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.

Share of tweets about healthy foods increased by 20% during the pandemic, analysis finds

From May 2020 to January 2021, the share of tweets about healthy foods increased by 20 percent compared to pre-pandemic estimates, while fast-food and alcohol tweets decreased by 9 percent and 11 percent, respectively.

26 Jul 2022

Researchers pinpoint multiple zoonotic origins of SARS-CoV-2

In a pair of related studies, published July 26, 2022 online via First Release in Science, researchers at University of California San Diego, with colleagues on four continents, show that the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 was at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China, and resulted from at least two instances of the SARS-CoV-2 virus jumping from live animal hosts to humans working or shopping there.

26 Jul 2022

A pair of analyses reveals early epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19-causing coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, likely first spread to humans from animals in two separate transmission events in a Wuhan market in late November 2019, according to a pair of analyses by international teams co-led by Scripps Research scientists.

26 Jul 2022

Poll: Many older adults use integrative medicine strategy to ease physical or mental health symptoms

Nearly 40% of older adults currently use at least one integrative medicine strategy to try to ease symptoms of a physical or mental health issue, or to help them relax, a new poll finds.

26 Jul 2022

CDC: Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine can be used as another primary series option for adults

Today, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' (ACIP) recommendation that Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine be used as another primary series option for adults ages 18 years and older.

26 Jul 2022

Study describes county-to-county SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Minnesota

New research has recently described the county-to-county transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Minnesota.

26 Jul 2022

Researchers describe negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the treatment of TBIs

Researchers affiliated with the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the treatment of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) by evaluating data from the Michigan Trauma Quality Improvement Program (MTQIP).

26 Jul 2022

Scientists explore immune memory of common cold coronaviruses before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic era

In a new study, researchers assessed the immune memory of common cold coronaviruses (CCCs) three years before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

26 Jul 2022

Individuals who detransition avoid medical help, study finds

Medical education, research and clinical guidelines are all available to support the initiation of gender-affirming care for transgender people, but a York University-led qualitative study has found these resources are sparse when patients discontinue or reverse gender-affirming medical or surgical interventions -; referred to as detransition.

26 Jul 2022

Researchers report ‘hybrid immune damping’ following SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection

Researchers explore the impact of differential immune imprinting patterns in individuals vaccinated against COVID-19 with a history of prior infection.

25 Jul 2022

How SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike mutations contribute to increased infectivity

Researchers study the functional impact of Omicron mutations.

25 Jul 2022

A VSV-based COVID vaccine effective against SARS-CoV-2 variants

A new study discusses the development of recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus COVID-19 vaccines.

25 Jul 2022

Bivalent mRNA vaccine induces powerful antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants

Researchers discuss the development and efficacy of a bivalent mRNA vaccine against emerging variants such as BA.2.12.1, BA.4, or BA.5.

25 Jul 2022

Long-COVID is relatively infrequent, but still poses a threat

A new study suggests that long COVID complaints may not be common among COVID-19 patients as compared to the general population.

25 Jul 2022

How COVID-19 affects the brain microvasculature

A recent study discusses the effects of COVID-19 on the brain microvascular system.

25 Jul 2022

COVID-19 related acute muscle loss linked to worse outcomes

Researchers investigate acute sarcopenia prevalence in COVID-19 patients and the outcomes of this complication.

25 Jul 2022

Why Omicron is more infectious than other SARS-CoV-2 variants

Researchers describe SARS-CoV-2 Omicron mutations and their impact on neutralization and infectivity.

25 Jul 2022

New method uses drones to quickly deliver at-home COVID-19 diagnostic tests

Researchers at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health have developed a new COVID-19 test distribution method that uses drones to quickly deliver at-home diagnostic tests to individuals who suspect they have COVID-19.

25 Jul 2022

Scientists investigate how interferons interact with SARS-CoV-2 variants

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have investigated how antiviral proteins called interferons interact with SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19.

25 Jul 2022

Medical professionals use Twitter amplifiers to tackle COVID-19 misinformation

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when false information about the virus began to spread on Twitter, physicians and scientists from Northwestern Medicine and other institutions banded together to combat the deadly misinformation and disinformation and support one another when they ultimately were attacked online for doing so.

25 Jul 2022