7
Mar
2022
SARS-CoV-2: Where Did It Come From and Where Does It Go Next?
We are once again in a period of pandemic optimism — June 2021 redux. I hope this is justified, but I am reminded of the “fool me once, fool me twice” saying. Over the past few weeks there have been four papers that examine viral infection dynamics between animals and humans — animal to human and back again (Zoonosis) that... Read More
6
Jan
2022
The Omicron Wave: A Review of the Research on Spread and Severity
The vast majority of people in the US have at least partial immunity to many forms of SARS-CoV-2, either from prior infection, vaccination, or both. The past few weeks have shown us that the Omicron variant transmits faster than any of its predecessors. That essentially guarantees that the unvaccinated plus early vaccinees (last dose/boost more than 6 months ago) will... Read More
20
Dec
2021
Controlling COVID in 2022: Masks, Treatments and Fast, Frequent Testing
Over the past week I have been reflecting on what we know now, two years into a seemingly unending pandemic. One of the biggest failures has been with testing. At first, our only effective defenses were masking and social distancing. We were slow to ramp up testing, unable to give most people the timely information they could use to isolate... Read More
3
May
2021
RT-PCR Tests for COVID-19 Have Quantitative Power. Let’s Start Using It
Over the past 16 months, 192 billion COVID tests have been carried out globally. A majority are real-time polymerase chain reaction tests (RTqPCR) tests. Every one of those has been reported to patients as an either/or result: positive or, more usually, negative. These tests are capable of doing much, much more than just giving a simple yes/no answer. The “q”... Read More
7
Feb
2021
The Variants Ratchet Up the Pressure
The biggest questions at this moment in the pandemic concern emerging variants. Over the past two weeks in preprint publications, we have learned: Viral antigen tests remain effective in their ability to detect cases of COVID-19 driven by new variants. New objective comparisons of viral antigen tests: Clinitest; RAY Crispr; Panbio. Good news: Israel is the first real-world example of... Read More
14
Jan
2021
How Worried Should We Be About Emerging Strains of SARS-CoV-2?
All virus strains mutate continuously. That’s normal. There’s nothing inherently concerning about that word, “mutation.” Unless, of course, the mutations give an evolving virus new properties that make it more transmissible or more pathogenic. That’s trouble. The news has been worrisome in recent weeks with reports on the B.1.1.7 strain first detected in the UK, and other new strains of... Read More