Pandemic News and Research

RSS

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.

Bereaved families are ‘the secondary victims of COVID-19’

Every day, the nation is reminded of COVID-19's ongoing impact as new death counts are published. What is not well documented is the toll on family members.

12 Aug 2020

Open access journal posts COVID-19 preprint studies to reduce misinformation

Today, open access journal Rapid Reviews: COVID-19 (RR:C19), published by the MIT Press, posted peer reviews of eight COVID-19 preprint studies in an effort to reduce misinformation and to elevate noteworthy and useful research for scientists, public health officials, journalists, and the public.

12 Aug 2020

SARS-CoV-2 a "swarm" of mutant viruses

In this new study, the virus was serially passaged in independent cell types in a controlled environment. The researchers found that the virus rapidly adapts to the changing conditions in culture by selecting for pre-existing species.

12 Aug 2020

Study highlights need to understand different environmental conditions that affect surface chemistry of SARS-CoV-2

Researchers at Michigan Tech, TÜV SÜD UK National Engineering Laboratory and University of Edinburgh call for increased research on virus surface stability and interaction in "Surface Chemistry Can Unlock Drivers of Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 in Variety of Environmental Conditions" in the Cell Press journal Chem.

12 Aug 2020

New app allows remote monitoring of patients with motor neurone disease during Covid-19

A new online system, developed by the University of Sheffield, which enables healthcare professionals to remotely monitor and support patients who have motor neurone disease (MND) during the Covid-19 pandemic, has been fast-tracked for use by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.

12 Aug 2020

Smoking and vaping significantly increase risk of COVID-19 in teens and young adults

Now, a new study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health shows that teens and young adults may have a heightened risk of COVID-19 if they vape or smoke cigarettes. Cigarette smokers are seven times more likely to be infected with SARS-CoV-2. Meanwhile, people who vape are five times more likely to be diagnosed with the viral infection.

11 Aug 2020

Scientist explains why COVID-19 targets only some organs while others are spared

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) uses the enzyme angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to enter and infect human cells. It causes COVID-19 and can lead to a multitude of complications, including multi-organ impairment, partially due to the abundant expression of ACE2 in all human tissues.

11 Aug 2020

Alcohol consumption rises in Australia as COVID pandemic continues

A new survey from the Alcohol and Drug Foundation has found that 12 percent of Australians have begun consuming alcohol on a daily basis since the coronavirus pandemic began a few months back. The survey showed that many Australians who did not drink regularly before have picked up the habit.

11 Aug 2020

NYC shoppers four times more likely to choose stores that follow social distancing

New York City residents are four times more likely to choose a store where shoppers respect 6 feet of distancing as opposed to one where no one is social distancing, according to an experiment by Cornell University researchers conducted using a 3D simulation.

11 Aug 2020

Natural compund in cedar and grapefruit skin could help repel mosquitoes and ticks says CDC

Over the last few years, there has been a rise in the number of cases of diseases caused by mosquito and tick bites. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that a natural chemical compound could help combat this problem. This compound Nootkatone is found commonly in cedar trees, and grapefruit skin says the organization.

11 Aug 2020

People of color, minority groups are underrepresented in COVID-19 clinical trials

Despite disproportionately higher rates of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death among people of color, minority groups are significantly underrepresented in COVID-19 clinical trials, according to a new perspective authored by faculty from the University of Georgia and University of Colorado and pharmacists from Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany.

11 Aug 2020

1st human data for Sinovac's SARS-CoV-2 CoronaVac vaccine is out

A group of Chinese researchers recently conducted a phase 2 clinical trial to further evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of SARS-CoV-2 inactivated vaccine known as CoronaVac. The results are currently available on the medRxiv preprint server and demonstrate that the vaccine is well tolerated and without any notable dose-related safety concerns, which opens the door for phase 3 clinical trial.

11 Aug 2020

Inhaled delivery of a potent neutralizing nanobody effective against SARS-CoV-2

A recent study by researchers from China, available on the bioRxiv preprint server, shows how stable neutralizing nanobody Nb11-59 might be a promising prophylactic and therapeutic molecule against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) – especially if administered via the inhalatory route.

11 Aug 2020

Study to examine possible effects of COVID-19 on dementia risk in older adults

In addition to its clear impact on physical health, COVID-19 may also have adverse consequences for brain health. Therefore, researchers at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute (RRI) are investigating the possible effects of COVID-19 and infection prevention measures on dementia risk in older adults.

11 Aug 2020

Public health officials are quitting or getting fired in throes of pandemic

Vilified, threatened with violence or in some cases suffering from burnout, dozens of state and local public health officials around the U.S. have resigned or have been fired amid the coronavirus outbreak, a testament to how politically combustible masks, lockdowns and infection data have become.

11 Aug 2020

Incidence of dog bites has increased among Colorado’s children

Greater rates of Colorado's children are going to the pediatric emergency department as a result of dog bites during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recently published commentary article in the Journal of Pediatrics.

11 Aug 2020

A simple modeling tool for business executives to reopen their workplace after lockdown

In the USA, where the curve of infections has not yet flattened since the beginning of the pandemic, 158,000 people have died from Covid-19 already.

11 Aug 2020

Exclusive: Over 900 health workers have died of COVID-19. And the toll is rising

More than 900 front-line health care workers have died of COVID-19, according to an interactive database unveiled Wednesday by The Guardian and KHN. Lost on the Frontline is a partnership between the two newsrooms that aims to count, verify and memorialize every U.S. health care worker who dies during the pandemic.

11 Aug 2020

Study shows how wind instruments vary for risk of virus transmission

A new study by the University of Minnesota researchers and published on the preprint server medRxiv in August 2020 shows that wind instruments, in particular, are a source of significant aerosol production and, therefore, of viral transmission.

11 Aug 2020

Finland joins international organization dedicated to COVID-19 vaccines

The flag of Finland was raised at the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) Headquarters today during a ceremony welcoming the country's accession to IVI.

11 Aug 2020

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

Bereaved families are ‘the secondary victims of COVID-19’

Open access journal posts COVID-19 preprint studies to reduce misinformation

SARS-CoV-2 a "swarm" of mutant viruses

Study highlights need to understand different environmental conditions that affect surface chemistry of SARS-CoV-2

New app allows remote monitoring of patients with motor neurone disease during Covid-19

Smoking and vaping significantly increase risk of COVID-19 in teens and young adults

Scientist explains why COVID-19 targets only some organs while others are spared

Alcohol consumption rises in Australia as COVID pandemic continues

NYC shoppers four times more likely to choose stores that follow social distancing

Natural compund in cedar and grapefruit skin could help repel mosquitoes and ticks says CDC

People of color, minority groups are underrepresented in COVID-19 clinical trials

1st human data for Sinovac's SARS-CoV-2 CoronaVac vaccine is out

Inhaled delivery of a potent neutralizing nanobody effective against SARS-CoV-2

Study to examine possible effects of COVID-19 on dementia risk in older adults

Public health officials are quitting or getting fired in throes of pandemic

Incidence of dog bites has increased among Colorado’s children

A simple modeling tool for business executives to reopen their workplace after lockdown

Exclusive: Over 900 health workers have died of COVID-19. And the toll is rising

Study shows how wind instruments vary for risk of virus transmission

Finland joins international organization dedicated to COVID-19 vaccines

Best practices - optimize qPCR processes for pathogen detection eBook

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

Latest News