Three Feet, Not Six: Physical Distancing Guidelines Must Be Updated to Reflect New Science
Physical distancing with masks for the general public should shrink to 3 feet from the current recommendation of 6 feet, says Dr. Robert Murphy, executive…
Infectious Diseases
Children Less Infectious Than Adults With COVID-19 – Daycare & In-Person School May Be Relatively Safe
Children may not be as infectious in spreading SARS-CoV-2 to others as previously thought, according to new University of Manitoba-led research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical…
How Well Do COVID-19 Vaccines Actually Work Over the Longer Term?
A clinical trial of college students, including those at UC San Diego, will try to answer that question, and whether vaccinated persons might still pose…
Dynamic Model of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Reveals Potential New COVID Vaccine Targets
New model captures glycan molecules whose motions shield much of the spike from immune defenses. A new, detailed model of the surface of the SARS-CoV-2…
Newly Discovered Virus-Cell Interaction May Explain COVID-19’s High Infection Rate
Lehigh researchers quantify the specific interaction between the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — with the ACE2 receptors in human…
New Research Shows Masks and Ventilation Stop COVID Spread Better Than Social Distancing
The results indicate masks and proper ventilation may be key to allowing more capacity in schools, businesses, and other indoor areas. A new study from…
Corona Inhibitors: X-ray Screening Identifies Promising Drugs for Treatment of COVID-19
Extensive X-ray screening reveals binding to key virus protein. A team of researchers, including scientists from the MPSD, has identified several candidates for drugs against…
Chronic Viral Infections Can Have Profound Lasting Effects on Human Immunity, Similar to Aging
Researchers identify signatures of immune dysfunction that are shared in aging and chronic viral infections of HIV and Hepatitis C. Research from the Buck Institute…
New Achilles Heel of Coronavirus? Aptamer Molecule Attacks Coronavirus in a Novel Way
Active ingredient inhibits infection with so-called pseudoviruses in the test tube, as shown by study at the University of Bonn. Scientists at the University of…
One in Ten People Still Have Long-Term Effects 8 Months Following Mild COVID-19
Eight months after mild COVID-19, one in ten people still has at least one moderate to severe symptom that is perceived as having a negative…
Sunlight Linked With Lower COVID-19 Deaths – And NOT Because of Vitamin D
Sunnier areas are associated with fewer deaths from Covid-19, an observational study suggests. Increased exposure to the sun’s rays — specifically UVA — could act…
Two Currently Available Medications – an Antifungal and an Antidepressant – May Help Protect Against COVID-19
New research published in the British Journal of Pharmacology indicates that two currently available medications — an antifungal drug and an antidepressant — can effectively…
Genetic Sequencing Shows Coronavirus Variation Drives Pandemic Surges
Fusing classical epidemiology and genomics is a tool for future pandemics. Genome sequencing of thousands of SARS-CoV-2 samples shows that surges of COVID-19 cases are…
Scientists Have Identified 9 Potential New COVID-19 Treatments – Including Several That Are Already FDA-Approved
Promising candidates include widely used transplant-rejection drug cyclosporine. A team led by scientists in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has…
Experimental Therapy For Parasitic Heart Disease – K777 – May Also Help Stop COVID-19
By blocking human enzyme cathepsin L, chemical inhibitor K777 reduces coronavirus’ ability to infect cell lines; clinical trials are underway. James McKerrow, MD, PhD, dean…
New Web App Ranks Spillover Risk for Newly Detected Viruses – Current Leader: Coronavirus 229E (Bat Strain)
SARS-CoV-2 showed the world with devastating clarity the threat undetected viruses can pose to global public health. SpillOver, a new web application developed by scientists at…
Experiments Show Sunlight Destroys COVID Virus 8 Times Faster Than Scientists Thought
Researchers urge a closer examination of sunlight’s efficacy in inactivating the SARS-CoV-2 virus. A year ago scientists everywhere were scrambling to get their minds around…
First Infection of Human Cells During Spaceflight Analyzed by Researchers
Astronauts face many challenges to their health, due to the exceptional conditions of spaceflight. Among these are a variety of infectious microbes that can attack…