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Covid News Watch
World’s Most-Vaccinated Nation Brings Back Restrictions as Cases Rise + More
World’s Most-Vaccinated Nation Activates Curbs as Cases Rise
Seychelles, which has fully vaccinated more of its population against the coronavirus than any other country, has closed schools and canceled sporting activities for two weeks as infections surge.
The measures, which include bans on the intermingling of households and the early closure of bars, come even as the country has fully vaccinated more than 60% of its adult population with two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The curbs are similar to those last imposed at the end of 2020.
“Despite of all the exceptional efforts we are making, the COVIDE-19 situation in our country is critical right now, with many daily cases reported last week,” Peggy Vidot, the nation’s health minister, said at a press conference Tuesday.
Moderna Says Its COVID-19 Vaccine Is 96% Effective In Teens
Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine is 96% effective in teenagers 12- to 17-years-old, the drugmaker said Thursday. The company announced results of the Phase 2 trial in reporting first-quarter earnings. Its vaccine generated $1.7 billion in revenue in its fiscal first quarter.
Evidence that Moderna’s vaccine is effective in teens comes as rival Pfizer is expected to receive federal authorization by early next week to use its COVID-19 vaccine in adolescents. Federal approval of one or more vaccines against the disease could enable many American middle and high school students to be vaccinated before the start of the 2021-22 school year.
Vaccine Makers Claim COVID Shots Are ‘95% Effective’ — But What Does That Mean?
Why are manufacturers’ claims about vaccine effectiveness misleading? Pfizer and Moderna declined to share with the public the fact that there is another way to parse their data that has more real-world significance.
Examining a statistic called absolute risk reduction — the number of percentage points that an individual’s risk goes down if they do something “protective” — the two companies’ COVID vaccines barely make a dent at all, reducing someone’s risk of experiencing COVID symptoms (the clinical trials’ endpoint) by less than 1%. This is the practical number that people are likely to care about most.
Third U.S. Male Diagnosed With Vaccine-Induced Blood Clots After J&J Vaccine
Doctors at University of Utah Health announced Wednesday they treated the third male in the U.S. to develop rare blood clots that may have been caused by the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID vaccine.
The man, under age 50, is Utah’s first suspected case of vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), also called thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS).
According to the medical center’s press release, the man received J&J’s vaccine in early April. Ten days later he experienced pain in his toes, which then progressed to his thighs. He later began experiencing chest pain.
Tucker Carlson: How Many Americans Have Died After Taking COVID Vaccines?
Fox News commentator, Tucker Carlson, frequently reminds viewers that overall, he thinks vaccines are a good thing — but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have questions about COVID vaccines.
In fact, he has a lot of questions. And, he said, he should have the right to ask them.
In the segment below on last night’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” Carlson said the U.S. government’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) shows 3,362 Americans — or 30 people a day — died from the COVID vaccine between December 2020 and last month.
U.S. Backs Waiving Intellectual Property Rules on Vaccines
The Associated Press reported:
The Biden administration on Wednesday joined calls for more sharing of the technology behind COVID-19 vaccines to help speed the end of the pandemic, a shift that puts the U.S. alongside many in the developing world who want rich countries to do more to get doses to the needy.
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced the government’s position, amid World Trade Organization talks about a possible temporary waiver of its protections that would allow more manufacturers to produce the life-saving vaccines.
“The Administration believes strongly in intellectual property protections, but in service of ending this pandemic, supports the waiver of those protections for COVID-19 vaccines,” Tai said in a statement.
Anti-Vaxxers Aren’t the Cause of America’s Dropping Vaccine Rates
Now, with about 57% of the adult population having had at least one shot, America has to reach the less enthused — ranging from those who want a vaccine but don’t want to go too out of their way to get one to people who say they don’t want to get a vaccine at all.
The remaining unvaccinated people aren’t all truly hesitant or resistant to getting vaccinated. Think of enthusiasm for a vaccine as a spectrum, with some Americans very excited to get the shot, others not willing at all, and many in between. The U.S. eventually will need to make inroads with the hard noes — but for now, the low-hanging fruit are the people in between. They might readily take the vaccine if it was right in front of them, but can’t call off work to get it or don’t want to have to set aside hours of their day solely to get a shot.
Why Patents on COVID Vaccines Are so Contentious
The Associated Press reported:
The Biden administration’s call to lift patent protections on COVID-19 vaccines to help poor parts of the world get more doses has drawn praise from some countries and health advocates.
But it has run into resistance from the pharmaceutical industry and others, who say it won’t help curb the outbreak any time soon and will hurt innovation.
Moderna Reports $1.7 Billion in COVID-19 Vaccine Sales, Posts First Profit Ever
Moderna Inc. MRNA, -1.69% brought in $1.7 billion in sales of its COVID-19 vaccine in the first quarter of 2021, marking the company’s first significant billion-dollar revenue haul this year and also the first time it’s ever reported a GAAP profit.
Moderna had earnings of $1.2 billion, or $2.84 per share, in the first quarter of 2021. This is compared to a loss of $124 million, or 35 cents per share, in the first quarter a year ago. The FactSet consensus was $2.39. Moderna had revenue of $1.9 billion for the quarter, up from $8 million in the same quarter a year ago. The FactSet consensus for revenue was $2.0 billion. This quarter marked the first time that the company has generated product revenue during the first three months of the year. About $1.7 billion of that came from sales of its COVID-19 vaccine.
Eli Lilly Faces Employee Complaints, FDA Troubles at Factory Making COVID-19 Drug: Report
Eli Lilly employees have accused an executive at the drugmaker’s Branchburg, New Jersey, manufacturing site of altering FDA-required documents in an effort to downplay serious quality control problems, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing internal complaint documents and a source familiar with the matter.
The complaint, dated April 8, said the executive tasked with quality controls rewrote findings from Lilly’s technical experts at the facility, which produces doses of the company’s COVID-19 antibody treatment bamlanivimab, in order to make them look more favorable, according to the report.
What’s the Origin of COVID? Did People or Nature Open Pandora’s Box at Wuhan?
The virus that caused the pandemic is known officially as SARS-CoV-2, but can be called SARS2 for short. As many people know, there are two main theories about its origin. One is that it jumped naturally from wildlife to people. The other is that the virus was under study in a lab, from which it escaped. It matters a great deal which is the case if we hope to prevent a second such occurrence.
I’ll describe the two theories, explain why each is plausible, and then ask which provides the better explanation of the available facts. It’s important to note that so far there is no direct evidence for either theory. Each depends on a set of reasonable conjectures but so far lacks proof. So I have only clues, not conclusions, to offer. But those clues point in a specific direction. And having inferred that direction, I’m going to delineate some of the strands in this tangled skein of disaster.
Fauci Tells Adolescents on Fence About Vaccine: ‘Be Part of the Solution’ + More
Fauci to Adolescents on the Fence About the COVID-19 Vaccine: ‘Be Part of the Solution’
Dr. Anthony Fauci said he hopes children and teens won’t hesitate when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorizes a coronavirus vaccine for them.
A federal government official told CNN on Monday that the FDA is poised to authorize Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine in children and teens 12 to 15 years old by early next week, and administration of the vaccine to them could start almost immediately, said Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
“You have the capability of protecting yourself as a young person, 12 to 15, but also knowing that you’re not going to pass it on to someone else,” Fauci told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday.
Canada Confirms Second Death Linked to AstraZeneca, Becomes First Country to Approve Pfizer for Young Teens
A 50-year-old woman from the Canadian province of Alberta died from a rare blood clot condition after receiving the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, the province’s chief medical officer of health said.
In a statement Tuesday, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said the woman died of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT). It was Canada’s second confirmed death of VITT linked to the vaccine.
Though extremely rare, VITT differs from a typical blood clot because it can cause both cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) — where veins that drain blood from the brain are obstructed –– and fatal bleeding.
According to CBC News, Canada has reported seven cases of blood clots following immunization with AstraZeneca, but public health officials maintain the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the potential risks.
Pfizer to Seek Authorization for COVID-19 Vaccine for Children Ages 2 to 11 in September
Pfizer expects to file for full US Food and Drug Administration approval for its Covid-19 vaccine for people ages 16 to 85 this month, and will seek emergency use authorization for its vaccine for children ages 2 to 11 in September, the company said during an earnings call on Tuesday.
The company’s vaccine safety and efficacy study in children age 6 months to 11 years old is still going.
U.S. Parents Excited Over Prospect of Virus Shots for Children
The Associated Press reported:
After more than a year of fretting over her 13-year son with a rare liver disease, Heather Ousley broke into tears when she learned that he and millions of other youngsters could soon be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
“This day is the best day in the history of days!!! I love this day!!!” she texted, joining other parents and educators in welcoming the news that the Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize Pfizer’s vaccine by next week for children ages 12 to 15.
‘This Week’ With Mary + Polly: Ramping Up Fear as Vaccine Demand Drops Off + Bill and Melinda Gates Ask for ‘Privacy’ + More
This week, Mary Holland, Children’s Health Defense (CHD) president, and Polly Tommey, co-producer of “Vaxxed,” cover the latest COVID headlines, including the latest numbers on COVID breakthrough cases, Denmark’s decision to ditch the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the death of a Kenyan doctor who was an outspoken critic of the HPV and other vaccines.
Death of Fully Vaccinated U.S. Expert in India Sparks Worry Over Pfizer’s Efficacy Against COVID-19 Double Mutant
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines have been dragged into the spotlight over efficacy concerns against the new double mutant variant first found in India after an infectious disease specialist from the US, who had received two Pfizer shots prior to his arrival in India, passed away after testing positive for coronavirus at the age of 81, local media reported on Wednesday.
Although there is no direct evidence showing reduced efficacy of Pfizer vaccines against the new mutated strain, previous studies suggest a reduced protection rate against other variants, health experts reached by the Global Times said.
Detroit Now Paying $50 to Anyone Who Convinces Someone to Get a Vaccine
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is banking on the idea people will be more convinced to get a shot if their friend tells them to rather than if an expert tells them to. “Nobody wants to listen to Dr. Fauci or me or Gov. Whitmer tell them one more time to take the vaccine,” he said earlier. “But they will listen to their neighbors.”
Under the expanded program, registered Good Neighbors can earn $50 gift cards for every Detroiter they usher through the vaccination process. From scheduling residents for their first dose appointments starting Monday, to driving them to vaccination sites.
Why Moderna Could Triple Its COVID Vaccine Sales Next Year
When Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) provided its fourth-quarter update in February, the biotech stated that it expected $18.4 billion in sales for its COVID-19 vaccine. However, that outlook was based on advanced purchase agreements in place at that time. Since then, Moderna has lined up more supply deals.
It won’t be surprising if the company raises its sales projection to more than $20 billion when it announces first-quarter results Thursday. But there’s a good reason to think that whatever its vaccine makes this year could be just the tip of the iceberg. Here’s why Moderna just might be able to triple its COVID vaccine sales next year.
Family of Teacher Who Died After AstraZeneca Shot Seeks Answers
The Wall Street Journal reported:
Cinzia Pennino, a 44-year-old science teacher from Palermo, Italy, phoned her father in late March and asked him to pick her up from school. She lived just a short walk away, but could hardly stand up in her classroom due to intense stomach pain.
It was 11 days after Ms. Pennino had received her first dose of the AstraZeneca PLC Covid-19 vaccine. A week later, she died in the hospital of an extremely rare combination of a serious blood clot, or thrombosis, and low levels of platelets, a blood component that plays a key role in clotting. The sometimes-deadly combination is so rare that scientists don’t know how often it occurs in the general population.
Biden’s New Goal: Get 70% Of Americans Vaccinated by Fourth of July
Joe Biden has announced a goal of ensuring 70% of American adults receive at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine by Independence Day on 4 July.
The US president urged people in their 20s and 30s in particular to get inoculated and said his administration was “ready to move immediately” if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorised the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children aged 12 to 15.
“Our goal by July 4th is to have 70% of adult Americans with at least one shot and 160 million Americans fully vaccinated,” Biden said at the White House on Tuesday. “That means giving close to 100m shots – some first shots, others second shots – over the next 60 days.”
Pfizer Reaps Hundreds of Millions in Profits From COVID Vaccine + More
Pfizer Reaps Hundreds of Millions in Profits From COVID Vaccine
Last year, racing to develop a vaccine in record time, Pfizer made a big decision: Unlike several rival manufacturers, which vowed to forgo profits on their shots during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pfizer planned to profit on its vaccine.
On Tuesday, the company announced just how much money the shot is generating.
The vaccine brought in $3.5 billion in revenue in the first three months of this year, nearly a quarter of its total revenue, Pfizer reported. The vaccine was, far and away, Pfizer’s biggest source of revenue.
The company did not disclose the profits it derived from the vaccine, but it reiterated its previous prediction that its profit margins on the vaccine would be in the high 20 percent range. That would translate into roughly $900 million in pretax vaccine profits in the first quarter.
35-Year-Old Woman Dies of Brain Hemorrhage 11 Days After Receiving J&J Vaccine
The family of a Michigan woman says she died as the result of complications 11 days after receiving the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID vaccine.
Anne VanGeest, 35, died April 19 at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s hospital in Grand Rapids from an acute subarachnoid brain hemorrhage, FOX 17 reported.
FDA Set to Authorize Pfizer Vaccine for Adolescents, But Some Experts Question Need, Ethics
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is preparing to authorize use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine in adolescents 12 to 15 years old by early next week, according to federal officials familiar with the agency’s plans. The vaccine is currently authorized in the U.S for emergency use in people 16 and older.
The decision, which is likely to be supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), would allow most middle and high school students to get vaccinated before summer camps and the start of the 2021-22 school year, USA TODAY reported.
The FDA will have to amend the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Pfizer’s vaccine, but the process should be straightforward, said a federal official who was not authorized to speak about the process publicly and requested anonymity.
Tucker Carlson: Americans Shouldn’t Be Forced to Take One-Size-Fits-All Vaccine
In the segment below on last night’s “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson said, “there are unresolved concerns” about the long-term health effects of COVID vaccines, including on female fertility and pregnant women.
The American people should not be forced to take a one-size-fits-all medical treatment, Carlson explained. “No medicine is designed for every person in all circumstances,” he said.
Last month, the Biden administration said the federal government will not require all Americans to get the COVID vaccine, nor will it require vaccination passports. But the truth is, when it comes to COVID vaccines, President Biden is not pro-choice, he’s pro-mandate, Carlson said.
New Zealand Fires Nine Border Workers Who Refused COVID Vaccine
New Zealand’s customs agency has fired nine border workers who refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The country has required all frontline border workers to be vaccinated by the end of April.
In February, the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, said the government would not be making the vaccine compulsory for frontline staff, and that those who declined the vaccine would be moved into backroom roles.
But no other work could be found to redeploy the nine workers who were in fixed term employment at the maritime border, Jacinda Funnell, Customs’ deputy chief executive for people and capability, said.
Slowing Vaccine Demand Exposes Stark Divides
“The ground game really matters now,” a senior administration official said. “We don’t have to do these major FEMA sites.”
Where it’s happening: There are stark divides between and even within states. Michigan and Colorado lead the country in most cases per capita, while Oregon is struggling with surges in certain low-vaccinated counties. These inequities could mean that in some communities, businesses and schools can broadly reopen, while in others just a few counties over, the coronavirus continues to rage, Dan and Adam write.
U.S. focus pivots from supply to demand. Fewer than 1.1 million Americans are receiving their first vaccine dose each day, the lowest average since the end of February, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As recently as three weeks ago, nearly 2 million Americans were getting their first dose each day.
There’s Not Just One Kind of Vaccine Hesitancy
… In the real world, about 56% of U.S. adults had received at least one shot as of Saturday, per the CDC, suggesting that we’re getting very close to the end of the “vaccine eager” population.
What they’re saying: “As those Americans most eager to get the vaccine have now been able to do so, the hard part of earning the trust of those with hesitations or who don’t view it as a top priority begins,” said John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll.
Between the lines: Young adults are most likely to say they’ll get the vaccine whenever they get around to it, or want to wait and see before getting it.
Glass Half-Full? Embattled Astrazeneca CEO Soriot Defends COVID-19 Vaccine
As the weeks turn to months on AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine filing in the U.S., the big question is when. Its answer remains the same: soon.
But the next biggest question is, why bother?
With U.S. vaccine coffers now overflowing with Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots, why is AstraZeneca still planning to file for emergency authorization here?
When asked by reporters Friday if there’s a chance AstraZeneca wouldn’t submit its vaccine for FDA consideration because it may not be needed in the U.S., CEO Pascal Soriot and other executives repeated the pharma’s assertion it plans file with the FDA “in the coming weeks.”
10 Million Kids Could Get Pfizer COVID Vaccine by Fall + More
10M Kids Could Get Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine by Fall if Jab Approved for Younger Population, Gottlieb Says
The former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said over the weekend that some 10 million U.S. children could receive the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine before fall should the jab receive emergency use authorization for the nation’s younger population.
During an appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” Sunday, former FDA chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb estimated that some 5 million children between the ages of 12 and 15 would immediately receive the jab following approval, while another 5 to 7 million would likely be vaccinated before the beginning of the fall 2021 school year.
Denmark Ditches J&J COVID Vaccine, Says Benefits ‘Do Not Outweigh Risk’ of Blood Clots
Denmark on Monday became the first country to exclude Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) COVID vaccine from its vaccination program over a potential link to blood clotting disorders.The Danish Health Authority said in a statement it had concluded “the benefits of using the COVID-19 vaccine from J&J do not outweigh the risk of causing the possible adverse effect in those who receive the vaccine,” Reuters reported.
Danish health officials noted the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) conclusion that “there is a possible link between rare but severe cases of blood clots and the COVID-19 vaccine from J&J,” referring to an investigation last month into eight U.S. reports of rare blood clots — one of which was fatal — that occurred after recent vaccination.
Unlike the Danish Health Authority however, the EMA concluded the benefits of using the J&J vaccine outweigh the risks. The EMA did recommend adding a warning to J&J’s vaccine label, and the company said it would comply with that measure.
Coronavirus Vaccine Updates: FDA expected to authorize Pfizer vaccine for ages 12-15 this week
The FDA could expand COVID vaccines for 12-to-15-year-olds as early as this week.
Health experts say the agency is expected to authorize Pfizer’s drug for that age group any day now. The decision would allow middle school students and all high school students to get the shots.
Pfizer says clinical trials showed the vaccine was 100% effective for 12-to-15 year-olds. If authorized, that age group may start receiving the Pfizer vaccine later this month.
Reaching ‘Herd Immunity’ Is Unlikely in the U.S., Experts Now Believe
Early in the pandemic, when vaccines for the coronavirus were still just a glimmer on the horizon, the term “herd immunity” came to signify the endgame: the point when enough Americans would be protected from the virus so we could be rid of the pathogen and reclaim our lives.
Now, more than half of adults in the United States have been inoculated with at least one dose of a vaccine. But daily vaccination rates are slipping, and there is widespread consensus among scientists and public health experts that the herd immunity threshold is not attainable — at least not in the foreseeable future, and perhaps not ever.
Instead, they are coming to the conclusion that rather than making a long-promised exit, the virus will most likely become a manageable threat that will continue to circulate in the United States for years to come, still causing hospitalizations and deaths but in much smaller numbers.
CDC Finds Some COVID-19 Vaccine Reactions Actually Due to Anxiety
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that some COVID-19 vaccine reactions, including fainting, dizziness and nausea, were due to anxiety — and not the shots themselves.
The report, published Friday, looked at clusters of events reported to the CDC in dozens of people who received the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine at five mass vaccination sites in early April, before federal health agencies called for a temporary pause on the shot after six people in the U.S. developed a rare blood clot disorder.
Out of 8,624 people who received the J&J dose from April 7 to 9 at the five sites, 64 experienced anxiety-related reactions, none of which were considered serious, the CDC said. Slightly more than half reported light-headedness or dizziness. Excessive sweating was the next most common symptom, followed by fainting, nausea or vomiting, and hypotension.
Pentagon Tracking 14 Cases of Heart Inflammation in Troops After COVID-19 Shots
The Defense Department is tracking 14 cases of heart inflammation, or myocarditis, in military health patients who developed the condition after receiving either the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
The rare disorder, usually caused by a virus, has been linked to COVID-19. But following a number of reports from Israel of patients developing the inflammation in conjunction with receiving vaccines, the Israeli Health Ministry is exploring a possible link, Israel’s Channel 12 reported Friday, according to the Jerusalem Post.
CVS, Walgreens Have Wasted Hundreds of Thousands of COVID Vaccine Doses, Data Show
Two national pharmacy chains that the federal government entrusted to inoculate people against COVID-19 account for the lion’s share of wasted vaccine doses, according to government data obtained by Kaiser Health News.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 182,874 wasted doses as of late March, three months into the country’s effort to vaccinate the masses against the coronavirus. CVS was responsible for nearly half, and Walgreens was responsible for 21 percent, or nearly 128,500 wasted shots combined.
Moderna Agrees to Supply Covax With Half a Billion Coronavirus Vaccines
U.S. News & World Report reported:
Moderna has agreed to supply up to half a billion doses of its coronavirus vaccine to low- and middle-income countries, the company announced on Monday.
The biotechnology company said in the announcement that it will supply up to 500 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to 92 countries through an agreement with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.