This blog is totally independent, unpaid and has only three major objectives.
The first is to inform readers of news and happenings in the e-Health domain, both here in Australia and world-wide.
The second is to provide commentary on e-Health in Australia and to foster improvement where I can.
The third is to encourage discussion of the matters raised in the blog so hopefully readers can get a balanced view of what is really happening and what successes are being achieved.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Some Of The Best Analysis On COVID-19 Is Free To Access.
More about the virus and what we can test for. A test that shows if you have had it and recovered would be very useful. You could go back to work and not worry about getting it or spreading it.
Have I already had Covid-19? How would I know and what should I do? https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/23/have-i-already-had-covid19-coronavirus
In response to Bernard, I thought it may be worth letting people know about the good job being done with Covid 19 testing in Australia; especially when compared with other 'advanced' health systems.
Some may not know, but I have been on the Board of NSW Health Pathology (NSWHP) for some years and so have a resulting bias and some knowledge about what is going on.
NSWHP were very early in the world in developing a reliable test for Covid-19 RNA - the test used to identify Covid-19 as the bug causing the respiratory illness. Those responsible have been participating in World efforts since. NSWHP has been testing at relatively high volumes for weeks and are doing around 3,600 tests a day now in 6 laboratories with another 6 to come on line soon. As at 23 March 41,778 samples had been tested with 644 positive results - for all of NSW at the same point in time 61,030 samples were tested with 818 positive results and regrettably 6 deaths.
The main problem at the moment around testing is letting those with negative tests know in a timely manner - a communications problem. NSWHP expect to be letting people know negative test results by SMS by the end of the week which will go a long way to fixing this. The test takes around 6-8 hours.
In regards to a serology test (testing for antibodies), NSWHP has developed a test which is being used by public health now. In addition to this NSWHP has a specialist Point of Care Testing Unit that is evaluating self-testing kits that may well become useful later. At this stage in the pandemic these not considered reliable enough.
NSWHP has the largest POCT network that we know of in the World and was called out for this by Satya Nadella of Microsoft recently in the press. There is little doubt about the value and importance of informatics in some aspects of the health care system!
We should be proud of the science and medicine being done in Australia now and remember this in the future when we allocate funds or feel inspired to change the system for change's sake.
While we are giving credit to Australian research, here's a paper on Modelling transmission and control of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia Sheryl L. Chang et al,
Centre for Complex Systems, Faculty of Engineering, & Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, University of Sydney.
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2003.10218.pdf
I don't know if its conclusions have been used by the government and/or its advisers, but it sure looks like it. Especially the predictions re school closing.
IMHO, this and other complex system modelling initiatives (e.g. the Imperial College work) is orders of magnitude more useful than any amount of supposed Digital Health solutions.
But, with a background in complex system modelling, I'm biased.
The Washington Post has a good article on the science of the virus
ReplyDeletehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/03/23/coronavirus-isnt-alive-thats-why-its-so-hard-kill/
The coronavirus isn’t alive. That’s why it’s so hard to kill.
The science behind what makes this coronavirus so sneaky, deadly and difficult to defeat
More about the virus and what we can test for. A test that shows if you have had it and recovered would be very useful. You could go back to work and not worry about getting it or spreading it.
ReplyDeleteHave I already had Covid-19? How would I know and what should I do?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/23/have-i-already-had-covid19-coronavirus
In response to Bernard, I thought it may be worth letting people know about the good job being done with Covid 19 testing in Australia; especially when compared with other 'advanced' health systems.
ReplyDeleteSome may not know, but I have been on the Board of NSW Health Pathology (NSWHP) for some years and so have a resulting bias and some knowledge about what is going on.
NSWHP were very early in the world in developing a reliable test for Covid-19 RNA - the test used to identify Covid-19 as the bug causing the respiratory illness. Those responsible have been participating in World efforts since. NSWHP has been testing at relatively high volumes for weeks and are doing around 3,600 tests a day now in 6 laboratories with another 6 to come on line soon. As at 23 March 41,778 samples had been tested with 644 positive results - for all of NSW at the same point in time 61,030 samples were tested with 818 positive results and regrettably 6 deaths.
The main problem at the moment around testing is letting those with negative tests know in a timely manner - a communications problem. NSWHP expect to be letting people know negative test results by SMS by the end of the week which will go a long way to fixing this. The test takes around 6-8 hours.
In regards to a serology test (testing for antibodies), NSWHP has developed a test which is being used by public health now. In addition to this NSWHP has a specialist Point of Care Testing Unit that is evaluating self-testing kits that may well become useful later. At this stage in the pandemic these not considered reliable enough.
NSWHP has the largest POCT network that we know of in the World and was called out for this by Satya Nadella of Microsoft recently in the press. There is little doubt about the value and importance of informatics in some aspects of the health care system!
We should be proud of the science and medicine being done in Australia now and remember this in the future when we allocate funds or feel inspired to change the system for change's sake.
Michael Legg - thanks. Health care workers and medical scientists are in the front line but need proper support from governments.
ReplyDelete... but need proper support from governments.
ReplyDeleteWhat we don't need are ministers like this
Stuart Robert’s incompetence on MyGov should accelerate his own social isolation
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/24/stuart-roberts-incompetence-on-mygov-should-accelerate-his-own-social-isolation
While we are giving credit to Australian research, here's a paper on Modelling transmission and control of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
ReplyDeleteSheryl L. Chang et al,
Centre for Complex Systems, Faculty of Engineering, & Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, University of Sydney.
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2003.10218.pdf
I don't know if its conclusions have been used by the government and/or its advisers, but it sure looks like it. Especially the predictions re school closing.
IMHO, this and other complex system modelling initiatives (e.g. the Imperial College work) is orders of magnitude more useful than any amount of supposed Digital Health solutions.
But, with a background in complex system modelling, I'm biased.