Given that 103 million Americans and 770 million people worldwide have been diagnosed as having contracted COVID-19, a future of misery could await a stunningly large cross-section of humanity.
Comments closedTag: SARS-CoV-2
Topic: researchView all posts for the topic: research
Study: Oximeters often overestimate COVID patients’ oxygen levels, delaying care
“These results suggest that although racial and ethnic disparities exist in measurement of oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry, overestimation may increase the risk of hospital readmission regardless of patient race.”
Comments closedTopic: public health measuresView all posts for the topic: public health measures
Lockdowns and face masks ‘unequivocally’ cut spread of Covid, report finds
“When looking at the use of face masks and mask mandates, studies consistently reported the measures were an effective approach to reduce infection. The evidence further indicates higher-quality respirator masks – such as N95 masks – were more effective than surgical-type masks.”
Comments closedTopic: OmicronView all posts for the topic: Omicron
What Canada’s newest COVID data shows us about the toll of Omicron
The latest snapshot of Canada’s battle against the pandemic captures the toll the Omicron variant has taken on the elderly.
The highly infectious variant drove up hospitalizations across Canada, especially in those age 65 and older, according to data released Wednesday from the Canadian Institute for Health Information.
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Topic: Ottawa-GatineauView all posts for the topic: Ottawa-Gatineau
Ottawa-Gatineau community update | 2023-08-23
COVID-19 wastewater viral signal
The COVID-19 wastewater viral signal for Ottawa has increased substantially (+644%) since a low on July 12, 2023. The viral signal is still lower than the extremely high peaks in early January and early April.
Comments closedTopic: hospital-acquired infectionsView all posts for the topic: hospital-acquired infections
Hospitals are killing patients because they don’t feel like doing infection control
“Disabled, sick, immunocompromised and vulnerable people seeking care at a hospital, have the right not to be exposed to a virus that has killed 1.1 million Americans in 3.5 years. They have the right to seek care without having to fear that their care team will quite literally kill them with a preventable illness. Practitioners, on the other hand, have no right to compare the irritation of having to wear a mask at work with the moral injury of infecting vulnerable people who then go on to die at high rates.”
Comments closedTopic: PirolaView all posts for the topic: Pirola
CDC weighs risk of BA.2.86 COVID-19 lineage as 3 more nations report sequences
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today issued its initial risk assessment of the BA.2.86 SARS-CoV-2 lineage, which says tests and treatments will likely be effective and that updated vaccines will still be able to reduce severe disease and hospitalizations.
Comments closedTopic: long COVIDView all posts for the topic: long COVID
Halifax researcher seeks COVID-19 long haulers to study effects of virus on brain
Dr. Carlos Hernandez is an assistant professor in Dalhousie University’s faculty of computer science. He hopes to contribute to long COVID research in collaboration with scientists at Western University in London, Ont., and the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City in a multi-year study assessing cognitive damage caused by the condition.
But there’s just one issue: He needs more participants in the Halifax area.
Comments closedTopic: hospitalizationsView all posts for the topic: hospitalizations
COVID-19 hospitalizations jump nearly 20% year-over-year, ICU and ER visits down, data show
Across the country, hospital emergency departments and intensive care units have seen a decline in COVID-19 patients compared with a year ago, but the number of people admitted to hospital because of the virus has increased nearly 20 per cent, according to new data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information.
Comments closedTopic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia
British Columbians protest calling to restore mask protections in healthcare
On Monday, August 28th at 12:00 pm, British Columbians will gather outside the MLA office of Health Minister Adrian Dix to demand the restoration of universal masking in healthcare settings, alongside other key safety measures like clean air. Echoing guidance from the WHO and calls from BC’s Human Rights Commissioner (and doctors and researchers worldwide), healthcare workers, patients and caregivers will tell their stories, and demand measures to protect the most vulnerable.
Comments closedTopic: hospital-acquired infectionsView all posts for the topic: hospital-acquired infections
Lung cancer patient says hospital COVID protection ‘all wrong’ after testing positive
Masking and physical distancing policies at The Ottawa Hospital are “all wrong,” says a pneumonia and lung cancer patient who tested positive for COVID-19 while receiving care at the hospital.
Comments closedTopic: researchView all posts for the topic: research
SARS-CoV-2 can cause lasting damage to cells’ energy production
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus responsible for the disease, SARS-CoV-2, was feared for its devastating damage to the lungs. But it quickly became apparent that the virus can infect organs and tissues throughout the body, including the heart, brain, kidneys, and blood vessels.
Much of the resulting dysfunction was thought to be the result of inflammation, the immune system’s response to infection. But research has suggested that effects on mitochondria may also play a role in organ damage from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of cells, producing most of the energy they need.
Comments closedTopic: PirolaView all posts for the topic: Pirola
Highly mutated COVID virus variant BA.2.86 showing up in multiple countries
“It is unusual for [this virus] to change so significantly and develop 30 new mutations. The last time we saw such a big change was when [Omicron] appeared.”
Comments closedTopic: researchView all posts for the topic: research
Does prior omicron infection shield against future infection? Maybe not, new research finds
“This research highlights the need for continued vigilance and underscores the importance of ongoing preventive measures against COVID-19.”
Comments closedTopic: long COVIDView all posts for the topic: long COVID
Long COVID still worrisome 2 years after infection
Comments closedOur findings highlight the substantial cumulative burden of health loss due to long COVID and emphasize the ongoing need for health care for those faced with long COVID. It appears that the effects of long COVID for many will not only impact such patients and their quality of life, but potentially will contribute to a decline in life expectancy and also may impact labor participation, economic productivity, and societal well-being.
Topic: researchView all posts for the topic: research
Omicron infection may leave seniors more susceptible to future COVID infections, say McMaster researchers
“This research highlights the need for continued vigilance and underscores the importance of ongoing preventive measures against COVID-19.”
Comments closedTopic: researchView all posts for the topic: research
Un médicament québécois démontre son efficacité contre la COVID-19
A cocktail of antibodies developed by the Quebec company Immune Biosolutions has proven its effectiveness in relieving respiratory symptoms caused by COVID-19 in the acute phase of the disease.
Comments closedTopic: long COVIDView all posts for the topic: long COVID
Long Covid symptoms create a greater burden of disability than heart disease or cancer, new study shows
People who survived Covid-19 early in the pandemic, before there were vaccines, continued to be at higher risk for a slew of health problems for up to two years after they got over their initial infections, compared to others who didn’t test positive, a new study finds, and that was especially true if they were hospitalized.
These health problems include heart problems, blood clots, diabetes, neurologic complications, fatigue and difficulties with mental health and have come to be known collectively as long Covid.
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