TimeMagazine Treating any infectious disease is a high wire act—doctors must balance the risks and benefits of therapies with the risks of the disease. And those stakes are even higher for a new disease that doesn’t yet have a playbook for physicians to follow. This summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave the drug remdesivir … Read more
After a long spring and summer of shuttered restaurants, grounded flights and empty theaters, most states have gradually allowed at least some establishments to reopen, usually in limited capacity alongside a variety of new safety measures. While many Americans have leapt at the opportunity to enjoy these nearly forgotten old luxuries, others remain more cautious, … Read more
A few years ago, Jaime Seltzer was helping coordinate research projects, grant applications and funding for a Stanford research group studying a condition called myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Up to 2.5 million Americans, including Seltzer, have ME/CFS, and yet it felt like almost no one paid attention to her group’s research. “What is it … Read more
On October 13 the White House confirmed that it is embracing what the Los Angeles Times editorial board calls the “let people die” strategy in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategy involves deliberately letting the novel coronavirus rip through the population while attempting to shield the most vulnerable, such as the elderly and … Read more
The Swedish COVID-19 experiment of not implementing early and strong measures to safeguard the population has been hotly debated around the world, but at this point we can predict it is almost certain to result in a net failure in terms of death and suffering. As of Oct. 13, Sweden’s per capita death rate is … Read more
There is a universe of ways to get tested for COVID-19, and each has its pros and cons. Most, however, require a medical professional to insert a long, flexible swab up your nose to sample the back of your throat in an invasive, painful and unpleasant procedure. It’s reliable, yes, but not the most encouraging … Read more
It’s possible not only to get COVID-19 twice, but also to be sicker the second time, according to a new case report published in Lancet Infectious Diseases. But some experts caution there’s still a lot to learn about COVID-19 reinfection, and that the case cited in the paper is not likely representative of the majority … Read more
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — A late-stage study of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate has been paused while the company investigates whether a study participant’s “unexplained illness” is related to the shot. The company said in a statement Monday evening that illnesses, accidents and other so-called adverse events “are an expected part of any clinical … Read more
On Oct. 1, New York state released an app that can notify you if you’ve come into contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19. Called “COVID Alert NY,” the app is one of 10 currently active in states around the U.S. that are based on Google and Apple’s decentralized contact tracing system, … Read more
Steve Lindsay, a public health entomologist at Durham University, is midway through explaining how dogs might play a role in detecting COVID-19 infections when a decidedly less-well trained canine interrupts our conversation. “If you’ll excuse me for a minute, I’ve got a naughty black Labrador out in the back garden doing something it shouldn’t be … Read more