Promising New Coronavirus Vaccine

[Chris Kern]

In case anyone is interested in learning about the virus and how vaccines can help, this seems to be a good article . . .

Thanks for posting the link.  Among other things, the article contains the first clear explanation I've read for the mutant nomenclature, which previously seemed completely opaque to me.

The conclusion is both interesting and somewhat alarming since it implies that this virus is likely to be with us indefinitely absent the development of new vaccine technology and a coordinated effort to distribute both current and future vaccines worldwide:

What might the end of the pandemic look like? There are two main possibilities. The first, and most likely, is that Sars-CoV-2 becomes an endemic coronavirus that gives rise to large numbers of infections in winter. Vaccinated or previously infected people may get infected again, but because they have some measure of immunity their infections will be mild, much as with the four seasonal coronaviruses we have lived with for decades. Unvaccinated people and an unlucky few whose immunity isn’t protective may become seriously ill. . . .

The second, more desirable outcome is that we treat Sars-CoV-2 a bit like measles, and try to stamp it out as completely as we can. . . . With better vaccine technology we might be able to direct a very strong antibody response to the bits of Spike that the virus can’t do without; alternatively, there might be a vaccine that covers a wide range of different Spike variants – so wide that there is no way for the virus to evolve to escape them all.

In either case, we should push for a global effort to reduce the spread of the virus and ensure that vaccines are available and administered in resource-poor settings as well as highly developed economies. . . .

[Alan Klein]

What I find interesting, is that neither my wife nor I have had a common cold in the last year, an unusual circumstance.  Probably due to isolation and masks.  I wonder if there have been any studies on this yet? 

Also, are there any theories yet that Cornovirus will just reduce the danger to that of the common cold or the seasonal flu?  The latter has many deaths, not nearly as bad as Covid, but still significant, probably in the order of tens of thousands per year.  IF it follows seasonal flu in danger and deaths, how best to respond to it?

[John Camp]

Thanks for posting the link.  Among other things, the article contains the first clear explanation I've read for the mutant nomenclature, which previously seemed completely opaque to me.

The conclusion is both interesting and somewhat alarming since it implies that this virus is likely to be with us indefinitely absent the development of new vaccine technology and a coordinated effort to distribute both current and future vaccines worldwide:

I hate to use a flu comparison, because of the poor uses to which such comparisons have been made in the past, but I think covid in the future may be like bad cases of the flu. You'll go in to Walgreens every September and get your covid shot, and your arm will be sore for a couple of days, and in October you'll go in for your flu shot.

[Dale Villeponteaux]

Kudos to those who have posted in this topic.
It is both informative and civil.

Gratefully,
Dale

[Alan Klein]

I hate to use a flu comparison, because of the poor uses to which such comparisons have been made in the past, but I think covid in the future may be like bad cases of the flu. You'll go in to Walgreens every September and get your covid shot, and your arm will be sore for a couple of days, and in October you'll go in for your flu shot.

I could see that happening.

[Alan Klein]

Good news.

Nursing Homes, Once Hotspots, Far Outpace U.S. in Covid Declines
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/02/25/us/nursing-home-covid-vaccine.html

[jeremyrh]

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

"Percentage of tests that are positive" is only somewhat informative, as it depends on several variables: size and structure of the testing populations, type of tests, accuracy of tests used (some tests are more prone to false positive - antigen tests, for instance), and last, but not least, being tested positive may not necessarily mean much, as a good portion of those may not have any symptoms. Numbers of hospitalized, and deaths are better, though not 100% accurate (e.g., died from covid vs. died with covid). Also, Florida has the oldest population of any US state, i.e., more likely to be tested, infected, hospitalized and dead.

[EricV]

Lower "percentage of tests that are positive" most certainly does not justify "cases have fallen more sharply".   

[LesPalenik]

Recent Sloan research examined Covid-19 death rates and mobility data in more than 100 countries from June to December of 2020, to analyze the severity of the pandemic relative to the change in economic activity. The researchers used the Google stats from daily visits to retail, recreational and workplace locations and compared to death numbers.
 

Mobility data from Google, serving as a proxy for economic activity, measured the percent change in two categories: daily visits to retail and recreation locations, and to workplaces. If there were a predictable tradeoff between public health and economic activity, then mobility would be higher in countries with higher death rates, because lockdowns or other restrictions were less aggressive, allowing more activity. Mobility would be lower in places with lower death rates, where shutdowns were more stringent.

Some countries with high death rates had the biggest declines in mobility, meaning they fared the worst economically. Other countries with lower death rates had smaller declines in mobility, meaning those economies didn’t contract as much.

The United States had one of the highest death rates, but it fared worse than average economically. The average death rate for all countries was 1.13 deaths per million people per day. The U.S. rate was 2.97 deaths per million, or 163% higher. Mobility, on average, declined 18.5% among all countries. In the U.S., it declined 22.7%. There was no economic payoff for tolerating a higher death rate than elsewhere.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/one-big-myth-that-botched-the-us-covid-response-183546860.html

[Alan Klein]

Thanks to Operation Warp Speed:

Herd immunity threshold is likely months away
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 83 million people in the United States had Covid-19 by the end of 2020, putting the nation about a third of the way to herd immunity, the point at which enough people are protected against a disease so that it cannot spread through the population. If the pace of vaccinations continues at the current rate, the country could approach herd immunity through a combination of natural immunity and vaccination around June.

More than 66 million shots have been administered, according to the latest federal data, with nearly 8% of the US population fully vaccinated. Promises from manufacturers indicate that the US should have enough vaccine supply to cover everyone by June. More than a quarter of the population may already have natural immunity after previous infection -- and that number may be much higher than official counts show.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/26/health/herd-immunity-united-states/index.html

[faberryman]

Thanks to Operation Warp Speed:

Herd immunity threshold is likely months away
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 83 million people in the United States had Covid-19 by the end of 2020, putting the nation about a third of the way to herd immunity, the point at which enough people are protected against a disease so that it cannot spread through the population. If the pace of vaccinations continues at the current rate, the country could approach herd immunity through a combination of natural immunity and vaccination around June.

More than 66 million shots have been administered, according to the latest federal data, with nearly 8% of the US population fully vaccinated. Promises from manufacturers indicate that the US should have enough vaccine supply to cover everyone by June. More than a quarter of the population may already have natural immunity after previous infection -- and that number may be much higher than official counts show.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/26/health/herd-immunity-united-states/index.html

In other news, thanks to Operation It Will Magically Go Away, the current number deaths in the US due to COVID stands at 520,980.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

Let us bow our heads for a moment of silence in remembrance of our fallen citizens who gave their lives so that our former President could live in denial.

"One of the more common responses to disaster is the psychological defense of denial—the problem doesn’t exist. COVID-19 demonstrates that denial is more than protean; it can provide (for some) pleasant and profitable experiences."

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power-rest/202005/covid-19-and-the-pleasures-denial

[John Camp]

Thanks to Operation Warp Speed:

Herd immunity threshold is likely months away
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 83 million people in the United States had Covid-19 by the end of 2020, putting the nation about a third of the way to herd immunity, the point at which enough people are protected against a disease so that it cannot spread through the population. If the pace of vaccinations continues at the current rate, the country could approach herd immunity through a combination of natural immunity and vaccination around June.

More than 66 million shots have been administered, according to the latest federal data, with nearly 8% of the US population fully vaccinated. Promises from manufacturers indicate that the US should have enough vaccine supply to cover everyone by June. More than a quarter of the population may already have natural immunity after previous infection -- and that number may be much higher than official counts show.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/26/health/herd-immunity-united-states/index.html

You're correct in crediting Operation Warp Speed in bringing us closer to herd immunity. It did this by allowing millions of Americans to unnecessarily become infected through attacks on the wearing of masks and social distancing, and more than a half million to die. I don't think Operation Warp Speed deliberately crippled vaccine distribution, but it might as well have, as incompetent as it was before Biden took office. But, that's the way you achieve herd immunity, by encouraging infection either deliberately or through neglect. And, if more than 500,000 people die, and more every day, well, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

[Alan Klein]

You're correct in crediting Operation Warp Speed in bringing us closer to herd immunity. It did this by allowing millions of Americans to unnecessarily become infected through attacks on the wearing of masks and social distancing, and more than a half million to die. I don't think Operation Warp Speed deliberately crippled vaccine distribution, but it might as well have, as incompetent as it was before Biden took office. But, that's the way you achieve herd immunity, by encouraging infection either deliberately or through neglect. And, if more than 500,000 people die, and more every day, well, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

Here we go again.  The governors controlled opening venues in their states, not the federal government.  Gov Murphy controlled it all here in my state of New Jersey. Cuomo in NY.  Newsom in CA. etc.  Beyond that, blaming one man and not even the Chinese shows political bias.  Arguing that distribution was incompetent before Biden took office is a non-starter.  It was mainly set up before.  Were adjustments needed after it started?  Of course. Every program requires modifications along the way and Trump would have done those as well if he was re-elected. When you plan a photoshoot, does it go exactly as you planned it? The fact is 20 million were vaccinated by Jan 20th when Trump left office.  A month later it is 70 million.  All of this was in the pipeline pre-planned in Operation Warp Speed, including nearly all the ordering for the shots. 

[faberryman]

Here we go again.

Here we go again indeed.

[jeremyrh]

"Percentage of tests that are positive" is only somewhat informative, as it depends on several variables: size and structure of the testing populations, type of tests, accuracy of tests used (some tests are more prone to false positive - antigen tests, for instance), and last, but not least, being tested positive may not necessarily mean much, as a good portion of those may not have any symptoms. Numbers of hospitalized, and deaths are better, though not 100% accurate (e.g., died from covid vs. died with covid). Also, Florida has the oldest population of any US state, i.e., more likely to be tested, infected, hospitalized and dead.

Including all that information in a subtitle would make for a pretty turgid piece of copy!

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... the current number deaths in the US due to COVID stands at 520,980....

In other words, we now have 120,980 deaths thanks exclusively to the Comrade-In-Chief Biden, in just five weeks! What an accomplishment! From "I'll shut down the virus" before elected, to "There is nothing I can do about it" after.

[LesPalenik]

In other words, we now have 120,980 deaths thanks exclusively to the Comrade-In-Chief Biden, in just five weeks! What an accomplishment! From "I'll shut down the virus" before elected, to "There is nothing I can do about it" after.

Actually, there has been a remarkable decrease of covid cases in USA since Biden assumed the office. That's quite an accomplishment, indeed.

[LesPalenik]

A senior from Alsace was harassed by the police on his way to the corona vaccination.

An 88-year-old man from Alsace, France drove into a speed trap at 191 kilometers per hour. As the police in the Bas-Rhin department announced, the incident occurred on Thursday around noon. When the officials stopped him near the town of Bischoffsheim, the man justified the massive speeding violation with a corona vaccination appointment, which he would otherwise be late for.

https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/grand-est/bas-rhin-flashe-a-191km-heure-un-automobiliste-explique-qu-il-etait-en-retard-pour-le-vaccin-anti-covid-1972849.html

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Actually, there has been a remarkable decrease of covid cases in USA since Biden assumed the office. That's quite an accomplishment, indeed

 

Due to which measure of his?