Tag: covid19

To the Oslo Chronic Fatigue Consortium: Enough is enough

DEBATE: I question what the actual purpose of this research is.

Long Covid is neither psychological nor physical

OPINION: We don’t believe there is one single way out of Long Covid – we believe there are several.

Norwegian Institute of Public Health: Lower mortality among those vaccinated against Covid-19

Those who were vaccinated against Covid-19 had a lower mortality rate compared to those who were not vaccinated in the period from 2021 to 2023. This is shown by a new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Chronic fatigue conditions are not incurable

Health researchers believe: Chronic fatigue disorders are not incurable.

OPINION: A new study shows that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and other rehabilitation measures are effective for so-called 'Long Covid.' At the same time, studies have shown that neither medical treatment, special diets, nor medical equipment have any effect.

The next big pandemic? Avian flu takes a worrying step closer to humans

OPINION: Avian flu, once limited to birds, is adapting to infect mammals, raising concerns about a new pandemic risk. With cases now seen in farm animals, experts warn of closer contact with humans.

Report claims that the Covid-19 vaccines may have made people chronically ill:"Not possible to conclude," says researcher

We cannot say for sure that Covid-19 vaccines can cause long-term problems like fatigue, according to vaccine researcher Gunnveig Grødeland.

New study on long Covid contradicts other studies – do patients have an overactive immune system or not?

In a new study, researchers found no evidence of an overactive immune system as other studies have shown. They suggest that long Covid might instead be caused by genes that fail to deactivate. Others cautions against drawing definitive conclusions from a single study.

No increased risk of birth defects for pregnant women after Covid-19 vaccination

A large Nordic study shows that children of mothers who had Covid-19 or were vaccinated during the first trimester did not have an increased risk of congenital anomalies.

Vaccination protects against long Covid

Researchers have looked at Covid-19 data from 3.9 million Norwegians. The risk of getting long Covid after you first fell ill was 36 per cent lower in people who were vaccinated.

The Covid-19 pandemic has unveiled the pervasive dangers of autocratic responses to crises

OPINION: Misinformation, divisive rhetoric, and manipulating tactics in order to consolidate power and overshadow governments’ shortcomings were widespread during the pandemic.

Embracing unity: How Scandinavia responded to combat Covid-19

OPINION: A unified, well-communicated approach rooted in a country's socio-political context is paramount in steering through crises.

Long Covid does not cause lasting brain damage, study reveals

Young people with persistent post-infective symptoms from Covid-19 did just as well on tests as others.

Can Covid-19 lead to poorer memory? A study of over 100,000 individuals faces criticism

When participants assess their own memory, they may think it is worse than it is.

Norwegian study: People who have had Covid-19 have a poorer memory

They also have a worse memory than those who have not had Covid-19.

Is long Covid completely normal, a new disease, or mass hysteria?

OPINION: While some researchers explore blood and cells, others believe that long Covid is a psychological and social disease. We still lack answers.

Recovery from ME, long Covid and burnout is possible, according to 50 researchers and doctors

"By saying that chronic fatigue syndrome cannot be cured, patients become insecure, stressed or scared, and they naturally lose hope. This results in poorer health," Silje Endresen Reme says.

Is it dangerous to get Covid-19 multiple times?

People regularly cite one study in particular that says getting repeated infections with Covid-19 is not good. According to Norwegian researchers, however, most of us can stop worrying about it.

Warnings of a severe flu season – more people are encouraged to get vaccinated

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health is concerned: Over 12,000 people have been hospitalised in the past year due to the flu or Covid-19, but fewer are getting vaccinated.

Can long Covid be treated in three days?

A new Norwegian study says so.

After she got long Covid, Christel can't even walk the dog. How common is it?

She forgets to eat, loses the thread of conversations, and needs to lie down for several hours after doing puzzles with her four-year-old. How common is it to feel this way after Covid-19?

Working from home inhibits innovation. But researchers know how to fix it

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: When you work from home, you tend to communicate more with the members of your own team. This is good for implementing ideas. On the other hand, you also communicate less with other groups, which does not encourage the creation of new ideas. But all this can be fixed.

Norwegian study: Long Covid is more common among those who have tested positive for Covid-19

“Our study shows that a significant number will still have symptoms or complaints six months after being infected,” senior researcher Karin Magnusson at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health says.

Mandatory measures during the pandemic had a greater effect in large cities

Researchers have analysed people’s movement patterns in Norway during the pandemic to map out whether they complied with the authorities’ advice and restrictions.

Why do men get sicker from viruses than women? New study could help explain 'man flu'

Women appear to have fewer, but stronger, natural killer cells.

Norwegian study reveals long Covid also among non-infected individuals: “The diagnosis is not appropriate”

A Norwegian study among youth revealed that both Covid-19 infected and non-infected individuals could experience long Covid. Researchers conclude that the diagnosis is not appropriate.

What did children really understand about the Covid-19 pandemic? Researchers examined children's drawings

We can learn a lot by studying how children draw, according to researcher.

The severely ill elderly should probably not have been given the Covid vaccine first, says vaccine researcher

Not only should we have waited to vaccinate the oldest and sickest, but people in central areas should have been prioritised before the districts, Gunnveig Grødeland believes.

Here’s what we now know about side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine

Billions of doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been injected into the arms of a large percentage of the world's population. Now researchers are doing their utmost to identify possible side effects.

Misinformation and conspiracy theories may have caused fewer immigrants to take the Covid-19 vaccine

Researchers have investigated what may have contributed to fewer immigrants taking the Covid vaccine.

Common cold can make children immune to Covid-19

Children can develop immunity against Covid-19 after having fought off a particular type of cold virus. The ability to develop such immunity decreases with age.

Covid-19 hygiene measures caused skin problems

They avoided the virus but damaged their skin. More hand washing and sanitising gave four out of ten healthcare workers greater problems with the skin on their hands.

Long Covid: Here's what we know so far

The most common symptoms are changes in taste and smell. More women than men are affected, and symptoms appear to diminish over time. These are some of the findings from a recent review of studies on long Covid.

Norway: 7 per cent more deaths than expected this year – due to Covid

The numbers are showing an excess mortality in Norway in 2022. Up until mid-November this year 7 per cent more deaths than expected were recorded.

Increased incidence of menstrual changes following the Pfizer Covid vaccine among young girls

A new study shows that there is an increased incidence of menstrual irregularities following the Pfizer vaccine against Covid-19 in girls aged 12 to 15.

Covid spreads more easily in dry indoor air. Does that mean we should buy humidifiers?

One study finds that Covid spreads the least at 40 to 60 per cent humidity. Can a humidifier save your holiday party from becoming a spreading event?

Same amount of long Covid symptoms following Omicron and Delta variants

New research shows that those who have been infected by the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus report long Covid just as often as those who were infected with the Delta virus.

Only Norway and Denmark avoided increased mortality during the pandemic

The Covid-19 crisis led to a reduction in life expectancy that rich countries have not experienced since the war.

Now researchers know how the sickest COVID-19 patients have fared

They have good news for COVID patients who ended up in a coma and on a ventilator in Norwegian intensive care units.

New Norwegian study: Cod liver oil does not protect against Covid-19

Taking cod liver oil with vitamin D does not protect against getting infected with the coronavirus, becoming seriously ill with Covid, or other respiratory infections.

Long Covid: 46 per cent of Covid infected people in a Norwegian study report long-term effects

The study also finds that the symptoms can worsen over time.

Positive vaccine news following Norway's first omicron outbreak

The Covid vaccine protects against serious symptoms from omicron infection, even when the vaccine antibodies are no longer effective.

COVID-19 triggered the most severe economic crisis ever in the Nordic countries – but also the shortest

Researchers have studied the success of the Nordic countries in their economic management of the crisis.

Hugs are back in Norway

As Norwegians get back to hugging, the numbers of deaths due to Covid are also at peak. Why does one researcher say that this is completely fine?

Nordic study confirms rare side effect from Covid vaccination in young men

Young men have a higher risk of myocarditis – inflammation of the heart muscle – after a second dose of an mRNA vaccine, according to a recently published study.

People who remained sick long after their COVID-19 infection often had alterations in their intestinal bacteria

Some COVID patients still had poor lung function three months after admission to Norwegian hospitals. These patients also had alterations in their intestinal flora and possible evidence of a leaky gut, a new study shows.

The Norwegian economy fared better in the pandemic than all its Nordic neighbours

The economic downturn in Norway during the pandemic year of 2020 was far less than that experienced by the other Nordic countries according to a new report.

How different governments communicated during coronavirus

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: Poor communication will significantly undermine national responses to a pandemic.

One in five new mothers was treated disrespectfully while giving birth during the pandemic

“I think it’s sad if one in five women is left with the feeling of not being treated with respect and dignity,” said one of the researchers behind the study.

One third of new mothers had symptoms of depression during the pandemic

Every third mother who gave birth during the pandemic experienced symptoms of depression, according to a large Norwegian study. Ten years ago, the same was true for every tenth mother of an infant.

Do glasses and sunglasses protect against Covid? Norwegian researchers are going to find out.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health are currently looking for people to join their study of glasses as protection against being infected with Covid.

New vaccine to tackle both the flu and Covid in one shot

Norwegian researchers are developing a classic seasonal vaccine against the flu and Covid, which they claim will give much better protection than what current vaccines have to offer.

Pregnant women hesitated to get vaccinated, that may have led to them falling seriously ill with Covid

A lack of demands to include pregnant women in the early stages of drug development may have contributed to unclear advice and vaccine hesitancy.

Norwegian study confirms that Omicron gives a lower risk of hospitalization

People infected with Omicron have a 73 per cent lower risk of ending up in hospital compared to those who are infected with the Delta variant, according to a new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Mild long-term effects of Covid last longer among the youngest children

A new Norwegian study finds that children aged 1-5 visited their doctor more often due to long term effects of covid compared to to older children.

New study on Long Covid: Brain fog, poor memory and shortness of breath one year after infection

Norwegian study of unvaccinated Covid patients finds two clusters of symptoms that persist after one year. Long Covid is perhaps not one syndrome, the researchers suggest.

Vaccinated people seldom end up in intensive care due to Covid

Nearly 350 000 people were infected with Covid in Norway in 2021. But only 30 vaccinated and otherwise healthy people have ended up in intensive care with Covid since December 2020. “The vaccines give an incredible protection”, says chief physician.

First patient injected with Norwegian T-cell vaccine against Covid

A jab of a Norwegian T-cell vaccine created by Nykode Therapeutics has been given to the first human to participate in a clinical trial of the vaccine.

Patients who lost their sense of smell after Covid-19 are queuing up for help

Desperate patients who cannot smell their baby or think shampoo smells like sewage are queuing up for help from smell and taste specialist Preet Bano Singh at the University of Oslo. She is the only doctor in the country who offers qualified treatment.

Norwegian study finds that Covid vaccines may affect menstruation

There has been an increase in menstrual irregularities for young women after receiving their Covid vaccine, according to a large population study done by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Mild Covid disease gave almost year-long protection, according to Norwegian study

94 per cent of participants in a not yet published study had good amounts of antibodies in their blood up until a year after infection.

Can you catch Covid from Christmas presents?

ASK A RESEARCHER: Can you get infected by the coronavirus by opening a present wrapped by somebody who has Covid-19?

Oslo Christmas party outbreak: Most of the non-infected were vaccinated with Moderna

New study finds that a larger share of the non-infected at that infamous Christmas party were vaccinated with Moderna, compared to Pfizer. The data are not sufficient to conclude that one vaccine protects better against Omicron than others.

Nine reasons why immigrants in Norway were hit harder by Covid-19

Among the reasons listed in a new report are language barriers as well as delayed isolation, tracing and quarantining.

Norwegian researchers hope to be the first to figure out Omicron – collecting biological samples from infected people in their spare time

Established Norwegian covid-studies have allowed for a rapid in-depth Omicron study which is already well on the way.

Not a single person has been hospitalized after massive Oslo Christmas party Omicron outbreak

Most of the 145 infected people are now well again, says infection controller.

At least 140 people were infected with Covid-19 after Christmas party in Oslo

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) have released preliminary findings of their investigations into an Oslo Christmas party which caused widespread Covid infections. It is assumed that most of the 140 confirmed cases are infected with Omicron.

Vaccine researcher: “Menstrual changes are probably related to the vaccine”

The number of women reporting irregularities in their periods as a side effect make it difficult to find any other explanation than the covid vaccine, according to Norwegian researcher Gunnveig Grødeland.

Less happy with life during the pandemic

One year after the pandemic broke out in Norway, a Statistics Norway survey reveals that almost one in three respondents reported that they were unhappy with life. This is an increase from the previous year.

In times of crisis people usually postpone having children – but in Norway, the pandemic resulted in a baby boom

The Norwegian trend completely breaks with the researchers' theory and diverges from most other countries in Europe.

From grassroots to government: far-right threats to academic freedom

In recent years, and particularly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, far right forces have increased efforts to systematically undermine the principles of academic freedom. Léonie de Jonge, Iris Beau Segers and Cathrine Thorleifsson highlight the urgency of defending academic freedom against governmental interference and protecting researchers from threats and intimidation.