Tag: COVID

How do air purification technologies work? – in C&EN

Click to view the full graphic on the C&EN site

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, air purification technologies have been receiving renewed attention as workplaces look for solutions that will lower their workers’ risk of exposure. In the latest edition of Periodic Graphics in Chemical and Engineering News, we take a look at the different types of air purification and how each of them works. View the full graphic on the C&EN site.

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#ChemVsCOVID: How were the first treatments for COVID identified?

An infographic titled "Chem vs COVI timeline: 16th June 2020, RECOVERY trial shows dexamethasone as first effective COVID-19 treatment". The structure of dexamethasone is shown at the centre. The left-hand side of the graphic explains how the RECOVERY trial aimed to identify existing treatments that work against COVID-19. 12 treatments were trialled at 181 sites with over 40,000 participants. As of June 2021, 3 treatments have been shown to be effective, and 4 treatments have been shown to be ineffective. The right-hand side of the infographic explains that dexamethasone has antiinflammatory and immunosuppressant effects which may explain the positive results. It's estimated that dexamethasone has saved 22,000 lives in the UK and 1,000,000 lives worldwide. The RECOVERY trial has also shown which treatments are ineffective, including hydroxychloroquine, and set a precedent for how large-scale trials can be carried out during an emergency situation.
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On this day (16 June) a year ago, the first effective treatment for COVID-19 was announced. The corticosteroid drug dexamethasone, already used to treat several inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, was found to be effective for patients in a serious condition in hospital with COVID. This discovery was the product of the RECOVERY trial, a programme started in March 2020 to find COVID treatments.

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How does the Oxford & AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine work? A guide to viral vector vaccines

Infographic on viral vector vaccines. The SARS-CoV-2 virus contains a gene which codes for the virus spike protein. In viral vector vaccines, this gene is added to the genetic material of another virus, making it a viral vector. This vector is altered so it can't cause disease. Once the viral vector is inside our cells it produces the virus spike protein, triggering an immune response. These vaccines can be produced relatively quickly. The genetic instructions for making the spike protein are broken down in our cells after use. Viral vector vaccines cause a strong immune response which can mean minor side effects are more common. Different viruses can be used as viral vectors; the AstraZeneca vaccine uses a chimp adenovirus, while some others use a human adenovirus. Some people may have immunity to human adenoviruses, potentially reducing vaccine effectiveness.
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Relatively hot on the heels of the Pfizer & BioNTech RNA vaccine, today the UK has approved the Oxford University & AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The Oxford vaccine is a viral vector vaccine, which works slightly differently to the RNA vaccines. This graphic, made with the Royal Society of Chemistry, looks at how they work and highlights other vaccines of this type in use or development for COVID-19.

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What are the COVID-19 RNA vaccines and how do they work?

Infographic on RNA vaccines. The genetic code of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is made up of RNA. Scientists have isolated the part of this code that contains the instructions for making the virus's spike protein, and this is what is used in RNA vaccines. The synthetic RNA is packed inside lipid nanoparticles to protect it from being broken down by our bodies' enzymes. Our cells follow the RNA instructions to produce the virus spike protein, which then triggers an immune response. RNA is easily made in a lab so these vaccines are quick to develop. The RNA is broken down by normal processes in our cells, so can't cause infection. Some RNA vaccines must be stored at low temperature to keep them stable. There are two different types of RNA vaccine: mRNA vaccines and saRNA vaccines. The structures of mRNA and saRNA vaccines are similar but saRNA can produce copies of itself once it's inside a cell, so can be given in smaller doses. The main RNA vaccines currently approved, Pfizer and Moderna, are both mRNA vaccines.
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By now, we’re all familiar with the image of coronavirus. The spikey blob peppers news websites, looms behind reporters during bulletins and frequently punctuates your Twitter doom-scrolling. More recently, the news accompanying this image has taken a positive turn, with promising results from the COVID-19 vaccine trials. It’s the iconic spikes of the coronavirus spikey blob that are a key part of how these vaccines work.

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