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Covid News Watch

Jul 21, 2021

Fauci, Paul Clash on Virus Origins, Trade Charges of Lying + More

Fauci, Paul Clash on Virus Origins, Trade Charges of Lying

Associated Press reported:

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, angrily confronted Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul on Tuesday in testimony on Capitol Hill, rejecting Paul’s insinuation that the U.S. helped fund research at a Chinese lab that could have sparked the COVID-19 outbreak.

Paul suggested that Fauci had lied before Congress when in May he denied that the National Institutes of Health funded so-called “gain of function” research — the practice of enhancing a virus in a lab to study its potential impact in the real world — at a Wuhan virology lab. U.S. intelligence agencies are currently exploring theories that an accidental leak from that lab could have led to the global pandemic.

Scientist Sounds Alarm: COVID Vaccines Producing Symptoms of Parkinson’s, Other Neurodegenerative Disorders

The Defender reported:

As cases pile up (445 as of July 9) of the reportedly “rare” neurological disorder Guillain-Barré syndrome in people who received a COVID vaccine — forcing the sluggish U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to add a warning label to the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) shot — scientists are issuing urgent warnings about a possible tsunami of other types of neurological injuries.

Immunologist J. Bart Classen, one-time National Institutes of Health (NIH) contract scientist and proprietor of Classen Immunotherapies, a Maryland biotechnology firm, published a paper in February outlining the potential for messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID vaccines to trigger development of prion diseases as well as other chronic diseases.

Do the Vaccinated Become a Breeding Ground for COVID Mutations?

Dr. Mercola reported:

Will COVID shots drive the mutation of SARS-CoV-2, creating ever more variants? Or are the mutations primarily occurring in unvaccinated people? In the video report above, The Last American Vagabond host dives into the scientific research to find out.

As noted by The Vagabond, unvaccinated Americans are actually in the majority, still, despite what you’re hearing on the news. Those saying “no” to participating in a medical gene modification experiment are not a small fringe group.

‘This Week’ With Mary + Polly: ‘Every Solution Except the Vaccine Has Been Suppressed’

The Defender reported:

This week, Mary Holland, Children’s Health Defense (CHD) president, and Polly Tommey, co-producer of “Vaxxed,” cover the latest COVID headlines including the U.S. Surgeon General’s pushfor Big Tech to crack down on so-called vaccine “misinformation,” the Rockefeller Foundation’s pledge to spend $13.5 million to fight vaccine disinformation and the White House’s plan to ask SMS carriers to monitor private texts for vaccine misinformation.

Also on tap this week is a viral Twitter thread shared by mRNA vaccine inventor Dr. Robert Malone showing the most-vaccinated countries in the world are experiencing a surge in COVID cases, while the least-vaccinated countries are not.

Johnson & Johnson Projects $2.5 Billion From Vaccine Sales Globally

The Hill reported:

Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday said that it anticipates $2.5 billion in annual sales of its COVID-19 vaccine, even as the company faces questions about the vaccine’s effectiveness with the delta variant.

The forecasted sales are a small fraction of the sales expected from the other two authorized vaccines; Pfizer and Moderna have forecast $26 billion and $19.2 billion in annual sales of their vaccines, respectively.

CDC Investigating Deaths of Immunized Nursing Home Residents: Report

The Hill reported:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reportedly investigating the deaths of fully vaccinated nursing home patients in a Colorado county which has been hit especially hard by a recent surge in COVID-19.

The Associated Press reported that a person involved in internal CDC deliberations, who requested anonymity to speak on the matter, said that federal investigators conducted a probe into delta variant outbreaks in nursing home facilities in Mesa County, Colo., in May and June.

A CDC presentation slide provided to the AP revealed that in the Grand Junction area of the county, 16 fully vaccinated residents at a memory care facility were infected and four had died.

Risk of Long COVID in Children Could Be Overestimated, Expert Says

Evening Standard reported:

Most children are unaware they have COVID-19, which is leading to an overestimation of the long-term effects of the illness in youngsters, a leading expert has said.

Dr Shamez Ladhani, a consultant paediatrician in infectious diseases and a Public Health England (PHE) epidemiologist, said most children either do not have any symptoms when they have coronavirus, or the illness is so mild their parents do not link it with COVID.

He tweeted: “In our primary schools study, although small numbers, parents reported no symptoms in 85% of kids who didn’t have (COVID)  antibodies at start of the study & then developed antibodies during the study (ie. got infected) compared to 47% of staff.

Dr. Vin Gupta Encourages J&J Vaccine Recipients to Get a Pfizer or Moderna Booster

CNBC reported:

Intensive-care unit and lung doctor Dr. Vin Gupta told CNBC that he’s already encouraging patients who received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine to get a Pfizer or Moderna booster shot amid the dramatic increase in delta variant cases across the U.S.

Gupta, a professor at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, told “The News with Shepard Smith” that “AstraZeneca, when combined with a Pfizer or Moderna booster, is showing tremendous levels of protection against delta, in terms of the antibody levels that are generated in patients.”

COVID Plus Overdose Deaths Drove Down Life Expectancy in 2020

NBC News reported:

Life expectancy in the U.S. plunged last year in the largest one-year drop since World War II, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday, further widening the longevity gap between the U.S. and comparable countries.

Deaths from COVID-19 and drug overdoses fueled the decline — wiping out any improvements the country made in decreasing deaths from cancer and chronic lower respiratory diseases — leading to a 1.5-year drop and bringing the life expectancy at birth down to 77.3 years. (Life expectancy at birth refers to how long a person born in the year being studied — in this case, 2020 — is expected to live.)

Psaki Confirms Multiple Breakthrough COVID Cases in White House

Axios reported:

Press secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday confirmed that there have been multiple breakthrough coronavirus cases among White House staffers.

Driving the news: Her comments come after Axios first reported that a White House official and a staff member for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) tested positive for COVID-19 after attending the same reception last week.

CDC Director: Delta Variant Accounts for 83 Percent of All COVID Cases in U.S.

The Hill reported:

The delta variant of the novel coronavirus is now responsible for 83 percent of all sequenced COVID-19 cases in the United States, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said Tuesday.

That estimate is a major increase from just over two weeks ago. For cases tallied during the week of July 3, the CDC estimated the delta variant accounted for about 50 percent of new infections.

Jul 20, 2021

Two Shots, Two Paralyses After COVID Vaccine + More

Two Shots, Two Paralyses After COVID Vaccine

Medpage Today reported:

A man experienced two discrete contralateral facial palsies, one after each dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The first episode developed 5 hours after the 61-year-old man received the first dose of the vaccine, reported Abigail Burrows, MBBS, of Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Guildford, England, and colleagues.

The second occurred 2 days after he received the second dose and was more severe, they wrote in BMJ Case Reports. On both occasions, the patient was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy.

Federal Lawsuit Seeks Immediate Halt of COVID Vaccines, Cites Whistleblower Testimony Claiming CDC Is Under-Counting Vaccine Deaths

The Defender reported:

America’s Frontline Doctors (AFLDS) filed a motion July 19, seeking immediate injunctive relief in Alabama Federal District Court to stop the use of Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) COVID vaccines — Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) — for three groups of Americans.

According to a press release, AFLDS is asking to immediately stop administration of experimentalCOVID vaccines in anyone 18 and younger, all those who have recovered from COVID and acquired natural immunity, and every other American who has not received informed consent as defined by federal law.

Super Bowl Champ Tells RFK Jr.: 6 Months After Moderna Vaccine, Wife’s Injury ‘Progressively Worse’

The Defender reported:

Green Bay Packer hall-of-famer and Super Bowl champion Ken Ruettgers said his wife suffered a “severe reaction” to the Moderna COVID vaccine — and when she connected with other vaccine-injured people on Facebook, the private groups were shut down.

In an interview with Children’s Health Defense Chairman Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the “RFK Jr. The Defender Podcast,” Ruettgers said within 48 hours of being vaccinated, his wife Sheryl experienced swollen lymph nodes and a numbness and tingling sensation that progressed from her face all the way down to her legs.

It’s been six months since she received the shot, said Ruettgers, and the sensations of tingling and numbness have grown “progressively worse.”

Drugmakers Testing New mRNA Vaccines Despite Evidence of ‘Serious Danger’

Mercola reported:

Story at-a-glance:

    • Despite evidence of serious danger, a number of mRNA “vaccines” are in the pipeline. Among them is a COVID-flu RNA vaccine combo, which is currently being tested on ferrets, and several different mRNA seasonal influenza vaccines, which have already entered human trials.
    • Companies currently testing mRNA flu “vaccines” on human subjects include Moderna, Sanofi and Translate Bio. Pfizer/BioNTech is also pursuing plans for an mRNA flu shot.
    • Influenza vaccination confers narrow immunity against a specific viral strain or strains, leaving your body open to other viruses. The mRNA shots confer even more specific immunity, as your body is responding to the antigen alone rather than the whole virus.
    • Pfizer plans to ask for EUA authorization for a third COVID booster shot in August, citing evidence of waning immunity.
    • Researchers are working on transmissible vaccines to control viral reservoirs and diminish possibility of spillover. Are human transmissible vaccines next?

George Soros and Bill Gates Backed Consortium to Buy U.K. Maker of COVID Tests for $41 Million

Forbes reported:

Billionaires George Soros and Bill Gates are part of a consortium set to buy Mologic, a U.K.-based maker of COVID tests, in an effort to increase access to “affordable state-of-the-art medical technology” around the world, according to a statement released Monday.

The Soros Economic Development Fund and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced the launch of a new initiative, Global Access Health (GAH), aiming to strengthen the global rollout saving medical technology and the subsequent acquisition of Mologic Ltd, best known today for the deep-nostril technology used to deliver rapid COVID-19 tests. The technology can also be used to test for dengue, bilharzia and river blindness.

Coronavirus Antibodies Persist at Least Nine Months After Infection: Study

Fox News reported:

A study in northern Italy found coronavirus antibodies persisted in detectable levels for at least nine months after infection, regardless of a symptomatic or asymptomatic course of illness, though results differed depending on test used.

Researchers from Imperial College London and the University of Padova published findings in Nature Communications on Monday, stemming from an analysis in Vo’, Italy, where a mass testing campaign saw 86% (2,602 people) of the community tested in February/March and May 2020, about 6% of whom tested positive and were tested again in November.

Results indicated 98.8% of COVID-positive individuals had detectable levels of antibodies by November, and nearly 20% had increased levels or reactivity since May, suggesting potential reinfection. Scientists tracked antibody levels through three tests manufactured by Roche, DiaSorin and Abbott and found differing rates of decay in antibody levels.

Global Quest Underway to Speed COVID Vaccine Trials

Reuters reported:

Scientists are working on a benchmark for COVID-19 vaccine efficacy that would allow drugmakers to conduct smaller, speedier human trials to get them to market and address a huge global vaccine shortage.

Researchers are trying to determine just what level of COVID-19 antibodies a vaccine must produce to provide protection against the illness. Regulators already use such benchmarks – known as correlates of protection – to evaluate flu vaccines without requiring large, lengthy clinical trials.

Tennessee Postpones Vaccine Summit as It Continues to Dial Back Vaccination Outreach

USA Today reported:

The Tennessee Department of Health abruptly postponed a virtual vaccine summit intended to provide training to medical professionals across the state as the agency continues to dial back its vaccination outreach despite widespread condemnation.

The Tennessee Immunization Summit was scheduled for August as recently as last Wednesday but was indefinitely postponed as of Monday morning, according to the health department website. No new date was set, and all information about the coming summit was removed from the site.

World Is ‘Moving Further Away’ From End of COVID Pandemic: WHO Official

Fox News reported:

A top scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Monday that the world is shifting further away from the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, owing to factors like viral variants, social mixing, the flouting of public health measures and vaccine inequities.

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, epidemiologist and WHO COVID-19 technical lead, noted an 11.5% increase in global cases over the last week, with a 1% increase in deaths. Europe saw a 21% uptick in infections last week, while the Western Pacific experienced a nearly 30% increase, for instance. Though data reflects a slight dip in the African region, Kerkhove warned Africa is experiencing a high level of cases and an approximate 60% increase in deaths.

Cooper: Vaccine Facts Tell Different Story Than Media Stereotype

Chattanooga Times Free Press reported:

What is the national media scenario about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the United States?

The overwhelming story being pushed is that the great majority of the hesitancy comes from white Republicans, and mostly in the South. But is that true?

Anecdotally, many conservative people say they have chosen not to get the vaccine, and, frankly, the reason for most of the hesitancy is not clear. Some cite religious reasons, some aren’t sure the vaccine had enough testing, and some probably want to take it out on President Joe Biden, who they may or may not believe actually won the 2020 presidential election.

But what do the figures say?

Jul 19, 2021

Lawsuits Challenge D.C. Law Allowing Kids to Get Vaccines Without Parental Permission + More

Lawsuits Challenge Washington, D.C. Law Allowing Kids to Get Vaccines Without Parental Permission

The Seattle Times reported:

Two lawsuits filed in D.C. federal court this month challenged a city law passed last year that allows minors to be vaccinated without their parents’ knowledge, saying the legislation violates religious liberty.

The litigation comes as health officials across the country debate how much information minors should be given about vaccines, with at least one state seeking to limit teenagers’ access to shots that would protect them from COVID-19 and other illnesses.

In October, the District passed the Minor Consent to Vaccinations Amendments Act, which allows children as young as 11 to get vaccines without their parents’ knowledge if a doctor determines that they are capable of informed consent.

Foo Fighters ‘Vaccinated Only’ Concert Canceled After Band Member Gets COVID as CDC, States Report Increases in Breakthrough Cases

The Defender reported:

Reports of COVID breakthrough cases continue to rise — as of July 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 5,492 breakthrough cases resulting in death and hospitalization.

A breakthrough case refers to anyone who is diagnosed with COVID after being fully vaccinated. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna COVID vaccine, or two weeks after receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson(J&J) vaccine.

CDC Vaccine Committee to Discuss COVID Booster Doses for Immunocompromised People This Week

MarketWatch reported:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s influential vaccine advisory committee plans to meet Thursday to discuss the new safety warning for Johnson & Johnson’s JNJ, -1.28% COVID-19 vaccine and whether immunocompromised people will need a booster dose of a COVID-19 shot. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has met several times during the pandemic to discuss COVID-19 vaccines. The meeting will be webcast.

Only Children 12 and Over With Down’s Syndrome and Severe Disabilities or Who Live With Vulnerable Adults Will Get COVID Vaccines for Now, Health Chiefs Say

Daily Mail reported:

Children over 12 who have underlying conditions, or are living with someone who does, will be offered a COVID vaccine, health chiefs said today.

This includes youngsters with severe neurodisabilities, Down’s syndrome, immunosuppression and multiple or severe learning disabilities, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation said today.

Additionally, young people aged 12 to 17 who live with an immunosuppressed person, such as an adult receiving chemotherapy, will be offered the vaccine.

A COVID Vaccine for Kids: Clinical Trial Leader Explains Efforts, Importance

Medical Xpress reported:

More than half a year has passed since the first vaccine for COVID-19 was given emergency authorization, and almost half the United States has protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus as a result. Yet children under the age of 12, for whom the vaccines haven’t yet been authorized, have been unable to take advantage.’

Vaccine makers have been working to make their products available to younger patients, launching clinical trials to evaluate whether the vaccines can safely and effectively protect children as young as six months.

FDA Grants Priority Review to Pfizer/BioNTech COVID Vaccine; Agency Official Says Approval Decision Expected Within Two Months

CNN reported:

Pfizer and BioNTech said Friday that the US Food and Drug Administration has granted priority review designation to their application for full approval of their COVID-19 vaccine, and an FDA official said the decision will come “soon.”

The FDA official told CNN on Friday that a decision on full approval is likely to come within two months. The agency considers this matter a priority, said the official, who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

San Diego Mother Contracts COVID After Moderna Vaccine

CBS8 reported:

A San Diego mother had a “breakthrough case” of COVID-19 after receiving the Moderna vaccine. A breakthrough case simply means a virus broke through the vaccine’s protection.

“It was shocking. I didn’t think it could happen to me,” said Amber Delecce-Forge, a San Diego mother of two who was suffering from COVID-19, even though she got fully vaccinated with Moderna in February.

“I’ve been vaccinated for five months,” she said.

Five Texas House Democrats Who Traveled to Washington, D.C. Have Tested Positive for Coronavirus

KHOU11 reported:

Five Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives who traveled to Washington D.C. last week have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Texas House Democratic Caucus.

The five lawmakers are among House Democrats who fled to Washington, D.C. to stave off GOP priority voting bills during the special legislative session. The members who tested positive all have been fully vaccinated, which helps protect against severe illness. All of the lawmakers are showing no symptoms or only mild symptoms.

Over Half of Unvaccinated Americans Say They’re Not Concerned About Delta Variant: Poll

Newsweek reported:

More than half of unvaccinated or partially vaccinated Americans said they are not concerned about the fast-spreading Delta COVID-19 variant, despite warnings from public health experts that both groups run a higher risk of getting ill.

According to a new CBS/YouGov poll released Sunday, just 48 percent of unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated Americans said they “are personally concerned” about the Delta variant. By contrast, 72 percent of those who are fully vaccinated said they are worried about the fast-moving coronavirus strain.

Mexico Says Will Soon Authorize Moderna’s COVID Vaccine

Reuters reported:

Mexico will soon authorize Moderna Inc’s (MRNA.O) COVID-19 vaccine, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Saturday.”Good news: soon, very soon, the Moderna vaccine with a technological profile similar to that of Pfizer (PFE.N) will be approved in Mexico,” Ebrard said on a Twitter post.

Jul 16, 2021

151 Dead, 563 Hospitalized in Illinois Breakthrough COVID Cases + More

151 Dead, 563 Hospitalized in Illinois Breakthrough COVID Cases

NBC Chicago reported:

According to data updated Wednesday by the Illinois Department of Public Health, 151 people in Illinois have died due to COVID-19 or complications after being fully vaccinated. That figure equates to 2.2% of COVID-19 deaths in the state since Jan. 1, officials said.

At least 563 fully vaccinated people have been hospitalized in Illinois, IDPH said. The state only reports breakthrough infections among those who have been hospitalized or died, following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IDPH said.

Nearly 11,000 Deaths After COVID Vaccines Reported to CDC, as FDA Adds New Warning to J&J Vaccine

The Defender reported:

Data released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) included 463,457 reports of injuries and deaths, across all age groups, following COVID vaccines — an increase of more than 25,000 compared with the previous week.

The data comes directly from reports submitted to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System(VAERS), the primary government-funded system for reporting adverse vaccine reactions in the U.S.

Every Friday, VAERS makes public all vaccine injury reports received as of a specified date, usually about a week prior to the release date. Reports submitted to VAERS require further investigation before a causal relationship can be confirmed.

COVID Vaccines: Hypothetical Benefits to Adults Don’t Outweigh Risks to Children

The BMJ reported:

As the majority of adults in multiple rich western countries have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the focus is turning to children.

While there is wide recognition that children’s risk of severe COVID-19 is low, many believe that mass vaccination of children may not just protect children from severe COVID-19, but also prevent onward transmission, indirectly protecting vulnerable adults and helping end the pandemic.

However, there are multiple assumptions that need to be examined when judging calls to vaccinate children against COVID-19.

U.S. FDA to Decide on Pfizer COVID Vaccine Approval by January 2022

Reuters reported:

The U.S. health regulator will review Pfizer (PFE.N) and German partner BioNTech SE’s (22UAy.DE) application for full approval of their COVID-19 vaccine in people 16 years and older by January, the companies said on Friday.

The vaccine is among the three being used in the United States under the Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorization alongside shots from Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N)and Moderna Inc (MRNA.O).

Pfizer/BioNTech finished submitting their application for a full U.S. approval in May and the agency will review the data under its “priority review” pathway.

COVID Vaccines for Kids Under 12 Expected Midwinter, FDA Official Says

NBC News reported:

Emergency authorization for COVID-19 vaccines in children under 12 could come in early to midwinter, a Food and Drug Administration official said Thursday, a move that could bring relief to many parents who have been unable to vaccinate their children. The agency hopes to then move quickly to full approval of the vaccine for this age group.

One sticking point for some families who remain hesitant, the official said, is that the vaccines currently in use are administered under emergency use authorization and have not been given full approval by the FDA. Full approval, if it comes quickly after the emergency round, could alleviate that concern.

EU Likely to Decide on Moderna COVID Vaccine for Kids Next Week

Fox News reported:

A top official at the European Medicines Agency said a decision on whether to recommend that Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine be authorized for children is expected late next week. If approved, it would be the first such license for the shot’s use in children globally.

At a press briefing on Thursday, Dr. Marco Cavaleri, the EU drug regulator’s head of vaccines strategy, said its expert committee was currently evaluating Moderna’s application to extend the use of its coronavirus vaccine for children 12 to 17 years old.

“We expect that the committee will reach a conclusion by the end of next week,” he said.

Royal Navy Flotilla Reports COVID Outbreak With 100 Cases Despite All Sailors Being Vaccinated

The Independent reported:

More than 100 cases of coronavirus have been reported aboard the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier and an escorting group of warships.

The vessels affected include the Royal Navy’s flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier, with unconfirmed media reports saying the group of warships recently stopped off for a brief spell of shore leave in Limassol, Cyprus.

The virus has spread through the strike group’s 3,700 strength crew despite them being fully vaccinated. “As part of routine testing, a small number of crew from the Carrier Strike Group have tested positive for COVID-19,” a Royal Navy spokesman confirmed in a statement.

Lisa Shaw Death: Husband Calls for Vaccine Choice

BBC reported:

A man whose wife’s death is being investigated over possible links to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 jab is calling for people to have their choice of vaccine. A coroner is considering if the vaccine contributed to the death of BBC radio presenter Lisa Shaw, 44, in May.

Her husband Gareth Eve said the jab had been “outstanding” but its “risks” should be “recognised”….

Mr Eve said he and his wife, who was a presenter on BBC Radio Newcastle, had both been “excited” about being vaccinated so she could “give her mam a hug” having been a “stickler” for following lockdown rules. A week after getting her first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, she started getting headaches and ended up being taken to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) for treatment for blood clots.

Pentagon: 70 Percent of Service Members Have Received First Dose of COVID Vaccine

Politico reported:

Seventy percent of U.S. active duty service members have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, the Pentagon announced on Friday, and 62 percent of the force is now fully vaccinated.

The latest numbers come despite initial skepticism from a broad swath of the military toward the shot. In February, members of the top brass testified before Congress that roughly one-third of troops had declined to get vaccinated.

Such hesitancy among America’s armed forces prompted a group of Democratic lawmakers in March to demand President Joe Biden make the vaccine a requirement for all service members. At the time, the Pentagon’s top spokesperson confirmed that option was under consideration by military leaders.

AP Source: 2 NFL Teams Remain Under 50% Vaccinated

Associated Press reported:

Two NFL teams remain under 50% vaccinated less than two weeks from the start of training camp, a person familiar with the vaccination rates told The Associated Press.

As for Friday, Washington and Indianapolis had the two lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates among the 32 teams in the league, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the league hasn’t released the numbers, which are changing daily.

China Should Provide Raw Data on Pandemic’s Origins – WHO’s Tedros

Reuters reported:

The head of the World Health Organisation said on Thursday that investigations into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic in China were being hampered by the lack of raw data on the first days of spread there and urged it to be more transparent.

A WHO-led team spent four weeks in and around the central city of Wuhan with Chinese researchers and said in a joint report in March that the virus had probably been transmitted from bats to humans through another animal.

It said that “introduction through a laboratory incident was considered to be an extremely unlikely pathway”, but countries including the United States and some scientists were not satisfied. “We ask China to be transparent and open and to cooperate,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference on Thursday.