New York, July 25 (IANS) A global team of scientists has identified 21 existing drugs that stop the replication of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Notably, four of these compounds were found to work synergistically with remdesivir, a current standard-of-care treatment for Covid-19, said the study published in the journal Nature. "Remdesivir has proven successful at shortening the recovery time for patients in the hospital, but the drug doesn't work for everyo

New Delhi, July 25 (IANSlife) Hand sanitisers have irrefutably become the most important thing in our lives to protect ourselves during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic; the other things include masks and social distancing. It has been a long time since hand sanitisers became mandatory; while they are effective in dealing with germs and bacteria, excessive usage can result in killing good bacteria as well. Citing medical reports, alcohol-based sanitisers are considered effective in eli

New Delhi, July 25 (IANSlife) When it comes to working out, stretching has always been the underdog. Some people believe it is an essential part of exercise to avoid injuries, while others say can lead to injuries itself. The truth of the matter is that both of these claims aren't entirely incorrect. It's the execution is what makes all the difference when it comes to stretching. According to Dr Sneh Soni, MD Physician, myUpchar, stretching on a daily basis, the right way, c

MOSCOW, July 24 (Reuters) - Human trials of Russia’s second potential coronavirus vaccine, developed by the Siberian Vector institute, will begin on July 27, the TASS news agency cited Russia’s consumer safety watchdog as saying on Friday. An early-stage human trial of a separate vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya institute in Moscow, was completed this month, with scientists hailing the results and authorities planning to move to mass production in the autumn.

New Delhi, July 24 (IANS) In an interview with IANS, Adar Poonawalla, CEO, Serum Institute of India (SII) said as per the arrangement with AstraZeneca, SII will be making one billion doses of Covishield vaccine over the next one year for India and other low-and-middle-income countries (GAVI countries). "We will start producing a few millions of doses at a personal risk. Based on the success of the trials, we are expecting to launch it by the end of this year. I believe by the f

July 24 (Reuters) - Regulators that normally work within their own countries or regions will likely harmonize efforts on potential COVID-19 vaccines to speed up their approvals once they become available, WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Friday. Swaminathan, answering questions on social media platforms, also said testing vaccines for safety and efficacy - usually a years-long process - could be accelerated to just six months in the midst of the pandemic, if data satis

BEIJING, July 24 (Reuters) - Animal tests of a potential COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Chinese researchers show it triggers an immune response against the novel coronavirus, offering some promise as it goes into early-stage human trials, according to a peer-reviewed study https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0092-8674%2820%2930932-6 ARCoV is a messenger RNA vaccine which uses technology similar to candidates being developed by Moderna and BioNtech and Pfizer. It is the sec

New Delhi, July 24 (IANSlife) Due to the fear of Covid-19 pandemic, 'immunity' has replaced weight loss as the new 'It' word. Everyone is either talking about ways to boost it or what to eat to keep immunity levels high. And rightly so, as prevention seems to be the only way to give the rampant infection a skip. The only way we ensure a robust immunity is to work actively at boosting it and focus on one's diet and lifestyle. To get a tough immune system, we ne

New York, July 24 (IANS) If you want to lead a healthy, long life, read on. Researchers have found that diets high in protein, particularly plant protein, are associated with a lower risk of death from any cause. Diets high in protein, particularly protein from plants such as legumes (peas, beans and lentils), whole grains and nuts, have been linked to lower risks of developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke. While regular consumption of red meat and high intake of animal pro

New York, July 24 (IANS) It seems like chocolate is good for the heart as researchers have said that consuming chocolate at least once a week is linked with a reduced risk of heart disease. The study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, suggests that chocolate helps keep the heart's blood vessels healthy. In the past, clinical studies have shown that chocolate is beneficial for both blood pressure and the lining of blood vessels. "I wanted to s

San Francisco, July 23 (IANS) People might have to take multiple doses of a potential Covid-19 vaccine to protect themselves from the disease, said Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates. The billionaire philanthropist told CBS News on Wednesday that "none of the vaccines at this point appear like they'll work with a single dose." Over 150 Covid-19 vaccines are currently at different stages of development, with a few now advancing to the late stage clinical trial. The B

New York, July 23 (IANS) Pfizer, which has struck a nearly $2 billion deal with the US government to deliver 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine developed in collaboration with its German partner BioNTech, is hoping to seek regulatory approval for a vaccine "as early as October" this year and have a vaccine on the market by year end. A "best case scenario" would be approval before year end and a vaccine by year end, according to Pfizer. "In the third

UNITED NATIONS, JULY 22 (IANS): The COVID-19 pandemic is making a global childcare crisis even worse, head of the United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF), Henrietta Fore has warned. Fore's remark came after the release of a UN study that shows at least 40 million children have missed out on early childhood education due to measures to combat COVID-19. The research brief, published on Tuesday, looks at the state of childcare and early childhood education glob

New York, July 22 (IANS) People with a history of periodontal (gum) disease appear to have a higher risk of developing mouth and stomach cancer, warn researchers. Periodontitis or gum disease is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue and, without treatment, can destroy the bone that supports your teeth. Periodontitis can cause teeth to loosen or lead to tooth loss. The study, published in the journal Gut, found that a history gum appeared to be associated with a

New Delhi, July 21 (IANS) As the government seeks suggestions from the parents regarding the reopening of schools in the near future, health experts on Monday entered a debate whether reopening schools and colleges will bring herd (community) immunity in India in the absence of a vaccine.   While a school of thought put forth the idea that children are very good candidates to achieve herd immunity because their immunity is strong and they fast develop strong antibodies compa

New Delhi, July 21 (PTI): The coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca shows promise as it can generate both antibodies and cell-mediated immune responses, say several scientists in India and abroad, while cautioning that there is still a long way to go.       "Very promising", "comforting" and "interesting" were some of the reactions from the scientific community a day after The Lancet revealed the vaccine a

New Delhi, July 21 (IANSlife) While the scare of the COVID-19 pandemic continues, citizens across the country have tested positive; some have been hospitalised while others have been advised to stay home care and isolation. The latter includes those who are asymptomatic or with mild symptoms and have tested positive for the novel virus. While many have followed strict precautionary measures to avoid contracting the infection, it is another daunting task to prepare oneself for the ti

Beijing, July 21 (IANS) A phase 2 trial of a Covid-19 vaccine candidate conducted in China has found that the vaccine is safe and induces an immune response, according to a new study published in the journal The Lancet. This comes barely 24 hours after on Monday The Lancet only published that a Covid-19 vaccine developed by scientists at the Oxford University produces strong immune responses in both parts of the immune system, showed results of Phase I/II trial. The results from

Hong Kong, July 21 (IANS) People who regularly exercise tend to have a lower risk of high blood pressure (BP), even if they live in areas where air pollution is relatively high, say researchers.   The risk-benefit relationship between air pollution and physical activity is an important public concern because more than 91 per cent of people worldwide live in areas where air quality does not meet the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.   "Extended outdo

New Delhi, July 20 (IANS) The Serum Institute of India (SII) will soon apply to the Indian regulator for the licensure trials of the AstraZeneca-Oxford Covid vaccine.   Commenting on the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine's results, Adar Poonawalla, CEO, Serum Institute of India, said, "The trials have shown promising results and we are extremely happy about it. We will be applying for the licensure trials to the Indian regulator in a week's time. As soon as they grant