Fauci says B117 variant of COVID could become "dominant" in U.S. by end of March, but current vaccines are "quite effective" against it
Vaccines are "less so" effective on South African variant, B1.351, but vaccinations could control spread before that strain is dominant pic.twitter.com/t9oMNo5Erq
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 8, 2021
"We have yet to control this pandemic," @CDCDirector Rochelle Walensky says. "We still have this emerging threat of variants."
About 700 US confirmed cases of coronavirus variants.
"Please keep your guard up–the continued proliferation of variants remains a great concern." pic.twitter.com/YZrOlO4WF3
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 8, 2021
The US administered 1.1 million vaccine shots today, bringing the total to 43.1 million, or 13.1 doses per 100 people. The 7-day moving average rose slightly to 1.47 million shots per day. 10.0% of the US population has received at least one shot; 3.0% are fully vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/EV01Pd80mM
— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) February 9, 2021
The US had +87,031 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the total to over 27.7 million. The 7-day moving average fell to below 111,000 new cases per day, its lowest level since November 7. pic.twitter.com/E8pf7xWMlp
— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec) February 9, 2021
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There has been a severe undercount of COVID19 cases in the US & abroad, Texas scientists report. Also, many infections have gone undetected meaning an untold number of cases are never counted, resulting in an inaccurate statistical portrait of the pandemic https://t.co/7NDEmtKfgW
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 8, 2021
i did a review https://t.co/qbuFPYiGtY
— Jeannette Ng 吳志麗 (@jeannette_ng) February 7, 2021
“It does not and cannot offer you meaning in the suffering. It is too honest to do so. In the end, I am simply left with the knowledge: This happened. It is happening in the hospitals of Los Angeles and North Dakota and Tokyo right now. It is still happening everywhere.” https://t.co/7VC2Zz9ViP
— Jeannette Ng 吳志麗 (@jeannette_ng) February 7, 2021
Iran has launched a coronavirus inoculation campaign among healthcare professionals with recently delivered Russian Sputnik V vaccines as the country struggles to stem the worst outbreak of the pandemic in the Middle East. https://t.co/2tVj5mBAhY
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 9, 2021
Lebanon's Baytna Baytak, launched during the pandemic to find a home away from home for front-line workers worried about exposing their families to the virus has now expanded to help others, filling a void left by a failed government. By @FayAbuelgasim. https://t.co/SxzgU5oJdC
— AP Middle East (@APMiddleEast) February 9, 2021
Russia confirmed 15,019 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, bringing the total caseload to 3,998,216https://t.co/3rnOXT4QzQ
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) February 9, 2021
Russia’s death toll from Covid-19 in 2020 was nearly three times the level previously reported by the government and accounted for half of all excess deaths last year, according to official data https://t.co/LGaS7RJueH
— Bloomberg Politics (@bpolitics) February 8, 2021
The EU has approved Russia’s application to register its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in the bloc https://t.co/I4zVhMwfFP
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) February 9, 2021
NHS app tells 1.7 million to self-isolate https://t.co/aj6hzs4Vvi
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) February 9, 2021
Covid: Why Australia's 'world-class' quarantine system has seen breaches https://t.co/BULVMZVAZx
— BBC News Australia (@BBCNewsAus) February 8, 2021
Amid the Brazilian government’s stumbling vaccine rollout, some are defending efforts by the country's wealthy to pay to jump the line. Health experts view such efforts as unethical when at-risk groups are in more immediate need. https://t.co/PxWmfrBZcM
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 8, 2021
At current pace, Mexico would reach 70% vaccination rate by year 2085 while the US would do it by September 2021. Hard to imagine Mexico not reaching out to the US for help in the coming months. Via https://t.co/YLIcOg8iwV pic.twitter.com/ygQ8cFQhx8
— José Díaz-Briseño (@diazbriseno) February 8, 2021
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The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is being "tweaked" to address the South African SARSCoV2 variant. Sarah Gilbert, lead Oxford researcher, told the BBC "we have a version with the South African spike sequence in the works." She expects it to be ready by Fall https://t.co/dcMyoOZvrD pic.twitter.com/wTiXgtwjYo
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 8, 2021
This is great news. The Pfizer vaccine reduces viral loads, increasing evidence that vaccines protect against infection as well as disease. This is not unexpected but important to support this with robust evidence before adjusting guidance. https://t.co/vcDfaNnRCi
— Dr. Angela Rasmussen (@angie_rasmussen) February 8, 2021
An experimental antiviral therapy can speed up recovery for Covid outpatients—patients who don't have to be hospitalized. Therapy is w/ peginterferon-lambda. New study shows w/ a single injection patients were +4x more likely to clear the virus in 7 days https://t.co/8rGgvQlpDz
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 8, 2021
Are fears over Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid jab justified? https://t.co/jZQwjX07G0
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) February 8, 2021
Russian vaccine researchers trampled scientific protocols — and challenged the West — in the race for their Sputnik V vaccine. It has better than a 90% efficacy rate & is being purchased worldwide https://t.co/30Epx3ncBq
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 8, 2021
Covid: South Korea launches test for pet cats and dogs https://t.co/UR47uPhs7u
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) February 9, 2021
Facebook said it will expand a list of false health claims it bans from the platform to include debunked claims about COVID-19 vaccines in general https://t.co/OHO4SagXA1 $FB pic.twitter.com/c9uv1SXeTr
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 9, 2021
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71% of the coronavirus vaccine shots delivered to states have been administered, per @business's covid tracker.https://t.co/zGTSfQXn7d
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 8, 2021
One Los Angeles native said nearly every member of her family was infected with Covid-19. Her mother, a food-factory worker, died of the coronavirus. "She wanted to be vaccinated. She was planning to retire in March."https://t.co/QeNPYm9iwU
— NBC Latino (@NBCLatino) February 9, 2021
How Rhode Island, once a model for COVID-19 response, stumbled in its vaccine rollout, via @jesschaselubitz https://t.co/loOseNXK1T
— Colin Campbell (@colincampbell) February 8, 2021
Tampa's mayor expresses frustration after maskless fans took to the streets and packed sports bars during the Super Bowl. Mayor Jane Castor had signed an executive order requiring that people wear face coverings as the city hosted the Super Bowl. https://t.co/EWAiqvw6xP
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 8, 2021
My latest column: It was foolish to project the image of a fan-packed stadium in the middle of the worst public health crisis in a century. Tampa Bay won the Super Bowl, but I hope we also understand that all of America suffered an unnecessary loss. https://t.co/hUZIAvwbzU
— Michele Norris (@michele_norris) February 8, 2021
NotMax
FYI.
Second vaccine shots for large group of seniors could limit distribution of first doses
NeenerNeener
Monroe County, NY yesterday:
145 new cases, 2.7% positivity
409 people in the hospital
97 people in the ICU
38% available regular beds, 30% available icu beds
Still at 1024 reported deaths.
rikyrah
@NotMax:
They knew that folks needed two doses. This is a b-s story, IMO.
Should have always been part of vaccination planning?
YY_Sima Qian
On 2/8 China reported 0 new domestic confirmed, 1 new domestic asymptomatic case.
Hebei Province:
Hebei Provincial Health Commission did not report any new domestic positive cases. 2 domestic confirmed case recovered. There are currently 190 domestic confirmed cases (154 moderate and 36 mild) & 11 domestic asymptomatic cases in the province:
Heilongjiang Province
Heilongjiang Province report 1 new domestic asymptomatic cases. 34 domestic confirmed cases recovered & 47 domestic asymptomatic cases were released from isolation. There are currently 316 domestic confirmed (224 moderate and 92 mild) & 274 domestic asymptomatic cases in the province.:
Jilin Province
Jilin Province did not report any new domestic positive. 16 domestic confirmed cases recovered. There are currently 218 domestic confirmed (4 critical, 9 serious, 154 moderate and 51 mild) & 5 domestic asymptomatic cases:
Shanghai Municipality did not report any domestic positive cases. 2 domestic confirmed cases recovered. Currently there are 20 confirmed cases in the city. 1 residential compound remains at Medium Risk.
Imported Cases:
On 2/8 China reported 14 new imported confirmed cases, 14 imported asymptomatic cases, 1 new imported suspect case:
Overall in China, 75 confirmed cases recovered, 50 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation and 1 was reclassified as confirmed case, and 6,787 individuals were released from quarantine. Currently, there are 1,057 active confirmed cases in the country (272 imported), 18 are in critical/serious condition (4 imported), 593 asymptomatic cases (292 imported), 2 suspect cases (both imported). 21,376 traced contacts are currently under centralized quarantine.
On 2/9 Hong Kong reported 26 new cases, 5 imported and 21 domestic (5 of whom do not have sources of infection identified). There are another 20+ cases preliminarily positive, awaiting retesting for confirmation.
raven
@NotMax: Duh
JWR
Something tells me Biden will get to that 100 doses in the first 100 days goal, much to the chagrin of Chuck Todd’s recent “hot take” that if he didn’t, it would mark him as a failed vaccination president.
raven
“This is Rhode Island, where everybody knows a guy,” he said. “That’s where we have to be particularly careful because if we lose people’s confidence in the integrity and transparency of health care itself, then nobody is ever going to trust anybody, and nobody is going to get anything done.”
Yo, Carmine, I need a fix.
mrmoshpotato
@JWR:
“Dear Chuckles,
Please accept this bag of unsalted dicks compliments of the White House.”
mrmoshpotato
@raven: I’m pretty everyone knows everyone else in Rhode Island. Teeny, tiny, non-island state.
mrmoshpotato
@mrmoshpotato: *pretty sure
raven
@mrmoshpotato: 1.059 million and it’s the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. I have a certificate to prove it!
Baud
@raven:
NotMax
@raven
Recently voted to drop the “and Providence Plantations.”
satby
Got the second Pfizer shot yesterday afternoon. 17 hours + so far, no side effects other than my sore arm. I also suggested to the doctor I work for that she overcome “vaccine hestiancy” in her staff with a cash bonus if they get the shot, and she agreed. Trying a carrot before a stick.
Hoping the vaccine pipeline opens up for everyone else soon.
Baud
@satby: ?
mrmoshpotato
@satby:
Yes.
raven
@NotMax: I shall NOT turn in my certificate!
Matt McIrvin
“She expects it to be ready by Fall”
Which means that about a year after that, it’ll be available for mass distribution, by which time there will be two or three more incompatible variants to chase.
We need to figure out some way to speed this up or we’re never getting out of this.
Baud
@raven:
Rhode Island will declare you an outlaw and hunt you down.
You don’t want to mess with the Ocean State.
raven
@Baud: But I protected their “freedoms”! It sez right there!
Amir Khalid
Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. The Ministry of Health reports 2,764 new cases today, for a cumulative reported total of 248,316 cases. The Ministry also reports 13 new deaths today for a cumulative total of 909 deaths — 0.37% of the cumulative reported total, 0.46% of resolved cases.
There are currently 50,841 active and contagious cases; 289 are in ICU, 127 of them intubated. Meanwhile, 3,887 patients recovered and were discharged, for a cumulative total of 196,5669 patients recovered – 79.2% of the cumulative reported total.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s nationwide R0 as of 8th February is now around 0.91. Of the states and federal territories, Melaka has the highest R0 at 1.27.
12 new clusters were reported today: Industri Mahkota, Kejuruteraan Subang Baru, and Persiaran Puteri building site in Selangor; Besi Cyper, Senai City Lapan, Jalan Parit Masjid, and Jalan Cyber 14 in Johor; Dialisis Masjid Tanah in Melaka; Jalan Pantai Building site and Jalan Budiman in KL; Hulu Jerocco in Sabah; and Lengkok Emas in Negeri Sembilan.
Dialisis Masjid Tanah is a high-risk group cluster. The rest are all workplace clusters.
3,099 new cases today are local infections. Selangor reports 860 local cases: 122 in older clusters; 46 in Industri Mahkota, Kejuruteraan Subang Baru, and Persiaran Puteri building site clusters; 500 close-contact screenings; and 192 other screenings. Johor reports 519 local cases: 71 in older clusters; 184 in Besi Cyber, Senai City Lapan, Jalan Parit Masjid, and Jalan Cyber 14 clusters; 136 close-contact screenings; and 128 other screenings. KL reports 420 local cases: 44 in older clusters; 22 in Jalan Pantai Building site and Jalan Budiman clusters; 168 close-contact screenings; and 186 other screenings. Melaka reports 203 cases: 189 in older clusters, one in Dialisis Masjid Tanah cluster, seven close-contact screenings, and six other screenings.
Sabah reports 180 cases:six in older clusters, nine in Hulu Jerocco cluster, 123 close-contact screenings; and 42 other screenings. Penang reports 119 cases: 73 in existing clusters, 16 close-contact screenings, and 30 other screenings. Sarawak reports 111 cases: 10 in existing clusters, 20 close-contact screenings, and 81 other screenings.
Negeri Sembilan reports 99 cases: seven in older clusters, 22 in Lengkok Emas cluster, 114 close-contact screenings; and 56 other screenings. Kelantan reports 62 cases: eight in existing clusters, 39 close-contact screenings, and 15 other screenings. Kedah reports 59 cases: 12 in existing clusters, 17 close-contact screenings, and 30 other screenings. Perak reports 40 cases: 14 in existing clusters, 18 close-contact screenings, and eight other screenings.Terengganu reports 34 cases: 11 in existing clusters, 11 close-contact screenings, and 12 other screenings.
Pahang reports 32 cases: 18 in existing clusters, five close-contact screenings, and nine other screenings. Labuan reports 10 cases: four in existing clusters, four close-contact screenings, and two other screenings. And Putrajaya reports 10 cases: seven close-contact screenings, and three other screenings.
Perlis reports no new cases today.
Six new cases are imported: two in Selangor, two in Johor, and two in KL.
The deaths reported today are a 74-year-old man in Sabah with no co-morbidities listed; a 49-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease; a 78-year-old woman in Sabah with hypertension and dyslipidaemia; a 66-year-old woman in Sarawk with diabetes and hypertension; a 54-year-old man in Sarawak with hypertension; a 63-year-old ma in Selangor with hypertension and chronic kidney disease; a 78-year-old woman in Johor with diabetes, hupertension, and stroke; a 54-year-old man in KL with diabetes, hypertension, thalassemia, chronic kidney disease, and stroke; an 80-year-old man in Johor with diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease; a 71-year-old woman in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, and gout; a 67-year-old woman in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and chronic kidney disease; a 78-year-old man in Selanor with diabetes, hypertension, and stroke; and a 79-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
Amir Khalid
In other news, restaurants may reopen for dining in, and most retail shops in Malaysia are allowed to reopen with immediate effect, per Senior Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob; but owners of bars, karaoke joints, and similar nightlife establishments are still SOL.
Sloane Ranger
Yesterday in the UK we had 14,104 new cases. This is a reduction of 1700 from the previous day and a decrease of 25.4% in the rolling 7-day average. New cases by nation,
England – 12,270 (down @2200)
Northern Ireland – 296 (down 38)
Scotland – 928 (up @340)
Wales – 619 (up @150).
Deaths – There were 333 deaths within 28 days of a positive test yesterday. This is a reduction of 22.4% in the rolling 7-day average. Deaths by nation, England – 304, Northern Ireland – 12, Scotland – 5 and Wales – 12.
Testing – On Sunday, 7 February 584,933 tests were conducted out of a capacity of 739,738. This is an increase in the rolling 7-day average of 4.7%.
Hospitalisations – On Thursday, 4th February 29,326 people were in hospital. 3505 were on ventilators on Friday, 5th. The rolling 7-day average for hospital admissions was down by 21.8% as of 4th February.
Vaccinations – 12,294,006 people had received the 1st shot of a vaccine on 7 February and 512,581, their 2nd shot.
General – The government has started a hard hitting publicity campaign reminding people to comply with coronavirus precautions. It involves patients and medical staff staring straight at the camera with the tag line “Can you look this person in the face and say you are doing what you can to stop the spread?”
Here’s a link. Hopefully it works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-_FeNrTRV8
Needless to say, some people are complaining about it. It’s in bad taste, it’s Project Fear, it’s blaming people for the spread, when it’s really the government’s fault.
That’s all.
satby
For those who don’t click on the embedded tweets, that one showing reduced viral loads 12 days after the first Pfizer shot is significant if further testing bears it out. That, plus the preliminary testing showing Pfizer’s vaccine reaching 90% immunity 21 days after the first shot (again, if those results hold up) may mean that vaccinations can double as they schedule more people to get first doses only since it may be enough. Boosters tweaked for known variants can be the second doses later.
Another Scott
@satby: Excellent on both fronts.
Stay safe.
Cheers,
Scott.
Bruce K in ATH-GR
Greece’s government is officially afraid of the current spike – 1,526 new cases in the past 24 hours as of 6:00PM local time, up from last week’s high of 1,221. The government is going to announce more restrictive measures at 7:30PM, for Attica – currently the epicenter of the new Greek spike – presumably a “hard lockdown” like at the beginning of the crisis last March.
Suzanne
@rikyrah: One of the throughlines of the vaccination story that has made me frustrated is this pitting of one group against another, implying that high-risk people who need the second dose are somehow taking it from other people who need the first dose. Like…. STOP. Everyone needs it, it’s not a war.
J R in WV
@Baud:
So now it’s just State of Rhode Island and ??
;~)
Yutsano
@Amir Khalid: I’m thinking it wasn’t the intention, but Covid might just be a way to reduce vice in the country. At least according to the Islamic scholars.