Dr Robert Hess: How do viruses – and more particularly SARS-CoV-2 – interfere with the p53 pathway? We look at the strategies employed by viruses against this tumor suppressor gene. Since the onset of the pandemic, research has been conducted into the extent to which SARS-Cov-2 affects the p53 tumor suppressor gene and its pathway….
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Dr Robert Hess: Heavily mutated Covid variant has been identified, rapidly labelled a “variant of concern” and named Omicron. Infection Omicron was first detected in South Africa last week, leading countries around the globe, including the United States, to impose travel restrictions on the southern African nation and at least seven others in the region….
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Dr Robert Hess: Update on Booster jabs and vaccine breakthroughs. Infection rates in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands have risen to a new and worrying high. Hospitals have had to postpone planned surgical procedures, and intensive care units are rapidly filling up. The situation in Germany is unfortunately a forerunner of what is likely to…
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Dr Robert Hess: Antiviral drugs – One more strategic option in the fight against SARS-CoV-2. The development of effective drugs against COVID-19 has lagged behind that of vaccines. Recently, however, two major manufacturers have reported promising results from studies they have conducted. The UK has already granted approval to one of the new drugs. We…
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Dr Robert Hess: In case of Covid-19 infection – overview of current MAB treatment options. Currently, three anti-SARS-CoV-2 MAB products have received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in non-hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who are at high risk for progressing to severe disease and/or…
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What next for the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic? The number of infections worldwide is on the increase, and with it, the number of vaccine breakthroughs. However, it is not only the rising rate of infection that is the root cause of this, but also the waning effect of the vaccines themselves. Nevertheless, individuals without any form of…
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Dr Robert Hess: The flu season is just around the corner: What you need to know about the influenza season in general and high-dose vaccines in particular. Social distancing, face coverings and strict hygiene controls not only reduced the spread of SARS-CoV-2 last year but also of influenza viruses. Flu activity is currently still at…
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Dr Robert Hess: Could the Novavax vaccine candidate be a viable alternative for skeptics wary of mRNA technology? We take a look at new data on the protein-based inactivated vaccine. Many people who are skeptical of mRNA technology have been waiting for a conventional vaccine against coronavirus to come along. “Classic” vaccines are traditionally based…
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Dr Robert Hess: Evidence that Delta does not make children more ill than other variants of the coronavirus. The Delta variant of coronavirus does not appear to lead to a more severe course of disease in children than earlier forms of the virus, such as the Alpha or Beta variants. This finding emerged from a…
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Dr Robert Hess: Booster jabs are contributing to the individualization of the vaccination concept: Weighing up the potential side-effects of the Covid-19 vaccines and deciding the “price” we are willing to pay. As winter approaches in the northern hemisphere, booster vaccinations are being rolled out with the aim of giving maximum protection to the elderly,…
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