Compiled by veteran medical journalist Brian Owens, this roundup of some of the newest science on the COVID-19 pandemic, straight from the scientific journals, is presented by Hakai Magazine in partnership with The Tyee.
Focusing on symptoms not good enough for testing
Yet another study has shown that people can test positive for COVID-19, and be spreading the virus, well before symptoms appear. The study, carried out at a nursing home in Washington state, found that 23 days after the first resident tested positive almost two-thirds of the residents were infected, and more than half of them had no symptoms at the time of testing. This is the 11th study to identify asymptomatic transmission through proactive testing.
The New England Journal of Medicine, April 24, 2020
Conservative media and social media linked to COVID-19 misinformation
People who relied on conservative media and social media in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to receive misinformation about it. People who watched Fox News, or used Twitter, Facebook and YouTube as their primary sources of information were also more likely to believe conspiracy theories, including: that the virus was created by either the Chinese or American governments, that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exaggerated the danger posed by the virus to damage President Donald Trump, or that taking vitamin C can protect against COVID-19. People who relied on mainstream broadcast and print news had higher levels of correct information.
Misinformation Review, April 20, 2020
Nursing homes were prepared, but COVID-19 reveals gaps
A survey of nursing homes in Michigan shows that they were better prepared for this pandemic than the last one — the spread of H1N1 in 2009. Nearly all of the homes that answered the survey had a pandemic plan in place, compared with just over half of those that answered the same survey in 2007. Most of the nursing homes had stockpiled supplies, but many were still concerned about running out. However, policies aimed at helping older people “age in place” at home, rather than moving to a nursing home long-term, have left gaps in the pandemic response to help older adults. In the future, facilities should move more quickly to perform more rapid tests of all residents, to limit visitors and to require the use of face masks.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, April 15, 2020
Antibody test protocol released
Blood tests that can identify people that have already been exposed to COVID-19, by detecting antibodies to the virus, are expected to be an important tool in the recovery from the pandemic, as previous infection may confer some immunity. A team of researchers has now published the scientific protocols for how to conduct such a test. This test could be quickly put into clinical use, but scientists and politicians must still determine how the results could — or should — inform plans to relax lockdown rules.
Current Protocols in Microbiology, April 17, 2020
The most promising strategies for COVID-19, ranked
A review of the thousands of scientific studies aimed at fighting COVID-19 has ranked the most promising strategies. First come vaccines, probably aimed at the receptor-binding domain of the virus’s spike protein. But because vaccines can take years to develop, other approaches are needed in the meantime. The second most effective is to treat the disease using broad-spectrum antivirals, such as hydroxycytidine and remdesivir. The third treatment method is convalescent plasma — administering blood from recovered patients, or engineered antibodies, to give short-term immunity. Finally, gene therapy that uses another virus to deliver antibodies or other treatments could be a fast and effective approach, particularly for future outbreaks.
Frontiers in Microbiology, April 24, 2020
The effect of lockdown on children’s mental health
Children in China who experienced prolonged lockdowns reported higher levels of depression and anxiety. The results suggest that serious infectious diseases may affect the mental health of children in the same way that other traumatic experiences do. The researchers will continue to followup with the children to determine how long the effects will last.
JAMA Pediatrics, April 24, 2020
Coronavirus detected in the air, but infection risk unknown
A study in two hospitals and some public areas in Wuhan, China, has detected the presence of genetic material from SARS-CoV-2 in the air, but it did not assess whether it could cause infections. Researchers found hotspots in the patient toilets in the hospitals, and in areas used by staff to remove protective equipment. Outside the hospitals they detected elevated levels of viral RNA in heavily trafficked areas. The researchers say that careful sanitation, good ventilation and avoiding crowds can help reduce the risk of infection.
Chaos theory identifies best control strategies
A group of mathematicians from Brazil has used chaos theory to examine the spread of COVID-19 in nine different countries to identify which strategies are most effective in containing it. They found that the two best methods were to keep a high level of physical distancing, and to conduct lots of tests to identify and isolate infected people before they start showing symptoms — essentially the strategy followed by South Korea.
Another example of effective testing, tracing and isolating
In Shenzen, China, health officials used a strategy of extensive contact tracing, testing and pre-emptive isolation of people who could have been infected with COVID-19, as well as their close contacts. The strategy reduced the time it took to identify and isolate infected people by two days. Symptomatic people were isolated and treated in hospital before their test results were known, and those without symptoms were quarantined at dedicated facilities. Close contacts who tested negative were quarantined at home or in a dedicated facility and monitored for 14 days. These aggressive measures helped keep the local reproduction rate of the virus below one, the threshold required for the outbreak to decline.
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