2020 under the epidemic: an extraordinary year for scientific research

International War "Epidemic" Action
Our reporter Feng Weidong
The December 14 issue of the website of nature said that the new crown virus pandemic is the dominant scientific event in 2020. This deadly, previously unknown virus has wreaked havoc worldwide, killing more than 1.5 million people, infecting more than 70 million and causing severe economic damage. But the new coronavirus pandemic has also pushed scientific research to an extraordinary level, affecting a whole year of scientific research, from vaccines and treatments to campus closures and virtual meetings.
the new coronavirus was discovered, teams around the world began exploring its biological principles, as well as diagnostic tests to study public health measures to control it. Scientists are also racing to find a cure and develop a vaccine to control the pandemic.
, the spread of the new crown outbreak has also affected the work and personal lives of researchers. Many researchers who do not study the new coronavirus or its effects have postponed their projects, shelved careers and even cut off research funding.
the discovery and spread of the new virus
In January 2020, less than a month after reports of a mysterious respiratory disease were discovered, Chinese researchers quickly identified the cause - a new coronavirus. By January 11, a Chinese-Australian team of researchers had published the genetic sequence of the virus online. Shortly thereafter, scientists made another key but shocking discovery: that the virus could spread from person to person.
February, researchers determined that the virus would be locked in the ACE2 complex. The virus captures ACE2 at least ten times as strong as the Saas virus. Scientists believe this may partly explain the infectious nature of the new coronavirus.
, some scientists believe that tiny, virus-filled "aerosols" that can linger in the air for long periods of time are at work in the spread of the new coronavirus. But not all researchers agree, and some governments and public health organizations have spent months searching for evidence that the virus is spreading. The researchers also learned that people can spread the disease before they develop symptoms.
successes and failures of control measures
From the beginning of the new crown pandemic, epidemiologists are eager to develop models to predict the spread of the virus and propose public health measures that can be taken to control it. In the absence of vaccines or therapeutic drugs, Governments around the world rely on so-called non-drug interventions, such as blockades. But the economic impact of the embargo was swift and severe, leading many countries to open up before the virus was brought under control. Uncertainty about whether the virus could spread in the early stages of a pandemic has also sparked debate about the benefits of wearing masks, which have been politicized in many countries, particularly in the United States. At the same time conspiracy theories and false information spread almost like viruses, including discussions about the benefits of group immunity.
epidemiologists suggest that large-scale testing of the new coronavirus is the way out of the crisis. In many countries, however, shortages of kits and reagents for standard testing (using PCR technology) have created bottlenecks. This prompted research groups around the world to begin designing new rapid testing methods, including those based on the gene editing tool CRISPR and antigen testing.
the world's first countries and territories to stop the spread of the virus using a combination of methods, including comprehensive blocking, extensive testing, wearing masks and digitally tracking virus contacts. In some countries, active testing, combined with follow-up programmes and strict isolation measures, has virtually eliminated the spread of the virus and brought life back to normal levels. What these success stories have in common is the Willingness of Governments to act quickly and decisively.
in many countries, governments
, ignoring scientific advice or reluctance to step up testing. As a result, infection rates have risen sharply, leading to a second wave of new crown outbreaks. In the United States and Western Europe, new coronavirus infections and deaths have surged again.
the rapid development of the new
vaccine is in a state of disarray, and the development and testing of the new crown vaccine is in full swing. According to November 2020 statistics, the World Health Organization says more than 200 new corona vaccines are under development, about 50 of which are at different stages of clinical trials. They used a dizzying array of methods, from old-fashioned chemical inactivation to new technologies for vaccine preparation that were never licensed.
Pfizer and German biotech company BioNTech, U.S. biotech companies Modner, AstraZeneta Pharmaceuticals and Oxford University in the U.K. have announced the results of large-scale trials to develop vaccines. In the past month, regulators in the UK and the US have announced emergency authorizations for Pfizer vaccines, with EU regulators expected to make a decision in the coming weeks. Vaccines developed in China and Russia have also been approved.
Pfizer and Modner's vaccines claim to be about 95 percent effective in preventing the new coronavirus, while the effectiveness of AstraZeneta and Oxford vaccines is uncertain. However, important questions persist: How can vaccines prevent serious diseases, especially in the elderly, and how long can they last? And scientists still don't know if the vaccine will stop people from spreading the virus.
vaccines work, they need to reach those who need them most. Rich countries, including the United States, Britain, EU member states and Japan, have pre-purchased billions of doses of various vaccines. Plans to buy vaccines for low- and middle-income countries, while supported by many rich countries, are uncertain about their success. There are also many obstacles to the production and delivery of vaccines. For example, the Pfizer vaccine needs to be kept at a temperature of minus 70 degrees Celsius, which can cause problems in areas where there is no refrigeration infrastructure.
old and new therapies go hand in hand
vaccines alone are unlikely to end the new crown pandemic, and the only way out of this pandemic is through a combination of vaccines and therapeutic drugs.
researchers competed to test a range of potential treatments, with mixed results. Several candidate drugs, including the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine and a mixture of two HIV drugs, showed initial hope in small clinical trials and observational studies, but later showed no benefits in larger randomized controlled studies of new crown hospitalized patients.
April, researchers announced that an antiviral drug called Redsyvir had shortened hospital stays for patients with new crowns, but later studies found that the drug did not significantly reduce deaths. In November, the World Health Organization recommended against using it.
in some regions, potential new coronavirus therapies have been heavily politicized, with leaders in the United States, India and Latin America
promoting unproven treatments, including hydroxychloroquine. Some regulators have issued emergency authorizations for unproven treatments, which in some cases have hampered clinical trials and raised safety concerns.
June, a large trial of the immunosuppressive steroid dexamisson found that using the antidepressant steroid for new crown patients who needed oxygen supplementation reduced mortality by about a third. Another drug, toads, which targets the immune system, has had mixed results in clinical trials, but has shown hope in severe patients.
, scientists are also testing other interventions in patients with milder neo-coronary symptoms to see if they can reduce their chances of developing more serious diseases. Some scientists hope that mass production of monoclonal antibodies that directly inseal the new coronavirus will help, but studies have yet to show whether these expensive treatments will deliver on their promise. Ultimately, the treatment of new crown patients may require a combination of drugs tailored to their risk factors and the severity of the disease.
the outbreak has interfered with
scientific research, which has never been so widely disrupted since World War II. Many universities closed their campuses in March as the new coronavirus began spreading across countries. With the exception of the most basic experiments, the lab suspended all work, canceled on-site research, and virtual meetings began to take hold.
in many areas that are not directly related to neo-coronavirus research, the project is moving slowly. Suddenly forced to work from home, the researchers found that their lives had been turned upside down, often struggling with limited access to resources such as homes and libraries. Many students also find themselves unable to conduct on-site research to obtain the data required to obtain a degree.
August, despite a surge in infection rates in many communities, many college campuses in the United States and Europe began to reopen, often driven by students returning to campus.
but there are some bright spots. Even with borders closed, some international cooperation is growing. Researchers are beginning to share data more openly, with many publishing their research on preprinted servers and most publishers opening up free reading of new crown research articles. The culture of scientific research has also temporarily shifted from an emphasis on productivity to a discussion of broader issues, such as work-life balance.