A number of new treatments for Covid-19 are showing promise and could be fast-tracked if clinical trials continue to show good results. The most notable of these drugs may be Remdesivir, which in one Chicago hospital prompted rapid recoveries in nearly all the 125 patients it was given to, according to the digital medical site STAT.
Another trial of 53 severely ill patients reported in the New England Journal of Medicine found that 68 percent showed clinical improvement, while 13 percent died. Remdesivir’s manufacturer hopes to ramp up production quickly once the FDA approves.
Viruses like Covid-19 that jump from animals to people are going to become more common, according to a new study in the journal Landscape Ecology. The reason is the continuing loss of rainforest land, which increases the risk for human contact with wild primates and the viruses they carry. Researchers say small buffer zones such as tree farms around forests could dramatically reduce the likelihood of human interaction with wild primates.
If you’re having trouble sleeping these days, you’re far from alone. Covid-19 and financial worries are keeping millions of us up at night. But doctors at the University of Warwick have some sleep tips in times of stress. First, realize that insomnia is a normal reaction. Second, don’t bring your worries to bed. Set aside 20 minutes every day to write down your worries and problem solve. Then set them aside. Third, keep a regular sleep and work routine… even if you’re working from home or not working at all. And finally, keep moving. Get some exercise and get out in the sun when it’s there.
And finally… many people are concerned about getting Covid-19 from food they buy, but scientists at North Carolina State University say the risk of that is very, very low. Researchers say sanitizing packaging could be helpful, but both food and packaging are much less worrisome sources of the virus than other people.
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