New Omicron Variants Are Here--What We Know So Far
The variants appear to sneak past the immune system, but vaccines will likely continue to hold strong.....»»
"Heardle" is "Wordle" but make it music
Thought you were done reading about new Wordle variants?Nope!Although many of the word-based options may now have been exhausted — we've had the nightmarish Absurdle, the crude Lewdle, the geography-based Worldle and Globle, and the Taylor Swif.....»»
Here’s how kids’ COVID vaccines are holding up in the real world amid omicron
As in adults, omicron and time lower effectiveness, but shots protect from severe COVID. Enlarge / A nurse gives a 16-year-old a COVID-19 vaccine. (credit: Getty | Sopa images) New data on the real-world effectiveness of COVI.....»»
Wastewater Monitoring Offers Powerful Tool for Tracking COVID and Other Diseases
A CDC database of sewage data from communities around the nation could provide earlier warning of outbreaks and new viral variants -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»
43% of Americans—140 million—have had COVID, CDC estimates
About 37 million infected in omicron wave, and 58% of kids were infected at some point. Enlarge / Blood samples for COVID-19 antibody testing. (credit: Getty | Bloomberg) An estimated 140 million people in the US—around 43 p.....»»
Genome sequence of COVID in a cat nearly identical to viral sequences found in people
Since being identified in people in 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has gone on to infect a wide range of animal species, wild and domestic. Concerns abound that these species jumps could lead to novel mutations and even harmful new variants......»»
Majority of Ukrainian hospitals could run out of oxygen today as omicron rages: WHO
COVID cases have increased 555% recently, and oxygen shortage risks thousands of lives. Enlarge / A worker is seen servicing oxygen cylinders for COVID-19 patients in Kramatorsk city hospital. (credit: Getty | SOPA Images) Th.....»»
COVID’s spread within hospitals hit all-time high amid omicron wave
Hospital risk was still relatively low, but surge speaks to omicron's transmissibility. Enlarge / A health care worker treats a patient inside a negative pressure room in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at Freeman Hospital West in Jop.....»»
German retailer sees Intel"s motherboard revenue surpass AMD"s for the first time in years
Twitter's TechEpiphany (via Tom’s Hardware) reports that during week 7 of 2022, Mindfactory’s data showed Intel motherboards generated €234,656 (around $266,604) while AMD variants managed €208,236 (~$236,587). That means Pat Gelsinger’s fi.....»»
Omicron subvariant BA.2 continues global rise as experts assess mixed data
Lab studies suggest higher pathogenicity, but so far, real-world data on severity doesn't. Enlarge (credit: Getty | Xinhua News Agency) A sub-lineage of the omicron coronavirus variant, dubbed BA.2, continues to increase stea.....»»
Alarm Raised After Microsoft Wins Data-Encoding Patent
Microsoft last month received a US patent covering modifications to a data-encoding technique called rANS, one of several variants in the Asymmetric Numeral System (ANS) family that support data compression schemes used by leading technology companie.....»»
Vaccine makers announce slowdowns for omicron-specific booster
"If the wave ends, that does not mean it can't begin again." Enlarge / Vials of undiluted Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. (credit: Getty | BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI ) Vaccine makers are pushing back when omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccines c.....»»
Discovery of New HIV Variant Sends Warning for COVID Pandemic
Infectious disease expert William A. Haseltine cautions that a coronavirus variant could emerge with the transmissibility of Omicron and the deadliness of the original SARS -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»
Omicron wave was brutal on kids; hospitalization rates 4X higher than delta’s
Incidental cases do not account for the jump in hospitalizations, the authors found. Enlarge / Boston Medical Center Child Life Specialist Karlie Bittrich sees to a baby while in a pediatrics tent set up outside of Boston Medical Cente.....»»
Booster protection from omicron hospital stay dips from 91% to 78%
Despite inevitable waning, protection against severe disease still looks strong. Enlarge / A vial containing Moderna COVID-19 booster vaccine at a vaccination center. (credit: Getty | SOPA Images) COVID-19 booster doses are la.....»»
Microsoft Tells Workers To Prepare To Return To the Office
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the New York Times: Microsoft told employees that they will need to return to office next month, transitioning back to its corporate campus for the first time since the Omicron coronavirus variant tore through.....»»
Exynos 2200 vs. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1: Which is a better chip?
Samsung released dual variants of the Galaxy S22 flagship series with both — Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Exynos 2200. Which one is better?.....»»
Omicron"s Surprising Anatomy Explains Why It Is Wildly Contagious
Specific mutations hide the COVID variant from the immune system and give it a new route into more cells -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»
Researchers identify SARS-CoV-2 variants with potential to escape cellular immune response
A number of existing strains of SARS-CoV-2, as well as other future variants that could arise, have the potential to escape the immune system's cytotoxic T cell response in some portion of the population. That's the conclusion of a new modeling study.....»»
Genomic surveillance helps prepare for rabies outbreaks in bats
The COVID-19 pandemic and the significant impact of emerging variants have shown the importance of understanding viruses in as much detail as possible......»»
Moderna’s omicron booster was only as good as current vaccine in monkey study
Boosting with an omicron-specific vaccine didn't offer more protection against omicron. Enlarge / A vial of the current Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. (credit: Getty | Ivan Romano) In a small group of monkeys, an omicron-specific v.....»»