Taking part in the @WHO @rd_blueprint Global Research & Innovation Forum today. Here's a comment from @DrMikeRyan: "Countries w/ govts that communicate complex science directly to the public, & use science as a basis for control, have had much better success fighting COVID-19" 
.@WHO Director General @DrTedros gives his opening comments: "At our 1st @rd_blueprint mtg in Feb. we knew so little about COVID-19. We need to continue working hard on the science behind this disease through these working groups to defeat the pandemic"
.@Dr_Wildlife from @EcoHealthNYC reports on the Animal-Human link in COVID emergence. "The animal trade & consumption pathway needs more attention - not just wildlife trade, but also livestock and fur farming"
.."We have evidence of substantial spillover of bat-origin CoVs to people prior to COVID"
"The role of other organizations such as the @OIEAnimalHealth is critical. They have repeatedly called for deeper research on the animal origins of COVID. We swill do not know exactly how it originated".
"There's also potential that people could introduce SARS-CoV-2 into new reservoirs around the world, e.g. bats in Europe, Americas"
"We need to remember that bats are important and work with communities to educate people on how to Live Safely w/ Bats!" this is a document that @EcoHealthNYC produced w/ Predict funding from @USAIDGH. You can download it here: ecohealthalliance.org/living-safely-…
Targeted surveillance of high-risk groups working with wildlife/livestock is critical right now.
Interesting point from @MarionKoopmans "We have to be careful not to over-interpret results when some of the studies are meta-analyses of data from preprint papers that are not all peer-reviewed yet."
Tough Q for @Dr_Wildlife on how SARS-CoV-2 emerged. "There are few places w/out bats. We come into contact w/ them everyday, so we're exposed to these viruses frequently. We can identify communities at risk, but we may never know the 1st person infected..the index case for COVID"
John Conly from @UCalgaryMed re-confirming that "Masks significantly reduce risk of COVID transmission"
..and May Chu explaining the scientific research that gives confidence that home made masks work in protecting against COVID
Nina Gobat discusses social science research to underpin decisions on combating COVID. "Urgent need for evidence-based psychsocial interventions for underserved groups"
...adds in response to a Q. that research on how social media has targeted healthcare workers & researchers during the pandemic is critically needed.
Up now at @rd_blueprint @WHO mtg, @michaeljacobs chairs session on Therapeutic trials w/ new data & analysis.
.@jonathanasterne discusses some of the trials going on using corticosteroid therapeutics
Richard Peto now discussing trial results on the following drugs:
Lopinavir (an HIV/AIDS drug) had no significant effect on COVID-19, neither beneficial nor significantly deleterious. Hydroxychloroquine "of no material value" in treating COVID (Solidarity & Recovery Trials), but no evidence of adverse effects.
Sir Peto comments that progress is "Disappointing because I'd hoped there would be a dozen or more trials ongoing at this point".
Dexamethasone provides reduces mortality in seriously ill patients (ventilators), as published, no benefits on those w/out oxygen (milder cases) & poss. negative impact. Some benefits for w/oxygen but not ventilators. "Heterogeneity among these groups" means diverse responses.
"Can't base global treatment regimens on one trial", even though response to Dex. is so strong in severely ill patients. Other studies coming...
Now #Remdesivir: Trials in the works, incl. mod. vs. severe illness. 260 deaths/3000 patients overall, so mostly low risk patients...
Randomized studies also underway. Looks good "But, I think we really do need bigger numbers...especially to find out what these antivirals do early on in an illness..can they work to help patients reduce severity of disease overall?"
From John Beigel @NIAIDNews "In my opinion data suggest studies on Hydroxychloroquine should stop".
Q for John Beigel @NIAIDNews. "Currently #Remdesivir is standard of care for hospitalized [serious] cases...But need to see if benefit on mortality of this drug from the larger trials currently underway"
Comment from Michael Jacobs: "If this is standard of care, what about access given USA will hold bulk of #Remdesivir stocks?"
Imp. point made by Sir Richard Peto. I think he was talking about the USA: "One of highest death rates from COVID & greatest capacity to do trials." We should be rapidly scaling up, but not only is our response so poor, we've also created many barriers to conducting trials
