Treatment

Chemicals found in everyday products could hinder Covid-19 vaccine

CAPE TOWN - Scientists have raised concerns that a chemical used in everyday products including waterproof clothing and pizza boxes could reduce the effects of a Coronavirus vaccine. Although it is unknown if small amounts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals will impact the effectiveness of any Covid-19 vaccine, Philippe Grandjean, ...
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WHO welcomes Covid-19 vaccines but concerned about surge

CAPE TOWN - WHO chief Tedros Adhanon Ghebrayesus, has hailed the “encouraging news” about Covid-19 vaccines but stressed that complacency was not an option as cases in many countries continue to surge. The UN agency says it is  “extremely concerned” by the surge in cases in Europe and the Americas, ...
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One in five Covid-19 deaths in the African region linked to diabetes

CAPE TOWN - Nearly one in five Covid-19 deaths in Africa were found to be among people with diabetes in an analysis of 14 African countries.  While Africa’s incidence rates of people with diabetes remains relatively low, a whole-population study in England showed a third of Covid-19 related deaths occurred ...
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Sleep regulating drug Melatonin could help treat Covid-19

CAPE TOWN- New research has found that Melatonin, an anti-inflammatory hormone that help regulates sleep, may be a viable treatment option for Covid-19. As the race for the Covid-19 vaccine continues, repurposing drugs already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for new therapeutic purposes has been found to ...
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Loss of smell and taste an early indication of Covid-19

CAPE TOWN - An international team of researchers discovers that individuals that reported a loss of smell and taste provided earlier markers for the spread of Covid-19. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that self-reports of smell and taste changes were earlier markers of the spread of ...
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SA scientists develop breakthrough Covid-19 nanobodies

CAPE TOWN - Scientists at the University of Pretoria have developed ground-breaking nanobodies that can be used to easily detect Covid-19 and deliver results in minutes. The researchers based at the University of Pretoria developed unique nanobodies which could be used in rapid tests as in therapy for Covid-19 with ...
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How Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine works

CAPE TOWN - On Monday, Pfizer announced positive early results from its late-stage vaccine trial. According to the company the vaccine was more than 90 percent effective in preventing Covid-19 among volunteers who had no evidence of prior infection. The type of vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNtech is known ...
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Confidence in taking a Covid-19 vaccine has dropped

CAPE TOWN - Confidence in taking a Covid-19 vaccine has dropped, with fewer people globally saying they’d get one, the latest World Economic Forum-Ipsos survey revealed.  The survey shows that on average, across 15 countries, 73 percent of adults strongly or somewhat agree with the statement “if a vaccine for ...
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Here’s 5 facts you probably didn’t know about radiography

CAPE TOWN- World Radiography Day marks the anniversary of the discovery of X-rays on 8 November 1895. This annual event recognizes the achievements in medical imaging and Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen’s discovery of X-rays. Here are 5 interesting facts about radiography and x-ray imaging: 1. The first-ever x-ray was an accident: ...
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Celebrating radiography’s contribution to healthcare

CAPE TOWN- World Radiography Day is celebrated annually on 8 November to highlight the profession’s vital contribution to modern healthcare. The date marks the anniversary of the discovery of x-radiation by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895. Charmaine Mardon, a radiographer who practiced for 40 years in the Eastern Cape says that ...
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Africa’s top 5 tech innovations to tackle Covid-19

CAPE TOWN - From a WhatsApp chatbot to a self-diagnosis tool, health technology innovation has thrived in Africa amid the coronavirus. According to a recent study by the World Health Organization (WHO), the coronavirus pandemic has spurred health technology innovation in Africa. SEE ALSO: TOUCHLESS COVID-19 SCREENING TECHNOLOGY Here are ...
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Oxford’s Covid-19 vaccines could be ready by year end

CAPE TOWN- Two possible Covid-19 vaccine candidates being developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca are nearing the finish line to have a vaccine ready by December.  The late-stage trial results could be presented this year as the British government prepares for a possible vaccination rollout in late December ...
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Scientists petition WHO over airborne transmission of Covid-19

CAPE TOWN -  An online petition on Change.org has been started by scientists calling on WHO to urgently promote broad awareness of aerosols transmission. According to the petition there is compelling scientific evidence that Covid-19 spreads by aerosol transmission ('airborne') and urges the health body to immediately develop and initiate ...
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Cough detector can identify Covid-19 in asymptomatic patients

CAPE TOWN - Researchers use artificial intelligence that analyses changes in the lungs and respiratory performance identifying Covid-19 in asymptomatic with an accuracy of 97 percent. The biggest challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic was to contain the outbreak of the novel virus with scientists rushing to develop tools and technology ...
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New tech face masks that uses an ‘air curtain’

CAPE TOWN - A new face mask that's under development that makes use of a headset device that neutralises and blocks airborne pathogens. A company founded by a University of Michigan engineering professor called Taza Aya LLC, is an awardee in the Invisible Shield QuickFire Challenge which is a competition ...
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This is how much a Covid-19 vaccine will cost

CAPE TOWN - According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are at least ten coronavirus vaccine programmes that have progressed to Phase III trials worldwide. Several efforts are underway to help make that possible, including the U.S. government’s Operation Warp Speed. Through the initiative, the U.S. government has pledged ...
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‘Covid toes’ and hair loss reported from long-haulers

CAPE TOWN- The average recovery time for people diagnosed with Covid-19 is around 10-14 days, however, some Covid-19 long-haulers have reported persisting symptoms ranging from "Covid toes" to rashes and hair loss.  Finding from a new study presented during the annual European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology conference last week ...
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Johnson & Johnson to begin Covid-19 vaccine trials on youth

CAPE TOWN - Johnson & Johnson aims to begin their Covid-19 vaccine trials in youths aged between 12 and 18 years old. “We plan to trial children as soon as we possibly can, but very carefully in terms of safety,” Johnson & Johnson’s Dr. Jerry Sadoff told a virtual meeting ...
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Early vaccines will prevent symptoms, not the virus – Fauci

CAPE TOWN- At least four Covid-19 vaccine candidates are in late-stage clinical trials in the United States, but when they will become available and how well they will work remains a question. Director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr Anthony Fauci has cautioned that early Covid-19 ...
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Early Covid-19 vaccines may be imperfect- UK Vaccine Taskforce

CAPE TOWN- As the world eagerly awaits a Covid-19 vaccine, the United Kingdom's Vaccine Taskforce chair, Kate Bingham said that the first generation of Covid-19 vaccines “is likely to be imperfect” and that they “might not work for everyone”. "Our strategy has been to build a diverse portfolio across different ...
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