New guidance from the CDC says that 15 minutes of exposure – regardless of whether that occurs at one time – can result in transmission of the coronavirus. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/epidemiologist-explains-cdc-guidance-15-minutes-covid19-exposure…
Tag: SARS
Immunity To the Coronavirus May Last Years, New Data Hint
How long might immunity to the coronavirus last? Years, maybe even decades, according to a new study — the most hopeful answer yet to a question that has shadowed plans for widespread vaccination. From a report: Eight months after infection, most people who have recovered still have enough immune cells to fend off the virus and prevent illness, the new data…
Coronavirus Emerged In Italy Earlier Than Thought, Study Shows
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: The new coronavirus was circulating in Italy since September 2019, a study by the National Cancer Institute (INT) of the Italian city of Milan shows, signaling that COVID-19 might have spread beyond China earlier than previously thought. The Italian researchers’ findings, published by the INT’s scientific magazine Tumori Journal, show that 11.6% of…
Mysterious ‘gene within a gene’ found in the coronavirus
Researchers have uncovered a mysterious gene in the genetic code of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 – a segment virtually hidden from view in the virus’s genome, and largely overlooked until now. Source: https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-mysterious-gene-inside-gene-discovered.html
Why It’s a Big Deal If the First COVID-19 Vaccine Is ‘Genetic’
An anonymous reader shares an excerpt from Wired: On Monday morning, when representatives from the drug company Pfizer said that its Covid-19 vaccine appears to be more than 90 percent effective, stocks soared, White House officials rushed to (falsely) claim credit, and sighs of relief went up all around the internet. […] The arrival of an effective vaccine to fight SARS-CoV-2…
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 The study, which was limited to animals and has not yet been peer-reviewed, was assessed by several health experts at the request of…
The T-Cell Immune Response To COVID-19 Lasts At Least Six Months
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Economist: Over the past year, many reports have shown rapidly waning levels of covid-specific antibodies after the initial burst caused by an infection. […] Yet antibodies tell only part of the story. Another important actor is the T-cell. Rather than attacking viruses directly, T-cells attack infected cells, to stop the virus reproducing. The…
COVID-19 causes some patients’ immune systems to attack their own bodies
Across the world, immunologists who retooled their labs to join the fight against SARS-CoV-2 are furiously trying to explain why some people get so sick while others recover unscathed. Source: https://www.livescience.com/covid-19-auto-immune-system-attack.html
Folding@Home Exascale Supercomputer Finds Potential Targets For COVID-19 Cure
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Network World: The Folding@home project has shared new results of its efforts to simulate proteins from the SARS-CoV-2 virus to better understand how they function and how to stop them. Folding@home is a distributed computing effort that uses small clients to run simulations for biomedical research when users’ PCs are idle. The clients operate…
What does ‘close contact’ for COVID-19 really mean? Epidemiologist explains.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has new guidance clarifying what exactly “close contact” means when it comes to transmission of SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Source: https://www.livescience.com/close-contact-covid-19-explained.html