General Interest
New SARS-CoV-2 variants have changed the pandemic. What will the virus do next?
20 Aug, 2021 | 09:58h | UTCNew SARS-CoV-2 variants have changed the pandemic. What will the virus do next? – Science
Commentary on Twitter
I really, really wish Covid deniers and minimizers would read this outstanding @ScienceMagazine piece by @kakape on the delta variant and how it has completely changed this pandemic – FOR THE WORSEhttps://t.co/liIC9NpGOJ pic.twitter.com/UkCieUUCpK
— Madhu Pai, MD, PhD (@paimadhu) August 19, 2021
The Origins of SARS-CoV-2: A Critical Review.
20 Aug, 2021 | 09:52h | UTCThe Origins of SARS-CoV-2: A Critical Review – Cell
Related:
Fauci says natural origins theory of coronavirus is still the most likely.
A grim warning from Israel: Vaccination blunts, but does not defeat Delta.
20 Aug, 2021 | 09:56h | UTCA grim warning from Israel: Vaccination blunts, but does not defeat Delta – Science
Delta’s rise is fuelled by rampant spread from people who feel fine.
20 Aug, 2021 | 09:54h | UTCDelta’s rise is fuelled by rampant spread from people who feel fine – Nature
Original study: Transmission dynamics and epidemiological characteristics of Delta variant infections in China – medRxiv
IDSA response to plan for supplemental vaccine doses for vaccinated individuals.
19 Aug, 2021 | 09:02h | UTC
Viewpoint: Confronting the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2.
19 Aug, 2021 | 09:03h | UTCConfronting the Delta Variant of SARS-CoV-2, Summer 2021 – JAMA
Studies: COVID vaccine protection waning against infection but not hospitalization.
19 Aug, 2021 | 09:05h | UTCStudies: COVID vaccine protection waning against infection but not hospitalization – CIDRAP
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Very excited to share our most recent publication about #CovidVaccine effectiveness, just published today by the IVY network. Especially relevant in light of today’s news about #boosters (spoiler – I’m skeptical about the need for boosters for all). ?https://t.co/GbAxgzpo7R
— Nida Qadir, MD (@NidaQadirMD) August 18, 2021
Vaccine stockpiling by nations could lead to increase in COVID-19 cases, novel variant emergence.
19 Aug, 2021 | 08:58h | UTCVaccine nationalism and the dynamics and control of SARS-CoV-2 – Science
Commentary on Twitter
Published at @sciencemagazine, a new @PrincetonEnviro study shows that stockpiling driven by vaccine 'nationalism' could increase #COVID19 cases and the potential emergence of novel variants, stressing the importance of rapid global vaccine equity. https://t.co/ziN5fX0u2X
— Princeton University (@Princeton) August 18, 2021
U.S. officials’ decision on Covid-19 booster shots baffles — and upsets — some scientists.
19 Aug, 2021 | 09:00h | UTCU.S. officials’ decision on Covid-19 booster shots baffles — and upsets — some scientists – STAT
Commentary on Twitter
Scientists I spoke to today had a lot of questions about the administration's decision to start giving Americans 3rd doses of the mRNA vaccines next month. “I’m not sure we had enough [data] to pull the trigger right now," one said. https://t.co/eHUndOrQL4
— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) August 18, 2021
As use of widely prescribed stimulants increases, experts see troubling parallels to opioid crisis.
19 Aug, 2021 | 08:46h | UTC
ANALYSIS- Here’s why there may be no need for boosters for everyone just yet.
18 Aug, 2021 | 09:00h | UTCANALYSIS- Here’s why there may be no need for boosters for everyone just yet – CNN
Lab study shows heterologous AstraZeneca/Pfizer vaccination produces strong immune response against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant.
18 Aug, 2021 | 09:04h | UTCRelated:
Another study shows increased immune response with heterologous Oxford-AstraZeneca/mRNA vaccination (several articles on the subject)
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Mix and match vaccines, AZ then mRNA (@BioNTech_Group) achieves a very strong immune response against the Delta variant.
This is the 1st report to look at mix vs Delta, specifically.https://t.co/6N46cUh8HW @TheLancet pic.twitter.com/cvlHp2XtXJ— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) August 17, 2021
U.S. to recommend COVID vaccine boosters at 8 months.
18 Aug, 2021 | 09:02h | UTCSources: US to recommend COVID vaccine boosters at 8 months – Associated Press
See also: Biden administration expected to advise Covid booster shots for most Americans – CNN AND US experts expected to recommend Covid booster shots for all – The Guardian
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
This decision seems to reflect a common fallacy; trying to reason about whether we "need X" just based on what things are like without X, rather than how much X will do to help.
It's surprising to see it at play in a decision of such consequence.
— Wes Pegden (@WesPegden) August 17, 2021
Editorial: COVID-19 vaccine equity and booster doses – “by Aug 9, only 12·6 million of the 4·46 billion doses administered globally were in low-income countries”.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:58h | UTCCOVID-19 vaccine equity and booster doses – The Lancet Infectious Diseases
See also: New waves, new variants, old inequity: a continuing COVID-19 crisis – BMJ Global Health
Has COVID taught us anything about pandemic preparedness?
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:55h | UTCHas COVID taught us anything about pandemic preparedness? – Nature
Commentary on Twitter
Pandemic preparedness needs good surveillance in all countries, rapid and transparent data sharing, consistent implementation of public health measures, attention to Equity & global Solidarity https://t.co/GlouOA4Om3
— Soumya Swaminathan (@doctorsoumya) August 14, 2021
Editorial: The WHO is right to call a temporary halt to COVID vaccine boosters.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:56h | UTCThe WHO is right to call a temporary halt to COVID vaccine boosters – Nature
The animal origin of SARS-CoV-2 – “Trading of animals susceptible to bat coronaviruses is the likely cause of the COVID-19 pandemic”.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:53h | UTCThe animal origin of SARS-CoV-2 – Science
Video: Evolutionary Origins of SARS-CoV-2
Related: Fauci says natural origins theory of coronavirus is still the most likely.
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Big news! Our perspective on the origins of SARS-CoV-2 is now out at @ScienceMagazine❗❗ https://t.co/lrCQHgARdB
— Spyros Lytras (@SpyrosLytras) August 17, 2021
Opinion | Go Ahead. Vaccinate the Kids. The risk of vaccinating children will never be zero, but the alternative is so much worse.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:50h | UTCGo Ahead. Vaccinate the Kids. – The Atlantic
U.S. Study: Nearly half of surveyed female surgeons experienced major pregnancy complications.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:42h | UTCNews release: Nearly half of surveyed female surgeons experienced major pregnancy complications – Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Original study: Incidence of Infertility and Pregnancy Complications in US Female Surgeons – JAMA Surgery
Commentary on Twitter
Challenges of pregnancy as a surgeon: Compared to male surgeons & their partners, female surgeons
•More likely to delay children & need assisted reproduction
•Have 1.7X ↑ risk pregnancy complications;long OR hrs ↑risk by 1.6x
•↑ risk postpart https://t.co/tJhz93newO— JAMA Surgery (@JAMASurgery) July 29, 2021
Dementia risk in former professional footballers is related to player position and career length.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:39h | UTCNews release: Dementia risk in former professional footballers is related to player position and career length – University of Glasgow
Commentaries:
Dementia risk greatest for defenders, says new research – BBC
Commentary on Twitter
"Field Position, Career Length, and Risk of Neurodegenerative Disease in Male Former Professional #Soccer…" https://t.co/EI2rzZH72W
via @JAMANeuro part of @JAMANetwork #CTE #dementia #football pic.twitter.com/VJz91y3OUc
— Dr Willie Stewart (@WillStewNeuro) August 2, 2021
Professional rugby may be associated with changes in brain structure.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:38h | UTCNews release: Professional rugby may be associated with changes in brain structure
Original study: White matter abnormalities in active elite adult rugby players – Brain Communications
Commentary on Twitter
1/ Almost a quarter of elite adult rugby players have brain structure abnormalities as a result of repeated head impacts, research finds pic.twitter.com/HnkGeRZq0c
— Sciencebeta (@sciencebeta) July 26, 2021
The use of Twitter by medical journals: systematic review of the literature.
18 Aug, 2021 | 08:31h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
The Use of #Twitter by Medical Journals: #SystematicReview of the Literature by Erskine & Hendricks https://t.co/3M8UgqmghI
"4 key strategies implemented by #medjournals: tweeting the title & link of the article, infographics, podcasts, & hosting monthly … journal clubs."
— Carrie Price (@carrieprice78) August 16, 2021
Scientific medical conferences can be easily modified to improve female inclusion: a prospective study.
17 Aug, 2021 | 08:53h | UTCAuthor Interview: Victoria Salem on improving female inclusion in conferences
Commentaries:
Women participate less at conferences, even with gender-balanced delegates – Imperial College London
Women participate less at conferences, even if gender-balanced – study – The Guardian
Commentaries on Twitter
?conference organisers take note: female chairs and picking first questions from females are easy modifications for scientific medical conferences to improve female inclusion https://t.co/pt722RB6E8
— Dr Sharleen O’Reilly (@OReillySharleen) August 5, 2021
"If women are not visible at conferences, they cannot act as role models…creating a self-perpetuating cycle."
How scientific medical conferences can be easily modified to improve female inclusion. Read in @TheLancetEndo—https://t.co/3vK5KCdqco #GenerationEquality pic.twitter.com/YPaqnlcCZo
— The Lancet (@TheLancet) July 30, 2021
Excellent study @Soc_Endo – a female session chair and the first question asked by a woman significantly increases active female participation at a scientific conference – read @TheLancetEndo and listen to first author Victoria Salem, highly recommended! @MDSEquality @500womensci https://t.co/PWECJ7TLFU
— Wiebke Arlt ? ? Birmingham, Yes Birmingham (@WiebkeArlt) July 30, 2021
Perspective | Don’t panic, but breakthrough cases may be a bigger problem than you’ve been told.
16 Aug, 2021 | 01:17h | UTCDon’t Panic, But Breakthrough Cases May Be a Bigger Problem Than You’ve Been Told – Intelligencer
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
The vaccines are still performing quite well in preventing severe disease. But with Delta they are doing much worse in stopping transmission. Breakthroughs are probably now 10-20% of new infections, and perhaps as much as 5% of new deaths. A thread. (1/x) https://t.co/NvGends1ZP
— David Wallace-Wells (@dwallacewells) August 12, 2021
CDC Guidance: Pregnant people should be vaccinated against COVID-19.
16 Aug, 2021 | 01:19h | UTCCOVID-19 Vaccines While Pregnant or Breastfeeding – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Related:
Opinion | Should pregnant women have a COVID vaccine? The evidence says it’s safe and effective.