the no-nonsense, nothing-but-the-facts-m'am C19 thread

[18.99s]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/05/h...ovid-pill.html

Pfizer announced on Friday that its pill to treat Covid-19 had been found in a key clinical trial to be highly effective at preventing severe illness among at-risk people who received the drug soon after they exhibited symptoms.

...

Pfizer’s pill, which will be sold under the brand name Paxlovid, cut the risk of hospitalization or death by 89 percent when given within three days after the start of symptoms.

Pfizer said an independent board of experts monitoring its clinical trial recommended that the study be stopped early because the drug’s benefit to patients had proved so convincing.

[KevinR]

Keeping my fingers crossed that this newest arrow in the quiver will help us gain more control over the virus. Will probably keep those who have long been on the fence about the vaccines from getting one, but it will go a long way in helping them from becoming gravely ill.

[18.99s]

Keeping my fingers crossed that this newest arrow in the quiver will help us gain more control over the virus. Will probably keep those who have long been on the fence about the vaccines from getting one, but it will go a long way in helping them from becoming gravely ill.

One problem with it is the 3 day thing. Unless knowingly exposed to somebody with the virus, most people don't run to get tested within the first 3 days while their symptoms are still mild. You have to get tested, get the test results, get a prescription, and buy the drug all within the 3 day window.

[KevinR]

Just a guess on my part, but I would imagine there might still be some efficacy a bit after symptoms start.

[polevaultpower]

My kids got their (first ever) flu shots on Thursday and COVID vaccines on Friday! Arms are slightly sore, no other symptoms.

[18.99s]

The Pfizer vaccine phase 3 trial started on July 27 last year and ran to mid-November, so it was released to the public without knowing how effective it would be after more than 3-4 months. Every case I've read or heard about with somebody who ended up hospitalized or dead with COVID after full vaccination was at least 4 months after their last jab.

This month will make 6 months since I got my 2nd shot in May, so I'm not feeling confident about my level of immunity at this time, and I'm not old enough or unhealthy enough to be eligible for a booster, so my travel plans around Thanksgiving aren't going to be as social as previously planned. Hotels only (no staying with family or friends), and minimal indoor activities.

[bambam1729]

My kids got their (first ever) flu shots on Thursday and COVID vaccines on Friday! Arms are slightly sore, no other symptoms.

Good for you, and them, Becca

[scottmitchell74]

Maybe over time natural immunity will be better? Not now perhaps, but over time.

https://www.latimes.com/science/stor...id-19-vaccines

[tandfman]

Headline - Dr. Fauci Just Issued This New Warning

Key quote - "it's not going away anytime soon."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/med...?ocid=msedgntp

[18.99s]

https://news.northwestern.edu/storie...coronaviruses/

Northwestern Medicine scientists have shown for the first time that coronavirus vaccines and prior coronavirus infections can provide broad immunity against other, similar coronaviruses. The findings build a rationale for universal coronavirus vaccines that could prove useful in the face of future epidemics.

...

Plasma from humans who had been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 produced antibodies that were cross-reactive (potentially providing protection) against SARS-CoV-1 and the common cold coronavirus (OC43), the study found. The study also found mice immunized with a SARS-CoV-1 vaccine developed in 2004 generated immune responses that protected them from intranasal exposure by SARS-CoV-2. Lastly, the study found prior coronavirus infections can protect against subsequent infections with other coronaviruses.

Mice that had been immunized with COVID-19 vaccines and later were exposed to the common cold coronavirus (HCoV-OC43, which is different from a SARS strain) were partially protected against the common cold, but the protection was much less robust, the study found.

[Halfmiler2]

Weekly Update:
The Monday (11/1/21) afternoon numbers:

Cumulative Numbers:
Globally: 247.514 million cases & 5,013K deaths
The USA: 46.824 million cases & 766.3K deaths
NY State: 2.540 million cases & 45,530 deaths
NJ State: 1.042 million cases & 25,158 deaths
Bergen Co: 103,408 cases & 2,687 deaths

NJ & NY Detail:
The Rt for NJ is up to 0.96 -still under 1.0.
NJ has 3.61% & NY has 2.1% positivity rates.
NJ has 712 & NY has 1,923 hospitalizations.
NJ has 27,974 & NY has 57,010 deaths including probables.
NJ has 6.061 million completed vaccines, over 7 million started vaccines, & over 560K boosters given.

USA adjustments have thrown its daily averages out of whack below

7-day daily averages:
Globally: 663K cases & 11.4K deaths
The USA: 200K cases & 4.3K deaths
NY State: 3,727 cases & 22 deaths
NJ State: 1,150 cases & 15.6 deaths
Bergen Co: 79 cases & 1 death

Sorry this is late but the site was giving me trouble posting yesterday.

Weekly Update
The Monday (11/8/21) afternoon numbers:

Globally: 249.444 million cases & 5,040K deaths
The USA: 46.462 million cases & 754K deaths
NY State: 2.569 million cases & 45,821 deaths
NJ State: 1.050 million cases & 25.274 deaths
Bergen Co: 103,984 cases & 2,687 deaths

Global numbers exclude China which has reported no deaths in over a year.
NY, NJ, & Bergen County numbers include only confirmed, not probables.

NJ & NY Detail:
The RT in NJ is exactly 1.0 (neutral).
NJ has a 3.78% & NY has a 2.6% positivity rate.
NJ has 627 & NY has 1,794 hospitalizations.
Including probables, NJ has 28,092 & NY has 58,181 deaths.
NJ has 6.1 complete vaccinations, 7.3 million first shots, and 750K boosters for 9.2 million people.

7-Day Daily Averages:
(Global & USA unavailable.)
NY: 4,193 cases & 41.6 deaths
NJ: 1,071 cases & 16.6 deaths
Bergen Co: 82 cases & 0 deaths

[TN1965]

Japan has zero daily COVID-19 deaths for first time in 15 months - media (yahoo.com)

Japan recorded no daily deaths from COVID-19 for the first time in more than a year on Sunday, local media said.

Prior to Sunday, there had not been a day without a COVID-19 death since Aug. 2, 2020, according to a tally by national broadcaster NHK.

[TN1965]

Eastern Europe faces 'truly disastrous' Covid situation right now. Experts call it a warning. (yahoo.com)

As Europe finds itself at the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic once again, experts say it should serve as a warning to the U.S. and other countries about the virus’ unremitting nature.

Countries across the continent have seen cases soar. October saw a rise of more than 50 percent, and the worrying trend has continued this month as winter begins to bite.

[TN1965]

Deaths / million in the last seven days.

1. Bulgaria.
2. Latvia.
3. Georgia.
4. Romania.
5. Armenia.
6. Ukraine.
7. Moldova.
8. Croatia.
9. Montenegro.
10. Lithuania.

(Hungary is #11.)

[Conor Dary]

Eastern Europe faces 'truly disastrous' Covid situation right now. Experts call it a warning. (yahoo.com)

As Europe finds itself at the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic once again, experts say it should serve as a warning to the U.S. and other countries about the virus’ unremitting nature.

Countries across the continent have seen cases soar. October saw a rise of more than 50 percent, and the worrying trend has continued this month as winter begins to bite.

Good grief....a warning!

Their vaccination rates are ridiculous....

"Despite having access to vaccines, those countries did not manage to convince their population to get vaccinated," he added.

Romania and Bulgaria are among the countries with the lowest rates of vaccine uptake across the continent, according to the E.U.’s vaccine tracker.

The latest data showed less than 23 percent of the adult population in Bulgaria had been fully vaccinated, while just over 25 percent had received at least one shot. In Romania, just under 34 percent of the population above age 18 had been fully vaccinated, while almost 38 percent had received at least one dose.