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.

Harvard Medical professor wins Berggruen Prize for transforming perception of infectious diseases

Paul Farmer, the Kolokotrones University Professor and chair of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, was selected as the winner of the 2020 Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture.

16 Dec 2020

Expanded biodiversity infrastructure is essential for pandemic preparedness, say experts

When you imagine a visit to a natural history museum, the first thing that springs to mind could be dinosaur bones or taxidermized animals.

16 Dec 2020

PrEP prescription can make a positive difference in women who inject drugs

When taken daily, pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, is a highly effective way to prevent HIV transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

16 Dec 2020

Ignoring CDC recommendations enhances fear and anger among employees

Companies worldwide are facing unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, from modifying operations to keeping employees safe and informed. But not all businesses have followed the recommended safety protocols set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

16 Dec 2020

University reopenings appear to have triggered local COVID-19 cases

Researchers in the United States have conducted an analysis suggesting that students returning to university campuses this fall (2020) may have increased the number of new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) within surrounding areas.

16 Dec 2020

Contact tracing significantly impacts progression of COVID-19 pandemic, say researchers

Researchers in the UK and the United States have conducted a study demonstrating the significant impact that contact tracing has on the evolution of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

16 Dec 2020

LRA survey: Two-thirds of people with lupus are willing to take COVID-19 vaccine

Two out of three people with lupus (64%) are willing to take a COVID-19 vaccine if it is free and determined safe by scientists according to results of a survey conducted by the Lupus Research Alliance.

16 Dec 2020

Mass testing is not a ‘silver bullet’ for managing SARS-CoV-2 transmission, say researchers

A team of researchers from various institutions in France recently used a mathematical model to assess the impact of mass testing in controlling the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic. They evaluated the potential impact of mass testing campaigns in an epidemic rebound scenario at the end of the ongoing lockdown in Metropolitan France.

16 Dec 2020

Traditional herbal medicine Respiratory Detox Shot (RDS) inhibits SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A infection in vitro

As researchers continue to search for antivirals to counter COVID-19, a study presents the potential utility of a decoction called Respiratory Detox Shot (RDS).

16 Dec 2020

Azithromycin trial fails to provide evidence of benefit in COVID-19

Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, azithromycin was regarded as being a potentially highly effective drug against the virus that causes it, SARS-CoV-2.

16 Dec 2020

Chemical found in cigarettes could increase severity of COVID-19, new study finds

A new study has found that high levels of the chemical cadmium, is associated with an increased risk of death in patients with influenza or pneumonia.

16 Dec 2020

Copper gluconate supplementation could reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro

The second wave of COVID-19 has affected many countries, costing thousands of lives and dealing further heavy blows to already reeling economies.

16 Dec 2020

Autoimmune condition biomarkers promote SARS-CoV-2 viral entry, study finds

Researchers have reported that the autoimmune PTPN2 risk variant rs1893217 promotes the expression of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor, ACE2, and thus promotes cellular entry, which is mediated by SARS-CoV-2 spike S protein.

16 Dec 2020

SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be reverse-transcribed to be part of chimeric viral-human genome

A new study reveals that the genome of SARS-CoV-2 is inserted into the human genome, accounting for the detection of viral RNAs.

16 Dec 2020

BAT advances COVID-19 vaccine candidate into phase-I clinical trial

The COVID-19 vaccine candidate (KBP-COVID-19; NCT04473690) will become one of a number of potential vaccines to have progressed beyond pre-clinical testing.

16 Dec 2020

Methylene blue and light inactivates SARS-CoV-2 on N95 respirators and masks, study finds

Researchers at the University of Washington show that methylene blue (MB) and light can decontaminate masks and respirators by inactivating three tested coronaviruses without compromising integrity. The method is effective, low-cost, and does not require specialized equipment, making it applicable in any setting.

16 Dec 2020

Study reports increase in outdoor activity among women during COVID-19

Spotting horned owls in neighborhood trees? Raising a bumper crop of winter squash? You may have much in common with individuals in a new study.

16 Dec 2020

Researchers use aroma diffuser for assessing the fit of face masks

Researchers have developed a way to use a simple home aroma diffuser to test whether N95 and other types of sealing masks, such as KN95 and FFP2 masks, are properly fitted, a result which could be used to help protect healthcare workers and the public from contracting or transmitting COVID-19.

16 Dec 2020

Clearer information and increased support may improve compliance with COVID-19 guidelines, says study

UK-based researchers have found that providing clear information and practical or financial support could reduce the number of people who feel that they have to break lockdown rules. They have also evaluated the risk tied to engaging in a particular behavior.

16 Dec 2020

Using hypoxia adaptations in marine mammals to understand COVID-19

News-Medical talks to Terrie Williams about how the diving physiology that adapts marine mammals to hypoxia can improve our understanding of COVID-19.

16 Dec 2020

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

Harvard Medical professor wins Berggruen Prize for transforming perception of infectious diseases

Expanded biodiversity infrastructure is essential for pandemic preparedness, say experts

PrEP prescription can make a positive difference in women who inject drugs

Ignoring CDC recommendations enhances fear and anger among employees

University reopenings appear to have triggered local COVID-19 cases

Contact tracing significantly impacts progression of COVID-19 pandemic, say researchers

LRA survey: Two-thirds of people with lupus are willing to take COVID-19 vaccine

Mass testing is not a ‘silver bullet’ for managing SARS-CoV-2 transmission, say researchers

Traditional herbal medicine Respiratory Detox Shot (RDS) inhibits SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A infection in vitro

Azithromycin trial fails to provide evidence of benefit in COVID-19

Chemical found in cigarettes could increase severity of COVID-19, new study finds

Copper gluconate supplementation could reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro

Autoimmune condition biomarkers promote SARS-CoV-2 viral entry, study finds

SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be reverse-transcribed to be part of chimeric viral-human genome

BAT advances COVID-19 vaccine candidate into phase-I clinical trial

Methylene blue and light inactivates SARS-CoV-2 on N95 respirators and masks, study finds

Study reports increase in outdoor activity among women during COVID-19

Researchers use aroma diffuser for assessing the fit of face masks

Clearer information and increased support may improve compliance with COVID-19 guidelines, says study

Using hypoxia adaptations in marine mammals to understand COVID-19

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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