Coronavirus viral outbreaks can be prevented if at least 60 percent of people start wearing masks, and maintain social distancing, according to a study. “Neither social distancing nor mask-wearing alone is likely sufficient to halt the spread of Covid-19 unless almost the entire population adheres to the single measure,” said Maurizio Porfiri from the New […]
Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech have asked the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for its Covid-19 vaccine to include children ages 12 to 15. The request to expand emergency use comes just days after Pfizer released data demonstrating its vaccine was 100 per cent effective and well […]
Researchers have discovered a surprising response in lung cells infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which might explain why the disease is so difficult to treat. The study, published in the journal Science Immunology, found that a biochemical pathway, known as the immune complement system, is triggered in lung cells by the virus. “We observed that […]
Preschool and school children in Germany have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, three to four times more than reported via PCR testing during the second wave, a study has revealed. Preschool children showed an antibody frequency of 5.6 per cent from October 2020 to February 2021. Among school children who were […]
Increased exposure to the Sun’s rays, specifically UVA, can be a simple public health intervention to prevent mortality rates from Covid-19, say, researchers, who found that sunnier areas are associated with fewer deaths from the deadly virus. Ultraviolet UVA rays make up 95 per cent of the Sun’s UV light and can penetrate more deeply […]
Indian non-banking finance companies (NBFC) face asset quality and liquidity risks owing to the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, said credit rating agency Fitch Ratings. Fitch on Thursday said NBFCs will face increased challenges if the restrictions to contain the pandemic are expanded or prolonged which in turn leads to economic and operational disruption. The […]
Maintaining healthy body weight and increasing HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol levels can help lower the risk of Covid-19 infections, claim researchers in a new study. Previous studies showed that people with Type-2 diabetes and a high body mass index are at a greater risk of experiencing hospitalisations and other severe complications related to Covid-19. However, […]
One in three adults in the UK intends to use social media and personal messaging to encourage people to get vaccinated against Covid-19, while almost one in 10 intend to discourage people from getting vaccinated using the same platforms, finds new research. The study, by Loughborough University researchers, is based on an October 2020 survey […]
A team of researchers has identified nine potential new Covid-19 treatments, including three, that were already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating other diseases. The study, published in the journal Cell Reports, screened thousands of existing drugs and drug-like molecules for their ability to inhibit the replication of the Covid-19-causing […]
A second Covid-19 vaccination dose may not be needed for individuals who have successfully recovered from a prior coronavirus infection, suggests a study. The research, involving more than 260 individuals, showed that a single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for individuals who previously had Covid-19, can generate an immunologic response similar to that of individuals […]
The highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 variant — B117 variant — silently spread across 15 countries by mid-November 2020, found a new study underlining the significance of increasing laboratory surveillance. The B117 variant, which has been more lethal than the original coronavirus strain, was first discovered in early December 2020 in the United Kingdom. But, it was […]
