Given the current environment– primarily in the United States– of social unrest, injustice, and unpredictability, it might appear weird to read or even think of confident or positive things. Researchers are advancing in the battle against the brand-new coronavirus, and this feature rounds up their development.
Some have actually recommended that the U.S. is currently fighting with two pandemics at once. Although a simple vaccine can not repair the bigotry pandemic, lots of researchers are actively working to deal with the continuous COVID-19 crisis in their laboratories.
In this feature, we continue our series on hopeful clinical findings by assembling the proof readily available. Because we last wrote about scientific progress in the battle against COVID-19, lots of developments have actually occurred.
A mathematical design showed that the extensive use of face masks— even homemade ones– might slow the pandemic and avoid a 2nd wave. Meanwhile, a brand-new antibody test guarantees more accuracy, and a research study has revealed that the lockdown measures that authorities put in location avoided an extra 500 million infections– a staggering number.
Significantly, an analysis of more than 15,000 brand-new coronavirus genomes from 75 various nations exposed that SARS-CoV-2 anomalies do not enhance the infection however are either neutral or destructive to it.
The most heartening findings, however, are most likely in the world of potential treatments. From a duo of antiviral drugs that prevents the virus to a common steroid drug that slashed deaths in a medical trial and a cancer drug that may prevent severe swelling, we explore possible brand-new treatments for COVID-19 below.
First, we start with the unexpected benefits that an antibiotic might use in the treatment of COVID-19
Article summary
Medical News Today has just recently carried out a special interview with Dr. Catherine Oldenburg, co-principal private investigator in the ACTION trial.
The ACTION trial is “an across the country trial in the U.S. that is created to examine the efficacy of a single dose of azithromycin compared to placebo for [the] avoidance of hospitalization in COVID-19 patients” who have either no symptoms at all or mild-to-moderate ones.
In the interview, Dr. Oldenburg describes why she and her group chose azithromycin, an antibiotic, to deal with an infection with SARS-CoV-2.
The scientist keeps in mind that the choice of an antibiotic to treat a viral infection might appear counterproductive, as antibiotics do not treat infections. However, azithromycin is unique because it impacts the body immune system.
“[O] ne of the fascinating aspects of azithromycin is that it has actually strong immunomodulatory impacts, so it has these […] nondirect impacts on the body immune system. That implies it’s a fascinating candidate.”
Previous research studies have actually shown the drug to be efficient versus SARS-CoV-2 when in mix with hydroxychloroquine. Because the latter raised terrific issues about safety, and the FDA have retracted their emergency situation use permission for it, the researchers chose to examine the antibiotic on its own.
Moreover, due to its excellent safety profile and extremely large usage, Dr. Oldenburg explains, azithromycin was best for consisting of in an outpatient trial. The interview includes details about how to enroll in the trial.
A group of scientists from the UK just recently announced that the common steroid drug dexamethasone significantly minimized deaths in a medical trial of individuals with extreme COVID-19
Scientists at the University of Oxford led the trial, called HEALING, which involved testing six possible treatments for COVID-19, dexamethasone being one of them. Doctors commonly utilize dexamethasone to deal with swelling, allergies, and immune-mediated conditions.
In the trial, the researchers compared dexamethasone treatment with requirement of care in a group of badly ill COVID-19 patients who required ventilators or supplemental oxygen to breathe.
The 28- day death rate was one-third lower in the dexamethasone group.
Moreover, the overall death rate was 17%lower in the dexamethasone group than in the control group.
Talking about the findings, Duncan Young, a professo