Page 11 - HOH

A2 UP FRONT
Saturday 31 OctOber 2020
On virus, Trump and health advisers go their separate ways

Continued from Front es because it tests so many
people. That’s an assertion
“As the president has said, often heard from Trump.
the cure cannot be worse “We do believe, and the
than the disease and this data show, cases are going
country should be open up — it’s not just a function
armed with best practic- of testing,” he said on NBC.
es, such as social distanc- Rising numbers of hospitali-
ing, good hygiene, and zations and deaths confirm
face coverings, to limit that.
the spread of COVID-19,” Trump’s clashes with sci-
spokesman Judd Deere ence and the scientists
said in a statement. around him have been a
The health officials do not running story throughout
invoke Trump in their warn- the pandemic. He’s often
ings, and they sidestep lashed out at Dr. Anthony
questions that might lead Fauci, the government’s
them into anything that top infectious disease spe-
could be perceived as a di- cialist. He’s called CDC
rect criticism. But their mes- Director Dr. Robert Red-
sage reflects a different field “confused” about the
view of reality than what’s timeline for the availability
coming from the president of vaccines.
and senior White House of- In this Oct. 25, 2020, photo, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows responds to reporters But the split is only growing
ficials. questions outside the West Wing on the North Lawn of the White House in Washington. wider.
Associated Press
“I wasn’t an English major, With the arrival of cold
but ‘tenuous’ seems like to have more draconian not seen since the summer bleak because there are weather, the virus risk is
the right word” to describe measures.” surge. also states that have suc- greater because people
the condition of the coun- The numbers bear him out. The seven-day rolling aver- ceeded in curbing previous will spend time indoors
try, Giroir said this week on According to data through age for daily new deaths surges. where it can spread more
NBC. Thursday from Johns Hop- rose over the past two But test positive rates have readily. Contradictory mes-
The surge can be control- kins University, the seven- weeks from 704 to 803. been rising in 44 states, sages from the top don’t
led by going back to the day rolling average for dai- Fifteen states have test pos- according to the COVID help.
“3W’s” but “if we don’t do ly new cases in the U.S. rose itive rates of 10% or higher, Tracking Project. “The risk is enormous,” said
those things it may force over the past two weeks considered an indicator Giroir also said the facts Auerbach. “We are literally
local officials or govern- from 53,412 to 76,590. That of widespread transmis- contradict the notion that talking about lives being at
ment officials in the states marks a return to levels sion. The picture is not all that the U.S. has more cas- stake.”q

2nd study testing a COVID-19 antibody drug has a setback

Earlier this month, a differ- case, he said.
ent group of monitors rec- Doctors already know that
ommended pausing enroll- timing can matter when it
ment in a U.S. National Insti- comes to COVID-19 treat-
tutes of Health study testing ments. Studies suggest that
an Eli Lilly antibody drug dexamethasone and other
to investigate a possible steroids can lower the risk
safety issue in hospitalized of death when given to
patients. very sick patients to tamp
On Monday, the NIH said down an over-active im-
no safety problem had mune system, but they may
been verified, but they be harmful for those who
stopped the study because are only mildly ill.
In this undated image from video provided by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals on Friday, Oct. 2, the drug didn't seem to Lilly and Regeneron have
2020, scientists work with a bioreactor at a company facility in New York state, for efforts on an work in that situation. asked the Food and Drug
experimental coronavirus antibody drug. "These kinds of results are Administration to allow
Associated Press informing us about the tim- emergency use of their ex-
By MARILYNN MARCHIONE who need intense oxygen Antibodies are proteins the ing of the benefit," said Dr. perimental antibody drugs
AP Chief Medical Writer treatment or breathing ma- body makes when an in- Myron Cohen, a University for mild and moderately ill
For the second time, a study chines -- because of a po- fection occurs; they attach of North Carolina virologist patients who don't need
testing an experimental an- tential safety problem and to a virus and help it be who advises the govern- hospitalization. President
tibody drug for COVID-19 unfavorable balance of eliminated. But it can take ment on COVID-19 treat- Donald Trump got the Re-
has been paused to investi- risks and benefits. several weeks for the most ments. generon drug when he was
gate a possible safety issue The study can continue to effective ones to form. The Tests in animals suggest that sickened earlier this month.
in hospitalized patients. test the two-antibody drug experimental drugs aim antibody drugs work best Regeneron said it would
Regeneron Pharmaceu- combo in hospitalized pa- to help immediately, by when given early in infec- share Friday's advice from
ticals Inc. said Friday that tients who need little or no supplying concentrated tion to lower the amount of independent monitors with
independent monitors had extra oxygen, the monitors versions of one or two an- virus, he said. Once some- the FDA and leaders of a
recommended placing on said. Other studies in mild or tibodies that worked best one is very sick, the drugs separate study in the Unit-
hold enrollment of the most moderately ill people also against the coronavirus in may not help, but it's too ed Kingdom testing its drug
severely ill patients -- those are continuing. lab and animal tests. soon to know if that's the in hospitalized patients.q