Tag: Coronavirus
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A coronavirus vaccine is desperately needed, but what are we willing to do to get it?
Tom Edwick dives into the ethics of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development. As we move into month four of lockdown, life as we knew it seems little more than a distant memory. Life in this new covid era has thrown up a lot of fun experiences that I wouldn’t have had to deal with otherwise, like having…
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COVID-19 may trigger diabetes
There is emerging evidence that the relationship between COVID-19 and diabetes is bi-directional. Recent observations suggest that COVID-19 symptoms are not only exacerbated by diabetes but that SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing COVID-19) also triggers the development of diabetes in non-diabetic COVID-19 patients. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that the risk of…
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Dexamethasone: a steroid superhero?
With the US buying up the world’s stock of Remdesivir, will dexamethasone emerge as the wonder cure to save lives amidst this pandemic? Researchers have made an exciting discovery in the race to find effective therapies against COVID-19. Dexamethasone, a cheap and widely prescribed steroid, has emerged triumphant in the RECOVERY trial conducted at the…
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Has lockdown sparked a change in our energy habits?
We like to think that, as individuals, we are unique and original. In fact, as a group, we are utterly predictable. Monday through Friday, the majority of the UK population wakes up around 7, commutes, works 9 to 5, then jumps into evening traffic, and arrives home to make themselves some dinner and a nice…
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The novel coronavirus is mutating – Should we be worried?
Simran Kapoor addresses emerging fears about the novel coronavirus mutating. As the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread around the world, there’s been a surge in news reports circulating with headlines about the virus mutating. The mere mention of the word “mutation” often elicits fear and confusion. Will this virus mutate into a more lethal…
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A Comeback for Nature: Is the Silver-Lining of the Pandemic Actually Green?
The hustle and bustle of modern city living have ground to a halt across the globe. With humans shut away indoors, nature is being left alone. The press touts a comeback for nature as the silver-lining of the coronavirus pandemic. In these desperate times, newly clear Venice waters give momentary relief amongst the tragedies depicted…
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Donald Trump ends US relationship with World Health Organisation
In a move which has been perceived by many as characteristically controversial, US President Donald Trump has announced that he is ending the United States’ relationship with the WHO. In an increasingly interconnected world, as global trade and travel continue to grow, it is perhaps inevitable that pandemics have become one of the biggest threats…
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Biobanks in the ranks
The virus which causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) has been particularly cryptic in its strike pattern. There is a wide variation in expression and severity of symptoms from person to person; with some people experiencing nothing more than a dry cough, and others bedbound in intensive care. In working out why this is the case, researchers are…
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The mixed promise of antibody tests
As many countries in Europe tentatively begin to ease restrictions, experts are debating the confounding question of how to exit lockdown and restart the economy under the enduring threat of coronavirus. Antibody tests have been touted as one possible means to assess who may have acquired immunity to the virus and could therefore return to…