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.

SARS-CoV-2 cryptic transmission modeling shows emergence of first wave in US and Europe

To analyze this cryptic transmission phase and the first wave of the pandemic that ensued, researchers from Italy, UK, and the US used a data-driven, spatial, stochastic, and age-structured epidemic model. They developed a mechanistic understanding of the evolution of the epidemic and estimated the time required for local transmission in various states and countries. The model developed by the team offers a statistical idea of SARS-CoV-2 introductions across European countries and many states in the US.

5 Apr 2021

Montana sticks to its patchwork Covid vaccine rollout as eligibility expands

Montana's Covid-19 vaccine distribution is among the most efficient in the nation, but closer examination reveals a patchwork of systems among counties and tribal governments that will be put to the test as the state opens vaccine eligibility to all people 16 and older starting this month.

5 Apr 2021

Research surveys hygiene practices in food supply chains during COVID-19 pandemic

Researchers survey hygiene procedures in food supply chains implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

5 Apr 2021

Study shows rates of prolonged visits for pediatric mental health ED visits increased over a decade

Rates of prolonged visits for pediatric mental health emergency department visits increased over a decade, in contrast to non-mental health visits for which visit times remained stable, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics.

5 Apr 2021

Study explores the implications of online social endorsement for encouraging Covid-19 vaccination

A third of the UK adult population intend to use social media and personal messaging to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, a new, large scale, multi-university study involving Loughborough researchers has found.

5 Apr 2021

FIND announces launch of a request for proposals to expand access to COVID-19 testing services

The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) announced today the launch of a request for proposals (RFP) to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and market availability of accurate, affordable, quality-assured and easy-to-use SARS-CoV-2 self-tests for use in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

5 Apr 2021

Stay-at-home measures may have offered protective effects for youth mental health early in the pandemic

A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP), published by Elsevier, reports that middle schoolers from a predominantly Latinx community, with elevated levels of mental health problems, showed a reduction in symptoms during the early stages of the pandemic.

3 Apr 2021

Type of material used in face masks and fabric layers can affect Covid-19 exposure risk

Wearing a face mask can protect yourself and others from Covid-19, but the type of material and how many fabric layers used can significantly affect exposure risk, finds a study from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

3 Apr 2021

Chemical inhibitor can reduce SARS-CoV-2's ability to infect host cell lines

James McKerrow, MD, PhD, dean of the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego, has long studied neglected tropical diseases -- chronic and disabling parasitic infections that primarily affect poor and underserved communities in developing nations.

3 Apr 2021

50-state analysis finds excess deaths from COVID-19 and other causes in the U.S.

Extended surges in the South and West in the summer and early winter of 2020 resulted in regional increases in excess death rates, both from COVID-19 and from other causes, a 50-state analysis of excess death trends has found.

3 Apr 2021

Many health and academic professionals consider leaving their jobs after COVID-19, finds study

Up to one in five employees at an academic medical institution are considering leaving their professions due to the strains of coping with the pandemic in their own lives, according to a new University of Utah Health study.

3 Apr 2021

Material deprivation is driving Covid-19 disparities among ethnic minority groups

Deprivation among society at large is 'driving' Covid-19 disparities among minority ethnic groups - predominantly South Asian and Black African or Caribbean populations - and could be considered the main cause of disproportionate infection rates, hospitalization and deaths experienced by these populations, according to new analysis from the University of Leicester.

2 Apr 2021

Prioritization of COVID-19 vaccines saves lives, reduces spread of infection

Waiting for your turn can be frustrating, especially when it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations. But prioritizing who receives the limited supply of vaccines available saves lives and reduces spread of infection, according to a study published today in the journal PNAS from the University of California, Davis.

2 Apr 2021

MENA people in southeast Michigan face obstacles to optimal health

Within southeast Michigan's Middle Eastern and North African community, those who worry about deportation or believe they've been treated unfairly are likely to face more adverse conditions associated with poor health, including food insecurity and financial distress.

2 Apr 2021

Study shows decline in subarachnoid hemorrhage hospitalizations during COVID-19 pandemic

New research led by investigators from Boston Medical Center and Grady Memorial Hospital demonstrates the significant decline in hospitalizations for neurological emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2 Apr 2021

Higher B.1.1.7 transmission in households than other SARS-CoV-2 variants

Contact tracing data from a new preprint study on the medRxiv* preprint server provides further evidence that the B.1.1.7 variant — first reported in the United Kingdom — has a high transmission rate. The research, led by Birgitte Freiseleben de Blasio from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the University of Oslo in Norway, estimates B.1.1.7 has a 60% greater transmission within households than other severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern.

2 Apr 2021

Long-COVID-19 is a significant risk in recovered patients post-hospitalization

A new study, which appeared in the British Medical Journal, reports on a retrospective study to examine the incidence and risk factors for ‘long COVID-19’, the term used to describe the long-term effects of COVID-19 on affected individuals.

2 Apr 2021

Proper choice of control group nullifies most observed genetic markers for severe COVID-19, study suggests

A new study deals with the genetic contribution to severe disease following infection with this virus, showing that the association of severity with specific human genes described in an earlier study is not obvious.

2 Apr 2021

Researchers offer large-scale screening of potential broad-spectrum SARS-CoV-2 antivirals

A new study describes the identification of new compounds from a library, with inhibitory activity against several coronaviruses. This study shows the utility of this method, besides identifying compounds that not only inhibit viral shedding in SARS-CoV-2 cultures, but have an immunomodulatory effect that may be useful in mitigating the damaging cytokine storm typical of severe or critical COVID-19.

2 Apr 2021

Beating the pavement to vaccinate the underrepresented — and protect everyone

Leonor Garcia held her clipboard close to her chest and rapped on the car window with her knuckles. The driver was in one of dozens of cars lined up on a quiet stretch of road in Adelanto, California, a small city near the southwestern edge of the Mojave Desert.

2 Apr 2021

Pandemic News and Research

Further Reading

SARS-CoV-2 cryptic transmission modeling shows emergence of first wave in US and Europe

Montana sticks to its patchwork Covid vaccine rollout as eligibility expands

Research surveys hygiene practices in food supply chains during COVID-19 pandemic

Study shows rates of prolonged visits for pediatric mental health ED visits increased over a decade

Study explores the implications of online social endorsement for encouraging Covid-19 vaccination

FIND announces launch of a request for proposals to expand access to COVID-19 testing services

Stay-at-home measures may have offered protective effects for youth mental health early in the pandemic

Type of material used in face masks and fabric layers can affect Covid-19 exposure risk

Chemical inhibitor can reduce SARS-CoV-2's ability to infect host cell lines

50-state analysis finds excess deaths from COVID-19 and other causes in the U.S.

Many health and academic professionals consider leaving their jobs after COVID-19, finds study

Material deprivation is driving Covid-19 disparities among ethnic minority groups

Prioritization of COVID-19 vaccines saves lives, reduces spread of infection

MENA people in southeast Michigan face obstacles to optimal health

Study shows decline in subarachnoid hemorrhage hospitalizations during COVID-19 pandemic

Higher B.1.1.7 transmission in households than other SARS-CoV-2 variants

Long-COVID-19 is a significant risk in recovered patients post-hospitalization

Proper choice of control group nullifies most observed genetic markers for severe COVID-19, study suggests

Researchers offer large-scale screening of potential broad-spectrum SARS-CoV-2 antivirals

Beating the pavement to vaccinate the underrepresented — and protect everyone

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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