GVN SARS-CoV-2 Perspectives

What does it mean to be a COVID-19 Long-Hauler? Some of the serious aspects of COVID-19 are long-term symptoms that persist for a significant period after SARS-CoV-2 infection and acute symptoms have apparently resolved. People experiencing these conditions have been called “long-haulers” and are a consequential proportion of those infected with SARS-CoV-2. Particularly, many patients…

It has become clear that the type 1 interferon responses to SARS-CoV-2 have a great deal to do with the outcome of infection. Patients with benign courses of infection yield high levels of expression of interferon-α (IFNα), while critical cases of COVID-19 show low levels of its expression. Paradoxically, in severe disease, expression of INF…

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, extensive research has focused on therapeutics. A combinational approach of traditional drug development and drug repurposing is necessary to make progress in treating and preventing COVID-19 in a timely manner. While developing new drugs is critical, repurposing existing molecules has been a major strategy. In the early stages…

The cases of new SARS-CoV-2 infections are currently increasing at an alarming rate, suggesting that winter might bring a large healthcare crisis. Diagnostics have become a critical tool in curbing COVID-19. It is important that accurate results be obtained rapidly and that collection of samples be as fast, simple, and convenient as possible. What tests…

The concept of herd immunity is frequently brought up as an alternative to lockdown and intervention-based strategies for curbing the COVID-19 pandemic, this sensitive issue being much influenced by policy makers. In this context it is important to first define herd immunity. This is obtained when enough of the population has immunity to an infectious…

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, the global community has become accustomed to comprehensive, interventional strategies such as wearing a mask, social distancing, hand hygiene, and surface cleaning and disinfection. It is well known that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 occurs through direct, indirect, or close contact with infected people through infectious secretions, such as saliva and…

One of the important determinants of severe Covid-19 appears to be an inappropriate response by the innate immune system. Specifically, this involves, on the one hand, insufficient or delayed expression and signaling by type 1 interferons (IFNs), which induce innate cell-mediated immunity. The interferon (IFN) response constitutes the major first line of defense against viruses.…

The concept of Superspreaders and Superspreading events has recently attracted a lot of attention. In fact it is important to understand that most of SARS-CoV-2 infected persons are in fact not contagious! Thus, transmission is really dependent on a handful of individuals we call Superspreaders who nurture Superspreading events. Let’s distinguish between Superspreaders and Superspreading…

As the COVID-19 pandemic expands, interests in the progress of vaccine development are intensifying. Despite an unprecedented rate of progress, it is still uncertain when a safe, effective vaccine will be available for wide distribution to the public. Successful vaccine development goes through a series of stages, from animal studies for the evaluation of its…