NEW: CDC expands definition of who is a ‘close contact’ of an individual with covid-19, greatly expanding the pool of people considered at risk. This makes mask-wearing even more important for preventing transmission. My story. https://t.co/DNwy4V2eqD
— LenaSun (@bylenasun) October 21, 2020
Trump’s antibody ‘cure’ will be in short supply. All the weak points of American health care — testing delays, communication breakdowns, inequity — are working against this potential treatment. Here's what lies ahead for the Regeneron antibody cocktail https://t.co/nXdOYeeKLd
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) October 21, 2020
COVID-19 has cost Americans 2.5 million years of life and roughly half that loss has come from people who died in middle age, not their waning years. https://t.co/LFNesFisn6
— USA TODAY Health (@USATODAYhealth) October 21, 2020
The U.S. regulators who will decide the fate of COVID-19 vaccines are asking outside scientists if their standards are high enough. The Food and Drug Administration may have to decide by year’s end whether to allow use of the first vaccines. https://t.co/NoNZ2KRnZo
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 22, 2020
Terrific, important piece @BySheilaKaplan & colleagues about the efforts to safeguard #Covid19 vaccine trials from being cut short by a president intent on pre-election vaccine. https://t.co/JQIPNj2G1d
— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) October 21, 2020
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Russia confirmed 15,700 new Covid-19 cases Wednesday, bringing its official number of cases to 1,447,335, and broke its record for coronavirus deaths with 317 fatalities in the past 24 hourshttps://t.co/H0ppXbrhb7
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) October 21, 2020
Sweden is tightening the reins. New guidelines, high schools are closed, restricted contact outside the family, new rules for buses, gyms & restaurants. All meetings now on zoom. From @ashoswai in Uppsala https://t.co/321qFMGOuP pic.twitter.com/1cMrDDQHUe
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) October 22, 2020
New German coronavirus cases rise by more than 10,000 for first time – RKI https://t.co/y9JRUuWWm7 pic.twitter.com/DbrGnMFmim
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 22, 2020
Amid a record surge of COVID-19 infections that's threatening the entire health system with collapse, the Czech Republic is adopting exactly the same massive restrictions as in the spring, a situation its prime minister kept saying wouldn't happen again. https://t.co/6iI1BcZts0
— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) October 22, 2020
BREAKING: Spain has surpassed 1 million confirmed COVID-19 infections, the first country in western Europe to do so, health officials say. Spain’s health ministry attributes 34,366 deaths to the coronavirus. https://t.co/Q8KHjPeJx3
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 21, 2020
The tough decisions UK and all of Europe face. There are no easy solutions, every option has negative consequences & trade offs. But later actions are harder, have less impact & need to be deeper, wider geographically & last longer for similar impact. https://t.co/MKcKix6Be6
— Jeremy Farrar (@JeremyFarrar) October 21, 2020
Switzerland says coronavirus case numbers and hospitalizations are doubling every week, warning of the prospect of overburdened hospitals. The country has gone from one of least-affected in Europe to one of the worst-hit in just three weeks. https://t.co/YYHvOykpDE
— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) October 21, 2020
Ireland: #Covid19 outbreaks in schools doubled again last week https://t.co/jITbziQqNt
— Crawford Kilian (@Crof) October 21, 2020
Pandemic in war: Heavy fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh has crippled efforts to combat the coronavirus in the separatist region and beyond. @AP gained access to a clinic where doctors and nurses keep working even when they fall sick. Full story: https://t.co/BTzCwYxjaN pic.twitter.com/KKrxvSXNoT
— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) October 21, 2020
Asia Today: Sri Lanka’s main fish market has been closed after 49 traders tested positive for the coronavirus and a curfew is widened as a COVID-19 outbreak grows. https://t.co/b6cdrrzqYp
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 22, 2020
China says will maintain ban on outbound tours due to virus risk https://t.co/KtkIloUAjf pic.twitter.com/bHqTNbucpr
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 22, 2020
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been talking about the country's continuing battle against Covid-19
We fact-check some of his claims#BBCRealityCheck https://t.co/cn837AufDC
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) October 21, 2020
Melbourne suburbs on alert as new COVID-19 case sparks outbreak fears https://t.co/cpwzUwzQMP pic.twitter.com/T2cAFbikY8
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 22, 2020
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A volunteer in the Oxford Univ COVID vaccine test died in Brazil. Media reports say the volunteer was a 28-year-old doctor who died of complications from COVID19. It's the 1st death reported in the various coronavirus vax trials https://t.co/viqOQC6MRA pic.twitter.com/HLz0pfN1ia
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) October 21, 2020
As #Covid19 cases surge in a number of countries, 75% of critical drugs needed to treat Covid patients are already in short supply, a @CIDRAP report shows. And it's not even winter yet. From @pharmalot. https://t.co/yiekulBsdq
— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) October 22, 2020
Britain partners with Oxford firm to assess coronavirus vaccine T cell responses https://t.co/6umEWbV99C pic.twitter.com/yFnHx3kvf6
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 22, 2020
Next up in the hunt for a #COVID19 vaccine: Testing shots in kids https://t.co/8WjODlYceD via @medical_xpress pic.twitter.com/p9ZaeUXe2l
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) October 21, 2020
Thorny, thorny issues ahead for regulators when the first #Covid19 vaccine is given a green light, @Dereklowe warns. https://t.co/tvvituNhwv
— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) October 21, 2020
Most Americans have never heard of the two expert panels that review new vaccines, but their work is crucial to ensuring potential Covid vaccines are safe and effective, as @DrJulieMorita and @EdBelongia write. https://t.co/S7V5evm7iq
— Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) October 21, 2020
Think “beyond six feet:" @cooney_liz interviews experts on their concerns about what winter weather will do to transmission of #Covid19. https://t.co/zByzdURLgn
— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) October 21, 2020
Unchecked ivermectin use in Latin America is making it difficult to test the anti-parasite drug’s effectiveness against COVID19 in clinical trials. Ivermectin was developed in the 1970s. Theory holds it might work against the coronavirus https://t.co/cBM3vtjG17
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) October 21, 2020
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A leading health expert says US coronavirus cases will begin to rapidly accelerate in a week as the country topped 60,000 new infections Tuesday — triple what the daily average was in June, when restrictions had begun to ease. Dr. Jonathan Reiner explainshttps://t.co/la29L6b2VV pic.twitter.com/H41UVjv12E
— New Day (@NewDay) October 21, 2020
CDC officials warned that the pandemic is approaching a critical phase in the U.S. and that wearing masks is 'more important than ever' as the fall season continues https://t.co/3zmcmzNZdk pic.twitter.com/a1thipjPlZ
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 22, 2020
Hospitals around the U.S. are starting to buckle from a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, with several states setting records for the number of people hospitalized. Leaders are scrambling to find extra beds and staff. https://t.co/0H3ZLZCZSu
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 21, 2020
There has been a concerted political effort to downplay #COVID19 mortality, even claims that <0.02% of cases are fatal. Medical care has improved since NY's spring nightmare, but these numbers merit very serious attention. https://t.co/YuKO95uNsv
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) October 21, 2020
Alaska is seeing record coronavirus case numbers. At a time when Americans are growing fatigued by months of restrictions, the state's struggles provide a warning that winter could bring the most devastating phase of the pandemic. https://t.co/7tBGm7RPZc
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 21, 2020
NEW: CEO group to Michigan leaders: Stop suing over COVID-19 restrictions, unite to fight second wave
“It's fair to say litigating and debating is not productive right now," said DTE Energy Executive Chairman Gerry Anderson to @ChadLivengood. https://t.co/AfZJamDOxc
— Mark Cavitt (@MarkCavitt) October 21, 2020
YY_Sima Qian
Yesterday, China reported 0 new domestic confirmed cases and 0 new domestic asymptomatic cases.
Yesterday, China reported 14 new imported confirmed cases and 25 imported asymptomatic cases and 2 imported suspect cases:
Today, Hong Kong reported 11 new cases, 1 from local transmission, source of transmission unidentified.
p.a.
Jeeeze… not good. Got my flu shot, how ’bout you?
Besides Yertle et al working to leave Joe a smoking hulk, mom nature tossing gas on the fire too.
OzarkHillbilly
WASF.
jl
Article on the covid vaccine trial death says that that person was on the placebo. If true, then gives little info about the vaccine.
I read a news report that said Sweden has passed legislation that gave national gov more authority over public health measures, so not surprising to read about more national level measures.
Amir Khalid
Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. DG of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 847 new cases today for a for a cumulative reported total of 23,804 cases, and five more deaths for a total of 204 deaths — o.86% of the cumulative reported total, 1.31% of resolved cases.
Sabah has the most cases, 578: 223 in all clusters including the new Tinusa and Sauh clusters, 210 close-contact screenings, and 245 in other screenings. Selangor has 132 cases: 59 in all clusters including the new Jambu cluster, 55 close-contact screenings, eight persons back from high-risk zones in Sabah, and 10 in other Covid-19 screenings. Negeri Sembilan has 38 cases: 33 in the new Sofi cluster, four close-contact screenings, and one other Covid-19 screening. Labuan has 29 cases: 25 in existing clusters, and four close-contact screenings. KL has 23 cases: nine in existing clusters including one in the new Bah Mutiara cluster, seven close-contact screenings, two persons back from high-risk zones in Sabah, and five other Covid-19 screenings.
Perak has 14 cases: six in existing clusters, six close-contact screenings, and two in other Covid-19 screenings. Penang has 10 cases: eight in existing clusters and two close-contact screenings. Putrajaya has four cases: three in existing clusters and one close-contact screening. Kedah has three cases, all in existing clusters. Melaka has three cases: two in the new Umboo cluster, and one close-contact screening.And Terengganu and Johore have one case each, each in other Covid-19 screenings.
Kelantan has three cases, two close-contact screenings and one in an existing cluster. Pahang has two cases, one in an existing cluster and one person back from s high-risk zone in Sabah. Sarawak has one case, a close-contact screening.
The five imported cases, all reported in Selangor, are all non-Malaysians, arriving from India (four) and the US.
486 more patients recovered and were discharged, for a total of 15,417 patients recovered — 64.8% of the cumulative reported total. 8,183 active and contagious are currently in hospital; 90 are in ICU, of whom 29 are on ventilators.
The five deaths reported today are a 67-year-old woman in Kedah with hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidæmia, a 65-year-old woman in Sabah, an 88-year-old man in Sabah, a 78-year-old man in Sabah with stroke, and a 60-year-old non-Malaysian woman in Sabah.
jl
Czech R’s problem that they acted like covid was eradicated after first wave controlled. Went to very lax control measures. Sad note in story was that after the health Minister recommended in summer stronger mask regs after schools opened, the gov response was to fire him.
Mary G
@OzarkHillbilly: Yep, that first story is scary. No more than 15 minutes close contact in 24 hours is going to be hard to meet.
Whichever goober governor who had teachers make the kids play musical chairs every 14 minutes to keep them from being in contact more than 15 minutes is going to have to come up with a plan B.
One bright spot was the Michigan CEOs telling the ignorant yahoos to drop their lawsuits against Gov. Whitmer and put on a damned mask.
We had 11 deaths here in the OC, seven of whom lived in nursing homes. Testing positivity 3.2%, which is down, but new cases per 100,000 is still stuck on 4.6%, so no loosening of rules for us yet.
TS (the original)
For the 473rd time our free to air TV is playing the movie Apollo 13. Did remind me of the times when the American government worked non stop to save the lives of 3 people.
Now trump won’t work to stop the deaths of 220,000 + people. Times sure change.
NotMax
The little island of Lanai has been fortunate in remaining at zero cases reported. Until now.
Medical and government leaders are calling for a shutdown of the island of Lāna‘i and mass testing as COVID-19 positive cases on the island had surged to upwards of 20 by Wednesday night.
The recommendation was made as news of the island’s first four cases was reported on Tuesday afternoon, followed by an update on Wednesday afternoon that the case count had surged to 16. Then, during a follow up community meeting Wednesday evening, healthcare officials updated the total case count to 20-23 positive COVID-19 individuals on Lāna‘i.
[snip]
Dr. Lee Weiss, Regional Director of Emergency Medical Services with Maui Health warned that swift action needs to be taken. He said the cases identified so far, are “the tip of the iceberg,” and estimated that 10 percent of the Lāna‘i population could be positive within a week. He called for mass testing as well as a temporary shut down of the island to travel, calling its border “porous.” Source
mrmoshpotato
@TS (the original): On the 500th airing, they’ll finally see the dinosaurs on the dark side of the Moon.
lowtechcyclist
A decade or two ago, that might’ve made a difference.
Now the party is so high on its own supply that even the moneymen can’t jerk their chains.
Well, maybe they could, but it would take more than this: the moneymen would have to say, “you hear and obey on this one, or we run ads against you until the day you quit politics forever.” And the moneymen aren’t ready to do that to fellow Republicans, even in the Year of the Coronavirus.
jl
@Mary G: I think that there must be more to the story of the new guidance. Both epidemiologists quoted in the story noted that in prison setting, several other routes of transmission were plausible. Some of the prisoners were unmasked. Would there be close contact if everyone wore masks? CDC links not working for me right now, so I can’t get more details.
Sloane Ranger
Here is the report from the UK. Yesterday there were 26,688 new cases. This is an increase of over 5000 cases from the previous day where we had 21,331 cases. Cases divided by nation as below;
England – 22948 (up @5000)
Northern Ireland – 1039 (up by slightly over 100)
Scotland – 1739 (up by @300)
Wales – 962 (down by @150).
If the figure for England isn’t just some sort of anomaly, any talk of the rate of increase decreasing is all my eye and Betty Martin.
Deaths – There were 191 new deaths. Slightly down from yesterday’s high of 241. 144 of the deaths were in England, 5 in Northern Ireland, a stonking 28 in Scotland and an equally stonking 14 in Wales, given their populations.
Testing – 279,996 PCR tests were processed out of a capacity of 373,533.
Hospitalisations – 6479 people were in hospital on the 18th October, 629 of whom were on ventilators. Both numbers trending upwards.
General – All nations bar Scotland now have a case rate of plus 1000 people infected per 100,000 of population. In terms of English regions, the East Midlands now also has over a 1000 infections per 100,000 population. 5 out of the 9 English regions are now in this position. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak has today, unveiled further financial help to businesses in Tier 2 areas. The Health Secretary is expected to update the Commons on the talks of progress with Tier 3 candidates later.
Hey ho!
TS (the original)
@mrmoshpotato:
50 years on, the ending hasn’t changed yet. I can remember watching it live on a very small black/white television.
Another Scott
Dogs detect coronavirus fast and reliably — why not use them everywhere?
https://p.dw.com/p/3kCYb
Important if true. But doing it at scale (as with anything in this pandemic) would be challenging.
Cheers,
Scott.
Mike in Pasadena
Anne, Your tireless work on these posts astonishes me. Thank you.