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Antiviral agent accelerates virus clearance in cases of COVID-19

A team of researchers from have found an antiviral therapy that seems to be an effective treatment for patients with moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 May 2020

COVID-19 and food insecurity in the U.S.

A new paper published on the preprint server medRxiv* in May 2020 reports that the measures taken to block the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) such as social distancing and lockdown are associated with widespread effects on food security in the US state of Vermont.

14 May 2020

New insights into SARS-CoV-2 viral diversity

The first comprehensive, large-scale analysis available on the preprint server bioRxiv attempted to identify specific genomic signatures of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains within and across individual hosts – revealing recombination events, specific geographic profiles, as well as multi-strain and/or superinfections characteristic for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

14 May 2020

ACMG: Technical standard on CFTR variant testing updated

It has been nearly two decades since the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, together with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, made the landmark recommendation that cystic fibrosis (CF) become the first target of pan-ethnic universal carrier screening, with ACMG identifying a core panel of 23 pathogenic variants to be tested.

14 May 2020

ACTG initiates clinical trial to evaluate treatment for COVID-19

The AIDS Clinical Trials Group, the world's largest and longest established HIV research network, today announced the initiation of ACTG 5395, a clinical trial to evaluate whether the drug combination hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin can prevent hospitalization and death from COVID-19 (which is caused by infection with the virus SARS-CoV-2).

14 May 2020

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: What’s in the next round of COVID-19 relief?

House Democrats are moving ahead with another round of COVID-19 relief, including additional funding for state Medicaid programs, an open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act's marketplace plans, and money to pay premiums for newly unemployed Americans to continue on their employer health coverage.

14 May 2020

In reversal, Kansas will count all positive COVID cases, even asymptomatic ones

Kansas leaders will include asymptomatic COVID-19 cases in their assessments of virus trends as they evaluate when to take further steps to ease stay-at-home orders and other social distancing measures.

14 May 2020

Trump’s comparison of COVID-19 death rates in Germany, US is wrong

Following weeks of criticism over his administration's COVID-19 response, President Donald Trump pulled out new statistics to claim the nation is actually among the best in the world in fighting the lethal coronavirus.

14 May 2020

SCAI releases recommendations for managing patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions has released an expert consensus statement describing recommendations for the management of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

14 May 2020

Under COVID cloud, prisons in rural America threaten to choke rural hospitals

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept into Montana, it spread into the Marias Heritage Center assisted living facility, then flowed into the nearby 21-bed hospital.

14 May 2020

Despite pandemic, trauma centers see no end to ‘the visible virus of violence’

But many weren't there because of the coronavirus. They were there because they'd been shot.

14 May 2020

New research and guidance focus on critical health aspects during COVID-19 epidemic

New research and guidance in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, focus on critical topics pertaining to community and individual health during the COVID-19 epidemic.

14 May 2020

Strong relationships can help adults stay active in older age

Relationships are key to influencing positive health behaviors and should not be forgotten during social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic

14 May 2020

Machine learning can be used to track public interest in COVID-19 topics on popular internet sites

Machine learning can be used to track surges in interest in health topics on popular online comment boards, like Reddit, according to a new study conducted during the COVID-19 outbreak by researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Medicine).

14 May 2020

New map shows that distrust in health expertise could dominate online conversations

Communities on Facebook that distrust establishment health guidance are more effective than government health agencies and other reliable health groups at reaching and engaging "undecided" individuals, according to a study published today in the journal Nature.

14 May 2020

Comparison of flu deaths with COVID-19 deaths

A new study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine in May 2020 reports that false comparisons between the count of COVID-19 deaths as reported by various hospitals in the US, and the estimated flu-related deaths, causes significant confusion and may impair the ability to design public health policies.

14 May 2020

New article outlines effects of fatigue and stress on ICU workers caused by COVID-19

Doctors and nurses across the country are experiencing occupational burnout and fatigue from the increased stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

14 May 2020

Experts highlight triumph over polio and hope to do the same for COVID-19

For much of the 20th century, summer was considered "polio season," and people were accustomed to seeing swimming pools and movie theaters closed to stave off the latest epidemic. Shaking hands was off limits, and even touching money was perilous.

14 May 2020

Lessons for COVID-19 from 2009 H1N1

The world has experienced many outbreaks of viral diseases. Over the past two decades, we have also seen the emergence of zoonotic human respiratory coronaviruses with pandemic potential.

13 May 2020

Leave packages unopened and untouched for 72 hours to prevent the spread of COVID-19

Researchers have advised that people need to leave their parcels and packages unopened and untouched for 72 hours to help stop the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 disease. The virus, as is evident from the raging pandemic across the world, is highly infectious and could survive on surfaces for up to 72 hours.

13 May 2020