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.

Conspiracies beliefs about COVID-19 increased among users of conservative and social media

Belief in conspiracies about the COVID-19 pandemic increased through the early months of the U.S. outbreak among people who reported being heavy users of conservative and social media, a study by Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) researchers has found.

4 May 2021

Rapid and sensitive SARS-CoV-2 detection from saliva using CRISPR

In a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv by Edward Málaga Trillo et al. (April 29th, 2021), these methods are tested in combination with CRISPR-Cas detection in the field, demonstrating a sensitivity and specificity of 93.8% and 99%, respectively.

4 May 2021

New computational tool helps screen molecules for their potential COVID-fighting properties

A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, mass vaccinations have begun to raise the tantalizing prospect of herd immunity that eventually curtails or halts the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

4 May 2021

Uncertainty during first COVID-19 lockdown had negative impact on mental health

Many people in Switzerland experienced considerable psychological distress during the first COVID-19 lockdown from mid-March to the end of April 2020.

4 May 2021

Evidence that elevated blood glucose is a significant risk factor for severe COVID-19

The literature analysis pointed to elevated blood glucose levels as a leading facilitator in the progression of COVID-19. Evidence linking elevated glucose to various steps in the life cycle of the virus and presentation of COVID-19 symptoms were also found.

3 May 2021

Study shows a protective association between anticoagulants and COVID-19

In a new study, researchers investigated the association between the use of oral anticoagulants and warfarin in COVID-19 disease outcomes. They published their results in a paper on the medRxiv* preprint server.

3 May 2021

Differential NK cell activity found to contribute to SARS-CoV-2 infection resistance

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected millions of people worldwide and is the leading cause of mortality in Brazil in 2020 as well as early 2021. Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 disease range from no symptoms and mild flu-like symptoms to severe cases leading to hospitalization and death.

3 May 2021

Monoclonal antibody neutralizes all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

Researchers in Canada and the United States have identified a monoclonal antibody that potently neutralizes variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVIdD-19) pandemic.

3 May 2021

College athletes in a supportive environment coped better during the COVID-19 pandemic

Like much of society, college athletics were thrown into disarray by the COVID-19 pandemic. While student athletes were suddenly prevented from competing, training or seeing as much of their teammates and coaches, those who perceived they were part of a positive sporting environment also coped better during the early days of the crisis, a new study from the University of Kansas has found.

3 May 2021

Study provides the most comprehensive look yet on COVID-19 hospital mortality

A new study of hospital deaths in the United States, published today in JAMA Network Open, is the most comprehensive look yet at changes in hospital mortality during the pandemic.

3 May 2021

Health anxiety in childhood and adolescence can become a permanent problem

Symptoms of health anxiety are common already during childhood and adolescence - and if the children do not receive the correct help, the anxiety can become a permanent problem with serious personal and socio-economic consequences.

3 May 2021

Simple application of UVC light could make common disinfectants safer to use

Over 400 common disinfectants currently in use could be made safer for people and the environment and could better fight the COVID-19 virus with the simple application of UVC light, a new study from the University of Waterloo shows.

3 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are detectable up to a year after infection, finds study

A team of scientists from the United States has recently investigated the robustness and durability of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Their findings reveal that COVID-19 patients exhibit a strong anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody response for up to 1 year and that the robustness of antibody response depends on the patient’s age and disease severity.

3 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 spike mutations during transmission among humans and to animals

A fascinating new study discusses the 40 mutations that are seen on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein and their potential effects on viral biology.

3 May 2021

COVID-19 may not have appeared first in China, suggests new genomic study

A new study in Acta Mathematica Scientia suggests that the virus may have originated in multiple countries almost simultaneously, rather than spreading from China to the rest of the world.

3 May 2021

Class I HLA alleles shape CD8+ T cell repertoire in SARS-CoV-2 infection

An interesting new study discusses how adaptive cellular immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 is dependent on differences in HLA-encoding genes between patients.

3 May 2021

Most long COVID-19 sequelae affect people under 65, finds study

A new study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, discusses the typical symptoms and signs of this syndrome, with the intention of improving the specificity of detection and reporting.

3 May 2021

As schools spend millions on air purifiers, experts warn of overblown claims and harm to children

Last summer, Global Plasma Solutions wanted to test whether the company's air-purifying devices could kill covid-19 virus particles but could find only a lab using a chamber the size of a shoebox for its trials. In the company-funded study, the virus was blasted with 27,000 ions per cubic centimeter.

3 May 2021

Detecting rare blood clots was a win, but US vaccine safety system still has gaps

The quick detection of an ultra-rare blood clotting reaction in some Covid-19 vaccine recipients showed the power of a federal warning system for vaccine safety issues, but experts worry that blind spots in the program could hamper detection of other unexpected side effects.

3 May 2021

As vaccine demand slows, political differences go on display in California Counties

Demand for Covid vaccines is slowing across most of California, but as traffic at vaccination sites eases, the vaccination rates across the state are showing wide disparities.

3 May 2021

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

Conspiracies beliefs about COVID-19 increased among users of conservative and social media

Rapid and sensitive SARS-CoV-2 detection from saliva using CRISPR

New computational tool helps screen molecules for their potential COVID-fighting properties

Uncertainty during first COVID-19 lockdown had negative impact on mental health

Evidence that elevated blood glucose is a significant risk factor for severe COVID-19

Study shows a protective association between anticoagulants and COVID-19

Differential NK cell activity found to contribute to SARS-CoV-2 infection resistance

Monoclonal antibody neutralizes all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

College athletes in a supportive environment coped better during the COVID-19 pandemic

Study provides the most comprehensive look yet on COVID-19 hospital mortality

Health anxiety in childhood and adolescence can become a permanent problem

Simple application of UVC light could make common disinfectants safer to use

SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are detectable up to a year after infection, finds study

SARS-CoV-2 spike mutations during transmission among humans and to animals

COVID-19 may not have appeared first in China, suggests new genomic study

Class I HLA alleles shape CD8+ T cell repertoire in SARS-CoV-2 infection

Most long COVID-19 sequelae affect people under 65, finds study

As schools spend millions on air purifiers, experts warn of overblown claims and harm to children

Detecting rare blood clots was a win, but US vaccine safety system still has gaps

As vaccine demand slows, political differences go on display in California Counties

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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