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COVID-19

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COVID-19, a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, first appeared in humans in late 2019 and caused a pandemic starting in spring 2020. Related coronaviruses MERS-CoV (which causes MERS) and SARS-CoV-1 (SARS) have caused regional outbreaks but not pandemics at this point.

Both Paxlovid, molnupiravir lower COVID Omicron deaths, hospitalizations, studies conclude

Mary Van Beusekom

Paxlovid may have slight advantage against death, according to one study.

Woman taking white tablets
Masks and N95 respirators

Study on masks vs N95 respirators for health workers spurs concerns

Mary Van Beusekom | News Writer | CIDRAP News

Study suggests medical masks may offer similar protecion as N95 respirators, but experts say hold on.

COMMENTARY: Navigating COVID language traps

Peter M. Sandman, PhD

Public health professionals use some terms imprecisely, others incorrectly, and still others technically accurate but almost sure to be misunderstood by the public.

News briefs

Study: COVID therapeutics not available evenly across US

Stephanie Soucheray

Risk of long COVID goes up with previous diagnoses

Stephanie Soucheray

HHS announces boost for COVID test production, fifth round of free tests for households

Lisa Schnirring

HHS awards $45 million to support long-COVID clinics

Lisa Schnirring

How common long COVID is may depend on how it's defined

Stephanie Soucheray
COVID-19 isolate, first case - Yellow

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Listen to the Osterholm Update: COVID-19

Catch the latest episode!

Michael Osterholm

The answers to your COVID questions

Top COVID FAQs

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Read COVID-19 commentaries

By CIDRAP & other experts

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Our roundup of the best COVID visualizations

Up-to-date COVID-19 data

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News Scan for Jul 31, 2020

Kids 5 and younger could spread COVID-19 as much as adults, study finds

Children younger than 5 years with mild or moderate COVID-19 have much higher levels of coronavirus genetic material in their nose and throat than do older children and adults, according to a research letter published yesterday in JAMA Pediatrics.

  • Kids as COVID-19 conduits
  • Ebola in the DRC
  • Polio in 4 countries
  • H3N2v flu case in Hawaii

Experts call for US to reset COVID-19 response as economy worsens

A reset would mean such steps as temporary closures of nonessential businesses and toughening mask and distancing policies in hot spots.

Stephanie Soucheray | News Reporter | CIDRAP News
laid-off employee

Global COVID-19 total surges past 17 million

The WHO releases a new resource aimed at preventing COVID-19 spread in nursing homes.

Lisa Schnirring | News Editor | CIDRAP News
Nursing home

Study: Travel to 3 countries may have seeded COVID-19 pandemic

Of the travel-related cases in 99 countries early in the pandemic, the 3 top source nations were Italy, China, and Iran.

Mary Van Beusekom | News Writer | CIDRAP News
Aircraft cabin

News Scan for Jul 30, 2020

Study shows higher COVID-19 exposure rates in pregnant black, Hispanic women

Pregnant black and Hispanic women at two Philadelphia hospitals were five times more likely than their white and Asian peers to have been exposed to COVID-19, according to a study published yesterday in Science Immunology.

  • COVID-19 exposures in pregnancy
  • Physical distancing in pandemic by income
  • Ebola in the DRC

As pandemic rages, PPE supply remains a problem

With the dramatic nationwide rise in COVID-19 cases, widespread concerns about thin  supplies of protective equipment remain.

Chris Dall | News Reporter | CIDRAP News
Coronavirus swabbing

US tops 150,000 COVID deaths amid broad disease spread

Younger people appear to be spreading the virus to older family members, according to a new report.

Stephanie Soucheray | News Reporter | CIDRAP News
Wearing masks at funeral

Scaled-back hajj begins as Mideast sees signs of COVID-19 stabilization

A dramatically scaled-back version of the hajj pilgrimage began in Saudi Arabia yesterday.

Lisa Schnirring | News Editor | CIDRAP News
A Koran, mask, and prayer beads

COVID-19 risk factors vary for nursing home staff, residents

One study finds that staff working at more than one nursing home had quadruple the risk of infection.

Mary Van Beusekom | News Writer | CIDRAP News
Nursing home resident in wheelchair

COVID-19 Scan for Jul 29, 2020

Invasive ventilation, older age, dialysis tied to COVID-19 death in Germany

An observational study of 10,021 COVID-19 patients admitted to 920 German hospitals has found that patients requiring mechanical ventilation were at highest risk for death—especially those 80 years and older and those needing dialysis.

  • Risk for death in COVID-19
  • App as poor COVID-19 predictor