Discussed in this episode: Just before Thanksgiving, the WHO asked China for data on a surge in respiratory illness that has reportedly led to long lines at hospitals, especially children’s hospitals, in the country’s north. China’s responses so far indicate it’s found no new pathogens driving the surge. The country’s health officials attribute it to … Continued

Discussed in this episode: The precautions Dr. Swartzberg’s taking when he travels to spend Thanksgiving with family: vaccines, masks, and tests Why we just don’t know yet whether nasal sprays like NoriZite actually help prevent infection The government is sending out more free tests. Here’s where to get yours: https://www.covid.gov/tests To send in questions: [email protected]Continued

Discussed in this episode: A new article in the journal Cell finds Long Covid associated with reduced levels of serotonin circulating in the bloodstream. (The authors’ explanation: the persistent presence of the virus, and/or its fragments, causes the body to crank out more type I interferons. The interferons cause  inflammation in the gut that reduces uptake … Continued

Discussed in this episode: How does Novavax compare to mRNA vaccines? It is different from a traditional vaccine, as it is a protein entering the immune system. Comparatively, mRNA vaccines facilitate the generation of proteins that can be protective. The Novavax results seem to be similar to mRNA vaccines, and some studies have shown that … Continued

Discussed in this episode: Early in the pandemic, studies showed the amount of SARS-COV2 in nasal swabs peaked right about the time people got their first symptoms — helping to establish that a lot of spread was attributable to pre-symptomatic people. A new study shows viral load is now peaking 4-5 days after symptom onset, possibly because … Continued

Discussed in this episode: Based on hospitalizations and sewage monitoring, the late-summer swell of cases seems to have crested In anticipation of a larger winter surge, multiple Bay Area counties are mandating healthcare workers wear masks starting November 1. Podcast music credit:  Now Son by Podington Bear, licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 International License.