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.

Could peridomestic mammals act as zoonotic reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2?

In new research from researchers in the USA and Australia peridomestic mammals, which live in and around human habitations, have been investigated to ascertain how SARS-CoV-2 can affect species external to, but in close proximity to, the human population.

1 Jul 2021

The impact of COVID-19 on dialysis patients

In this interview, News-Medical speaks to Professor Simon Davies and Dr. Raymond Vanholder about the impact of COVID-19 on kidney dialysis patients.

1 Jul 2021

How one rural town without a pharmacy is crowdsourcing to get meds

The building that once housed the last drugstore in this town of fewer than 600 is now a barbecue restaurant, where pit boss Larry Holtman dishes out smoked brisket and pulled pork across the same counter where pharmacists dispensed vital medications more than 30 years ago.

1 Jul 2021

Damage to children’s education — and their health — could last a lifetime

Before the pandemic, 16-year-old Na'ryen Cayou had everything he needed. He had his own room. A partial scholarship to a boys' prep school. A spot playing trombone in the marching band, performing in parades all over New Orleans.

1 Jul 2021

Study shows wearing facial masks do not impose any limitations during physical exercise

A new study demonstrates that wearing an N95 respirator or cloth mask does not limit the capacity to conduct physical exercise among adults.

1 Jul 2021

People with COVID-19 frequently infect their pets and cats are particularly at risk

Previous studies have shown that cats and dogs can catch COVID-19 from their owners, but new research is attempting to understand how and why this occurs.

1 Jul 2021

Zinc-embedded polyamides inactivate SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A

The researchers show that the fabric retains its virus-inactivating property and stable zinc content over 50 standardized washes.

1 Jul 2021

New, objective approach can help estimate the age after facelift surgery

For most patients, the reasons for having a facelift are simple: to "turn back the clock" for a younger and more attractive appearance. Even during the pandemic year 2020, more than 234,000 patients underwent facelift surgery, according to American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) statistics.

1 Jul 2021

COVID-19 burden consistently hits Latino Californians, shows study

Researchers from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health have found the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic has consistently hit Latino Californians with case rates roughly three times that of whites in all age groups.

1 Jul 2021

FDA revokes EUAs for non-NIOSH-approved respirators, decontamination systems

The following quote is attributed to Suzanne Schwartz, M.D., M.B.A., director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships and Technology Innovation in the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

1 Jul 2021

Majority of people were unprepared and did not have a pandemic plan, survey reveals

Researchers point out that if these healthy individuals had a challenging time absorbing COVID-related information, then such challenges may be even greater in people with limited educational opportunities or with neurocognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease or a brain injury, due to low health literacy and impaired memory.

1 Jul 2021

New study maps evolutionary history and interrelationships of protein domains

Proteins have been quietly taking over our lives since the COVID-19 pandemic began. We've been living at the whim of the virus's so-called "spike" protein, which has mutated dozens of times to create increasingly deadly variants. But the truth is, we have always been ruled by proteins. At the cellular level, they're responsible for pretty much everything.

1 Jul 2021

COVID mRNA vaccines induce antibodies against three SARS-CoV-2 variants

Researchers at the Institute of Biomedicine, the University of Turku in Finland showed that the blood of BNT162b2-vaccinated health care workers effectively neutralized the SARS-CoV-2 variant with the D614G substitution and the B.1.1.7 variant (Alpha variant) after the second dose.

1 Jul 2021

Study explores link between threat sensitivity and social conservatism

Researchers studying the intersection of politics and psychology have long documented a link between threat sensitivity and social conservatism: People who are more socially conservative tend to react more strongly to threats. Conversely, those who are more socially liberal tend to be less sensitive to threats, viewing the world as a generally safe place and embracing change to explore new possibilities.

1 Jul 2021

Scientists reveal the role of newly introduced lineages in COVID-19 resurgence in Europe

Following the first wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections in spring 2020, Europe experienced a resurgence of the virus starting late summer. Although it appears clear that travel had a significant impact on the circulation of the virus, it remains challenging to assess how it may have restructured and reignited the epidemic in the different European countries.

1 Jul 2021