When developing a therapy or vaccine against an emerging virus, knowing how long it has been in existence can tell scientists how many forms may exist, how prevalent it is, and even whether it is hazardous enough to merit an intervention. For SARS-CoV-2, its history of existence is not well known. When COVID-19 was recognized …
New Study Illuminates COVID-19 Neurological Symptoms
Difficulty thinking, concentrating, and remembering are amongst the most debilitating long-haul symptoms of COVID-19. In some cases, this “brain fog” can linger for months. Of the first 100 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infections whose symptoms lasted at least six weeks, 81 reported experiencing brain fog. Until recently, the underlying causes of these lingering COVID-19 neurological symptoms …
The Most Effective COVID-19 Vaccine Could Be Intranasal
The pace of vaccine development against COVID-19 will certainly go down as one of the fastest in our history. In less than a year, a number of vaccines have been developed and distributed that prevent illness from COVID-19. In the U.S. alone, more than 200 million doses of vaccine have been distributed as of April …
How Houseplants Can Contribute to Fighting Multi-Resistant Germs
Plants can liven up a dreary space, purify our air, and generally keep us healthier – but what if they could contribute to innovative germ-fighting science, too? That question is at the center of recent research on multi-resistant, or multidrug-resistant germs. Why? Because these highly evolved germs are a major concern in healthcare environments. There, they …
COVID-19 and Allergies – Symptoms, Similarities, and the Science
The spring equinox arrived in March and with it came longer days, warmer temperatures and, for about eight percent of the world’s population, seasonal allergies. Prior to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, allergies were more of a nuisance than a serious health concern for most people. But beyond emotional duress stemming from the fact that seasonal allergy …
Equine Coronavirus and Horses’ Contribution to the COVID-19 Vaccine
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, people around the world have been asked to do their part to prevent the virus from spreading. Whether they developed a vaccine, cared for the sick, or simply followed health officials’ guidelines, all humans have had the opportunity to make a positive impact – but did you know …
View from My Window, Part 3: The Community We Build
In January, we introduced the social media phenomenon “View From My Window” (VFMW), a Facebook Group whose members who have posted pictures of their inside-out views during lockdown. In February, we reviewed some of the science explaining why the VFMW photos have become such a global phenomenon. We discussed how views of natural environments have …
COVID-19 Immunity After Infection: Can You Catch COVID-19 Twice?
After recovering from a viral infection, the human body’s immune system retains a memory of the virus so that if the person encounters it again, their immune system will be able to recognize and kill the pathogens. Although a healthy immune system is remarkably effective at protecting the body from outside invaders, until recently researchers …
A COVID-19 Call to Arms: The HHS Invites Everyone to Join the Fight
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently launched a new website to enlist the public’s support in fighting the SARS-CoV-2 virus: CombatCovid.hhs.gov. The objective of the site is breaking down barriers where people’s involvement is critical to success, such as recruiting eligible participants for clinical trials in the treatment and prevention of the …
Unexpected (and Unexpectedly Artsy) COVID-19 Vaccination Sites
The logistics of vaccinating the global population against COVID-19 involve complicated scientific processes, complex infrastructure, governmental coordination, and collaboration with multinational companies. Despite these challenges, we’ve come a long way in the last few months. As of February 18, 2021, approximately 194.44 million COVID-19 vaccination doses have been administered around the world. Since some vaccines require more …
