@WoodsDweller

They took a version used to treat ich and velvet in saltwater aquarium fish and to kill algae growing in fish tanks and ponds. Definitely not fit for human consumption.

A Phoenix-area man is dead and his wife is under critical care after the two took chloroquine phosphate in an apparent attempt to self-medicate for the novel coronavirus, according to hospital system Banner Health.

It does not appear they took the pharmaceutical version of the drug, but rather "an additive commonly used at aquariums to clean fish tanks," Banner Health said in a statement.

Source: Fearing coronavirus, Arizona man dies after taking a form of chloroquine used to treat aquariums

That would be the drug. You see, Trump "really gets this stuff".

@Centaurea

never seem to learn.

east of New Orleans has been inundated with Orleanians fleeing the COVID outbreak. As if there's a way to "flee" a pandemic.

There are small towns all along the Gulf Coast in MS, AL, and FL. Last week, residents there were told to stay home and not go into New Orleans for anything. They did as instructed.

But here came the people from New Orleans, bumper to bumper on the Interstate, overwhelming the small towns, and no doubt bringing COVID with them

I understand the "cringe" factor when we read about RI police looking for refugees from NYC. I can understand why people would want to get out of a city overrun by disease.

But I can also understand why those in the communities trying to self-isolate but being invaded would want to keep them out.

I also think this situation demonstrates why the likely consequences of climate change are a matter of national security, as Bernie has often said.

@Pluto's Republic
within weeks from start of the pandemic. There were many ex-patients who were very happy to donate their blood to help others.

Expert: Plasma of cured patients effective in treating coronavirus
14-Feb-2020

Large amounts of antibodies have been identified in the plasma of some recovered coronavirus patients, Zhang Dingyu, director of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital said in a press conference on Thursday.

Initial results have shown the effectiveness of plasma transfusion in treating patients infected with the novel coronavirus, he said, calling on recovered patients to donate blood to help others.

The China National Biotec Group (CNBG) on Thursday said in a statement posted on Chinese social media platform WeChat that they have successfully prepared special immune plasma products, and will use them in the clinical treatment of severe coronavirus patients.

Made from plasma donated by cured patients, the products were prepared after virus inactivation treatment, and antibody neutralization tests against the novel coronavirus and multiple pathogens, CNBG explained.

Over 10 patients have so far accepted to undergo the new special immune plasma therapy with their condition significantly improving 12 to 24 hours after the treatment.
...
"First, donors must be in good health… we won't collect their plasma forcefully," Shen said. "They must donate voluntarily."

Shen said that he has been touched by the donors. "We will have more of the plasma since more patients are recovering."

Zhong Nanshan: plasma therapy is effective and safe
18-Feb-2020

"Plasma therapy is effective and safe," said Zhong Nanshan, a renowned Chinese respiratory expert, at a press conference in Guangdong Province on Tuesday.

Zhong was responding to a question about the effectiveness and risk of using plasma from recovered coronavirus pneumonia patients to treat patients with severe symptoms.

In explaining his position, Zhong recalled that plasma therapy was first used to treat H5N1 in 2005 and again to treat H1N1 in 2009 with positive results.
...
"The advantage of the therapy is that it doesn't conflict with different blood types," Zhong said, expressing optimism about the treatment.

He, however, stressed that it's particularly effective to severely ill patients, but not for critically ill patients.
...
Zhong told reporters work and research are speeding up on medicines to treat this new virus and a drug called Chloroquine phosphate has shown good clinical efficacy.

"Chloroquine is not really a kind of medicine with a special effect, but it is worthy of study," Zhong said.
...

I have been following the coronavirus in China almost from the very start and have been extremely impressed by their actions. It really pisses me off that the Trump administration refused to take their (or the WHO's) advice. Now look at the mess the country is in.

FDA Approves Centuries-Old Blood Treatment for Critical Coronavirus Patients

.

March 26, 2020

The Food and Drug Administration has announced that physicians treating critically ill coronavirus patients now can use a centuries-old practice that injects sick people with the blood plasma of survivors of infectious diseases.

A treatment, known as convalescent plasma, will immediately allow doctors in the U.S. to use plasma donated by coronavirus survivors to treat patients who are in critical condition with COVID-19.

Medical experts say plasma from recovered patients is rich in antibodies against the virus.
“Use of convalescent plasma has been studied in outbreaks of other respiratory infections, including the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza virus pandemic, 2003 SARS-CoV-1 epidemic, and the 2012 MERS-CoV epidemic. Although promising, convalescent plasma has not been shown to be effective in every disease studied,” the FDA said in the announcement.

.

The Chinese had favorably mentioned the technique in medical journals. It was reported to get seriously ill patients off ventilators.

I've seen calls for donors and stories of quick recoveries in the US. I guess they were testing ahead of FDA approval.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced New York doctors will begin to test convalescent plasma therapy in a trial starting in late March.

@Pluto's Republic

treated at Emory University Hospital.

FDA Approves Centuries-Old Blood Treatment for Critical Coronavirus Patients

.

March 26, 2020

The Food and Drug Administration has announced that physicians treating critically ill coronavirus patients now can use a centuries-old practice that injects sick people with the blood plasma of survivors of infectious diseases.

A treatment, known as convalescent plasma, will immediately allow doctors in the U.S. to use plasma donated by coronavirus survivors to treat patients who are in critical condition with COVID-19.

Medical experts say plasma from recovered patients is rich in antibodies against the virus.
“Use of convalescent plasma has been studied in outbreaks of other respiratory infections, including the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza virus pandemic, 2003 SARS-CoV-1 epidemic, and the 2012 MERS-CoV epidemic. Although promising, convalescent plasma has not been shown to be effective in every disease studied,” the FDA said in the announcement.

.

The Chinese had favorably mentioned the technique in medical journals. It was reported to get seriously ill patients off ventilators.

I've seen calls for donors and stories of quick recoveries in the US. I guess they were testing ahead of FDA approval.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced New York doctors will begin to test convalescent plasma therapy in a trial starting in late March.

@ggersh
It indicts the US as a nation which once was a unifier of nations to one that now intentionally divides them into hostile camps.

I would argue that not much has really changed other than the names of the "teams". Prior to the fall of the USSR, there was a bi-polar world. China's sphere of influence at this time did not extend much beyond it's borders. With the disintegration of the Soviet block, there were tremendous hopes for a multi-polar world where nations could become equals among equals.

But that was not to be. The US quickly strove to position itself as first among equals. It used it's considerable financial and military power to expand it's sphere of influence to the very borders of both Russia and China. But try as it might, the US could not hold back the growth in power of these arch-rivals. These countries worked in tandem to effectively constrain and neuter American global influence in an increasingly non-aligned world.

The one thing this coronavirus pandemic has done is to lay bare America's declining power and impotence to the entire world.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RQxD4Ff7dY]

Unfortunately, I don't think The Wizard of America will leave the stage as benignly.

https://www.channel4.com/news/irresponsible-politicians-have-undermined-...

[video:https://www.channel4.com/news/irresponsible-politicians-have-undermined-...