Concise, current list of Covid-19 knowledge?

[canetoad]

I've searched unsuccessfully for this and am not sure if such a thing even exists.

I'd like to see in one place, the current, up-to-date knowledge on:

Symptoms
Transmission
Precluding factors
Effective treatments (and non-effective ones)
Post-Covid effects and complications
Vaccine progress

I'm sure there are many more questions, but I can't seem to find the most current medical and scientific research on these issues.

[BigmanPigman]

1. Good luck...WHO, CDC, etc

can't get on the same page.

Also, it is a novel virus and they are learning new things daily around the world. Such as brain damage, it has been added to the list along with respiratory damage.

"Scientists warn of potential wave of COVID-linked brain damage
LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists warned on Wednesday of a potential wave of coronavirus-related brain damage as new evidence suggested COVID-19 can lead to severe neurological complications, including inflammation, psychosis and delirium."

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/08/health/coronavirus-brain-damage-study-intl-hnk-scli-scn/index.html

[canetoad]

4. Exactly

I read every new bit of research I find but some is superceded within days.

Had not heard of the brain damage but makes sense, if this is a blood clotting disease.

Thanks.

[BigmanPigman]

8. Richard Quest, CNN reporter,

is recovering from it and he is still having weird stuff happen to him (at the link) that is neurological (vision problems, etc). His doctors say the same thing, "We don't know, it could be short term, long term, permanent, etc". Also, as with the Spanish Flu, some stuff doesn't develop for several/many years.

[Chemisse]

2. It's all such new info that it's coming out as it's being discovered.

I've been compiling info in documents on my computer as I find it and adding the results of new studies as they come out.

With all the transparency of scientific data and analyses regarding this novel virus, we're all learning about this at the same time.

[canetoad]

5. There must be thousands of strands of research

Being carried out worldwide. It would be helpful to know what is current and accepted, what has been debunked etc. Thank you.

[Thekaspervote]

3. I don't think such a thing exists. As a nurse, now retired I still read the weekly rpt by the cdc

The morbidity mortality report. Sometimes has some good info there

[canetoad]

6. I guess that a medical professional like yourself

Would know how to access such information on the net had it been collated and verified. Thank you

[lambchopp59]

7. You're asking for concision my own PCP has admitted doesn't exist

I have CT tech license as well, and follow the latest VuMedi and professional site updates. As the nurse expressed above, this is a novel coronavirus, with so many new capabilities it is mind bending to follow the research.
I wish I had some concise reference to refer you to. Personally, I'm truly frustrated with CDC lack of info, and seeming downplay of this epidemic.
I'll share what I've learned, but you're getting this from one exhausted tech, having just showered and home from another sweaty day with extended periods in a space suit around this menace.
Symptoms: fever, fatigue, body aches, shortness of breath with less than productive cough, often burning sensation in various areas of the lungs, sometimes substernal burning sensation with breathing, sometimes upper lungs, sometimes more spread. Other symptoms become wildly variable in those with extensive disease progression.
Transmission: recently discovered to me a bit more "airborne" than previously suspected. Still in the droplet transmission category.
Precluding factors: Turns out genetic makeup is likely the most determinant factor of all and it's ability to build immune response.
Diabetes, hypertension, obesity, COPD, asthma, CKD, cardiomyopathy, sickle cell anemia and any immunocompromised condition, degradation from extensive drug or alcohol abuse.
Effective treatments: Hydroxychloriquine may be of some benefit if administered very early but that's risky especially for those with several preexisting illnesses, far too much cardiac danger. In the same way a stopped clock is right twice a day, Donald Idiot Trump was right but largely tremendously wrong about taking that, unless taking in such large doses that lethal amounts would indeed, cure the COVID by killing the patient. Remdesivir is now becoming experimental standard treatment.
But nothing as yet has been totally effective except one's own immune response.
Post complications vary, but mostly in lung scar tissue and onset of new lung problems even in those with mild cases.
Vaccine progress is some of the most convoluted informatiion out there I haven't had much time to review. However, any vaccine that seems to appear and gets touted as some bigly thing by our current leadership before election time? I'd be highly dubious of effectiveness. Most likely it will take quite some time for proper development.

[canetoad]

9. I'd suspected there was no easy answer

However, I appreciate your time in answering at length. Thanks.

[safeinOhio]

10. What do your think.

From the latest news, I'm going with a face shield and a cheap fabric mask.
All of the film I've seen the ER folks are wearing both. The airborne particles seem to be the problem. A plastic shield looks to protect against that the best. With an fabric mask that might be a better protection for the uninfected, while still protecting others.

[soothsayer]

11. Yeah I bought face shields months ago

...Soon as I read it could get into your eyes if someone coughed.

That was oogy enough for me.

I bought some more last week when I realized we’ve given up on trying to control it.

So far I’ve only enlisted them for occasional outdoor dining with a small group of friends, cuz you can eat and drink with the shield on.

[lambchopp59]

14. Hospital personnel are wearing N95's and sheilds or PAPR's

For general grocery-shopping purposes, the point of the face covering is mostly a social contract concern, limiting human flora pollution and community spread, "flattening the curve".
For personal protective purposes, especially if a person is in any high-risk category the best option is avoidance, as much as reasonably possible, of indoor venues. Secondary to that is wearing N95 masks with the droplet face shield, although cheap fabric mask will likely also do for relatively short and well social distanced possible exposures. Post handling of that protective gear is paramount. Not a bad idea to wipe down the shield with disinfectant wipe before removal, remove mask from the inside with clean gloves or after handwashing. Handle the damn thing like radioactive plutonium and avoid the deep inspiration of relief from mask free air despite the momentary reprieve in the area of that PPE until fully disinfected and allowing drying time. Personally, I drown my fabric social-setting "shopping" masks in a jar of good concentration rubbing alcohol for hours, then lay out to dry. Wash those paws again after handling, and your face thoroughly after removal of PPE.
Now, all that being said, here's the bad news.
My colleague has come down with symptoms even after wearing PAPR's and tremendous amounts of super careful protection and handling of equipment. We're all on edge to see how he fares. But, keep in mind we're getting daily exposures in contaminated environments despite all the efforts to battle it down, and the worst problem I've mentioned to other staff: Now and then we get the aged, dementia patient who just can't grasp the nuance of situational awareness, angrily removing masks, coughing without any coverage. I had one do just exactly that yesterday, angry someone had put some "damn thing" over his face. I'm glad I had both the N95 and shield on, anticipating such a possibility.
Doing anything to help slow the spread is commendable. What you mention will probably do, but key word is probably.

[safeinOhio]

15. They are pretty cheap on Amazon.

Fog proof, washable and look fairly comfortable. I'm thinking they might help for when someone coughs in your direction and the spray might hit you in the eyes.
I stay home as much as I can but not possible all of the time. Have to go to the post office to pick up mail and a few other times I find I have to go out.

[lambchopp59]

17. Very likely well worth every dime.

I'm putting together a personal PAPR unit. I have the solid and neck drape style motorcycle-helmet looking hood, rear hookup and hose. I've yet to buy the matching HEPA filter blower unit. I doubt I'll actually ever use it, and I'll explain.
It's probably the most effective personal protection unit known as long as handled and maintained properly.
I have my suspicions this won't be the first pandemic our own or future generations will face, nor even possibly the worst. Should we get through this one, heaven forbid the whole planet learns no lessons here about voting in science-denial ignoramuses like Trump and Bolsonaro, for our progeny's sake. It's not really for myself. I'm 60 years old, had a good life and if god sends me on, I'll feel I've done some good on this earth. If I'm allowed some retirement time to enjoy some perks once this thing blows over, hopefully, all the better.
But my adoptive son, I fear, will need a unit like that in the future. He's just a month away from earning his on line computer engineering Bachelor's.
I was privy to some researchers at UCSF who were experimenting with viral and bacterial mutations at the time of my internship in the 1980's. The findings were hair raisingly, petrifyingly frightening results that had to be carefully destroyed. Sometimes too much information can be a terribly dangerous thing in the wrong hands.

[safeinOhio]

19. Thank you.

Seems the scope of this virus changes every day. The latest information has changed and it focused on the transmission by air rather than surface and touch. I hear more about the force and speed. Coughs, singing and loud talk. The cloth mask protect the other person better than myself. That is why I ordered the shields. I’m 70 in good health, jog a few times a week 4 or 5 miles and stay active. My partner is a RN and has more of a chance of contact with it. Have a long history of smoking in the past. No COPD, and that amazes my doctor.
Thanks again for your input.

[mackdaddy]

18. Good summation, I would add a couple of symptoms:

Note this is from reading/research, I am by no means an expert. So do your own cross checking on these.

From a writeup attributed to a contact tracer he said that stomach/Gastrointestinal issues and diarrhea were often some of the first symptoms people experienced along with a headache.

A nurse at a assisted living facility described many first getting brightly red rimmed eyes. Also often people do NOT have a fever early, or it comes and goes.

As a preventative Vitamin D3 has been proven in earlier trials to reduce respiratory infections by up to 70%. It is assumed it may be a factor on who catches it as people who do not get much sun, or have darker skin make less of their own D3.

Zinc is also know to reduce the ability of viruses to be replicated early on during the first days of infection.

Yes, the hydroxychloroquine and also Ivermectin have had REAL scientific trials that have shown that they can reduce the number of hospitalizations and serious cases but only if given in reasonable doses in the very first days of the infection. (and my work better with Zinc) Much like the antiviral Tamiflu only works on reducing the severity of the standard flu virus if given early on these drugs may work with Zinc to slow the replication of the virus. They are not a magic cure but Trump politicizing and over hyping them has caused problems with looking at them as how they may actually be used. Some of the studys on hydroxychloroquine showing very negative results were giving extremely sick patents on respirators doses of up to 12 times the normal dose given for malaria. By that time they are already loaded with virus and may have heart and lung damage so the Hydroxychloroquine is a negative and not a positive by that time.

Here is an article about a real scientific trial of the hydroxychloroquine where it reduced death by half when used early in a Detroit hospital group. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/07/02/michigan-henry-ford-health-study-finds-hydroxychloroquine-lowers-covid-19-death-rate/5365090002/

Trump is still a moron, but if something works we should look at it if it can be used in a careful and effect way.

[Rstrstx]

12. Not a total match, but the emcrit site might help

https://emcrit.org/ibcc/COVID19/

It doesn't cover every topic you mention but there's a lot of information there

Also the East Virginia Medical School has put out a treatment guideline (including a guide for prophylactic and mildly symptomatic people at home). Much of their advice comes from the Frontline Covid-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC). It is based on a treatment protocol they call MATH+

EVMS links:

https://www.evms.edu/media/evms_public/departments/internal_medicine/EVMS_Critical_Care_COVID-19_Protocol.pdf

(short version):
https://www.evms.edu/media/evms_public/departments/internal_medicine/Marik-Covid-Protocol-Summary.pdf

FLCCC Alliance
https://covid19criticalcare.com/

[superpatriotman]

13. We know nearly nothing

It seems to evolve daily.

[hamsterjill]

16. Stating the obvious but it must be stated

If we had any real leadership at the federal level, there would be one central body (website, etc.) where all of this information could be found.

It’s absurd that such a thing doesn’t exist.