[Finding Joy]

Terra, something similar went around here(Florida) and my whole family got it.  In Dec/January.  Many here believe it was covid including myself.  We want antibody testing.

For the trees-I know someone with MS and this is incredibly scary for her.  It’s not ideal for those with health issues to have to shelter in place for 12-18 months.  Hopefully it won’t come to that.  Of course it also makes no sense for the entire population to shelter in place for 12-18 months, so hard choices will have to be made and I also believe herd immunity is our best hope.  Through various means.

Personally I believe testing in the US will show this is very widespread bringing the death rate per infected way down.  Hopefully anyways.  This has been many of our guess all along, but of course more testing needs done to confirm or deny the hunch.

[Nerissa]

Here’s an interview with Germany’s COVID expert.  Germany is considered to have had an exemplary approach to the pandemic, given that so much is unknown.

He appears to think that herd immunity will not easily be achieved and that in Germany, the percentage  so far testing positive for antibodies is still in single figures. 

It’s going to be a trying and worrisome year I think. Hope everyone is coping.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/26/virologist-christian-drosten-germany-coronavirus-expert-interview

[marvin4242]

A new “study of studies” again shows that infants and young kids are not at risk from the Covid-19 virus. The review looked at studies and data from multiple countries and shows almost no morbidity directly related to the virus. There are very small numbers reported but they are all “suspected” cases in that other factors were not ruled out. As reported before majority of kids of asymptomatic and its not clear that they are a vector of transmission. The only interesting “news” I personally saw is that the virus shows up in kids fecal matter for weeks after which may be a vector of transmission. Infants and kids showed very little inflammation and any of the effects of an overactive immune system, and very few showed any effect on the lungs.

If the other data showing how an infected child didn’t pass on the Covid to his siblings but did pass on other flu strains from the same trip holds up it would explain widespread school opening push in some countries.

https://dontforgetthebubbles.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/COVID-data-top-10.pdf?mod=article_inline

Summary:

COVID-19 appears to affect children less often, and with less severity, including frequent asymptomatic or subclinical infection. There is evi- dence of critical illness, but it is rare. The role of children in transmission is unclear, but it seems likely they do not play a significant role. Changes in laboratory or radiographic parameters are slightly different to adults, and changes usually mild. There is no direct evidence of vertical trans- mission, and early evidence suggests both infected mothers and infants are no more severely affected than other groups. Early evidence sug- gests no significant increased risk for children with immunosuppression, but further data is needed

[marvin4242]

Another interesting read, not a lot of depth but a good overview and context about this pandemic. We are in the middle of it in some ways, so sometimes its hard to clearly see the way out. But as we know from before it will pass, and in some ways we are more able to find a solution to this than at any other time in history due to medical and scientific advances.

How The COVID-19 Pandemic Could End
Recent epidemics provide clues to ways the current crisis could stop

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-could-end/?utm_source=digg

[Nerissa]

This article was shared by Nigella Lawson. She felt it clear and calming.  It’s comprehensive and explains why so much confusion.

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/04/pandemic-confusing-uncertainty/610819/

[marvin4242]

Thanks Nerissa very good article (imho) that covers a lot of the misunderstood aspects. Specially as I watch the administration now essentially falsely claim how great they are doing and how great things are going. I am sure they will use the worst case numbers to show how “well” it has gone in the US rather than how badly.

On a more positive front I am sure all of you have already seen the first larger double blind trials of Gileads antiviral medication has gone well. It seems to show a 30% across the board improvement in both duration of disease and decrease in mortality. And a second study showed that a 5 day treatment had the same impact as 10 (decreasing the dosage or doubling availability of the drug by 2). This is not a magic bullet nor a cure, but it is a very good foothold treatment. Decreasing duration and mortality means it should reduce load on hospitals and death rates. Only confusion out there is the Lancet paper that showed from an earlier study in China of the same drug that it did not show such effect, but that study was terminated due to lack of patients, so it is more inclusive.

So this may be a very good anchor treatment. Hopefully in combination with another similarly effective treatment we can make a big dent in the mortality and risk factor.

[marvin4242]

Link to good article for above:

https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-04-29/remdesivir-clinical-trial-may-be-turning-point-in-coronavirus-fight

[xyzcf]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-vaccine-september-oxford-university/

I found this news promising because researchers had been working on vaccines for corona viruses for years....and could be able to use what they already know to make something that will specifically work with COVID.

In my home state, I watch the number of deaths per day and they are down from 36 or so to 2 per day....to me that is a very good indication as well that the measures we are taking are working.

I was dismayed however at people stockpiling famotadine. It is totally sold out and I take it for stomach issues. I tried stopping it last fall and was quite sick so my GI specialist told me I should take it for the rest of my life. It is the only GERD med that I can tolerate but I do have some stock ahead.

Today, I am going golfing! Yes, the courses have ,made several rules, pay online, putting a foam piece in the cup so your ball just needs to hit that and it is considered in and maintaining social distancing which out on the course is really easy to do.

I am working in my yard and cleaning it up...I can order stuff from the garden center as of today for curbside pickup. There are some inventive things happening.

Many people I talk to who are able to work at home are saying they prefer working at home and would actually like to continue to do so once the danger of the virus is over.

I am concerned that things will open up too quickly..but things are being monitored and hopefully any patterns of reemergence will be identified quickly. 

Have a safe and good day all.

[marvin4242]

And here are two initiatives people may not be as aware of:

"Announcing the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator"

https://www.gatesfoundation.org/TheOptimist/Articles/coronavirus-mark-suzman-therapeutics

And

"Bill Gates is funding new factories for potential coronavirus vaccines"
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/bill-gates-7-potential-coronavirus-vaccines

Picking up the slack where our federal government isn't.

[Nerissa]

I am working in my yard and cleaning it up...I can order stuff from the garden center as of today for curbside pickup. There are some inventive things happening.

Nice to read that you are  regaining a little normality.  Fingers crossed the infection rates keep decreasing.