From lifted lockdowns to bear hunts, there are definitely still things to smile about during the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s this week’s Good News Round-Up.
“Promising rescue option”
Doctors in China have discovered tentative evidence that people seriously ill with coronavirus could benefit from infusions of blood plasma collected from people who have recovered from the disease.
In one study, doctors who administered “convalescent plasma” to 10 severely ill patients found that the virus levels dropped rapidly and saw symptoms improve. Whilst in another study, three of the five patients given convalescent plasma were able to come off the ventilator within 10 days.
Xiaoming Yang, from the National Engineering Technology Research Center for Combined Vaccines in Wuhan, described the treatment as a “promising rescue option” for severely ill patients, but cautioned that a larger randomised trial was needed to confirm the findings.
Therapies involving convalescent plasma are not new, with treatments pre-dating the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. People who have recovered from a viral infection are believed to have antibodies in their blood what detect and destroy the virus the next time it attacks. The hope is by giving the plasma to patients as well as potentially those at most risk could boost the immune system and provide protection.
Researchers are now applying to run similar clinical trials with convalescent plasma in the UK.
98 and still going
In Scotland, 98-year-old, Daphne Shah has returned home after being taken into hospital with coronavirus.
She spent five days in Ninewells Hospital in Dundee before bing discharged at the beginning of the week with medication.
Mrs Shah’s son Wesley is on a mission to “tell the world” that the very elderly can recover from Covid-19:
I just want to get in touch with the world to say, look, I know this is a serious issue with the coronavirus but my message is this:
“If a 98-year-old lady can fight this off, so can you, whatever your age is. Stay positive.“
Love thy neighbour
Whilst social media might not be the healthiest place to get your news, there are some incredibly heartwarming stories thee to remind us of the good there is in the world. None more so than the exchange between a 93 year old and his five year old neighbour.
Wuhan lifts lockdown
On Wednesday, the Chinese city of Wuhan where the coronavirus originated lifted its lockdown. Its residents, who had been in strict lockdown since 23 January, were finally allowed to leave the city for the first time.
Wuhan was in lockdown for 76 days, with 11 million people confided to their homes. Over the past few weeks, restrictions had been gradually eased with some residents allowed to leave their residential compounded on a limited basis.
More businesses are expected to reopen. China Eastern is now operating 30 flights from Wuhan to other cities in China, like Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.
We’re going on a bear hunt
With houses encouraged to display teddy bears in their window as a way to entertain children out on their daily walks or ‘bear hunts’, one household in Stockport has taken it to a whole new level!
Every day, residents can see the latest adventures of Ted and Ed, two larger than life teddy bears. From doing household chores to band practice, going camping and playing board games, Ted and Ed are delighting the neighbours and passersby, many of whom are now leaving thank you notes as well as drawings or paintings of their favourite teddy bear activity.
The pair have become so popular they even have their own Instagram account @themoorbears.
