COVID-19: The BriefThe Weeks’ Main Developments
The past week saw several encouraging developments: China has lifted the lockdown at Wuhan, while Austria, Denmark, Israel, and Germany announced that this coming week they will begin easing the stay-at-home restrictions in order to allow some economic activity to resume. President Trump will announce in Tuesday the names of members of a task force charged with examining different ways to begin reopening the American economy in May. The New England Journal of Medicine reports that a small group of patients showed improvements after receiving remdesivir, an experimental coronavirus treatment made by Gilead Sciences. The drug is seen by global health authorities as the best shot at becoming a treatment for COVID-19. And an Oxford scientist said her group will start human testing of a coronavirus vaccine this week, adding that it is likely that the vaccine will be ready for general use by September.
The main COVID-19 developments of the past week were:
· The 2,056 U.S. COVID-19 related deaths on Friday pushed the U.S. total to 18,586, meaning that this weekend the United States will likely overtake Italy – with 18,849 total death on Friday – in the number of coronavirus-related death.
· The world’s coronavirus-related deaths toll crossed the 100,000, but experts warn that the real number may be higher because of the numbers reported by some countries – for example, China – are unreliable, and because deaths away from a medical facility are often not investigated to see whether they were caused by the coronavirus.
· President Trump on Friday said that he will announce on Tuesday the names of members of a task force established to examine different ways to reopen the United States to economic activity. The goal is to begin reopening the economy at least in some parts of the country, at the beginning of May.
· China has lifted the lockdown of the Hubei province after seventy-six days. Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, is regarded as the source of the coronavirus epidemic.
· Denmark and Austria announced that many work-places – including stores, shops, offices, and some factories – will be reopened next week, but that people will be encouraged to wear face masks and maintain social distancing. Public venues such as cinemas, theaters, stadiums, restaurants, clubs will remain closed for a while yet.
· Germany and Israel announced that they will be easing strict stay-at-home regulations beginning next week. Israel said it was moving toward a hot-spot approach, meaning that cities or neighborhoods where infection rates are high would remain under strict control while other parts of the country will be allowed to resume some economic activity.
· Two-thirds of a small group of patients showed improvements after receiving remdesivir, an experimental coronavirus treatment made by Gilead Sciences, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Friday. The study notes that the patients received the antiviral drug as part of a “compassionate use” trial, not a double-blind placebo-controlled trial, which would offer more definitive evidence. The cohort was small, with only 53 patients taking part. Still, the scientists say, the improvements offered welcome news about a drug seen by global health authorities as the best shot at becoming a treatment for COVID-19.
· Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at Oxford University, told The Times that she was “80 percent confident” that the coronavirus vaccine being developed by her team would work, with human trials due to begin in the next fortnight. She said the vaccine would likely be ready for general use by September. The British government signaled that it would be willing to fund the manufacture of millions of doses in advance if results looked promising. This would allow it to be available immediately to the public if it were proven to work.
