In search of reliable mobile fast tests for COVID-19 Antibodies.

 

While all research labs were shut down for a few months, late March to mid-June 2020, for all but COVID19 related research, I turned my biochemical skills to a project to help evaluate one version of a serum COVID-19 antibody test that can use a single droplet (10 microliters) of blood from a finger-poke and which gives a reliable result in 15 minutes. Also without using any powered equipment. Cheap, mobile reliable tests like this can be used in almost any location. The problem in January to March 2020 was that many unreliable kits for such tests were rolled out mostly by firms looking to cash in, even selling online to the public. The main problem with those test kits was that they either 1) fail to detect antibodies to COVID19 when people have them, or 2) they say you are positive for antibodies to COVID19 BUT you are not.

Using finger-tip blood for tests of this type is very possible, and in fact, there are FDA and European Union approved tests that use this format "lateral flow test" for AIDS and Legionnaires Disease. However, those tests have been around for some time and were of course tested to confirm their reliability. So I approached a particular manufacturer of antibody-based research reagents when I heard they were turning their expertise to making a reliable family of tests for COVID19 antibodies in blood. 

Current Doubling Time for the Number of Deaths in the United States from COVID19.

The graph below is based on confirmed COVID19 death data reported from the CDC. 

These numbers may lag slightly behind other US reporting sources and will underestimate the actual current death total from COVID19. For that reason, I have calculated and plotted the doubling time in days averaged over a moving seven day period. Doubling time based on the previous seven days average as of 10/16/2020 was 213 days, passing through 218,000 deaths. A graph of the doubling time is shown here. 

United States Interactive Map Coronavirus Cases, Deaths (updated daily)

Here is an interactive map of the United States showing COVID19 cases in each State and Territory. This map here will update automatically when CDC data is updated. 

Below, you can mouse over each state to click and link to the COVID19 website for that state. This map will automatically update here when the CDC also updates the map. 

If you click on the "+" sign in the bottom States bar, you will open down a table of current COVID19 cases per state. You can also download in a .csv file of the latest numbers posted today.

Interactive Graphs: COVID19 Cases, Deaths. (updated daily)

Here are graphs that you can adjust to look at different timelines for cases of illness and deaths for any country. I have embedded iFrame code in this posting to give you graphs that you can control. Table and MAP views are also available. You can return here as the data updates automatically. 

How the Family of a Bioscientist Shops and Cleans Groceries in the Midst of The American Pandemic of 2020.

I know you have anxiety about shopping for food for you and your family. I know you are scared. You can be afraid. Fear is normal when there is danger, but stop thinking about it and prepare to get your groceries. You can do this. You can order them for delivery, but it is true that delivery is not smooth in all parts of the United States. If you can find a grocery store that is using staff to control traffic of shoppers: distance control, limited numbers of people in stores, a system for sterilizing wagons for you, separation in check out lines, procedures for protecting you and the cashiers, then you can shop yourself as well. This too may vary around the country. In either case, what do we do when we get our food at our door? Well, in our household we wash them, in warm water with regular dish soap. NOT surface cleaners. DISH SOAP. The CDC does not recommending washing food packaging or foods with household surface cleaners because those would be toxic chemicals if they contaminate your food. 

I know that viruses are actually very susceptible to soap, detergents, and their main molecular components dissolve nicely in soapy water. Make sure you have enough dish soap to make suds, bubbles. Of course, any food you cook will destroy the virus too, but you can still wash your veggies for your salads and for safe handing in your own home doing food preparation. Make sure you rinse off all your dish soapy water well, but just use dish soap and do not use surface cleaners on your food.

You should be able to also use tap water washing without any soap at all, but I have heard from persons who have lots of anxiety about shopping for fresh food, and dish soap in water may help you feel less of that anxiety. 

Again, just use dish soap made for washing food dishes, and just use the dish soap in lots of water. Rinse the wash water off. Let your produce drip dry a few minutes before you try to place them in the fridge. 

Here is a little video on how. It's easy. 

You can do this. You can :).




Here are some updated guidelines from the US CDC regarding COVID-19 and food. So far there is no evidence that the spread of COVID-19 happens from food or the risk is extremely low. 
US CDC Food Guide for COVID-19

Manned Space Flight from the United States begins again. Watch Live on NASA TV successful!!

You can watch the launch about to happen from Florida here on NASA TV.

Using the Space-X rocket. Two astronauts. Bob and Doug reach orbit. 

Falcon 9 launch smooth. 

See more at NASA TV using the link below:


https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/#public