key: cord-1047468-jev559j0
authors: Liu, William J.
title: Convincing the confidence to conquer COVID-19: From epidemiological intervention to laboratory investigation
date: 2020-11-27
journal: Biosaf Health
DOI: 10.1016/j.bsheal.2020.11.005
sha: cdfabe982ec3c53d94e80ec0aeba6274b4c9d041
doc_id: 1047468
cord_uid: jev559j0

nan

infectious diseases, COVID-19 is currently well controlled in China, with sporadic cases occasionally emerging [8] . However, the current general epidemic trend of COVID-19 worldwide is full of gloom and doom. The study by Islam et al. revealed the spatiotemporal patterns and community transmission trends of the COVID-19 in South Asia. They identified the spatial hotspots of COVID-19 transmission in Bangladesh and India, etc., and supported the "Test, Trace, and Isolation" approach for earlier detection of infection to prevent further community transmission [9] . Meanwhile, a recent study by Jiang et al. also clarified the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on other prevalent diseases, i.e., influenza, which will help improve control and prevention of these infectious diseases co-prevalence [10] .

Given the highly contagious and pathogenic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, considering biosafety issues are a prerequisite for all the laboratory activities around this virus. It is suggested to reinforce the necessity for BSL-3 and even BSL-4 laboratories as a fundamental part of the quick public health responses. Meanwhile, the establishment of technical systems that can be applied in biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) facilities is also imperative for the laboratory investigation and development of medical interventions for SARS-CoV-2. Tan et al. developed an easily accessible and reliable pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 system for studying the neutralizing efficiency of antibodies and the virus's entry process in a BSL-2 laboratory [11] . In the meantime, the nucleic acid detection of SARS-CoV-2 is still the most popular diagnostic method for COVID-19. Wang and colleagues shared their experience on the development of two TaqMan real-time RT-PCR assays for rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical specimens, providing diagnostic support on the control of the current pandemic [12] .

Hundreds of vaccines and drugs against SARS-CoV-2 are under development through close international cooperation. Yusuf Mummed reviewed the molecular basis of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and summarized the potential targets for new drug development and the most promising targets based on repositioning drugs. This work may enlighten a way forward to achieve future treatment of COVID-19 [13] . Sami Ullah Bhat and his colleagues minutely summarized the current knowledge of COVID-19 and other coronavirus-related infectious diseases, covering the history of different coronaviruses, genome structure and pathogenesis, and diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 [14] . The continuously updating knowledge of COVID-19, especially the comparative studies with other coronaviruses, may accelerate the vaccine and drug development against the current COVID-19 disaster. Developing prevention and treatment reagents for the current pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 may also enable the world to prepare for the future occurrence of the coronavirus induced diseases based on the development of universal vaccines and bi-or multi-specific inhibitors.

As a newly emerging infectious disease that is spreading in 220 countries/regions to wreak havoc to human beings around the world in several months, COVID-19 is recognized as one of the infectious diseases with the fastest speed to spread, the broadest range of infection, and the most difficult to prevent and control in the human history. Lessons learned from the previous controlling of other infectious diseases such as influenza and plague, etc., have shed light on the front line for fighting against COVID-19, i.e., the combination of epidemiological intervention, laboratory investigation, and safeguard biosafety principles. The current joint taskforces with multidisciplinary coordination have been working well to control the disease in a series of countries, including China. However, the elimination of COVID-19 still needs more time and the tremendous effort and confidence of everybody in the world. The final victory over the current J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f

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