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Coronavirus misinformation and disinformation rife among Americans

A new poll carried out by the Pew Research Center from March 10 to March 16, 2020, shows that almost 1 in 3 Americans think the novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), that causes the current COVID-19 pandemic is the product of biological research. Despite the utter lack of evidence, the claim has found fertile breeding grounds on the Internet. It serves as an apt example of the spread of dubious or patently false information about the pandemic.

14 Apr 2020

New blood test for antibodies in COVID-19 infected

The COVID-19 disease pandemic is raging across the world, costing tens of thousands of lives. Many countries have enforced widespread, if not universal lockdowns, to prevent the spread of the virus to new areas, carried by infected travelers.

14 Apr 2020

Continual surveillance of natural bats for emerging viruses is needed

Findings from a study conducted by Chinese researchers suggest that similar species of bats carry similar viruses and that when these bats reside in overlapping areas, transmission between species occurs more easily.

14 Apr 2020

Stray dogs possible origin of COVID-19 pandemic

After tracing coronavirus signatures in different species, a new research article published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution shows that stray dogs (more specifically dog intestines) may have acted as the origin of current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic.

14 Apr 2020

New vaccine for Chikungunya reported safe and well-tolerated

A virus-like particle vaccine was shown to be safe and well-tolerated among a healthy adult population living in chikungunya endemic areas, the researchers report in a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

14 Apr 2020

Pediatric practices struggle to adapt and survive amid COVID-19

The silence was striking. On a normal day, the well-child waiting room at Berkeley Pediatrics bustles with children playing, infants crying and teenagers furiously tapping on their smartphones.

14 Apr 2020

Breathing heavy wildfire smoke may increase risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Exposure to heavy smoke during recent California wildfires raised the risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests up to 70%.

14 Apr 2020

California COVID-19 herd immunity theory debunked

A recent theory suggesting that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was doing the rounds in California as early as November 2019, infecting thousands undetected and leading to herd immunity, was debunked by experts from the scientific community. Antibody testing by a group of Stanford Medicine researchers was linked to the theory.

14 Apr 2020

OSU Superfund Research Program receives $12.7 million grant to assess toxicity of PAHs

An Oregon State University-led research program has been awarded a $12.7 million grant to serve the Pacific Northwest by studying harmful chemicals found at federally designated hazardous waste sites.

13 Apr 2020

Sensory loss strongly associated with COVID-19 infection

Loss of smell and taste has been anecdotally linked to COVID-19 infections. In a study published April 12, 2020 in the journal International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, researchers at UC San Diego Health report the first empirical findings that strongly associate sensory loss with COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

13 Apr 2020

Should infants be separated from coronavirus infected mothers?

Since the novel coronavirus infection emerged a couple of months ago, guidelines about its treatment and precautionary measures are still evolving based on evidence and research. For mothers and infants, there is contradicting information on whether they should be kept together or separated for fear of transmission.

13 Apr 2020

Ebola drug effective against key enzyme of coronavirus that causes COVID-19

Scientists at the University of Alberta have shown that the drug remdesivir is highly effective in stopping the replication mechanism of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, according to new research published today in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

13 Apr 2020

Re-thinking the built environment to limit coronavirus transmission

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) global pandemic has taken a toll on many countries across the globe. The hardest-hit countries are now grappling to contain the spread of various through social distancing measures, while others are now in total lockdown.

13 Apr 2020

How does COVID-19 attack the body?

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) attacks the lungs, leading to pneumonia, and eventually, a cascade of serious complications. But how does COVID-19 kill? Is it the virus itself or the result of the person’s immune system response?

13 Apr 2020

Novel coronavirus attacks and destroys T cells, just like HIV

The immune system has many components that work together in protecting the body from foreign invaders. One of the most important types of immune cells is T lymphocytes or T cells, a type of white blood cell that acts as the core of adaptive immunity, the system that modifies the immune response to specific pathogens.

13 Apr 2020

Extend lockdowns to stave off second wave of COVID-19

Social distancing, keeping people at home, and lockdowns are being implemented in many nations to prevent the spread of the highly infectious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Some countries that have seen declines in the number of new infections due to lockdowns are now looking to allow people to return to more normal daily routines.

13 Apr 2020

Cost of ‘repurposing’ existing drugs to treat COVID-19

The paper looks at repurposed drugs that might demonstrate efficacy against COVID-19, and if they could be manufactured profitably at very low costs to ensure affordable access to vital treatments for COVID-19 at low prices globally.

13 Apr 2020

Monitoring loss of smell could be key to COVID-19 detection

Researchers have found that persons who test positive for COVID-19 disease have common symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, and a temporary loss of the sense of smell.

13 Apr 2020

Missing COVID-19 antibodies suggest mystery immune response

Researchers at Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center have made important discoveries about the immune response among patients who have recovered from mild COVID-19 disease that could help to inform prevention and treatment methods, as well as improve the efficacy of community testing.

13 Apr 2020

Effective porous plastic filters for respiratory devices

Porvair Sciences reports on increased demand for the 3D moulded intake filters and vent diffusers it supplies to GCE Healthcare - manufacturer of the Zen-O lite™ Portable Oxygen Concentrator.

From Porvair Sciences Limited 13 Apr 2020