Execution of prophylactic approach can combat this dreadful storm.
Dr. Arshed Iqbal Dar
Scientists tell us that the world of nature is so small and interdependent that a butterfly flapping its wings in the amazon rainforest can generate a violent storm on the other side of the earth. This principle is known as the “Butterfly Effect”. Today, we realise, perhaps more than ever, that the world of human activity also has its own “Butterfly Effect”-for better or for worse. You know, the provision of every felicity is knowledge and certainty, while the root of every wretchedness is doubt and ignorance.
You know, Science itself can’t distinguish between good and bad, it is he who use it wisely for the welfare of society or misuse it unwisely for the destruction of life. Scientists are in the race to design cum develop novel vaccine candidates to combat against nCOVID-19 and scientific advisories issued by the top leaders in public health viz. WHO and CDC as a preventive measure against this bad news. The news wrapped up in a spiky protein clearly depicts the heart and soul of science and technology which pertains to the elucidation of unknown phenomenon and to the creation of new knowledge through the discovery of novel principles and then utilisation of that knowledge to boost the prosperity of human lives and to prove fruitful to the mankind.
Scientists are accelerating efforts to tackle this global public health pandemic by various strategies. Scientists are trying to understand the structure of this virus and its mechanism of action. Some researchers explained the role of spike proteins as tiny picks that permits nCOVID-19 to penetrate human respiratory system cells and as per their views inhibiting spiky proteins will disarm the virus. Scientists are in the race to find novel candidates responsible for inhibiting these spiky proteins of nCOVID-19.
A collaborative research project led by the researchers from Shanghai University, Peking Union Medical College, and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences is investigating the potential of mesenchymal stem cells to reduce the severity of nCOVID-19. Their findings suggest that immunological therapy may be used to treat the infected patients. If the immunomodulatory capacity isn’t strong enough, the virus can stimulate a terrible cytokine storm in the lung. Therefore, avoiding the cytokine storm may be the key for the treatment of nCOVID-19 infected patients. In this regard, mesenchymal stem cells are strong immunomodulatory in action hence weaken the cytokine and may be the future candidate for the treatment of nCOVID-19. The most valuable tool scientists are trying to understand is the viral genome and the first thing that coronaviruses have in common is that their genetic material is RNA.
Comparing the viral genome of nCOVID-19 with SARS and MERS viruses will open new vistas in designing cum developing the novel vaccine candidates. Staphen Burley, an Oncologist and structural biologist at Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J reported that in the new corona virus, the M protease is one of the 16 proteins that are linked like beads on a string. The virus can mature and infect new cells only if M protease can snip the string of proteins free. In this regard, stop the protease from cutting and the virus can’t reproduce, or replicate. One thing is clear that the quality of our life, strength of our economy and the very futute of our society depends upon the innovations and discoveries made by the scientists.
Ludwig Feuerbach was probably right when he said: “We are what we eat”. Not only because, as he said, if we eat well we can think better, but also because if we choose to eat well, our health will be substantially improved. A strong immune system doesn’t have to be just a dream. Over the last few decades, several strategies for boosting the immune system have been studied, with the aim of reducing the incidence and severity of infectious diseases. Unfortunately, ill educated society is recommending cow urine sanitisers, consuming cow-dung cakes and organising cow urine (GAUV MUTR) parties to combat this dreadful storm. Woodrow Wilson quotes, “We are citizens of the world. The tragedy of our times is that we don’t know this. Most of the citizens are behaving like ‘penny wise pound foolish’ in this global public health pandemic and are avoiding scientific advisories cum quarantine treatment when millions of lives are at stake.
Dire need is to be prepared for this storm because the faster we can find the cases, isolate them, the more successful we are going to be. Execution of prophylactic approach is the only candidate to combat this dreadful storm, as we are at the infant stage to develop novel vaccine candidates. Advisory needs to be revisited on scientific grounds because every human being on this planet earth is the part of this interconnected system. Different modes cum vectors of transmission of nCOVID-19 needs to be taken care while formulating advisories, because the more we control its transmission the more successful we are going to be. Transport hubs are widely regarded as infection hotspots and this factor needs to be taken into consideration. Construction of special COVID structures isolated from the general Health Care Systems is prerequiste. Health workers must be facilitated with special facilities and equipped with latest technology as they are the warriors between the carriers and the worriers. You know, Day and night we are in quest of peace and peace can’t be achieved without bringing the pieces together. In this regard, top leader in public health and peace must adopt cum execute the strategy of ubuntu (I am because we are) because friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together and there is no place for political disputes when millions of lives are at stake.
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Author is Assistant Professor, Govt. Degree College Sumbal, Sonawari. He can be reached at: drarshediqbal@gmail.com
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