Coronavirus Tidbits #94 11-12-20
Announcements:
First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I'm getting.
Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don't be shy about that.
I have 2 new posts:
President-Elect Biden Names New Covid-19 Task Force – What’s The Enthusiasm About?
I'm thrilled that appointees are well-respected physicians and scientists, though there are some additional groups that need to be represented. There is a focus on social justice and health disparities among the appointees.
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Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine Results Look Exciting—But Come With Big Warnings
My somewhat contrarian view of the Pfizer vaccine.
News
Cases are skyrocketing across the US, especially in areas which ignore masking and distancing.
Our daily update is published. States reported 1.4M new tests and 144k cases, another all-time high. 65.4k people are hospitalized, 15k more than on election day. The death toll was 1,421, pushing the 7-day average over 1,000. pic.twitter.com/IQYu9w5wr4
— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) November 12, 2020
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I still find this shocking:
"Despite President Donald Trump’s brazen negligence in handling the coronavirus, the president actually performed better this year than he did in 2016 in counties with high COVID-19 death rates, according to an internal analysis from Reuters.
The report, which included results from 139 counties in 19 different states, found that Trump made a 4% jump in votes ― increasing from 50.1% in 2016 to 54.1% in 2020 ― in areas highly impacted by the coronavirus.
Trump also won the majority of votes in states with the highest COVID-19 death rates, including Florida and Texas. Under the leadership of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), a big Trump supporter, Florida has yet to issue a statewide mask mandate since COVID-19 hit the U.S. in March; a trickle-down effect from the president who has consistently undermined the effectiveness of mask-wearing to curb the spread of coronavirus."
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CDC: An economic analysis that found a 15% increase in universal masking could prevent losses of up to $1 trillion. https://t.co/8nPk6rGwMo
— Liz Szabo (@LizSzabo) November 11, 2020
Diagnostics:
still an incredible, negligent lack of accurate, rapid testing.
COVID-19 Testing: Where Do We Stand?
That vision never became a reality. Instead, the nation's testing program was and continues to be plagued by delays and accuracy problems, rendering its current form practically useless for controlling the virus, experts say.
Drugs:
The chairman and CEO of Pfizer, Albert Bourla, sold $5.6 million worth of stock in the company on Monday. The sale took place on the same day Pfizer announced that its experimental coronavirus vaccine candidate was found to be more than 90% effective. The company's stock soared on the news.
Some of us are still waiting, wanting to see DATA.
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‘We’re being left behind’: Rural hospitals can’t afford ultra-cold freezers to store the leading Covid-19 vaccine
STAT By OLIVIA GOLDHILL @OliviaGoldhill NOVEMBER 11, 2020
Large urban hospitals across the U.S. are rushing to buy expensive ultra-cold freezers to store what’s likely to be the first approved Covid-19 vaccine. But most rural hospitals can’t afford these high-end units, meaning health workers and residents in those communities may have difficulty getting the shots.
The vaccine, developed by Pfizer and the German firm BioNTech, seems to provide 90% immunity according to early data released on Monday. But there’s a catch: The vaccine has to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius. Typical freezers don’t get that cold, making distribution of this vaccine a logistical nightmare.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised state health departments against purchasing ultra-cold freezers — which cost $10,000 to $15,000 each — saying other vaccines with less demanding storage requirements will be available soon.
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The FDA has granted an Emergency Use Authorization to Eli Lilly for Bamlanivimab
in a phase 2 trial of 465 patients, Chance of hospitalization with: - Bamlanivimab 3% vs Placebo 10%
It is intended for outpatient use (unless you are Chris Christie) and is similar to Regeneron. Intended for high risk patients.
Lilly hopes to have enough doses to treat up to one million people by the end of the year--but we currently have >110, 000 cases per day in the US
Devices:
Yup. They actually help protect you, the wearer, from getting a potentially fatal disease. There are other reasons to wear them -- big ones -- but let's focus on #1 for a minute. https://t.co/juRjYrNIEr
— NPR Health News (@NPRHealth) November 11, 2020
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See original study:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/masking-science-sars-cov2.html
Epidemiology/Infection control:
Guys, the same people who booked the wrong Four Seasons are running our response to covid.
— Justin Wolfers (@JustinWolfers) November 7, 2020
This applies as well to our local Allegany County "leadership," which has given us a ~9% test positivity rate, twice that of Maryland overall, and the highest in the state.
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https://twitter.com/MackayIM/status/1325925227482685440?s=20
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A direct quote from this horrifying report: "80% of people who died in jails from COVID were not convicted of a crime." https://t.co/y8xzJxvpSr
— Liz Hamilton (@rationalfish) November 10, 2020
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https://twitter.com/alvie_barr/status/1326250289624723463?s=20
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Can we stop? The response to out of control COVID is not to make HCW work while sick, it's to control the spread.
— Andrej Spec, MD, MSCI (@FungalDoc) November 10, 2020
With North Dakota hospitals at 100% capacity, Burgum announces COVID-positive nurses can stay at work | INFORUM https://t.co/UqWJlxsrLi
Tips, general reading for public:
StayAtHome
Wash your hands.
Rinse and repeat.
Increase the humidity in your home, especially in your bedroom.
Consider Vit D supplements, < 5000 units/day
Politics:
The grift goes on:
50% of each contribution, up to a maximum of $2,800 ($5,000), to be designated toward DJTFP’s 2020 general election account for general election debt retirement until such debt is retired.
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) November 8, 2020
h/t @darakass https://t.co/nyRJNmZyvb
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Donations under $8,000 to what Trump says is an effort to challenge election results will instead go to his political action committee and the RNC, according to the fine print https://t.co/fjJjBM6bCw pic.twitter.com/8vVHrjgaJ5
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 11, 2020
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Am 4.2.2017 veröffentlichte Der SPIEGEL ein weitweit beachtetes Titelcover, auf dem Donald Trump "Lady Liberty" den Kopf abtrennt. Heute, am 7.11.2020, nehmen wir Bezug auf dieses Cover - mit dem neuen Titelbild auf unserer Ausgabe ... #46. // (c) @edelstudio #BidenHarris2020 pic.twitter.com/jHcRtsXoqm
— DER SPIEGEL (@derspiegel) November 7, 2020
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Trump appointee at GSA declines to sign letter authorizing Biden transition - The Washington Post https://t.co/DQ0PPNzbS5
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) November 9, 2020
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https://twitter.com/HamillHimself/status/1324605138858749957?s=20
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NEW:@ProjectLincoln is launching a TV and social media campaign targeting @JonesDay for any role it plays in enabling Trump's efforts to overturn the election, I'm told.
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) November 10, 2020
Jones Day clients will also be targets, @TheRickWilson tells me. New details here:https://t.co/ugh4Rhqr5u
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This video of Chancellor Merkel congratulating @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris is worth your time. Merkel talks about German history, the role of the United States and much more. Take a look:pic.twitter.com/6t7pEYgVOZ
— Marcel Dirsus (@marceldirsus) November 9, 2020
Feel good du jour:
Meet the new first dogs of the White House, Major and Champ Biden! The two German Shepherds will be the first dogs to reside at the White House in four years. https://t.co/Qh9Yq3TpPN pic.twitter.com/j9I6Oz4Vxz
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) November 8, 2020
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Alex Trebek on how he wanted his final Jeopardy show to go.
— TRAFON (@RiseFallNick) November 8, 2020
RIP, this one really sucks. pic.twitter.com/HocFuGANmh
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https://twitter.com/Jim_Genac/status/1325497735672332289?s=20
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This was last night. After winning Final Jeopardy, Burt Thakur told Alex Trebek that he’s the reason he learned English. Alex inspired so many hearts, and filled our lives with so much kindness and warmth. He will continue to inspire future generations! RIP #AlexTrebek #jeopardy pic.twitter.com/pMJvWrNSuK
— Hassan Chammout (@ChammoutHassan) November 8, 2020
Comic relief:
https://twitter.com/RexChapman/status/1325824833922490370?s=20
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Liberty Bell
— US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) November 12, 2020
Independence Hall
And now . . . pic.twitter.com/nLnivBW7dh
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This was me on my way to the pharmacy this morning. Dogs are great. pic.twitter.com/1Re65OExpG
— Dr Robert Bohan Artist (@RobertBohan) November 11, 2020
Perspective/Poem
The son of a car salesman and the daughter of immigrants will replace a racist trust fund baby and a homophobe.
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) November 7, 2020
Bits of beauty:
