Costa Rica takes the bull by the horns

Despite being one of the countries in the world with lowest covid-19 virus mortality rates, Costa Rica continues to take on the virus. (Only New Zealand, Catar, Island, South Africa, Singapore Australia Omán and Chile are ahead of us).

Costa Rica’s Clodomiro Picado Institute of the University of Costa Rica is on the verge of making history again.

Since 1970 the Institute’s scientists have demonstrated their brilliance in the field of experimentation. They became world famous when they discovered an anti-venom serum (antiofídico) to neutralize the toxinas from venomous snake bites.

The Institute now faces one of its greatest challenges, a new medicine for treating those with coronavirus-19.

Basically, the treatment will be elaborated from the blood of patients who have recovered from the virus. The blood will be collected and analyzed by in a laboratory to ensure that it is free of hepatitis, syphilis, SARS or any other maladies. The antibodies will then be purified.

If all goes well, 50 viles of the new anti COVID-19 serum will be made from 16 patiences who have recovered from the disease much like blood donors.

The idea is to treat the most seriously ill patients by giving them the antibodies that the Institute produces.

Treatment should begin in around 20 days once all of the paper work is completed.

CNN news stated the other day that although few studies have been done using this treatment, it is promising.

On another front, because of the virus and resultant unemployment it has brought with it, many Costa Ricans are using their ingenuity to get by. One former model just launched a line of antibacterial hand gel with aloe vera. Using gel is important in stopping the spread of the virus but repeated use can irritate the skin. Hopefully, this new version solves the problem of dry skin and the possibility of contacting allergic dermatitis (a serious irritation of the skin).