The biology of coronavirus COVID-19 - including research and treatments

I think a few frontline staff have already had their second shot...anecdotally my cousin who is a nurse has had hers already and another relative who takes blood regularly (haematology) is about to get hers as well. I think front line staff are already prioritised already?

I think we will get more of these types of articles as people realise how long they have to wait ...only natural I suppose ...personally I think they should prioritise the under 60’s in terms of key workers that have to be exposed to the public or have to work closely to one another (shop workers, assembly line workers, abattoirs, bus drivers etc etc). I suppose teachers could be included in that lot as well but I would like to see evidence that they have a higher risk than someone working in a supermarket....but I digress

 

Wasn't sure where to post this and felt too wimpy to listen to it with all that went on last week...

Inside Health BBC R4, broadcast 26th Jan 2021, 28 mins

Available on BBC i-player: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000rlpj

"Exercise in the time of Covid
It’s an exercise special on Inside Health. This week Amanda wants to know how quickly she can get back to exercising after Covid. Dr David Salman has drawn up some advice and Dr Navjoyt Ladher explains why this virus means we should be taking it easy, as well as having a shocking confession of her own. We check in on George, Jen and Dr Helen Hawley-Hague to see how they are getting on with their physiotherapy in the height of lockdown. And we explore with Sport England’s Tim Hollingsworth what the pandemic can teach us about improving exercise levels. Oh and I think I nearly broke our resident GP Margaret McCartney talking about 'adaptogens'. "

 

Oregon health workers who got stuck in a snowstorm on their way back from a COVID-19 vaccination event went car to car injecting stranded drivers before several of the doses expired.

 

I have been working at a vaccination centre for a few days and have seen the efforts to use up every last dose at the end of the night with staff staying late to wait for police and other key workers called in to use up any spares. I have been so impressed with the energy and drive of everyone working so hard towards a single goal.

 

In case it's of any use to anybody,

Seven coronavirus myths busted (by a doctor with a lot of experience of the subject):

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/me...onavirus-myths-busted/ar-BB1dcLLJ?ocid=ASUDHP

 

Beneficial effects of colchicine for moderate to severe COVID-19: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Lopes et al. RMD Open (2021)

The Guardian: Gout drug could reduce Covid hospital stays, new research finds

 

A friend alerted me to reports of some sort of possible treatment coming out of Israel:

New Israeli Covid drug which cured 30 cases of disease hailed by scientists as 'huge breakthrough'

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/me...eakthrough/ar-BB1dqXuc?ocid=ASUDHP&li=AAnZ9Ug

Only phase 1 so far, though.

 

Enlivex Reports Positive Top-Line Results from Phase II Clinical Trial Evaluating Allocetra in Severe and Critical COVID-19 Patients and Provides a Program Update

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-...9-Patients-and-Provides-a-Program-Update.html

eta:
"
AllocetraTM is a universal, off-the-shelf cell therapy designed to reprogram macrophages into their homeostatic state. Diseases such as solid cancers, sepsis, COVID-19 and many others reprogram macrophages out of their homeostatic state. These non-homeostatic macrophages contribute significantly to the severity of the respective diseases. By restoring macrophage homeostasis, AllocetraTM has the potential to provide a novel immunotherapeutic mechanism of action for life-threatening clinical indications that are defined as “unmet medical needs”, as a stand-alone therapy or in combination with leading therapeutic agents."

 

The hyped press release does not sound very promising. There is no cytokine storm in Covid as far as I can gather.

 

On the BBC news this evening: reports suggesting that the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab is rather less effective against the South African strain of Covid-19. It is still thought that it will protect against the worst symptoms, though.

 

We don't know that for sure. The numbers (particularly in vulnerable people) are too low to conclude that those with symptoms are protected from severe symptoms.

 

https://www.theonion.com/nation-can-t-believe-they-spent-so-long-overlooking-obv-1845726208

Funny article. Not sure if it's appropriate!

 

Inhaled budesonide in the treatment of early COVID-19 illness: a randomised controlled trial

"Conclusion

Early administration of inhaled budesonide reduced the likelihood of needing urgent medical care and reduced time to recovery following early COVID-19 infection."

 

Interesting research article from Berkeley Uni

https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/covid-19/can-hepatitis-c-drugs-help-remdesivir-fight-covid-19/

Uses 3 antivirals together, still at in vitro stage. About to try them on mice.

 

A professor at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden stops researching covid-19 because of hatred and threats.

KI om hoten: Aldrig sett så hårt tonläge
https://tt.omni.se/ki-om-hoten-aldrig-sett-sa-hart-tonlage/a/QmjPP8

Google Translate, English ("KI about the threats: Never seen such a harsh tone")

 

Example of his COVID-19 research:
https://covid19.elsevierpure.com/en/persons/jonas-f-ludvigsson

"Children are unlikely to be the main drivers of the COVID-19 pandemic – A systematic review"

"Systematic review of COVID-19 in children shows milder cases and a better prognosis than adults"