Positive news about Corona Virus Updates

[Saddleworth2]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but this t-cell stuff seems really hopeful and that it could explain an awful lot that we didn't previously had answered. Honestly feel like it could be the answer to a tonne of questions.

Been reading up on it quite a lot on this today, and the general importance of them, and it's left me feeling quite hopeful. Excuse my basic explanation, but I just want to put it out there to see what others think. I didn't know this before today, but t-cells, which are very important in fighting off infections, are produced by the Thymus gland. The Thymus gland, and this is common medical knowledge apparently, starts to become gradually less useful from puberty onwards, and usually stops being effective around the age of 75 or so. So basically, the older you get, the less t-cells you produce, until basically you start to produce none. If you're dead young, you've got a really healthy Thymus gland producing a shit tonne of t-cells to fight off infections.

Now studies emerging today show a notable correlation between people suffering with severe cases of coronavirus and a notably low level of t-cells. There's some suggestion that for whatever reason the virus is pulling the rug from under the t-cells, thus reducing the body's natural capability to fight off the infection. Obviously you've got less t-cells as you get older, but the research seems to suggest that people have less than they should in some cases. That BBC report a few posts back has given us news that they're going to trial a drug that could help people produce t-cells in the hope of fighting off this virus. Really encouraging, and hopefully it helps.

Could it be that t-cells are a lot more important than we realise and we've only got a small part of the overall immunity picture? It seems plausible that most people's mild cases, or asymptomatic ones could be explained by t-cells fighting it off instead, efficiently, thus reducing the need for a stronger antibody response. We could have spent an awful lot of time and energy looking for signs of antibodies to see how many have had it, but accidentally not given enough consideration to another part of the picture. T-cells. There are even some suggestions that our bodies' t-cells may have fought off other milder, common coronaviruses recently, thus giving some partial immunity to help fight off the virus, given they do share similarities.

There's seemingly a growing weight of evidence to suggest that this virus *could* be a lot more spread than we realise (many advise caution though obviously) and we've in fact been looking for proof that of the spread via quite a narrow measure - i.e just antibodies. It could be that we should be looking for signs of activated t-cells as well. The t-cells thing seems to explain why the virus seems to get worse as you get older, and also explains why children deal with this so well...

Now I may have summarised that incorrectly, but it seems very hopeful to me, and pretty logical too! Obviously though I don't want to explain it incorrectly or get anyone's hopes up, and sorry if I have. I'm just some random bloke who hasn't got a clue, so naturally I advise caution. Heh.

Now studies emerging today show a notable correlation between people suffering with severe cases of coronavirus and a notably low level of t-cells.

as you rightly say the fact that the virus hits the elderly more than the young may mean that the level of t-cells is an important factor. I’m a little surprised that this has only been mooted now though if these cells are so important to fight infection. Anyway, it sounded hopeful so fingers crossed. On another positive note, Some Lothian Health workers are to be offered a place on the Oxford vaccine human trials. Maybe my nurse daughter will be offered a place.

 

[twosips]

as you rightly say the fact that the virus hits the elderly more than the young may mean that the level of t-cells is an important factor. I’m a little surprised that this has only been mooted now though if these cells are so important to fight infection. Anyway, it sounded hopeful so fingers crossed. On another positive note, Some Lothian Health workers are to be offered a place on the Oxford vaccine human trials. Maybe my nurse daughter will be offered a place.

Yeah it seems so obvious that it makes me wonder why they didn't notice it earlier. I guess sometimes people tend to miss what's right in front of them? Could also be that they've only now got enough data to analyse things like t-cell counts or something like that.

 

[Bluemoon dan]

Yeah it seems so obvious that it makes me wonder why they didn't notice it earlier. I guess sometimes people tend to miss what's right in front of them? Could also be that they've only now got enough data to analyse things like t-cell counts or something like that.

I think from what I've read about them is that, very basically and non-scientifically, your T-cells are the little soldiers in your blood that go and attack and kill whatever foreign virus is in your body. If Covid does indeed wipe them out then it would explain why some people struggle to shift it. I'm definitely taking it as a positive anyway. Especially as drugs to boost the T-Cells are already in existence.

 

[Mr Partridge]

Has there actually been any instances of countries having a big surge of cases having eased lockdown? I know they had more cases in schools in France and a factory(I think) Germany, but I'm talking massive increases?

All I keep hearing is that a second peak is almost guaranteed but when you look at the figures the impression I get is that its continuing to drop in most countries whether they are still on lockdown or not? Which supports the theory that the virus could be weakening over time.

And yet the narrative seems to be "we're gonna have a second peak and this will go on for years unless we find a vaccine" but the figures I'm looking at dont back this up at all. Or maybe I'm looking at the wrong figures?

There are people on here more knowledgeable than me so I am sure they will correct me if necessary.

 

[ayrshire_blue]

Has there actually been any instances of countries having a big surge of cases having eased lockdown? I know they had more cases in schools in France and a factory(I think) Germany, but I'm talking massive increases?

All I keep hearing is that a second peak is almost guaranteed but when you look at the figures the impression I get is that its continuing to drop in most countries whether they are still on lockdown or not? Which supports the theory that the virus could be weakening over time.

And yet the narrative seems to be "we're gonna have a second peak and this will go on for years unless we find a vaccine" but the figures I'm looking at dont back this up at all. Or maybe I'm looking at the wrong figures?

There are people on here more knowledgeable than me so I am sure they will correct me if necessary.

As far as I know you're absolutely right mate. Headline on BBC the other day was that the R number in Czech Republic had risen to 1.2, look into it further and it was all due to an outbreak amongst miners, controllable without it spreading to the general population. R rate in Germany going up made massive news, absolutely nothing when it was back down a few days later though. Outbreak in french schools, smallprint is that most of the Infections were likely prior to the schools even reopening though.

The media have a roll to play and it shouldn't be all about scaring people just because it makes headline news. I mean, it's right to be honest and open and if things are bad we should know, but for the love of God put things such as the above into some context so we're not all shitting ourselves 24/7.

Some countries in Europe have been open from lockdown at least partially for nearly 5 weeks with fuck all rise in infections. Denmark allowing events with up to 500 people (socially distanced) very soon. This kinda stuff is positive and people should know this as well as the negatives.

 

[BlueHammer85]

As far as I know you're absolutely right mate. Headline on BBC the other day was that the R number in Czech Republic had risen to 1.2, look into it further and it was all due to an outbreak amongst miners, controllable without it spreading to the general population. R rate in Germany going up made massive news, absolutely nothing when it was back down a few days later though. Outbreak in french schools, smallprint is that most of the Infections were likely prior to the schools even reopening though.

The media have a roll to play and it shouldn't be all about scaring people just because it makes headline news. I mean, it's right to be honest and open and if things are bad we should know, but for the love of God put things such as the above into some context so we're not all shitting ourselves 24/7.

Some countries in Europe have been open from lockdown at least partially for nearly 5 weeks with fuck all rise in infections. Denmark allowing events with up to 500 people (socially distanced) very soon. This kinda stuff is positive and people should know this as well as the negatives.

I only trust the BBC to be honest. And yes they can be scaremongery at times but i truly believe that’s to tell the idiots packing beaches the harsh reality this virus is

 

[ayrshire_blue]

I only trust the BBC to be honest. And yes they can be scaremongery at times but i truly believe that’s to tell the idiots packing beaches the harsh reality this virus is

It's not thst I don't trust them or other sources but that they post the headline without the context. Eg the BBC having the headline about the Czech Republic R rate the other day but absolutely no background or context to why it had risen to what it did. It shouldn't have to be investigated further by the reader to make sense of why that's happened and realise its perhaps not as scary as the headline reads.

Apologies for digressing onto the media here btw, just feel they have a role to play in informing us exactly how this is playing out.

 

[manchester blue]

Yeah it seems so obvious that it makes me wonder why they didn't notice it earlier. I guess sometimes people tend to miss what's right in front of them? Could also be that they've only now got enough data to analyse things like t-cell counts or something like that.

Who knows how long these things take to test etc? They're probably just getting on with it without shouting from the rooftops.

All the same it's encouraging. It seems a big race to find the cure and whoever does will be made! Thanks for posting.

 

[ayrshire_blue]

Scotland's lowest % rise in daily infection rates yet.

 

[True_Blue69]

Has there actually been any instances of countries having a big surge of cases having eased lockdown? I know they had more cases in schools in France and a factory(I think) Germany, but I'm talking massive increases?

All I keep hearing is that a second peak is almost guaranteed but when you look at the figures the impression I get is that its continuing to drop in most countries whether they are still on lockdown or not? Which supports the theory that the virus could be weakening over time.

And yet the narrative seems to be "we're gonna have a second peak and this will go on for years unless we find a vaccine" but the figures I'm looking at dont back this up at all. Or maybe I'm looking at the wrong figures?

There are people on here more knowledgeable than me so I am sure they will correct me if necessary.

No there hasn't been, Denmark are actually baffled as there has been no marked increase in people catching it. You won't read that in the press though, you will read how opening school has caused a mass of infections even though they had only been open 4 days and it takes 5 days on average to show symptoms. More experts are gradually predicting it may naturally weaken and die off, let's hope they're right, certainly in the minority though at the minute