CDC Notifies States, Large Cities To Prepare For Vaccine Distribution As Soon As Late October

[Jonfw2]

Fingers crossed, but yesterday was the least new cases reported in the US since November 9th.

 

[dvcgirl67]

Several months ago, Merck’s CEO was on CNBC bashing the leading candidates. He should be investigated.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/merck-scraps-covid-19-vaccine-candidates-11611575103

I remember him being very cautious on the speed of the vaccine rollout for sure. Did he go after individual companies? I always got the impression he was pushing back on the hype from the previous administration. Looking back now, it's odd that he was that negative as he obviously knows the process....and also knew that the FDA was fast-tracking the process to a degree. Maybe he was alarmed because he knew that his company's vaccine was not showing a lot of promise in internal testing.

I know you know this....but whenever we hear from figures from the business world we need to take what they say with an eye to..."what's in it for them". I know you like Scott Gottlieb....I do too, he's a straight shooter. And I know that there is world-wide concern over the new variants. But Gottlieb is talking an awful lot about the U.S. needing to do a lot more genome sequencing....we're flying blind, etc. And that seems to be the truth based on what other countries are dong with respect to genome sequencing. However....Gottlieb sits on a couple of corporate boards....Pfizer, but also Illumina....a leader in the U.S. in.....genome sequencing.

 

[Jonfw2]

I remember him being very cautious on the speed of the vaccine rollout for sure. Did he go after individual companies? I always got the impression he was pushing back on the hype from the previous administration. Looking back now, it's odd that he was that negative as he obviously knows the process....and also knew that the FDA was fast-tracking the process to a degree. Maybe he was alarmed because he knew that his company's vaccine was not showing a lot of promise in internal testing.

I know you know this....but whenever we hear from figures from the business world we need to take what they say with an eye to..."what's in it for them". I know you like Scott Gottlieb....I do too, he's a straight shooter. And I know that there is world-wide concern over the new variants. But Gottlieb is talking an awful lot about the U.S. needing to do a lot more genome sequencing....we're flying blind, etc. And that seems to be the truth based on what other countries are dong with respect to genome sequencing. However....Gottlieb sits on a couple of corporate boards....Pfizer, but also Illumina....a leader in the U.S. in.....genome sequencing.

You're right on all counts...in fact, mid last year, Gottleib said this would all be over by January '21. Yeah...no.

 

[Jonfw2]

Breaking: Moderna's vaccine works against all known developing strains. They also said that it's likely that annual booster shots, with updates for known variants, will become part of their strategy going forward.

 

[anniemae]

Breaking: Moderna's vaccine works against all known developing strains. They also said that it's likely that annual booster shots, with updates for known variants, will become part of their strategy going forward.

what a relief. They keep saying the new variants will cause cases to soar, but so far it seems cases are dropping in many states. I know the UK is having a hard time with the new strains. I wonder why we have not seen that. Or maybe it's coming?

 

[Farro]

Breaking: Moderna's vaccine works against all known developing strains. They also said that it's likely that annual booster shots, with updates for known variants, will become part of their strategy going forward.

This is EXCELLENT news.

 

[Jonfw2]

what a relief. They keep saying the new variants will cause cases to soar, but so far it seems cases are dropping in many states. I know the UK is having a hard time with the new strains. I wonder why we have not seen that. Or maybe it's coming?

UK's numbers are actually plummeting now...even faster than ours.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/

 

[TLSnell1981]

UK's numbers are actually plummeting now...even faster than ours.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/

I haven t gone back to look at the data but have heard this seems to rise/fall in 4-8 week cycles. Doesn't matter what we do.

 

[Jonfw2]

I haven t gone back to look at the data but have heard this seems to rise/fall in 4-8 week cycles. Doesn't matter what we do.

Understood. But this time is different- 3/4 of the UK's over 80 population have now received at least one shot. As well as 3/4 of their nursing home residents.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Understood. But this time is different- 3/4 of the UK's over 80 population have now received at least one shot. As well as 3/4 of their nursing home residents.

Didn't review the article. What is the time frame after complete the vax series?

 

[Jonfw2]

Didn't review the article. What is the time frame after complete the vax series?

I'm not sure I understand your question.

 

[Pyotr]

Breaking: Moderna's vaccine works against all known developing strains. They also said that it's likely that annual booster shots, with updates for known variants, will become part of their strategy going forward.

Great news!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I wanted to chime in since it was discussed regarding EUA and full approval. Pfizer was given full approval in Australia very recently according to a poster from there.

 

[Jonfw2]

Here's a crazy story about this whole insane vaccine rollout:

The Cleveland Clinic- currently ranked the #2 hospital system in America, ahead of Johns Hopkins- is telling ELIGIBLE patients they don't have enough supply to vaccinate them right now.

Giant Eagle- currently a regional grocery store- is still taking appointments to vaccinate.

 

[aggiedog]

Public service announcement from my hospital Covid coordinator - do not get any other vaccination within 2 weeks of your Covid vaccine. No flu shot, no Shingles vaccine (the two main culprits.) You will be turned away and told to come back at a later date.

 

[LuvOrlando]

So without dropping the ball on vaccinations, maybe the variants mean thoughts should refocus on treatment development?
The resistance to current antibodies isn't a deal breaker with the plasma since it is constantly harvested from live donors. As the new variants move into the populations those who survive have the new variant antibodies so the new antibody cocktails will also slide into the plasma. Only caveat is the harvesting must be collected from a diverse enough geographical area, it needs to be from all over the place or there is the risk of picking the wrong area.
We do have Remdesivir but we really do need more bench depth, not everyone can afford a hospital stay for this treatment.
https://www.bio.org/policy/human-health/vaccines-biodefense/coronavirus/pipeline-tracker

 

[TLSnell1981]

I'm not sure I understand your question.

Sorry I'm on the go and running behind this morning. Was the drop after the first vax? If so what was the time frame? Do the believe it is directly related to the vaccinations or the situation enhanced by the poke?

 

[Jonfw2]

Sorry I'm on the go and running behind this morning. Was the drop after the first vax? If so what was the time frame? Do the believe it is directly related to the vaccinations or the situation enhanced by the poke?

I think it's a combination. But they're at 6 million total doses which is 10% of their population- I think it's a small factor now in the drop but will keep the drop happening as that percentage grows.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So the state next to me opted to add in the National Guard for assisting to try and speed up things.

They held the state's first mass vaccinations which was for 2,000. Here's the role the National Guard took: "Thirty guard members took care of the set up, paper work and traffic, which freed up local health professionals to focus on giving out the vaccine."

"National Guard members will hold once weekly mass vaccination clinics in each of the nine Missouri State Highway Patrol districts, starting next Friday. The locations will vary but the National Guard will return to the same location on the third week so participants can get their second dose. Each of the regions across the state will have a mass vaccination team from the National Guard just like this who is supporting their local health departments," said Col. Russell Kohl."

 

[skeeter31]

Breaking: Moderna's vaccine works against all known developing strains. They also said that it's likely that annual booster shots, with updates for known variants, will become part of their strategy going forward.

That’s not exactly how I read the news today. Most of the articles are saying that Moderna is working on a new vaccine to administer as a booster to tackle the developing strains, like the South African strain. And they’re saying that the current vaccine is only semi-effective against the Sough African strain, with an earlier waning of immunity than other strains.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/25/cov...d-booster-shots-for-south-african-strain.html