SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Early in this thread a point was made that Covid-19 was nowhere near the threat that Influenza or the Flu is.

How does that point stack up now?

 

With the near absence of testing I wouldn't be surprised if peak was Mother's day.

Pixel XL ?

 

I'm about 66% convinced, an interesting approach: United Biomedical Group’s C19 Company Partners With San Miguel County, Colorado To Be First In Nation To Test An Entire County For COVID-19 With New Antibody Diagnostic Test — Telluride Medical Center

UBI’s c19 has developed a high-precision antibody blood diagnostic test that has been validated in China, Taiwan and California labs and has virtually 100% sensitivity and specificity in patients who have developed antibodies against the virus (seroconverted). The tests are manufactured in Long Island, N.Y. and can differentiate between COVID-19 and other coronaviruses (e.g., HKU1 and NL63). Results can be obtained within a couple hours. . . . ​

I would really like to see an A-B-A and double blind test of the effectiveness and accuracy. Still, chemically identification of an antibody appears to be relatively straight forward and likely, accurate.

Bob Wilson

 

they're still struggling in china, trying to figure out why people are testing negative, then positive

 

"A sufficiently advanced science will appear to be magic to the less sophisticated."

I stopped with inorganic chemistry which remains a wonderful field. As for organic chemistry, it truly is amazing and I don't try to fake it. Still, the blood test for antibodies makes a lot of sense as a 'short cut.'

Combine a selective, anti-body, attachment, enzyme with a photo responsive compound and voila, you've got an assay for mass surveys in a fairly short time. You don't have to bind to the virus external plasmid but let the body multiply the much larger volumes of antibodies.

Did I get it significantly wrong?

Bob Wilson

 

Let’s stop the virus!Let’s end the hysteria! – Dr. Rath Health Foundation

 

Source: FAQs on Diagnostic Testing for SARS-CoV-2 | FDA

This page provides answers to frequently asked questions relating to the development and performance of diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2.

The page includes questions and answers regarding the new policy outlined in the Immediately in Effect Guidance for Clinical Laboratories, Commercial Manufacturers, and Food and Drug Administration Staff: Policy for Diagnostic Tests for Coronavirus Disease-2019 during the Public Health Emergency, originally introduced as Immediately in Effect Guidance for Clinical Laboratories and Food and Drug Administration Staff: Policy for Diagnostic Tests in Laboratories Certified to Perform High Complexity Testing under CLIA prior to Emergency Use Authorization for Coronavirus Disease-2019 during the Public Health Emergency on February 29th, 2020 and updated on March 16, 2020. On this page, this guidance is referred to as the Policy for Diagnostic Tests for Coronavirus Disease-2019.
. . . ​

This is important because the accuracy of these tests is not as rigorously quantified as we would normally prefer. But we're in a race between the tests and a virus that has high transmission rates. Sure enough, there are two technical approaches:

• detect the SARS-CoV-2
• detect antibodies to SARS-CoV-2

IMHO, both are important with my preference for an affordable, universal antibody test to identify those who are asymptomatic AND those recovered. For a clinician, the SARS-CoV-2 is more important but combined with the antibody test, a confirmation.

Bob Wilson

 

'head of the massachusetts department of health tests positive'

she was the one telling ma health professionals it was no big deal back in early march

 

Patients with +SARS-CoV-2 by PCR and clinical infection followed by clinical recovery and -SARS-CoV-2 by PCR would also be useful epidemiologically and help with calibrating results of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2.

 

Just a guess.
Maybe they are negative and then get infected?

Mike

 

Or maybe another reason that is reserved for another thread in another corner of Prius Chat.

 

A crusty old guy in UK thinks Covid is way overblown.

 

he's just repeating what has been said here over 1,159 posts. tl:dr, but does he address the overwhelmed hospitals without enough personnel, beds, and equipment? why are very intelligent professionals wearing hazmat suits to treat patients? do they do that for the ordinary common garden flu?

 

When I was a lad we fought off novel zoonotic viruses one-handed. If we complained we were sent to bed without dinner.

Kids these days.