Welcome to this week’s roundup of developments in the coronavirus pandemic, as scientists continue to work on vaccine trials and the role of face masks for the public continues to be debated.
In the US, President Donald Trump continues to cause consternation among scientists
Trump, who previously shocked experts by suggesting injecting people with disinfectant could cure Covid-19 – a dangerous idea that scientists and doctors were quick to debunk – has now claimed to have seen “convincing evidence” that Covid-19 originated in Wuhan lab, contradicting his own government experts.
Once again, the scientific community has swiftly rebutted Trump’s assertions.
Dr Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, said: “We have good evidence from the genomics research that the virus is not manmade, and the scientific world has very much moved on from this idea. It is unhelpful for high-profile individuals to repeat the debunked conspiracy theories, as it undermines the public health response”.
There is cautious optimism around an experimental coronavirus drug
There are signs the antiviral medicine remdesivir – which has previously been used in Ebola patients – may be a useful tool in helping those with Covid-19. While it is not a “cure”, a new trial has suggested it can reduce the recovery time of those seriously ill with the disease.
Early results from an international trial of 1,000 participants reveal the drug cut recovery time from a median of 15 days to 11 and was also linked to a better chance of survival.
The findings come after results from a smaller trial among patients in China, that was cut short, initially suggested the drug had little effect.
“What it has proven is that a drug can block this virus,” said Dr Anthony Fauci, the US government’s top infectious disease expert.
However experts have warned the drug is unlikely to be available widely in the UK any time soon, as it is very difficult to obtain, while they say the trial’s data must also be rigorously analysed and licensing approved.
In the last edition of Science Weekly, Sarah Boseley talks to Prof Helen McShane about why there has been interest in the tuberculosis vaccine and whether it could play a role in protecting us against Covid-19
In the UK, face masks continue to be a hot topic
Boris Johnson has said the UK has passed the peak in the outbreak and is planning to outline the country’s exit strategy next week. But the role of face masks for the general public remains contentious.
This week, Boris Johnson said face coverings will be “useful” going forwards, suggesting they may give people confidence when going back to work, while Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said the Scottish public should wear them in cases where it is difficult to maintain physical distancing, for example when shopping, although the guidance is not mandatory. However, she cautioned that people should not feel “invincible” when wearing a mask, or stop adhering to distancing guidelines.
Experts have previously said that while wearing face masks in the community may reduce the chance of an infected person spreading the virus, there is no evidence they reduce the chance of being infected, and may even offer a false sense of security. It is understood the UK’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) has similarly advised the government there is weak evidence face masks can reduce the spread of infection.
However, some scientists have said the public should wear masks as a part of the ‘precautionary principle’, adding these can be homemade, noting surgical masks should only be used by health and social care workers. Sturgeon has recommended the public use something like a scarf or bandana.
Doctors around the world are reporting a rare inflammatory condition in children
In countries including the US, France, Spain and the UK, doctors are reporting cases of children with an unusual, but potentially deadly, inflammatory syndrome that has been linked to Covid-19. According to doctors in Europe, children of all ages appear to show symptoms including fever, digestive problems and vascular inflammation.
Concerns were first raised in the UK after seeing a number of children admitted to intensive care with a combination of toxic shock and an inflammatory disorder known as Kawasaki disease.
However, experts say the syndrome is rare.
“Whilst this is an evolving situation, it is clear that these symptoms are reported in only handfuls of cases,” said Dr Nazima Pathan, a consultant in paediatric intensive care in Cambridge. “The important message is that if parents are worried about their children’s health, they should seek medical advice.”
While progress is made with a coronavirus vaccine, doctors have raised concerns routine vaccinations are being missed
Doctors say they have seen a drop in uptake of routine vaccinations as a result of the coronavirus lockdown, raising concerns that could lead to outbreaks of other diseases such as measles.
In the US, MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) shots were down 50% in the week of 5 April, with diphtheria and whooping cough immunisations down 42%, while concerns have also been raised in the UK.
Prof Martin Marshall, the chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners in the UK said: “Children can become very ill and die from the complications of common illnesses like measles that haven’t gone away. And immunisation is a fundamentally important part of preventing that from happening. We cannot allow delays in immunisations to go on for a long time, otherwise we really will see a crisis.”
