Coronavirus

[John Parks]

 

[GO-NAD!]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/china-covid-coronavirus-who-visit-1.5862913

"Today, we learned that Chinese officials have not yet finalized the necessary permissions for the team's arrival in China," Tedros said during a news conference in Geneva on Tuesday.

"I'm very disappointed with this news, given that two members had already begun their journeys and others were not able to travel at the last minute, but had been in contact with senior Chinese officials," he said.

The Chinese government has been strictly controlling all research at home into the origins of the virus, an Associated Press investigation found, and state-owned media have played up reports that suggest the virus could have originated elsewhere.

I'm shocked, I tell you. Shocked.

 

[Mr._Clark]

The U.S. is way behind in terms of the number of virus samples being sequenced. Flying blind (or close to blind) seems to be the standard operating procedure here.

This is somewhat redundant to my prior post, but the NYT is running an article today about the lack of sequencing here in the U.S.

>>>U.S. Is Blind to Contagious New Virus Variant, Scientists Warn

With no robust system to identify genetic variations of the coronavirus, experts warn that the United States is woefully ill-equipped to track a dangerous new mutant, leaving health officials blind as they try to combat the grave threat. . . .

The United States has no large-scale, nationwide system for checking coronavirus genomes for new mutations, including the ones carried by the new variant. About 1.4 million people test positive for the virus each week, but researchers are only doing genome sequencing — a method that can definitively spot the new variant — on fewer than 3,000 of those weekly samples. And that work is done by a patchwork of academic, state and commercial laboratories.<<<

U.S. Is Blind to Contagious New Virus Variant, Scientists Warn (Published 2021)

It’s not too late to curb the contagious variant’s spread in the U.S., experts say — but only with a national program for genetic sequencing.

www.nytimes.com

 

[panteragstk]

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2021/01/06/covid-19-likely-to-impact-the-brain-san-antonio-researchers-find/

 

[Mr._Clark]

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2021/01/06/covid-19-likely-to-impact-the-brain-san-antonio-researchers-find/

That seems to be consistent with TLS Guy's post earlier. This does not sound good::

>>>Researchers have also discovered that SARS-CoV-2 can be found in the brain after patients have died and that abnormal brain imaging, sometimes characterized by lesions in different areas of the brain, “has emerged as a major feature of COVID-19 from all parts of the world.”<<<

 

[Mr._Clark]

Initial lab studies suggest that the vaccines are effective against the new strains of the virus:

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine appears effective against mutation in new coronavirus variants -study

Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine appears able to protect against a key mutation in the highly transmissible new variants of the coronavirus discovered in Britain and South Africa, according to a laboratory study conducted by the U.S. drugmaker.

www.reuters.com

 

[Swerd]

Initial lab studies suggest that the vaccines are effective against the new strains of the virus:

Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine appears effective against mutation in new coronavirus variants -study

Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine appears able to protect against a key mutation in the highly transmissible new variants of the coronavirus discovered in Britain and South Africa, according to a laboratory study conducted by the U.S. drugmaker.

www.reuters.com

I suspected and hoped for this, and I'm glad to see it confirmed in the lab.

However the word "neutralizing" raises the question of what methods were used in this study.

The not-yet peer reviewed study by Pfizer and scientists from the University of Texas Medical Branch indicated the vaccine was effective in neutralizing virus with the so-called N501Y mutation of the spike protein.

This study made use of blood samples from people immunized with the Pfizer vaccine, and tested them in the lab against the N501Y strain. Usually the word neutralize means the ability of circulating antibodies to bind to virus particles, causing them to be cleared from circulation. These antibodies are only one result of vaccinations. The other result is the development of killer T-cells that target and kill host cells with the Spike protein on the surface.

It's relatively easy to test for Spike protein-specific circulating antibodies. It's much more time consuming and difficult to test for Spike protein-specific T-cells. Both are important responses to vaccination leading to immunity from future infections.

 

[GO-NAD!]

This is not good news...
Alberta reports Canada's 1st case of coronavirus variant found in South Africa | CBC News

 

[Trell]

Really? WTF is wrong with them.

“Selfish Idiocy:” Infected lawmaker blasts Republicans for bunkering maskless [Updated]

“Several Republicans not only cruelly refused to wear a mask but mocked colleagues.”…

arstechnica.com

"A second lawmaker announced that she has tested positive for COVID-19 days after bunkering with Republican colleagues who “recklessly” and “cruelly” refused to wear a mask amid the attack on the Capitol building. [bold added]​

​

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) revealed her positive test late Monday in a scathing statement, linking her infection to the events of January 6 and blasting her colleagues across the aisle for putting others’ health at risk.​

​

“Too many Republicans have refused to take this pandemic and virus seriously, and in doing so, they endanger everyone around them. Only hours after President Trump incited a deadly assault on our Capitol, our country, and our democracy, many Republicans still refused to take the bare minimum COVID-19 precaution and simply wear a damn mask in a crowded room during a pandemic—creating a superspreader event on top of a domestic terrorist attack,” Jayapal said in the statement.​

​

During the attack, Jayapal is believed to have been in the now-infamous secured room where scores of lawmakers and their staff huddled for safety. Video from the room—where some lawmakers sheltered for hours—showed multiple Republican lawmakers and staff sitting maskless amid the crowd and refusing to put on masks offered by Democractic colleague Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (Del.).​

​

The maskless Republicans included Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Michael Cloud (Texas), Markwayne Mullin (Okla.), and Scott Perry (Pa.). According to other reports, Reps. Mo Brooks (Ala.), Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), and Doug LaMalfa (Calif.) were also not wearing masks for extended periods of time.​

​

On Sunday, the attending physician to Congress, Brian Monahan, sent an alert to lawmakers warning them that they may have been exposed to the pandemic coronavirus while huddled in the room.​

..."​

 

[GO-NAD!]

Really? WTF is wrong with them.

“Selfish Idiocy:” Infected lawmaker blasts Republicans for bunkering maskless [Updated]

“Several Republicans not only cruelly refused to wear a mask but mocked colleagues.”…

arstechnica.com

"A second lawmaker announced that she has tested positive for COVID-19 days after bunkering with Republican colleagues who “recklessly” and “cruelly” refused to wear a mask amid the attack on the Capitol building. [bold added]​

​

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) revealed her positive test late Monday in a scathing statement, linking her infection to the events of January 6 and blasting her colleagues across the aisle for putting others’ health at risk.​

​

“Too many Republicans have refused to take this pandemic and virus seriously, and in doing so, they endanger everyone around them. Only hours after President Trump incited a deadly assault on our Capitol, our country, and our democracy, many Republicans still refused to take the bare minimum COVID-19 precaution and simply wear a damn mask in a crowded room during a pandemic—creating a superspreader event on top of a domestic terrorist attack,” Jayapal said in the statement.​

​

During the attack, Jayapal is believed to have been in the now-infamous secured room where scores of lawmakers and their staff huddled for safety. Video from the room—where some lawmakers sheltered for hours—showed multiple Republican lawmakers and staff sitting maskless amid the crowd and refusing to put on masks offered by Democractic colleague Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (Del.).​

​

The maskless Republicans included Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Michael Cloud (Texas), Markwayne Mullin (Okla.), and Scott Perry (Pa.). According to other reports, Reps. Mo Brooks (Ala.), Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), and Doug LaMalfa (Calif.) were also not wearing masks for extended periods of time.​

​

On Sunday, the attending physician to Congress, Brian Monahan, sent an alert to lawmakers warning them that they may have been exposed to the pandemic coronavirus while huddled in the room.​

..."​

There's nothing wrong with them!

They knew exactly what they were doing - if the insurrectionists found them and burst into the room, the Republicans could just yell out, "It's all the ones in masks that you want! Grab them!"

 

[Trell]

There's nothing wrong with them!

They knew exactly what they were doing - if the insurrectionists found them and burst into the room, the Republicans could just yell out, "It's all the ones in masks that you want! Grab them!"

Man, that's harsh but certainly a very understandable sentiment! A tongue-in-cheek comment?

If this callous attitude, in knowing danger of imminent harm or death, of those Congress Republicans is representative for Republicans at state and local levels, this pandemic will hit the US population even harder.

And there is really something wrong with them to lack any kind of empathy in such a situation. They do actually personally know and interact with other members of Congress, staff and maintenance people. Many of them are in high risk groups for serious complications if infected.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Man, that's harsh but certainly a very understandable sentiment! A tongue-in-cheek comment?

If this callous attitude, in knowing danger of imminent harm or death, of those Congress Republicans is representative for Republicans at state and local levels, this pandemic will hit the US population even harder.

And there is really something wrong with them to lack any kind of empathy in such a situation. They do actually personally know and interact with other members of Congress, staff and maintenance people. Many of them are in high risk groups for serious complications if infected.

It was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. I should have added or .

If after almost a year of pandemic, they still cannot get onboard with masking, they're never going to.

 

[Trell]

It was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. I should have added or .

If after almost a year of pandemic, they still cannot get onboard with masking, they're never going to.

It's just me being a bit dense

For a moment I thought a line had been crossed :tongue-in-cheek:

 

[GO-NAD!]

It's just me being a bit dense

For a moment I thought a line had been crossed :tongue-in-cheek:

That's OK. When I forget how dense I am, I can count on my wife to remind me...

 

[panteragstk]

It's just me being a bit dense

For a moment I thought a line had been crossed :tongue-in-cheek:

Honestly, that's what the people that broke in probably expected. "Here, there's a democrat over here."

I'm not sure a lot of the republicans thought it would actually get to this point. From the back tracking I've seen they sure seemed surprised.

 

[panteragstk]

That's OK. When I forget how dense I am, I can count on my wife to remind me...

Too dense to know you're dense?

I can relate to that...

 

[Trell]

Disappointing Chinese Vaccine Results Pose Setback for Developing World (Published 2021)

Brazil says CoronaVac has an efficacy rate just over 50 percent, much lower than previously announced. More than 380 million doses have already been ordered.

www.nytimes.com

"Scientists in Brazil have downgraded the efficacy of a Chinese coronavirus vaccine that they hailed as a major triumph last week, diminishing hopes for a shot that could be quickly produced and easily distributed to help the developing world.​

​

Officials at the Butantan Institute in São Paulo said on Tuesday that a trial conducted in Brazil showed that the CoronaVac vaccine, manufactured by the Beijing-based company Sinovac, had an efficacy rate just over 50 percent. That rate, slightly above the benchmark that the World Health Organization has said would make a vaccine effective for general use, was far below the 78 percent level announced last week."​

 

[Kvn_Walker]

We're taking a beating at my lab. Boss is out. My coworker who caught it last summer after I did is out because her daughter has it. Another new coworker just tested positive after leaving yesterday with a headache and "not feeling right."

We already had 2 people out on long term... although one wasn't expected to come back anyway. But we're insanely understaffed right now.

If I absolutely had to catch that sh1t, I'm glad I got it last summer when the system wasn't overwhelmed. Hoping like hell I still have some immunity so I can make it a little longer...

 

[TLS Guy]

We have potentially more bad news, and this may be very bad.

There are two new variants N501 and E484 from Brazil. One of these may present a very serious problem. The one that is causing huge concern in the UK is the E484.
This B.1.1.28(E484K) variant is causing a severe new outbreak in Manaus Brazil. Now Brazil has a team from Oxford as a lot of their studies are and have been in Brazil.

These are the concerns. It has caused a major change in the spike protein. It is causing a severe outbreak in the population infected as recently as June.
Manaus, in the Rio district, which was badly hit earlier. This outbreak is thought to have achieved 76% immunity in the population in Manaus.

Now patients are getting infected again with this new strain, and getting severely ill. This second epidemic is worse then the June epidemic. Hospitals are completely overrun and the region is out of oxygen.

There is great concern about this, at the highest levels of government in the UK, and among the scientific community there.

Porton Down have detected the N501 variant in the UK, but not E484K, but are actively searching for it.

They say the two South African variants and the N501 Brazil are similar in effect to the one found first in Sheppey. So that are all more infectious, respond to the vaccines but are much more transmissible. They have extreme concern about E484. There is a very high probability the vaccines will need an edit for this.

We really do need to ramp up our genome sequencing in the US, to at least the level of the UK. We are flying blind, and frankly this is dangerous.

As far as vaccine roll out, it is a disaster in the US and even worse in the EU, especially France, where it is at the level of farce.

However there are problems with manufacture. Astra/Zeneka are having problems with failed batches, slowing output. They are modifying their processes.
Pfizer also report problem and have slowed production while they apparently make changes to their production process.

Obviously this is serious and needs urgent investigation. There is obvious concern that we could return to a far worse state then we have been in previously.
It is this event in Brazil, that has personally been one of my nightmares.

China, is not playing straight with the WHO team and especially UK experts in granting appropriate access. This has been accompanied by a new government led disinformation campaign. They are putting about the risible assertion the virus did not originate in China and that it was imported in buns from abroad.

Opinion is starting to shift in UK circles that this virus may well have been man made by the Chinese. I have always had a suspicion about this. For me there have been too many unique features about it from the beginning. We just need to find the smoking gun, which is a very difficult task. Chinese obstruction may make it impossible. If Chinese obstruction and obfuscation continue, we should declare them 100% responsible and act accordingly and treat them as a hostile adversary.

There is a grass root campaign starting in the UK to avoid purchasing made in China products.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

That's scary as shiiiiit. Sci-fi movie level scary.