Washing your hands with plain soap and water can destroy the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. But how does soap work to keep you healthy? “There are so many unknowns about this pandemic that are driving fear and leading to irrational actions, like panic-buying of toilet paper,” says Bill Wuest, an associate professor in the chemistry...
Tag: <span>pandemic</span>
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INSTEAD OF SOCIAL DISTANCING, TRY DISTANT SOCIALIZING
The same technologies that people once blamed for tearing society apart might be our best chance of staying together during the COVID-19 outbreak, an expert argues. Social distancing—voluntarily limiting physical contact with other people—has been vital to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. It’s important that people remain connected during social distancing, however,...
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Experts answer: Should I exercise during the coronavirus pandemic?
by Tamara Hew-Butler and Mariane Fahlman, The Conversation So here we are, perfecting our social distancing skills while schools, sports and other forms of social engagement are on indefinite hold, by a dangerous virus named after a (regal) crown. The coronavirus is named because the center envelope is surrounded by small protein spikes called peplomers....
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How to Make Sure You Have Enough Medication During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Important reminder: If you need a refill for your essential medication, go straight to the pharmacy (or use mail-order services) instead of contacting your doctor. We will be updating this post as states announce new emergency refill protocols. With fears of limited stock at grocery stores, business closures, and potential quarantine, people are in a...
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Why developing a COVID-19 vaccine is only part of the struggle
by Eric Stirgus Dr. Lilly Immergluck last week gave what she called “the vaccine lecture” to a group of Morehouse School of Medicine students. Immergluck, a pediatrician, infectious disease specialist and an assistant professor at the Atlanta school since 2005, talks each year to all students there about how vaccines have helped control the spread...
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The new COVID-19 drug remdesivir is here. Now what?
Short supplies and limits on who qualifies mean more options are needed to end the pandemic Remdesivir production Gilead Sciences plans to ramp up production of remdesivir, one of the first antiviral drugs to help COVID-19 patients recover, in order to provide 1 million 10-day course of treatment by year’s end. GILEAD SCIENCES Share this:...
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Antibody neutralizes SARS and COVID-19 coronaviruses
The neutralizing antibody, called S309, is on an accelerated path toward clinical trials. An antibody first identified in a blood sample from a patient who recovered from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2003 inhibits related coronaviruses, including the cause of COVID-19. The antibody, called S309, is now on a fast-track development and testing path at...
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Scientists in China believe new drug can stop pandemic ‘without vaccine’
by Qian Ye and Matthew Knight A Chinese laboratory has been developing a drug it believes has the power to bring the coronavirus pandemic to a halt. The outbreak first emerged in China late last year before spreading across the world, prompting an international race to find treatments and vaccines. A drug being tested by...
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Multi-drug regimen for heart failure could meaningfully extend patients’ lives
by Brigham and Women’s Hospital Patients with heart failure have substantially shorter life expectancies than people without this condition. Approximately 6.5 million people in the U.S. and over 64 million people worldwide have heart failure, and about half of them have heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). In the last three decades, there have...
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FDA Cautions About Accuracy Of Widely Used Abbott Coronavirus Test
Updated at 11:16 p.m. ET The Food and Drug Administration is cautioning the public about the reliability of a widely used rapid test for the coronavirus. The test, made by Abbott Laboratories, has been linked with inaccurate results that could falsely reassure patients that they are not infected with the virus. The Trump administration has...