Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #77

[Bravo]

Nick Cordero, actor who died from COVID-19, to get online memorial tribute

 

[10ofRods]

A parallel wording would be 3 out of 4 adults world wide would get the vaccine, while only 2 out of 3 American adults would. I think it makes the comparison a little clearer. Looking at it another way, 9 out of 12 worldwide, and 8 out of 12 Americans would get the vaccine. So the difference is not as great as it first appears.

And of course, in the US, the region/state where someone lives is crucial. Some states it will be only 1 out of 3 who will get the vaccine, others it will be 8 out of 10.

Speaking of states, the current 2 week average new case numbers for CoVid are highest in these states:

North Dakota
South Dakota
Iowa*
Alabama
Missouri
Tennessee
Oklahoma
Arkansas
Kansas
South Carolina
Kentucky
Illinois
Louisiana
Idaho
Hawaii
Nebraska

*showing some easing

The rest are in a phase of rates climbing.

In Arizona, Florida and Texas, after steep climbs, much stricter policies are now bringing an end to their first (large) waves. These three states did have high peaks though (per capita). It would appear that when CoVid gets bad enough and is really out of control, people do change their minds about mask wearing and social distancing (well, the large majority of them do).

Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count

 

[10ofRods]

This is an excellent article, and actually quite easy to read. I certainly see some good news that there are plenty of existing drugs available that can address excess of the inflammatory molecule bradykinin.

However, I am interested in better understanding what they are discussing about the different pathologies of the Bradykinin vs. cytokines storm.

It does appear to be a significant shift in theories. And I wonder if that will also affect the development of the most appropriate vaccines in the future??????



Since most of the attention was focused on the RAS system and its interaction with modulating the vascular system and inflammation, the other major role of ACE and ACE2 for the regulation of the kinin-kallikrein system was lacking attention.
Kinins and Cytokines in COVID-19: A Comprehensive Pathophysiological Approach - ProQuest

This, another ---big fat rabbit hole/still over my head---article does start to address caution with vaccines in monkeys infected with SARS.
Kallikrein-kinin blockade in patients with COVID-19 to prevent acute respiratory distress syndrome

I don't think it affects vaccine development at all. And understanding the difference between cytokines and bradykines is beyond me - but I do know that cytokines are "toxic chemicals" that spill out of dead cells. When one's immune system attacks one's own cells as a last ditch effort to clear a virus, cells die and the residue can build up in the body and kill a person.

Bradykines are apparently more specific. They are part of the blood-pressure regulating system. Here's something from a pharmaceutical company that sells something to regulate them:

"Bradykinin is released from mast cells during asthma attacks, from gut walls as a gastrointestinal vasodilator, from damaged tissues as a pain signal, and may act as a neurotransmitter. It directly activates afferent neurons via G protein-coupled bradykinin B2 receptors."

IOW, bradykines are released by epithelial cells (the ones targeted by CoVid) and apparently CoVId upregulates (causes over production) of ACE-2 receptors and of bradykines.

Interestingly, they are involve in the neurochemistry of pain, and as the article states, can cause deterioration of blood vessels (hence the clotting problem) but also reduction of the effectiveness of the brain/body barrier.

It's possible that we're seeing neuro and neuropsychiatric symptoms in some of the milder cases - I'd like to think some of the strange behavior we've seen could be related to that (paranoia in particular).

The loss of sense of smell/taste is taking place outside the gray cells of the brain (apparently). Losing sense of smell/taste is not a sign that the brain barrier has been breached, but some of the symptoms in the very ill are caused by insult to the brain.

Also explained by bradykines would be the heart wall thickening as well as the cardiac arrhythmias.

 

[ilovewings]

Goodbye to Lord & Taylor, and the Way We Used to Shop

Another store bites the dust: Lord and Taylor-- always liked Lord and Taylor--- just sad to see these stores go away. (which were more than for just shopping- mom and daughters and friends bonding)---- sad.

 

[tresir2012]

A parallel wording would be 3 out of 4 adults world wide would get the vaccine, while only 2 out of 3 American adults would. I think it makes the comparison a little clearer. Looking at it another way, 9 out of 12 worldwide, and 8 out of 12.....

It's how the articles are worded but yes you are right two thirds of American and three quarters worldwide would get the vaccine. Not a great deal of difference between 66% and 75%.

 

[JudgeJoe]

Goodbye to Lord & Taylor, and the Way We Used to Shop

Another store bites the dust: Lord and Taylor-- always liked Lord and Taylor--- just sad to see these stores go away. (which were more than for just shopping- mom and daughters and friends bonding)---- sad.

True. Hard to get that bonding off eBay or Amazon. Not to mention that retail therapy is really a thing- even with no purchase. Along the same vein, I already miss the samples at Costco & Sam’s Club. And restaurants that have closed. We are going to have to reinvent how we bond, entertain, recreate, etc. in a post-covid world. I think some things are never coming back. Jmo

 

[musicaljoke]

A parallel wording would be 3 out of 4 adults world wide would get the vaccine, while only 2 out of 3 American adults would. I think it makes the comparison a little clearer. Looking at it another way, 9 out of 12 worldwide, and 8 out of 12 Americans would get the vaccine. So the difference is not as great as it first appears.

The stats may change as research about the vaccine's safety and efficacy becomes established. There likely will be incentives to vaccinate, such as mandatory vaccination requirements in certain sectors, and for travel, and likely there will be free vaccinations for a limited time period, after which you will have to pay. If people feel confident about the vaccine, then compliance shouldn't be an issue.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Why ?

"Markson Sparks" is a cheeky name.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Why ?

OT but...

Our famous store Marks and Spencer is sometimes referred to as Marks and Sparks.

So they've played on that it seems

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Oh I see, thanks

Our famous store Marks and Spencer is sometimes referred to as Marks and Sparks.

So they've played on that it seems

 

[tresir2012]

Latest vaccine news.

When will a Covid-19 vaccine be ready in the UK? Latest updates from around the world

" The full results of the Oxford trials, published on July 20, showed that initial trials on 1,077 British adults found that the vaccine induced strong antibody and T-cell responses, which may improve further after a booster jab.

The discovery is promising because separate studies have suggested that antibodies may fade away within months while T-cells can stay in circulation for years.

There were found to be no serious adverse events, and minor side effects could be controlled by paracetamol, two papers in The Lancet reported.

Experts hailed the results as a "really important milestone" which kept alive the hope of a vaccine being rolled out before Christmas.


On August 22, the Chief Medical Officer warned the UK it is unlikely there will be a vaccine before the winter of 2021.

But Alok Sharma, the Business Secretary, has said that the clinical trial at the University of Oxford is progressing well and he said he was “very proud” of how quickly British scientists and researchers had come together in their efforts to develop a vaccine.

Mr Sharma has announced a further £84 million in funding to accelerate the work currently under way at Oxford and Imperial College.

And the eyes of the nation - and perhaps the world - are firmly upon Professor Adrian Hill and his team at Oxford University.

Britain has signed deals for more than 340 million doses of coronavirus vaccine. The latest deal, with the the Belgian pharmaceutical company Janssen and the US biotech company Novavax, is for 90 million doses. The total stockpile means that - if the vaccines all work - there will be enough for every person in Britain to have five doses. Most of the vaccines require two to be effective.

Britain has also signed deals to secure 90 million doses of two possible Covid-19 vaccines from the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech alliance and French group Valneva. That deal is with an option of 40 million more doses if the vaccine was proven to be effective.


How has the search for a vaccine developed?
Britain has signed deals to secure 90 million doses of two possible Covid-19 vaccines from the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech alliance and French group Valneva, the business ministry said on July 20.

It said Britain had secured 30 million doses of the experimental BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine, and a deal in principle for 60 million doses of the Valneva vaccine, with a option of 40 million more doses if it was proven to be safe, effective and suitable.

In May, the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca announced a $1.2 billion deal with the US government to produce 400 million doses of the unproven coronavirus vaccine first produced in Prof Hill's Oxford lab.

On June 13, AstraZeneca signed a contract with European governments to supply up to 400 million doses of the vaccine. Meanwhile, the British Government has agreed to pay for up to 100 million doses, adding that 30 million may be ready for UK citizens by September."

More at link.

 

[24Roses]

Iowa news today: As of 10:00-11:00 a.m. today, we had 750 new confirmed cases for a total of 69,756 confirmed cases of which 49,660 have recovered (+170). 5 more had passed away for a total of 1,165. Sept. 6: 750 new cases, 170 recoveries, and 5 deaths
Iowa COVID-19 Information
Iowa to use $100 million for coronavirus testing
Luther College professor helps develop test to analyze prevention behaviors during pandemic
Local students settling into virtual classrooms as they begin learning from home
UNI among colleges combating COVID amid Iowa’s spike

 

[SouthAussie]

<RSBM>
In Arizona, Florida and Texas, after steep climbs, much stricter policies are now bringing an end to their first (large) waves. These three states did have high peaks though (per capita). It would appear that when CoVid gets bad enough and is really out of control, people do change their minds about mask wearing and social distancing (well, the large majority of them do).

Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count

Yes, it is like that expert said - I posted the link a couple of times way back in the threads - "It is not about whether most people will wear masks, it is about when most people will wear masks". How bad things have to be before that happens.

 

[SouthAussie]

British and Queensland-designed coronavirus vaccines could be available early next year under two deals struck by the federal government at a cost of $1.7 billion.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will on Monday announce a free COVID-19 vaccine would be made available progressively through 2021, should promising trials prove successful.

The Oxford vaccine is slated to be available from early 2021 while the University of Queensland version is on track for midyear.

More than 84.8 million vaccine doses would be manufactured, primarily in Melbourne.

“By securing the production and supply agreements, Australians will be among the first in the world to receive a safe and effective vaccine, should it pass late-stage testing,” Morrison said.

Both agreements will also allow for doses to be provided to Australia’s partner countries in the Pacific and Southeast Asia.

https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/vaccine-deal-gets-further-shot-in-the-arm-c-1296004

 

[SouthAussie]

Here is a quick guide to how the city of Melbourne plans to get out from under the virus and the consequent restrictions, for those who are interested.



https://www.smh.com.au/national/cor...death-toll-stands-at-753-20200907-p55sy5.html

ETA: Good news for them this morning, their new cases dropped below 50 yesterday. Down to 41 new cases.

.

 

[LadyL]

Thank you for sharing this moving account from your friend. She described this difficult situation very well. I went through it with both parents. My mother died first, and my father was able to help make decisions. But I was on my own (no siblings) to make decisions when my father died. Both spent their last weeks receiving hospice care at home.

I can't help feeling that I let both of them down somehow at the end of their long lives (92 and 97). It's hard to explain.

you did the best you could with what you had
hugs

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Australians will be among the first in the world to get the coronavirus vaccine under a $1.7 billion agreement between the Australian Government and pharmaceutical companies.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison today announced vaccines would be made available throughout next year if trials are successful.

Mr Morrison said the vaccines would first need to be proven safe and effective, and meet all necessary regulatory requirements.


Aussies to get free coronavirus vaccine from early next year

 

[Clair Louise]

Australians will be among the first in the world to get the coronavirus vaccine under a $1.7 billion agreement between the Australian Government and I pharmaceutical companies.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison today announced vaccines would be made available throughout next year if trials are successful.

Mr Morrison said the vaccines would first need to be proven safe and effective, and meet all necessary regulatory requirements.


Aussies to get free coronavirus vaccine from early next year

I am not sure if I believe that. Surely all countries would have set these things up.

 

[musicaljoke]

I'm sure many here are wondering if, and how, vaccines will be allocated ethically throughout the world. This article, in the Journal Science, (3 Sept. 2020) gives an excellent run down about the issue.

An ethical framework for global vaccine allocation

The Fair Priority Model is primarily addressed to three groups. One is the COVAX facility—led by Gavi, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)—which intends to purchase vaccines for fair distribution across countries (5). A second group is vaccine producers. Thankfully, many producers have publicly committed to a “broad and equitable” international distribution of vaccine (2). The last group is national governments, some of whom have also publicly committed to a fair distribution (1).

These groups need a clear framework for reconciling competing values, one that they and others will rightly accept as ethical and not just as an assertion of power. The Fair Priority Model specifies what a fair distribution of vaccines entails, giving content to their commitments. Moreover, acceptance of this common ethical framework will reduce duplication and waste, easing efforts at a fair distribution. That, in turn, will enhance producers’ confidence that vaccines will be fairly allocated to benefit people, thereby motivating an increase in vaccine supply for international distribution.

 

[SouthAussie]

I am not sure if I believe that. Surely all countries would have set these things up.

I think it is best to take note that ScoMo said "among" the first. Not the first. It is not a competition when dealing with people's lives. I think we reserve that kind of competitiveness for sporting events.
It also sounds as if we are going to supply Pacific and SE Asian countries.

"Australians will be among the first ..... "

And I believe that will be because we have agreed to produce both of the vaccines that we are interested in. Manufacture them. Not just wait for a supply to land on our doorstep, as I imagine third world countries may need to do.
All we need is the formula and the relevant accompaniments - which we have been busy securing.

We are usually not in the business of being first, more usually in the business of being safe. imo

ScoMo has said over and over that the vaccines must first be proven to be safe and effective.
I also think he wants to keep us settled and reassure us that help is (likely) on its way.