Study demonstrates SARS-CoV-2 emergence was associated with a large drop in the circulation of other respiratory viruses during the first wave

Analysis of samples taken to test for respiratory viruses over the past five years suggests that the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 was associated with a large drop in circulation of other common respiratory viruses during the first wave. The study, presented at this week’s ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID), is by Dr Stephen Poole, BRC…

Contact tracing study results recommend consistent wearing of masks, handwashing, and social distancing in public to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection

A contact tracing study presented at this year’s ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID) confirms the effectiveness of wearing of masks in public, handwashing, and social distancing to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study is by Assistant Professor Direk Limmathurotsakul, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, and Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford,…

Shorter time from symptom onset to hospitalization is associated with worse outcome in patients with COVID-19

New research presented at this week’s ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID, held online) shows that a shorter time from symptom onset to hospitalisation is associated with more serious disease and death in patients with COVID-19. The study is by Dr Annie Wong-Beringer and colleagues, University of Southern California (USC) School of Pharmacy, Los Angeles,…

University of Minnesota receives seed funding for clinical study of metformin to treat, prevent COVID-19

MINNEAPOLIS, MN- September 25, 2020 – University of Minnesota Medical School researchers received funding from the Parsemus Foundation to initiate research on the widely-used diabetes medication, metformin, available globally as an inexpensive generic drug for prevention and treatment for COVID-19. To prevent delay during the COVID-19 pandemic, the California-based Parsemus Foundation is funding the University…