The New CRISPR-Based Covid-19 Test Could Be a Game-Changer
A new test based on gene targeting technology CRISPR could diagnose Covid-19 infections in 45 minutes. It was recently outlined in a paper in the journal Nature Biotechnology. Read more about it.
DNA Testing of Babies Could Save Lives but Still Raises Questions
A hospital in the US is among the first to offer rapid genome sequencing of critically ill newborns to help identify the cause of their illnesses, which could save their lives. This technology could be used on healthy babies too. But some experts raise concerns about sequencing every baby at birth. Learn why.
Covid-19: Smartphone-Based Tests to Do at Home
The French healthcare company Sanofi has teamed up with the Californian startup Luminostics to build an at-home test for Covid-19 that uses a smartphone camera and app to diagnose patients. In the meantime, scientists in Lausanne are developing an app that aims to diagnose Covid-19 through the speaker of a smartphone.
Protective Face Shields: A Mask Alternative?
With Covid-19 raging on and global shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), companies and institutions are stepping up to design and manufacture face shields. Heralded by some experts as more effective than masks at protecting the eyes, nose, and mouth from the virus—and deemed essential by others as an additional barrier layer—the shields and their parts are being produced on small and large scales. Learn more about protective face shields.
Is Social Distancing Sufficient?
Digital simulation has become a normal process in the engineering world, but it is still rare in the medical sector. The Covid-19 outbreak, however, is proving the potential of digital modeling. Ansys, a specialist in a digital simulation, has just released a series of studies including a simulation of the spread of droplets that can transmit the virus. Their digital models show that social distancing measures are insufficient in order to be truly effective.
Covid-19 Spurs Cyberattacks on Healthcare Sector
The global healthcare sector has been subjected to an array of cyberattacks as it deals with the Covid-19 pandemic, said Rajesh Muru, Principal Analyst at GlobalData, a data and analytics company. Read more.
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