
COVID Variants May Arise in People with Compromised Immune Systems
The case history of a U.K. man in his 70s shows how selective “pressures” bring about viral mutations

The case history of a U.K. man in his 70s shows how selective “pressures” bring about viral mutations

Pandemic highlights for the week

A Nature survey shows many scientists expect the virus that causes COVID-19 to become endemic, but it could pose less danger over time

If we’re lucky, mutations will make SARS-CoV-2 less lethal, as happened with the 1918 flu—but there’s no guarantee of that

An analysis of incomplete data shows they had a death rate higher than that of loggers and may have rivaled fishers for the most perilous profession

Vaccine makers are designing follow-up shots based on new mutations to keep the disease at bay

As more coronavirus vaccines are rolled out, researchers are learning about the extent and nature of side effects

Pandemic highlights for the week

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus seems to be suddenly acquiring mutations at a rapid rate. The most worrying variants, first discovered in South Africa and Brazil, increase the virus’s contagiousness and may even help it evade the human immune system...

Bottlenecks in supply chains and difficult appointment-registration systems are slowing distribution

Some evidence indicates that short waits are safe, but there is a chance that partial immunization could help risky new coronavirus variants to develop

No matter how effective vaccines are, they are not enough

Many U.S. states aren’t rigorously tracking or investigating suspected cases of reinfection

It could take years to immunize everyone, so we need to work on discovering new treatments as well—and fast

Pandemic highlights for the week

A survey of more than 30,000 households in developing countries shows increased food insecurity

Finding meaning for life’s milestones—in my case growing a child—can seem bizarre in COVID isolation

An Ebola outbreak and a few false leads slowed a 15-year search for bacteria that attack the nerves and gut

The coronavirus behind the pandemic can linger on doorknobs and other surfaces, but these aren’t a major source of infection

A dangerous lung illness stems from substandard vape liquids
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