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< What is the corona virus? >


Reporter Yoon-Ji Bae


The COVID-19 that hit the world is 'sever acute respiratory disease', its scientific name is 'Sars-COV-2'. It's  a new type of corona virus. This virus came from bats, it's an infection diseas only animals but contanious matate finally turned zoonoisis that means virus jumped from animals to human.


The first infection case can be traced back to 17 November 2019, the person was a 55-year old citizen in the Hubei province. Every viruses are divided in to RNA-virus and DNA-virus. And RNA-vir us is more   unstble than DNA-,virus.


And RNA-Viruses are high probability of mutation, when virus muliplying. RNA-virus mutates quickly and frequently that make difficult develop of treatments and vaccin. And worldwide diseas, covide 19 is RNA-Virus.


Accoriding to repots, there are 6 type of covid 19 virus that infect huge people. L-type is the first confirmed in the world, S, V type covid is spread in asia, and  other 3 type of virus is heat the world. And that 3 virus more infectious than other type of covid 19 virus.


Additionally, human cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Denmark with  zoonosis SARS-CoV-2 variants associated with farmed minks in june. According to WHO, corona virus associated with mink was offically repoarted 6 country, and  4 country have been identified mink covid and finally 10 country officaly corfimed it.


In the world, total of 58 million confirmed cases and 1.38milion people deaths were causede by the covid-19. and total 31,000 confrmed cases and 509 deaths were reported in Korea.And daily covide confrimed trend is 300 people in Korea, 30,000 case in the world.


Vaccines and treatments for covid 19


The death rate is high when the aged and people who have underlying condition are infected Covid-19. And some of people who have been cured covid-19 though after-effect. And people are suffering from covid-19 because a treatments and vaccins devolopment is not finish. Several pharmaceutical companies proceed clinical trial to develoo treatment and vaccines.


Currently, Remdesivier (FDA approval)which was originally developed as a Ebola treatment, and dexamethasone (EMA approval) which widely used anti-inflammatory treatment, are being used Covid treatment.


In Korea, Remdesivier was conditinal approved as a Corona 19 treatment, and dexamethasone is uesd as an  adjuvant treatment becuast it has side effect. Treatment which is developed many companies can be classified as antiviral, anti-inflammatory, plasma derived product, antibodies.


Antiviral treatment: It is act by inhibiting virus replication. Remvesivir is a representative antiviral teatment that is used covid treatment.


Antii-inflammatory treatment :When human infected with a virus, as excessive immune reaction occurs in the body and that was casusing as infalmmatory reaction. anti-inflammatory drug was preventing excessive immune reaction occur in the body.


A representative treatment is dexamathasone. companies are in prograss clinical trial include Shinpoong, Daewoong crystal genomic in Korea.


plasma derived products : This treatment is made by Plasma from donors who have recovered from Covid-19. Plasma is through processed such as s fractionation and purification finally it is extracted  purifies and concentrates neutralizing antibodies.


That contains high concetration of antibodies, is reasonalbe price and relatively safe. Howevere, it has a disadvantage that the supply is limited because plasma of the recvered person is essential for its manufacture.


Green Cross's 'plasma dervied product' is in progress clinical phase 2 trial , and  its has been approved for 'therapeutic use" by the K-mfds and is being used in the hospitals.


Antiboy treatments : In order to make it, most stronger antibody that attack the covid 19 are selected  from the plasma from donors who have recovered from Covid-19.


And antibody is insterted in the  cell than cell is cultivated. It is available mass produection, but it's expensive because the process is very difficult other treatment. Celltrion is in progress clinical phase 2 trial.


For vaccines, two domestic pharmaceutical companies are in prograss phase 1 clinical trials, and many global companies are in prograss phase 3 clinical trials.


In Pfizer, they announced that its vaccine had been more than 90 percent effective rate in clinical trial participants. In Modena, they announced that vaccine had been  94 percent effective rate in initial phase 3 trial results.


In Astrazeneca, they announced that vaccine had been 60 percent effective at dose, 90 percent effective at  2dose (1dose, half dose) in clinical trial participants. 


Looking at the vaccine, Pfizer started taking orders. This vaccine is an m-rna vaccine which is a new type of vaccine and has the disadvantage of storage conditions, it's keeping at -70 °C.


Astrazeneca and Modena vaccine price is reasonable and the storage conditions is -20 °C. Currently, our country is goimg to sign a contract multible globel companies to secure vaccines. We will start vaccination based  on the results of vaccination in the other contries.


Until definitive treatments and vaccines are available, thorough personal hygiene is most important. Please follow basic rules such as washing your hands and wearing a mask.