Thread on testing & treatment research for COVID-19

[BoulderFish]

Consistent with what I have seen in travel in 11 states in last few months.

Yep. I'm not an anti-masker, but it's mind boggling to me that:
1) There are people that have such a lack of even the most minimal scientific knowledge that they STILL think the lack of mask wearing is why this virus is still virusing.; And
2) So many still think that masks (or lack there of) have such a significant effect, one way or another, on the virus virusing.

Isn't opening your eyes and applying a little common sense enough to get it?

 

[83wuzme]

Have you read this article yet, 83?

Immunity to the Coronavirus May Last Years, New Data Hint (Published 2020)

Blood samples from recovered patients suggest a powerful, long-lasting immune response, researchers reported.

www.nytimes.com

Thanks for the article. It is encouraging and suggests immunity vs. SARS CoV - 2 is more in line with SARS and MERS than other human Coronaviruses. I read where the genetic commonality between SARS and this virus is over 96%, and it would make sense that immunity is durable. I suppose we will eventually discover how much of the population develops long term immunity.
My nephew is just getting over it, possibly for the second time. He experienced a flu like illness in early March along with a lot of the people in his dorm. He did not get tested, but what made things suspicious was the fact that two residents from his dorm who were the first ones to get sick had recently traveled to Wuhan. He did not get very ill this time and his main complaint was the loss of taste and smell. I know of one other person who is documented to have gotten it twice, but I believe she might be immunocompromised.
I look at the vaccines coming out now as the first generation Coronavirus effort. The development of an apparently effective and novel approach in such a short period of time was very significant. Treatment options will probably improve beyond dexamethasone, Remdesivir and now Ivermectin. Resources and efforts have to be devoted to building a more robust infrastructure for addressing emerging pathogens. People now understand that we have always had pandemics and probably always will.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[interrobang]

Another state guilty of using extremely high PCR Ct values

 

[Cletus11]

Another state guilty of using extremely high PCR Ct values

View embedded media

so exactly what is this saying? That essentially they are detecting Covid and saying positive when in reality the amount of Covid is so low that they are no longer contagious? Or is detection limit so low that they never had Covid to begin with and truly a false positive?

 

[rudedude]

SIAP: Herd Immunity not so good

https://www.businessinsider.com/swe...thqRsHlXM8Towpm3Ia95MFd8eskkqMSptKAckjNCVBvpY

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tony '83]

I do have some knowledge of this subject. That said, reverse transcription was never a focus of mine, so there are many that are better situated to allay concerns than am I. @Art, any chance you could run this past your oldest? I'm sure he's more qualified than I am to respond.

Reverse transcription does take place, in certain conditions. It's part of the sneaky way that HIV gets around the body's defenses. That said, my understanding is that there is no way for the mRNA used in Pfizer or Moderna's vaccine to be incorporated into the body's DNA.

There are a couple of things to consider here. First, reverse transcription of any mRNA is theoretically possible if reverse transcriptase is present in the cell, which may be the case during active HIV infection, or even by reactivation of endogenous retroviral genes present in all of us (though these are long dormant and probably can't be reactivated).

But what allows actual retroviral RNA that is reverse-transcribed into DNA to become incorporated into the human genome (which does happen in people infected with HIV) is that there are sequences at the ends of the retroviral DNA called terminal repeats that are necessary for integration. The mRNA of the vaccines does not contain those repeats, and therefore couldn't be integrated even if it were to be reverse-transcribed.

 

[83wuzme]

There are a couple of things to consider here. First, reverse transcription of any mRNA is theoretically possible if reverse transcriptase is present in the cell, which may be the case during active HIV infection, or even by reactivation of endogenous retroviral genes present in all of us (though these are long dormant and probably can't be reactivated).

But what allows actual retroviral RNA that is reverse-transcribed into DNA to become incorporated into the human genome (which does happen in people infected with HIV) is that there are sequences at the ends of the retroviral DNA called terminal repeats that are necessary for integration. The mRNA of the vaccines does not contain those repeats, and therefore couldn't be integrated even if it were to be reverse-transcribed.

Did you ever read anything about long term antiretroviral therapy for HIV positive patients preventing Alzheimer’s ?

 

[Tony '83]

Did you ever read anything about long term antiretroviral therapy for HIV positive patients preventing Alzheimer’s ?

I have heard that some antiviral medications used to treat herpes are being looked at in Alzheimer's therapy, because reactivation of latent herpes infections may contribute to it. I haven't read anything about antiretrovirals, though.

 

[bdgan]

CVS Health said it is ready to administer COVID-19 vaccine with cold storage in place and an app for booking appointments

I just saw that CVS says they will be able to administer 20-25 million shots per month. I assume Walgreens will do something similar. We also have hospitals so I assume they will be able to administer 50 million per month once they get the vaccines.

Some people have been concerned that the distribution would be too difficult but I think this is good news. Of course there are people who have difficulty getting to a CVS but I think they are bringing it to the nursing homes.

 

[katchthis]

FDA review clears path for second coronavirus vaccine, this one developed by Moderna — The Washington Post

The data review showed the vaccine was 94 percent effective and had no serious side effects.

apple.news

 

[Cletus11]

CVS Health said it is ready to administer COVID-19 vaccine with cold storage in place and an app for booking appointments

I just saw that CVS says they will be able to administer 20-25 million shots per month. I assume Walgreens will do something similar. We also have hospitals so I assume they will be able to administer 50 million per month once they get the vaccines.

Some people have been concerned that the distribution would be too difficult but I think this is good news. Of course there are people who have difficulty getting to a CVS but I think they are bringing it to the nursing homes.

View embedded media

very good news if true. CVS and Walgreens have the infrastructure in place for standard virus shots so just need to greatly expand that. even if not perfect, can still do a lot of shots across the country. good to have both of them step up.

 

[83wuzme]

I have heard that some antiviral medications used to treat herpes are being looked at in Alzheimer's therapy, because reactivation of latent herpes infections may contribute to it. I haven't read anything about antiretrovirals, though.

I hope this link works. A citation from Science Daily November, 2018
There appears to be reverse transcriptase activity in human brains and the dysfunction of this activity is possibly linked to Alzheimer’s.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181123135126.
Not sure why this link is not working. If you go to Science Daily and put the subject and dates the search box, more than one publication about this subject will come up.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tony '83]

I hope this link works. A citation from Science Daily November, 2018
There appears to be reverse transcriptase activity in human brains and the dysfunction of this activity is possibly linked to Alzheimer’s.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181123135126.
Not sure why this link is not working. If you go to Science Daily and put the subject and dates the search box, more than one publication about this subject will come up.

That's really interesting - RT activity in the brain seems to make variants in the amyloid precursor protein by creating new genetic combinations, and some of those variants are involved in disease. Thanks for sharing that

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[katchthis]

Tracking coronavirus vaccine distribution, state by state — The Washington Post

The U.S is falling far below its goal of vaccinating 20 million people before the end of 2020

apple.news

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[Tom McAndrew]