Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Six Feet Apart: New Research Suggests It Might Not Be Protective
The Washington Post: Six Feet May Not Be Enough To Protect Against Coronavirus, Experts Warn
Public health experts are reevaluating guidelines for safe social distancing amid growing evidence that the novel coronavirus can travel farther than 6 feet under certain conditions. A team of infectious-disease experts argues in a new analysis, published this week in the BMJ, that six-feet protocols are too rigid and are based on outmoded science and observations of different viruses. Other researchers say six feet is a start — but only a start, warning that more space is almost always better, especially in poorly ventilated areas indoors. (Guarino, 8/27)
Kaiser Health News: 5 Things To Know About Convalescent Blood Plasma
President Donald Trump told the American people this week that convalescent plasma is a potential new treatment for COVID-19. His announcement followed the Food and Drug Administration’s decision Sunday to grant fast-track authorization for its emergency use as a treatment for hospitalized COVID patients. This “emergency use authorization” triggered an outcry from scientists and doctors, who said the decision was not supported by adequate clinical evidence and criticized the FDA for what many perceived as bowing to political pressure. (Knight, 8/27)
CIDRAP: Comparison Of COVID-19 Antibody Tests Reveals Wide Range Of Performance
An evaluation of assays to detect antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has found a wide range of performance, underscoring the need for rigorous test validation with standardized sample sets. The study, published today in Nature Biotechnology, involved a comparison of 10 point-of-care lateral flow assays (LFAs) and two lab-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) in 5-day intervals from symptom onset. Specificity was determined using blood samples donated before the pandemic. (8/27)
In other news —
Crain's Chicago Business: AbbVie, Harvard Form $30 Million Research Deal
AbbVie and Harvard University have entered into a $30 million research alliance with the goal of developing new therapies for viral infections.In addition to the money, which AbbVie will provide over three years, the North Chicago drugmaker’s scientists and facilities will help advance research and early-stage development efforts at Harvard Medical School, AbbVie announced today. The deal focuses on infections caused by coronaviruses and those that can affect the blood’s ability to clot, such as Ebola. (Goldberg, 8/27)
