Since we now have even the 4 minute “instant test” going to field along with sever other privately produced kits including the serum agglutination test, and anti body testing here is step one.
Get as many people tested as possible who have recovered to both certify they are virus free and have developed sufficient antibodies to be immune.
Put this group back to work ASAP as they cannot spread the virus and can relieve stress in critical positions such as first responders and healthcare workers.
Step two, within a couple of weeks we should have the capability in place to test a million or more people per day for the virus.
At gov’t expense test anyone willing to walk in and give a sample or who is willing to go through a drive through testing facility and “Give”. Test for both active virus and for anti bodies.
Anyone testing positive absent a sufficient titer to be immune goes into immediate quarantine, those who do get a pass to go back to work no matter what their job or profession.
In the end, the virus is not going to be nearly as hard on US as a people as it is on our economy, this kick starts both the medical effort to recover and spurs the economy back as quickly as possible.
Like the idea. Ramp up testing so that all adults get tested. Also gives a truer idea of its severity since its has been argued the mortality rate appears higher only because there are many more infected than being counted in the known cases since so many people show no symptoms.
The way testing is currently ramping up within weeks that might truly be possible.
What I’d really like to see is some sort of mandatory testing once it’s over so we can see the true extent of the spread and then crunch the numbers on minor (no symptoms), mild (had a sniffle etc but never debilitated vs full blown symptoms.
There’s probably zero chance we don’t see this again in the future and unfortunately, next fall would not surprise me unless we put a hard stop on international travel for at least six months.
This is South Korea’s approach. They’ve also added testing to all coming in at the airports. What they’ve found is that others from around the world, are reinfecting what they’ve already got under control.
As a matter of interest what is the lead time between getting infected and when one can start infecting others? Similarly at what point in time do you start returning a positive to the coronavirus?
I don’t think this has been nailed down but the mean time from initial infection to showing symptoms is about five days. So sometime within that five day timeframe one is contagious enough to start spreading it.
Wouldn’t the blood of people who have had the virus and have recovered have antibodies that could be injected into others? Give a pint. Break that into small aliquots, and inject into others of the same blood type. The body of someone who receive the injection would subsequently multiply those antibodies as it would any other antibody.
From what I have seen and read I don’t believe that it is known how long a period one has immunity to the coronavirus after having the coronavirus. The effectiveness of any vaccine is dependent on that period. Similarly, with respect to using others’ antibodies.
Titer testing shows that with most viruses once you have immunity the immunity is good for at least 7 years.
In the case of this virus it hasn’t been around long enough for anyone to know for unsure but you could compare it to other similar CV’s and get an approximation.
Plasma gives you an immediate infusion of antibodies that will go to work instantly fighting the virus.
This just gives you time for your own active immunity to kick in. Your body still has to go through the entire process on it’s own to develop it’s own immunity.
It doesn’t simply sense the antibodies and replicate them.
Sadly, only a little over 10k currently listed as recovered.
We’re just now getting an antibody test up and running, it should be in wide distribution in 7-14 days and POC testing for the virus is coming online now as well.
To really be “cured” you need a negative virus test and a positive titer test at whatever levels are determined enough to confer immunity. That number won’t be known with any certainty for several months.
Using plasma from apparently recovered patients however while having some risks without that testing is absolutely a way to save many if not most critical cases for which you have no other effective treatment.
We rarely do this in modern human medicine though simply because of medical liability issues.
Doctors would rather let a patient die than risk their licenses and ending up in prison.
I 100% agree with you. I think there has been much discussion about this.
in ADDITION - There should be a opt in that states if you agree to turn on mobile phone tracking - you also can return to work and get tested every 2 weeks. If you ever test positive - Your location date is then published on a app (Without a name) and anyone who has the app can cross reference their location data with a positive test persons location data.
This is being done elsewhere and we 100% have the technology to do it.
My issue is - You posted this on the 4th and we still have not moved to get enough testing in place.
