covid19

Treatments like sotrovimab, molnupiravir, Paxlovid and Evusheld could lead to a new strategy in 2022: tackling covid-19 soon after infection to prevent severe symptoms from developing

by

By Clare Wilson Prescriptions of pills that can be taken at home could help prevent people developing severe covid-19 Backyard Productions / Alamy People in the UK who are at higher risk for covid-19 can now help trial the first antiviral pill for this infection that can be taken at home, while those who are … Read more

Covid-19 news: Booster omicron protection wanes within 10 weeks

by

By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu and Layal Liverpool A soldier administers a vaccination at the Army Reserve Centre in Poole, England. Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images Latest coronavirus news as of 1pm on 24 December Our daily covid-19 update will resume on 4 … Read more

U.S. allows Merck’s COVID-19 pill amid safety, variant concerns | Science

by

The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday authorized another new pill to treat the Omicron variant, this time from Merck. While Pfizer’s antiviral may prove to be more effective, and Merck’s pill has left some scientists questioning the dangers behind its mechanism of action, molnupiravir will be another weapon in the armamentarium of … Read more

Novavax’s long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine authorizations offer an alternative to mRNA | Science

by

The small Maryland biotechnology company Novavax has finally joined the ranks of high-profile COVID-19 vaccine developers after winning emergency authorizations in recent days for its candidate. The decisions by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Commission make the company’s product the first protein-based vaccine green-lighted by those bodies and opens it to broad … Read more

Covid-19: Cuba’s home-grown vaccines have massively cut case numbers

by

Four months after hospitals collapsed in Cuba due to skyrocketing covid-19 case numbers, the country has rolled out its own vaccines and cases are down to 5 for every 100,000 people Health 23 December 2021 By Luke Taylor Abdala is one of Cuba’s covid-19 vaccines YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images Four months after Cuba reported … Read more

FDA greenlights Pfizer’s oral COVID-19 drug | Science

by

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an emergency use authorization for the potent oral antiviral regimen developed by Pfizer to treat COVID-19, making it just the second such drug to receive a regulatory greenlight by any country. Last month, the United Kingdom authorized the use of a Merck-made pill that appears much … Read more

Covid-19 news: Omicron is dangerous despite lower hospitalisation risk

by

By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu and Layal Liverpool Oxford Street, London, UK, on 21 December, 2021 TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images Latest coronavirus news as of 12pm on 23 December Omicron’s high transmissibility means it’s still a severe threat despite its … Read more

Convalescent plasma shows renewed promise for COVID-19 in outpatient trial | Science

by

Among the possible treatments for people just developing COVID-19 symptoms, antibody-rich plasma donated by recovered patients has taken a backseat to options such as monoclonal antibodies and antiviral pills. But a new clinical trial suggests it may deserve a bigger role. The trial results, posted today as a preprint, showed a transfusion of convalescent plasma … Read more

Biggest science news of 2021: Learning the pros and cons of working from home during the covid-19 pandemic

by

The covid-19 pandemic has forced millions to participate in one of the biggest social experiments of our time. Nearly two years in, it’s time to take stock: what happens when workers abandon offices? Humans 15 December 2021 By Alice Klein Working from home has led to rises in productivity for some Experience Interiors/iStock THE covid-19 … Read more

Covid-19: Coronavirus was the third leading cause of death in the US in 2020

by

In the first year of the pandemic, covid-19 became one of the leading causes of death in the US. The country also had the biggest drop in life expectancy than any other Health 22 December 2021 By Jason Arunn Murugesu In America: Remember, an art installation in Washington, DC, memorialising those who have died in … Read more