Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #70

[ArianeEmory]

Almost 20% Of Texas COVID-19 Deaths Reported In Past Week

 

[10ofRods]

I didn't realize AstraZeneca was funding the Oxford vaccine. That's good, they have the ability to mass produce.

Has the UK announced how/ who would have access to the vaccine?

It's my understanding that the vaccine is already produced, that UK ordered 30 million doses, and US ordered 300M, India has already produced the vaccine (that part is cheap) and now we await approval.

UK has not announced how it will distribute the vaccine, but I'm guessing that they may wait to vaccinate the 18 and unders. Even so, 30M is not enough for all adults in UK.

UK aims to roll out coronavirus vaccine for 30 million Britons by September

UK has also ordered 90M of other vaccines, particularly by Pfizer but also a French firm. These are not as close to approval.

Britain Secures 90 Million Doses Of Potential Coronavirus Vaccines From Pfizer, BioNTech & Valneva

 

[MrX]

I've been amazed as so many who can't wear a mask due to health conditions, but manage to go out to eat in restaurants and hanging out in our bars. FB is amazing...

LOL - that started my week with a smile. Same category as the athletic guy with a handicapped sticker, carrying heavy boxes out of his car, or a family dog wearing a Service Animal vest in the grocery store.

The CNN article cites its source as "The COVID Tracking Project".

When you drill down to the date in question, the Covid Tracking Project shows this screenshot:

https://covidtracking.com/screenshots/AZ/AZ-20200718-180444.png

It's directly from your mentioned AZDHS site, and shows that that site was reporting 147 deaths at the moment the screenshot was captured.

The issue is that AZ "reports" data, as it arrives, and then logs that data against the correct date. The process is explained, here: Identifying COVID-19 Deaths in Arizona

The implication is clearly that a record number of deaths occurred in AZ in Saturday and that is not true. The number of 147 contains corrections that can go back weeks, or months. The actual death total for last Saturday won't be known for weeks - until death certificate are collected and reviewed. AZ has four days of deaths 60, or above - highest being 65 on July 7. I have seen these numbers frequently change - June 25th, for example, has changed at least six times, that I have tracked - usually up, but the last change was down by one.

The problem is that the erroneous report has already done it's damage. Governor Ducey will have to spend time explaining this, which shouldn't be necessary.

 

[ArianeEmory]

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article244337002.html

North Carolina COVID-19 cases surpass 100,000. Experts say it’s just the beginning.

“One thing that is really important to know is that North Carolina is still really at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Julie Swann, N.C. State University professor and researcher who has worked with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Fewer than 10% of the population has been infected, meaning the other 90% is still susceptible, she said.

 

[ArianeEmory]

The implication is clearly that a record number of deaths occurred in AZ in Saturday and that is not true. The number of 147 contains corrections that can go back weeks, or months. The actual death total for last Saturday won't be known for weeks - until death certificate are collected and reviewed. AZ has four days of deaths 60, or above - highest being 65 on July 7. I have seen these numbers frequently change - June 25th, for example, has changed at least six times, that I have tracked - usually up, but the last change was down by one.

The problem is that the erroneous report has already done it's damage. Governor Ducey will have to spend time explaining this, which shouldn't be necessary.

If the state's official source data is all over the map like that, I'm not sure what the answer is, besides pretend no deaths are happening at all.

 

[ArianeEmory]

Report: Russian Elite Allegedly Given Experimental COVID-19 Vaccine

 

[Simply Southern]

The US is also helping fund the Oxford/AZ vaccine through its Operation Warp Speed program:

Fact Sheet: Explaining Operation Warp Speed

The agreement with the Oxford/AZ vaccine is to make 300 million doses of the vaccine available to the US. We gave them $1.2 BILLION for the development and manufacture of the vaccine.

"Manufacturing: The federal government is making investments in the necessary manufacturing capacity at its own risk, giving firms confidence that they can invest aggressively in development and allowing faster distribution of an eventual vaccine. Manufacturing capacity for selected candidates will be advanced while they are still in development, rather than scaled up after approval or authorization. Manufacturing capacity developed will be used for whatever vaccine is eventually successful, if possible given the nature of the successful product, regardless of which firms have developed the capacity."

"Distribution: Before the countermeasures are approved or authorized, the program will build the necessary plans and infrastructure for distribution.

HHS plans for a tiered approach to vaccine distribution, which will build on allocation methodology developed as part of pandemic flu planning and be adjusted based on experience during the first wave of the COVID-19 response, data on the virus and its impact on populations and the performance of each vaccine, and the needs of the essential workforce. OWS will expand domestic manufacturing and supplies of specialized materials and resources, such as glass vials, that can be necessary for distribution. DoD’s involvement will enable faster distribution and administration than would have otherwise been possible.

Select actions to support OWS distribution efforts include:

• May 12: DoD and HHS announced a $138 million contract with ApiJect for more than 100 million prefilled syringes for distribution across the United States by year-end 2020, as well as the development of manufacturing capacity for the ultimate production goal of over 500 million prefilled syringes in 2021.
• June 9: HHS and DoD announced a joint effort to increase domestic manufacturing capacity for vials that may be needed for vaccines and treatments:
  • $204 million to Corning to expand the domestic manufacturing capacity to produce an additional 164 million Valor Glass vials each year if needed.
  • $143 million to SiO2 Materials Science to ramp up capacity to produce the company’s glass-coated plastic container, which can be used for drugs and vaccines."

Great, no matter which vaccine is approve the US has agreement for AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson and Emergent BioSolutions to manufacture the vaccine. So part of the money the US gave was for R&D and part was to secure manufacturing plants.

Eta...We are gonna make this in the US!!!


From your post...
Manufacturing capacity developed will be used for whatever vaccine is eventually successful, if possible given the nature of the successful product, regardless of which firms have developed the capacity."

From the article...

Select actions to support OWS manufacturing efforts so far include:

Select actions to support OWS manufacturing efforts so far include:

• The May 21, April 16, and March 30 HHS agreements with AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson include investments in manufacturing capabilities.
• June 1: HHS announced a task order with Emergent BioSolutions to advance domestic manufacturing capabilities and capacity for a potential COVID-19 vaccine as well as therapeutics, worth approximately $628 million.

Glad they are forward planning and thinking.

 

[Simply Southern]

Florida: 90 new deaths push state past 5,000 fatality mark

For the second day in a row, the coronavirus broke its death toll record in Florida on Monday as fatalities climbed past 5,000 for the first time.

The number of COVID-19 fatalities counted statewide has grown by 802 since July 13, a one-week high, to 5,072, with health officials tallying 90 victims between Sunday and Monday morning. The previous seven-day record was set Sunday.

While most of the surge of new cases in the past two months statewide have been found in younger people, the pathogen continues to be especially deadly for the elderly.

The state Health Department logged 10,347 more cases since Sunday, bringing Florida's official case count to 360,394.
—

I think Florida is going to pass New York soon in total cases, New York is currently at 411,000.

At 10k per day that's just five days.

 

[Oregonmama]

Checkin in.... it's been awhile... the metro area in my hood will go back to base again later this week. We have been in phase 1 for months...... Gov is going to announce distant learning at home for the Fall. My senior is heartbroken to miss homecoming and football games but we have a crisis on our hands...

 

[ArianeEmory]

COVID-19 cases in Arizona surpass 145,000; state deemed 'red zone' | AZ Big Media

 

[tresir2012]

If the state's official source data is all over the map like that, I'm not sure what the answer is, besides pretend no deaths are happening at all.

Well mistakes can and do happen. UK deaths look like they may come down by 4,000 due to reporting errors.

 

[Simply Southern]

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/coronavirus/article244337002.html

North Carolina COVID-19 cases surpass 100,000. Experts say it’s just the beginning.

Virginia...
Cases 78375
MIS-C 7 ( in 3 counties around the state)
Hospitalized 7201
Deaths 2031

The update IHME should be out tomorrow. Can't imagine what the new projections will be.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Well mistakes can and do happen. UK deaths look like they may come down by 4,000 due to reporting errors.

Where have you seen that?

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Virginia Poultry Workers See Victory In New COVID-19 Protection Rules

...Virginia became the first state in the nation last week to require businesses to protect workers from the coronavirus. The state's new emergency temporary standards obligate businesses to give out personal protective equipment, mandate social distancing guidelines and put in place response plans and training for workers, among other measures. Companies risk up to $130,000 in penalties if they are found to be in violation of the guidelines...

...Essential workers are more likely to get COVID-19 than those who can stay at home, and the pandemic has taken a heavy toll on those who work at poultry processing plants. In May, for example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that among about 130,000 workers at meat and poultry processing facilities in 19 states, 4,913 cases and 20 deaths occurred due to "difficulties with workplace physical distancing and hygiene and crowded living and transportation conditions."...

...Advocates say that before the new safety guidelines were announced, companies had few safety precautions at all — no masks or temperature checks, no training or information on the pandemic and no way of tracking who was sick — despite the fact that poultry workers work closely together, which makes it difficult to socially distance on the line. Moreover, the workers are largely Latinx, a community that is four times more likely than non-Hispanic whites to contract COVID-19, according to the CDC.

 

[tresir2012]

Where have you seen that?

Why no-one can ever recover from COVID-19 in England – a statistical anomaly - CEBM

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Why no-one can ever recover from COVID-19 in England – a statistical anomaly - CEBM

Oh yes I posted that yesterday, I just can't see the 4000 bit (I'm reading while walking so may have missed it)

 

[tresir2012]

Oh yes I posted that yesterday, I just can't see the 4000 bit (I'm reading while walking so may have missed it)

I saw the 4000 estimate mentioned yesterday - I thought it was a BBC link but cannot find it again. Basically your link states it could be overstated by about 40 deaths per day which i work out at 1200 per month × 3 to 4 months. It is an estimate so MOO till they finish the review. I will have another look later as well. Have read so many articles in the last 48 hours.

 

[JerseyGirl]

‘You have blood on your hands:’ Protesters interrupt Florida governor’s coronavirus update in Orlando

A news conference Gov. Ron DeSantis hosted in Orlando Monday afternoon to push for convalescent plasma donations to help COVID-19 patients got off to a rocky start as protesters interrupted just minutes into his remarks.

At first, the governor tried to continue on with his speech but when he realized his words were being drowned out, he paused and gave an uncomfortable smile.

He then laughed as protesters were being escorted out. No arrests were made.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

I saw the 4000 estimate mentioned yesterday - I thought it was a BBC link but cannot find it again. Basically your link states it could be overstated by about 40 deaths per day which i work out at 1200 per month × 3 to 4 months. It is an estimate so MOO till they finish the review. I will have another look later as well. Have read so many articles in the last 48 hours.

I thought I had read about a 10% decrease, we’ve probably read the same thing! Hopefully it’ll be at least that amount. Wonder how long it’ll take to sort out.

 

[oviedo]

‘You have blood on your hands:’ Protesters interrupt Florida governor’s coronavirus update in Orlando

A news conference Gov. Ron DeSantis hosted in Orlando Monday afternoon to push for convalescent plasma donations to help COVID-19 patients got off to a rocky start as protesters interrupted just minutes into his remarks.

At first, the governor tried to continue on with his speech but when he realized his words were being drowned out, he paused and gave an uncomfortable smile.

He then laughed as protesters were being escorted out. No arrests were made.

Teachers union files lawsuit over Florida school reopening order

He is not helping FL at all IMO