Health Headlines - 5-5-20

In today's health headlines we talk about how Pfizer has announced a trial for a potential COVID-19 vaccine.

The initial phase will have about 360 individuals in the study.

There is a new tese in the fight against COVID-19.

Also, more than a dozen children hospitalized in New York.

PFIZER HAS ANNOUNCED THEBEGINNING OF A CLINICAL TRIAL INMICHIGAN FOR A POTENTIALCOVID-19 VACCINE.INITIAL MANUFACTURING FOR THEVACCINE WILL HAPPEN AT THISFACILITY IN PORTAGE.THE FIRST STAGE OF THE TRIALWILL INVOLVE UP TO 360 ADULTS... IN NEW YORK..

MARYLAND... ANDOHIO.THIS IS THE THIRD VACCINE TO BETESTED IN THE U-S... AND ITCONTAINS GENETICMATERIAL CALLED MESSENGERR-N-A... WHICH TELLS CELLS WHATTO BUILD.

IN THIS CASE... ANANTIGEN THAT COULD ACTIVATE ANIMMUNE RESPONSE FOR THEVIRUS.GOVERNOR GRETCHEN WHITMERSAYS... THE FACT THAT PFIZER'SINITIAL MANUFACTURINGFOR THE VACCINE IS IN MICHIGAN-- IS GREAT NEWS FOR THOSE ONTHE FRONT LINES... ANDFOR THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.GOVERNOR WHITMER SAID -- QUOTE-- "PFIZER IS A GREAT PARTNER...AND THE STATE OFMICHIGAN AND OUR STRONGMANUFACTURING ROOTS STAND READYTOSERVE."A NEW TOOL IN THE FIGHT AGAINSTTHE CORONAVIRUS... IS MAKINGITS WAY INTOHOSPITALS AND CLINICS AROUNDTEXAS.ALLIE SPILLIARDS HAS THEDETAILS.WITH A SIMPLE FINGER STICK AND ACOUPLE OF DROPS OF BLOOD, ASEROLOGICAL TEST LOOKS A LOTLIKE ADIABETIC GLUCOSE CHECK IN,MARRIED WITH AN AT- HOMEPREGNANCY TEST.AND SOON IT COULD BE JUST ASCOMMON FOR THE DOCTORS FIGHTINGBACK AGAINST COVID-19.LIKE ER NEAR ME'S GORAV BOHIL.20"WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS IT GIVESUS AS FRONT LINE PHYSICIANS THEABILITY TO SAY I'M SORRY, ITLOOKSLIKE HERE'S WHAT'S GOING ONCOMBINED WITH YOUR SYMPTOMS.THIS IS MORE THAN LIKELY THERESULT." WITH JUST TWO DROPS OFBLOOD HE SAYS THIS TEST CANSEARCH FOR THE ANTIBODIESPRESENT WHENFIGHTING OFF COVID-19.AND IT CAN DO IT IN JUST TENMINUTES.THAT'S REMARKABLY LESS THAN THEWAIT TIMES PATIENTS HAVEEXPERIENCED FROM LABSNASAL SWABS.BUT WITH THE GOOD....."THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THETEST ISN'T PERFECT."COMES A DOWNSIDE THAT CAN'T BEIGNORED.FOR ONE, THE TECHNOLOGY IS STILLBEING TESTED AND IT'S RESULTSARE CONSIDERED PRESUMPTIVE."IF YOU HAVE A NEGATIVE RESULT,IT DOESN'T EXCLUDE YOU FROMHAVING COVID-19 AND A POSITIVETEST IS JUST A HIGH INDICATOR."MEANING, THOUGH HE'S ABLE TOSEND PATIENTS HOME WITH SOMEPEACE OF MIND, HE'S STILLSENDINGOFF NASAL SWABS TO CONFIRM APOSITIVE CASE.THE SEROLOGICAL TESTS ALSOAREN'T FDA APPROVED.THOUGH THE AGENCY DECIDED BACKON MARCH 16 TO ALLOWMANUFACTURERS TO START SHIPPINGTHEM TODOCTORS ANYWAY IN AN EFFORT TOINCREASE TESTING CAPACITY."WE UNDERSTAND THE NEGATIVES, WEUNDERSTAND THERE ARELIMITATIONS, BUT AT THE ENDOF THE DAY, THIS IS A TOOL.

ANDIF USED PROPERLY IT CAN BECOME APOWERFUL TOOL."DOCTORS DO STRESS THAT TESTINGSHOULD NEVER REPLACE PREVENTIONEFFORTS --ADDING THAT EVERYONE PLAYS AROLE IN STOPPING THE SPREAD OFTHE DISEASE.MORE THAN A DOZEN CHILDREN INNEW YORK CITY ARE HOSPITALIZEDWITH A MYSETRIOUSILLNESS... THAT MAY BE LINKED TOCOVID-19.ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S HEALTHDEPARTMENT... THE 15 PATIENTSRANGE IN AGEFROM TWO TO 15.THE SYMPTOMS INCLUDE A FEVER ANDSTOMACH PAIN... ALONG WITHFEATURES OFKAWASAKI DISEASE AND OR TOXICSHOCK SYNDROME.FIVE OF THESE CHILDREN HAVE HADTO BE PUT ON VENTILATORS.

NONEOF THEM HAVE DIED.SEVERAL TESTED POSITIVE FORCOVID- 19... OR TESTED POSITIVEFOR