To end the week on a note of hope despite the health crisis, a little focus on the positive news about the coronavirus, which took place this week of November 16, 2020.
by Celine Peschard
The days go by and look the same: confinement is still relevant, debates on future vaccines are raging on the networks … In order to breathe a little, we are offering you good news about the coronavirus.
# 1 A vaccine candidate "94% effective" on the elderly
The coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech appears to protect 94% of adults over 65, we can read on the BBC website. The trial was conducted among 41,000 people around the world. Half of them received the vaccine and the other half a placebo. In the elderly, at high risk to the virus due to a weaker immune system, the vaccine worked as well as in the young. Scientists said the data was encouraging. Oxford University professor Trudie Lang describing them as "a remarkable and very reassuring situation". "Going from the identification of a new virus to the development of several vaccines at the time of the request for regulatory approval is an incredible step for science ", she said.
# 2 a coronavirus self-test kit available in the United States
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US drug regulatory authority, has given the green light for the commercialization of a rapid Covid test for individual use, reports France Bleu. Its use is by the nasal route on individuals aged at least 14 years, when contamination with the coronavirus is suspected. Produced by the company Lucira Health, the test is available on prescription from a doctor and provides the result within 30 minutes. According to the Lucira Health website, its price is less than 50 dollars (42 euros).
# 3 Resuscitation and hospitalizations down
Thursday, November 19, 2020, in his famous update on the epidemic situation, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran announced that resuscitation and hospitalizations linked to Covid-19 are on the decline. However, "the health pressure on hospitals remains high". For its part, Public Health France has indicated that the peak of the second wave has undoubtedly been crossed in France. "Even if the indicators remain at high levels, their observation suggests that the epidemic peak of the second wave has been crossed", said the health agency in a press release, relayed by Europe1. "The current results show a clear decrease in all indicators, more marked in the first metropolises placed under curfew", she added. Enough to remain vigilant while keeping hope!