COVID 19: Related News (JR 227)

ZME Sience

COVID-19 vaccines could be the new flu shots

Since before we even had a working vaccine, researchers speculated that we'd likely need regular booster shots. This would be the case for two reasons: first, immunity can wane in time, and second, new strains can appear, and vaccines need to be tweaked.

This is likely going to be the case for COVID-19. In a TV interview, Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla said we will "likely" need another Pfizer shot, 12 months after the first one. We still don't know for sure how much vaccine immunity lasts. Recent studies showed that immunity lasts for at least 6 months, but the upper limit is still unknown.

The bad news is that some strains seem to be able to evade at least some of the vaccine protection, most notably the South African strain. The good news is that overall, the coronavirus has a much slower mutation rate than influenza viruses, which suggests we'll be less likely to deal with many variants in the long run

 Three big questions about the COVID-19 vaccine

• How many people have been vaccinated so far?

Although many are not exactly happy with the way the US government has handled the pandemic, the nation is among the frontrunners in terms of vaccine rollout. As of February 13, more than 35 million Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine. However, coverage can differ wildly on a state-by-state basis. So far, states like West Virginia, North Dakota, and New Mexico have administered over 80% of the doses they have available, while on the other side, Mississippi, Alabama, and Massachusetts have barely administered more than half of the vaccines they have on hand. 

• How soon and how long after the vaccine are you immune? 

Because it can take a while for immunity to kick in, this means that someone who was infected right before getting the vaccine could develop symptoms and get the disease. This period before immunity kicks in can vary between different vaccines. For instance, Pfizer measured its reported 95% efficacy starting 7 days after the second dose, while Moderna measured it 14 days after the second dose. So if you want to enjoy the full immunity offered by the vaccine, you’d still have to wait a couple of weeks.

• Did you know you could spread the virus even though you're vaccinated?

That's quite a real possibility, although we don't have a definite answer yet. Most vaccines don’t fully protect against infection, so you can get it and spread it, even though you may be completely asymptomatic yourself and not suffer at all. Vaccinated people can carry the virus to others, and sometimes, they can even start epidemics themselves.

by Andrei Mihai, 31 January 2021
 Jan., 31, 2021
 

We're already in the vaccine roll-out stage. After the likes of Pfizer and Moderna, AstraZeneca, now Novavax and Johnson & Johnson have also announced large-scale results -- and they look pretty good. But scaling production and distribution remain major challenges, and new variants are lurking on the horizon. Let's dive in. 

Novavax: 89% efficacy, but lower in South Africa

Few had even heard of Novavax a year ago, but the American company has been a vaccine frontrunner for months. Now, they've finally announced results: the two-jab vaccine was found to be 89.3% effective at preventing COVID-19, and it did almost as well (86%) against the more contagious British variant.

However, it fared worse against the South African variant, with a total efficacy rate of just under 50%. “You’re going to have to make new vaccines” for this strain, says Stanley Erck, hief executive of Novavax. It's a striking reminder that we should vaccinate as many as possible before new variants emerge.

Even so, a 50% efficacy is way better than zero, and several companies (including) Novavax are already working on new vaccines custom-tailored for the new variants. It's a new race.

Johnson&Johnson: a single-jab game changer

It's not the 95% efficacy reported by other vaccines, but it's still at 72% overall efficacy, and it's 85% effective at preventing hospitalizations. Overall, it's pretty good news for this eagerly awaited vaccine.

J&J's vaccine only requires a single jab, which means you can vaccinate two times more people for the same number of doses. It also doesn't require ultra-cold temperatures and is reportedly cheap.

Despite being effective at preventing hospitalizations in all studied strains, its overall efficacy was still lower for the South African variant. This particular variant seems to take a toll on vaccine effectiveness.
 

“Clearly, the mutants have a diminishing effect on the efficacy of the vaccines,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, said in a briefing. “We can see that we are going to be challenged.”
 

How's the roll-out going?

While vaccine development has been stellar, the rollout is mostly in disarray. All 50 states in the US are reporting shortages, as America's fragmented healthcare systems struggle to distribute the limited stocks that have been produced. While the US has its own special woes, it's far from the only one with problems.

The European Union, which just approved AstraZeneca's vaccine, is caught in its own ugly fight over supplies. The EU unveiled controversial plans to tighten exports of vaccines produced inside the bloc, fearing that some of the doses it secured from AstraZeneca could be diverted elsewhere -- it then quickly renounced said plans. 

Feeling left behind, less affluent countries in Africa, South America, or Asia, are turning to China or Russia for vaccine doses -- and the two countries are using them as geopolitical leverage. 

A new term has emerged: "vaccine nationalism" -- where one country pushes its own vaccine interests above those of others -- something which many experts fear could slow down recovery and overall vaccine: one report puts the cost of vaccine nationalism at $1 trillion per year.

Positive developments

• Sanofi to make Pfizer vaccines: the two rivals have joined hands, with Sanofi working to manufacture Pfizer's vaccines to produce 100 million doses;
• Israel vaccinated 24% of its entire population, especially the most vulnerable citizens;
• Australia's rollout expanded to pharmacies: AstraZeneca jab set to be made available at thousands of pharmacies around the country;

  COVID 19: Related News (JR 227) Status Quo: June, 11, 2020 The coronavirus is a “nightmare”, said NIAID director Anthony Fauci in an interview aired to a biotechnology conference. The US top infectious expert has been conspicuously absent from public discourse since his opinions diverged from those of President Trump on reopening the economy. In the interview, Fauci said even HIV pales in comparison to what COVID-19 has done, and the problem is far from over. “Where is it going to end? We’re still at the beginning of it,” Fauci said. The world is suffering from COVID fatigue. We’ve seen so much information, we’ve read so much news that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to stomach new information. But just because we’re becoming fatigued doesn’t mean the virus is any less active. While most of Asia and Europe seem to have overcome the first wave of infections, the virus has established a foothold in several other countries — and a second wave might be looming on the horizon. What are the coronavirus hotspots now? The US still has the most total cases by far, and the curve, while flattened, is still not convincingly dipping (with cases in several states being on the rise). However, most of the new cases are now being reported in Brazil, where a policy of ignoring the disease and focusing on economic growth has had devastating consequences. Mexico, India, and Russia are also suffering severe outbreaks. Notably, some areas that initially kept the disease under control seem to be suffering a severe second wave. South American countries seem to be suffering from this — while Argentina initially kept things under control with a tight lockdown, its cases seem to be now rising every day, and Chile is reporting several thousand new cases every day, for a population under 19 million. Peru and Panama are also exhibiting alarming coronavirus growth, data shows. Another region suffering from a similar problem is the Middle East. Qatar is reporting the fastest growth relative to its population, and several Gulf States are trailing nearby. In fact, if we look at a continental overview, it’s becoming clear that the only area where cases are steadily declining is Europe. Europe, which had over 80% of all the planet’s cases in mid-march, now has less than 13% of the global total. Meanwhile, Asia’s cases continue to also creep upward (with India’s numbers skyrocketing recently). Several African countries (notably, north-African countries like Egypt and Algeria) are also reporting worsening numbers. Let’s also look at tests As we’ve seen already, the data is only as good as the number of tests. Your numbers can’t go up if you don’t test a wise man once said, so how is the world doing when it comes to testing? In most places, the testing situation has improved significantly, though not everywhere. There are multiple ways to look at testing. For instance, if we look at the total number of tests, the US is currently head and shoulders above other countries: But if we look at the number of tests per capita, it tells a far different story, with several countries doing as well as the US or better. Still, if we want to get an idea of where the tests aren’t providing sufficient coverage, our best bet is to look at the share of the tests that are positive. The higher the rate (pinker on the map), the greater the chance that many cases are escaping detection, and the official numbers are misleading. Where is COVID kept under control? Things aren’t bad everywhere. In fact, some countries have made amazing progress. New Zealand has eradicated the coronavirus and has no active cases within its borders. Several countries are also reporting only a handful of new cases per day. Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Norway, Slovakia, and Slovenia in Europe and Vietnam in Asia are in this enviable club. Despite easing up on their lockdown, Germany, South Korea, and Iceland, also seem to be doing fairly well. The bottom line We’ve said it countless times already: this is a marathon, not a sprint. We’re not close to the finish line; we’re probably not even at the halfway point. We’ve seen that science-based policies can help keep the virus at bay, but it’s not easy. We’ve also seen that ignoring the virus can lead to disaster, and initial success doesn’t guarantee continued success. The long winter months are ahead of us, where coronavirus cases can spike, on top of the disease burden that also rises in the season. However, as we progress into the pandemic, the prospect of a vaccine also becomes more tangible. Several vaccines are already being tested on humans, and Fauci says he’s “almost certain” that more than one of them will be effective. https://www.zmescience.com/science/an-important-reminder-the-coronavirus-isnt-nearly-gone-yet/ Products to avoid Do not fall victim to those preying on hope and fear. Everyone wants to find a magical cure to help prevent us from being infected with the virus or to help cure the virus if we are already infected. This can leave the population vulnerable to con artists and people who charge exorbitant prices for unproven products. Some of these “solutions” can be dangerous to your health. COVID-19 is novel. There is still a lot to learn about the virus. There is no known way to fortify your immunity to save yourself from infection or finding a cure. But hopefully one day there will be a vaccine. Think twice before you spend your hard-earned money on the following products. Instead, follow the \ Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s \ guidelines for staying safe and healthy. And please remember: the coronavirus can be prevented by washing your hands. The following products have been circulating the internet as items that can help during the coronavirus pandemic. But they are overpriced, unproven and some are even dangerous. 13. Vitamin C Newsweek has reported that high doses of vitamin C are being used in experimental treatments for COVID-19 patients. This has lead to an increase in sales of orange juice in some areas. The professor of biochemistry at the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom, Peter McCaffery, states, “Taking large doses of vitamin C tablets would be very unlikely to protect you from COVID-19—unless you were actually vitamin C deficient, which with a normal diet is quite rare” 12. Sodium Chlorite The FDA recently posted a warning on their website to not drink “Miracle” or “Master” Mineral solution or other sodium chlorite products. The FDA has received many reports that these products are being sold online as COVID-19 treatments and have made people sick. The FDA warned customers in 2010 not to drink these products, but they are making the rounds on social media. When these products are mixed according to the manufacturer’s directions, they become a strong chemical that is used in bleach. Some distributors and manufacturers are making dangerous claims that this compound mixed with citric acid is an antiviral, antimicrobial, and antibacterial that can cure cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, cancer, flu, and the coronavirus. There is currently no data that the FDA is aware of that supports these claims, but most importantly, these products are not safe for ingestion. It can also delay other treatments that have been shown to be safe and effective. 11. N95 Masks N95 masks are essential personal protection equipment (PPE) that are used by first responders and essential health workers to keep them from being infected by the coronavirus on the front lines as they try to save lives. Early on, many people bought up the supplies of essential N95 masks, and hospitals started running out of supplies. Prices soared as the demand became high. At the beginning of the pandemic, experts originally said that masks were not beneficial for everyday use. New evidence has suggested that the COVID-19 can be transmitted by droplets spread through talking and breathing. And the virus particles can potentially linger in the air. The chairman of a committee with the National Academy of Sciences, Harvey Fineberg, MD, suggests that in places where social distancing is not possible, you should cover your mouth with a bandana, scarf, or nonsurgical mask. The CDC’s official statement on N95 masks: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend that the general public wear N95 respirators to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including coronavirus (COVID-19). Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for health care workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.” 10. Elderberry Syrup Natural health practitioners have long suggested using elderberry to help fight colds and boost immunity based on their vitamin and antioxidant properties. There is not any evidence that elderberry syrup protects or cures the coronavirus. The FDA sent a warning letter to Herbal Amy, Inc. that they could not claim their products are helpful for coronavirus. 9. Superblue Toothpaste The New York State Attorney General sent a cease-and-desist order to Alex Jones, a conservative radio host, and conspiracy theorist, regarding his false claims that his toothpaste could be used to fight the coronavirus. His website claimed that the toothpaste acted as a “stop gate” and “kills the whole SARS-corona family at point-blank range.” The State Attorney General, Letitia James, stated that the coronavirus has given Mr. Jones another opportunity to make money off fear and caused deception to the people of the United States. Again, there is no remedy or cure for the novel coronavirus. 8. Chloroquine Chloroquine is a potent drug used to treat lupus, malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases. In February, researchers showed that the drug could reduce coronavirus infection of human cells grown in a lab. A few small studies have been reported, but they have been inconclusive. Some research even suggests that the treatment could be harmful to those already infected with COVID-19. In March, a couple ingested chloroquine phosphate, which is used to clean aquariums. This resulted in the death of one of them. Chloroquine phosphate is a different compound than chloroquine and should not be ingested. In treatment guidelines released on April 21, the US National Institutes of Health stated that there is not enough data to recommend either for or against the use of chloroquine in people with COVID-19. 7. Tea A viral message on social media platforms has supposedly originated from Li Wenliang, the Wuhan whistleblower doctor who eventually died from COVID-19. The message stated that the chemicals methylxanthine, theobromine, and theophylline help fight COVID-19. It further claimed that these chemicals are in tea, and therefore you should drink tea three times a day. While tea may hydrate you and help you feel better, it will not protect you from COVID-19. 6. Distilled White Vinegar Social media posts have claimed that distilled white vinegar can kill the virus if you gargle it or use it to clean. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can gargle to kill the virus. And furthermore, distilled white vinegar cannot be used to actually kill the coronavirus on surfaces. 5. Tito’s Vodka When hand sanitizer supplies were running short, many individuals looked to the internet to find a recipe to make hand sanitizers themselves The problem with using Tito’s vodka: Hand sanitizer must contain 60% alcohol and Tito’s only contains 40%. The company set the record straight and launched a campaign to prevent misinformation. 4. Red Cross Home Tests Scammers are going door to door claiming that they are from the Red Cross. The Red Cross has issued a statement that they are not offering at-home coronavirus tests. They suggest that you call the police immediately if anyone is claiming they are offering tests from the Red Cross. 3. Zinc “The information from medical studies shows that if the correct form of zinc is used it could reduce the severity of the symptoms and the length of time someone is sick with a cold,” states Timonthy Brown, clinical associate professor of pharmacy practice at Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown. Using this logic, people are stocking up on zinc supplements, and sales have risen 200%. Unfortunately, the coronavirus is a very different type of virus than the cold viruses that we are used to. There is not any evidence to support that zinc works for COVID-19. Also, taking too much zinc can cause problems such as anemia and can harm your immune system. 2. Disinfectant Wipes Disinfecting wipes have been hard to find since the beginning of the pandemic. Prices have also soared. Good thing there are other ways to keep your house clean and disinfected. High concentrations of bleach solutions, alcohol, and simple soap and water will do the trick. 1. Colloidal Silver There is no evidence or scientific studies to back up the claim that drinking colloidal silver (silver droplets in liquid) can kill COVID-19 or improve your health in any way. Televangelist Jim Bakker has had several lawsuits filed against him for promoting this dangerous practice. The Bottom Line Use common sense. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is! There is no current cure or vaccine for COVID-19. Social distancing, covering your mouth, and washing with good old warm water and soap is the best way to flatten the curve and prevent you from contracting and/or spreading COVID-19.15 Subtle Signs You’ve Already Had Coronavirus https://www.healthiguide.com/health/13-coronavirus-products-not-to-waste-your-money-on/ Products that disinfect effectively In the fight against coronavirus, it’s critical to disinfect your home as quickly as you can to reduce the risk of being infected by contaminated surfaces. It’s equally important to choose products that are effective in order to keep your family healthy, and that also means not cutting corners to save time. While Lysol wipes are the most popular disinfectant wipes, are there other products that work just as quickly and effectively? The answer is yes! There are similar products that kill the coronavirus in less than 30 seconds, in comparison to Lysol wipes that recommend waiting more than 4 minutes to use a surface cleaned with its disinfectant wipes. There is no reason to keep searching for the sought-after Lysol disinfectant wipes when there are stronger products readily available. Stop using Lysol wipes and use one of the 10 disinfectants that have been approved by the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) to eliminate COVID-19 in under 3 minutes. 10. Clorox Healthcare Bleach Germicidal Wipes Clorox has expanded its production of disinfectants to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. As a result, these Bleach Germicidal Wipes should be easier to find. In two minutes, these heavy-duty wipes can kill COVID-19 and more than 50 other microorganisms. They are also scented to mask the odor of bleach. 9. Bleach-Rite Disinfecting Spray with Bleach From Current Technologies comes Bleach-Rite Disinfecting Spray. While it may not be produced by a well-known brand name, the spray can kill the coronavirus in only 60 seconds. The spray uses sodium hypochlorite as the active ingredient against the virus. Even better, Current Technologies is a small business from Indiana that is woman-owned. 8. Sani-Cloth Disinfecting Multi-Surface Wipes If you’re not a fan of using bleach to clean your home, Sani-Cloth Disinfecting Multi-Surface Wipes are the perfect substitute against the virus. Quaternary ammonium chloride is the main disinfectant used instead of bleach and alcohol. These wipes can eliminate the coronavirus in 3 minutes. 7. Avert Sporicidal Disinfectant Cleaner Wipes Avert is another brand of effective wipes that can kill the coronavirus in 1 minute while also cleaning your home. While these wipes are marketed to clean different areas of your bathroom, they can also clean hard surfaces throughout your home. 6. Wedge Disinfectant If you want to leave your home smelling lemony and fresh, you can use this disinfectant spray against coronavirus-infected surfaces. It contains quaternary ammonium and ethanol and it’s proven to be gentle on your surfaces. You shouldn’t expect any scratches or scours when you use it to clean. 5. CaviCide Metrex created this powerful spray that can kill coronavirus in 2 minutes. It contains isopropanol and quaternary ammonium and is trusted in both labs and hospitals. If it’s safe and effective enough to be used by health and science professionals, you can feel good about using it in your home. 4. Dispatch Hospital Cleaner Disinfectant Towels with Bleach While these wipes were created with hospitals in mind, they are safe for your home as well. They have a light scent and come in a variety of sizes, from a large tub to on the go small wipes. More importantly, they can eliminate coronavirus in less than 2 minutes. 3. DiscCide Ultra Disinfecting Towelettes DiscCide towelettes can kill coronavirus in 30 seconds, in comparison to 4 minutes for the Lysol wipes. Why use a less superior product when there are better ones on the market? In addition, you’ll love the soft scent they leave behind. 2. Formula 409 Just when you thought Formula 409 was just for grease, you’d be surprised how powerful it is against coronavirus! Tests have shown it can kill the virus in 30 seconds. Even better is the fact that you may already have this cleaner in your pantry. If not, you can pick it up at most grocery stores on your next trip. 1. Asepticare Asepticare can disinfect and remove the coronavirus from surfaces in less than 2 minutes. It is commonly used in offices and hospitals. Use it at home and you can expect quick results proven to protect your family. ihttps://www.healthiguide.com/health/10-disinfectants-that-kill-coronavirus-faster-than-lysol-wipes/?view-allSu COVID 19, virus, prevention, testing, vaccine precautions, , https://javedrashid.blogspot.com/2020/06/covid-19-related-news-jr-227.htmlprecautions, what works . Chinese Vaccine: Aug., 16, 2020: It’s been about four months since vaccine research kicked off in force. At the start of the vaccine race, most researchers considered a one-year timeline to be the most optimistic, best-case scenario we can expect. Remarkably, we’re making good progress to that goal. Already, several vaccines are entering Phase 3 trials, where their efficacy and side effects will be assessed on a large sample size of thousands of patients. What’s even more encouraging is that there are several different avenues being pursued by the different candidates. The new vaccine, developed by researchers at Sinopharm, a unit of China National Pharmaceutical Group, is the first to use a protein immunogen. Essentially, it’s a whole-virus inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, a different approach from what other advanced candidates are doing. In phase two, 224 healthy adults tested the vaccine, and confirmed the phase 1 results: the whole-virus vaccine candidate was tolerated, safe, and produced antibodies at 14 days after the booster vaccine (the second dose Just because the Sinopharm vaccine was successful in phase 1 and 2 trials doesn’t necessarily mean it will work in a larger sample size. But, at least so far, the results are indeed promising. https://www.zmescience.com/medicine/coronavirus-vaccine-protein-14082020/ by Andrei Mihai, 15 November 2020 What 90% efficacy means Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine is the first candidate to deliver Phase 3 results -- and they look good. It's just interim results so they may yet change, but so far, things seem to be progressing smoothly. We almost have a working vaccine in under a year, beating even the optimistic prognoses. Pfizer recruited over 43,000 participants and gave some of them the vaccine candidate and the other ones a placebo. They waited until 94 participants got sick with COVID-19, and then they analyzed which of them received the vaccine and which didn't. It seems the candidate was 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants. Safe vaccines with efficacy above 50% are expected to be approved for COVID-19, so 90% efficacy should be fast-tracked. The flu vaccine is around 40%-60% effective and it saves millions of lives. Pfizer's isn't a conventional vaccine. It works using messenger RNA (mRNA), which would make it the first mRNA vaccine ever developed (Moderna, another pharma company, is working on a similar vaccine). It's exciting stuff, but there's a catch. A vaccine for the rich The mRNA vaccine instructs the body to produce viral-like proteins and then produce antibodies against the virus. It's a very creative and modern approach, but it comes at a cost. For starters, production is more expensive -- but more importantly, the components are unstable and have a short shelf life. In practical terms, the vaccine would need to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius (-94 Fahrenheit). The infrastructure to do this doesn't exist anywhere in the world. This means that countries will need to build it from scratch. It won't be easy, and it won't be cheap. Things break down, investment funds aren't always available. You need to build not just production and storage facilities, but also transportation networks. It's a massive coordinated effort that won't be easy to bring to fruition. Pfizer and BioNTech have made assurances that developing countries will have the vaccine for free or at a very low cost, but even then, who can afford to build the necessary infrastructure? Would you rather go all-in for an ultra-freeze network or wait for more conventional vaccines? Creating the vaccine is a momentous achievement, but it's only half the battle. Producing, distributing, and administering it is a whole different challenge, especially as it requires 2 doses administered 21 days apart. So can it even be done? The cold chain required for the Pfizer vaccine will be extremely challenging to develop. But here's the good thing: it's kind of been done before. The 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak accelerated the development of Ebola vaccines, but there was a catch: they also needed to be stored at -60 degrees Celsius. Critical equipment was procured, shipped, installed, and local personnel was trained within months to have 8,000 participants vaccinated in Sierra Leone. Needless to say, this vaccination is on a completely different scale, but having a blueprint shows that this isn't just a pipe dream: it can be done. However, almost no medical center on Earth currently has the capacity to distribute and deploy the Pfizer vaccine. For the underdeveloped areas on the globe, the challenge will be double. But there is a plan. It includes using dry ice to transport frozen vaccine vials by both air and land, maintaining a viable temperature for 10 days. Despite support from the WHO and Pfizer, it will likely be a vaccine for the richer countries. It's still good, it's still promising, it will help out tremendously in some areas, but it won't end the pandemic on its own. What about the other vaccines? Pfizer's isn't the only vaccine almost ready to hit the market. The CEO of AstraZeneca recently announced that their own candidate will probably be ready in December -- and that one doesn't need to be stored at ultracold temperatures. Australia is already producing the vaccine, even before it receives regulatory approval, it's that confident in it. Needless to say, we need all the vaccines we can get to immunize as many people as possible. Having more than one running candidate will be godsent in our fight against the pandemic. So where do we stand? Several vaccines are already involved in large-scale trials and may start production in late 2020 or early 2021. Other than Pfizer and AstraZeneca, here are some of the most promising ones: • Sputnik V. The Russian-backed candidate produced by The Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology has already been granted regulatory approval, despite no large-scale trials. The existing results look promising, but the vaccine is still unproven despite attempts by Russian authorities to push and promote it. Nevertheless, it remains one of the more promising coronavirus vaccine candidates. • NVX-CoV2373 (Novavax). Novavax has been at the forefront of a coronavirus vaccine for months. It uses an inactivated, or non-infectious, form of the coronavirus that can no longer cause disease but can still provoke an immune response. Large scale trials are underway since October. • JNJ-78436735 (Johnson & Johnson). J&J is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies out there, and their vaccine looks especially promising as it uses a single dose. It uses the technology Johnson & Johnson used to develop an Ebola vaccine: it introduces a piece of DNA from SARS-CoV-2 into a common cold virus that has been modified so it can't replicate. Large scale trials have been ongoing since September. • mRNA-1273 (Moderna). Another promising vaccine using the mRNA technology, coming with largely the same promise and challenges as the Pfizer vaccine. However, Moderna has announced that even if it is successful, it's candidate likely won't become available in the first part of 2021. • CoronaVac (Sinovac). A Chinese biopharmaceutical company, Sinovac, is working on a candidate with Brazilian research center Butantan. It works with an inactivated form of the virus, so a more conventional type of vaccine. Large scale trials have been halted for now after a participant suffered "serious adverse reactions". The vaccines won't save us just yet The true end of the pandemic will only come once we have several working vaccines. But before that happens, we're seeing cases rise in much of the world. So meanwhile, the name of the game stays the same: distancing, masks, washing hands. We're in for a rough winter. Let's work together to see it through, shall we? There is more exciting news about a coronavirus vaccine. AstraZeneca released preliminary data today showing that its vaccine is 70.4 percent effective on average between two dosing regimens. Unlike vaccines by the drug giants Pfizer and Moderna, it doesn’t need to be stored in uber-cold refrigerators, which would make it easier to distribute across the U.S. and the world. The Associated Press writes that AstraZeneca’s vaccine will likely be only $2.50 a dose, compared to between $15 and $25 a dose for its competitors. The company will seek emergency-use authorization immediately. Nov., 25, 2020: Sputnik V vaccine reports interim efficacy of 91% Candidate Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V has shown an interim efficacy of 91% based on analysis of results from around 18,000 volunteers, some of whom got the actual vaccine while others got a placebo, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said in a press statement on Tuesday. The vaccine candidate is also being tested on human volunteers in India and will cost “less than $10 [₹700] for international markets,” the RDIF said. Sputnik V has been developed by the GamaleyaNational ResearchCenter for Epidemiology and Microbiology and is being funded and promoted by the RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund. Sputnik V, the vaccine for COVID-19 developed by RussiaSputnik V, the vaccine for COVID-19 developed by Russia The latest results, which are yet to be announced in a medical journal, were gleaned from ongoing double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled Phase III clinical trials involving 40,000 volunteers. An ‘efficacy’ rate differs from vaccine ‘effectiveness’. The latter shows how protective a vaccine is when it is actually administered in the general population. But efficacy -- the number cited by pharmaceutical companies announcing trial results -- only shows the relative difference between the fraction of the vaccinated that fell sick versus the fraction of the unvaccinated (those who received placebos) that tested positive. If efficacy is zero, it means there is no difference between the two groups. If none of the sick had been vaccinated, then efficacy is 100%. So, an efficacy rate above 90% is pretty good. The Oxford-AstraZeneca adenovirus-based vaccine candidate was reported on Monday to have an efficacy of 70% and Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna's m-RNA vaccines reported efficacy rates in the low 90s. Like Sputnik V, these results were based on interim analyses from ongoing phase-3 trials. 2 Dec 2020 The UK on Wednesday became the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for use and said that it will be rolled out from next week. “The Government has today accepted the recommendation from the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to approve Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for use,” the government said in a statement. A UK grandmother has become the first person in the world to be given the Pfizer Covid-19 jab as part of a mass vaccination programme. Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week, said the injection she received at 06:31 GMT was the "best early birthday present". It was the first of 800,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine that will be dispensed in the coming weeks. Up to four million more are expected by the end of the month. Hubs in the UK are starting the rollout by vaccinating the over-80s and some health and care staff. Senior NHS sources told the BBC "thousands of vaccinations" had taken place across the UK on Tuesday. Dubbing the day "V-day", Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was "a tribute to scientific endeavour and human ingenuity and to the hard work of so many people. "Today marks the start of the fightback against our common enemy, the coronavirus," he said. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on a visit to a London hospital to see some of the first people getting the jab, said getting vaccinated was "good for you and good for the whole country". Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "Today we should all allow ourselves a smile - but we must not drop our guard." On Tuesday, the UK government reported a further 616 people had died within 28 days of a positive test, taking the total, by that measure, to 62,033. A further 12,282 people tested positive for the virus. media captionHow the vaccine rollout unfolded – and how a certain William Shakespeare was involved At University Hospital, Coventry, matron May Parsons administered the very first injection to Ms Keenan. "I feel so privileged to be the first person vaccinated against Covid-19," said Ms Keenan, who is originally from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh. "It's the best early birthday present I could wish for because it means I can finally look forward to spending time with my family and friends in the new year, after being on my own for most of the year. "My advice to anyone offered the vaccine is to take it. If I can have it at 90, then you can have it too," she added. • Scotland's toughest Covid restrictions to be eased • Covid deaths 'above worst case scenario' in Wales • Further Covid-19 restrictions in NI 'not ruled out' Prof Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, who witnessed the "historic moment", said: "We couldn't hug her but we could clap, and everybody did so in the room." IMAGE COPYRIGHTPA MEDIA image captionAn emotional Sister Joanna Sloan said she had been looking forward to the vaccine for so long Throughout the day, patients and health workers at some 50 hospitals around the UK have been getting the jab: • Sister Joanna Sloan, who will head up the vaccine rollout in Belfast, received the first vaccine administered in Northern Ireland, just after 08:00 GMT at the Royal Victoria Hospital • In Wales, a nervous Craig Atkins, 48, from Ebbw Vale, became the first person to get the jab. It was "scary" but he could smile now, the care home worker said • Consultant anaesthetist Dr Katie Stewart was among the first people in Scotland to get the jab, saying there was something to celebrate after "a very long hard year" looking after Covid patients and staying apart to protect each other The UK is the first country in the world to start using the Pfizer vaccine after regulators approved its use last week. On Tuesday, US regulators confirmed the vaccine is 95% effective, paving the way for it to be approved for emergency use. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has also been found to be "safe and effective", according to a paper published on Tuesday and assessed by independent scientists. media captionMatt Hancock says he is thrilled but warns that people must still stick to the rules Speaking in the Commons, the health secretary stressed people did not need to apply for the vaccine. He said the NHS would be in touch with those eligible and urged them to "please step forward for your country". Mr Hancock went on to warn that there was "still a long march ahead", saying there were "worrying signs" of the virus growing in Essex, London and Kent. • What are the safety checks for vaccines? • Who will get the Covid vaccine first? • NHS staff: 'Vaccine is a game changer' New data released by national statisticians for the week ending 27 November showed that of the 14,106 deaths registered in the UK, nearly 3,400 involved Covid. This is 20% higher than the five-year average but similar to the percentages seen in the past two weeks. NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens called the first vaccinations "remarkable achievement", but cautioned it was a "first step" and "incredibly important" people continued to act sensibly. media captionBoris Johnson: 'It will gradually make a huge, huge difference... but we haven't defeated this virus yet" On a visit to London's Guy's Hospital, the prime minister spoke to 81-year-old Lyn Wheeler, who was the first to receive the vaccine there. "It is really very moving to hear her say she is doing it for Britain, which is exactly right - she is protecting herself, but also helping to protect the entire country," Mr Johnson said. Earlier, he thanked the NHS, volunteers and "all of the scientists who worked so hard to develop this vaccine". Labour's shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth said it was "absolutely fabulous" to see people getting the vaccine and thanked everyone involved in making it happen. Some 800,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine have been secured by the government to be administered in the coming weeks - although vaccination is not compulsory. Orders have been placed for 40 million in total - enough for 20 million people, as two courses are needed. However, most supplies are not expected to become available until next year. Mr Hancock said he expected it to take "several weeks" to get the first group of health workers, care staff and over-80s vaccinated. 'A momentous day but huge task ahead' This is a momentous day, but make no mistake the NHS faces a huge task in rolling out this vaccine. First, there needs to be a smooth supply - and already there are reports of manufacturing problems, which means the UK is expecting less than half of the 10 million doses of the Pfizer jab it was planning for by the end of the year. The fact it needs to be kept in ultra-cold storage and in batches of 975 units is an added complication that has meant it cannot yet be taken into care homes to vaccinate residents - the very highest priority group - or sent out to GPs to run vaccination clinics in the community. NHS bosses hope to receive guidance from the regulator next week on how to get around this. But these factors illustrate why the UK is still pinning its hopes on a second vaccine developed by Oxford University. That one can be kept in fridges and so is easier to distribute, is British-made and - what is more - there is an ever-growing stockpile ready to use. If that vaccine gets the green light from regulators, there will be a genuine hope the first few months of 2021 will see rapid progress in offering jabs to the most vulnerable people, so the UK can return to something closer to normality. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55227325 By Anna Salvatore on Dec 09, 2020 03:11 pm Canada became the third country this week to approve Pfizer and BioNtech’s coronavirus vaccine, following the United Kingdom and Bahrain. A spokeswoman for Pfizer said that the drug company will supply Canada with up to 76 million doses of the vaccine, which would be enough for each of the country’s 38 million residents. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has set a goal of inoculating three million Canadians by the end of the first quarter. The Wall Street Journal reports that Canada also has a contract to acquire millions of doses of Moderna’s vaccine, which could be approved by regulators later this month. British regulators are warning that the new Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can cause anaphylactic reactions in people with “significant” allergies, writes the Washington Post. The warning comes a day after the United Kingdom began inoculating thousands of citizens, most of whom were nursing home residents or medical professionals. Britain’s National Health Service says that two staffers with a history of serious allergies received the vaccine yesterday had anaphylactic reactions, and are now recovering. More than a dozen U.S. states—including Washington, New Mexico and Indiana—are trying to obtain enough dry ice to store doses of the coronavirus vaccine, reports Reuters. “This is the most challenging vaccination program ever attempted. (It) will be especially complicated in rural and remote communities,” said Dr. Kelly Moore, an advisor to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine program.

How the Coronavirus Pandemic Upended Life as We Know It

June 18, 2021

The coronavirus pandemic has upended life as we know it with its devastating effects on health and domestic economies, but also multilateral trade, cooperation and aid. It has reframed domestic politics, stalled economies and brought renewed scrutiny to deeply embedded societal structures. And among the victims of COVID-19 might be the multilateral system that has helped to ensure peace and coordinate global responses to challenges that cut across borders. Learn more when subscribe to World Politics Review (WPR).

The coronavirus pandemic has upended life as we know it with its devastating effects not only on health, but on domestic economies and multilateral trade, cooperation and aid. It has reframed domestic politics by crowding out other issues, with political performances measured against how successfully leaders have navigated their countries through the pandemic. Failure to do so has already toppled seemingly entrenched rulers, while upending politics in electoral democracies. Afraid of facing similar consequences, some governments have used the pandemic as a pretext for restricting free speech and stripping away the rule of law. The pandemic has stalled economies and wiped out millions of jobs, leaving governments everywhere struggling to map out possible paths to recovery. There have already been calls for debt relief across the Global South. Now the second wave of the pandemic, and in some regions the third, has caused further economic damage, requiring sustained government interventions to head off catastrophe. In light of the restrictions imposed to stop the coronavirus’s spread, deeply embedded societal structures are suddenly receiving renewed scrutiny. Mounting inequality and crackdowns on civil rights in some countries have contributed to a surge in social protest movements and civil resistance. Frustrations with governments’ responses to the pandemic have encouraged broader reconsiderations of political and economic systems, and fueled calls to address legacies of police brutality, racism and colonialism. The pandemic has also raised important questions about the role religion can play in an emergency, as some faith communities contribute to the response, while others struggle against it. And it has also thrown into sharp relief the limits of state authority, as governments around the world struggle to provide relief in “ungoverned spaces.”

Medical staff and nurses gather during a protest at La Paz hospital in Madrid, Spain, Oct. 5, 2020 (AP photo by Manu Fernandez).

Among the victims of COVID-19 might be the multilateral system and international organizations that have emerged since World War II to help ensure peace and coordinate global responses to challenges that cut across borders—like the coronavirus pandemic. Global health governance has taken a beating, with the World Health Organization criticized from all sides for its handling of the initial outbreak. Despite the rollout of effective vaccines, international coordination to ensure they are fairly distributed remains impotent. Instead, vaccine nationalism has resulted in some wealthy countries hoarding supplies, leaving poor countries dependent on vaccine diplomacy, which has become the latest form of international competition. Only recently, with their own populations close to being fully vaccinated, have vaccine-rich countries begun to pledge doses to those that have gone without. Meanwhile, the global economy has also been upended, but there is no indication governments—particularly Washington and Beijing—are interested in cooperating to build more resilience. The mRNA vaccines are just getting started After developing the first two vaccines against COVID-19, both Moderna and BioNTech have big plans for the future -- returning to their original goals. BioNTech is starting trials on a cancer vaccine for melanoma based on the same mRNA technology used in the COVID vaccine. The vaccine is aimed at four tumor-associated antigens -- over 90% of all melanoma tumors are thought to contain at least one of these four antigens. Its effectiveness was demonstrated in a trial on 42 participants and now, large-scale trials are set to start. Meanwhile, Moderna has its eyes on a different prize: an mRNA flu vaccine. The flu shots currently available in the US are usually between 40% and 60% effective, and mRNA vaccines could offer increased effectiveness. Moderna is now starting large-scale trials as well, and they want to bundle up the COVID-19 vaccine with the flu one, in a single shot.