Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #94

[Amonet]

The number of people already infected by the mystery virus emerging in China is far greater than official figures suggest, scientists have told the BBC.
There have been 41 laboratory-confirmed cases of the new virus, but UK experts estimate the figure is closer to 1,700.

New virus in China ‘will have infected hundreds'

Up to 4,500 patients in China may have caught the same strain of coronavirus that has killed two people, scientists fear.
Health officials in Wuhan – the city at the heart of the outbreak which started in December – confirmed four new cases today, taking the total to 48.
But Imperial College London researchers say this may be the 'tip of the iceberg' after analysing flights out of the city.

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[SouthAussie]

A growing share of Americans would feel safe resuming activities like dining out or flying within a few weeks of their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, but about 25% to 30% would wait until the nation reaches herd immunity, according to a Harris Poll survey for USA TODAY.

Their attitudes bode well for what’s expected to be a historically robust recovery from the coronavirus recession. But the sizeable share of people who prefer to wait until at least 70% of the population is immune could mean a less roaring launch to the rebound as some activity shifts to late summer and fall from midyear.

“The vaccine is certainly a game-changer for getting back to doing the things we love,” said John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll.

COVID vaccine: Many won't travel, dine out until herd immunity arrives

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Interesting in that in China, priority is being given to 18-59 year olds vs. elderly. Reason, because they don't have any cases in regions and they want to get the "potential spreaders" vaccinated to protect the elderly. Perhaps @SouthAussie they will do same in Australia?

 

[dixiegirl1035]

AZ info: (much more under the video as to his notes, and he also covers the media reports of "outdated information")

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/N...
Interim safety and efficacy analysis
N = 32,449
2:1 randomisation of vaccine to placebo
Accruing 141 symptomatic cases of COVID-19
Statistically significant vaccine efficacy of 79% at preventing symptomatic COVID-19
100% efficacy at preventing severe disease and hospitalisation
Vaccine efficacy was consistent across ethnicity and age

 

[dixiegirl1035]

BNO Newsroom [URL='https://twitter.com/BNODesk']@BNODesk[/URL]
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NEW: German Chancellor Merkel reverses decision to impose stricter lockdown over the Easter holidays, saying it's not practical. "This mistake is my mistake alone," she says - REU

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Mary's long COVID symptoms were debilitating. But then she got the vaccine

 

[Yesiamapirate]

A growing share of Americans would feel safe resuming activities like dining out or flying within a few weeks of their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, but about 25% to 30% would wait until the nation reaches herd immunity, according to a Harris Poll survey for USA TODAY.

Their attitudes bode well for what’s expected to be a historically robust recovery from the coronavirus recession. But the sizeable share of people who prefer to wait until at least 70% of the population is immune could mean a less roaring launch to the rebound as some activity shifts to late summer and fall from midyear.

“The vaccine is certainly a game-changer for getting back to doing the things we love,” said John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll.

COVID vaccine: Many won't travel, dine out until herd immunity arrives

Mr Pirate and I are well past two weeks post shot 2. We have resumed eating indoors, shopping and visiting. We are back to babysitting the grands. Basically back to our old life. Of course we are totally following all mask rules and respecting others. I do warn friends of our lifestyle so they can make their decisions wisely. Thankfully, our group of friends are now vaccinated as well as most family. To your post, we are stimulating the economy! I am shocked how much dining and drinking in our local restaurants went up in price. I get it! No complaints but a observation. Air fares are low still so as soon as spring break folks go home we will look to book a warm weather trip to take advantage of the fares.

 

[LadyL]

Traveller charged after allegedly presenting fake negative COVID-19 test at Pearson Airport

 

[acutename]

Michigan sees ‘alarming increase’ in COVID-19 hospitalizations among unvaccinated adults

 

[dixiegirl1035]

"ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp announced Tuesday that all Georgians 16 and older will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting this week. The eligibility will open up to any adult who wants the vaccine starting on Thursday....

..... Mercedes-Benz Stadium mass vaccination... will be the largest vaccination site in Georgia and the southeast. ... FEMA will take over the site on Wednesday....The site will now be able to do 6,000 vaccinations a day, seven days a week. There will be 700 workers using all three levels of the concourse. Over the next eight weeks, the site will vaccinate around 210,000 people with more than 400,000 doses."

All Georgians 16+ eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines starting Thursday

 

[LadyL]

Thousands of Toronto hospital staff haven't got their COVID-19 shots, memo reveals

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toro...OjAIs0lkFUBR6HyWwy1h3SNxg_042_-gXGWWJsTjlY8dA

 

[JaneEyre]

Convoy of National Guardsmen transporting vaccines in Texas were held at gunpoint by a lunatic.

National Guardsmen transporting Covid-19 vaccines held at gunpoint

 

[weepingangel]

COVID Variant Cases Rise Amid Spike in Mass.
More at link
The state lab is working on sequencing three different COVID-19 variants to see if they are causing a spike in cases in Massachusetts
Published 3 hours ago • Updated 28 mins ago
Experts are watching closely as data shows several different COVID-19 variants cropping up across Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts, there have been 441 reported cases of the U.K. variant, four cases of the Brazil variant and nine cases of the South African variant, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state lab is sequencing the three variants to see if they are causing a spike in cases in Massachusetts.

"I continue to be worried about the latest data and the apparent stall we are seeing in the trajectory of the pandemic," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said. "The decisions we make now will determine what the pandemic looks like in the days and weeks ahead."

Experts have said the U.K. variant will likely become the dominant strain in the country by mid-April.

Despite a growing number of residents getting vaccinated, Massachusetts has seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases over the last week. More than 1.1 million people are now fully vaccinated, state data shows.

 

[SoCalDavidS]

AMERICA!!

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States squandered both money and lives in its response to the coronavirus pandemic, and it could have avoided nearly 400,000 deaths with a more effective health strategy and trimmed federal spending by hundreds of billions of dollars while still supporting those who needed it.

That is the conclusion of a group of research papers released at a Brookings Institution conference this week, offering an early and broad start to what will likely be an intense effort in coming years to assess the response to the worst pandemic in a century.

U.S. COVID-19 fatalities could have stayed under 300,000, versus a death toll of 540,000 and rising, if by last May the country had adopted widespread mask, social distancing, and testing protocols while awaiting a vaccine, estimated Andrew Atkeson, economics professor at University of California, Los Angeles.

He likened the state-by-state, patchwork response to a car’s cruise control. As the virus worsened people hunkered down, but when the situation improved restrictions were dropped and people were less careful, with the result that “the equilibrium level of daily deaths ... remains in a relatively narrow band” until the vaccine arrived.

U.S. COVID response could have avoided hundreds of thousand of deaths - research

 

[weepingangel]

'Good news': 40,000 J&J COVID-19 vaccine doses expected next week in Massachusetts


Vaccination program to reach 25,000 homebound Bay Staters starts Monday

 

[tabitha111]

Comment: Even with vaccines offering over 90% protection it is not 100% protection against getting the infection (or spreading the virus).

SARS-CoV-2 Infection after Vaccination in Health Care Workers in California | NEJM
March 23, 2021

These data underscore the critical importance of continued public health mitigation measures (masking, physical distancing, daily symptom screening, and regular testing), even in environments with a high incidence of vaccination, until herd immunity is reached at large.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

AMERICA!!

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States squandered both money and lives in its response to the coronavirus pandemic, and it could have avoided nearly 400,000 deaths with a more effective health strategy and trimmed federal spending by hundreds of billions of dollars while still supporting those who needed it.

That is the conclusion of a group of research papers released at a Brookings Institution conference this week, offering an early and broad start to what will likely be an intense effort in coming years to assess the response to the worst pandemic in a century.

U.S. COVID-19 fatalities could have stayed under 300,000, versus a death toll of 540,000 and rising, if by last May the country had adopted widespread mask, social distancing, and testing protocols while awaiting a vaccine, estimated Andrew Atkeson, economics professor at University of California, Los Angeles.

He likened the state-by-state, patchwork response to a car’s cruise control. As the virus worsened people hunkered down, but when the situation improved restrictions were dropped and people were less careful, with the result that “the equilibrium level of daily deaths ... remains in a relatively narrow band” until the vaccine arrived.

U.S. COVID response could have avoided hundreds of thousand of deaths - research

The entire world could have done better on this one. But 20/20.

From the original expectations to thinking this was like previous SARS and would burn out quickly.... to the ongoing threats of new variants of concern right now.

I just hope the entire world doesn't look back on a variant explosion. Looking back 20/20 may be happening again as a collapse of just one country overwhelmed and spreading of a resistant variant , e.g. Brazil, has worldwide repercussions.

The world is ONE with Covid MOO

 

[Black Widow]

Just perhaps a word of caution. Due to Covid I began taking a daily dose of Vitamin D3 1000 for the past approximate two months. I am just as of today hopefully recovering from a kidney stone which became caught in the tube between my left kidney and bladder which resulted in one ambulance ride, one overnight in hospital, one cat scan, IV and medications. As of today, finally after eight days I think it has passed as I am finally out of pain. Of course, I can’t say for certain that vitamin D3 caused this unexpected horror but they do say that it can so I feel the need to advise all the good people on this site to be cautious. ( Yes, I have good medical and pharmacy coverage so I won’t have the pain of that) Six more days until my first vaccine. Yahoo!

 

[acutename]

(Channel 3 about rising COVID rates in the northeast and the UK variant)

not eligible for vaccine in my state, so....

 

[LadyL]

We Must Start Planning For a Permanent Pandemic