Blood plasma showed no benefit in Covid-19 patients in trial The findings, published in BMJ, could re-energize the debate over whether blood plasma is an effective treatment for the disease. Damian Garde STAT

Infusing hospitalized Covid-19 patients with blood plasma from people who recovered from the disease had no effect on whether patients got sicker or died, according to the first completed randomized trial of the treatments.

'He has blood on his hands': Columbia University study shows that Trump could have avoided over 130,000 COVID-19 deaths with a more robust pandemic response "The U.S. should have – and could have – done better to protect the nation," researchers wrote in the study. Oma Seddiq Business Insider

Upwards of 130,000 coronavirus deaths were "avoidable" if President Donald Trump and his administration had acted sooner and implemented widespread public health precautions, according to a new Columbia University report released on Wednesday. 

Experts: Don't count on mild flu season amid COVID-19 "The message is be prepared for a bad flu season on top of a bad COVID season," says Edward Belongia, MD. CIDRAP

The Southern Hemisphere had a very light flu season in 2020, with Australia seeing only 315 cases over its winter, down 99.8% from the 130,000 cases seen in most years. But flu experts say that, while the low numbers could portend a similar scenario in the Northern Hemisphere, it would be a foolhardy not to prepare for high caseloads this winter.

CDC redefines COVID-19 close contact, adds brief encounters NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials Wednesday redefined what counts as close contact with someone with COVID-19 to include briefer but repeated encounters. For months, the Centers for... AP NEWS

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials Wednesday redefined what counts as close contact with someone with COVID-19 to include briefer but repeated encounters.

EU to link national COVID-19 tracing apps together BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Commission on Monday launched an EU-wide system devised to link national COVID-19 tracing apps together in its latest effort to slow down the coronavirus... AP NEWS

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Commission on Monday launched an EU-wide system devised to link national COVID-19 tracing apps together in its latest effort to slow down the coronavirus pandemic.