Originally Posted by
Michael Grantham
As I said, I'm not claiming that everything was done correctly. I'm aware of the issues with some health-related facilities, nursing homes especially.
The data are simply unconvincing that this can be used as an effective prophylactic for at risk populations. Most of the studies are small, and do not even show enough of a protective effect to be relied on as the only line of defense. Of course you know this, but for the benefit of other folks...in vitro (lab-based) studies are only useful to give you a starting point for what might working a person. All sorts of compounds work fantastically in the lab, but are completely useless in people. Mouse studies are only slightly more useful. Even if we had the data available now in March of 2020, I still would not be convinced that this is sufficient to serve as the sole line of protection for populations that are at risk for severe disease. We didn't have those data. There may have been rumblings about some of this, but enough to rely on prophylaxis as the sole line of defense while transmission (and therefore potential exposure events for vulnerable populations) increases throughout the rest of the population?
And no, Rip...I'm not a hospital administrator. Just a virologist. I'm sure that will give folks plenty of reason to throw rocks, but such is life on the internet.