diff --git a/archive-covid-19/19 December, 2020.html b/archive-covid-19/19 December, 2020.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..559f957 --- /dev/null +++ b/archive-covid-19/19 December, 2020.html @@ -0,0 +1,187 @@ + +
+ + + ++Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is characterized by both health and economic risks. A "safety loop" model postulates risk-related decisions are not based on objective and measurable risks but on the subjective perception of those risks. We here illustrate a quantification of the difference between objective and subjective risks. Method: The objective risks (or chances) can be obtained from traditional 2 x 2 tables by calculating the positive (+LR) and negative (-LR) likelihood ratios. The subjective perception of objective risks is calculated from the same 2 x 2 tables by exchanging the X- and Y-axes. The traditional 2 x 2 table starts with the hypothesis, uses a test and a gold standard to confirm or exclude the investigated condition. The 2 x 2 table with inverted axes starts with the communication of a test result and presumes that the communication of bad news (whether right or false) will induce "perceived anxiety" while good news will induce "perceived safety". Two different functions (confirmation and exclusion) of both perceptions (perceived anxiety and safety) can be quantified with those calculations. Results: The analysis of six published tests and of one incompletely reported test on COVID-19 polymerase chain reactions (completed by four assumptions on high and low sensitivities and specificities) demonstrated that none of these tests induces "perceived safety". Eight of the ten tests confirmed the induction of perceived anxiety with +LRs (range 3.1 - 5900). In two of these eight tests a -LR (0.25 and 0.004) excluded the induction of perceived safety. Conclusions: Communication of test results caused perceived anxiety but not perceived safety in 80% of the investigated tests. Medical tests, whether right or false, generate strong psychological messages. In the case of COVID-19 tests may induce more perceived anxiety than safety. +
++Physical distancing measures are intended to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, even though their impact on social contacts and disease transmission remains unclear. Obtaining timely data on social contact patterns can help to assess the impact of such protective measures. We conducted an online opt-in survey based on targeted Facebook advertising campaigns across seven European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom (UK)) and the United States (US), achieving a sample of 53,708 questionnaires in the period March 13-April 13, 2020. Post-stratification weights were produced to correct for biases. Data on social contact numbers, as well as on protective behavior and perceived level of threat were collected and used to the expected net reproduction number by week, Rt, with respect to pre-pandemic data. Compared to social contacts reported prior to COVID-19, in mid-April daily social contact numbers had decreased between 49% in Germany and 83% in Italy, ranging from below three contacts per day in France, Spain, and the UK up to four in Germany and the Netherlands. Such reductions were sufficient to bring Rt to one or even below in all countries, except Germany. Evidence from the US and the UK showed that the number of daily social contacts mainly decreased after governments issued the first physical distancing guidelines. Finally, although contact numbers decreased uniformly across age groups, older adults reported the lowest numbers of contacts, indicating higher levels of protection. We provided a comparable set of statistics on social contact patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic for eight high-income countries, disaggregated by week. As these estimates offer a more grounded alternative to the theoretical assumptions often used in epidemiological models, the scientific community could draw on this information for developing more realistic epidemic models of COVID-19. +
++Objectives: To perform an international comparison of the trajectory of laboratory values among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who develop severe disease and identify optimal timing of laboratory value collection to predict severity across hospitals and regions. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: The Consortium for Clinical Characterization of COVID-19 by EHR (4CE), an international multi-site data-sharing collaborative of 342 hospitals in the US and in Europe. Participants: Patients hospitalized with COVID-19, admitted before or after PCR-confirmed result for SARS-CoV-2. Primary and secondary outcome measures: Patients were categorized as ″ever-severe″ or ″never-severe″ using the validated 4CE severity criteria. Eighteen laboratory tests associated with poor COVID-19-related outcomes were evaluated for predictive accuracy by area under the curve (AUC), compared between the severity categories. Subgroup analysis was performed to validate a subset of laboratory values as predictive of severity against a published algorithm. A subset of laboratory values (CRP, albumin, LDH, neutrophil count, D-dimer, and procalcitonin) was compared between North American and European sites for severity prediction. Results: Of 36,447 patients with COVID-19, 19,953 (43.7%) were categorized as ever-severe. Most patients (78.7%) were 50 years of age or older and male (60.5%). Longitudinal trajectories of CRP, albumin, LDH, neutrophil count, D-dimer, and procalcitonin showed association with disease severity. Significant differences of laboratory values at admission were found between the two groups. With the exception of D-dimer, predictive discrimination of laboratory values did not improve after admission. Sub-group analysis using age, D-dimer, CRP, and lymphocyte count as predictive of severity at admission showed similar discrimination to a published algorithm (AUC=0.88 and 0.91, respectively). Both models deteriorated in predictive accuracy as the disease progressed. On average, no difference in severity prediction was found between North American and European sites. Conclusions: Laboratory test values at admission can be used to predict severity in patients with COVID-19. There is a need for prediction models that will perform well over the course of the disease in hospitalized patients. +
+Evaluating Safety, Pharmacokinetics and Clinical Benefit of Silmitasertib (CX-4945) in Subjects With Moderate COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19
Interventions: Drug: Silmitasertib; Drug: SOC
Sponsor: Chris Recknor, MD
Recruiting
Evaluation of the Efficacy of High Doses of Methylprednisolone in SARS-CoV2 ( COVID-19) Pneumonia Patients - Condition: Covid19
Intervention: Drug: Methylprednisolone, Placebo
Sponsor: Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale Reggio Emilia
Not yet recruiting
Phase II / III Study of COVID-19 DNA Vaccine (AG0302-COVID19) - Condition: COVID-19
Interventions: Biological: Group A (AG0302-COVID19); Biological: Group A (Placebo); Biological: Group B (AG0302-COVID19); Biological: Group B (Placebo)
Sponsors: AnGes, Inc.; Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
Recruiting
Use of BCG Vaccine as a Preventive Measure for COVID-19 in Health Care Workers - Condition: COVID 19 Vaccine
Intervention: Biological: BCG vaccine
Sponsors: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Ministry of Science and Technology, Brazil
Recruiting
At-Home Infusion Using Bamlanivimab in Participants With Mild to Moderate COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19
Intervention: Drug: bamlanivimab
Sponsors: Daniel Griffin, MD PhD; Eli Lilly and Company; Optum, Inc.
Not yet recruiting
Changes in Viral Load in COVID-19 After Probiotics - Condition: COVID-19
Intervention: Dietary Supplement: Dietary supplementation in patients with covid disease admitted to hospital
Sponsors: Hospital de Sagunto; Biopolis S.L.; Laboratorios Heel España
Recruiting
Efficacy and Safety of Ivermectin for Treatment and Prophylaxis of COVID-19 Pandemic - Condition: Covid19
Interventions: Drug: Ivermectin; Drug: Hydroxychloroquine; Behavioral: personal protective Measures
Sponsor: Benha University
Completed
Phase 3 Inhaled Novaferon Study in Hospitalized Patients With Moderate to Severe COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19
Interventions: Biological: Novaferon; Biological: Placebo
Sponsor: Genova Inc.
Not yet recruiting
Efficacy and Safety of High-dose Vitamin C Combined With Chinese Medicine Against Coronavirus Pneumonia (COVID-19) - Condition: COVID-19
Interventions: Drug: Alpha-interferon alpha, abidol, ribavirin, Buzhong Yiqi plus and minus formula, Huhuang Detoxicity Paste, Baimu Qingre Jiedu Paste, fumigation/inhalation of vitamin C; Drug: Alpha-interferon, abidol, ribavirin, Buzhong Yiqi plus and minus formula, Huhuang Detoxicity Paste, Baimu Qingre Jiedu Paste and 5% glucose; Drug: Alpha-interferon, abidol, ribavirin, Buzhong Yiqi plus and minus formula, Huhuang Detoxicity Paste, Baimu Qingre Jiedu Paste and high-dose vitamin C treatment
Sponsor: Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital
Active, not recruiting
Study on Safety and Clinical Efficacy of AZVUDINE in COVID-19 Patients (SARS-CoV-2 Infected) - Condition: COVID-19
Interventions: Drug: AZVUDINE; Drug: AZVUDINE placebo
Sponsors: HRH Holdngs Limited; GALZU INSTITUTE OF RESEARCH, TEACHING, SCIENCE AND APPLIED TECHNOLOGY, Brazil; SANTA CASA DE MISERICORDIA DE CAMPOS HOSPITAL (SCMCH), Brazil; UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL DO NORTE FLUMINENSE (UENF), Brazil
Not yet recruiting
A Clinical Safety Study on AT-100 in Treating Adults With Severe COVID-19 Infection - Condition: Covid19
Intervention: Biological: AT-100
Sponsor: Airway Therapeutics, Inc.
Not yet recruiting
Mushroom-based Product for COVID-19 - Condition: COVID-19
Intervention: Drug: FoTv
Sponsors: Gordon Saxe; University of California, Los Angeles; University of California, Irvine
Recruiting
Urine Alkalinisation to Prevent AKI in COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19
Intervention: Drug: Sodium Bicarbonate 150Meq/L/D5W Inj
Sponsor: Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Not yet recruiting
COVID-19 Outpatient Pragmatic Platform Study (COPPS) - Master Protocol - Condition: Covid19
Interventions: Drug: Acebilustat; Drug: Camostat
Sponsor: Stanford University
Not yet recruiting
COVID-19 Outpatient Pragmatic Platform Study (COPPS) - Camostat Sub-Protocol - Condition: Covid19
Interventions: Drug: Camostat; Drug: Placebo
Sponsor: Stanford University
Not yet recruiting
Lymphocyte Changes in Severe COVID-19: Delayed Over-Activation of STING? - Upon recognition of microbial DNA or self-DNA, the cyclic-GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) of the host catalyzes the production of the cyclic dinucleotide cGAMP. cGAMP is the main activator of STING, stimulator of interferon genes, leading to interferon synthesis through the STING-TBK1-IRF3 pathway. STING is also a hub for activation of NF-κB and autophagy. The present review details the striking similarities between T and B cell responses in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and both animal or...
SARS-CoV-2 and Viral Sepsis: Immune Dysfunction and Implications in Kidney Failure - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causal agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), first emerged in Wuhan, China. The clinical manifestations of patients infected with COVID-19 include fever, cough, and dyspnea, up to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and acute cardiac injury. Thus, a lot of severe patients had to be admitted to intensive care units (ICU). The pathogenic mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection are mediated by the binding of SARS-CoV-2...
Clinically Approved Antiviral Drug in an Orally Administrable Nanoparticle for COVID-19 - There is urgent therapeutic need for COVID-19, a disease for which there are currently no widely effective approved treatments and the emergency use authorized drugs do not result in significant and widespread patient improvement. The food and drug administration-approved drug ivermectin has long been shown to be both antihelmintic agent and a potent inhibitor of viruses such as Yellow Fever Virus. In this study, we highlight the potential of ivermectin packaged in an orally administrable...
Statins and PCSK9 inhibitors: What is their role in coronavirus disease 2019? - Statins and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors interfere with several pathophysiological pathways of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Statins may have a direct antiviral effect on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by inhibiting its main protease. Statin-induced up-regulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) may also be beneficial, whereas cholesterol reduction might significantly suppress SARS-CoV-2 by either blocking its...
Thalidomide Combined with Short-term Low-Dose Glucocorticoid Therapy for the Treatment of Severe COVID-19: A Case-Series Study - CONCLUSIONS: Thalidomide plus short-term glucocorticoid therapy is an effective and safe regimen for the treatment of severely ill COVID-19 patients. The mechanism of action is most likely inhibition of inflammatory cytokine production.
Genetic Screens Identify Host Factors for SARS-CoV-2 and Common Cold Coronaviruses - The Coronaviridae are a family of viruses that cause disease in humans ranging from mild respiratory infection to potentially lethal acute respiratory distress syndrome. Finding host factors common to multiple coronaviruses could facilitate the development of therapies to combat current and future coronavirus pandemics. Here, we conducted genome-wide CRISPR screens in cells infected by SARS-CoV-2 as well as two seasonally circulating common cold coronaviruses, OC43 and 229E. This approach...
Acute Effects of an Afterschool Running and Reading Program on Executive Functioning in Children: An Exploratory Study - Objective: Emerging research within school settings suggests acute forms of physical activity and exercise lead to improvements in executive functioning among children. However, research pertaining to these effects within the afterschool setting remains limited. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of a community-based afterschool running and reading program on executive functioning in 8 to 12-year-old children. Method: Fifty participants were initially...
Understanding Views of Patients on Biologics for Psoriasis Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic - Biologics target and inhibit specific cytokines, thereby suppressing the immune system and manifestation of psoriasis. Currently, there exist limited data on the impact of biologics on the coronavirus disease of 2019 (C19). The public may obtain information from many sources which may affect their understanding of biologic use during this pandemic. This study assessed psoriasis patients' understanding of the safety of biologic use during the C19 pandemic and their perception of various...
Diverse Functional Autoantibodies in Patients with COVID-19 - COVID-19 manifests with a wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes that are characterized by exaggerated and misdirected host immune responses ^(1-8) . While pathological innate immune activation is well documented in severe disease ¹ , the impact of autoantibodies on disease progression is less defined. Here, we used a high-throughput autoantibody discovery technique called Rapid Extracellular Antigen Profiling (REAP) to screen a cohort of 194 SARS-CoV-2 infected COVID-19 patients and healthcare...
SARS-CoV-2 Nsp16 activation mechanism and a cryptic pocket with pan-coronavirus antiviral potential - Coronaviruses have caused multiple epidemics in the past two decades, in addition to the current COVID-19 pandemic that is severely damaging global health and the economy. Coronaviruses employ between twenty and thirty proteins to carry out their viral replication cycle including infection, immune evasion, and replication. Among these, nonstructural protein 16 (Nsp16), a 2'-O-methyltransferase, plays an essential role in immune evasion. Nsp16 achieves this by mimicking its human homolog, CMTr1,...
Binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to ACE2 is disabled by thiol-based drugs; evidence from in vitro SARS-CoV-2 infection studies - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is an envelope glycoprotein that binds angiotensin converting enzyme 2 as an entry receptor. The capacity of enveloped viruses to infect host cells depends on a precise thiol/disulfide balance in their surface glycoprotein complexes. To determine if cystines in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein maintain a native binding interface that can be disrupted by...
Paradoxical effects of cigarette smoke and COPD on SARS-CoV2 infection and disease - CONCLUSIONS: ACE2 levels were decreased in both bronchial and alveolar epithelial cells from uninfected COPD patients versus controls, and from CS-exposed versus air-exposed mice. CS-pre-treatment did not affect ACE2 levels but potently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in this in vitro model. These findings urge to further investigate the controversial effects of CS and COPD on SARS-CoV2 infection.
Ebselen, Disulfiram, Carmofur, PX-12, Tideglusib, and Shikonin Are Nonspecific Promiscuous SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors - Among the drug targets being investigated for SARS-CoV-2, the viral main protease (M^(pro)) is one of the most extensively studied. M^(pro) is a cysteine protease that hydrolyzes the viral polyprotein at more than 11 sites. It is highly conserved and has a unique substrate preference for glutamine in the P1 position. Therefore, M^(pro) inhibitors are expected to have broad-spectrum antiviral activity and a high selectivity index. Structurally diverse compounds have been reported as M^(pro)...
Development of a High-Throughput Homogeneous AlphaLISA Drug Screening Assay for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is in urgent need of therapeutic options. High-throughput screening (HTS) offers an opportunity to rapidly identify such compounds. In this work, we have developed a homogeneous cell-based HTS system using AlphaLISA detection technology for the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (NP). Our assay measures both recombinant and endogenous NP from viral lysates and tissue culture...
Probing the Dynamic Structure-Function and Structure-Free Energy Relationships of the Coronavirus Main Protease with Biodynamics Theory - The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M^(pro)) is of major interest as an antiviral drug target. Structure-based virtual screening efforts, fueled by a growing list of apo and inhibitor-bound SARS-CoV/CoV-2 M^(pro) crystal structures, are underway in many laboratories. However, little is known about the dynamic enzyme mechanism, which is needed to inform both assay development and structure-based inhibitor design. Here, we apply biodynamics theory to characterize the structural dynamics of...
Covid 19 - Chewing Gum -
A traditional Chinese medicine composition for COVID-19 and/or influenza and preparation method thereof -
STOCHASTIC MODEL METHOD TO DETERMINE THE PROBABILITY OF TRANSMISSION OF NOVEL COVID-19 - The present invention is directed to a stochastic model method to assess the risk of spreading the disease and determine the probability of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
The use of human serum albumin (HSA) and Cannabigerol (CBG) as active ingredients in a composition for use in the treatment of Coronavirus (Covid-19) and its symptoms -
The use of human serum albumin (HSA) and Cannabigerol (CBG) as active ingredients in a composition for use in the treatment of Coronavirus (Covid-19) and its symptoms -
"AYURVEDIC PROPRIETARY MEDICINE FOR TREATMENT OF SEVERWE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME CORONAVIRUS 2 (SARS-COV-2." - AbstractAyurvedic Proprietary Medicine for treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)In one of the aspect of the present invention it is provided that Polyherbal combinations called Coufex (syrup) is prepared as Ayurvedic Proprietary Medicine , Aqueous Extracts Mixing with Sugar Syrup form the following herbal aqueous extract coriandrum sativum was used for the formulation of protek.Further another Polyherbal combination protek as syrup is prepared by the combining an aqueous extract of the medicinal herbs including Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula, Terminalia belerica, Aegle marmelos, Zingiber officinale, Ocimum sanctum, Adatoda zeylanica, Piper lingum, Andrographis panivulata, Coriandrum sativum, Tinospora cordiofolia, cuminum cyminum,piper nigrum was used for the formulation of Coufex.
Haptens, hapten conjugates, compositions thereof and method for their preparation and use - A method for performing a multiplexed diagnostic assay, such as for two or more different targets in a sample, is described. One embodiment comprised contacting the sample with two or more specific binding moieties that bind specifically to two or more different targets. The two or more specific binding moieties are conjugated to different haptens, and at least one of the haptens is an oxazole, a pyrazole, a thiazole, a nitroaryl compound other than dinitrophenyl, a benzofurazan, a triterpene, a urea, a thiourea, a rotenoid, a coumarin, a cyclolignan, a heterobiaryl, an azo aryl, or a benzodiazepine. The sample is contacted with two or more different anti-hapten antibodies that can be detected separately. The two or more different anti-hapten antibodies may be conjugated to different detectable labels.
SARS-CoV-2 RBD共轭纳米颗粒疫苗 - 本发明涉及免疫医学领域,具体而言,涉及一种SARS‑CoV‑2 RBD共轭纳米颗粒疫苗。该疫苗包含免疫原性复合物,所述免疫原性复合物包含:a)与SpyCatcher融合表达的载体蛋白自组装得到的纳米颗粒载体;b)与SpyTag融合表达的SARS‑CoV‑2病毒的RBD抗原;所述载体蛋白选自Ferritin、mi3和I53‑50;所述载体蛋白与所述抗原之间通过SpyCatcher‑SpyTag共价连接。
Устройство электронного контроля и дистанционного управления аппарата искусственной вентиляции легких - Полезная модель относится к медицинской технике, а именно к устройствам для воздействия на дыхательную систему пациента смесью различных газов, в частности, к устройствам для проведения искусственной вентиляции легких (ИВЛ). Технический результат предлагаемой полезной модели заключается в решении технической проблемы, состоящей в необходимости расширения арсенала технических средств, предназначенных для электронного контроля и управления ИВЛ, путем реализации возможности дистанционного управления аппаратами ИВЛ в медицинских учреждениях, не оборудованных кабельными вычислительными сетями. Указанный технический результат достигается благодаря тому, что в известное устройство электронного контроля и дистанционного управления аппарата ИВЛ, содержащее центральный микроконтроллер, а также программно-аппаратные средства управления функциями доставки воздушной смеси пациенту и многоуровневой тревожной сигнализации об отклонениях от нормативных условий и технических неполадках в аппарате ИВЛ, введены связанные друг с другом микроконтроллер связи и дистанционного управления и радиомодем, выполненный с возможностью связи с точками доступа радиканальной сети, при этом центральный микроконтроллер устройства выполнен с дополнительными входом/выходом, которые связаны с управляющими выходом/входом микроконтроллера связи и дистанционного управления, а, в зависимости от типа применяемой в медицинском учреждении радиоканальной сети связи и передачи данных, радиомодем может быть выполнен в виде интерфейсного аудиомодуля Bluetooth 4.0 BLE, приемопередающего модуля Wi-Fi либо устройства "малого радиуса действия", работающего по технологии LoRa на нелицензируемых частотах мегагерцового диапазона, например, в диапазоне 868 МГц. 3 з.п. ф-лы, 1 ил.
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Anordnung zur Visualisierung von angebotenen Waren und Dienstleistungen, insbesondere in der Gastronomie, gekennzeichnet durch einen pyramidenartigen Gegenstand (10), der eine flache Unterseite (14) und mehrere in einem Winkel von der flachen Unterseite (14) aufragende Seitenflächen (11,12,13) aufweist, gekennzeichnet durch einen zweidimensionalen Code (15), insbesondere einen QR-Code, der auf mindestens einer der Seitenflächen (11,12,13) aufgebracht ist, gekennzeichnet durch ein elektronisches Gerät (20), das mit einer Kamera (21) und mit einem Display (22) zur Anzeige von zur Verfügung gestellten Informationen versehen und mit dem Internet verbindbar ist, gekennzeichnet durch eine Website (30) im Internet, der das mit der Kamera (21) aufgenommene Bild zugänglich ist, wobei die Website (30) so aufgebaut und ausgestattet ist, dass sie den zweidimensionalen Code (15), insbesondere QR-Code, erkennt und entschlüsselt und abhängig davon, dem elektronischen Gerät (20) eine digitale Abbildung einer Information zu den angebotenen Waren und Dienstleistungen zur Darstellung auf dem Display (22) zur Verfügung stellt.
Trump’s New Brand Is Loser - His post-election tantrum is forcing conservatives to affirm, again and again, that he lost the election fair and square. - link
William Barr Is Going, but His Trumpian Legacy Remains - The Attorney General showed a dangerous willingness to act in a nakedly partisan manner. - link
America Is Running Out of Nurses - Travelling nurses have been moving from one hot spot to another. What happens when the hot spots keep multiplying? - link
African-American Resistance to the COVID-19 Vaccine Reflects a Broader Problem - For Black Americans, the story extends far beyond distrust of Donald Trump—it goes back to the Tuskegee experiment and the medical exploitation of Henrietta Lacks. - link
The Influence of the Anti-Vaccine Movement - The virologist Peter Hotez discusses the spread of misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine. - link
+Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine is poised to roll out within days. +
++The Food and Drug Administration on Friday issued an emergency use authorization for Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine, clearing the way for it to be the second vaccine distributed in the United States. The decision follows a vote on Thursday by an advisory committee to the FDA which found that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh its harms for people ages 18 years old and older. +
++“With the availability of two vaccines now for the prevention of COVID-19, the FDA has taken another crucial step in the fight against this global pandemic that is causing vast numbers of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States each day,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, in a statement. +
++Between the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine that received a green light last week and the Moderna vaccine, US officials were expecting to have enough doses to vaccinate 20 million Americans by the end of the month. However, some states reported Thursday that they had received fewer doses than they were promised of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. +
+ ++Both of these vaccines use an mRNA platform to get human cells to make a component of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. That component, the spike protein of the virus, is then used by the immune system to build up protection against the pathogen. It’s an approach that is seeing widespread use in humans for the first time. Both vaccines are also administered as two doses; the doses of the Moderna vaccine are spaced 28 days apart, while the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine doses are spread 21 days apart. +
++Moderna’s vaccine can be stored long-term at minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit) and is stable for 30 days between 2° and 8°C (36° to 46°F). In contrast, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine needs temperatures of minus 70°C (minus 94°F). The less stringent storage requirements of Moderna’s product may ease some of the logistical challenges of distributing a vaccine. +
++The task of getting delicate vaccines from manufacturers to hospitals and into the hands of patients is complicated, something that will have to be scaled up to immunize millions of people across the United States. +
++Already, the distribution of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has hit some bumps. State officials are reporting that their allocations of the vaccine have been suddenly downscaled, while Pfizer said that there are millions of doses of its vaccine that have gone unclaimed. +
++++.@CDCgov has informed us that WA’s vaccine allocation will be cut by 40 percent next week — and that all states are seeing similar cuts.
+— Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) December 17, 2020 +
This is disruptive and frustrating. We need accurate, predictable numbers to plan and ensure on-the-ground success.
No explanation was given. +
+Though having a second vaccine on the market increases the number of people who can get immunized, it could also complicate the distribution process further, with more doses to track, transport, and administer. +
++Health officials are also warning recipients about potential side effects of these vaccines. At least four people who received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine under an EUA experienced severe allergic reactions. While effects this severe are very rare, some doctors are pointing out that reactions to these vaccines can be more intense than responses to other inoculations, as Vox’s Julia Belluz explained: +
++++What’s now clear: An injection with either vaccine, both of which use mRNA technology, can feel more intense than other routine vaccinations (such as the flu shot) — with side effects for some recipients such as pain, headache, and fatigue. And this may be especially true for Moderna’s vaccine: About 16 percent of people who got the shot in clinical trials experienced a “severe” systemic adverse reaction, a classification the FDA uses to refer to side effects, like fever or fatigue, that require medical attention and prevent people from going about their daily activities. +
+
+Per guidelines set by an advisory group for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the first people slated to receive the Moderna vaccine will be the same as those for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine — health workers and residents and staff at long-term care facilities. The US government has purchased 100 million doses of each of these vaccines to be delivered through the end of March. +
++An EUA, however, is still short of a full approval, and there are still some outstanding concerns that need to be addressed. Moderna noted in its briefing document that the company is still trying to find out how long the vaccine’s protection lasts, how well it prevents transmission, and its long-term impacts. The company says it will monitor its trial pool for two years and will conduct additional studies among the people who receive the vaccine under an EUA to get answers to these questions. +
++Lawmakers have delayed a vote on stimulus and government funding until Sunday. +
++Congress has delayed a vote on stimulus and government funding — again. +
++Although lawmakers were originally facing a self-imposed December 18 deadline to get both things done, they’ve postponed it once more by passing another short-term spending bill on Friday. Because Congressional leaders had extended a previous deadline on government funding, they just approved a two-day addition. Now, the House and the Senate have a bit more time to pass the spending legislation and the stimulus bill they intend to attach to it. +
++The latest continuing resolution is set to keep the government funded through the end of the day on Sunday, December 20. Lawmakers have said they hope to have ironed out their differences on a coronavirus relief agreement by then, with House leaders signaling that the earliest vote they plan to hold would take place Sunday afternoon. +
++“I think we’re very close to getting an agreement, I think two more days would allow us the time to get it done and allow time for people to be able to read,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said on Friday. +
++Top lawmakers from both parties hadn’t begun negotiations on this stimulus agreement in earnest until earlier this week, with the end of the term looming over them. (The $1.4 trillion government funding bill, meanwhile, has proven less contentious.) +
++The anticipated stimulus legislation, which is expected to net out at around $900 billion, won’t include the controversial corporate liability protections, nor will it include state and local aid provisions, though it is poised to contain more funding for unemployment insurance, small business support, and another round of stimulus checks. +
++Lawmakers now have two days to work through the remaining sticking points. +
++Although the most contested provisions have been stripped from the bill, there are still some issues that lawmakers are debating. +
++As the Washington Post reports, some of the ongoing negotiations center on the number of weeks of expanded unemployment insurance (UI) the bill would cover: While a prior bipartisan draft had provided an additional $300 in UI for 16 weeks, the amount of coverage in a final compromise bill could be much shorter. +
++There’s also an ongoing disagreement over the amount that would be included in another round of stimulus checks, with Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) pushing for $1,200 payments while the leadership plan initially offered $600 options. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) on Friday opposed $1,200 payments twice and cited concerns about gains to the deficit, an issue on which most Americans disagree with him. +
++Despite these delays, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have emphasized that they’re committed to getting more stimulus done, even if it means staying in session longer. There are, of course, no guarantees they will wrap up discussions by Sunday. At this point, it’s been nine months since lawmakers passed their last major relief package, nine months in which millions of people have been laid off and tens of thousands of businesses have grappled with closing. +
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++With a record number of Americans dying of Covid-19 every day, immunizing the public against the virus is more urgent than ever. But hundreds of millions of people in the US are simply going to have to wait — probably several months — to get a vaccine. +
++Instead of the 300 million doses the Trump administration originally promised before the end of the year, the two vaccine developers first in line for Food and Drug Administration approval — Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna — expected to ship 35 million to 40 million doses total before January. Since both vaccines are supposed to be dispensed at two shots per person, that’s enough supply for no more than 20 million people. +
++But even reaching that many people will take some time. The first batch of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine shipped from a Kalamazoo, Michigan, factory Sunday, following the FDA’s emergency use authorization Friday night, and will include only 2.9 million doses. (A scientific committee that advises the FDA will consider whether to recommend authorization of emergency use of Moderna’s vaccine on December 17.) +
++The vaccine developers say efforts to meet their initial year-end targets are being hampered by shortages of raw ingredients. And on December 18, state officials raised concerns about drastically reduced second-week shipments for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Delays from the federal government mean the US could miss its target of 20 million first-dose vaccinations by the end of the year. +
++Both Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech have vowed to ramp up production next year, but the exact amount they’ll make still isn’t clear, and the estimates keep shifting. Moderna currently says it’ll have 85 million to 100 million doses for the US ready in the first quarter of 2021; Pfizer plans to provide 50 million doses at the end of the second quarter and another 50 million in Q3, according to the Washington Post. The US government declined to purchase additional doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine earlier in the year. +
++And Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna aren’t the only vaccine providers falling short of their original targets: AstraZeneca and Oxford — another vaccine team that was supposed to deliver up to 300 million doses, or 60 percent of the US coronavirus vaccine supply — have been beset by safety and transparency problems that caused them to fall weeks behind on finishing their phase 3 US trial. +
++To be clear, the effort to identify, test, and manufacture a Covid-19 vaccine has unfolded at remarkable speed. By the middle of next year, we may have several effective vaccines to choose from. But while the vaccines offer hope for the end of the pandemic, they are far from a quick fix. For the foreseeable future, doses will be scarce — not even enough to cover the highest-risk groups, like health workers and long-term care residents. The federal government’s allocation strategy also means some states (such as Wyoming) will have more supplies for top-priority groups than others (like New York). This scarcity is forcing local health officials and administrators across the country to make ethically fraught decisions about which lives most urgently need protecting from Covid-19. +
++The effort to figure out who should get immunized first ultimately falls to the states, but they are getting advice from the federal government, which has better information on the safety and efficacy of the vaccines and decides how many doses states will get. +
++The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, an expert group that makes recommendations on vaccination policy to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, put health personnel, along with staff and residents of long-term care facilities, at the front (phase 1a). In addition, two other influential health bodies have weighed in on the question of the highest-priority groups: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) also put health workers first, and, in the case of NASEM, first responders too. Again, though, local health authorities have the power to decide whom to prioritize (though ACIP is likely to have the most influence on US vaccine rationing decisions). +
++“Because all [ACIP] can do is make recommendations, those recommendations are going to be implemented in vastly different ways across the country,” said Lawrence Gostin, director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University. “And those [differences] have to do with whether you’re a red state or blue state, a mayor or governor.” +
++What’s already clear: Even the highest-priority groups won’t be fully vaccinated straightaway. +
++Operation Warp Speed, the task force in charge of national vaccine distribution, will distribute the initial batch of 2.9 million doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines in proportion to states’ adult populations. (A second batch of 2.9 million doses is being reserved so the first group of people to be immunized have access to their second shot three weeks later.) +
++The initial shipment from Pfizer will cover only 12 percent of the people in ACIP’s phase 1a (again, health workers and staff and residents of long-term care homes), or 0.9 percent of the country’s adult population. +
++This means “states are going to need to make sub-prioritization decisions because the supply won’t cover the plan ACIP is proposing,” said Ruth Faden, the founder of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. +
++Most states have reported their estimates for expected doses in the first shipment, according to the state reports collected by Vox. +
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++The first batch of 2.9 million Pfizer/Biotech vaccines only cover a fraction of the 24 million health care workers and people in long-term care facilities across the country, the groups in phase 1a. The first order covers an average of 12 percent of this population across the nation. Some states would be able to immunize more, others fewer. +
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+ ++So far, it looks like some states with a higher share of health workers and long-term care home residents are going to be especially short on vaccine supplies. For example, places like Washington, DC, New York, and Ohio — where the population of those in phase 1a is over 10 percent of the state’s adult population, compared to the national average of around 7.5 percent — will be at a disadvantage. DC will only receive vaccines to cover about one-tenth of the health workforce, which is why officials there are petitioning the federal government not to tie the share of vaccines to its population. +
++On the other end of the spectrum, Oregon’s governor told the public that the first doses are “enough to provide vaccines to health workers — nurses, doctors and other support staff” — before the end of December. Alaska’s 35,100 doses, meanwhile, will cover 81 percent of its health workers and care home residents, about 5 percent of the state’s population. This is because it’s getting its total order for the month in one shipment to minimize logistical challenges in the sprawling state. +
+ ++So distributing the vaccines by the state’s adult population means a young, healthy adult might be able to get vaccinated in some parts of the country sooner than others if the state has a relatively small high-risk population, including lower numbers of health workers. +
++States submitted their initial distribution plans to the CDC months ago under the assumption that 300 million vaccine doses would be available by the end of the year. Now, faced with a much more limited supply, those plans are evolving, and as of Friday, many states still didn’t know for sure how many doses they were going to get this year. +
++Still, there are a few things we can expect. Across the country, once phase 1a is complete, states will continue moving through their priority groups. And this is where things get murkier and local health authorities may diverge significantly in their distribution plans. +
++In phase 1b, the WHO prioritizes older adults, while NASEM puts people of all ages with comorbidities and older adults living in congregate or crowded settings, such as nursing homes, next. ACIP has finalized its advice only for phase 1a, but the committee has already signaled it will focus on essential workers for phase 1b, only reaching seniors and people with comorbidities in phase 1c. +
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++In placing seniors and people with comorbidities ahead of essential workers, the WHO and NASEM are putting the greatest value on preventing deaths (since these groups are at the highest risk of Covid-19 death). If ACIP goes ahead with its draft plans, it would be “trading off infections averted with deaths averted,” said Saad Omer, director at the Yale Institute for Global Health. For states, these rationing decisions will be even trickier if supply shortages persist, especially in areas with large groups of front-line workers and long-term care populations that need to go first. +
++We’ll learn more about the reality of vaccine distribution at the state level this week. The vaccines will land in 145 distribution centers across the country on Monday, 425 centers on Tuesday, and the last 66 on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. And with the historic inoculation effort now underway, local health authorities will also need to manage a host of logistical hurdles — making sure the vaccines are stored properly, that there’s enough dry ice to keep them cold, and that people come back for their second shot. Unlike the flu shot, which comes in pre-filled syringes, each Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine vial delivers five doses, meaning health care workers will have the added challenge of avoiding contamination. +
++So even with an effective vaccine already being rolled out, there’s still a long battle ahead. That’s why Operation Warp Speed’s chief operating officer, Gustave Perna, compared America’s mass inoculation effort to D-Day, the military operation that culminated in the end of the Second World War. +
++“D-Day was the beginning of the end,” Perna said in a press briefing. “And that’s where we are today.” +
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+Wakeful, Megasthenes, Royal Treasure, Bolivia and Masterpiece please - Wakeful, Megasthenes, Royal Treasure, Bolivia and Masterpiece pleased when the horses were exercised here on Saturday (Dec. 19).Inner sand: 600m: Reg
Australia vs India | Our worst batting show but let’s not make mountain out of molehill: Kohli - India were bowled out for their lowest ever Test score of 36 after they had an overnight lead of 62 at Adelaide
Adelaide Test | India crumble to record low of 36 as fast bowlers fire Australia to victory - Josh Hazlewood (5-8) and Pat Cummins (4-21) turned a tight day-night Test on its head in a devastating spell of pace bowling to open the day, ripping through the much-vaunted Indian batting line-up in less than two hours
Mohammad Wasim appointed new head of Pakistan selectors - Pakistan on Saturday appointed former test cricketer Mohammad Wasim as the chairman of its selection committee until the 2023 World Cup. The 43-year-
Cricket | India dismissed for record low score of 36 in first Test against Australia - This is India’s lowest innings score in 88 years of Test cricket.
Digvijaya attacks EC over direction to M.P. govt. on officials - Mr. Singh’s comments come days after the EC asked the Madhya Pradesh government to take criminal action against four police officials.
35,000 centres will be set up to store COVID-19 vaccines: Uttar Pradesh government - Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting in this regard, a government statement said.
More farmers set to march to Delhi from Punjab - Farmer groups plan gatherings and memorial processions planned at village and block-level for lives lost in agitation
YC blames it on Achuthans for Chittur debacle - The Youth Congress has blamed former Congress MLA K. Achuthan and his son and party’s district vice president Sumesh Achuthan for the failure of the U
There may not be a second peak of COVID-19 in India: Experts - Noted virologist Dr. Shahid Jameel said India’s curve for daily cases is on a downward slope since a peak in mid-September.
Brexit: UK-EU trade talks enter critical 48-hour period - The EU says the "moment of truth" has arrived as disagreements with the UK over fishing rights continue.
Covid: Italy latest European country to order Christmas lockdown - Non-essential shops will be closed with travel only allowed for work, health and emergency reasons.
Covid-19: Explosion kills nine coronavirus patients in Turkey - Nine people are killed as an oxygen ventilator explodes at a coronavirus ward of a private hospital.
Did France's Emmanuel Macron break his own Covid rules? - The French president faces questions over whether he himself followed social distancing measures.
Epstein ex-associate Jean-Luc Brunel placed under formal investigation - Modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel is accused of rape and sexual harassment by French authorities.
Wildfire smoke is loaded with microbes. Is that dangerous? - Researchers want to study potential effects of microbe-filled haze on human health. - link
A clever strategy to deliver COVID aid—with satellite data - Togo used image analysis algorithms to target economic support for most vulnerable. - link
Miyamoto leads fans through Super Nintendo World—and it looks incredible - Nintendo, Universal Studios went all out to deliver a Nintendo fan destination. - link
Microsoft may be developing its own, in-house ARM CPU designs - Bloomberg's unconfirmed report relies on confidential sources within Microsoft. - link
Stanford hospital erupts in protest after vaccine plan leaves out residents [UPDATED] - Only 0.5% of the medical residents at Stanford are in on the first round of shots. - link
+They start talking and after a few drinks the conversation shifts to cars. The Jedi living a life of austerity and frugality only has a 1991 Camry. The Sith and Mando laughs at him saying he has a Bad Car. The Sith having manipulated others into giving him their wealth shows off his McClaren F1. The patrons at the bar are amazed and even the Jedi has to admit it’s a nice ride. They both end up saying it’s a Good Car. The Mandalorian walks around the corner and after a few minutes comes screaming back on his jet pack and blows up the other cars. He has the Beskar. +
++Edit: making the first sentence sound less stroke worthy +
+ submitted by /u/archer1359
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+Doctor: “Do you do sports?”
Patient: “Does sex count?”
Doctor: “Yes.”
Patient: “Then no.”
+
submitted by /u/NewsletterToKindle
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+He walks directly up to the Madam, drops down $500, and says, "I want your ugliest woman and a grilled cheese sandwich!" The Madam is astonished. "But sir, for that kind of money you could have one of my prettiest ladies and a three-course meal." The trucker replies, "Listen darlin’, I’m not horny – I’m just homesick." +
+ submitted by /u/jhutto2
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+God meets them at the pearly gates and asks if they have any questions. One of them says, “Yes, what were the real results of the 2020 election and who was behind the fraud?” +
++God says, "My son, there was no fraud. Biden won the electoral college fair and square, 306 to 232.” +
++After a few seconds of stunned silence, the one guy turns to the other and whispers, “This goes higher up than we thought.” +
+ submitted by /u/zouss
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+Aretha Franklins +
+ submitted by /u/jthorn3
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