Featured Headlines
Fauci Warns Of ‘Surge Upon A Surge’ As COVID-19 Hospitalizations Hit Yet Another High – NPR
The number of hospitalizations from the coronavirus set yet another record on Saturday, as cases continue to surge and public health officials warn of a worsening outlook with the holiday season just weeks away.
Swedish Government Rethinks COVID-19 Containment Strategy – NPR
While much of Europe locked down to stop the coronavirus from spreading, Sweden relied largely on voluntary social distancing measures. Now as infections rise, the government is reconsidering.
America’s top infectious-disease expert sounded the alarm Sunday, warning of a “surge superimposed upon” a surge of coronavirus cases over the coming weeks due to Thanksgiving travel and celebrations.
Oregon Mink Farm Has Covid-19 Coronavirus Outbreak – Forbes
It’s not every day that minks make the news, except for now, when minks seem to be making the news every day. And the news about minks hasn’t been positive, like they’re hosting a new talk show or coming out with a new song entitled, “Love Minks.” No, the news about minks has been positive in a bad way, a very bad way. Covid-19 coronavirus outbreaks have been occurring on mink farms. And on Friday, the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) announced that a mink farm in Oregon is the latest one in the U.S. to have such an outbreak.
In mid-November, as the United States set records for newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases day after day, the hospital situation in one hard-hit state, Wisconsin, looked concerning but not yet urgent by one crucial measure. The main pandemic data tracking system run by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), dubbed HHS Protect, reported that on 16 November, 71% of the state’s hospital beds were filled. Wisconsin officials who rely on the data to support and advise their increasingly strained hospitals might have concluded they had some margin left.
The Lost Days that Made Bergano Italy a Coronavirus Tragedy – NYT
The northern Italian province became one of the deadliest killing fields for the virus in the Western world. But a Times investigation found that faulty guidance and bureaucratic delays rendered the toll far worse than it had to be.
More Than 100,000 People Died Of COVID-19 In Nursing Homes, Findings Show – NPR
NPR’s Ari Shapiro talks with Priya Chidambaram of the Kaiser Family Foundation about their findings that more than 100,000 residents and staff of long-term care facilities have died of COVID-19.
COVID-19 spread in different social settings – new Imperial report – Imperial College of London
The chance of an asymptomatic infected person infecting a close contact was 3.5% (95% CI: 0.0%-6.4%), which was approximately a quarter of the 12.8% (95% CI: 8.9%-16.7%) chance for symptomatic infected person infecting a close contact.
Inside a hospital as the coronavirus surges: Where will all the patients go? – Washington Post
An open bed is “a gift” at a Wisconsin hospital where patients can’t believe other people still don’t take covid-19 seriously
An outbreak strikes a major P.P.E. supplier, and other news from around the world – New York Times
A Malaysian company that makes disposable gloves used around the world for protection against the coronavirus has been hit by a major outbreak among its workers, many of them foreign laborers who live in crowded dormitories.
Clinical Considerations
None Today
Official Reporting for November 30, 2020
World Health Organization
Weekly Epi Update November 24, 2020
Confirmed Cases: 61 869 330
Deaths: 1 448 896
ECDC
Confirmed Cases: 62 271 031
Deaths: 1 453 531
Johns Hopkins
Confirmed Cases: 62,670,153
Deaths: 1,458,360
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Total cases: 13,142,997 (+143,333 New Cases)
Total deaths: 265,166 (+1,210 New Deaths)
Surveillance Headlines
UNITED STATES
Officials scale back contact tracing efforts in the U.S., saying they cannot keep up – NYT
EUROPE
Germany: Passes 1 Million Coronavirus Cases As Merkel Warns Of ‘A Tough Winter’ – NPR
Germany: Germany extends its partial lockdown through December – NYT
Science and Tech
Therapeutics
Covid Drugs From Lilly, Regeneron Raise Access, Timing Concerns – Bloomberg
Powerful drugs recently authorized by the U.S. that may prevent those at the earliest stages of Covid-19 from suffering severe disease present thorny new challenges, including who will get them and where they’ll be administered.
Vaccine
U.K. Set to Be First to Clear Pfizer-BioNTech Covid Vaccine – Bloomberg
The U.K. is poised to become the first country to approve Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE’s Covid-19 vaccine, ahead of a long line of countries waiting for protection from the coronavirus.
Dr. Anthony Fauci On The “Unimaginable” Development Speed Of COVID-19 Vaccines – Podcast
On the latest Hemmer Time podcast, Bill is joined by director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Bill and Dr. Fauci discuss optimism regarding new developments in the coronavirus vaccine, the impressive investment the Trump administration made in Operation Warp Speed and what a realistic timeline for a COVID-19 vaccine looks like.
Psychological and Sociological Impact
Pandemic Makes Staying Positive More Important Than Ever – MedPageToday
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost everyone, whether directly, through the loss of loved ones, or the impact on job security. Business has slowed down in many sectors and has been put to a standstill. It became clear that things we thought were imperative to our lives and functionality as human beings were “non-essential,” and we have somehow managed to survive without them for this long.
How to Deal With Life in Long-Term Isolation – New York Times
Cases of Covid-19 are climbing, and winter weather is going to cut off many of the lifelines — picnics in the park, running outside, outdoor dining — so many people have depended on for sanity this year. Vaccines are on the horizon, but even the most optimistic timelines put them months away. And time with family during the holidays, normally a bright spot in winter months, is all but canceled this year.
Published Research
None today
Misinformation, Disinformation, and Conspiracy Theories
Covid-19: What’s the harm of ‘funny’ anti-vaccine memes? – BBC
Memes, often in the form of humorous images and videos, are a major part of how people communicate on the internet, but they can also be used to spread disinformation.
Coping in 2020
Minnesota Nurse Uses Poetry To Cope With The Pandemic – NPR
As patients continue to fill hospitals across the nation, a Minnesota nurse is using poetry writing as a way to cope.
12 Stunning Cookies That Will Impress Everyone You Know – New York Times
COVID can’t take away Christmas Cookies…