The next is a roundup of among the newest scientific research on the novel coronavirus and efforts to search out remedies and vaccines for Covid-19, the sickness brought on by the virus.
Johnson & Johnson vaccine 66% efficient in a worldwide trial
Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine was 66% efficient in stopping average and extreme Covid-19 in a late-stage international trial with practically 44,000 volunteers that features areas with worrisome variants of the virus, the corporate stated on Friday.
Safety ranges 28 days after vaccination various from 72% in america to 66% in Latin America and simply 57% in South Africa, the place a potent new variant has develop into prevalent.
Two-dose vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna had been round 95% efficient in pivotal trials. However these had been carried out earlier than the extremely transmissible new variants emerged.
“Right now, any protection and additional vaccine is great,” stated Walid Gellad, a well being coverage affiliate professor on the College of Pittsburgh who was not concerned within the trial.
“The key is not only overall efficacy but specifically efficacy against severe disease, hospitalization, and death.”
South African virus variant could resist antibody medicine
In a information launch, J&J stated its vaccine was 85% efficient in stopping extreme illness and stopping hospitalisation throughout all geographies and in opposition to a number of variants. The vaccine makes use of a standard chilly virus to introduce coronavirus proteins into cells and set off an immune response. The corporate plans to hunt emergency use authorization from the US Meals and Drug Administration subsequent week.
Excessive antibody ranges seen in newborns of Covid-19 survivors
A mom’s Covid-19 antibodies can cross the placenta, doubtlessly defending her fetus from an infection, researchers reported on Friday in JAMA Pediatrics. A number of weeks after the mom’s an infection begins, antibody ranges in umbilical wire blood “can be as high as – or even higher – than the levels in maternal blood,” stated research leaders Dr Karen Puopolo and Dr Scott Hensley of the College of Pennsylvania. Of their research, out of 83 ladies who had Covid-19 antibodies after they gave beginning, 72 of their newborns additionally had antibodies however no proof of direct an infection.
“It is reassuring that maternal infection, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, results in sufficient antibody production for an efficient transplacental antibody transfer to newborns of infected mothers,” stated Dr Flor Munoz of Baylor School of Drugs in an editorial printed with the research. It’s doable antibodies created by way of a vaccine might have the identical impact, Munoz famous.
German scientists make paralysed mice stroll once more
Switch of gear within the mom’s blood to the fetus begins round 17 weeks of gestation, she stated, which means that “maternal vaccination starting in the early second trimester … might be optimal to achieve the highest levels of antibodies in the newborn.”
Pores and skin issues can persist after Covid-19
Add bothersome pores and skin situations to the record of signs that may comply with an infection with the brand new coronavirus, a brand new report warns. Between April and October, a world registry established by dermatologists obtained reviews of roughly 1,000 Covid-19 sufferers with itchy welts, rashes, scaly plaques, or pernio, an irritation of the fingers and toes upon publicity to chilly. In half of the instances, the pores and skin issues lasted greater than two weeks.
That was extra typically true for sufferers with scaly plaques and pernio. On condition that among the sufferers had solely gentle Covid-19, the info counsel that irritation from the illness could persist even amongst those that weren’t significantly unwell, researchers stated in The Lancet Infectious Illnesses.
“Since the onset of the Covid-19pandemic, appreciation for persistent morbidity beyond the acute phase of the disease has increased,” they stated. “To our knowledge, our data represent the largest dataset to date on persistent skin signs and symptoms of Covid-19.”