[Mezla PigDog]

John Bell in particular doesn't fill me with confidence. His experience suggest his brain his sound but whenever he's speaking on the news the hubris of the man leaves me shouting at the tv.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'Pfizer Says Its COVID-19 Vaccine Is More Than 90 Percent Effective and Has Displayed No Side Effects

[...] Pfizer now plans to ask the Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization and said it will have manufactured enough doses to immunize 15 to 20 million people by the end of the year. The Times notes the company "released only sparse details" from the trial and that long-term safety information was still to be collected.'

https://www.thedaily...ffects?ref=home

[Edit: hope Trump doesn't try to unnecessarily delay the vaccine roll-out out of spite. Trump Jr. is already accusing Pfizer of delaying the news to hurt his father.]

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 09 November 2020 - 03:10 PM

[QuickTidal]

Azath Vitr (D, on 09 November 2020 - 03:03 PM, said:

'Pfizer Says Its COVID-19 Vaccine Is More Than 90 Percent Effective and Has Displayed No Side Effects

[...] Pfizer now plans to ask the Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization and said it will have manufactured enough doses to immunize 15 to 20 million people by the end of the year. The Times notes the company "released only sparse details" from the trial and that long-term safety information was still to be collected.'

https://www.thedaily...ffects?ref=home

[Edit: hope Trump doesn't try to unnecessarily delay the vaccine roll-out out of spite. Trump Jr. is already accusing Pfizer of delaying the news to hurt his father.]

If it's really 90%, that's damned good. You'd only need what? Like 60-70% to get near herd immunity levels?

At any rate, this is good news, and gives us a bit of hope moving forward.

[Tiste Simeon]

Mike Pence takes credit, Pfizer immediately deny any government help:
https://www.independ...urce=reddit.com

The Trump administration must think everyone is as stupid as their voters haha

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

If the mink mutation in Denmark isn't contained, the vaccines currently being developed might not end the pandemic. It's urgent. (Hopefully a similar mutation won't arise in other mink populations around the world....)

Unfortunately:


'Denmark drops plans for mass mink cull after Covid mutation fears

MPs refused to support forced killing of millions of mink after concerns raised over disease risk and threat to livelihoods

[...] the government is taking away the livelihood of a large number of people without actually having the legal rights to do so."

Frederik Waage, law professor at the University of Southern Denmark, told Danish national paper Berlingske the cull order was "illegal".

[...]

Andersson believes a cull is the safest option, however, for public health and animal welfare. "This is a tiny sector, we could easily live without it, given the risk of compromising a vaccine. We should be shutting down mink farms and culling all the animals."

Poland and Finland are reported to be free of Covid-19 on mink farms, while in the Netherlands fur farming will effectively end this year. In Ireland, a tiny player in the mink sector, testing at the country's three farms is reported to have begun already.

In the US, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention presentation last week said 11 mink farms had Covid-19 outbreaks. The most recent list on the US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website shows outbreaks on mink farms in Utah, Wisconsin and Michigan.

[...] A statement from US veterinary NGO the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association said the apparent rapid mutation of the virus in mink, and the lack of a cull, was both a public health and a welfare risk.

It said the result is that "mink, who are already stressed from the unnatural living conditions, experience severe respiratory distress before dying".

Joanna Swabe, a policy adviser for Humane Society International, agreed: "If mink on a farm are infected​, suffering respiratory problems and are not being culled, their welfare ​will also be seriously compromised."

Swabe said that not carrying out culls on farms where Covid-19 has been detected in the mink meant the continued existence of "a pool of non-essential animals that ​could pose a risk to public health".

She added: "So far it's just luck that we are talking about mink rather than food animals. Covid-19 can mutate in mink, which a virus ​can do anyway, and then it can potentially come back to us. What if we get a ​zoonotic disease that ​affects pigs in the next pandemic? Or chickens? ​Mink can easily be culled, they are non-essential. It's going to be harder to do that with food-animals."'

https://www.theguard...-mutation-fears

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 09 November 2020 - 06:59 PM

[Mezla PigDog]

Good news on the Pfizer vaccine is that because it is mRNA it needs -80°C cold chain shipping and storage. Which means developed countries won't have to feel bad about not sharing with poor countries as they don't have enough freezers. Probably best to vaccinate rich white people first anyway really.

[Garak]

Reminds me of this:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feY5KhdXsUQ

Just because of plague scenario, I do not for 1 second believe the various conspiracy theories

[Cyphon]

Mezla PigDog, on 09 November 2020 - 07:34 PM, said:

Good news on the Pfizer vaccine is that because it is mRNA it needs -80°C cold chain shipping and storage. Which means developed countries won't have to feel bad about not sharing with poor countries as they don't have enough freezers. Probably best to vaccinate rich white people first anyway really.

:/ let's hope one of the other trials comes through with similar success rates. Sadly if this has a good lifespan of protection you can see the funding dropping off...

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

At least there may still be some use for the Oxford vaccine (if it proves safe and effective...). And the Chinese (and other US, etc.) vaccines which should hopefully also be ready soon.

And Johnson's reckless gamble---redirecting resources that could have gone towards PPE into vaccine development in a mad dash to be first---won't win him the glory he sought. But at least he might, inadvertently, help people in the developing world. (Hopefully it won't give his regime too much leverage in trade negotiations... and competing vaccines from China and elsewhere will help keep prices minimal.)

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 09 November 2020 - 09:40 PM

[Mezla PigDog]

I don't think there is any evidence that the UK government made a gamble and chose to funnel money to vaccine development. The PPE thing was good old fashioned incompetence.

There is evidence to say they have put money into the moon shot testing strategy instead of fixing test and trace. With test and trace being the only proven public health measure to work when tackling infectious disease.

[Cyphon]

Mezla PigDog, on 09 November 2020 - 09:54 PM, said:

I don't think there is any evidence that the UK government made a gamble and chose to funnel money to vaccine development. The PPE thing was good old fashioned incompetence corruption.

There is evidence to say they have put money into the moon shot testing strategy instead of fixing test and trace. With test and trace being the only proven public health measure to work when tackling infectious disease.

Fixed that for you.

This post has been edited by Cyphon: 09 November 2020 - 10:01 PM

[Mezla PigDog]

I don't think even the lack of PPE is corruption. At least not at a UK government level. Testing contracts have been given via cronyism definitely. And Dido Harding being given the role she has is ridiculous. And the Tory obsession that the private sector can deliver better then the public sector - I guess when you have cut the public sector to the bone then there is no choice. But PPE was lack of preparedness and then lack of follow through to rectify mistakes. I'm not defending this government but it's important to send the blame where it needs to be - incompetent and corrupt in different facets! Throw the whole book at them.

[Gwynn ap Nudd]

QuickTidal, on 09 November 2020 - 03:13 PM, said:

Azath Vitr (D, on 09 November 2020 - 03:03 PM, said:

'Pfizer Says Its COVID-19 Vaccine Is More Than 90 Percent Effective and Has Displayed No Side Effects

[...] Pfizer now plans to ask the Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization and said it will have manufactured enough doses to immunize 15 to 20 million people by the end of the year. The Times notes the company "released only sparse details" from the trial and that long-term safety information was still to be collected.'

https://www.thedaily...ffects?ref=home

[Edit: hope Trump doesn't try to unnecessarily delay the vaccine roll-out out of spite. Trump Jr. is already accusing Pfizer of delaying the news to hurt his father.]

If it's really 90%, that's damned good. You'd only need what? Like 60-70% to get near herd immunity levels?

At any rate, this is good news, and gives us a bit of hope moving forward.

Seems they are only testing people with symptoms in the trial. So there is only evidence so far of preventing symptomatic cases and not prevention of people becoming infectious. Good to hear nonetheless, but there might be a much higher bar for herd immunity.

[Malankazooie]

So that Vice channel started airing a series about wet markets (title="Wet Markets Exposed"). It is very disturbing. First up, they cover wet markets in Indonesia. If you are a pet lover and own dogs and cats, be forewarned, you probably should not watch. And holy shit, who knew there were bats that size on this planet. Like legit, they look like foxes with wings.

[Cause]

Does the USA have the will for a second lockdown. It looks badly needed!

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Cause, on 13 November 2020 - 12:50 AM, said:

Does the USA have the will for a second lockdown. It looks badly needed!

Hopefully.

Though it won't be a federally-mandated national lockdown:

'Fact Check: A Blanket National Quarantine Is Likely Not Legal'

[...] could the president order a national lockdown or place states under quarantine?

Legal experts say not really.'

https://www.npr.org/...ine-experts-say

Also no national mask mandate:

'While Mr. Biden would like to see a national mask mandate, his advisers have concluded that he does not have the legal authority to impose one.'

https://www.nytimes....ive-action.html

[Edit: Probably not in Trumplandia though....]

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 13 November 2020 - 01:00 AM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'COVID-19 Restrictions Are Suddenly in Peril at the Supreme Court

Amy Coney Barrett now has an opportunity to cast the fifth vote freeing churches from public health restrictions.

[...] The damage would quickly radiate beyond New York City. A decision for the diocese would also encourage religious organizations in other states to petition SCOTUS for relief—as infections, hospitalizations, and deaths from COVID spike throughout the country. The diocese has promised to follow reasonable safety protocols, but other houses of worship might not be so responsible. In the early days of the pandemic, scientists discovered that church services can easily become superspreader events; some of the worst outbreaks have been traced to houses of worship. Now the Supreme Court could thwart state efforts to avoid such events as the U.S. faces the darkest days of the pandemic yet.'

https://slate.com/ne...ey-barrett.html

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 13 November 2020 - 01:38 AM

[Maark Abbott]

Mezla PigDog, on 09 November 2020 - 10:08 PM, said:

I don't think even the lack of PPE is corruption. At least not at a UK government level. Testing contracts have been given via cronyism definitely. And Dido Harding being given the role she has is ridiculous. And the Tory obsession that the private sector can deliver better then the public sector - I guess when you have cut the public sector to the bone then there is no choice. But PPE was lack of preparedness and then lack of follow through to rectify mistakes. I'm not defending this government but it's important to send the blame where it needs to be - incompetent and corrupt in different facets! Throw the whole book at them.

As it's been reported (not that I trust the reporting sites because they're not impartial as a rule) a lot of these contracts went to companies with no prior basis in providing equipment of this type, or new startups with minimal assets, but provable links to folks who are connected to sitting Tory ministers. It smells of corruption to me, because those funds have gone from the government's kitty and into private accounts, with nothing to show for it.

Also they're incompetent on top of the above.

[Cyphon]

It did make me laugh this week that somehow the Russian vaccine was 92% effective against the first announced vaccines 90% efficacy.

[Macros]

In Soviet Russia something something vaccinates YOU