Health & Medicine

  1. Health & Medicine

    Can plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients treat the sick?

    Researchers are racing to set up clinical trials of antibody-rich convalescent plasma from recovered patients to treat or prevent COVID-19.

    By Aimee Cunningham
  2. Health & Medicine

    Just breathing or talking may be enough to spread COVID-19 after all

    Until now, experts have said that the virus spreads only through large droplets released when people cough or sneeze, but it may spread more easily.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  3. Math

    How large a gathering is too large during the coronavirus pandemic?

    Mathematical models explain why large gatherings are especially dangerous in an epidemic, and identify how large is too large.

    By Dana Mackenzie
  4. Health & Medicine

    How coronavirus control measures could affect its global death toll

    Slowing the virus’ spread will save millions of lives, but differences among countries could vary the pandemic’s toll in different places.

    By Erin Garcia de Jesús
  5. Animals

    A cat appears to have caught the coronavirus, but it’s complicated

    While a cat in Belgium seems to be the first feline infected with SARS-CoV-2, it’s still unclear how susceptible pets are to the disease.

    By Helen Thompson
  6. Health & Medicine

    Social distancing comes with psychological fallout

    Keeping people apart can help slow the new coronavirus’ spread. But such social distancing may cause or worsen mental health problems.

    By Sujata Gupta
  7. Health & Medicine

    How antibody tests work and could help fight the coronavirus

    Coronavirus antibody tests look for signs in the blood that someone has had an infection and recovered, and could take only a finger prick.

    By Dawn Fallik
  8. Health & Medicine

    Face mask shortages have sparked creative solutions. Will they work?

    Homemade masks, reusing masks and even scuba gear are some of the ideas for dealing with health care workers’ lack of supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    By Laura Sanders
  9. Health & Medicine

    There’s no evidence the coronavirus jumped from pangolins to people

    Pangolins captured in anti-smuggling activities in southern China were found to harbor viruses related to the new coronavirus.

    By Erin Garcia de Jesús
  10. Genetics

    No, the coronavirus wasn’t made in a lab. A genetic analysis shows it’s from nature

    Scientists took conspiracy theories seriously and analyzed the coronavirus to reveal its natural origins.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  11. Health & Medicine

    You can help fight the coronavirus. All you need is a computer

    With Folding@home, people can donate computing time on their home computers to the search for a chemical Achilles’ heel in the coronavirus.

    By Maria Temming
  12. Health & Medicine

    When will the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing end?

    Social distancing may have to continue for months to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19. Wider testing and isolation of cases could ease such measures.

    By Jonathan Lambert