Health

A new study has revealed that people who have been down with severe COVID19 disease might be at a higher risk of serious eye issues. Experts have looked at the details of 129 patients in France who have been admitted to the hospitals with COVID19. These patients have undergone Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Nearly 7 percent of these patients have shown signs of eye abnormalities, said the experts. MRIs of these patients have revealed an eye defect called nodules at the backside of their eyes. The lead author of the study, Dr. Augustin Lecler has said that nodules can be considered a sign of inflammation or direct injury to the eye. As per the study, around nine patients have been found to have nodules in the macula, which is essential for central vision. Central vision means the ability to see clearly in front. Around eight of the patients have been identified with bilateral nodules, which means that the eye defect has been found in both eyes. Health experts have seen the eye issue, which has been found in these patients, can be very serious as it is located in the macula region. The macula region in the eyes helps people to have a clear vision and the ability to see fine details. If it continues for long, it can lead to severe vision loss or blindness.

The authors of the study have said that people who have been diagnosed with severe COVID19 infection need to go for an eye checkup for potential eye issues. The findings of the new study have been released in the journal Radiology. Experts have said that such serious eye issues might be overlooked in patients who are admitted to the intensive care units with severe COVID19 as doctors are more focused to treat life-threatening diseases. The authors of the study have said that people clinicians and doctors need to be careful in finding if there is an eye problem in patients with a severe viral infection to protect them from severe vision loss. Earlier, the COVID19 has been linked to eye issues such as conjunctivitis and retinopathy. Retinopathy means damage to the eye’s retina. However, this is the first study, which has found that eye defects in severe COVID19 patients using MRIs. Experts have not been able to find the actual cause of this eye defect but they believe that it might be due to blocked blood vessels or bleeding in the eye. The authors have said how the SARS-CoV-2 virus inflicts eye damage has not been found. However, it is possible that the virus is to infect the eye directly as cells in the retina are known to convey the ACE2 receptor, which acts as a gateway for the virus to infect the cells. It might be due to the body’s inflammatory retort to the disease.

Experts as well have said that the eye defect might be the result of severe illness. The study has noted that patients who are intubated with a breathing tube and spend their time lying down on their stomachs in the ICU are at a higher risk of eye defects due to high pressure in the eyes. The majority of patients who have been observed in the study have been lying down on their stomach also known as the prone position in the ICU for some time. Now, experts are following up with the patients to know whether their eye abnormalities have been temporary. They are looking at more patients with severe COVID19 disease with the help of MRI and other comprehensive eye tests. Similar studies are being done on patients who have been diagnosed with mild infection to find out if these eye problems occur particularly in patients with severe viral disease.

A group of health experts has discovered seven unique strains of COVID19 spreading across the US. The study has reported that these distinct new strains have been mutating within the US itself. The seven new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been found between August and November 2020. All variants have been found to be in the same growing lineage. Experts have said that unlike more deadly variants, which have been identified in the UK and South Africa, these seven mutants show no sign of increased transmissibility. They have said that none of these seven variants have become prominent in the US. The authors of the study have said that neutral mutations can become constant in a lineage selectively by chance or human behavior. Therefore, the new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus can show up and shoot up in numbers with time in the absence of any clear or persistent selective gain. One of the co-authors of the study, Jeremy Kamil, who is a virologist at Louisiana State University (LSU), has said that he has found these new strains of the virus while he has been sequencing coronavirus test samples. Then he has uploaded the details of these viral mutants on an online database. The co-author of the study, Daryl Domman from the University of New Mexico and Jeremy Kamil have found that the same mutants have been discovered in both places and the two have started investigating further.

Experts have said that the new mutation is more troublesome as it emerges within a gene that affects how the virus interacts with the human cells. It helps the virus to enter and attach to the human cells and attack the immune system. The authors of the study have said that that there is an apparent sign of an evolutionary benefit in the mutation. The study has noted that the lineage, which has been found by Jeremy Kamil, has separately grown a mutation in the 677th amino acid in the genetic sequence same as other six variants, which have been newly found across the US. Experts have said that the improved ability to bind and infect cells more easily and effectively is the superpower of the virus. They have proved that the virus has been able to adapt to its human host in more than many ways as it has survived over the many months. As per the experts, the variation in the 677th amino acid, which has been found in the seven new strains of the virus, makes it easy for the spike protein of the virus to be activated, which helps the virus to latch on and infect the human cells. It can lead to subsequent infection as well. It does not mean that the new strains are more infectious or can spread faster than the original variant but it means that encounters with the new strains can result in a greater percentage of infection.

The author of the study Emma Hodcroft has said that the common appearance of these new mutations in samples during the genomic analysis might be due to erratic outbreaks, super-spreader events, and holiday travel. Emma Hodcroft has been working on a number of studies as an epidemiologist at the University of Bern. Some experts have said that the way virus interacts with other organisms needs more research into the functionality of the mutation. They have said the findings of the new study need to be followed up with more experimental data. To validate the findings of this study, experts need to test a bigger set of coronavirus samples as compared to what is available right now. Well, the exact origin of these seven viral strains is still uncertain. The authors of the study have said that some of these variants are more prominent across the Midwest and others are quite prevalent across the coasts.

Prominent medical groups in the US have recently said that pregnant women should consider being inoculated against COVID19. Dr. Richard Beigi from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Immunization Infectious Disease, Public Health Preparedness Expert Work Group has said that pregnant women should take the vaccine shots. He has said that there is no solid evidence, which proves that taking the COVID19 vaccine will harm either the mother or the unborn child. Experts have said the vaccine will provide a considerable amount of benefit to the mother and their unborn child. They have claimed that only those who have a history of severe allergies and anaphylactic shock or people who are dealing with advanced-stage cancer should avoid the vaccine. Health experts have said that any pregnant women with such concerns should get in touch with their Gynecologists. Renowned medical groups and experts have said that pregnant women should have a choice to get the vaccine. They hope this new recommendation will help pregnant women and their families, who might be confused due to conflicting recommendations, to decide about their vaccination. The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised that pregnant women should not receive the Moderna vaccine unless the benefits of inoculating pregnant women outweigh the possible risks of the vaccine. The agency has advised against using the Pfizer vaccine during pregnancy as well. The WHO officials have said that there is a lack of safety data on vaccinating pregnant women. Pregnant women have been excluded from the original trial of the Pfizer vaccine.

Doctors from the US have said that possible vaccine risks mentioned by the WHO are purely based on speculative measures as compared to risks posed by the COVID19 for pregnant women and their unborn child. Pregnant women are at a higher risk of preterm delivery, stillbirth, severe disease, and death due to COVID19. A maternal-fetal medicine specialist Dr. Kjersti Aagaard has said that medical science does not show how and why vaccinating pregnant women can cause harm. Experts have said that there are decades of safety data available, which show that inactivated vaccines do not harm pregnant women and their unborn babies. They hope this data will apply to Pfizer and Moderna vaccines as well as these vaccines are not developed from a live virus. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are mRNA vaccines, which train the body to produce a protein, which can trigger an immune response. Experts have said that as soon as instructions are passed, the cell splits and gets rid of the mRNA. Therefore, the concerns of the WHO are based on hypothetical risks at the cost of identifying the benefits of vaccination.

There are enough data, which shows that the COVID19 adversely affects pregnant women and their unborn child. Pregnant women are at five times higher risk of hospitalization due to COVID19. They are three to four times more likely to be admitted to the ICU. Women who are expecting are at two to three times higher risk of being put on lifesaving measures such as breathing tube or life support. Pregnant women are also at a higher risk of stillbirth, preterm delivery, and maternal death due to COVID19. Black and Latino women are at a greater risk of death and severe disease due to COVID19. Such women can suffer from reduced lung capacity as the baby grown inside the womb. Experts have said that the heart of a pregnant woman pumps 1.5 times harder than normal to provide enough blood for the baby and the placenta. Therefore, due to higher cardiac output, pregnant women are at a higher risk of heart failure as well, which can be a possible cause of death from COVID19. Pregnant women are more likely to have an over-reactive immune system, which can cause cytokine storm in the case of COVID19 and lead to severe COVID19 disease.

A new study has reestablished the relevance of saying healthy mind healthy body. Health experts from the American Heart Association have said that positive mental health and staying hopeful about life can reduce the risk of heart disease among people. They have said that people’s heart, mind, and body are interlinked and mutually dependent in the mind-heart-body-connection. The study has shown the adverse effects of negative psychological factors, personality traits, and mental health on heart health. While positive thoughts and better mental health are linked to a lower risk of heart issues and associated death. Experts have said that staying optimistic can increase lifespan whereas negative mental health can be equally bad for people’s health. Mental issues like depression, anxiety, stress, and anger can increase the risk of developing heart ailments such as heart attack and stroke. The study has been sponsored by the American Heart Association. Experts have said that people who are dealing with mental issues are at a higher risk of increased heart rate, rhythm abnormalities, digestive issues, hypertension, chronic inflammation, and less blood flow in the heart.

Experts who have been involved in the study, have found that patients who have been dealing with negative mental health tend to be smokers, physically inactive, overweight, and forget to take their medicines. The authors of the research have said that regular mental health screening should be a part of the standard check-up for heart issues. As per the study, psychological therapy can help improve cardiovascular health in people. Along with unhealthy habits and negative mental health, daily stress and traumatic incidents can result in heart disease or stroke. The study has noted that people who have self-reported that they are dealing with work-related stress and tension, in general, are at a 40 percent higher risk of death due to heart diseases. Most studies of mental health are observational where patients self-report their details. It leads to a great deal of ambiguity to show specific cause and effect link. However, these studies aid people to make reasonable decisions about the connection between mental health and the risk of heart diseases. However, the data of the study is reliable, which shows that positivity and better mental health can play a crucial role in improved heart health.

Scientists have said that people with positive mental health have normal blood pressure, better glucose control, low inflammation, and low levels of cholesterol. Such people are physically active and more likely to quit smoking and eat a healthy diet. Experts have said that positive mental health is not just about having positive and happy thoughts rather people with improved mental health usually have more positive social relationships and a larger support network. They have noted that wellness cannot be defined by the absence of the disease, it is a process aimed towards a healthier, happier, and gratifying life. Researchers have concluded the study by saying that we must try to reduce the traits of negative mental health to encourage a healthy and happy state of being. The findings of the study have been released in the journal called Circulation.

In a new study, experts have found that people who are suffering from diabetes and being treated with the medicine metformin are significantly at a lower risk of death due to COVID19 as compared to those who are not being treated with the drug. The study has found that African American people are disproportionately at a higher risk of contracting the virus as compared to white people. The findings of the study have been released in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology. The COVID19 study has looked at the risk factors that might make people more likely to contract the SARS-CoV-2 virus or die due to the disease in case they test positive for COVID19. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a new coronavirus that has some similarities to other coronaviruses. However, experts are yet to uncover how it affects people from certain groups and how to reduce the risks linked to the disease. Many past studies have shown links between certain health issues, demographic traits, and the risk of being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus or dying due to the disease. The new study supports the early findings of observational studies and sketchy evidence.

Experts have done a retrospective observational study. They have included around 25326 people who have tested positive for COVID19 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham from February to June 2020. They have observed de-identified electronic health data to offer demographic and medical details for each participant. As per the study, only 604 people have tested positive for COVID19, which is a quite low rate of infection. Experts have said that it might be due to the number of asymptomatic health care staff and patients, who have been receiving elective procedures. They have said that around 70 percent of people who have tested positive for the disease have been dealing with high blood pressure. Around 61 percent of them have been suffering from obesity and 40 percent of COVID19 positive patients have been dealing with diabetes. Experts have looked at people with diabetes in more detail. They have said that diabetes patients who have tested positive for COVID19 and are being treated with the drug called metformin for diabetes have been at 11 percent risk of dying due to COVID19. While diabetes patients who have been diagnosed with COVID19 and have not received treatment with metformin have been at 24 percent risk of death due to the virus. The study has noted that the risk of death due to COVID19 among diabetes patients who have been taking metformin has been the same as the general population. The author of the study has said that after adjusting age, sex, race, obesity, kidney disease, hypertension, and heart failure, the beneficial effect of metformin has been the same.

Experts have said that the beneficial effect of metformin might be due to its anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic properties. The study as well has noted that black people contribute to 26 percent of the Alabama population but they account for 52 percent of people who have been diagnosed with COVID19. The rate of death due to the virus among Black people has been quite different from the rate of death in white people. The lead author of the study Prof. Anath Shalev has said that being African American primarily seems to be a risk factor for contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus rather than the death due to the disease. It proves that the racial disparity, which has been reported in many past studies, might be due to exposure risk, external socioeconomic factors, and lack of access to proper healthcare. The study has shown that nearly 11 percent of people who have tested positive for COVID19 have lost their lives. In 93 percent of cases, people who have died have been over 50 years of age.

Two large-scale studies have revealed a much clearer picture of inherited genes, which are linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in women without a family history of the dreaded disease. These studies have shown that how common these faulty mutations are in the general population. We all know that genetic inheritance impacts the probability of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Some genes are already known to shoot up the risk of cancer, whereas some are known to be involved in the process. It is important to understand which genes play a crucial role in increasing the risk of breast cancer, which will help health professionals to come up with more personalized follow-up and screening programs. The findings of the study have been released in the New England Journal of Medicine. The new study has reported that certain mutations in specific genes significantly increase the risk of breast cancer. Experts have said that the lives of many women can be saved if they get to know whether they carry these mutations in these genes before they are diagnosed with breast cancer. The American Cancer Society has revealed that last year, nearly 276000 cases of breast cancer have been reported in the US. The study has found that around 13800 of them have occurred in women with inherited gene mutations that shoot up the risk of developing the disease.

Earlier, experts have thought that inherited risk of breast cancer majorly comes from a family history of the disease or from unusual conditions such as getting it at a very young age. Specific mutations in these genes have not been well researched to find out how much each mutation affects the odds of developing the disease. However, the new studies have been able to fill some of those cracks. The first study has been led by pathologist Fergus Couch. This study has included experts from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH has sponsored the study along with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Experts have observed 12 genes, which are linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in nearly 64000 women. Half of the participants of the study have been diagnosed with the disease and half of them have been healthy. Experts have said that five percent of women with cancer have been identified with the deadly mutations and 1.63 percent of women in the control group have been found to have these risky mutations. The lead author of the study has claimed that nearly 2 percent of women in the United States have these deadly mutations. As per the study, there has been no difference in the odds of having these genes among ethnic groups. However, some gene mutations have been quite common among certain racial groups. Black women have been found to have genes linked to triple-negative cancers.

This study has found a mutation in a gene, which is known as BRCA1. Experts have said that this mutation increases the risk of breast cancer by eightfold. They have found this mutation in another gene called BRCA2, which shoots up the risk of developing breast cancer more than fivefold. The study provided more precise estimates of the risk, which will be beneficial for people to take further actions on it such as frequent mammograms, having family members tested for breast cancer, and removal of breasts and ovaries. The second study has been done by experts from the University of Cambridge in England. They have looked at 34 genes in women across the UK, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The study has included around 60000 women with breast cancer and 53000 women with similar genes but without the disease. This study as well has revealed that certain genes are responsible for an increased risk of breast cancer and these genes are prevalent in the general population as well.

A report has revealed that thousands of people who work on computers, technicians in the lab, research scholars have been vaccinated against COVID19 without qualifying the criteria. Hospitals, which are affiliated with the University of Columbia, New York University, Harvard, and Vanderbilt, have immunized their workers who are not eligible to receive the vaccine. At the same time, millions of frontline workers are still waiting in line to get the vaccine. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidelines to make sure that vaccines first reach people who are in high-risk groups. Health care workers who deal with COVID19 patients, residents, and staff members at nursing homes and people who are above 75 years of age and certain essential workers have been kept in high-risk groups. Each state in the US has come up with its own version of guidelines, but as the pressure of vaccine rollout is increasing, people have been demanding a more flexible approach. The officials from the CDC and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have said it will be apt to loosen the criteria and vaccinate as many people as possible. Still, these officials have not said that people who are in their 20s and 30s should be given the vaccine before elderly people and frontline workers, who are at a higher risk. The Commissioner of the FDA, Stephen Hahn has said that the state should prioritize groups of people who are at a higher risk of the disease.

A handful of the country’s most prestigious academic hospitals have defied the most important guidelines set by the government. Staff members who have nothing to do with patient care and who are not 75 years old and above have been given the shots. As per the report, some of these institutions have been among the first beneficiaries of the limited supplies of the vaccine in the US. A scientist from John Hopkins University in Baltimore Ruth Faden has said that connections have no place in the vaccine rollout. If vaccine rollout does not go in the right manner, the consequences will be disastrous. People need to adhere to the guidelines laid down by the government. Dr. Stanley Perlman, an immunologist at the University of Iowa has said that the CDC has never asked to include people in the first tier of the vaccine rollout who are not linked with patient care such as administrators and graduate students. Dr. Stanley Perlman is also a member of the committee that has set the guidelines for vaccine rollout in the country. Vanderbilt University in Nashville has asked all its staff members to enroll in the vaccination program regardless of they have been treating patients or not. The vaccination has started in the months of December last year when the Tennessee Hospital Association has approved inoculation for all staff members of the hospital irrespective of their job profiles. The medical center has announced that it is going to vaccinate people who are in the high-risk category, but only after they are done giving the initial vaccine dose to around 15000 people who are employed at the hospital. The Chief Communication officer at the Medical Center, John Howser has said that they have been pursuing the orders from the Tennessee Department of Health while vaccinating people from the Vanderbilt Health workforce and other people from the priority group. On the other hand, the Tennessee Department of Health has said that they have been pushed to use any remaining vaccine to immunize high priority people at the beginning of the vaccine rollout. Sadly, the authorities have tagged their own staff members as high priority people.

In Boston, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, which are affiliated with Harvard University, have vaccinated more than 26000 staff members. However, hospitals have included people who have been looking after patients as well and those who might have been exposed to the virus, and those who have been a part of clinical trials. Around 2.1 million frontline workers have been vaccinated in New York. Governor Andrew has said that hospitals that do not immunize faster to use their doses will have to pay a fine of up to $100000. The word has spread faster at research labs. Columbia University, medical centers, and hospitals have started distributing shots to everyone regardless of their eligibility. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows have started gathering to get the vaccine. A report has said that almost everyone from a cancer research lab, which is affiliated with the Millstein Hospital, has received the shots. Although the officials from the hospital have said that people who do not need shots have not been given the shots. The vice president of the hospital has said that they have been following the directives of the New York Health Department. However, some people have been upset that they do not qualify for the vaccine. The officials have said that they have received an email from the state authorities saying that hospitals that are done vaccinating 15000 staff members who interact with patients can start vaccinating other workers. However, the email has not mentioned anything about older people and high-risk groups.

The Mayor of Los Angeles County Eric Garcetti has said that the COVID19 pandemic is taking a serious toll on the city as the virus spreads quite faster through the households and residents let their guard down. He has claimed that the world’s most populated city has been reporting a new case of COVID19 every six seconds. Eric Garcetti has said that the news of vaccine rollout has made people relaxed and they have stopped taking precautionary measures hoping that the vaccine will protect them from contracting the virus. He has said that this is not the time people should relax as this virus preys on people’s weaknesses and exhaustion. Although the county has seen high obedience of mask-wearing and people have been abiding by the stay home orders, but still, the state continues to report enormous numbers of new cases. Around 12400 new cases have been reported in Los Angeles County alone. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has said that this is the fastest pace of new cases since the pandemic has started. The county has a population of 40 million people, which is a fourth of the state’s total population. In Los Angeles County, around 40 percent have COVID19 patients have lost their lives.

The State Department of Public Health has said that the state has seen another 181 deaths and nearly 45350 new confirmed cases on Sunday, which brings the total number of state’s COVID cases to 2.4 million. More than 26530 people have lost their lives due to the disease in California, which makes it the third state to cross 25000 deaths since the outbreak has hit the US. As per the data from John Hopkins University, New York has reported around 38000 deaths due to the virus and Texas has seen more than 27000 deaths so far. The officials from San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles have said that they have found two confirmed cases of the new strain of the virus, which seems to be more infectious than the original one. There have been four confirmed cases of the new strain of the virus in San Diego County. The new variant of the virus has been identified in Colorado and Florida as well. Health experts have confirmed that two confirmed cases of the new mutant virus have been found in the same household in the Big Bear area of San Bernardino County. The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health has said that one of the patients has contracted the virus from a traveler, who has returned from the UK. The patient who has caught the virus has started showing symptoms of the disease three days after contracting the virus.

Health officials have been investigating whether the traveler who has returned from the UK is a resident of the Big Bear area. They are also examining whether the person who has returned from the UK has been infected with the new strain of the virus. The officials from Governor Gavin Newsom’s office have said that California’s Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System, which is usually used in response to wildfires, floods, and natural calamities will help those hospitals which have stretched their capacity. Paramedics and emergency medical workers are being sent out for a 14-day operational period to help emergency rooms and other hospital sectors that are dealing with a lack of staffing. As per the state records, more than 26000 people have been hospitalized across California on Sunday, whereas 4500 people have been admitted to the intensive care unit. In the San Francisco Bay Area, there has been a COVID19 outbreak at the Kaiser Permanente San Jose Emergency Department, where are around 44 staff members have been infected with the disease. The southern states of the US have been majorly impacted by the latest surge in cases from the agricultural San Joaquin Valley to the Mexico border. Hospitals in these states are flooded with COVID19 patients and intensive care units are struggling with the lack of beds for patients who have been recently diagnosed with the virus. Ambulances are forced to wait in bays for more than eight hours before transferring patients inside hospitals. In some cases, doctors have no choice other than to treat the patients inside the ambulance. Officials have said that there has been an increase in cases among homeless people around Los Angeles County, which has overwhelmed the health system. The rate of infection has increased significantly among homeless people after Thanksgiving and since then it has continued to shoot up.

A new study has found that a drug, which is being used to treat cancer for more than a decade, might be able to treat patients who have been diagnosed with COVID19. Scientists have said that this drug is called Pralatrexate. It is a chemotherapy medication, which has been developed to cure lymphomas, a type of cancer, which begins in the glands. Chinese scientists have said that this drug might be able to outperform Remdesivir, which is currently being used as a leading anti-viral drug for the treatment of COVID19 patients. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has given a green signal to Pralatrexate in 2009 for treating patients who are dealing with a terminal disease despite its toxic nature. There are many adverse side effects, which are linked to Pralatrexate such as fatigue, nausea, and mucositis. Mucositis is a type of inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes, which layers the digestive tract. Scientists have said that they might be able to repurpose this drug to eliminate the side effects, which will be more effective in treating COVID19.

The lead author of the study, Dr. Haiping Zhang from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, China has said that it is important to identify drugs that can cure COVID19. He has said that approved drugs can be straight away tested in clinical trials. The study has shown that Pralatrexate might be able to reduce the replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The drug is able to trigger stronger inhibitory activity as compared to Remdesivir within the same experimental conditions, said the expert. They have said that artificial intelligence can be a great help to identify such drugs. It will simulate how differently these drugs react with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which leads to COVID19 disease. Zhang and his teammates have merged many computational methods, which are able to imitate drug-virus reactions to support virtual screening of existing drugs.

Scientists have used a hybrid screening method to test 1906 existing drugs for their potency to reduce the multiplication of the virus. They have targeted a viral protein known as RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP). RdRP is an important protein present in the genomes of all RNA containing pathogens like the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The hybrid screening approach has been able to find out four effective drugs. Scientists have said that there have been two drugs Pralatrexate and Azithromycin, which have been able to reduce the replication of the virus effectively. Further lab tests have proved that Pralatrexate has been able to cut down the replication of the virus more strongly than Remdesivir. It shows that Pralatrexate can be repurposed for treating COVID19. However, this medicine can lead to adverse side effects as it is used for treating lymphoma. Therefore, it cannot be immediately used to treat COVID19 patients. The lead author of the study has said that the novel hybrid approach involves deep learning technologies and traditional imitation of molecular dynamics.

Scientists have published the findings of the study in the journal called PLOS Computational Biology. They are going to develop additional computational techniques to produce novel molecular formations, which can be developed into a new drug that can treat COVID19 patients. Scientists have been a little cynical about the efficiency of Remdesivir, which has been developed to treat Hepatitis C and later has been repurposed to treat Ebola as well. The drug has delivered poor outcomes during the treatment of Ebola in 2014. Later it has been tested for the treatment of COVID19 in the early days of the pandemic. Scientists have been testing different drugs, which have been developed to treat other issues and can be repurposed to treat COVID19 as well.

Now parents might hesitate giving candies, cakes, and ice creams to their young kids. The US government has released its dietary guidelines for infants and toddlers. As per the guidelines, infants should be given only mothers’ milk for the initial 6 months and there should not be any added sugar in the diet of children under the age of 2 years. Nutritionist Barbara Schneeman has said that it matters what you feed your children in those early years of life. She has said that it is never too late to start a healthy habit. As per the experts from the federal government, added sugar should be limited to less than 10 percent of calories per day for children who are above 2 years. The dietary guidelines have made suggestions for alcohol intake among adults as well. It has been said that men should not take more than two drinks per day and women should stick to only one drink per day. Scientists have suggested that added sugar intake among children above the age of 2 years should be less than 6 percent of calories and men should stick to one drink per day. However, the government has gone ahead with previous advice only. The dietary guidelines are issued by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Agriculture Department.

Experts have said that if breast milk is not available for toddlers, then they should go ahead with iron-fortified infant formula for the first year. Dietary specialists have said that infants should be given supplemental vitamin D soon after birth. They have said that babies can be given other foods at around 6 months. They should be introduced to allergic foods along with other foods as well. The dietary guidelines say that babies should be given foods, which have peanuts in the first year itself, it will reduce the risk of the child developing a food allergy to peanuts. As per the guidelines, pregnant women should take 8 to 12 ounces of seafood per week to promote healthy brain growth in their babies. They should eat fish such as cod, salmon, sardines, and tilapia with lower levels of mercury. Mercury can damage children’s nervous systems. Experts have said that pregnant women should not consume alcohol. Modest amounts of caffeine might be fine, but they should discuss it with their healthcare providers.

Experts have said that sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, snacks, candy, sweetened coffee, and tea are the biggest sources of added sugar in the standard US diet. These foods do not have significant nutritional value. This is the reason the government has asked people to limit the intake of such foods in their daily diet plan and children’s diet. Most Americans are not able to follow the recommendation made by the government, which leads to obesity, heart issues, and diabetes.

People might need to show two passports while traveling in 2021. As per the latest report, many countries around the world are going to develop a ‘passport’ app, which will show a person’s COVID19 vaccination and test status. This verification method will be used for traveling on planes and attending large gatherings such as meetings and concerts. The Common Trust Network has developed such a COVID19 passport. The agency is going to team up with airlines such as JetBlue, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Swiss Air Lines, Cathay Pacific, and Lufthansa. It will join forces with health systems as well in the US and Aruba. This passport is called the CommonPass app. People can easily upload their COVID19 test results on it and proof of their COVID19 vaccination status given by a medical professional. The app will not make personal information public rather it will make a certificate in the form of a QR code, which will be scanned by flight attendants or security officers. The app will record health requirements at the time of passengers’ departure and arrival destination as well.

An official from the Common Trust Network, Thomas Crampton has said that people might be tested for the disease whenever they cross the border but they cannot be vaccinated. As per the report, tech giant IBM as well is going to develop a Digital Health Pass. This will help venues to set health requirements for entry, such as a negative COVID19 test, vaccination status, and temperature check. However, the information will be stored in the digital wallet. Some companies are planning to come up with a smart card, which will be able to record the credentials of people who do not have smartphones.

The lead author of the COVID19 Credentials Initiative Lucy Yang has said that they have come up with such a plan to digitally store and present the credentials not only via a smartphone but in other ways as well for those people who do not have access to a stable internet connection and do not have smartphones. He has said that there are many companies, which are doing incredible work to make it possible. Some experts have said that it will be effective in channelizing the right kind of information, however, there is no way to understand how these passports will make people’s travel safe. An Infectious Disease Expert, DR. Julie Parsonnet has said that health experts are still unsure whether a vaccinated person can spread the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Experts believe that 2020 might prove to be the deadliest year in the history of the United States. They have said that deaths due to the COVID19 pandemic are supposed to surpass the 3 million mark for the first time in the US. Although, final mortality data of the US might not be accessible for months for this year, however, initial figures show that the US is going to witness more than 3.2 million deaths this year. The death rate increases every year in the US, therefore a small increase in mortality rate is expected, but this year the death rate is supposed to increase by 15 percent, said the experts. It might shoot up even higher once all the deaths from this month are calculated. Experts have said that it is expected to mark the biggest single-year percentage jump since 1918. In 1918, tens of thousands of soldiers were killed in World War I and hundreds of thousands of people had lost their lives due to a flu pandemic. The death rate had increased by 46 percent in that year compared to 1917.

Health experts have reported that the COVID19 pandemic has claimed the lives of 318000 Americans and the number is still counting. This is the reason experts have predicted the deadly death trend in the US. As per the report, the mortality rate has fallen a bit in early 2019 due to a fall in deaths due to heart issues and cancer. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that in 2019, life expectancy as well as increased by many weeks for the second consecutive year. However, life expectancy might reduce by as much as three full years this year. The CDC has reported around 2854838 deaths in 2019, which have been 16000 more than in 2018. It has been regarded as good news as deaths commonly increase by 20000 to 50000 every year due to the aging and growing population of the US. The age-adjusted death rate has reduced by 1 percent in the US in 2019, while life expectancy has shot up to 78.8 years in the same year.

Health analysts have said that the COVID19 pandemic has been the biggest cause of death in the US this year. However, deaths due to other causes as well have increased amid the pandemic. The COVID19 has become the third leading cause of death across the nation this year. For some time, the pandemic has remained the number one cause of death. There have been some pneumonia cases early this year in the US, however, it seems they have been linked to COVID19 only but experts have failed to recognize it at an early stage. Health officials have seen some unexpected deaths due to circulatory diseases, diabetes, and dementia as well. The SARS-CoV-2 virus might have affected those patients who have been struggling with such underlying health issues, therefore these deaths as well can be linked to COVID19. There have been additional deaths due to drug overdose and suicide as well amid the pandemic. The CDC has disclosed that there have been nearly 81000 drug overdose deaths until May 2020.

An Advisory Panel at the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that frontline essential workers and elderly people in the age range of 75 years and above should be next in line to get the Moderna Inc vaccine for COVID19. Moderna vaccine is the second one to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The distribution of this vaccine has started across the nation. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has voted in favor of the vaccine. Health experts have said that first responders, teachers, food and agriculture, manufacturing, the US Postal Service, public transit, and grocery store workers should receive Moderna Vaccine in the next round. This move will make another 51 million people entitled to the vaccine in the next round. The panel has said that nearly 200 million people along with non-frontline workers such as media professionals, finance, energy and IT, and communication sectors should be included in the following round. People in the age range of 65 to 74 years and those in the age group of 14 to 24 years with high-risk conditions as well should be given the vaccine in the next round of vaccination.

States, which have started giving the shots to their residents, are expected to follow the panel’s suggestions to make a plan for distributing the vaccine when supplies are limited. Experts have said that vaccination against the disease will help in reviving large parts of the economy. It will reduce the risk of outbreaks at crowded meatpacking plants, factories, and warehouses as well. However, there has been a lot of confusion over who is regarded as essential during the pandemic. Many firms and industry groups have been trying to get their workers in the US in line to get the vaccines after healthcare staff and long-term facility residents. United Parcel Service Inc (UPS) and FedEx Corp have started transporting the doses of the vaccine from warehouses to hospitals and other locations. Vials of Modern vaccine have been filled at Catalent Inc facility in Bloomington, Indiana. McKesson Corp has been sending the doses of Moderna vaccine across the country including Louisville, Kentucky, and Memphis, which are located nearby air hubs for FedEx and UPS. The officials from FedEx and UPS have said that the shipment is going smoothly as planned.

While the distribution of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines is taking place in the US, the officials from the CDC have been looking at a new strain of the virus, which has emerged in the UK. Experts have said that the mutation of the virus shows that people should follow all the precautions to keep themselves safe while they wait for the vaccine. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that the new strain of the virus has increased the number of infections. The UK government has applied strict restrictions across London and nearby areas considering surging cases. New restrictions have disrupted the holiday plans of millions of people in the UK. Experts have said that this variant of the virus is 70 percent more contagious than the original strain. It has raised many concerns over the extensive spread of the virus in the UK. Many European nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy have said that they have stopped their citizens from traveling to Britain. They have been planning to ban the flights and trains from commuting to the UK. The distribution of the Moderna vaccine will take place in more than 3700 sites in the US, which will expand the vaccine rollout, which has been started by Pfizer and its German partner BioNtech. The US Government has been planning to deliver 5.9 million Moderna shots and 2 million Pfizer vaccines this week. A report from the CDC has shown that nearly 2.84 million doses of vaccines have been allocated and around 556208 doses have been given to people so far.

A new study has revealed that a fraction of patients who have been diagnosed with COVID19 and are undergoing long-lasting side effects of the disease are not able to enjoy common food items. Experts have termed this condition as Parosmia. People affected by this condition, deal with an altered sense of smell. Dr. David Beckham, who is a neuro-infectious disease expert at Colorado’s UC Health, has said that many large scale studies have found that this type of neurological side effect of COVID19 can be found in patients who are struggling with elongated side effects of the disease after being diagnosed with COVID19. He has said that nearly 25 percent of patients with COVID19, he has seen so far, have been diagnosed with smell or taste abnormalities.

Dr. David Beckham has said that studies have shown that this condition takes place when the SARS-CoV-2 virus damages nerves in a region of the sinuses. He has said that it can significantly disrupt the signals, which are essential to go from the sensory nerves in the nose to the brain. However, he has been able to explain why some patients deal with this condition and some do not. However, patients will be able to recover from it over time, said the expert. The recovery depends on how much damage has been done to the nerves. Amanda Frankeny, a dietician, has said that she has started dealing with this condition a week after she has been diagnosed with COVID19. She has said that she was not able to smell any food item properly. Along with the smell, she has lost her sense of taste as well within a couple of days. After she has recovered from this condition, no food seems to be appetizing to her. She has experienced a distorted sense of smell and taste.

A retrospective cohort study has looked at patients who have lost their sense of smell after being diagnosed with the disease. Around 14 patients have been included in the study. The authors of the study have observed the link between smell-loss related factors and changes in overall and sub dimensional olfactory working of the threshold, inequity, and detection. They have found that people with lower baseline olfactory function are more likely to have significant improvement in overall olfactory function. People with lower baseline olfactory performance with Parosmia will have an improvement in discrimination function; they are more likely to have significant improvement in odor detection as well.

Health authorities have expanded the distribution of the COVID19 vaccine to nursing homes days after first doses of the vaccine have been given to frontline workers. Experts from the COVID Tracking Project have said that nursing home residents and long-term health facilities have reported more than a third of 306000 deaths due to the COVID19 pandemic. Healthcare workers in West Virginia and Florida have been the first people to be immunized with the COVID19 vaccine. Members of the Military as well are going to be vaccinated as the Pfizer vaccine rollout expands across the US. As per the data, more than 4800 doses of Pfizer vaccine have arrived at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. As the doses have arrived at the facility, experts have kept them in the ultra clod freezer. They have been taken out in small batches for labeling and have been defrosted. Dr. Nate Kupperman has been the first person to get the vaccine shot at the healthcare facility.

Some experts have reported a glitch in the vaccination process in California and Alabama, which has affected the vials. They have said that vials have been ultracold to be processed. Now, thousands of potential doses of the vaccine will be returned and new vials will arrive to continue the immunization. Many people have reported having side effects as well after being vaccinated. As per the report, a middle-aged healthcare worker has started experiencing an allergic reaction within 10 minutes of receiving the vaccine. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised that people who have a history of severe allergies, should not get the vaccine at this time.

Experts have said that though the vaccine has arrived but the despair fueled by the pandemic is still on the rise. California has reported around 54000 new COVID19 cases in one day. This is the highest number of new cases reported by any state. The rate of hospitalization and death due to coronavirus as well has been at a record level in the state. A report from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown that the majority of children have contracted the SARS-CoV-2 virus from their parents, not from their class fellows. Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is one of the top infectious disease experts in the federal government, has said that he believes that most people in the US will get the vaccine shots once it is widely available by this spring. He has said this way it will be easy to obtain herd immunity over the population. It will drastically reduce the dynamics of the epidemic.

Scientists from Yale University have found that some COVID19 patients have high levels of antibodies, which start attacking organs and tissues in the body rather than latching on to the virus. They have said that COVID19 infection triggers the immune system of the body to produce an immune response, which starts attacking the body of the patients instead of the virus. This might explain why some patients continue to suffer from a range of symptoms of COVID19 even after they are recovered. The study has not been peer-reviewed yet. The senior author of the study Aaron Ring has said that COVID19 patients start producing autoantibodies, which hold back the immune response against the virus. He has said that the process can seriously affect the brain, blood vessels, and liver. These areas are most affected in patients who suffer from symptoms of long COVID.

In Long COVID, patients, who have been once infected with the virus and have been recovered from the disease, continue to deal with prolonged illness, fatigue, and shortness of breath caused by the virus. Aaron Ring has worked with immunologists from Yale University to observe the patients who have been dealing with severe symptoms of the disease. He has compared this data with hospital workers, who have not been infected with the virus. Experts have been looking for antibodies of the immune system, which function by targeting any of the 3000 proteins in the body. On the other hand, normal antibodies attack the virus and prevent them from spreading in other body parts. Autoantibodies latch on to human proteins or the proteins which have been produced by them. Experts have seen a drastic increase in autoantibody reactivities in patients who have been dealing with long COVID as compared to hospital workers who have not been ill.

Experts have found that some autoantibodies have been prevalent in patients before they have been infected with the disease. Moreover, other autoantibodies have been produced by the immune system after the virus has taken the hold of the body. The study has shown that more than five percent of patients who have been hospitalized have been identified with these deadly autoantibodies. The authors of the study have said that the more autoantibodies have been found, the more severe symptoms have become. The lead author Aaron Ring has said that the damaging effect of these autoantibodies can continue even after the virus is no more causing any damage. This negative immune response can be very dangerous for patients who have been diagnosed with COVID19. It can remain in the body for a long time; therefore, it might contribute to long COVID. In such a condition, immunosuppressive treatments might help treat patients with long COVID. These treatments are used in rheumatological ailments. As per the data, Long COVID affects nearly 10 percent of patients in the age group of 18 to 49 years, who have been diagnosed with COVID19. Around 20 percent of patients with COVID19 in the age group of 70 and above are affected by long COVID.

The transmission of COVID19 in the United States has reached its all-time high with surging cases in many states. However, a new study has found that homes that have patients with COVID19 continue to be hotspots for the spread of the virus even if overall community transmission is low. Experts have observed 54 studies across more than 20 countries and come up with these findings. Medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen has said that the findings of the new study show how contagious the virus is and how difficult it is to keep people safe who are living in crowded or multigenerational housing. The findings of the study have shown that spouses are at higher risk of catching COVID19 as compared to other family members. They share the same room with the infected partner and have sexual intimacy and prolonged contact. The study has been released in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Experts have said that the risk of contracting the virus is even higher when family members as well start to show symptoms of the disease such as sneezing, cough, body aches, chills, and fever. However, the risk is low if they do not show any visible signs of the ailment. The new study has found that the risk of transmission has been high between adults as compared to between adults and children. A recent study, which has been done by experts from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has shown that the spread of the virus among members of the household takes place quite quickly. Experts have said that around 55 percent of people who have been living with someone with COVID19 have been infected within a week. Nearly 75 percent of secondary infections have happened within five days after the initial patient has started showing first signs of the disease. This study has reported that fewer than half of the infected members of the households have started showing signs at the time when the first infection has been diagnosed. The CDC team has said that many people have shown no signs of the disease during the seven days follow up. It emphasizes the possibility of the virus spread through asymptomatic secondary contacts and the value of quarantine.

The new study has noted that isolating from other household members might be difficult for the person who has been detected with the virus when you stay in a small house with the children. Experts have said that if somebody has older people in the household who have a weaker immune system. It is better to isolate them to one side of the household so kids and other family members are not in close proximity with them. They have said if it is a child who is suspected to have contracted the virus; it is advisable to isolate the child along with one adult. However, it might be difficult for single parents. Health experts have said that in such a situation good neighborhood network might be beneficial for single parents. However, the new study clearly mentions that all people living in a household with an infected person need to be kept in isolation. It says that the clusters of people who live together are at a greater risk of contracting the virus from one another. A recent study has advised that people living in the same household with an infected person need to wear a face mask all the time. Experts who have been involved in the study have said that wearing the mask can reduce the risk of virus spread by 79 percent when family members start using face masks before the first person starts showing symptoms.

State wildlife officials have informed that a contagious disease outbreak has emerged in rabbits, which has been spreading across many parts of Utah. Experts have said that the outbreak is known as Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease. The officials from the Utah Division of Wildlife have found confirmed cases of the disease across northern and southern Utah. As per the experts, a calicivirus leads to this disease, which majorly hits rabbits including wild and domestic European rabbits. A non-profit rabbit rescue organization called House Rabbit Society has said that the disease outbreak has reduced the rabbit population in the US, said the experts. The US Department of Agriculture has said that the virus does not impact human health.

The disease has emerged in China in 1984 for the first time, although experts think it has originated in Europe. There have been many confirmed cases of the disease in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Mediterranean. Experts have seen that the virus has not been found to affect rabbits or hares native to North America such as cottontails, snowshoe hares, and jackrabbits before 2020. However, the House Rabbit Society has found that the disease is killing these species now. Experts as well have said that a new virus RHDV2, which has originated in France in 2010, has rapidly been transmitted across Europe and the Mediterranean. The virus has been found to be a swift and sudden killer. In most cases, rabbits do not exhibit any symptoms of the disease and die suddenly. The death rate in rabbits due to this disease is between 40 to 100 percent. They usually die due to internal bleeding.

The officials have said that the virus transmits through proximity with infected rabbits or indirect contact with dead objects, rabbit products, food, and water. The disease can spread through mechanical vectors and predators such as insects, rodents, pet dogs and cats, and birds as well. The virus can live in the atmosphere for months and infect through the urine or feces of infected rabbits or from predators, who have consumed infected rabbits, said Utah officials. Some cases of the disease have been reported in New York, the Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest. The same outbreak has been seen in some areas of Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, and some parts of Mexico as well. Utah Wildlife officials have advised people to be vigilant about rabbits that are bleeding from their mouth and keep disinfecting hands or equipment which might have been used in handling infected animals.

A new study has revealed that flavors added to vaping devices are dangerous for the heart. Researchers said that such devices can cause serious damage to the heart and lungs as well. The latest findings are an indication that vaping is as toxic as conventional cigarettes. Alone in the United States, fruit and candy flavors vaping devices expose millions of youngsters to cardio related problems. It can disrupt the normal electrical activity of a healthy heart. The study, however, underlined that there has been no clear understanding about what actually happens when vaporized flavoring molecules reach the heart after inhaling. The research was published in an American journal. It was authored by Professor Sami Noujaim from the University of South Florida.

The study noted that vaping surely interferes with the normal functioning of the heart. It has the potential to cause rhythm disturbances. Researchers arrived at the conclusion after they studied the data from a series of experiments on the toxicity of vape flavorings in cardiac cells. Researchers said that they tested the toxicity of fruit flavor, cinnamon, and vanilla custard in mouse cardiac muscle cells. The cells were then cultured in a laboratory. Researchers also derived cardiac cells from human pluripotent stem cells. These cells were then exposed to the vapors. The findings concluded that it affected the beating rate of cells.

This means flavoring chemicals to vaping devices can increase the risk of damaging the heart even more than what nicotine can do. Notably, flavored vaping is hugely popular among teens and young adults in recent times. The electronic nicotine delivery system has gained the attention of the governments due to its adverse impact on health. The battery-powered device converts liquid into a vapor that is inhaled. In other terms, it is also called an electronic cigarette. The device comes with cartridges that are refilled. As many as 40 counties have banned e-cigarettes. In the US, the administration has asked health officials to begin cracking down on most flavored e-cigarettes.

The UK Medicine Regulating body has issued an anaphylaxis warning stating that people who have a history of anaphylaxis to a drug or food should not receive the Pfizer and BioNtech vaccine. Experts from the agency have given full-fledged guidance on an earlier allergy warning on Pfizer shots. The UK has commenced mass vaccination with the elderly and frontline workers this week. It is part of the global drive, which has one of the biggest logistical hurdles in history. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reported nearly two cases of anaphylaxis and one case of possible allergic reaction since vaccination has begun. MHRA Chief executive June Raine has said that the majority of people will not suffer from anaphylaxis. He has said that the efficacy of the vaccine in protecting the people outweighs the risks. June Raine has claimed that the vaccine has met the MHRA’s standards of safety, efficacy, and quality.

Anaphylaxis is a side effect of the immune system. The National Health Services has said that it can be severe and at times life-threatening as well. Experts have said that anaphylaxis is the main side effect of the vaccine, and a warning has been issued after consulting many experts on allergies. Earlier MHRA has urged people not to get a vaccine shot if they have a history of any significant allergic reaction. Pfizer and BioNtech have agreed to support MHRA in their further investigation. The UK is the first country in the world to approve the vaccine, which has been developed by German company BioNtech, and Pfizer. The US and European Medicines Agency are still assessing the data from the clinical trial of the vaccine provided by the companies. A US official has said that Pfizer with a known allergic reaction might not be a suitable candidate for Americans.

The officials from MHRA have said that such allergic reactions have not been a part of the clinical trial of the Pfizer vaccine. Pfizer has said that people who have a history of severe allergic reactions to vaccines or ingredients of the vaccine have been excluded from the final stage of the clinical trial. This has reflected in the MHRA’s emergency use protocol. As per the experts from Pfizer and BioNtech, a component of the vaccine called polyethylene glycol (PEG) might have caused severe allergic reactions. The PEG is used to stabilize the shot and it is not available in any other form, said the experts. An expert in allergy and Immunology Paul Turner from Imperial College London has said that PEG, which might be the cause of the allergic reaction, is not linked to things, which lead to food allergy. Turner has said that people who have a known allergy to a particular drug might not be at a risk.