Menlo School Library: Coronavirus resources: Coronavirus resources

Current maps and data

Coronavirus Cases
Data from around the world.
Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases
Up to date information from Johns Hopkins University.
Daily New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases per Million People
Global statistics, updated daily.
Rt Covid-19
A visualization showing how quickly the virus is spreading in each US state. Updated daily.
WHO Situation Reports
Global information, updated daily.

Where did Covid 19 begin?

In 2018, Diplomats Warned of Risky Coronavirus Experiments in a Wuhan Lab. No One Listened.
Some scientists warned that an outbreak of an illness from a bat virus was possible.
WHO Points To Wildlife Farms In Southern China As Likely Source Of Pandemic
A World Health Organization team traveled to China in early 2021 to investigate the disease origins.
The World Needs a Real Investigation Into the Origins of Covid-19
A WHO team visited China in January 2021 but weren't allowed to investigate procedures at the Wuhan lab.

Local status and reopening

Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Current information from the Centers for Disease Control.
San Mateo County Public Health Department
Current local news and press releases.
Santa Clara County Public Health Department
Current local news and press releases.

Staying safe as the country reopens

Airborne Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: The World Should Face the Reality
Airborne transmission of Covid-19 should be considered when planning indoor activities.
COVID-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool
A risk assessment tool fro Georgia Tech.
Reducing Transmission of SARS-CoV-2
New research shows that Covid-19 can be spread via aerosols produced during breathing and speaking, making masks an effective prevention tool.
Stanford Study Tracks COVID Spread In Crowded Indoor Businesses, Confirms Use of Capacity Limits
A Stanford study found that limiting the number of people entering an indoor space can be an effective measure in controlling the spread of coronavirus.

For more information

As the number of published scientific papers in the field of Covid-19 grows, researchers are finding ways to organize this new information. Here are some searchable collections of scientific papers.

Click the image to watch a video illustrating how mRNA vaccines work.

The Omicron variant

First Case of Omicron Coronavirus Variant Identified in the U.S.
Several days after being reported in South Africa, the first US case has been seen.
How Does Omicron Spread so Fast? A High Viral Load Isn’t the Answer
Immune evasion may be the cause of Omicron's transmissibility.
Tracking Omicron and Other Coronavirus Variants
The new Omicron variant has been seen in many areas of the world since being identified in late November.
Update on Omicron
Information about the new variant from the WHO.

In the news

Coronavirus Variants and Mutations
The New York Times presents extensive information about a variety of coronavirus variants.
Extraordinary Patient Offers Surprising Clues To Origins Of Coronavirus Variants
In 2020 a man had an active case of Covid-19 for five months, leading to new discoveries about the mutation process.
The Lab-Leak Hypothesis
Did the SARS-CoV-2 virus arise naturally, or was it developed in a lab? Opinions differ.
Stanford Researcher Proposes a Rapid-response Technology to Produce Billions of Vaccine Doses Fast Enough to Stop the Next Pandemic
The Covid-10 pandemic has demonstrated that there is a need for improved vaccine development technologies.
Who Had Covid-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Cases?
Presents CDC data on the effectiveness of vaccines on preventing illness and death from coronavirus.
Women Report Worse Side Effects After a Covid Vaccine
Initial studies show a difference between how men and women react to the Covid vaccine.

Vaccines, testing and antibodies

FDA Authorizes Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines for Use as a Booster Dose
Latest information from the FDA on the bivalent formulations (aka "updated boosters") of the vaccines.
'Close to 100% Accuracy': Helsinki Airport Uses Sniffer Dogs to Detect Covid
Can dogs help make air travel safer? Trained dogs are able to detect travelers with Covid.
All Eyes on a Hurdle Race for a SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine
Information on the current status of two possible vaccines.
Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker
Visit this site for up-to-date information on the status of the many coronavirus vaccines that are in development.
Covid May Cause Changes in the Brain, New Study Finds
A new study shows a loss of gray matter in patients who have had Covid-19.
Covid Vaccine Prompts Strong Immune Response in Younger Children, Pfizer Says
Vaccinated kids aged 5 to 11 showed evidence of protection against the virus, the company said. The data must be reviewed by the F.D.A. before children can be inoculated.
Jennifer Doudna, New Nobel Laureate, on Science and Covid
The Nobel Prize winner talks about her work with CRISPR and its application in developing a Covid vaccine.
Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Meets its Primary Efficacy Endpoint
Early results show that the Moderna version of a Covid vaccine is 94.5% effective.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry Awarded to Scientists Who Discovered CRISPR Gene Editing Tool for 'Rewriting the Code of Life'
CRISPR is being used as part of Covid tests; UC Berkeley is using the work of Jennifer Doudna to improve testing.
Pfizer and Biontech Announce Vaccine Candidate against Covid-19 Achieved Success in First Interim Analysis from Phase 3 Study
Pfizer reports their vaccine vaccine is nearly 90% effective.
Pfizer and Biontech Conclude Phase 3 Study of Covid-19 Vaccine Candidate
Early results from Pfizer and Biontech show that their vaccine candidate is 95% effective against coronavirus.
South Korea Approves Single Test for COVID-19 and Flu
A single test can help doctors differentiate between Covid and flu in symptomatic patients.
What We Know So Far About Waning Vaccine Effectiveness
Scientists are learning more about the effectiveness of vaccines over time. A link within the story provides access to current studies.

Scientific studies

‘AeroNabs’ Promise Powerful, Inhalable Protection Against COVID-19
UCSF researchers have created a molecule that blocks attachment and replication of the Covid virus.
Comparative Effectiveness of Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Vaccines...
Among U.S. adults without immunocompromising conditions, vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalization during March 11–August 15, 2021, was higher for the Moderna vaccine (93%) than the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (88%) and the Janssen vaccine (71%).
Comparison of Two Highly-effective mRNA Vaccines for COVID-19 During Periods of Alpha and Delta Variant Prevalence
A pre-publication study from August compares the effectiveness of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, including the frequency of breakthrough cases.
Contact Tracing during Coronavirus Disease Outbreak, South Korea, 2020
A large study from South Korea showed that children above age 10 spread Covid-19 at nearly the same rate as adults.
First Month of COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Monitoring — United States, December 14, 2020–January 13, 2021
A CDC study of the early responses to the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.
Largest COVID-19 Contact Tracing Study to Date Finds Children Key to Spread, Evidence of Superspreaders
A large study in India showed that a small number of Covid infected people can infect a large number of the peopled they come in contact with.
Low-cost Measurement of Facemask Efficacy for Filtering Expelled Droplets during Speech
Researchers at Duke University evaluated 14 different types of masks to see which is most effective.

The Major Genetic Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19 is Inherited from Neanderthals

Mask-wearing and Control of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in the USA: a Cross-sectional Study
Presents the results of a large scale study of Covid-19 transmission mitigation efforts.
Misdirected Antibodies Linked to Severe COVID-19
Antibodies that mistakenly target the body’s own immune-system proteins may account for about 20% of COVID-19 deaths.
Risk for Newly Diagnosed Diabetes >30 Days After SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Persons Aged <18 Years — United States, March 1, 2020–June 28, 2021
An early-release study published by the CDC indicates increased diagnoses of diabetes in children 18 or younger who contract Covid-19.
A Robust Genetic Risk for Covid-19 in Healthy Young Men Is Finally Found
A description of a study that looked at a variant of a gene that may be responsible for severe Covid-19.
Safety and Immunogenicity of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccine Against SARS-CoV-2
Preliminary report of a phase 1/2 study of a coronavirus vaccine.
SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Vaccination Rates in Pregnant Women in Scotland
Scientists found an increased number of maternal and infant deaths in patients who were diagnosed with Covid, particularly in unvaccinated patients.
SARS-CoV-2 is Associated with Changes in Brain Structure in UK Biobank
A new study shows a loss of gray matter in patients who have been infected with Covid-19.
SARS-CoV-2 May Use Key Carbohydrate to Infect Cells
Scientists have a new understanding of the mechanism of Covid infection, which could lead to more effective treatments.
Two Metres or One: What is the Evidence for Physical Distancing in Covid-19?
Scientists suggest more effective ways to assess the risk of exposure to the virus.
WHO Points To Wildlife Farms In Southern China As Likely Source Of Pandemic

Slide Show on Covid Treatments

Visual description of current Covid treatments including those being received by President Trump. Adapted by Tanya Buxton.