THREAD: A story only one of the world’s biggest newswires could write. @Reuters reporters in 10 countries spoke to 30 doctors about lessons learned through 6 months of the global #coronavirus pandemic. It was fun to be a part of. Here’s what they said: reut.rs/3g1Z4Xc 1/8 
@Reuters Surprising progress has been made by simply positioning patients on their stomachs (“proning”) instead of their backs. Widespread testing has had outsized benefits, including for things you wouldn’t think of, like conserving PPE. 3/8
@Reuters New treatments, like the antiviral drug remdesivir and convalescent plasma from recovered patients, are showing anecdotal benefits, though more data is needed. 4/8
@Reuters But different regions have different access to these treatments. In the U.S., remdesivir and plasma are plentiful in wealthier regions like the Bay Area, but a doctor who treats underserved populations in New Mexico told us she struggles to access them. 5/8
@Reuters In countries that haven’t been able to access #remdesivir yet, particularly in the Middle East, doctors were more likely to report seeing benefits from #hydroxychloroquine - a controversial drug that’s fallen out of favor in the west. 6/8
@Reuters All in all, doctors say they’re now better prepared to fight this disease, which is good news as cases continue to surge, especially in the U.S. But we’re far from out of the woods, and doctors say prevention (masks, social distancing) is key. 7/8
@Reuters “If the best lesson we’ve learned is to turn patients onto their stomachs instead of their backs,” one doctor told me, “it means we’re far from a miracle cure.” Full story here: reut.rs/3g1Z4Xc 8/8
