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By Nancy Lapid
(Reuters) – The following is a summary of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
Virus variant found in California causes SoCal surge
A new variant of the coronavirus appears to explain the recent outbreak of cases in southern California, the researchers say. The variant, called CAL.20C, accounted for less than one in 1,000 COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County in July. It was not detected again until October, but in December it accounted for 36% of cases, researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles reported on medRxiv on Wednesday ahead of the peer review. The CAL.20C variant is distinct from those found in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil. It carries five mutations: three in the spike protein, which the virus uses to break down into cells, and two in other parts of the virus. CAL.20C has also been detected in northern California, New York, and Washington, DC. It is not yet known whether it is more easily transmitted or resistant to antibodies than earlier versions of the virus. The researchers plan to “explore the data and see how patients change over time,” said co-author Jasmine Plummer. The proliferation of CAL.20C in November and December shows that “we let it emerge over the holidays,” she said. “These kinds of numbers reinforce the fact that we have to wear masks, isolate ourselves socially and stay at home.” (https://bit.ly/2No1HcR)
“Odor training” recommended for persistent odor problems
COVID-19 survivors whose smell does not return to normal should receive a form of “scent re-education” known as scent training, experts advise. Odor disturbances or difficulty smelling things are common sequelae of many types of infections. “Patients with COVID-19 and other olfactory dysfunctions linked to infection should be guided through olfactory rehabilitation” and should be referred to specialists for further treatment if training does not help, recommends a panel of experts in an article published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Scent training involves sniffing four specific scents (eg, lemon, rose, clove, and eucalyptus) for five minutes twice a day for at least three months. Smell problems are estimated to affect more than 60% of people infected with the novel coronavirus, UK doctors have made available a free online odor training program called NoseWell, which people can use to try to track down their sense of smell. (https://bit.ly/3iD6D9B; https://bit.ly/3iBXfms)
Cancer patients are at higher risk and should get vaccinated
Patients with active cancers, as well as those in remission, are at significantly higher risk of severe COVID-19, according to a new study. The researchers analyzed the medical records of 4,816 patients who had been tested for the virus, including 323 with a history of cancer. Cancer patients were more than twice as likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 and more than five times the risk of dying from the disease, compared to people without a history of cancer, researchers in JNCI Cancer Spectrum reported Thursday. . The additional risks were more pronounced for people whose cancers were not in remission. The findings underscore the importance of social distancing, mask wear, and hand washing for cancer patients, including those in remission, the researchers said. The United States’ National Comprehensive Cancer Network said on Friday that everyone treated for cancer should be given priority for vaccination, and their caregivers and other members of the same household should be vaccinated as soon as they become eligible. (https://bit.ly/3ixxyUd; https://bit.ly/3qNecwX)
Eye injuries from hand sanitizers on the rise in children
With alcohol-based hand sanitizer available virtually everywhere during the pandemic, there has been a rapid increase in eye injuries caused by hand sanitizers in children as well as the surgeries needed to treat these injuries, according to a report released Thursday. in JAMA Ophthalmology. In another article in the same issue, the researchers stress that parents should be aware of the risks, especially in public places, where hand sanitizer dispensers are installed at the height of an adult’s waist but at the same level. eyes or above for young people. children. The authors of one of the articles advise washing hands at home with soap and water instead of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, teaching children to use hand sanitizers correctly for them. hands, have separate dispensers in children’s stores and malls, preferably below face level, and place warning signs. next to the disinfectant dispensers. (https://bit.ly/2LZlWx8; https://bit.ly/39TicFu; https://bit.ly/39QRnlk)
Open https://tmsnrt.rs/3a5EyDh in an external browser for a Reuters graphic on vaccines and treatments in development.
(Reporting by Nancy Lapid; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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