Viruses, Infections & Disease, features and articles | Educational Science

Apr 30, 2020

Coronavirus was circulating in France in December, case report suggests

The coronavirus was circulating in France as early as December, new evidence suggests. Doctors in France discovered that a patient who went to the hospital in late December with respiratory symptoms was positive for COVID-19, according to The Guardian. The man contracted the virus nearly a month before France confirmed...

Apr 30, 2020

Here's how the COVID-19 pandemic could play out over the next two years

Although no one yet knows what the future holds for COVID-19, most experts seem to agree that it isn't going away anytime soon. Indeed, a new report estimates that the pandemic will likely last about two years. The report, from researchers at the University of Minnesota, draws on information from...

Apr 30, 2020

Is it safe to visit your mom on Mother's Day? A doctor offers this checklist.

As a physician, mother, daughter and socially responsible human, I’m finding Mother’s Day to be complicated for me this year, as it is for millions. Questions of whether and how to see my adult children and my own elderly mother present medical and ethical quandaries. As an associate professor of...

Apr 30, 2020

2 Washington cases of 'COVID-19-like illness' in December raise questions about when disease arrived in US

Two residents of Snohomish County, Washington, who fell ill with COVID-19-like symptoms in December have now tested positive for antibodies against the new coronavirus. The findings suggest the virus might have arrived in the U.S. earlier than thought. One of these residents — identified only by her middle name Jean...

Apr 30, 2020

How do you stay safe now that states are reopening?

Editor's note: Now that states are relaxing social distancing restrictions, people desperately want to see friends and family, go to a restaurant and let our kids have play dates. Even grocery shopping sounds fun. But how can you do that and still stay safe? Here, an epidemiologist who is immune-compromised...

Apr 30, 2020

Intense fitness classes can lead to rapid spread of COVID-19, report shows

Fitness dance classes are yet another venue where the new coronavirus appears to easily spread, according to a new report. The report found that dozens of people in South Korea caught COVID-19 after participating in fitness dance classes at the beginning of the pandemic. The researchers traced the cluster back...

Apr 30, 2020

50 days in lockdown, 30 days of relaxation, could help contain COVID-19 pandemic

Social distancing has become the norm for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, but keeping these measures in place for months on end could cause economic devastation. Now, a new study suggests a potential strategy for fighting COVID-19 while reducing economic impacts. The study found that alternating between 50 days of strict...

Apr 30, 2020

The CDC is lumping positive COVID-19 viral and antibody tests together. Here's why that's bad.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and several state health departments have been reporting COVID-19 diagnostic tests and antibody tests as one grand tally, rather than keeping their results separate, The Atlantic reported. Reporting these numbers as a lump sum, rather than two distinct data points, presents...

Apr 30, 2020

Coronavirus vaccine developed in China shows promise after early study in 100 people

A potential coronavirus vaccine developed in China appeared safe and able to generate an immune response after an early trial in more than 100 people, according to a new study. The vaccine, called Ad5-nCoV, is being developed by the Chinese company CanSino Biologics, and was one of the first coronavirus...

Mar 31, 2020

Woman with COVID-19 developed a rare brain condition. Doctors suspect a link.

Coronavirus science and news —Coronavirus in the US: Map & cases —What are coronavirus symptoms? —How deadly is the new coronavirus? —How long does coronavirus last on surfaces? —Is there a cure for COVID-19? —How does coronavirus compare with seasonal flu? —How does the coronavirus spread? —Can people spread the...

Mar 31, 2020

Cruise ships still struggling to dock as coronavirus spreads

Two cruise ships carrying coronavirus-exposed passengers that have been in limbo off the coast of Florida are being allowed to dock after a Coast Guard order yesterday warning ships' doctors to prepare to treat individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, at sea...

Mar 31, 2020

Everyone should wear face 'masks' in public, CDC now recommends

People should wear nonsurgical cloth face coverings when they go out in public during the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended today (April 3). Most people could just make something out of a certain material, President Donald Trump said at a news...

Mar 31, 2020

Why the coronavirus slipped past disease detectives

In 2009 the U.S. government launched a program to hunt for unknown viruses that can cross from animals to humans and cause pandemics. The project, called PREDICT, was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, and it worked with teams in 31 countries, including China. It was just one...

Mar 31, 2020

Bronx Zoo tiger infected with COVID-19

A 4-year-old tiger named Nadia at the Bronx Zoo in New York City has tested positive for COVID-19, the Wildlife Conservation Society announced today (April 5). New York City has been one of the hardest hit areas by the coronavirus in the U.S. This female Malayan tiger, along with six...

Mar 31, 2020

How to shop for groceries during the COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has upended many aspects of daily life, including trips to the grocery store. What was previously a mundane task has turned into a nerve-wracking ordeal that brings with it a host of questions: Is the virus lurking on food packaging or produce? Should you wear a mask...