By Nancy Lapid
(Reuters) – The following is a summary of some of the latest scientific studies on the new coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
Variant of virus found in California drives SoCal increase
A new variant of the coronavirus appears to be responsible for the recent increase in 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 accounted for 36% of cases, researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles reported on Wednesday at medRxiv before the peer review. The CAL.20C variant is different from the discoveries in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil. It carries five mutations: three in the spike protein, which the virus uses to divide itself in 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 transmissible or resistant to antibodies than previous versions of the virus. The researchers plan to “mine the data and see how patients do over time,” said co-author Jasmine Plummer. The proliferation of CAL.20C in November and December shows that “we allow it to arise during the holidays,” she said. “This type of number reinforces that we need to wear masks, isolate ourselves socially and stay at home.” (https://bit.ly/2No1HcR)
“Smell training” recommended for persistent smell problems
Survivors of COVID-19 whose sense of smell does not return to normal should receive a form of “olfactory rehabilitation” known as olfactory training, experts advise. Olfactory deficiency, or difficulty smelling things, is a common side effect of many types of infections. “Patients with COVID-19 and other olfactory dysfunctions related to the infection should be guided through olfactory rehabilitation” and should be referred to specialists for other treatments if training does not help, recommends a panel of experts in an article published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Olfactory training involves smelling four specific aromas (for example, lemon, rose, cloves 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 new coronavirus. Doctors in the UK have provided a free online olfactory training program called NoseWell, which people can use to try to regain their sense of smell. (https://bit.ly/3iD6D9B; https://bit.ly/3iBXfms)
Cancer patients face greater risks, should be vaccinated
Patients with active cancers, as well as those in remission, face significantly greater 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 are 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 with no history of cancer, the researchers reported Thursday on the JNCI Cancer Spectrum . The extra risks were more pronounced for people whose cancers were not in remission. The findings underscore the importance of social detachment, wearing masks and hand washing for cancer patients, including those in remission, the researchers said. The US National Comprehensive Cancer Network said on Friday that everyone undergoing cancer treatment should be prioritized for vaccination, and their caregivers and other family members should be vaccinated as soon as they become eligible. (https://bit.ly/3ixxyUd; https://bit.ly/3qNecwX)
Eye damage caused by hand sanitizers increases among children
With alcohol-based hand sanitizer available almost everywhere during the pandemic, there was a dizzying increase in eye damage caused by disinfectants among children, as well as the surgeries needed to treat these injuries, according to a report published Thursday. fair at JAMA Ophthalmology. In a separate article in the same issue, the researchers point out that parents need to be aware of the risks, especially in public places, where hand sanitizer dispensers are installed at an adult’s waist level, but at eye level or above to young children. The authors of one of the articles advise washing your hands at home with soap and water instead of alcohol-based disinfectants, teaching children the proper use of hand sanitizers, having separate dispensers for children in stores and malls, preferably below face level, and place caution 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 to see a Reuters graph of vaccines and treatments under development.
(Reporting by Nancy Lapid; Editing by Bill Berkrot)