‘COVID-19 Rebound’ May Be Worse Than Initial COVID Illness
On May 24, 2022, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health advisory to health care providers, public health departments and the general public regarding Pfizer’s antiviral drug Paxlovid, designed to treat symptoms of COVID-19. The advisory warns that some people who take Paxlovid may experience a recurrence of COVID symptoms […]
WHO to Rename Monkeypox Virus to Prevent Stigma Associated with the Virus
On June 14, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it would rename the monkeypox virus after a group of scientists expressed the opinion that the name “monkeypox” is stigmatizing.1 Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the WHO, said that the United Nations organization is working with partners and the scientific community around […]
CDC Distributing Monkeypox Vaccines Nationwide While Raising Monkeypox Travel Alert to Level 2
On June 6, 2022, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) raised its monkeypox travel alert to Level 2, warning Americans to “Practice Enhanced Precautions.”1 The agency stated that monkeypox cases have been rising in at least 29 countries, with 1,019 infections reported to date. Currently, the United States has confirmed 31 cases […]
More Monkeypox Cases Identified as Roche is Ready With PCR Tests
There had been 584 confirmed cases of monkeypox virus in 26 countries as of May 31, 2022.1 The largest outbreak is in the United Kingdom where 190 people are infected with the virus, followed by Spain with 132 people infected, and Portugal with 100 people infected. Before this year, monkeypox in humans was thought to […]
Monkeypox Cases in U.S. Coincide With Vaccine Purchases by BARDA
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on May 21, 2022 that more than 100 confirmed or suspected cases of monkeypox had been identified in 12 countries, including between one and five confirmed cases in the U.S.1 Most of the cases have occurred in Europe with higher numbers in Portugal, Spain and the U.K. WHO officials […]
Study Finds SARS-CoV-2 Much Less Infectious After 20 Minutes in Air
A new study conducted by the University of Bristol Aerosol Research Centre in the United Kingdom found that the SARS-CoV-2 virus loses 90 percent of its virulence within 20 minutes after being exhaled into the air. Further, researchers concluded that the virus loses 50 percent of its ability to spread after only 10 minutes of […]