Coronavirus thread

[André]

Covid-19 situation has been getting worse in Finland. Now 408 deaths.

The virus is playing catch up in previously little affected countries or regions.

[steve ridgway]

"Britain on Wednesday became the first western country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine, jumping ahead of the United States and Europe".

From BBC News -

"The Pfizer/BioNTech jab is the fastest vaccine to go from concept to reality, taking only 10 months to follow the same steps that normally span 10 years".

"An mRNA vaccine has never been approved for use in humans before, although people have received them in clinical trials".

The wife and I, not having any underlying health conditions like diabetes, obesity or history of taking pharmaceutical drugs, will not be volunteering to take the vaccine.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

From BBC News -

"The Pfizer/BioNTech jab is the fastest vaccine to go from concept to reality, taking only 10 months to follow the same steps that normally span 10 years".

"An mRNA vaccine has never been approved for use in humans before, although people have received them in clinical trials".

The wife and I, not having any underlying health conditions like diabetes, obesity or history of taking pharmaceutical drugs, will not be volunteering to take the vaccine.

I heard the news this morning about Britain giving the go-ahead.

Like you, I'm wondering whether or not there could be any long-term problems from using a mRNA vaccine?  Thoughts anyone?

PD

[Karl Henning]

Hope it is not the institutional impatience that it seems.

[krummholz]

The virus is playing catch up in previously little affected countries or regions.

True. Vermont saw 3 deaths in one day for the first time yesterday... bringing our total death toll to 72. (But it's a small state, with fewer than 1 million people... and the virus is definitely surging here, with dozens, and often >100, new cases every day now.)

[Irons]

Hope it is not the institutional impatience that it seems.

I would have the jab tomorrow if available.

My criticism is the roll-out. Told, I do not know if true, that the French will prioritise workers coming into contact with the general public, for example taxi-drivers and shop-workers etc. This seems to me to be the most sensible route in returning  to normal life. Johnson has announced the first group, as early as next week, is the most vulnerable, the over-80s and the staff who care for them will receive the vaccine. Then a sliding scale downwards according to age. The problem for me is that the entire retired (including myself) population will be vaccinated but the most important in fiscal terms who we all rely in saving the economy from the present serious situation will not.

[T. D.]

COVID cases in my county (Ulster, NY) just sailed past the previous peak, exponential growth, no signs of slowdown.

[Daverz]

COVID cases in my county (Ulster, NY) just sailed past the previous peak, exponential growth, no signs of slowdown.

That's really bad for such a small county.  Here's San Diego County, which is at least 10 times more populous:

[Karl Henning]

COVID cases in my county (Ulster, NY) just sailed past the previous peak, exponential growth, no signs of slowdown.

Wrong direction here, too: Coronavirus Now: Mass. reports 4,613 new cases — the highest single-day total so far

[Pohjolas Daughter]

COVID cases in my county (Ulster, NY) just sailed past the previous peak, exponential growth, no signs of slowdown.

Yeah, I've had CNN on (a lot lately).  It's hard to hear the news over and over about the growth rate and the deaths.   

Meanwhile, it's holiday 'party-time' at the White House. 

[71 dB]

Meanwhile, it's holiday 'party-time' at the White House. 

And Bernie Sanders is attacked for wanting $2K stimulus for people... 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Scary to read this article about hackers attacking the cold-supply chain and intelligence gathering efforts:

"Officials suggested the activity so far had been about intelligence gathering rather than disruption of any research."

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-55165552

PD

[steve ridgway]

The UK government education secretary has explained on BBC News that the best medicines regulatory agency is the one that approves a vaccine the fastest.

Mr Williamson said: "I just reckon we've got the very best people in this country and we've obviously got the best medical regulator, much better than the French have, much better than the Belgians have, much better than the Americans have.

"That doesn't surprise me at all, because we're a much better country than every single one of them."

[Karl Henning]

The UK government education secretary has explained on BBC News that the best medicines regulatory agency is the one that approves a vaccine the fastest.

Mr Williamson said: "I just reckon we've got the very best people in this country and we've obviously got the best medical regulator, much better than the French have, much better than the Belgians have, much better than the Americans have.

"That doesn't surprise me at all, because we're a much better country than every single one of them."

Well, there you go!

[Iota]

The UK government education secretary has explained on BBC News that the best medicines regulatory agency is the one that approves a vaccine the fastest.

Mr Williamson said: "I just reckon we've got the very best people in this country and we've obviously got the best medical regulator, much better than the French have, much better than the Belgians have, much better than the Americans have.

"That doesn't surprise me at all, because we're a much better country than every single one of them."

Just embarassingly idiotic. : ( 

Hardly a unique case of crassness from him either. That people like him with no feel or vision for their job ascend to such heights, is a depressing symptom of the political system.

[Irons]

The UK government education secretary has explained on BBC News that the best medicines regulatory agency is the one that approves a vaccine the fastest.

Mr Williamson said: "I just reckon we've got the very best people in this country and we've obviously got the best medical regulator, much better than the French have, much better than the Belgians have, much better than the Americans have.

"That doesn't surprise me at all, because we're a much better country than every single one of them."

A prat. How on earth could he say such a stupid thing!

[Que]

Hancock not only says stupid things, he also tells lies about the approval process to glorify Brexit:

"Because of Brexit we've been able to make a decision [to approve the Pfizer vaccine] based on the UK regulator, a world class regulator, and not go at the pace of the Europeans who are moving a little bit more slowly. We do all the same safety checks and the same processes, but we've been able to speed up how they're done because of Brexit."

Matt Hancock, Times Radio, 2 December 2020.

This is not correct. Under European law, the UK was permitted to act independently to approve the vaccine in an emergency.

https://fullfact.org/health/coronavirus-vaccine-brexit/

Q

[Irons]

Hancock not only says stupid things, he also tells lies about the approval process to glorify Brexit:

"Because of Brexit we've been able to make a decision [to approve the Pfizer vaccine] based on the UK regulator, a world class regulator, and not go at the pace of the Europeans who are moving a little bit more slowly. We do all the same safety checks and the same processes, but we've been able to speed up how they're done because of Brexit."

Matt Hancock, Times Radio, 2 December 2020.

This is not correct. Under European law, the UK was permitted to act independently to approve the vaccine in an emergency.

https://fullfact.org/health/coronavirus-vaccine-brexit/

Q

No need to glorify Brexit. Macron does not need assistance.

[vandermolen]

Totally agree about Williamson's inane comment - what an idiot, especially after the A Level fiasco in the summer.
My concern is that governmental pressure may have been put on the UK regulator to rush the whole thing through - wouldn't surprise me - like the Iraq 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' deception.

[T. D.]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-06/giuliani-has-tested-positive-for-covid-19-trump-says
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/06/trump-says-rudy-giuliani-has-tested-positive-for-coronavirus.html