Covid-19 News & Updates

[nil]

Their results are very similar to the New York antibody testing where 13.9% of the residents showed they have had the virus.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/23/new-yor ... -says.html

[HHTel]

It used Facebook ads to seek volunteers, who experts said may be more likely to have interest in such a test because they had symptoms, compared with a random sample of the population. Some also questioned the accuracy of the test itself.

However, even if the tests are accurate at 14%, that still leaves 86% who are still vulnerable. It's also not known what level of immunity, if any, these people have. If there is immunity, it's still a long way from 'herd immunity'. The only real piece of valid data to emerge from these tests is the rate of infection which was already assumed to be much higher than reported figures.

[nil]

I think you are referring the the Stanford University study that recruited people via Facebook. The New York study randomly tested people from grocery stores and shopping locations.

[HHTel]

I stand corrected. It was indeed a study by Stanford University.

However, generally, there is lots of criticism about the many antibody tests on the market. None of them are accurate. Cuomo himself said that these tests have 2 main caveats. The FDA issued a warning that not all tests have been approved. The FDA relaxed it's normal vetting procedures.

Also:

“The technology behind antibody tests is fundamentally distinct and generally harder to get right,” Anna Petherick, a public policy expert at the University of Oxford wrote recently in the journal The Lancet.

Developing antibody tests requires more knowledge of a specific virus’s structure than a diagnostic test does. To make the tests, researchers produce sections of proteins from the virus that the human immune system responds to. Different tests check for different antibodies, but these antibodies can vary from person to person. And not all of them are the type of antibodies that indicate potential immunity. There also are concerns that the tests could pick up antibodies from other strains of coronavirus that cause different, milder illnesses — like a common cold. And even with the right test, findings can vary significantly from region to region.

It's a start and does give a clear indication of the spread. But there are flaws and analyses may not be accurate.

[nil]

I was thinking in that video I posted they are saying the fatality rate in California is much lower than New York. There could be many reasons but California is a more sunny State. And if the data is to believed Thailand and its neighbours are not being affected hard.
This study has not been peer reviewed yet.


Background/Aims: WHO declared SARS-Cov-2 a global pandemic. The aims of this paper are to assess if there is any association between mean levels of vitamin D in various countries and cases respectively mortality caused by COVID-19.
Methods: We have identified the mean levels of vitamin D for 20 Europeans Countries for which we have also got the data regarding the morbidity and mortality caused by COVID-19.
Results: The mean level of vitamin D (average 56mmol/L, STDEV 10.61) in each country was strongly associated with the number of cases/1M (mean 295.95, STDEV 298.73 p=0.004, respectively with the mortality/1M (mean 5.96, STDEV 15.13, p < 0.00001).
Discussion: Vitamin D levels are severely low in the aging population especially in Spain, Italy and Switzerland. This is also the most vulnerable group of population for COVID-19.
Conclusions: We believe, that we can advise Vitamin D supplementation to protect against SARS-CoV2 infection.
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-21211/v1

[HHTel]

I was thinking in that video I posted they are saying the fatality rate in California is much lower than New York. There could be many reasons but California is a more sunny State. And if the data is to believed Thailand and its neighbours are not being affected hard.
This study has not been peer reviewed yet.

The experts along with the rest of us really hope that the hotter weather will have a beneficial effect. However some countries have developed rises in infections despite being 'tropical'. The fact is that nobody really knows. For each study showing evidence that hotter weather will be beneficial, there is a study that proves the opposite is true. Only time will tell.

Looking at previous pandemics, there's no pattern as to the starting season. Every season has seen the start of a pandemic. H1N1 has become seasonal but it's taken 10 years to become that way. covid-19 may well go the same way but it's not expected to change immediately the first sign of summer comes.

[nil]

Rise in infections, yes. But not the higher fatality rate.

[HHTel]

“Given that countries currently in ‘summer’ climates, such as Australia and Iran, are experiencing rapid virus spread, a decrease in cases with increases in humidity and temperature elsewhere should not be assumed.”

Iran has around 5,500 deaths!

[Big Boy]

[nil]

“Given that countries currently in ‘summer’ climates, such as Australia and Iran, are experiencing rapid virus spread, a decrease in cases with increases in humidity and temperature elsewhere should not be assumed.”

Iran has around 5,500 deaths!

Lots of studies have also shown Iranians are very deficient in Vitamin D

[HHTel]

I'm usually very optimistic, as you may have noticed. However, studies regarding covid-19 are inconclusive on both sides. There is no clear evidence whether the weather will affect the virus or not. Until there is, I will sit on the fence for this one. We all have aspirations about the end of this pandemic but to date that's all they are - aspirations.
Many experts are forecasting a second wave 6 months after the first. There is evidence of that both currently and historically.
Personally, I believe this will eventually settle as a seasonal outbreak and join the other 4 coronaviruses on their annual visit. By that time there will (hopefully) be an effective vaccine to further control it.

[STEVE G]

I was thinking in that video I posted they are saying the fatality rate in California is much lower than New York. There could be many reasons but California is a more sunny State. And if the data is to believed Thailand and its neighbours are not being affected hard.
This study has not been peer reviewed yet.


Background/Aims: WHO declared SARS-Cov-2 a global pandemic. The aims of this paper are to assess if there is any association between mean levels of vitamin D in various countries and cases respectively mortality caused by COVID-19.
Methods: We have identified the mean levels of vitamin D for 20 Europeans Countries for which we have also got the data regarding the morbidity and mortality caused by COVID-19.
Results: The mean level of vitamin D (average 56mmol/L, STDEV 10.61) in each country was strongly associated with the number of cases/1M (mean 295.95, STDEV 298.73 p=0.004, respectively with the mortality/1M (mean 5.96, STDEV 15.13, p < 0.00001).
Discussion: Vitamin D levels are severely low in the aging population especially in Spain, Italy and Switzerland. This is also the most vulnerable group of population for COVID-19.
Conclusions: We believe, that we can advise Vitamin D supplementation to protect against SARS-CoV2 infection.
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-21211/v1

If vitamin D and sunlight does have any effect on Covid-19, all this enthusiasm for chasing people out of parks and off beaches could prove to be a bit counterproductive!

[HHTel]

I'm surprised nobody has taken up the reported 53 new cases today.
We must have sensible people here (unlike another forum) who have realised that even though the figure jumped to 53, the underlying figure of new cases locally is actually 11 if you subtract the mini hot spot of 42 foreign migrants.
Once you open up a border, it was bound to happen.
So still on target.

[europtimiste]

Worldwide clinical trials: Only 5% of Covid-19 affecteds were smokers. Probably nicotine is a preventive medic.

[PeteC]

^ Yes, there are dozens of articles out on it over the past few days. Just search "nicotine and covid".