New Nasal Spray Prevents Covid Infection in Ferrets, Study Finds

The New York Times reports: A nasal spray that blocks the absorption of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has completely protected ferrets it was tested on, according to a small study released on Thursday by an international team of scientists. The study, which was limited to animals and has not yet been peer-reviewed, was assessed by several health experts at the request of…

Study of 11,000 Kids Links Cannabis Use During Pregnancy To Child Behavioral Change

Slashdot reader omfglearntoplay shared this article from Science Alert: A cross-sectional analysis of 11,489 children, 655 of whom were exposed to THC in the womb, has found cannabis use during pregnancy is tied to a small elevation in psychotic-like behaviours later in life. These include aggression towards others, as well as attention and social problems… the relationship stood even when other…

Baby Was Infected With Coronavirus In Womb, Study Reports

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The New York Times: Researchers on Tuesday [reported in the journal Nature Communications] strong evidence that the coronavirus can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to a fetus. A baby born in a Paris hospital in March to a mother with Covid-19 tested positive for the virus and developed symptoms of inflammation in his…

Why Taiwan’s Coronavirus Response Is Among The Best Globally

Why does Taiwan have less than 400 confirmed cases of Covid-19? Taiwan’s experience with the 2003 SARS outbreak “helped many parts of the region react faster to the current coronavirus outbreak and take the danger more seriously than in other parts of the world,” reports CNN, “both at a governmental and societal level, with border controls and the wearing of face…