Pharma Technology lists ten of the most popular tweets on infectious diseases in Q2 2020, based on data from GlobalData’s Influencer Platform. The top tweets were chosen from influencers as tracked by GlobalData’s Influencer Platform, which is based on a scientific process that works on pre-defined parameters. Influencers are selected after a deep analysis of the influencer’s relevance, network strength, engagement, and leading discussions on new and emerging trends.

Top tweets on infectious diseases in Q2 2020

1. Laurie Garrett’s tweet on the Covid-19 pandemic response shifting to the State Department

Laurie Garrett, a science journalist and author, shared an article on the Trump administration consolidating the entire Covid-19 pandemic response at the State Department. Expected to be termed as the President’s Response to Outbreaks, or PRO, the proposal will establish an alternative mechanism to the way the World Health Organization (WHO) operates, whose US funding has already been threatened.

The discussion has led to a tussle between the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which could cause them to lose significant funds and control. Global vaccine and therapeutics distribution, and the development of modern safety protocols are part of the agenda of the new proposal.

Username: Laurie Garrett

Twitter handle: @Laurie_Garrett

Retweets: 2,866

Likes: 2,983

2. Dr Muge Cevik’s tweet on Covid-19 transmission dynamics

Dr Muge Cevik, a physician and infectious diseases researcher, tweeted on how a lot of discussions were going around the transmission dynamics of the Covid-19 virus, most of which were concluded based on viral loads and estimates. She further added that contact testing and community testing data were revealing further patterns of the infection rate, high risk environments, age, and more.

Username: Dr Muge Cevik

Twitter handle: @mugecevik

Retweets: 2,639

Likes: 5,049

3. Gregg Gonsalves’ tweet on the way out of the Covid-19 crisis

Gregg Gonsalves, a global health activist and epidemiologist, tweeted on the global coronavirus pandemic not having to lead to a global economic crisis or mass genocide. He stated that there is a way out and it is through stringent health protocols, social distancing norms, massive scaling up of testing, contact tracing, quarantine measures, use of personal protective equipment, and increased hospital capacity.

Username: Gregg Gonsalves

Twitter handle: @gregggonsalves

Retweets: 1,619

Likes: 4,383

4. Prof Peter Hotez’s tweet on new cases for each county in the Houston region

Prof Peter Hotez, a vaccine scientist, paediatrician and author, shared an article on the latest Covid-19 cases for each county in the Houston region. According to the data shared, he added that Houston was likely to become the worst affected city in the US, next to even Brazil. He further added that wearing masks is preventive, but not enough to curb the virus’s spread, and an emergency red alert scenario was essential.

Username: Prof Peter Hotez

Twitter handle: @PeterHotez

Retweets: 1,427

Likes: 1,820

5. Ian Mackay’s tweet on the role of cloth masks in risk reduction

Ian M Mackay, a virologist and scientist, tweeted on cloth masks being effective (not as much as N95 respirators and surgical masks) in reducing the risk of inhaling potentially infectious aerosols, and protecting the mouth and nose from wet droplets.

Username: Ian M Mackay

Twitter handle: @MackayIM

Retweets: 1,347

Likes: 2,347

6. Francis Collins’ tweet on quantifying undetected cases or prior infection

Francis S Collins, a physician-geneticist and the NIH director, shared an article on an NIH study to determine undetected cases of coronavirus infection in the US. An NIH study comprising 10,000 volunteers without any confirmed history of the infection will identify if they have the SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, implying prior infection.

The study aims to establish not just the magnitude of the pandemic, but also to determine why these cases were less severe than those that required hospitalisation, the article noted.

Username: Francis S Collins

Twitter handle: @NIHDirector

Retweets: 1,140

Likes: 2,577

7. Marc Lipsitch’s tweet on SARS survivors retaining neutralising antibodies 9–17 years after initial infection

Marc Lipsitch, an infectious disease epidemiologist and microbiologist, shared an article on survivors of SARS1 from 2003 retaining neutralising antibody 9-17 years later. He further added that this established that functional antibody to a coronavirus persisted longer than previously shown.

The study notified a close relatedness of the SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses, which will help in developing serological tests and vaccine candidates, while the presence of neutralising antibodies in SARS survivors 9-17 years after the initial infection is significant in assessing the longevity of protective immunity for SARS-related coronaviruses, the study highlighted.

Username: Marc Lipsitch

Twitter handle: @mlipsitch

Retweets: 900

Likes: 2,389

8. Helen Branswell’s tweet on remdesivir’s efficacy for treating coronavirus patients

Helen Branswell, an infectious diseases and global health reporter, shared an article on Covid-19 patients responding quickly to the remdesivir drug in a Chicago hospital. Gilead Sciences’ antiviral medicine saw rapid recoveries in fever and respiratory systems, the article noted.

As many as 125 people with Covid-19 were recruited by the University of Chicago Medicine in into Gilead’s two Phase 3 clinical trials. All the patients were treated with daily infusions of remdesivir. If safe and effective, this could be the first approved drug for the disease, the article highlighted.

Username: Helen Branswell

Twitter handle: @HelenBranswell

Retweets: 777

Likes: 1,696

9. Dr Tara Smith’s tweet on vaccine preparedness

Dr Tara C Smith, an infectious diseases epidemiologist and writer, shared an article on the real challenge arriving when a coronavirus vaccine was found. The article noted that the US was nowhere near to close to meeting this challenge, and that once a vaccine was approved and ready to be marketed, it would require massive amounts of coordination between governments, drug makers, and scientists.

Therefore, the nation should focus on ramping up its abilities to manufacture, distribute, package, store, an administer vaccines, and not just figuring the science of it to avert shortages once it arrives.

Username: Dr Tara C Smith

Twitter handle: @aetiology

Retweets: 610

Likes: 1,721

10. Amesh Adalja’s tweet on a previously hidden spread of the virus in New York area

Amesh Adalja, an expert on emerging infectious diseases, pandemic preparedness, and biosecurity, shared an article on New York being affected by the coronavirus as early as in mid-February. The research also found that most of the cases came from Europe and not from Asia.

The silent spread of the virus could have been detected if aggressive testing programs had been in place, rather than having testing restricted to those who travelled to China, the article further noted.

Username: Amesh Adalja

Twitter handle: @AmeshAA

Retweets: 517

Likes: 721