Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #75

[margarita25]

I’ll be honest here (I always am), ykwim...

The whole vaccine thing scares me. Unless I KNOW it’s safe, I will be hesitant. No way I’d take that Russian vaccine that didn’t even go through the imperative Phase 3 clinical trials.

I would rather stay home than take a vaccine that may not be safe, I think.

Crossing fingers.

Doc T says “it’s not a silver bullet YET”, (meaning we have to implement all current tools at hand).

What happens if there’s no vaccine?

Gah!

Eta: Last I heard from Doc T on Aug 6 Aspen Conference, there are over 200 in trials. The sheer number here increases chances that hopefully one, or more, will be a winner.

 

[Clair Louise]

I’ll be honest here (I always am), ykwim...

The whole vaccine thing scares me. Unless I KNOW it’s safe, I will be hesitant. No way I’d take that Russian vaccine that didn’t even go through the imperative Phase 3 clinical trials.

I would rather stay home than take a vaccine that may not be safe, I think.

Crossing fingers.

Doc T says “it’s not a silver bullet YET”, (meaning we have to implement all current tools at hand).

What happens if there’s no vaccine?

Gah!

Eta: Last I heard from Doc T on Aug 6 Aspen Conference, there are over 200 in trials. The sheer number here increases chances that hopefully one, or more, will be a winner.

BBM. No one will take that one and as your edit shows, there are plenty more in the pipeline.
Being British, I would trust Oxford university with my life. Not a drug company, but some of the finest minds in the world working for science, not profit.

 

[Clair Louise]

Oh that seems quite low.

Just saw some good news.

US stocks hit new high after coronavirus crash

The S&P 500, one of the widest and most prominent US market measures, inched higher on Tuesday to close at 3,389.78 - about three points above its 19 February record.

Other US indexes have also rebounded.

The Nasdaq hit another record after surpassing its prior high in June while the Dow Jones Industrial Average is within about 5% of its February record.

More at link.

The stock market is not the economy unless you have a thick portfolio.

 

[tmar]

Coronavirus could trigger child diabetes, study suggests

Coronavirus could trigger child diabetes, study suggests

Richard Wood

3 hrs ago
Coronavirus could potentially trigger type one diabetes in children, UK scientists have warned following a jump in new cases at the height of the pandemic.

Researchers at Imperial College London found hospitals in north-west London recorded about twice the number of new-onset type one patients they would normally have expected during the period. The majority of those arrived in a serious state.

<modsnip: Snipped to comply with 10% copyright rule>

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Coronavirus: Heathrow Airport unveils plans for COVID-19 testing facility to replace quarantine measures

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said ministers are working with Heathrow Airport to find a way for coronavirus testing to reduce the quarantine period.

It comes as the airport unveiled plans for a new testing facility which it hopes will lead to the end of the mandatory 14-day quarantine for travellers returning from countries which have been removed from the UK's safe list.

Arriving passengers will be able to book coronavirus swab tests and have results sent to them within seven hours.
Those testing negative could leave quarantine five to eight days after landing.

 

[SouthAussie]

Coronavirus: Heathrow Airport unveils plans for COVID-19 testing facility to replace quarantine measures

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said ministers are working with Heathrow Airport to find a way for coronavirus testing to reduce the quarantine period.

It comes as the airport unveiled plans for a new testing facility which it hopes will lead to the end of the mandatory 14-day quarantine for travellers returning from countries which have been removed from the UK's safe list.

Arriving passengers will be able to book coronavirus swab tests and have results sent to them within seven hours.
Those testing negative could leave quarantine five to eight days after landing.

We have been testing incoming travellers on Day One and Day Twelve of 14-day quarantine.

Possibly due to this type of information ...

"An antibody test can show if you were previously exposed to or infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, and if your body has created antibodies in an attempt to defend itself. It takes at least 12 days after exposure for your body to make enough antibodies to show up on a test."
Coronavirus Test FAQs


Consequently, we had a man and a woman in my state's hotel quarantine test negative on the first day then positive after 12 days just last week. (As well as others before them.) I wonder if they would have tested positive after 5-8 days.

Hotel security guards to be tested for coronavirus after woman tests positive in SA

 

[dixiegirl1035]

More good news...
FDA greenlights expansion of COVID-19 study to VCU Medical Center after positive data
CORONAVIRUs FDA greenlights expansion of COVID-19 study to VCU Medical Center after positive data

The drug is being developed by CalciMedica. (Source: NBC12)
By Adrianna Hargrove | August 18, 2020 at 12:17 PM EDT - Updated August 18 at 12:17 PM
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - The Food and Drug Administration announced that they will allow VCU Medical Center to test a new COVID-19 drug after an independent group of researchers agreed.

The drug is being developed by CalciMedica. It is a potent and fast-acting inflammation-blocking drug that helps maintain oxygenation into the lungs. It is one of the few drugs in the country that can also be used in tandem with other drugs like Remdesivir and Dexamethasone.

Recently published data, reviewed and approved by a group of independent national experts, showed that the drug Auxora, plus standard of care, reduced ventilator use by more than 50% and more than doubled the rate of recovery compared to standard of care alone.

Expert Auxora developers at CalciMedica can explain how this therapy works and the scientific evidence that supports its potential to improve outcomes for severe COVID-19 pneumonia patients.

Because of this data, the FDA is expanding access of this drug to be used in up to 400 patients at 40 US locations, including Richmond, many of which are COVID-19 hotspots.

Yes, this is one of the more than 200+ trials at clinicaltrials.gov. Many many are moving out of phase 1 safety studies. I expect to see more and more studies send out these success stories, as it helps get funding and perhaps investment monies with these "marketing" press releases. MOO

This was stage one of the study, and moves into phase 2 double blind now.

As it uses remdisivir and corticosteroids with this drug, it's unknown if this drug contributes above and beyond just using remdesivir and corticosteroids. Phase 2 double blinds should help determine such and Phase 2 estimated schedule for completion in April 2021. A Study of Auxora in Patients With Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov

COVID-19 symptoms are most likely to appear in a specific order, research finds

COVID-19 symptoms are most likely to appear in a specific order, research finds

By health reporter Paige Cockburn

8 hrs ago
There are many reasons why coronavirus is difficult to control, but the fact it mimics the symptoms of other common viruses, including the flu, presents a major hurdle.

But new evidence suggests there is a certain order in which COVID-19 symptoms appear, and researchers hope their findings will enable earlier testing.

The paper, published in the journal, by researchers from the University of South California (USC), is based on the symptoms of more than 55,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The researchers found the initial symptoms often appear in the following specific order:

1. Fever
2. Cough
3. Nausea and/or vomiting
4. Diarrhoea

The researchers hypothesise that if you have contracted influenza (the flu), the first symptom you will observe is a cough, not fever.

The ability to discern between the flu and coronavirus early on cannot be overstated, as COVID-19 is two to three times more contagious than influenza.

"This order is especially important to know when we have overlapping cycles of illnesses like the flu that coincide with infections of COVID-19," said researcher Peter Kuhn, professor of medicine and biomedical engineering at USC.

There is also a subtle difference in the timing of COVID-19 symptoms when compared to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract seems to be affected before the lower GI tract in COVID-19 cases which is the opposite to MERS and SARS.

This is why nausea/vomiting often presents before diarrhoea among some COVID-19 patients.

Dr Seheult's update yesterday and @12:00 speaks to order of symptoms

Coronavirus Pandemic Update 102: COVID 19 vs. Influenza Symptoms; Sweden; Tocilizumab; Hawaii

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[ilovewings]

8 days into semester, Notre Dame halts in-person classes as 146 students get coronavirus

I cannot believe these colleges actually believe they can carry on school in person classes. What is wrong with these educators: they aren't stupid: i guess they are in
denial--- it is unbelievable.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

When I get the flu, I first of all and quite suddenly, get the muscle aches and fever followed by a headache and sore throat. I may not get a cough for days after the other symptoms.

I went to the study source and read the paper as to order of symptoms COVID vs. flu. (Dr. Seheult video above also went into it in above post) Modeling the Onset of Symptoms of COVID-19

Sounds like your order is right as myalgia OR cough first, but comes before fever.

The results for influenza indicate that cough or myalgia may occur first (Figure 5A). After these two symptoms occur, the order of symptoms is headache, sore throat and fever. Finally, vomiting/nausea and diarrhea have an undetectable difference in probability of occurring last.

Wherein with COVID,
"The most likely path of COVID-19 symptoms is fever, then cough, and next either sore throat, myalgia, or headache, followed by nausea/vomiting, and finally diarrhea"

 

[Simply Southern]

Watched a news clip on Radford University and their commitment to keep students and the community informed. Radford is in the same community as Virginia Tech, also using the same type dashboard.

University COVID-19 Dashboard - Radford University

 

[ilovewings]

BBM. No one will take that one and as your edit shows, there are plenty more in the pipeline.
Being British, I would trust Oxford university with my life. Not a drug company, but some of the finest minds in the world working for science, not profit.

I have never had any type of vaccine: i admit to being afraid of having an adverse reaction to the vaccine. I have lots of allergies--- I probably won't get a flu vaccine this year either. I think with most people masking up ( around where I live anyway), washing hands and social distancing, there should be less flu cases---- I would consider a vaccine for Covid because Covid is a known killer virus--- however, i am not sure i would take one that i thought came out too soon. I am concerned there is too much pressure to get something to the public-----

 

[dixiegirl1035]

8 days into semester, Notre Dame halts in-person classes as 146 students get coronavirus

Pffft, and they issue a 2 week suspension on classes thinking that is going to make a difference?

Move on Universities and just do remote till next January/spring 2021 or later. Until we have a vaccine MOO. Then require for admittance. It won't fix it... it's just wash/rinse/repeat as the 15 days did with the US in the beginning. What a waste. Get the kids to pay big bucks for housing to go F2F, only to rip it away and have kids back at an off campus housing that their parents pay hard earned $$ on and signed a year contract they cannot get out of.

Easier said than done as making decisions as parents these days!

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Except they can still give vaccinated people covid if it's not 100% effective. And it won't be. And they will.

That said, I don't think we can force people.

It's all about getting the Rt down to an acceptable rate MOO. e.g. the tail of a natural curve will be endemic for sure with or without a vaccine... it's just how fast we get there.

Starts expectedly in high risk.... goes then to community and spreads through asymptomatics... then back through high risk. Each and every locality will have their own epi curve within the bigger one based on population density and demographics/living conditions and schools.

At the outset, many were banking on (literally) that this would be a flash in the pan type of virus... but now clear it's one that will head to endemic. Perhaps by then we can get the damn contact tracing to be taken seriously - yet now so many are denying to share the information. I would think that @margarita25 is sympathetic to the difficulties in following the reports coming out about folks not sharing with contact tracers. GRRRRRR

MOO

 

[tresir2012]

The stock market is not the economy unless you have a thick portfolio.

Most little people have a pension that depends on the stock market though. And these companies employ millions so it certainly is the economy.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Yes, I think he means that stopping the exponential spread will stop the pandemic, ie the WHO, or whoever, will declare the pandemic is over. I'm just pointing out that the word 'eradicate' has a specific meaning ie smallpox was eradicated, but not measles, TB, malaria, colds and flu, and so forth.

... end of pandemic -->> moves to the definition of endemic. Small amounts. Which is continues at lower levels MOO

I think scientists are working with the R0 and Rt's to confirm that if only 50% get vaccines, it will indeed end pandemic as it will push Rt down enough and just push to endemic levels.

MOO

 

[tresir2012]

Yes, there is an article about that here. Seems the billionaires are profiting, the economy is not.


In the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, stock prices are almost back to where they were before the pandemic began. Big corporations and major investors are doing fine. Billionaires are doing better than ever. But most Americans are sinking fast.

This isn’t just unfair. Much of it is illegal.

Trump has no problem letting billionaires profit off the pandemic | Robert Reich

I agree with the article that people like Gates, Zuckerberg, Bezos and drug companies have profited during the pandemic. But they do employ a lot of people too so for the stock market to rally, I see people's jobs and pensions could be safer IMO.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Most little people have a pension that depends on the stock market though. And these companies employ millions so it certainly is the economy.

Agree, that little people have a plan, but in US, it is 401K in the US vs. "pension".

Most companies in the US no longer have pensions as perhaps you do in UK. We have moved to another investment which is called a 401k. No longer the company invests for the employees whereby they get an annuity as pensions gave the option, the employees decide on straight investments in the markets - whether it be stocks/bonds or just interest bearing accounts on their plans. "Today, only 17% of private-sector workers have access to one, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2018 National Compensation Survey.1 "

The Demise of the Defined-Benefit Plan

That said, many folks in the US may be working for small companies which don't even offer that? What are the % of folks that don't have 401ks? I didn't look into numbers, but I get where you are coming from.
MOO

 

[Simply Southern]

BBM. No one will take that one and as your edit shows, there are plenty more in the pipeline.
Being British, I would trust Oxford university with my life. Not a drug company, but some of the finest minds in the world working for science, not profit.

The Oxford University vaccine is being funded by AstraZeneca, a for profit drug company and the US donated 1.2 billion to the development.

ALL vaccine research in being done with funding from private drug companies.

$1.2 Billion From U.S. to Drugmaker to Pursue Coronavirus Vaccine

Expanding its pursuit of an inoculation against the coronavirus, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Thursday it would provide “up to $1.2 billion” to the drug company AstraZeneca to develop a potential vaccine from a laboratory at Oxford University.

The deal with AstraZeneca is the fourth and by far the largest vaccineresearch agreement that the department has disclosed. The money will pay for a Phase 3 clinical trial of a potential vaccine in the United States this summer with about 30,000 volunteers.

The H.H.S. statement said the agency and AstraZeneca “are collaborating to make available at least 300 million doses,” and projected that the first doses could be available as early as October.

AstraZeneca - Research-Based BioPharmaceutical Company

 

[tresir2012]

Agree, that little people have a plan, but in US, it is 401K in the US vs. "pension".

Most companies in the US no longer have pensions as perhaps you do in UK. We have moved to another investment which is called a 401k. No longer the company invests for the employees whereby they get an annuity as pensions gave the option, the employees decide on straight investments in the markets - whether it be stocks/bonds or just interest bearing accounts on their plans. "Today, only 17% of private-sector workers have access to one, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2018 National Compensation Survey.1 "

The Demise of the Defined-Benefit Plan

That said, many folks in the US may be working for small companies which don't even offer that? What are the % of folks that don't have 401ks? I didn't look into numbers, but I get where you are coming from.
MOO

I was referring to private pensions as well as the final salary/defined benefit schemes too. I don't know the percentages either now but the employer schemes have declined.

 

[Sundog]

Most little people have a pension that depends on the stock market though. And these companies employ millions so it certainly is the economy.

Absolutely. Thanks for posting this. I am still working, but the majority of my colleagues who have retired rely on stock market performance for the health of their retirement income/pensions. And, as you say, the millions employed in the finance sector. This has nothing to do with billionaires, but ordinary American citizens.