The COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting daily routines around the world. Overwhelmed hospitals, desolate schools, ghostly towns and self-isolation echo a campy horror flick, but an all too real one.
Patrick Vallance, chief scientific adviser to the UK government, recently said that many groups are working on blood tests for COVID-19, adding: “That would tell us who has had it and now has antibodies, therefore won’t catch it again.”
These are unprecedented times. As we deal with the current coronavirus pandemic, we find our regular routines and habits altered and disrupted.
- By Hector Chapa
“So, being pregnant and delivering in a pandemic … what’s that gonna look like?” That question, sent to me by a colleague who is both a registered nurse and an expectant mother, stopped me in my tracks.
Like the other 200 or so respiratory viruses we know of, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the new coronavirus, infects the cells of our airways.
Doctors from around the world are reporting cases of COVID-19 patients who have lost their sense of smell, known as anosmia, or taste, known as ageusia.
Worried about COVID-19? You may be putting yourself at undue risk, because chronic anxiety suppresses the immune system and increases our risk for infection.
One of the key factors in tackling the spread of COVID-19 across the globe is testing. In South Korea, for example, mass testing has been used to try and quickly identify and isolate those with the disease.
A recent study from China, which has not been peer reviewed yet, suggests a link between having blood group A and a higher risk of getting COVID-19, compared with people who have blood group O. But is this really the case?
Before vaccines were developed, infectious diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus and meningitis were the leading cause of death and illness in the world.
Vitamin C is a common remedy that some people believe will cure the common cold and flu.
Public health officials consistently promote hand-washing as a way for people to protect themselves from the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Diagnosing autism is expensive and time consuming, so a screening tool is used to filter out those people who are unlikely to be diagnosed as autistic.
- By Nita Bharti
Millions are asking for clear, comprehensive information and guidelines regarding the novel coronavirus.
There’s been some confusion recently on whether we should or shouldn’t take ibuprofen to treat symptoms of COVID-19 – especially after the World Health Organization (WHO) changed its stance.
Americans love to learn all they can about their health problems, incessantly reading about each and every disease on the internet, looking for anything that can alleviate their symptoms. The problem is that people are searching for advice in a country with no genuine tradition of holistic healing.
The proliferation of fake news about the COVID-19 pandemic has been labelled a dangerous “infodemic”.
- By Emma Maynard
The UK has become the latest country to close schools in a bid to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus.
- By Tim Spector
As well as protecting yourself from the virus on the outside, you can also build up your defences from the inside by strengthening your immune system. Many people, especially the young, develop only very mild disease.
Families everywhere are adjusting to a new way of life due to social distancing measures like closed schools, workplaces, and more.
- By Alan Cohen
As we finished lunch at a spiritual retreat center, one of the participants stood behind me and massaged my neck and shoulders. Suddenly I was jarred by a deep voice booming, No healing allowed here! To my surprise, the retreat center security guard was standing behind us...
- By Neal Buccino
Consider these expert tips for cleaning your home to kill the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 (and the pathogens behind other deadly diseases).
- By U. Melbourne
Researchers have mapped immune responses from one of Australia’s first COVID-19 patients, showing the body’s ability to fight the virus and the timing of recovery from the infection.