Breaking News: The FDA authorized Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine for emergency use, clearing the way for millions of highly vulnerable Americans to get it within days. https://t.co/KuLNX8HhkV pic.twitter.com/LWCFjiegvY
— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 12, 2020
Biden on the COVD vaccine: "I want to make it clear to the public, you should have confidence in this. There is no political influence."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 11, 2020
The federal government says it's buying another 100 million doses of Moderna’s Covid vaccine to be delivered between April & June. The purchase will boost the number of people who can be vaccinated by 50% https://t.co/mMnFSURGOx pic.twitter.com/AQcWEF6Ajg
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 12, 2020
Shots for health workers and nursing home residents are expected to begin in the coming days after the Food and Drug Administration authorized an emergency rollout of the vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech. https://t.co/zCkln7p9r6
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 12, 2020
It's going to be pretty emotional watching the exhausted people I've been interviewing for ages get vaccinated.
The next few months are still going to be brutal, but this… this is good. https://t.co/xL02NdrRUC
— Ed Yong (@edyong209) December 11, 2020
This was the 4th day in a row where more Americans died of COVID-19 than were killed on 9/11.
Four 9/11s in four days.
— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) December 12, 2020
How many Americans will die before the vaccine reaches scale? New estimates suggest the U.S. will reach 400k deaths by the end of January https://t.co/Gn2I19Ke2D
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 12, 2020
NEW — Trump has gotten increasingly angry with both the FDA and the COVID vaccine makers, openly asking aides if Pfizer is sabotaging him and if it’s run by Democrats https://t.co/83SKR1hAr9
W/ @swin24
— Sam Stein (@samstein) December 12, 2020
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"Whatever it is that motivates you to protect yourself, but even more so to protect that person you love the most, do that & do it now.
Because that is what 2021 is going to look like. That is what is going to help us bring #COVID19 under control."
–@mvankerkhove pic.twitter.com/K9PgMOW8SI— Sari Setiogi Griberg (@setiogi) December 11, 2020
China Covid: Infected woman defends herself after public shaming https://t.co/ImecQtMKq4
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 12, 2020
Asia Today: South Korea has reported another 950 coronavirus cases, its largest daily increase since the emergence of the pandemic, as fears grow about overwhelmed hospitals in the greater capital area. https://t.co/TPqlUGqads
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 12, 2020
India coronavirus: The trauma and pain of being a Covid doctor https://t.co/ycEImdgGcv
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 12, 2020
Russia confirmed a record-breaking 613 coronavirus deaths Friday, bringing the total number of Covid-19 deaths in the country to 45,893https://t.co/zxgb0kGOL7
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) December 11, 2020
Germany faces calls for second lockdown before Christmas after recording 585 deaths in one day
Russia and Ukraine also reported record numbers of fatalities on Friday https://t.co/wE7bpFe2IF
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 11, 2020
Italy is about to become the European country with the highest virus death toll — again. Why wasn't it ready this time around? @nwinfield https://t.co/9vbBOpAPGi
— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) December 12, 2020
Africa's coronavirus caseload has remained relatively low. Experts say the explanation is complicated. https://t.co/7s8b2un0PA
— Equity & Health (@equitylist) December 12, 2020
Across Brazil, many hospitals are filling up again with COVID-19 patients. An @AP team has visited the intensive care unit in the public Oceanico hospital in the Brazilian city of Niteroi. https://t.co/jFppgJwZZp
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 12, 2020
Mexico has approved Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use https://t.co/zkxeLeORtv
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 12, 2020
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Russia will team up with AstraZeneca to test whether combining both coronavirus vaccine shots would boost immunity to Covid-19https://t.co/qJLxPFHx59
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) December 12, 2020
Coronavirus can travel farther and faster inside restaurants than previously thought, scientists in South Korea have found in yet another study of aerosols https://t.co/brr6IFU6Ao
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 12, 2020
A milestone in the #pandemic : over 250,000 genomic sequences frm #COVID19 cases shared via @GISAID. What started w/sharing the 1st genomes of a mysterious #coronavirus, frm China CDC on Jan 10, thru GISAID, continues. And it led to the @pfizer #vaccine.https://t.co/bDRZ0IDXEK
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) December 11, 2020
New online COVID19 mortality risk calculator developed at Johns Hopkins University estimates individual & community-level risks of coronavirus death. Purpose of the calculator is for use by public health officials to prioritize groups for vaccination https://t.co/OgICXxw4nI pic.twitter.com/vQAmE5e4Nr
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 11, 2020
Curious about your risk of dying from #COVID19, based on where you live + age & other personal risk factors? Thanks to researchers @JohnsHopkins , you can calculate it: https://t.co/R77SOnod43
— sharon begley (@sxbegle) December 11, 2020
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There are two #COVID19 pandemics — one focused on the USA, the other = rest of the world. Our numbers are simply off-the-charts. We will see >one 9/11/day for 90 days, or 310,000 more deaths by March 10, says @CDCDirector — on top of current est total 300,000 or 610,000 dead. pic.twitter.com/fSOR4WhGWm
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) December 11, 2020
300,000 coronavirus cases traced to a Boston biotech conference in February https://t.co/qjG6TMcJ7h
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 12, 2020
Hey Boston – wake up – we're in trouble here.
[This graph shows the levels of virus detected in wastewater data from the greater Boston area, thru 12/8.] https://t.co/gqpDWnQzSx pic.twitter.com/AzRobknRe3— Joseph Allen (@j_g_allen) December 11, 2020
Los Angeles County could face ‘catastrophic suffering and death,’ health official warns https://t.co/0Bf5cDdtgf
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) December 12, 2020
Anti-vaccine sentiment has floated around Hollywood for years. It's a travesty, and it needs to stop, not least because if people don't get vaccinated, the movies will die: https://t.co/cmMacgTqhX
— Alyssa Rosenberg (@AlyssaRosenberg) December 11, 2020
Three snow leopards from the Louisville Zoo in Kentucky have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The zoo announced that it believes the leopards were infected by an asymptomatic staff member. pic.twitter.com/BIZIdbrHqS
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) December 12, 2020
California Rep. Devin Nunes says he's tested positive for COVID-19 https://t.co/kOtnphUgMJ
— Business Insider (@businessinsider) December 11, 2020
YY_Sima Qian
Yesterday, China reported 0 new domestic confirmed and 2 new domestic asymptomatic cases.
Both asymptomatic cases are reported by Suifenhe in Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province, and both are traced close contacts. There are currently 2 confirmed (1 each at Suifenhe and Dongning) and 2 asymptomatic cases (both at Suifenhe) in Mudanjiang.
Chengdu in Sichuan Province did not add any new positive cases yesterday. There are currently 10 confirmed and 2 asymptomatic cases there. 590 F1 close contacts have been traced, numbers for F2 close contacts and regular contacts not released. As of 6 PM on 12/11, 2,124 contacts of all categories have been swabbed, the 2,022 results obtained are all negative. Because one of the confirmed cases reported late in the evening of 12/10 was found from community mass screening (though later determined to be a close contact), Chengdu is conducting mass screening of all residents in the Pidu District, where most of the cases from the recent cluster are located. As of 6 PM on 12/11, 1,458,900 individuals in the city (including close contacts under quarantine) have been swabbed, 1,361,050 results obtained so far have produced 11 positive results, in addition to the index case.
At Manzhouli in Inner Mongolia “Autonomous” Region, 2 confirmed cases have recovered. There are now 23 confirmed and 2 asymptomatic cases in the city. 1,267 close contacts have been released from quarantine, 187 close contacts remain under quarantine.
Turfan in Xinjiang “Autonomous” Region reported 3 new domestic asymptomatic cases. The index case is a worker at a trading company in the local development zone, and was found during routine periodic screening of individuals in high risk occupations. The other 2 cases are immediate family members of the index case (wife and mother), from contact tracing. Epidemiological investigation is ongoing.
Yesterday, the Qingdao Municipal CDC in Shandong Province, reported finding from the epidemiological investigation into the 2 asymptomatic cases reported there on 11/30, a loader at a frozen seafood import company and his roommate. 2,521 F1 & F2 close contacts, regular contacts and other potentially exposed people were tested, F1 & F2 close contacts were quarantined and repeated tested, all results negative. The city also test all individuals who visited fever clinics and out-patient clinics with respiratory symptoms at all medical facilities in the city since 11/13, all were negative. The municipal CDC then tested 22 batches of imported frozen seafood warehoused at the company in question since Oct., 4,612 samples in all, 4 batches of products tested positive. CCTV footage showed that the loader had handled the contaminated batches between 10/25 and 11/30. The estimated timing for infection of the roommate is also consistent with the timeline for fomite transmission from contaminated frozen seafood to the loader (and not the other way around). Finally, genomic sequencing of viral samples from contaminated seafood products and the asymptomatic cases are 100% match. Therefore, the Qingdao Municipal CDC’s conclusion is that the two asymptomatic cases were infected by fomite transmission via contaminated frozen seafood products.
Yesterday, China reported 13 new imported confirmed cases, 16 imported asymptomatic cases:
Yesterday, Hong Kong reported 69 new cases, 4 imported (from the UK and the US) and 65 local (19 of whom without clear sources of infection). Another 80 cases are preliminarily positive, awaiting retesting and confirmation.
NeenerNeener
Monroe County, NY yesterday:
645 new cases, 379 total deaths so far, 611 people hospitalized, 110 of them are in the ICU. Current % positive is 8.3.
No bueno.
mrmoshpotato
Is that POS going to try suing InternetHippo over this since he’s a loser when it comes to suing cows?
NeenerNeener
I just tried the Johns Hopkins “will it kill you?” tool. It only asks if you already have serious lung and/or heart conditions, along with your age, gender, height and weight. I have an assortment of other health issues that aren’t on their list, so I’m taking their prediction that I would survive with a grain of low sodium salt. And if I can’t get curbside service when I order take out at my favorite local pub then just cancel my order.
NotMax
U.S. reported cases already topped 16 million. Total reported deaths will exceed 300,000 sometime today.
Barbara
The data re the impact of the Boston conference doubles my confidence in the assumption that Sturgis supercharged the pandemic in the U.S. The case rate in both the Dakotas is higher than any other state, and the death rates are trending upward rapidly.
Amir Khalid
Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 1,937 new cases today in his media statement, for a cumulative reported total of 82,246 cases. Dr Noor Hisham also reports nine new deaths today, for a total of 411 deaths — 0.50% of the cumulative reported total, 0.60% of resolved cases.
13,751 active and contagious cases are currently in hospital; 121 are in ICU, 66 of them on respirators. Meanwhile, 911 patients recovered and were discharged, for a total of 68,084 patients recovered — 82.8% of the cumulative reported total.
Three new clusters were reported today, all of them at places of work: Bukit Gemuk in Sabah; Cendana building site in KL; and Dang Mutiara in Selangor and Terengganu.
1,935 new cases today are local infections. Selangor has 823 cases: 664 in existing clusters, 50 close-contact screenings, and 109 other screenings. Sabah has 429 cases: 211 in older clusters, two in Bukit Gemuk cluster, 123 close-contact screenings, and 93 other screenings. KL has 236 cases: 192 in older clusters, 10 in Cendana building site cluster, eight close-contact screenings, and 26 other screenings. Johor has 105 cases: 73 in existing clusters, 19 close-contact screenings, and 13 other screenings. Penang has 102 cases: 71 in existing clusters, 17 close-contact screenings, and 14 other screenings.
Pahang has 79 cases: 53 in existing clusters, 25 close-contact screenings, and one other screening. Perak has 62 cases: 54 in existing clusters, four close-contact screenings, and four other screenings. Negeri Sembilan has 49 cases: 36 in existing clusters, three close-contact screenings, and 10 other screenings. Kedah has 16 cases: nine in existing clusters, four close-contact screenings, and three other screenings. Melaka has 15 cases: six in existing clusters, two close-contact screenings, and seven other screenings. Labuan has 11 cases: three in existing clusters, two close-contact screenings, and six other screenings.
Terengganu has six cases: five in Dang Mutiara cluster, and one close-contact screening. Sarawak has one case, found in other screening. And Kelantan has one case, a close-contct screening.
Putrajaya and Perlis reported no new local cases today.
Two new cases are imported. Both were reported in KL.
The nine deaths today are a 41-year-old man in Johor with diabetes, and obesity; a 58-year-old man in Sabah with diabetes and chronic kidney disease; an 84-year-old man in Penang with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, dyslipidaemia, and chronic kidney disease; a 71-year-old man in Johor with diabetes and chronic kidney disease; a 49-year-old woman in Johor with diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and stroke; a 74-year-old man in Sabah with diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, hypothyroidism, and gout; a 65-year-old man in Sabah with diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidaemia; a 33-year-old non-Malaysian man in Selangor; and a 38-year-old non-Malaysian man in Sabah with paralysis.
opiejeanne
I wonder what those things are in the Korean article tweet? I clicked through to see if they were mentioned, but didn’t find anything.
OzarkHillbilly
Just say it’s superior genes and watch white supremacist heads explode.
mrmoshpotato
@OzarkHillbilly: “Well, Africans have tremendous bigly genes unlike their fat, orange trash counterparts.”
p.a.
GF works at a psych hospital that was doing well since day one, then ~2 weeks ago pop……pop….poppop… poppoppoppoppop. She’s been symptomatic since 12/4, mild fever, diminishing cough, tired. Last saw her 12/3, I’m getting tested today, been quarantining a week, feel fine. Last time I was tested, Oct for travel, there was 1 day turnaround. Wonder about that now with numbers up and more folks being tested.
Baud
@p.a.:
I have some symptoms lately so decided to get tested. Still waiting on results.
JPL
@Baud: I hope that it’s negative.
NeenerNeener
@opiejeanne: They have foot pedals that appear to be independently attached to the frame. Maybe they’re some kind of exercise equipment?
Found them:
https://www.dreamstime.com/walking-glider-exercise-machine-daejeon-south-korea-january-outdoor-public-park-image171837386
p.a.
@Baud: fingers crossed…
JPL
@p.a.: fingers crossed for both of you.
JPL
fyi The current president is traveling today to West Point. I’m sure he’ll make us proud.
WereBear
I knew it would and I knew it had. But they will refuse to believe it.
It doesn’t even matter to them what the truth might be. They simply decide what Reality is. Then ignore how badly that works.
WereBear
@p.a.: Rough! Best wishes to both of you.
And for @Baud
Baud
Thanks everyone.
Elizabelle
@Baud: Yikes. If you do have it, hope it is a mild case. Only silver lining is doctors’ months of experience on how best to treat it.
@p.a.: All the best to you and GF, too.
NotMax
@JPL
Football game to disrupt. Perfect venue to whip out a Sharpie and scrawl VETO on the Defense bill.
And FSM help anyone who set up a ramp.
//
m.j.
Palin.
Rhymes with mail-in.
YY_Sima Qian
@p.a.: @Baud:
Sorry to hear of your travails. I hope everything works out the best.
JMG
@NotMax: There are no ramps at Michie Stadium. Only stairs. Steep stairs. They’re gonna need a utility truck bucket to get him past the first five rows of seats.
Nicole
@Baud: Oh no! I imagine you’re feeling anxious. Sending you good thoughts and let us know when you get results?
My stepmom called last night- she went to a kids’ birthday party on Sunday and one of the guests started showing symptoms this week and just tested positive yesterday so my stepmom is getting tested today. Needless to say, I’m not happy she was reckless, but as she lives alone she hasn’t seen anyone since Sunday so at least I don’t think she could have transmitted it to anyone else if she turns out to have it. Small comfort, to be sure.
p.a.
Tks. Will relay best wishes.
Mary G
Posted earlier that Orange County had a massive jump in new cases to 2,655. It’s going to be bad. ICU availability 6.2% after going months with major excess capacity. So depressing. I took the risk level calculator and despite my age, weight, asthma, former cigarette smoking, and RA was at the lowest risk. Being white and in my zipcode must be good. Not going to stop staying home then.
Mary G
@p.a.:
@Baud:
Sending good vibes.
OzarkHillbilly
Arizona ER doctor says he was fired for tweeting about coronavirus surge
Turns out Dr. Cleavon has a stutter.
Cermet
Too little and too late for so many; will it be 300, 400 or more thousands that die before there are enough doses to stop this hiddious illness? If only we had a president that wasn’t a self serveing criminal and nearly half of the voting population weren’t so stupid; then, maybe, hundreds of thousands might still be alive or wouldn’t die before this vaccine is fully delievered to everyone.
Sloane Ranger
Yesterday in the UK we had 21,672 new cases. This is an increase of about 600 from Thursday. The rolling 7-day average has increased by 17.7%. The R number has been recalculated to 11 December and, as I expected, has increased slightly to 0.9 to 1.0. Based on the figures since that date, I expect it to increase to over 1 the next time it is looked at. Cases by nation,
England – 17,899 (up @300)
Northern Ireland – 538 (up@90)
Scotland – 1001 (up @70)
Wales – 2234 (up @70).
Deaths – There were 424 deaths yesterday. 353 in England, 12 in Northern Ireland, 30 in Scotland and 29 in Wales.
Testing – 400,646 tests were processed yesterday out of a capacity of 536,978. An increase in the rolling 7-day average of 7.3%.
Hospitalisations – As of Wednesday, 9 December, there were 16,136 people in hospital. 1267 people were on ventilators as of Thursday, 10th. The rolling 78-day average for hospital admissions has increased by 5.8%.
For context, the case rate per 100,000 of population by home nation over the past 7 days, in ascending order is
Scotland – 102.4
England – 156.5
Northern Ireland – 165
Wales – 363.7.
Nothing much else to report.
Nelle
Oddly enough, Iowa’s infection numbers are way down from mid November, but then Trump and Pence aren’t swanning around having rallies. However, deaths are up and they keep changing the definitions of “covid deaths,” so numbers are near to meaningless. For example, one day there are 32 deaths, the next day, 124, but really “a lot of those were in November.” This is the state where we are to exercise personal responsibility in the absence of accurate and reliable information.
Zzyzx
@Nelle:
If there are people staying home and behaving even in Iowa, then it will take less time for the virus to run out of people to infect willy nilly. It might not have reached enough people in the state in general to get anywhere near the herd immunity goal, but it might have reached a critical mass of the idiots willing to pretend it doesn’t exist.
Steeplejack (phone)
@opiejeanne:
stinger
@Nelle: Reynolds – ugh. Can’t wait for 2022 to VOTE HER OUT.
fun with duct tape
Here in Spain:
Catalonia is the only region of Spain that has not counted Covid deaths restrictively. For this reason, I pay little attention to what the national government and other regional governments report for regions outside Catalonia.
Catalonia as of Dec. 11 (https://dadescovid.cat):
1388 people currently hospitalized
333 currently in intensive care*
3.72% positive test rate Dec. 2 – Dec. 8
247 deaths Dec. 2 – Dec. 8
357,208 confirmed cases since March 1
16,333 total deaths (one out of every 473 people)**
Barcelona (city) stats as of Dec. 11 (https://dadescovid.cat):
211 people currently hospitalized
333 currently in intensive care*
3.31% positive test rate Dec. 2 – Dec. 8
54 deaths Dec. 2 – Dec. 8
81,004 confirmed cases since March 1
5,260 total deaths (one out of every 321 people)***
* The number of people in intensive care is sometimes reported as exceeding the number of people hospitalized. That does seem strange, but I assume that the category of “people hospitalized” does not include the additional category of “people in the ICU.”
** The population of Catalonia on January 1, 2020, was 7,727,029. https://www.idescat.cat/pub/?id=aec&n=245.
*** I use a population figure for Barcelona (city) of 1,686,845. The Spanish National Institute of Statistics gives a figure of 1,636,762, but that figure dates from January 1, 2019. https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Datos.htm?t=2861#!tabs-tabla (population of cities within the province of Barcelona). The figure of 1,686,845 dates mostly from 2020; it represents the total number of people entitled to services through the city Department of Health, which divides the city into the following four areas: Barcelona Dreta (407,550 people (2020)), Barcelona Esquerra (523,725 people (2020)), Barcelona Litoral Mar (315,915 people (2020)), and Barcelona Nord (439,655 people (2019)). http://salutintegralbcn.gencat.cat/ca/Arees_Integrals_de_Salut/.
WereBear
Watching President-Elect Joe Biden saying good things about the vaccine and how we need to wear masks, etc. LOVING IT.
Looking forward to getting it, but we can be near the end of the line. That’s okay. There are people who need it more.
opiejeanne
@NeenerNeener: Thank you.
lowtechcyclist
I miss the good old days when it was ‘only’ a Jonestown every day.
opiejeanne
@Zzyzx: I read that herd immunity has never been achieved without a vaccine.
StringOnAStick
A close friend has a God daughter who is a hospital based respiratory therapist; she called last week to just completely melt down over the daily death toll at her ICU. My friend reports that this person will get her first of two vaccine injections next week, so that’s good news. She works in a small town hospital in coastal Oregon.
Suzanne
So I shared last night that one of my friends is dealing with just terrible tragedy this week. She and her husband are immigrants from Indonesia, and her parents live with them. Her parents have both had strokes and are not in good health. Her older brother is still — STILL — on the list to get a visa to immigrate here. Anyway, her dad passed away in his sleep on Sunday. The following day, her mom slipped in the shower and broke her shoulder, and had surgery the following day. The same day, her husband got a positive test result for COVID. He’s hospitalized and on oxygen. Her husband is, like, the portrait of health. They live in Denver and the dude spends most of his free time climbing the fourteeners. It just makes me so angry to see people denying this. Last night, she said that he is improving slowly. Thank FSM.
My friend of mine is a fellow healthcare designer (I’m architecture, she’s interior design). We spend so much time in hospitals trying to make healthcare delivery easier, safer, more efficient, more dignified. I know my friend and her husband were exceedingly careful and took this seriously, and still they couldn’t keep away from it.