COVID-19 containment shaped by strength, duration of natural, vaccine-induced immunity
"Much of the discussion so far related to the future trajectory of COVID-19 has rightly been focused on the effects of seasonality and non-pharmaceutical interventions [NPIs], such as mask-wearing and physical distancing," said co-first author Chadi Saad-Roy, a Ph.D. candidate in Princeton's Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics.
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The AstraZeneca Oxford COVID-19 vaccine (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and also known as AZD1222) now undergoing Phase III clinical trials, has already undergone rigorous testing to ensure the highest standards of quality and safety. Now a team at Bristol University has used recently developed techniques to further validate that the vaccine accurately follows the genetic instructions programmed into it by the Oxford team.
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Study finds tocilizumab improves survival in critically ill patients with COVID-19
Researchers from 68 sites across the country, led by David E. Leaf, MD, MMSc and Shruti Gupta, MD, MPH from the Division of Renal Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, have investigated the effects of the anti-inflammatory drug tocilizumab on critically ill patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. Unlike steroids, which suppress the immune system more broadly, tocilizumab specifically inhibits the receptor for the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-6.
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Work to develop a COVID-19 vaccine is faster than ever
While the Americas urgently awaits a breakthrough, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) will only support the distribution of a vaccine that has proven to be safe and effective in clinical trials, reviewed by National Regulatory Authorities and recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), PAHO Director Carissa F Etienne, said today.
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A vaccine project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy develops a second generation COVID-19 vaccine
A vaccine project funded by the EXIST programme initiated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (Germany) is developing a second generation Covid-19 vaccine. The "Prime Vector Technologies - PVT" start-up from Tübingen is engaged in a successful demonstration of Germany's scientific capabilities. This new generation of vaccines directly addresses the most common SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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NIH begins large clinical trial to test immune modulators for treatment of COVID-19
The National Institutes of Health has launched an adaptive Phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of three immune modulator drugs in hospitalized adults with COVID-19. Some COVID-19 patients experience an immune response in which the immune system unleashes excessive amounts of proteins that trigger inflammation - called a "cytokine storm" - that can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ failure and other life-threatening complications.
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Scientists identify common vulnerabilities across SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1 and MERS coronaviruses
In a study published online in Science, an international team of almost 200 researchers from 14 leading institutions in six countries, including France with the Institut Pasteur and CNRS, studied the three lethal coronaviruses SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV in order to identify commonly hijacked cellular pathways and detect promising targets for broad coronavirus inhibition. In addition,
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