Coronavirus

[Mr._Clark]

Not criticizing you, but I thought patent lawyers, who work with pharmaceuticals, would know more about the FDA.

My technical background is in engineering so I do not work with pharmaceuticals. There are plenty of patent lawyers who have PhDs in biology, molecular biology, biochem, organic chemistry, etc. For the most part, clients send pharm and biotech work to attorneys with these types of qualifications (Here's an example: https://www.sternekessler.com/professionals/robert-c-millonig)(I do not work at this firm, but you if are interested in movie trivia some of the scenes form the movie True Lies were filmed here)(this was the fictional law firm where Jamie Lee Curtis's character worked).

Most of the work I do is related to automotive and aerospace technologies. In 20+ years I don't recall ever getting into an FDA-related issue.

 

[TLS Guy]

Good news, as I go to bed!

It is now confirmed that the Oxford vaccine, induces not only an antibody response in humans, but a robust T-cell memory response to the Sars-2 Covid-19 virus. Only time will tell if this immunity is fairly long term, but very, very likely it will prove to be so. What I mean by this, is that the vaccine induced immunity will far more likely than not be longer than the naturally acquired immunity to the virus.

The team will publish full details in the Lancet on July 20.

I can't begin to tell how good this news is for the world.

We now need to prevent all these needless deaths. The US needs to lock down hard now to get this self induced catastrophe under control.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

I had so much hope until your last sentence.

Great news for the rest of the world, anyway.

 

[highfigh]

Gotta love that Trump didn't want illegals to come into the country and now we aren't allowed to go to any other countries. As someone said "my irony detector just exploded".

There's a difference between coming into a country illegally and being denied entry because of illness. Not all of the US is being so stupid that they're adding to the problem, either- don't paint all with the same brush,

 

[Swerd]

My technical background is in engineering so I do not work with pharmaceuticals. There are plenty of patent lawyers who have PhDs in biology, molecular biology, biochem, organic chemistry, etc. For the most part, clients send pharm and biotech work to attorneys with these types of qualifications (Here's an example: https://www.sternekessler.com/professionals/robert-c-millonig)(I do not work at this firm, but you if are interested in movie trivia some of the scenes form the movie True Lies were filmed here)(this was the fictional law firm where Jamie Lee Curtis's character worked).

Most of the work I do is related to automotive and aerospace technologies. In 20+ years I don't recall ever getting into an FDA-related issue.

I appreciate your interest in this subject. You ask good questions. Trying to answer them keeps me on my toes.

The entire field of biomedical research is full of PhDs or MD/PhDs. Most places where I've worked had more PhDs than any other education level. In general, biomedical science has seen more "hands on" work, and most of those hands were PhD scientists. It's still going from small scale R&D to a mature industry. In the automotive or aerospace fields you know, that's probably not the case. It's much more of a mature industry, where PhDs or Engineers become the bosses, not the workers in the trenches.

For last 20 years before I retired, I worked for a group in the National Cancer Inst. called the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP). We sponsored, and paid for, many hundreds of clinical trials of various anti-cancer drugs. CTEP acts as a go-between among the various big & small pharmaceutical companies, the FDA, and academic medicine who performed the clinical trials.

Watching how biomedical R&D, big pharma, and government owned or sponsored groups go about solving the problem of the world-wide corona virus epidemic is very interesting. I'm proud of how well things are going – in general. At the same time, I'm dismayed at how a few misinformed and misbehaved (I'm deliberately using gentle wording) elected government officials are disrupting these efforts.

In automotive or aerospace manufacturing, there's nothing like the FDA. Imagine Ford or Boeing being required to fully test and validate a product for many years, at a cost of many $ millions, before they could sell any product commercially. They would have to accumulate enough data to make the case to an independent review board (selected by the FDA) that their product is both safe and effective. The FAA's authority doesn't come close to that of the FDA.

Unfortunately, in the last 20-30 years, Big Pharma has made Big Money, and they use it to buy influence in Congress. In my opinion, they have too much influence. But that's another topic for another day.

 

[panteragstk]

There's a difference between coming into a country illegally and being denied entry because of illness. Not all of the US is being so stupid that they're adding to the problem, either- don't paint all with the same brush,

Huh? That's not what my post meant at all.

It's about the irony that Trump and others want a wall so people can't come in from the Mexican border and now that border is closed so we can't go into Mexico. The reason isn't relevant to the simple irony.

 

[highfigh]

Unfortunately, in the last 20-30 years, Big Pharma has made Big Money, and they use it to buy influence in Congress. In my opinion, they have too much influence. But that's another topic for another day.

In theory, it's easy- end lobbying, stop allowing members of Congress to receive anything that could influence them and set up an independent watchdog agency to monitor them. They're supposed to represent us, not rule us.

 

[highfigh]

Huh? That's not what my post meant at all.

It's about the irony that Trump and others want a wall so people can't come in from the Mexican border and now that border is closed so we can't go into Mexico. The reason isn't relevant to the simple irony.

The wall is for preventing entry away from the official checkpoints, not to totally prevent entry. You even wrote 'illegals' in the original post- why don't you understand why he wants the wall? Also, the reason people from the US aren't being allowed into other countries is because of COVID and the states that are allowing its growth. If not for COVID, they wouldn't be preventing entry by people from the US.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

Headed to the hospital. Had chills and a little coughing this morning. No temperature. Now I popped 100 on the thermometer and have been having pounding chest pains.


Stay tuned.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Headed to the hospital. Had chills and a little coughing this morning. No temperature. Now I popped 100 on the thermometer and have been having pounding chest pains.


Stay tuned.

Uh oh. Bummer.

Take care, bud.

 

[Swerd]

Headed to the hospital. Had chills and a little coughing this morning. No temperature. Now I popped 100 on the thermometer and have been having pounding chest pains.

Stay tuned.

Best wishes! Take care. Stay in touch if you can.

 

[Swerd]

T cell responses to COVID-19 are a crucial target for research

Perspective: T cell responses to COVID-19 are a crucial target for research

While early research on the adaptive immune response to COVID-19 primarily looked at antibodies, more information is now emerging on how T cells react to the SARS-CoV-2 virus - addressing a crucial

scienmag.com

"While early research on the adaptive immune response to COVID-19 primarily looked at antibodies, more information is now emerging on how T cells react to the SARS-CoV-2 virus – addressing a crucial knowledge gap, say Daniel Altmann and Rosemary Boyton in a new Perspective. While antibody responses are generally much easier to study, T cells are known to play a more important role in protecting the body against viral infections. In the context of COVID-19, “antibody responses appear short-lived and T cell memory is potentially more durable,” Altmann and Boyton say, leading them to argue that “it’s time to admit that we really need the T cell data too.” Seeking to assess the current state of knowledge on how T cells respond to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the authors selected 9 studies – some published in peer-reviewed journals, while others are still under review and available as preprints – and summarized key takeaways and emerging points of consensus. “To fully understand population level immunity, screening for both antibody and T cell immunity using standardized testing methods would be beneficial,” Altmann and Boyton conclude, noting that standardized tests to measure T cell immunity to SARS-CoV-2 could be designed using methods in common with established tests for T cell immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis."​

I've been saying this over & over. Finally I see someone in the popular press admitting that tracking antibody response alone to viral infection or vaccination can be misleading. It's really about the T cell based immunity. Immunologists have known this for at least 40 years. But it's been hard to get the non-scientific medical world and the popular press to understand.

 

[panteragstk]

Headed to the hospital. Had chills and a little coughing this morning. No temperature. Now I popped 100 on the thermometer and have been having pounding chest pains.


Stay tuned.

Hopefully wherever you are isn't busy. If you can, let us know.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Since pubs/restaurants began opening for eat-in service earlier this month, my wife and I have gone to the same place twice. First time was inside - there were about 1/3 the normal number of tables, spaced far apart. Nothing on the tables - all condiments were single-use packets. All staff were masked up. And, they were sanitizing the $hit out of the place between patrons. The second time was out on their patio, with the same protocols in place. Still, I felt a bit of anxiety being there. We just want to help local business survive.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-canada-bars-reopening-1.5652671

The goal set by the World Health Organization is to keep positive test rates below five per cent.

By that standard, the U.S. is in brutal shape. A whopping 33 U.S. states had rates higher than the WHO benchmark on Thursday, with several just above or just under 20 per cent.

Arizona's positivity rate was around six per cent when it allowed restaurants and some bars to reopen on May 11 — and has surged to a recent peak of 26.9 per cent, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins. The Texas rate hovered above five per cent this spring during the weeks it reopened, and is now at 16 per cent. Florida reopened restaurants in most places on May 4 and bars on June 5, a period during which test-positivity rates were between two and five per cent — and then started surging to a peak near 20 per cent.

In Montreal, even after its latest spike, the positivity rate inched upward, from a low under one per cent to three per cent this week. Quebec overall has a positivity rate of 1.4 per cent; British Columbia and Ontario both sit at about 0.8 per cent positivity; and Alberta hovers around 1.7 per cent.

I just hope we can avoid the catastrophe unfolding in the US. I really wish the best for you guys and hope you see some light on the horizon soon.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

All my vitals were good. Temperature even went back down by the time I got there. I was at the hospital about 2 hours. Got an EKG, xrays, and the nasal swab (NOT fun).

The only way I can describe that sensation I felt in my chest is like a bird flapping inside a small cage. I felt it once this morning but not since. Overall I feel better than I did yesterday.

I'm on quarantine for 2 weeks (sooner if I test negative but I have a sneaky suspicion I won't), and fortunately my company actually pays for COVID quarantine. So I guess it's like 2 weeks paid vacation, with nothing fun to do. Will give me time to work on stuff at the new house though. Clean and buff those DCM cabinets too... I guess that's a silver lining... it'll save my sanity.

Same thermometer I used last night has 98.1 this morning. The back of my upper arms still have chills and goosebumps. Really weird feeling.

Stepdaughter's baby-daddy got his test results back last night. Positive. Family's gonna family (and more to the point, grandma's gonna grandma), so I'm certain we have 2 fully infected households. And stepdaughter is 8 1/2 months along with child #2 so she's gonna pop any time now.

 

[highfigh]

All my vitals were good. Temperature even went back down by the time I got there. I was at the hospital about 2 hours. Got an EKG, xrays, and the nasal swab (NOT fun).

The only way I can describe that sensation I felt in my chest is like a bird flapping inside a small cage. I felt it once this morning but not since. Overall I feel better than I did yesterday.

I'm on quarantine for 2 weeks (sooner if I test negative but I have a sneaky suspicion I won't), and fortunately my company actually pays for COVID quarantine. So I guess it's like 2 weeks paid vacation, with nothing fun to do. Will give me time to work on stuff at the new house though. Clean and buff those DCM cabinets too... I guess that's a silver lining... it'll save my sanity.

Same thermometer I used last night has 98.1 this morning. The back of my upper arms still have chills and goosebumps. Really weird feeling.

Stepdaughter's baby-daddy got his test results back last night. Positive. Family's gonna family (and more to the point, grandma's gonna grandma), so I'm certain we have 2 fully infected households. And stepdaughter is 8 1/2 months along with child #2 so she's gonna pop any time now.

Any issues with A-Fib? Allergies? Excessive caffeine?

Hate to see this.

 

[highfigh]

Went for dinner with friends and in MKE, they now require masks in general areas of restaurants, but not while eating. The place has signs posted with this, as well as 'Dining Room is Closed', but a family of eight walked to the door, expecting to waltz in and eat. Not a mask on one of them As we talked with the owner, a waitress came over and said that some of the other patrons had requested that we move away from them.

 

[highfigh]

T cell responses to COVID-19 are a crucial target for research

Perspective: T cell responses to COVID-19 are a crucial target for research

While early research on the adaptive immune response to COVID-19 primarily looked at antibodies, more information is now emerging on how T cells react to the SARS-CoV-2 virus - addressing a crucial

scienmag.com

"While early research on the adaptive immune response to COVID-19 primarily looked at antibodies, more information is now emerging on how T cells react to the SARS-CoV-2 virus – addressing a crucial knowledge gap, say Daniel Altmann and Rosemary Boyton in a new Perspective. While antibody responses are generally much easier to study, T cells are known to play a more important role in protecting the body against viral infections. In the context of COVID-19, “antibody responses appear short-lived and T cell memory is potentially more durable,” Altmann and Boyton say, leading them to argue that “it’s time to admit that we really need the T cell data too.” Seeking to assess the current state of knowledge on how T cells respond to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the authors selected 9 studies – some published in peer-reviewed journals, while others are still under review and available as preprints – and summarized key takeaways and emerging points of consensus. “To fully understand population level immunity, screening for both antibody and T cell immunity using standardized testing methods would be beneficial,” Altmann and Boyton conclude, noting that standardized tests to measure T cell immunity to SARS-CoV-2 could be designed using methods in common with established tests for T cell immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis."​

I've been saying this over & over. Finally I see someone in the popular press admitting that tracking antibody response alone to viral infection or vaccination can be misleading. It's really about the T cell based immunity. Immunologists have known this for at least 40 years. But it's been hard to get the non-scientific medical world and the popular press to understand.

I think it's time to re-tool the media- they want to be first with the stories, rather than present factual information.

I watched a video with Denzel Washington where he said "If you don't read the paper, you're uninformed and if you do, you're MIS-informed".

 

[Trell]

I think it's time to re-tool the media- they want to be first with the stories, rather than present factual information.

That really depends on the media outlet, so why don't you follow your own repeated admonitions to others of not talking in absolutes?

 

[highfigh]

That really depends on the media outlet, so why don't you follow your own repeated admonitions to others of not talking in absolutes?

You're right- it's not all outlets. I should have written 'some', but I didn't write 'all'; you just chose to infer that.

Rather than poke people with verbal sticks, why not post some information and sources that might reinforce your comments?