Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #88

[MimosaMornings]

Every American will be able to get a coronavirus vaccine by the second quarter of 2021, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in an interview for "Axios on HBO."

Why it matters: As cases, hospitalizations and deaths keep climbing higher, a vaccine seems to be the only chance the U.S. will have to arrest this pandemic.

"My expectation is that next year we return to normalcy in our lives thanks to the incredible work of Operation Warp Speed and these vaccines, as well as the therapeutics," Azar told Axios' Mike Allen.

Reality check: A lot will have to go right in order to meet Azar's 2021 timeline, but it's not outside the realm of what experts see as realistic in a best-case scenario.

Azar: Every American should be able to get a coronavirus vaccine by mid-2021

Also, Everyone gets a Pony!!

You Get A Pony! And You Get A Pony. EVERYBODY GETS A PONY!

“Azar said it's "my hope" that football stadiums will be packed next fall.”

I’d worry more about trying to keep people from starving because if they can’t afford food- they sure as heck can’t afford a pro football game ticket.

I figure it will be at least June possible July for us to get the vaccine. Which is going to suck because I heard it’s going to be added to the list of vaccinations required for those of us in project contract work.

 

[CrimeAway]

I'm already seeing more homelessness in my town.

 

[Colorado303]

White House vaccine chief praises Biden's plan to ask Americans to wear masks for first 100 days - CNNPolitics

BBM:

“Vaccine distribution
Slaoui said Sunday that he expects the US Food and Drug Administration to issue emergency use authorization of the vaccine manufactured by Pfizer after a meeting of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee on Thursday. The FDA has said it is considering EUA, not full approval -- a process that would take months -- for coronavirus vaccines.
"I expect them to recommend approval, based on the data I'm aware of. And I saw the vaccine is highly effective, the vaccine is safe, its safety profile is comparable to that of many other vaccines that have been in use for years," he said.
"Overall, I really hope they do it quickly, and that the vaccine will be available to our population starting later this week," Slaoui added.
While Slaoui used the word approval, what the FDA is considering falls short of full approval. The FDA has said it will require close to full approval standard for a coronavirus vaccine, but will use the quicker emergency use authorization route while the companies pull together all of the information needed for the full approval process, known as a Biologics License Application or BLA.
The agency will meet with the advisory committee again next week to review a vaccine application submitted by Moderna.“

It’s really sad the White House Vaccine Chief can’t get the guy currently in the White House to do the same thing right now. How many people are going to die between now and Inauguration Day?

 

[dmac55]

The lame duck president, Congress, Senate, better get something together, soon. The current unemployment extension, last payment is 122620.

It would be impossibly tone deaf if those folks all go home for the holidays without any sort of new plan in place.

I can't like this enough
And help for small businesses also, as things shut down again

Find Your Representative | house.gov
Find Your Representative | house.gov

U.S. Senate: Senators of the 116th Congress
U.S. Senate: Senators of the 116th Congress

 

[Colorado303]

Even though the New York Times is usually behind a paywall, it's letting me read/see this article
There is a basic vaccine calculator within the article

Opinion | When Can I Get a Coronavirus Vaccine in America? - The New York Times
Opinion | Find Your Place in the Vaccine Line

This is a more in-depth calculator:
Vaccine Allocation Planner
Vaccine Allocation Planner

Kudos to the NYT for lifting their paywall for key COVID articles. I wish all major “newspapers” would do this.

 

[SouthAussie]

1 million new covid cases in just 5 days in the US. Hard to wrap my head around that staggering figure.

Source: Ch7 morning TV news

 

[GRT]

Every American will be able to get a coronavirus vaccine by the second quarter of 2021, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in an interview for "Axios on HBO."

Why it matters: As cases, hospitalizations and deaths keep climbing higher, a vaccine seems to be the only chance the U.S. will have to arrest this pandemic.

"My expectation is that next year we return to normalcy in our lives thanks to the incredible work of Operation Warp Speed and these vaccines, as well as the therapeutics," Azar told Axios' Mike Allen.

Reality check: A lot will have to go right in order to meet Azar's 2021 timeline, but it's not outside the realm of what experts see as realistic in a best-case scenario.

Azar: Every American should be able to get a coronavirus vaccine by mid-2021

Also, Everyone gets a Pony!!

You Get A Pony! And You Get A Pony. EVERYBODY GETS A PONY!

I'm not sure why that sounds not-doable to you. Fauci predicted all Americans would have the vaccine available perhaps even as soon as April, which is two months ahead of mid-2021.

I'm not a big Fauci fan but he probably can estimate a timeline, given this is his expertise.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the leading government expert in infectious diseases for the past four decades, gave his estimate of when a vaccine will be available to all Americans: “We’re talking probably by April.” The veteran immunologist said frontline workers, those with pre-existing conditions, and vulnerable members of the population will be first in line.

‘Help is coming — and it’s coming soon’: Dr. Fauci outlines when COVID-19 vaccine will be available to all Americans

 

[GRT]

The lame duck president, Congress, Senate, better get something together, soon. The current unemployment extension, last payment is 122620.

It would be impossibly tone deaf if those folks all go home for the holidays without any sort of new plan in place.

I agree. Not passing some type of stimulus virtually guarantees that people will be out and about. I saw a report about bar on Staten Island that opened against the rules and the owner said he had to feed his family. He said it didn't seem fair that Costco, which was just down the street, was packed with people shopping for Christmas presents, yet he was expected to stay closed. It seems like the little business owners got hurt the worst, while no one seems to care if crowds pack Lowes, Hobby Lobby, etc.

 

[SouthAussie]

Sorry Alex, IMO you lost credibility with me with this statement:

• He also rejected the premise that the Trump administration's coronavirus response has been a debacle.
• "We've saved hundreds of thousands, if not millions of lives," he said, citing the administration's early actions, which have since largely been lifted as cases soared and deaths have continued to climb.
• The U.S. death count is now over 280,000. Azar: Every American should be able to get a coronavirus vaccine by mid-2021

I remember listening to the one and only presser that Pence did a few weeks ago, and that (bolded) statement is exactly what he said as well. Pence also said that the American people "know what to do" (without stating what it is they should do). Evidently, with cases and deaths soaring that too is incorrect.

 

[mickey2942]

I agree. Not passing some type of stimulus virtually guarantees that people will be out and about. I saw a report about bar on Staten Island that opened against the rules and the owner said he had to feed his family. He said it didn't seem fair that Costco, which was just down the street, was packed with people shopping for Christmas presents, yet he was expected to stay closed. It seems like the little business owners got hurt the worst, while no one seems to care if crowds pack Lowes, Hobby Lobby, etc.

And, I just found out this nice little tidbit...federal government offices will shutdown without a budget. Merry Christmas, go file for unemployment. This won't affect VA employees, or other agencies that are not based on budget funding. But everyone else...

What’s left on the end-of-year to-do list? Just about everything! | Federal News Network

 

[SoCalDavidS]

I'm not sure why that sounds not-doable to you. Fauci predicted all Americans would have the vaccine available perhaps even as soon as April, which is two months ahead of mid-2021.

I'm not a big Fauci fan but he probably can estimate a timeline, given this is his expertise.

Dr. Fauci is exceptional, but there is No Way that "All" Americans will have access to the vaccine by April. Pfizer already cut back their promised December distribution figure, and it's simply not going to be possible for the vaccine to be available to 300+ Million within the next 4 1/2 Months.

My prediction would be that's it's October before enough Americans have received Both Doses, so that herd immunity has been achieved. Sure, it's great to aspire to reaching that goal by April/May, but that's assuming an absolutely perfect scenario, and we all know that these things never go perfectly.

It's going to be a little while longer before we finish "Rounding The Corner" that we started rounding last April.

 

[MimosaMornings]

I agree. Not passing some type of stimulus virtually guarantees that people will be out and about. I saw a report about bar on Staten Island that opened against the rules and the owner said he had to feed his family. He said it didn't seem fair that Costco, which was just down the street, was packed with people shopping for Christmas presents, yet he was expected to stay closed. It seems like the little business owners got hurt the worst, while no one seems to care if crowds pack Lowes, Hobby Lobby, etc.

Has your Lowe’s and Home Depot been packed? I have family members at both and they say most customers come in, get what they want and don’t linger. Not crowded at all in the big retail stores with large aisles and space between customers. No one chitchatting and huddled up in groups talking.
The little bars/restaurants can’t space people out like big retail stores and require customers keep their masks on the entire time. They need help to survive until the end of next year.

 

[sds71]

Trump admin officials passed when Pfizer offered in late summer to sell the U.S. government additional doses of its vaccine. Now Pfizer may not be able provide more of its vaccine to the US until next June because of its commitments to other countries.
Covid-19 Live Updates: Trump Officials Passed When Pfizer Offered to Sell More Vaccine Doses in Late Summer

 

[ilovewings]

Despite the politicizing of everything resulting in Congressional games and gridlock, I had faith the two parties would unite if faced with a true national crisis. Boy was I wrong. If faced w/an space alien invasion, one party would probably side with the aliens while citizens split between:
— supporting the aliens
— attacking the aliens
— dismissing the invasion as false news
— unaware there’s any alien issue at all

i would never have believed a president and an entire congressional
party would not care that a pandemic was decimating the citizens of
our country--that partisan politics woukd take precedence over the
health of the people

 

[gngr~snap]

Has your Lowe’s and Home Depot been packed? I have family members at both and they say most customers come in, get what they want and don’t linger. Not crowded at all in the big retail stores with large aisles and space between customers. No one chitchatting and huddled up in groups talking.
The little bars/restaurants can’t space people out like big retail stores and require customers keep their masks on the entire time. They need help to survive until the end of next year.

My husband went to the mall closest to us (in North Georgia) last week for an eye appointment. He said he didn't see over 5 people who we "in the mall" or the stores. Just employees standing around with nothing to do.
MOO

 

[SouthAussie]

The Thanksgiving surge could begin to show itself in the coming week, Fauci said, because it generally takes about two and a half weeks from the time of the event until a surge in new positive test cases and potential hospitalizations.

US Coronavirus: Dr. Fauci says the full brunt of Thanksgiving on Covid-19 data isn't here yet - CNN

 

[SouthAussie]

A month ago, the pictures on both sides of the Atlantic seemed similarly grim. The numbers of coronavirus-related infections and hospitalizations were spiking in U.S. states and European countries.

As we enter the second week of December, Europe appears to be rounding the corner. The seven-day average of newly confirmed cases is trending downward after countries imposed lockdowns or other social-distancing mandates, including closing bars and restaurants.



https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/12/07/europe-coronavirus-united-states/

 

[LadyL]

Headlines Don’t Capture the Horror We Saw

 

[Only4Justice]

Thanks for posting this great info: I am way down the line even though I am in the elderly population

It looks like I am in group 1c - not that I have decided yet what I want to do. I will need to do alot of research before I get the vaccine (or if I get really sick I guess)

The current plan for where I am-
(I think it's a best case scenario if everything goes smoothly)

Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ outlined the first phase of distribution.

Phase 1A: frontline medical workers, long-term care patients, and staff.

Phase 1B: adults with high-risk medical conditions living in shelters, education and childcare providers, those with protective services, and essential workers.

Phase 1C: adults with underlying medical conditions, those 65 and older, and adults in congregate settings.

Dr. Christ hopes to have Phase 1A completed by the end of the year. She hopes to start Phase 1B, like vaccinating teachers, at the beginning of January.

She hopes in March or April we will be vaccinating the general population.

State gives update on Arizona’s vaccine distribution plan
State gives update on Arizona’s vaccine distribution plan

 

[HongKongPhooey]

A month ago, the pictures on both sides of the Atlantic seemed similarly grim. The numbers of coronavirus-related infections and hospitalizations were spiking in U.S. states and European countries.

As we enter the second week of December, Europe appears to be rounding the corner. The seven-day average of newly confirmed cases is trending downward after countries imposed lockdowns or other social-distancing mandates, including closing bars and restaurants.

View attachment 274815

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/12/07/europe-coronavirus-united-states/

It doesnt *feel* like we have the second wave under control here. People are shopping like crazy, students are returning home (although offered lateral flow tests) and pubs in tier 2, who can only serve customers eating a substantial meal, are allowed to consider a sausage roll as such. Schools are closed all over my local area due to positive tests, or not enough teachers.

My elderly aunt who only yesterday was having oxygen for Covid, has been discharged today and told to call 999 if she gets worse. She will have carers and nurses, who will then visit other patients. She went in with a broken ankle last Saturday, sent home with Covid.

In my family in the last month, a nephew and cousin have tested positive (different areas) as well as my aunt. And we are in "lower" risk areas.

Sorry for the negativity, but I'm dreading to think what January will bring (and worried about my aunt).