COVID-19 Virus.

[nomadpete]

Which seems to result in too many snouts in the trough, which in turn ends up pushing personal interests of the snouts into a position where the "good of the populace" is of secondary importance.

[red750]

Covid self test.

 

[willedoo]

Have been reading about Russia's  progress with vaccine and anti-viral development. Their health minister has said that although they have some promising vaccine contenders and anti-virals, there's no miracle cure or silver bullet. The first vaccine, Sputnik 5, is in stage three post registration testing and being trialed in various countries around the world. EpiVacCorona is the second vaccine to be tested and has been registered recently, and a third is said to be under development.

 

They are using three antiviral therapy drugs, Favipiravir, Remdesivir, and Levilimab which are said to reduce severity of symptoms. Remdesivir is approved in the U.S. and was used on Donald Trump recently. Russian doctors are also using the medicine Surfactant-BL for treatment and are saying it can reduce the mortality rate by up to five times and also reduce numbers needing ventilators. It's normally used to treat severe lung lesions.

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

 

[willedoo]

Ha bloody ha, the High Court has rejected Clive Palmer's Liberal Party backed action against the W.A.Government. The Premier has thanked all other premier's excluding NSW for their support. Meanwhile Gladys is still getting community infections and is still banging on about how Qld. should open the border and let them in. Clean up your own back yard first, I say. And Tasmania has opened up to NSW without quarantine if no symptoms are present. Victoria with a zero/zero week. Things are happening.

Edited November 6, 2020 by willedoo

[old man emu]

We, especially Victoria and Tasmania, have been lucky in that this mess started in Autumn and measures were in place before Winter hit - the usual 'flu season. Also I don't think that the southern States copped a very severe winter, so that would have been of assistance. Now we are heading into Summer when the heat should be of help. However, We are also expecting a wet year, so humidity might play a part.

[willedoo]

Even though we are unlikely to eradicate it and stay that way, we must be close to that at present. But Victoria was a good lesson on how quickly it can flare up. And the Northern Hemisphere are coming into winter with their current wave. We're sitting fairly good at this time.

Edited November 6, 2020 by willedoo

[red750]

Just reading that the (US) states with the highest infection rates are states that voted for - guess who? - his Orangeness.

 

Now for something a little different. My son has just told me that he will not be returning to the office, at least for the rest of the year. Work from home is the new order. And most likely the office will not re-open next year either. Deep cleaning twice a day is too expensive.

[willedoo]

5 hours ago, red750 said:

Just reading that the (US) states with the highest infection rates are states that voted for - guess who? - his Orangeness.

Also most of them have Democrat state governments. Maybe it's like here where the party running the federal government is often opposite to that of most states. In Queensland, voters have always been comfortable with separating Federal and State politics and having one Labor and one Liberal/National.

[red750]

Ten days straight of zero/zero in Victoria, and we still can't leave the house witthout wearing (not just carrying) a mask,without risking a fine.

 

I received this in an email. If you are over sixty, you will recognise the tune.

 

[Yenn]

The last time I saw someone wearing a mask was late Feb, when I went to the Dr for aviation medical. Living in Qld we haven't needed them, but I would definitely wear one in Victoria or NSW.

I can't see why the push to not wear them, when it is obvious they are the best first line of defence against the virus.

As an aside, does anyone know how many people have had the usual winter flu this year. I haven' heard of anyone having it. i knew there was a silver lining to the covid cloud.

[red750]

The reason people don't like masks is that they make you breathless, the minute you put them on, your face starts to itch, your nose starts to run and your glasses fog up. Even more annoying if you are doing physical work like mowing the lawn, etc.

 

Many people don't wear them correctly. They have them under their nose and breathe over the top. Might as well have them over their backside.

[octave]

6 minutes ago, red750 said:

The reason people don't like masks is that they make you breathless, the minute you put them on, your face starts to itch, your nose starts to run and your glasses fog up. Even more annoying if you are doing physical work like mowing the lawn, etc.

 

Many people don't wear them correctly. They have them under their nose and breathe over the top. Might as well have them over their backside.

 

I think the evidence suggests that they are effective.  As for getting breathless as soon as you put a mask on, there are numerous videos of people comparing with a mask and without a mask using an ox meter, it is just not an issue.  We do not have surgeons falling face down into their patients due to lack of oxygen.   When I do any sanding or anything else that creates dust I wear a mask because it is the rational thing to do, I also expect my dentist and surgeon to where a mask even when covid is not around.   I have some preexisting conditions that make my slightly more susceptible to complications from covid. Even when masks are no longer mandatory I will probably carry one in case I end up in a high risk crowded situation,  it is the rational thing to do.

 

In Vic we have gone from over 700 cases a day to 0 with a combination of lockdowns and other measures including masks. we can't be sure what role masks played but I for one don't want to head back into lockdown yet again.   We know that the Asian countries that have done well also tend to be culture who understand the importance of wearing masks. I acknowledge that there are a small number of people with health conditions that make it not advisable to wear a mask but I would also think these people would not be out and about so much for their own safety.

 

There are thousands and thousands of supermarket workers and other workers who wear a mask all day partly for their own protection but also to protect their customers.

 

It just seems a bit whiny when people complain about this minor inconvenience.   

[old man emu]

Wearing a face mask is a pretty standard thing in Japan and China. The Japanese have been doing so for a long time, mainly during the cold and flu seasons if a person has symptoms but can still get around.

 

If you take a big step back and look at the reasons for wearing a mask,  what is not ever promoted is the courtesy and care for your fellow that wearing a mask when you have a microbial respiratory illness shows.

 

It would be interesting to compare the average number of 'flu cases per 100,000 persons in Japan, say in 2010, with the numbers in advanced economies where mask wearing was not a cultural feature.

[octave]

Well that seems to be some positive news

 

 

Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine data suggests shots may be 90 per cent effective

[red750]

Yes, but they have to be stored at -70deg C. Who has that sort of refrigeration?

[octave]

4 minutes ago, red750 said:

Yes, but they have to be stored at -70deg C. Who has that sort of refrigeration?

 

So you a are saying that this is not viable and will not work???   And no one in the scientific community has thought of this?

 

I think that these problems have been considered and planned for.

 

The vaccine will be formulated, finished and placed in cold storage in the pharmaceutical giant's Kalamazoo, Michigan, facility, its largest such plant in the country. During the shipment and storage, the vaccines must be kept at 94 degrees below zero Fahrenheit in order to maintain optimal efficacy. Each package can contain 1,000 to 5,000 doses.

From there, the vaccines will be packed below dry ice inside thermal containers expressly designed by the company for this vaccine’s delivery.

The packages will be shipped via air to major distribution hubs and then delivered by ground transport to dosing locations, which “may include hospitals, outpatient clinics, community vaccination locations and pharmacies,” Pfizer spokesperson Kim Bencker told NBC News in an email. Some vaccines will also be shipped from a separate distribution center in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.

Each package will be equipped with a GPS-tracked thermal sensor to monitor location and temperature, which the company says will “proactively” prevent “deviations” — such as accidents or theft.

 

Pfizer readies 'Herculean effort' to distribute coronavirus vaccine

 

 

Edited November 10, 2020 by octave

[Jerry_Atrick]

Although phamaceutical companies cop a lot of poo poo for the profits they make, I think we forget how much work they do. They are businesses and there to make money, so they will favour the markets they can make the most money from, but eventually the patents expire and the generics get involved. For example, we can get packs of something like 16 paracetamol and iboprufen capsules for as low as 16p (for some reason, the NHS pay about 20 times that). The complexity and logistics of the vaccine will make it difficult for a generic to enter the market, and the logistics infrastructure will be a requirement until something else is found.

 

I think this is great news, but I guess, unless Pfizer replicate the manufacture and distribution logistics in Europe, Australia, etc, that the US will be first and we will be a long way down the line. That said, it is better than no vaccine at this stage (apart from the side effects), but smaller countries like NZ, and poorer countries may be waiting a long time. Of course, with the transport packs, they will be moved probably by air as well... Expensive, but, hey, better than nothing.

[onetrack]

I'll wait until the vaccine has been around for a few years before I'm willing to take a shot. Every vaccine that has been rushed to market, has had serious flaws. None more so, than the first polio vaccine ("the Cutter incident").

 

One of the things that puzzles me, is how Pfizer is dealing with the mutations of the virus. The regular 'flu mutates, and has multiple strains, and it appears that the COVID-19 virus follows similar traits.

 

With the regular 'flu vaccine, the companies select the 3 or 4 most common strains to inoculate against. If you happen to catch one of the other strains, you still get the 'flu, even if you were vaccinated.

[Jerry_Atrick]

I agree.. but at least the larger Phara companies have said despite the political pressure, they are not going to rush the testing phase. Not sure if Pfizer have the same approach. BoJo wanted to enact law to indemnify drug companies from civil actions if they rushed to market a vaccine as long as any issues were't the result of recklessness (legally, recklessness is almost intentional wrong doing rather than being negligent or even grossl negligent).

 

I will be taking the same approach as when they release newly certificated aeroplanes on an unsuspecting public (e.g. the A380); I will wait for a while before I take a flight on one. Of course, I wouldn't have thought about a B737 Max as I didn't know the engineering differences. But I took a flight on a B737-8 and was a little nervous when I realised it wasn't long in service. Also, after an annual, I always let a few hours go by with others in the syndicate flying before I take my turn 😉

[willedoo]

The manufacturer of Russia's most advanced vaccine contender has released preliminary data from their phase 3 clinical trial. Results are based on 16,000 subjects out of a trial group of 40,000. At this stage the findings show the Sputnik 5 vaccine boosting the immune system to a 92% effective rate against the virus. Side effects have been minimal, similar to a flu jab with some reporting mild flu like symptoms. The results are similar to that of the phase 2 trials involving health workers. The developers say they need another six months to fully monitor possible side effects. Early days yet.

[Bruce Tuncks]

Here's the trouble with Australia's response...  There is no payoff for being tested. So only the good people get tested.

In Slovakia, if you are tested negative, you get a certificate and become free from lockdown rules.

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

19 hours ago, willedoo said:

The manufacturer of Russia's most advanced vaccine contender has released preliminary data from their phase 3 clinical trial. Results are based on 16,000 subjects out of a trial group of 40,000. At this stage the findings show the Sputnik 5 vaccine boosting the immune system to a 92% effective rate against the virus. Side effects have been minimal, similar to a flu jab with some reporting mild flu like symptoms. The results are similar to that of the phase 2 trials involving health workers. The developers say they need another six months to fully monitor possible side effects. Early days yet.

Yes - read that, too. Of course, from Russia, it is all lies 🙃

 

Seriously, it is great progress. My concern is the longer term effects. I can't recall or find articles in a quick search, but I am sure in the early 200's there was a published article stating that some CSIRO vaccine administered in the late 60's was starting to show the long term effects.. However, how that could be prevented is anyone's guess.. do we need to test drugs for 40 years before approving them?

 

Noticed the trials of the Chinese vaccine were halted in Brazil due to an unexplained suicide of one of the testees...

 

 

[old man emu]

Unfortunately, a negative test result today does not translate into a negative one next week. Afterall, it is possible for you to pick up the virus just by being in the test place, since there is a chance that someone coming in there is positive.

 

This is going to sound racist, but look at the hot spots in Sydney and Melbourne and work out the ethnic concentrations. A lot of these hotspots are in areas of Asian and Indian populations. Is it due to illiteracy in English, or a cultural thing where illness and death are accepted as the norm?

[red750]

Like you, O.M.E, what I'm about to say is very non-PC, but a high percentage of hotspots have broken out in Islamic communities, here in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, and around the Fairfield area of Sydney. Whether or not it is because they have ignored the limit on numbers attending, or failed to maintain social distancing, who knows.