COVID-19 cases are spiking — just in time for the holidays. The Texas Medical Association has released a different type of naughty and nice list. Photo courtesy of the CDC

The Texas Medical Association has released its COVID-19 holiday risk chart, a ranking of popular activities based on how likely one is to contract the novel coronavirus.

With infections spiking in Houston and across the country, the chart was updated from its original version with input from physicians on the TMA COVID-19 Task Force and the TMA Infectious Diseases Committee. Together, the group identified popular seasonal activities and the calculated the risk of spreading the virus.

"It's back! The TMA #COVID19 Task Force has developed a new version of our popular risk assessment chart to help you choose your activities wisely this holiday season," the Austin-based association said in a November 17 tweet accompanying the new chart.

Using a ranking of 1 to 10, the chart measures everything from viewing holiday lights with family in a car (1) to attending an outdoor public tree lighting ceremony (4) to celebrating New Year's Eve at a bar or club (10).

The chart also measures the thing we're perhaps most worried about during the holiday season: spending time with loved ones.

Based on the TMA risk chart (and pretty much all scientific experts), it's safer to only interact with your immediate household this year. Typical activities like decorating a gingerbread house with another household (4) or traveling by plane to visit family or friends (5) run a moderate risk, while taking photos with Santa (7), shopping in-person on Black Friday (8), and attending a large indoor celebration with singing (10) pose a moderate-to-high risk.

The Centers for Disease Control issued similar holiday guidelines on November 11, encouraging people to limit interactions with those outside their immediate household. If possible, host gatherings outside and keep all non-family members at least six feet apart.

Masks should be worn unless eating or drinking and especially when in airports, bus stations, train stations, gas stations, and rest stops.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

The new risk-based guideline chart has been updated with seasonal activites. Courtesy of Texas Medical Association

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Axiom Space-tested cancer drug advances to clinical trials

mission critical

A cancer-fighting drug tested aboard several Axiom Space missions is moving forward to clinical trials.

Rebecsinib, which targets a cancer cloning and immune evasion gene, ADAR1, has received FDA approval to enter clinical trials under active Investigational New Drug (IND) status, according to a news release. The drug was tested aboard Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) and Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3). It was developed by Aspera Biomedicine, led by Dr. Catriona Jamieson, director of the UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute (SSCI).

The San Diego-based Aspera team and Houston-based Axiom partnered to allow Rebecsinib to be tested in microgravity. Tumors have been shown to grow more rapidly in microgravity and even mimic how aggressive cancers can develop in patients.

“In terms of tumor growth, we see a doubling in growth of these little mini-tumors in just 10 days,” Jamieson explained in the release.

Rebecsinib took part in the patient-derived tumor organoid testing aboard the International Space Station. Similar testing is planned to continue on Axiom Station, the company's commercial space station that's currently under development.

Additionally, the drug will be tested aboard Ax-4 under its active IND status, which was targeted to launch June 25.

“We anticipate that this monumental mission will inform the expanded development of the first ADAR1 inhibitory cancer stem cell targeting drug for a broad array of cancers," Jamieson added.

According to Axiom, the milestone represents the potential for commercial space collaborations.

“We’re proud to work with Aspera Biomedicines and the UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute, as together we have achieved a historic milestone, and we’re even more excited for what’s to come,” Tejpaul Bhatia, the new CEO of Axiom Space, said in the release. “This is how we crack the code of the space economy – uniting public and private partners to turn microgravity into a launchpad for breakthroughs.”