MMR vaccine

IN a recent study published in the journal mBio, researchers concluded that people who had lower levels of antibodies for mumps in their bloodstream appeared to experience more severe cases of COVID-19, while those with higher levels of mumps antibodies had less severe cases. They come to the conclusion that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine may help protect against COVID-19.

Experts say the protection may occur because the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 acts in a similar manner to viruses that cause mumps and measles. However, they said it’s too early to recommend that adults get booster shots of the MMR vaccine.

Data questioned

VACCINE experts — including those who serve on advisory committees for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — have questions about data released Monday by AstraZeneca about its COVID-19 vaccine.

Unlike Pfizer and Moderna, AstraZeneca did not state the data that led them to the conclusion that their vaccine is “up to 90 percent effective.” Dr. Saad Omer, a vaccine specialist at the Yale School of Medicine, noted that the group with the 90 percent efficacy rate was relatively small — just 2,741 study participants.

The experts also questioned why the lower dose vaccine yielded much better results in the trial.

Mutation theory

AS the coronavirus swept across the world, it picked up random alterations to its genetic sequence. One mutation near the beginning of the pandemic helped the virus spread more easily from person to person, multiple new findings suggest.

The mutation, known as 614G, was first spotted in eastern China in January and then spread quickly throughout Europe and New York City. Within months, the variant took over much of the world, displacing other variants.

Melatonin could help

“THE Cleveland Clinic was able to show that the ancient molecule melatonin has the greatest potential out of 34 drugs used to prevent and treat COVID-19,” Facebook user Doris Loh writes in a Nov. 17 post, referring to a study recently published by the medical center. Loh also suggests ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, may have a role in COVID-19 treatment and details an upcoming Cleveland Clinic clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of zinc, ascorbic acid or a combination for coronavirus treatment.

(SD-Agencies)