With support from our volunteers we translate these expert-written information into different languages (e.g. French, Arabic, Farsi, Chinese, Spanish, Hindi, Urdu, etc.) thereby helping make accurate information accessible to culturally diverse groups.
The main objective of #ScienceExplained is to bridge knowledge gaps and dispel myths surrounding COVID-19 and the Canada-wide response.
Regeneron Antibodies: Fact-Checking the Science of an Experimental COVID-19 Treatment
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.
Standing up for science in the era of COVID-19
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had a glimmer of hope that maybe through this crisis, trust in science and the importance of scientific research would become indisputable. It felt like we would finally see an example of what a world without just one vaccine for a deadly infectious disease would look like. But the stories that the world chooses to focus on, and those that are shared across non-expert audiences, tell a different story.
Pandemic danger to the deep: the risk of marine mammals contracting SARS-CoV-2 from wastewater
The current COVID-19 pandemic is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that spreads between humans, primarily through respiratory droplets. However, recent studies demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 is excreted in feces and can survive in water for up to 25 days, raising the possibility that wastewater provides a separate mode of spread for this coronavirus.
COVID-19 Ups The Chances Of Dying From A Broken Heart
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.
Towards a massive screening of COVID-19? The EasyCOV saliva test
"Test, test, test" has been the leitmotif of the World Health Organization (WHO) since the start of the pandemic. However, mass screening requires a rapid, simple and effective detection test. To answer this question, french researchers carried out a real race against the clock in the laboratory in order to produce and market this test in record time. This one, called EasyCOV1, requires a saliva sample and provides the results in 1 hour. Back on this test and its mode of action.
What is this promising COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna?
In mid-May, the American company Moderna announced that the vaccine developed against Covid-19 had triggered an immune response in 8 patients. These patients secreted antibodies in an amount comparable to those seen in infected patients and recovered from the coronavirus. Among the panoply of vaccine strategies currently being tested, to which category does Moderna belong?
The lockdown related to COVID-19 severely affected early-career investigators and clinical trials
The research sectors particularly impacted by the pandemic are beginning to be identified. David Knapp, Principal Investigator at IRIC, in collaboration with David G. Kent (University of York) and Nagarajan Kannan (Mayo Clinic), highlight the consequences of the health crisis on early-career investigators and clinical trials.
Will COVID-19 Use Myocarditis to Strike Out Baseball?
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?
