Tag: k2_infectious

Previous research has linked vitamin D deficiency to a higher risk of getting COVID-19 and experiencing more severe disease, especially among Black and Hispanic individuals. A new observational study suggests that even “sufficient” vitamin D levels, as guidelines currently define them, are associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 for Black people. Current guidelines for

A new study investigates the relationship between COVID-19 and skin rashes. The authors found a significant association between skin rashes and a positive SARS-CoV-2 test. More than 1 in 5 people with a SARS-CoV-2 infection reported skin changes as the only symptom of infection. As we pass the 1-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists

Recent studies confirm that mRNA vaccines are safe and provide a high degree of protection against COVID-19. However, leaked emails show that there were doubts last year about early commercial batches of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine. The emails reveal that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) raised concerns with Pfizer that the vaccine contained lower levels

Face masks reduce the spread of the new coronavirus and may also lessen the severity of COVID-19. The present study finds that masks increase the humidity of the air that a person breathes. The researchers propose reasons that explain why increased humidity may reduce the severity of COVID-19 cases. Researchers have found that wearing a

A study has found that 32% of people who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were still experiencing at least one symptom 6 weeks after their tests. The most common of these symptoms were fatigue, shortness of breath, and a loss of taste or smell. People with relatively mild COVID-19 usually recover within 2–3 weeks of the

Researchers recently found that some people who recovered quickly from COVID-19 continued to have antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 for several months. This discovery suggests the potential for long-term protection among those with a strong initial immune response. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been more than 9 million confirmed COVID-19

A review of research suggests that abnormalities in the front of the brain identified by electroencephalography (EEG) tests are common among patients who have neurological symptoms with COVID-19. Estimates vary, but approximately 15–25% of patients with severe COVID-19 may experience neurological symptoms, such as headaches, confusion, delirium, impaired consciousness, seizures, and strokes. Doctors may refer

A new study has found that a COVID-19 vaccine candidate is highly effective in protecting rhesus macaque monkeys from the disease. Developing a safe and effective vaccine is central to stopping the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. While emergency measures that authorities put in place to promote physical distancing and protect those

Transfusions of plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19, the illness that SARS-CoV-2 causes, appear to be safe for severely ill patients and may speed their recovery, according to a preliminary study. For more than 100 years, doctors have used convalescent plasma (a component of blood) from people who survived life threatening infections to

Have you ever heard that taking vitamin D supplements or following a ketogenic (keto) diet will protect you from the new coronavirus? In this Special Feature, we explain why these and other persistent myths are not grounded in science. Even before the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new coronavirus outbreak a “pandemic,” their director

A new review argues that not enough research has analyzed the implications of animals acquiring SARS-CoV-2. A review in the journal Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases argues that scientists have not conducted enough research on the role that animals play in the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors of the new review suggest that animals could play an

The current outbreak of infections with a novel type of coronavirus has sparked global anxiety and concern that the virus might spread too far and too fast and cause dramatic harm before health officials find a way to stop it. But what are the realities of the new coronavirus outbreak? We investigate. In December last