God Bless American Ingenuity - new test for corona

[calfoxwc]

this is really impressive.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/abbott_labs_coronavirus_test_breakthrough

US company announces a major breakthrough in coronavirus testing: This is a 'GAME CHANGER'

Physicians and urgent care clinics will soon be able to test for COVID-19

[TexasAg1969]

Johnson & Johnson will begin live pilot testing of a vaccine starting in Sept. and if it is proving out will be able to mass produce in case of dire emergency by Jan 2021. 

https://www.barrons.com/articles/johnson-and-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-emergency-use-human-testing-51585573762

[OldBrownsFan]

1 hour ago, TexasAg1969 said:

Johnson & Johnson will begin live pilot testing of a vaccine starting in Sept. and if it is proving out will be able to mass produce in case of dire emergency by Jan 2021. 

https://www.barrons.com/articles/johnson-and-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-emergency-use-human-testing-51585573762

They say they are moving on this with "lightning" speed but when you need something right away it doesn't seem like it.

Much like in an emergency you call the police or the rescue squad and they respond quickly in minutes and those minutes seem like hours.

[hoorta]

2 hours ago, OldBrownsFan said:

They say they are moving on this with "lightning" speed but when you need something right away it doesn't seem like it.

Much like in an emergency you call the police or the rescue squad and they respond quickly in minutes and those minutes seem like hours.

It's problematic to the extent- you at least have to have a bunch of controlled field trials. Are there side effects? Anyone out there want to take this vaccine and then get exposed to Corona to be a human guinea pig? Show of hands out there for volunteers.    

[OldBrownsFan]

4 minutes ago, hoorta said:

It's problematic to the extent- you at least have to have a bunch of controlled field trials. Are there side effects? Anyone out there want to take this vaccine and then get exposed to Corona to be a human guinea pig? Show of hands out there for volunteers.    

Yeah I understand but everything is relative. This may be going at "lightning" speed in relation to past vaccines but when it is desperately needed right now that lightning speed seems incredibly slow.

[OldBrownsFan]

Not ready for prime time.....but "A" for effort

Astrophysicist gets magnets stuck up nose while inventing coronavirus device

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/mar/30/astrophysicist-gets-magnets-stuck-up-nose-while-inventing-coronavirus-device

[calfoxwc]

1 minute ago, OldBrownsFan said:

Not ready for prime time.....but "A" for effort

Astrophysicist gets magnets stuck up nose while inventing coronavirus device

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/mar/30/astrophysicist-gets-magnets-stuck-up-nose-while-inventing-coronavirus-device

I felt sorry for LOL LOL LOL, but then read the rest of the article. Now I'm good. LOL

[hoorta]

On 3/29/2020 at 1:02 PM, calfoxwc said:

this is really impressive.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/abbott_labs_coronavirus_test_breakthrough

US company announces a major breakthrough in coronavirus testing: This is a 'GAME CHANGER'

Physicians and urgent care clinics will soon be able to test for COVID-19

OK, your Lab Guy chiming in....  It's damn impressive at the speed they've been able to develop this test methodology- more later on that. Hat's off to them.   Abbott's testing platform is one of (and not the only) what's called a POC (not beer) point of care testing system. They're generally little (& highly sophisticated) boxes weighing in at less than 10 pounds, and are easily portable. 

I've mentioned PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing before, and Abbott's method is similar. These testing methods harness a very similar method a virus uses to replicate itself- except millions of times faster. The difference is PCR uses heat\cooling cycles to drive the replication process, but Abbott's method uses enzymes. Said it before- this stuff would have been considered Buck Rodgers 40 years ago. 

If you're interested, here's a cute little (simplified) video of how this PCR process works.  What they left out at the end (at least in virus and bacteria testing) is you tag the end product with something that will light up in a spectrophotometer. If it doesn't light up, its negative. Abbott's problem is going to be mass producing the incredible amount of primers and enzymes necessary to make this test available on a national scale. I totally get exactly how it works. All you need is one or two Corona viruses floating around and this molecular method is going to catch them.  

EDIT:  I'm going to make an assumption people who have successfully recovered from a Corona Virus infection form antibodies to the virus.  So the next thing up on the docket is to develop a test protocol to see if someone has those antibodies, and UM, is immune to further infection- at least I hope that's going to be the case.    

 

 

[TexasAg1969]

5 hours ago, hoorta said:

It's problematic to the extent- you at least have to have a bunch of controlled field trials. Are there side effects? Anyone out there want to take this vaccine and then get exposed to Corona to be a human guinea pig? Show of hands out there for volunteers.    

Well early in life I was one of those children who took the 3 shot polio vaccine in the first national test, so at this age I'd have no problem doing it again. I have no idea how to do that,but I'd be fine with it. Been a risktaker all my life so this is not some out of character bravado or something. Skydiving Jumpmaster,  Infantry 1Lt, motorcycle rider most of my life so not a problem really doing something worthwhile if it could speed up the availability for my grandkids (and yours). I want them to have the long life I have had. And I think a number of people here feel the same way.

[Axe]

Ditto, I tell people all the time, if all ended tomorrow all I could say is Thank You Lord. It's been an incredible ride.

 

[Tour2ma]

On 3/29/2020 at 12:02 PM, calfoxwc said:

this is really impressive. https://www.theblaze.com/news/abbott_labs_coronavirus_test_breakthrough

US company announces a major breakthrough in coronavirus testing: This is a 'GAME CHANGER'

Physicians and urgent care clinics will soon be able to test for COVID-19

Good test... gonna help... but won't tell us who has been exposed, has recovered and is now "immune" in the substantial segment of our population that has never been tested. Of course that's assuming we can become immune thru the infection and recovery route for Covid-19... which as best I know is still not certain. However, assuming immunity can be achieved it's going to take an antibody test to detect that. That is what will start green-lighting a return to normalcy and work.

 

And just checked.... seems the folks at Mt Sinai believe they have a test: Researchers Develop COVID-19 Antibody Test

There still have to be a lot of questions, e.g., how easy is the test, how long does it take... basically how practical is it to apply on a national scale, but once there is a test published other minds will build on the first work and improve it.

Other good news is that since there are antibodies, then there is immunity. Again, how far and wide is TBD, but it's something...

 

There are also some interesting trials using plasma from recovered case donors to infuse antibodies into the ill. This was underway "assuming" antibodies were there

 

[Tour2ma]

11 hours ago, TexasAg1969 said:

Johnson & Johnson will begin live pilot testing of a vaccine starting in Sept. and if it is proving out will be able to mass produce in case of dire emergency by Jan 2021. 

https://www.barrons.com/articles/johnson-and-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-emergency-use-human-testing-51585573762

CNBC was all over this today. JNJ has selected their best vaccine candidate and are committing to its production now in anticipation of successful trials.

Still the Jan, 2021 date is one of those "if all goes well as early as" dates. The real timeline includes a range of ready dates extending from Jan. to June, 2021. In other words the same timeline Fauci has been saying al along.

The difference here is JNJ paralleling the production ramp up.

3 hours ago, TexasAg1969 said:

Well early in life I was one of those children who took the 3 shot polio vaccine in the first national test, so at this age I'd have no problem doing it again. I have no idea how to do that,but I'd be fine with it. Been a risktaker all my life so this is not some out of character bravado or something. Skydiving Jumpmaster,  Infantry 1Lt, motorcycle rider most of my life so not a problem really doing something worthwhile if it could speed up the availability for my grandkids (and yours). I want them to have the long life I have had. And I think a number of people here feel the same way.

Well... you're lucky. The early, Sabin vaccine used weakened, live polio virus. It gave the disease to a some kids.

Subsequently Salk learned that dead virus carried the same immuno benefit minus the infection risk. His vaccine quickly became the one to use... and it came on a sugar cube!

[DieHardBrownsFan]

3 hours ago, Tour2ma said:

CNBC was all over this today. JNJ has selected their best vaccine candidate and are committing to its production now in anticipation of successful trials.

Still the Jan, 2021 date is one of those "if all goes well as early as" dates. The real timeline includes a range of ready dates extending from Jan. to June, 2021. In other words the same timeline Fauci has been saying al along.

The difference here is JNJ paralleling the production ramp up.

Well... you're lucky. The early, Sabin vaccine used weakened, live polio virus. It gave the disease to a some kids.

Subsequently Salk learned that dead virus carried the same immuno benefit minus the infection risk. His vaccine quickly became the one to use... and it came on a sugar cube!

I remember getting the shots at first, then we switched to the sugar cube.

[TexasAg1969]

5 hours ago, Tour2ma said:

Well... you're lucky. The early, Sabin vaccine used weakened, live polio virus. It gave the disease to a some kids.

Subsequently Salk learned that dead virus carried the same immuno benefit minus the infection risk. His vaccine quickly became the one to use... and it came on a sugar cube!

My kid sister was born almost 16 years after me in 1962 and I can recall she was given the sugar cube. Lucy girl. But she still had to take the yellow fever one and if I recall correctly, that was one painful shot compared to others we took to live in Venezuela. We took so many different ones that I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure at the time we had to travel to Houston to get it. I don't know where that sister got it since she was born in Venezuela. Probably Caracas. 

BTW I am going to try to contact the right people with J & J today and see if I can find out how to volunteer. If I do I will post information here.

[TexasAg1969]

Wow J&J commits to 1 Billion vaccines for worldwide use at cost. No profit. 

https://www.jnj.com/johnson-johnson-announces-a-lead-vaccine-candidate-for-covid-19-landmark-new-partnership-with-u-s-department-of-health-human-services-and-commitment-to-supply-one-billion-vaccines-worldwide-for-emergency-pandemic-use

[calfoxwc]

22 hours ago, TexasAg1969 said:

Wow J&J commits to 1 Billion vaccines for worldwide use at cost. No profit. 

https://www.jnj.com/johnson-johnson-announces-a-lead-vaccine-candidate-for-covid-19-landmark-new-partnership-with-u-s-department-of-health-human-services-and-commitment-to-supply-one-billion-vaccines-worldwide-for-emergency-pandemic-use

Wow is right. 

[TexasAg1969]

Just now, calfoxwc said:

Wow is right. 

I tried for a long time trying to find out how to be a volunteer for the vaccine trials in Sept. Besides J&J even talked to a guy at J&J partner on this at Janssen. No luck at all though. 

I know you like to research stuff cal. Could you give that a try?

[calfoxwc]

35 minutes ago, TexasAg1969 said:

I tried for a long time trying to find out how to be a volunteer for the vaccine trials in Sept. Besides J&J even talked to a guy at J&J partner on this at Janssen. No luck at all though. 

I know you like to research stuff cal. Could you give that a try?

I don't think so. Ever since I was spooked by that old movie..."The Fly", I'm not much on experimental medicine/tech stuff. lol

[jbluhm86]

On 3/30/2020 at 5:04 PM, OldBrownsFan said:

Yeah I understand but everything is relative. This may be going at "lightning" speed in relation to past vaccines but when it is desperately needed right now that lightning speed seems incredibly slow.

I know it's frustrating, but they have to make sure that the cure isn't deadlier than the virus. 

On a related note, it does seem that the hydrochloroquine that we discussed the other day seems to be having a therapeutic effect on COVID-19 patients. As long as there's enough to treat people with other diseases and as long as people aren't hoarding it, then it should be used. 

[TexasAg1969]

1 hour ago, calfoxwc said:

I don't think so. Ever since I was spooked by that old movie..."The Fly", I'm not much on experimental medicine/tech stuff. lol

LOL! At least it's not Steve McQueen running from The Blob.💩

[Tour2ma]

On 3/31/2020 at 4:18 AM, DieHardBrownsFan said:

I remember getting the shots at first, then we switched to the sugar cube.

I remember a new-fangled, needle-less pressure gun that shot a vaccine below the skin and sugar cubes thereafter.

IIRC both were administered in the gym lobby of a then brand new Valley Forge HS.

 

[Axe]

Antibody testing..

Should it be a main focus at this point?

 We can do all three right?

[Tour2ma]

35 minutes ago, Axe said:

Antibody testing..

Should it be a main focus at this point?

 We can do all three right?

The antibody test only requires a blood draw, so should be no issues on the sampling end other than proximity to other people.

No idea what the competition will be like for equipment or lab personnel on the analytical end.

[TexasAg1969]

I tried to do anti-body testing with wifey, but got the "I have a headache" routine. But those words got me out of there faster than ever this time.😘

[Tour2ma]

Apparently The Wall Street Journal has an Opinion piece today concerning antibody testing.

Unfortunately you have to subscribe to see the entire article.

Got Coronavirus Antibodies?

Tests that show immunity are crucial to beating Covid-19.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/got-coronavirus-antibodies-11585782003

 

 

[Tour2ma]

Have heard a couple times today including most recently by Dr. Birx in the Daily Presser about a blood test for antibodies being developed that would only require a drop of blood from a finger stick placed onto a test card.

Positive results would be show as a line. If positive the line would show very quickly.

It's basically like a home pregnancy test except blood not piss is involved...

 

I don't know what the timing is. Apparently there are similar tests for other things in existence. Closest one I know of is the card my Doc used to smear... ummmm.... "residue" on after my annual "finger wave" to check for the presence of blood in the "residue".