General Interest
Opinion: “Why the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is a cause for optimism — and skepticism. Vaccine science by press release has to stop”
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:25h | UTCWhy the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is a cause for optimism — and skepticism – Vox
Related commentaries: Champagne and questions greet first data showing that a COVID-19 vaccine works – Science AND 90% efficacy for Pfizer’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccine is striking. But we need to wait for the full data – The Conversation
See also: Science by press release: When the story gets ahead of the science – CNN
Pfizer vaccine: What an ‘efficacy rate above 90%’ really means
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:23h | UTCPfizer vaccine: what an ‘efficacy rate above 90%’ really means – The Conversation
Pfizer’s ultra-cold vaccine could be difficult to distribute
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:22h | UTCPfizer’s ultra-cold vaccine could be difficult to distribute – The Conversation
Covid-19: Reopening places such as restaurants, gyms, hotels, cafes, and religious organizations are predicted to cause the largest increase in infections
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:26h | UTCMobility network models of COVID-19 explain inequities and inform reopening – Nature
Commentaries: Restaurants and gyms were spring ‘superspreader’ sites. Occupancy limits could control Covid, new study predicts – STAT AND How to stop restaurants from driving COVID infections – Nature AND Covid Superspreader Risk Is Linked to Restaurants, Gyms, Hotels – Bloomberg AND Covid-19 modeling study suggests which places may have highest risk of spread — but occupancy limits can help – CNN
Commentary on Twitter
Reopening places such as restaurants, fitness centers, cafes, and hotels carries the highest risk for transmitting SARS-CoV-2, according to a study in Nature. Reducing occupancy in these venues may result in a large reduction in predicted infections. https://t.co/aSSrwnnep9 pic.twitter.com/GdTZdZy12Y
— Nature Portfolio (@NaturePortfolio) November 10, 2020
Randomized trial: vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, or a strength-training exercise program do not improve clinical outcomes in older adults
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:11h | UTCEffect of Vitamin D Supplementation, Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation, or a Strength-Training Exercise Program on Clinical Outcomes in Older Adults: The DO-HEALTH Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA (free for a limited period)
Study: N95 masks with exhalation valves do not work
11 Nov, 2020 | 09:20h | UTCCommentary: N95 Masks With Exhalation Valves Don’t Slow The Spread Of Covid-19 – Forbes
Commentary on Twitter
N95 😷😷with valves don't workhttps://t.co/qGZIEzE1Sh @AIP_Publishing today pic.twitter.com/mI9pVmFtfa
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) November 10, 2020
News Release [Not Published Yet]: Vaccine candidate 90% effective against Covid-19 according to manufacturer
10 Nov, 2020 | 09:41h | UTCNews Release: Pfizer and Biontech announce vaccine candidate against Covid-19 achieved success in first interim analysis from phase 3 study
Commentaries: What Pfizer’s landmark COVID vaccine results mean for the pandemic – Nature AND Covid-19: Vaccine candidate may be more than 90% effective, interim results indicate – The BMJ AND Covid vaccine: First ‘milestone’ vaccine offers 90% protection – BBC AND Hopes rise for end of pandemic as Pfizer says vaccine is 90% effective – The Guardian AND Four reasons for encouragement based on Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine results – STAT AND Expert reaction to Pfizer and BioNTech reporting interim results from phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial – Science Media Centre
Another study shows hydroxychloroquine does not benefit adults hospitalized with COVID-19
10 Nov, 2020 | 09:39h | UTCEditorial: Misguided Use of Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19: The Infusion of Politics Into Science
Commentary: Hydroxychloroquine does not benefit adults hospitalized with COVID-19 – NIH News Releases
Report: Large cluster of cases during a long flight shows seating proximity was strongly associated with infection risk
10 Nov, 2020 | 09:38h | UTCTransmission of SARS-CoV 2 During Long-Haul Flight – Emerging Infectious Diseases
Related studies: In-Flight Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 – Emerging Infectious Diseases AND A large national outbreak of COVID-19 linked to air travel, Ireland, summer 2020 – Eurosurveillance
Commentaries: Coronavirus can spread on airline flights, two studies show – CNN AND Do Masks On Plane Flights Really Cut Your Risk Of Catching COVID-19? – NPR AND Is it worth the risk? A guide to navigating holiday travel during the pandemic University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
WHO: Preliminary findings indicate that a SARS-CoV-2 mink-associated variant strain has moderately decreased sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies. The implications are not yet well understood.
9 Nov, 2020 | 01:34h | UTCSARS-CoV-2 mink-associated variant strain – Denmark – World Health Organization
Commentaries: Spread of mutated coronavirus in Danish mink ‘hits all the scary buttons,’ but fears may be overblown – STAT AND Six countries reported coronavirus on mink farms, WHO says – MedicalXpress AND What’s the science behind mink and coronavirus? – BBC
Video: Herd immunity as a coronavirus pandemic strategy
9 Nov, 2020 | 01:32h | UTCHerd Immunity as a Coronavirus Pandemic Strategy – JAMA
Biden’s ready to start his pandemic response immediately. “He will reach out to Tony Fauci. He will declare his intent to be an active participant in the WHO and in the world”
9 Nov, 2020 | 01:29h | UTCBiden’s ready to start his pandemic response immediately – STAT
Global study shows poor nutrition in school years may have created a 20cm height gap across nations
9 Nov, 2020 | 01:24h | UTCCommentaries: Poor diet: Children 20cm shorter as a result, analysis says – BBC AND Poor nutrition in school years may have created 20cm height gap across nations – Imperial College London
Commentary on Twitter
NEW—Most comprehensive global study to date suggests concerning height and BMI trends among school-aged children and adolescents: a pooled analysis of 2181 population-based studies with 65 million participantshttps://t.co/CXlqcAvYHA pic.twitter.com/Nzj1krjuhH
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) November 5, 2020
Why scientists fear the “toxic” Covid-19 debate
6 Nov, 2020 | 09:57h | UTCWhy scientists fear the “toxic” Covid-19 debate – NewStatesman
Related: Disagree on Covid-19, but don’t demonise other views – Research Professional News
UNICEF and WHO call for emergency action to avert major measles and polio epidemics
9 Nov, 2020 | 01:15h | UTCCommentary: UN urges resumption of mass measles and polio vaccinations – The Guardian
Clots, strokes and rashes. Is COVID-19 a disease of the blood vessels?
6 Nov, 2020 | 09:54h | UTCClots, Strokes And Rashes. Is COVID-19 A Disease Of The Blood Vessels? – NPR
[Abstract Only] More than a third of older adults are prescribed potentially inappropriate drugs, study finds
6 Nov, 2020 | 09:42h | UTCOriginal study: Potentially Inappropriate Medications Are Associated with Increased Healthcare Utilization and Costs – Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Challenges in creating herd immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infection by mass vaccination. Efficacy, duration of protection, and percentage of the population receiving the vaccine are key issues
5 Nov, 2020 | 09:09h | UTCChallenges in creating herd immunity to SARS-CoV-2 infection by mass vaccination – The Lancet
Commentary on Twitter
The real deal herd immunity, via a #SARSCoV2 vaccine, will be a formidable feat to achieve, with efficacy, coverage levels and duration of protection as key determinants https://t.co/3jeXkO5Yak @TheLancet pic.twitter.com/mXcDpHbHR6
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) November 5, 2020
Study: Strategies to prevent super-spreading events could have a significant impact on the overall transmission of Covid-19
4 Nov, 2020 | 09:56h | UTCOriginal study: Evidence that coronavirus superspreading is fat-tailed – Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Key populations for early COVID-19 immunization: Preliminary guidance for policy
4 Nov, 2020 | 09:46h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
Preliminary guidance on key populations for early #COVID19 immunization: groups include those at high risk for severe illness and death, essential workers, #Indigenous communities. Read the evidence-based guideline https://t.co/Tc3vBdJxSV @CPHO_Canada @GovCanHealth @CaroQuach pic.twitter.com/3vyGkL87AD
— CMAJ (@CMAJ) November 3, 2020
Association between industry payments to physicians and device selection in ICD implantation
4 Nov, 2020 | 09:40h | UTCAssociation Between Industry Payments to Physicians and Device Selection in ICD Implantation – JAMA (free for a limited period)
Editorial: Reconsidering Health Care Fraud and Abuse Laws (free for a limited period)
Commentary on Twitter
More evidence that payments from industry to physicians influence clinical decisions. Great paper led by @AmarMD99 in @YaleCardiology shows that patients most likely to receive ICD/CRD made by manufacturer that provided largest payments to their physician https://t.co/P1Hh2VAxur
— Joseph Ross (@jsross119) November 3, 2020
Low carbohydrate diet: Insights from a general practice service in patients with type 2 diabetes
4 Nov, 2020 | 09:38h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
PUBLISHED! We wanted to showcase what a low-carb approach could achieve for people with #T2D in UK NHS general practice Our @BMJNutrition paper published today. Open access PLEASE read it https://t.co/zxj2XESBaO HUGE thanks to patients and staff @nnedpro Hurrah! pic.twitter.com/BLML1vSA6i
— Dr David Unwin (@lowcarbGP) November 3, 2020
Science’s English dominance hinders diversity—but the community can work toward change
4 Nov, 2020 | 09:18h | UTCScience’s English dominance hinders diversity—but the community can work toward change – Science
Analysis: Harms of public health interventions against covid-19 must not be ignored
3 Nov, 2020 | 03:14h | UTCHarms of public health interventions against covid-19 must not be ignored – The BMJ
Commentary on Twitter
The harmful consequences of public health choices to limit the spread of covid-19 should be explicitly considered and transparently reported to limit their damage, say Itai Bavli and colleagues https://t.co/i83wFx7RBk
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) November 2, 2020
Opinion – Hydroxychloroquine: A tale of overzealous optimism and patient harm
3 Nov, 2020 | 03:09h | UTCHydroxychloroquine: A tale of overzealous optimism and patient harm – First10EM