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1500 questions
6
votes
4 answers
Why are most people who contract COVID-19 asymptomatic?
Why are most people who contract COVID-19 asymptomatic?
Does it mean that they can fight COVID-19 and recover fast?
Does it mean they have a good immune system to fight coronavirus?
user273221
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Why is developing a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine expected to take longer than developing the 1957 flu vaccine?
Maurice Hillman developed a vaccine for the 1957 flu pandemic that was ready within five months (1).
One commonly hears that it will take at least 12-18 months in total to deploy a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2.
As I understand, most of that time is…
nibbles
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6
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1 answer
Why were so many Covid-19 negative tests among close contacts of the early Chinese cases?
In an ECDC report from Jan 17, it is said that
In China, 763 close contacts have been identified and monitored. Of these, 644 have completed the observation
period, while 119 remain under medical observation. So far, none has tested positive for…
the gods from engineering
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6
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Is there a virus from which humans can recover, but which doesn't grant long lasting immunity?
Prior to the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic I was under the impression that viruses fall into two categories:
Diseases from which you recover and afterwards become fully immune. When reinfected with a mutated version of the virus, you do get sick again, but…
JonathanReez
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6
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1 answer
Transmission of COVID-19 through domesticated animals
This is an exploratory question.
If a COVID-19 infected person (person is unaware that he is infected) milks the cow for couple of days, is there a possibility of him infecting the cow thereby infecting the milk?
Similarly, if a dog licks the face…
Suddhasattwa Ghosh
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6
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2 answers
Why Aren't There Any OpenSource/OpenHardware Ventilators?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, ventilators are in short supply. As an engineer, I am interested in learning the risks/challenges of designing an OpenSource ventilator. And how it could be tested for proper functionality.
Medical equipment has to rise…
dna8675
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6
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2 answers
What are the clinical presentations of COVID-19 in Children, and what hypotheses are there to explain their relative immunity to fatal disease?
Out of nearly 45,000 confirmed cases in China through February 11, there was only one death in someone younger than 20, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and no deaths among children younger than 10.
Out of 731…
Graham Chiu
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6
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1 answer
How do they test COVID-19 in drive-thru labs?
I've read that SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19 disease can be tested with RT-qPCR.[1] It seems a somewhat lengthy procedure.
Then it's unclear to me: how do they test the virus in drive-through clinics in Daegu, South Korea?[2] Specifically,…
Andriy Makukha
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6
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1 answer
Why can't blood samples be taken from the legs/ankles as well arms/wrists?
This is a genuine question, which so far I've been unable to find an answer to.
Some time ago when my wife was pregnant, she seemed to be constantly needing to have samples taken for various tests etc. My wife is very petite, and it was an enduring…
user1751825
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6
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Sleeping during the day instead of sleeping at night
Is there any difference to ones health outcome if they wake up at night and go to sleep when the sun rises up?
To be more specific, what will happen to a person if the sleep cycle is reversed?
user17543
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6
votes
1 answer
Can drinking ultra-pure water be dangerous?
I work in a molecular biology laboratory, where we have a special filtration system for producing ultra-pure water for buffers, reagents, etc. Around the lab, I have heard many times what sounds to me like an urban myth - that drinking water from…
Ian Hamilton
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6
votes
1 answer
Why can't we just close our eyes periodically to reduce eye strain?
The 20-20-20 rule I've heard is to stare at something 20 feet away, for 20 seconds, every 20 minutes to help reduce the strain of looking at things up close all day for those of us who need to look at things up-close for extended periods, like…
Tyler Shellberg
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6
votes
1 answer
How reliable is the determination method of reference ranges for blood tests?
A reference range is usually defined as the set of values 95 percent
of the normal population falls within (that is, 95% prediction
interval). It is determined by collecting data from vast numbers of
laboratory tests. 1
When it comes to a…
Bob Ortiz
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6
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1 answer
What is the point of a placebo in studies where the subject can determine their group?
It was my understanding that "the placebo effect" operated mostly by a mechanism based upon the subject's belief that they may have obtained an active ingredient.
I am reading some articles about the effects of psychedelic drugs, and the…
Him
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6
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1 answer
What's the typical concentration of medical oxygen?
What's the concentration level of oxygen in a standard medical oxygen gas which is normally found in ambulances or hospitals? Does it contain nitrogen too?
Bryan Krause
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