Experts: Wearing 2 masks helps prevent COVID spread. But will more people double up?
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FILE - In this Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021 file photo, a state legislator adjusts her face masks while asking a question at the Capitol in Jackson, Miss. A government study released on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, finds that wearing two masks can better than one, in protecting against coronavirus infection. But health officials are stopping short of recommending that everyone double-up. “The first challenge is to get as many as people as possible masking. And then for those that do mask, to help them get the best benefit out of that mask, said Dr. John Brooks of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Rogelio V. Solis / Associated PressShow MoreShow Less
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FSU expert available to discuss new COVID-19 variants
January 13, 2021 | 2:12 pm | SHARE:
Zucai Suo, Eminent Professor and Dorian and John Blackmon Chair in Biomedical Science, Department of Biomedical Sciences at Florida State University. (FSU Photography Services)
New variants of the COVID-19 virus have appeared around the world, including a more contagious variant of the COVID-19 virus that was first identified in the United Kingdom. Other variants have been identified in South Africa, Nigeria and Japan.
Viruses constantly change through mutation. Some variants come and go. Others stick around. Florida State University Professor Zucai Suo is available to offer context on why and how viruses mutate and what that change means for COVID-19 and efforts to prevent its spread.
FAU researchers develop simplified, rapid SARS-CoV-2 detection protocol
To properly monitor and help curb the spread of COVID-19, several millions of diagnostic tests are required daily in just the United States alone. There is still a widespread lack of COVID-19 testing in the U.S. and many of the clinical diagnostics protocols require extensive human labor and materials that could face supply shortages and present biosafety concerns.
The current gold standard for COVID-19 diagnostic testing in the U.S., developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is quantitative PCR-based (qPCR) molecular tests that detect the presence of the viral nucleic acid. Although highly accurate, these CDC-approved tests require specialized reagents, equipment, and personnel training. In addition, multiple diagnostic kits that have been rapidly developed and introduced into the market have accuracy, cost and distribution limitations. Moreover, the test systems currently utilize