Cities Turn to Washington to Close Pandemic Budget Gaps – NYT
California is slated to get $42 billion from the federal pandemic relief bill, with $8 billion going to struggling cities. Also: Inside the Covid surge in Los Angeles County.
Methods for the detection and identification of SARS-CoV-2 variants – ECDC
Whole Genome Sequencing, or at least complete or partial S-gene, should be performed to confirm infection with a specific variant. For early detection and prevalence calculation of variants of concern (e.g. B.1.1.7/501Y.V1, B.1.351/501Y.V2, P.1/501Y.V3), alternative methods have been developed, such as diagnostic screening PCR-based assays.
5 Pandemic Mistakes We Keep Repeating – The Atlantic
When the polio vaccine was declared safe and effective, the news was met with jubilant celebration. Church bells rang across the nation, and factories blew their whistles. “Polio routed!” newspaper headlines exclaimed. “An historic victory,” “monumental,” “sensational,” newscasters declared. People erupted with joy across the United States. Some danced in the streets; others wept. Kids were sent home from school to celebrate.
‘A Nightmare Every Day’: Inside an Overwhelmed Funeral Home – NYT
Those at Continental Funeral Home in East Los Angeles view themselves as working-class emergency workers. They have always done the work no one wants to, but now it’s to an extreme.
Japan Recommends Extending Virus Emergency for Tokyo Region – Bloomberg
The Japanese government recommended extending by two weeks its virus state of emergency for the Tokyo region set to expire Sunday, trying to maintain a declining trend in infections as it looks to host the Olympics in about four months.
Covid Spike in Pacific Nation Raises Fear of Regional Spread – Bloomberg
Papua New Guinea reported at least 260 new Covid-19 cases in the seven days ending on Feb. 28, its largest weekly rise, raising concerns the pandemic is worsening in the Pacific Islands region’s most populous nation
Vaccine Headlines
Largest Vaccine Maker Warns of Delays as U.S. Prioritizes Pfizer – Bloomberg
The head of the world’s biggest vaccine maker and the World Health Organization’s chief scientist said manufacturers of coronavirus shots face a global shortage of the raw materials needed to churn out the inoculations.
One and Done: Why People Are Eager for Johnson & Johnson’s Vaccine – NYT
Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine is allowing states to rethink distribution, even as health officials and experts worry some will view it as inferior.
Choices in a Crisis — Individual Preferences among SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines – NEJM
The extraordinarily swift development of effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 offers new optimism about combating the Covid-19 pandemic. So far, vaccine demand far exceeds supply, and people generally cannot choose which vaccine they receive. In the United States, this lack of choice has generated little debate given the similar mechanism of action, number of required doses, safety profile, and efficacy of the two vaccines approved in December 2020, both based on mRNA technology.
How long do vaccines last? The surprising answers may help protect people longer – Science
Like millions of people in the United States last year, Stanley Plotkin and his wife got vaccinated against influenza at the start of the Northern Hemisphere’s flu season, in early October. Plotkin, a physician and emeritus professor at the University of Pennsylvania, knew well the value of the shot: He is one of the world’s most renowned vaccinologists, having had a hand in several vaccines on the market, including the one for rubella. He’s even the co-author of the standard medical textbook, Vaccines.
Australia’s AstraZeneca Vaccines Blocked by Italy Under New Rule – Bloomberg
Italy has blocked a shipment of the AstraZeneca Plc’s coronavirus vaccine to Australia, using a recently introduced European Union regulation for the first time, in a move that risks triggering a global backlash.
Criticized Indian Vaccine Already in Use Found 81% Effective – Bloomberg
An Indian coronavirus vaccine that generated controversy when it was granted emergency approval before finishing its final stage testing has shown to provide strong protection against Covid-19 in an interim analysis of an advanced clinical trial.
Novartis signs initial agreement with CureVac to manufacture COVID-19 vaccine candidate – Novartis
Novartis announced today that it has signed an initial agreement to manufacture the mRNA and bulk drug product for the COVID-19 vaccine candidate CVnCoV from CureVac to aid in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Preparations for the start of production, technology transfer and test runs are already underway. Following final agreement, Novartis plans to start production in the second quarter of 2021. First deliveries of the bulk drug product to CureVac are expected in the summer 2021.
Clinical Considerations
None Today
Official Reporting for March 5, 2021
World Health Organization
Weekly Epi Update March 1, 2020
Confirmed Cases: 114,853,685
Deaths: 2,554,694
Johns Hopkins
Confirmed Cases: 115,584,230
Deaths: 2,568,083
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Total cases: 28,580,198 (+65,424 New Cases)
Total deaths: 517,224 (+1,947 New Deaths)
Science and Tech
Saliva for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 – NEJM
Wyllie and colleagues (Sept. 24 issue)1 provide helpful data regarding the use of saliva samples for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We would like to call attention to one detail. For most of the PCR data, absolute quantification was applied, which provided data on the viral load of the samples in units of copies per milliliter. Wyllie et al. did so using a formula that was based on a standard curve that was generated by measuring serial dilutions of known quantities of SARS-CoV-2 RNA transcripts, which was done during a previous study.2 In order to gain reliable results on quantitative PCR (qPCR), standards are usually amplified in parallel with samples during each individual PCR test, which generates a new standard curve for every test run.
The Vaccine Revolution Is Coming Inside Tiny Bubbles of Fat – Bloomberg
If messenger-RNA vaccines are the breakout medicine of the pandemic, then the tiny lipid spheres that bring them into people’s cells are the unsung heroes.
Psychological and Sociological Impact
Mental Health Is A Matter of Public Health, Too – Bloomberg
The pandemic has increased stress and anxiety around the world. Experts weigh in on how social ties and local leadership can help.
Eating Disorders: Another Consequence of COVID-19 – MedPageToday
In January, when Michael’s daughter lost interest in eating, he knew it was time to take action. Michael, a New York City resident (he asked that his last name not be used), began noticing changes in his daughter’s mood prior to the new year. At the end of last summer, the vivacious and social 12-year-old began showing signs of depression, which were revealed through her eating habits. She declared herself a vegetarian, and refused to eat any meat besides chicken. She also stuck to a limited menu that included foods like pasta and pizza.
Published Research
None Today
Misinformation, Disinformation, and Conspiracy Theories
Why do some people believe health misinformation? – Medical News Today
Social media sites are platforms for people to share ideas and stay connected with families and professionals. However, they can also be a haven for inaccurate information. Some of this information is health-related, which can misinform those looking to make health decisions.
Vaccine Hesitancy:
The Surprising Key to Combatting Vaccine Refusal – The Atlantic
Why wouldn’t someone want a COVID-19 vaccine? Staring at the raw numbers, it doesn’t seem like a hard choice. Thousands of people are dying of COVID-19 every day. Meanwhile, out of the 75,000 people who received a shot in the vaccine trials from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Novavax, zero died and none was hospitalized after four weeks. As the United States screams past 500,000 fatalities, the choice between a deadly disease and a shot in the arm might seem like the easiest decision in the world.
Coping in 2020 (and probably most of 2021)
