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A comment on Göttingen researchers identify existing drug with potential to treat Covid-19. Parent comment

Re:Göttingen researchers identify existing drug with potenti... by johndubchak on Sunday March 08, 2020 @02:15PM (#22519554)
If it's a drug that blocks entry of the virus into human cells, wouldn't it be ineffective on already infected human beings?
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Re:Göttingen researchers identify existing drug with potenti... by fspeech on Sunday March 08, 2020 @02:17PM (#22519564)
If it works it will block infection of new cells. Already infected cells will die and be shed.
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Re:Göttingen researchers identify existing drug with potenti... by adrianmonk on Sunday March 08, 2020 @02:24PM (#22519602)
Biologists can correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like fighting infection is a war of attrition. So anything you can do that shifts the balance helps.
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Re:Göttingen researchers identify existing drug with potenti... by vikramkr on Sunday March 08, 2020 @02:44PM (#22519731)
Some infections might be a war of attrition, but it's not something you can generalize. Fundamentally, stopping entry would just prevent the virus from infecting more cella in the body (which could worsen symptoms) - and coronavirus is more of your standard fast invasion - burn bright and strong before being eliminated style infection than a chronic slow burn, so stopping that fast invasion could help.
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