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The coronavirus is new, but your immune system might still recognise it
Eight months ago, the new coronavirus was unknown. But to some of our immune cells, the virus was already something of a familiar foe, The New York Times reports today.
A flurry of recent studies has revealed that a large proportion of the population — 20 per cent to 50 per cent of people in some places — might harbour immunity assassins called T cells that recognise the new coronavirus despite having never encountered it before.
These T cells, which lurked in the bloodstreams of people long before the pandemic began, are most likely stragglers from past scuffles with other, related coronaviruses. It's a case of family resemblance: in the eyes of the immune system, germs with common roots can look alike, such that when a cousin comes to call, the body may already have an inkling of its intentions.
This electron microscope image shows a human T cell, in blue, under attack by HIV, in yellow. (Colours have been added for clarity.)Credit:NIH/AP
The presence of these T cells has intrigued experts, who said it was too soon to tell whether the cells would play a helpful, harmful or entirely negligible role in the world's fight against the current coronavirus. But should these so-called cross-reactive T cells exert even a modest influence on the body's immune response to the new coronavirus, they might make the disease milder — and perhaps partly explain why some people who catch the germ become very sick, while others are dealt only a glancing blow.
In theory, cross-reactive T cells can "protect almost like a vaccine," said Smita Iyer, an immunologist at the University of California, who is studying immune responses to the new coronavirus in primates.
Cross-reactive T cells alone probably would not be enough to completely stave off infection or disease. But they might alleviate symptoms of the coronavirus in people who happen to carry these cells, or extend the protection provided by a vaccine.
"That would be awesome," Iyer said.
In the latest episode of our Please Explain podcast, senior culture writer Nathanael Cooper is joined by national science reporter Liam Mannix to discuss the international progress in creating a COVID-19 vaccine.
Deaths likely to rise in Victoria despite fall in cases
Data journalist and my fellow blogger, Craig Butt, has looked at the latest COVID-19 hospitalisation figures and explains why Victorians should brace for more coronavirus deaths this week.
"Just as we saw cases peak last week, it will be this week we will probably see the peak in daily deaths," says Deakin University epidemiology chair Catherine Bennett.
"The consequences of the previous infection hike is playing out in terms of the daily death counts."
The time lag between people contracting coronavirus and ending up in hospital can be seen in data from the first-wave infection peak earlier this year.
This graph plots three pieces of information side by side: the number of new cases each day, the total number of people in hospital because of coronavirus each day, and the total number of people in intensive care.
The first wave's worst day for new case numbers was March 28, when 111 cases were confirmed.
From that day onwards the number of new cases each day started to dip, but the number of people in hospital continued to climb and reached a peak of 50 almost two weeks later on April 9. The number of people in intensive care hit a high of 18 a week later on April 15.
Victoria's second wave of cases has differed from the first, with a much higher proportion of elderly people infected, in part due to outbreaks at aged care facilities, which has led to more hospitalisations and deaths.
Here is the same graph from above, only instead of showing the first wave it shows the second wave so far.
Federal officials shielded from Ruby Princess inquiry
Government accountability appears to be the running theme this morning, with our chief political correspondent David Crowe reporting that the Morrison government has been accused of failing to co-operate with a probe into the Ruby Princess cruise ship debacle.
The NSW Ruby Princess inquiry will have to report without being able to question two federal officers who helped clear the ship to disembark 2700 passengers in Sydney in March.
The Ruby Princess cruise ship departs Port Kembla on April 22.Credit:Anna Warr
Commissioner Bret Walker has issued a legal summons to hear testimony from one of the officials, a Department of Agriculture worker who granted permission for the ship to enter port, but was rebuffed again on Monday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison promised to co-operate with the inquiry on April 21 and insisted on Monday he had done so, but he did not explain why the two officials should not appear to give evidence.
Asked why he did not encourage the two officials to come forward and speak to the special commission, Mr Morrison said the government continued to help the inquiry.
"I said we would co-operate with the inquiry as we have with other inquiries, and that’s exactly what we’ve done," he said.
More than 1000 cases of COVID-19 are estimated to have come from the Ruby Princess passengers who disembarked in Sydney on March 19, four days after Mr Morrison said ships would only put passengers ashore "directly under the command" of the Australian Border Force.
The Herald's view: Action needed now to keep COVID-19 out of aged care
Let's take a look at The Sydney Morning Herald's editorial, which notes that failures in our aged care system appear to rival the problems experienced by hotel quarantine in Victoria or with the docking of the Ruby Princess in NSW:
The systems that let people down need to be corrected immediately.
The failures are all the more painful because Australia had so much warning both from the appalling death toll in aged care centres in Europe and North America in March and April, and then from the cases in the Newmarch House aged care facility and the Dorothy Henderson Lodge in Sydney in April and May. Yet governments, and here the primary responsibility lies at the federal level, have been complacent.
Liz Lane talks to her mother through a fence at Sydney's Newmarch House nursing home.
The National Council of Chief Medical Officers devoted scant attention to the sector.
The commission heard that Health Minister Greg Hunt said on June 29, after the start of the Melbourne outbreak, that the sector was “very well prepared”. With hindsight, it’s patently obvious that this was not the case.
View from The Age: Holding the government to account is as important as ever
With Premier Daniel Andrews set to be quizzed over his government's response to the pandemic within the hour, let's take a look at today's editorial in The Age:
As governments play such a comprehensive role in directing and managing the disruption, many people's frustration is being directed at perceived mistakes and shortcomings of the COVID-19 response – the hotel quarantine debacle being the most obvious.
But is this time for such criticism? There is a sincere belief from some that, to use Daniel Andrews' bushfire analogy, when the fire is burning, the focus should be on extinguishing the blaze, and not attacking those fighting the fire. Is the scrutiny of the government too harsh?
Premier Daniel Andrews at his COVID-19 briefing on Monday.Credit:Joe Armao
The Age does not underestimate the Herculean task before Mr Andrews and his team. We support the Premier when he thanks the many thousands of people working round the clock and, at times, putting their lives at risk, to combat the latest surge in cases and care for those afflicted by the virus.
But The Age also takes very seriously its role in ensuring transparency and accountability, no matter what the circumstance. By declaring a state of disaster, the state government has sought far stronger and broader powers to enforce its authority. And by limiting the time Parliament sits, it has also severely curtailed the ability of the opposition to hold the government to account.
That leaves most public accountability for when Mr Andrews, and often Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton and various ministers, front up each day to face the media. To his credit, Mr Andrews makes a point of responding to every question put to him. But there are some significant shortcomings.
Aged care: 'Different states doing things differently'
By Mary Ward
The National Seniors association has called for consistency in Australia's response to aged care outbreaks across the country, after federal agencies were accused of being inadequately prepared for coronavirus to hit facilities at the aged care royal commission on Monday.
Ian Henschke, chief advocate at National Seniors Australia, told Ben Fordham on Sydney radio station 2GB this morning he believed it was unfair that someone who lived in South Australia would be immediately transferred to hospital, whereas Victorian and NSW aged care residents had spent weeks in locked-down facilities with the virus.
Outside St Basil's aged care home, the site of one of Victoria's deadliest coronavirus outbreaks. Credit:Scott McNaughton
"You've got different states doing things differently, and if the Commonwealth is providing the funding that needs to be sorted out," he said.
Mr Henschke said it would be up to the public to push for change, as previous inquiries into the aged care sector had produced little action.
"The royal commission is going to come back with findings, and we as a community have to ask if we are going to have ... those put in a corner and gather dust," he said.
There are currently 1765 active COVID-19 cases linked to aged care facilities in Victoria.
Front pages of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald
A political row has erupted over government delays in acting to save lives in aged care homes, with federal agencies accused of failing to prepare for thousands of new cases at a crucial point when infections surged, today's papers report.
Victorian Premier to be quizzed over government's COVID response at public accounts committee
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is listed as the first witness to appear before a public accounts and estimates committee today. It's the committee's second round of hearings since the pandemic began.
The committee is examining the state government's response to the pandemic, but is separate to the inquiry headed by former judge Jennifer Coate into Victoria's bungled hotel quarantine program.
Mr Andrews is due to appear at 9am, while Health Minister Jenny Mikakos and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton are set to be questioned from 11am.
Premier Daniel Andrews will be quizzed at the committee hearing this morning. Credit:Joe Armao
Back in April, the Andrews government succeeded in voting down a Greens motion to set up a cross-party committee to scrutinise the government’s management of the pandemic.
Instead, the government opted for the parliamentary public accounts and estimates committee to examine its response.
The opposition and crossbenchers insisted the committee was not independent enough. The committee was expanded to include another crossbench MP, giving it an equal number of government and non-government members, but the Labor chair still has the casting vote.
At the time, Mr Andrews insisted the committee was best-placed to scrutinise the government’s pandemic response.
"It routinely hears from ministers. It routinely takes evidence from departmental secretaries and we think that’s the appropriate place to do this," he said.
South Coast schools join list of NSW closures
By Mary Ward
Tangara School for Girls' junior and senior school, at Cherrybrook in Sydney's north-west, will be closed again today after the cluster of cases associated with the school grew to nine on Monday.
Our Lady of Mercy College at Parramatta has also moved to remote learning after a second student tested positive.
Bonnyrigg Heights Public School, in Sydney's south-west, will reopen today after being closed on Monday.
Resurgent virus feared in UK as infections among under-45s increase
Fears of a fresh COVID-19 surge mounted this week as the UK saw its largest rise in new cases since the end of June.
However, data suggests the rise is being driven by more infections in younger people and increased testing.
A total of 1062 people tested positive for COVID-19 in the 24 hours before 9am on Sunday, nearly a fortnight after Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned of the possibility of a second wave of infections.
People dine outdoor at a cafe in Brixton on August 2. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said it is time to "squeeze that brake pedal" on reopening the economy, amid rising fears the UK is on the brink of a second wave. Credit:Getty Images
Surveillance data from Public Health England show the infection rate is rising among all age groups under 65, and falling in every age group above 65 - those most at risk.
In the 15-44 age bracket, the infection rate has risen by 35 per cent over the past five weeks.
It suggests the recent rise in cases is being driven by infections among younger people who may not have previously been picked up by testing.
Londoners dining out in Clapham.Credit:Getty Images
Meanwhile, those who are taken to hospital with COVID-19 now have much better chances of survival.
Deaths in intensive care units are at their lowest level since the pandemic began, according to data from the Intensive Care National Audit & Research Centre, with just two deaths in the final week of July.
During April approximately two patients were dying for every three discharged, while now one patient is dying for every three discharged.
The Telegraph, London
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2020-08-10 22:39:00Z
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