COVID-19 Game Changers

Defeating COVID-19 as a society will require a multi-pronged approach with persistence, teamwork and innovation.

At the same time, tried-and-true measures of social distancing, face coverings, impeccable personal hygiene and symptoms awareness will afford us time to employ these “Game Changers”.

Game Changers are defined as advances in science and/or technology which will markedly change the trajectory of diagnosis, treatment or prevention of COVID-19, and therefore restore our way of life.

Testing/Diagnostics

SalivaDirect – a simple technology applying existing infrastructure.  

Yale Dept. of Public Health in collaboration with the NBA, Co-Diagnostics $CODX, and others

UPSIDES:

•Results in 1-24 hours

•Cost effective – $4-20/test

•Home based (doesn’t require health personnel)

•High accuracy – early ROC testing shows equivalent to NP swab (current standard)

•Less reagent usage

DOWNSIDES:

Needs continued quality testing

Contact Tracing Technology

CITIZEN

A Personal Safety Network

Originally developed for fires, car accidents and other local disasters to notify residents of traffic patterns, this company is pivoting its technology for COVID testing and tracing.

The Cities of Stockton and Modesto are requesting their residents to opt-in to this app. An uptake of 50% would be needed to have a significant clinical impact.

UPSIDES:

• Opt-In required (personal freedom)
• Personal Information de-identified
• Local Information
• Real Time
• Isolated outbreaks and hotspots

DOWNSIDES:

• Big Brother

Treatments

Remdesivir, Dexamethasome, non-invasive ventilation (BIPAP) and Prone position ventilation

Clinicians have become much better at modified and modifiable protocols for COVID-19 treatment. Mortality rates and long-term morbidity is actually improving (despite the reports on the news cycle).

No major game changers in the treatment category, but steady composite learning from the medical community.

Early data looks promising for convalescent plasma treatment (protective antibodies from recovered patients), but it’s too early to tell if this is widely applicable.

Safety

You will find more on the topic of vaccines here.