Global & Public Health (all articles)
Covid-19 screening: Test sensitivity is less important than frequency and sample-to-answer reporting time
23 Nov, 2020 | 09:47h | UTCCommentaries: Frequent, rapid testing could cripple COVID-19 within weeks, study shows – University of Colorado at Boulder AND Rapid testing 75% of a city every 3 days could ‘drive the epidemic toward extinction’ within 6 weeks, a new study claims – Business Insider AND Speed of test results and frequency of testing are paramount for effective COVID-19 surveillance – News Medical
Commentary on Twitter
Rapidity and frequency of #COVID19 testing override the concerns about sensitivity. Very strong case @ScienceAdvances today by @DanLarremore @michaelmina_lab Roy Parker and colleagues https://t.co/B3hxaTunNu
(We urgently need mass scale rapid home testing rolled out) pic.twitter.com/6JJcpw2kWV— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) November 20, 2020
Updated WHO guideline on drugs for Covid-19 rejects Remdesivir and strongly recommends Corticosteroids for patients with severe and critical disease
20 Nov, 2020 | 08:51h | UTCA living WHO guideline on drugs for covid-19 – The BMJ
Commentary: WHO Guideline Development Group advises against use of remdesivir for COVID-19 – British Medical Journal
Commentary on Twitter
Today the @WHO rejects Remdesivir for #COVID19.
The same drug the @US_FDA gave a full approval.
Because the @WHO reviewed all the data and made the right call.https://t.co/u7GKTRlf37@bmj_latest pic.twitter.com/kVwmDnJRCz— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) November 20, 2020
Randomized trial: No difference in oral health with a risk-based, 6-monthly and 24-monthly dental check-ups for adults
23 Nov, 2020 | 09:44h | UTC
Phase 2 trial of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine finds it is safe and provokes immune response in young as well as in older adults
20 Nov, 2020 | 08:50h | UTCCommentaries: Covid: Oxford vaccine shows ‘encouraging’ immune response in older adults – BBC AND Age and frailty in COVID-19 vaccine development – The Lancet AND Expert reaction to phase 2 trial safety and immunogenicity data from the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial including in healthy older adults – Science Media Centre AND Phase 2 trial of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine in healthy older adults finds it is safe and provokes immune response – The Lancet
Commentary on Twitter
NEW—UK’s #COVID19 vaccine shows similar safety and immunogenicity results in healthy older adults (aged 56 years & over) to those seen in adults aged 18-55 years: finding from a single-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial https://t.co/OKDSySPwfK pic.twitter.com/JyXRk5ZzPT
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) November 19, 2020
Randomized trial suggesting mask use does not protect the wearer from Covid-19 sparks controversy
20 Nov, 2020 | 08:48h | UTCEditorials: Of Masks and Methods AND The Role of Masks in Mitigating the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Another Piece of the Puzzle
Commentaries: Expert reaction to paper using an RCT to assess mask use as a public health measure to help control SARS-CoV-2 spread (DANMASK-19) – Science Media Centre AND Here’s How to Think About the Danish Mask Study – MedPage Today AND Lead Researcher Behind Controversial Danish Study Says You Should Still Wear A Mask – Forbes AND Denmark trial measures effectiveness of adding a mask recommendation to other public health measures for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection – ACP Newsroom
“questioning why a top medical journal would publish a large randomized trial on an important issue is absolutely antithetical to science. Of course they should, so we may all read and debate it” (via @VPrasadMDMPH see Tweet)
Commentaries on Twitter (threads – click for more)
Not perfect, nor confirmatory, but a good enough study to modulate the probability of a large self-efficacy from masks. Study powered to a 50% RRR, correctly concluded that it does not reduce infection by 50%. A negative study is negative only for the effect size it was powered https://t.co/aDPxRoIuqS
— Luis Correia (@LuisCLCorreia) November 19, 2020
So, The Big Mask study has been published, and I thought rather than expound on what the results DID show (everyone's doing that), I might point out a few things that they DIDN'T show 1/n pic.twitter.com/zG4jtXQVVq
— Health Nerd (@GidMK) November 18, 2020
Evaluating COVID risk on planes, trains and automobiles
20 Nov, 2020 | 08:45h | UTCEvaluating COVID Risk on Planes, Trains and Automobiles – Scientific American
As COVID-19 soars in many communities, schools attempt to find ways through the crisis
20 Nov, 2020 | 08:43h | UTCAs COVID-19 soars in many communities, schools attempt to find ways through the crisis – Science
Opinion: Improving care for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction—a potential polypill-based strategy
20 Nov, 2020 | 08:37h | UTC
Five rules for evidence communication
20 Nov, 2020 | 08:38h | UTCFive rules for evidence communication – Nature
Commentary from the author on Twitter
Today in @NatureNews with @d_spiegel & team we present “five rules for evidence communication”
1) Inform, not persuade
2) Offer balance but not false balance
3) Disclose uncertainties
4) State evidence quality
5) Inoculate against misinformationhttps://t.co/Apa1OdIeha pic.twitter.com/SdnGJzI1mK— Sander van der Linden (@Sander_vdLinden) November 18, 2020
Pfizer and BioNTech to submit Covid-19 vaccine data to FDA as full results show 95% efficacy
19 Nov, 2020 | 09:36h | UTCPfizer and BioNTech to submit Covid-19 vaccine data to FDA as full results show 95% efficacy – STAT
News release: Pfizer and Biontech conclude phase 3 study of Covid-19 vaccine candidate, meeting all primary efficacy endpoints
Commentaries: ‘Incredible milestone for science.’ Pfizer and BioNTech update their promising COVID-19 vaccine result – Science AND Pfizer: COVID-19 shot 95% effective, seeking clearance soon – Associated Press AND Expert reaction to announcement by Pfizer that they have concluded the Phase III study of their COVID-19 vaccine candidate after demonstrating 95% efficacy – Science Media Centre AND Covid vaccine: Pfizer says ‘94% effective in over-65s’ – BBC
Opinion: For billion-dollar COVID vaccines, basic government-funded science laid the groundwork
19 Nov, 2020 | 09:33h | UTC
More people are getting COVID-19 twice, suggesting immunity wanes quickly in some
19 Nov, 2020 | 09:29h | UTCMore people are getting COVID-19 twice, suggesting immunity wanes quickly in some – Science
Temperature concerns could slow the rollout of new coronavirus vaccines
19 Nov, 2020 | 09:31h | UTCTemperature concerns could slow the rollout of new coronavirus vaccines – Science
Hospital-acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection: Lessons for public health
19 Nov, 2020 | 09:27h | UTCHospital-Acquired SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Lessons for Public Health – JAMA
Perspective: More people can access surgery. That’s great for them, awful for the planet
19 Nov, 2020 | 09:18h | UTCMore People Can Access Surgery. That’s Great For Them, Awful For The Planet – NPR
Original article: Climate change: challenges and opportunities to scale up surgical, obstetric, and anaesthesia care globally – The Lancet Planetary Health
Related: Effects of Surgery on A Warming Planet: Can Anesthesia Go Green? (commentaries and articles on the subject)
Lessons from Europe, where cases are rising but schools are open
18 Nov, 2020 | 09:18h | UTCLessons From Europe, Where Cases Are Rising But Schools Are Open – NPR
11th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared over
19 Nov, 2020 | 09:15h | UTC
Chinese Covid-19 vaccine candidate (CoronaVac) appears safe and induces an immune response in healthy volunteers in phase 1/2 clinical trial
18 Nov, 2020 | 09:19h | UTCCommentaries: Covid-19: Chinese vaccine ‘successful in mid-stage trials’ – BBC AND Expecting the unexpected with COVID-19 vaccines – The Lancet Infectious Diseases
Commentary on Twitter
NEW—Chinese #COVID19 vaccine candidate (CoronaVac) based on inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus appears safe & induces an immune response in healthy volunteers: finding from a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1/2 clinical trial @TheLancetInfDis https://t.co/0AC0fP53dI pic.twitter.com/W3gMdqLzTG
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) November 18, 2020
Estimation of US children’s educational attainment and years of life lost associated with primary school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic
18 Nov, 2020 | 09:15h | UTC
[Preprint] Study suggests immunity to the Coronavirus may last years
18 Nov, 2020 | 09:20h | UTCImmunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 assessed for greater than six months after infection – bioRxiv
Commentaries: Immunity to the Coronavirus May Last Years, New Data Hint – New York Times AND Could coronavirus immunity last YEARS? Study finds even survivors who had mild COVID-19 are protected for at least 8 months and their immune ‘memory’ may last MUCH longer – Daily Mail AND COVID-19: Study Suggests Durable Immune Response After SARS-CoV-2 Infection – NEJM Journal Watch
Commentary from the author on Twitter (thread – click for more)
1/ Our pre-print on immune memory to SARS-CoV-2 is out today. To our knowledge, this is the largest such study for any acute infection.
The upshot is that there is substantial immune memory after COVID-19.
Lots of stuff in this manuscript.https://t.co/lSAyZp0XiK@SetteLab
— Prof. Shane Crotty (@profshanecrotty) November 17, 2020
Opinion: A new important study supports wider use of the polypill
18 Nov, 2020 | 09:01h | UTCRichard Smith: A new important study supports wider use of the polypill – The Lancet
Original study and commentaries: Randomized trial: A polypill comprising statins, multiple blood pressure lowering drugs, and aspirin prevents cardiovascular events among patients at intermediate cardiovascular risk
Commentary on Twitter
"We seem now to have good evidence that the polypill can reduce cardiovascular events and deaths by at least a third and probably by half in those who take the polypill regularly" @Richard56 discusses a new study in @NEJM https://t.co/B2tkN4pkDP
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) November 17, 2020
Surveillance of wastewater revealed peaks of SARS-CoV-2 preceding those of hospitalized patients with COVID-19
17 Nov, 2020 | 09:53h | UTC
CDC Report: Multiple COVID-19 outbreaks linked to a wedding reception
17 Nov, 2020 | 09:51h | UTCCommentaries: CDC: One wedding led to 177 cases of COVID-19 and 7 deaths because attendees refused to wear masks and physically distance – Business Insider AND Maine wedding outbreak offers a cautionary Covid-19 tale for the holidays – CNN AND Maine Wedding Gives Half Of The Guests Coronavirus, Outbreak Leads To 177 Covid-19 Cases And 7 Deaths – Forbes
[Press release – not published yet] Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows 94.5% protection in an interim analysis of the phase 3 COVE study
17 Nov, 2020 | 09:55h | UTCPress release: Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Meets its Primary Efficacy Endpoint in the First Interim Analysis of the Phase 3 COVE Study
See also: Moderna Announces Longer Shelf Life for its COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate at Refrigerated Temperatures
Commentaries: What Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine results mean for ending the pandemic – Vox AND Moderna follows Pfizer with exciting vaccine news – how to read these dramatic developments – The Conversation AND Moderna’s COVID Vaccine Is 95% Effective – Independent NIH-Appointed Board Assessment – Higher Storage Temperature Make It Even Better News – Health Policy Watch AND Moderna’s Vaccine News “Encouraging” But Won’t Solve Immediate Problem of Virus Surge in Europe & Americas – WHO – Health Policy Watch AND COVID vaccine excitement builds as Moderna reports third positive result – Nature AND Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine is strongly effective, early look at data show – STAT AND With strong data on two Covid-19 vaccines, we have more answers about the road ahead — and questions too – STAT AND Early data show Moderna’s COVID vaccine 94.5% effective – CIDRAP AND A Note Of Caution On Moderna’s Promising Covid-19 Vaccine News – Forbes AND Promising Interim Results from Clinical Trial of NIH-Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine – NIH News Releases AND Moderna: Covid vaccine shows nearly 95% protection – BBC AND Latest vaccine success is good news but high price may restrict access – The Guardian AND ‘Just beautiful’—Another COVID-19 vaccine, from newcomer Moderna, succeeds in large-scale trial – Science AND Moderna trial success gives world more hope in race to end pandemic – Reuters AND Expert reaction to Moderna announcement of its phase 3 vaccine interim results – Science Media Centre
CDC Report: Mental health-related emergency department visits among children aged under 18 years raised during the COVID-19 Pandemic
17 Nov, 2020 | 09:48h | UTCCommentary: ER Data Indicates the Pandemic Is Harming Children’s Mental Health – U.S. News
Commentary on Twitter
New @CDCMMWR suggests that the #COVID19 pandemic may be negatively impacting children’s mental health. The proportion of emergency room visits for mental health concerns in children & adolescents increased substantially this past Mar.-Oct. Read the report: https://t.co/9FyLoCzrza pic.twitter.com/fIXMIZg7KK
— CDC (@CDCgov) November 12, 2020