Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) (SARS-CoV-2) [2020]

They also did an EUA of convalescent plasma a month or two ago and called it game changer even though the data wasn't clear.

Regeneron is one of the monoclonal antibody candidates undergoing trials. Ought to work in theory, but the cost will be very high and it isn't feasible to quickly scale up production to the required levels due to the large dosage necessary. And, of course, it just might not work as expected!

I think nano antibodies are far more promising. Look up Aeronabs out of UCSF. Supposedly much cheaper to manufacture and scale up.

There are also similar nano and micro nano bodies being researched, some out of camelids like llamas.
 
A Cycling Studio in Canada Triggered a 72-Person COVID-19 Outbreak

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/oth...d-19-outbreak-here-s-what-to-know/ar-BB1a77Vw

Despite following COVID-19 protocols, indoor cycling classes at a Spinco fitness studio have triggered a coronavirus outbreak of at least 72 people in Ontario, Canada, public health officials say. As many as 100 staff, clients, and family members may have been exposed, CNN reported.

The Spinco studio had just reopened in Hamilton, Ontario, in July, and was adhering to coronavirus safety rules, said Elizabeth Richardson, MD, Hamilton's medical officer of health, in a statement to CNN. These included screening staff and attendees, tracking attendees, masking before and after classes, laundering towels, and cleaning rooms within 30 minutes after the conclusion of a class. According to city officials, Spinco was also operating at half-capacity and maintained a six-foot radius of space around each bike.

"We took all the measures public health offered, even added a few, and still the pandemic struck us again," the studio wrote on Instagram. The outbreak appears to be linked to classes held from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, and Spinco Hamilton has been closed since the outbreak was identified. Of the confirmed positive cases associated with the studio, 47 are primary cases (45 patrons and two staff members) and 25 are secondary cases, indicating "household spread" to family, friends, or other contacts.

There has been concern about indoor workout classes potentially aiding coronavirus transmission, but this appears to be one of the largest related outbreaks yet. Officials are particularly concerned because the facility was closely following health protocols. "We continue to look at what does it mean, what do we need to understand about exercise classes," Dr. Richardson said in a media briefing on Oct. 13, according to CNN.

Linsey Marr, PhD, an expert on airborne transmission and a professor of engineering at Virginia Tech, noted on Twitter that the protocol did not appear to require effective ventilation at the studio - an increasingly critical factor considering the potential for airborne spread of the virus. "Six feet is not enough," she wrote. "The gym did health screening, cleaning, masks before and after class, 50% capacity, and 6' around each bike. NOTHING ABOUT VENTILATION."

According to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), a public health spokesperson said that the size of the outbreak, in spite of adherence to protocol, "will likely contribute to a change in guidelines and practices moving forward."
 
Yeah, I've read the post on Derek Lowe's Pipeline blog. Anything involving llamas has to be cool but it is pretty tricky to wrap my head around how the work as a layman! Evolution certainly comes up with some unusual developments.

It sounds like it has great potential, but I wonder how long such an unproven technology would take to bring to market? If they can get it to work, it would end the pandemic and, you'd assume, all sorts of future diseases.
 
Florida's Dan Mullen learns the hard way about COVID-19

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nc...earns-the-hard-way-about-covid-19/ar-BB1a8bDu

The coronavirus is relentless, insidious, infectious and completely oblivious to your opinions.

Last Saturday afternoon, Florida coach Dan Mullen was pushing for his school to allow some 90,000 fans to jam Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville for this week’s matchup with LSU.

By Wednesday, the game was postponed due to an outbreak of COVID-19 among Florida players and coaches.

By Saturday, Mullen announced he had COVID-19 himself.


Just like that.

There is no need to pile on Mullen. After all, the 48-year-old is stuck dealing with self-isolation, an uncertain schedule and a team full of positive tests. And hopefully that is the worst of it. Hopefully he and his players only experience mild, if any, symptoms. You never know with COVID though.

His “Pack The Swamp” comments were ill-advised, but it came in moments of frustration following a loss to Texas A&M. Then he went and reiterated them two days later. But either way, the UF administration wasn't going to grant it. The school reiterated it would follow its own infectious disease doctors and experts and cap attendance at 20 percent, rather than the governor, who is allowing 100 percent.

“Coaches sometimes say things that are outside their area of expertise,” athletic director Scott Stricklin said. “And, you know, they are really good at what they do. Dan is really good at calling plays.”

It is, however, another reminder that you can take nothing for granted right now. Anywhere, of course. But with college football in particular.

Mullen went from begging to have a massive crowd at the game to not being able to coach even if the game hadn't already been postponed
.
 
How a Strip Club Named Tootsie’s Could Doom Miami’s Coronavirus Plan

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/h...uld-doom-miami-s-coronavirus-plan/ar-BB1a7ZfE

A local strip club could doom a business curfew in Miami implemented to curb the coronavirus pandemic in Florida’s largest county.

Over the past several months, local regulations in Miami-Dade have required businesses close early in the evening, a measure county officials took with hopes of slowing the spread of coronavirus.

But on Friday, a Miami-Dade judge ruled in favor of Tootsie’s strip club in Miami Gardens, which sued the city, arguing that the club should be allowed to stay open past the midnight curfew.

In her Friday ruling, Judge Beatrice Butchko wrote that the county’s regulations conflict directly with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order that coronavirus-related restrictions not prohibit Floridians from working.

----

Or in other words Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order's are that working is more important than life.
 
Wisconsin GOP Official Who Fought Mask Mandate Gets COVID Ahead of Trump Rally as Swing State's Cases Soar

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...rally-as-swing-state-s-cases-soar/ar-BB1a89GF

Wisconsin's Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow announced that he'd tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday—just months after he opposed a mask mandate issued by the state's governor, Tony Evers. The diagnosis comes just one day before President Donald Trump will visit Wisconsin where cases have increased.
 
How pandemic fatigue and polarization led to Wisconsin’s massive Covid-19 outbreak

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opin...onsin-s-massive-covid-19-outbreak/ar-BB1akC1k

The coronavirus epidemic in Wisconsin is so bad that, earlier this month, the state opened field hospitals to take on a wave of cases and deaths that officials feared would overwhelm the health care system.

The US has one of the worst Covid-19 outbreaks in the world, and Wisconsin has one of the worst outbreaks within the US. Only the Dakotas and Montana have higher rates of daily new cases. Wisconsin’s outbreak also shows no signs of abating: Since the beginning of October, the seven-day average of daily new coronavirus cases has risen by almost 40 percent. Covid-19 deaths have increased by more than 95 percent over the month.

Wisconsin is the most populous state ranked in the top five for Covid-19 cases. And it’s likely the most important politically — Donald Trump’s win in the state helped cement his Electoral College victory in 2016.

In some ways, the story of Wisconsin’s recent surge is similar to other surges across the country: Cases gradually rose after restrictions were loosened in May, then skyrocketed as the public eased up — gathering for Labor Day, going back to bars and indoor dining, and returning to college campuses.

“It’s a combination of a lot of things that have occurred at the same time,” Ajay Sethi, an epidemiologist at the University of Wisconsin Madison, told me. “It was a perfect storm.”

But what makes Wisconsin unique is the role political polarization has played. It’s not just that its voters are divided enough to make Wisconsin a swing state in presidential elections. The state government is also divided, and that’s had clear consequences: Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, has repeatedly tried to enact new restrictions and policies to combat Covid-19, only to have them threatened or overturned by Republican lawmakers.

It was a Republican-controlled Supreme Court that forced Wisconsin’s reopening in the first place by striking down Evers’s stay-at-home order. (Some local governments imposed new restrictions, but others didn’t.) It’s the Republican-controlled legislature that’s now threatening to repeal the state’s mask mandate. And President Donald Trump has held rallies in the state — even as its caseload grew — downplaying the pandemic by claiming it’s “rounding the corner” and calling for the state to “open it up.”



BB1akKt1.img
 
My wife and daughter are volunters too.

My wife received the first and second vaccine shot almost 3 months ago.
A week ago she did an independent lab test (her own initiative and curiosity) and they found covid antibodies .
Probably she was not in the control group.

My daughter received the vaccine today too.

The placebo is a saline for this vaccine trial. If you or your family don't get any side-effects - fever, feeling unwell etc - chances are you've received the placebo. Tenderness in the injection site is to be expected either way but you should have more of a reaction to the vaccine itself. Younger people will probably have a stronger reaction to the vaccine in general as well.

AstraZeneca are giving a meningitis vaccine as the placebo to their Covid-19 vaccine so there should be side-effects for everybody. Not a bad idea as you want everybody who is in the trial to be as careful as the other - if half the people think they are more at risk, their behaviour will be different and this could skew the results of the trial.

Your wife might quite possibly have already had asymptomatic Covid-19 (yourself and your daughter, too), which would explain the antibodies. Also, many of the antibody tests are crap unless you use venous blood. It's why the finger-prick tests aren't trusted
 
First few paragraphs from the Ars article @ https://arstechnica.com/science/202...vid-19-but-global-study-finds-it-doesnt-work/

Huge COVID study finds remdesivir doesn’t work—FDA grants approval anyway
WHO says its massive study was clearly not included in FDA review.

The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday issued a full approval of the antiviral drug remdesivir for treating COVID-19—just days after a massive global study concluded that the drug provides no benefit.

“The FDA is committed to expediting the development and availability of COVID-19 treatments during this unprecedented public health emergency,” FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement. “Today’s approval is supported by data from multiple clinical trials that the agency has rigorously assessed and represents an important scientific milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Early results

The FDA made its decision based on three clinical trials on remdesivir, a repurposed experimental antiviral drug brand-named Veklury. One was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial run by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. It included 1,062 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 541 of which received remdesivir. The trial concluded that remdesivir shortened the median recovery time from the infection from 15 days to 10 days. The researchers running the trial defined “recovery” of a patient as either a patient being discharged from the hospital—regardless if the patient still had lingering symptoms that limited activities or required supplemental oxygen to be taken at home—or a patient remaining in the hospital but no longer requiring medical care, such as if they were kept in the hospital for infection-control reasons.

The other two trials the FDA considered were conducted by Gilead, the company that makes remdesivir. One trial looked at about 600 people with moderate cases COVID-19. Patients were split into three groups, each about 200 people—a group that got a 10-day course of remdesivir, a group that got a 5-day course, and a control group that got standard treatments. At day 11 of treatments, the group that had the 5-day course of remdesivir showed a statistically significant improvement in symptom scores compared with the control group. The group that got a 10-day course of remdesivir did not have a statistically significant improvement over the control group, though.

The other Gilead trial looked at 400 patients with severe COVID-19. They were split about evenly into just two groups—a group that got a 5-day course of remdesivir and a group that got a 10-day course. There were no statistically significant differences in recovery or deaths between the two groups.

...
 
Regarding the Remdesvir efficacy, it's an interesting thing to think about. I expect that the WHO results show that effect on those with severe problems with Covid-19 is negligible are accurate. However, one of the biggest concerns with this pandemic is not just the fact that we can't necessarily save those (generally elderly) patients who are most badly affected, but rather that the resources for those with severe infections who might survive might be too limited if the health care system is overwhelmed by numbers requiring treatment. In this case, if Remdesivir could free up more beds more frequently, you might actually save some lives. Unless a more effective treatment can be found, of course.
 
Regarding the Remdesvir efficacy, it's an interesting thing to think about. I expect that the WHO results show that effect on those with severe problems with Covid-19 is negligible are accurate. However, one of the biggest concerns with this pandemic is not just the fact that we can't necessarily save those (generally elderly) patients who are most badly affected, but rather that the resources for those with severe infections who might survive might be too limited if the health care system is overwhelmed by numbers requiring treatment. In this case, if Remdesivir could free up more beds more frequently, you might actually save some lives. Unless a more effective treatment can be found, of course.

Not only that, a lot of potential therapies are thought to be more effective early on, like right after infection, to prevent the virus from replicating and overwhelming the body's systems.

But remdesivir and the antibody cocktails require infusions, so you have to go to the doctor but we're channeling any potential covid cases to hospitals, not to doctor's offices, where they might be able to give you shots of some of these. In the case of remdesivir, it's like a 4 or 5 day process, so you have to be in hospital. Expensive and hard to scale up the treatment for even the tens of thousands who test positive each day.

So the hope is for other antivirals which can be delivered outpatient, in the form of pills or inhalers. Would be much cheaper to administer, though the drugs themselves might be expensive.
 
I'm still seeing plenty of defiant mask-less people here in WI regardless of the problems we have. The ones accompanying masked family members or friends are the best.

I asked an employee at one of the major gas station chains about that and she said they can not confront these people. That is completely understandable. But it is a local law from what I understand so... yeah what are we to do.
 
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Here's an interesting idea about improving testing efficiency by pooling PCR tests in complex groups using the magic of maths:


Some countries have been using pooling to help make up for a lack of testing resource but even more complex pooling could be used to drastically increase the amount of testing elsewhere. May be necessary to help eventually bring this thing under more control. You'd imagine that it would be relatively easy to organise using a decent IT system, keeping track of where the samples come from using barcode.
 
Wisconsin Republicans have been facing an outbreak among lawmakers and aides. But they don't want to talk about it.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news...ail&itm_campaign=daily_briefing&itm_term=hero

Wisconsin Republican lawmakers and top GOP aides have been facing a coronavirus outbreak in recent weeks following a series of in-person events, including a retirement party for a longtime Capitol staffer, a dozen sources told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.


But Republican leaders would not disclose how many or which lawmakers have contracted COVID-19, nor would they answer questions about contact tracing efforts — including whether anyone worked at the state Capitol after they were exposed to the virus.

Those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak include Jenny Toftness, chief of staff for Speaker Robin Vos, who got sick after attending the retirement party in September.

"Jenny was exposed at the gathering," Vos spokeswoman Kit Beyer said. "As soon as she found out she was exposed, she went into quarantine and is now fully recovered."

Beyer said Vos had not recently been in close contact with Toftness.

"Robin has not been exposed," Beyer said. "He does not have COVID."

She said Vos, a Republican from Rochester, has been working in his district as he seeks reelection and has rarely been in the Capitol in recent weeks.

Sources told the Journal Sentinel that Toftness was one of at least six people who got sick after attending the retirement party and other recent events. Others included GOP lawmakers, staffers and at least two lobbyists, the sources said.

Vos declined to be interviewed.

It's unclear whether those who were infected notified any Capitol authorities, who could alert others who work in the statehouse.

"We are not aware of any reports from either legislators or legislative staff," Britt Cudaback, spokeswoman for Gov. Tony Evers, said in an email in response to questions about COVID-19 policies of the Department of Administration, which oversees the Capitol.


Scott Kelly, an aide to GOP Sen. Van Wanggaard, said on Twitter there is "no evidence anyone got COVID in the building. Or that they are currently working in the building."

Amanda Jorgenson, director of the Legislature's human resources department, did not respond to questions about whether the office received reports of infections or potential exposures among people who work in the Capitol, or whether the Legislature has a policy on notifying others in the statehouse about potential exposures to the virus.

Other legislators disclosed their infections

Rep. David Bowen, D-Milwaukee, tested positive for COVID-19 in March and issued a news release about his infection.

Rep. Scott Allen, R-Waukesha, also told reporters about his recent infection.

Bowen said releasing the information was necessary because of his public position.

"I felt it was necessary as a public lawmaker to share, not to just hide in my house for several weeks hoping that I’d be OK but essentially just to be transparent with the public that this thing is real," Bowen said. "It's really important. Instead of feeding our sense of embarrassment or being so protective of yourself that you're not protecting the public."

Evers has said that any state worker with suspected, confirmed or direct exposure to COVID-19 should notify their supervisor, who would then notify human resources, which would then notify others who were in close contact with the reporting employee.

Employees are then asked to quarantine for a minimum of 14 days, and the worksite is cleaned and disinfected.

Policies on such issues for lawmakers and legislative staffers would be set by legislative leaders, not Evers.

Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald have both been vocal critics of Evers' mask mandate and other efforts aimed at combating the spread of COVID-19.

Fitzgerald has also insisted that state Senate employees don't need to wear masks while working at the Capitol.


"I won't be pushed around by Dane County or the Evers Administration — we control the Senate wing," Fitzgerald told the Associated Press in July. "Senators should be able to decide what they do in their own offices."

t's unclear whether those infected with the virus contracted it at the retirement party or another event. Sources have cited the party as well as a fundraiser held last month by the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee as potential sources of the outbreak.

The Committee to Elect a Republican Senate held another fundraiser shortly before the Assembly event.

Republicans have continued to have in-person events, fundraisers and rallies, and have not required attendees to wear masks.

On Thursday, at least five Assembly Republican lawmakers attended an indoor event hosted by Pro-Life Wisconsin and were not wearing masks in photos posted to Twitter by Rep. Ken Skowronski, R-Franklin. The post was later deleted.

Democrats have instead largely shifted to virtual fundraisers, socially distanced, outdoor campaign stops and drive-in rallies.

Gail Scott, health officer for the Jefferson County Health Department, said her office did not have any information about the Sept. 17 fundraiser held at Milford Hills in Johnson Creek for the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee.

A Milford Hills manager declined to comment when asked about any COVID-19 cases linked to the fundraiser, other than telling a Journal Sentinel reporter that it was "an outdoor event."

Republicans who control the Legislature have faced criticism recently for not putting forward strategies to combat the coronavirus, especially as Wisconsin faces one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the country.

The Wisconsin Legislature has been the least active full-time state legislative body in the country since states began taking measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a WisPolitics.com review published earlier this month.

Vos on Friday wrote on Facebook that criticism of the Legislature's inactivity is unfair.

"(Gov. Tony) Evers hasn't given us any concrete ideas as to what we could pass beyond the comprehensive bill we already supported," Vos wrote in response to criticism from his opponent. "He wants to shut down the state, I oppose that. Beyond that, ask yourself what else could be done to fight the virus beyond following the CDC guidelines. This is fear-mongering and really disappointing behavior from Gov Evers."

Legislative leaders are in court now trying to throw out Evers' statewide mask mandate. CDC guidelines include wearing a mask when around other people.

The mandate is supported by a vast majority of Wisconsin voters, according to recent Marquette University Law School polling.

The GOP lawmakers already have the power to end the mask mandate by voting to end the governor's health emergency. But instead, legislative leaders are opting to spend taxpayer dollars to hire private attorneys to accomplish the same goal.
 
........

Your wife might quite possibly have already had asymptomatic Covid-19 (yourself and your daughter, too), which would explain the antibodies. Also, many of the antibody tests are crap unless you use venous blood. It's why the finger-prick tests aren't trusted

It is a possibility.
We will know when the vaccination test is finished, and it will be soon.
The ones who received placebo (control group) will receive the real one too after this phase.
They ended phase 3 first shot yesterday. There is no more volunters.

We have a second vaccine shot next month.
We are feeling prety well.

Interesting article about BioNTech: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-pf...eader-in-coronavirus-vaccine-race-11603359015
 
Ohio has had it's worst day ever, for 4 days in a row, with 2858 new COVID19 cases. One month ago it was around 1K new cases, some days under, some days over. What a turn for the worst.
 
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