Study Finds Gradual Increase in COVID-19 Infection Risk After Second Vaccine Dose
Results confirm that protection wanes with time and suggest a third (booster) dose might be warranted A study published by The BMJ finds a gradual…
Public Health
Chewing Gum Developed That Could Reduce COVID Transmission – Laced With Protein That “Traps” the SARS-CoV-2 Virus
A chewing gum laced with a plant-grown protein serves as a “trap” for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, reducing viral load in saliva and potentially tamping down…
New Research Finds Eating Lots of Avocados Has Public Health Benefits for Issues Like Obesity
Randomized controlled trial found that families with high avocado consumption self-reported reduced caloric intake and an overall healthier diet. In a novel study, researchers at…
Busted for Not Social Distancing by a COVID-19 Mobile Surveillance Robot
Surveillance robot could help reduce disease spread and also aid contact tracing. A new strategy to reduce the spread of COVID-19 employs a mobile robot…
Sing On: Certain Face Masks Prevent COVID-19 Transmission Without Distorting Voice
Masks designed for singers prevent COVID-19 transmission, most voice distortion. When singers generate beautiful notes, they can also release harmful particles like the coronavirus. Wearing…
Breakthrough Infection Study Compares Decline in COVID Vaccine Effectiveness: Pfizer vs Moderna vs J&J
Study in Science of more than 780,000 Veterans is the first to compare waning protection rates across all three vaccine types available to most Americans…
COVID-19: How Well Do Damp Masks Work To Contain Droplets?
Study shows damp masks still stop respiratory droplet penetration. After studying the effectiveness of varying layers of masks in stopping respiratory droplets from escaping face…
Simple New 10-Minute Test Accurately Detects COVID-19 Immunity
Paper-based blood test developed by SMART researchers can rapidly determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. Researchers have successfully developed a rapid point-of-care test for…
COVID-19 Can Infect Nerve Cells and Cause a Range of Neurological and Psychiatric Symptoms
The cluster of neurological symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19, suggests the virus can enter the brain and affect neural function….
Extreme Heat May Affect Adults Aged 18–64 More Than the Elderly
A new study found that days of extreme heat were associated with a higher risk of emergency department visits among adults aged 18-64, compared to…
New Statistical Analysis Shows COVID-19 Became Much More Lethal in Late 2020
A new statistical analysis supports beliefs that COVID-19 became more lethal in the U.K. in late 2020, while also suggesting that multiple factors—not just the…
First Real-World Study Reports Effectiveness of BBV152, a COVID-19 Vaccine Developed in India
Study includes more than 2,700 healthcare workers in Delhi, India, who were symptomatic and underwent RT-PCR testing for COVID-19. Findings suggest 50% vaccine effectiveness against…
Six Foot COVID-19 Rule Is “Arbitrary” – Social Distancing Is Not Effective Mitigation on Its Own
A new study has shown that the airborne transmission of COVID-19 is highly random and suggests that the two-meter (6 foot) rule was a number…
Exposure to Harmless Coronaviruses Boosts COVID-19 Immunity
Infections with the novel coronavirus and vaccination lead to strong antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2. Immune responses to other human coronaviruses, which mostly only cause harmless…
New Analysis Finds Gout Drug Colchicine Doesn’t Actually Lessen COVID-19 Severity or Stave Off Risk of Death
Nor does it cut hospital stay and is associated with high side effect risk. Colchicine, a cheap anti-inflammatory drug normally used to treat gout, doesn’t…
CDC Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Booster Shots to All Adults Ages 18 Years and Older
On November 19, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) expanded recommendations for booster shots to…
Did the CDC’s COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization Strategy Work?
The CDC’s vaccine prioritization strategy performed well compared to other approaches, though with some room for improvement. The four-tiered vaccine prioritization strategy implemented by the…
CDC Testing Shows Recently Discovered “Smallpox” Vials Contain No Trace of Variola Virus
Laboratory testing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today showed that recently discovered vials marked as “smallpox” contain vaccinia, the virus used…