When social exclusion is mandated: COVID-19, social distancing, gender and psychological needs -
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+In light of evidence from ostracism research, social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19 poses a unique psychological challenge. In a German (N=546) and a US (N=199) sample, we examined how different degrees of social distancing impact outcomes related to social exclusion, measuring self-related needs: self-esteem, belonging, control, and meaning. Across both samples social distancing was associated with decreased need fulfillment. German participants reported higher need fulfillment compared to American participants. In comparison to previous studies, self-related needs associated with social distancing were less impacted than under experimental manipulations of social exclusion, however more so than under the baseline condition of inclusion. Working while social distancing was associated with greater need fulfillment, as was identifying as male. Women reported lower need fulfillment in both samples and this difference was mediated by need to belong. Results are discussed in terms of understanding self-related needs in different contexts of exclusion.
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Having a Prevention Regulatory Focus Longitudinally Predicts Distress and Health-Protective Behaviors During the COVID-9 Pandemic -
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+Background: Past research has shown that regulatory focus shapes people’s health and well-being, with those who are focused on prevention (vs. promotion) being more motivated by safety and being less inclined to take risks. Purpose: In the current study, we tested if having a prevention (vs. promotion) focus before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak predicted perceptions and health outcomes and threat over the course of the pandemic. Methods: Participants (N = 161, 51.6% women; Mage = 34.04, SD = 7.77) took part in a longitudinal study. Measures were assessed before the pandemic was declared (in November 2019, T1) and after a global pandemic was declared (on June 2020, T2). Results: Results suggest that people who were more focused on prevention prior to the onset of the pandemic (at T1) perceived greater risk of contracting COVID-19, were more worried about being infected, and engaged in more preventative behaviors during the pandemic (at T2). Additionally, they also reported less anxiety and felt healthier (at T2). Conclusions: People focused on prevention (i.e., motivated by security) are more aware of health threats and more likely to engage in health-protective behaviors. Acting in accordance to their motives seems to help these people to experience better health and reduces anxiety about health even during a pandemic.
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Irrational beliefs differentially predict adherence to guidelines and pseudoscientific practices during the COVID-19 pandemic -
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+In the coronavirus “infodemic”, people are exposed to both official recommendations and to potentially dangerous pseudoscientific advice claimed to protect against COVID-19. We examined whether irrational beliefs predict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines as well as susceptibility to such misinformation. Irrational beliefs were indexed by cognitive intuition, Type I error cognitive biases, COVID-19 knowledge overestimation, and belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories. Participants (N=407) reported (a) how often they followed guidelines (e.g., handwashing), (b) how often they engaged in pseudoscientific practices (e.g., consuming garlic, colloidal silver), and (c) their intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Conspiratorial beliefs consistently predicted all three outcomes. Cognitive intuition and knowledge overestimation predicted lesser, while cognitive biases predicted greater adherence to guidelines. Cognitive intuition and cognitive biases predicted greater use of pseudoscientific practices. Our results highlight the irrational beliefs predictive of COVID-19 related health behaviors, with conspiracy theories proving to be the most detrimental.
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Smoking increases the risk of COVID-19 positivity, while Never-smoking reduces the risk -
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+Introduction: Does smoking decrease the risk of testing positive for COVID-19 because the never-smokers (84%) prevalence is high and the current-smokers prevalence is low among COVID-19 positive patients?1,2,3,4,5,6 We sought to determine whether never smoking increases the risk of COVID-19 positivity among the 50 to 69-year old patients because they are more likely to test positive for COVID-19.7 Method: We conducted a retrospective chart review of COVID-19 Polymerase chain reaction, in-hospital tested 18 years and older patients. A Poisson regression analysis stratified into never-smokers and history of smoking (current + former smokers) was conducted. Results: 277 COVID-19 negative and 117 COVID-19 positive patients charts with a never-smokers prevalence of 42.32% and 54% respectively were analyzed. The never-smokers prevalence was 54%, 20 to 39-years; 61 %, 40 to 49-years; 41%, 50 to 69-years; and 43%, 70 to 100-years. The 40 to 49-year-old current and former smokers were more likely to test positive for COVID-19 [1.309 (1.047-1.635)], unlike the 40 to 49-year-old never-smokers [0.976 (0.890- 1.071)] who had a lower risk. Regardless of their smoking status, males [1.084(1.021 - 1.151)] and the 50-69-year-old patients [1.082 (1.014 -1.154)] were more likely to test positive for COVID-19, while end stage renal disease [0.908(0.843- 0.978)] and non-COVID-19 respiratory viral illness [0.907 (0.863 - 0.953)] patients had a lower risk of COVID-19 positivity. Heart failure [0.907 (0.830 - 0.991)], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [0.842 (0.745 - 0.952)] and Parkinsons disease [0.823 (0.708 - 0.957)] never-smokers were less likely to test positive for COVID-19. Conclusion: This is the first study to show that smoking increases the risk of COVID-19 positivity among the 40-49-year-old patients, while not smoking reduces the risk of COVID-19 positivity among the heart failure, COPD and Parkinsons disease patients. This study emphasizes that COVID-19 positivity risk is not reduced by smoking and not increased by not smoking. Key Words: COVID-19, Smoking, Age, Hospitalized patients
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Distribution of SARS-CoV-2 RNA Signal in a Home with COVID-19 Positive Occupants -
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+Although many COVID-19 patients quarantine and recover at home, the dispersal of SARS-CoV-2 onto surfaces and dust within the home environment remains poorly understood. To investigate the distribution and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in a quarantine home, samples were collected from a household with two confirmed COVID-19 cases (one adult and one child). Home surface swab and dust samples were collected two months after symptom onset (and one month after symptom resolution) in the household. The strength of the SARS-CoV-2 molecular signal in fomites varied as a function of sample location, surface material and cleaning practices. Notably, the SARS-CoV-2 RNA signal was detected at several locations throughout the household although cleaning appears to have attenuated the signal on many surfaces. Of the 24 surfaces sampled, 46% were SARS-CoV-2 positive at the time of sampling. The SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in dust recovered from floor and HVAC filter samples ranged from 104-105 N2 gene copies/g dust. While detection of viral RNA does not imply infectivity, this study confirms that the SARS-CoV-2 RNA signal can be detected at several locations within a COVID-19 quarantine home and can persist after symptoms have resolved. In addition, the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 (normalized per unit mass of dust) recovered in home HVAC filters may prove useful for estimating SARS-CoV-2 airborne levels in homes.
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A Healthy Buildings Guideline for the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond -
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+Public health experts have confirmed that airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is one of the primary mechanisms of infection (CDC, 2020). In addition to social distancing, mask wearing and hand washing, experts now recommend increasing the ventilation and filtration of indoor air. While there is widespread consensus on this general approach, to date there are no published guidelines for the levels of ventilation, filtration, etc. that are required to control the pandemic. This is an urgent concern because colder weather in the Northern Hemisphere has moved social activity indoors where the risk of infection is higher. We propose a Guideline that provides a Criterion for integrating the effects of engineering and administrative controls with personal protective equipment (PPE) for indoor environments. The Guideline takes into account ventilation, filtration, temperature control, humidity control, masks, occupant density, occupancy category and activity. The design of the Guideline integrates recently published research regarding COVID-19 characteristics (a topic of ongoing scientific investigation) with well-established models for contaminant accumulation and infection risk (Wells-Riley), and is informed by the SIR model of epidemic dynamics. We mathematically determine a minimum threshold for the loss rate (combination of air change rate, removal rate by filtration, inactivation rate, and settling rate) that will keep the expected number of secondary infections from a single infected person less than 1.0 over the sequence of activities performed by the infected person while they are infectious. If the expected number of secondary infections is less than 1.0, then the number of infections at the population level will decrease. We show how the Guideline can be used in conjunction with existing tabulated air quality standards. We also illustrate the importance of masks and occupant density. Though the Guideline has been developed with SARS-CoV-2 in mind, it could also be applied to future epidemics and other pathogens using different pathogen-specific characteristics.
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Convalescent Plasma in COVID-19. Mortality-Safety First Results of the Prospective Multicenter FALP 001-2020 Trial -
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+Background: The use of convalescent plasma (CP) to treat COVID-19 has shown promising results; however, its effectiveness remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and mortality of CP among patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Study Design and Methods: This multicenter, open-label, uncontrolled clinical trial is currently being conducted at nine hospitals in Chile. Patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 who were still within 14 days since symptom onset were classified into four groups: Patients with cancer and severe COVID-19. Patients with cancer and non-severe COVID-19. Patients with severe COVID-19 and patients with non-severe COVID-19 only. The intervention involved two 200-cc. CP transfusions with anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG titers ≥ 1:320 collected from COVID-19-recovered donors. Results: 192 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 received CP transfusions. At the first transfusion, 90.6% fulfilled the criteria for severity, and 41.1% required mechanical ventilation. 11.5% of the patients had cancer. Overall 7-day and 30-day mortality since the first CP transfusion was 5.7% and 16.1% respectively. There were no differences at either time point in mortality between the four groups. Patients on mechanical ventilation when receiving CP had higher mortality rates than those who were not (22.8% vs. 11.5%; p = 0.037). Overall 30-day mortality was higher in patients over 65 than in younger patients (p = 0.019). Severe adverse events were reported in four patients (2.1%) with an overall transfusion-related lung injury rate of 1.56%. No CP-related deaths occurred. Discussion: CP is safe when used in patients with COVID-19 even when also presenting severity criteria or risk factors. Our mortality rate is comparable to reports from larger studies. Controlled clinical trials are required to determine efficacy.
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Rapid and accurate point-of-care testing for SARS-CoV2 antibodies -
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+The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has grown into worst public health crisis since the 1918 influenza pandemic. As COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, there is urgent need for a rapid, yet accurate antibody test to identify infected individuals in populations to inform health decisions. We have developed a rapid, accurate and cost-effective serologic test based on antibody-dependent agglutination of antigen-coated latex particles, which uses ~5 ul plasma and takes <5 min to complete with no instrument required. The simplicity of this test makes it ideal for point-of-care (POC) use at the community level. When validated using plasma samples that are positive or negative for SARS-CoV-2, the agglutination assay detected antibodies against the receptor-binding domain of the spike (S-RBD) or the nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 with 100% specificity and ~98% sensitivity. Furthermore, we found that the strength of the S-RBD antibody response measured by the agglutination assay correlated with the efficiency of the plasma in blocking RBD binding to the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in a surrogate neutralization assay, suggesting that the agglutination assay may be used to identify individuals with virus-neutralizing antibodies. Intriguingly, we found that >92% of patients had detectable antibodies on the day of positive viral RNA test, suggesting that seroconversion may occur earlier than previously thought and that the agglutination antibody test may complement RNA testing for POC diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Predictive accuracy of computer-aided versions of the on-admission National Early Warning Score in estimating the risk of COVID-19 for unplanned admission to hospital: a retrospective development and validation study -
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+Objectives: To consider the potential of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2) for COVID-19 risk prediction on unplanned admission to hospital. Design: Logistic regression model development and validation study using a cohort of unplanned emergency medical admission to hospital. Setting: York Hospital (YH) as model development dataset and Scarborough Hospital (SH) as model validation dataset. Participants: Unplanned adult medical admissions discharged over 3 months (11 March 2020 to 13 June 2020 ) from two hospitals (YH for model development; SH for external model validation) based on admission NEWS2 electronically recorded within 24 hours of admission. We used logistic regression modelling to predict the risk of COVID-19 using NEWS2 (Model M0′) versus enhanced cNEWS models which included age + sex (model M1′) + subcomponents (including diastolic blood pressure + oxygen flow rate + oxygen scale) of NEWS2 (model M2′). The ICD-10 code U071 was used to identify COVID-19 admissions. Model performance was evaluated according to discrimination (c statistic), calibration (graphically), and clinical usefulness at NEWS2 ≥5. Results The prevalence of COVID-19 was higher in SH (11.0%=277/2520) than YH (8.7%=343/3924) with higher index NEWS2 (3.2 vs 2.8) but similar in-hospital mortality (8.4% vs 8.2%). The c-statistics for predicting COVID-19 for cNEWS models (M1′,M2′) was substantially better than NEWS2 alone (M0′) in development (M2′: 0.78 (95%CI 0.75-0.80) vs M0′ 0.71 (95%CI 0.68-0.74)) and validation datasets (M2′: 0.72 (95%CI 0.69-0.75) vs M0′ 0.65 (95%CI 0.61-0.68)). Model M2′ had better calibration than Model M0′ with improved sensitivity (M2′: 57% (95%CI 51%-63%) vs M0′ 44% (95%CI 38%-50%)) and similar specificity (M2′: 76% (95%CI 74%-78%) vs M0′ 75% (95%CI 73%-77%)) for validation dataset at NEWS2≥5. Conclusions Model M2′ is reasonably accurate for predicting the on-admission risk of COVID-19. It may be clinically useful for an early warning system at the time of admission especially to triage large numbers of unplanned hospital admissions.
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Bridging the gaps in test interpretation of SARS-CoV-2 through Bayesian network modelling -
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+Background In the absence of an established gold standard, an understanding of the testing cycle from individual exposure to test outcome report is required to guide the correct interpretation of SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results and optimise the testing processes. Bayesian network (BN) models have been used within healthcare to bring clarity to complex problems. We use this modelling approach to construct a comprehensive framework for understanding the real world predictive value of individual RT-PCR results. Methods We elicited knowledge from domain experts to describe the test process from viral exposure to interpretation of the laboratory test, through a facilitated group workshop. A preliminary model was derived based on the elicited knowledge, then subsequently refined, parameterised and validated with a second workshop and one-on-one discussions. Results Causal relationships elicited describe the interactions of multiple variables and their impact on a RT-PCR result. Some interactions are infrequently observable and accounted for across the testing cycle such as pre-testing factors, sample collector experience and RT-PCR platform. By setting the input variables as evidence for a given subject and preliminary parameterisation, three scenarios were simulated to demonstrate potential uses of the model. Conclusions The core value of this model is a deep understanding of the total testing cycle, bridging the gap between a persons true infection status and their test outcome. This model can be adapted to different settings, testing modalities and pathogens, adding much needed nuance to the interpretations of results.
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Detection of the Novel SARS-CoV-2 European Lineage B.1.177 in Ontario, Canada -
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+Background: Travel-related dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 continues to contribute to the global pandemic. A novel SARS-CoV-2 lineage (B.1.177) reportedly arose in Spain in the summer of 2020, with subsequent spread across Europe linked to travel by infected individuals. Surveillance and monitoring through the use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) offers insights into the global and local movement of pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 and can detect introductions of novel variants. Methods: We analyzed the genomes of SARS-CoV-2 sequenced for surveillance purposes from specimens received by Public Health Ontario (Sept 6 - Oct 10, 2020), collected from individuals in eastern Ontario. Taxonomic lineages were identified using pangolin (v2.08) and phylogenetic analysis incorporated publicly available genomes covering the same time period as the study sample. Epidemiological data collected from laboratory requisitions and standard reportable disease case investigation was integrated into the analysis. Results: Genomic surveillance identified a COVID-19 case with SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.177 from an individual in eastern Ontario in late September, 2020. The individual had recently returned from Europe. Genomic analysis with publicly available data indicate the most closely related genomes to this specimen were from Southern Europe. Genomic surveillance did not identify further cases with this lineage. Conclusions: Genomic surveillance allowed for early detection of a novel SARS-CoV-2 lineage in Ontario which was deemed to be travel related. This type of genomic-based surveillance is a key tool to measure the effectiveness of public health measures such as mandatory self-isolation for returned travellers, aimed at preventing onward transmission of newly introduced lineages of SARS-CoV-2.
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Real-life evaluation of a rapid antigen test (Panbio COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test Device) for SARS-CoV-2 detection in asymptomatic close contacts of COVID-19 patients -
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+Objectives: There is limited information on the performance of rapid antigen detection (RAD) tests to identify SARS-CoV-2-infected asymptomatic individuals. In this field study, we evaluated the Panbio COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test Device (Abbott Diagnostics, Jena, Germany) for the purpose. Methods: A total of 634 individuals (355 female; median age, 37 years; range, 9-87) were enrolled. Household (n=338) contacts were tested at a median of 2 days (range, 1-7) after diagnosis of the index case and non-household contacts (n=296) at a median of 6 days (range, 1-7) after exposure. RAD testing was carried out at the point of care. The RT-PCR test used was the TaqPath COVID-19 Combo Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Massachusetts, USA). Results: In total, 79 individuals (12.4%) tested positive by RT-PCR, of whom 38 (48.1%) yielded positive RAD results. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the RAD test was 48.1% (95% CI: 37.4-58.9) and 100% (95% CI: 99.3-100), respectively. Sensitivity was higher in household (50.8%; 95% CI: 38.9-62.5) than in non-household (35.7%; 95% CI:16.3-61.2%) contacts. Individuals testing positive by RAD test were more likely (P<0.001) to become symptomatic than their negative counterparts. Conclusion: The Panbio test displays low sensitivity in asymptomatic close contacts of COVID-19 patients, particularly in non-household contacts. Nonetheless, establishing the optimal timing for upper respiratory tract collection in this group seems imperative to pinpoint test sensitivity.
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Performance of saliva specimens for the molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the community setting: does sample collection method matter? -
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+Background: Data on the performance of saliva specimens for diagnosing COVID-19 in ambulatory patients are scarce and inconsistent. We assessed saliva-based specimens for detecting SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR in the community setting and compared three different collection methods. Method: Prospective study conducted in three primary care centres. RT-PCR was performed in paired nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) and saliva samples collected from outpatients with a broad clinical spectrum of illness. To assess differences in collection methods, saliva specimens were obtained in a different way in each of the participating centres: supervised collection (SVC), oropharyngeal washing (OPW) and self-collection (SC). Results: NPS and saliva pairs of samples from 577 patients (median age 39 years, 44% men, 42% asymptomatic) were collected and tested, and 120 (20.8%) gave positive results. The overall agreement with NPS and kappa coefficients (κ) for SVC, OPW and SC were 95% (κ=0.85), 93.4% (κ=0.76), and 93.3% (κ=0.76), respectively. The sensitivity (95% CI) of the saliva specimens varied from 86% (72.6-93.7) for SVC to 66.7% (50.4-80) for SC samples. The sensitivity was higher in samples with lower cycle threshold (Ct) values. The best performance of RT-PCR was observed for SVC, with sensitivity (95% CI) for Ct values ≤32 of 97% (82.5-99.8) in symptomatic, and 88.9% (50.7-99.4) in asymptomatic individuals. Conclusions: Saliva is an acceptable specimen for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the community setting. Specimens collected under supervision perform comparably to NPS and can effectively identify individuals with higher risk of transmission in real life conditions.
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Modeling the effectiveness of olfactory testing to limit SARS-2-CoV transmission -
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+A central problem in the COVID-19 pandemic is that there is not enough testing to prevent infectious spread of SARS-CoV-2, causing surges and lockdowns with human and economic toll. Molecular tests that detect viral RNAs or antigens will be unable to rise to this challenge unless testing capacity increases by at least an order of magnitude while decreasing turnaround times. Here, we evaluate an alternative strategy based on the monitoring of olfactory dysfunction, a symptom identified in 76-83% of SARS-CoV-2 infections – including those that are otherwise asymptomatic – when a standardized olfaction test is used. We model how screening for olfactory dysfunction, with reflexive molecular tests, could be beneficial in reducing community spread of SARS-CoV-2 by varying testing frequency and the prevalence, duration, and onset time of olfactory dysfunction. We find that monitoring olfactory dysfunction could reduce spread via regular screening, and could reduce risk when used at point-of-entry for single-day events. In light of these estimated impacts, and because olfactory tests can be mass produced at low cost and self-administered, we suggest that screening for olfactory dysfunction could be a high impact and cost effective method for broad COVID-19 screening and surveillance.
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Racial disparities in COVID-19 mortality across Michigan, United States -
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+Black populations in the US are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the increased mortality burden after accounting for health and demographic characteristics is not well understood. We evaluated COVID-19 mortality in Michigan using individual-level death certificate and surveillance data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services from March 16 to October 26, 2020. Among the 6,065 COVID-19-related deaths, Black individuals experienced 3.6 times the mortality rate as White individuals. Black individuals under 65 years without comorbidities had a mortality rate 12.6 times that of their White counterparts. After accounting for age, sex, and comorbidities, we found that Black individuals in all strata are at higher risk of COVID-19 mortality than their White peers. We demonstrate that inequities in mortality are driven by ongoing systemic racism, as opposed to comorbidity burden or older age, and further highlight how underlying disparities across the race are compounded in crises.
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Convalescent Plasma for Treatment of COVID-19: An Open Randomised Controlled Trial - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Biological: SARS-CoV-2 convalescent plasma; Other: Standard of care Sponsors: Joakim Dillner; Karolinska Institutet; Danderyd Hospital; Falu Hospital Not yet recruiting
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Ivermectin for Severe COVID-19 Management - Condition: COVID-19 Intervention: Drug: Ivermectin Sponsors: Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University; NeuTec Pharma Completed
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Fase I Clinical Trial on NK Cells for COVID-19 - Conditions: Covid19; Sars-cov 2 Intervention: Biological: Natural Killer Cells infusion Sponsor: Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre Not yet recruiting
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A Phase Ⅱ Clinical Trial of Recombinant Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19) Vaccine (Sf9 Cells) - Condition: COVID-19 Interventions: Biological: Low-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (18-59 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (18-59 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: High-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (18-59 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: High-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (18-59 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (60-85 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (60-85 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: High-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (60-85 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: High-dose Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) (60-85 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose placebo (18-59 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose placebo (18-59 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: High-dose placebo (18-59 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: High-dose placebo (18-59 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose placebo (60-85 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: Low-dose placebo (60-85 years) & Three dose regimen; Biological: High-dose placebo (60-85 years) & Two dose regimen; Biological: High-dose placebo (60-85 years) & Three dose regimen Sponsors: Jiangsu Province Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; West China Hospital Recruiting
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Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial 4 (ACTT-4) - Condition: COVID-19 Interventions: Drug: Baricitinib; Drug: Dexamethasone; Other: Placebo; Drug: Remdesivir Sponsor: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Recruiting
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Resolving Inflammatory Storm in COVID-19 Patients by Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids - - Condition: COVID-19 Interventions: Drug: Omegaven®; Drug: Sodium chloride Sponsor: Karolinska University Hospital Recruiting
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Phase I Trial of a Recombinant COVID-19 Vaccine (CHO Cell) - Condition: COVID-19 Interventions: Biological: Two doses of middle-dose recombinant SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CHO Cell) at the schedule of day 0, 14; Biological: Three doses of middle-dose recombinant SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CHO Cell) at the schedule of day 0, 14, 28; Biological: Two doses of high-dose recombinant SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CHO Cell) at the schedule of day 0, 14; Biological: Three doses of high-dose recombinant SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CHO Cell) at the schedule of day 0, 14, 28; Biological: Two doses of placebo at the schedule of day 0, 14 #middle-dose group#; Biological: Three doses of placebo at the schedule of day 0, 14, 28 #middle-dose group#; Biological: Two doses of placebo at the schedule of day 0, 14 #High-dose group#; Biological: Three doses of placebo at the schedule of day 0, 14, 28 #High-dose group# Sponsors: Jiangsu Province Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Academy of Military Medical Sciences，Academy of Military Sciences，PLA; ZHONGYIANKE Biotech Co, Ltd.; LIAONINGMAOKANGYUAN Biotech Co, Ltd Recruiting
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WHO COVID-19 Solidarity Trial for COVID-19 Treatments - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Drug: Remdesivir; Drug: Acalabrutinib; Drug: Interferon beta-1a; Other: Standard of Care Sponsor: The University of The West Indies Not yet recruiting
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Vitamin D and Zinc Supplementation for Improving Treatment Outcomes Among COVID-19 Patients in India - Condition: COVID-19 Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol); Dietary Supplement: Zinc (zinc gluconate); Dietary Supplement: Zinc (zinc gluconate) & Vitamin D (cholecalciferol); Other: Placebo Sponsors: Harvard School of Public Health; Foundation for Medical Research; University Health Network, Toronto Not yet recruiting
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COVID-19 Thrombosis Prevention Trials: Post-hospital Thromboprophylaxis - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Drug: Apixaban 2.5 MG; Drug: Placebo Sponsors: Thomas Ortel, M.D., Ph.D.; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Not yet recruiting
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Organization of Pulmonary Rehabilitation of Post-COVID-19 Patient With Sequelae (REHABCOVID) - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Other: Respiratory rehabilitation program (RR).; Other: Respiratory tele-rehabilitation program (TRR). Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Toulon La Seyne sur Mer Not yet recruiting
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Inhaled Heparin for Hospitalised COVID-19 Patients - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Drug: Unfractionated heparin Sponsors: Australian National University; Helwan University; Clinica San Camilo, Argentina Recruiting
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Efficacy and Safety of Ovotransferrin in COVID-19 Patients - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Dietary Supplement: Ovotransferrin Sponsor: Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico Paolo Giaccone Palermo Not yet recruiting
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Effect of Vitamin D on Hospitalized Adults With COVID-19 Infection - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Drug: Cholecalciferol; Other: Placebo Sponsors: University of Liege; Laboratoires SMB S.A. Recruiting
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Using Travelan to Boost Immune Response in Vitro to COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Other: Travelan OTC Sponsor: Hadassah Medical Organization Active, not recruiting
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From PubMed
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COVID-19: The rising cost of cardiac surgery and disease - The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in widespread economic, health and social disruptions. The delivery of cardiovascular care has been stifled during the pandemic to adhere to infection control measures as a way of protecting patients and the workforce at large. This cautious approach has been protective since individuals with COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease are anticipated to have poorer outcomes and an increased risk of death. The combination of postponing elective…
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Conserved interactions required for inhibition of the main protease of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 requires a fast development of antiviral drugs. SARS-CoV-2 viral main protease (Mpro, also called 3C-like protease, 3CLpro) is a potential target for drug design. Crystal and co-crystal structures of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro have been solved, enabling the rational design of inhibitory compounds. In this study we analyzed the available SARS-CoV-2 and the highly similar SARS-CoV-1 crystal structures. We identified within the active site of the Mpro, in…
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LMWF5A suppresses cytokine release by modulating select inflammatory transcription factor activity in stimulated PBMC - CONCLUSION: In this report, we provide evidence that LMWF5A reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine release by activating the immunoregulatory transcription factors PPARγ and AhR. In addition, our data indicate that LMWF5A suppresses NF-κB and STAT1α pro-inflammatory pathways. This suggests that LMWF5A acts through these mechanisms to decrease pro-inflammatory transcription factor activity and subsequent inflammatory cytokine production.
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Complement C5 inhibition in patients with COVID-19 - a promising target? - No abstract
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Identification of an Antiviral Compound from the Pandemic Response Box that Efficiently Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Infection In Vitro - With over 50 million currently confirmed cases worldwide, including more than 1.3 million deaths, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has a major impact on the economy and health care system. Currently, limited prophylactic or therapeutic intervention options are available against SARS-CoV-2. In this study, 400 compounds from the antimicrobial “pandemic response box” library were screened for inhibiting properties against SARS-CoV-2. An initial screen on…
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Decay of SARS-CoV-2 RNA along the wastewater treatment outfitted with Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) system evaluated through two sample concentration techniques - For the first time, we present, i) an account of decay in the genetic material loading of SARS-CoV-2 during Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) treatment of wastewater, and ii) comparative evaluation of polyethylene glycol (PEG), and ultrafiltration as virus concentration methods from wastewater for the quantification of SARS-CoV-2 genes. The objectives were achieved through tracking of SARS-CoV-2 genetic loadings i.e. ORF1ab, N and S protein genes on 8th and 27th May 2020 along the…
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Smart polymeric eye gear: A possible preventive measure against ocular transmission of COVID-19 - The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE-2) receptors with approx. 0.8% congestion in conjunctival surface, leads to increase susceptibility of Covid-19 transmission through ocular surface. It has been observed that prophylactic measures such as goggle or face shield are unable to offer complete protection against ocular transmission of SRS-CoV-2. Hence, it is hypothesized that topical ocular prophylaxis using biocompatible polymers with reported in-vitro and in-vivo evidence of ACE inhibition…
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Phosphatidylglycerol and surfactant: A potential treatment for COVID-19? - A hypothesis concerning the potential utility of surfactant supplementation for the treatment of critically ill patients with COVID-19 is proposed, along with a brief summary of the data in the literature supporting this idea. It is thought that surfactant, which is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for intratracheal administration to treat neonatal respiratory distress syndrome in pre-term infants, could benefit COVID-19-infected individuals by: (1) restoring surfactant…
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The viral protein fragment theory of COVID-19 pathogenesis - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is causing the current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that has killed nearly one million people so far. While this is a respiratory virus, surprisingly, it has been recognized that patients with cardiovascular disease are likely to be affected severely and die of COVID-19. This phenomenon cannot be explained by the generally accepted logic that the SARS-CoV-2 infection/replication is the sole determinant of the actions…
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Role of inositol to improve surfactant functions and reduce IL-6 levels: A potential adjuvant strategy for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia? - To date, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection is increasing worldwide and represents a primary healthcare emergency. Although the infection can be asymptomatic, several cases develop severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) characterized by high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, primarily interleukin (IL)-6. Based on available data, the severity of ARDS and serum levels of IL-6 are key determinants for the prognosis. In this scenario, available in vitro and in vivo data…
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Potential of electric stimulation for the management of COVID-19 - The COVID-19 pandemic is the most devastating health emergency that humans have seen over the past century. The war against the disease has been handicapped by unavailability of effective therapeutic options. Till date, there is no clinically approved vaccine or drug for the treatment of COVID-19, and the ongoing search to find a novel therapy is progressing at pandemic pace. Herein, we propose a novel hypothesis based on sound research evidence that electric stimulation can be a potential…
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COVID-19: Endogenous Retinoic Acid Theory and Retinoic Acid Depletion Syndrome - This study presents two new concepts and definitions to the medical literature. One of those is “endogenous retinoic acid theory” and the other “retinoic acid depletion syndrome”. A new classification will be provided for the immune system: “retinoic acid-dependent component” and “retinoic acid non-dependent component”. If this theory is verified, all the diseases where the retinoic acid metabolism is defective and retinoic acid levels are low will be identified and new approaches will be…
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SARS-CoV-2 and miRNA-like inhibition power - (1) Background: RNA viruses and especially coronaviruses could act inside host cells not only by building their own proteins, but also by perturbing the cell metabolism. We show the possibility of miRNA-like inhibitions by the SARS-CoV-2 concerning for example the hemoglobin and type I interferons syntheses, hence highly perturbing oxygen distribution in vital organs and immune response as described by clinicians; (2) Hypothesis: We hypothesize that short RNA sequences (about 20 nucleotides in…
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Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) cytoprotective pathway: A potential treatment strategy against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-induced cytokine storm syndrome - The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) requires urgent need for effective treatment. Severe COVID-19 is characterized by a cytokine storm syndrome with subsequent multiple organ failure (MOF) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which may lead to intensive care unit and increased risk of death. While awaiting a vaccine, targeting COVID-19-induced cytokine storm syndrome appears currently as the efficient strategy to reduce the mortality of severe acute respiratory…
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Vitamin K epoxide reductase complex subunit 1 (VKORC1) gene polymorphism as determinant of differences in Covid-19-related disease severity - Covid-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has major world-wide health-related and socio-economic consequences. There are large disparities in the burden of Covid-19 with an apparent lower risk of poor outcomes in East Asians compared to populations in the West. A recent study suggested that Covid-19 leads to a severe extrahepatic vitamin K insufficiency, which could lead to impaired activation of extrahepatic proteins like endothelial anticoagulant protein S in the presence of normal hepatic procoagulant…
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From Patent Search
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AN EFFICIENT METHODOLOGY TO MANAGE THE ADMISSIONS IN HOSPITALS DURING THE PANDEMICS SUCH AS COVID 19 -
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Antiinfektive Arzneiform zur Herstellung einer Nasenspülung gegen COVID-19 -
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Einzeldosierte, wasserlösliche oder wassermischbare Arzneiform, umfassend mindestens einen antiinfektiven Arzneistoff, zur Herstellung einer Nasenspülung und/oder zur Verwendung in der lokalen Behandlung des menschlichen Nasenraums.
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Antiinfektive Arzneiform zur Herstellung einer Nasenspülung gegen COVID-19 -
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Einzeldosierte, wasserlösliche oder wassermischbare Arzneiform, umfassend mindestens einen antiinfektiven Arzneistoff, zur Herstellung einer Nasenspülung und/oder zur Verwendung in der lokalen Behandlung des menschlichen Nasenraums.
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A medicine for treating coronavirus-2 infection - The invention discloses a medicine for treating coronavirus-2 infection. The invention finds that T cells in COVID-19 patients is reduced and depleted finally, indicating that cytokines such as IL-10, IL-6, TNF-a may directly mediate reduction of T cells. Therefore, ICU patients need new treatment measures, and may even high-risk patients with low T cells count require early preventive treatment.
SARS-CoV-2 예방을 위한 mRNA기반 항원보강제 혼합물 합성 방법 - 본 발명은 SARS-CoV-2(코로나 바이러스) 예방을 위한 mRNA 항원보강제에 관한 것으로 코로나 바이러스에 대한 백신으로서 상기의 항원에 대한 예방을 목적으로 하고 있다. 아이디어에는 보강제에 해당하는 완전프로인트항원보강제(CFA)와 불완전프로인트항원보강제(IFA), 번역과 안정성의 최적화가 된 mRNA, mRNA 운반체, 양이온성 지질 나노입자(lipid nanoparticles)로 구성되며 기존의 백신에 비해 효율성과 안정성의 측면에서 더 향상된 효과를 가지고 있다.
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A PRIMER COMBINATION FOR DETECTING 2019NCOV BY LOOP-MEDIATED ISOTHERMAL AMPLIFICATION - The invention provides a primer combination for detecting 2019nCoV by loop mediated isothermal amplification. The primer combination comprises a forward external primer NCP-F3-2 shown in SEQ ID NO.1, a reverse external primer NCP-B3 2 shown in SEQ ID NO.2, a forward inner primer NCP-FIP-2 shown in SEQ ID NO.3, a reverse inner primer NCP-BIP-2 shown in SEQ ID NO.4 and a loop primer NCP-LB 2 shown in SEQ ID No.5. The method has the advantages of short detection time, high sensitivity and strong specificity for 2019nCoV, and the detection result can be observed by naked eyes, thereby greatly improving the detection efficiency of 2019nCoV.
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Mittel zur Stärkung der Abwehrkräfte und Erhöhung der Immunität -
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Mittel zur Stärkung der Abwehrkräfte und Erhöhung der Immunität, insbesondere gegen eine Covid19-Infektion aufgrund des Sars-CoV-2-Virus, mit folgender Wirkstoffkombination:
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Plasma oder Serum, gewonnen aus dem Blut eines an Covid19 erkrankten und genesenen Menschens oder Tieres,
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zumindest einem zugelassenen Medikament oder einer Kombination von zugelassenen Medikamenten und
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zugelassenen Vitaminen und Mineralstoffe.
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Vorrichtung zum Reinigen und/oder Desinfizieren von Objekten -
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Vorrichtung (1) zum Desinfizieren von Objekten mit einer Basiseinheit (2), mit einem Aufnahmebehälter (4) für Wasser, welcher an der Basiseinheit (2) montierbar und von der Basiseinheit demontierbar ist, mit einer Objekthalterung (6) zum Halten und/oder Stützen der Objekte (10), wobei diese Objekthalterung (6) in dem Aufnahmebehälter montierbar ist und mit einer elektrisch betriebenen Reinigungseinrichtung (8), welche in dem Wasser befindliche Objekte zumindest mittelbar reinigt oder desinfiziert, wobei diese Reinigungseinrichtung in der Basiseinheit befindliche Erzeugungsmittel zum Erzeugen einer elektrischen Spannung aufweist sowie einen Plasmagenerator und/oder eine Ultraschallerzeugungseinheit.
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Methods for treating Arenaviridae and Coronaviridae virus infections - Provided are methods for treating Arenaviridae and Coronaviridae virus infections by administering nucleosides and prodrugs thereof, of Formula I:
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wherein the ’ position of the nucleoside sugar is substituted. The compounds, compositions, and methods provided are particularly useful for the treatment of Lassa virus and Junin virus infections.
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+ 02 December, 2020
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+Daily-Dose
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Why the Assassination of a Scientist Will Have No Impact on Iran’s Nuclear Program - Since Friday’s killing, the question increasingly being asked in Washington and the Middle East is about motive. - link
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Trump’s Battle to Undermine the Vote in Pennsylvania - Republicans in the state have alleged fraud and attempted to audit ballots. “The long-term goal,” a Democratic legislator told me, was to “falsely delegitimize Joe Biden’s victory.” - link
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The Cost of Trump’s Assault on the Press and the Truth - The President is being forced to give up his attempt to overturn the election. But he will continue his efforts to build an alternative reality around himself. - link
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The Biggest Challenge Facing Joe Biden’s New Economic Team - The President-elect’s advisers are keenly aware that many of the Administration’s policy proposals will likely have to go through, or around, Mitch McConnell. - link
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Our Brains Explain the Season’s Sadness - A pandemic, compounded by simultaneous political, civil, and natural crises, is overwhelming human evolution’s greatest innovation. - link
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From Vox
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The past 24 hours in Trump’s legal issues and pardon news, explained -
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+Attorney General William Barr | Mark Wilson/Getty
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+Bill Barr’s moves, possible pardons for Trump’s children, news of a bribery-for-pardon investigation, and more.
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+President Donald Trump, over the last 24 hours, has made one thing abundantly clear: His final few weeks in office will not be lacking in the legal drama and corruption concerns that have pervaded his presidency.
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+After having already pardoned his former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Trump has been discussing potential broad preemptive pardons for his children Donald Jr., Eric, and Ivanka; his son-in-law Jared Kushner; and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani, per reporting from ABC News and the New York Times. None of these people has been charged with any crime, so these pardons would have to entail sweeping assertions of impunity.
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+Meanwhile, a newly released, heavily redacted court opinion revealed that federal investigators have been probing an alleged corrupt scheme to providepolitical contributions (apparently to the Trump campaign or Republican groups, but we don’t know the specifics) in exchange for a presidential pardon from Trump. The identities of the people involved in this matter are redacted, but the news makes clear that even before Trump lost, matters involving his pardon power have been under investigative scrutiny.
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+Also on Tuesday, Attorney General Bill Barr returned to the headlines after a quiet period. Barr told the Associated Press that the Justice Department has “not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election.” Perhaps to soften the blow to President Donald Trump’s hopes from this admission, Barr also revealed that he has appointed John Durham — the US attorney investigating the conduct of the FBI’s Trump campaign/Russia probe — as a special counsel, to make it more difficult for Biden to fire him. (Barr spent more than two hours at the White House Tuesday afternoon.)
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+All in all, Trump is continuing to try to bend law enforcement agencies to his will — but having limited success of late. So he’s being increasingly drawn to the pardon power, which he can exercise on his own authority, to save his close associates and family members from possible legal consequences.
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+Trump has discussed potential preemptive pardons for his children
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+Around midday Tuesday, I wrote about how “Trump’s pardon shenanigans are ramping up,” because his recent pardon for Flynn contained preemptive aspects, and because he was reportedly discussing a similarly preemptive pardon for his lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
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+But the news of the day wasn’t done. The New York Times’s Maggie Haberman and Michael Schmidt later reported that Trump has also talked with advisers about potentially granting preemptive pardons to his three eldest children — Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump — as well as his son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
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+The business dealings of both the Trump Organization and the Kushner family have come under investigative scrutiny, and Donald Jr.’s meeting with a Russian lawyer to try and get dirt on Hillary Clinton was also scrutinized as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe.
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+But none of these have resulted in any criminal charges against Trump’s children or Kushner. So any hypothetical pardon would have to be quite broadly written and preemptive. (It also could not cover state crimes, which could be a problem, as the major Trump Organization investigation is being pursued by New York state prosecutors.)
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+It would also, of course, be a stunning and unprecedented use of executive power for a president to grant broad immunity from federal criminal prosecution to his children. Some Trump allies, like Fox News host Sean Hannity, are arguing that the move would be justified because they expect prosecutors under Biden to pursue a “witch hunt” of people close to Trump.
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+Yet if Trump — or his children — have political ambitions in 2024, that might present an incentive to hold back on the broadest possible uses of the pardon power.
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+We learned of a “bribery-for-pardon” investigation
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+Just as Trump has been turning more attention to how far he wants to go in using his pardon power, news broke that federal investigators are already looking into what they view as a corrupt effort to get such a pardon from Trump.
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+The revelation came from a newly unsealed court opinion by Beryl Howell, the chief judge of the US District Court for the District of Columbia. The opinion is heavily redacted, though, so we are missing key details, including the identities of the people involved in this purported scheme. But there’s a fair amount we can piece together from the unredacted bits.
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+The gist is that investigators say there are two separate schemes aimed at getting a certain person a pardon or sentence reduction.
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+One is a “bribery-for-pardon” scheme, in which a “substantial political contribution” would be offered (apparently to the Trump campaign or connected groups) through intermediaries.
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+The second is a “secret lobbying scheme,” in which two people would lobby senior White House officials for this pardon without officially registering as lobbyists under the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
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+Investigators uncovered these two purported schemes while reviewing material seized in the course of a preexisting investigation. But there was one issue: One of the people involved in lobbying the White House was a lawyer. So investigators wanted to make sure they had a judge’s sign-off that reviewing communications involving that person wouldn’t violate attorney-client privilege. Judge Howell gave them that sign-off — because the communications in question were also copied to another person, who was not an attorney.
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+Speculation churned on Twitter about who could have been seeking this pardon. There are a few clues — the person appears to have a short last name and appears to be in Bureau of Prisons custody. These facts don’t fit most of the “usual suspects” among the president’s criminally entangled associates, so it’s possible that the pardon-seeker is someone who has received little news coverage so far.
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+There’s no indication yet that anyone has been indicted as a result of this investigation. But Judge Howell unsealed the opinion — issued back in August — after giving the government three months to take further investigative steps. The identities of the people are redacted because they haven’t yet been charged.
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+It’s also important to note that no assertion of any knowing wrongdoing on the part of President Trump or White House officials is present in the unredacted parts of the document. (“Pardon investigation is Fake News!” Trump tweeted.) But it certainly suggests that unscrupulous people are trying to benefit from Trump’s pardon powers.
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+Bill Barr had a busy day
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+Attorney General Bill Barr has kept a relatively low profile in recent weeks, but he made news on a number of fronts on Tuesday.
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+First, Barr told Michael Balsamo of the Associated Press that the Justice Department has “not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election.” The statement got a great deal of attention because it flew in the face of Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen from him because of widespread fraud. But it’s notable because, despite Barr’s well-deserved reputation as a staunch political ally of Trump’s, he isn’t willing to go so far as to back Trump’s election fraud claims.
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+Second, and perhaps to soften this blow for Trump, Barr told the Associated Press — and also Congress — that he has named US Attorney John Durham as a special counsel.
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+Back in early 2019, Barr tasked Durham, the US attorney for Connecticut, with probing the US government’s handling of the investigation of Trump associates’ ties to Russia. Since then, Durham’s investigation has unfolded mostly behind the scenes. (The sole charge has been FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith’s guilty plea over falsifying a document used in a surveillance application — a matter already uncovered by the Justice Department’s inspector general.)
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+It’s unclear whether Durham has found serious misconduct beyond Clinesmith. But Trump and his supporters have long hyped the prospect that Durham will bring charges against top former government officials who investigated the president. Barr reportedly placed heavy pressure on Durham to finish at least some of his work before the 2020 election, but Durham’s top deputy Nora Dannehy resigned in protest in September, and Durham ended up making no further public moves before the election.
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+Barr’s appointment of Durham as special counsel — made in mid-October, but not announced until Tuesday — is evidently meant to shield Durham from potentially being fired in the Biden Administration (since a special counsel can only be fired for “good cause”). As for why we’re only learning of this now, Barr suggested he didn’t want to make the announcement before the election to avoid influencing the result.
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+But for Trump allies, this isn’t enough. Axios’s Jonathan Swan reports that Trump allies saw the special counsel appointment as “a smokescreen to forestall the release of the so-called Durham report,” and that the president has even mused about firing Barr.
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+Barr visited the White House on Tuesday and stayed there for more than two hours; Swan reports that the attorney general was meeting with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. It is not known what they discussed.
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The UK is the first country to grant emergency approval to Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine -
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+The UK has granted temporary approval to a Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. Most of the doses will be shipped from Pfizer’s facility in Puurs, Belgium, seen here. | Christophe Guillaume/Getty Images
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+The first doses may begin rolling out next week.
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+The United Kingdom on Wednesday granted temporary authorization for emergency use of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech to adults aged 16 and older, with the first 800,000 doses of the two-dose vaccine slated to be offered in the country next week.
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+This makes the UK the first country to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA-based vaccine and the first government approval of a vaccine backed by a clinical trial. (Some countries like Russia and China began administering their Covid-19 vaccines before completing large-scale trials.) It’s also the fastest a vaccine has ever gained approval, albeit on a temporary basis.
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+“I’m confident now, with the news today, that from spring, from Easter onward, things are going to be better,” said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock during a press conference. “And we’re going to have summer next year that everyone can enjoy.”
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+The UK’s health regulator, the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), granted the temporary authorization shortly after Pfizer and BioNTech reported in November that their Covid-19 vaccine was 95 percent effective. Though this is a temporary authorization, the MHRA is conducting a rolling review of vaccine trial data as it comes in and may grant full approval at a later date. In contrast, the US Food and Drug Administration is evaluating vaccines based on completed studies, which increases the length of the approval process.
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+The UK government reached a deal with Pfizer and BioNTech to purchase 40 million doses of the vaccine through 2021 — enough for 20 million people — mainly shipped from Pfizer’s manufacturing plant in Puurs, Belgium.
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+“This authorization is a goal we have been working toward since we first declared that science will win, and we applaud the MHRA for their ability to conduct a careful assessment and take timely action to help protect the people of the U.K.,” said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, in a statement.
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+The UK has been one of the most severely afflicted countries during the Covid-19 pandemic, with 1.6 million reported infections and almost 60,000 deaths in a population of 66 million. The government recently imposed a second national lockdown as cases spiked; restrictions on movement and which businesses can stay open may begin to relax this week as the number of new cases declines. But with winter approaching, the risk of more Covid-19 spread in the UK remains high.
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+The UK is prioritizing older adults to receive a Covid-19 vaccine
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+With limited doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to give out for the time being, the UK is establishing several priority tiers for Covid-19 immunization.
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+The country’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on Wednesday laid out guidelines for administering the vaccine based mainly on age. The top priority is residents and workers at care homes for older adults, a ranking based on the number of vaccinations that would be needed in each tier to prevent one death, not necessarily risk of exposure.
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+That’s why health workers, who will be at the front of the line in the US, are not in the top tier in the UK, even though they may be encountering the virus more frequently. “As the risk of mortality from COVID-19 increases with age, prioritisation is primarily based on age,” according to the guidelines.
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+The committee divided its overall priority list into nine groups. “It is estimated that taken together, these groups represent around 99% of preventable mortality from COVID-19,” according to the JCVI guidelines.
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+But the guidelines also note that vaccine deployment strategies may have to shift to address concerns like mitigating health inequalities and logistical challenges. The latter is particularly important for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine because it has some of the most stringent cold storage requirements of any Covid-19 vaccine candidate: temperatures of minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit) or lower. While Pfizer and BioNTech are developing shipping containers that can maintain these temperatures for 30 days, it’s likely the first facilities to receive it will be major health facilities that already have freezers.
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+Recipients will have to receive the vaccine as two doses spaced 21 days apart, so rigorous patient tracking will be needed as well.
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+The US is now waiting on emergency approval for two Covid-19 vaccines
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+Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week voted on US guidelines for vaccine approval. The recommendations from the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices stated that health workers and residents of long-term care facilities should be up first for a Covid-19 vaccine. That health workers are in the top tier stands in contrast to the guidelines issued by the UK.
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+Establishing these priorities are all the more critical now that a vaccine is poised to begin distribution in the US in weeks. Pfizer and BioNTech have also applied for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in the US from the FDA for their Covid-19 vaccine. The FDA is meeting on December 10 to discuss their vaccine. This week, Moderna, another mRNA Covid-19 vaccine developer, also applied for an EUA.
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+If granted, these emergency approvals would mark the fastest vaccine development timeline ever, an amazing feat against an unprecedented pandemic. But Covid-19 cases are continuing to rise across the US, and it will still be a few more months before there is widespread access to a vaccine.
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The rise in murders in the US, explained -
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+Chicago police officers investigate an officer-involved shooting outside the department’s 25th district station on July 30. | Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via Getty Images
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+The homicide rate is significantly up in American cities. Here are some explanations for why.
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+As if the Covid-19 pandemic wasn’t bad enough, America is also seeing a surge in homicides this year.
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+A new report, by the Council on Criminal Justice, found homicides have increased sharply this year across 21 US cities with relevant data: “Homicide rates increased by 42% during the summer and 34% in the fall over the summer and fall of 2019.” Other data, from crime analyst Jeff Asher, found murder is up 36 percent throughout the year so far, compared to the same period in 2019, in a sample of 51 US cities. A preliminary FBI report also found murders up 15 percent nationwide in the first half of 2020.
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+The increase in homicides is large and widespread enough to raise serious alarms for criminologists and other experts. So what’s going on?
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+Some experts have cited the protests this summer over the police killings of George Floyd and others — which could’ve had a range of effects, from officers pulling back from their duties to greater community distrust in police, leading to more unchecked violence. Others point to the bad economy. Another potential factor is a huge increase in gun purchases this year. Still others posit boredom and social displacement as a result of physical distancing leading people to cause more trouble.
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+Above all, though, experts caution it’s simply been a very unusual year with the Covid-19 pandemic. That makes it difficult to say what, exactly, is happening with crime rates. “The current year, 2020, is an extreme deviation from baseline — extreme,” Tracey Meares, founding director at the Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School, previously told me.
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+That offers a bit of good news: It’s possible that the end of the pandemic will come and homicide rates will fall again, as they generally have for the past few decades in the US. But no one knows for sure if that will happen, or if we’re now seeing a shift in long-term trends.
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+Uncertainty about what’s going on isn’t exactly new in the field of criminal justice. Rates of crime and violence have plummeted over the past few decades in the US, yet there is no agreed-upon explanation for why. There are theories applying the best evidence, research, and data available, ranging from changes in policing to a drop in lead exposure to the rise of video games. But there’s no consensus.
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+That a decades-long phenomenon is still so hard to explain shows the need for humility before jumping to conclusions about the current trends.
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+“We don’t know nearly enough to know what’s going on at the given moment,” Jennifer Doleac, director of the Justice Tech Lab, previously told me. “The current moment is so unusual for so many different reasons that … it’s really hard to speculate about broad phenomena that are driving these trends when we’re not even sure if there’s a trend yet.”
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+All of that said, here’s what we do know.
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+Homicides are up in the US this year
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+There are several good sources, from criminologists, economists, and other data analysts, for what’s happened with crime and violence so far this year: an analysis by Jeff Asher; a Council on Criminal Justice report written by Richard Rosenfeld and Ernesto Lopez; City Crime Stats, a website from the University of Pennsylvania set up by David Abrams, Priyanka Goonetilleke, Elizabeth Holmdahl, and Kathy Qian; and a preliminary report from the FBI.
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+Crime analyst Jeff Asher offers the most recent data, looking at crime trends in 51 US cities in 2020 so far compared to 2019. He found murders are up 36 percent. Despite previous comments by President Donald Trump blaming the increase on Democrat-run cities, Asher found murders are up about 36 percent in both cities with Democratic mayors and those with Republican mayors. In a smaller sample of US cities, he found violent crime overall is flat and property crimes are down.
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+Analysis of 51 cities with murder data through at least September shows murder up 35.7% YTD relative to 2019.
Big cities tend to overstate national trends in crime, but the national change in murder in 2020 will be historically awful.
+The Council on Criminal Justice report, updated in November, analyzed crime in 28 US cities, ranging in size from Los Angeles to St. Petersburg, Florida, through October. The authors looked for “structural breaks,” in which reported crime increased or decreased more than would be expected, based on data from previous years.
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+They found structural breaks in homicide, aggravated assault, and gun assault increases, particularly starting in the summer. There weren’t significant increases in domestic assault (although the data for domestic violence is fairly limited), and robbery was actually down. Other kinds of crime, including larceny and drug offenses, largely decreased.
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+“There were 610 more homicides in the 21 cities in the summer and fall of 2020 than during the same period in 2019,” the report found.
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+City Crime Stats’ data complicates matters a bit, comparing the 2020 crime trends in 28 major cities to a five-year baseline. With this approach, the homicide increases don’t seem quite as dramatic in many cities, and other types of crime appear to be mostly down as well. Still, homicides do seem to be significantly up in many of the cities included in the City Crime Stats data set.
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+Here, for example, is Chicago’s homicide trend, which shows this year’s rate (the red line) rising above the five-year baseline (the gray line and shading) at several points throughout the year:
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+ City Crime Stats
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+There’s a lot of variation from city to city. Minneapolis, Milwaukee, New York City, and Philadelphia are on the high end of homicides or seeing a flat-out increase. Baltimore, Boston, and Columbus are close to historical trends or actually down.
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+Overall, though, Abrams said that his data suggests there was a significant increase in homicides from May to June: “We did find a statistically significant increase in homicides — about 21 percent — in aggregate in the cities we looked at in the month after versus before those protests,” he previously told me, cautioning we can’t say with any confidence if the protests were the cause. “Same for shootings, but that’s from a smaller number of cities.”
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+A preliminary FBI report confirmed these other reports’ findings for the first half of 2020. It found a 15 percent increase in murders, a 5 percent increase in aggravated assaults, and an 8 percent decrease in property crime nationwide from January through June, compared to the same time period in 2019. The FBI will likely release a report for all of 2020 later in 2021.
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+In Chicago, as well as some other cities, the apparent increase in homicides began before the protests over the police killing of George Floyd. And in some cases, as in Chicago, the spike abruptly ended almost as quickly as it started, only to surge again weeks later, after the protests had calmed. So it’s hard to blame only the protests for a spike — especially because we know that other factors likely played a role, such as the start of summer, when crime tends to go up, and the end of stay-at-home orders.
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+City-by-city variation isn’t unique to 2020. It’s expected, even when talking about national crime waves or declines, to see some places go up and others go down for different kinds of crime. The US is a big country, and a range of local factors can affect different kinds of crime.
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+Still, there’s enough in the four data sets to draw some conclusions: Homicides are up significantly this year. But other kinds of crime, including violent crime overall, aren’t up and may actually have decreased so far this year. There was also a brief spike in burglaries in major cities starting in late May — an increase that was so brief and contained to specific cities that experts told me it was almost certainly due to the riots and looting surrounding some Black Lives Matter protests.
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+As Asher noted on Twitter, a disconnect between murders and other crimes would be odd: “Violent crime and murder almost always move in the same direction and they are never this far apart nationally.”
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+One way to reconcile this may be the nature of crime reporting. All of this data is based on reports to governments, typically local police departments. But with people stuck at home, and no government agency operating normally this year, perhaps these reports are just less likely to happen or get picked up, especially lower-level crimes involving drugs or stolen property.
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+At the same time, it’s far harder for a homicide to go completely unreported — it’s difficult to ignore a dead person. This is why, for much of US history, the homicide rate has been used as a proxy for violent crime overall: The nature of homicide made it a more reliable metric than others for crime.
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+In other words, it’s possible that other kinds of crime are up this year, but they’re simply going unreported. At any rate, homicides are up significantly.
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+One note on domestic violence: Some activists and experts worried it would increase this year as people were forced to stay home more often. The Council on Criminal Justice report and City Crime Stats’ analysis suggest that’s not the case, showing no significant change or a drop in some places. But there’s reason for skepticism: Both sources are pulling data from a limited number of cities. And reporting limitations may especially apply to domestic violence, since this year victims are potentially more likely to be trapped with their abusers and unable to make a phone call for help.
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+There are plenty of caveats to all this data. Much of it only represents trends in large US cities, which means it might not be representative of the country as a whole. And it only covers 2020 through November at the latest.
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+
+But the trends, particularly with homicides, are very alarming.
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+We know less about why there’s a spike, but there are some theories
+
+
+So why are homicides up?
+
+
+When I posed this question to experts, they again cautioned that no one can say with certainty what’s going on. That said, they offered some possible explanations, based on the limited information we have so far:
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+
+1) The pandemic has really messed things up: Looming over absolutely every discussion about 2020 is the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s no different for discussions about crime and violence. This year is very unusual, with many forced to stay at home and living in fear of a new, deadly virus. That could lead to all sorts of unpredictable behaviors that experts don’t understand yet and might take years to explain.
+
+3) Lack of trust in police led to more violence: In response to the “Ferguson effect” in 2015, some experts offered a different view of what was happening: Maybe people had lost trust in the police and, as a result, they relied more on street justice and other illegal activities to resolve interpersonal disputes — an interpretation of “legal cynicism,” explained well in Jill Leovy’s Ghettoside and supported by some empirical research. Perhaps Floyd’s killing and the ensuing protests led to a similar phenomenon this year.
+
+
+4) More guns led to more gun violence: There’s been a big surge in gun buying this year, seemingly in response to concerns about personal safety during a pandemic. And as the research has shown time and time again, more guns mean more gun violence. A recent, preliminary study from researchers at UC Davis already concluded that gun purchases led to more gun violence than there would be otherwise through May this year. That could have further exacerbated homicide increases.
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+5) Overwhelmed hospitals led to more deaths: One way to explain a flat or dropping violent crime rate as homicides rise is that the violent crime was deadlier than usual. With health care systems across the US at times close to capacity or at capacity due to Covid-19, maybe hospitals and their staff couldn’t treat violent crime victims as well — increasing the chances they died this year. That could translate to more deaths, and homicides, even if violent crime remained flat or declined.
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+
+6) Idle hands led to more violence: Throughout the pandemic, a lot of people have been bored — with forms of entertainment, from restaurants to movie theaters, closed down. Schools are limited or closed too, and millions have been newly unemployed. Other support programs that can prevent violence were shuttered due to the closures. All of that could have led to conflict, and possibly more crime and violence. But, experts cautioned, this is speculative, with little evidence so far to support it.
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+
+7) A bad economy led to more violence: With the economy tanking this year, some people may have been pushed to desperate acts to make ends meet. Disruptions in the drug market, as product and customers dried up in a bad economy, may have led to more violent competition over what’s left. The bad economy also left local and state governments with less funding for social supports that can keep people out of trouble. All of that, and more, could have contributed to more crime and violence — but this, too, is still very speculative.
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+Another possibility: None of these explanations is right. With limited data in strange times, it wouldn’t be surprising if it turns out we have no idea what’s going on right now. “We can bet on it being unpredictable,” Doleac said.
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+Again, there’s still no consensus about what’s caused crime to decline since the 1990s. In that context, it’s no surprise there’s nowhere near a consensus as to why a homicide spike has occurred so far this year.
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+The trends could change after a strange 2020
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+It’s possible that before we understand why it’s happening, the year’s alarming homicide trends could recede. It’s happened before: In 2005 and 2006, the homicide rate briefly increased, only to start declining again before hitting record lows in 2014. In 2015 and 2016, the rates also spiked again only to start to dip after. In both instances, these years were effectively blips and the overall crime decline America has seen for the past three decades continued.
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+Maybe after this very weird year ends, crime and violence trends will, similarly, go back to the previous normal.
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+But that’s not a guarantee — and it’s not something we should rely on, experts said. “We don’t really understand why crime and violence went down,” John Roman, a criminal justice expert at NORC at the University of Chicago, previously told me. “Being able to say we should expect this unexplained phenomenon to continue strikes me as sort of irrational.”
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+Even if we can’t explain what may be causing a homicide spike, there are certain strategies that might help fight crime in the short term — such as deploying police in crime hot spots (though that would have to be done carefully and with reforms, given the current political climate around policing), a “focused deterrence” program that targets the few people in a community engaging in violence with a mix of support and sanctions, and using civilian “interrupters” to personally intervene in cases in which violence seems likely to break out.
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+Notably, a lot of this work is done at the local and state level, where the vast majority of police departments are based. The federal government can incentivize certain practices, like President-elect Joe Biden has proposed doing, but it ultimately falls on cities, counties, and states to carry out new or revised approaches.
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+Many of the evidence-based approaches rely on in-person contact, which requires ending the pandemic. “The police, public health, and community approaches to violence reduction require that people meet face-to-face; they cannot be replaced by Zoom,” Rosenfeld and Lopez wrote in one of their reports. “An underappreciated consequence of the pandemic is how social-distancing requirements have affected outreach to high-risk individuals.”
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+So the first priority should be to end the pandemic — ending its potential ripple effects on crime and enabling evidence-based approaches that can help reduce crime. But to do that, the US public and governments will need to truly embrace strategies that have worked for countries like South Korea and Germany against Covid-19: physical distancing, masking, and testing, tracing, and isolating the sick. In this sense, Trump’s failures to address Covid-19 may be leading to more violence.
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+“Seeing what’s happening with these [crime] numbers can point us to or at least get us thinking about what potential policy levers we could employ that would be helpful,” Doleac said. “Otherwise, our attention is probably better focused on making sure we’re all wearing masks.”
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+Beyond the pandemic, police are going to have more trouble fighting crime — including any current or future spikes — if large segments of the community don’t trust them. That’s where police reform comes into play. It’s a complicated topic, separate from a possible spike in violence this year. But, in short, experts say police should, at a minimum, show the communities they serve that they understand the concerns, acknowledge mistakes, and will change how officers are trained and deployed.
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+Otherwise, there’s a good chance that protests against police will flare up, just as they did from 2014 to 2016 and have again this year. If protests lead to more violence — whether by leading to depolicing, or sowing and exposing distrust in law enforcement — that’s going to create public safety problems.
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+To put it another way: There’s a lot we don’t know about crime, why it happens, and how to stop it. But it’s going to be much easier to wrap our heads around these issues once things get closer to how they should be — and that means seriously addressing the pandemic and protests against police brutality.
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+“How optimistic should we be for the rest of the summer?” Roman said. “I think the answer is not terribly optimistic, because none of these factors seem to be abating with the return of Covid.”
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From The Hindu: Sports
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Natarajan’s rise — a triumph of the spirit - From Chinnappampatti to Canberra, it has been a fascinating journey for the yorker specialist
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Dismissing Smith early was huge, says Shardul - Mumbai seamer all praise for Natarajan
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Windies ready for Kiwi challenge - We need to continue to build as a side, says skipper Jason Holder
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Eze thunderbolt denies Hyderabad FC - The Jamshedpur defender’s strike cancels out Santana’s goal
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Injury-ravaged Liverpool makes the pre-quarterfinals - Inter hands Real a lifeline after Shakhtar does the double over the Madrid team
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From The Hindu: National News
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JD(S) to finalise Assembly candidates for 150 seats early next year - Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said the party will finalise candidates for 150 Assembly constituencies in the State early next ye
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LAC standoff | India will not accept less than bottom line in talks with China, says Jaishankar - External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar says negotiations could take longer
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Industry tells SC govt.’s payback scheme on interest is ‘arbitrary’ - Business sectors classified as ‘big’ borrowers urge loan relief in plea to apex court
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State intensifies bid to raise resources - Move to meet immediate commitments like Rythu Bandhu
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Srinath relieved to get online Olympiad medals - India had won the Olympiad gold in August
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From BBC: Europe
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Coronavirus: France to impose border checks to stop skiing abroad - Swiss ski resorts are open and Prime Minister Jean Castex says he wants to stop people going.
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French restaurateur killed in Mexico City ‘to steal his wine’ - Baptiste Lormand and his associate are believed to have been targeted over their expensive wine.
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Brexit trade: ‘Serious disruption’ risk at Channel post-transition period - Ministers are “taking limited responsibility” for readiness ahead of the transition period ending, MPs say.
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‘Volga maniac’ murders: Russia suspect arrested over deaths of 26 elderly women - Police in Russia question a 38-year-old man over the killings along the Volga River.
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Europe migrant crisis: Ten days of Atlantic peril in search of Spain - More than 19,000 African migrants have crossed to the Canary Islands this year alone but hundreds died.
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From Ars Technica
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Fortnite’s Nexus War event could expose Twitch streamers to DMCA problems - Epic Games and Twitch warn over 100,000 streamers of potential music rights issues. - link
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China releases a super-clear image of the Moon taken by Chang’e 5 probe - There’s also video showing the descent of the spacecraft. - link
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Teardown of “Dishy McFlatface,” the SpaceX Starlink user terminal - “It’s rare to see something of this complexity in a consumer product.” - link
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Qualcomm’s new flagship SoC is the Snapdragon 888 - It’s built on 5nm with a Cortex X1 core, Wi-Fi 6E, and onboard 5G. - link
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Space balloon company raises funds, will conduct first test flight next year - No ticket price has been revealed, but it likely will be on the order of $125,000. - link
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From Jokes Subreddit
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A lumberjack once told me he’s cut down 27,572 trees. -
+A couple take in an 18-year-old girl as a lodger. She asked if she could have a bath but the woman of the house told her they didn’t have a bath but if she wanted to she could use a tin bath in front of the fire…….
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+“Monday’s the best night, when my husband goes out to darts,” she said.
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+The girl agreed to have a bath the following Monday….
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+After her husband had gone to the pub for his darts match, the woman filled the bath and watched the girl get undressed. She was surprised to see that the lass didn’t have any pubic hair. She mentioned this to her husband when he came home. He didn’t believe her, so she said: “Next Monday, don?t go to darts. I’ll leave a gap in the curtains so you can see for yourself..”
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+So the following Monday, while the girl again got undressed, the wife asked:
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+“Do you shave?”
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+“No,” replied the girl. “I’ve just never grown any hairs down there. Do you have hair?”
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+“Oh, yes,” said the woman, and she showed the girl that indeed, she was far from hairless.
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+When the girl went to bed the husband came in, and the wife asked:
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+
+“Did you see it?”
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+“Yes,” he said, “but why the hell did you have to show her yours.”
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+“Why not?” she said. “You’ve seen it before.”
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+“I know,” he said, "but the darts team hadn’t!!
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Dirty joke from my late grandfather 92 at the time. -
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+Two students were asked to make a quick line about Timbuktu for their poetry class. Tim and Dill. Tim delivers his to the class. “Across the endless desert sands, people travel hand in hand, tired and worn, they walk through, destination Timbuktu.” The professor says “its’s a fine poem! Your turn Dill!” Dill says “me and Tim a hunting went, found three maidens in a tent, since they were three and we were two, I buck one and Tim buck two!”
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Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation
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City Crime Stats
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