Sonya Addison, MD, is board certified in Internal Medicine, Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, and holds a certification by the American Society of Hypertension. She currently practices Endocrinology at Boone Medical Group Diabetes and Endocrinology in Columbia, Mo. This column is for educational and entertainment purposes, and is not meant to replace the advice of your personal medical team.

Illness, death, school closures, unemployment, stay-at-home, social distancing, toilet paper shortage…the scary, gloomy news is all we hear. I’m going to focus on some of the good news surrounding COVID-19 this week. 

What could possibly be celebrated during a global pandemic? 

This is the first time in modern history, and probably in all of human history, that the entire planet is fighting a common enemy. We have to admit, that with only a few exceptions, that it is nice to see the world work toward one goal. Nations are sharing needed supplies, medications, and innovations. The flow of information is more open and honest than usual. 

New technologies, treatments, and testing are reaching the market at a record pace. FDA approval for vaccines, equipment, or medications can take upwards of 10-15 years. The approval process involves large sums of money, multiple testing phases, revisions, and red tape. COVID-19 has changed this. Moderna, Inc., a pharmaceutical company, began human trials for a coronavirus vaccine in mid-March. This was only about three months after the novel virus was discovered. Three months. Several new antiviral medications are also being fast-tracked, and if effective, could be available in a matter of months. Several other vaccines are also being developed.

I’m hopeful that this pandemic will shine some light onto the very inefficient approval process for medical applications. Many patients with a terminal disease may hear about a new therapy, only to perish while the potentially life-saving treatment is bogged down by red tape. We can and should learn from our current situation.

An antibody that blocks the coronavirus has been found by a group of researchers in the Netherlands. This is unique because it can be used as a medication against the virus. An antibody is a protein that is usually made by the body after an infection is cleared. However, this antibody was isolated during a prior epidemic, and it cross-reacts with the current virus. It has the potential to be used as a treatment once infected, or even as a preventative medication. It only stays in the blood for a few weeks, so it is for acute, not long-term, protection. This antibody could also be used to develop tests or vaccines.  Scientists are also starting to isolate antibodies from the blood of people who have recovered from COVID-19. 

Testing for COVID-19 has been a battle. A completely new virus means that no testing was available when it was discovered. We now have several tests available. Production has increased dramatically. However, results may still take several days. Good news! New rapid testing kits have been developed and approved, and are currently in production. More than 220 companies have submitted their techniques. These tests can provide results in 15 to 45 minutes.

With more testing comes more information. More good news? COVID-19 tends to be a mild illness in nearly 90% of people. Some have no symptoms at all, but can still spread it. More testing will allow decreased transmission because we will know who actually has it. More people being tested also means that the number of positive tests will increase.  This is good. Wait – this is good? The number of people with mild or symptom-free disease means that the overall death rate will be much lower. 

As of this writing, the reported global mortality rate is sitting at about 5.5%. This is high. The ability to test everyone, not just those who are sick, will make the total number of confirmed cases go up. The number of fatalities will continue to rise, but not as quickly as the total number of positive tests. This makes for a more accurate and lower overall death rate.

Even better news? An antibody test is coming out. We will soon be able to test to see if a patient was infected with the virus in the past. This will give us an even deeper look into the overall severity of the disease. Identifying recovered patients will also expand the availability of treatment options, as we can use the plasma from these people to make treatments for others.

On a lighter note, our pets are thrilled to have us at home all day. Who doesn’t like a cat sitting on the computer keyboard? The kids are getting much more time out in the fresh air, even if it is because they are driving us bonkers and we force them out. Last but not least? I’ve seen toilet paper at the store!

Hearing about nothing but doom and despair takes a toll on our emotional well-being. There are many good things happening in spite of this pandemic. Tangible progress and innovations are happening every day. Good news is usually overshadowed by the bad. I challenge every reader to actively seek out the good news each day.

Sonya Addison, MD, is board certified in Internal Medicine, Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, and holds a certification by the American Society of Hypertension. She currently practices Endocrinology at Boone Medical Group Diabetes and Endocrinology in Columbia, Mo.  This column is for educational and entertainment purposes, and is not meant to replace the advice of your personal medical team.