle over public health, parents and politics

Brandon Dell'Orto listened to the comments and complaints as the school board meeting dragged on hour after hour. Many parents were angry.

5 Mar 2021

One dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate boosts neutralizing antibody response in COVID-19 convalescents

A new study details the results from a single dose of the FINLAY FR 1A recombinant dimeric receptor-binding domain (RBD) base vaccine during a phase I clinical trial with 30 COVID-19 convalescents to test its capacity for boosting natural immunity.

5 Mar 2021

A SARS-CoV-2 spike protein adjuvant vaccine candidate produces durable rapid protection in vivo

A recent study reports the safety and high efficacy of an adjuvanted vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 and the complications of COVID-19.

5 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 proteins are potent suppressors of innate immunity

A new study describes the strong immune-suppressing activity of SARS-CoV-2 genes, among other coronavirus genes.

5 Mar 2021

New COVID-19 variants can evade antibodies that work against original form of the virus

New research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates that three new, fast-spreading variants of the virus that cause COVID-19 can evade antibodies that work against the original form of the virus that sparked the pandemic.

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

Study: Majority of patients are receptive to interaction with robots for evaluating symptoms

In the era of social distancing, using robots for some health care interactions is a promising way to reduce in-person contact between health care workers and sick patients. However, a key question that needs to be answered is how patients will react to a robot entering the exam room.

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

Research reveals major drivers of increased nicotine and tobacco use during COVID-19 lockdown

Pandemic-related anxiety, boredom, and irregular routines were cited as major drivers of increased nicotine and tobacco use during the initial COVID-19 "lockdown," according to research just released by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

5 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 can evade immune response by T-killer cells through mutations

The body's immune response plays a crucial role in the course of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition to antibodies, the so-called T-killer cells, are also responsible for detecting viruses in the body and eliminating them.

5 Mar 2021

Study highlights urgent need to monitor legal wildlife trade to reduce emerging zoonotic diseases

With three out of four newly emerging infectious human diseases originating in animals, there is an urgent need to monitor the legal trade in wildlife, according to new research by Vincent Nijman, Professor in Anthropology at Oxford Brookes University.

5 Mar 2021

COVID-19 lockdown has significantly increased loneliness, social issues among women

Social distancing guidelines have reduced the spread of COVID-19, but lockdowns and isolation also have created or aggravated other well-being concerns, reports new research.

4 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

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

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

Robotic systems gain patient approval for contactless care

Research reveals gender disparities in COVID-19 clinical trial leadership

Study sheds light on experience of patients with substance use disorder during the pandemic

Large declines in physical activity during COVID-19 associated with higher rates of depression

Firefighters — ‘health care providers on a truck’ — signal pandemic burnout

One school district’s struggle over public health, parents and politics

One dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate boosts neutralizing antibody response in COVID-19 convalescents

A SARS-CoV-2 spike protein adjuvant vaccine candidate produces durable rapid protection in vivo

SARS-CoV-2 proteins are potent suppressors of innate immunity

New COVID-19 variants can evade antibodies that work against original form of the virus

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

Study: Majority of patients are receptive to interaction with robots for evaluating symptoms

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

Research reveals major drivers of increased nicotine and tobacco use during COVID-19 lockdown

SARS-CoV-2 can evade immune response by T-killer cells through mutations

Study highlights urgent need to monitor legal wildlife trade to reduce emerging zoonotic diseases

COVID-19 lockdown has significantly increased loneliness, social issues among women

Failing to communicate COVID-19 vaccine uncertainties has negative consequences

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

Best practices - optimize qPCR processes for pathogen detection eBook

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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