human Trials of antiviral vaccines, developed by specialists of the Institute of epidemiology of Gamaliel, will be ready to start in June. Preclinical studies have shown good results. Manufacture drug for vaccination against COVID-19 could begin in late summer. And while the experts went to the screening of the population for the presence of antibodies to the virus. Large-scale testing programme launched in Moscow. And, judging by the results, one in eight already has immunity. How does this affect the regime of restrictions and the isolation?
They go to the clinic with hope: and suddenly ill with a dangerous infection without symptoms, and now the body has antibodies to protect against the virus?
30 Moscow clinics take 500 patients daily. Invite random people. Taking blood from a vein. Tomorrow is the result. If there are antibodies of class IGM virus in the body.
“these are patients who are in the acute phase of the disease. They are asymptomatic. However they are dangerous to others, so the decision is made on their isolation,” explains the chief doctor of the 109th clinic Yakov Sandakov.
If the IGM antibody is positive, the organism has developed a protection. The first results are encouraging: the citizens formed a collective immunity, which will help to stop the spread of the virus.
“Of more than 50 thousand surveyed at 12.5 percent of Muscovites revealed IGM antibodies. These people are or have already formed immunity to coronavirus infection”, — said the head of the Department of health of Moscow Alexey Khripun.
a Similar picture was and in other cities, faced with the pandemic. In new York there are antibodies in 19 percent of the citizens in Madrid in 14, the Wuhan — 6. This level was enough to gradually ease quarantine measures.
“We are already not blindly. And get the necessary information that will more precisely respond to thingsthe existing situation,” — said the head of the Department of natural focal infections Centre named after N. F. Gamalei Artem Tkachuk.
What is the desired herd immunity to talk about the victory over the virus, is not clear. It is expected that antibodies should be 60 percent of the population. Likely, this level will be achieved only after the advent of the vaccine. In Russia, testing on humans will begin in two weeks.
“somewhere in the first week of June we can apply to the Ministry of health to obtain permission for clinical trials of this drug,” hopes the Director of NICEM name N. F. Gamalei, academician of RAMS, academician Alexander Ginzburg.
in the meantime, testing for antibodies offer to make on a mass scale. Only in the capital plan to test up to six million people. Voluntary and free of charge examine patients non-infectious hospitals and workers of city services. To testing connect and private laboratories. Their numbers are even more optimistic: the immune system is at 14 per cent have passed. But too early to rejoice.
“Just if they have antibodies, they can feel a little more confident, but this does not mean that they may not comply with quarantine measures,” — said the Director of strategic development and innovation, private medical companies Dmitry Fadin.
Rather, some time it is better to limit social contacts. It is not known how long after the person with Alzheimer’s may be contagious. Furthermore, it is unclear how reliable the immune system. In Moscow there is no re-infections, but, doctors say, not enough time has passed. Everything will depend on whether to mutate a virus is will be clear by the end of the year.
