This frustrates me. Case loads are heading down, but there are a bunch of variants of concern popping up on our shores. This seems like a time when it would be very cost-effective to keep a close eye on caseloads, and watch or for upticks.
I guess the risk is that summertime might notice an increase and who knows, there might be political pressure to reinstate some restrictions. Or be more prescriptive about vaccines.
176,048,700 total cases
3,800,762 dead
159,626,478 recovered
In the US:
34,306,446 total cases
614,738 dead
28,346,324 recovered
Yesterday’s numbers for comparison:
176,422,387 total cases
3,810,952 dead
160,396,300 recovered
In the US:
34,315,873 total cases
614,955 dead
28,381,623 recovered
Yesterday’s numbers for comparison:
Judge dismisses lawsuit and upholds the hospital’s right to require employee vaccinations, noting among other points that state law doesn’t extend job protection in most cases.
176,722,290 total cases
3,819,621 dead
160,767,466 recovered
In the US:
34,321,158 total cases
615,053 dead
28,400,132 recovered
Yesterday’s numbers for comparison:
…
Just eight states — Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Missouri, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Wyoming — have seen their seven-day rolling averages for infection rates rise from two weeks earlier, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. All of them except Hawaii have recorded vaccination rates that are lower than the US average of 43% fully vaccinated, according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The 10 states with the fewest new cases per capita over that time frame all have fully vaccinated rates above the national average.
Medical experts said a host of factors is playing into the drop in case counts across the country, including vaccines, natural immunity from exposure to the virus, warmer weather and people spending less time indoors.
But Dr. Leana Wen, a public health professor at George Washington University, said she is concerned that the natural immunity of those who have been exposed to coronavirus may soon wane. And she’s worried that states with low vaccination rates could become hot spots.
…Ko said it is important that even those exposed to the disease get vaccinated because natural immunity does not last as long as vaccine immunity and the levels of antibodies are lower.
Wen said research strongly suggests that vaccinations provide a benefit to those who already have some antibodies due to infection.
“I think it is a fallacy that many people have that recovery means they no longer need to be vaccinated,” she said.
In a few days we’ll pass the Summer Solstice and days will start getting shorter. I DREAD winter this year… for so many reasons. We could pretty much whup this thing by winter, except for the slackers, non-believers, and skeptics.
Just eight states — Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Missouri, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Wyoming — have seen their seven-day rolling averages for infection rates rise from two weeks earlier, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The last tweet from the Arkansas governor said that only 40% of eligible Arkansans have taken at least one shot (using CDC numbers). (Current data seems to be 32% fully vaccinated.) He even brought up a Razorback game that would have 11,000 fans, and how statistically thousands would be unvaccinated.
In my own home town (and surrounding area), the mass vaccine clinics have stopped, but I don’t know the numbers. I myself got ill (not with COVID) and had to delay my second shot. By the time I got mine, I just went to the hospital, and only saw two other people come in. That said, I have been hearing people on Facebook saying they chose to get their shots at Walmart. Still, that clinic is rather small, being the size of one of those “mini stores” inside of Walmart.
Novivax looks good (not sure what is different than the January announcement above).
It is based on different tech than either mRNA or the J&J vaccine, and can use a regular freezer.
2 doses. They claim to be able to produce 150m doses/month by the end of the year.
Brian
Just thought I’d mention that, although the Pfizer vaccine is still shipped in a special cold shipping container, it can now be stored in a regular freezer for 2 weeks and in a refrigerator for up to a month. These updates were approved by the FDA in February and May.
I think one thing that is different is that this study was based (at least partially) in the US, and the US FDA generally requires that for a new medical thing to be approved in the US.
177,033,919 total cases
3,827,748 dead
161,226,410 recovered
In the US:
34,335,239 total cases
615,232 dead
28,436,981 recovered
Yesterday’s numbers for comparison:
Hawaii is now 55% fully vaccinated. The governor says all restrictions will be removed if we can make it to 70%.
Today all interisland travel restrictions are lifted. Don’t have to take a Covid test or show a vaccination card.
Breaking (broken?) news from the Cleveland Clinic:
I think the above is an example of broken news. Here’s another article with the caveats:
I’ve already heard arguments on other social media: “Well, I’ve tested positive so according to the Cleveland Clinic I don’t have to get the vaccine AND I DON’T HAVE TO WEAR A MASK ANYMORE.”
There isn’t a sigh that is heavy enough.
Yeah, it’s interesting that it says people who have had Covid don’t get “additional benefits” from the vaccine, but what they mean is that it may not matter for immunity purposes. One additional benefit that I’ve heard about, but I haven’t checked to see if studies have backed it up, is that some people with long Covid have reported doing better after getting vaccinated.
That’s one of the things that, according to a podcast I listened to, suggests that there may be more than one cause for long Covid – some people may have residual infection, where they haven’t completely cleared the virus from their systems, and the vaccine helps them do that, and some people may have residual effects from their immune systems going into overdrive, so they are not helped by the vaccine.
Some disappointing news on the treatment (rather than vaccination) front:
A clinical trial looking at an antibody therapy against COVID-19 developed by British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca yielded negative results, the company announced on Tuesday.
AZD7442 — a combination of two different monoclonal antibodies — didn’t achieve a statistically significant reduction in the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 after exposure to the virus, failing the primary study objective.
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177,417,315 total cases
3,838,600 dead
161,865,489 recovered
In the US:
34,352,185 total cases
615,717 dead
28,578,701 recovered
Yesterday’s numbers for comparison:
This is what I’ve been saying, people!
177,813,953 total cases
3,848,876 dead
162,317,440 recovered
In the US:
34,365,985 total cases
616,150 dead
28,616,495 recovered
Yesterday’s numbers for comparison:
178,203,523 total cases
3,857,939 dead
162,710,235 recovered
In the US:
34,377,592 total cases
616,440 dead
28,641,439 recovered
Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: