DeepMind, an AI research lab that was bought by Google and is now an independent part of Google’s parent company Alphabet, announced a major breakthrough this week that one evolutionary biologist called “a game changer.” “This will change medicine,” the biologist, Andrei Lupas, told Nature. “It will change research. It will change bioengineering. It will…
Read moreBiden’s plan to fix the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, explained
President-elect Joe Biden announced a plan on Friday for what will likely be his most pressing challenge when he takes the White House next week: fixing America’s messy Covid-19 vaccine rollout. The plan builds on Biden’s $1.9 trillion economic stimulus proposal, which included a $400 billion Covid-19 plan, announced on Thursday. It seeks more support…
Read moreWhy the US may not see the next dangerous coronavirus variant coming
There’s a reason why a new, more contagious variant of SARS-CoV-2 appeared first in the UK: The country does a lot of viral genetic sequencing. Since the start of the pandemic, researchers in the UK have uploaded 151,859 individual SARS-CoV-2 sequences to GISAID, an international platform for sharing viral genomic data. That’s the highest number…
Read moreNatural immunity after Covid-19 could last at least 5 months
For the nearly 100 million people around the world who’ve been infected with the coronavirus, new science offers some comfort: Reinfections appear to be rare, and you may be protected from Covid-19 for at least five months. The study, the largest of its kind, followed more than 20,000 health workers in the UK, regularly testing…
Read moreWhy scientists are more worried about the Covid-19 variant discovered in South Africa
Scientists are increasingly concerned about a rapidly spreading variant of the virus that causes Covid-19 that was first detected in South Africa. The variant may be more transmissible and could weaken protection from vaccines and prior infections. There’s evidence from several small, and not-yet-peer-reviewed, studies that mutations in the South Africa variant — known as…
Read moreGPA back Antrim’s bid to play Ulster tie against Cavan at Corrigan Park
THE GPA HAVE backed Antrim’s bid to have their Ulster SFC opener against Cavan played at Corrigan Park next month. The Saffrons were drawn first out of the hat for the 23 April clash, handing them their first home championship game in nine years. But an Ulster county board meeting last week saw delegates vote…
Read moreHow random people have managed to get leftover coronavirus vaccines
Click:bottom plate Since December, a handful of fortunate end-of-day shoppers have received coveted doses of the coronavirus vaccine by simply being in the right place at the right time. That place, during a pandemic, could be a Safeway or a Walgreens. Some of these recipients are young and healthy adults, and have likened their surprise…
Read moreThe evidence that Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective in pregnancy is growing
People who are pregnant are now eligible to get the coronavirus vaccine in more than 40 states — typically ahead of their lower-risk peers. And more than 60,000 of them have already rolled up their sleeves, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although the Covid-19 vaccines authorized in the US were not…
Read moreWhat can Kerry and Mayo take from a March league meeting in Tralee?
THE TWO SIDES beaten in the 2021 All-Ireland series by the eventual champions Tyrone, met in Tralee on Saturday night. Kerry and Mayo both entered the game unbeaten in the league to date, and while the spoils went to the home team, both remain in the top two spots in Division 1. Part of the…
Read moreBiden now promises 200 million vaccine shots in 100 days. The US is already on track for that.
President Joe Biden on Thursday set a new goal for Covid-19 vaccines in the US: 200 million shots in his first 100 days in office. That’s up from Biden’s original goal of 100 million in 100 days. “I know it is ambitious — twice our original goal,” Biden said. But the goal of 200 million…
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