[News] The Coronavirus Good News thread

[Bozza]

This is a genuine question, the government sound very confident in a vaccine to be mass producing 30m doses ready for September which to me sounds like they are either very confident or extremely reckless, but nevertheless as covid is a coronavirus the same as a cold, how can we not find a vaccine for that ?
This is a question for someone far cleverer than me !

I can't answer that question but I think your opening assertions are incorrect.

1. The government are repeatedly guarded about the fact a vaccine may never come about, although they clearly hope there will be one.

2. The Oxford vaccine / 30m doses in September has a massive caveat "This means that, if the vaccine is successful.."

 

[banjo]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-52702075

I thought this belonged in this thread.

 

[Guinness Boy]

The vitamin D thing has been discussed for quite some time. I recall having an (electronic) discussion with [MENTION=236]Papa Lazarou[/MENTION] many weeks ago. I think it was based on me watching this video at the time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5yVGmfivAk

which references both of these studies:

Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data >>> https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583

Study confirms vitamin D protects against colds and flu >>> https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/st...irms-vitamin-d-protects-against-cold-and-flu/

He's also covered it again in a recent video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fxw3nTZYlA

Thank you boss. That's the most useful, interesting and evidentially backed up post on here in weeks.

 

[Jim in the West]

This is a genuine question, the government sound very confident in a vaccine to be mass producing 30m doses ready for September which to me sounds like they are either very confident or extremely reckless, but nevertheless as covid is a coronavirus the same as a cold, how can we not find a vaccine for that ?
This is a question for someone far cleverer than me !

The cynic in me puts this down to the desperate need to get good news out there, against a backdrop of crumbling support. They also have "form" - UK companies making ventilators (none of which worked), buying up loads of antibody tests (which then didn't work). But let's hope they are confident rather than reckless this time.

 

[Notters]

This is a genuine question, the government sound very confident in a vaccine to be mass producing 30m doses ready for September which to me sounds like they are either very confident or extremely reckless, but nevertheless as covid is a coronavirus the same as a cold, how can we not find a vaccine for that ?
This is a question for someone far cleverer than me !

Simply because there are hundreds of different cold viruses and therefore you would need hundreds of vaccines! This is why you tend to get fewer colds as you get older, though, as you gradually build up immunity to a lot of them.

 

[blue-shifted]

The cynic in me puts this down to the desperate need to get good news out there, against a backdrop of crumbling support. They also have "form" - UK companies making ventilators (none of which worked), buying up loads of antibody tests (which then didn't work). But let's hope they are confident rather than reckless this time.

If the first vaccine attempt works we've lucked out.

 

[highflyer]

I can't answer that question but I think your opening assertions are incorrect.

1. The government are repeatedly guarded about the fact a vaccine may never come about, although they clearly hope there will be one.

2. The Oxford vaccine / 30m doses in September has a massive caveat "This means that, if the vaccine is successful.."

Exactly

On this type of thing it's usually best to by pass government/political speakers and go straight to the scientists and informed commentators

Generally, with the Oxford group work, there seems to be cautious optimism, but with at least one article (Forbes) pointing out that success is still a long way from certain based on results so far.

 

[nwgull]

Simply because there are hundreds of different cold viruses and therefore you would need hundreds of vaccines! This is why you tend to get fewer colds as you get older, though, as you gradually build up immunity to a lot of them.

That and the fact that the demand for a vaccine against something that, at worst, has you off work for a couple of days as a snotty mess isn't going to be great. Hence the Pharma companies aren't going to spend $$$ on research.

 

[wehatepalace]

I can't answer that question but I think your opening assertions are incorrect.

1. The government are repeatedly guarded about the fact a vaccine may never come about, although they clearly hope there will be one.

2. The Oxford vaccine / 30m doses in September has a massive caveat "This means that, if the vaccine is successful.."

I’m sure I read the clinical trials finish in September, that would mean the government are proceeding with mass production of the vaccine before trials are finished.
I’m very much a glass half full, so this wasn’t a post attacking the government, merely trying to understand the timelines and an optimistic hope that they may be quietly confident in it being a success.

 

[wehatepalace]

Simply because there are hundreds of different cold viruses and therefore you would need hundreds of vaccines! This is why you tend to get fewer colds as you get older, though, as you gradually build up immunity to a lot of them.

Thanks for the explanation and that does make sense !

 

[Bozza]

I’m sure I read the clinical trials finish in September, that would mean the government are proceeding with mass production of the vaccine before trials are finished.
I’m very much a glass half full, so this wasn’t a post attacking the government, merely trying to understand the timelines and an optimistic hope that they may be quietly confident in it being a success.

No it doesn't. They have said they are preparing to produce the vaccine at scale if it proves to be successful.

Clearly these are very aggressive timescales for vaccine development, so I guess there is increased chance of some "oh shit" moment happening late on in the process, but the government don't seem to be saying "this looks like a winner to us, let's just push ahead anyway".

 

[wehatepalace]

No it doesn't. They have said they are preparing to produce the vaccine at scale if it proves to be successful.

Clearly these are very aggressive timescales for vaccine development, so I guess there is increased chance of some "oh shit" moment happening late on in the process, but the government don't seem to be saying "this looks like a winner to us, let's just push ahead anyway".

Understood Boss

 

[atomised]

No it doesn't. They have said they are preparing to produce the vaccine at scale if it proves to be successful.

Clearly these are very aggressive timescales for vaccine development, so I guess there is increased chance of some "oh shit" moment happening late on in the process, but the government don't seem to be saying "this looks like a winner to us, let's just push ahead anyway".

I see it as we got our fingers burnt on PPE. Let's make sure we are at the front of the queue for this if it does work

 

[The Wizard]

122 England (209 last Monday & hospitals only)
Scotland 2
Wales 4
NI 6

Monday data lag but very low again, NHS England have now reached a point where there is no backdated deaths so numbers are more representative of where we currently are.

 

[Mellotron]

Delighted to see this thread really roaring along now.

Thanks and well done everyone.

 

[Notters]

I see it as we got our fingers burnt on PPE. Let's make sure we are at the front of the queue for this if it does work

Which probably means it won't be needed, as I suspect to the case. C'est la vie.

 

[The Wizard]

 

[atomised]

Which probably means it won't be needed, as I suspect to the case. C'est la vie.

Better to be prepared

 

[Bozza]

In other vaccine news...

Moderna’s closely watched early-stage human trial for a coronavirus vaccine produced Covid-19 antibodies in all 45 participants, the biotech company announced Monday, sending the company’s shares surging more than 17%.

Each participant received a 25, 100 or 250 microgram dose, with 15 people in each dose group. Participants received two doses of the potential vaccine via intramuscular injection in the upper arm approximately 28 days apart.

At day 43, or two weeks following the second dose, levels of binding antibodies in the 25 microgram group were at the levels generally seen in blood samples from people who recovered from the disease, the company said. Those in the 100 microgram had antibodies that “significantly exceeded levels” in recovered patients. Data on a second dose was not available for the 250 microgram group, the company said.

The vaccine also produced neutralizing antibodies against Covid-19 in at least eight participants, the company said. Experts have said neutralizing antibodies appear to be important in acquiring protection.​

More >>> https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/18/mod...on-early-stage-coronavirus-vaccine-trial.html

 

[atomised]

Everyone over the age of 5 with symptoms now entitled to a test