Health News

New maps link thousands of genetic variants to disease genes

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified thousands of genetic variants that are associated with a wide range of diseases. But these studies often fall short of establishing what a genetic variant does to bring about a particular trait or disease. “The challenge has been that many of these variants are difficult to interpret,” said Jesse […]

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Trials of retooled vaccines for variants could take months: U.S. FDA

(Reuters) – Drugmakers should test any COVID-19 vaccines that have been retooled to combat new variants of the coronavirus in clinical trials designed to track the immune response of hundreds of test subjects, which could take months, U.S. regulators said on Monday.Slideshow ( 3 images )Vaccine developers may need to modify their shots to provide […]

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An expert explains viral variants, mutations and strains

What are variants? We asked Divya Shah, Epidemics Research Lead, to explain how variants happen, what they mean for treatments and vaccines—including for COVID-19—and how we can prevent them. What are mutations, variants and strains? Although the terms viral mutants, variants and strains are often used interchangeably, they generally hold different meanings. To spread, a […]

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As new COVID variants emerge, do you need to ‘double mask’?

Could wearing two masks be better than one? The emergence of new and more infectious COVID-19 variants has led health experts to consider “double masking” as a potential way to better protect yourself and those around you. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating whether donning a medical mask underneath a typical […]

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How can I avoid coronavirus variants?

Dr. Marty Makary on new coronavirus variant found in South Africa: ‘I’m really concerned’ Fox News contributor tells ‘America’s News HQ’ the new variant may ‘partially evade’ treatment measures. As health officials continue to root out cases of coronavirus variants across the country, Americans can take several steps to protect themselves against infection. As of […]

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What you need to know about COVID-19 variants

New strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are emerging around the world, and evidence suggests that these new viruses—including a strain identified in the United Kingdom that seems to spread more quickly than others—have been circulating within the United States. For help understanding the implications of these new strains of the virus that causes COVID-19, the […]