Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Latest Cold, Flu & Cough News and Research

Study: Seven in 10 Americans interested in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine

Almost seven in 10 Americans would be interested in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available, according to a new study. But researchers say there are concerning gaps in interest, particularly among Black Americans, who suffer disproportionately from the virus.

10 Sep 2020

Neuronal connections that trigger insomnia tied to stress-induced changes in the immune system

Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Stanford University have pinpointed the circuit in the brain that is responsible for sleepless nights in times of stress--and it turns out that circuit does more than make you toss and turn.

10 Sep 2020

Pro-vaccination views, higher public health credibility can be vectors of misinformation

In a new paper published in the Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review, researchers from the George Washington University, University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University assessed content from the most active vaccine-related accounts on Twitter and found that even accounts with pro-vaccination views and higher public health credibility can be vectors of misinformation in the highly uncertain and rapidly changing environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

10 Sep 2020

What is the risk of catching the coronavirus on a plane?

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tried to alleviate fears of flying during the pandemic at an event with airline and rental car executives.”The airplanes have just not been vectors when you see spread of the coronavirus,” DeSantis said during a discussion at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Aug. 28. “The evidence is the evidence. And I think it's something that is safe for people to do.”

10 Sep 2020

Study: Small proteins block interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and human cell receptor

Using innovative computer-based approaches, researchers have developed protein inhibitors that block the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 virus and human cell receptor ACE2.

10 Sep 2020

Convalescent plasma fails to improve outcome of COVID-19 in India

A new study based in India and published on the medRxiv preprint server explores the role of convalescent plasma (CP) in the treatment of moderate COVID-19 within the limitations on resources faced in a developing country.

9 Sep 2020

Brain inflammation seen in fatal COVID-19 cases

Now, a new study by researchers at the Barts Health NHS Trust and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom shows that some patients develop neurological complications tied to COVID-19.

9 Sep 2020

Risk stratification tool for COVID-19 patients developed

Researchers have worked on the development of a protocol that could stratify COVID-19 patients based on a scoring system. This new study describing the scoring system for risk stratification is titled, “Risk stratification of patients admitted to hospital with covid-19 using the ISARIC WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol: development and validation of the 4C Mortality Score,” and is published in the latest issue of the British Medical Journal.

9 Sep 2020

Researchers receive $1.9 million federal grant to find Lyme disease vaccine

Pesky, yet dangerous ticks are no longer latching exclusively onto hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Milder winters and disrupted habitats have driven them out of the woods, with Lyme disease cases in the United States tripling since the late 1990s.

9 Sep 2020

Researchers discover a new way to limit inflammation from adjuvants in vaccines

Adjuvants are a key ingredient of many modern vaccines, working to unleash an immune response that helps protect the body from disease. Many scientists believe that adjuvants are they key to developing new kinds of vaccines for hard-to-vaccinate viruses, like HIV.

9 Sep 2020

UVA radiation may contribute to inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 by sunlight

An international team of researchers has made important discoveries about the sunlight inactivation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that suggest this process is not currently adequately understood.

9 Sep 2020

Host gene editing main driving force of SARS-CoV-2 mutations

A new study published on the aRxiv preprint server in September 2020 shows that the host immune response, mediated by two RNA editors, causes the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to adapt and change strain characteristics.

9 Sep 2020

COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to child and maternal health services, show surveys

With the number of under-five deaths at an all-time recorded low of 5.2 million in 2019, disruptions in child and maternal health services due to the COVID-19 pandemic are putting millions of additional lives at stake

9 Sep 2020

Warm weather increases human mobility, and SARS-CoV-2 transmission

A recent study published in the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 shows that the effect of climatic factors such as temperature and humidity is mediated mostly through human mobility. Thus, human behavioral changes are still the mainstay of containment rather than hoping for weather conditions to keep the virus at bay.

9 Sep 2020

COVID-19 in pregnancy doubles odds of preterm delivery

The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to cause huge social, economic, and health-related costs throughout the world, especially in Spain. Clinicians are still coming to terms with the range of health conditions wrought by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in September 2020 shows that this infection results in fetal and maternal complications.

9 Sep 2020

AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial paused due to suspected adverse reaction

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is rippling across the globe, with over 27.47 million reported cases. With the vast spread of the virus, scientists are racing to gain the approval of candidate vaccines against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19 disease and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).

8 Sep 2020

Tobacco smoke-exposed children have higher rates of hospital admissions

Children who are exposed to tobacco have higher rates of hospital admissions after visiting emergency departments or urgent care facilities, according to a new study by University of Cincinnati researchers.

8 Sep 2020

Study compares clinical features of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza in children

As the fall approaches, pediatric hospitals will start seeing children with seasonal influenza A and B. At the same time, COVID-19 will be co-circulating in communities with the flu and other respiratory viruses, making it more difficult to identify and prevent the novel coronavirus.

8 Sep 2020

Six genomics research projects receive grants to address the role of ethnicity in major cancers

Leading cancer scientists working with the New York Genome Center (NYGC) announced today that grants are being awarded to fund six projects that address the role of ethnicity in several major cancer types, taking advantage of the diversity of patients being treated at health care institutions throughout the New York City area.

8 Sep 2020

Study addresses the role of macrophage activation syndrome in COVID-19

Scientists review macrophage activation syndrome — a feature of the cytokine storm that kills patients with severe cases of COVID-19, as well as possible treatments.

8 Sep 2020