Coronavirus News Explained

Children and COVID-19: Is it Safe to Reopen Schools?     Since the first outbreak of coronavirus in the U.S early this year, schools have gradually shut down and moved to online education. Government officials believed that it was safer for students to participate in distance learning as opposed to learning in a crowded classroom. However, children are the least likely to become infected with COVID-19 as p revious research has shown that coronavirus susceptibility and severity increases with age. (See Who's at Risk ) A new study published on June 16, 2020 in Nature Medicine , investigates the effect of COVID-19 in children and provides useful information on how safe it is for schools to reopen.     Risk of Infection     Children and teens are known to be less likely to develop COVID-19 infections but how much lower is their risk of infection compared to the older population? Age-based COVID-19 transmission models were created using existing data from China, Italy, Japan, Singapore

Different Types of Masks and their Efficacy      The CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  has recommended the public to wear face masks when going outside and stores require the use of a face mask for entry. Studies have proven that face masks are effective against COVID-19 and wearing them can prevent transmission. (See Efficacy of Masks Post ) There are many types of face masks/coverings, some being more effective than others. This post will walk you through the most common types of face masks and how effective each type is.  Surgical Masks     A surgical mask is a loose-fitting disposable mask that creates a barrier between the wearer's nose/mouth and droplets or other contaminants from the environment. Surgical masks can filter out large particles in the air but are less effective in blocking out smaller (aerosol) particles which can be transmitted through coughing or sneezing. The loose fit of the mask also gives room for germs and contaminants to enter from under

Blood Type Linked with COVID-19 Respiratory Failure      Respiratory failure and COVID-19      Since the first case of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China during late 2019, the virus has rapidly made its way all around the world. In Europe, Spain and Italy were among some of the countries hit hardest with a reported 60,000 coronavirus related deaths by the end of May. The main cause of coronavirus related deaths have been linked to patients who are more susceptible to respiratory failure.  Other factors that put patients at high risk include older age, gender, and other underlying conditions. (See Who's at Risk ) The Experiment          To further investigate the relationship between COVID-19 and susceptibility to respiratory failure, Tom Karlsen of the University of Oslo in Norway, conducted a study (posted June 2, currently undergoing peer-review) involving 1,980 patients from five COVID-19 hotspots throughout Spain and Italy. All of these patients experienced severe COVID-19 infections an

Herd Immunity: What is it and will it Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19       M any countries are enforcing strict social distancing and shelter-in-place regulations to slow the spread of COVID-19. However, other countries such as Sweden and briefly Britain are taking a completely different approach. Sweden has been resisting shelter-in-place orders in hope of achieving herd immunity before a vaccine is developed. This approach of course, comes with consequences. Sweden has one of the highest mortality rates in the world and their approach to herd immunity is going very slowly. So, what is herd immunity and is it achievable? What is Herd Immunity     Herd immunity occurs when enough of a population is immune to a disease that it won't spread very far to those who aren't immune. This immunity can be developed if the person has already been exposed to the disease or has been vaccinated. For example, if 70% of a population is immune to a virus, 7 out of 10 people who encounter some