This is less of a novel coronavirus and more of a three-volume fantasy trilogy by this point.
— James Palmer (@BeijingPalmer) December 14, 2021
And
"#Omicron is here, it's going to start to spread much more rapidly in the beginning of the year & the only real protection is to get your shots. If you get one shot — it'll help.
If you have everything, including your booster, you're in really good shape."— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) December 17, 2021
CDC advisers give preferential nod to mRNA shots over J&J Covid vaccine. By @HelenBranswell https://t.co/Nnu7AAVvV0
— Matthew Herper (@matthewherper) December 16, 2021
"We have no evidence that the virus itself is more mild," @EricTopol says of the omicron COVID-19 variant.
He tells @WmBrangham. "Until we have that, we have to assume that people who don't have any protection are highly vulnerable to getting very ill." https://t.co/KS5DIvofpZ pic.twitter.com/ZCzijxA03N
— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) December 17, 2021
#Coronavirus cases spike across the US, spurring disruptions & cancellations.
Average new daily cases in the US has jumped 40% from 2 weeks ago.
https://t.co/kvDdpoHCVx #OmicronVariant #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/4xH9DMpiF1— MicrobesInfect (@MicrobesInfect) December 16, 2021
Total Covid-19 cases are currently surging through the Northeast corridor from Philadelphia to New York City through much of New England — an area that’s well above the national average in vaccination rates https://t.co/akj6UwcWsJ pic.twitter.com/YW99yYmXAD
— Bloomberg Opinion (@bopinion) December 16, 2021
The Biden administration has asked the Supreme Court to block lower court orders that are keeping President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for health care workers from going into effect in about half of the states. https://t.co/8jcoROdcAt
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) December 17, 2021
we broke them and they can no longer work because half the fucking country is too selfish to help themselves or anyone else. They should not have to go around untreated. They should not suffere if they can not work any longer because of the trauma we, as a nation inflicted.
— John Cole (@Johngcole) December 16, 2021
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The World Trade Organization is close to resolving a dispute over how to spread COVID-19 vaccines more widely and fairly, but facing an "orchestrated effort" to block a deal, the body's chief said on Thursday. https://t.co/ihrhKflV2n
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) December 16, 2021
? 8.6 billion COVID vaccine doses have been administered
? 56% of world population with at least 1 dose
? Total doses per 100 people
High-income countries: 158
Upper-middle income: 157
Lower-middle income: 78
Low income: 10Our data on vaccinations: https://t.co/3imP7PqURn pic.twitter.com/wSQZqZr08f
— Our World in Data (@OurWorldInData) December 16, 2021
As China faces a third Lunar New Year without family visits, state media says: "It is necessary to consider people’s psychological endurance. In the context of the pandemic, Spring Festival is also a kind of therapy."
(story by @lilkuo @cdcshepherd)https://t.co/zTwv9JpTss
— Katerina Ang (@katerinareports) December 16, 2021
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has spoken by phone with Pfizer Inc. CEO Albert Burla, apparently to ensure a fast supply of COVID-19 vaccines for booster shots amid the global spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus. https://t.co/3biVOW6ZaE
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 17, 2021
Pubs, parties push Australia's COVID-19 cases to record levels https://t.co/YDE8rCnD0U pic.twitter.com/72VwLru8fx
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 17, 2021
The premier of Australia’s most populous state says he is not considering lockdowns or other restrictions as a record 2,213 new COVID cases were reported, the highest number since the pandemic began. https://t.co/Qy9WogkCNG
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 17, 2021
France will drastically tighten its restrictions on travel from the UK to try to slow the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, limiting tourist and business travel by non-residents as of Saturday.https://t.co/wwwXVdkpmF
— FT Europe (@ftbrussels) December 16, 2021
Another O sign, in London, via @theosanderson pic.twitter.com/7opsAYvfyB
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) December 15, 2021
First UK patients given take-at-home Covid pill https://t.co/3xQpzgHANW
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) December 16, 2021
The first at-home treatment for Covid has been given to patients in the UK as part of a major national study.
Molnupiravir will be tested on 10,000 people at risk of serious illness in research led by University of Oxford…
Molnupiravir, initially developed to treat influenza, works by inserting errors into the genetic code of coronavirus every time it copies itself, limiting its ability to multiply in the body.
The UK has agreed to purchase 480,000 courses of the drug which is designed to reduce the risk of more vulnerable patients needing hospital treatment after catching the virus…
In October, the drug companies behind molunpiravir – Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics – reported initial trial results in a press release suggesting the pill reduced the risk of hospital treatment in vulnerable patients with Covid by 50%.
But new data was recently provided to the US medicines regulator, the FDA, as part of the approval process in the United States.
It showed that in a later, second part of the trial, there was no significant difference in outcomes between the group given the drug and a similar group given a dummy pill or placebo. Combined with the results from the first part of the trial, it reduced the overall efficacy of the treatment from 50% to 30%.
Drug regulators in other countries have been more cautious as a result…
How would you feel if you shouted, "Hey! World! There's a fire over here!" and instead of sending in fire trucks and water, the world build a giant concrete wall around you and let it burn?
Pretty good incentive to keep your mouth shut next time you spot impending doom.#COVID19 https://t.co/6QAtYT3oOw— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) December 17, 2021
South Africa to donate 2 mln J&J COVID-19 shots to African countries https://t.co/4itKrmtbe2 pic.twitter.com/DgLwBgUSFI
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 17, 2021
Brazil's Bolsonaro wants names of vaccine-approving officials despite death threats https://t.co/4KkAREQb05 pic.twitter.com/5mDwKqzQfA
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 17, 2021
… In late October, Brazil’s health regulator, Anvisa, released a statement saying that five of its directors had received death threats over the possible approval of COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged between five and 11 years old. The agency granted such approval for the Pfizer shot on Thursday.
Anvisa said it had reported the emailed threats to police and prosecutors.
In a live weekly broadcast on multiple social media platforms, Bolsonaro said he does not interfere in Anvisa’s internal affairs, but had asked for the officials’ names so that the public “could come to its own judgments.”
Bolsonaro has consistently cast doubt on the efficacy and safety of coronavirus vaccines and sharply criticized all forms of social distancing. His handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed over 618,000 lives in Brazil, is widely cited as a reason his popularity has plummeted this year…
Toronto and Ontario Province?? are seeing a spectacular surge in #COVID19 cases, including hospitalizations — it's mostly #Omicron according to local health officials. pic.twitter.com/pNdIdQ979c
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) December 16, 2021
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For those who claim "natural COVID infection" offers better immunity than #vaccines, check this out. The @RockefellerUniv team shows that serum from #COVID19 survivors only weakly responds to #Omicron but 3-vaxxed people make neutralizing antibodies. pic.twitter.com/SEN4UAK5gB
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) December 16, 2021
And Ben Murrell of the @karolinskainst in Stockholm showed the same @WHO gathering that #Regeneron — the "like a miracle" monoclonal Ab treatment Trump used in 2020 is >1000 times less power against #Omicron — essentially, useless. The Eli Lilly MoAb also failed. pic.twitter.com/gQlk78FGfq
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) December 16, 2021
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Medical regulators are under increasing pressure to act against U.S. doctors who spread COVID-19 misinformation. Organizations are calling on regulators to take a harder line by disciplining the doctors, including potentially revoking their licenses. https://t.co/02DKQWoppO
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 16, 2021
I figured social media being flooded with covid-positive New Yorkers was some sort of algorithmic artifact but on Sunday there were actually more positive cases reported in Manhattan than any day since the start of the pandemic pic.twitter.com/IXt2hElc4n
— Jake Anbinder (@JakeAnbinder) December 16, 2021
What New York City is doing now is what the US should have done for all Americans a long time ago: free KN95 masks and rapid antigen tests ?? pic.twitter.com/xy4NXclgIz
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) December 16, 2021
Replying @Rick_Sobey @mikebarnicle @Laurie_Garrett @maddow One assumes in the old mill towns of Athol, Orange, Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen etc. the elderly poor are too sick with Covid at home to show up in these statistics. https://t.co/Hq0FkYj3Wz
— nevadaenrolledagent (@lasvegastax1) December 16, 2021
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Thursday / Friday, Dec. 16-17Post + Comments (80)