COVID-19: Good News (Updated Regularly)

This pandemic is terrifying, let’s face it. Tragedy is all around, and I’m not making light of that.

But if we want to move through it, we can’t lose hope. And hopeful events are all around us, as well.

I’m collecting them here.

Please feel free to add more hopeful happenings in the comments.

• Testing News
• Vaccine Developments
• Treatments Research
• Recovery
• Nature
• Society’s Response
• Good News Roundups

Testing

April 4, 2020: (Sacramento Bee) Stanford’s immunity test is ready to go.

March 27, 2020: Abbot Laboratories launches a 5-minute test for Coronavirus. Production begins April 1 (Bloomberg).

March 27, 2020: In the UK, medical detection dogs are being trained to detect Coronavirus (The Telegraph).

March 26, 2020: UK poised to distribute antibody tests on a large scale through drug stores (The Independent).

March 23, 2020: The University of Arizona is pumping out testing kits for local use (Tucson.com)

March 22, 2020: The U.S. has just developed a serological test for immunity against COVID-19 (Leapsmag)

March 21, 2020: The FDA has approved a new test that gives results in 45 minutes (CNN)

March 19, 2020: Israeli scientists announce the development of a test that can test up to 60 people at once.

March 12, 2020: CBS Los Angeles reports that the University of California has developed a test that will show results in 24 hours.

Vaccines

April 7, 2020 (Science Daily) A vaccine technology that shows promise against MERS is being explored for use against COVID-19.

April 6, 2020: (Irish Times) A study shows that a vaccine for tuberculosis may protect against COVID-19.

April 3, 2020: Bill Gates to set up seven factories to research and scale up production of seven potential vaccines (Business Insider)

April 2, 2020: Pittsburgh University develops a potential vaccine (Pittsburgh Business News)

March 31, 2020: (Algemeiner) Israel is making progress toward a vaccine.

March 25, 2020: According to scientists, the virus is not mutating very quickly, which gives hope that a vaccine could provide long-term immunity.

March 30, 2020: Johnson & Johnson to begin human vaccine testing in September (CNBC)

March 18, 2020: A Canadian vaccine is showing great promise (CBC news).

March 13, 2020: The Montreal Gazette announces that Canadian researchers have isolated the virus. Also, a Canadian company announces that it has produced a virus-like particle that could form the basis of a vaccine.

March 15, 2020: Marketwatch reports that an American company has begun human clinical trials for a Coronavirus vaccine.

February 28, 2020: ABC News reports on an all-female team of scientists in Maryland who are working on a vaccine. The team has three vaccine candidates, one of which is currently in animal trials.

Treatments

April 6, 2020: Plasma treatments show promise against COVID-19 (CNN).

April 2, 2020: NHS Glasgow and Greater Clyde convert 100 anaesthetic machines to ventilators (Talking Up Scotland)

March 30, 2020: University of Arizona seeks to fast-track a breathing assistance device (Tucson.com)

March 30, 2020: University College London researchers partner with clinicians and Mercedes to produce an apparatus that assists breathing without a ventilator (BBC).

March 28, 2020: MIT will post plans for building a $100 emergency ventilator. But don’t try this at home. (SciTech Daily)

March 27, 2020: Check out Scotland’s innovative approach to diagnosis and triage of COVID-19 cases (video, NHS Scotland).

March 25, 2020: A new ventilator design gets FDA approval (Greenville News).

March 25, 2020: Italian engineers hack SCUBA gear into ventilator masks (Upworthy).

March 25, 2020: The Dyson Company has produced 15,000 ventilators for UK and international use. The ventilators are of a new, innovative bed-mounted design that’s also appropriate for field use. Currently pending testing (Reuters).

March 24, 2020: Despite U.S. sanctions, Cuba has mobilized to fight COVID-19 around the world with Interferon Alpha-2B Recombinant (Newsweek). The treatment has already proven effective in treating dengue fever, HIV, human papillomavirus, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and more.

March 24, 2020: Mt. Sinai reports that it will begin treating critically-ill COVID-19 patients with antibodies from recovered patients.

March 24, 2020: The FDA approves antibody therapy for critically ill COVID-19 patients (NBC News).

March 23, 2020: First UK patients to begin clinical trials of potential treatments (The Guardian).

March 23, 2020: Mt. Sinai Hospital developing an innovative wraparound program for testing, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. (Mt. Sinai News)

March 23, 2020: New York is trialing an old treatment for a new illness (NBC).

March 21, 2020: Read about the Slovenian respirator, possibly the most important treatment tool for COVID-19 cases. It can be 3D printed, and even crowdsourced (Okolje i Energija)

March 20, 2020: Korea finds a substance that inhibits Coronavirus (Korea Biomed).

March 20, 2020: Canadian anaesthetist MacGyvers one ventilator to treat nine patients at the same time.

March 18, 2020: The Jerusalem Post reports that Israel and the Palestinian Authority have set up joint operations to combat the virus.

March 18, 2020: Medscape reports that a French researcher has posted a successful trial of curing COVID-19 using the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine. The study is controversial, as it was small-scale, non-blinded, and not randomized.

March 18, 2020: The Guardian reports that patient testing in the UK is about to begin for a possible Coronavirus treatment using SNG001, an experimental lung drug that is currently in development as a treatment for COPD.

March 17, 2020: Business Korea reports on research into the use of two existing drugs, Kaletra (used to treat AIDS) and Levovir, which is used to treat Hepatitis B.

March 16, 2020: Newsweek reports that Australian doctors have found two existing drugs to be effective against the Coronavirus. One is an HIV drug, and one is an antimalarial.

March 18, 2020: The Guardian reported that a Japanese flu drug has been shown effective for treating mild to moderate cases.

Recovery

April 7, 2020: A 90-year-old Glaswegian man recovers (Glasgow Times)

March 31, 2020: 94-year-old survives, is released from hospital (BBC)

March 30, 2020: Despite limited resources, Viet Nam has NO COVID-19 deaths, and few confirmed cases (World Economic Forum).

March 30, 2020: The epidemic is slowing in the UK (Reuters).

March 30, 2020: Flattening the curve is working in San Francisco, and New Zealand is crushing it.

March 28, 2020: A 101-year-old man who lived through the Spanish Flu and WWII has beaten COVID-19 as well (The Science Times).

March 27, 2020: An 87-year-old grandfather had recovered from COVID-19 (Sky News).

March 27, 2020: A 102-year-old Italian woman has recovered from COVID-19, and is going home (CNN).

March 23, 2020: Nearly 4,000 doctors return from service in Wuhan.

March 23, 2020: Italy’s new cases drop for the second day in a row (The Hill).

March 21, 2020: China declares victory over COVID-19, returns to business. (The Times)

March 19, 2020: In the final analysis, the death rate from COVID-19 in Wuhan was determined to be 1.4% rather than 3.4% (Newsweek).

March 19, 2020: Japan’s Hokkaido Prefecture has ended its state of emergency, says Reuters.

March 18, 2020: Xinhua news reports that due to a drastically reduced number of new infections, and the recovery of many infected people, the country has closed all 16 of its temporary Coronavirus hospitals.

March 18, 2020: According to ABC News, China has reported only two new cases in two days. In addition, some 65,000 of 80,894 cases in China have recovered.

March 13, 2020: Newsweek reports that for the first time since the outbreak, recoveries in South Korea outnumber new cases.

Nature

April 7, 2020: For the first time in 30 years, the Himalayas are visible from 200Km away (SBS)

April 6, 2020: L.A. now has some of the cleanest air on Earth (KALB news).

March 28, 2020: With India on lockdown, endangered sea turtles are expected to lay some sixty million eggs (The Mind Unleashed)

March 28, 2020: The cancellation of country foot races in west Yorkshire is bad for runners, but “a great leap forward” for toads (The Guardian).

March 27, 2020: Air pollution is way down in Europe due to lockdowns (BBC).

March 26, 2020: Los Angeles reports its third straight week of super-clean air due to fewer cars on the road (Curbed magazine).

March 26, 2020: Pollution levels in Brighton and Hove have been halved due to reduced human activity, reports Brighton and Hove News.

March 23, 2020: The Guardian reports a significant drop in air pollution due to COVID-19 measures worldwide.

March 19, 2020: The BBC reports that air pollution and C02 emissions have dropped significantly around the world due to the curtailment of human activity due to anti-COVID-19 measures.

March 16, 2020: CNN reports that the lack of tourist activity in Venice, Italy has resulted in swans, fish, and dolphins returning to the canals. Also, for the first time in recent memory, the canal water has become clear. The air quality has also improved.

March 4, 2020: NPR reports a dramatic drop of air pollution over China, following a decrease in economic activity due to the Coronavirus. China’s carbon emissions have also dropped by 25%.

Society

April 7, 2020: (New York Times) Number of Britons stepping up to help the vulnerable reaches 750,000.

April 7, 2020: Locked-down folk in Naples share food and solidarity with the homeless (NPR).

April 6, 2020: Lady Gaga raises $35M in 7 days for the WHO’s Coronavirus effort (Business Insider)

April 5, 2020: Ireland’s Prime Minister returns to service as a doctor to help with the outbreak (Reuters).

April 4, 2020: The Nets owner Joe Tsai donates 2,000 ventilators to New York. The NBA added a shipment of medical masks, too.

April 2, 2020: Oprah donates $10M to Coronavirus relief (TMZ).

March 31, 2020: Designer Christian Siriano turns his shop into a mask factory (The New Yorker).

March 30, 2020: Harvard medical students graduate early to help with the fight (Harvard Gazette).

March 30, 2020: California’s Governor Newsom launches a Health Corps to fight the virus (CNBC).

March 29, 2020: Busch is giving a three-month beer supply to anyone who fosters a dog from this one shelter (Yahoo News).

March 29, 2020: An airlift of medical supplies from China arrives in New York. The U.S. had previously sent supplies to China when the crisis began there (Reuters).

March 28, 2020: Nordstroms tailors have turned their talents to sewing masks (KOMO News).

March 28, 2020: Do you owe money on Federal student loans? If so, you don’t have to pay until September 30 (Forbes)

March 27, 2020: Over 9,000 retired Army medical personnel answer the call.

March 27, 2020: Like Girl Scout Cookies? At long last, you can buy them online (Girl Scouts of America).

March 27, 2020: Designer Ralph Lauren has donated $10M to the world Coronavirus response. He and his staff are also making protective masks and gowns (BBC).

March 26, 2020: Teen starts a free grocery delivery service for the vulnerable (Upworthy).

March 26, 2020: Every night at 8pm, people in Atlanta open their windows to cheer for the healthcare workers fighting to save them.

March 26, 2020: Crocs is donating shoes to healthcare workers (CNN).

March 26, 2020: Brooklyn Navy Yard switches to making face masks (Gothamist).

March 25, 2020: Vancouver Men in Kilts delivering groceries to the vulnerable (MyCoxValleyNowNews)

March 25, 2020: The German government has rolled out a €50B aid package for small business that includes artists and galleries (Artnet).

March 25, 2020: The Four Seasons hotel provides free rooms to medical personnel fighting COVID-19 in New York City (Bloomberg).

March 25, 2020: The U.S. House and Senate have agreed on a financial stimulus & relief package that helps both individuals and business (The New York Times).

March 25, 2020: Shelter animals are finding homes at an unprecedented rate as people seek companionship during lockdown (Good News Network)

March 25, 2020: More than half a million volunteers answer the UK’s call to relieve pressure on the NHS during the Coronavirus crisis (BBC)

March 25, 2020: The U.S. Government to stop collections on defaulted student loan debt (Forbes).

March 24, 2020: China has banned wild animal markets (CNN).

March 24, 2020: Lowes is donating $10M of protective gear to first responders (KNIX Radio).

March 24, 2020: The JoAnn’s fabric store chain is distributing “mask-making” kits, including fabric.

March 24, 2020: Freelancers and self-employed in the UK will receive government grants to help them survive their loss of income.

March 24, 2020: Starbucks to provide free coffee for first responders. Starbucks will also provide 30 days pay to all employees, whether they come in to work or not.

March 24, 2020: Freelancers and self-employed in the UK will receive government grants to help them survive their loss of income.

March 24, 2020: Elon Musk fulfils ventilator promise, delivers 1,000, and works with Medtronic to make more (Bloomberg).

March 23, 2020: Tom Hanks and his wife are feeling better (The Sun).

March 23, 2020: A West Bank mask factory is making thousands of masks a day (+972 Magazine)

March 23, 2020: A Nobel Laureate presents a hopeful case for an optimistic outcome (L.A. Times)

March 23, 2020: Cuban medical personnel head to Italy to help the fight (Postive Outlooks Blog)

March 22, 2020: North Carolina textile mill switches to making medical masks (Charlotte Observer)

March 22, 2020: Factory switches from making couches to making protective masks for hospitals.

March 22, 2020: The Hanes company to start making protective masks for healthcare professionals (ABC News).

March 22, 2020: GM to begin producing ventilators (Nasdaq.com).

March 21, 2020: Jews delivering meals to elderly Poles who helped during the Holocaust (Times of Israel).

March 21, 2020: Another distiller steps up to the plate making free hand sanitizer for hospitals (Tucson.com)

March 21, 2020: Clothing designer Christian Siriano and his people are making surgical masks for New York hospitals, reports Pink News. Are you interested in making masks? First, ask around to see who needs/wants them. Second, get a pattern. Finally, make sure you use the right materials. A poorly made mask is a waste of time and effort, and won’t help anyone.

March 21, 2020: In Melbourne, the same group of Sikhs who fed first responders to the Australian bush fires has set up a free home meal delivery service for people who are self-isolating due to Coronavirus (Sikhnet).

March 21, 2020: Busch Gardens amusement park, now closed, donates nearly 6,000 pounds of food to food banks (Tampa Bay Times).

March 20, 2020: Liverpool man pledges £1m per week to help the city’s poor during the crisis (Liverpool Echo).

March 20, 2020: The UK government to pay 80% of workers’ salaries, up to £2,500/month, provided companies keep them on the payroll.

March 19, 2020: U.S. homeowners can now get (up to) a 12-month mortgage pause during the pandemic (NPR).

March 19, 2020: Seattle restaurants are providing free meals for hospital staff, while keeping their workers employed (Crosscut).

March 19, 2020: The New York Times reports that animal shelters around the USA have reported an increase in people applying to foster shelter animals as companions during shelter-at-home periods.

March 19, 2020: CNN reports that, in an act of solidarity, Brazil has lit up their Christ the Redeemer statue with flags of the countries where COVID-19 has been reported. The flags alternate with projected messages of hope and solidarity, and the hashtag #rezemosjuntos (let us pray together).

March 18, 2020: UK government enacts eviction moratorium and additional protection for renters during the CV crisis (UK Government home page). Scotland does the same.

March 18, 2020: USA Today reports that the Senate just passed a bipartisan bill that provides for paid sick time for workers affected by Coronavirus, paid time off for parents to care for children whose schools have closed, free testing, and more. The bill will next go to the President to sign. The real miracle here, many might agree, is that Democrats and Republicans worked together to get this done.

March 17, 2020: Brits will get a 3-month mortgage holiday (Metro)

March 13, 2020: President Trump announced that the Federal Government will waive interest on Federal student loans.

March 17, 2020: Forbes reports that New York State has halted collections of outstanding medical debt and student loan debt owed to the state. Governor Cuomo has also suspended the accrual of interest on this debt.

March 16, 2020: Good Samaritans are 3D printing new respirator valves for Italian hospitals (Fast Company).

March 10, 2020: Business Insider reports that Italy has suspended mortgage payments during the lockdown. The British bank RBS will also do the same for its mortgage customers.

More Good News Roundups

March 22, 2020: Good news about testing, equipment manufacture, and more from California (Times of San Diego).

March 17, 2020 Vaccines, cures, good deeds, and more.

March 12, 2020: The New European lists 10 common-sense reasons not to panic about the novel Coronavirus.