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.

Researchers design comprehensive toolkit to help Ohioans at higher COVID-19 risk

Those looking to improve the lives of Ohioans facing the greatest COVID-19 risks now have a comprehensive, evidence-based toolkit – one designed to inform the work of everyone from grassroots community groups to state leaders.

14 Oct 2020

New research database can help shape the most effective and efficient response to COVID-19

Researchers around the world can tap into a new inter-disciplinary online database of COVID-19 research - allowing them to search for new partners, resources and funding to boost the global battle against the virus.

14 Oct 2020

Commitment to evidence-based clinical inquiry projects guides innovation and creativity during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought opportunities for rapid innovation and creativity, as healthcare professionals seek ways to maintain high levels of care for patients and their families.

14 Oct 2020

Understanding COVID-19 immunity is crucial for developing vaccination strategies

People who have recovered from COVID-19, and their close contacts, could hold the key to understanding how immunity to the disease develops, how long it lasts and what happens when immunity is lost.

14 Oct 2020

"Pandemic politics" is causing assaults on science and the public health

COVID-19 is now the third leading cause of death in the United States only behind cardiovascular disease and cancer.

14 Oct 2020

Researchers discuss methods to produce core-sheath polymer fibers

Wound dressing, tissue scaffolding, controlled and sustained drug delivery, and cardiac patching are all biomedical processes requiring a material that combines strength with functionality.

14 Oct 2020

Disparities among cardiovascular professionals continue to exist, shows study

Despite working for more than two decades to address underrepresentation of women in cardiology, disparities among cardiovascular professionals continue to exist.

14 Oct 2020

Psychologists and sociologists investigate comparative optimism for infection and recovery from COVID-19

Until a vaccine and/or effective cure for COVID-19 becomes available, battling the current pandemic strongly relies on how well people follow behavioral advice, such as adhering to local restrictions, social distancing rules, and engaging in effective personal hygiene.

14 Oct 2020

Probability sampling to slow spread of SARS-CoV-2

Their study titled, “An Innovative Non-Pharmaceutical Intervention to Mitigate SARS-CoV02 Spread: Probability Sampling to Identify and Isolate Asymptomatic Cases,” was released at the pre-publication and pre-peer review site medRxiv*.

14 Oct 2020

A "five-day switch" plan for schools reopenings during COVID-19

Researchers worked on mathematical predictions that could predict the safety of reopening schools in the U.S. Their study titled, “Safely Reopening K-12 Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” is published preprint at the website medRxiv.

14 Oct 2020

AncestryDNA modeling study of 500,000 Americans sheds light on COVID-19 risk factors

Now, a new study by researchers at AncestryDNA, a company that provides DNA testing services that use modern autosomal testing technology, shows that some people are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection, and they may experience more severe outcomes, including males, the elderly, and those with comorbidities.

14 Oct 2020

D614G mutation in SARS-CoV-2 increases viral fitness and infectivity

Researchers from the Duke Human Vaccine Institute and Duke University, Durham NC, USA, recently analyzed the D614G mutation in SARS-CoV-2 in the context of a soluble S ectodomain construct. Their study has been published in the preprint server bioRxiv.

14 Oct 2020

Children and teens can spread SARS-CoV-2 in their households

A team of researchers from the Georgia Department of Public Health and the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aimed to determine the secondary attack rates (SAR) among household contacts of children and adolescents who contracted SARS-CoV-2 during an outbreak at an overnight camp in June.

13 Oct 2020

Artificial intelligence-based tool can predict COVID-19 outbreaks at football events

Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 have been detected following football events in the United States, and games have the potential to become "superspreader" events.

13 Oct 2020

Salivary samples highly effective in detecting SARS-CoV-2

A team of scientists from the United States has found that oral salivary samples are less sensitive than nasal-oropharyngeal swabs for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA

13 Oct 2020

Using pooled wastewater testing to detect COVID-19 cases

A pilot study testing wastewater from buildings as a surveillance method for COVID-19 found it to be a feasible method for detecting positive cases in highly occupied settings like dormitories.

13 Oct 2020

Are antibiotics being over prescribed in COVID-19?

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in October 2020 shows that the baseline levels of inflammatory markers and C-reactive protein (CRP) in relation to antibiotic administration can rule out bacterial co-infections and help reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics.

13 Oct 2020