Parliament and the executive seem to think that the Minister can exercise her power as long as COVID19 remains a threat – which could be “for months or even years”. This means that the management of the crisis would remain solely within the purview of the executive. Dave Steward, Chairman of the FW de Klerk […]
FEATURED NEWS
ACE2: the molecule that helps coronavirus invade your cells
David C Gaze, Lecturer in Clinical Biochemistry, University of Westminster 12 May 2020 The more we learn about the science behind COVID-19, the more we are beginning to understand the vital role a single molecule in our bodies plays in how we contract the disease. That molecule, Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2, or ACE2, essentially acts […]
Coronavirus: A Brave New World
We have been bombarded with COVID 19 “facts” from every means devised by man to transport information. To try and make sense of what is to be believed, and what is hype, we contacted Dr. David Klatzow to give us his take on what’s really going on here, and come up with something we can […]
Here’s why some people with coronavirus get symptoms while others don’t
One of the major issues in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic is that we simply don’t understand why SARS-CoV-2 — the coronavirus that causes the disease — is so dangerous. We do know that its deadly nature is a function of small genetic changes, called mutations, which distinguish it from other viruses. But which mutations? SARS-CoV-2 […]
Coronavirus pandemic: why a flu jab is a good idea in countries heading into winter
Every year seasonal influenza kills between 100,000 and 600,000 people worldwide. There are around 11,500 deaths in South Africa alone. Marietjie Venter, Head: Zoonotic arbo and Respiratory virus Program, Professor, Department Medical Virology, University of Pretoria As the southern hemisphere moves closer to winter, virologists are concerned about the upcoming influenza season. This may […]
Coronavirus: many patients reporting neurological symptoms
Jeremy Rossman, Honorary Senior Lecturer in Virology and President of Research-Aid Networks, University of Kent – 24 April 2020 As case numbers of COVID-19 continue to rise around the world, we are starting to see an increasing number of reports of neurological symptoms. Some studies report that over a third of patients show neurological […]
What does ‘recovered from coronavirus’ mean? Some answers about surviving and what happens next
Tom Duszynski, Director Epidemiology Education, IUPUI The coronavirus is certainly scary, but despite the constant reporting on total cases and a climbing death toll, the reality is that the vast majority of people who come down with COVID-19 survive it. Just as the number of cases grows, so does another number: those who have recovered. […]
Should we wear masks or not? An expert sorts through the confusion
Thomas Perls, Professor of Medicine, Boston University As a professor at Boston University’s School of Medicine and a geriatrician at Boston Medical Center caring for the most vulnerable in this pandemic, I’ve been asked a lot of questions about COVID-19. It turns out there is good science out there that helps us know what masks […]
COVID-19 Testing: answers to six questions
28 March 2020 As COVID-19 spreads throughout the world, the need for more extensive laboratory testing increases. Testing and diagnosing people who have the disease is critical to tracking cases and managing the pandemic. But countries around the world have been unable to meet the demand to expand testing. Glenda Mary Davison, Associate Professor, Cape […]
TB, HIV and COVID-19: urgent questions as three epidemics collide
Emily Wong, Africa Health Research Institute, University of KwaZulu-Natal Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV pose a significant burden on South Africa’s health system. There’s a close relationship between the two. About 60% of TB patients are also HIV-positive. The novel coronavirus (Sars-CoV-2) is likely to be of particular concern for communities with high rates of TB […]