Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Study, Aspirin Linked To Less-Severe Covid Infections
USA Today: Low-Dose Aspirin May Help Avoid COVID's Worst Outcomes
A new study is adding to the growing body of evidence that low-dose aspirin helps lessen the harsher effects of contracting the coronavirus. The study, conducted by George Washington University researchers and published in the journal Anesthesia and Analgesia, examined the records of 412 patients admitted to U.S. hospitals with COVID-19 from March to July of last year. Of those, nearly 24% had taken aspirin seven days or less before of hospital admission or within 24 hours after admission. More than 40% of those patients had improved results in key areas compared to patients who did not take the cheap, widely available drug. (Bacon, Ortiz and Iyer, 3/18)
CIDRAP: Aspirin Linked To Less Serious COVID-19 Outcomes
A low-dose aspirin treatment is associated with a lower likelihood of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and in-hospital mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, according to a study published yesterday in Anesthesia & Analgesia. The retrospective observational study looked at 412 hospitalized COVID-19 patients across the United States from March to July 2020, 98 of whom (23.7%) received aspirin. Of those who received aspirin, 75.5% were taking it before admission and 86.7% received it within 24 hours of hospital admission. (3/18)
In other covid research news —
WUSF Public Media: USF Chosen For Virus Research Headquarters
The Global Virus Network has named the University of South Florida in Tampa as its new Southeast U.S. regional headquarters. Baltimore-based GVN is a system of researchers in 34 countries who study how viruses work and how they make people sick. (Rodriguez, 3/18)
The Oregonian: WHO Thinks It Knows Where COVID-19 Originated
Ever since the coronavirus pandemic began, the question has been, “Where did COVID-19 originate?” According to a report by NPR, a member of the World Health Organization investigative team says the most likely source of the COVID-19 pandemic are “wildlife farms in southern China.” (Hasco, 3/18)
AP: Zoos, Scientists Aim To Curb People Giving Virus To Animals
The coughing among the western lowland gorillas at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in January was the first warning sign. Soon the fears were confirmed: A troop of gorillas became the first apes known to test positive for the coronavirus. Around the world, many scientists and veterinarians are now racing to protect animals from the coronavirus, often using the same playbook for minimizing disease spread among people: That includes social distancing, health checks and, for some zoo animals, a vaccine. Karen, a 28-year-old orangutan, became the first ape in the world to get a coronavirus vaccine on Jan. 26 at the San Diego Zoo. (Larson and Watson, 3/19)
