Coronavirus News and Research

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Analysis: We knew the coronavirus was coming, yet we failed 5 critical tests

The arrival of COVID-19 has provided a nuclear-level stress test to the American health care system, and our grade isn't pretty: at least 73,000 dead, 1.2 million infected and 30 million unemployed; nursing homes, prisons and meatpacking plants that have become hotbeds of infection.

11 May 2020

COVID survivors’ blood plasma is a sought-after new commodity

Diana Berrent learned she had tested positive for COVID-19 on a Wednesday in mid-March. Within a day, she had received 30 emails from people urging her to donate blood.

11 May 2020

Government announces £16 million to provide food for vulnerable people during COVID-19

The Government has today announced up to £16 million to provide food for those who are struggling as a result of coronavirus.

11 May 2020

New initiative to deliver immune support saves lives of frontline NHS staff

The new Frontline Immune Support Team has been founded to provide quality, free immune support to frontline NHS staff risking their lives in the struggle to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

11 May 2020

Italy develops vaccine candidate that neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 in mice

As the world grapples with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), scientists race to develop treatments and vaccines to combat the viral infection. Though many ongoing trials show promise in fighting the novel coronavirus, Italian researchers claim they have developed a vaccine that can neutralize severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in animal cells.

10 May 2020

No evidence COVID-19 is spread by fecal-oral transmission

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in May 2020 shows that in patients who test positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in pharyngeal and fecal samples, the virus persists longer in the fecal samples than in the pharyngeal samples. However, fecal-oral transmission does not appear to occur.

10 May 2020

Human neutralizing antibody pair blocks COVID-19-ACE2 binding

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic carving its deadly path across the world, and no end in sight in the immediate future, researchers are working furiously to bring out an effective therapeutic drug or vaccine that will stop the virus in its tracks.

10 May 2020

COVID-19 could accelerate activation of dormant tuberculosis (TB)

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has thrown much of the world into disarray, with over 4 million people reported infected and well over 282,000 deaths. A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in May 2020 suggests that the long-term impact of the virus could include activation of dormant bacterial infections like tuberculosis (TB).

10 May 2020

Neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 via S protein

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in May 2020 reports on a method to block severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by destroying its main spike protein, which is responsible for attachment to the host cell membrane.

10 May 2020

Low-molecular-weight drugs could help against COVID-19 says study

Chinese researchers have worked on using existing low molecular weight drugs to treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 disease.

10 May 2020

Internet search patterns important in tracing and predicting COVID-19 spread

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in May 2020 has identified a link between Internet search patterns and local disease progression for COVID-19. It recommends the use of search data to track and predict COVID-19 spread as a complementary method to established public health surveillance methods.

10 May 2020

Study demonstrates dynamic and broad-scale immune alterations in COVID-19 patient

A new case report released on the preprint server medRxiv* provides a detailed longitudinal analysis of the immune response associated with a fatal case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). It highlights the need for addressing the source of hyper inflammation in the treatment approach.

10 May 2020

Study shows COVID-19 vulnerability is highly dependent on host genetic architecture

A new US study available on the preprint server medRxiv reveals certain genetic variations that are associated with infection susceptibility and diverse clinical presentation of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) – including asymptomatic cases and severe forms of the disease in younger patients.

10 May 2020

ACE inhibitors should not be discontinued over fears about COVID-19, say researchers

Researchers in Europe have found no evidence to support previous reports that the use of drugs that target the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) increases susceptibility to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The research is published in the European Heart Journal.

10 May 2020

AGS awards highest honor to West Health for visionary work to improve geriatric care

For only the second time in its near 80-year history, the American Geriatrics Society will award one of its highest honors typically reserved for individuals to West Health, a family of nonprofit organizations dedicated to lowering healthcare costs to enable older adults to successfully age in place.

9 May 2020

Understanding the ability of COVID-19 virus to infect pets and livestock

A new paper identifies the critical need for research on the ability of the COVID-19 virus to infect certain animal species, the transmissibility of infection between humans and those animals, and the impact infection could have on food security and the economy.

9 May 2020

Perspective: Existing drugs could be repurposed for COVID-19 patients

Given the rapid spread of COVID-19 and its relatively high mortality, filling the gap for coronavirus-specific drugs is urgent.

9 May 2020

Perspective: Finding the fastest pathway to COVID-19 vaccine development

When seeking the fastest pathway to a vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), defining the stakes and potential hurdles is critical, says Barney Graham in this Perspective.

9 May 2020

Scientists create German COVID-19 OMICS Initiative to accelerate research

How does the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) change its genetic information? What other infections occur in patients with COVID-19? Are there genetic risk factors that favor an infection? Numerous genome researchers are pooling their expertise and sequencing infrastructure to make a scientific contribution to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.

9 May 2020

UCD researcher awarded €500,000 SFI Future Innovator Prize for innovative imaging solution

Ireland's Minister for Business, Enterprise, and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, TD, has today announced that a special Science Foundation Ireland Future Innovator Prize of €500,000 has been granted to University College Dublin researcher, Professor Dominic Zerulla.

9 May 2020