Featured Headlines
Common fungus emerges as threat to hospitalized COVID-19 patients – Science
COVID-19 brings thousands of people into hospitals every day—but their coronavirus infections are not always the direct reason they die. Dangerous secondary infections by opportunistic pathogens are common in intensive care units, and physicians are raising the alarm about a particular microbial threat to COVID-19 patients: a common fungus known as Aspergillus.
National Guardsmen transporting Covid-19 vaccines held at gunpoint in Texas – NBC News
National Guardsmen transporting Covid-19 vaccines through Texas on Monday were held at gunpoint, police said.
Brazil Is Looking Like The Worst Place On Earth For COVID-19 – NPR
Cinthia Ribeiro knew she had a fight on her hands when COVID-19 arrived in her hometown in Brazil. What she didn’t know was that, one year on, humans would be out to kill her too.
COVID-19 Cases Are Rising Again In MD And VA As Officials Ease Restrictions – NPR
After a sharp decline in February, COVID-19 infections are rising again in Virginia and Maryland as officials across the region ease restrictions on businesses and ramp up vaccination efforts.
COVID-19 Surge Forces European Countries To Reintroduce Restrictions – NPR
Health experts in Europe say the continent is facing a third wave of coronavirus infection — exacerbated by virulent new strains and a lack of vaccines.
COVID-19 recovery: science isn’t enough to save us – Nature
Policymakers sometimes talk about science as if it has superhero powers. When it comes to COVID-19, they often sound as though they hope vaccines will bring life back to how things were before. There will be no such luxury.
Vaccine Headlines
Texas, Indiana and Georgia are making all adults eligible for Covid-19 vaccination – NYTimes
Texas, Indiana and Georgia announced Tuesday that residents 16 years and older will be eligible for Covid-19 vaccinations starting Thursday for Georgia residents, Monday for Texans and on March 31 for Indianans. They joining a growing list of states that plan to broaden vaccine eligibility to all adults ahead of a May 1 deadline set by President Biden.
E.U. Set to Curb Covid Vaccine Exports for 6 Weeks – NY Times
The European Union has drafted new emergency rules that will most likely severely cut exports to Britain and other countries to ease supply shortages at home.
U.S. Health Officials Question AstraZeneca Vaccine Trial Results – NY Times
According to federal officials, an independent panel of medical experts said the encouraging results announced on Monday might have relied on outdated information.
Krispy Kreme is providing a sweet incentive to encourage more people to roll up their sleeves for the COVID-19 vaccine: Free doughnuts through the end of 2021.
Clinical Considerations
While it is now widely accepted that host inflammatory responses contribute to lung injury, the pathways that drive severity and distinguish coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from other viral lung diseases remain poorly characterized.
COVID-19 ‘long haulers’ need dedicated clinics, experts say – CIDRAP
The United States should create multispecialty COVID-19 clinics dedicated to treating patients still experiencing serious multiorgan effects of infection well after recovery from acute illness, say the authors of a comprehensive review of literature on so-called coronavirus “long-haulers” published yesterday in Nature Medicine.
They Had Mild Covid. Then Their Serious Symptoms Kicked In – NY Times
A new study illuminates the complex array of neurological issues experienced by people months after their coronavirus infections.
Some Covid-19 Patients Say They’re Left With Ringing Ears – NY Times
Scientists are examining a possible link to tinnitus. A businessman’s suicide has lent urgency to the research.
Higher COVID-19 Risk for Physicians With Sleep Troubles – MedPageToday
Insomnia, sleep disruption, and job burnout were linked to higher odds of COVID-19 among physicians and other healthcare workers frequently exposed to SARS-CoV-2, a survey of nearly 2,900 clinicians showed.
Official Reporting for March 24, 2021
World Health Organization
Weekly Epi Update March 22, 2021
Confirmed Cases: 123 419 065
Deaths: 2 719 163
Johns Hopkins
Confirmed Cases: 123,623,396
Deaths: 2,722,167
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Total cases: 29,708,385 (+55,902 New Cases)
Total deaths: 540,503 (+986 New Deaths)
Science and Tech
Skin swabs could be the next COVID-19 test – MedPageToday
It has been just over a year since the World Health Organization (WHO) declaredTrusted Source COVID-19 a global pandemic. In that time, more than 121 million people have contracted the virus, and 2.6 million have died.
Scientists have found new, unexpected behaviors when SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – encounters drugs known as inhibitors, which bind to certain components of the virus and block its ability to reproduce.
Predicting ‘Long COVID Syndrome’ with Help of a Smartphone App – NIH Director’s Blog
As devastating as this pandemic has been, it’s truly inspiring to see the many innovative ways in which researchers around the world have enlisted the help of everyday citizens to beat COVID-19. An intriguing example is the COVID Symptom Study’s smartphone-based app, which already has been downloaded millions of times, mostly in the United States and United Kingdom. Analyzing data from 2.6 million app users, researchers published a paper last summer showing that self-reported symptoms can help to predict infection with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 [1].
Psychological and Sociological Impact
Published Research
SARS-CoV-2 Infection after Vaccination in Health Care Workers in California – NEJM
Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome – Nature
