A critical question for sceptics is whether there are any effective treatments for COVID-19 because if there are then the case for prolonging the lockdown is weakened. So far, the most promising candidates are Hydroxychloroquine, Remdesivir and, most unexpectedly, Ivermectin, a drug for treating head lice. Which of these potential treatments hold most promise? As background, a quick introduction to what a virus actually is, and how COVID-19 acts on the body. This wonderful article from Scientific American clearly explains how viruses are simply fragments of DNA. Not life as we know it, they cannot respire, cannot replicate without a host, but they can invade host cells, take over the nucleus and reprogram it to create clones of themselves, which then explode out of the used cell to continue the cycle of infection.
The virus is passed through the transmission of droplets exhaled, coughed or sneezed out by infected persons. Initially, the virus attacks exposed cells of the throat and eyes to invade and clone itself. Once established, the infected cells start to shed the cloned virus, and in the body’s attempts to expel it by coughing and sneezing, a cycle of infection is created as the host sheds virus cells into the surrounding environment, where they can survive in the air or on surfaces. Over the course of a few days the host’s immune system kicks in and creates sufficient antibodies to overwhelm the virus and stop it spreading within that host. By then, however, the virus has already moved on to its next victim(s).
From antibody tests recently carried out in the US, it appears that for the huge majority of those infected, that is as serious as it gets. Many people are asymptomatic or suffer such mild symptoms that they don’t bother to seek medical attention. However, COVID-19 can also lead to pneumonia, more often in the elderly and those with comorbidities, which itself causes further, more severe complications as the lungs fail to deliver sufficient oxygen around the body, causing Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and the eventual failure of major organs.
So when considering the effectivness of various treatments, we need to be clear about what those treatments are targeting. Of the pharmaceutical treatments, some are antivirals, aimed at inhibiting the ability of the virus to clone itself. Others are aimed at the secondary pneumonia and associated respiratory failure. A third group is aimed at the immune system, trying to prevent it over-reacting to the virus and triggering the onset of pneumonia. Ivermectin inhibits neurotransmission of parasites. Non-pharmaceutical interventions aimed at individual patients are focused on providing additional oxygen to the lungs. The active monitoring of blood oxygen saturation levels is being touted in this New York Times article as helping to predict the onset of severe pneumonia, even in patients who were asymptomatic for the virus.
Remdesivir was developed by Gilead Sciences, Inc. to fight the Ebola virus, but was never proven in clinical trials to be effective and is not licensed for use. It is designed to directly act as a virus inhibitor, overwhelming the virus’s own ability to replicate itself. There were six trials of its effect on COVID-19 patients in progress, but two in China have been terminated due to lack of available participants. The others are as yet inconclusive.
Lopinavir/retonivir (also marketed as Kaletra) is a combination of direct acting antivirals that also work by inhibiting the replication of the virus. It has been proven effective in HIV and used successfully for over 20 years, but so far has not been proven effective against COVID-19.
Hydroxychloroquine has also been put forward as a virus inhibitor, although acting to increase the overall pH level of the cell-level environment, inhibiting the ability of the virus to replicate. A note of caution: the March 20th ‘clinical trial’ conducted by Dr Didier Raoult, director of the Research Unit in Infectious and Tropical Emergent Diseases (URMITE) in Marseille, which seemed to show that hydroxychloroquine is an effective treatment, has been heavily criticised.
Interferons, which act indirectly on viruses by triggering autoimmune reactions in the body, are currently being tested for COVID-19. However, the disruption caused to the immune system could have catastrophic consequences, particularly for patients whose immune systems are already compromised or who are suffering with COVID-19 pneumonia.
Host-directed therapies, such as Naproxen (marketed as Aleve), whereby specific immunity pathways are modulated to relieve inflammation, are also suggested as being possible routes forward to relieve late-stage respiratory distress, and trials are underway. But at the moment no approvals for this use have been granted. Steriods also fall into this category.
Ivermectin is used in parasitic infections, but had shown antiviral properties during the West Nile virus outbreak. Laboratory cell culture tests have shown it to be able to kill COVID-19 within 48 hours, but there are major concerns about its toxicity to humans.
Convalscent blood plasma is a biologic route also being pursued, which saw some successful use against SARS.
Further Reading
‘Chloroquine is a potent inhibitor of SARS coronavirus infection and spread‘, Martin Vincent et al, Virology Journal, August 22nd 2005
‘The Open-Air Treatment of PANDEMIC INFLUENZA’, Richard A. Hobday and John W. Cason, American Journal of Public Health, October 2009
‘Studies claim malaria drug Chloroquine effective against coronavirus‘ by James Delingpole, Brietbart, March 18th 2020
‘Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as a treatment of COVID-19: results of an open-label non-randomized clinical trial‘, Didier Raoult et al, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, March 20th 2020
‘Man dies after taking chloroquine in an attempt to prevent coronavirus‘, NBC News, March 24th 2020
‘COVID-19: More hydroxychloroquine data from France, more questions‘ by Véronique Duqueroy, The Hospitalist, April 1st 2020
‘Frequently Asked Questions for COVID Management Support Document‘, Massachusetts General Hospital, April 1st 2020
‘EMA recommends Remdesivir for Treatment of COVID-19 Under Compassionate-Use Rules‘, by Cory Renauer, The Motley Fool, April 3rd 2020
‘Coronavirus hope as drug prescribed for head lice “completely stops the deadly infection replicating in cells within 48 hours”‘ by Vanessa Chalmers, Mailonline, April 4th 2020
‘LA doctor seeing success with hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19‘, Eyewitness News, ABC, April 7th 2020
‘BCG jabs mean you are six times less likely to get coronavirus, study finds‘ by Verity Bowman, The Telegraph, April 8th 2020
‘Israeli COVID-19 treatment shows 100% survival rate – preliminary data‘ by Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman, The Jerusalem Post, April 8th 2020
‘A promising COVID-19 treatment gets fast-tracked‘ by George Spencer, Johns Hopkins Magazine, April 8th 2020
‘Vitamin D Supplementation Could Possibly Improve Clinical Outcomes of Patients Infected with Coronavirus-2019 (COVID-2019)‘, by Mark Alipio, SSRN, April 9th 2020
‘Doctor gambles on clot-busting drug to save virus patients‘ by Lauran Neergaard, AP News, April 11th 2020
‘Ebola drug shows promise in early coronavirus trials‘ by Tom Whipple, The Times, April 13th 2020
‘Is it dangerous to take ibuprofen?‘ by Dr Roger Henderson, Spectator USA, April 14th 2020
‘Coronavirus patients given US trial drug remdesivir “are off ventilators in a day”‘ by Rhys Blakely and Alex Ralph, The Times, April 18th 2020
‘Are viruses alive?‘ by Luis P. Villareal, Scientific American August 8th 2008
‘The infection that is silently killing coronavirus patients‘ by Dr Richard Levitan, New York Times, April 20th 2020
‘Largest analysis of hydroxychloroquine use finds no benefit for coronavirus, increased deaths‘ by Nathanial Weixel, The Hill, April 21st 2020
‘French researchers to test nicotine patches on coronavirus patients‘ by Kim Willsher, The Guardian, April 22nd 2020
‘Smoke fags, save lives‘ by Chrisophter Snowdon, Spiked, 23rd April 2020
‘Smokers “four times less likely” to contract Covid-19, prompting nicotine patch trials on patients‘ by Henry Samuel, The Telegraph, April 23rd 2020
‘Donald Trump suggests injecting people with ‘DISINFECTANT’ and hitting ‘the body with a very powerful light’ could kill coronavirus in bizarre White House briefing outburst‘, Geoff Earl, MailOnline, April 24th 2020
‘Remdesivir: Drug has “clear-cut” power to fight coronavirus‘ by James Gallagher, BBC News, April 29th 2020
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just an impression but the author seems very pro GMO and possibly pro vaccine.
meaning i do not trust him!
The logic is, that without either GMO or vaccines the production of food stuffs would not be as it is today. In all areas of food production we have kept ahead food shortages by improvement and modification to processes and systems, by people who have a vested interest in doing so, a direction and vision for the future. The WEF & UN have an agenda
What point are you making?
I am neither pro vaccine or GMO, but I enjoyed the article because the author wrote about the true nature of food production, transportation etc. The enemy are the Gates, the Millibands, the Davos creatures who see Food, and Water as a means of control, power and ever more money, the fact that their belief system will result in the deaths and suffering of millions mainly in the 3rd world is by the by, their belief being there are too many of the wrong sort of people anyway.
I think we need a wide range of Farm production from the people who have their allotments, few chickens etc, the local small producers both organic and those that use fertilizers. I disagree with the ability of the Monsanto’s etc of this world being able to patent and control seeds and fertilizers, just as I abhor the interference of the public sector in the pay of the large corps who stop raw milk production, small scale producers and who try and wipe out small holders by locking down birds for flu, meanwhile the logic that wild birds are still flying around the planet escapes them.
The problem we have and must resist is the latter, the EU, our own Government and of course the billionaires who are anti farming unless its under their control. He who controls the food controls the world.
I liked the article, if people want to buy food that is processed, and uses chemicals as long as they know about it let them, but let the small farmer, the natural producer go about his business too, and allow fossil fuels to transport the products. Choice should be free and not in the hands of a few elite .
Dr Bell seems to be skirting the depopulation agenda.
Great article, thank you
Great Article———-“Tens of millions of people receive external food aid to prevent them starving”———Yet the world can afford to use masses of food (corn, wheat, maize etc) to make ethanol for our vehicles and therefore forcing up world food prices causing misery and death for the poorest.
It is good to see the issue of food and farming being addressed. It is a topic I have been posting about for many months.
I feel ashamed when contemplating how we have become so domesticated that without lorries delivering food to supermarkets virtually all of us would be screwed. And it isn’t inconceivable that such an event could occur in our lifetime which meant that deliveries would stop. Shortly thereafter farm animals would disappear very quickly. Then the pets. And then you would be left to catch small mammals so lacking in meat that it takes almost as much energy to catch and skin one as would offset any calorific benefit. And then the fun and games really begin because a time comes when all you can think of is meat and you don’t care where it comes from. You can look at behaviour you see all around you now. It isn’t that far away from cannibalism.
The problem is not so much industrial agriculture but more industrial food production.
Besides which the global economy for agro products is such an absolute mess due to idiotic government policies (but I repeat myself), tarifs and other regulatory barriers and general misinformation that it takes a brave man to pronounce.
But he’s correct for each of us to produce our own requirements on a 3 acre plot is to return to the misery of the middle ages, especially since TPTB will still insist on us paying taxes (or tithes, or working his lordships land in lieu).
Farm local, seasonal food processed as little as possible and you’ll not go far wrong.
If those same PTB will let us, and if they don’t, well then, it’s Wat Tyler time.
There is no way to save the system and its demise is imminent. And this time around if the pyament systems themselves crash then how are you going to pay for a containership of food – carrier pigeon? And a few days ago there was an article on this page about British food security and how it has diminished in recent years. There will be no containing of such a situation. People assume that we could introduce a rationing system. This would be impossible with social cohesion as febrile as it is these days. It isn’t going to be order out of chaos it is going to be pure chaos for an indeterminate period of time. The will be no phoenix moment, more likely victors of fights between warring clans forming ugly debased systems that will not see the light of civilisation again for hundreds of years.
You live in some world as it should be that will always provide for you. That would be nice I can see the attraction but it isn’t going to be like that for long. Either you wise up to it now or you wise up to it in a couple of months time. I don’t say these things because it benefits me I am saying them because when things get bad at least there would’ve been some warning.
In the 1980s progressive liberals, especially among the clergy of the Church of England, used to wax lyrical about the ‘global village’. Se were all becoming neighbours. Joy, harmony, paradise, especially without nation-states.
They didn’t emphasise that the village always had the baron in his castle, the priest in his church, the stocks, and the market place where hucksters would sell charms to ward off the evil eye and keep women safe in childbirth to the gullible peasants. Nor did they mention that the village was a place of gossip and petty rivalry.
These progressives also didn’t mention that the land the village was sited on would be the demesne of that baron. They would work his land, owing him so many days service.
Finally an important article that clearly identifies the biggest risk to most of humanity. That risk is the interruption of the supply chain and the production of our food supply. Industrial farming and control of seed distribution by a few multinational companies is a huge risk and threat to humanity. The moves by globalists like WEF and the UN and oligarchs like Bill Gates, see food as a means to gain power and control, just like they use climate change or pandemics. People generally have no idea of this threat.