As more young people were vaccinated, health officials noticed reports of myocarditis in young people shortly after vaccination. Was it possible that mRNA vaccines whose benefits included protecting against the heart damage associated with COVID-19 could themselves cause cardiac injury?
New research by Yuyang Lei and colleagues published in the journal Circulation Research sheds new light on how the spike protein might play a critical role in the widespread damage caused by SARS-CoV2, and offers insight into treating the complications of COVID-19. Vaccine skeptics have seized on the study to cast doubt on the safety of vaccines. But a review of the study’s findings shows that the concerns raised by vaccine doubters are much ado about nothing.
It turns out that things may not be as they appear when it comes to the speed of COVID-19 vaccine development. The reality is that COVID-19 vaccines are based on years of documented research that created the critical knowledge, infrastructure, and cutting-edge technology that made rapid vaccine production possible.
Since March 2020 many scientific studies and articles have helped shape our understanding of the pandemic. However, not all of these articles are peer-reviewed. While not perfect, the process of peer-review is one of the many ways to ensure the new information being shared is scientifically and ethically sound and in line with the scientific method. In this video, we briefly explain what peer review is and where it fits in the research process?
SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is considered to be a respiratory virus. However, once inside the lungs, the virus can move throughout the body to cause widespread, systemic injury. Perhaps the most seriously affected system in COVID-19 is the cardiovascular system.
There is a saying that when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. So, it should come as no surprise that vaccine skeptics worldwide are sounding the alarm about the flu shot as a real danger in the COVID-19 pandemic. Confused? Well, it turns out the anti-vaccine activists are too.
In January, 2020, during the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a US-based research scientist was exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the disease, at a family gathering in Beijing. Within months, samples provided by this anonymous scientist helped to kick-start research in antibody-based treatments for COVID-19 that ultimately lead to an experimental antibody treatment received by US President Donald Trump.
Although COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, a new review of COVID-19 studies published in the journal PLoS One shows that cardiovascular complications are common in COVID-19 patients, which might increase the risk of death.
COVID-19 has thrown North American professional baseball a curveball. An outbreak among players for the Miami Marlins, that has spread to the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals, brings into question the infection control protocols touted by Major League Baseball. But perhaps more concerning is the report that Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodríguez developed myocarditis as a result of COVID-19. Will myocarditis from COVID-19 be a strike out pitch for professional baseball?
Coronaviruses like SARS-CoV2 – which is responsible for COVID-19 – cause illness by infecting the lungs. But the impact of these viruses can be far wider. The truth is, COVID-19 can be heartbreaking.
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