Severity of Quebec’s second wave of COVID-19 will depend on young adults
(Sarah Leavitt/ CBC News) — The latest spike in Quebec COVID-19 cases is largely due to adults between the ages of 20 and 29.
While those adults are less likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19, epidemiologists agree the severity of the pandemic’s second wave in Quebec depends largely on their behaviour.
Chief public health …
New antibody mix could form ‘very potent’ Covid-19 treatment, say scientists
(Ian Sample/ The Guardian) — Researchers have identified a potent cocktail of antibodies that may help doctors treat Covid-19 infections and protect people at risk from falling ill with the disease.
The antibodies were collected from patients hospitalised with severe Covid-19, and they could be manufactured at scale by pharmaceutical …
Why being able to “smell the roses” matters as we age
(Christopher Bergland/ Psychology Today) — Newly published research on the link between multisensory functions and cognitive decline among older adults suggests that experiencing a loss of smell may be an early indicator of dementia risk. This UCSF study (Brenowitz, Kaup, & Yaffe, 2020) was published on July 12 in Alzheimer’s …
Even people with lung disease should wear masks: experts
(Medicine.net) — People with chronic lung disease may worry about being able to breathe freely with face masks, but they should wear the coverings if possible, four leading medical groups say.
“Individuals with normal lungs and even many individuals with underlying chronic lung disease should be able to wear a non-N95 facial …
Older children spread the coronavirus just as much as adults, large study finds
(Apoorva Mandavilli/ New York Times) — In the heated debate over reopening schools, one burning question has been whether and how efficiently children can spread the virus to others.
A large new study from South Korea offers an answer: Children younger than 10 transmit to others much less often than adults do, but the risk is not zero. …
Brain fog, fatigue, breathlessness. Rehab centers set up across Europe to treat long-term effects of coronavirus
(Laura Smith-Spark, Jo Shelley & Livia Borghese/ CNN) — Professional diver Emiliano Pescarolo contracted coronavirus in March and spent 17 days in hospital in the Italian port city of Genoa before being discharged on April 10.
Now, three months later, the 42-year-old still experiences breathing difficulties. “Once back …
N95 masks can be sterilized with a microwave: study
(Summer Epps/ WebMD) — As one of the best lines of defense against coronavirus, N95 masks are vital for health care workers treating infected patients.
Though the masks are supposed to be used one time, the rising need and ongoing shortages have led hospitals to try mask sterilization techniques such as hydrogen peroxide vaporization, …
The growing scientific evidence for masks to fight Covid-19, explained
(German Lopez/ Vox) — Over the past couple of months, the world has received more evidence that face masks really can play a crucial role in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
It’s a significant shift from earlier this year, when the evidence for mask-wearing was so weak that government authorities and public health experts publicly …
1 in 3 young adults vulnerable to severe Covid-19 — and smoking plays a big part, research finds
(Naomi Thomas/ CNN) — One in three young adults is at risk of severe Covid-19, and smoking plays a big part in that risk, according to new research published Monday in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, looked at more than 8,000 participants ages 18 to 25 who had participated in …