During the first wave of coronavirus in April, we wrote about our experiences as frontline healthcare workers in Liverpool. While working on COVID-19 wards, we described the stark psychological and health vulnerabilities faced by health workers around the UK. In those early days of the pandemic, our health systems wereContinue Reading
Most drugs can be used for more than just the disease they were initially designed to treat. For example, disulfiram (brand name Antabuse) was developed to treat parasites but has since been found to be useful for treating alcoholism. It’s much quicker and cheaper to “repurpose” drugs in this wayContinue Reading
Volodymyr TVERDOKHLIB/Shutterstock A commonly used drug called fluvoxamine was recently tested as a treatment for COVID-19 in the United States. The 152 patients enrolled in the trial had been confirmed to have COVID-19 using a PCR test, and had seen symptoms appear within the past seven days. Patients who alreadyContinue Reading
Socialise, even if only online. Evgenyrychko/Shutterstock With several COVID vaccines closing in on regulatory approval, we can start to imagine a future after this pandemic. But health experts have warned people not to get too excited. The World Health Organization predicts that Europe will face at least six more difficultContinue Reading
This year, it's safer to celebrate on Zoom. insta_photos/Shutterstock In early November, the UK government put England into its second coronavirus lockdown. With rising infections nationally, strained health services and the threat of yet more deaths, the UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, said: “There is no alternative”. An important factorContinue Reading
In the long dark tunnel that has been 2020, November stands out as the month that light appeared. Some might see it as a bright light, others as a faint light – but it is unmistakably a light. On November 9, Pfizer announced the interim results of its candidate vaccine,Continue Reading
The success or failure of coronavirus regulations is often assessed on whether they affect the rate of transmission in the community, and whether or not people comply with them. But what about the ethics behind the measures? With inevitable and complex value judgments at play, responses to COVID-19 have shownContinue Reading
Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock With coronaviruses taking over our news feeds – and lives – you may be fooled into thinking it’s the only virus affecting humans at the moment. But it’s important to remember that there are many viruses, especially respiratory viruses, that regularly infect us. These viruses range from theContinue Reading
You might assume that all great medical discoveries are the result of deliberate action on the part of scientists. But you’d be wrong. Many great discoveries are the result of accidents, mistakes and chance. Here are five of the best, starting with the most recent. 1. Oxford vaccine dose IfContinue Reading
In the long dark tunnel that has been 2020, November stands out as the month that light appeared. Some might see it as a bright light, others as a faint light – but it is unmistakably a light. On November 9, Pfizer announced the interim results of its candidate vaccine,Continue Reading