Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
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SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted by airborne droplets in a hamster model. Surgical masks reduce both infection & severity, particularly when worn by those infected.
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We profiled the serological responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleocapsid (N) protein and spike (S) glycoprotein. The majority of the patients developed robust antibody responses between 17 and 23 days after illness onset. Delayed, but stronger, antibody responses were observed in critical patients.
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The human and social toll of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has already spurred several major public health "lessons learned," and the theme of effective and responsible scientific communication is among them. We propose that Twitter has played a fundamental-but often precarious-role in permitting real-time global communication between scientists during the COVID-19 epidemic, on a scale not seen before. Here, we discuss 3 key facets to Twitter-enabled scientific exchange during public health emergencies, including some major drawbacks. This discussion also serves as a succinct primer on some of the pivotal epidemiological analyses (and their communication) during the early phases of the COVID-19 outbreak, as seen through the lens of a Twitter feed.
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Considerable debates about the general community use of face masks for protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) stemmed out from differing views taken by health authorities. Misconceptions and stigmatization towards the use of face masks may hinder the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ In contrast, authorities that recommended against the community use of masks mainly cited shortage of supplies, the argument that the public do not have the adequate skills to wear them, or that wearing masks might reduce compliance with other important behaviors. We suggest promoting effective behavioral changes in personal protective measures by teaching microbiological knowledge instead of just listing out the "do's-and-don'ts."
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Healthcare workers (HCWs) at the frontline are facing a substantial risk of infection during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. ⋯ The infection risk of HCWs is clearly higher than that of non-HCWs. HCWs play an essential role in fighting the pandemic. The analysis of the infection status of HCWs is essential to attract enough attention from the public, provide effective suggestions for government agencies, and improve protective measures for HCWs.