[mvadg]

Originally Posted by vibbs

Heard from my Italian colleague that finally Italy has transitioned to allow people move outside without masks!

Interestingly, everyone else seems to be saying that masks help cut virus transmission significantly:

The Washington Post: Spate Of New Research Supports Wearing Masks To Control Coronavirus Spread As partisan interests sew symbolism and controversy into masks, scientists are trying to provide answers about how effectively those masks prevent transmission of the coronavirus, and what role they should play in efforts to limit the pathogen’s spread.(Guarino, Janes and Cha, 6/13)

From https://khn.org/morning-breakout/cdc...ace-coverings/

https://www.sfgate.com/science/artic...d-15333170.php

I wish our government would ensure everyone wears masks before any of the other measures. I don't know if this will be taken up seriously as it may not have those career benefits like locking down cities.

[GeneralJazz]

A cure for coronavirus??

Acharya Balkrishnaoga, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Yoga guru Ramdev-run Patanjali, has claimed that the company has found an Ayurvedic medicine that can help cure the novel coronavirus infection. According to Balkrishna, an Ayurvedic medicine developed by the firm has been able to cure COVID-19 patients within 5-14 days.

We are not talking about an immunity booster. We are talking about a cure," Balkrishna said in Haridwar, according to ANI.

Link 1, Link 2, Link 3, Link 4.

Plenty of bold statements are made, like 100% recovery and that its a cure, not an immunity booster. He also talks about clinical trials being done on hundreds of covid positive patients. These are very bold statements, considering that he isn't a run of the mill snake oil salesman.

Not qualified enough to comment on this. Doctors, can you give your opinion?

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by GeneralJazz

A cure for coronavirus??

I also saw the report today, and I am sticking my neck out(with anticipated brickbats) and I suppose it is again one of those con jobs which the usual suspects do when the water is muddy. When the whole of India is in perennial fearful mode, it makes perfect business sense to play on that fear and make a killing !!

P.S- Not a doctor, would be happy to be proven wrong !!

[adrian]

We need jokes like these to lighten up the Covid times. Reminds me of Jagathy's "Crocinaadi Vadakam"

Edit : For those who don't understand Jagathy's crocinaadi vadakam - Jagathy is a comedy actor in Malayalam Films. He played this miracle healer in one of the films, where the medicine he prescribes is actually crocin tablet powdered and mixed with bhasmam to create "crocinaadi vadakam"

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by GeneralJazz

A cure for coronavirus?...

Not qualified enough to comment on this.

Not a doctor, but now that there is a sense that most people are not affected severely by the SARS-COV2, quacks can start peddling their cures with a good probability of success. This is why all miracles and religious cures will make a comeback.

[lapis_lazuli]

Originally Posted by GeneralJazz

A cure for coronavirus??

he isn't a run of the mill snake oil salesman.

Not qualified enough to comment on this. Doctors, can you give your opinion?

5 to 14 days anyway is a typical time-frame to show signs of "coming back to life" for most patients with no comorbidities, IMHO. Is this also declared by the Ministry of Ayush? Curious to know! What they have not mentioned, is what segment/age group of patients got cured and the time of the first dose. Also, if placebo was tried side by side, as is done in standard clinical trials worldwide.

I am of the firm belief, that it is going to be re-purposed drugs (like Ivermectin/Doxycycline combo), that will cure us should we get infected. Latam countries are using it extensively. India too has started, like vivek95 and many of my doctor friends have confirmed. Whether the drug lobby blows a small/moderate but definite side effect out of proportion to still push for a bulti-billion dollar wonder drug, remains to be seen.

[Durango Dude]

We in Chennai are looking at another complete lock down starting June 19th till June 30th (tentatively): another dislocation of operations, another chaos of people who want to go home: whether they'll be able to leave Chennai is another question as e-passes are difficult to procure, banks working limited hours, establishments shut after opening for a brief period... Nightmare of 2020 continues unabated...

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by GeneralJazz

A cure for coronavirus??

Originally Posted by lapis_lazuli

5 to 14 days anyway is a typical time-frame to show signs of "coming back to life" for most patients with no comorbidities, IMHO.

"Doctor, how long until I get better?"

"Without medicine, seven days; with medicine, one week."

It's an old one, but I'm never short of opportunities to quote it.

[DCEite]

While its expected and fashionable to laugh off at Ayurvedic and alternative cures, one must not forget that the proposed compounds to be used in Patanjali's medicine do have some scientific backing as strong immunomodulators.

1. Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3644751/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2924974/

2. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722/
https://nunm.edu/2008/08/clinical-re...odys-immunity/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3336880/

3. Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5376420/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4296439/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles...016.00681/full

And finally:

https://health.economictimes.indiati...-aist/75820118

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...y/75864118.cms


P.S. No offence but I know many of us laughing off at Patanjali's medicinal claims would be the first ones to run to the local chemist to get hands on the pill when its released and stock it up.

[adrian]

Originally Posted by DCEite

While its expected and fashionable to laugh off at Ayurvedic and alternative cures, one must not forget that the proposed compounds to be used in Patanjali's medicine do have some scientific backing as strong immunomodulators.

Sir, I think no one who posted here are laughing off Ayurveda or alternative cures. The laugh was on the company who had made the claim. Without running out and swallowing the offered pills, we all have a right to raise a doubt on the claims of a company who are not so reputed and been into controversies.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india...Dby4GISML.html

https://newsable.asianetnews.com/ind...s-on-medicines

https://www.zeebiz.com/companies/new...-in-2015-15389

[Thad E Ginathom]

Every so often, I come across the assumption that this virus is now well understood. Absolutely not. Here is the latest horror that I came across yesterday. Imagine a doctor examining post-mortem lung tissue and finding it hard to even recognise as lung tissue!

Covid-19 can damage lungs of victims beyond recognition, expert says.

Very scary stuff. Here's something a little more cheerful:

Steroid found to help prevent deaths of sickest coronavirus patients.

[Sree]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Here's something a little more cheerful:

Steroid found to help prevent deaths of sickest coronavirus patients.

Well UK was smart. They built up a stockpile, before releasing the data.

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/...-steroid-drug/

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Sree

Well UK was smart. They built up a stockpile, before releasing the data.

How curious, to say the least! And unlike the other drugs which are in and out of the world news like season-sensitive fashion, did anyone hear of this one before? a 6,000-strong clinical study is not something that gets done in a week.

But anyway, I think the article says that the drug is cheap and common. What's the situation on this one in India?

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

How curious, to say the least! And unlike the other drugs which are in and out of the world news like season-sensitive fashion, did anyone hear of this one before? a 6,000-strong clinical study is not something that gets done in a week.

But anyway, I think the article says that the drug is cheap and common. What's the situation on this one in India?

I think a number of steroids (used for treating arthritis) were being tested.

Sutripta

[harsha.muvva]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

But anyway, I think the article says that the drug is cheap and common. What's the situation on this one in India?

Dexamethasone, the drug claimed by UK to have shown good results is a steroid which is commonly used by doctors even in India and its even more commonly (ab)used by "quacks" of all kinds even in towns and villages of India. So availablity will not be a problem at all.

As far as I know even our intensivists are using steroids (dexa, prednisolone..etc) in selected group of patients as indicated. I will take this article with pinch of salt unless strong evidence in support comes from multiple independent trails.