Coronavirus:

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Robert Redfield said the danger was higher as a fresh outbreak would likely coincide with the flu season.

It would put "unimaginable strain" on the US health care system, he said.

Yes, the call has gone out to up the production of the flu vaccine for this year.

The US has seen more than 800,000 cases - the highest in the world.

We're No. 1............

[Rufus T. Firefly]

[HONDO74]

Hopes dashed as coronavirus drug remdesivir fails first trial
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-52406261

A potential antiviral drug for the coronavirus has reportedly failed in its first randomised clinical trial.

There had been widespread hope that remdesivir could treat Covid-19.

But a Chinese trial showed that the drug had not been successful, according to draft documents accidentally published by the World Health Organization.

The drug did not improve patients' condition or reduce the pathogen's presence in the bloodstream, it said.

News of the failed trial spread after the WHO posted details on its clinical trials database, before it was removed. The WHO has since confirmed the draft report was mistakenly uploaded.

It showed that researchers studied 237 patients, administering the drug to 158 and comparing their progress with the remaining 79, who received a placebo.

After a month, 13.9% of the patients taking the drug had died compared to 12.8% of those receiving the placebo. The trial was stopped early because of side-effects.

"Remdesivir was not associated with clinical or virological benefits," the summary states.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Not entirely unexpected - it was grabbed off the shelf with hopes since it had already been through FDA approval processes. Not a drug that was actually designed specifically for this virus.

High hopes that it might provide a short cut.....but there are other anti-virals in trials......one from Fuji seems intriguing

OTOH, consider the source and execution of this trial vs. it being done here in the US; lots of trial design variables to consider; patients, timing and dosing.

"We believe the post included inappropriate characterisations of the study," a spokesman for Gilead said, adding that it was terminated early due to low enrolment and was therefore not statistically meaningful.

"As such, the study results are inconclusive, though trends in the data suggest a potential benefit for remdesivir, particularly among patients treated early in disease," he said.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Perhaps. developing something from the blood of those who have had the virus and gotten better will be researched further and developed into significant help ?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Perhaps. developing something from the blood of those who have had the virus and gotten better will be researched further and developed into significant help ?

Convalescent serum isn't really scalable and also I've not heard any real solid data on its effectiveness as yet.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Oh.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Oh.

Consider what doing that entails; not something really available for ready use nation wide as well.

[healey36]

On Monday, Trump said the total number of deaths would top out around 50,000. Well it's Friday, four days later, and we're at 50,000.

I never realized how hard it is to buy syringes. How am I going to start giving myself shots of Lysol if I can't get syringes? The guy is not thinking these things through...

[Rufus T. Firefly]

On Monday, Trump said the total number of deaths would top out around 50,000. Well it's Friday, four days later, and we're at 50,000.

Another prediction that...........

I never realized how hard it is to buy syringes. How am I going to start giving myself shots of Lysol if I can't get syringes?

Used to be pretty restricted items. Maybe you're supposed to be doing shots; alternate with scotch?

The guy is not thinking these things through...

A little editing help here -- The guy is not thinking.

[healey36]

I don't know...a Lysol "shooter" might be pretty tough. Might have to cut it with tomato juice.

[robert.]

Free syringes in philly. Walk up to any blue table on Allegheny ave and ask for "the works"

[robert.]

double post

[HONDO74]

I never realized how hard it is to buy syringes. How am I going to start giving myself shots of Lysol if I can't get syringes?

Try California, they give them away free to drug addicts.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I never realized how hard it is to buy syringes. How am I going to start giving myself shots of Lysol if I can't get syringes?

Try California, they give them away free to drug addicts.

Lots of states do - it was done to combat transmission of HIV; drug use was deemed a lesser problem.