New CDC Data Shows 94 Percent of COVID-19 Death Cases Had Underlying Poor Health Conditions
The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Sept. 2 weekly update on COVID-19 mortality in the U.S., which is published by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), reported 170,566 deaths “involving COVID-19” that occurred between Feb. 1, 2020 and Aug. 29, 2020.1 During the same time period there were 1,841,678 deaths from […]
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 […]
Dangers of Methanol-Containing Hand Sanitizers
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, public health officials have maintained that people can use hand sanitizers as an alternative for hand washing to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, the widespread use of commercial disinfectant products is leading to another problem,1 and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now warning consumers and health […]
U.S. Southeast and Rural Areas Have More Severe COVID-19 Tied to Chronic Illness
Story Highlights Certain co-existing health problems like obesity and diabetes and lung, heart and kidney disease have been associated with increased risk for severe symptoms and death from COVID-19. A recent CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reported that underlying conditions contributing to greater risk for severe COVID-19 disease are more prevalent in the southeast […]
Tests for SARS-CoV-2 in South Korea Can’t Distinguish Virus from Viral Fragments
A team of South Korean infectious disease researchers has concluded there is no evidence that people can be reinfected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The researchers, led by Oh Myoung-don, MD, head of Seoul National University Hospital’s division of infectious diseases, believe that reports of patients who have recovered from COVID-19 and subsequently tested positive again […]
Vitamin D Deficiency Studies and COVID-19
Story Highlights During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical scientists have been closely examining the effects of vitamin D deficiency. Meta-analyses of data from 45 studies have shown a significant correlation between vitamin D deficiency and more severe symptoms, complications and death from COVID-19. Although laboratory studies on the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 are […]