All posts tagged: viruses

We’re under attack from winter bugs – here’s how to protect yourself

We’re under attack from winter bugs – here’s how to protect yourself

Published by Sam Flores

As winter bites, a host of seasonal diseases are sweeping across the UK. Flu, Covid-19, and norovirus – known (politely) as the winter vomiting bug – are all starting to take off, each spreading in different ways. Respiratory viruses such as flu and Covid-19 thrive at this time of year in part because colder, drier conditions cause droplets to evaporate more quickly into smaller particles that can remain suspended in the air for longer, increasing the likelihood of transmission.  Norovirus, by contrast, spreads through tiny particles of faecal matter and vomit and is extremely transferable by touch. These infections tend to peak in winter because people spend more time indoors, making transmission easier.  But they can also be picked up through contact with contaminated surfaces. Frequently touched, non-porous surfaces in public and healthcare settings like screens, handles, rails, and trays, are the most likely to harbour germs. Cold and flu viruses, for example, can survive on hard surfaces for between 24 to 48 hours, while norovirus is extremely hardy and can survive for weeks. Worse still, visible …

Best air purifiers 2026, tested for UK homes

Best air purifiers 2026, tested for UK homes

Published by Sam Flores

From smoke particles and mould spores, to dust, pollen and pet dander, there’s so much in our air that we can’t see. And the more you open your windows, the more these particles get inside. If you live in a city, there’s often pollution to contend with, too. But the best air purifiers help clean and freshen the air by filtering out particles that can aggravate our respiratory systems. Dr José Costa, director of The Children’s Allergy Clinic, recommends using one at home, especially if you have a condition like hay fever, asthma or allergic rhinitis, which is an allergy to airborne particles such as pollen, mould, house dust mites or pets. Air purifiers start at around £100 for cheaper brands, such as Midea, or compact models like those from Shark and Philips. For premium brands including Dyson, Briiv and Molekule, expect to pay between £400 and £800. Some of these even double as a dehumidifier, fan or humidifier. So, which air purifiers can you trust to clean the air in your home? Below, you …

Flu Is Relentless. Crispr Might Be Able to Shut It Down

Flu Is Relentless. Crispr Might Be Able to Shut It Down

Published by skeptic

As he addressed an audience of virologists from China, Australia, and Singapore at October’s Pandemic Research Alliance Symposium, Wei Zhao introduced an eye-catching idea. The gene-editing technology Crispr is best known for delivering groundbreaking new therapies for rare diseases, tweaking or knocking out rogue genes in conditions ranging from sickle cell disease to hemophilia. But Zhao and his colleagues at Melbourne’s Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity have envisioned a new application. They believe Crispr could be tailored to create a next-generation treatment for influenza, whether that’s the seasonal strains which plague both the northern and southern hemispheres on an annual basis or the worrisome new variants in birds and other wildlife that might trigger the next pandemic. Crispr can edit the genetic code—the biological instruction book that makes life possible—within the cells of every living being. That means it can take different forms. The best-known version is mediated by the Cas9 enzyme; this can fix errors or mutations within genes by cutting strands of DNA. But virologists like Zhao are more interested in …

A new approach to a Covid-19 nasal vaccine shows early promise

A new approach to a Covid-19 nasal vaccine shows early promise

Published by Sam Flores

CNN  —  Scientists in Germany say they’ve been able to make a nasal vaccine that can shut down a Covid-19 infection in the nose and throat, where the virus gets its first foothold in the body. In experiments in hamsters, two doses of the vaccine – which is made with a live but weakened form of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 – blocked the virus from copying itself in the animals’ upper airways, achieving “sterilizing immunity” and preventing illness, a long-sought goal of the pandemic. Although this vaccine has several more hurdles to clear before it gets to a doctor’s office or drug store, other nasal vaccines are in use or are nearing the finish line in clinical trials. China and India both rolled out vaccines given through the nasal tissues last fall, though it’s not clear how well they may be working. Studies on the effectiveness of these vaccines have yet to be published, leaving much of the world to wonder whether this approach to protection really works in people. The US has reached …