February 19, 2021 Epidemiology What is behind recent COVID-19 case reductions? An aggregate of factors with disproportionate influences thought to be contributing factors: social distancing, seasonality, seroprevalence, and shots.
February 18, 2021 Clinical Research In vitro studies reported in NEJM show that Pfizer/Moderna vaccines were still able to neutralize variant B.1.351 from South Africa despite reduction in neutralizing antibodies. Authors’ opinion is that vaccine remains efficacious. More to follow.
February 9, 2021 Allergy/Immunology Unpublished, uncontrolled small study claims that experimental exosome treatment shortens recovery time to five days for patients with severe Covid-19. Further human trials required to prove it truly works.
February 5, 2021 General information Do people need a mask upgrade? @WSJ reviews the studies and some of the recommendations.
February 4, 2021 Allergy/Immunology Lancet posts Oxford Vaccine Group preprint study on how the timing of the booster dose of its Oxford-AZ vaccine affects the immune response and efficacy for people 18-55 years of age.
February 1, 2021 Health Policy Vaccine/Variant Whack-a-Mole: Concerns raised that slow vaccine rollout, combined with incomplete strategies to prevent infection and spread can lead to a greater risk of further coronavirus mutations and reduced vaccine efficacy.
January 25, 2021 Biomedical Engineering Two positive steps forward for treatment and testing of coronavirus.
January 18, 2021 Apps and diagnosis Study reports that Apple watches require further evaluation to determine their ability to predict COVID-19 infection due to small study size, self-reported data, and a small number of infections within the group.
January 15, 2021 Epidemiology Understandable frustration expressed by Ontario MPP citing selective evidence to end lockdowns and ‘go back to normal life’. The outcome of his ‘exit strategy’ is what happened in Sweden. Instead, do what other successful countries have done.
January 13, 2021 Clinical Research The Lancet Long-COVID study reports the significant impact the disease has wrought six months after hospitalization. Please let’s help each other prevent these outcomes.
