Corona L. So, what have we learned?

Hey there! I'm in such a good mood; I hope you are having day as well. Yesterday, gave an actual, in-person seminar at university another city, and then when out for really nice dinner with Dolphin Lynx. Then came home, like magic, leaves sprung on trees oxygen filled the air. Okay, pollen did well, so am bit stuffy, but hey, it is Spring! (Remember, live your past, give me some leeway here, please?)So, this fiftieth Corona File. Fifty! When started to write these, had no idea that would be still writing more than two years later. yes, there were many scientists who said likely one half before we of this. And know not BA2 surging Europe, now Eastern U.S. China struggling get zero COVID. large parts population waiting vaccines, or wanting them, ever. Ever, Never. it. Meetings postponed again seem back schedule (although remain wary scheduling anything next winter months, fear wave). We traumatized. also, us (me, included) worrying about grants, papers, bad reviews, troublesome experiments public health. It might time stop think what have learned from all this.Here's thing. Whatever say (or learned) will disagree me. That's because (a) very smart, (b) argue (it's do). So, despite title this, File #50, going talk learned. Instead, So there, can't wrong. can certainly foolish, stupid, ill-informed, misinformed, arrogant, unappreciative, prone exaggeration. But not. exaggeration, other things. Except maybe foolish; I'll one, too.The following my list Hey, Mole. do lists.1. ready thisOf course, pandemic, decades warnings. little how unprepared society societies). Since talking learned, was was. My institution locked down March 2020, remember assistant marveling suggestion could go just weeks, months. also discussions concerns able identify enough infected individuals cohort clinical studies. Some colleagues doubts, don't any expected impact. hit lab's research; emotional toll myself, trainees, others close to. want point way unprepared.Early on, within days our lockdown, began working testing. figured ‘hey, exactly sort thing do, identification molecular species, it.’ obtained couple kits China, quickly compared them home-made tests (even using recombinase). included controls missing tests, control tell input materials (the swabs) sufficient quality. Simply put, worked great. completely pushback received colleagues, invalid used (other research). Now, understand needs laboratories formalized, standardized, approved testing basic requirement pointed out, repeatedly, organizations make decisions based drug testing, which performed requirements). Within few place, fact test controlling quality swab never made its into practice. A kit company deemed far reliable research lab lab) provide. What say? something gulf between medicine. Please flame – said, preparedness, that.2. Science great figuring things less doing itThanks remarkable efforts knew sequence SARS-CoV2 anyone town (in live. Sorry). knew, work coronaviruses, infects cells. lot virus interacts hosts produce pathology. recently, (by ‘we’ mean community, why infections impact smell. All remarkable, especially last since project even until symptom. Such often take careful study, fast (okay, wait see if got right really, folks job).We managed generate vaccines incredibly short time, thanks spanning mRNA adenovirus vaccines. found speed up process vaccine development need to, Many science important, already (and smart).A slowly, quickly, developed antivirals monoclonal antibody treatments. that, still, well done.So it? Look, lucky. There hard evidence (we coronavirus cats). reason concern actually worse (this problem called antibody-dependent enhancement; look you're interested. It's big problem). If happened, recourse been therapeutics, every expect these went wide usage, therapy-resistant strains emerge. sure figure it.And none terrific engineering solve problems distribution denial. getting better first (but there's long go) ever second one.In Star Trek spin-offs), not-Star-Trek movies (like Outbreak), usually hours, results effective treatments, highlighting important solving major problems. (Okay, episode Trek: The Next Generation, TNG Trekkers, where Dr. Pulaski stops epidemic ‘evolutionary regression’ turning crew members various animals, she fixed by expeditious use ‘synthetic T cell.’ Apparently, their advisors week.) medicine) doesn't frame. Getting mind-blowing. (This should probably transition ode how, together, dramatically advance knowledge understanding complex while happy happen, cut list. Because, near tell, applied only Terrible Pandemic, far, problems, haven't anything. it's list.)But people vaccinated, boosted, boosted infected, they dying (a thing!), sick, losing work, feeling pretty horrible. Efforts underway Omicron vaccine, date, effectiveness does have. ‘brick wall’ have), may find why, We're see.Oh my, items guess fifty-one. okay, miss couldn't together. At least, time.Until then! ‘tea.’