Last week, week one of the US shutdown, President Trump expressed hope that the American economy could be open for business by April 12, Easter Sunday this year.
Those hopes were dashed by predictions that cases and US deaths from the coronavirus will be peaking at that time. The new target date to reopen the economy is April 30.
Dr. Deborah Birx, a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, warned that even if the US does everything right, we could still be looking at 200,000 dead.
Testing, antibodies, and numbers
The US now has the most reported cases of coronavirus of any country on the planet, but that might be because we have done the most testing of any country so far. As of today, one million people have been tested in the US. The latest testing development is an Abbot Labarotory POC, point of care test, that produces results within 5 to 15 minutes. The test received emergency authorization from the FDA.
The other test being developed is the antibody test. Several labs, the Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota, and others are working on antibody tests. The entire town of Telluride, Colorado is being tested with an antibody test right now.
Antibody tests can identify who has been exposed to COVID-19 and has either been asymptomatic or had a mild case of the virus and now has immunity. Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota explained the significance of knowing whether someone has been exposed and has immunity: “Identifying people with immunity to the virus “gives us the ability [to know] who wouldn’t need to be quarantined, who could be out and not infecting others.”
Knowing who has immunity could set a significant number of the US population free and help areas of the country that aren’t experiencing high rates of infection to get back to work.
According to STAT:
The “serological” tests — which rely on drawn blood, not a nasal or throat swab — can identify people who were infected and have already recovered from Covid-19, including those who were never diagnosed, either because they didn’t feel particularly sick or they couldn’t get an initial test. Scientists expect those individuals will be safe from another infection for at least some time — so the tests could signal who could be prioritized to return to work or serve as a frontline health worker.
Antibody testing can also help scientists to develop a treatment using blood plasma from coronavirus survivors. This type of treatment has been used in the past during the 1918 Spanish Flu, the Ebola crisis, and Avian Flu.
Again, according to STAT:
Patients who have recovered from a disease have permanent antibodies generated by the immune system floating in their blood plasma, the liquid component of blood. To turn that into a drug, the plasma is harvested, tested for safety, and purified to isolate those protective antibodies. When injected into a new patient, the “plasma-derived therapy” — also known as convalescent plasma — provides “passive immunity” until the patient’s immune system can generate its own antibodies.
Antibody testing is also important for scientists who need numbers and data to be able to assess the true impact of Covid-19 here in the US. With a truer number of cases, scientists can more accurately calculate the actual death rate which so far has been difficult to do.
Rachel Maddow eats crow
Rachel Maddow had to eat crow as the USNS Comfort arrived in New York today. She said that it wasn’t possible for the ship to make it to New York for weeks.
For your enjoyment, watch:
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 30, 2020
532 Responses
I think other website proprietors should take this site as an model, very clean and fantastic user genial style and design, as well as the content. You are an expert in this topic!
Unquestionably believe that which you stated. Your favorite reason appeared to be on the internet the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed while people consider worries that they plainly don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people could take a signal. Will probably be back to get more. Thanks
This is the right weblog for anybody who wants to search out out about this topic. You realize so much its nearly exhausting to argue with you (not that I really would want…HaHa). You undoubtedly put a brand new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Nice stuff, just great!
This really answered my downside, thanks!
I’m typically to running a blog and i really respect your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I’m going to bookmark your web site and hold checking for brand spanking new information.
Hello, you used to write fantastic, but the last few posts have been kinda boring… I miss your super writings. Past several posts are just a little bit out of track! come on!
Hello my loved one! I want to say that this post is amazing, nice written and come with approximately all significant infos. I’d like to see more posts like this.
I like this web blog so much, saved to favorites. “American soldiers must be turned into lambs and eating them is tolerated.” by Muammar Qaddafi.
Wow! This could be one particular of the most useful blogs We’ve ever arrive across on this subject. Basically Fantastic. I’m also an expert in this topic therefore I can understand your hard work.
I loved as much as you’ll receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get got an nervousness over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again as exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this hike.
It is really a nice and useful piece of info. I’m glad that you shared this useful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
we are a company located in humboldt county CA we have a large selection of top shelf marijuana strains, we also have vapes, edibles and more. Our customers are our top priority, please contact us if you have questions like where to buy cannabis online in restricted states/countries.
Wonderful work! This is the type of info that should be shared around the web. Shame on Google for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my website . Thanks =)
Great blog! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am taking your feeds also.
Thanks for your personal marvelous posting! I actually enjoyed reading it, you will be a great author.I will remember to bookmark your blog and will come back down the road. I want to encourage continue your great posts, have a nice day!
Say, you got a nice article.Really looking forward to read more.
I truly appreciate this blog. Keep writing.
Very informative blog.Really looking forward to read more.
I value the article post.Much thanks again. Great.
Thanks a lot for the article. Want more.
Very good article.Thanks Again. Fantastic.
Really informative blog article.Much thanks again. Really Great.
I really liked your post.Thanks Again. Really Cool.
Great blog article.Really looking forward to read more. Awesome.
Really informative blog.Really thank you! Will read on…
wow, awesome article.Much thanks again. Cool.
Thanks-a-mundo for the post.Really looking forward to read more. Cool.
Beneficial document helps make frequent advance, appreciate it write about, this pile-up connected with expertise is usually to hold finding out, focus is usually the beginning of money.
Very neat post.Much thanks again. Keep writing.
Great, thanks for sharing this article.Much thanks again. Awesome.
Major thankies for the blog article.Really thank you! Great.
Very informative blog post.Really thank you! Awesome.
I loved your post.Much thanks again. Want more.
Thanks so much for the blog article.Really thank you! Really Great.
Looking forward to reading more. Great blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Keep writing.
Very neat post.Thanks Again. Fantastic.
Thanks a lot for the post.Thanks Again. Really Great.
Fantastic blog.Really thank you! Really Cool.
Very good blog.Thanks Again. Keep writing.
Say, you got a nice article post.Really looking forward to read more. Keep writing.