Social distancing and masks reduce risk of getting Covid-19, review finds
(Katie Hunt/ CNN) — Stay 6 feet apart and, while you’re at it, wear a face covering. The “most comprehensive study to date” found that physical distance and perhaps the use of a mask were the two best ways to prevent transmission of the new coronavirus. The new study, published in the Lancet medical journal […]
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Important message regarding VM-Med’s response to the current COVID-19 crisis
At VM-Med, the health and safety of our patients, our staff and our community are a top priority. That is why, in light of the current COVID-19 crisis, and in accordance with recommended safety guidelines, we are limiting certain non-urgent services at our clinic for an indefinite period. However, we realize that there is still […]
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COVID and sleep: sweet dreams aren’t made of this
(Kelli Miller/ WebMD) — Dreaming of better days? Beach vacations? How about … bugs? Shutdowns and sheltering in place are giving us lots of extra time to nap and sleep. In fact, since the coronavirus pandemic pressed pause on our lives, America’s time asleep has jumped nearly 20%. But instead of waking bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, […]
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Up to 80% of COVID-19 infections are asymptomatic, new case report says
(Jamie Ducharme/ Time) — In one cruise-ship coronavirus outbreak, more than 80% of people who tested positive for COVID-19 did not show any symptoms of the disease, according to a new paper published in the journal Thorax. The research shows just how prevalent asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19 may be—a reality that both suggests official case […]
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French tests show even mild coronavirus illness leads to antibodies
(Peter Beaumont/ The Guardian) — A medical study in France suggests even mild cases of coronavirus infection, not requiring hospital treatment, produce antibodies in almost all patients, with the body’s defences against the virus increasing during the weeks of recovery. The research, led by a team from the Pasteur Institute, raises hopes that everyone who […]
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Covid-19 appears to attack placenta during pregnancy, study says
(Sandee LaMotte/ CNN) — A small study of 16 pregnant women who tested positive for Covid-19 found evidence of injury to the placenta, the organ that acts as the gut, kidneys, liver and lungs for a fetus during pregnancy. Pathological exams completed directly following birth found evidence of insufficient blood flow from the mother to […]
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Coronavirus: Scientists fight online war against misinformation about viruses
(Agence France-Presse) — With cat photos and sometimes devastating irony, Mr. Mathieu Rebeaud, a Swiss-based biochemistry researcher, has nearly tripled his Twitter since the coronavirus pandemic began. With 14,000 followers, he posts messages explaining the latest scientific research almost every day, in particular to combat misinformation that spreads as quickly as the virus itself. He […]
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Coronavirus: ‘Baffling’ observations from the front line
(Chris Morris/ BBC) — When you talk to intensive care doctors across the UK, exhausted after weeks of dealing with the ravages of Covid-19, the phrase that emerges time after time is, “We’ve never seen anything like this before.” They knew a new disease was coming, and they were expecting resources to be stretched by […]
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Need proof that masks protect against COVID-19? Study finds speech droplets can stay airborne for minutes
(Alice G. Walton/ Forbes) – There was some back-and-forth about whether masks were needed early on in the pandemic, but now the consensus among public health office is that it’s pretty critical that we all wear masks in public—not so much to protect yourself, but to protect others, in the event that you’re an asymptomatic […]
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Coronavirus patients’ risk of death could be predicted 10 days early
(Aylin Woodward/ Business Insider) — Doctors are struggling to identify which coronavirus patients will develop severe cases that require hospitalization and put them at risk of death. Newly published research may offer a way to accurately predict a patient’s risk of dying from COVID-19. The authors of a study published Thursday in the journal Nature […]
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