Category: Covid-19

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump has pressed the Food and Drug Administration to eliminate barriers to the availability of drugs that may treat COVID-19, an illness with no known cure.

But theres no guarantee these drugs will kill the virus and it may take weeks or even months before they are on the market.

Trump said an antimalarial drug called hydroxychloroquine thats also used to fight arthritis would be made available almost immediately to treat coronavirus.

Its been around for a long time, so we know if things dont go as planned, its not going to kill anybody, Trump told reporters at the White House.

The president said other drugs would be soon available, too.

But Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn said it would some time to run the clinical trial on these drugs.

In the meantime, people whove tested positive for the coronavirus, or think they may have COVID-19, can only try to treat the symptoms which include fever, sore throat, dry cough and shortness of breath. Some COVID-19 patients also experience diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting, sometimes before respiratory symptoms begin.

There are different opinions on the best way to do make a COVID- 19 patient more comfortable while the disease runs its course, which, depending on the severity of the contagion, could take weeks. But theres consensus that people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or think they may have the disease, should isolate themselves at home as far as possible from other family members and contact a doctor by phone instead of visiting the physicians office.

That doctor may order a coronavirus test, although many with those prescription have found it difficult to get a test in Connecticut and elsewhere.

For those with health care coverage through Medicare, HUSKY, or most private health insurance companies, coronavirus tests are free. Trump signed a new bill this week that will make coronavirus testing free to the uninsured, too.

Medicare, HUSKY and many private insurers who did not do so before are also covering the costs of a telemedicine visit with your doctor.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says to get medical attention immediately if you have difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion or the inability to arouse from sleep, a temperature thats over 104 degrees Fahrenheit or bluish lips or face.

People who think they have COVID-19 are treating it like a cold or flu.

Over-the-counter medications, like cough suppressants, can help minimize coughing episodes, and expectorants can help people bring up mucus. A humidifier can also help. Pain relievers and fever reducers can help treat aches and reduce fevers. And doctors say COVID-19 patients should remain hydrated, drinking plenty of fluids.

Theres a debate, however, over which pain and fever reducing medicine should be used.

The World Health Organization this week warned against the use of ibuprofen, aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs to fight the fever and aches of COVID-19 after a leading French health official warned against it.

Frances health minister, Olivier Vran, said aspirin and ibuprofen worsened the symptoms of the disease. Vran said certain drugs, including ibuprofen, increase the number of so-called ACE2 receptors on the surfaces of cells. The coronavirus uses these receptors to infect cells, so, in theory at least, taking these drugs might make one more vulnerable to the virus.

The WHO recommends take acetaminophen (Tylenol) instead.

However, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said there is no proof that ibuprofen should be avoided.

I think it was a conflating of some medical issues may be true, may not, but theres no good scientific evidence that says ibuprofen can make coronavirus worse, Fauci said.

There are also differing opinions about how to deal with a fever.

Some doctors say there may not be a good reason to lower a temperature, unless its very high, because dozens of medical studies show fever helps fight infection.

Others warn that even a slight fever increases the metabolic rate, burning up calories. Coupled with a decrease in food intake, an increase in the metabolic rate can weaken a patient. It is estimated that for every degree Fahrenheit of rise in body temperature, the metabolic rate increases by 7 percent.

The CDC also has these recommendations for those who are sick:

The CDC also says the decision to end home isolation should be made on a case- by- case basis by a physician.

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What to do if you have COVID-19 - The CT Mirror

CORTLAND COUNTY (WBNG) -- Cortland County confirmed its first two positive cases of the coronavirus on Saturday.

The New York State Health Department confirmed the two cases as unrelated; one being a child under 5-years-old and the other person in their 50s. The New York State Health Department and the Cortland County Health Department are in the process of identifying the people who may have been in contact with the individuals who tested positive.

All cases that are confirmed as positive will be isolated under a Public Health order. The individuals who have been in close contact with the positive cases will be quarantined and monitored by the health department.

There are 12 members of the Cortland County community who are not symptomatic, but are self-quarantining for 14 days. This group of people is not connected to the confirmed cases.

If you develop symptoms of illness including fever, cough, or trouble breathing, contact your healthcare provider. Call ahead to explain your symptoms.

NYSDOH has a hotline and a website for members of the public who have questions: 1-888- 364-3065 and https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/ For general Inquiries: Cortland County Hotline: 607-756-3415 New York State Hotline for COVID-19: 1-888-364-3065

For more coverage of the coronavirus,click here.

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Cortland County confirms first positive cases of COVID-19 - WBNG-TV

At the outset of 2020, the world looked on as China grappled with an outbreak that seemed be spiraling out of control.

Two months later, the situation is markedly different. After aggressive testing and quarantine efforts, Chinas outbreak of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) appears to be leveling off.

Now, numerous countries around the world are in the beginning stages of managing their own outbreaks. March 15th, 2020, marked a significant statistical milestone for this, as confirmed cases of COVID-19 outside of China surpassed the Chinese total.

The tracker above, by Our World in Data, charts the trajectory of the growing number of countries with more than 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19. As the number of new infections reported around the world continues to grow, which countries are winning the battle against COVID-19, and which are still struggling to slow the rate of infection?

Whats Your National Infection Trajectory?

As of publishing time, 39 countries have passed the threshold of 100 confirmed cases, with many more countries on the cusp. By comparing infection trajectories from the 100 case mark, were able to see a clearer picture of how quickly the virus is spreading within various countries.

A rapid doubling rate can spell big trouble, as even countries with advanced healthcare systems can become overwhelmed by the sheer number of cases. This was the case in the Lombardy region of Italy, where hospitals were overloaded and an increasing number of medical staff are under quarantine after testing positive for the virus. Nearly 10% of COVID-19 patients in Lombardy required intensive care, which stretched resources to their breaking point.

Other countries are looking to avoid this situation by flattening the curve of the pandemic. In other words, preventing and delaying the spread of the virus so that large portions of the population arent sick at the same time.

A rapid doubling rate can spell big trouble, as even countries with advanced healthcare systems can become overwhelmed by the sheer number of cases.

Image: Drew Harris, CDC

While all the countries on this tracker are united behind a common goal stamping out COVID-19 as soon as possible each country has its own approach and unique challenges when it comes to keeping their population safe. Of course, countries that are just beginning to experience exponential growth in case numbers have the benefit of learning from mistakes made elsewhere, and adopting ideas that are proving successful at slowing the rate of infection.

Many jurisdictions are implementing some or all of these measures to help flatten the curve:

The following chart explains why this last measure is critical to limiting the spread of the virus.

The more people, the higher the risk.

Image: J.S. Weitz

In scenario B above, which assumes just 20,000 active cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., theres nearly a 50% chance an infected person will be attending a 10,000 person conference or sporting event. This is precisely the reason why temporary limits on crowd size are popping up in many jurisdictions around the world.

Direct losses due to canceled tech conferences alone, such as SXSW and the Electronic Entertainment Expo, have already surpassed the $1 billion mark, but despite the short-term economic pain of cancellations and decreased entertainment spending, the costs of business-as-usual could be incalculable.

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with our Terms of Use.

Written by

Nick Routley, Creative Director & Writer, Visual Capitalist

This article is published in collaboration with Visual Capitalist.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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Which countries are flattening the curve of COVID-19 infections? - World Economic Forum

There's "currently no scientific evidence establishing a link between ibuprofen and worsening of COVID19," the European Medicines Agency advised Wednesday. REKINC1980/Getty Images hide caption

There's "currently no scientific evidence establishing a link between ibuprofen and worsening of COVID19," the European Medicines Agency advised Wednesday.

Updated March 19 at 12:08 p.m. ET

Over the past few days, social media has lit up with reports, picked up by some media outlets, that taking drugs like ibuprofen to ease COVID-19 symptoms could actually worsen the progress of the illness.

But most infectious disease experts say there's no good scientific evidence at this point to support that claim.

The furor was sparked by a tweet by the French health minister, Olivier Vran, over the weekend. He warned people not to take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS a category of pain relievers and fever reducers that includes ibuprofen because some French COVID-19 patients had experienced serious side effects. The warning was also included in a bulletin from the French health ministry, which counseled that patients should instead use acetaminophen, the generic name for Tylenol.

But the European Medicines Agency issued a statement Wednesday saying that while it is monitoring the situation, there's "currently no scientific evidence establishing a link between ibuprofen and worsening of COVID19."

Dr. Carlos del Rio, a professor of infectious diseases and global health at Emory University's Department of Medicine, agrees. "I think the minister of health of France is wrong [in] prohibiting the use of ibuprofen based on limited data," he says.

The World Health Organization is looking into the matter, says spokesperson Christian Lindmeier, "but after a rapid review of the literature, [the WHO] is not aware of published clinical or population-based data on this topic." A few media outlets have reported that WHO is now advising against using ibuprofen to treat fevers in patients with COVID-19 symptoms, but Lindmeier tells NPR that's not true.

"Based on currently available information, WHO does not recommend against the use of of ibuprofen," the WHO stated on its official Twitter account, adding, "'We are also consulting with physicians treating COVID-19 patients and are not aware of reports of any negative effects of ibuprofen, beyond the usual known side effects that limit its use in certain populations."

The questions about ibuprofen's safety for COVID-19 patients seem to have stemmed, in part, from a letter published in The Lancet last week hypothesizing the ways various medications could, perhaps, increase the risk of infection with the coronavirus. Research has shown that the virus attaches itself to cells in the lungs by way of an enzyme angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The Lancet commentary suggested that taking ibuprofen might increase the number of ACE2 receptors on a cell, which could make someone taking the drug more vulnerable to infection.

But just because you have more ACE2 receptors doesn't mean you're more susceptible to infection, says Rachel Graham, a virologist at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health. She's one of the researchers who discovered how the coronavirus binds to cells.

"You can have low levels of ACE2 and still be susceptible," Graham says. What's more, she adds, the evidence that taking ibuprofen increases these receptors is almost nonexistent.

"This is why we have clinical trials to inform our medical decision-making," rather than relying on a few anecdotal cases, says Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious disease physician and fellow with the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security. Kuppalli says she doesn't see the Lancet letter as a reason to avoid ibuprofen for COVID-19, though she always tells her patients to use Tylenol for fever "because its mechanism is thought to affect the temperature regulating center of the brain."

Dr. Angela Rogers, a pulmonologist at the Stanford University Medical Center and chair of its intensive care unit's COVID-19 task force, notes that Tylenol is the go-to medication for patients who are sick enough to be hospitalized for any infection. That's because these patients are at higher risk of damage to internal organs, including kidneys. And kidney damage can be a side effect of ibuprofen for some patients who use it long-term in higher doses, says Rogers, whose research focuses on the kind of acute respiratory distress experienced by the most severe COVID-19 cases.

Of course Tylenol, like any medicine, isn't risk-free either; Rogers notes that acetaminophen can cause serious liver damage in high doses. In low doses, though, she says, Tylenol is "very effective" for reducing fever and "very safe."

As for what Rogers would advise for patients who are treating symptoms of COVID-19 at home?

"We don't have a lot of evidence in this disease in general," she says. Like the other physicians and scientists NPR spoke with, Rogers emphasizes that any evidence that ibuprofen exacerbates the coronavirus disease is faint at best. That said, "If people have no liver disease and it makes them feel a little bit more secure to start with Tylenol first, that might be a reasonable way to do it."

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Concerns About Ibuprofen And COVID-19 Are Overblown, Most Experts Say : Shots - Health News - NPR

If you have a cough, fever, or shortness of breath, how can you tell if youve got Covid-19, a common cold, the ordinary flu, or a bad case of the worries? Should you get tested? When should you seek medical care and when should you just stay home?

Two of us (M.H. and M.W.) are primary care doctors who have received numerous calls from concerned patients with symptoms such as cough, fevers, or shortness of breath. Those calls prompted us with the help of several colleagues to develop a simple self-triage tool to help individuals decide when to treat their symptoms safely at home and when to seek medical help. One of the most important things each of us can do during the ongoing pandemic is to free up medical providers to concentrate on the seriously ill.

First the good news: The vast majority perhaps 80% or more of people who come down with Covid-19, especially those under 50, will suffer symptoms that are no more serious than a bad cold or a mild flu and will be better within two weeks. There is no need to seek testing or go to a doctors office. A test result wont change your medical care because there is no treatment at this time other than the usual recommendations for any cold or flu: drink plenty of liquids, rest, stay home, and try over-the-counter remedies. (A test will, however, alert you to be extra careful not to infect others.)

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In some people, though, Covid-19 is a more serious illness, particularly among the elderly and those with chronic conditions. Thats why the current outbreak must be taken so seriously.

Our team at the Gehr Family Center for Health Systems Science and Innovation at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, in partnership with Akido Labs, developed a triage tool to help guide patients. Its available online for anyone to use. This tool will help most people effectively manage mild and moderate symptoms of Covid-19 at home.

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We have also compiled the general advice and tips for self-care at home below.

Although the news reports about Covid-19 are alarming, reports from China, Italy, the U.S., and elsewhere indicate that for most people, infection with the novel coronavirus is on par with getting the flu. These steps can help you know if you need formal medical care and, if not, how to care for yourself safely at home.

Know when to seek medical care. The reasons to seek immediate care today are no different than they were before the Covid-19 outbreak. The severe symptoms listed in the table below suggest that you need medical attention. Otherwise, if you have a fever and cough or other cold or flu symptoms, but are otherwise healthy, are under age 60, arent having difficulty breathing, and dont feel seriously ill, youre better off caring for yourself at home.

Severe symptoms that suggest the need for medical attention (please note that this is not intended to be a comprehensive list, but provides general guidance)

Dont go straight to a doctors office or urgent care. Start by calling a medical advice line or a telemedicine option instead. Its wise these days to stay away from crowded places, and that includes emergency departments, hospitals, doctors offices, urgent care centers, and clinics unless you are seriously ill. These are places where you could pick up the coronavirus if you dont have it, or spread your batch to other people.

Many health plans have 800 numbers with nurses or doctors on call to answer questions by phone, as do some doctors offices. Look at your insurance card and make the call. Some clinics are conducting video visits, also known as telemedicine. If you call an advice line first, you can often get the guidance you need without spreading infection or unnecessarily exhausting yourself.

Save testing for those sick enough to need hospitalization. Testing for Covid-19 will not change your medical care because there is no treatment available or necessary for mild symptoms. (People with serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, should get supportive care in the hospital.) Tests are currently in short supply and are being prioritized for those who have severe symptoms or who have been exposed to someone diagnosed with Covid-19. If you do not fall into one of those two categories, resist the urge to request testing unless public health officials encourage you to get tested for tracking purposes. (We know as we write this that the indications for testing may loosen in the days ahead as testing supplies increase.)

Practice self-care. Viral infections are dehydrating. Drink plenty of liquids. Pedialyte and soups that contain salt are helpful, as are plain water, tea, juice, and soda. Drink enough so your urine is its normal pale color and you produce as much urine as you usually put out. Note: Not urinating normally is a sign you may need medical attention. If you have special dietary restrictions due to diabetes, kidney disease, heart failure, or other condition, get medical advice by phone or email about the fluids that are best for you.

Some over-the-counter medications may help. As anyone who has experienced a cold knows, over-the-counter remedies tend to provide only limited relief, and some may have side effects such as dry mouth, drowsiness, and raised blood pressure. Try flushing out your nose and sinuses with saline solution. Fever-reducers and pain medications such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) can help, and honey can be an effective cough remedy. There is anecdotal evidence that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or naproxen may make Covid-19 worse, though more research is needed.

If you have one or more chronic medical conditions, seek telephone advice from an expert to make sure you choose a treatment that is safe for you.

Dont ask for antibiotics. Antibiotics do not work for viral illnesses like Covid-19. They also often cause side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and rashes.

Get plenty of rest. Infections stress the body. Lots of rest including sleep will help keep your immune system strong so it can devote itself to ridding your body of the virus.

Separate yourself from others to prevent the virus from spreading. If you have the symptoms of a cold or the flu, play it safe and act as if you have Covid-19. Wear a face mask when in a room with others and if you must leave the house. Avoid close interactions with others for 14 days.

Follow the advice of public health authorities. Even for those who arent ill, social distancing will avoid fueling this pandemic. Please heed the advice of your local officials.

This is a scary moment in history. No one should be faulted for feeling anxious. Most people with viral illnesses including Covid-19 can be cared for effectively in their own homes without seeking formal medical care and will recover within two weeks. But its also important to know when to seek expert care.

We hope that our simple tool for self-triage and general advice and tips for self-care at home can ease some of the anxiety. and help you take the best care of yourself and your loved ones without putting yourself or others at unnecessary risk.

Michael Hochman, M.D., is a primary care physician, associate professor of clinical medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, and director of the Gehr Family Center for Health Systems Science and Innovation at Keck. Michael D. Wang, M.D., is a professor of clinical medicine at Keck and director of inpatient programs for the schools Department of Medicine. Katy Butler is a journalist, essayist, and author who writes extensively about health topics. The authors acknowledge the essential contributions of Arek Jibilian, M.D., Carolyn Kaloostian, M.D., Anjali Mahoney, M.D., Rishi Mehta, M.D., Pieter Cohen, M.D., and Chris Hendel for reviewing this material and helping develop the triage tool.

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Think you might have Covid-19? Try this self-triage tool first - STAT

When a new virus like the novel coronavirus appears and starts infecting people, one critical asset in the fight against it is blood from people who were sick and then recovered. These blood samples can help scientists understand how the immune system responds to it, and can help in the search for therapies to treat the disease.

Thats why, this week, the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institutes of Health put out a call looking for blood donations from people who had COVID-19 and are now healthy.

Analysis of blood samples can give researchers information about if and how people develop protective antibodies after an infection. The immune system usually produces antibodies, which can bind to and deactivate viruses, during and after a viral infection. Those antibodies provide an infected person a level of protection from the virus in the future theyre unlikely to be infected again because their bodys new antibodies will stop the virus.

The initial steps are to follow individuals who have recovered and have a way to measure their antibody response, says Darrell Triulzi, director of the Division of Transfusion Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Scientists want to understand how strong the immune response to a novel coronavirus infection is, and how well that response protects people against the virus in the future. They also need to know how long the protection lasts. Long-term research on SARS patients, for example, shows that the protective immune cells were no longer present in some people six years after they were sick.

Preliminary research (that hasnt yet been published) on COVID-19 patients shows that they do produce high levels of antibodies, which virologists say is a sign people wouldnt get sick from the virus a second time. Another still unpublished study on monkeys found that they developed antibodies after they were infected with the novel coronavirus, and they didnt get sick a second time if they were exposed to the virus again. It indicates that infection results in protective immunity against SARS-CoV, at least in the short term, Angela Rasmussen, a research scientist at the Center for Infection and Immunity at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, wrote in an email to The Scientist.

But more research is still needed to understand if the antibodies actually provide therapeutic benefit, Triulzi says.

Scientists also turn to the blood of patients who have recovered from COVID-19 as a possible stopgap treatment for the most at-risk people. Because their blood plasma is presumably full of protective substances like antibodies, if its injected into sick people, it may help them fight off disease. Its an old strategy and dates back as far as the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak in the United States, when doctors reported that it helped reduce the number of deaths in seriously ill patients. Recently, its been used on an experimental basis to treat people with MERS, H1N1, and Ebola.

In Ebola it seemed effective, and all we have are case reports right now for COVID-19, Triulzi says. At a press briefing, Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said that the agency was evaluating it. Its a possible treatment, he said.

The treatment is risky, though, and there are always concerns that the use of plasma could make any subsequent infection with the virus in question worse. It would likely only be a temporary measure until more refined treatments became available. But the benefits may outweigh the risks for health care workers or older people who are more likely to become seriously ill if they were infected with the virus.

Just because blood can help researchers study COVID-19, though, doesnt mean that the blood of people who are or have been infected is generally dangerous, Triulzi noted. An infectious virus wouldnt linger in someones blood for a long time after theyre sick, so its not a concern for blood banks or people receiving blood transfusions. Transmission by blood has not been reported and is unlikely, he says.

And during a pandemic like this one, its more important than ever for healthy people to donate blood if theyre able. Donation drives have been cancelled left and right. Yet the need for blood continues, he says. There isnt a risk of getting the coronavirus from the donation process. And we still need the blood.

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Blood from recovered COVID-19 patients is a key resource for scientists - The Verge

In the whirlwind of news about the novel coronavirus pandemic, it can be hard to figure out whats a scam or rumor and whats vital information. The ways in which the COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has transformed the way we work and keep ourselves entertained already feels unreal.

To understand why theres so much misinformation out there for example, that the virus was purposely created in a lab The Verge spoke with John Cook, a cognitive science researcher at George Mason University and one of the authors of a new Conspiracy Theory Handbook. A big fan of acronyms, Cook came up with a handy one to recognize when you or someone you know might be headed down a conspiracy theory rabbit hole and how to inoculate ourselves and others against it.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Why are you publishing this handbook now? Why should we be thinking about conspiracy theories at a time like this?

We had [the release of the handbook] planned for April, you know, and usually, Im not that organized that I happen to have something done a month early. But once we just saw all the conspiracy theories and the misinformation flying around about the novel coronavirus, and that it was actively directly endangering the public, we thought, We need to make this information accessible to people. Theres no point waiting a month if its ready to go now.

Is there one conspiracy theory youre really concerned about?

You have politicians in the US pushing the conspiracy theory that the coronavirus was bioengineered by a Chinese lab. And then you had retaliation to that. You had Chinese officials pushing the conspiracy theory that the US bioengineered the virus. We talked about this in the book, that there are tactical conspiracy theories. Theyre not always just a guy with a tinfoil hat in his basement talking on his laptop. It can be actual governments intentionally constructing conspiracy theories for strategic reasons. And so when you have governments pushing out all these conspiracy theories, theyre quite distracting. Its not what we need when we need governments all working together to address a global pandemic like this.

Why are those particular conspiracy theories harmful?

So when you have conspiracy theories spreading around, one of the things it does is it erodes public trust in institutions, particularly government institutions and medical institutions, who provide accurate information. One way that that can cause damage is then the public doesnt follow the advice that comes from these institutions. So if you have the CDC advising the public to maintain social distancing, dont gather in public events, dont go to restaurants, dont go to concerts or pubs. People are distrusting that advice because it comes from a mainstream institution, then the conspiracy theories are now distracting. And that has direct implications because people start behaving in ways that not only endanger themselves but endanger the public in general.

Twenty-nine percent of Americans believe the virus was created in a lab, according to new data from the Pew Research Center. Why has the conspiracy theory about the virus being engineered in labs become so popular?

In the handbook, we talk about different conditions that make the public more vulnerable to conspiracy theories, more likely to gravitate toward them. And I think the two that are really applicable to this situation is the feeling of powerlessness and coping with threat.

When people feel vulnerable, believing in conspiracy theories gives them more of a feeling of control. It seems almost counterintuitive because why would imagining that this is secret conspirators in a lab generating a virus, why does that make people feel more in control? Because at least thats an explanation. And if the explanation is just random things happen in nature; people dont like randomness. We prefer to have causal explanations. We prefer to have meaning in the way that we understand what happens in the world. And so conspiracy theories offer meaning. Were more vulnerable to them when we feel powerless, when we feel threatened and we need to get a sense of control.

How do you debunk theories like this when you come across them?

Theres a range of different solutions that we list in the handbook. And I think that the general principle that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure applies. Its better to inoculate people preemptively against conspiracy theories rather than trying to go in afterward and undo the damage. Its easier to inoculate people against getting infected by a conspiracy theory, rather than trying to convince the conspiracy theorists that the conspiracy theory is not true.

But also when you do address conspiracy theories, do it in a way that doesnt reinforce or promote them. Basically, inoculation is delivering misinformation in a weakened form by explaining how it cant be true and explaining what the facts are instead. For example, with the conspiracy theory that the novel coronavirus was created in a lab, scientists have found that it has natural origins.

If your goal is to convince conspiracy theorists, then an empathetic approach is necessary just to have a genuine dialogue.

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How to debunk COVID-19 conspiracy theories - The Verge

At long last, heres an actually useful purpose for Twitters blue-check verification mark: Twitter last night announced that it is mobilising the badge system to help surface and signal more authoritative and verified voices that can provide credible updates on the topic of the coronavirus, and made a general call out for people that are experts to get all of their information up to date including associating the word addresses with their accounts to speed up this process.

This is the latest move from Twitter in what has been an ongoing effort to clear its platform of false information and the harmful spread of it as the pandemic increasingly takes its grip on the world.

The blue check mark was always intended to help steer people to know when they looking at more authentic voices or the official accounts for high-profile people or organizations, although its also been a huge vanity metric for many people, and so has often had a taint of the more ridiculous side of Twitter (the one where people also obsess over like and retweet counts). So harnessing it for a truly useful purpose is a great move.

Its also one that is linking up with other efforts online: yesterday Google launched an updated search experience that includes a carousel of Twitter accounts Tweeting information related to the pandemic. This will help Twitter and Google populate that in a more informative and dynamic way.

If you are an expert who would like to use Twitter to broadcast more effective messages to the public, please read on. And if you are an authority who is not affiliated with one of the authorities working on fighting and managing the coronavirus outbreak, hold tight as Twitter said it will also be working on how to more quickly verify you, too.

Twitter said it is working with global health authorities these include organizations like the WHO, the CDC, state health authorities and recognized academic institutions to identify not just these organizations own accounts but those of experts affiliated with them. While it has it has already Verified hundreds of accounts, there are many more to verify, but the process is being slowed down by people not having all of their information in order. (Essentially these are some of the usual requirements for verification, applied specifically now to coronavirus experts.)

Specifically, Twitter said that experts needed to make sure that the email address that a person has associated with their Twitter account is their work emails. Instructions on how to do that here.

Then, Twitter said that a persons bio needs to include references and a link to the place where they are working, and ideally that the page they are linking to also includes a reference back to the Twitter account (if its a link to a bio page). Instructions on how to update your profile here.

And accounts that are looking for verification, it goes without saying, have to follow the officialTwitter Rules (which cover things like no harassment, impersonation accounts and so on), and specifically as it relates to coronavirus and COVID-19, Twitters guidance for that.

Twitter had, predictably, what looked like hundreds of responses to its Tweets on this subject, both from people simply saying, Hey, what about me? Can I get verified today for my birthday?! and those saying they also should be verified because of their authoritative position on COVID-19. Going about how to do the latter with accuracy will be a much bigger challenge that Twitter is still working out. Were also considering a way to take public suggestions, but first are reviewing the suggestions we have from global public health authorities and partners, it concluded.

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Twitter prioritizes blue-check verifications to confirm experts on COVID-19 and the novel coronavirus - TechCrunch

Covid-19 and the Stiff Upper Lip The Pandemic Response in the United Kingdom  nejm.org

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Covid-19 and the Stiff Upper Lip The Pandemic Response in the United Kingdom - nejm.org

The worlds most vulnerable people could be last in line for support to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, experts have warned.

Countries already dealing with humanitarian and refugee crises face a struggle to find the resources to deal with the pandemic by the time it reaches them, specialists said in a webinar hosted by the New Humanitarian news agency on Thursday.

Protective equipment and resources for testing are already a concern for China and Europe, but a third wave could leave developing countries with weakened health systems in a worse position even though most currently have a relatively small number of cases.

Experts working with refugees, on humanitarian responses and in global health warned that the international community needs to begin working closely with governments around the world to help the most vulnerable.

I dont think were quite ready yet for the fights that are coming over limited supplies of personal protective equipment, limited supplies of vaccines and limited supplies of therapeutics, said Jeremy Konyndyk, senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington DC.

When the first 100m doses of the vaccines come out, its going to be a big fight over who gets those, and its going to be very important that [they dont] just go to those who can afford them.

Africa has had about 600 cases, compared with thousands in many individual European countries. But the World Health Organization chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said more testing was needed across the continent.

Africa should wake up, my continent should wake up, said Tedros.

But with testing limited in much of the world, including the UK, developing countries faced a major challenge, said Karl Blanchet, director of the Geneva-based Centre for Education and Research in Humanitarian Action.

Testing has to happen, it is the priority. The problem is low-income countries are probably arriving on the third wave, after China, after Europe. Access to tests is going to be problematic, said Blanchet.

While many richer countries were currently focused on their own populations and economies, the humanitarian community would have to look at changing the way it works, said the experts, by investing in the strengthening of worldwide public health systems rather than focusing on single-issue campaigns.

This is not just about providing services in a refugee site or a conflict-affected area, this is really about the fundamental of health systems and about health-seeking and health-protecting behaviour across entire countries, said Konyndyk. That is not something that we in the humanitarian sector are always terribly well set up for.

Konyndyk said the sector would have to work more with governments and local organisations, who have the trust of the communities with which they work.

Virginie Lefvre, programme and partnerships coordinator with the Lebanese NGO Amel Association, said she was already seeing examples of local workers leading the way.

The locally-led response, the community-based initiatives are working despite the fear. All those workers are afraid as we can understand, because they have been exposed, she said.

Lefvre praised such workers for quickly setting up mobile clinics and using technology to communicate with people.

We have good locally-led responses, but it needs to be better coordinated with other actors in-country and at the international level, she added.

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World's most vulnerable in 'third wave' for Covid-19 support, experts warn - The Guardian