Back to Basics

So .. we need a vaccine. Something that is preventative .. a prophylactic.

This may look like a flu shot, where data drives what’s in it, and data that advises for how long it will last. This is the ultimate assurance that the population is protected.

From the NIH (Dr. Fauci’s organization), look at how vaccines have changed the world: “The contribution of vaccination to global health: past, present and future“.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner. This gets us back to normal.

On the not-so-basic side:

• We need to know who is immune and cannot infect others. It’s especially important that they not transmit the virus, which is unknown at present.
• We need to know that regardless of our status, have we been exposed? This is unlikely something that can be tested, but Apple and Google are working on a Coronavirus tracking tool. From The Verge: “How you’ll use Apple and Google’s coronavirus tracking tool“. My concern: if I’m in the same place (like a store) as someone with a positive status, will this produce a false positive for me?
• Last, therapy. Where if you catch it, there is a treatment to help you get over it. Which in turn, gives you the antibodies to provide yourself immunity (the top bullet).

Vaccines are 12-18 months out. Serology may happen ‘this week’, but initially, only for critical workers. Apple and Google will likely be pretty fast, but a lot of unknowns therein at the moment. Therapy doesn’t really exist yet.

Our current solution is avoidance .. and it is working. Plateaus are visible. We need to keep it up.

Stay connected. Stay safe. Stay home.