Coronavirus Tidbits #95 10/29/20

Announcements:

I've been trying to stick on a 2x/week schedule recently, weekend and midweek. Since Sunday's issue failed to send, these two are back to back. But I know you won't mind, since there is such interesting content and pics, right?

First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I'm getting.

Tidbits will likely be a bit shorter and a little less frequent for the next little bit. I'm still immersed in #GOTV efforts.

Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don't be shy about that.

News 

Good way of viewing Coronavirus:

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https://twitter.com/RepsForBiden/status/1320183000831827969?s=20

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Turning the Corner on Covid in the US—Into an Oncoming Tsunami of Cases, Hospitalizations, and Death

Dr. Tom Frieden

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Diagnostics:

still an incredible, negligent last of testing.

Drugs:

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Moderna

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Growing drug shortages--thank our dependence on China (and India)

"As of now, 43% — or 67 of 156 — of acute care medicines used to treat various illnesses are running low. This group includes such staples as antibiotics, blood thinners, and sedatives."

https://www.statnews.com/pharmalot/2020/10/21/covid19-coronavirus-pandemic-shortages/

This issue of supply chain security is something that has worried me for some time and that I've written about: https://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2018/06/01/fragile-antibiotic-supply-chain-causes-shortages-and-is-a-national-security-threat/#25a7bf89adf3

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Convalescent plasma showed no benefit in Covid-19 patients in trial

perhaps because it wasn't given early enough

https://www.statnews.com/2020/10/22/blood-plasma-showed-no-benefit-in-covid-19-patients-in-trial/

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Eli Lilly said its investigational monoclonal antibody bamlanivimab -- one of the agents used in treating former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie -- failed to improve outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

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AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson to resume COVID-19 vaccine trials

 investigations found no link between those cases and the vaccine.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/astrazeneca-johnson-and-johnson-to-resume-covid-19-vaccine-trials/ar-BB1algJy

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COVID-19 vaccine nationalism could cost world up to $1.2 trillion: New RAND Europe study

Study shows global access to COVID-19 vaccines is best for world's health and wealth

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-10/rc-cvn102720.php

Devices:

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Face Shields Staved Off COVID-19, HAIs at Texas Hospital

https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/idweek/89321?

Epidemiology/Infection control:

Cases skyrocketing all over, esp the midwest/west

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Surges in Europe, US push exponential COVID-19 rise

As Europe's second COVID-19 surge intensifies with rising hospitalizations and deaths, government officials are announcing or considering sweeping new restrictions...

Europe cases surge, France mulls lockdown

Europe's cases rose by 33% last week, accounting for the greatest proportion of all new cases in the world, with France the hardest hit country, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its weekly epidemiological update. The region also reported one third of the newly reported global deaths.

US states report rising hospitalizations, deaths

Rates for COVID-19 hospitalization are also rising in the United States, which is now well into its third spike in cases. Compared to late September, 41 states and Puerto Rico have more hospitalized patients now, and 22 of the states have experienced increases of more than 50%, the Washington Post reported.

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/10/surges-europe-us-push-exponential-covid-19-rise

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Airplane spread

Thirteen infected passengers on a 7-hour flight to Ireland -- which featured mask wearing and was at one-sixth capacity -- resulted in 59 total cases after visits to friends and family. (Eurosurveillance)

Tips, general reading for public:

StayAtHome

Wash your hands.

Rinse and repeat.

Use a humidfier--helps throughout the winter reduce respiratory infections.

Read this thread to better understand why:

https://twitter.com/VirusesImmunity/status/1320430656481120256?s=20

Politics:

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https://twitter.com/JoyAnnReid/status/1320503877989474304?s=20

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Perspective/Poem

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In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

-- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Bits of beauty:

 

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