In a recent report posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers from the United Kingdom and Uganda reveal unique protein features of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) relative to other representatives of Sarbecoviruses. The causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), SARS-CoV-2, belongs to the Betacoronavirus genus and Sarbecovirus subgenus of the […]
How did the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic impact the health and lives of Swedish elderly?
As the pandemic lingers on, more and more emphasis is being placed on the indirect, negative effects (i.e. collateral damage) of the pandemic and related restrictions. Sweden took a relatively lenient approach towards mitigating the pandemic during the spring of 2020, relying on voluntary adherence to recommendations and encouraging elderly to stay at home, avoid […]
Did COVID-19 Stress, Uncertainty Stall Anti-smoking Push?
WASHINGTON (AP) — A year after COVID-19 upended life for millions of Americans, there are troubling signs that the coronavirus may have also slowed progress against another deadly health threat: smoking. Fewer smokers called quit-smoking hotlines last year and some smoked more, contributing to an unusual bump in cigarette sales — all in the middle […]
Scientists Seek COVID Treatment Answers in Cheap, Older Drugs
Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. Could a decades-old antidepressant be a secret weapon against COVID? A few scientists think so, after two small studies showed that fluvoxamine, typically prescribed for obsessive-compulsive disorder, prevented serious illness in all participants who took the pills soon after developing symptoms. […]
Large Study Confirms COVID Vaccines Are Working in the U.S., Reducing Risk of Infection by 90%
Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines are "highly effective" at reducing the risk of infection from COVID-19, according to the first large study of how Americans who have received a vaccine have fared in the U.S. outside of a clinical trial. In a Centers for Disease Control study of just under 4,000 heath care workers, police, firefighters […]
For better or worse, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the health care delivery landscape
Pregnancy complications affect up to one in three pregnancies and are increasingly linked to future chronic disease. For example, preeclampsia is associated with a doubled risk of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S., and gestational diabetes is associated with a seven-fold increased risk of type 2 diabetes. While guidelines recommend preventive […]
YouTuber Grace Victory Says She's 'Still in ICU' but 'Doing Well' After Waking from 3-Month Coma
Grace Victory is giving her followers a positive update on her medical condition. On Wednesday — just over two weeks after the YouTuber woke up following three months in a medically induced coma due to severe COVID-19 illness — she tweeted that she is "still in ICU, but I'm doing well." "All of your love is […]
Texas Roadhouse’s Kent Taylor Dealt with ‘Severe’ Tinnitus After COVID Illness: Here’s What to Know
On Friday, the restaurant chain Texas Roadhouse shared the sad news that their CEO and founder, Kent Taylor, died by suicide. His family said that Taylor had battled "unbearable" long-term symptoms after recovering from COVID-19. "Kent battled and fought hard like the former track champion that he was, but the suffering that greatly intensified in […]
Many endocrine patients, providers want to continue telehealth after pandemic
Two-thirds of patients with chronic endocrine health problems who need close monitoring say they would like to continue with telemedicine follow-up visits after the COVID-19 pandemic ends, according to a survey that will be presented virtually at ENDO 2021, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting. Three-quarters of providers also said they want to continue with telehealth […]
COVID-19 patients have higher risk of stroke, finds study
New research found patients hospitalized with COVID-19 had a higher risk of stroke, compared with patients who had similar infectious conditions such as influenza and sepsis in prior studies. Those who had an ischemic stroke were more likely to be older, male, Black race, or have high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes or an irregular […]