Frequently Asked Questions
Why did you start this site?
We welcome
the goals of using a science based approach to decisions regarding COVID-19,
but noticed that the sheer volume of research and data, and the frequently
contradictory conclusions from equally qualified experts, made it extremely
difficult for anyone to choose the best options. Moreover, decision makers
were very suddenly thrown into positions where they needed to make very rapid
and very public decisions. The fact that the science based approaches resulted
in different decisions around the world highlights this difficulty.Whether it be treatments or interventions, the plethora of
seemingly similar quality research supporting contradictory positions, and the
use of digital echo chambers, facilitates widespread confirmation bias -
evidence supporting any initial position can be easily found. Self-serving
bias and cognitive dissonance further make it challenging to alter positions,
especially for those taking very public and strong positions with serious
implications.
We felt that attempts to organize and make the research and
data easier to navigate, highlighting areas of applicability, and analyzing
limitations, could be beneficial. For example, we noticed that treatment delay
was often being ignored. Results for an antiviral tested several days after
symptoms, for example, cannot be generalized to results for early use.
What is the search strategy for papers?
All significant original contributions related to the use of the treatments we
cover, including searches of the typical sources augmented by contributions
from the community. Covering all research is important because it is easy to
choose a search strategy that results in a subset of papers reporting a
desired conclusion. This is especially so if one takes the conclusions
reported in papers at face value without examining the actual data, methods,
or regions of applicability.How do you choose the treatments?
We
catalog 425
potential treatments, of which we currently analyze 32
of the most effective, promising, and widely used early treatments. There are
also many treatments that are helpful for late stage patients, however we
currently focus on early treatment.Who is @CovidAnalysis?
We are PhD
researchers, scientists, people who hope to make a contribution, even if it is
only very minor. You can find our research in journals like Science and
Nature. We have little interest in adding to our publication lists, being in
the news, or being on TV (we have done all of these things before but feel
there are more important things in life now).What treatments do you recommend?
We do
not provide medical advice. Before taking any medication, consult a qualified
physician who can provide personalized advice and details of risks and
benefits based on your medical history and current situation.Why should we trust @CovidAnalysis?
There is no need to. We provide organization and analysis, but all sources are
public and verifiable. For the meta-analyses, all data required to reproduce
the analysis is contained in the appendix, with direct links to the original
source papers.Who funds this research?
We have no
funding, this is done in our spare time and we pay the web hosting fees
personally (about $100 per month).How can I donate?
We don't accept
donations (it could be a conflict of interest).Can we use your graphs?
Yes. You can use
any of our work free of charge.Please send us
corrections, updates, or comments. Vaccines and treatments are both
valuable and complementary. All practical, effective, and safe means
should be used. Elimination of COVID-19 is a race against viral evolution. No
treatment, vaccine, or intervention is 100% available and effective for all
current and future variants. Denying the efficacy of any method increases
mortality, morbidity, collateral damage, and the risk of endemic status. We do
not provide medical advice. Before taking any medication, consult a qualified
physician who can provide personalized advice and details of risks and
benefits based on your medical history and situation. WCH
and FLCCC provide
treatment protocols.
Thanks for your feedback! Please search before submitting papers and note
that studies are listed under the date they were first available, which may be
the date of an earlier preprint.