Loss of taste and smell has been considered a hallmark of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic about a year and a half ago. However, new data published in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery suggests that these symptoms may not represent valid markers for infection with the virus. To determine the power of smell and taste … [Read more...]
What is the Real Role of Smell and Taste in COVID-19 Diagnosis?
Monitoring mRNA Vaccine Safety
The speed with which the COVID-19 vaccines were developed raised concerns among healthcare professionals and the general public alike regarding both the long-term efficacy and safety of the vaccines. Though certain vaccines were granted emergency use authorization given the gravity of the public health crisis, efficacy and safety data have been … [Read more...]
Several Studies Corroborate Value of Corticosteroids for Fighting COVID-19
Treatment and vaccine options for COVID-19 have been aggressively investigated this year as the world grapples with the pandemic. Several new publications in the medical journal JAMA have provided data that support the idea that corticosteroids may increase the chances of survival in people who become critically ill with COVID-19. In one of the … [Read more...]
How Zika Infection Could Increase Risk for Severe Illness from Dengue Fever
Zika virus has recently been overshadowed by COVID-19, but it was the virus many people had their eye on before the pandemic. The virus, which is spread via mosquito bites, has been described as causing symptoms that are reminiscent of - but milder than - those that occur with dengue fever. Like dengue fever, Zika virus is classified as a … [Read more...]
Asymptomatic Kids Testing Positive for COVID-19 at Rates Less than 1 Percent
As kids head back to school - in-person or virtually - debate continues about how safe it is for children to interact with one another and with adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. While there is now a consensus that children are at relatively low risk for severe illness resulting from COVID-19, how likely they are to be infected but asymptomatic … [Read more...]