COVID-19 (f/k/a "the Coronavirus")

[GooooMarquette]

Federal government should be leading the way in testing AND contact tracing. CDC wrote the book on contact tracing, yet Trump is leaving the state and local public health officials to do it on their own.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Mayo Clinic launches neutralizing antibody test to advance COVID-19 therapies

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-launches-neutralizing-antibody-test-to-advance-covid-19-therapies/


The new test measures the level of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Neutralizing antibodies are a subset of antibodies able to independently inactivate viruses, and are associated with protective immunity against re-infection for many infectious pathogens.

"The neutralizing antibody test is a critical addition to our COVID-19 testing, expanding on the capabilities of the molecular tests used to diagnose active infection and the serology test, which indicates previous infection by identifying antibodies for the SARS-CoV-2 virus," says William Morice, II, M.D., Ph.D., president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories. "This new test provides us with incredibly important information about how effective a person's antibodies are at neutralizing the virus. This will help us identify optimal convalescent plasma donors and ultimately help assess the efficacy of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines."

——————

Posted this here because it relates both to testing and to the ability to evaluate potential vaccines.

Ok so help me out here Goooo and forgetful. The plasma study showed no significant improvement on patient outcomes, and the hope behind plasma was that it would contain enough antibodies to fight the virus.

So how are these neutralizing antibodies different than those found in convalescent plasma? More concentrated? More specific/effective to fighting the virus in the lab? More full of COVID krypton?

[GooooMarquette]

Ok so help me out here Goooo and forgetful. The plasma study showed no significant improvement on patient outcomes, and the hope behind plasma was that it would contain enough antibodies to fight the virus.

So how are these neutralizing antibodies different than those found in convalescent plasma? More concentrated? More specific/effective to fighting the virus in the lab? More full of COVID krypton?

I'm not positive... but I believe the key from the link is that the new test is "semi quantitative"...meaning that it not only detects that you have antibodies, but can also distinguish whether you have enough antibodies to effectively fight off the disease.

I'm interested to hear if forgetful reads it the same way.

[GooooMarquette]

Houston Weighs New Lockdown, Sees 'Precipice of Disaster'

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-11/houston-may-reopen-virus-hospital-at-stadium-as-cases-expand

Houston-area officials are "getting close" to reimposing stay-at-home orders and are prepared to reopen a Covid-19 hospital established but never used at a football stadium as virus cases expand in the fourth-largest U.S. city.

—————

My worry when state after state reopened without even coming close to the first phase standard in the CDC guidance. I thought we'd at least get through the summer before this - some said we'd never see stay at home orders again - and now it looks like we might see the first major city before June is over. Oy!

[wadesworld]

People who were celebrating the reopening and saying we completely overreacted to the virus have gone very silent.

I wish they had been right. Unfortunately our president was terribly wrong when he said this would disappear, that we'd be down to 0 cases come April, that we'd be reopen for business come Easter, that the virus would go away like a miracle come warm weather. Nobody in their right minds would believe what goes against absolutely everything about science, but he has the MAGAs brain washed and when things go bad they just go hiding in a bunker, literally.

But maybe he'll get his sports stadiums full of fans by August like promised. At some point he has to get one thing right just by pure luck, right?

[JWags85]

People who were celebrating the reopening and saying we completely overreacted to the virus have gone very silent.

I wish they had been right. Unfortunately our president was terribly wrong when he said this would disappear, that we'd be down to 0 cases come April, that we'd be reopen for business come Easter, that the virus would go away like a miracle come warm weather. Nobody in their right minds would believe what goes against absolutely everything about science, but he has the MAGAs brain washed and when things go bad they just go hiding in a bunker, literally.

But maybe he'll get his sports stadiums full of fans by August like promised. At some point he has to get one thing right just by pure luck, right?

Are you talking on this board? Or otherwise? There are plenty of places where reopening is going just fine. And plenty of justifiable arguments that some places more than necessary was done while others not enough or soon enough was done.

Not everything has to be completely and utterly political to the farthest stretches. It's possible to celebrate reopening and not be a "brain washed MAGA". It's possible to look back at the economic and financial toll of a 3 month lockdown with a critical eye and not be a brain dead Trump crony.   It's possible to do all those things also realize Houston could have a completely different situation than many other places that have reopened without calling everything a total win or loss for either school of thought across the board.  It's arrogant pandering tribal garbage.

[wadesworld]

Are you talking on this board? Or otherwise? There are plenty of places where reopening is going just fine. And plenty of justifiable arguments that some places more than necessary was done while others not enough or soon enough was done.

Not everything has to be completely and utterly political to the farthest stretches. It's possible to celebrate reopening and not be a "brain washed MAGA". It's possible to look back at the economic and financial toll of a 3 month lockdown with a critical eye and not be a brain dead Trump crony.   It's possible to do all those things also realize Houston could have a completely different situation than many other places that have reopened without calling everything a total win or loss for either school of thought across the board.  It's arrogant pandering tribal garbage.

It's also possible that Houston is the first of more to come. But we won't act upon the warning signs until it's already hit us.

Guess we'll see. But I've already seen it play out once. And scientists have been warning about reopening too early or too recklessly. So maybe Houston is just a "different situation" and we'll write it off as that and as more cities see increases in cases and hospitalizations it'll just be "how could we ever know this was coming? Totally different situation."

Maybe Houston just needs some warm weather for once. Damn shame they can't get any heat there to clear up the virus.

[wadesworld]

Are you talking on this board? Or otherwise? There are plenty of places where reopening is going just fine. And plenty of justifiable arguments that some places more than necessary was done while others not enough or soon enough was done.

Not everything has to be completely and utterly political to the farthest stretches. It's possible to celebrate reopening and not be a "brain washed MAGA". It's possible to look back at the economic and financial toll of a 3 month lockdown with a critical eye and not be a brain dead Trump crony.   It's possible to do all those things also realize Houston could have a completely different situation than many other places that have reopened without calling everything a total win or loss for either school of thought across the board.  It's arrogant pandering tribal garbage.

Also I'm 100% convinced anyone who supports someone who Tweets this:

https://mobile.twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1270333484528214018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwgr%5E393535353b636f6e74726f6c&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-30673030433285602908.ampproject.net%2F2005272217000%2Fframe.html

Or this:

https://www.npr.org/2020/05/29/864818368/the-history-behind-when-the-looting-starts-the-shooting-starts

Or does this:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nymag.com/intelligencer/amp/2020/06/trumps-church-photo-op-all-the-absurd-details.html

Or this:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/amp/trump-s-worst-offense-mocking-disabled-reporter-poll-finds-n627736

Is absolutely brainwashed. Call it arrogant pandering tribal garbage, but I'm just calling it as I see it, and I can't see any other possible explanation. It's an absolute embarrassment that the people of this country voted this guy anywhere close to the White House.

Very sad.

[Jockey]

Bunker Boy has already put Covid in the rear view mirror. Just a few embers to put out and it is over. Some experts are predicting 200,000 dead by September and he has no plan. FEMA docs today showed that their plan to deal with PPE shortages this summer is to hope it goes away. This is the biggest dereliction of duty by a president in US history.

The CDC has become an embarrassment. What are we hearing from them? The lackey running the place has allowed them to be silenced. They used to be the gold standard.

[JWags85]

Also I'm 100% convinced anyone who supports someone who Tweets this:

https://mobile.twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1270333484528214018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwgr%5E393535353b636f6e74726f6c&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-30673030433285602908.ampproject.net%2F2005272217000%2Fframe.html

Or this:

https://www.npr.org/2020/05/29/864818368/the-history-behind-when-the-looting-starts-the-shooting-starts

Or does this:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nymag.com/intelligencer/amp/2020/06/trumps-church-photo-op-all-the-absurd-details.html

Or this:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/amp/trump-s-worst-offense-mocking-disabled-reporter-poll-finds-n627736

Is absolutely brainwashed. Call it arrogant pandering tribal garbage, but I'm just calling it as I see it, and I can't see any other possible explanation. It's an absolute embarrassment that the people of this country voted this guy anywhere close to the White House.

Very sad.

Dude, did you read anything I said? I literally said it was possible to support/celebrate reopening and not be some breathless MAGA Trump supporter. I spoke directly to the virus and not having to automatically politicize any viewpoint as either MAGA or "sensible science and reason"...and you IMMEDIATELY went back to Trump and his supporters talking about a bunch of crap I wasn't even referencing.  This is a COVID board, not a politics board, I was merely objecting to the idea that everyone who didn't share the most extreme COVID caution or differed from the more conservative approaches to reopening was automatically MAGA and a bunker boy associate of President Pandemic. Cause that's what gets heavily implied at times.

[Jockey]

It's also possible that Houston is the first of more to come. But we won't act upon the warning signs until it's already hit us.

Not only possible, but it is reality. Montgomery, Alabama out of beds. Phoenix almost out of beds. skyrocketing rates in many other states as we get 15+ days from Memorial Day. People everywhere pretending that Covid never happened. I hope I am wrong, but I fear the worst.

[wadesworld]

Dude, did you read anything I said? I literally said it was possible to support/celebrate reopening and not be some breathless MAGA Trump supporter. I spoke directly to the virus and not having to automatically politicize any viewpoint as either MAGA or "sensible science and reason"...and you IMMEDIATELY went back to Trump and his supporters talking about a bunch of crap I wasn't even referencing.  This is a COVID board, not a politics board, I was merely objecting to the idea that everyone who didn't share the most extreme COVID caution or differed from the more conservative approaches to reopening was automatically MAGA and a bunker boy associate of President Pandemic. Cause that's what gets heavily implied at times.

Yeah and my post above that addresses the covid portion of it. I was adding why I said MAGAs are brain washed.

My problem is we've seen this play out before with covid. First it was "nah this is staying in China." Then it was "nah this won't make it to the US" when it got to other countries but not the US. Then it was "it won't be bad here, it'll just disappear."

Like I said, maybe Houston is somehow the one city that will get hit severely as they reopen. But everything we've seen so far tells us that's almost certainly not going to be the case. So I hope we take it more seriously than the first time around and are quick to act.

[MU82]

Here in NC, 4th consecutive day of record COVID-19 hospitalizations.

At least deaths this past week have ticked down somewhat after setting record after record the previous several weeks.

Meanwhile, a small auto-racing track in a mostly rural county that sits between Greensboro and Durham, twice held races with fans in defiance of the governor's order. The state sued and a judge yesterday sided with the state, legally forbidding the track from allowing fans at races.

The governor is getting heat for marching with hundreds of protesters but not letting the track operate.

[The Sultan]

It's pretty hard to seperate politics from this when many of these "openings" are due to political pressure being applied at the very top. 

Everybody knows we are balancing the economy and health, but the concern is that if health continues to decline, the economy is going to be in even worse shape. 

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Cost/quantity of Supplies, method/system to trace, training/hiring are a few to start with

I will say ability to process tests and partnership on therapy and vaccine seems good.  So NIH good job.  CDC has been terrible.  FDA could have been much better.

Rolling Stone has a good article in the current issue on these agencies not getting along or cooperating.  I didn't realize that the CDC head is a waiting on the Apocalypse like Pompeo and Pence beleiver.  The FDA head was brand new, was qualified and for over a month left him out of any COVID decisions.  He (Hahn?) was finally brought in later and some logjams were broken up.  The test the CDC developed had 3 separate steps and the third step was the question mark one.  The test got "fixed" simply by getting rid of the third step all together.

[Hards Alumni]

It's pretty hard to seperate politics from this when many of these "openings" are due to political pressure being applied at the very top. 

Everybody knows we are balancing the economy and health, but the concern is that if health continues to decline, the economy is going to be in even worse shape.

I agree, but at the same time, some of what is going on here is obnoxious.  I'm certainly not innocent, but I've tried to be better.

[The Sultan]

I agree, but at the same time, some of what is going on here is obnoxious.  I'm certainly not innocent, but I've tried to be better.

Oh I agree completely.  The gratuitious political commentary, almost entirely by two or three people on the left, is completely obnoxious.  It has chased too many people away.

[Galway Eagle]

My sister telling me that scottsdale Phoenix is seeing a massive rise and it's mostly young people. I believe they were one of the first to reopen

[GooooMarquette]

Yeah, it isn't just Houston. Other localized areas like Montgomery are on the edge of disaster, and entire states like NC and AZ are rapidly getting there.

As for CDC, the Director is a joke, but the mainline workers are dedicated and highly qualified to do the job. IMHO, the career public servants have been handcuffed so they don't interfere with The Message.

[shoothoops]

Wear a mask:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/face-masks-highly-effective-against-covid-19-new-evidence-suggests-1.4276883?mode=amp#.XuODIJPI20U.twitter

[GooooMarquette]

My sister telling me that scottsdale Phoenix is seeing a massive rise and it's mostly young people. I believe they were one of the first to reopen

Affirmative. And it isn't just new cases - it has recently been seeing new highs for deaths, hospitalizations, ICU occupancy and ventilator use.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-health/2020/06/11/arizona-coronavirus-update-june-11-large-covid-19-increases-continue/5338764002/

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

The fact that California is on that list should make people re-evaluate the lockdowns. They locked down early and had some of the most draconian measures and they are just now having their highest infection rate?

Or maybe it's this.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-12/a-revolt-against-wearing-masks-creates-a-new-coronavirus-danger-as-california-reopens__;!!JCruJraw!fAo7fIdRmRq7GJZGOndsGtyOPSAt_wZsnJ59bBgD-jlrgviZJtEousmhrXh6RXyFfw$

[Spotcheck Billy]

Why do they have to sign waivers?  It's all a hoax.  I listen to Rush Limbaugh

[injuryBug]

Yeah, it isn't just Houston. Other localized areas like Montgomery are on the edge of disaster, and entire states like NC and AZ are rapidly getting there.

As for CDC, the Director is a joke, but the mainline workers are dedicated and highly qualified to do the job. IMHO, the career public servants have been handcuffed so they don't interfere with The Message.

Did these places have a first wave?  Did they go into lockdown before things really hit them and now are first really getting hit?  If you go to the link below the cases never flattened in AZ and yet they reopened

https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/covid-19/dashboards/index.php

[MU82]

Does anybody know where the hell Benny is?

He started the very first coronavirus thread but he hasn't posted on any thread on any board since March 18.

Hope he's OK.