Experts says abstinence is the best option but it may not be feasible for many
Jun 6
Chemical agents in tear gas can irritate nose, mouth and lungs, causing inflammation that could weaken the body’s ability to resist Covid-19
Blood clotting could also explain why some people have low levels of oxygen in the blood and why mechanical ventilators do not help them
WHO recommends masking up while using public transport, in shops or other confined or crowded environment
Jun 5
Researchers surveyed 502 adults on May 4, soon after Trump suggested research on injecting disinfectants to ward off the disease
In their retraction, the authors say the research team entered this collaboration to contribute 'in good faith' and at a time of great need during the Covid-19 pandemic
Jun 4
Superspreading events are happening more than we expected, more than what could be explained by chance
The CDC director apologized for lack of racial disparity data on coronavirus, said the agency did not have the data that it needed to be able to answer that responsively
Asymptomatic persons can spread Covid-19 to others for an extended period, perhaps longer than 14 days, claims research team
Jun 3
The five vaccines on the list are reportedly from US-based Moderna, a combined effort of Oxford University and AstraZeneca, and three big pharma companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and Pfizer
Two leading medical journals have expressed concern over potential flaws in separate studies on hydroxychloroquine and blood pressure medications
FDA introduced new regulations to provide clarity on impurity limits for manufacturers. They will specify interim levels of certain impurities that can be tolerated for a relatively short period of time
Jun 2
Across the nation, nursing home residents have died at the rate of 27.5 per 1,000 while there have been 62 cases per 1,000 residents at these facilities
A pause on testing could nullify some of the progress the country has made in controlling the coronavirus, fear experts
Recordings of internal meetings show WHO officials complaining during the week of January 6 that China was not sharing data needed to evaluate the risk Covid-19 posed to the rest of the world
The results suggest that future sampling and viral discovery should target two hotspots of coronaviruses in southern and southwestern China in particular as well as neighboring countries where similar bat species live
The risk of infection when people stand more than 3 feet away from the infected individual was 2.6% versus 12.8% if less than 3 feet
Jun 1
Drugs that block the virus from entering or multiplying could come in handy for patients with mild disease. For severe conditions, experts could use medications that tone down harmful immune reactions
With people on the streets, clashing with the police and even looting stores, authorities decided to shut down testing centers in Los Angeles on May 30
May 31
The disparity in the death rate between blacks and whites is greater at the state level. Black residents are dying at seven times the rate of whites in Kansas and it is six times in Washington
From March 1 to April 19, 2020, the number of new coronavirus cases began showing a dramatic shift: a 10% decrease in cases among age 60 years and older, and a 20% increase in people under 40
The team also investigated whether drugs for diabetes or other complications resulting from abnormal blood sugar levels placed people at higher risk of severe infection and death
May 30
Despite the high number of Covid-19 cases, this represents only 14% of New York adults. Based on the analysis, researchers say that testing and contact tracing remain essential public health strategies
Wearing a mask after illness onset of the primary case is not significantly protective. The findings inform universal face mask use and social distancing, not just in public spaces, but inside homes as well
May 29
Analysis shows that 28% of cancer patients with Covid-19 died in one study, and 13% died in the other. Current estimates suggest that globally 6% confirmed to have Covid-19 have died as of May 29
Plasma therapy otherwise called Convalescent plasma transfusion uses antibodies extracted from the survivors' blood to target the new coronavirus
Adjustment disorder stems from high-stress levels triggered by a sudden change such as loss of work, and being thrust into or out of a lockdown fits the bill too
May 28
People with conditions that weaken their immune system might need to stay home longer than 10 days, says the advisory
The ILO study estimates that countries with a robust testing and tracking system in place have lost only 7% working hours, compared to 14% in countries on the other end of the spectrum
Results of the household survey by the US Census Bureau shows that 28.2% had symptoms of anxiety disorder, 24.4 had symptoms of depressive disorder and 33.9% had symptoms of one of the two
The concern is that a negative result may initially give people a false sense of security in the days leading up to symptom onset, say experts.
According to the 81-page report, the overall target for the nation for May and June is 12.9 million tests
May 27
This comes after a poll found that about 60% of Americans are willing to get flu shots in fall
Among the super-spreader businesses, 116,605 are dine-in restaurants, 26,196 are limited-service restaurants and 13,432 are hotels and motels
Dr Ashish Jha said that the projections show that the US might witness 70,000 to 100,000 fatalities between now and the end of the summer
May 26
The analysis is based on only 21.3% who said they have treated patients on the frontlines. Fatalities could be higher because CDC had access to the death status of only 56.9 % of the 62,000 infections
CDC says that health officials or health care providers who are using antibody tests need to use the most accurate test they can find and they might need to test people twice
To prevent future outbreaks, the researchers call for measures such as sanitizing objects like medical instruments after every use and minimizing the non-essential movement of people
The WHO said that the world is in the middle of the first wave and that countries could see a second peak of Covid-19 cases in this wave itself if they let up too soon on measures to stop the pandemic
Previous research suggests that face shields effectively stopped the flu virus from entering the body.
May 25
The study shows that an infected person becomes contagious around two days before symptoms show, and they remain contagious between seven and 10 days after they start showing signs of the disease
The move comes in light of a paper that showed Covid-19 patients taking hydroxychloroquine were at higher risk of death and heart problems than those that were not
The development highlights the consequences of fast-tracking products without vetting. The US, in its defense, said they had stockpiled them and had not out any of them to use
Preventive actions can include sealing up access into homes and businesses, removing debris and heavy vegetation, keeping garbage in tightly covered bins
May 24
The study enrolled 1,063 patients from 10 countries, including the US, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Greece, Germany, Korea, Mexico, Spain, Japan, and Singapore
In early May, Missouri opened its doors to business, including concerts and movie theaters, to operate with social distancing measures
President Donald Trump recently said that he will not close the country even if there is another wave of Covid-19
A research team led by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital, US, analyzed real-world evidence related to outcomes for Covid-19 patients
The latest recommendations are meant to guide faith communities while respecting their fundamental right to gather for worship, says the guidance
May 23
Increasing surveillance and monitoring capacities will be essential to avoid a second wave, warn scientists
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News, views and updates from around the globe on the coronavirus pandemic.
