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Nasal dryness could be an early warning sign of COVID-19

A new study published by an international team of researchers on the preprint medRxiv* server in November 2020 details the nasal symptoms that are associated with anosmia and ageusia (loss of smell and taste) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including the early warning signs of infection.

23 Nov 2020

COVID-19 cases likely to increase to 20 million in the U.S. by end of January 2021

President-elect Joe Biden has signaled that fighting the COVID-19 pandemic will be an immediate priority for his administration. He recently announced a coronavirus advisory board of infectious disease researchers and former public health advisers along with an updated strategy that will include increases in testing and contact tracing, as well as transparent communication.

23 Nov 2020

Modified SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain could increase vaccine efficacy, says study

A team of researchers from the USA and China have engineered a receptor-binding domain (RBD) that they claim improves the immunogenicity of multivalent SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Their study, which was released on the bioRxiv* in November 2020, may help advance even more efficacious SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates in the future.

23 Nov 2020

Researchers develop recombinant SARS-CoV-2 model to aid vaccine and antiviral research

Researchers have developed a fluorescent reporter gene-bearing recombinant form of SARS-CoV-2, which is capable of replication.

23 Nov 2020

Chicago seroprevalence study shows COVID-19 cases 16 times higher than currently predicted

A startling new case study of Chicago, led by a team of researchers at Northwestern University in Illinois, USA, suggests a 16-fold higher incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection than previously thought. This is judging from seroprevalence (antibody presence blood testing) figures, rather than the number of RT-PCR-positives reported there (via swab sample testing of symptomatic patients).

23 Nov 2020

Compounds in traditional Chinese medicine herbs may inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection

Using computational methods, a team of researchers identified three compounds in traditional Chinese medicine that could be used against SARS-CoV-2.

23 Nov 2020

Anxiety may help to progress Alzheimer’s disease

The results of a new study reveal the link between increased levels of anxiety and an elevated rate of progression to Alzheimer's disease.

23 Nov 2020

Oxford University and AstraZeneca release their COVID-19 vaccine results

AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford have just released their results from its interim analysis of AZD1222, a vaccine being trialed to prevent COVID-19.

From AstraZeneca 23 Nov 2020

Study: Some parents may prioritize Thanksgiving gathering over reducing COVID-19 risks

For some families, one of the most difficult steps in reducing COVID-19 risks has been keeping children apart from grandparents and other extended family members.

23 Nov 2020

Study: Over-45s are at higher risk of contracting STIs than ever before

OVER-45s are at a higher risk of contracting STIs than ever before because of society's unwillingness to talk about middle-aged and older people having sex, a new report has found.

23 Nov 2020

FDA schedules meeting to discuss emergency use authorization of COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for casirivimab and imdevimab to be administered together for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age or older weighing at least 40 kilograms [about 88 pounds]) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing and who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19.

23 Nov 2020

Study on SARS-Cov2 genome may prepare scientists for future ‘SARS-CoV3’ viruses

The genetic code of the SARS-CoV2 virus is exactly 29,902 characters long, strung through a long RNA molecule. It contains information for the production of 27 proteins.

23 Nov 2020

Speed of test results and frequency of testing are paramount for effective COVID-19 surveillance

For COVID-19 Surveillance, Test Frequency and Turnaround Time Are Paramount, Modeling Suggests Speed of test results and frequency of testing are paramount for effective COVID-19 surveillance, suggests a new study that modeled trade-offs in test sensitivity, test frequency, and sample-to-answer reporting time, in select scenarios.

23 Nov 2020

FDA schedules meeting to discuss emergency use authorization of COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has scheduled a meeting of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) on Dec. 10 to discuss the request for emergency use authorization (EUA) of a COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer, Inc. in partnership with BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH.

23 Nov 2020

SARS-Cov-2 antibodies are detected up to 3 months after infection, shows study

A new study in health care workers led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by "la Caixa" Foundation and the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, shows that IgA and IgM antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 decay quickly, while IgG antibody levels are maintained for at least three months after infection.

23 Nov 2020

Study suggests neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 antibodies offer protection against reinfection

A new study published in November 2020 on the preprint server medRxiv* indicates that the chances of symptomatic infection are indeed much lower among the population with antibodies to the virus.

22 Nov 2020

Change in attitude towards wildlife consumption in China: Survey

Researchers wanted to explore the current attitudes towards consuming exotic animals several months after the outbreak.

22 Nov 2020

Pomegranate peel extract shows potential as inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 virus

Researchers led by first author Relja Suručić from the Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, have studied the use of pomegranate peel extracts in preventing infections with SARS-CoV-2.

22 Nov 2020

Ranking the effectiveness of worldwide COVID-19 government interventions

A recent article, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, analyses quantitatively the NPIs implemented in different geographies and their impact on the effective reproduction number, Rt, of COVID-19.

22 Nov 2020

Analysis shows social distancing helped reduce nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 transmission in London

Recently, a team of researchers from the King's College London, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, and St Thomas' Hospital, London analyzed comprehensive epidemiological and viral nanopore sequence data from 574 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by a PCR test in March 2020.

22 Nov 2020

Disease/Infection News

Nasal dryness could be an early warning sign of COVID-19

COVID-19 cases likely to increase to 20 million in the U.S. by end of January 2021

Modified SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain could increase vaccine efficacy, says study

Researchers develop recombinant SARS-CoV-2 model to aid vaccine and antiviral research

Chicago seroprevalence study shows COVID-19 cases 16 times higher than currently predicted

Compounds in traditional Chinese medicine herbs may inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection

Anxiety may help to progress Alzheimer’s disease

Oxford University and AstraZeneca release their COVID-19 vaccine results

Study: Some parents may prioritize Thanksgiving gathering over reducing COVID-19 risks

Study: Over-45s are at higher risk of contracting STIs than ever before

FDA schedules meeting to discuss emergency use authorization of COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer

Study on SARS-Cov2 genome may prepare scientists for future ‘SARS-CoV3’ viruses

Speed of test results and frequency of testing are paramount for effective COVID-19 surveillance

FDA schedules meeting to discuss emergency use authorization of COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer

SARS-Cov-2 antibodies are detected up to 3 months after infection, shows study

Study suggests neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 antibodies offer protection against reinfection

Change in attitude towards wildlife consumption in China: Survey

Pomegranate peel extract shows potential as inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 virus

Ranking the effectiveness of worldwide COVID-19 government interventions

Analysis shows social distancing helped reduce nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 transmission in London

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