One year after the variant’s discovery, virologists are still scrambling to keep up with Omicron’s rapid evolution. By Carl Zimmer On Nov. 26, 2021, the World Health Organization announced that a concerning new variant of the coronavirus, known as Omicron,...
Mouse experiments at Boston University have spotlighted an ambiguous U.S. policy for research on potentially dangerous pathogens. By Carl Zimmer and Benjamin Mueller Scientists at Boston University came under fire this week for an experiment in which they...
Working in a laboratory in Paris, scientists gave a close relative of the Covid virus the chance to evolve to be more like its cousin. By Carl Zimmer In mid-2020, a team of scientists catching bats in Laotian caves discovered coronaviruses that were...
A new clinical trial is the largest to date testing the antiparasitic drug on people with Covid. By Carl Zimmer The antiparasite drug ivermectin does not meaningfully reduce the time needed to recover from Covid, according to a large study posted online Sunday....
“At some point it will become a waste of resources to continue studying an unpromising approach,” one expert said. By Carl Zimmer The anti-parasitic drug ivermectin, which has surged in popularity as an alternative treatment for Covid-19 despite a lack of...
By Carl Zimmer and Benjamin Mueller Scientists released a pair of extensive studies on Saturday that point to a market in Wuhan, China, as the origin of the coronavirus pandemic. Analyzing data from a variety of sources, they concluded that the...
The data offer a rare bit of good news. Still, hospitalizations are likely to increase simply because the variant is so contagious. By Carl Zimmer and Emily Anthes Three separate teams of scientists on two continents have found that Omicron infections more often...
The treatment, called Paxlovid, is likely to work against Omicron and could be available in the United States before the end of the year. By Carl Zimmer Pfizer announced on Tuesday that its Covid pill was found to stave off severe disease in a key clinical...
The Omicron variant carries worrisome mutations that may let it evade antibodies, scientists said. But it will take more research to know how it fares against vaccinated people. By Carl Zimmer Scientific experts at the World Health Organization warned on Friday that a...
Coronaviruses discovered in Laotian bats are surprisingly adept at infecting human cells, showing that such deadly features can indeed evolve outside of a lab. By Carl Zimmer The media war over the origins of the virus that causes Covid-19 will continue for a long...
Vaccine makers are betting that the mRNA technology powering two successful Covid vaccines will help curb the tragic global death toll from the flu. By Carl Zimmer As the world grapples with Covid-19, influenza isn’t getting much attention these days. But the...
By Carl Zimmer, et al. Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine may become slightly weaker over time, the company reported. But experts said that most people won’t need boosters anytime soon. This study report shows how intensely political the decision on boosters will be. ...
In a review of recent studies and comparisons to other outbreaks, a group of virologists contends that there is more evidence to support a natural spillover from animals to humans. In the latest volley of the debate over the origins of the coronavirus, a group of...
June 29, 2021 ~ The New York Times ~ by Carl Zimmer Mixing Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines provides strong protection, according to a preliminary study. Early results from a British vaccine study suggest that mixing different brands of vaccines can provoke a...
June 6, 2021 ~ New York Times ~ by Carl Zimmer We’ll Probably Need Booster Shots for Covid-19. But When? And Which Ones? Scientists are asking a lot of questions about Covid-19 booster shots, but they don’t yet have many answers. Here’s what they know so far. As the...