COVID-19 weekly news: January 17-23

What will be the future ‘new normal’ with COVID-19?

Jan. 21 marks two years since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported in the U.S. In that time, the nation has made strides to keep the virus in check as much as possible with testing, masking, social distancing, vaccines and other precautionary measures. Despite that fact, nearly 850,000 people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19.

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Mayo Clinic Q and A: At-home tests for COVID-19

With COVID-19 continuing to be a concern, should I stock up on at-home COVID-19 tests so I don't have to wait in long lines to get tested elsewhere? What kind of tests are sold over the counter, and what should I know before purchasing them?

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Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Why getting infected with COVID-19 is still a bad idea

With the highly transmissible omicron variant spread across the U.S., it may seem inevitable that most people will get infected with COVID-19. But Mayo Clinic experts explain why it is important to continue to be vigilant and take measures to avoid COVID-19 infection.

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Media Only News Briefing: Predictive Modeling

On Wednesday, Jan. 19, Curtis Storlie, Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic data scientist, and Conor Loftus, M.D., chair, Mayo Clinic outpatient practice, addressed questions related to the predictive modeling of COVID-19 and how it’s used at Mayo Clinic.

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Mayo Clinic modeling reveals expected peak, rapid drop in COVID-19 cases

The U.S. hasn't yet reached a national peak in the surge of the omicron variant. But experts say it is coming soon. COVID-19 cases are beginning to plateau in certain parts of the country.

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Cancer treatment may inhibit immune response to COVID-19 vaccination

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A study by researchers at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center has found that patients with cancer who receive chemotherapy ― and some targeted therapies, such as CDK4/6 inhibitors and therapies targeted at B cells ― may mount an inadequate immune response to COVID-19 vaccination. The findings are published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovation, Quality & Outcomes.

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Media Only News Briefing: Kids and the pandemic: Tips to help protect their mental and physical well-being

On Thursday, Jan. 20, Nusheen Ameenuddin, M.D., a Mayo Clinic pediatrician and Janice Schreier, a clinical therapist at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse, Wis., discussed the trends in mental and physical well-being from toddlers to teenagers as well as steps parents and caregivers can take to help kids better navigate the pandemic.

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Mayo Clinic Minute: Looking ahead after 2 years of COVID-19 pandemic

The world was abuzz in late December of 2019 and early January 2020 with the news of human-to-human spread of COVID-19. It would not be named COVID-19 until Feb. 11, 2020, by the World Health Organization. Patients were confirmed in China, Thailand and the United States, and soon many other countries. More than 5 million worldwide have died from the virus in those two years, according to the World Health Organization.

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Mayo doctor reflects on 2 years of COVID-19

Jan. 21 is the two-year anniversary of the first travel-related COVID-19 case reported in the U.S. In that time, medical experts at Mayo Clinic say treatment and prevention of the disease have evolved and improved.

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Chantell Canfield

Chantell Canfield is a web content coordinator for Mayo Clinic Laboratories. She began working for Mayo Clinic in 2021.