Therapeutics for use against COVID-19 and possibilities for improved clinical management
This conference will address the latest advances in the development of antivirals and other therapeutics for use against COVID-19 and possibilities for improved clinical management.
Featured Headlines
large, Phase 3 study testing a Covid-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford at dozens of sites across the U.S. has been put on hold due to a suspected serious adverse reaction in a participant in the United Kingdom. [Related NPR Story]
We are finally unravelling the mystery of what causes severe covid-19 – New Scientist
An out-of-control human peptide called bradykinin could be responsible for some of the varied and sometimes deadly symptoms seen in people who have contracted the coronavirus. We already have drugs to control bradykinin, which are being tested as treatments for people with covid-19.
What Sets Off Deadly Levels of Lung Inflammation in Some COVID-19 Patients? – Boston University
In human stem cell–derived lung tissue infected with coronavirus, BU scientists are studying the biological domino effect SARS-CoV-2 sets off
The first wave is over, thousands have been buried, and in a city that was once the world’s coronavirus epicenter, the hospital is calling back the survivors. It is drawing their blood, examining their hearts, scanning their lungs, asking them about their lives.
As hospitals filled with COVID-19 patients and the coronavirus infected physicians and nurses, state medical boards took a hands-off approach to doctor discipline: Emergency actions against doctors’ licenses dropped 59% from April through June of this year compared with the same period last year.
It’s Not Easy to Get a Coronavirus Test for a Child – New York Times
As schools reopen, many parents still can’t find a test nearby, impeding the fight against the virus.
When COVID-19 Really Is ‘Just Another Flu’ – MedPageToday
Imagine a world as jaded about SARS-CoV-2 as it is about influenza
Long-Term Lung, Health Issues Common in COVID-19 – MedPageToday
Persistent lung issues are common following hospital discharge for COVID-19, but recovery is more the rule than the exception, according to two studies presented at the virtual European Respiratory Society International Congress.
Scientists Cast Doubt on Results From Russian Covid Vaccine – Bloomberg
A group of international scientists questioned results from a study of Russia’s fast-moving coronavirus vaccine that were published in the Lancet medical journal, saying some of the findings appeared improbable.
There’s been confusion, however, over whether reported death statistics reflect those who’ve died from COVID-19, or those who’ve died with the virus. Often it’s hard for medical practitioners to determine which of these categories a death falls into.
Clinical Considerations
COVID Hypoxemia: Finally, an Explanation – MedPageToday
Mt. Sinai team uncovers a compelling mechanism. share to facebook In the early days of the pandemic in New York City, physicians were having serious debates about whether COVID-19 patients developed typical acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), or if they were suffering from a different phenomenon entirely. [Related Paper]
Differentiating COVID-19 vs Flu Symptoms in Children – MedPageToday
With little data on co-infections, AAP recommends flu vax before Nov. 1
Facial Masking for Covid-19 — Potential for “Variolation” as We Await a Vaccine – NEJM
SARS-CoV-2 continues its global spread, it’s possible that one of the pillars of Covid-19 pandemic control — universal facial masking — might help reduce the severity of disease and ensure that a greater proportion of new infections are asymptomatic. If this hypothesis is borne out, universal masking could become a form of “variolation” that would generate immunity and thereby slow the spread of the virus in the United States and elsewhere, as we await a vaccine.
Why COVID-19 is more deadly in people with obesity—even if they’re young – Science Magazine
This spring, after days of flulike symptoms and fever, a man arrived at the emergency room at the University of Vermont Medical Center. He was young—in his late 30s—and adored his wife and small children. And he had been healthy, logging endless hours running his own small business, except for one thing: He had severe obesity. Now, he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was increasingly short of breath.
Early findings show that convalescent plasma appears to be a safe and possibly effective treatment for children with life-threatening cases of COVID-19.
Official Reporting for September 9, 2020
World Health Organization
Cumulative Cases: 27,486,960
Cumulative Deaths: 894,983
ECDC
Confirmed Cases: 27,609,408
Deaths: 898,087
Johns Hopkins
Confirmed Cases: 27,688,801
Deaths: 899,932
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Total deaths: 189,147
Surveillance Headlines
EUROPE
UK: Boris Johnson Bans Gatherings of More Than Six to Fight Covid – Bloomberg
Published Research
Pulmonary Vascular Dilatation Detected by Automated Transcranial Doppler in COVID-19 Pneumonia – American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine.
Comparison of Clinical Features of COVID-19 vs Seasonal Influenza A and B in US Children – JAMA
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Blood of Patients with COVID-19: What Does It Mean? – Clinical Infectious Diseases
Coping in Quarantine