A dozen of America's top scientists, a group of billionaires, and industry titans say they have the solution to the coronavirus pandemic. The group has made a backdoor to furnish their plan to the White House.
A scientist works in a lab testing COVID-19 samples at New York City's health department, during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City, New York U.S., April 23, 2020. Picture taken April 23, 2020.
The assembled team-Scientists to Stop COVID-19-has been running behind-the-scenes in the latest months to compile an advisory report outlining what they consider to be the excellent ways of treating the infectious ailment and restoring the economy.
Scientists to Stop COVID 19 was first reported through The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). In the report, it found out its output had already been forwarded to Vice President Mike Pence, who leads the White House coronavirus mission force, and influenced decisions by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).
The group, spearheaded by physician-turned-project capitalist Tom Cahill, is serving from the shared know-how of at least a dozen men and women operating at the upper echelons of the scientific and academic communities.
Contract tracing
A report acquired and published by the WSJ identifies medicines that could potentially be used to treat COVID-19 and highlights American organizations that are best suited to help produce, distribute or study pharmaceuticals, tablets, or antibodies.
The team is sifting by peer-reviewed studies to locate the most promising results, then attempting to flag them to health officials and the federal government.
The 17-page file claims that none of the organization contributors have "any direct or recognized indirect financial interests" in organizations named in the analysis.
The WSJ cited some plans regarded to be "unorthodox," consisting of the proposed treatment of patients with capsules first meant for Ebola in higher doses than were used in the past.
"The war against COVID-19 is being fought on multiple fronts," the report notes. "We describe plans to develop therapeutics and vaccines and to reopen our businesses and schools that could be deployed in several waves," it added.
"We are a group of passionate citizen-scientists who offer four actionable non-partisan proposals to produce safe and effective COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccines in the shortest possible time frame, and to reopen our society in a manner that reduces the risk of future COVID-19 outbreaks."
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Breakout
According to the crew, the first wave of cures will be focused on the use of existing drugs, with trying out all through April to May 2020.
The second wave will develop antibody pills, with testing outs from June to August 2020.
The third is the creation of vaccines, with a testing timeline of March 2020 to March 2021.
The fourth point, reopening of the economy, must begin around May-June this year, but have to be first based on science-based symptom reporting and virus testing, they say.
Approaches to drugs, vaccines, and reopening our society should be critically pursued and supported simultaneously, the paper said.
The report added defeating the novel coronavirus in the United States, and around the world, will require a massive and well-organized collaborative effort from government, industry, philanthropy, and citizens.
"It is vital that we establish these partnerships and take action immediately," the paper wrote.
The group told the WSJ they are aware their ideas won't be taken on board by the United States government or its coronavirus venture force.
Harvard University chemist Schreiber acknowledged the team may fail. "But if it succeeds, it could change the world," he told WSJ.
