Vaccination in India over the world and related activities

 

substitute to oxygen cylinder : Oxygen concentrator

 

Oxygen concentrator

Oxygen concentrators are one of the substitute to the Gas cylinder.  Oxygen concentrators are devices that helps concentrate oxygen from the ambient air by removing nitrogen and delivering pure oxygen to individuals, whose blood oxygen levels (SpO2) readings drop less than 93%.  

When blood saturation levels drop below 94%, it could be a sign of respiratory distress. Usually this merits hospitalisation, but due to the surge in COVID-19 cases and oxygen beds in short supply, the device could help those whose saturation levels range between 88% to 92%.

A concentrator consists of a compressor and sieve bed filter. The former squeezes atmospheric air and also adjusts the pressure at which is delivered. The sieve bed is made of a material called Zeolite that separates the nitrogen.

For COVID-19 patients, a device with a 5L-10L output is recommended. What’s important though is that it delivers air that contains at least 90% pure oxygen. The cost of these devices can range from ₹30,000 to ₹99,000. There are also pulse and continuous flow concentrators where the latter delivers oxygen at a constant rate and the other uses a sensor to deliver a puff of oxygen when a user is about to inhale.   OxLife Independence, Drive Medical DeVilbiss , nvacare Platinum etc., are called the best concentrator in India.

Blood oxygen level: SpO2 levels anything between 94 to 100 is considered healthy

 

Blood oxygen level:  SpO2 levels anything between 94 to 100 is considered healthy

Blood oxygen level (SpO2 levels) anything between 94 to 100 is considered healthy.   Feeling breathless with COVID-19 usually means the lungs are infected.  Lung infection due to Covid19 can cause a serious impact on multiple organs of the body. If the coronavirus has caused pneumonia, then depending on how serious it is the lungs may struggle to get enough oxygen into the bloodstream.  If lungs are struggling to get sufficient oxygen, then Oxygen ventilator bed is become crucial, to arrange Osp2 externally.  This is a problem because oxygen is an essential nutrient for every organ in the body. 

Oxygen levels below the normal values or Hypoxemia, may be caused by not enough oxygen in the air.   It is called to be inability of the lungs to inhale and send oxygen to all cells and tissues. Lung infection due to Covid19 means, it is not properly function.  It is called to be inability of the bloodstream to circulate to the lungs, collect oxygen, and transport it around the body.    The recommended oxygen target saturation range in patients at risk of type II respiratory failure is 88–92%.

This is the most common type of Hypoxemia. Ventilation refers to the oxygen supply in the lungs, while perfusion refers to the blood supply to the lungs.  Hypoxemia, may be caused by not enough oxygen in the air.  This is a problem because oxygen is an essential nutrient for every organ in the body. 

Ventilation and perfusion are measured in a ratio, called V/Q ratio. Normally, there’s a small degree of mismatch in this ratio, however if the mismatch becomes too great, problems can occur in the organ of the body.

There are two causes of ventilation perfusion mismatch:

1.   The lungs are getting enough oxygen, but there’s not enough blood flow.

2.   There is blood flow to the lungs, but not enough oxygen .

In order to diagnose hypoxemia, our doctor will perform a physical examination during which they will check your heart rate and functioning of lungs. They may also check the colour of your skin, eyes, finger nails.  There are some additional tests that they can perform to assess your oxygen levels and breathing. These can include:

a)   Pulse oximetry, which uses a sensor placed on your finger to measure blood oxygen levels.

b)  Arterial blood gas test, which uses a needle to draw a blood sample from an artery to measure blood oxygen levels.

c)  Breathing tests, which may evaluate your breathing through a machine or by breathing into a tube.

Since hypoxemia involves low blood oxygen levels, the aim of treatment is to try to raise blood oxygen levels back to normal.  Blood oxygen level (SpO2 levels) anything between 94 to 100 is considered healthy and normal.  

Oxygen therapy can be utilized to treat hypoxemia. This may involve using an oxygen mask or a small tube clipped to your nose to receive supplemental oxygen. 

Damage can occur to vital organs such as the heart and brain

In the absence of enough oxygen in the blood, damage can occur to vital body organs such as the heart and brain or it may cause severe heart attack, if enough oxygen in the blood is not provided from lungs.

Conclusion :

Your blood oxygen level is a measure of how much oxygen your red blood cells are carrying. If oxygen of red blood cells are carrying less than the normal range, then Oxygen cylinder is connected to save further organ damage.   Your body closely regulates your blood oxygen level through automatic function.  Maintaining the precise balance of oxygen-saturated blood is vital to your health.

Most of the adults don’t need to monitor their blood oxygen level.  If patient is shifted to ICU, then doctor checks blood oxygen level through a monitor connected continuously to the fingure.  In fact, many doctors won’t check it unless you’re showing signs of a problem, like shortness of breath or chest pain.  However, people with chronic health conditions many need to monitor their blood oxygen level.

A pulse oximeter is an external electronic device that estimates the amount of oxygen in your blood.   It does so by sending infrared light into capillaries in your finger, toe, or earlobe. Then it measures how much light is reflected off the gases.  A reading indicates what percentage of your blood is saturated as the SpO2 level. That means the reading may be as much as 2 percent higher or lower than your actual blood oxygen level.

This test may be slightly less accurate, but it’s very easy for doctors to perform.  So doctors rely on it for fast diagnosis.

lying face-down in ‘prone position’ improve oxygen levels, when patient is Covid19 positive.   This position helps in improving oxygen flow in patients who are critical, in turn ensuring that they are less likely to require ventilator oxygen support, and damage of lungs.

 

 

how face mask is important in covid 19

 

how face mask is important in covid 19  ??

Masks are not perfect barriers to transmission, and should be combined with other preventative measures such as social distancing and contact tracing.

Universal mask use can significantly reduce virus transmission in communities.

Based on our prior work in outbreaks of infectious diseases, we know that clear, consistent messages about what people can do to protect themselves and their community are critical. By that measure, the messaging on masks has been confusing.

These are some of parameters, which tell us why wearing mask is important:

1.      Some scientists says face mask is anti-pollutant and anti-virus. Universal mask use can significantly reduce virus transmission in the community by preventing anyone, including those who are unwittingly carrying the virus, from transmitting it to others. Disease modeling suggests masks worn by significant portions of the population, coupled with other measures, could result in substantial reductions in case numbers and deaths.

2.      Face mask is designed in different way to protect other from being infected. Masks and face coverings can prevent the wearer from transmitting the COVID-19 virus to others and may provide some protection to the wearer. Multiple studies have shown that face coverings can contain droplets expelled from the wearer, which are responsible for the majority of transmission of the virus. This 'source control' approach reflects a shift in thinking from a 'medical' perspective

3.      There are certain symptoms which indicates virus infection. Many people with COVID-19 are unaware they are carrying the virus. It is estimated that 40% of persons with COVID-19 are asymptomatic but potentially able to transmit the virus to others. In the absence widespread screening tests, we have no way of identifying many people who are silently transmitting the virus in their community.

Lockdown-I

Lockdown is not a solution for Covid19 

WHO has so many time mentioned that Lockdown is not a solution for Covid19 and it is in no way a solution to the Covid-19.  It is imperative that after lockdown period is over, this virus is going to start its work again.  So, it is very important that we have a strategy to come out of the lockdown.  When there is utmost public participation or support is need for the strategic policy, then the strategic policy should be published through all the available media, so that public will support the policy.

Lockdown facilitates the Govt. organisation in the city, the time and space to put in medical resources, to ramp up your testing ability, to prepare your hospitals, to get ventilators, to create the type of architecture that is required to fight the virus when it picks up again.  Keep readily available in every nearby clinics, hospitals, an advance Test kits, First aid Medicines of this virus, Quarantine facility, Sanitization equipment, so that spread of the Virus could be arrested on the spot of its appearance.   Now what is the real weapon against the virus? The Biggest weapon is testing kits.  Now, Rapid diagnostic test (RDT) gives the confirmation within two hours.  Rapid diagnostic test (RDT) detects the presence of viral proteins or coronavirus infection in patients.  Testing through RDT at large scale will enable you know where the virus is moving and you isolate the virus infected patients and target the virus in the vicinity.  

Lockdown facilitates the public to stay at home safe, so that infected person should not spread the virus further more  and Lockdown facilitates the Govt. organisation in the city, the time for  large-scale thermal screening and large-scale detection of  high fever patients, as one of the consistent indicators of infection from such viruses is high fever.  Thermal infrared cameras, came into play now-a-day at public places.

Large-area detection and screening for fever will soon be a reality for the safety of all and containment of not only the current COVID-19, but also avoid further load of work in the event of major outbreaks.

If you want to fight the virus, you have to increase testing strategy and your testing has to go from chasing the virus to moving ahead of the virus.  So, we can start up the job with door to door screening and identify/ isolate infected patients.   A scientific identification of the area with higher COVID-19 vulnerability and isolating them from the rest of the city area, instead of a one-size-fitting-all exit strategy, can also be the solution as Containment zone.

Lot of our testing is currently chasing the virus because we are identifying cases and then following the virus. With that type of testing, you will never be able to actually get a good image of what the virus is doing and where the virus is.  We are following the virus, after a person reports the symptom.  We should start testing in large scale, without waiting for symptom to appear, as is followed by other major countries – USA, UK, Germany, Spain etc.,.

Lockdown is just one aspect to contain the spread of COVID-19, enhanced Rapid testing, isolation of infected individuals, supervising of development of herd immunity, a phase-wise drugs distribution during lockdown should all be part of the strategy to fight the virus. 

Now, Medicine #Remdevisir meant for #COVID19 has also started making available, along with that Plasma Therapy is also becoming successful all over the world.  Currently various antiviral drugs targeted for other virus like influenza are being tried out to treat COVID-19.  We know that there are multiple variants, immunity booster and a vaccine against one variant may not be effective against other.  ICMR has approved a specific test protocol for COVID-19 which is based on some kits. These kits are nearly all imported and therefore there is dependency on other country.  Similarly, we have indigenous kits available as compare to them.  So, we should see and adopt one and single type of test kit for all over the states.  Herd immunity can only develop if people start developing antibodies against the virus.  

Suggestions :

1.     Ease the lockdown restriction for certain Sales & Services, with the condition of social distancing like Saloon, Jogging, Restaurant, Rickshaw & Cab,  Electronics Goods and their Services, Public Transports etc.,

2.     Ramp up your testing ability for defeat of this Virus.  In the low-risk areas, permission will not be required to operate the essential services, or to operate the interstate passenger travel in Indian Railways, roadways as well as waterways.

3.     Increase the Recovery rate and decrease the death rate. (Plasma therapy, Homeopathic or Ayurveda medicines for immunity power, BCG vaccines etc.,)

4.     Keep ready a Quarantine facility, Sanitization equipment at every access.

5.       Publish the information, statistics, data every day for the public in the city including the details about :  Name of Area of the city, Total cases, New cases,Total Death,              New Death,  Total Reco,        Active cases, cases         Serious ,Tot Cases /Tot Deaths/     total test as on date etc.,

It will create confidence among the public in the city and actively participate in public policies with keen interest.

6.       Encourage the companies engaged in research and laboratory business, for identifying Drugs, medicines, Vaccines or Homeopathic or Ayurveda treatment for Covid 19.

The ministry also assumed that if we had implemented only containment measures but no lockdown, the cases would have grown at a slightly slower rate but we would have still had more than a lakh cases by 15 April. Instead, by 11 April, we had just around 7,500 cases in India. However, the government provided no details of the mathematical or epidemiological models that projected these numbers.  So, based on the guess work or assumption of per centage, the figures were worked out to present in TV coverage by Health Ministry.

So, was the lockdown a success in containing the spread of Covid-19? The answer could well turn out to be yes as well as no. If we analyse scientifically, during lockdown, the figures must be slashing down, and Lockdown was shown to be successful, but it is false, because  during lockdown, the infected cases may come down, for infected person is hidden, but if you re-open, it will gather in public and infect other person in the vicinity.  In stead, it is expected that during lockdown, the Health Services had a chance to target all the area for detecting an infected person for threshing and attack, so that spread of outbreaks could have avoided.  So, it is said to be unplanned strategy to contain the virus.

According to the survey, 53.2 per cent of males said there has been a negative impact on their income due to continuous lockdown. So, either people are laid off, getting reduced salaries, forced to go on leave without pay or are working only part time now. 

Among the age groups, the hit is more on the senior citizens, with 61.6 per cent saying they are receiving lower income and due to restriction on certain plat form for senior citizens, it is badly impacted on their revenue income.

the hit is more on the age group between 21 to 35, with 86.6 per cent saying that there was no work, hence received no income, consequently, they remained to be underfed.

COVID 19 AND MIGRANT WORKERS BITTER SITUATION.

http://www.mcrg.ac.in/COVID_19_Migrant_Workers.html

https://qz.com/india/1839990/indias-coronavirus-lockdown-leaves-its-poor-in-the-lurch/

---

medicine vaccine on covid19- part 1

medicine vaccine on covid19- part 1

1.     Stem cell therapy in patients infected with COVID-19 by Australia’s Mesoblast plans :

Australian stem cell therapy company Mesoblast Ltd. Is working on plans to evaluate its allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) candidate, remestemcel-L, in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by coronavirus (COVID-19) and the process is at earlier to 2^nd stage, as per their Videos conferencing.  It is further elaborated that it is acute respiratory distress syndrome, which is the body’s immune response to the virus in the lungs, and the immune system goes haywire, and in its battle with the virus it overreacts and causes severe damage to the lungs. It is working on an injection of our cells intravenously can tone down the immune system just enough so it gets rid of the virus and at the same time, it should not harm lungs.

It is mentioned that :

a) In an  analyses, of a 60-patient randomized controlled study in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), remestemcel-L infusions were well-tolerated, significantly reduced inflammatory biomarkers, and significantly improved pulmonary function in those patients with elevated inflammatory biomarkers.

b) Since the same inflammatory biomarkers are also elevated in COVID-19, those data suggest that remestemcel-L could be useful in the treatment of patients with ARDS due to COVID-19.

1.    01.05.2020 : US government has granted permission to its hospitals to use Remdevisir to cure patients suffering from COVID-19.

Gilead Science's Remdivisir is also touted to be a possible cure for the COVID-19. However, there is minimal data over it and better trials are needed as there are only a handful of trials done as of now, as per accounts from the US where it has been permitted by the CDC. The US government has granted permission to its hospitals to use Remdevisir to cure patients suffering from COVID-19.

2.       05 05 2020 : Israel Defence Minister Claims Breakthrough In Developing Covid-19  Antibody.

Bennett visited the labs of the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR), a secretive unit that works under the Prime Minister’s Office, in Ness Ziona and was shown the “antibody that attacks the virus in a monoclonal way and can neutralize it within the bodies of those ill,” according to the statement from his office.

Bennett visited the labs of the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR), a secretive unit that works under the Prime Minister’s Office, in Ness Ziona and was shown the “antibody that attacks the virus in a monoclonal way and can neutralize it within t

1. GILEAD SCIENCES: Remdesivir

Type: Drug. Status: Repurposed experimental. Early results: 0-3 Months.

Antiviral drug, originally developed to combat RNA viruses including respiratory syncytial virus. At least 13 trials underway in China, Europe and the United States with preliminary results from two Chinese trials expected as soon as April 2020. A February assessment by the WHO flagged this candidate as the most promising for battling COVID-19.

Caveats

Initial data are expected to come from studies of patients with relatively severe COVID-19. Because antivirals work best when patients are healthier, those results may show limited effectiveness.

2. Hydroxychloroquine / chloroquine

Type: Drug. Status: Repurposed. Early results: 0-3 Months.

Malaria drug also believed to have antiviral activity. Blocked SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells in an in-vitro experiment. In one small French study, some COVID-19 patients showed improvements but there was no way to know if the drug was the reason. Results published in April from another study in France and one in China found no benefit in patients treated with the drug. Dozens more clinical studies are underway around the world.

3. ROCHE: Actemra (tocilizumab)

Type: Drug. Status: Repurposed. Early results: 0-3 Months.

Monoclonal antibody approved for rheumatoid arthritis and also for treating the "cytokine storm" immune overresponse in cancer patients. Fifteen registered trials in China, Europe and the United States are testing it on COVID-19 patients, alone or in comparison to other therapies. One French trial is looking at 28-day effects on COVID-19 in patients with advanced or metastatic cancer.

4. SANOFI, REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS: Kevzara (sarilumab)

Type: Drug. Status: Repurposed. Early results: 0-3 Months.

Monoclonal antibody approved for inflammatory arthritis, and in trials targeting the "cytokine storm" immune response in severely ill COVID-19 patients. Regeneron's chief scientific officer has said initial data on effectiveness could come by late April.

5. NOVARTIS, INCYTE: Jakavi (ruxolitinib)

Type: Drug. Status: Repurposed. Early results: 0-3 Months.

Developed to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and in late-stage development as a cream for atopic dermatitis. One trial each in Canada and Mexico will test the drug in COVID-19 patients with severe respiratory symptoms associated with the "cytokine storm" immune response, with preliminary results expected by June 2020. In the United States, Novartis established a managed access program for use in severe/very severe COVID-19 illness on April 7.

6. MODERNA/NIAID: mRNA 1273

Type: Vaccine. Status: Experimental. Early results: 0-3 Months.

RNA vaccine made with messenger-RNA (mRNA) encoding the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 encapsulated in a lipid nanoparticle. The phase 1 trial with 45 subjects aged 18-55 at three locations in the United States will evaluate the vaccine's safety and provide early data on the immune response it induces. Trial completion is anticipated to be June 1, 2020.

7. Convalescent plasma

Type: Non-drug therapy. Early results: 0-3 Months.

Blood plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients is transfused into patients who are currently ill, in the hope the freshly-made antibodies it contains will help fight the virus. The method has been used for more than 100 years and carries little risk of harm or side effects. Small case studies suggest it may help reduce virus levels, and controlled trials are in progress in China, Europe and the United States to gather stronger evidence for a benefit. Results published in April from a study in 10 patients with severe illness in China found significant improvement compared to similar patients who did not receive the treatment.

Caveats

Immediately available and already in limited use, but supply of plasma from recovered patients may not be sufficient to meet all needs. Further studies of recovered patients must also determine if everyone produces a full immune response to the infection, including "neutralizing antibodies," at sufficiently high levels to become donors.

8. ABBVIE: Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir)

Type: Drug. Status: Repurposed. Early results: 0-3 Months.

Antiviral combination used to treat and prevent HIV infections. More than twenty trials around the world are testing the drug as a COVID-19 treatment or post-exposure prophylaxis for people with high-risk close contact with a confirmed case. Initial results expected as soon as May 2020.

Caveats

One randomized controlled trial in China published results in March showing no differences in viral load or 28-day mortality among 199 patients. Median time to clinical improvement was one day shorter in patients taking the drug. However the same investigators, doctors at Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan, said in April that they believe Kaletra, as well as a second drug, bismuth potassium citrate, helped some of the COVID-19 patients they treated.

9. CHONGQING PUBLIC HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER, CHONGQING SIDEMU BIOTECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD: NKG2D-ACE2 CAR-NK cells

Type: Non-drug therapy. Status: Experimental. Early results: 0-3 Months.

NKG2D receptor for the immune system's natural killer (NK) cells paired with the ACE-2 receptor that the coronavirus uses to enter human cells. A multicenter Phase 1/2 trial in 90 patients is testing whether this cell therapy can prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus from entering cells and multiplying, and will look at efficacy over 28 days in patients with severe or critical COVID-19 pneumonia.

10. NOVAVAX: NVX-CoV2373

Type: Vaccine. Status: Experimental. Early results: 0-3 Months.

Novavax said its Matrix-M adjuvant would be used with the vaccine candidate - NVX-CoV2373 - to enhance immune responses. Trials in 130 adults is expected to begin in mid-May with preliminary immunogenicity and safety results in July, according to the company.

Caveats

Strong immunogenicity in animal tests, but might require two doses in humans, which would limit supply.

11. APEIRON BIOLOGICS: RhACE2 APN01

Type: Drug. Status: Experimental. Early results: 3-6 Months.

A recombinant human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (rhACE2) under Phase-2 clinical development in ALI (Acute Lung Injury) and PAH (Pulmonal arterial hypertension). This synthetic version of the human protein that the novel coronavirus uses to enter cells is being tested in Austria to see if it can block viral entry and decrease viral replication in COVID-19 patients, reducing deaths or need for mechanical ventilation. Preliminary results from the trial that was announced on April 2 are expected in September 2020.

12. SHENZHEN GENO-IMMUNE MEDICAL INSTITUTE: Lentiviral Minigene Vaccines (LV-SMENP)

Type: Vaccine. Status: Experimental. Early results: 3-6 Months.

Engineered minigenes encoding viral antigens; lentiviral vector designed to infect dendritic and T cells to induce immunity. The trial in 100 adults in Shenzen, China, is expected to be complete by July 31, 2020.

13. MURDOCH CHILDREN'S RESEARCH INSTITUTE; UMC UTRECHT: BCG tuberculosis vaccine

Type: Vaccine. Status: Repurposed. Early results: 3-6 Months.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin tuberculosis vaccine that induces a broad innate immune-system response, which has been shown to protect against infection or severe illness with other respiratory pathogens. Large trials in Australia and the Netherlands are testing whether using BCG to rev-up immune defenses in health workers and the elderly reduces unplanned absenteeism, respiratory illnesses including COVID-19, severe illnesses and deaths. Two additional trials by the Max Planck Institute in Germany of a TB vaccine candidate, VPM1002, are in the works.

14. INOVIO PHARMACEUTICALS, COALITION FOR EPIDEMIC PREPAREDNESS INNOVATIONS (CEPI): INO-4800

Type: Vaccine. Status: Experimental. Early results: 3-6 Months.

DNA plasmid vaccine delivered into the skin via a patch-style electroporation device. A clinical trial launched on April 3 could yield preliminary data by late summer, according to the company, which has said it can manufacture 1 million doses by year-end for additional trials and emergency use.

15. UNIVERSITY OF AARHUS, DENMARK: Camostat mesylate

Type: Drug. Status: Repurposed. Early results: 6-12 Months.

Protease inhibitor licensed in Japan and South Korea to treat chronic pancreatitis. In vitro experiments found it blocks a mechanism SARS-Cov-2 uses to enter human cells. As of early April, an estimated 180 COVID-19 patients aged 18-110 were being recruited at nine locations in Denmark for a phase 2a trial that will examine 30-day changes in disease severity and mortality, with results expected by December 2020. The University of Tokyo also announced plans for a trial of camostat mesylate and a related drug, nafamostat mesylate, starting as early as April 2020.

16. INFLARX: IFX-1

Type: Drug. Status: Experimental. Early results: 6-12 Months.

Monoclonal antibody targeting complement activation product C5a. Designed to block a mechanism of inflammation, the drug is also in clinical trials for Hidradenitis Suppurativa, ANCA-associated vasculitis and Pyoderma Gangraenosum. In early April, a trial in the Netherlands launched to test IFX-1 in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, with preliminary results expected in late October 2020.

17. CANSINO BIOLOGICAL INC./BEIJING INSTITUTE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY: AD5-nCov

Type: Vaccine. Status: Experimental. Early results: 6-12 Months.

Non-replicating viral vector. A single-center phase 1 trial with 108 subjects aged 18-60 in Wuhan, Hubei, China, started in March to test the safety and immune responses generated by a recombinant vaccine that uses another respiratory virus, adenovirus, as a vector. On April 12, a randomized controlled phase 2 trial with 500 participants launched to test varying doses against placebo. Phase 1 completion is in late December 2020, and phase 2 results are expected in January 2021.

18. IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON: Aspirin, Clopidogrel, Rivaroxaban, Atorvastatin, Omeprazole

Type: Drug. Early results: 9-12 Months.

Trial of cardioprotective drugs to prevent direct damage to the heart muscle that appears to drive the severity of COVID-19 in certain patients as well as their likelihood of needing invasive critical care. The trial will include more than 3,000 patients in the United Kingdom, with a completion date of March 30, 2021.

19. UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD: ChAdOx1

Type: Vaccine. Status: Experimental. Early results: 12-18 Months.

Non-replicating chimpanzee adenovirus vector. Phase 1/2 trial with 510 subjects aged 18-55 at four centers in the United Kingdom. The trial will test safety and immunogenicity of one or two doses of the vaccine, and is expected to be completed in May 2021.

20. Serology / Antibody Testing

Type: Testing. Status: Experimental. Early results: 0-12 Months.

Governments and academic groups have started to test blood for antibodies indicating that a person has been exposed to the new virus, with or without showing symptoms. The presence of antibodies indicates past infection, but separate, ongoing research is needed to know what type and concentration of virus-neutralizing antibodies protect against a new infection, whether all infections produce a full antibody response, and how long protection might last.

Wide serology testing for antibodies will soon provide a broader understanding of the scope and dynamics of the pandemic, help identify which recovered patients may have some immunity to reinfection and for how long, and also help identify the neutralizing antibodies that could become templates for monoclonal antibody therapies as well as models for desired responses from a vaccine candidate. Data from serology testing are expected to begin appearing within weeks.

Caveats

Early data on COVID-19 patients in China suggests that most develop varying amounts of antibodies in response to infection. One pre-publication report analyzed plasma from 175 patients and found that a sign of inflammation correlated with higher antibody titers and that younger patients were less likely to produce large amounts of antibodies.

Experts think instances of "reinfection" in recovered patients are more likely relapses in patients whose bodies had not cleared the virus. Data is still lacking on whether mild or symptomless infections generate meaningful antibody responses or protection.

Sharehe bodies of those ill,” according to the statement from his office.

Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin

With the rising number of novel coronavirus cases increasing at a pace of daily highs in the country for the past few days, India's first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin got a nod from the AIIMS Ethics Committee on Saturday to start human trials from Monday 20-JUL-2020.

AIIMS-Delhi is among the 12 sites selected by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) for conducting phase I and II human trials of Covaxin. In phase I, the vaccine would be tested on 375 volunteers and a maximum of 100 of them would be from AIIMS and as other States may be offered to.

Moreover, human dosing of the vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech India (BBIL) in collaboration with ICMR’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) also started on Wednesday, with the vaccine being given to participants at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna and Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) at Rohtak in Haryana, as per Sources.

The biotech company had got the approval for human clinical trials from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) earlier this month.

The major updates that we know about India's first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine :

1)      The AIIMS Ethics Committee gave its approval for a human clinical trial to begin from tomorrow. "Healthy volunteers having no co-morbid conditions and without a history of Covid-19, aged more than 18 years and less than 55 years, would be eligible to participate in the randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

2)  The human trials of Covaxin has begun at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna. AIIMS-Patna chose 10 volunteers to start the human trial of Covaxin.

3)   AIIMS Patna was the first institute to start the trial on Wednesday and has so far vaccinated around nine people with a smaller dose to check for safety, two sources said, on condition of anonymity. After two weeks, if the vaccine is found to be safe it will be given to more people, the sources said.

4)   he trials have so far started in AIIMS, Patna, and some more sites. Earlier, Haryana’s health minister Anil Vij tweeted that human trial with Bharat Biotech’s coronavirus vaccine ‘Covaxin’ started at PGIMS Rohtak as well.    All have tolerated the vaccine very well. There were no adverse efforts.

5)  The human clinical trials for Covaxin had been initiated across the country with 375 volunteers, sources from Bharat Biotech said on Friday 19-JUL-2020.   Covaxin has been derived from a strain of the novel coronavirus isolated by the National Institute of Virology in Pune. Bharat Biotech developed an “inactivated" vaccine at its high-containment facility at Genome Valley in Hyderabad.

   Russia coronavirus vaccine trials end today 19-JUL-2020, targets launch next month:

   Researches are widely stressing on the fact that the vaccine is both safe and reliable 

     A research institute head said the vaccine will give people protection against the virus for a period of over two years

Plasma therapy works

  Plasma therapy or convalescent plasma has proven effective in reducing the severity or mortality of corona infection. In such immunoglobulin therapy, the liquid portion of the blood that has antibodies from recovered patients is given to patients with severe COVID-19. Although plasma therapy may help accelerate recovery, limited donor availability may limit the widespread use of the convalescent plasma.

corona-1

Statistics of California State

Statistics of World

Statistics of Maharashtra

Statistics of India-1 

Statistics of India-2

Human coronaviruses were discovered in the 1960s.   The earliest ones studied were from human patients with the common cold, which were later named human coronavirus 229E and human coronavirus OC43.   This virus was transmissible from one body to another without any contact history.

Other human coronaviruses have since been identified, including SARS-CoV in 2003, HCoV NL63 in 2004, HKU1 in 2005, MERS-CoV in 2012, and SARS-CoV-2 in 2019.  Most of these have involved serious respiratory tract infections.

Six (6) species of human coronaviruses are known, with one species subdivided into two different strains, making seven strains of human coronaviruses altogether. Four (4) of these strains produce the generally mild symptoms of the common cold:

1.      Human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), of the genus β-CoV

2.      Human coronavirus HKU1 (HCoV-HKU1), β-CoV, its genome has 75% similarity to OC43

3.      Human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E), α-CoV

4.      Human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63), α-CoV

The coronaviruses HCoV-229E, -NL63, -OC43, and -HKU1 continually circulate in the human population and cause respiratory infections in adults and children worldwide.


The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is be well informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol based rub frequently and not touching your face.