Category: infection
Study behind updated FDA guidance shows self-swab tests are as effective as those done by clinicians
Earlier this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it would be updating its guidance to allow self-swab tests for COVID-19, in which a patient collects a sample for their own nose for a health professional to test. On Wednesday, UnitedHealth Group revealed the results of a…
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French study finds anti-malarial and antibiotic combo could reduce COVID-19 duration
A new study whose results were published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents has found early evidence that the combination of hydroxychloroquine, a popular anti-malaria drug known under the trade name Planequil, and antibiotic azithromycin (aka Zithromax or Azithrocin) could be especially effective in treating the COVID-19 coronavirus and…
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Oxford scientists develop new coronavirus test that provides results in just 30 minutes
Scientists at the University of Oxford have developed a new coronavirus test that produces results around three times faster than the current fastest testing methods, and that requires only relatively simple technical instrumentation. In addition to these benefits, the researchers behind the test’s development say that it could even help…
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Administration expands telemedicine for Medicare and encourages health plans to boost offerings
The U.S. government is moving to lift restrictions on telemedicine services and expand coverage to all Americans, even as many providers say they’re struggling to meet existing demand. The expansion covers roughly 62 million Medicare beneficiaries who are among the most vulnerable to the novel coronavirus. “This action is a…
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New study of COVID-19 patient’s immune response could inform future treatment
A new study published in science journal Nature Medicine (via Bloomberg) examines the case of a patient who contracted COVID-19 in Wuhan and fell ill in Melbourne, Australia could provide a more comprehensive view of how and why certain people react to the virus more seriously than others. The patient’s…
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FDA approves new Coronavirus test that could speed rate of testing up to tenfold
The U.S. Food and Drug and Administration has granted emergency approval for use of a new test that can increase the range of testing patients by up to 10 times compared to methods in use currently, Bloomberg reports. That speed improvement refers specifically to the technical capabilities of the testing…
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