Cleaning surfaces with hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectants has the potential to pollute the air and pose a health risk, according to research led by University of Saskatchewan (USask). The research team found that mopping a floor with a commercially available hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectant raised the level of airborne hydrogen peroxide to more than 600 parts per […]
Has quality suffered in the rush to publish COVID-19 research?
Rapid dissemination of information should not come at the expense of quality, ethical standards or oversight, according to the authors of a Perspective published online today by the Medical Journal of Australia. “Medical publishing uses peer review to provide independent and critical assessment to verify data integrity, validity of interpretations, and confidence in conclusions,” wrote […]
Delirium Common in Seniors Presenting to ED With COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 25, 2020 — For older adults presenting to the emergency department with COVID-19, delirium is common and is associated with worse outcomes, according to a study published online Nov. 19 in JAMA Network Open. Maura Kennedy, M.D., M.P.H., from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues conducted a multicenter study at seven U.S. […]
CDC Warns That COVID-19 Vaccine Might Spur Transient Sickness
TUESDAY, Nov. 24, 2020 — At least three new COVID-19 vaccine candidates are already in the pipeline, with a roll-out expected early in the new year. But on Monday, experts attending a meeting of an advisory committee to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stressed that Americans who receive the vaccine should not […]
FDA Authorizes Use of Monoclonal Antibody Treatment for COVID-19
MONDAY, Nov. 23, 2020 — A combination of two monoclonal antibodies was granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Saturday. The combination of casirivimab and imdevimab, which must be administered together by intravenous infusion, is approved for use in treating patients ages 12 years […]
New insight into the effect of hydroxychloroquine undermines its use in COVID-19
Researchers at Radboud university medical center have discovered an as yet unknown effect of hydroxychloroquine. It inhibits the action of a type of white blood cells important in the first line of defense against infections. Based on this research, hydroxychloroquine is unlikely to be beneficial in clearing viral infections including the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, they […]
Oxford COVID-19 vaccine up to 90% effective (with the right dose)
A third major coronavirus vaccine candidate has revealed promising results in late-stage trials, as researchers announced the so-called Oxford vaccine is around 70% effective in preventing COVID-19; and it can be 90% effective when given at a specific dose, according to a statement released on Monday (Nov. 23). The news follows recent announcements from Pfizer […]
FDA issues EUA to baricitinib plus remdesivir for COVID-19
(HealthDay)—Emergency use authorization was issued for baricitinib in combination with remdesivir for hospitalized patients with COVID-19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday. The EUA for the combination treatment applies to hospitalized patients ages 2 years and older with suspected or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who require supplemental oxygen, invasive mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. […]
Experts issue recommendations for equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccine
A group of vaccine experts led by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has published recommendations to ensure equitable distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available. The framework, published today in Heath Affairs, focuses on five principles the authors believe would strengthen the current immunization delivery system to ensure equitable access to everyone for […]
COVID-19 vaccines: How Pfizer’s and Moderna’s 95% effective mRNA shots work
The COVID-19 pandemic has driven a massive allocation of resources towards producing solutions, from identifying life-saving medications, tracking how the virus spreads and ultimately to preventing infection with vaccines. As a physician scientist, I study how the virus has evolved over the pandemic, since any changes in the virus could also change the effectiveness of […]