The latest roundup of pandemic findings gathered by Hakai Magazine.
Brian Owens 9 Mar 2021 | Hakai Magazine
Brian Owens is a freelance science writer and editor based in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. His work has appeared in Hakai Magazine, Nature, New Scientist, the Canadian Medical Association Journal and the Lancet. SHARES A mass COVID-19 vaccination centre in Peel, Ont. prepares for the day. New research shows vaccines may need to be regularly updated to keep up with the virus’s evolution.
Photo by Nathan Denette, the Canadian Press.
Compiled by veteran medical journalist Brian Owens, this roundup of some of the newest science on the COVID-19 pandemic, straight from the scientific journals, is presented by Hakai Magazine in partnership with The Tyee.
The impact of COVID-19 on Africa has been underestimated
The lack of reliable data has contributed to a perception that Africa has been largely spared from the worst effects of COVID-19. But a new study has found that the toll is likely to be much higher than thought. Researchers tested 364 deceased people in Lusaka, Zambia, between June and September 2020 and found that COVID-19 accounted for between 15 and 20 per cent of the deaths much higher than official reports suggest.
Most deaths in people with COVID-19 happened outside the hospital, and none had been tested for the virus before death. The deaths also occurred across a wider age spectrum than reported elsewhere and were concentrated among people under 65, including an unexpectedly high number of deaths in children.
Even animals know how to social distance
While many humans have struggled with the concept of physical distancing for the past year, many species of animals do it instinctively to protect themselves from disease, which often requires major behavioural changes in highly social animals.
Chimpanzees, house finches and even lobsters are known to avoid or ostracize individuals infected with diseases or parasites. Many animals use cues like smell to detect sick individuals, and so are able to use physical distancing effectively and efficiently. Humans have to rely on less accurate visual or auditory cues, such as feverish appearance or coughing, making accurate and widely available diagnostic tests essential for controlling the spread of disease.