COVID-19, the novel coronavirus identified in Wuhan City, China, in December 2019, is part of a family of viruses with a crown- or halo-like (corona) appearance.1 As explained on the Virginia Department of Health website, seven human coronaviruses have currently been identified:2
•Types 229E, NL63, OC43 and KHU1 are
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In an effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, many schools, offices and social venues have shut down, and many governments have issued more or less strict “social distancing” recommendations. As a result, people around the world are faced with the prospect of having very limited human interactions for a period of time.
While introverts may be silently celebrating, many others may struggle with feelings of isolation and loneliness. On top of that, many are feeling worried and anxious about getting infected, or worry about the health of immune-compromised or
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Scientists at the National Institutes of Health are working with a biotech company to quickly start clinical trials of an experimental messenger RNA vaccine and fast track it to licensure. The FDA has not yet licensed messenger RNA vaccines that use part of the RNA of a virus to manipulate the body’s immune system into stimulating a potent immune response.
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Safety testing for vaccines typically leaves much to be desired to begin with, but when it comes to fast-tracked pandemic vaccines, safety testing is accelerated and becomes even more inadequate. It looks like that will be the case with plans underway to fast-track a COVID-19 vaccine to market.
Read moreResearch suggests that were people to more frequently wash their hands during travel, the risk of pandemic infection could be reduced by 24% to 69%.
Increasing the hand-washing rate at just 10 key airports with the highest infection spread rate could reduce the risk of a pandemic by as much as 37%.
Read moreFear of coronavirus infection has led to a massive increase in sales of surgical face masks and respirators. Many health care facilities are now struggling to obtain the supplies needed to protect health care workers and patients.
Health experts are issuing public statements saying the masks won’t protect healthy people against infection and, according to the FDA, the “immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low,” so face masks are unwarranted for public use.
While the evidence is conflicting, some studies suggest healthy people do limit their chances of infection if
Read moreAs the outbreak of COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, more than 80 clinical trials are underway testing remedies ranging from intravenous vitamin C and stem cells to HIV drugs and malaria medication.
A derivative of quercetin has been shown to provide broad-spectrum protection against a wide range of viruses, including SARS. Canadian and Chinese researchers are now collaborating on a study to assess the effectiveness of quercetin against COVID-19 infection.
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As of March 5, 2020, there were 98,067 reported cases of novel coronavirus infections affecting 88 countries and territories, 80,430 of which were in China. Worldometer.info provides an easy overview of confirmed cases and deaths that you can check for the latest statistics. Also, as of March 5, 2020, there were 11 deaths reported in the U.S., 10 in Washington state and one in California.
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As you know, a novel coronavirus (initially labeled 2019-nCOV before being renamed COVID-19 by the World Health Organization) originating in Wuhan City, Hubei Province in China, is rapidly spreading across the world. The first case was reported in Wuhan on December 21, 2019. Symptoms include fever, shortness of breath, severe cough and pneumonia which, in more severe cases, can lead to impaired kidney and liver function and kidney failure.
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for Mercola on COVID-19