"Connecting Communities for COVID19 News" 28th Jul 2020
Isolation Tips
Lockdown helped restore happiness, research suggests
The wellbeing inequality gap between wealthy professionals and the unemployed even began to narrow during lockdown, according to a study. Happiness fell as the coronavirus pandemic began – but lockdown helped to restore it, research suggests. The wellbeing inequality gap between wealthy professionals and the unemployed even began to narrow during lockdown, according to the study by Cambridge University’s Bennett Institute for Public Policy. Researchers used a year’s worth of data taken from YouGov Weekly Mood Tracker surveys and Google searches to track wellbeing in the British population before and during the pandemic. They say it is one of the first studies to distinguish the effects of the pandemic from those of lockdown on psychological welfare, as it uses week-by-week data, rather than monthly or annual comparisons.
Hygiene Helpers
Health workers in US coronavirus units NINE TIMES more at risk
For the first study, researchers compared asymptomatic healthcare workers in coronavirus units to those not working with coronavirus patients. About 5.4% of employees in COVID-19 units had positive test results as did 0.6 percent from non-COVID wings. In a second study, a team looked at the amount of microdroplets expelled by someone who breathes and coughs to assess coronavirus risk. Hospital ventilation systems have about 10 air exchanges per hour, which means the concentration plateaus after around 30 minutes. By comparison, a typical office only has about three air exchanges per hour, so the concentration increases for more than one hour
How Long Are You Contagious With Covid-19 Coronavirus? Here’s A CDC Update
You may be able to lose a guy in 10 days, based on the 2003 rom-com movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. That also may be time that it takes for you to “lose” enough of the Covid-19 coronavirus so that you are no longer contagious, based on updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC is now saying that if you have mild-to-moderate Covid-19, keep yourself isolated from other people for at least 10 days after you first noticed symptoms. You can discontinue this isolation after the 10-day mark if you haven’t had a fever for at least 24 hours and your other symptoms have improved. Note that not having a fever because you took a fever-reducing medication like Tylenol doesn’t count. That would be cheating. The fever has to have naturally disappeared. Still having a fever after 10 days means that you may need not only more cowbell but also more isolation.
Expert calls for stricter mask controls to halt coronavirus spread, as Melbourne and Mitchell Shire near halfway point in lockdown
Workplace transmission remains a major concern as Victorian cases rise. Premier says too early to know if lockdown will be lifted in mid-August. More than 500 cases linked to aged care centres
Coronavirus: Germany considers compulsory tests for returning holidaymakers
As Germans return from holiday destinations like Spain and Italy this summer, concerns are growing that they could bring the coronavirus back with them, causing fresh outbreaks in Germany. Unlike the UK, where the government this weekend imposed a two-week quarantine on those returning from Spain, the German government is mulling a different approach — compulsory coronavirus testing in airports for arrivals from high-risk destinations. German health minister Jens Spahn told public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk that the government was currently looking into whether it could legally oblige people to take coronavirus tests, or whether that would encroach on their personal freedoms.
Spain’s Murcia region gets lockdown warning if COVID-19 cases carry on rising
A lockdown return could happen across more towns in the Murcia region if COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise. It rolled back Totana into Phase One restrictions after a spike in cases, with entry in and out of the municipality heavily restricted.
Vietnam to evacuate 80,000 tourists from Da Nang after three residents contract Covid-19
Vietnam is evacuating 80,000 people -- mostly local tourists -- from the popular resort city of Da Nang after three residents tested positive for coronavirus, the government said. Vietnamese authorities are rushing to nip a potential new outbreak in the bud after the Southeast Asian nation recorded its first locally-transmitted case of Covid-19 in 100 days on Saturday. The patient, a 57-year-old man, had no international travel history and had been living in Da Nang for the past month, according to Vietnam's Ministry of Health. Two other cases were reported the following day. After the case was announced, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc demanded that contact tracing be ramped up and large-scale testing conducted across the city, according to a government press release.
Belgium Unveils Plan to Avoid Lockdown, Curfew in Antwerp
Belgium's prime minister has unveiled a set of drastic social distancing measures aimed at avoiding a new general lockdown while local authorities in Antwerp imposed a curfew amid a surge of COVID-19 infections.
Hong Kong imposes restrictions as Covid-19 cases rise across Asia
China, Australia and Hong Kong have all reported rising coronavirus figures and Vietnam has detected its first locally transmitted cases since April, as countries across Asia try to fend off an apparent second wave of infections. Hong Kong banned dining out and capped group gatherings at two on Monday after recording more than 100 new cases for five days running. Authorities in the densely populated city have also closed pools and sports venues and made mask-wearing mandatory in public, urging people to stay home as much as possible in the middle of a sweltering summer. “The next two to three weeks will be critical. We need to prevent the further spread of the disease in the community,” said Hong Kong’s chief secretary, Matthew Cheung Kin-chung. “There is a high risk of a major outbreak in the community.”
Coronavirus Australia: Victoria reports record 532 new cases and six deaths as NSW reports 17 cases
Victoria has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 identified in a 24-hour period in Australia to date with 532 new cases announced by the premier Daniel Andrews on Monday, along with six more deaths of people aged in their 50s to 90s. “We are seeing too many people for whatever reason attending work with symptoms,” Andrews said. “That just cannot continue. Otherwise, these restrictions will be in place for longer than they should be and I’m sorry to say – we’ll see more people die, particularly in aged care. Get tested and get tested quickly and then stay home until you get you get your result.”
Second wave of coronavirus in Asia prompts fresh lockdowns
Nations in Asia imposed new restrictions on Monday, while an abrupt British quarantine on travellers from Spain threw Europe’s summer reopening into disarray, as the world confronted the prospect of a second wave of COVID-19 infections.
Morocco shuts down major cities after spike in coronavirus cases
Morocco will stop people entering and leaving some of its biggest cities from midnight to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases, the interior and health Ministries said on Sunday. The cities to be locked down include the economic powerhouse of Casablanca as well as Tangier, Marrakech, Fez and Meknes. The country eased a nationwide lockdown a month ago, though international flights are still suspended except special flights by national airlines carrying Moroccans or foreign residents.
Coronavirus: European countries tighten controls amid COVID-19 second wave fears
Across Europe, countries are taking measures to avoid being overwhelmed by another wave of COVID-19 infections. The number of coronavirus cases in the UK on Monday passed 300,000 and in Germany, Angela Merkel's Chief of Staff Helge Braun urged Germans to bring the recent daily case numbers of more than 800 daily cases, back down below 500. The coronavirus pandemic “continues to accelerate," with a doubling of cases over the last six weeks, the World Health Organization chief said. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nearly 16 million cases have now been reported to the UN health agency, with more than 640,000 deaths worldwide.
Community Activities
Covid-19 and higher education: how universities in emerging economies are responding to the crisis
Numerous universities in emerging markets have contributed to the fight against the pandemic by producing medical supplies, thereby helping to counteract shortfalls and reduce the dependence on imports. In Morocco, for example, Rabat International University produced tens of thousands of masks to donate to hospitals. Meanwhile, in April a group of engineers from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University announced the development of two “100% Moroccan” devices: an artificial respirator and an infrared thermometer. Similarly, in Vietnam, Hanoi University of Science and Technology created a coronavirus test kit in early February. Following this, the Military Medical University developed a test in collaboration with Viet A, a local tech firm, using funding from the Ministry of Science and Technology. The kit was approved by the World Health Organisation in April and is now being distributed around the world. Another area where higher education institutions are at the forefront of medical R&D efforts is in the development of coronavirus vaccines. While the UK’s University of Oxford has been in the headlines for its work in this field, numerous institutions in emerging markets have also been making progress.
'What about us?' Canada home care workers' lockdown heroics neglected
Personal care workers provided a vital service to their elderly and vulnerable clients, but face precarious terms and low wages
Residents to get new decision-making powers in cycling 'revolution'
Residents will get powers to banish through-traffic from local streets and councils will be prevented from building substandard cycle lanes under what Downing Street has billed as a revolution for cycling and walking in England. The plans will see the creation of a watchdog to ensure new cycle and walking routes are up to standard, intended to act as a transport equivalent of the schools inspectorate, Ofsted. Active Travel England, to be led by a yet-to-be-appointed commissioner for walking and cycling, will refuse to fund paint-only bike lanes – without physical barriers or protection from cars – or routes where cyclists and pedestrians have to share space. It could also cut budgets in other areas for highways departments which fail to deliver on active transport.
A virtual respiratory clinic to support patients with Covid-19 after discharge
Many patients discharged from hospital with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 need ongoing clinical support. A team of respiratory clinical nurse specialists set up a virtual clinic providing telephone support to these patients
COVID-19 gender study gets funding boost
LSE researchers looking at the real-time impact of COVID-19 on women’s health, social and economic welfare are part of a global team which has been awarded a $1.6 million USD grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The team will provide rapid guidance and recommendations to policymakers, and others responsible for responding to the pandemic, by identifying how COVID-19 is affecting women and men differently and gaps in preparedness and response. Dr Clare Wenham, from the Department of Health Policy, and Professor Naila Kabeer, from the Department of International Development and Department of Gender Studies, are working on the project with academics from Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, Hong Kong, Kenya, Nigeria and the USA.
The initial Gender and COVID-19 Project was focused on China, Hong Kong, the UK and Canada with support from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR).
Coronavirus: Muslim women cook free meals for struggling families during Melbourne’s second lockdown
A group of Muslim women has come together to feed Melbourne’s most vulnerable people amid the city’s second Covid-19 lockdown. Lawyers, teachers and healthcare professionals volunteer their time every Friday to cook meals for those struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic. Afshan Mantoo, chairperson of Muslim Women’s Council of Victoria Inc. and head of the volunteer group, said she hoped the programme would help change attitudes about Muslim women’s participation in Australian society.
Working Remotely
Google will keep employees working remotely until July 2021
Google plans to keep 200,000 full-time and contract employees working remotely until at least July 2021, The Wall Street Journal reported. Other tech firms have announced long-term plans to keep employees working from home due to restrictions from the coronavirus pandemic, but Google would be the first to extend remote working into the middle of next year. According to the WSJ, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google parent company Alphabet, made the call last week following a meeting with top company executives. A Google spokesperson told The Verge that Pichai sent an email to employees this morning announcing the plan: “To give employees the ability to plan ahead, we are extending our global voluntary work from home option through June 30, 2021 for roles that don’t need to be in the office.”
Siemens Says That 140,000 Of Its Employees Can Work From Anywhere
German-based Siemens, the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe, announced that its employees may work from wherever they want for two or three days a week. The company’s decision is yet another strong endorsement of the work-from-home and work-remotely-anywhere movement. Siemens has around 385,000 employees in more than 200 countries. The work-anywhere— several days a week—decision was due to a global staff survey, in which employees desired greater flexibility in their approach to work.
Upsides for Some Remote Workers; Lost Pay and Security for Others
Working from home creates economic winners and losers. It can benefit highly skilled employees but depress others’ wages and make it hard to organize.
Remote work travel: These 4 countries accept Americans for remote-work trips
The pandemic has proved challenging for digital nomads, people who travel the world working remotely. With countries closing their borders and air travel heavily restricted, working abroad has become extremely difficult if not totally impossible for Americans. And as some destinations begin to allow foreign visitors, travelers from the United States may still be banned because of the America’s escalating number of coronavirus cases. But there are exceptions. While the State Department and health officials still recommend Americans avoid all international travel, some countries are welcoming working travelers, including Americans, back again despite the pandemic’s continuing spread.
Virtual Classrooms
Guatemala teacher pedals classroom to students during coronavirus pandemic
Each day, the 27-year-old pedals among the cornfields of Santa Cruz del Quiché to give individual instruction to his sixth-grade students. On a recent day, 12-year-old Paola Ximena Conoz wiped her glasses as she waited for Ixcoy to set up just outside the door to her home. They greeted each other warmly — though without contact. Ixcoy deployed the mop that measures the distance between him and his students. Standing behind the plexiglass window of his tricycle, he produced a pizza box. The day’s lesson: fractions. Ixcoy is known universally as “Lalito 10,” a childhood nickname that stuck. He tries to visit each of his students twice a week.
Education & COVID-19: New Jersey still prioritizing in-person learning as abnormal school year nears
New Jersey officials are urging school districts to prioritize in-person instruction this fall, a push that falls in line with updated recommendations issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Virtual learning ideally should compliment classroom learning, Gov. Phil Murphy stressed Monday. Still, he acknowledged the school year will be abnormal due to protocols designed to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
Cecil County Schools Will Begin Fall Semester Online; Some Small Groups Of Students Will Get Face-To-Face Learning
Most public school students in Cecil County will begin the 2020-2021 school year virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cecil County Public Schools announced on Monday they will begin a “virtual classroom model” for students on September 1. Small groups of students “based on the needs of children” will be able to take part in face-to-face instruction beginning the following week.
Public Policies
Coronavirus 'most severe health emergency' WHO has faced
Covid-19 is easily the most severe global health emergency ever declared by the World Health Organization (WHO), its leader has said. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he would reconvene the WHO's emergency committee this week for a review. There have been five other global health emergencies: Ebola (two outbreaks), Zika, polio and swine flu. More than 16m cases of Covid-19 have been reported since January, and more than 650,000 deaths. "When I declared a public health emergency of international concern on 30 January... there were less than 100 cases outside of China, and no deaths," Dr Tedros said. "Covid-19 has changed our world. It has brought people, communities and nations together, and driven them apart.
Johnson warns UK business to prepare for second wave
The prime minister told more than a dozen organisations on a conference call that the pandemic could worsen again after the summer. But he sought to reassure executives it would not be as bad as the first outbreak and stressed the government would seek to avoid a second national lockdown, according to several participants. One person noted that the prime minister also expressed a hope that the country would return to normal by spring next year, adding: “He was clear that there will be more to come this year.”
Earlier lockdown 'would likely have saved' bus drivers
An earlier lockdown would "likely have saved" the lives of London bus drivers who died with coronavirus, according to a study. University College London (UCL) was asked by Transport for London (TfL) to investigate the high death rate of London bus workers. Thirty-four London bus workers died with Covid-19, including 29 drivers - 3.5 times the rate of other roles. An earlier lockdown "would likely have saved more lives," the report found. Professor Sir Michael Marmot, who led the study, said: "Our review explicitly suggests that lockdown was the main factor that saved bus drivers' lives. "Because London was an early centre of the pandemic, it is likely that the increased risk among London bus drivers is associated with exposure."
Antibody testing in England slumps as 'game-changer' scheme founders
Antibody testing, which reveals whether someone has had coronavirus, was to be a “total game changer” in England’s efforts to tackle the pandemic, prime minister Boris Johnson declared in March. But although 10m tests were ordered from pharmaceutical companies Roche and Abbott in May, only 1.3m have so far been carried out — almost entirely among NHS and care home staff. Meanwhile, the government has indicated it has frozen its plans to roll out the programme to the general public. The scheme has foundered amid confusion over who is eligible for free testing and a debate around whether antibodies confer immunity from further coronavirus infection. This has led to concern among manufacturers, who have been developing tests at breakneck speed in anticipation of a wider rollout.
Coronavirus cases rising in every global region as Catalonia orders partial lockdown measures
Dozens of countries, including the US, Spain and Australia, have reported record single-day increases in coronavirus infections over the past week, as data shows the pandemic is rising in every region of the world. In Spain, Catalonia has ordered the closure of nightclubs and late-night bars as fears grow of a second wave, with a new daily record figure likely to deter tourists from visiting one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations. The US remains officially the worst hit, according to the data, having this week passed more than 4 million cases in total and recording more than 1,000 deaths from the virus for the fourth straight day.
Americans Back Tough Lockdown Restrictions as Trump Admin Pushes to Reopen
A majority of Americans favor strong lockdown restrictions as President Donald Trump is pushing for the economy and schools to be reopened amid a spike in coronavirus cases, new polling data shows. The latest AP-NORC survey found that more than half of U.S. adults wanted people to be required to stay in their homes if they weren't running essential errands, and a similar number backed the forced closure of restaurants and bars. A requirement to wear face masks when outside was also backed by a large number of U.S. adults polled as U.S. coronavirus cases topped the 4 million mark..
Review finds people from BAME backgrounds more likely to get Covid-19 fines than white people
An independent review has found men from black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) backgrounds were more likely to be handed fines for breaches of Covid-19 lockdown rules compared to white men of the same age. The review, conducted by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), found there was “disproportionality” in the issuing of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) by forces in England and Wales. It found people people from BAME backgrounds were handed fines at a rate of 1.6 times higher than white people between March 27 and May 25, with black and Asian people 1.8 times more likely to be handed penalties.
Maintaining Services
Is Primary Care Locking In The Digital Gains Of Covid-19?
When the country moved to Alert level four in late March, GPs were asked to do a virtual consult with every patient before seeing any in person. This dramatic shift to using telehealth saw some practices conduct almost all of their consultations over the phone or via video during lockdown. By early June, half of practices had returned to seeing the majority of patients in person, but by the end of the month that had risen to 90 percent. The figures are the results of a series of national surveys conducted by Auckland University asking general practices about their experience with Covid-19 and its aftermath, attracting between 150-170 respondents each time. But despite some practices returning to ‘business as usual’ post-lockdown, there are encouraging signs that some of the digital gains will become permanent.
Austrian Resort Town Reports Sudden COVID-19 Surge
Austria's tourism industry received a blow after 53 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed since last week in the popular resort town of St. Wolfgang. The lakeside resort shortened bar opening hours after a coronavirus outbreak was detected on Friday. The local tourism office said at least 50 of those new cases were seasonal workers from abroad in the hospitality industry. In an interview Monday, Health Minister Christine Haberlander said more than 1,000 additional COVID-19 tests were conducted by the Austrian authorities in St. Wolfgang. The provincial government said guests who stayed in town from July 15 will be informed about the outbreak. Tourism officials say news of the outbreak already caused many to cancel hotel reservations over the weekend. Two of the hotels there have closed. Many of the town's businesses reportedly are worried that visitors will stay away for the rest of the season.
Site in Avonmouth that's making parts for Hinkley Point is shut down after outbeak of Covid-19 | ITV News
A manufacturing site in Avonmouth where staff are making parts for the new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C has been shut down after an outbreak of Covid-19. Twenty two staff of the 90 working at the Balfour Beatty site have contracted Coronavirus - leading to the closure of the site until further notice. A deep clean of the site was carried out over the weekend - and NHS test and trace staff were alerted. Balfour Beatty confirmed this evening (July 27) there has been no impact on the construction site at Hinkley Point C. A spokesperson said: "Having engaged with Public Health England and Bristol City Council we have now taken the responsible decision to close the facility until further notice to reduce the potential further spread of Covid-19.
Coronavirus: 21 people test positive for COVID-19 in Shropshire caravan park
Testing has confirmed a COVID-19 outbreak at a caravan park in Shropshire with 21 new cases. The individuals were asked to self-isolate for at least seven days from the time they started displaying coronavirus symptoms or from when they received their positive result. However, the council fears the number of cases at the site will continue to rise before infection control measures start to take effect. All residents at the caravan park, which is in the town of Craven Arms, will be asked to self-isolate with their household for 14 days if they have come into contact with one of the positive cases.
Bolivian prisons erupt into riots over lack of health care after coronavirus deaths
The death of an inmate suspected of having the coronavirus has prompted rioting in four of the most populated prisons in Bolivia's Cochabamba region over access to medical care. Local media showed images of inmates climbing to the roof of San Sebastian prison on Monday (local time), calling for medicine and access to doctors. Some waved black and Bolivian flags, a cardboard coffin, and banners demanding medical staff, COVID-19 tests and flexible hearings. A prisoner said over a loud speaker they wanted medical teams. "We know there are three deaths [among us], and other people deceased in the police," he said.
Huge queues at UK airport as travellers returning from Spain complain holiday plans were ruined by 'knee-jerk' quarantine rules
Travellers returning from holidays in Spain vented their frustration today, complaining their plans had been "ruined" by the Government's new quarantine rules. As of midnight on Saturday, holidaymakers were told they must self-isolate for 14 days upon their return to the UK from Spain after the European country recorded a surge in coronavirus cases. Initially the the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advised only against "all non-essential" travel to mainland Spain, but this advice was updated to include the Balearic and Canary Islands on Monday evening.
Coronavirus lockdown saves Shropshire Council £200000 in travel costs
More than £200,000 has been saved in travel costs for council staff throughout the pandemic, as the authority says its transition to a virtual work force "was achieved with minimal disruption". Prior to the crisis the usual daily ‘working remotely’ figure was in the region of 500 to 600 people. Figures included in a report to be considered by the council's audit committee on Friday also show some significant savings in the costs for staffing throughout the pandemic. Mileage claims were down 49 per cent from April to June – with costs reducing from £339,952 for the same period in 2019 to £172,071.
Coronavirus doctor's diary: Will vaccine sceptics make trials a headache?
It will soon be critical for the NHS to start vaccinating people against flu, to prevent hospitals being swamped with flu and Covid-19 patients this winter. Large-scale trials of Covid-19 vaccines, already under way in some places, are likely to start in Bradford in the autumn. It's therefore worrying, says Dr John Wright of the city's Royal Infirmary, that anti-vax conspiracy theories seem to have flourished in this pandemic.
Advice for pet owners confirmed or suspected of having Covid-19 | ITV News
BVA has issued the following advice for pet owners confirmed or suspected to have Covid-19: Restrict contact with pets as a precautionary measure - If your pet requires care, wash your hands before and after any interaction with them and wear a face mask if possible - Keep cats indoors if possible, and only if they are happy to be indoors. Try to arrange for someone else to exercise dogs, taking care to restrict any contact with the person walking your dog and making sure they practise good hand hygiene. This is to reduce the likelihood of your pet spreading the disease through environmental contamination on their fur – there is no evidence that pet animals can pass Covid-19 to humans - If your pet shows clinical signs, please do not take it to the vet but call the practice for advice first and alert them to the household’s status
Slowly, Italy Is Waking From the Coronavirus Nightmare
This is a very strange, subdued summer for a country with an economy that relies heavily on tourism and merrymaking. But EU. aid is on the way.
Healthcare Innovations
Llama antibodies could help treat COVID-19
Llamas could be the answer to treating severe bouts of COVID-19, researchers have said. A collaborative team from the Rosalind Franklin Institute, Oxford University, Diamond Light Source and Public Health England say antibodies from the animals have shown to neutralise coronavirus in lab tests. Their findings were based on nanobodies which prevent COVID-19 from entering human cells because it binds so tightly to the spike protein of the virus. The nanobodies are engineered from naturally produced antibodies found in llamas, camels and alpacas.
Pfizer-BioNTech begin late-stage study of lead COVID-19 vaccine candidate
German biotech BioNTech and U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc said on Monday they would begin a pivotal global study to evaluate their lead COVID-19 vaccine candidate. If the study is successful, the companies could submit the vaccine for regulatory approval as early as October, putting them on track to supply up to 100 million doses by the end of 2020 and 1.3 billion by the end of 2021. Patients are each given two doses of the drugmakers’ vaccine to help boost immunity, so the first 100 million doses would vaccinate around 50 million people. The study is expected to include about 120 sites globally and could include up to 30,000 participants. It will include regions heavily impacted by COVID-19. “The initiation of the Phase 2/3 trial is a major step forward in our progress toward providing a potential vaccine to help fight the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said Kathrin Jansen, head of vaccine research and development at Pfizer.
Two coronavirus vaccines begin the last phase of testing: 30,000-person trials
The vaccines are being developed by Pfizer and biotechnology company Moderna in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health
Moderna begins first late-stage US trial of Covid vaccine
Moderna has given the first doses of its experimental Covid-19 vaccine to participants in what will be a 30,000-person trial, as the US moved into a new phase in the race to develop a vaccine by the start of next year. The Boston-based biotech on Monday said it had begun the first phase-three study of a vaccine in the US, a large-scale trial that is usually the last before a new product is submitted for regulatory approval. The company’s shares were up as much as 10.6 per cent before paring some of their gains.
Covid-19 vaccines may cause mild side effects, experts say, stressing need for education, not alarm
While the world awaits the results of large clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccines, experts say the data so far suggest one important possibility: The vaccines may carry a bit of a kick. In vaccine parlance, they appear to be “reactogenic,” meaning they have induced short-term discomfort in a percentage of the people who have received them in clinical trials. This kind of discomfort includes headache, sore arms, fatigue, chills, and fever. As long as the side effects of eventual Covid-19 vaccines are transient and not severe, these would not be sources of alarm — in fact, they may be signals of an immune system lurching into gear. It’s a simple fact that some vaccines are more unpleasant to take than others. Think about the pain of a tetanus shot, for instance.
Indonesia Steps Up in COVID-19 Vaccine Race
Indonesia is set to move into the front ranks of countries pursuing a vaccine against the coronavirus next week with the launch of phase 3 clinical trials in Bandung, West Java. About 2,400 samples of an experimental vaccine have been shipped from China to Bandung for the trial, which will begin August 3. The vaccine, developed by the Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech, is one of only five out of 166 candidates to have reached such an advanced stage of testing. An American entrant in the race for a vaccine, developed by Moderna, entered phase 3 trials in the United States on Monday. Phase 3 testing involves giving a vaccine to thousands of volunteers to see how many become infected, compared with others who are given a placebo. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi announced the Bandung plan in a virtual press conference last week, saying the project is directed in Indonesia by the state-owned pharmaceutical holding company Bio Farma.
Enrollment in Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine trial to complete by end of summer: Fauci
The top U.S. infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony Fauci said on Monday enrollment in Moderna Inc’s late-stage COVID-19 vaccine trial is expected to be finished by the end of summer this year. Data readouts from the trial, which enrolled the first of 30,000 trial participants on Monday, could occur by November or even earlier, Fauci said in a media call discussing the late-stage study.
