Off Topic Coronavirus

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rangercol said:
I very much doubt whether reports of Trump having "experimental drugs" are in any way accurate.
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His own doctor is saying he's been given Regeneron, which is still in clinical trials.

This makes it sound rather serious...

Regeneron confirmed that Trump was given the treatment under a "compassionate use request."

"In the USA, this type of compassionate use program is also known as an Expanded Access Program (EAP) and is intended for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions, who do not have any viable or available treatment options, and are unable to participate in ongoing clinical trials," Regeneron said in a statement.
 
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Always with the battle/war references as if people unfortunate enough to not ‘win’ their battle were at fault for that. It’s such bollocks.
 
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Stroller said:
His own doctor is saying he's been given Regeneron, which is still in clinical trials.

This makes it sound rather serious...

Regeneron confirmed that Trump was given the treatment under a "compassionate use request."

"In the USA, this type of compassionate use program is also known as an Expanded Access Program (EAP) and is intended for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions, who do not have any viable or available treatment options, and are unable to participate in ongoing clinical trials," Regeneron said in a statement.
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Steelmonkey said:
Trump 'in a race' against Covid-19 and experimental treatment makes it 'a fair fight,' Regeneron CEO says

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/02/health/trump-regeneron-antibody-treatment/index.html
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Well, as someone involved in the marketing of pharmaceuticals, I reckon the CEO of Regeneron must be simultaneously punching the air and ****ting himself. His product should give people who are having a weak immune response to the virus a boost by chucking a load of cloned antibodies into them. So far trials show this can keep some patients out of hospital, they are testing whether it works in more seriously ill patients. If it works in such a high profile patient, even though it’s very difficult to attribute recovery solely to one treatment, the $ will flow in. If Trump croaks, not only will the financials of the company suffer, but also he runs the risk of being personally targeted by alt right nutters claiming Trump was poisoned.
 
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Stroller said:
His own doctor is saying he's been given Regeneron, which is still in clinical trials.

This makes it sound rather serious...

Regeneron confirmed that Trump was given the treatment under a "compassionate use request."

"In the USA, this type of compassionate use program is also known as an Expanded Access Program (EAP) and is intended for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions, who do not have any viable or available treatment options, and are unable to participate in ongoing clinical trials," Regeneron said in a statement.
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Yes, I've seen this now and have to say that I'm very, very surprised.

But then again, it is Trump!!
 
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The modus operandi of the regeneron treatment is to use two cloned monoclonals ...to both stop the entry of virus into the cells and also mark the virus as "foreign" to the bodies own defensive T cells, which should help their removal.

So it is a method of reducing the viral load.

The fact he is having it...and not his wife or his aides. Indicates to me...his viral load is higher than the others...so he has the potential to become more ill.

I agree with Stan the CEO must be half between heaven and hell...but as long as Trump recovers...he will claim a victory
 
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rangercol said:
Yes, I've seen this now and have to say that I'm very, very surprised.

But then again, it is Trump!!
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I think ‘experimental’ is a misleading word. I would reserve that for untested stuff, like domestos. This drug is designed for COVID and is being tested in large scale trials. The science behind it is well understood. One of the potential uses is as a temporary preventative (by introducing antibodies) for vulnerable people, in addition to being a treatment. It’s like a very short term vaccine, but because it doesn’t help you produce your own antibodies, the effects are short lived.

In Trump’s case it could have been used out of caution, given his bundle of risk factors they might think he could go downhill fast so want to throw the kitchen sink at it, or he really might be struggling badly already.
 
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I know this should be on the other thread, but talk that there will now be debates between Pence and Harris, the VP candidates. I really hope so, Pence is a religious fundamentalist idiot, seriously challenged according to my mates in Indiana where he used to be governor. Harris was by far the most impressive candidate in the primaries, she will destroy him. Why the democrats insisted on choosing between septuagenarians as their presidential candidate is beyond me.

Trump also getting remdesivir, even though he is not getting oxygen, apparently. No evidence that this does anything for people not on ventilators. They are chucking everything at him.
 
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sb_73 said:
I think ‘experimental’ is a misleading word. I would reserve that for untested stuff, like domestos. This drug is designed for COVID and is being tested in large scale trials. The science behind it is well understood. One of the potential uses is as a temporary preventative (by introducing antibodies) for vulnerable people, in addition to being a treatment. It’s like a very short term vaccine, but because it doesn’t help you produce your own antibodies, the effects are short lived.

In Trump’s case it could have been used out of caution, given his bundle of risk factors they might think he go go downhill fast so want to throw the kitchen sink at it, or he really might be struggling badly already.
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Also we in the NHS have incoporated it into our own very large clinical trial RECOVERY as one of the clinical "arms" being tested. I believe is being used in 3 northern hospitals (because that is where the cases are at the moment). We use monoclonals designed against particular targets a lot in medicine now, so as Stan says it is a tried and tested model...the bit we do not know is how effective it is (and more importantly for some how effective it is/£; which will be the likely problem...as it is not the sort of "drug" that you can send out to Africa!)...Not to worry Trump can afford it
 
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Just heard that, in order to get students home for Christmas COVID free-ish, they will finish term two weeks early, presumably to allow them time to self isolate if necessary before they open their presents. My daughters term start has already been put back a week. So I’m working out how much her 3 week refund on her £3,100 per term tuition fees will be.

Naive, me?
 
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sb_73 said:
Just heard that, in order to get students home for Christmas COVID free-ish, they will finish term two weeks early, presumably to allow them time to self isolate if necessary before they open their presents. My daughters term start has already been put back a week. So I’m working out how much her 3 week refund on her £3,100 per term tuition fees will be.

Naive, me?
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But if their classes are all online anyway, surely they can isolate for the last two weeks of the term instead of stopping early?

Good luck with your refund!
 
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I've just booked myself a Covid test. I've been feeling **** for the last three weeks with a cough, a tight chest, mild breathlessness and general fatigue. In normal times I'd have gone to my GP long before now and been prescribed some antibiotics for what I'm pretty sure is a run-of-the-mill chest infection. As it is, I've been putting it off and hoping it would go away. It hasn't, so I thought I'd get a Covid test before phoning the GP because he would surely tell me to do that anyway.

I booked a home test via the NHS App and will report back on the speed and efficiency of processing.
 
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Stroller said:
I've just booked myself a Covid test. I've been feeling **** for the last three weeks with a cough, a tight chest, mild breathlessness and general fatigue. In normal times I'd have gone to my GP long before now and been prescribed some antibiotics for what I'm pretty sure is a run-of-the-mill chest infection. As it is, I've been putting it off and hoping it would go away. It hasn't, so I thought I'd get a Covid test before phoning the GP because he would surely tell me to do that anyway.

I booked a home test via the NHS App and will report back on the speed and efficiency of processing.
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Thought you'd said you already had the virus some months back? If so, hope it turns out to be something trivial and not Long-Covid.

We've had a case where I am working at the moment in Teeside, so I had a drive-thru test this afternoon at Glasgow Airport - quick and efficient, results in 1-3 days
 
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Steelmonkey said:
But if their classes are all online anyway, surely they can isolate for the last two weeks of the term instead of stopping early?

Good luck with your refund!
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There are many ways they could find a way round this, but I suspect that the solution which provides maximum profit for the university and minimum effort for their staff will be favoured.
Stroller said:
I've just booked myself a Covid test. I've been feeling **** for the last three weeks with a cough, a tight chest, mild breathlessness and general fatigue. In normal times I'd have gone to my GP long before now and been prescribed some antibiotics for what I'm pretty sure is a run-of-the-mill chest infection. As it is, I've been putting it off and hoping it would go away. It hasn't, so I thought I'd get a Covid test before phoning the GP because he would surely tell me to do that anyway.

I booked a home test via the NHS App and will report back on the speed and efficiency of processing.
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Look after yourself mate. Surely no harm in talking to your GP anyway, given the duration of the symptoms and especially if you have any history of chest infections. He might get an antibody test to you, results from that in ten minutes.
 
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Steelmonkey said:
Thought you'd said you already had the virus some months back? If so, hope it turns out to be something trivial and not Long-Covid.

We've had a case where I am working at the moment in Teeside, so I had a drive-thru test this afternoon at Glasgow Airport - quick and efficient, results in 1-3 days
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Yeah, I'm pretty sure I had a mild case back in March. My wife had classic symptoms at the time and has subsequently tested positive for antibodies.

I was offered three testing options via the app - a drive-through in Twickenham (about 30 miles away), a walk-in in Wembley (5 miles away) or a home-delivered test. I went for the home test, which the app said would be delivered next day.
 
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sb_73 said:
Look after yourself mate. Surely no harm in talking to your GP anyway, given the duration of the symptoms and especially if you have any history of chest infections. He might get an antibody test to you, results from that in ten minutes.
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I did try to phone the GP today to make an appointment but just got a message saying they'e closed until Monday and to phone 111. Knowing that they would just tell me to get tested, I thought I'd cut out the middle man. I'll call the GP again once I've got the test result, assuming it's negative. I was quite impressed with the testing options offered.
 
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Stroller said:
I did try to phone the GP today to make an appointment but just got a message saying they'e closed until Monday and to phone 111. Knowing that they would just tell me to get tested, I thought I'd cut out the middle man. I'll call the GP again once I've got the test result, assuming it's negative. I was quite impressed with the testing options offered.
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No way is Twickenham 30 miles from Ruislip.
 
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Stroller said:
I've just booked myself a Covid test. I've been feeling **** for the last three weeks with a cough, a tight chest, mild breathlessness and general fatigue. In normal times I'd have gone to my GP long before now and been prescribed some antibiotics for what I'm pretty sure is a run-of-the-mill chest infection. As it is, I've been putting it off and hoping it would go away. It hasn't, so I thought I'd get a Covid test before phoning the GP because he would surely tell me to do that anyway.

I booked a home test via the NHS App and will report back on the speed and efficiency of processing.
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Good luck with that, Strolls. What's your sense of taste and smell like?
 
Goldhawk-Road said:
Good luck with that, Strolls. What's your sense of taste and smell like?
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No problems with either, mate. I'm pretty certain I don't have Covid (in fact I'm fairly sure I've already had it, but I was never tested). I just know that the first thing my GP would do is send me to get tested for Covid before dealing with whatever I do have.
 
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