Herpes Zoster May Be a Risk of COVID-19 Vaccination for Immunocompromised
An observational study conducted in Israel has revealed a potential risk for herpes zoster activation following vaccination
Disease Is the Newest Excuse for Segregation
Walking through several airports to catch planes this week, I stepped on hundreds of stickers with the exhortation
Anal Swabs Used to Test for SARS-CoV-2 Virus in China
Health authorities in China have begun using anal swabs to test patients for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that can cause COVID-19.1 While COVID-19 outbreaks continue to increase in China as the Lunar New Year approaches, more than a million residents in Beijing have been administered anal swabs to test for the virus. Although anal swabs have […]
Minority Populations Targeted for Early COVID-19 Vaccination
Story Highlights Minority populations including Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in the U.S., with evidence indicating they have a higher risk of being infected and/or are at an increased risk of serious disease and death from the infection. Many agencies, public figures and states are advocating that such at-risk […]
32 Nursing Home Residents Die in COVID-19 Outbreak During Mass Vaccination Drive
Thirty-two residents have died in The Commons on St. Anthony, a nursing home in Auburn, Cayuga county, New York during a COVID-19 outbreak that started at the end of December 2020. On Jan. 5, 2021, there were 130 residents, who tested positive for COVID-19 and, as of Jan. 11, there were 104 active coronavirus cases […]
South African Variant of SARS-CoV-2 Virus May Evade Vaccines
Story Highlights A highly transmissible new strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been identified in South Africa and has now spread to at least eight other countries including the U.K., Switzerland, Finland, Japan, Australia, Zambia, France and South Korea. The mutations of the new strain represent significant changes to key structures involved […]
PCR Test for Coronavirus Questioned by Prominent Scientists
An International Consortium of Scientists in Life Sciences (ICSLS) have submitted a retraction request to the European public health journal Eurosurveillance of a well-cited article published in January 2020,1 2 which contained the first protocol for detecting the SARS-CoV-2 virus using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. The test has been used by the […]
Understanding PCR Tests for Coronavirus
Opinion | From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the clarion call has been to test, test and test some more. However, right from the start, serious questions arose about the tests being used to diagnose this infection, and questions have only multiplied since then. Positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests have been […]
Coronavirus Testing Suspended at Boston Lab After Many False Positive Results
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) has suspended testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus at Boston based laboratory on Aug. 8, 2020 after the laboratory reported almost 400 false positive tests.1 Orig3n Laboratory Currently Under State Investigation Orig3n Laboratory, a genetics and biotechnology company was suspended after state health officials became aware of an unusually […]
The T-Cell Response to COVID-19 Infections and Immunity
Story Highlights Rapid decline of neutralizing antibodies following COVID-19 infection in some people have led to concerns that immunity to the SARS-CoV-2 virus Is temporary. However, several recent studies have shown a presence of virus-specific T-cells that remain, including among patients with mild or asymptomatic infections. Long-lasting immunity after recovery from COVID-19 infection may be […]