Featured Headlines
Why new coronavirus variants ‘suddenly arose’ in the U.K. and South Africa – National Geographic
Some researchers suspect chronic cases allow the virus to replicate over long periods of time and that certain new therapies may encourage it to mutate.
The Japanese authorities understood covid-19 better than most – The Economist
When the Diamond Princess, a cruise ship suffering from an outbreak of covid-19, arrived in Japan in February, it seemed like a stroke of bad luck. A small floating petri dish threatened to turn the Japanese archipelago into a big one. In retrospect, however, the early exposure taught the authorities lessons that have helped make Japan’s epidemic the mildest among the world’s big economies, despite a recent surge in infections.
Fauci Says U.S. Wants Samples of U.K. Virus Strain for Testing – Bloomberg
The U.S. is trying to obtain samples of the mutant strain of SARS-CoV-2 that’s arisen in the U.K. for testing at the National Institutes of Health, according to Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious-disease doctor.
Vaccine Headlines
China’s CAS COVID-19 vaccine induces immune response in mid-stage tests – Reuters
A coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) was found to be safe and triggered immune responses in early and mid-stage trials, researchers said on Tuesday.
AstraZeneca and Sputnik V developers to test a combined experimental vaccine – Medical News Today
The developers of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine have signed an agreement with AstraZeneca to test a combination of both vaccines
Pfizer
U.S., Pfizer reach deal expanding American vaccine supply – Washington Post
The agreement won’t expedite access during an intensifying surge of infections but will avert a shortfall next year.
Sinovac
Sinovac Shot More Than 50% Effective – Bloomberg
A vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. was found to be more than 50% effective in a Brazilian clinical trial, but key supporting data wasn’t released.
Sputnik V
Argentina Approves Russian Vaccine – Bloomberg
Argentina approved the emergency use of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine to combat the spread of Covid-19, becoming the first nation outside the former Soviet Union to authorize the shot.
Clinical Considerations
Trial of High-Dose Blood Thinners in I.C.U. Coronavirus Patients Is Halted – NYT
Giving anticoagulants to hospitalized Covid-19 patients is routine. But high doses may sometimes do more harm than good, a safety board finds.
The researchers Wasco Wruck and Prof. James Adjaye from the Institute of Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Medical Faculty of Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Germany, employed a bioinformatic approach on transcriptome data pertaining to human lung epithelial cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. The meta-analysis unveiled several adversely affected biological processes in the lung which no doubt also applies to other infected organs such as the heart and kidney. Their study is published in Scientific Reports.
Understanding why COVID-19 Increases Stroke Risk – Contagion
While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is known mostly as one that impacts the respiratory system, it has been seen to cause strokes in patients who had no risk factors, and little is known about the reasons why. A recent study conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles, may potentially help to explain how the disease increases the risk for stoke in some patients who are infected. [Related study in Stroke]
Secondary bloodstream infections associated with severe COVID-19 – Science Daily
People with severe COVID-19 and a secondary blood infection were significantly sicker upon hospital admission, had longer hospital stays and poorer outcomes, according to a new study.
Long-Haul Covid Patients Put Hope in Experimental Drugs – Wall Street Journal
People suffering from debilitating symptoms for months after getting sick with Covid are searching for relief
GI Bleeds Tied to Worse Prognosis for COVID-19 Inpatients – MedPageToday
Anticoagulation or antiplatelet agents not tied to higher risk of bleeding in cohort study. Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding was observed in 3% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and a bleed developing during hospitalization was tied to greater mortality, a large New York cohort study found. [Related Study Journal of Internal Medicine]
Official Reporting for December 24, 2020
World Health Organization
Weekly Epi Update December 21, 2020
Confirmed Cases: 76 858 506
Deaths: 1 711 498
ECDC
Confirmed Cases: 76 046 387
Deaths: 1 693 858
Johns Hopkins
Confirmed Cases: 78,576,628
Deaths: 1,728,069
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Total cases: 18,170,062 (+195,759 New Cases)
Total deaths: 321,734 (+3,165 New Deaths)
Surveillance Headlines
UNITED STATES
California: California May Need More Drastic Steps During COVID-19 Surge – NPR
Man who died following medical emergency on United flight had coronavirus, coroner says – Washington Post
EUROPE
Switzerland: Switzerland begins Covid-19 vaccinations. – NYT
Science and Tech
How Mink, Like Humans, Were Slammed by the Coronavirus – NYT
Rampaging infections at farms caused scandal, scientific head-scratching and a search for a vaccine — for mink.
Therapeutics
Roche Diagnostics’ new Elecsys SARS-CoV-2 antibody test gained emergency use authorization (EUA) from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week, granting a new blood test to test those who may have been exposed to COVID-19.
The U.S. Department of the Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD) jointly announced an agreement with Merck to support advanced development and large-scale manufacturing of the their investigational therapeutic MK-7110 to treat hospitalized patients with severe or critical COVID-19.
Psychological and Sociological Impact
‘Every day is an emergency’: The pandemic is worsening psychiatric bed shortages nationwide – STAT
The Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically cut the availability of inpatient psychiatric beds, with facilities across the country forced to reduce their capacity to meet social distancing requirements, stem outbreaks of the virus, or repurpose psychiatric beds to care for the surge of Covid-19 patients.
Published Research
Antibody Status and Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers – NEJM
Case 40-2020: A 24-Year-Old Man with Headache and Covid-19 – NEJM
Flow-Mediated Susceptibility and Molecular Response of Cerebral Endothelia to SARSCoV-2 Infection – Stroke
Assessment of Air Contamination by SARS-CoV-2 in Hospital Settings – JAMA
Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Hospitalized COVID‐19 Patients: A Propensity Score Matched Cohort Study – Journal of Internal Medicine
Misinformation, Disinformation, and Conspiracy Theories
Vaccine Hesitancy
How Do We Inject Confidence Into Vaccine Hesitant Americans? – MedPageToday
“We need to really up our game in terms of communicating,” says Peter Hotez, MD, PhD
Coping in 2020
11 Original NPR Comics That Brought Joy, Hope And Help During The Pandemic – NPR
During the coronavirus crisis, our team has created and published original comics to offer COVID-19 advice and information and to tell stories about people whose lives have been affected by the pandemic.
