“We may be done with the virus, but clearly the virus is not done with us.” That was the message from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, today during a White House COVID-19 briefing. Citing the rising prevalence of B117 cases across the country, Walensky said that despite positive, …
CDC head warns vigilance needed in light of COVID-19 variant B117 Read More »
The New England Journal of Medicine yesterday published two studies on the effectiveness of the interleukin-6 receptor antagonists tocilizumab and sarilumab in severely ill adult COVID-19 patients, one finding a benefit to a combination of the two drugs and the other showing no benefit with tocilizumab alone. Early treatment with combo may be key The …
Evidence conflicts over efficacy of monoclonal antibodies in severe COVID Read More »
As the country races to vaccinate as many Americans as possible against COVID-19, both New York and California are reporting new virus variants that might be more contagious than the original strain. NY variant may create vaccine issues In New York, a new variant that carries a mutation that may weaken the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines …
New COVID-19 variants found in New York, California Read More »
Dental hygienist survey suggests 3% contracted COVID-19 A survey of US registered dental hygienists reported that 3.1% had been diagnosed as having COVID-19 as of October 2020, according to a Journal of Dental Hygiene study published yesterday. At the time, the study says an estimated 2.3% of the general US population had been infected. The …
With US deaths from COVID-19 recently surpassing 500,000, there are 111 million confirmed cases worldwide. Fortunately, COVID-19 vaccination is also on the rise, with more than 63 million doses administered in the United States. Cases of COVID-19 were first reported in January 2020, and the virus has been predictably unpredictable. While some people experience seemingly …
Today leaders of the White House COVID-19 response team said they are ready to distribute Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine when and if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues an emergency use authorization (EUA)—which could come as early as this weekend. “We are doing the work so if the EUA is granted we will …
US ready to distribute J&J COVID vaccine, White House says Read More »
COVID-19 antibodies may offer at least partial protection Americans with COVID-19 antibodies displayed 10-fold increased protection against infection 90 days after testing compared with those who had no antibodies, according to a study published today in JAMA Internal Medicine. The study tracked more than 50% of the commercial antibody and diagnostic tests administered in the …
A research group out of Mount Sinai tracked physiological data of healthcare workers using wearable devices to determine if COVID-19 could be detected prior to a positive diagnosis. Devices such as Apple watches provide valuable information about the wearer, including sleep patterns and heart rate, as well as the functioning of the nervous system. Heart …
Adults older than 40 with Down syndrome are about three times more likely to die of COVID-19 than the rest of the population, pointing to the need to prioritize coronavirus vaccination to this group, a study published yesterday in the Lancet’s EClinicalMedicine has found. A team led by Emory University researchers conducted the international online …
Adults with Down syndrome 3 times more likely to die of COVID, study finds Read More »
Seasonal coronavirus antibodies correlate with lower COVID-19 severity Patients critically ill with COVID-19 infections had significantly lower levels of antibodies against seasonal human coronaviruses (HCoVs) OV43 and HKU1 than those with mild to severe infections, according to a German study published yesterday in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases. The researchers say the results could …