is extremely contagious. vaccinated people are also contracting it, though their cases are usually much milder. what treatments are available? which medications can help? we talk to medical professionals in germany, and we had to uganda where traditional remedies are also being used to fight the corona virus. plus, is vaccinations the way out of the pandemic, or could new antiviral drugs be the long awaited game changers? sh. ah, but 1st we had to poland with one of europe slows vaccination rates at just 55 percent. the oma crown wave is especially worrying cracow, poland 2nd largest city after warsaw is alive. the university city here to doctors are concerned about rising infection rates and are preparing for many people to fall seriously ill and ventilators, fighting for their lives. none of the 20 people on this coven, 19 ward at krakow university hospital, a vaccinated greg or she was just been admitted to. the ward says he was scared, the vaccine would effect another medical condition. he has rather than have a general shipper. got one of them which convict until now i didn't know how to vaccine would affect me. but anyway, i'm not an anti vac sir in the void because the question is now for my doctor, how long after leaving the hospital can i be vaccinated? kid and funny movies are shipped right now. the case load here is manageable, but they're bracing as infection numbers in poland. surge and my frustrated that people are not getting vaccinated. frustration is a difficult turned to to define. i just wish people trusted or medical experts more weak and weary the staff try to get the patients moving again. up to half of the patience on this road will end up needing intensive care support. it's so frequent that the staff here at clack, of university hospital has set up special pathways that go underground straight from this ward to the i see you doctors out of the hospital when i remember 1st wave, we had most sleep, very other people. and a lot of them, in fact, died at to day. age of patients is different. we have patients who are 40 at 50 years old. there's an ongoing discussion in poland about whether the reluctance to be vaccinated comes from longstanding, lack of confidence in public institutions. a hangover from the communist era or whether the government's information campaign around the jobs was insufficient. only 56.5 percent of polls are vaccinated with 2 doses. and it wasn't hard to find people on the streets of krakow, who hadn't had it back to shark, whatever vaccinated people also get the virus scan. they are spreading the virus to left and carrying and suffering at the place where i was working. everyone who was vaccinated got severely ill, me, i wasn't vaccinated and i never got sick like any kind of harm needs given so, so, so civilian, i don't know what to say about vaccines because i'm not vaccinated. are you there something new in the world? and i don't know what the side effects might be. every makia of october summer go home goes, i love the gulf, the steel production company, arsenal, metal, poland, is offering. it's 10000 employees. a bonus of just over 400 euros. if they prove they're fully vaccinated, they say it's getting results. the response has, has been overwhelming because the program was only introduced on the 21st of december last year. and in the 1st 3 weeks, we received as many as 4 and a half 1000 applications. so it means that 4 and a half 1000 of our employees have been vaccinated. while private initiatives like that might have a local effect. increasing vaccination rates needs a nationwide effort. poland has passed the unwelcome milestone of a $100000.00 covey deaths and with the low vaccine take up. and with the 5th wave looming, hospitals like this one warned, the number of deaths will spike again. ah, the pandemic is fostered a growing public interest in science and research. our reporters have been interviewing specialists to gain insight from bare expertise on the corona virus. this time christina christner is talking to marilyn otto, head of infectious diseases at the university medical center hamburg epin door. we want to know which methods have been effective in treating coven 19 and when they're used to pop up with our other. soon as i'm interpreting professor otto great to speak with you that has been don't meet on our show. we look into treating cove at 19 cases above your research or of infectious disease, but also treat patients or clinic as it's an if most i'd festival a general question you built and how do you treat covert patients admitted to the hospital. but in the clinic? espionage, christina, up to one, and the various factors play a role here. it is wide spectrum of patients who have gotten cells covey to. and of course, the treatment depends on the severity of the illness technique. and there are those that come to the emergency room with a runny nose off to having contact with someone who has the corona virus, but otherwise have no symptoms there. and they sent back home to recover from what's otherwise, just to call and quieter than a kid. who globules a lot depends on the patient. nathan, if someone has risks faxes or severe illness and needs to be hospitalized, then they would be admitted as an impatient. over non maria treatment options range from support of therapy such as reducing a fever and increasing fluid intake. depending on how the patient feels, whether the example oxygen is required, then other measures may be necessary even to allow us to purchase any good magnum covers would be the can. treatments. are antiviral medications to fight the virus itself and medical maintenance. you will stand anti inflammatory drugs which are sometimes helpful in the later stages of the disease. and if there's an inflammatory reaction and continuously on monday come. and so the treatment depends on the patient and the regular severity of the illness each where and where they are in the cause of the disease. so are they in the early phase or has the progress fathers? there are many possibilities, like it's such an america. the, i'm the how, with modes of treatment developed over the course of the pandemic, and what's been learned from the outcomes were planned and i'll, yet, if they are. and in the ange, it's been an interesting process. learning by doing for player 2 years ago. at the start of the pandemic, we didn't have any medications available because none had been specifically developed for it. and we tried drugs with an anti viral effect used to treat other diseases. also an anti parasitic vocal we're talking about hydrox, klara quinn, ivr make turn, all rimmed as of air vizier on had them lens studies were conducted and showed that some of these drugs were of no or only marginal benefit demand and but now drugs have been developed monoclonal antibodies, which fight the virus and can be given early on. largest studies have been carried out and shown that dexamethasone has a very good anti inflammatory effect. so we already have a more extensive range of treatment options compared to what was available at the beginning of the pandemic when cache treatments differ based on whether someone's vaccinated or not in their leader, natasha i, there is no single answer would be. now, a cox feel, it all depends on the individual patient and the severity of the illnesses soon. i plan with high risk patients, other therapy options would be discussed with you. the only point of differentiation is the administering of monoclonal antibodies happen if someone is fully vaccinated with good antibody levels. antibody treatment wouldn't be considered. yeah, and also even, but for those with risk factors, while a severe illness is like cancer page since who haven't developed any immunity, then when administered early monoclonal antibodies are a very good option of guns would segregated my rare wendell soon. it is now that we also know that the effectiveness of the vaccine differs depending on the virus variant muffin is the particular variance also affect to us to which medications and treatment so used. hold on. good. yeah, i did. i did. yes. via antiviral drugs and monoclonal antibodies don't work full variance, how much was it on? for example, there are antibodies that work well against delta but not against omicron and vice versa. but the must be getting data would work and i'm a so it's certainly a factor of the cat under doubt because one, i know not on a studio according to a study from the university hospital where you walk as if there were indications that even a moderate case of a cove, it leaps, traces on organs were an organ. and could you elaborate consensus? canola norton and this is and yes, i'm the story. the else in hudson on. it's a very interesting study led by our cardiology center of, of the 400 people who were mildly or moderately ill. he used to be lighter and to leave them in a 7 hour examination. the study team looked closely at effects that may not be clinically apparent, but are still detectable. all of us were also homeless. i'm come, reflect hugely, upon incident armor. they looked at the kidneys, heart, lungs, and veins on the leg when divine views about 9 months after a corona virus infection that they observed and measured slight reductions in the organs functioning, hall, and contraband. had shown that in all gone like the ancient this needs to serve as a warning against the attitude. oh, let's just catches and tightened after this amendment. it needs to be taken seriously. and patients should continue to be monitored after they've recovered or, and of beginner pilots. in math, organ myers, do my address. but like i have to point out that these findings should not alarm people and it must be in that 9 months. the differences could still be detected. the, but this will still be the case in the long term must be investigated further not by count as war, yet overall wisdom in the early days of this whole pandemic that hanson addresses. and, but just is undoubtedly an important indication that the heart, lungs and kidneys can be affected. griffin couldn't was nicholas man nicotine canteras's fear for the good news is we didn't observe any nearer cognitive problems in the study groups, cotton backups, kind of figure. professor, professor ardo, thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us with that. my pleasure. greetings. from hamburg homework in uganda, only 13 percent of the population is fully vaccinated and there's a supply shortage to contain the spread of the corona virus. the government enforced one of the strictest lockdown in the world. the public health care system is still overwhelmed. this has caused many people to turn to traditional medicinal plants and healing methods. it's medicine time for you gunned an engineer, hennington su buddha. dr. suspect that he's suffering side effects of the coven 19 treatment he received in the hospital. oh, looks doable. fuller, club, turret, gunner. and i'd go sauntered. guttenberg, fluoxetine vetted turtle experience. they put on me like 7 i, viz. on, on. this one was good to known, were adding another on the i do your mom on for buddha is now using earth to treat persistent abdominal discomfort. he says they also help to boost his immune system in general. gunter it um, using a hub, but a strong, marla, u e. the synchronous, amid discipline, obama medicine and, and from of capsules. but it's during the drip there more than 6 out of 10 ugandans use herbal remedies before seeking conventional medicine. and when coven 19 broke out, many took the herbal option. dizzy napa easy has been steaming with local herbs, usually used to treat the common cold. she thinks it could also help against cov, it even though i love whenever i had a cold or cough, i would steam and it totally relieve my nasal congestion that you will see. my entire body would feel revitalized dim one mazda will now. when emmanuel twice a year tested positive for coven 19 a doctor prescribed him medicine. he finished the course, but still felt on well. a friend recommended a ugandan herbal remedy called covey. dex. fs. t. as did i, it was triangle trans event. i was recommended by a colleague who had no. so use the data knowing that and he went to where i had undertaken or the other the st treatments of covered by the so i thought had to become a problem and i had to use that drops as it was prescribed. and it worked perfectly because after my prescribed dosage, i was actually fine. so covered x is made, but you got in scientists. dr. patrick oak long. the researcher claimed that his herbal solution has cured more than 300 people. but the drug regulator has cautioned the university professor against claims of curing coven 19. we have approved a remedies for symptomatic really for such symptoms. noted, symptomatic release. we haven't approved them for that sort of treatment and curative codecs is sold in drug stores as a remedy for cold or flu symptoms, including those of coby 19. uganda is now funding its development when to have a documented study that will be a clinical trial to show that this remedy actually apart from providing the support team release actually has this particular claims. and what does happen from the clinical trials, you have patients carrying audit trails in the control control environment. need to know that if you're carrying out that particular remedy in, within the control or condition, i know what the person is taking. i know what the expect to to be can be observed. 7 out of 10, ugandan self medicate, the national drug authority. the countries regulator of health care products says that the pandemic has made it worse. it says there have been accidents resulting from improper self medication. will hi, this is here where people of course use a cannabis we've had people die for, for kit weight, of steaming in and a controlled manner or so it, it can, it can go the other way. some of the world's most common conventional medicines derived from traditional remedies scientific investigation, could prove whether or not there's real healing power in the ugandan herbal remedies. luckily, and perhaps the world could benefit from this traditional knowledge during the corona virus pandemic. since the beginning of the pandemic, our d. w. science correspondent derek williams has been keeping up with the latest research from the fields of science and medicine in a search for answers. if you have a question for him, do write to us with this week been? aren't asked if i get covered 19, which treatments are available. pharmaceutical treatments for coven 19 can be roughly broken down into 2 categories, and the 1st is therapies for people with severe disease. now, early in the pandemic, medical authorities desperately searched for ways to keep late stage patients with serious illness. from dying. i want, sorry, covey to settled into the lungs. it can cause the body's immune response to, to spiral out of control and start doing more harm than good. when that happens, the experts say people are basically killed by their own hyper active immune system . so, hospitalized patients with severe disease are given anti inflammatories to help combat immune response down. the most widely used of these is a steroid called dexamethasone covey. patients with severe cases also often receive non pharmaceutical treatments that include, for instance, supplemental oxygen. the 2nd category of treatment includes drugs that are meant to be given at earlier stages of the disease, to help keep it from getting any worse. those treatments include what are known as a monoclonal antibodies, often called mabe's. now, the body learns to make its own protective anti bodies during an infection, and it's their job to identify a virus very selectively based on specific viral surface proteins then oh man and doc on which neutralizes the virus or, or flags it up for destruction by other cells in the immune system, the problem is, learning to recognize a pathogen takes time for the body and for some patients, the lesson is just learned too late. um, mabe's are artificial antibodies made in bio reactors, so outside of the body. but they can help it fight often. infection at an earlier stage of the disease of several different types have been approved for emergency use in a number of countries. but, but mab's are expensive to manufacture and they can be fooled by variance to monoclonal antibodies used against earlier variance of sars covey to for instance, appear to not really work against our micron. then there are antivirals which to have a real, a fact also have to be given soon after symptoms appear. now, antivirals interfere with viral replication, which lowers viral load, that basically gives your immune system time to catch up on the best known cove. it antiviral is called rem desert here, which has been used to treat patients really since the early days of the pandemic. um, but it's effectiveness is also hotly debated and, and it has a big drawback, which is that it has to be administered intravenously. so in a medical setting, in the last few months though, a couple of antivirals that can be taken in pill form. so at home, they've proven quite promising. experts now hope that the new medications impacts livid and mal new pure of year, that there'll be powerful new weapons in to fight against coven 19 across the world's hospital workers have been pushed to the edge with the latest omicron waived. infections in germany are expected to peak in mid february. however, if to new antiviral drugs to liver, what they promise it will alleviate a lot of pressure and d w's. pip. stevens visited a german hospital to find out why they're so important. jordan, i'm in much better research. this is dr. david young. he's a respiratory specialist who's been particularly in demand during the corona virus pandemic. for nearly 2 years, he's been looking after patients in the cove at ward a battle hospital in berlin. the situation last couple of weeks has been challenging as the numbers of infected people have been rising. so much especially in by then and staff morale is also a problem because we've been going through wave after wave and always been hoping that the last way if we're to finland, os version of a was ah, but at the moment to a coping healthcare systems under pressure are a familiar tale in the pandemic, but doctors in germany are about to gain access to, to drugs that could help significantly lighten the burden. one of them and antiviral called packs livid, was found in clinical trials to reduce hospitalizations and deaths by 89 percent. that's compared to a placebo. the other called mono peer over reduced hospitalizations in depth by 30 percent in trials. that's also compared to a placebo. if the facts, all the new jobs um are as pronounced as has been reported and that could help us tremendous fee to reduce the load on the hospitals in the whole country and potentially the whole world. and that's because the drugs reduce the viral load in the patient's body and with it the number of serious cases. typically, the virus spreads rapidly in human cells as seen here. the new medicines inhibit an enzyme in the virus and halt replication packs live. it was developed by farmer giant pfizer, which is also behind one of the main coven vaccines. both drugs can be taken in pill form. they're aimed at patients with a high risk of hospitalization, and should be given within 5 days of experiencing initial symptoms. in germany, prescriptions will be issued right after a patient receives a positive test result doctors in the u. s. the u. k. and now also in the e, you have been given the all clear to prescribe packs livid germany's doctors are about to receive their 1st shipments. these kinds of drugs could help to get the problems wrought by the pandemic under control. with all these patients who probably vaccinated the number of patients who succumb is low anyway. however, the critical infrastructure hospital has a problem is to many patients come to distribute disease and therefore it's the right drug to the right point of time. the fact that the new anti virus come and pill form makes them an attractive alternative to the anti viral currently an offer in germany, ram desert via the red visible actually in on the chrome has good to pick a c. but it's some high v drug needs to be given, although couple of days saw live. finally, if you wouldn't talk when they lived here, we would bring in patients for our ib drug treatment to avoid hospitalization. class is logistic nonsense. so drugs they keep patients out of the hospital, they don't have to be administered in the hospital, could prove to be pretty revolutionary. preventing breakdowns and overloaded health care systems is perhaps the most important goal of politicians across the world. some say it's perhaps the most critical milestone on the path to cove. it becoming an endemic rather than a pandemic disease. oh, oh oh. oh, i send to the conflict with to sebastian the streets of hong kong, a quiet these days. the pro democracy movements have been tamed. this week we talk for a 2nd time to regina, if long time, low amaica in hong kong, legislative council, and head of the prob, aging new people's party. what kind of future for hong kong, now conflict with 30 minutes on d. w. to the point. strong opinions, clear positions, international perspectives. the dire warnings mount as russian forces dig in on ukraine's border and diplomatic todd stall calls for germany to play a more active role are also growing louder. isn't letting its allies down join us on to the point to the point with 90 minutes on d. w. sometimes a seed is all you need to allow big ideas to grow. we're bringing environmental conservation to life with learning packs like global ideas. we will show you how climate change and environmental conservation is taking shape around the 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