Search Results for coronavirus

Asymptomatic and presymptomatic people can spread COVID-19

Asymptomatic and presymptomatic carriers of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, were estimated to account for at least 50% of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. People who appear to be healthy can still transmit the disease, justifying the need for people to wear masks and practice physical distancing to reduce the spread of COVID-19. A study that screened 10 million people in Wuhan, China assessed whether the stringent lockdown was effective at reducing the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the population. However, the study was not designed to measure the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission by asymptomatic carriers.

COVID-19 antigen tests are highly accurate, but incorrect use on food items such as fruits or Coca-Cola can produce false positive results

Rapid antigen tests are highly accurate in detecting SARS-CoV-2 in human samples from the throat and nose. However, like any other test, they should be carried out correctly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Misuse of antigen tests either by testing inappropriate samples such as fruits and soft-drinks or using wrong conditions of sterility and pH would render the results unreliable and useless.

PragerU video contains misleading claims about COVID-19 deaths, falsely claims 94% of COVID-19 deaths had pre-existing conditions

The number of deaths recorded in the U.S. so far has exceeded that of previous years by more than 300,000 (excess death). Many parts of the U.S. are also now seeing a shortage in intensive care unit bed capacity. This is likely to translate to a suboptimal level of healthcare resources, which will adversely affect the quality of care for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients.

The American Medical Association does not reject nor support hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19, nor did it change its position on the use matter

The American Medical Association did not change its stance from opposing to supporting the use of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19. The association supports the ability of health practitioners to prescribe drugs based on their professional judgement, but insists that practitioners rely on evidence-based medicine. So far, there is no scientific support for the claim that hydroxychloroquine can prevent COVID-19 deaths.

Nurse who fainted after getting Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has a history of fainting episodes; does not mean the vaccine is unsafe

Fainting, also known as syncope, can occur after vaccination. It is usually harmless in itself, although it can lead to injuries if the affected person falls, which can happen if they are not sitting or lying down at the moment of fainting. Episodes of vasovagal syncope are often triggered by pain and/or anxiety, which can lead to changes in heart rate and blood flow, resulting in a temporary loss of consciousness. The sight of blood or a needle can also trigger vasovagal syncope. Fainting following vaccination is not necessarily indicative of problems with the vaccine itself.

COVID-19 vaccine candidates are generally safe and effective at preventing disease; ongoing studies investigate whether the vaccine can also reduce transmission

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech is the first COVID-19 vaccine to be administered to the general population, in particular healthcare workers, having received Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 11 December 2020. Since then, many posts and articles on social media have claimed alleged safety issues. … Continued

The Krippin virus in “I Am Legend” was intended as a cancer cure, not used as a vaccine

The virus that created the zombies in the film “I Am Legend” was intended as a cancer cure. Named the Krippin virus, it showed initial success at treating cancer patients. However, the virus later mutated into a deadlier form and caused a pandemic. Infected people either sickened and died, or turned into Darkseekers, creatures which display many stereotypical traits of zombies in fiction. The virus was not used for a vaccine.

Cases of Bell’s palsy and death observed during Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine clinical trials were within expected background range of general population

Simply because one event (A) followed another (B) does not mean that B caused A. In a large enough population, deaths and cases of Bell’s palsy are expected to occur solely by random chance. While a certain number of deaths and cases of Bell’s palsy were observed during the clinical trials of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, the frequency of these events wasn’t higher than the expected background rate for the general population. This does not indicate a causal relationship between the events and the vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccine candidates show high efficacy and a safe profile in clinical trials, contrary to claims in viral video

COVID-19 vaccine candidates must pass the same safety standards as any other candidate to demonstrate their efficacy and safety before approval and public use. However, the pandemic situation has removed many of the usual handicaps that such trials face, including funding, recruitment, or bureaucratic red tape, which resulted in faster completion of safety tests. Phase 3 trial’s data from tens of thousands of participants show that COVID-19 vaccine candidates efficiently prevent the infection and are generally safe.