[A fairly good, largely accessible, handy summary of findings of the relevant credible studies. Though may not be completely uncontroversial.
<<From zoonotic to anthropozoonotic – For thousands of years, a parasite with no name lived happily among horseshoe bats in southern China. The bats had evolved to the point that they did not notice; they went about their nightly flights unbothered. One day, the parasite—an ancestor of the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2—had an opportunity to expand its realm. Perhaps it was a pangolin. In a paper published in Nature (“The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2” – 17.03.2020) it was observed – “the high-affinity binding of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to human ACE2 is most likely the result of natural selection on a human or human-like ACE2 that permits another optimal binding solution to arise. This is strong evidence that SARS-CoV-2 is not the product of purposeful manipulation.” Another paper “Escaping Pandora’s Box — Another Novel Coronavirus” in NEJM (2.04.2020) categorically pointed out – “We must realize that in our crowded world of 7.8 billion people, a combination of altered human behaviors, environmental changes, and inadequate global public health mechanisms now easily turn obscure animal viruses into existential human threats.” ... But it was not supposed to be. After the SARS-COV-1 (2002-3) and MERS pandemic PREDICT project was initiated by USAID’s of Emerging Pandemic Threats in 2009. It was aimed to enable global surveillance of pathogens that can spillover form animal hosts to people by building capacities to detect and discover viruses within several important virus groups such as coronavirus. According to Los Angeles Times (2.042020), just at the beginning of the Wuhan reports “Trump administration ended pandemic early-warning programs to detect coronaviruses”. Moreover, ““the Trump administration ended a $200-million pandemic early-warning program aimed at training scientists in China and other countries to detect and respond to such a threat.” When the program was stopped it had already detected and discovered 1,200 various types of viruses amongst which 160 were coronaviruses. Around the globe, including Wuhan, scientists and technicians were being trained in 60 different laboratories to enhance the project. ... In a paper – “Covert coronavirus infections could be seeding new outbreaks” – in Nature (20.03.2020) it was observed – “As coronavirus outbreaks surge worldwide, research teams are racing to understand a crucial epidemiological puzzle — what proportion of infected people have mild or no symptoms and might be passing the virus on to others. Some of the first detailed estimates of these covert cases suggest that they could represent some 60% of all infections.” In a more recent editorial (“Asymptomatic Transmission, the Achilles’ Heel of Current Strategies to Control Covid-19”) in NEJM (27.04.2020) it is commented – “Quantitative SARS-CoV-2 viral loads were similarly high in the four symptom groups (residents with typical symptoms, those with atypical symptoms, those who were presymptomatic, and those who remained asymptomatic). It is notable that 17 of 24 specimens (71%) from presymptomatic persons had viable virus by culture 1 to 6 days before the development of symptoms. Finally, the mortality from Covid-19 in this facility was high; of 57 residents who tested positive, 15 (26%) died.” ... JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) had their observation in “Pharmacologic Treatments for Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-10)” – “Currently, there is no evidence from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that any potential therapy improves outcomes in patients with either suspected or confirmed COVID-19. There are no clinical trial data supporting any prophylactic [i.e. preventive] therapy. More than 300 active clinical “treatment trials are underway.” NEJM commented – “A robust research effort is currently under way to develop a vaccine against Covid-19. We anticipate that the first candidates will enter phase 1 trials by early spring. Therapy currently consists of supportive care while a variety of investigational approaches are being explored. Among these are the antiviral medication lopinavir–ritonavir, interferon-1β, the RNA polymerase inhibitor remdesivir, chloroquine, and a variety of traditional Chinese medicine products.” (Editorial – “Covid-19 – Navigating the Uncharted” – 26.03.2020) It simply means there is not a single positive therapy for the virus so far. ... People (as per the WHO) who assume that they are immune to a second infection because they have received a positive test result may ignore public health advice. The use of such certificates may therefore increase the risks of continued transmission. As new evidence becomes available, WHO will update this scientific brief. ... Nature in a report (27.04.2020) “Pseudoscience and COVID-19 — we’ve had enough already” has warned its readers – “Cow urine, bleach and cocaine have all been recommended as COVID-19 cures — all guff. The pandemic has been cast as a leaked bioweapon, a byproduct of 5G wireless technology and a political hoax — all poppycock. And countless wellness gurus and alternative-medicine practitioners have pushed unproven potions, pills and practices as ways to ‘boost’ the immune system.” In its further observation – “Thankfully, this explosion of misinformation — or, as the World Health Organization has called it, the “infodemic” — has triggered an army of fact-checkers and debunkers. Regulators have taken aggressive steps to hold marketers of unproven therapies to account. Funders are supporting researchers (myself included) to explore how best to counter the spread of COVID-19 claptrap. ... Right now, more than 90 MNCs and academia are in breakneck competition for vaccine development. Phase 1 human has already been started. Hundreds of people volunteer to be infected with coronavirus. Most likely, we will have to wait for at least 8 months more for the vaccine to come in the market. Even then, it is very unlikely that it will be universally available owing to both price constraint and production limit. About two months ago (18.03.2020) Nature asked 5 key questions (“Coronoavirus vaccines: five key questions as trials begin”) – (1) Do people develop immunity? (2) If humans do develop immunity, how long does it last? (3) What kind of immune response should vaccine developers look for? (4) How do we know if a vaccine is likely to work? And (5) Will it be safe? ... Coronavirus can change the paradigm of comprehensive health care-based system forever. It will possibly lead to disease-centred vertical programs – hi-tech with ventilators, ECMO, costly drugs and other technologies. Also, it may lead personal distancing between the patient and the doctor. Telemedicine and virtual treatments may fill in the gaps. Finally, we have to be always cautious with – hand washing frequently or alcohol-based sanitizing * Cough and sneezing etiquette * Use of face mask of proper quality * Personal and social distancing of 6 feet. Our world will never be the same after Covid-19 pandemic. We will have to be prepared for other pandemics to come. We will also have to learn to live with the virus which has come out of the Pandora’s Box of nature devastated by us.>>] https://thedoctorsdialogue.com/covid-19-the-pandemic-transformations-in-medicine-our-existence-and-world-order/?fbclid=IwAR1kHWoLR_LLw4e4HbVqvwwIdLrNIBd7iizQ6ZjlRxxA8OQzqSPCoNGHijE COVID-19 – The Pandemic: Transformations in Medicine, Our Existence and World Order? Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya General physician May 15, 2020 Snipped -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/greenyouth/CACEsOZhc93fDspYvQNwnwvNYAiFvWMubKp%2BUAOkJw%2BjxtgmTvg%40mail.gmail.com.
