Global & Public Health (all articles)
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
What can we expect from new SARS-CoV-2 rapid tests? They promise to aid public health responses to COVID-19, since they can deliver results in a matter of minutes in the field, rather than taking days in clinical diagnostic labs
9 Nov, 2020 | 01:30h | UTCCoronavirus testing finally gathers speed – Nature
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
[Preprint] Covid-19 vs. Influenza in Kids: Despite negligible fatality, complications including pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and multi-system inflammatory syndrome were more frequent in children/adolescents with Covid-19 than with influenza
9 Nov, 2020 | 01:27h | UTC
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
[Preprint] Research finds detectable but low-level SARS-CoV-2 contamination on public surfaces
6 Nov, 2020 | 09:56h | UTCResearch finds detectable but low-level SARS-CoV-2 contamination on public surfaces – News Medical
Original study (preprint): Longitudinal monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on high-touch surfaces in a community setting – medRxiv
Commentary on Twitter
Can you get COVID-19 from touching the grocery store door handle? Probably not – we estimate the risk at <5 in 10,000. But SARS-CoV-2 RNA on high-touch public surfaces may be a leading indicator of community case trends. New pre-print out! #1440funded https://t.co/x0IpYAlRuY
— Amy Pickering (@SeqH2O) November 2, 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
Perspective: Rich countries reserve billions of Covid-19 vaccine doses even before there is one
6 Nov, 2020 | 09:52h | UTCRich Countries Reserve Billions Of Covid-19 Vaccine Doses Even Before There Is One – Forbes
[Abstract Only] Large randomized trial fails to show benefit from a multifactorial prevention strategy to prevent falls and fractures in older people
6 Nov, 2020 | 09:48h | UTCScreening and Intervention to Prevent Falls and Fractures in Older People – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Related study: A Randomized Trial of a Multifactorial Strategy to Prevent Serious Fall Injuries – New England Journal of Medicine
[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
Opinion: Disagree on Covid-19, but don’t demonize other views
5 Nov, 2020 | 09:04h | UTCDisagree on Covid-19, but don’t demonise other views – Research Professional News
Meta-analysis: Increased mortality due to cancer treatment delay
5 Nov, 2020 | 09:03h | UTCMortality due to cancer treatment delay: systematic review and meta-analysis – The BMJ
Editorial: Prioritising research into cancer treatment delays – The BMJ
Commentary on Twitter
People whose treatment for cancer is delayed by even one month have in many cases a 6 to 13% higher risk of dying – a risk that keeps rising the longer their treatment does not begin, suggests new research @HannaRadOnc https://t.co/KAmY3vx9jy
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) November 5, 2020
Screening: earlier detection of disease is not necessarily better
5 Nov, 2020 | 08:53h | UTCScreening: earlier detection of disease is not necessarily better – Evidently Cochrane
SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and transmission risk factors among high-risk close contacts
4 Nov, 2020 | 09:51h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
Important new study on #SARSCoV2 transmission of >1,100 cases with 7,700 close contacts
— 36% asymptomatic; require testing
— Household contact risk: sharing bedroom >5X; speaking w/ 1° case for ≥ 30 min: 7.9Xhttps://t.co/lSKebOzoNf @TheLancetInfDis pic.twitter.com/UTtkCUqlRn— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) November 3, 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
New CDC Report found that pregnant women with Covid-19 are more likely to have severe illness
4 Nov, 2020 | 09:47h | UTCCommentary: Pregnant women with Covid-19 face higher risk of severe illness and death, study says – CNN
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
The double threat of COVID-19 in Africa
4 Nov, 2020 | 09:43h | UTCThe Double Threat of COVID-19 in Africa – Think Global Health
Analysis: Adversity in childhood is linked to mental and physical health throughout life
4 Nov, 2020 | 09:28h | UTCAdversity in childhood is linked to mental and physical health throughout life – The BMJ
Commentary on Twitter
Adversity in the first years of life may deleteriously affect the course of human development. This #BMJInfographic presents some of these challenges and the mechanisms by which they can affect health throughout childhood and into adulthoodhttps://t.co/9cJAgmhrcr @will_s_t pic.twitter.com/Qsfp0YR9fZ
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) November 3, 2020