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Research looks at COVID vaccine hesitancy and refusal among the U.S. public

Vaccination against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rolled out in many countries, including the United States. As the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases continues to rise, vaccinating many people in the population is crucial. Despite campaigns to inform residents of the benefits of vaccines, many are still reluctant to get vaccinated.

4 Mar 2021

Study reveals the devastating economic impact of eating disorders in the U.S.

The impact of eating disorders in the United States was nearly $400 billion in 2018-19 when considering both economic costs and reduced wellbeing, according to a study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

4 Mar 2021

COVID-19 pandemic had major impacts on childhood cancer care, shows survey

The COVID-19 pandemic has had major impacts on childhood cancer care worldwide, according to a survey of more than 300 clinicians from 200 hospitals worldwide published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal.

3 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variants do not substantially affect CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses, study shows

Researchers from California in the United States have conducted a study showing that important adaptive immune responses to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are not affected by four recently emerged variants of the virus.

3 Mar 2021

Researchers lay out bioinformatics bottlenecks that are hindering response to COVID-19 pandemic

A global group of researchers is calling for better integration of viral genetics, bioinformatics, and public health to enable better pandemic response now and better pandemic preparedness in the future.

3 Mar 2021

Wikipedia maintained high-quality COVID-19 coverage during first pandemic wave

Researchers in Israel have demonstrated that Wikipedia's coverage of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continued to be based on respected media and academic sources, despite a surge in coverage as the pandemic grew during the first wave.

3 Mar 2021

Study shows lower antibody cross-reactivity after infection with the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant

In a recent research paper currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server, a diverse group of researchers has examined the immunogenicity of antibodies against the variant B.1.1.7 of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) initially found in the United Kingdom – and revealed diminished recognition and neutralization of either parental strains or the South African variant.

3 Mar 2021

Liquid-handling robots for wastewater surveillance help predict COVID-19 cases in San Diego

In earlier days of the COVID-19 pandemic, before diagnostic testing was widely available, it was difficult for public health officials to keep track of the infection's spread, or predict where outbreaks were likely to occur.

3 Mar 2021

Researchers explore mutational signatures associated with exposure to microplastic pollutants

According to the World Health Organization, plastic products and their chemical derivatives present in the environment present public health concerns on a global scale and more exploration on the potential impact to human health is needed.

3 Mar 2021

Report: Probabilistic forecasts of the impact of vaccines and variants on the U.S. COVID trajectory

In a report summary released today Thomas McAndrew, a computational scientist and assistant professor at Lehigh University's College of Health includes probabilistic forecasts of the impact of vaccines and variants on the U.S. COVID trajectory over the next few weeks.

3 Mar 2021

MDI Biological Laboratory receives grant to improve access to safe drinking water

The MDI Biological Laboratory will collaborate with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, an office of the state Department of Health and Human Services, on a five-year grant from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to improve access to safe drinking water in Maine.

3 Mar 2021

Researchers to investigate COVID-19's disproportionate impact on long-term care residents and workers

Long-term care facilities have been disproportionately burdened by COVID-19, accounting for about 60% of COVID-19 deaths nationwide, 70% if retirement homes are included.

3 Mar 2021

Genomic surveillance can help identify how SARS-CoV-2 spreads in care homes

Care homes are at high risk of experiencing outbreaks of COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Older people and those affected by heart disease, respiratory disease and type 2 diabetes - all of which increase with age - are at greatest risk of severe disease and even death, making the care home population especially vulnerable.

3 Mar 2021

Accelerated accumulation of abdominal fat during menopause linked to heart disease risk

Women who experience an accelerated accumulation of abdominal fat during menopause are at greater risk of heart disease, even if their weight stays steady, according to a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health-led analysis published today in the journal Menopause.

3 Mar 2021

UK public health authorities review early data on the effectiveness of Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines

A team of UK scientists has recently evaluated the effectiveness of the Pfizer (BNT162b2) and AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1) vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The findings reveal that both vaccines are effective in significantly reducing SARS-CoV-2 infection in older adults and providing long-term protection.

3 Mar 2021

Obesity may reduce COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, say researchers

A startling indicates that obesity may reduce the immune response to the current COVID-19 vaccines, along with other factors like age and sex. This could have significant implications for vaccination strategies in obese people.

3 Mar 2021

Delayed second dose strategy with mRNA vaccines may reduce COVID-19 mortality, say researchers

An interesting new preprint shows that even if countries are forced to delay the second dose of the current vaccines administered against SARS-CoV-2, to arrest the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the cumulative mortality would still fall significantly.

3 Mar 2021

Study: Only 48% of Colorado clinicians provide accurate, unbiased information on abortion

Pregnant patients in Colorado may be told about parenting and adoption, but not abortion. This is according to a new study led by Kate Coleman-Minahan of the University of Colorado College of Nursing published in the Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health.

3 Mar 2021

A model of vaccine-derived herd immunity against COVID-19 in heterogeneous populations

A recent theoretical paper, currently available on the medRxiv preprint server, unveils a novel vaccination model that shows how a herd immunity threshold (HIT) value which considers heterogeneity is substantially lower in comparison with a HIT value of assuming a homogeneous population – with many implications for further vaccination planning.

2 Mar 2021

Concerning mutation in New York SARS-CoV-2 should be monitored, warn researchers

Researchers at the New York State Department of Health in the United States have said concerning mutations within the B.1.526 lineage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has recently become prevalent in New York State warrant further monitoring.

2 Mar 2021

Public Health News and Research

Research looks at COVID vaccine hesitancy and refusal among the U.S. public

Study reveals the devastating economic impact of eating disorders in the U.S.

COVID-19 pandemic had major impacts on childhood cancer care, shows survey

SARS-CoV-2 variants do not substantially affect CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses, study shows

Researchers lay out bioinformatics bottlenecks that are hindering response to COVID-19 pandemic

Wikipedia maintained high-quality COVID-19 coverage during first pandemic wave

Study shows lower antibody cross-reactivity after infection with the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant

Liquid-handling robots for wastewater surveillance help predict COVID-19 cases in San Diego

Researchers explore mutational signatures associated with exposure to microplastic pollutants

Report: Probabilistic forecasts of the impact of vaccines and variants on the U.S. COVID trajectory

MDI Biological Laboratory receives grant to improve access to safe drinking water

Researchers to investigate COVID-19's disproportionate impact on long-term care residents and workers

Genomic surveillance can help identify how SARS-CoV-2 spreads in care homes

Accelerated accumulation of abdominal fat during menopause linked to heart disease risk

UK public health authorities review early data on the effectiveness of Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines

Obesity may reduce COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, say researchers

Delayed second dose strategy with mRNA vaccines may reduce COVID-19 mortality, say researchers

Study: Only 48% of Colorado clinicians provide accurate, unbiased information on abortion

A model of vaccine-derived herd immunity against COVID-19 in heterogeneous populations

Concerning mutation in New York SARS-CoV-2 should be monitored, warn researchers

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