Thread by @drlucymcbride

Today we are talking about the good, the interesting, and the upshot among the recent #coronavirus-related news. THE GOOD: Hope is alive! A promising vaccine is coming out of Oxford University. 1/13

Fingers/toes crossed it continues to look good in human studies+ can be out for use this fall. The @US_FDA will likely approve emergency use of Remdesivir (drug typically used to treat HIV) which has shown favorable results in #COVID__19 patients but warrants further study. 2/13

Labrador retrievers are being studied as a “canine surveillance” corps (aka virus “sniffers”). @MichelleObama called me last night (it was a Robocall, but still) to announce that DC residents with symptoms can now get FREE #COVID__19 testing though a DC hotline. 3/13

The @US_FDA and @FTC rebuked two companies selling phony #COVID__19 products. The @US_FDA doubled down its efforts to remind cigarette smokers that they can be more vulnerable to respiratory illnesses such as #COVID__19. If you haven’t already, it's a great time to quit! 4/13

South Korea today reported they have not had any new #COVID__19 cases since the end of February. Australia/New Zealand are delivering similar great news. The planet is benefiting in many ways from global lockdowns. Global greenhouse gas emissions are down. 5/13

THE INTERESTING: Rashes are turning up as symptoms of #COVID__19, particularly in youngsters. (Rashes are common for many viruses so this is not surprising and not worthy of panic but rather a call to the pediatrician.) 6/13

As some of my #COVID__19 patients would attest, the second week of illness is worse than the first. It’s unclear why, but it's probably from a combination of factors like genetics/virus’ effect on lung tissue/body’s immune response to the virus/underlying health conditions. 7/13

It turns out #COVID__19 can affect a variety of organ systems—much like other viruses can. Of particular interest is the effect on the vascular system (arteries, veins, and smaller blood-carrying tributaries). 8/13

Injury to blood vessels in the lungs—and not merely to the lung tissue itself—seems to be a mechanism for illness in some patients, while other patients are suffering strokes. 9/13

The news of young people having strokes is alarming, but it’s important we put this information in context. First, know that the report is on five patients which is of course devastating but not evidence of widespread pattern. 10/13

AND it may turn out that these people had underlying clotting disorders, genetic factors, or other knowable reasons for clot formation. While anecdotal evidence is interesting and worth studying further, it is NOT PROOF of causality. 11/13

THE UPSHOT: In God we (may) trust, but everyone else MUST BRING DATA. Maintain hope, because it’s healthy, and because there’s reason to! We made it through April! Here are some tips on the eve of a new month:
1. Journal your thoughts. 2. Get exercise/movement daily. 12/13

3. Connect with friends. 4. Try on-line dating if you haven’t before (single people only).
5. Get creative! Paint a wall of your bedroom, make a homemade quarantine board game or make a colorful list of ALL the things you’ll do when you are free. Dream big! 13/13