Continuing from the previous thread and the question of religious gatherings.  I’m not particularly religious but I respect the choice of those who are.  This must be a really difficult time for those of certain faiths for whom togetherness is a big part of their faith.  

I know it’s against current regulations but I think at times of need, togetherness is even more important.  I’m not for one minute suggesting they should be excepted from the rules and I don’t condone such gatherings.  However, I do think we could be a little more understanding and less critical of them. We’re all in this together but we all have different needs and circumstances. 

Rant over!  

Originally Posted by: Caz 

Not a day to dwell on the significance of the number 13

Originally Posted by: DEW 

​Doctors frustrated by delays in plasma therapy trials for COVID-19 patients

Quote

 

Doctors in the UK say they're increasingly frustrated the government has yet to approve trials for plasma therapy to help treat coronavirus patients. The therapy involves extracting plasma from the blood of people who have recovered from the virus, and giving it to those who are critically ill. The idea is that antibodies produced by patients who have had survived the virus will boost the immune systems of those who are trying to beat the disease.

Trials are already under way in other countries including China, France, Germany and the US but no decision has been made in the UK. Dr Colin Hamilton-Davies leads the acute cardiac critical care unit at Bart's Hospital in London and has spent 30 years looking at this line of research. He said lives could be saved if action is taken immediately. "We have a national health service and blood service that is the envy of the world, we have a very substantially-sized department of blood transfusion, and for people harvesting blood plasma, we could step it up within a week. "We could be administering it, not just to one or two people, but hundreds of patients."

 

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-doctors-frustrated-by-delays-in-plasma-therapy-trials-for-covid-19-patients-11972462?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

​Not sure why it needs trialling as it is a very old method of combating disease used before modern drug therapy.

Originally Posted by: Gavin D 

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-doctors-frustrated-by-delays-in-plasma-therapy-trials-for-covid-19-patients-11972462?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

​Not sure why it needs trialling as it is a very old method of combating disease used before modern drug therapy.

Originally Posted by: bledur 

You are right, bledur, there is a lot of such history we have forgotten.

A neighbour in his 70s told me that his father had survived "Spanish 'Flu" and had asked for a blood transfusion to be given to his son. This was done and my informant  wonders if he may still have some immunity - tho' whether that would offer any benefit in CO-19 is difficult to imagine.

I have mentioned another neighbour who contracted Polio in the 50s and was in an isolation hospital for some time. His dad, a farm worker, was compelled to be a lone worker for the duration - on his own in remote parts of the farm.

As schoolkids we had to dip our hands into pot permanganate solution [during a Polio scare] after using the toilet. Wash, shake, dip...

Roger

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 

One way to get a tan... 

Originally Posted by: doctormog 

It needs trialling as it is not scientifically proven to be effective or more importantly safe. As easy as it seems to say just start using this therapy, medical history is full of examples showing why that is really not a good idea. Small scale trials absolutely, but rolling it out without proper clinical trials would be medical and scientific insanity.

Originally Posted by: doctormog 

 I thought i read they were using it nearly straight away in the U.S. in this current Covid 19 outbreak.

Originally Posted by: bledur 

Continuing from the previous thread and the question of religious gatherings.  I’m not particularly religious but I respect the choice of those who are.  This must be a really difficult time for those of certain faiths for whom togetherness is a big part of their faith.  

I know it’s against current regulations but I think at times of need, togetherness is even more important.  I’m not for one minute suggesting they should be excepted from the rules and I don’t condone such gatherings.  However, I do think we could be a little more understanding and less critical of them. We’re all in this together but we all have different needs and circumstances. 

Rant over!  

Originally Posted by: Caz 

 I thought i read they were using it nearly straight away in the U.S. in this current Covid 19 outbreak.

Originally Posted by: bledur 

I have concerns about the mass adoption of plasma therapy. Perhaps those with more medical knowledge can reassure me. In particular:

1) Is there a risk of other known viruses being transferred to patients (e.g Hep C, HIV)

2)  Is there a risk of currently unknown viruses which may be circulating at very low levels and (possibly) harmlessly becoming widespread and potentially deadly? 

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 

In answer to 1 the plasma would be screened for HIV and other viruses (certainly in this country). In answer to 2 in theory it could be a risk however the precautions used in normal blood and plasma transfusions would make such a risk negligible.

Re. Bill Gates, if you haven’t seen hus 2015 TED talk it is well worth a watch.

Originally Posted by: doctormog 

What religion before life and death! Beggars belief. Even the pope done his service remotely. They will survive if they temporarily change the way they pray, but they won't if they carry on as they are, and nor will we. Our paths cross in the supermarkets which are a haven to catch something. Yes we are all in this together, so why not comply like the rest of us. They need their heads banging to get the message in, and some do on here as well!

Originally Posted by: Phil G 

Religion cannot present itself as a valid excuse in times like this. Gatherings for whatever reason needlessly risk lives.

Sensible religious people will observe guidelines and do the right thing, I have no doubt on that. Those that don't are or not of sound mind and are dangerous to society.

Originally Posted by: SJV 

Religion cannot present itself as a valid excuse in times like this. Gatherings for whatever reason needlessly risk lives.

Sensible religious people will observe guidelines and do the right thing, I have no doubt on that. Those that don't are or not of sound mind and are dangerous to society.

edit: I have no problem with Caz's post, mind you. She provided a balanced opinion and didn't condone, merely understood why it might be difficult for certain groups to comply. Personally, I don't understand why people would risk and effectively sentence others of their ilk to their deaths through negligence but I'm not religious.

Originally Posted by: SJV 

Bill Gates ....TED talks 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Af6b_wyiwI

Originally Posted by: llamedos