Nancy Lapid

(Reuters.) – Here is a list of recent COVID-19 studies. There is some research that needs to be further investigated to verify the results and has not been peer reviewed.

Covidian “brain fog”, long-term COVID, shares many features with “chemo Brain”

According to recent research, the “brain fog”, which some patients experienced following COVID-19 has striking similarities with the “chemo brain” condition – the mental cloudiness that some suffer from during and after treatment for cancer.

COVID-19 patients “frequently have lingering neurological symptoms”, similar to those who suffer from cancer-related cognitive impairment. The researchers posted a Monday report on bioRxiv to explain the findings. Researchers found evidence of inflammation in the brains of COVID-19 patients. One of these proteins was CCL11 which is associated with cognitive impairments and poor health of the nervous system.

Researchers found that CCL11 was elevated in 48 of the 63 COVID patients. This contrasted with the low levels seen in those with no cognitive impairment and the remaining 15 with cognitive difficulties. The researchers speculated that COVID-19 patients might benefit from treatments for cognitive impairment related to cancer treatment. However, they need to be evaluated for COVID long term.

Experimental clip-on device finds virus particles in air

Researchers believe that a small, experimental device attached to clothing could be used to detect whether the wearer was exposed to SARS CoV-2 particles.

The device, called the Fresh Air Clip, continually collects airborne aerosols, including droplets carrying the virus, on a silicone surface, according to a report published on Tuesday in Environmental Science & Technology Letters. The researchers tested the device in lab experiments and distributed it to 62 people who wore them for five days. Five of five clips contained the coronavirus, which was detected by PCR. The other four were worn by servers at restaurants and the one by staff members of a shelter.

The researchers said that more research will be needed before it can be commercially sold. It could be useful in real-world situations with high risk, helping to detect potential cases early and identify high-exposure areas indoors.

Researchers plan to reuse masks from hospitals

Research suggests that healthcare workers can reuse a mask they use to protect themselves against coronavirus.

N95 respirators have a more snug fit than surgical or cloth masks. The edges of the N95 respirators form tight seals around the nose, mouth, and eyes. The shortage of N95 respirators forced staff to either re-use the masks or use less protective masks during the initial stages of this pandemic. In an American Journal of Infection Control paper, researchers found that N95 masks could be safely sterilized using standard disinfection methods involving vaporized hydroperoxide. This allows them to retain their effectiveness for as many as 25 cycles.

They stated that N95 respirator recycling would only be possible if there was sufficient coordination. In a press release, Dr. Christina Yen from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston) stated that it would be smart to prepare now for ways to scale up and transfer this capability to smaller hospitals or other healthcare facilities with limited resources.

Click for a Reuters graphic https://tmsnrt.rs/3c7R3Bl on vaccines in development.