Coronavirus good news thread

Preliminary evidence of an arthritis drug (Anakinra) that may improve the outcome for people already suffering from severe cases of respiratory illness caused by CoVid-19. As far as I know, this is the first study showing a drug having such a strong beneficial effect on people who are already seriously ill.

According to a paper published in the Lancet ( there's a report in the Telegraph, but it's behind a pay-wall):
Anakinra reduced both need for invasive mechanical ventilation in the ICU and mortality among patients with severe forms of COVID-19, without serious side-effects.
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The study found that only 25% of patients in the Anakinra group required invasive mechanical ventilation and/or died, compared to 73% of patients in the non-Anakinra group.

The same promising effects were also seen in other cohort studies conducted in Italy.

The paper goes on to say that:
Confirmation of efficacy will require controlled trials.
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There are already at least ten such controlled trials underway.
 
RandySavage said:
Apologies.

https://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUKKBN2370OQ?__twitter_impression=true

These scientists must be wrong right?
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From what I see in this article, we have two doctors saying they see less of an effect on the population and lower viral load in patients presenting with symptoms. That doesn't provide any evidence that the virus's genome has altered.

In fact, even the main doctor quoted in that article has since pointed out to Reuters that:
"We have never said that the virus has changed, we said that the interaction between the virus and the host has definitely changed."
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WHO and others say virus has not lost potency

However, even if the virus itself is not less potent, if it's having a lesser effect on people for whatever reason, then that is good news.
 
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Liamo said:
Preliminary evidence of an arthritis drug (Anakinra) that may improve the outcome for people already suffering from severe cases of respiratory illness caused by CoVid-19. As far as I know, this is the first study showing a drug having such a strong beneficial effect on people who are already seriously ill.

According to a paper published in the Lancet ( there's a report in the Telegraph, but it's behind a pay-wall):


The study found that only 25% of patients in the Anakinra group required invasive mechanical ventilation and/or died, compared to 73% of patients in the non-Anakinra group.

The same promising effects were also seen in other cohort studies conducted in Italy.

The paper goes on to say that:


There are already at least ten such controlled trials underway.
Click to expand...

That sounds very promising!
I’ve always believed it’s just a matter of time before effective treatments are found or developed and I’m sure there will be several good treatment options found ahead of vaccines, as the days and weeks tick by.
 
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-no-longer-clinically-exists-in-italy-top-doctor-says-11998608

Interesting in that this is coming from 2 different hospitals. Lots of unanswered questions though obviously but would be amazing if this pans out.

This may be my lack of understanding, lost in translation or just poorly put across in the article but that national health authority guy saying he was baffled by the claim seems to be missing the point doesn't he? The claim is it's becoming less lethal, his counter argument is that the infection rate is still high. But that's not the same thing?
 
festa5 said:
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-no-longer-clinically-exists-in-italy-top-doctor-says-11998608

Interesting in that this is coming from 2 different hospitals. Lots of unanswered questions though obviously but would be amazing if this pans out.

This may be my lack of understanding, lost in translation or just poorly put across in the article but that national health authority guy saying he was baffled by the claim seems to be missing the point doesn't he? The claim is it's becoming less lethal, his counter argument is that the infection rate is still high. But that's not the same thing?
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High infection rate but less fatal would mean less demand on hospitals but it may mean it’s a virus we can live with better without a vaccine.
 
festa5 said:
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-no-longer-clinically-exists-in-italy-top-doctor-says-11998608

Interesting in that this is coming from 2 different hospitals. Lots of unanswered questions though obviously but would be amazing if this pans out.

This may be my lack of understanding, lost in translation or just poorly put across in the article but that national health authority guy saying he was baffled by the claim seems to be missing the point doesn't he? The claim is it's becoming less lethal, his counter argument is that the infection rate is still high. But that's not the same thing?
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They seem to be suggesting that the viral load is lower in nasal and throat swabs than earlier on. Be interesting to see if UK labs are finding the same.
 
bear66 said:
They seem to be suggesting that the viral load is lower in nasal and throat swabs than earlier on. Be interesting to see if UK labs are finding the same.
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I read this potential explanation for the lower viral load being found in patients in Italy. I have to say it was what I was thinking as well, though it probably puts it more succinctly:
Zangrillo’s clinical observations are more likely a reflection of the fact that with the peak of the outbreak long past, there is less virus in circulation, and people may be less likely to be exposed to high doses of it. In addition, only severely sick people were likely to be tested early on, compared with the situation now when even those with mild symptoms are more likely to get swabbed, experts said.
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RandySavage said:
More evidence to suggest the death rate may be lower than previously first thought.

Antibodies.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health...erm=nprnews&utm_medium=social&t=1591046376612
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Not wanting to be negative on the positive news thread but 0.5-1.0% infection fatality rate (IFR) (based on antibody testing) is many many times higher than the flu, but again, we knew this very early on. We also knew that the 5% figures mentioned were the case fatality rate (CFR) which doesn't include undetected infections. Comparing CFR and IFR to say the disease is less deadly than we thought s less than ideal.

On the positive side....... There could have been other infections not detected by antibody testing (if some scientists are correct - others disagree and say antibodies will always be produced) and if that is the case then the IFR will be lower. That would obviously be a good thing.
 
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Sweden has less than 300 current Intensive care cases now for the first time since March. Daily admissions are now between 10 and 20 on average, down from 40 to 50 at peak. The daily death rate appears to be coming down more rapidly too.

I'd still expect a long tail because of the dispersed population up North, but hopeful that this is petering out now. Thursday is normally the weekday with the most reported deaths come in from the regions. Today was 20. Good signs.
 
I missed this thread previously and have only read the last page so may be repeating things.

An Oxford vaccination trial is now running recruiting NHS staff across the UK. Really quick progress to get to this stage already. They are looking at recruiting over 10,000 people over the coming months. https://www.covid19vaccinetrial.co.uk/home

The Recovery trial which is running in ITUs across the UK also added a new arm to the trial with the plasma infusions a couple of weeks ago. Really impressive trial which has brought together much of the NHS to support it. >11000 recruits to date. Amazing work.
 
Another fascinating interview. This time wit karl Friston. He thinks that perhaps as many as 80% of the population are not susceptible to Sars Cov 2.
 
borolad259 said:
Another fascinating interview. This time wit karl Friston. He thinks that perhaps as many as 80% of the population are not susceptible to Sars Cov 2.
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It is interesting and while I don't have the time to comment in detail on it I had to laugh at the part where he was describing theories people had emailed to him. Apparently Germans like spicy food...… Not any I have met. A friend who lived in Germany said he found it impossible to get a decent spicy curry while he lived there.
 
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