Featured Headlines
Brazil’s Covid Crisis Is a Warning to the Whole World, Scientists Say – NYT
Brazil is seeing a record number of deaths, and the spread of a more contagious coronavirus variant that may cause reinfection.
States easing COVID-19 restrictions despite experts’ warnings – PBS Newshour
With the U.S. vaccination drive picking up speed and a third formula on the way, states eager to reopen for business are easing coronavirus restrictions despite warnings from health experts that the outbreak is far from over and that moving too quickly could prolong the misery.
Dr. Fauci: Texas And Mississippi Mask Mandate Rollbacks Are ‘Ill-Advised’ And ‘Risky’ – Forbes
Dr. Anthony Fauci said it’s far too early for states to begin lifting mask-wearing orders, as the governors of Texas and Mississippi did this week, in “premature” declarations of victory over the coronavirus pandemic that will likely lead to another surge of new coronavirus cases.
Support for Covid-19 Vaccine Passports Grows, With European, Chinese Backing – Wall Street Journal
Many international travelers will likely need to prove they are vaccinated or free of Covid-19 if they plan trips later this year, after the European Union and China both said they would move ahead with plans for “vaccine passports.”
First West Coast case of COVID variant from Brazil found in Oregon – OregonLive
The Oregon Health Authority announced 269 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday along with 13 new deaths, as the state identified in Douglas County the first case of a variant strain of coronavirus originally detected in Brazil.
‘When will it end?’: How a changing virus is reshaping scientists’ views on COVID-19 – Reuters
Chris Murray, a University of Washington disease expert whose projections on COVID-19 infections and deaths are closely followed worldwide, is changing his assumptions about the course of the pandemic.
Vaccine Headlines
South Korea investigates deaths of two who received AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine – Reuters
South Korean authorities are investigating the deaths of two people, both with pre-existing conditions, who died within days of receiving AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.
What Do Vaccine Efficacy Numbers Actually Mean? – NYT
This week, Johnson & Johnson began delivering millions of doses of its coronavirus vaccine across the United States after receiving an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. Central to getting the green light was a trial that Johnson & Johnson ran to measure the vaccine’s efficacy.
With 3 COVID-19 Vaccines Available, Is 1 Better Than The Other? – NPR
With a third COVID-19 vaccine authorized, some worry that there will be a two-tier vaccine rollout — with the apparently most effective going to the powerful, rich and well-connected.
Delayed Large Local Reactions to mRNA-1273 Vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 – NEJM
Baden et al.1 report on a phase 3 clinical trial of the mRNA-1273 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, and they provide information on immediate injection-site reactions, which were observed in 84.2% of the participants after the first dose. The trial also showed that delayed injection-site reactions (defined in that trial as those with an onset on or after day 8) occurred in 244 of the 30,420 participants (0.8%) after the first dose and in 68 participants (0.2%) after the second dose. These reactions included erythema, induration, and tenderness. The reactions typically resolved over the following 4 to 5 days. However, these reactions were not further characterized, and links between reactions after the first dose and those after the second dose were not provided to inform clinical care.
J&J COVID-19 Vaccine Is Here. Now Come the Questions – MedPageToday
Johnson & Johnson’s “is not an inferior vaccine, and we should not talk about who shouldn’t get it; we should talk about how we can immunize hard-to-get populations,” said Sarah Long, MD, a pediatric diseases physician at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia and a member of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), during an emergency meeting of the committee Monday.
CDC Staff Teases New Guidance for Those Allergic to COVID Vax – MedPageToday
Patients who experienced an allergic reaction to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines could potentially be eligible to receive the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, CDC staff said on a Tuesday call with clinicians.
Clinical Considerations
COVID-19: 5 blood proteins predict critical illness and death – Medical News Today
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 81% of people with COVID-19 develop only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and a cough. However, about 14% of all patients go on to develop breathing difficulties and low blood oxygen levels. Approximately 5% become critically ill and may need treatment in an intensive care unit for acute respiratory distress and multiple organ failure. [Related Study]
6 COVID-19 treatments helping patients survive – PBS Newshour
A year ago, when U.S. health authorities issued their first warning that COVID-19 would cause severe “disruption to everyday life,” doctors had no effective treatments to offer beyond supportive care.
SARS-CoV-2 causes severe epithelial inflammation and barrier dysfunction – Journal of Virology
Infections with SARS-CoV-2 can be asymptomatic, but they can also be accompanied by a variety of symptoms that result in mild to severe coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) and are sometimes associated with systemic symptoms. Although the viral infection originates in the respiratory system, it is unclear how the virus can overcome the alveolar barrier, which is observed in severe COVID-19 disease courses.
Official Reporting for March 4, 2021
World Health Organization
Weekly Epi Update March 1, 2020
Confirmed Cases: 114,428,211
Deaths: 2,543,755
Johns Hopkins
Confirmed Cases: 115,158,945
Deaths: 2,558,261
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Total cases: 28,514,774 (+54,276 New Cases)
Total deaths: 515,277 (+2,103 New Deaths)
Science and Tech
Fauci Is Giving His Coronavirus Model to the Smithsonian – NYT
A piece of personal pandemic history belonging to the nation’s top infectious disease expert has found a new home at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
Psychological and Sociological Impact
Museums Launch Covid-19 Exhibits: Virus-Shaped Piñatas, ‘Happy Hour’ Masks – Wall Street Journal
Curators are acquiring homemade face coverings, empty vaccine vials and other pandemic memorabilia to show future generations how we coped
Law enforcement seizures of methamphetamine and marijuana rose during pandemic – NIH
An analysis of law enforcement seizures of illegal drugs in five key regions of the United States revealed a rise in methamphetamine and marijuana (cannabis) confiscations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seizures of the two drugs were higher at their peak in August 2020 than at any time in the year prior to the pandemic. While investigators found that trends in heroin, cocaine and fentanyl seizures were not affected by the pandemic, provisional overdose death data show that the increased drug mortality seen in 2019 rose further through the first half of 2020.
Teens’ Mental Health Took a Hit During Pandemic – MedPageToday
During the pandemic, teens’ mental health services accounted for a much greater proportion of all their medical claims than in the past, especially last March and April, according to a FAIR Health “white paper”.
Published Research
A neutrophil activation signature predicts critical illness and mortality in COVID-19 – Blood Advances
Hospitalization and mortality associated with SARS-CoV-2 viral clades in COVID-19 – Nature
Estimated transmissibility and impact of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 in England – Science
Misinformation, Disinformation, and Conspiracy Theories
As high-risk groups begin rolling up their sleeves to receive COVID-19 vaccines, experts warn against misinformation being spread on social media platforms, including among culturally diverse groups.
Coping in 2020 (and probably most of 2021)
