Melbourne researchers have injected alpacas in Bairnsdale with a fragment of the virus in the hope of finding an alternative treatment from antibodies. 9News
"Rather than depending on the immune response that is governed by a vaccine delivery, you actually deliver the antibodies directly that are effective at blocking the virus entry,' Wai-Hong Tham said.
Researchers say the project with the alpacas will not create a vaccine against COVID-19, but rather will work as an alternative form of prevention or treatment. "Hopefully with the outputs of their blood and their genetic material, their genes for unique antibody production, these guys might hold the key to part of the coronavirus puzzle," Bairnsdale vet Andrew Padula said.
"The most important thing is to deliver something that is potent, but most importantly something that is safe for human use and that takes a bit of time in terms of doing the clinical testing," Wai-Hong Tham said. Scientists said if they find something that works well pre-clinically, they hope to look at starting human clinical trials next year.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Victoria's deadliest day as 19 people die of COVID-19Victoria has recorded its deadliest day of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 19 deaths overnight and 322 new cases.
Read more »
Action needed now to keep COVID-19 out of aged careEditorial: While Australia has performed relatively well in its response to the COVID-19 epidemic overall, there’s no doubt we have failed older Australians
Read more »
Over 1,000 COVID-19 cases recorded among Victorian healthcare workers | Sky News AustraliaThe number of active coronavirus infections recorded among healthcare workers in Victoria has doubled during the past fortnight to well over 1,000 cases.\n\nInterstate and ADF teams have stepped up to fill the gap, putting to rest fears of a shortage of medical workers.\n\nOver the past 24 hours Victoria has reported its biggest fall in case numbers since the start of the second wave, a success which has been marred as it was also the state's deadliest day on record.\n\nThe Victorian Premier announced 19 deaths had been recorded with 14 linked to aged care facilities.\n\nWell over 100 fatalities could be recorded by the end of the week if the current trend persists.\n\nThe impact of stage four restrictions is not expected to be reflected in the daily case count for another week.\n\nImage: Getty
Read more »
Women arrested at Noosa shopping centre, accused of arriving from COVID-19 hotspotJUST IN: Two teenage girls accused of entering Queensland from a coronavirus hotspot have been arrested at a shopping centre. 9News
Read more »
PM dismisses 'hideous' suggestion to lift COVID-19 restrictions early | Sky News AustraliaPrime Minister Scott Morrison says it is “hideous” to argue COVID-19 restrictions should be imminently lifted because the disease disproportionally kills the elderly. \n\nOver 300 people have died from the novel coronavirus in Australia, the bulk of which have been over the age of 70. \n\nSky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell said the prime minister will not risk the public’s health by advocating for lifting restrictions early, especially when it comes to Victoria. \n\n“Federal sources tell me that they will only be assured by this decline in numbers when we have a week of sustained reduction of days below 200 new cases a day,” Mr Clennell said. \n\nVictoria recorded 322 additional cases in the past 24 hours along with 19 deaths. \n\nMr Clennell said the federal government is taking a closer look at each state’s hotel quarantine procedures in order to ensure another widespread outbreak does not occur. \n\n“Former senior bureaucrat Jane Halton has been deployed to have a look at the hotel quarantine system for overseas arrivals and how it is operating in the wake of the Victorian quarantine disaster which has caused the outbreak out there,” he said. \n\n“Halton has gone out to look at hotel quarantine arrangements in NSW and Queensland and found deficiencies in the integrity of the process in terms of the security around people coming off the plane, onto buses and into hotel quarantine. \n\n“People are allowed limited exercise in a courtyard with a security guard so that is not a problem, but there have been things tightened in terms of the airport and transport arrangements as I understand it. \n\n
Read more »
Anglicare CEO apologises for Newmarch House COVID-19 management failures | Sky News AustraliaAnglicare CEO Grant Millard has apologised for failures concerning the management of a COVID-19 outbreak at Newmarch House in Sydney.\n\nThe incident resulted in 19 fatalities and was examined by the Royal Commission into the aged care crisis.\n\nExecutives of Anglicare admitted the coronavirus outbreak at Newmarch house was initially treated like an outbreak of the flu and conceded there were failures communicating with families about the condition of their elderly relatives.\n\nThe conflicting advice provided by federal and state agencies particularly concerning the hospitalisation of infected patients was raised by Anglicare as an area of government dysfunction. \n\nImage: News Corp Australia
Read more »