Rapid mobilization
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2025 6:12 am
First, the scientists' responsiveness was impressive. While the first serious cases of severe pneumonia were reported in China at the end of December, the virus responsible (since named SARS-CoV-2) was identified on January 7, and its genome was completely sequenced at the end of January. And by January 13, a test was available to identify affected patients!
Since then, the mobilization zalo database has not weakened: on the reference site Pubmed, a bibliographic database that brings together scientific publications from the biomedical world, more than 150 articles were listed in one month. As of March 19, there were more than 1,000. At the same time, laboratories (private or public, university, research, etc.) are at work and clinical trials are multiplying throughout the world, to find a treatment, or even a vaccine. Several dozen clinical trials are already underway, some very promising. A first vaccine is even already being tested in the United States...
And ongoing coordination
Of course, even if vaccine prototypes are already developed, or even being tested, it will take several months – generally speaking, at least 18 months – for a marketable vaccine to become available. But the ability of the scientific community to mobilize and cooperate (it should be noted that most publications concerning the coronavirus have been left open access) is unprecedented. Europe has even decided to coordinate, by creating an advisory group on Covid_19, responsible for “formulating EU guidelines”.
The epidemic is under control in some countries
On the ground too, positive news is starting to arrive. First, the figures confirm it: over 80% of those infected are mildly symptomatic, or even asymptomatic. Better still, in mid-March China and South Korea seem to have passed the epidemic peak. The strong measures taken in many countries will make it possible to fight Covid_19 effectively… There is no question of pretending that everything is going well of course, but the cooperation of scientists, public authorities and even manufacturers (with textile industries offering to manufacture masks, or LVMH producing hydroalcoholic gel in its perfume factories) is undeniably boosting morale!
Since then, the mobilization zalo database has not weakened: on the reference site Pubmed, a bibliographic database that brings together scientific publications from the biomedical world, more than 150 articles were listed in one month. As of March 19, there were more than 1,000. At the same time, laboratories (private or public, university, research, etc.) are at work and clinical trials are multiplying throughout the world, to find a treatment, or even a vaccine. Several dozen clinical trials are already underway, some very promising. A first vaccine is even already being tested in the United States...
And ongoing coordination
Of course, even if vaccine prototypes are already developed, or even being tested, it will take several months – generally speaking, at least 18 months – for a marketable vaccine to become available. But the ability of the scientific community to mobilize and cooperate (it should be noted that most publications concerning the coronavirus have been left open access) is unprecedented. Europe has even decided to coordinate, by creating an advisory group on Covid_19, responsible for “formulating EU guidelines”.
The epidemic is under control in some countries
On the ground too, positive news is starting to arrive. First, the figures confirm it: over 80% of those infected are mildly symptomatic, or even asymptomatic. Better still, in mid-March China and South Korea seem to have passed the epidemic peak. The strong measures taken in many countries will make it possible to fight Covid_19 effectively… There is no question of pretending that everything is going well of course, but the cooperation of scientists, public authorities and even manufacturers (with textile industries offering to manufacture masks, or LVMH producing hydroalcoholic gel in its perfume factories) is undeniably boosting morale!