Coronavirus News Explained

How COVID-19 Affects the Entire Body     Coronavirus has infected millions of people worldwide and caused numerous deaths this year. COVID-19 has been known to cause significant damage and affect the respiratory system, specifically the lungs. However, a study published earlier this month in Nature Medicine , reports that COVID-19 not only damages the lungs but also many other organs and organ systems throughout the body. The authors of this study, a team of scientists/doctors from Columbia University in New York, look closely at the effect of COVID-19 outside of the lungs. How does the virus spread throughout the body?     The coronavirus enters the host cells by binding to an entry receptor called ACE2. Without interaction with ACE2 (while in the presence of the protease TMPRSS2), the coronavirus cannot enter the host cells. Recent studies have shown that the higher efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 binding to ACE2 compared to SARS-CoV to ACE2, may be related to the increased transmission

Dexamethasone: A Promising Drug for COVID-19          Scientists and researchers around the world have been working hard to develop an effective drug/vaccine against COVID-19. (See vaccines and clinical trials ) Several drugs have shown promising results including one named remdesivir . Another low-cost, common steroid, has shown encouraging results. A study published on July 17, 2020 in the New England Journal of Medicine , goes through the details and findings from this drug. The drug's name is Dexamethasone. Background      Dexamethasone isn't a newly developed drug. It was first synthesized in 1957 and has been used as an anti-inflammatory medication. Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid; a drug that mimics cortisol, a natural hormone produced by the adrenal glands. When your body doesn't produce enough of this hormone, dexamethasone is often used to replace it. Dexamethasone relieves inflammation and is used to treat forms of arthritis, severe allergies, asthma and even

COVID-19 Questions Scientists Are Still Looking to Answer           Since COVID-19 first appeared 6 months ago in Wuhan, China, the virus has spread around the world, turning into a pandemic that has killed over 500,000 people. As a result, scientists and doctors have been working tirelessly to better understand COVID-19 and how it works. As more insights are being discovered about COVID-19, more questions arise. An article published in Nature on July 3, 2020, highlights the top 5 pressing questions that researchers are still finding answers for. Why do people respond so differently?      While some people infected with COVID-19 show little to no symptoms, others may experience symptoms as severe as fatal pneumonia. There's a wide range of how people respond to COVID-19 and researchers are looking for human gene variants that may explain some of these differences. A small study discovered that one possible explanation lies in a region of the genome that determines ABO blood type.

How COVID-19 has affected other diseases The fast spreading COVID-19 infection has caused many countries to issue lockdowns and shelter in place orders. While these orders protect the overall public health of citizens, it also has its downsides. Many people are discouraged from leaving their house for checkups or diagnoses on non-COVID-19 related diseases. COVID-19 not only affects people infected with the virus, but also indirectly impacts patients living with other diseases. Non communicable diseases (NCDs) are noninfectious health conditions that cannot be spread from one person to another. People living with NCDs are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 infection so many have refrained from attending checkups/treatments that need to be performed at a doctor's office. According to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, "Many people who need treatment for diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes have not been receiv

Evaluate and Treat COVID-19      As COVID-19 cases rise with the country's reopening, many people find themselves with mild or moderate symptoms of cold or pneumonia. With limited testing and crowded hospitals, it can be hard to differentiate a common cold from COVID-19 symptoms. How should these people be evaluated? If these people do have COVID-19, how should they be treated? A clinical practice paper recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine studies how to evaluate and treat Mild/Moderate COVID-19. Evaluation        COVID-19 can reveal itself through a variety of symptoms including cough, fever, malaise or discomfort, muscle pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, and loss of smell. Evaluation and management of COVID-19 is based on the severity of the illness. According to data from Wuhan, China, 81% of people infected with COVID-19 had a mild/moderate disease, 14% had a severe disease, and 5% had a critical illness. The paper explains that people with mild symptoms g