Flushing the Toilet May Fling Coronavirus Aerosols All Over
A new study shows how turbulence from a toilet bowl can create a large plume that is potentially infectious to a bathroom’s next visitor.
Here’s one more behavior to be hyper-aware of in order to prevent coronavirus transmission: what you do after you use the toilet.
Scientists have found that in addition to clearing out whatever business you’ve left behind, flushing a toilet can generate a cloud of aerosol droplets that rises nearly three feet. Those droplets may linger in the air long enough to be inhaled by a shared toilet’s next user, or land on surfaces in the bathroom.
Estimates suggest one in five people worldwide have an underlying health condition that could increase their risk of severe COVID-19 if infected
An estimated 1.7 billion people, 22% of the world population, have at least one underlying health condition that could increase their risk of severe COVID-19 if infected, according to a modelling study that uses data from 188 countries, published in The Lancet Global Health.
Although the estimates provide an idea of the number of people governments should prioritise for protective measures, not all individuals with these conditions would go on to develop severe symptoms if infected. The authors estimate that 4% of the world’s population (349 million of 7.8 billion people) would require hospitalisation if infected, suggesting that the increased risk of severe COVID-19 could be quite modest for many with underlying conditions.
Dr Andrew Clark, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), said: “As countries move out of lockdown, governments are looking for ways to protect the most vulnerable from a virus that is still circulating. We hope our estimates will provide useful starting points for designing measures to protect those at increased risk of severe disease. This might involve advising people with underlying conditions to adopt social distancing measures appropriate to their level of risk, or prioritising them for vaccination in the future.”
Guidelines published by the WHO and by public health agencies in the UK and USA identify risk factors for severe COVID-19, including cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease.
The new study provides global, regional and national estimates for the number of people with underlying health
Coronavirus: Dexamethasone proves first life-saving drug
A cheap and widely available drug can help save the lives of patients seriously ill with coronavirus.
The low-dose steroid treatment dexamethasone is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus, UK experts say.
The drug is part of the world's biggest trial testing existing treatments to see if they also work for coronavirus.
It cut the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators. For those on oxygen, it cut deaths by a fifth.
Awesome Covid-19 2020 illustrated journal
Genes May Leave Some People More Vulnerable to Severe Covid-19
Genes May Leave Some People More Vulnerable to Severe Covid-19
Geneticists have turned up intriguing links between DNA and the disease. Patients with Type A blood, for example, seem to be at greater risk.
By Carl Zimmer
June 3, 2020
Why do some people infected with the coronavirus suffer only mild symptoms, while others become deathly ill?
Geneticists have been scouring our DNA for clues. Now, a study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.
Variations at two spots in the human genome are associated with an increased risk of respiratory failure in patients with Covid-19, the researchers found. One of these spots includes the gene that determines blood types.
Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
Martin Gugino, Buffalo man pushed by police, is long-time peace activist"I am not at liberty to elaborate at this time other than to confirm that his skull was fractured," Gugino's attorney Kelly Zarcone said. "While he is not able to walk yet, we were able to have a short conversation before he became too tired. He is appreciative of all of the concern about him but he is still focused on the issues rather than himself."
Exquisite little automata gems
Who knew? this is how hedgehogs argue. In huffing whispers.
When 511 Epidemiologists Expect to Fly, Hug and Do 18 Other Everyday Activities Again
When epidemiologists said they expect to do these activities in their personal lives, assuming the pandemic and response unfold as they expect
Activities they said they might start doing soon
| THIS SUMMER | 3 TO 12 MOS. | 1 YR.+ | NEVER AGAIN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bring in mail without precautions (n = 379) | 64 | 16 | 17 | 3 |
| See a doctor for a nonurgent appointment (507) | 60 | 29 | 11 | <1 td=""> |
| Vacation overnight within driving distance (372) | 56 | 26 | 18 | <1 td=""> |
| Get a haircut at a salon or barber shop (485) | 41 | 39 | 19 | 1 |
Later in the next year
| THIS SUMMER | 3 TO 12 MOS. | 1 YR.+ | NEVER AGAIN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attend a small dinner party (n = 509) | 32 | 46 | 21 | <1 td=""> |
| Hike or picnic outdoors with friends (506) | 31 | 41 | 27 | <1 td=""> |
| Send kids to school, camp or day care (304) | 30 | 55 | 15 | <1 td=""> |
| Work in a shared office (434) | 27 | 54 | 18 | 1 |
| Send children on play dates (272) | 23 | 47 | 29 | 1 |
| Ride a subway or a bus (408) | 20 | 40 | 39 | 1 |
| Visit elderly relative or friend in their home (485) | 20 | 41 | 39 | <1 td=""> |
| Travel by airplane (512) | 20 | 44 | 37 | <1 td=""> |
| Eat at a dine-in restaurant (506) | 16 | 56 | 28 | <1 td=""> |
| Exercise at a gym or fitness studio (406) | 14 | 42 | 40 | 4 |
Maybe a year or more
| THIS SUMMER | 3 TO 12 MOS. | 1 YR.+ | NEVER AGAIN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attend a wedding or a funeral (n = 501) | 17 | 41 | 42 | <1 td=""> |
| Hug or shake hands when greeting a friend (503) | 14 | 39 | 42 | 6 |
| Go out with someone you don't know well (363) | 14 | 42 | 42 | 2 |
| Attend a church or other religious service (220) | 13 | 43 | 43 | 2 |
| Stop routinely wearing a face covering (513) | 7 | 40 | 52 | 1 |
| Attend a sporting event, concert or play (489) | 3 | 32 | 64 | 1 |
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