The China Syndrome Part I: Outbreak

The China Syndrome Part I: Outbreak: This part looks at the circumstances surrounding the initial outbreak

A coronavirus vaccine: China’s got one, Russia does, too. Will Trump rush one out?

A coronavirus vaccine: China’s got one, Russia does, too. Will Trump rush one out? There are reasons to worry the Trump administration may push through a vaccine before it’s undergone complete clinical testing. Rival nations like China and Russia have already announced they’ve got vaccines. The number of COVID-19 deaths in the United States keeps rising. And the presidential election is just two months away. Health experts worry these factors put pressure on the administration to prematurely roll out a vaccine.

StayAway Covid. Como funciona a “app” de combate à pandemia?

Como funciona a “app” de combate à pandemia?

StayAway Covid. “App” contra covid-19 disponível para iPhone e Android | Coronav�rus | P�BLICO

StayAway Covid. “App” contra covid-19 disponível para iPhone e Android: O lançamento oficial da StayAway Covid ― que está a ser anunciada há cinco meses ― está marcado para o começo da próxima semana, no Porto, numa sessão com o primeiro-ministro (...) Foram precisos cinco meses para cá chegar. A aplicação está a ser a ser desenvolvida desde Março

The Militias Against Masks

The Militias Against Masks: Groups protesting lockdown measures see the coronavirus pandemic as a pretext for tyranny—and as an opportunity for spreading rage.

Os números da covid-19 em Portugal

Os números da covid-19 em Portugal: A 2 de Março registaram-se os primeiros casos de covid-19 em Portugal. O Público faz aqui um resumo diário dos números da pandemia no nosso país

We Don’t Have to Despair

We Don’t Have to Despair: Medical research director Eric Topol sees light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel.

How to stop COVID-19 fuelling a resurgence of AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis

How to stop COVID-19 fuelling a resurgence of AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis: A focus on the coronavirus has disrupted detection and treatment of other infectious diseases. Governments and funders can do four things to avert a catastrophe.

The pandemic appears to have spared Africa so far. Scientists are struggling to explain why

The pandemic appears to have spared Africa so far. Scientists are struggling to explain why: So what explains the huge gap between antibody data on the one hand and
the official case and death counts on the other? Part of the reason may
be that Africa misses many more cases than other parts of the world
because it has far less testing capacity.

To make sense of coronavirus, we need to embrace doubt

To make sense of coronavirus, we need to embrace doubt: Get the numbers straight, but then question them

As powerful as they may be, coronavirus figures also
have their limitations. From the very start, mistakes were made by both
laymen and experts. Let me mention three emblematic examples.

First: misleadingly precise numbers.
It was immediately clear that the actual coronavirus cases were much
higher than those reported in official figures, and circulated, often
uncritically, on social media. Since in most countries not everyone was
getting tested, the figures could at best gauge the lower bound of the
actual numbers.

Second: skewed samples. For instance, a study by
Stanford researchers to estimate the prevalence of the virus in Santa
Clara County, California, concluded that Covid-19 was much more
widespread than initially believed. Researchers had used Facebook ads to
recruit test subjects, which is a convenient method, but also one that
distorts the numbers, as people who feel sick are likely to self-select
into such a study in order to get tested.

Third: mistaking correlation for causation. There were endless speculations about which countries did “best” in tackling the pandemic.
It is tempting to gaze at the figures and come up with some facile
explanation for the differences. Some have claimed masks are the
solution, others that we should all have robust contact-tracing like
South Korea or a laissez-faire approach like Sweden. But there is no
silver-bullet solution. Countries have different testing strategies,
different demographics, different healthcare systems. And some countries
simply had more luck, as the pandemic knocked on their door later and
gave them more time to prepare. How countries fared probably depends on a
complex interaction of many factors, which will take years to
disentangle.

So how can we make sense of this crisis? Obviously, numeracy helps.

Who Will Benefit from a Successful Chinese COVID-19 Vaccine?

Who Will Benefit from a Successful Chinese COVID-19 Vaccine? There seems to be little doubt, then, that China could be among the
countries that first produces a successful vaccine for COVID-19. There
are several issues before large-scale benefits will accrue globally. Can
China produce sufficient doses for its domestic use and for other
countries? Which countries are likely to benefit?

Parents are 5X as Worried about Infection & School than about Work & Paying the Mortgage

Parents are 5X as Worried about Infection & School than about Work & Paying the Mortgage: Quick Facts: Worries across schooling, safety & finances

We polled 1,000 parents in the US and asked them what their biggest worry was amidst the pandemic.
35% of parents are most worried about a family virus infection.
Just 10.5% of parents listed “finding work” or “paying the mortgage” as their top worry.
Getting kids to school safely was almost twice as important to survey participants than the economic concerns.
Almost a third of parents we polled aren’t worried about the pandemic at all.

Apple aprova versão de testes da Stayaway Covid

Apple aprova versão de testes da Stayaway Covid. App ainda sem data de lançamento: A Apple aprovou, nesta quarta-feira, a realização de testes alargados
da aplicação Stayaway Covid. A luz verde dada pela tecnológica
americana, cocriadora do sistema de rastreio de contactos de proximidade
de infetados pelo coronavírus conhecido como GAEN,
em conjunto com a Google, permite que os utilizadores de iPhone que se
inscreveram para o teste-piloto possam usar a aplicação através da
ferramenta TestFlight, que permite a utilização de aplicações ainda em
desenvolvimento.






Mas a aprovação da Apple chega quase uma semana depois de já ter
terminado o teste-piloto – decorreu entre 17 de julho e 7 de agosto –
organizado pelo INESCT TEC, que está responsável pelo desenvolvimento da
aplicação. Contactado pela Exame Informática, o instituto
garante que o teste-piloto está encerrado e que não haverá um novo
teste-piloto que englobe os utilizadores de smartphones com iOS.

What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 13 August

COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 13 August: Top stories: India reports record rise; Peru announces new restrictions; new field hospital in Spain.

Eric Klopfer on the meaning of masks

3 Questions: Eric Klopfer on the meaning of masks: Masks clearly reveal something about mask wearers. Right now, they are being politicized. Masks are conspicuous, so it is easy to use them as political identifiers if one chooses to do so. But we can and should change the meaning of this treasured item. In this pandemic era, what a mask really says is, “I care about YOU.” That is an important and powerful message. It is one that we should champion and commend.

We can also have fun with masks.

A Covid-19 vaccine, amazingly, is close. Why am I so worried?

A Covid-19 vaccine, amazingly, is close. Why am I so worried?: It’s a truly impressive a feat and a testament to the power of basic and applied medical sciences. Under normal circumstances, vaccine approvals are measured in decades. Milestones that once took months or years have been achieved in days or weeks. If these efforts are successful, the Covid-19 vaccine could take a place alongside the Apollo missions as one of history’s greatest scientific achievements.

Projected poverty impacts of COVID-19

Projected poverty impacts of COVID-19 (coronavirus): Poverty projections suggest that the social and economic impacts of the crisis are likely to be quite significant. Estimates based on growth projections from the June 2020 Global Economic Prospects report show that, when compared with pre-crisis forecasts, COVID-19 could push 71 million people into extreme poverty in 2020 under the baseline scenario and 100 million under the downside scenario. As a result, the global extreme poverty rate would increase from 8.23% in 2019 to 8.82% under the baseline scenario or 9.18% under the downside scenario, representing the first increase in global extreme poverty since 1998, effectively wiping out progress made since 2017. While a small decline in poverty is expected in 2021 under the baseline scenario, projected impacts are likely to be long-lasting.

Covid-19 in America, explained in 18 maps and charts

Covid-19 in America, explained in 18 maps and charts: It’s now clear the United States has failed to contain its Covid-19 epidemic, with case counts far ahead of other developed nations and more than 1,000 deaths reported a day for over two weeks and counting.

Asked if America’s coronavirus outbreak is the worst in the world, White House adviser and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Anthony Fauci admitted it was on August 5: “Yeah, it is. Quantitatively, if you look at it, it is. I mean, the numbers don’t lie.”

It didn’t have to be this way.

Russia vaccine claim faces scepticism as nations renew virus battle

Russia vaccine claim faces scepticism as nations renew virus battle: Russia claimed Tuesday (11 August) it has developed the world’s first vaccine offering “sustainable immunity” against the coronavirus, despite mounting scepticism about its effectiveness as fears grow over a second wave of infections across the globe.

'They've jumped the gun': scientists worry about Russia's Covid-19 vaccine: Rising chorus of concern over Sputnik V vaccine stems from opaque development and lack of mass testing

Stayaway Covid: probabilidade de contágio na app

Stayaway Covid: Como é avaliada a probabilidade de contágio na aplicação?

A Stayaway covid vai funcionar através de mensagens Bluetooth de
baixo consumo e as informações partilhadas entre dispositivos são
códigos aleatórios que não revelam identidades pessoais, mas ainda assim
são guardados exclusivamente nos telemóveis que os recebem.

Caso
um determinado utilizador seja diagnosticado com o vírus os códigos que
difundiu nos últimos quatorze dias serão partilhados publicamente num
servidor oficial. Regularmente a Staway covid vai descarregar do
servidor oficial os códigos de pessoas recentemente diagnosticadas com a
covid-19 e cruzar estes com os códigos recebidos de outros dispositivos
nos últimos quatorze dias. Na hipótese de estar infetado, o utilizador é
alertado pela aplicação.

A Tale of Two Diagnoses

A Tale of Two Diagnoses: Two women—one Black, the other white—thought they had COVID-19. Both went to the ER and were told, “It’s just anxiety.” One died.

China’s military takes centre stage in Covid-19 vaccine race

China’s military takes centre stage in Covid-19 vaccine race: While governments around the world are planning to give the first doses of a proven Covid-19 vaccine to healthcare workers who are most exposed to the virus, China is prioritising people on a different frontline: the military.

CanSino Biologics, a Chinese vaccine maker that has announced several sets of positive trial results, is already providing a vaccine to People’s Liberation Army soldiers, even though safety testing for commercial sale of the product is not yet complete.

What Vaccine Nationalism Means for the Coronavirus Pandemic

What Vaccine Nationalism Means for the Coronavirus Pandemic: There’s no shortage of vaccine news lately, from breakthroughs to break-ins. As we all await a vaccine that many hope will kickstart the world’s return to normalcy, geopolitics is increasingly spilling over into the vaccine race, seriously complicating matters. Welcome to vaccine nationalism.

No, Europe isn't being engulfed by a deadly second wave

No, Europe isn't being engulfed by a deadly second wave: The Greek government has just officially declared a "second wave". Once holidaymakers have explored the Aegean they face getting to know a lot more about the insides of their own homes upon their return, as Greece is now a favourite to be added to the ever-growing list of countries whose air bridges with Britain have collapsed.

But how real is this "second wave" apparently sweeping Europe?

America's window of opportunity to beat back Covid-19 is closing

America's window of opportunity to beat back Covid-19 is closing:

The good news: The United States has a window of opportunity to beat back Covid-19 before things get much, much worse.

The bad news: That window is rapidly closing. And the country seems unwilling or unable to seize the moment.

Symptom Duration and Risk Factors for Delayed Return to Usual Health Among Outpatients with COVID-19

Symptom Duration and Risk Factors for Delayed Return to Usual Health Among Outpatients with COVID-19 in a Multistate Health Care Systems Network — United States, March–June 2020: Summary

What is already known about this topic?

Relatively little is known about the clinical course of COVID-19 and return to baseline health for persons with milder, outpatient illness.

What is added by this report?

In a multistate telephone survey of symptomatic adults who had a positive outpatient test result for SARS-CoV-2 infection, 35% had not returned to their usual state of health when interviewed 2–3 weeks after testing. Among persons aged 18–34 years with no chronic medical conditions, one in five had not returned to their usual state of health.

What are the implications for public health practice?

COVID-19 can result in prolonged illness, even among young adults without underlying chronic medical conditions. Effective public health messaging targeting these groups is warranted.

What you need to know about COVID-19 on 12 August

COVID-19: What you need to know about COVID-19 on 12 August: Top stories: Russia approves vaccine; New Zealand reports new cases; global cases top 20.2 million.

3 reasons why everyone should wear a face mask

3 reasons why everyone should wear a face mask: Masks are not perfect barriers to transmission, and should be combined with other preventative measures such as social distancing and contact tracing.

An interactive visualization of the exponential spread of COVID-19

91-DIVOC: An interactive visualization of the exponential spread of COVID-19

Ought we compel people to be vaccinated?

Ought we compel people to be vaccinated? there is a moral obligation for those who are able to safely be vaccinated against serious diseases such as measles and COVID-19 to do so. The gist of the argument is that, when certain factual conditions are met, people have a duty to accept vaccination. There are two conditions. First, there is a significant benefit to the person who is vaccinated and little risk. Second, there is a significant benefit to those to whom the person might otherwise transmit the disease.

Why Most Doctors Don't Wash Their Hands

Why Most Doctors Don't Wash Their Hands: A World Health Organization (WHO) report has also listed other barriers to adherence with hand-washing guidelines, including:

Working in the ICU, surgical unit, or emergency rooms

being a nursing assistant (rather than a nurse), or physical therapist

Sinks are inconveniently located/shortage of sinks

Lack of soap and paper towels

Male sex

Handwashing agents cause irritation and dryness

Understaffing and overcrowding

Wearing gloves and the belief that using gloves avoids the need for hand hygiene

Not thinking about it/forgetfulness

No role model from colleagues or superiors

Skepticism regarding the value of hand hygiene

Disagreement with the recommendations

Invasion of the New Normals

Invasion of the New Normals: I’ve been calling them “corona-totalitarians,” but I’m going to call them the “New Normals” from now on, as that more accurately evokes the pathologized-totalitarian ideology they are systematically spreading. At this point, I think it is important to do that, because, clearly, their ideological program has nothing to do with any actual virus, or any other actual public health threat.

[True?]

Renowned European scientist: COVID-19 was engineered in China lab

Renowned European scientist: COVID-19 was engineered in China lab, effective vaccine ‘unlikely’: It will not be possible for the Dr. Fauci’s of the world to dismiss Professor Giuseppe Tritto as a crank. Not only is he an internationally known expert in biotechnology and nanotechnology who has had a stellar academic career, but he is also the president of the World Academy of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies (WABT), an institution founded under the aegis of UNESCO in 1997.

In other words, he is a man of considerable stature in the global scientific community. Equally important, one of the goals of WABT is to analyze the effect of biotechnologies—like genetic engineering—on humanity.

In his new book, this world-class scientist does exactly that. And what he says is that the China Virus definitely wasn’t a freak of nature that happened to cross the species barrier from bat to man.

It was genetically engineered in the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s P4 (high-containment) lab in a program supervised by the Chinese military.

Is a successful contact tracing app possible?

Is a successful contact tracing app possible? These countries think so: If contact tracing apps are following Gartner’s famous hype cycle, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion they are now firmly in the “trough of disillusionment.” Initial excitement that they could be a crucial part of the arsenal against covid-19 has given way to fears it could all come to nothing, despite large investments of money and time. Country after country has seen low take-up, and in the case of Norway and the UK, apps were even abandoned.

So what advice do these countries have for others?
1. Remember every case matters
2. Manage expectations
3. Work in the open (or you won’t gain public trust)
4. Set the right parameters
5. Give it time

97,000 children test positive for COVID-19

97,000 children test positive for COVID-19 as schools eye reopening: At least 97,000 children tested positive for COVID-19 in the final two weeks of July and there's been an estimated 338,000 cases involving kids in the U.S. since the pandemic began, a new report finds.

 

‘Pupils pose little risk of spreading Covid’: A study suggests there is little evidence the virus is transmitted at school, according to a scientist who backs reopening