Understanding the Course of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (Sakmar)

One of the puzzles of this virus is the unknown incubation period of the virus, with the classic story being development of escalating symptoms 4-7 days after exposure, but some patients having potentially long incubation periods during which they may be infectious and expose many people. In the latter case, waiting until classic symptoms appear will not help prevent wider spread of the virus. It?s also not known how long the virus persists after symptoms subside. Biochemist and physician Tom Sakmar is developing the coronavirus calendar, CoronaCal, which starts with healthy people in the community who report symptoms and provide a saliva sample every day for up to 90 days. At the end of the evaluation period, the saliva samples can be assayed for presence of viral RNA. These studies will provide critical information about how the infection begins and propagates through the population. Tom is also working with Rockefeller Research Hospital pharmacist Robert MacArthur on a clinical pharmacology guide for current drugs that might be effective for COVID-19 prevention or treatment. Thomas Sakmar thomas.sakmar@rockefeller.edu 212-327-8000