This Week in Virology

In COVID-19 clinical update #56, Daniel Griffin note increasing hospitalization in children and young adults, Pfizer vaccine efficacy results in 12-15 year olds, rapid self administered nucleic acid and antigen tests, mRNA vaccine efficacy in real world conditions, and improvement of long COVID after vaccination. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Pfizer mRNA vaccine is 100% effective in 12-15 year olds (Pfizer) Cue at-home PCR test receives FDA EUA (Cue) DxTerity COVID-19 saliva nucleic acid at-home test (Amazon) T-Detect T cell test (T-Detect) GSK submits EUA for VIR-7831 (GSK) Letters read on TWiV 738 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

John, Monica, and Davida join TWiV to discuss development of a method to detect SARS-CoV-2 in raw sewage from all 14 of New York City's treatment plants, and its use to determine the presence of the genome throughout the pandemic and detection of genome mutations from variants of concern. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Guest: John Dennehy, Davida Smyth, and Monica Trujillo Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Protocol for detecting SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater (medRxiv) Mutations from VOC in NYC wastewater (medRxiv) WHO report on COVID-19 origins (pdf) Effectiveness of mRNA vaccines at preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection (MMWR) Prothrombic thrombocytopenic disorder after AZ vaccine (Res Square) NIDO 2021 Symposium 1:12:02 Postdoctoral position at Towson University 1:15:08 ASV hosts free COVID-19 Vaccine Education Town Halls (register here) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – 250,000 Dominoes Brianne – Using RT-PCR in COVID-19 Testing Rich – Beaded Lacewings Can Take Down Six Termites With A Single Fart Kathy – Tracking the COVID code Vincent – Administering vaccines to adults Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

Alessandro Sette joins TWiV to discuss the role of T cells in COVID-19, the finding that amino acid changes in SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern have a negligible impact on T cell reactivity in convalescent patients and vaccinees, and whether a next generation vaccine should include more viral proteins than spike. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Guest: Alessandro Sette Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Little impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on T cell reactivity (bioRxiv) NIDO 2021 Symposium Postdoctoral position at Towson University ASV hosts free COVID-19 Vaccine Education Town Halls (register here) Letters read on TWiV 736 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Alan – The Disinformation Dozen report Rich – No needle, but the damage was done Kathy – Zinn art David Zinn Vincent – Clueless Wall Street Journal Op-Ed Endorses PACE as "Prevailing View" Among Docs Listener Picks Justin – Finnish astrophotographer spends 12 years creating a Milky Way mosaic Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In COVID-19 clinical update #55, Daniel Griffin reviews recommendations for keeping transmission low in school settings, optimal testing strategies for schools and businesses, impact of vaccines on asymptomatic infections, vaccine safety in PASC patients, and early use of aspirin associated with decreased mortality. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode COVID-19 in primary and secondary schools (MMWR) Low transmission in elementary schools (MMWR) COVID-19 testing guidance (CDC) COVID-19 vaccines and asymptomatic infections (Clin Inf Dis) Vaccine safety in long COVID (medRxiv) Phase 3 results of antibody cocktail (Regeneron) Aspirin associated with decreased mortality (Anesth Analg) Post-acute long COVID-19 syndrome (Nat Med) Timing, duration, health impact of PASC (medRxiv) Persistent neurologic and cognitive dysfunction in PASC (Ann Clin Trans Neurol) Letters read on TWiV 735 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

Susan Weiss returns to TWiV to discuss coronavirus entry into cells and the role of spike protein cleavage by proteases, why lab escaped hypotheses for SARS-CoV-2 are unlikely, and modulation of innate immune responses during infection. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Alan Dove, Brianne Barker, and Amy Rosenfeld Guest: Susan Weiss Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode CoV pathogenesis in CNS (J Neuro Pharm) SARS-CoV-2 induces dsRNA-mediated innate responses (bioRxiv) Screen of FDA-approved drugs (J Viral) Letters read on TWiV 735 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – Tiktok of How mRNA Vaccines Work Alan – Dark Rich – Unmixing Color Machine (Ultra Laminar Reversible Flow) – Smarter Every Day 217 Amy – MOMA Calder exhibit, reviewed in NYTimes Vincent – Ripple Training (free YouTube channel) Listener Picks Ruth – 100 million year old seafloor bacteria resuscitated Iradis – Linda Zall, CIA spy for science Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In COVID-19 clinical update #54, Daniel Griffin covers effectiveness of 3 vs 6 ft physical distancing, effectiveness of masks, physical distancing, and eye shields, second vaccine dose completion, alleviation of COVID-19 symptoms after vaccination, vaccine trials in children, and IDSA approval of a mAb cocktail. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Effectiveness of 3 ft vs 6 ft (CID) Effect of physical distancing, masks, eye protection (Lancet) Vaccine second dose completion (MMWR) IDSA mAb recommendations (IDSA) Letters read on TWiV 733 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

Forest and Maria-Isabel join TWiV to discuss their their project to engage thousands of citizens to swab inanimate surfaces in the San Diego area, then send the samples to the Rohwer Lab for nucleic acid analysis. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Forest on TWiV 391 Swabbing surfaces in San Diego (10News) Nido21 meeting Molnupiravir in phase 2a (Fierce Biotech) Letters read on TWiV 732 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – 10 amazing science tricks with liquids Brianne – How Do Blind Worms See the Color Blue? Rich – Statewide Study Shows Evidence Of Significant COVID-19 Antibodies In Children Kathy – Dark side of the moon as it crosses Earth Vincent – Wasdkeyboards and Novelkeys Listener Pick Bronwen – COVID Performance Index Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

On a TWiV tetramer, we review the ongoing outbreaks of Ebolavirus disease in DRC and Guinea, evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infections in children are far more prevalent than are being detected, and recent long COVID estimates from the UK. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Alan Dove, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Ebolavirus disease outbreak continues in Africa (ProMedMail) List of Ebolavirus outbreaks (Wikipedia) Ebolavirus genome sequences from Guinea (virological) Bias in reporting on childhood SARS-CoV-2 infections (Clinical Inf Dis) Estimated SARS-CoV-2 prevalence (MMWR) Estimated burden of SARS-CoV-2 by age group (CDC) UK long COVID estimates (pdf) Space Shuttle fly-by Vincent's office (YouTube) Letters read on TWiV 731 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – Who Would Kidnap a Space Telescope? Alan – Radio Garden Rich – Countries with more obesity have had more covid deaths on average Vincent – Concord Aerospace Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

In COVID-19 clinical update #53, Daniel Griffin reviews underreporting of infections and long term disease in children, a blood test for T cells, results of phase 3 trials for monoclonal antibodies, preliminary findings on an oral antiviral, clinical trial of ivermectin, and recommendations for upcoming gatherings. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in EUA for T cell test (FDA) Lilly mAb phase 3 results (Lilly) VIR-7831 mAb phase 3 results (Globenewswire) Molnupiravir phase 2a results (Merck) Ivermectin not supported for mild COVID-19 (JAMA) Recommendations for fully vaccinated people (CDC) Letters read on TWiV 730 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

Matt Frieman returns to TWiV to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic from the point of view of a coronavirologist, including his work with Novavax on their spike protein-based vaccine. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Guest: Matt Frieman Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Phase 1-2 trial of Novavax protein vaccine (NEJM) MERS-CoV spike nanoparticle vaccine in mice (Vaccine) Novavax phase 3 press release When you've been fully vaccinated (CDC) Letters read on TWiV 729 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson – Covid-19 deaths per million ranked by average income Brianne – KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor for Feb 2021 and KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor Dashboard Rich – The Woman Who Stood Between America and a Generation of 'Thalidomide Babies'(wiki) Kathy – Quadrantid meteor (Quadrantids) Vincent – Higher Superstition by Paul Gross and Norman Levitt Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv