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.

COVID-19 may trigger recurrent Guillain–Barré Syndrome episodes, a case study shows

A team of researchers at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, USA, have investigated a case wherein a man experienced recurrent episodes of Guillain–Barré Syndrome after being infected with SARS-CoV-2.

26 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2 immunity can sustain for at least eight months, study finds

A new study by researchers at Monash University, Australia, has revealed that people who have been infected with COVID-19 showed sustained protection against reinfection for at least eight months.

26 Nov 2020

Recurrent SARS-CoV-2 mutations do not significantly increase transmissibility, says study

A team of researchers at the Genetics Institute, University College London, tested whether any homoplasies observed in SARS-Cov-2 to date are significantly linked to increased viral transmission.

26 Nov 2020

Researchers discover blood gene signatures that can predict COVID-19 severity

A team of scientists from the University of Chicago, NCH Healthcare System and the University of South Florida has identified a specific set of genes associated with a poor prognosis of COVID-19.

26 Nov 2020

Researchers develop synthetic defective SARS-CoV-2 genome that inhibits viral replication

A shorter genome comprising only a part of the SARS-CoV-2's RNA genome competes with the normal virus for growth and can potentially prevent viral replication.

26 Nov 2020

Early interferon therapy may mitigate COVID-19 severity

A recent review of COVID-19 therapies explores the utility of interferons in the battle against severe COVID-19, and concludes that they deserve further development.

26 Nov 2020

Putting up holiday décor early could provide psychological benefit

When 34-year-old Chad Barnes decorates for the holidays, he goes all out.

25 Nov 2020

Specific SARS-CoV-2 genomic variations are associated with higher COVID-19 deaths

A team of scientists from South Korea and the United States has conducted an interesting study to investigate whether mutations in the genome of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can affect the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The study findings reveal that mutations in the viral spike protein and RNA polymerase complex can increase the risk of COVID-19 mortality.

25 Nov 2020

COVID-19 vaccine candidate tested preclinically at UAB poised for Phase 1 clinical study

A COVID-19 vaccine candidate that underwent extensive preclinical testing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham this spring and summer is poised for clinical testing to begin in December.

25 Nov 2020

Inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 cell entry with monoclonal antibodies against staphylococcal enterotoxin B superantigen

In a recent cutting-edge study, US researchers unveiled an anti-staphylococcal enterotoxin B monoclonal antibody that can be repurposed to target the cleavage site of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and, in turn, inhibit viral infection. Their findings are currently available on bioRxiv preprint server.

25 Nov 2020

WHO: Every type of movement counts towards better health

Up to 5 million deaths a year could be averted if the global population was more active. At a time when many people are home bound due to COVID-19, new WHO Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior, launched today, emphasize that everyone, of all ages and abilities, can be physically active and that every type of movement counts.

25 Nov 2020

Getting adequate sleep may help teens with migraines

Research indicates that starting school later in the morning yields health and academic benefits for high schoolers, whose natural body clock tends toward late-to-bed, late-to-rise habits.

25 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2 likely circulating in China as early as mid-October 2019

Researchers in the United States have conducted a modeling study suggesting that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – could have been circulating in the Chinese province of Hubei as early as mid-October 2019.

25 Nov 2020

Genomic analysis provides clues about SARS-CoV-2 ancestry and transmission

Researchers in the UK conducting a genomic analysis of severe acute respiratory virus syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and SARS-like coronaviruses in the bat and pangolin have identified strong host-associated divergences that could provide clues about the ancestry and interspecies transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

25 Nov 2020

Researchers discover close SARS-CoV-2-relative in animal hosts outside China

In a major new discovery that might deepen our understanding of SARS-CoV-2’s animal origins and its genetic evolution, coronaviruses very closely related to SARS-CoV-2 have been discovered in two horseshoe bats outside of China.

25 Nov 2020

Convalescent plasma therapy ineffective in treating severe COVID-19, study finds

A recent study based at a hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina, found that convalescent plasma therapy for patients with severe COVID-19, and COVID-19-related pneumonia, was largely ineffective.

25 Nov 2020

Researchers explore prevention measures for SARS-CoV-2 transmission during international travel

Researchers from the Centres for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) have released findings of their study on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via international travel.

25 Nov 2020

Why employers find it so hard to test for COVID

Brandon Hudgins works the main floor at Fleet Feet, a running-shoe store chain, for more than 30 hours a week. He chats with customers, measuring their feet and dashing in and out of the storage area to locate right-sized shoes. Sometimes, clients drag their masks down while speaking. Others refuse to wear masks at all.

25 Nov 2020

Study: None of the SARS-CoV-2 mutations appear to increase transmissibility in humans

None of the mutations currently documented in the SARS-CoV-2 virus appear to increase its transmissibility in humans, according to a study led by UCL researchers.

25 Nov 2020

New website provides a unique way for families to connect during lockdown

Social isolation and loneliness have affected many people during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially those with limited access to digital technology.

25 Nov 2020

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

COVID-19 may trigger recurrent Guillain–Barré Syndrome episodes, a case study shows

SARS-CoV-2 immunity can sustain for at least eight months, study finds

Recurrent SARS-CoV-2 mutations do not significantly increase transmissibility, says study

Researchers discover blood gene signatures that can predict COVID-19 severity

Researchers develop synthetic defective SARS-CoV-2 genome that inhibits viral replication

Early interferon therapy may mitigate COVID-19 severity

Putting up holiday décor early could provide psychological benefit

Specific SARS-CoV-2 genomic variations are associated with higher COVID-19 deaths

COVID-19 vaccine candidate tested preclinically at UAB poised for Phase 1 clinical study

Inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 cell entry with monoclonal antibodies against staphylococcal enterotoxin B superantigen

WHO: Every type of movement counts towards better health

Getting adequate sleep may help teens with migraines

SARS-CoV-2 likely circulating in China as early as mid-October 2019

Genomic analysis provides clues about SARS-CoV-2 ancestry and transmission

Researchers discover close SARS-CoV-2-relative in animal hosts outside China

Convalescent plasma therapy ineffective in treating severe COVID-19, study finds

Researchers explore prevention measures for SARS-CoV-2 transmission during international travel

Why employers find it so hard to test for COVID

Study: None of the SARS-CoV-2 mutations appear to increase transmissibility in humans

New website provides a unique way for families to connect during lockdown

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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