General Interest
COVID-19: endemic doesn’t mean harmless.
25 Jan, 2022 | 09:36h | UTCCOVID-19: endemic doesn’t mean harmless – Nature
We will be living with COVID for foreseeable future; but we can end acute phase of pandemic this year — WHO Director General.
25 Jan, 2022 | 09:34h | UTC
European CDC on Omicron: “among Omicron cases reported to TESSy, 1.14% were hospitalised, 0.16% required ICU admission/respiratory support, and 0.06% died”.
24 Jan, 2022 | 08:54h | UTC
Opinion: COVID-19 will continue but the end of the pandemic is near.
21 Jan, 2022 | 10:16h | UTCCOVID-19 will continue but the end of the pandemic is near – The Lancet
Commentary on Twitter
.@IHME_UW's Chris Murray predicting the end of the pandemic is nigh
"More than 50% of the world will have been infected with omicron …[by] the end of March, 2022"
"After the omicron wave, COVID-19 will return but the pandemic will not."https://t.co/9NSw8lZuUe @TheLancet— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 20, 2022
Opinion: Now that science has defanged Covid, it’s time to get on with our lives.
21 Jan, 2022 | 10:14h | UTCNow that science has defanged Covid, it’s time to get on with our lives – The Guardian
See also: A National Strategy for the “New Normal” of Life With COVID – JAMA
Europe considers new COVID-19 strategy: Accepting the virus.
21 Jan, 2022 | 10:13h | UTCEurope considers new COVID-19 strategy: Accepting the virus – Associated Press
Editorial | Covid-19 vaccines and treatments: we must have raw data, now.
21 Jan, 2022 | 10:00h | UTCCovid-19 vaccines and treatments: we must have raw data, now – The BMJ
News Release: Editors call for covid-19 vaccine and treatment data to be available for public scrutiny – The BMJ
WHO’s Emergencies expert group re-asserts stance against covid ‘vaccine passports’ for international travel.
21 Jan, 2022 | 10:02h | UTC
Is precision public health the future — or a contradiction?
21 Jan, 2022 | 09:31h | UTCIs precision public health the future — or a contradiction? – Nature
10 lessons I’ve learned from the Covid–19 pandemic.
20 Jan, 2022 | 09:21h | UTC10 lessons I’ve learned from the Covid–19 pandemic – STAT
Covid pandemic ‘nowhere near over,’ WHO says.
20 Jan, 2022 | 09:18h | UTCCovid pandemic ‘nowhere near over,’ WHO says – CNN
After Omicron, we could use a break. We may just get it.
20 Jan, 2022 | 09:21h | UTCAfter Omicron, we could use a break. We may just get it – STAT
1.8 million excess deaths attributable to urban air pollution in 2019, modelling study suggests.
20 Jan, 2022 | 09:13h | UTCNews Release: The Lancet Planetary Health: 1.8 million excess deaths attributable to urban air pollution in 2019, modelling study suggests
Related Studies:
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
NEW—Approx. 86% of people living in urban areas exposed to unhealthy particulate matter levels, leading to 1.8 million excess deaths in 2019: modelling study in @TheLancetPlanet. #AirPollutionhttps://t.co/kw34ANZ4ph
Thread ? pic.twitter.com/QiRXU4QVHP
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) January 6, 2022
The pandemic’s true death toll: millions more than official counts.
19 Jan, 2022 | 08:57h | UTCThe pandemic’s true death toll: millions more than official counts – Nature
Related:
Global Covid-19 deaths surpass five million.
Under-reporting of deaths limits our understanding of true burden of covid-19.
Study shows COVID-19 has caused the biggest decrease in life expectancy since World War II.
Just how do deaths due to COVID-19 stack up?
Exploring the gap between excess mortality and COVID-19 deaths in 67 countries.
COVID-19 has caused 6.9 million deaths globally, more than double what official reports show
Commentary on Twitter
The official global death toll for the COVID-19 pandemic has reached 5.5 million, but that figure is a significant underestimate. @Nature reports how researchers are striving to narrow the uncertainties for a global estimate of pandemic deaths. https://t.co/061s4SJrRD
— Nature Portfolio (@NaturePortfolio) January 18, 2022
Opinion: The COVID-Risk social contract is under negotiation.
19 Jan, 2022 | 08:48h | UTCThe COVID-Risk Social Contract Is Under Negotiation – The Atlantic (a few articles per month are free)
WHO says there’s no evidence healthy children and adolescents need Covid boosters.
19 Jan, 2022 | 08:46h | UTCWHO says there’s no evidence healthy children and adolescents need Covid boosters – CNBC
Opinion: The world won’t be able to boost its way out of the coronavirus pandemic.
19 Jan, 2022 | 08:47h | UTCThe world won’t be able to boost its way out of the coronavirus pandemic – Politico
Fact check: The theory that SARS-CoV-2 is becoming milder.
19 Jan, 2022 | 08:44h | UTCFact check: The theory that SARS-CoV-2 is becoming milder – NPR
Time to upgrade from cloth and surgical masks to respirators? Your questions answered.
18 Jan, 2022 | 09:48h | UTCSee also: The CDC updated its mask guidelines. What to know about ‘the highest level of protection’ – CNN
Study raises doubts about rapid Covid tests’ reliability in early days after infection.
18 Jan, 2022 | 09:51h | UTCStudy raises doubts about rapid Covid tests’ reliability in early days after infection – STAT
Original Article (preprint): Discordant SARS-CoV-2 PCR and Rapid Antigen Test Results When Infectious: A December 2021 Occupational Case Series – medRxiv
Rise of the preprint: how rapid data sharing during COVID-19 has changed science forever.
17 Jan, 2022 | 00:45h | UTC
Is Covax finally going to vaccinate the world?
17 Jan, 2022 | 00:29h | UTCIs Covax finally going to vaccinate the world? – Vox
Related:
Perspective | A beautiful idea: how COVAX has fallen short.
WHO Launches Strategy to Achieve Global Covid-19 Vaccination by mid-2022.
WHO special envoys: To beat Covid, there’s a simple lesson – no one’s safe until everyone’s safe.
WHO COVAX Joint Statement: Call to action to equip COVAX to deliver 2 billion doses in 2021.
Covax: How will Covid vaccines be shared around the world?
Opinion: Omicron represents a new kind of epidemic – we must keep up.
17 Jan, 2022 | 00:28h | UTCOmicron represents a new kind of epidemic – we must keep up – The Guardian
New UK Guidance: Self-isolation for those with COVID-19 can end after 5 full days following 2 negative rapid lateral flow tests – “The default self-isolation period continues to be 10 days, and you may only leave self-isolation early if you have taken 2 rapid lateral flow tests and do not have a temperature in line with guidance”.
14 Jan, 2022 | 08:48h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Self-isolation period for people infected with COVID in England will be reduced to 5 days from Monday 17 Jan. But it's conditional: 2 NEGATIVE tests on days 5 & 6, & no symptoms, & not in certain high risk situations e.g. working with vulnerable people
1/https://t.co/HLxlIbpbkR— Andrew Lee (@andrewleedr) January 13, 2022
Perspective: Omicron is forcing us to rethink mild COVID.
14 Jan, 2022 | 08:30h | UTCOmicron Is Forcing Us to Rethink Mild COVID – The Atlantic