we"reofftoneverland
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2015
they're starting trials. it's not in wide use, and it's actually very limited availability.
BTW - reporting from NYC - the 2nd person to test positive in NY state was tested around March 2, 3. But he was hospitalized with symptoms around Feb 27. He had no known risk factors - 50-something family man who had been to Miami some 2 weeks before. Because he thought he had the flu (until it got really bad and he had to be intubated) many people in the community, including health care workers, also got sick. Still no one knows when/where/how he got it. But we must assume it was already present and spreading in NY state (he worked in NYC) in mid-February at the latest. We are (mostly) taking it very seriously here, but there are teens and 20-somethings who are still having parties, etc. There are health care workers who are ill here, as well. And you still can't get tested unless you are symptomatic and have had contact with someone who was symptomatic. My DH is a health care worker who saw someone who was asymptomatic who ended up in the hospital 2 days later. DH could not get a test and had to self-quarantine for 2 weeks, taking his temp morning and evening. (He's fine, came out of QT yesterday)
There is a doctor in France who used in on patients who were about to die and every one of them survived. There are also many people in the US at this point who have said it saved their lives. Doctors in the US have so much faith in this anti malaria drug that they are stock piling it for their families. The Chinese have also been using it for a month and report that it works. Scientists have also been trying to figure out why Africa has so few cases— they believe it is because of this drug. Many take it there for malaria.