By Nancy Lapid
(Reuters) – The following is a summary of some of the latest scientific studies on the new coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
Viral variants found in California drive SoCal boom
According to a new variant of the coronavirus, the recent increase in cases in Southern California is responsible. The variant, called CAL.20C, accounted for less than one in every 1,000 COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County in July. It was only detected again in October, but in December it was 36% of the cases, researchers from the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles reported on Wednesday on medRxiv before peer review. The CAL.20C variant is different from those discovered in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil. It contains five mutations: three in the vein protein, which the virus uses to break into cells, and two in other parts of the virus. CAL.20C was also detected in northern California, New York and Washington, DC. Whether it is more easily transmissible or resistant to antibodies than earlier versions of the virus is not yet known. Co-author Jasmine Plummer says the researchers plan to ‘exploit the data and see how patients fare over time. The spread of CAL.20C in November and December shows that ‘we allowed it to emerge during the holidays’, she said. “These kinds of numbers reinforce that we have to wear masks, socialize and stay at home.” (https://bit.ly/2No1HcR)
‘Odor training’ is recommended for persistent odor problems
COVID-19 survivors whose sense of smell is not back to normal should receive some form of ‘odor rehabilitation’, known as odor training, experts say. Olfactory impairment, or problems with the smell of things, is a common effect of many types of infections. “Patients with COVID-19 and other infection-related olfactory dysfunction should be guided by olfactory rehabilitation” and should be referred to specialists for other treatments if the training does not help, a panel of experts recommends in a paper published in the Journal of Allergy has been published. and Clinical Immunology. Olfactory exercise involves sniffing four specific flavors (e.g., lemon, rose, cloves, and eucalyptus) for five minutes twice a day for at least three months. As more than 60% of people infected with the new coronavirus have odor problems, doctors in the UK have made available a free online odor training program called NoseWell, which people can use to regain their sense of smell. (https://bit.ly/3iD6D9B; https://bit.ly/3iBXfms)
Cancer patients are at higher risk, must be vaccinated
Patients with active cancers, as well as those in remission, have a significantly higher risk of severe COVID-19, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed medical records of 4,816 patients tested for the virus, including 323 with a history of cancer. Cancer patients have more than twice the chance of being admitted to hospital for COVID-19, and more than five times the risk of dying from the disease, compared to people without a cancer history, researchers reported in JNCI Cancer Spectrum on Thursday. The extra risks were more pronounced for people whose cancer was not in remission. The findings highlight the importance of social distance, mask wearing and hand washing for cancer patients, including those who have remission, the researchers said. The U.S. National Comprehensive Cancer Network said Friday that everyone being treated for cancer should be given preference for vaccination, and that their caregivers and other members of the same household should be vaccinated as soon as they are eligible. (https://bit.ly/3ixxyUd; https://bit.ly/3qNecwX)
Manual eye injuries due to disinfectants are increasing among children
With alcohol-based hand sanitizers available almost everywhere during the pandemic, there has been a sharp increase in eye injuries from the disinfectants among children, as well as surgeries needed to address the injuries, according to a report published Thursday in JAMA Ophthalmology. In a separate paper in the same issue, researchers point out that parents should be aware of the risks, especially in public places, where hand sanitizers are installed at a mid-adult height, but at eye level or higher for young people. children. The authors of one of the articles recommend that they wash their hands at home with soap and water instead of alcohol-based disinfectants, to teach children the use of hand disinfectants, to have separate dispensers at shops and malls for children, preferably below face level, and to place warning signs. along disinfectants. (https://bit.ly/2LZlWx8; https://bit.ly/39TicFu; https://bit.ly/39QRnlk)
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(Reported by Nancy Lapid; edited by Bill Berkrot)