Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #88

[RosalindaA]

Feeling so happy and relieved here in the UK that today we have made a start to ending the fear and loneliness that so many older and vulnerable people have suffered this year. We can see normal life ahead at last, although there is a long way to go and we don't know exactly how effective any of the vaccines will be.
Could they lead to a worse situation than we already have? I think it's extremely unlikely and that is the point of an emergency authorisation at the end of the day. No doubt there will be improvements to be made but the indications are that lives will be saved and that is what matters. So grateful to all the scientists and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Barring any surprise events I think it's unlikely that there will be a significant problem here with vaccine uptake. Most people are excited and desperate to get back to normal life. And on the whole our experience tells us that our health services and officials are competent and there is no huge distrust in them or the government (on health issues at least!). Go UK, Go! (Sorry, I couldn't resist it!)

 

[BUF]

How wonderful that he was able to receive immediate response to his positive Covid test. Glad that he is feeling better, after the best medical care available.

Did he meet some sort of medical, "Triage" criteria for immediate medical action?

Just in contrast, here is an article about a woman, who couldn't even get a Covid test. And her symptoms were so minor, she was turned away...she is dead.

Mother of a teacher who died from COVID-19 also dies from virus weeks later, family says

I remember this very sad story, so sorry for this family. Sadly it seems that there is a wide disproportion of who can get the best care and the best drugs that we have seen over and over.


https://twitter.com/Kevinliptakcnn/status/1336427026576760833

Giuliani says Trump’s doctor talked him into going to hospital with coronavirus. “We can get it over in three days,” he was told before being administered remdesivir and a drug cocktail akin to what Trump took. Ben Carson has also said Trump intervened to get him treatment.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Why bravo? Don't we want cooperation and the best outcome for our citizens? I don't know how picking up one's marbles and running home is going to help anything.

To me, this is the time for a coming together of hearts and minds with the health of our nation at the forefront. JMOO

You may not be following. The vaccine manufacturers have been working together and collaborating. They are adamant and have all signed that they will not be led into the political forum, which they believe this to be (see the last 3 days of pressers with all of the CEO's TOGETHER in the media).

They don't want to be pawns in a White House "presser" that is being set up MOO.

The have gone above and beyond in sharing confidential information etc.... It's not picking up marbles. MOO

Yes, Bravo MOO

 

[SouthAussie]

Feeling so happy and relieved here in the UK that today we have made a start to ending the fear and loneliness that so many older and vulnerable people have suffered this year. We can see normal life ahead at last, although there is a long way to go and we don't know exactly how effective any of the vaccines will be.
Could they lead to a worse situation than we already have? I think it's extremely unlikely and that is the point of an emergency authorisation at the end of the day. No doubt there will be improvements to be made but the indications are that lives will be saved and that is what matters. So grateful to all the scientists and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Barring any surprise events I think it's unlikely that there will be a significant problem here with vaccine uptake. Most people are excited and desperate to get back to normal life. And on the whole our experience tells us that our health services and officials are competent and there is no huge distrust in them or the government (on health issues at least!). Go UK, Go! (Sorry, I couldn't resist it!)

It has been nice to see the elderly UK people so happy about receiving their first vac.

In a couple of months, this should end their isolation.

 

[mickey2942]

I have no problems with waiting for my turn. Whenever that is. I just have gratitude that I have missed Covid, so far...

 

[GRT]

You may not be following. The vaccine manufacturers have been working together and collaborating. They are adamant and have all signed that they will not be led into the political forum, which they believe this to be (see the last 3 days of pressers with all of the CEO's TOGETHER in the media).

They don't want to be pawns in a "presser" that is being set up MOO.

The have gone above and beyond in sharing confidential information etc.... It's not picking up marbles. MOO

I am following that, but I'm thinking more of the welfare of the American people, and acting in conjunction with the government, the CDC, and the Department of Health seems to be in the best interest of our nation. After reading about the EO, I have a strong inkling that the pharmaceutical companies are worried that they'll be forced to sell to Americans first, which might be troublesome for the contracts they signed with other nations.

 

[GRT]

Umm, ummm and this is what, 8 days after the first Pfizer dosages for the US were shouted out to the entire world that they were being shipped from Belgium to the US by American Airlines.

First 'mass air shipment' of Pfizer's Covid vaccine arrives as airlines prepare for more

Sorry folks... this leave a very bad taste in my mouth.

I value the lives of all people around the world equally, but if we can speed up the process to Americans, I'm not opposed to that.

 

[GRT]

Perhaps they don't want to be seen as developing their vaccines 'for the US president'. Nor for his Executive Order. There is a whole big wide world out there - billions of people- that is also waiting for the vaccines.

That would be a political move rather than on in the best interest of the American citizens.

 

[GRT]

Some of those comment-makers sound really extreme. I'd be reluctant to wear a mask around them. I wonder how they'll react when some of us start wearing "I got my vaccine!" buttons.

I thought the same thing. I'm sure some of them are not from NJ, but some appeared to be and I was quite surprised at their hostility.

 

[GRT]

I think we might find that BioNTech are joint owners of the Pfizer vaccine. BioNTech are a German company. They will not be subject to a US Defense Production Act.

It might be different for Moderna.

AstraZeneca/Oxford won't be subject to a US Defense Production Act either.


Pfizer and BioNTech are jointly developing a vaccine for Coronavirus (COVID-19)
https://www.health.gov.au/sites/def...-the-pfizer-biontech-vaccine-for-covid-19.pdf

All plants located on American soil would be subject to the Act, and it would not only shuffle Americans to the front of the lines for those vaccines, it would force pharmaceutical companies to expend more of their resources producing the vaccine. For example, Pfizer has a plant locally but that plant has not been researching the vaccine. The Defense Production Act could force them to put other meds on the back burner in order to push out more of the vaccine.

It's not just the White House that's behind this -- Pelosi has been asking for Trump to order the Act for months now. I don't think the White House will have much resistance except, perhaps, from the pharmaceutical companies themselves.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

I remember this very sad story, so sorry for this family. Sadly it seems that there is a wide disproportion of who can get the best care and the best drugs that we have seen over and over.


https://twitter.com/Kevinliptakcnn/status/1336427026576760833

Giuliani says Trump’s doctor talked him into going to hospital with coronavirus. “We can get it over in three days,” he was told before being administered remdesivir and a drug cocktail akin to what Trump took. Ben Carson has also said Trump intervened to get him treatment.

RIP Harman Cain

 

[SouthAussie]

All plants located on American soil would be subject to the Act, and it would not only shuffle Americans to the front of the lines for those vaccines, it would force pharmaceutical companies to expend more of their resources producing the vaccine. For example, Pfizer has a plant locally but that plant has not been researching the vaccine. The Defense Production Act could force them to put other meds on the back burner in order to push out more of the vaccine.

It's not just the White House that's behind this -- Pelosi has been asking for Trump to order the Act for months now. I don't think the White House will have much resistance except, perhaps, from the pharmaceutical companies themselves.

Maybe they will shift some of their production to other locations around the world. They have many, many manufacturing plants in many countries. (I just looked up Pfizer's manufacturing locations.) There are ways to get around what could be seen as selfish behaviour.

 

[GRT]

Maybe they will shift some of their production to other locations around the world. They have many, many manufacturing plants in many countries. (I just looked up Pfizer's manufacturing locations.) There are ways to get around what could be seen as selfish behaviour.

Big Pharma has committed its share of selfish behavior--like charging Americans a lot more for certain drugs than they charge other nations, and while they might be able to shift some of the production, I doubt they would. Big Pharma in the US is funded as much as 50% of its research costs by the American taxpayers, yet when drugs are produced, we don't get a cut on the price.

 

[SouthAussie]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

The order reportedly does not directly increase vaccine production or lead to additional doses from Pfizer and Moderna (the two drugmakers whose candidates could be approved by regulators in the next two weeks), beyond the 200 million from the two companies already slated for U.S. distribution, which is enough to immunize 100 million people.

Trump Signs Executive Order Prioritizing U.S. For Covid Vaccine — But It’s Unclear Whether It Accomplishes Anything

 

[10ofRods]

The order reportedly does not directly increase vaccine production or lead to additional doses from Pfizer and Moderna (the two drugmakers whose candidates could be approved by regulators in the next two weeks), beyond the 200 million from the two companies already slated for U.S. distribution, which is enough to immunize 100 million people.

Trump Signs Executive Order Prioritizing U.S. For Covid Vaccine — But It’s Unclear Whether It Accomplishes Anything

Sounds about right.

 

[GRT]

The order reportedly does not directly increase vaccine production or lead to additional doses from Pfizer and Moderna (the two drugmakers whose candidates could be approved by regulators in the next two weeks), beyond the 200 million from the two companies already slated for U.S. distribution, which is enough to immunize 100 million people.

Trump Signs Executive Order Prioritizing U.S. For Covid Vaccine — But It’s Unclear Whether It Accomplishes Anything

Well, I certainly don't know what's going to happen, but I know Pelosi and the Democrats have wanted Trump to order the Act for months and if he does, it might force the vaccine companies to ramp up production. I don't know how I feel about it either way.

 

[margarita25]

Pfizer, Moderna officials not attending White House coronavirus vaccine summit

Phizer and Moderna will not attend the vaccine summit- no reasons given-hmmmmm

“Their lack of attendance at the event focused on vaccine distribution is notable, as both Pfizer and Moderna are set to distribute millions of doses by the end of 2020 in the U.S. following FDA clearance.

Trump has also publicly feuded with Pfizer, claiming the company and the FDA purposely withheld vaccine information until after the presidential election — though Pfizer didn’t learn of the interim results until Nov. 8. The FDA was not involved in Pfizer’s decision to announce its early results.“

[...]

“Trump also will sign an executive order to prioritize Americans for coronavirus vaccines procured by the federal government. A second official said the order would restrict the U.S. government from donating doses to other nations until there is excess supply to meet domestic demand.

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss plans for the summit.

Officials from President-elect Joe Biden's transition team were not invited to the vaccine summit, even though they will oversee the continuation of the largest vaccination program in the nation's history once he takes office on Jan. 20.“

 

[LadyL]

The pandemic has led to an enormous spike in pet scams - CNN

 

[margarita25]

rsbm

First 'mass air shipment' of Pfizer's Covid vaccine arrives as airlines prepare for more

“Pfizer didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment. Spokeswoman Kim Bencker has previously said the company won’t ship the vaccine until it wins approval from the FDA for emergency use. Pfizer submitted its application for emergency clearance on Nov. 20, and the FDA is expected to publicly discuss it when the agency’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee next meets Dec. 10. Moderna said it plans to submit its application Monday.“

[...]

“Pfizer’s vaccine will initially be very limited. It’s previously said it can make 50 million doses of its two-dose regimen by the end of the year — enough to immunize 25 million of the nation’s roughly 331 million people. The company plans to ship frozen vials of the vaccine to vaccination points from its sites in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Puurs, Belgium.“

—

In the video at the above link, Dr. Gottlieb says post market data will shed insight on if the vaccine will also affect viral shedding/contagiousness (paraphrasing).

 

[SouthAussie]

President Donald Trump's attorney personal Rudy Giuliani may have infected "hundreds and hundreds" of people, a US doctor has claimed.

Giuliani may have infected 'hundreds' with deadly COVID-19