What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

*** OFFICIAL *** COVID-19 CoronaVirus Thread. Fresh epidemic fears as child pneumonia cases surge in Europe after China outbreak. NOW in USA (22 Viewers)

Thanks

While I'd like it to be bigger than self tests, if it helps lessen the burden on healthcare workers, it's still a step in the right direction.
It'll be awhile until a big announcement from the FDA. Clinical trials need to happen on even the 50 yo drug I would think. I can't imagine docs willing to risk just rxing that drug. If it causes issues in that pt, he'll get sued or worse.

 
I know Pharma has perpetuated a lot of evil, but I'd be shocked if their is any kind of conspiracy to suppress research into treatment options. Even cheap ones.

Vaccine development will push on regardless. Prevention is arguably more important than treatment.
I’m hear to represent big pharma, and have spent 25 years in drug development. I’m also familiar with commercial drug supply chains.

There is no conspiracy here. Existing options including Chloroquine are being studied. One major source of confusion is that all drugs in human clinical trials show some efficacy in models/in vitro/in animal studies. Human trials outcomes are completely different.

 
Oh OK. I don't want to rain on your parade, but as a health care provider I approach miracle cures with cautious optimism and a lot of skepticism. Hopefully this pans out.


It'll be awhile until a big announcement from the FDA. Clinical trials need to happen on even the 50 yo drug I would think. I can't imagine docs willing to risk just rxing that drug. If it causes issues in that pt, he'll get sued or worse.
My heightened optimism comes from the extraordinary circumstances. If there's ever a time to jump over some barriers, this is it. And since I'm already seeing that barrier jumping begin, it gives me reason to expect the barriers to continue to be pushed aside. Some countries are using this drug as their primary treatment. Some countries are using it on active CV19 patients as a "why not" course of action. If it keeps working in those places, there's simply no way the US gov't can stop it's use here for very long.

 
It'll be awhile until a big announcement from the FDA. Clinical trials need to happen on even the 50 yo drug I would think. I can't imagine docs willing to risk just rxing that drug. If it causes issues in that pt, he'll get sued or worse.
You may see it given to critically ill patients, as a therapeutic Hail Mary, until more clinical data surfaces. 

Hydroxychloroquine has potential side effects, so it isn't entirely benign. These include retinal and heart toxicity, though these appear to be more of a problem with chronic use.

 
Coronavirus Ravages 7 Members of a Single Family, Killing 3

Grace Fusco — mother of 11, grandmother of 27 — would sit in the same pew at church each Sunday, surrounded by nearly a dozen members of her sprawling Italian-American family. Sunday dinners drew an even larger crowd to her home in central New Jersey.

Now, her close-knit clan is united anew by unspeakable grief: Mrs. Fusco, 73, died on Wednesday night after contracting the coronavirus — hours after her son died from the virus and five days after her daughter’s death, a relative said.

Four other children who contracted coronavirus remain hospitalized, three of them in critical condition, the relative, Roseann Paradiso Fodera, said.

Mrs. Fusco’s eldest child, Rita Fusco-Jackson, 55, of Freehold, N.J., died Friday; after her death, the family learned she had contracted the virus. Her eldest son, Carmine Fusco, of Bath, Pa., died on Wednesday, said Ms. Paradiso Fodera, the family’s lawyer who is Mrs. Fusco’s cousin and is serving as a spokeswoman.

...

 
I’m hear to represent big pharma, and have spent 25 years in drug development. I’m also familiar with commercial drug supply chains.

There is no conspiracy here. Existing options including Chloroquine are being studied. One major source of confusion is that all drugs in human clinical trials show some efficacy in models/in vitro/in animal studies. Human trials outcomes are completely different.
Yep. There are many examples of drugs that looked great in pre-clinical studies, but later were shown to have serious toxicities in human trials or worse, postmarketing surveillance.

Fortunately, we already have safety data for chloroquine/HCQ.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yep. There are many examples of drugs that looked great in pre-clinical studies, but later were shown to have serious toxicities in human trails or worse, postmarketing surveillance.

Fortunately, we already have safety data for chloroquine/HCQ.
Yep, cut from Dr. Lowe’s article.

“Chloroquine has of course been taken for many decades as an antimalarial, but it has a number of liabilities, including seizures, hearing damage, retinopathy and sudden effects on blood glucose. So it’s going to be important to establish just how effective it is and what doses will be needed. Just as with vaccine candidates, it’s possible to do more harm with a rushed treatment than the disease is doing itself”

 
They freed 85,000 prisoners in Iran and some people will cringe at the thought of releasing our prisoners here in the States while others would see it as cruel punishment to leave them locked up in there especially with confirmed cases like Rikers Island.  

Should we empty out our prisons and let convicted felons loose? 

 
Not sure, wouldn't be surprised.

This all started because in China or South Korea (could've been both) they decided to basically try every known safe drug on CV19 patients to see what might work. And the winner was chloroquine and it's offspring hydroxychloroquine.

Obviously, things work a little differently here.
Do you have a link to this assumption regarding  China and South Korea?  
 

Everything I’ve read stated that extensive testing and quarantine procedures are what helped those two countries.

 
Do you have a link to this assumption regarding  China and South Korea?  
 

Everything I’ve read stated that extensive testing and quarantine procedures are what helped those two countries.
Shader is correct. Any “treatment” will have minimal impact on the spread of COVID-19

 
Getting way too much of a Contagion/Forsythia vibe here people. Calm down a bit and let the professionals do their thing. 
100% in agreement.  But as things are falling apart, it’s natural for non-experts to hope there are medical miracles on the way.

Oh OK. I don't want to rain on your parade, but as a health care provider I approach miracle cures with cautious optimism and a lot of skepticism. Hopefully this pans out.
I was reading about why vaccines and cures must be tested for months, as many people seem to think we should just immediately roll them out.  But when 95-99% of people don’t die from this virus, we can’t put those 95-99% of people at risk with hurtful treatments.

Is that why we have to follow strict procedures, even when it seems like we need to quickly push out these potential treatments/vaccines/cures?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
100% in agreement.  But as things are falling apart, it’s natural for us to hope there are medical miracles on the way.

I was reading about why vaccines and cures must be tested for months, as many seem to think we should  just try them out.  But when 95-99% of people don’t die from this virus, we can’t put those 95-99% of people at risk with hurtful treatments.

Is that more or less the reasons why we have to follow strict procedures, even when it seems like we need to quickly push out treatments?
This is particularly the case with a vaccine, which would presumably be given to billions of heathy patients 

 
Well, my buddy and roommate (half rent... until now) just got furloughed.  20% salary that runs out after 8 weeks.

However, we already had a couple nice steaks and had a hell of a meal (fresh mashed potatoes with cream and butter, sauteed green beans). The preparation was Montreal caked on the sides, and then some rum glazed sauteed onions.

aka Steak Quarantine.

 
"Have you been reading about China getting back to normal? Closing the extra Corona hospitals because there aren't enough new cases? It will be fine. I am not understanding how people still think this could be a society crippling event."

From a guy living in China:

"Yeah, but this place has been stone cold shut down for two months already. And that's assuming that the ccp isn't lying its ### off again about things getting better.

The US hasn't even been shut down a week yet."

 
100% in agreement.  But as things are falling apart, it’s natural for non-experts to hope there are medical miracles on the way.

I was reading about why vaccines and cures must be tested for months, as many people seem to think we should just immediately roll them out.  But when 95-99% of people don’t die from this virus, we can’t put those 95-99% of people at risk with hurtful treatments.

Is that why we have to follow strict procedures, even when it seems like we need to quickly push out these potential treatments/vaccines/cures?
Yep.

Our track record for antivirals doesn't suggest a quick fix in the immediate future. It would be great if we stumbled upon an existing med with antiviral properties, but we still need to establish its efficacy, to ensure the potential benefit exceeds the risk.

In the short-term, containment measures are far more important, while long-term, vaccines are our best bet.

 
Anyone know more about the use of Remdesivir to treat cv19?  Is it more promising than Chloroquine - which looks really promising based on the last few pages? 

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-clinical-trial-remdesivir-treat-covid-19-begins
It's available for compassion use for C-19 patients who are mechanically ventilated. There is in vitro and animal data that makes it look promising for SARS and MERS, but human data for COVID-19 Is extremely limited. Ongoing trials reportedly aren't going so well.

 
I’m hear to represent big pharma, and have spent 25 years in drug development. I’m also familiar with commercial drug supply chains.

There is no conspiracy here. Existing options including Chloroquine are being studied. One major source of confusion is that all drugs in human clinical trials show some efficacy in models/in vitro/in animal studies. Human trials outcomes are completely different.
Stick around Whyatt. You are most welcome here.

 
Potential interventions for novel coronavirus in China: A systematic review

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jmv.25707

Gets pretty sciencey but an interesting read... stuff we can take right now:

1) Vitamin A - no need for supplement, should come from healthy diet. Sweet potatoes, carrots, eggs, spinach, etc.

2) B Vitamins ... B2, B3, B6. No need to go crazy here, but bi-weekly doses are what I'm doing.

3) Vitamin C - again, should come from diet. Nothing wrong supplementation.

4) Vitamin D - get sun if you can, I take 5000 IU everyday. 

5) Vitamin E - I take it 1-2x per week. Should find a quality brand/supplement for this one.

6) Fish oil

7) Selenium - I take 200 mcg nightly.

😎 Zinc - I take 15 mg nightly.

I also take 300-400 mg magnesium glycinate every night. Its not on this list but I think its important for everything. 

A note on those who take curcumin / turmeric supplements. Keep in mind, there are very few studies on what I'm about to say so take with a grain of salt. Proper iron levels are important for COVID-19 (not too high/low, see linked study), curcumin has been shown to impair iron status in rats and there is a case study in a human too. Curcumin may also increase expression of the ACE2 receptor (Angiotensin‐converting enzyme‐2). ACE2 may be the main receptor mediating virus entry into the cell. Search MedCRAM on youtube, very good videos on COVID-19 from a doctor.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Japanese Wonder Drug Could be Effective!!

Topline: As the number of global coronavirus cases surpassed 200,000 as of Wednesday, a Japanese flu drug undergoing clinical trials in China as a possible treatment for coronavirus has effectively helped patients recover, Chinese officials told reporters according to multiple reports. 

The drug, favipiravir, is sold under the brand name Avigan, and was developed by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical in 2014, according to Nikkei Asian Review. 

Around 200 patients in the Chinese cities of Wuhan and Shenzen received the drug as part of the trial, Nikkei reported.

Results showed that patients tested negative for the virus in an average of four days, instead of the 11 days in the control group, according to Nikkei, citing Zhang Xinmin, director of the Chinese government’s National Center for Biotechnology Development.

Zhang told reporters the drug “is very safe and clearly effective” in a Tuesday press conference, and added that there were no clear side effects.

Shares of Fujifilm spiked over 15% Wednesday in response, Reuters reported, but the company does not expect an earnings impact for the drug, because its Chinese license on the drug’s key ingredient expired in 2019.

Japanese doctors are also testing favipiravir in clinical trials, but the drug was not as effective in patients with more severe symptoms, the Guardian reported, citing the country’s health ministry.

 
And thankfully as I just found, it's produced in the US by at least one domestic drug company in New Jersey...

https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/new_info/2016/chloroquine_shortage.htm

https://www.drugs.com/manufacturer/rising-pharmaceuticals-inc-218.html
Not to be a downer but I don’t think it’s made in the US. I believe that the NJ company just distributes the drug which is made in China. After having a patient insistent in having a drug ‘not made in China’, I found out how rare it was.

From my anecdotal experience, chloroquine is not readily available, in fact any time I’ve tried to order it’s been out of stock. That’s not saying that they can’t ramp up production if needed, it’s just not a common drug here.

On the other hand hydroxycholoroquine and azithromycin are very much available. These studies are highly encouraged but I’m firmly on the skeptical but hopeful side.

 
Pastor defies coronavirus ban as hundreds attend church 

A Louisiana pastor held a church service Tuesday night with hundreds of congregants despite an order from the state's governor banning gatherings of more than 50 people. The pastor, Reverend Tony Spell, told CBS affiliate WAFB that the coronavirus, which has killed at least 109 people in the United States, is "not a concern."  
This is the second case of “I do what I want” I’ve seen come out of LA. Don’t understand it and for those in attendance, good luck, hope you got what you needed out of that service. Now stay away from everyone for the next two weeks. We literally have a case study of how this works out ala South Korea. They can almost with 100% accuracy trace their outbreak back to the cult who kept meeting after members where showing signs of sickness.

Our church, like all the others around here has gone virtual for minimum of 2 weeks. If yours hasn’t, I’d seriously ask your leadership why not?

 
Not to be a downer but I don’t think it’s made in the US. I believe that the NJ company just distributes the drug which is made in China. After having a patient insistent in having a drug ‘not made in China’, I found out how rare it was.

From my anecdotal experience, chloroquine is not readily available, in fact any time I’ve tried to order it’s been out of stock. That’s not saying that they can’t ramp up production if needed, it’s just not a common drug here.

On the other hand hydroxycholoroquine and azithromycin are very much available. These studies are highly encouraged but I’m firmly on the skeptical but hopeful side.
Chloroquine hasn't been prescribed much for malaria for a long time.  Most malaria in the world became resistant to it long ago.  I was prescribed chloroquine in 1994 for Guatemala and that is the last time I've heard of someone being prescribed it.

 
You may see it given to critically ill patients, as a therapeutic Hail Mary, until more clinical data surfaces. 

Hydroxychloroquine has potential side effects, so it isn't entirely benign. These include retinal and heart toxicity, though these appear to be more of a problem with chronic use.
I remember taking Chloroquine against Malaria in the 90'ies. That was pretty rough on the stomach

 
I remember taking Chloroquine against Malaria in the 90'ies. That was pretty rough on the stomach
Yeah, the most common side effects are gastrointestinal distress and blurry vision, but they're not usually serious. There's a ton of other stuff that occurs less commonly.

 
Chloroquine hasn't been prescribed much for malaria for a long time.  Most malaria in the world became resistant to it long ago.  I was prescribed chloroquine in 1994 for Guatemala and that is the last time I've heard of someone being prescribed it.
There are only a few pockets of chloroquine-susceptible malaria left in the world. Reduced demand has probably led to decreased production of the drug, though I'm not certain.

Hydroxychloroquine, on the other hand, is mostly used for connective tissue disorders like Lupus. I've seen plenty of patients who take it, and suspect there is adequate production for approved indications. If worldwide demand spikes, this will surely change.

 
Potential interventions for novel coronavirus in China: A systematic review

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jmv.25707

Gets pretty sciencey but an interesting read... stuff we can take right now:

1) Vitamin A - no need for supplement, should come from healthy diet. Sweet potatoes, carrots, eggs, spinach, etc.

2) B Vitamins ... B2, B3, B6. No need to go crazy here, but bi-weekly doses are what I'm doing.

3) Vitamin C - again, should come from diet. Nothing wrong supplementation.

4) Vitamin D - get sun if you can, I take 5000 IU everyday. 

5) Vitamin E - I take it 1-2x per week. Should find a quality brand/supplement for this one.

6) Fish oil

7) Selenium - I take 200 mcg nightly.

😎 Zinc - I take 15 mg nightly.

I also take 300-400 mg magnesium glycinate every night. Its not on this list but I think its important for everything. 

A note on those who take curcumin / turmeric supplements. Keep in mind, there are very few studies on what I'm about to say so take with a grain of salt. Proper iron levels are important for COVID-19 (not too high/low, see linked study), curcumin has been shown to impair iron status in rats and there is a case study in a human too. Curcumin may also increase expression of the ACE2 receptor (Angiotensin‐converting enzyme‐2). ACE2 may be the main receptor mediating virus entry into the cell. Search MedCRAM on youtube, very good videos on COVID-19 from a doctor.
All those vitamins/minerals/supplements may be helpful, but none have been tested rigorously. Eating a diet rich in fruits and veggies +/- vitamin D, if deficient/insufficient (pretty common in the US), is likely all you need. 

 
This is the second case of “I do what I want” I’ve seen come out of LA. Don’t understand it and for those in attendance, good luck, hope you got what you needed out of that service. Now stay away from everyone for the next two weeks. We literally have a case study of how this works out ala South Korea. They can almost with 100% accuracy trace their outbreak back to the cult who kept meeting after members where showing signs of sickness.

Our church, like all the others around here has gone virtual for minimum of 2 weeks. If yours hasn’t, I’d seriously ask your leadership why not?
These stories as well as the Spring Break ones just show that this isn’t going to work when not everyone listens. I just don’t see how w avoid the spread of it. 

 
These stories as well as the Spring Break ones just show that this isn’t going to work when not everyone listens. I just don’t see how w avoid the spread of it. 
Agreed. The pressure on hospitals to provide care/beds is the biggest issue. If we aren't turning hotels into ICU wards immediately then (IMO) there is very little that we will be able to do to handle this. We are going to have a lot of people get sick and a lot of older people be in real trouble. And this will bring on even further shut downs, more panic and unrest and it can quickly unravel. 

 
Chloroquine hasn't been prescribed much for malaria for a long time.  Most malaria in the world became resistant to it long ago.  I was prescribed chloroquine in 1994 for Guatemala and that is the last time I've heard of someone being prescribed it.
My MIL takes it for rheumatoid arthritis.  She has been prescribed this for 24 years.

 
Had trouble sleeping last night, I’m sure that’s common these days.  

One thing I kept thinking - I’d that study was correct in saying that in China as many as 86% of cases went unreported - not only does that mean the actual death rate is actually lower - but also that the spread of this thing is far worse than we thought.  If that’s the case, and with Americans being pretty reluctant to self isolate, or at least to the point of it being effective for the collective whole - the odds of our plan working seem slim.  

 
For folks who have gym memberships, just a reminder to freeze those and save a few bucks -- I doubt most of us will be going to the gym for a while, if your gym is even still open at this point.  Score one for the home gym folks.

 
Had trouble sleeping last night, I’m sure that’s common these days.  

One thing I kept thinking - I’d that study was correct in saying that in China as many as 86% of cases went unreported - not only does that mean the actual death rate is actually lower - but also that the spread of this thing is far worse than we thought.  If that’s the case, and with Americans being pretty reluctant to self isolate, or at least to the point of it being effective for the collective whole - the odds of our plan working seem slim.  
Could you please link that study? I don’t see how China could have halted the spread if 86% of cases went unreported 

 
For folks who have gym memberships, just a reminder to freeze those and save a few bucks -- I doubt most of us will be going to the gym for a while, if your gym is even still open at this point.  Score one for the home gym folks.
🤝 peloton 🤝

 
For folks who have gym memberships, just a reminder to freeze those and save a few bucks -- I doubt most of us will be going to the gym for a while, if your gym is even still open at this point.  Score one for the home gym folks.
As a small fitness studio business owner - I understand your point BUT if your membership isn’t a burden on your family budget consider letting it run. 

 
UW to use hydroxychloroquin for all hospitalized patients

UW Covid team is going to use Hydroxychloroquin for all patients warranting hospital admission. We came up with this quick and simple guideline for QTc cutoffs during treatment. Feel free to adapt and use if your hospital is using hydroxychloroquin for these pts. #COVID19
 

This protocol works until we hav enuf Tele beds for Covid pts. Will need to be modified once we run out of Tele beds. Low cost monitors such as @AliveCor  or Apple watch could be so useful for QTc monitoring! @UWMedicine @ShyamGollakota @realjustinchan @leftbundle @Deanna_EPNP
 

 
Two 20-somethings extend ‘invisible hands’ in virus outbreak By delivering supplies and medicine to the most vulnerable.

NEW YORK (AP) — Liam Elkind’s big heart and his break from college was a highlight of 83-year-old Carol Sterling’s week.

The retired arts administrator has been sheltering at home during the coronavirus outbreak, unable to shop for herself. Yearning for some fresh food, she found the 20-year-old through their synagogue, and soon he showed up at her door with a bag full of salad fixings and oranges.

Elkind, a junior at Yale, and a friend, Simone Policano, amassed 1,300 volunteers in 72 hours to deliver groceries and medicine to older New Yorkers and other vulnerable people. They call themselves Invisible Hands, and they do something else in the process — provide human contact and comfort, at a safe distance, of course.


On delivery day Tuesday, Elkind and Sterling met for the first time over her paper bag of groceries outside her 15th-floor apartment on the Upper West Side. It was a moment of “tikkun olam” between the two congregants of the progressive and service-minded Stephen Wise Free Synagogue.

The Hebrew for “world repair” is a phrase synonymous with the notion of social action.

“It’s neighbor to neighbor,” Sterling said. “A crisis like this often brings out the very best.”

Elkind, the son of a doctor, has watched his father and other caregivers working tirelessly in crisis.

“I figured, OK, I can go buy some groceries. That I can do.”

Life has changed radically for Sterling, a widow who lives alone. She’s a people person, a puppeteer who clearly misses human interaction as she busies herself at home with online classes through “something called Zoom, which I had never heard of.”

She was supposed to be in Vietnam and Bali attending a conference and teaching children and educators about puppetry. The outbreak dashed her plans. With her two children and other family far away, the usually busy Sterling has a new friend in Elkind.

“People are scared, and people are lonely,” he said. “We’re all so separated, and one of the things we need is that social cohesiveness. This is one opportunity to get them that social connection they’re looking for.”

For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.

Elkind and his fellow volunteers take the name of their project from their vigilance in maintaining social distance from the people they serve, and their meticulous care while shopping and delivering.

Grocery and pharmacy orders are placed on the Invisible Hands website. Shoppers must not have traveled out of the country for the virus’ 14-day incubation period, have any symptoms of COVID-19 or have come in contact with anybody who has tested positive.

They must pledge that they have practiced social distancing and other safety measures in their own lives before signing on. They wear gloves while shopping, wipe down bags they’re delivering and use self-checkout when possible.

Bags of goods are left at doors, and cash can be exchanged the same way, or directly to a store or through a digital transaction. Volunteers make a point to pause and chat as they deliver.

The effort started on Facebook. Policano, also a New Yorker, put out a call for volunteers. Word spread quickly as they built a website and distributed flyers in seven languages. 

“It’s gone from extremely casual to extremely operational very quickly,” Elkind said. “This is one of those times when I remember that New York is such a small town, and people are willing to look out for one another and have each other’s back.”

Now, Elkind said, volunteers have offered to extend Invisible Hands to Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington and London. 

Full Coverage: Virus Outbreak

“It’s been really exciting just to see that amount of interest and how many people there are in this world who want to do good and are looking for ways to do that,” he said. “This is a 24-7 operation right now. It’s overwhelming in the best way possible.”

Elkind is on spring break at the moment. After that, his school goes to remote learning. Unless told by officials to stop, Invisible Hands will press on. It was unclear what would happen to the efforts if New York is put under a shelter-in-place order, as Mayor Bill de Blasio has proposed. Such a measure could force residents to stay home except for strictly limited activities like buying food or medicine or getting exercise.

Sterling was more than a little grateful, for the food and for Elkind and his colleagues of all ages.

“When we look back ... a lot of good things are going to come out of this,” she said of the crisis. “This will bring everybody together.”
Spoiler to make scroll friendly 



 
Last edited by a moderator:

Users who are viewing this thread

Top