COVID-19 ravages the lungs of patients. (Sergei Krasnoukhov/TASS/Getty)
Uncertainty about how COVID-19 kills is hampering treatment
- How does COVID-19 kill? Uncertainty over whether the virus itself — or a person’s immune response — ultimately overwhelms the organs is making it difficult for doctors to determine the best treatments. Clinical data suggest that the immune system plays a part in the decline and death of people infected with the new coronavirus, and this has spurred a push for treatments, such as steroids, that rein in that immune response. But some of these treatments act broadly to suppress the immune system, stoking fears that they could hamper the body’s ability to keep the viral infection in check. (Nature | 6 min read)
- The COVID-19 pandemic is putting weather forecasts and long-term climate studies at risk of significant data gaps. For some research, this might be the first interruption in 40 years. (Nature | 5 min read)
- Coronavirus lockdowns are creating a natural experiment by drastically reducing emissions. But tantalizing signs that the situation is making the air cleaner aren’t as straightforward as they seem. The seasons and the weather also affect how much dangerous pollution is in the air. In China and Italy, the difference is so pronounced that experts think the lockdowns probably have an impact. In the United States, it’s too soon to say. (Nature | 5 min read)
- Thousands of coronavirus tests are going unused in US laboratories, reveals a Nature investigation. Some labs have ramped up their facilities for testing. But lab leaders say they’re performing at half capacity or less because of bureaucracy and logistical barriers. “I show up in a magic ship,” says genetic scientist Fyodor Urnov, “with 20,000 free kits and [approval] and everything, and the major hospitals say: ‘Go away, we cannot interface with you.’” (Nature | 8 min read)
- Some optimistic forecasts suggest that a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine could be available in 12–18 months. Experts are getting into the nitty gritty of how we can deploy it to stop the pandemic. If millions of people need it, and producers continue making crucial supplies of other vaccines, there could be a shortage. Philanthropist Bill Gates says his foundation will help to pay for production facilities to be built in advance, even if some of them are never used (different types of infrastructure are needed depending on the vaccine type). Hoarding by rich countries could limit supplies, and there is no agreement yet on how a vaccine should be shared equitably. (Nature | 8 min read)
Read Nature’s continuously updated selection of the must-read papers and preprints on COVID-19.
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