General Interest
Covid: Pulse oxygen monitors work less well on darker skin, experts say.
3 Aug, 2021 | 09:00h | UTCCovid: Pulse oxygen monitors work less well on darker skin, experts say – BBC
Related:
FDA issues alert on ‘limitations’ of pulse oximeters, without explicit mention of racial bias
WHO special envoys: To beat Covid, there’s a simple lesson – no one’s safe until everyone’s safe.
3 Aug, 2021 | 08:58h | UTCTo beat Covid, there’s a simple lesson – no one’s safe until everyone’s safe – The Guardian
Commentary on Twitter
Important read by our #COVID19 Envoys who stress that, to save the most lives possible, we must ensure #healthworkers & the most vulnerable are vaccinated worldwide as a priority. Global target of at least:
40% by end 2021
70% by mid 2022#VaccinEquityhttps://t.co/kDwzTJmHw8— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) July 30, 2021
AHA Scientific Statement: Considerations for cardiovascular genetic and genomic research with marginalized racial and ethnic groups and indigenous peoples.
3 Aug, 2021 | 02:24h | UTCNews release: New statement provides path to include ethnicity, ancestry, race in genomic research – American Heart Association
How to safely dispose of medication.
3 Aug, 2021 | 01:55h | UTCHow to safely dispose of medication – Medical News Today
The study behind new CDC’s mask guidance found vaccinated people can spread delta variant.
2 Aug, 2021 | 00:33h | UTCCommentaries:
The Study Behind CDC’s Mask Guidance Found Vaccinated People Can Spread Delta Variant – NPR
What Delta has changed in the Covid pandemic — and what it hasn’t – STAT
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
New @CDCMMWR on the Delta variant public gathering outbreak (incl "densely packed indoor events") in Barnstable Co involving 469 people, 74% among vaccinated, w/ similar viral load (Ct) as non-vaccinated. https://t.co/67sPljvaSQ pic.twitter.com/JNpfGD9qkB
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) July 30, 2021
Study: Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 may have persistent cognitive symptoms.
30 Jul, 2021 | 12:03h | UTCCognitive deficits in people who have recovered from COVID-19 – EClinicalMedicine
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
We assessed thousands and saw clear evidence of cognitive deficits in people who have recovered from COVID-19. Took a while to appease peer reviewers, but the results stand. Brilliantly led by @HampshireHub. @Amy2Jolly @JoeBarnby @srchamb @neurohellyer https://t.co/AnbhanixRk
— mitul mehta (@mehta_mitul72) July 23, 2021
Self-reported memory problems 8 months after COVID-19 infection.
30 Jul, 2021 | 12:02h | UTCSelf-reported Memory Problems 8 Months After COVID-19 Infection – JAMA Network Open
Commentary: Post-acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Subjective Memory Problems – JAMA Network Open
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Concerning data out now in @JAMANetworkOpen about cognitive symptoms in #LongCovid among *non-hospitalized* adults.
Researchers in Norway invited 35,000 adults at the time of #coronavirus testing as well as a 20,000 person untested random sample to a prospective cohort.
(1/6) pic.twitter.com/AaU5rrwaPw
— F. Perry Wilson, MD MSCE (@fperrywilson) July 29, 2021
Israel to offer 3rd COVID booster shot to older citizens.
30 Jul, 2021 | 11:57h | UTCIsrael to offer 3rd COVID booster shot to older citizens – Associated Press
COVID-19 false dichotomies and a comprehensive review of the evidence regarding public health, COVID-19 symptomatology, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, mask wearing, and reinfection.
29 Jul, 2021 | 11:32h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
A false dichotomy is a logical fallacy that involves presenting only two views or options when other possibilities exist.
Here are 6 COVID-19 false dichotomies:https://t.co/7uYry96l2q by @KevinEscandonMD @angie_rasmussen @BogochIsaac @EpiEllie @SaskiaPopescu @KindrachukJason pic.twitter.com/mHanKxObmt
— Dr. Jonathan N. Stea (@jonathanstea) July 28, 2021
What is a breakthrough infection? 6 questions answered about catching COVID-19 after vaccination.
29 Jul, 2021 | 11:28h | UTC
Olympic Pseudoscience – Tokyo Edition.
29 Jul, 2021 | 11:08h | UTCOlympic Pseudoscience – Tokyo Edition – Science Based Medicine
CDC changes mask guidance in response to threat of Delta variant of Covid-19.
28 Jul, 2021 | 10:23h | UTCCommentary: CDC changes mask guidance in response to threat of Delta variant of Covid-19 – CNN
Commentaries on Twitter
BREAKING—CDC reverses course—CDC is expected to recommend on Tuesday that people vaccinated for the coronavirus resume wearing masks indoors. The change follows reports of rising breakthrough infections with the #Deltavariant. ➡️ ABOUT DAMN TIME! #COVID19 https://t.co/VQeWOVviP3
— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) July 27, 2021
In a new @CDCMMWR, CDC recommends factors communities and organizations consider when deciding how to best prevent #COVID19. Factors include level of community spread, vaccination rates, & populations at risk of illness or death. More: https://t.co/0Jgr0PbRio. pic.twitter.com/j9zeZtQLtC
— CDC (@CDCgov) July 27, 2021
Editorial: Nine lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic for improving hospital care and health care delivery.
28 Jul, 2021 | 10:17h | UTC
WHO reports progress in the fight against tobacco epidemic – Highlights threats posed by new nicotine and tobacco products.
28 Jul, 2021 | 10:01h | UTCNews release: WHO reports progress in the fight against tobacco epidemic – World Health Organization
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
The aerosols from e-cigarettes contain toxic substances that can cause
🚨 cancer
🫀 cardiovascular diseases
🫁 lung disorders
🧠 damage to children’s brain development#CommitToQuit e-cigarettes now for a healthier life!Here's how 👉https://t.co/7OReiIXXpd pic.twitter.com/MvwAZqB8oB
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) July 27, 2021
Moral uncertainty: A case study of Covid-19.
28 Jul, 2021 | 10:05h | UTCMoral uncertainty: A case study of Covid-19 – Patient Education and Counseling
Commentary on Twitter
https://twitter.com/trishgreenhalgh/status/1419648261661528072
Amazon and Google are finally tackling one of healthcare’s biggest problems: unstructured health data.
28 Jul, 2021 | 09:50h | UTC
Systematic review and meta-analysis of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among Ph.D. students.
28 Jul, 2021 | 09:54h | UTC
Commentaries on Twitter
A study in @SciReports concludes that depression and anxiety are highly prevalent among PhD students and programs to monitor and promote mental health are urgently needed. https://t.co/zTWxGC4Rs0 pic.twitter.com/tINXMmeJWj
— Nature Portfolio (@NaturePortfolio) July 27, 2021
*New* meta-analysis of >15K PhD students finds that 24% have clinical symptoms of depression & 17% of anxiety.
As a baseline: The prevalence of major depression among young adults in the US is ~13% & anxiety disorder is 4%.
Ht @wormmaps https://t.co/QPxHj0tgTc
— Amy Maxmen, PhD (@amymaxmen) July 13, 2021
Opinion | What does public health really mean? Lessons from covid-19.
27 Jul, 2021 | 03:46h | UTCWhat does public health really mean? Lessons from covid-19 – The BMJ Opinion
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Now out in BMJ, our new piece
What does public health mean??@MonicaGandhi9 @sdbaral and I remind us of 10 principles of Public Health
(just wait for #6)https://t.co/ceAHUca7b3
🧵 pic.twitter.com/2vZCG8vAEx— Vinay Prasad MD MPH (@VPrasadMDMPH) July 26, 2021
Research provides vital insights about excess coffee consumption and brain health.
27 Jul, 2021 | 03:28h | UTCOriginal study: High coffee consumption, brain volume and risk of dementia and stroke – Nutritional Neuroscience (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
COVID vaccines to reach poorest countries in 2023 — “Amid a COVID surge in Africa, vaccine promises from richer nations are not enough to bring an early end to the pandemic, experts say”.
26 Jul, 2021 | 02:51h | UTCCOVID vaccines to reach poorest countries in 2023 — despite recent pledges – Nature
WHO: Vaccine inequity undermining global economic recovery.
23 Jul, 2021 | 10:53h | UTCNews release: Vaccine inequity undermining global economic recovery – World Health Organization
Dashboard: Global Dashboard for Vaccine Equity
Commentaries: Urgent need for COVID-19 vaccine equity – University of Oxford AND COVID-19 Vaccine Inequity Undermines Global Economic Recovery – Health Policy Watch
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
COVID-19 vaccine inequity is undermining 🌍 economic recovery. 🆕WHO, @UNDP and @BlavatnikSchool Dashboard on #VaccinEquity finds that low-income countries would add $38B to their GDP forecast if they had the same vaccination rate as high-income countrieshttps://t.co/BsYF2eYL1G
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) July 22, 2021
Perspective | SARS-CoV-2 human challenge studies — establishing the model during an evolving pandemic.
23 Jul, 2021 | 10:49h | UTCRelated: World’s first coronavirus “Human Challenge” study receives ethics approval in the UK (several texts on the subject) AND Are SARS-CoV-2 Human Challenge Trials Ethical? – “A clinical trial is underway in the UK in which young, healthy participants are exposed deliberately to SARS-CoV-2 to assess the viral inoculum needed to produce an infection and to test vaccine efficacy”.
What are the Delta, Gamma, Beta and Alpha Covid variants?
23 Jul, 2021 | 10:45h | UTCWhat are the Delta, Gamma, Beta and Alpha Covid variants? – BBC
Related: Increased transmissibility and global spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern – “Estimated transmissibility increases of alpha 29% (95% CI: 24–33), beta 25% (95% CI: 20–30), gamma 38% (95% CI: 29–48) & delta 97% (95% CI: 76–117)”. AND WHO renames COVID-19 variants with the Greek alphabet (i.e., Alpha, Beta, Gamma, etc), making them simple, easy to say and remember. The naming system aims to prevent calling COVID-19 variants by the places where they are detected, which is stigmatizing & discriminatory.
How the Delta variant achieves its ultrafast spread – “Viral load is roughly 1,000 times higher in people infected with the Delta variant than those infected with the original coronavirus strain, according to a study in China”.
23 Jul, 2021 | 10:46h | UTCHow the Delta variant achieves its ultrafast spread – Nature
Survey finds 8% of researchers have falsified or fabricated data.
23 Jul, 2021 | 10:28h | UTC8% of researchers in Dutch survey have falsified or fabricated data – Nature
Original study and commentaries: Landmark research integrity survey finds questionable practices are surprisingly common.
Related: Opinion | Time to assume that health research is fraudulent until proven otherwise? AND How a Data Detective Exposed Suspicious Medical Trials