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Pharmaceutical Technology lists five of the most popular tweets on Covid-19 pharma in Q4 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 Covid-19 pharma in Q4 2020

1. Eric Topol’s tweet on Covid-19 deaths per population across countries

Eric Topol, a cardiologist and scientist, shared a tweet comparing Covid-19 deaths in countries, which have a population of more than 20 million. Coronavirus related deaths per population in US, which has a population of 331 million, is one per 1,000, while for India whose population is 1.38 billion, the death rate is one per 9,365, and one per 41,448 in Japan.

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In countries like Germany, Australia, Canada and Malaysia, the death rates are not as high as US. However, according to the charts shared by Topol, UK’s Covid-19 death rate is one per 947, while that of Spain and Peru, which have a population of 60.3 million and 47.1 million, the death rates are one per 945 and one per 841 respectively.

The death rate in Italy is the worst among all the countries with the country registering one death per population of 841.

Username: Eric Topol

Twitter handle: @EricTopol

Retweets: 8,098

Likes: 15,255

2. Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s tweet on US FDA granting EUA to new Covid-19 vaccine

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent at CNN, shared an article on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granting emergency use authorisation (EUA) for Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine. The EUA permits dispensation of vaccine across the country to individuals above the age of 18.

The Moderna Covid-19 vaccine comprises messenger RNA (mRNA), a genetic material, which directs the cells in the body to prepare the distinctive ‘spike’ protein of the virus. Once the vaccine is injected into the body, it produces an immune response to coronavirus.

The FDA performed a detailed assessment of safety, efficacy and information about manufacturing quality before approving the Moderna vaccine. Pfizer’s vaccine was the first Covid-19 vaccine, which was granted EUA by the FDA.

Username: Sanjay Gupta

Twitter handle: @drsanjaygupta

Retweets: 224

Likes: 2,148

3. Richard Urso’s tweet on AMA supporting use of HCQ in Covid-19 treatment

Richard Urso, an ophthalmologist, shared an article about the American Medical Association’s (AMA) proposal to withdraw an earlier statement of the medical body asking doctors not to prescribe hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine (HCQ) for treatment of coronavirus.

HCQ is generally used in treatment of malaria, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and porphyria cutanea tarda. AMA will be releasing a new statement to apprise patients of the new modification and give them clarity on the benefits of HCQ in Covid-19 treatment.

Username: Richard Urso

Twitter handle: @richardursomd

Retweets: 733

Likes: 1,645

4. Jonathan Reiner’s tweet on conjunctivitis being a sign of Covid-19

Jonathan Reiner, medical analyst at CNN, shared an article about the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) suggesting that conjunctivitis could be one of the symptoms of coronavirus.

A study revealed that one of the 30 patients undergoing treatment for Covid-19 in China had severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in ocular secretions. Further, conjunctival congestion manifested in nine of 1,099 patients getting treated for coronavirus at 30 hospitals across China.

In the light of these revelations, AAO called on ophthalmologists to test patients for Covid-19. Doctors should also protect themselves as conjunctivitis patients visit eye clinics and hospitals on a regular basis, which increases the risk of contracting Covid-19 among physicians. However, Covid-19 related conjunctivitis is rare, compared with other types of conjunctivitis, the article noted.

Username: Jonathan Reiner

Twitter handle: @JReinerMD

Retweets: 742

Likes: 1,525

5. Muge Cevik’s tweet on the role of asymptomatic patients in spreading Covid-19

Muge Cevik, infectious diseases researcher at University of St. Andrews in Scotland, shared an article on how asymptomatic Covid-19 patients are transmitting the SARS-CoV-2 virus to substantially fewer individuals, compared with symptomatic patients. During the initial stages of the pandemic, it was thought that the rate of asymptomatic infections was a whopping 81%, but later studies suggested that asymptomatic manifestations were as low as 17%.

Asymptomatic Covid-19 patients cannot be silent carriers of the pandemic, as research proved that the chances of contracting coronavirus from asymptomatic persons was 42% lower than virus transmission from patients in whom symptoms have manifested.

Every Covid-19 patient is a potential asymptomatic carrier as it usually takes seven to 13 days for coronavirus symptoms to develop in an individual, the article noted.

Username: Muge Cevik

Twitter handle: @mugecevik

Retweets: 312

Likes: 804