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…
Public Health
New Insights on Cause of Severe Reactions Following Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination
On the first day of the UK campaign for COVID-19 vaccination, there were reports of two cases of anaphylaxis — a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic…
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…
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…
If COVID Spread to North American Bats, It Could Be Disastrous – Here Is the Current Risk Assessment
The risk is low that scientists could pass coronavirus to North American bats during winter research, according to a new study led by the U.S….
New Decoy Protein Treatment Fools Coronavirus, Rendering It Impotent
Treatment reduces lung damage and results in mild symptoms in a preclinical study. A novel decoy protein designed by Northwestern Medicine scientists fools SARS-Cov-2 by intercepting the…
US Deaths Normally Change Less Than 2% Each Year – In 2020 With COVID, They Rose a Staggering 22.9%
Black Americans experienced highest per capita excess death rates, while regional surges contributed to higher excess death rates from COVID-19 and other causes, a VCU-led…
Highly Contagious Coronavirus Variant Spread Across the Globe – Undetected for Months – Before Its Discovery
A highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 variant was unknowingly spreading for months in the United States by October 2020, according to a new study from researchers with…
CDC Real-World Research: Protective Benefits of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Confirmed
Study involved health care personnel, first responders, and essential workers in six states. A new CDC study provides strong evidence that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are…
Vaccinated? Here’s How Your Life May Change After Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine
As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout gains steam across the country, an increasing number of people are finding themselves with more protection from the SARS-CoV-2 virus….
How to Make People Follow COVID-19 Restrictions Without Appealing to Fear
Making people fear the coronavirus may motivate us to wash our hands, keep our distance and wear a face mask. But fear also takes a…
Your Neighborhood May Influence Your COVID-19 Risk – Data Shows Racial and Economic Disparities
Data from first six months of pandemic shows racial and economic disparities by zip code in COVID-19 outcomes. Markers of the pandemic’s impact — testing…
Eating Out Frequently Is Associated With an Increased Risk of Death
Dining out is a popular activity worldwide, but there has been little research into its association with health outcomes. Investigators looked at the association between…
Low-Dose Aspirin Use for Heart Disease May Reduce Likelihood of COVID-19 Infection
Aspirin is an established, safe, and low-cost medication in long-standing common use in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and in the past a pain…
MIT Engineers Make Low-Cost Filters From Tree Branches to Purify Drinking Water
Prototypes tested in India show promise as a low-cost, natural filtration option. The interiors of nonflowering trees such as pine and ginkgo contain sapwood lined…
Scientists Find Evidence That Novel Coronavirus Infects Cells in the Mouth – Saliva May Play Role in COVID Transmission
NIH-funded findings point to a role for saliva in SARS-CoV-2 transmission. An international team of scientists has found evidence that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes…
Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome: Columbia Physicians Review What’s Known About “Long-Haulers”
The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic has taken the lives of millions of people around the world but has also left hundreds with lingering…