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.

Federal help falters as nursing homes run short of protective equipment

Around the country, nursing homes trying to protect their residents from the coronavirus eagerly await boxes of masks, eyewear and gowns promised by the federal government. But all too often the packages deliver disappointment — if they arrive at all.

11 Jun 2020

A family with five doctors — and two COVID deaths

On the morning of April 1, Dr. Priya Khanna inched her way from the bedroom to the front door, using walls, doors and railings to hold herself up long enough to get to the stretcher waiting outside. She had been battling COVID-19 for five days and was struggling to breathe.

11 Jun 2020

Using stories to mentally survive as a COVID-19 clinician

Dr. Christopher Travis, an intern in obstetrics-gynecology, has cared for patients with COVID-19 and performed surgery on women suspected of having the coronavirus. But the patient who arrived for a routine prenatal visit in two masks and gloves had a problem that wasn’t physiological.

11 Jun 2020

Rapid point-of-care testing using screen-printed electrodes from Metrohm DropSens

Point-of-care testing with screen-printed electrodes allows rapid testing of populations for viral outbreaks – at affordable costs, without the need for trained specialists and/or complicated equipment.

From Metrohm USA Inc. 11 Jun 2020

Co-existing non-communicable diseases linked to higher risk of illness and death from COVID-19

The interaction of COVID-19 with co-existing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a perfect storm, particularly for communities of poverty, according to a new opinion piece published by Columbia Mailman School of Public Health researchers in the journal British Medical Journal.

11 Jun 2020

Article calls for international governance system to oversee access to Covid-19 vaccines, treatments

Human challenge trials to test the efficacy of vaccine candidates against SARS? CoV? 2, the novel coronavirus behind COVID? 19, could save considerable time and many lives.

11 Jun 2020

Determining the reliability of COVID-19 antibody tests

With stay-at-home orders expiring around the world, many hope that COVID-19 antibody testing will help businesses and institutions reopen safely.

11 Jun 2020

Reducing food insecurity and improving mental health

As the coronavirus pandemic forces so many to reckon with growing food insecurity and increased health challenges, the Building Wealth and Health Network program of Drexel University's Center for Hunger-Free Communities is reducing food insecurity and improving mental health - without distributing any food or medicine.

11 Jun 2020

Alcohol consumption substantially higher for females during COVID-19

The novel coronavirus pandemic forced many countries into lockdown, requiring people to stay at home to prevent the spread of the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The dramatic change to life has left many people in distress, affecting psychological and emotional wellbeing.

11 Jun 2020

Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection not harmful in first trimester pregnancies

A new Danish study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 shows that infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in early pregnancy does not carry an increased risk of fetal harm.

10 Jun 2020

Females mount stronger T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 shows that immune cells, antibody levels, cytokine levels, and viral loads contribute to the sex difference seen in response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

10 Jun 2020

Decisions made for incapacitated patients often not compatible with care requested by families

Researchers from Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University report that nearly half of the time medical treatments and orders received for incapacitated patients were not compatible with goals of care requested by their surrogate decision makers.

10 Jun 2020

Scientists investigate immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike immunogens

The coronavirus pandemic is actively spreading across the globe, with millions of people infected. Amid the global health crisis, scientists race to develop an effective vaccine against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

10 Jun 2020

Asymptomatic spread of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be rare, says WHO

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has taken a toll on many countries, infecting more than 7.35 million people. Previously, scientists claimed that the virus could be transmitted via asymptomatic carriers, or those not showing symptoms of the disease.

10 Jun 2020

Rising SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels detected in sewage from several Dutch cities

Scientists have detected RNA from the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in the feces of people with COVID-19. So it stands to reason that the viral RNA could end up in city sewage, where it could be used to monitor prevalence of the disease.

10 Jun 2020

Study looks at type I diabetes and COVID-19

Researchers from the United States have analyzed the information on type I diabetics and COVID-19. Their study titled, "Type 1 Diabetes and COVID-19: Preliminary Findings From a Multicenter Surveillance Study in the U.S.," is published in the latest issue of the journal Diabetes Care.

10 Jun 2020

Anticardiolipin antibodies and COVID-19

A new study has shown that anticardiolipin antibodies are associated with the novel coronavirus infection or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19.

10 Jun 2020

New guidance for surgeons and clinicians working during COVID-19

Professor Björn Brücher is a cancer surgeon/scientist and the Editor in Chief of the EDP Sciences journal 4open. With 34 colleagues from around the world, he has created a clear guidance document for surgeons and clinicians working in the time of COVID-19, whether they are in a large state-of-the art hospital or a small clinic in a developing country.

10 Jun 2020

COVID-19 mouse model could accelerate the search for treatments, vaccines

The global effort to quickly develop drugs and vaccines for COVID-19 has been hampered by limited numbers of laboratory mice that are susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

10 Jun 2020

COVID-19 pandemic impacts mental, physical health of people with obesity

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on people with obesity as they struggle to manage their weight and mental health during shelter-in-place orders, according to research led by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and UT Southwestern.

10 Jun 2020