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.

Millions of Africans are at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to lack of public health tools

Millions of people across the African continent are at risk of contracting COVID-19 because of a lack of the most basic public health tools to protect themselves - including the essentials of soap and water.

20 Aug 2021

Study finds disparities in COVID-19 infection, mortality rates among Orange County residents

Socioeconomic, geographic and demographic factors all played critical roles in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 mortality among Orange County residents last year, according to a study led by the University of California, Irvine.

20 Aug 2021

Study points to a novel strategy for developing broad-spectrum vaccines against coronaviruses

Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School and the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) found that 2003 SARS survivors who have been vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine produced highly potent functional antibodies that are capable of neutralizing not only all known SARS-CoV-2 variants of concerns (VOCs) but also other animal coronaviruses that have the potential to cause human infection.

20 Aug 2021

NCCN joins the growing call for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for healthcare workers

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network- a nonprofit alliance of leading cancer centers across the United States- joins the growing call for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for all eligible healthcare workers.

19 Aug 2021

249,000 UK-donated AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines reach Ghana

A shipment of 249,000 UK-donated AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines has today (Wednesday, 18 August) arrived in Accra’s Kotoka International Airport.

19 Aug 2021

Researchers discover glycan 'gates' that open to allow SARS-CoV-2 entry

Since the early days of the COVID pandemic, scientists have aggressively pursued the secrets of the mechanisms that allow severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to enter and infect healthy human cells.

19 Aug 2021

Vaccines remain the most effective way to protect against COVID-19 Delta variant, study says

Obtaining two vaccine doses remains the most effective way to ensure protection against the COVID-19 Delta variant of concern dominant in the UK today, according to a study from the University of Oxford.

19 Aug 2021

Existing drugs block or reduce SARS-CoV2 infection in cells

Since the beginning of the pandemic, researchers worldwide have been looking for ways to treat COVID-19. And while the COVID-19 vaccines represent the best measure to prevent the disease, therapies for those who do get infected remain in short supply.

19 Aug 2021

Researchers receive $6.2 million grant to launch a center for perioperative mental health

Clinicians and researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received a four-year, $6.2 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to launch a center designed to help improve mental health in surgery patients, particularly older surgery patients.

19 Aug 2021

Rare gene variant increases zoonotic H7N9 virus susceptibility in humans

Rare, single-nucleotide variants in the MX1 gene increase human susceptibility to zoonotic H7N9 avian influenza infection, according to a new study.

19 Aug 2021

Study shows an increase in home drinking during COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic months of March 2020 to September 2020, U.S. alcohol retail store sales increased compared to usual trends while food services and drinking places sales decreased markedly during the same period, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

19 Aug 2021

Small study suggests a mix-and-match COVID-19 booster produces robust antibody levels

In a small study published in the medRxiv* preprint server, people given a booster Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 shot showed elevated and robust antibody levels.

19 Aug 2021

SARS-CoV-2 antibodies found to neutralize bat coronavirus (RaTG13) in new study

A striking new study examines how far antibodies elicited by vaccines against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), or by natural infection, can neutralize the closely related bat coronavirus (CoV) RaTG13.

19 Aug 2021

How does the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant’s spike drive membrane fusion and immunity evasion?

A fascinating and timely new study shows how the Delta variant of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) achieved higher transmissibility and resistance to neutralization.

19 Aug 2021

Better Care Fund increased to continue driving integration between health and social care system

The Better Care Fund has been increased this year to continue driving integration between the health and social care system and support local recovery from the pandemic.

19 Aug 2021

Durable highly protective T cell response to AAV-spike vaccine against COVID-19 pneumonia in mice

New research, available as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, has focused on the role played by T cell immunity, particularly CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, on preventing lethal infection with SARS-CoV-2 in mice infused with peptide-loaded antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs).

19 Aug 2021

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

Millions of Africans are at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to lack of public health tools

Study finds disparities in COVID-19 infection, mortality rates among Orange County residents

Study points to a novel strategy for developing broad-spectrum vaccines against coronaviruses

NCCN joins the growing call for mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for healthcare workers

249,000 UK-donated AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines reach Ghana

Researchers discover glycan 'gates' that open to allow SARS-CoV-2 entry

Vaccines remain the most effective way to protect against COVID-19 Delta variant, study says

Existing drugs block or reduce SARS-CoV2 infection in cells

Researchers receive $6.2 million grant to launch a center for perioperative mental health

Rare gene variant increases zoonotic H7N9 virus susceptibility in humans

Study shows an increase in home drinking during COVID-19 pandemic

Small study suggests a mix-and-match COVID-19 booster produces robust antibody levels

SARS-CoV-2 antibodies found to neutralize bat coronavirus (RaTG13) in new study

How does the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant’s spike drive membrane fusion and immunity evasion?

Better Care Fund increased to continue driving integration between health and social care system

Durable highly protective T cell response to AAV-spike vaccine against COVID-19 pneumonia in mice

Did particulate matter from wildfires cause excess COVID-19 deaths in the US?

New AHA Presidential Advisory addresses opioid use and its effects on heart and brain health

To stoke rural vaccination rates, trusted farmers are asked to spread word

Covid politics and fatigue work against contact-tracing foot soldiers

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Latest News