I was hoping to create thread to provide a place for hopeful news related to the current health crisis.
Anything is welcome showing progress, hope, economic and financial assistance coming and eventual recovery topics, heroic medical efforts, kind acts or ideas until we all get through this together.
Positive ideas and efforts by your local, state and federal govt or agencies is good info too.
French study finds anti-malarial and antibiotic combo could reduce COVID-19 duration
Darrell Etherington
@etherington / 11:12 am EDT • March 19, 2020
FRANCE-CHINA-HEALTH-VIRUS
Image Credits: GERARD JULIEN / Getty Images
A new study whose results were published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents has found early evidence that the combination of hydroxychloroquine, a popular anti-malaria drug known under the trade name Plaqenuil, and antibiotic azithromycin (aka Zithromax or Azithrocin) could be especially effective in treating the COVID-19 coronavirus and reducing the duration of the virus in patients.
The researchers performed a study on 30 confirmed COVID-19 patients, treating each with either hydroxychloroquine on its own, a combination of the medicine with the antibiotic, as well as a control group that received neither. The study was conducted after reports from treatment of Chinese patients indicated that this particular combo had efficacy in shortening the duration of infection in patients.
The patient mix included in the study included six who showed no symptoms whatsoever, as well as 22 who had symptoms in their upper respiratory tract (things like sneezing, headaches and sore throats, and eight who showed lower respiratory tract symptoms (mostly coughing). 20 of the 30 participants in the study received treatment, and the results showed that while hydroxycholoroquine was effective on its own as a treatment, when combined with azithromycin it was even more effective, and by a significant margin.
These results represent a limited study with a small number of patients, but they are promising, especially when combined with earlier reports from patients in China with the same treatment options. Researchers globally are testing a number of potential treatments, including a range of drugs used previously in the efforts to combat Ebola, SARS, HIV and other global outbreaks.
There are no confirmed effective treatments specifically for COVID-19 to date, but regulators and medical researchers everywhere are working hard to get through the process of testing and approvals in search of something that can at least reduce the duration or severity of symptoms in patents. Vaccine development is also underway, but any approved and effective COVID-19 vaccine is at least 12-18 months away, even with resources redirected towards developing one as fast as is safety possible.
OPINIONPublished
March 20
Chick-fil-A Operator:
Amid coronavirus, I want to keep my team employed while balancing safety, serving others
Behind every business, there are people – the workers who make it all happen and the customers who partake in the fruit of the effort
Across the world, countless eateries have been closed altogether, while others have reduced their services to takeout and delivery only.
On the grand scheme of things, the sustainability of a business like mine that specializes in selling chicken sandwiches and waffle fries may seem frivolous when compared to our nation’s war against an invisible, virulent enemy like COVID-19.
Yet, behind every business, there are people – the workers who make it all happen and the customers who partake in the fruit of the effort. Small business is at the heart and soul of the American economy. Like a rising tide, the success of smaller proprietorships raises the fortunes of everyone else.
Mark Hufford and some of his Chick-fil-A team members in an undated photograph with CFA owner (seated with milkshake), Dan Cathy.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve been trying to manage a very unique and inevitable tension, which is keeping the teams in my two Chick-fil stores employed – while keeping them and our customers safe.
At the risk of stating the obvious, people are stressed out. Anxiety is running high. I see it in the eyes and in the faces of our employees and the guests to our restaurants. In many ways, anxiety and fear of the unknown have spread through our country like a virus of its own.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve been trying to manage a very unique and inevitable tension, which is keeping the teams in my two Chick-fil stores employed – while keeping them and our customers safe.
Some have wondered why small business owners like myself won’t just close up shop and shut down operations until the crisis has passed.
It’s a fair question. We’ve already taken significant steps to do our part in this fight against the spread of the virus. We’ve closed our dining rooms, our playroom areas and we’re reducing our hours of operation.
Through the leadership at Chick-fil-A, we have a shared vision – “To be the world’s most caring company.”
It’s an inspiring and daunting vision. And it’s one that that will be put to the test during this pandemic.
One of CFA operator Mark Hufford’s stores in Bentonville, Arkansas
As I’ve pondered and prayed about what I personally can do to play my part, I have settled on three positive and tangible areas of focus that provide value to our guests, team and community.
First, we are committed and I would even say obsessive about adhering to all CDC, state and local guidelines. Our employees and our stores have always been clean and well-managed, but we’ve redoubled our efforts.
Second, given that we’re in the hospitality business, we’re doing our best to encourage people with a spirit of kindness, warm their hearts with a sincere smile and make a personal connection from afar that provides comfort – because making the most of the moments we have still matters, regardless of how perilous a season this might be.
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Third, we’re attempting to provide people with a sense of normalcy. People are eager for the familiar.
A tasty meal can elicit good thoughts and a sense of security. In times of uncertainty, routines keep us anchored and grounded in the reality that life really is still going forward.
Chick-fil-A will be offering a new side dish: macaroni and cheese. This is the fast-food chain’s first, new permanent side to be added to the menu since 2016.Video
One of my hardest working team members shared with me this week that her husband just recently lost his job. Mary then shared with tears how their landlord refuses to work with them on the rent. This woman is in a crisis.
I’ve made a commitment to her to do all I can to keep her from losing any hours during this downturn. I have approximately 150-160 team members in my enterprise.
These days are full of shock and sober surprises, and the financial markets respond accordingly. But the fundamentals of what makes our economy the envy of the world remain as constant as the North Star.
For me, personally, I have a social and moral and Christian responsibility to do all I can to care for each of them to the very best of my ability.
I’m encouraged by the study of the Italian village where they tested every single resident. They found 25% who tested positive never had any symptoms – ever, This, of course, is one reason the virus is spreading so quickly. But it gives me hope that a percentage don’t even get sick. Crossing fingers I end up in that group rather than the 20% that need hospitalization.
Here are 11 things we’ve seen that lifted our spirits.
By Marisa Iati
March 18
Here’s what has been keeping our reporters — and one editor — smiling:
The coronavirus feels like it has left nothing untouched in its wake, and that includes pet shelters. Fewer people are swinging by to visit available pets, and volunteers have similarly dried up. So I was heartened to see my friends take in Wyatt, a sweet pit bull mix around 2 years old. He was found starving two months ago in a Walmart parking lot in Georgia, my friend Lauren said, and she took him to her home outside New York City. She and her husband, Kris, will care for Wyatt until he is adopted and finds a forever home — a remarkably selfless decision in a period of anxiety and uncertainty. Not to mention: Lauren and Kris have done this before. Kris found Frosting, a Jack Russell and pit bull mix, running down the street in D.C. last year. That means for now, Wyatt has a friend to frolic with in the spring, now that Frosting has found a home for good. If you are interested
Inside Chicago’s once-bustling Shedd Aquarium, there wasn’t a soul in sight — except for a penguin waddling past the glass tanks. With the facility closed to the public, staff at the aquarium saw an opportunity for a field trip. They started Sunday with a penguin named Wellington, who peered into one of the giant fish tanks. The next day was mated pair Edward and Annie’s turn. Video of the sightseeing trips was shared online thousands of times — and understandably so. Amid a crush of news about shuttered businesses, a crashing stock market and a growing number of infections, it was a much-needed glimpse of wonder. — Brittany Shammas
When you’re feeling anxious, pausing to appreciate the natural world can be a great way to calm the mind and relieve stress. And it can even be done in quarantine, as professional birder Nick Lund showed us over the weekend. On Sunday morning, Lund called on Twitter followers who were riding out the coronavirus at home to send in pictures of the birds in their backyards. Within hours, a virtual community of birders from around the country had snapped photos of 230 species, from bald eagles to wood ducks to painted buntings. For me, the project underscored how nature can bring people together in a frightening time. There’s something distinctly soothing about the presence of an animal — whether it’s a cardinal pecking at your feeder, a cat sitting in your lap, or, if you’re Arnold Schwarzenegger, a mini donkey and a mini horse joining you at your dinner table. Animals are innocent. They’re stoic. While our world grinds to a halt, theirs carries on. We can learn a lot from them. — Derek Hawkins
With the conversation Monday turning to the coronavirus — as it always seems to do now — one of my housemates mentioned her mother, a teacher in North Carolina. Even before school districts around the country shut down, she was worried about what the virus meant for her students: How would they all eat, when many relied on free lunches? How would they all keep learning while they were isolated in vastly different living situations? I thought of the messages that friends got from their professors as they were kicked off campuses — stressed, worried about family and in some cases scrambling for a place to go. They were thoughtful messages with parting words such as “do not hesitate to write to us for any reason” and advice to check in on vulnerable people in their lives. In all the upheaval this pandemic has brought, I’m reassured by teachers’ care for the young people who look up to them and rely on them. — Hannah Knowles
A three-tweet thread from Jester D Saturday roughly did for me what watching five seasons of “The Wire” did: Remind me that every job, no matter how routine or insignificant it can feel, is essential for a functioning society. Doing it well, free of cut corners, matters. Jester wrote about being a garbageman who can’t work from home, and it resonated with others who aren’t taking days off because the world needs us. We’ve always been needed, but suddenly we felt a little more seen and appreciated. Twitter, which is often ground zero for awfulness, unspooled a thread of appreciation for the garbage collectors, delivery people, bus drivers, janitors, mailmen and so many others who, as it turns out, aren’t taken for granted. Users gave Jester more than 452,000 likes and reminders that “not all heroes wear capes.” His dose of unadulterated “we’ll get through this together” positivity stood out. — Keith McMillan
With restaurants, theaters, sporting events and other locations of social activities shut down across the United States, the abundance of time at home has been a boon for crafters. On Monday, educator Mariame Kaba asked her nearly 150,000 Twitter followers to share what they were crafting during home isolation (for Kaba: knitting a scarf). Hundreds of replies rolled in, with responders sharing their in-progress paintings, pies, woodworking, poetry, knitting and gardening. Cozy items such as crochet baby Yodas drew lots of love, as did pies with a pro-social message. While social distancing because of coronavirus is likely to last a while, Kaba’s social media callout shows that creative energy and community can still flourish amid the crisis
Like many nursing homes across the country, Sterling Village in Massachusetts has severely restricted its visitation policy. But resident Millie Erickson’s family still wanted to celebrate her 100th birthday with her, so they and the facility found a creative solution, WCVB reported. About a dozen of her family members and nursing-home staff gathered outside her window to sing “Happy Birthday” as she waved along with the music and teared up — and it was all caught on video. I was heartened that this family found an outside-the-box way to make their loved one feel embraced and valued during this isolating time. We may currently need to keep our physical distance from older family members, but that doesn’t mean we can’t facilitate togetherness. Those human connections are what will get us through this crisis. — Marisa Iati
Last week, professional runner Rebecca Mehra shared a story about a couple in their 80s who yelled to get her attention in a grocery-store parking lot. They told her they were nervous about going into the store because older adults face heightened risk from the coronavirus, so they handed her a $100 bill and a grocery list and asked if she would shop for them. Mehra got their groceries and loaded them into their trunk. This story resonated with me because Mehra did what I think — or hope — many of us would have done in the same situation. As she put it on Twitter: “Frankly most people I know would have done the same thing I did. I was just in the right place at the right time.” — Meryl Kornfield
With nearly every major U.S. sport canceled or postponed, fans and athletes are desperately searching to fill an unimaginably large void. As a die-hard basketball fan, the grim reality set in for me last week when the NBA suspended its season: I would no longer be able to watch my beloved Los Angeles Lakers. So what exactly happens when basketball — a sport that doubles as an escape for many fans — essentially disappears? It didn’t take long for the ingenuity of sports fans to emerge. The first video that caught my eye was a young man who set up a three-point contest in his kitchen using water bottles and a trash can. Then I saw two people play tennis through adjacent windows. Even NBA players have gotten in on the alternative fun: Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young, a dynamic shooter, posted a video of himself shooting socks into a waste bin in a three-point contest of his own. Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant took hilariously parodied his own NBA player introduction, again, in the confines of his home.
They are asking people to stand on your balconies or wherever you are at 8pm at night to applaud as a people for our health care workers across the country.
Seems like a nice symbolic gesture. They deserve it.
That sounds like a lovely idea. Thank you for making this thread, by the way. It’s encouraging to read stories of hope in this time of crisis.
Not a story of recovery or hope, but amid all the bad, it’s been great having D home from college. I love watching my kids interact and laugh and enjoy each other. I love that they’re actually less techy than usual and have been doing puzzles and playing basketball and taking the dogs for walks. As a family we’ve been playing games and doing zoom conferences with far off relatives. I feel like these are bonus days and am trying to enjoy them and see the positive as much as possible. Also, seeing people in our community and neighboring towns on Facebook reaching out and offering to help warms my heart.