On January 8th, I asked The Verges science team to keep an eye on early reports of a new virus that had recently emerged in China. When I dropped an article about that new virus from The Washington Post in Slack, someone joked that 2020 was off to a strong start, clearly jinxing the entire year for the rest of humanity. Whoops.
Jokes aside, this past decade, year, six and a half months has featured a disturbing flood of terrible, horrible, no good, very bad news. More than half a year in and not only do we still not know when this will all end, were also seeing a tsunami of new cases in the US and record-high hospitalizations.
Theres so much we still dont know, but we do know that this is going to keep going for a long, long time. Weve got to pace ourselves if were going to make it. Thats why were starting with a weekly format for this column instead of bombarding you with a daily dose of news. Hopefully we can give you some context for the big headlines and help you keep track of our collective scientific progress as we stumble our way toward the future. Its still an experiment, but these are a few things well keep an eye on:
We might also throw in a bit of non-coronavirus news just to remind you that there are other things going on in the world. Lets get started.
Immunology experts have also been cautious, and so have other pharmaceutical executives. I think when people tell the public that theres going to be a vaccine by the end of 2020, they do a grave disservice to the public, Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier said in an interview hosted by Harvard Business School last week. I think at the end of the day, we dont want to rush the vaccine before weve done rigorous science.
Want to help researchers find a vaccine? The National Institutes of Health (NIH) created a new network called the COVID-19 Prevention Trials Network (COVPN) that will help connect volunteers with some of the large clinical trials that are needed to test potential coronavirus vaccines.
Each of the Phase 3 clinical trials that the COVPN will conduct will require thousands of volunteers, NIH director Francis Collins said in a statement. Community engagement, particularly with the communities most vulnerable to COVID-19s severe outcomes, will be critical to the success of this research endeavor.
If you want to volunteer, youll be asked to complete a short survey of personal questions, including where you live. If youre a good candidate for one of the many studies going on across the country, a researcher will reach out to you and give you more information on the study. You can then decide whether you want to participate.
Lopez drives to his fourth stop of the day, a body in the back, a cigarette in his hand. Hes reflecting on the virus and how the calls to pick up bodies started coming all of a sudden, one after the other. He takes his job personally. It could be one of my family members, it could be a friend of mine.
Shannon Najmabadi and Miguel Gutierrez Jr. report for The Texas Tribune on what its like to be one of last responders in the Rio Grande Valley, where deaths and case numbers remain high.
To the more than 15,762,392 people worldwide who have tested positive, may your road to recovery be smooth.
To the families and friends of the 640,278 people who have died worldwide 145,556 of those in the US your loved ones are not forgotten.
Stay safe, everyone.
Read more from the original source:
Antivirus: A weekly digest of the latest COVID-19 research - The Verge
- Coronavirus Scam Alert: Watch Out For These Risky COVID-19 Websites And Emails - Forbes [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- COVID19: Broome County Executive expected to sign executive orders on virus - WBNG-TV [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- Houston-based company ready to test COVID-19 'vaccine candidate,' but doesn't have the funds - KHOU.com [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- COVID19 Mesa County Public Health [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | SCDHEC [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
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- Hackers are jumping on the COVID-19 pandemic to spread malware - TechCrunch [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- COVID-19 can last a few days on surfaces, according to new experiment findings - ABC News [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- The Guardian view on the UKs Covid-19 response: confused and hesitant - The Guardian [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- The COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic Highlights The Importance Of Scientific Expertise - Forbes [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- WHO Expert: Aggressive Action Against Coronavirus Cuts Down On Spread : Goats and Soda - NPR [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- 2 new cases of COVID-19 at Chicago schools - WGN TV Chicago [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- Will Gargling with Salt Water or Vinegar 'Eliminate' the COVID-19 Coronavirus? - Snopes.com [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- Worried about dying from COVID-19? You might be a millennial | TheHill - The Hill [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- Startups developing tech to combat COVID-19 urged to apply for fast-track EU funding - TechCrunch [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- Why do dozens of diseases wax and wane with the seasonsand will COVID-19? - Science Magazine [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- WHO, UN Foundation and partners launch first-of-its-kind COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund - World Health Organization [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- Covid-19: PM to address nation tonight - New Straits Times [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- COVID-19: Where every sport lies after mass disruption - RTE.ie [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
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- Hong Kong Has Largely Survived COVID-19. Can New York and The US Do It Too? - BuzzFeed News [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- UPDATE: Case of COVID-19 confirmed in Wilson County - WITN [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- Is This Train Car Carrying 'COVID-19'? - Snopes.com [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
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- DHS: 34 people test positive for COVID-19 in Wisconsin - WBAY [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- COVID-19 by the numbers; plus key resources to help you stay informed - Berkeleyside [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- The Covid-19 puzzles that scientists are still trying to answer - The Guardian [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- What's the COVID-19 end game? - The San Diego Union-Tribune [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- The Covid-19 coronavirus is not the flu. Its worse. - Vox.com [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- Phones Could Track the Spread of Covid-19. Is It a Good Idea? - WIRED [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- NIH Reports First Known Employee with COVID-19 Infection - National Institutes of Health [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- Newborn tests positive for COVID-19 in London - Livescience.com [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- Covid-19: Malaysia's pandemic action plan activated for the coronavirus - The Star Online [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- How Bad Will The COVID-19 Coronavirus Epidemic Get In The U.S.? Health Experts Weigh In - Forbes [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- Can People Who Recover from COVID-19 Become Reinfected? - Snopes.com [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2020]
- THE LATEST: 41 test positive for COVID-19 in the state - WFSB [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Twelve new cases of COVID-19 announced in Illinois; bringing total to 105 - KWQC-TV6 [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Eagle County outlines shift for COVID-19 testing, Vail Health shifts operations - Vail Daily News [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- 7th positive COVID-19 case announced in Hawaii, all cases related to travel - KHON2 [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Canada tightens borders over coronavirus will it curb COVID-19s spread? - Global News [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- As health care workers prepare for COVID-19, medical students pitch in on the homefront - Minnesota Public Radio News [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Coronavirus First positive case of COVID-19 confirmed in Geauga County Kaylyn Hlavaty 7:58 AM - News 5 Cleveland [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- 2nd presumptive case of COVID 19 reported in Bell County - KWTX [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- New confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin - WKOW [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Hawaii National Guard ready to step in against spread of COVID-19 - KHON2 [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Alberta orders all classes cancelled, daycares closed as COVID-19 cases rise to 56 in the province - Global News [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Has Italy Stopped Treating the Elderly in the COVID-19 Pandemic? - Snopes.com [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Coronavirus testing: Information on COVID-19 tests according to state health departments - NBCNews.com [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Working from home because of COVID-19? Here are 10 ways to spend your time - Science Magazine [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Two positive COVID-19 cases announced in Fairbanks, bringing Alaska's confirmed total to 3 - Anchorage Daily News [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- 8 more positive cases of COVID-19 brings Michigan total to 33 - FOX 2 Detroit [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- COVID-19: Who Is Infectious? - Forbes [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- The Guardian view on the latest Covid-19 steps: a recipe for isolation - The Guardian [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Government publishes updated COVID-19 industry guidance - GOV.UK [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- NIH clinical trial of investigational vaccine for COVID-19 begins - National Institutes of Health [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Expanding Colorado's COVID-19 Testing Capacity Proves Frustrating to Polis, Doctors And The Public - Colorado Public Radio [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Microsoft Bing launches interactive COVID-19 map to provide pandemic news - The Verge [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Coronavirus tips: How to slow the spread of COVID-19 with hand-washing, social distance - USA TODAY [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- See Which Countries are Flattening their COVID-19 Curve - Visual Capitalist [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- With launch of COVID-19 data hub, the White House issues a call to action for AI researchers - TechCrunch [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- COVID-19 - Cabinet for Health and Family Services [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | AustinTexas.gov [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- First COVID-19 case in Waterbury is confirmed - Waterbury Republican American [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Covid-19 reveals the alarming truth that many children cant wash their hands at school - The Guardian [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Statement on COVID-19 Panel Discussion Notes That Were Attributed to UCSF - UCSF News Services [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Covid-19 coronavirus testing in the US has been absurdly sluggish. That puts us at risk. - Vox.com [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Regal is closing all theaters until further notice over COVID-19 fears - TechCrunch [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Amazon limiting shipments to certain types of products due to COVID-19 pandemic - TechCrunch [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Coralville company to produce millions of kits to test for COVID-19 - KCRG [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Number of COVID-19 cases in Erie County rises to 11, new case confirmed in Wyoming County - WIVB.com - News 4 [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Coronavirus tips and symptoms: What everyone should know about getting the new coronavirus - Vox.com [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Tech giants are getting creative to manage the COVID-19 crisis - The Verge [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- COVID-19: Mental health in the age of coronavirus - UN News [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- White House provides an update on COVID-19 testing in the U.S., says theres been a dramatic ramp - TechCrunch [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Covid-19: How long does the coronavirus last on surfaces? - BBC News [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2020]
- Hospital in Boston will be converted into Covid-19 treatment center - STAT [Last Updated On: March 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 18th, 2020]
- 78 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Tennessee - NewsChannel5.com [Last Updated On: March 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 18th, 2020]
- COVID 19: Tennessee confirmed cases reaches 52, Dept of Health releases age ranges of those infected - Clarksville Now [Last Updated On: March 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 18th, 2020]
- Housing associations under pressure to offer Covid-19 rent holidays - The Guardian [Last Updated On: March 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 18th, 2020]
- Sacramento woman dead from COVID-19 attended church with others who have virus - KCRA Sacramento [Last Updated On: March 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: March 18th, 2020]