BA.2 omicron variant: What you need to know

By Michael Le Page Illustration of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus Shutterstock/Naeblys Another year, another variant. Even before the omicron wave is over, the rising number of cases caused by a variant of omicron known as BA.2 is causing concern. Here is what we know about BA.2. What is BA.2? It is basically another flavour of omicron … Read more

How much more contagious could the coronavirus get?

The coronavirus is evolving to become more transmissible, and eventually it could even overtake measles, the most contagious virus we know of Health 26 January 2022 By Alice Klein An illustration of SARS-CoV-2 Gerd Altmann/Pixabay Over the past two years, we have witnessed evolution in action, with new variants of the coronavirus becoming increasingly contagious. … Read more

Gene Variant May Have Helped Ancient Humans Survive Starvation

About a million years ago a small mutation might have unlocked a big advantage for ancient humans. A recent study in Science Advances suggests that a variant of a critical stretch of DNA called the growth hormone receptor gene protected against starvation—in part by limiting individuals’ body size during periods of resource scarcity. The variant … Read more

Scientists Identify Specific Gene Variant That Protects Against Severe COVID-19

Researchers have discovered a protective gene variant that seems to shield people from severe cases of COVID-19, and the finding could lead to new breakthroughs in fighting the coronavirus.   Since much earlier in the pandemic, scientists have been busily investigating how patient genetics influence the severity of a SARS-CoV-2 infection, exposing the inherited factors … Read more

COVID-19 Vaccines Saved Over 240,000 American Lives in Just 6 Months, Study Finds

COVID-19 vaccines saved nearly 241,000 lives in the United States and prevented more than 1 million virus-related hospitalizations in the first six months of the country’s inoculation program, according to a new research model.    A research letter, published Tuesday in the peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA Network Open, found coronavirus vaccinations also prevented more than 14 … Read more

Covid-19 news: New variant found in France doesn’t seem to have spread

By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu and Layal Liverpool People wearing masks in the streets of Lyon, France. KONRAD K/SIPA/Shutterstock Latest coronavirus news as of 1pm on 5 January SARS-CoV-2 variant found in France was identified in November  A coronavirus variant first … Read more

2022 news preview: What will the coronavirus do next?

By Michael Le Page The delta variant, viewed using an electron microscope Steve Gschmeissner/Science Photo Library WE HAVE been watching evolution in action as one coronavirus variant after another emerges and triggers further waves of infections around the world. There is every reason to think this will continue during 2022 – and there is no … Read more

FYI, Rapid Antigen Tests May Give More False Negatives With Omciron

Rapid Covid home tests are more likely to give a false negative with the heavily-mutated Omicron variant compared to earlier strains, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Tuesday.   The news comes as the country is facing a massive surge in cases that experts say is being under-captured as a result of a … Read more

Coronavirus variants: How alpha, delta and omicron tormented us in 2021

A year ago, many were hoping the pandemic would soon be over – but then came alpha, delta and omicron Health 24 December 2021 By Michael Le Page A sign in Hounslow, London, in June 2021 James Veysey/Shutterstock What a year it has been. In December 2020, the first vaccination campaigns were just getting under … Read more

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

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