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UrduThe outbreak of the COVID pandemic in 2020 has once again shown how important reliable and rapid detection methods are to initiate effective measures to combat a pandemic.
Tag: COVID -19
The Future of Medicine Rises in University City: University of Pennsylvania Opens New Multi-Disciplinary Research Labs in One uCity Square
Wexford Science & Technology, LLC and the University of Pennsylvania today announced that the University has signed a lease for new laboratory space that will usher in a wave of novel vaccine, therapeutics and engineered diagnostics research to West Philadelphia.
Public health expert offers advice re: new COVID-19 variants and fall vaccines
A late summer increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations and the emergence of new coronavirus variants raises concerns about how best to counter infection and who should receive the newly-approved vaccines.
Study Confirms No Benefit to Taking Fluvoxamine for COVID-19 Symptoms
A study led by the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) in partnership with Vanderbilt University found no symptomatic or clinical benefit to taking the antidepressant fluvoxamine at a dosage of 100 mg twice daily for 13 days for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms.
Rutgers Experts Available to Comment on the F.D.A. Approval of New Covid Shots
Perry N. Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, and Richard Marlink, director of Rutgers Global Health Institute, are available to speak about the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a new round of Covid vaccinations to be…
Wearable technology shows promise in early detection of COVID-19 among FSU athletes
In a groundbreaking study conducted by Florida State University, wearable technology has emerged as a potential game-changer in the early detection of COVID-19 among NCAA Division I female student-athletes.
Clinical Labs’ Quick Response to COVID-19 Helped Reduce Hospitalizations and Save Lives
A new survey from the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (formerly AACC) found that clinical labs’ robust, rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic helped to contain the virus and save lives. However, the challenges labs faced with insufficient supplies and staffing shortages have only intensified since 2020. The percentage of laboratory professionals reporting staffing issues rose steadily from 35.4% in May 2020 to 87.5% in January 2022—raising questions about whether labs would have the necessary resources to respond to a similar public health emergency today.
Scancell’s DNA-based vaccine shown to be effective at protecting against COVID-19
A DNA-based vaccine is very effective at protecting against COVID-19, according to a joint preclinical study by Scancell Ltd and Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) recently published in the Journal of Biotechnology and Biomedicine.
Only Severe COVID Cases Disrupted Oral Microbiomes
Bacteria in the mouth mostly survived infection — and that’s a good thing, says a Rutgers researcher.
Study Shows Technology Boosts Public Health Programs
SCALE-UP Counts was designed to promote COVID-19 testing in local schools. Huntsman Cancer Insitute’s Yelena Wu, PhD, hopes the insight gained from the program improves cancer screening and education initiatives.
Viral evolution expert available for comment on new BA.2.86 COVID variant
URBANA, Ill. — Last week’s classification of BA.2.86 as a COVID “variant under monitoring” by the World Health Organization raises many epidemiological and public health questions. Among the unknowns is how the virus evolved to acquire 36 to 38 mutations…
Poor report card for children’s wellbeing
While COVID-19 lockdowns are no longer mandated, the stress and anxiety of the pandemic still lingers, especially among young South Australians, say health experts at the University of South Australia.
Dr. Carol Nwelue discusses how to keep your kids healthy when going back to school.
Carol Nwelue, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, answers common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research. How can parents keep their kids healthy this back-to-school season? (SOT@ 0:14, TRT 0:34) Why do sicknesses spread easily when…
Rather than providing protection, an Omicron infection may leave patients more susceptible to future COVID infections, researchers find after studying seniors in care
Researchers at McMaster University have found that rather than conferring immunity against future infections, infection during the first Omicron wave of COVID left the seniors they studied much more vulnerable to reinfection during the second Omicron wave.
Long-Term Study Reaffirms Benefits of Covid-19 Vaccination for Organ Transplant Recipients
A two-year study found that spikes of post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 viral infections (commonly known as COVID-19 breakthrough cases) remain common, yet hospitalization rates have dramatically dropped following the first wave of the virus’ omicron subvariant.
Dr. Marc Elieson discusses concerns about COVID-19 and kids going back to school
Marc Elieson, MD, at Baylor Scott & White Health, answers common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research. The CDC says COVID cases will continue to increase this summer and when school resumes this fall. What is behind…
International Study Shows that Taste, Independent of Smell, Can Also be Significantly Diminished in Patients with COVID-19
Smell loss became the cardinal symptom of COVID-19 early in the pandemic and has ignited research on how smell and taste function. An international study led by the Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research (GCCR) and the Monell Chemical Senses Center has untied taste from smell in people with COVID-19, demonstrating in a large and diverse group of more than 10,000 people that taste, independent of smell, is also greatly impacted by COVID.
Nurses’ intentions to quit increased during the pandemic despite their high resilience
Nurses’ intentions to leave nursing increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent study from the University of Eastern Finland shows. Yet, nurses estimated their resilience to be high.
More Than 2 Million Additional Americans Faced Food Insufficiency Following Drawdown of Pandemic-Related SNAP Benefits, Penn Medicine Study Finds
The recent discontinuation of pandemic-related food assistance benefits, known as the Supplemental Food Assistance Program (SNAP) Emergency Allotments, led to a substantial increase in food insufficiency in the United States, according to a new study led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Study Reveals Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 Faced Nearly Twice the Rates of Death After Discharge As Patients with Flu
Researchers demonstrate that among individuals who were admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 and were discharged alive, the risk of post-discharge death was nearly twice that observed in those who were discharged alive from an influenza-related hospital admission.
Researchers Find COVID-19 Causes Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Heart and Other Organs
A multi-institutional consortium of researchers has found that the genes of the mitochondria, the energy producers of our cells, can be negatively impacted by the virus, leading to dysfunction in multiple organs beyond the lungs. These findings suggest new approaches for treating COVID-19.
EG.5 COVID Variant: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health expert available
Andrew Pekosz, professor and vice chair of the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is available for media interviews to discuss the EG.5 COVID variant, which the Centers for Disease Control…
Expert can comment on Covid resurgence
As COVID-19 cases are rising, Rutgers School of Public Health dean Perry N. Halkitis is available to comment on new variants, vaccines, testing, and steps to protect the health of people and populations. The following quotes from Halkitis can be used…
Early-Stage Cancer Diagnoses Decreased Sharply in the U.S. During First Year of COVID-19 Pandemic; Underserved Greatly Affected
A new study from researchers at the American Cancer Society found monthly adult cancer diagnoses decreased by half in April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The largest decrease was for stage I cancers, resulting in a higher proportion of late-stage diagnoses.
ACP Says the U.S. Needs Immediate Action to Prepare for Future Pandemics
The United States has significant gaps in its pandemic and public health emergency response system leaving it unprepared for future emergencies, says the American College of Physicians (ACP) in a new policy paper. In the paper, ACP makes recommendations about what needs to be done to ensure the U.S. is in a strong position to mitigate the consequences of future pandemics. The paper is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
SLU Researcher Examines Ethical Questions Raised During COVID-19 Pandemic
Michael Rozier, S.J., Ph.D., professor and department chair for health management and policy at Saint Louis University, has authored a paper examining ethical questions raised during the COVID-19 pandemic and what can be done, to address similar ethical questions in the future.
Promising Results of Next-Generation Intranasal COVID-19 Booster Vaccine: Implications for Infection Prevention and Transmission
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, NY is pleased to announce that CastleVax, Inc. has completed enrollment and a preliminary analysis of a phase 1 trial of its licensed Newcastle disease virus (NDV)-based COVID-19 booster vaccine.
Gene Mutation May Explain Why Some Don’t Get Sick from COVID-19
People who contract COVID-19 but never develop symptoms – the so-called super dodgers – may have a genetic ace up their sleeve. They’re more than twice as likely as those who become symptomatic to carry a specific gene variation that helps them obliterate the virus, according to a new study led by UC San Francisco researchers.
Demand for Counseling Services Remained Steady During Pandemic Despite Telehealth Delivery, Study Shows
People seeking mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic were not deterred by the widespread shift to telehealth services, according to research findings published in the Journal of Counseling & Development, a journal of the American Counseling Association.
Early COVID-19 pandemic not associated with significant physician turnover
An analysis of Medicare billing has found that physician turnover rates between 2010 and 2020 had both periods of increase and stability, with annual turnover rising from 5.3% to 7.6% (43%), between 2010 and 2018. However, early data covering the first three quarters of 2020 did not show that the early COVID-19 pandemic caused significant physician turnover. The analysis is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Air monitor can detect COVID-19 virus variants in about 5 minutes
Now that the emergency phase of the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, scientists are looking at ways to surveil indoor environments in real time for viruses. By combining recent advances in aerosol sampling technology and an ultrasensitive biosensing technique, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have created a real-time monitor that can detect any of the SARS-CoV-2 virus variants in a room in about 5 minutes.
Flexible, Supportive Company Culture Makes For Better Remote Work
New research from the Georgia Institute of Technology used data from the employee review website Glassdoor to determine what made remote work successful. Companies that catered to employees’ interests, gave employees independence, fostered collaboration, and had flexible policies were most likely to have strong remote workplaces.
ASA and APSF Release Updated Recommendations for Elective Surgery After COVID-19 Infection
Driven by recent studies, the evolving nature of the disease and the widespread vaccination of Americans against COVID-19, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation (APSF) today released a joint statement providing updated recommendations for the timing of elective surgeries and anesthesia for patients after a COVID-19 infection.
Cholesterol lures in coronavirus
New study shows that cholesterol aggregates can promote SARS-CoV-2 infection to help the virus invade cells
Social isolation linked to reduced bone quality in males, mouse study finds
Social isolation may negatively impact bone health, suggests a study conducted in mice being presented Sunday at ENDO 2023, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.
Type 2 diabetes increased among youth during and after COVID-19 pandemic
The number of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes continued to rise in the year following the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research being presented Thursday at ENDO 2023, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.
Gestational diabetes cases increased during the COVID-19 pandemic
More pregnant women developed gestational diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the preceding two years, according to research being presented on Thursday at ENDO 2023, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.
During the pandemic, hospital transfers were complex and distressing
A U-M study examined the factors that went into decision-making around hospital transfers during the pandemic—and the moral distress that often resulted from it.
Pandemic Alcohol Use Linked to Nervous System Disruption in Pregnant and Postpartum Women, Hinting at Novel Clinical Biomarker and Intervention Potential
Increased alcohol use among pregnant and postpartum women during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with autonomic nervous system dysregulation, known to negatively affect resilience to change and further exacerbate the risk of stress-related mental health disorders and substance use, a new study suggests. The findings, although preliminary, underline the potential for a new clinical biomarker and novel personalized mobile health apps in facilitating treatment interventions. Previous research linked the pandemic to increased stress levels and drinking, including in pregnant and postpartum women. Alcohol use, and stress-related conditions such as depression and anxiety, are associated with dysregulation in the feedback loop between the body and the brain. This process involves the peripheral autonomic nervous system, which regulates the heartbeat. Healthy, resilient people tend to have higher heart rate variability than people with stress and substance use disorders. Heart rate variab
Researchers Find an Immune System ‘Trip Wire’ That Detects COVID-19
Biologists have identified a previously unknown way that our immune system detects viruses. The immune protein CARD8 acts as a trip wire to detect a range of viruses, including the virus that causes COVID. They also found that CARD8 functions differently among species and varies between humans.
Certain cancers will likely rise exponentially due to COVID-19 screening delays
Delays in cancer screening during the COVID-19 pandemic will likely cause a significant increase in cancer cases that could have been caught earlier with screening, and may now be diagnosed at later stages, according to a new research article published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Why Do Some Long Covid Patients Continue to Have Difficulty Exercising?
In a study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, a team of researchers from UC San Francisco found that lower than expected exercise capacity was common among people with Long COVID and chronotropic incompetence (inadequate heart rate increase during exercise) was the most common reason. They also found reduced exercise capacity to be correlated with early post-Covid elevations of inflammatory biomarkers. In addition, they found that reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may be related to reduced heart rate while exercising.
Fever Found to Be Most Common Non-Respiratory Feature of Sars-Cov-2 Infection
Fever was found to be the most common non-respiratory feature of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to research published at the ATS 2023 International Conference.
USU Study finds National Guard members remained psychologically resilient during pandemic response
The National Guard (NG) played a crucial role in the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, assisting communities nationwide with emergency outreach, setting up care facilities, working at testing sites, and distributing supplies, among many other demands. Simultaneously, these service members faced their own personal and family responses to the crisis. Still, they remained psychologically resilient, according to a new study led by the Uniformed Services University’s (USU) Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (CSTS).
AACN Practice Alert Offers Guidance on Manual Prone Positioning for Patients With ARDS
A newly released practice alert from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses aims to standardize how nurses care for patients undergoing prone positioning therapy for extended periods of time. It summarizes expected nursing practice to reduce the risk of complications related to manual prone positioning.
Experts say it’s not yet time to take off masks in the health care setting
A new commentary from infectious disease experts at George Washington University School of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) says for patient safety, masking should continue in health care settings. This message conflicts with a recent commentary from authors from 8 U.S. institutions suggesting that the time for universal masking is over. The commentary is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Adding a single data point to COVID-19 reporting may more accurately convey the real-time burden of infection in health care settings
In a new ‘Medicine and Public Issues,’ authors from Tufts Medical Center, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health advocate for the inclusion of both the total number of COVID-19 hospitalizations daily and the number of inpatients who received dexamethasone at any point during their hospital stay. The authors emphasize that the addition of this data element is an easy and much-needed update to COVID-19 surveillance efforts that may help to more accurately convey the real-time burden of a rapidly changing infection in health care settings. The article is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Updated evidence suggests masks may reduce risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection in community and health care settings
The final and major update to a rapid, living review of published evidence suggests that masks may be associated with a small reduction in risk for COVID-19 infection in community settings versus no mask use and both surgical masks and N95 respirators may be associated with similar infection risk in routine patient care settings. However, a beneficial effect of N95 respirators could not be ruled out in the health care setting. The review is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
SARS-CoV-2 seasonal behavior traced back to genetics and global change
As the northern hemisphere heads into summer, we may be in for a COVID-19 reprieve. Not because the pandemic is over; the Omicron subvariant ‘Arcturus’ is still creeping upward and causing new symptoms. But two new studies from the University of Illinois add evidence supporting a seasonal pattern in the behavior of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The Waco COVID Survey: A Community-Based SARS-CoV-2 Serological Surveillance Study in Central Texas
Results from the Waco COVID Survey have provided needed insights into how the dynamics of COVID-19 transmission, health behaviors and COVID-19-related attitudes changed across the first two years of the pandemic in the McLennan County, Texas.