“Federal government ready to distribute COVID-19 drug
“The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services revealed distribution plans Tuesday for Eli Lilly’s bamlanivimab after the
Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use Monday.
HHS Secretary Alex Azar said 80,000 doses are ready for distribution this week and will be allocated to states based on COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates. State health departments will decide which hospitals, out-patient clinics and other healthcare settings will receive the drug, similar to the one administered to President Trump when he was hospitalized with COVID-19.
Bamlanivimab, a monoclonal antibody that mimics the immune system’s response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, is approved for mild to moderate COVID-19 patients who are 12 years and older and are at risk of progressing to severe illness. It’s given to patients through an IV infusion over the course of an hour, with another hour for observation.
The federal government has already agreed to spend $375 million to provide 300,000 doses for high-risk patients, with an option to purchase an additional 650,000 doses for next year.“
[...]
“Normalcy far away even with vaccine
Keep those face masks handy. You'll need them for several more months.
News of progress toward finding a safe and effective vaccine for the coronavirus was greeted with optimism about a return to normal life, but
experts say that's not going to happen any time soon, even if the vaccine gets authorized before the end of the year.
"People shouldn't think of vaccines as the savior," said Dr. Paul Offit, a professor of vaccinology at the University of Pennsylvania. "Vaccines are, along with hygienic measures, a way to get in control of this virus, but we need both. Vaccines are not going to be magical. ... You can't abandon one in favor of the other."
Distribution challenges, the vaccine's effectiveness and the public's acceptance will help determine its impact.
"If you have a very, very highly effective vaccine and we convince most of the people in the country to take the vaccine, we could get back to a degree of normality maybe by the end of 2021," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, regarded as the nation's top infectious- disease expert.“
[...]
“Vaccine may make you 'feel like crud' – but get it anyway
Now is the time to
start telling America straight-up what to expect from the COVID-19 vaccine, more than a dozen public health and medical experts told USA TODAY. That includes warning that a COVID-19 vaccine likely won't be 100% effective, getting it will make a substantial number of people "feel like crud" for a day or two, and two shots will be required, not just one.
The Department of Health and Human Services says multiple government agencies are working with Operation Warp Speed and other groups on a robust public health information campaign that focuses on vaccine safety and efficacy.
"This needed to happen yesterday. It’s like watching a train wreck happen," said Daniel Salmon, director of the Institute for Vaccine Safety at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.“
COVID news: 1M US cases in November; NFL approves contingency plan
