Research on the link between bats and human health has gained significant attention in recent years due to the outbreaks of a number of zoonotic diseases, including SARS-CoV-2, or COVID-19. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has only further highlighted the need for a better understanding of the relationship between wildlife — especially bats — and human …
Researchers Find New Hybrid Virus in Lung Cells
Winter is approaching, and with it, flu season. Cases of both influenza (flu) and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) tend to experience their peak seasons between December and February. This year, the outbreak of both flu and RSV cases has arrived early and is spreading rapidly. And in the wake of a wave of early …
Can UV Light Replace Masks in the Fight Against COVID-19?
As the world continues to grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, scientists continue to investigate a variety of potential treatments and prevention methods. Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of using far-UVC light, a type of ultraviolet (UV) light, to inactivate coronavirus pathogens in a lab setting. It has been unclear whether these lab results …
Are the New COVID Boosters Better Than the Old Boosters?
This fall, the FDA approved the rollout of two updated Omicron-specific COVID-19 boosters. These new COVID boosters aim to provide more protection against the two most contagious subvariants of Omicron, BA.4 and BA.5. The new boosters, approved first in the United Kingdom and then in the United States, are now available in both countries. But …
Evaluating the Costs and Benefits of COVID Lockdowns
In the wake of the economic and human costs of the COVID-19 pandemic and governments’ responses to the virus, researchers have tried to evaluate the effectiveness of restrictive countermeasures that were enacted by administrations across the globe. Some argue that these measures, particularly lockdowns, did little to stop or suppress COVID-19, while others attest to …
The Japan Model: Limiting the Impact of COVID Without Lockdowns
Japan, a country with a population, on average, 10 years older than that of the United States of America, experienced a comparably minimal impact from COVID-19 despite multiple waves of infection. In fact, the country’s case and death rates remained low through the early years of the pandemic despite never shutting down businesses. The “Japan …
COVID-19 and Data: Will We Apply the Lessons Learned?
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced that COVID-19 had reached pandemic status, and people around the globe struggled to understand the current and future scope of a rapidly spreading, deadly virus. As countries entered lockdown one by one, the people sequestered within their homes turned to news outlets for answers. That’s when …
The Potential of a Self-Amplifying mRNA Vaccine Is Heard Loud and Clear
Thanks in large part to the efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines, mask mandates, social distancing, and other COVID-19-related precautions have eased in many countries. Even so, many countries did not reach the global goal of 40% of the population receiving at least one dose of a vaccine by 2021, and significantly fewer …
Is Immune System Memory Good or Bad News for COVID-19?
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a boom in immunology research. One research question is whether a previous infection with a common-cold coronavirus helps the body mount an immune response to SARS-CoV-2. Known as antigenic or immune imprinting, the phenomenon has been studied since Thomas Francis, Jr. first described it in the 1960s. Here is how …
The Flu Shot and COVID: Will the Delta Variant Play a Role?
Cold and flu season is nearly here, with flu activity typically peaking between the months of December and February. But according to a recent poll conducted by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, around 44 percent of Americans are still unsure if they’ll get this year’s flu vaccine. Given the fact that the Delta variant …
