[Fordlover88]

Originally Posted by vinodh_eee

Total returned a whopping 30, much greater than positive threshold if 1. How do I interpret this result. Attaching the results too.

The results signifies that your father has indeed contracted with coronavirus in recent past and has successfully recovered now. He has active antibodies against coronavirus which is a positive sign right now.

[DigitalOne]

Russia releases first batch of Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V into public

The first batch of the Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19, developed by Russia’s Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has been released into civil circulation, regional deliveries are planned in the nearest future, the Russian health ministry informs.

[deathwalkr]

Meanwhile our state's health minister asked us to consider taking Arsenic Album-30

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/77990076.cms

[Zen2001]

Originally Posted by vivek95

But all this is not gonna affect the proponents of covid and lockdown as they feel that a human being dies only because of covid

Exactly! The biggest mistake was to label everything else as "non covid" and thus sideline it. Understandable in the initial acute phase, but this simply can't be justified today after 6 months. And how convenient to label any death as a covid death just based on a swab report! Just forget all other co morbidities or even any new condition that may have actually caused it! The true covid deaths might not even be half of what they are being reported. Sarcastically, (& miraculously) on the upside, we suddenly have no deaths due to TB, malaria, dengue, malnutrition, diarrhea or heck, even cardiovascular diseases or cancer now! What a masterstroke!

[ijeet]

Worst part is the social stigma its bringing along. In normal times house would have been filled with mourners but now even close relatives are reluctant to come even after 3 Covid negative tests of the deceased and rest of the family too testing negative. Such is the paranoia currently. I know of an instance where a son had to cremate his father alone (Along with the hospital people who bought the body from Chandigarh hospital) and collect his residual bones after cremation (A ritual in north INDIA). Wonder how these family members will be coping along. Imagine the toll on their mental health. Death is a time when you need support of your friends and family.

Truly sad times we are living in.

[DCEite]

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

Russia releases first batch of Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V into public

On one hand Russia has released its Covid Vaccine to public without concluding phase 3 trials, and on the other hand, trials Of Oxford Vaccine paused after unexpected illness in a volunteer.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/uk-p...y-data-2292557

[DigitalOne]

Originally Posted by Zen2001

Exactly! The biggest mistake was to label everything else as "non covid" and thus sideline it. Understandable in the initial acute phase, but this simply can't be justified today after 6 months. And how convenient to label any death as a covid death just based on a swab report! Just forget all other co morbidities or even any new condition that may have actually caused it! The true covid deaths might not even be half of what they are being reported. Sarcastically, (& miraculously) on the upside, we suddenly have no deaths due to TB, malaria, dengue, malnutrition, diarrhea or heck, even cardiovascular diseases or cancer now! What a masterstroke!

I had written about this earlier - the debate between "dying of Covid" (no co-morbidities) and "Dying with Covid" (with co-morbidities) is a fascinating one. According to US CDC, only 6% of deaths in US can be attributed to Covid only (i.e. no co-morbidities). This was taken by many that the threat of Covid is grossly exaggerated. Of course, the scenario is much more nuanced than a simple 6% number.

[Zen2001]

Among other news, this could be the tip of the hiccup iceberg as far as vaccine safety is concerned, but the right thing to do :

https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.times...w/78008015.cms

And, another one why politicians in India (& elsewhere) should mind their own business and stop promoting untested and untrialled treatments and thereby mislead the common public, instill fear and even lead to dangerous outcomes :

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ani...005303%3famp=1

[am1m]

Originally Posted by Zen2001

And, another one why politicians in India (& elsewhere) should mind their own business and stop promoting untested and untrialled treatments and thereby mislead the common public, instill fear and even lead to dangerous outcomes :

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ani...005303%3famp=1

Someone should tell Goa Post before they distribute their new covers promoting plasma therapy!

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/77920400.cms

The amount of misinformation on this virus is staggering. I think it's perfectly normal for the information on a new disease and it's treatments to evolve and change and even reverse as scientists and doctors learn more. That is a part of the scientific process and there is no shortcut.

But what has soured this entire experience is the rush by the media to snatch any bit of evolving information, positive or negative and publish headlines of that as the absolute truth ('plasma therapy', 'reinfection', 'immunity boosters', 'airborne', 'particulate', 'surface contamination', etc. etc.)

How a medical issue can become so political the world over has also been amazing (and sad) to see. It's no longer simply about how a virus behaves and affects the human body, which is science and just is, but it's been a lot about which 'side' you are on, what you 'believe'. Crazy. I think the majority of us are just wired to accept things on 'belief' rather than facts or reason. Very sad after all these years of scientific knowledge and method. (And also explains why politicians the world over can play us so easily and keep getting away with it.)

[AZT]

Plasma therapy not beneficial in reducing Covid-19 mortality: ICMR Study

Use of convalescent plasma therapy in coronavirus-infected patients does not help in reducing mortality or progression to severe COVID-19, a multi-centric study funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has found.

The study trial included 464 moderately ill coronavirus infected hospitalised patients, of whom 235 were given convalescent plasma along with best of standard care while 229 received only standard care, as per the study

According to the study, only two randomised controlled trials on CP use in COVID-19 have been published, one from China and the other from the Netherlands.
Both were halted prematurely, the China study due to inadequate patient enrolment and the one from the Netherlands due to a need to redesign the trial based on interim findings.
In both studies, no mortality benefit was noted, and the Dutch study raised uncertainties regarding pre-transfusion antibody-status of patients as a potential factor in identifying appropriate candidates for CP therapy.
This uncertainty in the published evidence is reflected in a recent systematic review, which remained undecided on both the safety and effectiveness of CP as a therapeutic option in hospitalized patients of COVID-19.

Read More: https://www.livemint.com/science/hea...618262038.html

[Gansan]

A known joint family of eight, age range from 4+ to 90+, was hospitalized for Covid 19 during last week of August. Head of family passed away at hospital early yesterday. His sister passed away three days ago. But his 90+ mother was discharged and went home in a week. How cruel life is. My heart goes out to that old lady.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

Russia releases first batch of Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V into public

My New Indian Express has it as Stage-3 testing in India. In fact, the same paper carries two stories, one in which such testing is proposed and one in which it is agreed!

Originally Posted by Zen2001

And how convenient to label any death as a covid death just based on a swab report! Just forget all other co morbidities or even any new condition that may have actually caused it! The true covid deaths might not even be half of what they are being reported.

And how convenient to label any death as a non-covid death just based on a co-morbidity! The true covid deaths might be considerably more than being reported.

There is merit in both these views. But the world's politicians prefer the former, because it makes them look better, which is, of course, more important than the truth.

Sarcastically, (& miraculously) on the upside, we suddenly have no deaths due to TB, malaria, dengue, malnutrition, diarrhea or heck, even cardiovascular diseases or cancer now! What a masterstroke!

Oh, but we do! All the ones that you are mentioning are listed as "didn't die from covid-19."

Frankly, though, I don't think that the media is interested, covid or not, in reporting deaths from the usual, regular causes.

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

I had written about this earlier - the debate between "dying of Covid" (no co-morbidities) and "Dying with Covid" (with co-morbidities) is a fascinating one. According to US CDC, only 6% of deaths in US can be attributed to Covid only (i.e. no co-morbidities). This was taken by many that the threat of Covid is grossly exaggerated. Of course, the scenario is much more nuanced than a simple 6% number.

The insistence is on drawing a line, black/white, covid/non-covid. If you recovered from covid yesterday, test negative, and die of a heart attack or stroke today, you didn't die of covid.

Originally Posted by am1m

Someone should tell Goa Post before they distribute their new covers promoting plasma therapy!

Sad to see this news about plasma being taken off the potentially-useful list. I wonder if other countries are doing the same?

The amount of misinformation on this virus is staggering. I think it's perfectly normal for the information on a new disease and it's treatments to evolve and change and even reverse as scientists and doctors learn more. That is a part of the scientific process and there is no shortcut.

People just can't get it into their heads that this is new. The word novel is the clue. Actually, perhaps we have got too used to medical science coping with things. It's hard to accept that, in the face of this thing they are still blundering around.

But what has soured this entire experience is the rush by the media to snatch any bit of evolving information, positive or negative and publish headlines of that as the absolute truth ('plasma therapy', 'reinfection', 'immunity boosters', 'airborne', 'particulate', 'surface contamination', etc. etc.)

There's always an issue with non-scientists reporting science. Journalists pick the buzzwords. That's life. An article I read on Ars Technica a year or three ago described just how boring and difficulties the life of a serious science correspondent is: trawling through paper after paper to find the seriously interesting and then translating that for non-specialist readers.

How a medical issue can become so political the world over has also been amazing (and sad) to see. It's no longer simply about how a virus behaves and affects the human body, which is science and just is, but it's been a lot about which 'side' you are on, what you 'believe'. Crazy. I think the majority of us are just wired to accept things on 'belief' rather than facts or reason. Very sad after all these years of scientific knowledge and method. (And also explains why politicians the world over can play us so easily and keep getting away with it.)

Too right. "The vaccine" is playing a part in the electoral campaign of a world leader who dismissed it as a hoax. Sadly, world leaders are running the show, controlling the resources and the restrictions. Some are doing better than others. Some are doing so appallingly badly that farce and tragedy are entirely merged.

Politicians are not qualified to do this stuff. Nobody includes it in their campaign: nobody is elected on the basis of what they would do in a pandemic. Politicians make socio-economic tweaks according to their dogma, and, goodness knows, they can do enough harm just doing that. But they've got the job; we are where we are and it is where it is, and this story has a long time to run yet. And when you mix that in with the beliefs, superstitions, misinformation, not to mention hopes and fears, of us ordinary people.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Actually, perhaps we have got too used to medical science coping with things. It's hard to accept that, in the face of this thing they are still blundering around.

I don't think medical science is doing anything wrong or different wrt to this virus. I think this is just the way any research, understanding and ultimately treatment protocol develops for any new disease. (For example, I remember reading that an early polio vaccine actually caused a lot of harm and some deaths accidentally.) Medical science coping with things has been built on years of research, study and yes, mistakes.

The difference today is researchers and doctors have a host of non-scientific people just waiting to snatch any sort of 'news' as it develops, even if it's unconfirmed, and to use it, especially if it fits the agenda they are pushing (like say 'lockdown vs. no lockdown' ). I guess that has always been the case, but these agendas just get pushed out faster and wider these days.

But the worst is (as you correctly said), the politicians who are not qualified to deal with this, but are also too arrogant to listen to the experts before making decisions that affect everyone. Even those few countries lucky enough to have super-qualified doctors in positions of government have seen those experts being overruled by the 'top' guy intent on showing he's in control.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Sad to see this news about plasma being taken off the potentially-useful list.

But why? I mean, if a properly conducted scientific study has shown that a particular treatment does not help, why keep it on the list?

[ABHI_1512]

https://twitter.com/themojo_in/statu...295989248?s=21

As we inch closer to the one lakh daily cases mark, someone has literally taken upon himself to help authorities in reaching the figure pretty soon. I think it’s time we all stop thinking about the numbers when we are saddled with ministers like one in the above scenario. I am not even flabbergasted and have gone blissfully numb about the whole scenario now.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by am1m

I don't think medical science is doing anything wrong or different wrt to this virus. I think this is just the way any research, understanding and ultimately treatment protocol develops for any new disease. (For example, I remember reading that an early polio vaccine actually caused a lot of harm and some deaths accidentally.) Medical science coping with things has been built on years of research, study and yes, mistakes.

That's what I meant.

But the worst is (as you correctly said), the politicians who are not qualified to deal with this, but are also too arrogant to listen to the experts before making decisions that affect everyone. Even those few countries lucky enough to have super-qualified doctors in positions of government have seen those experts being overruled by the 'top' guy intent on showing he's in control.

But why? I mean, if a properly conducted scientific study has shown that a particular treatment does not help, why keep it on the list?

And that's what I meant too . Sad that something that has shown promise and seems a very logical way to fight the disease, has proved not to work.