10 votes

Weekly coronavirus-related chat, questions, and minor updates - week of May 31

This thread is posted weekly, and is intended as a place for more-casual discussion of the coronavirus and questions/updates that may not warrant their own dedicated topics. Tell us about what the situation is like where you live!

8 comments

  1. stu2b50
    Link
    I was shocked when I read the stats on the Times for Sunday; 7,428 new cases for the US. The whole ass country - not long ago that would be a fantastic number for my state.

    I was shocked when I read the stats on the Times for Sunday; 7,428 new cases for the US. The whole ass country - not long ago that would be a fantastic number for my state.

    10 votes
  2. mrbig
    Link
    I saw on TV that Brazil will receive some free vaccines from the US. I don't know how much but any help is appreciated. I hope other countries follow suit, poor regions will definitely need this...

    I saw on TV that Brazil will receive some free vaccines from the US. I don't know how much but any help is appreciated. I hope other countries follow suit, poor regions will definitely need this help and the world will benefit too. I remember I was thinking of asking Tilders to write to their congressmen on our behalf, but I ended up just making a comment on Reddit. Since there are so many Americans here I would like to say thanks. Our president is an asshole but we have good people working to get these vaccines to everyone.

    6 votes
  3. [4]
    chrysanth
    Link
    Counterpoint to all the "pandemic is almost over" posts and discourse in the New York Times by Zeynep Tufekci

    Counterpoint to all the "pandemic is almost over" posts and discourse in the New York Times by Zeynep Tufekci

    5 votes
    1. [3]
      stu2b50
      Link Parent
      I don't think that's really a counterpoint so much as an addendum. This opinion piece itself reinforces the "pandemic is almost over" narrative for the US in its opening. The point moreover is...

      I don't think that's really a counterpoint so much as an addendum. This opinion piece itself reinforces the "pandemic is almost over" narrative for the US in its opening. The point moreover is that it will not be over for the nations without immunity, and if you consider the likely number of deaths from the wave in India this period is already among the deadliest periods of the entire pandemic.

      1 vote
      1. [2]
        chrysanth
        Link Parent
        I get what you're saying, but what bothers me about the framing is how narrow-minded it is. What's happening in the rest of the countries, which don't have robust vaccine access and which actually...

        I get what you're saying, but what bothers me about the framing is how narrow-minded it is. What's happening in the rest of the countries, which don't have robust vaccine access and which actually represent most of the world, and the hundreds of thousands of deaths in those countries due to coronavirus that could have been mitigated if the former countries had shared the vaccine and resources to produce it, should not be an "addendum." I feel it's intellectually irresponsible to publish pieces saying "the pandemic is over" when it's only "over" for a small fraction of the human population lucky enough to be born in the right countries. To me, this piece acknowledges the reality you're describing but re-frames it in a way that centers the humanity of people living outside the core, which is really important right now.

        6 votes
        1. skybrian
          Link Parent
          It’s a different way of thinking, though. I’ve sharing many articles about the importance of US assistance to other countries, something I feel strongly about, but it’s just not the same as it...

          It’s a different way of thinking, though. I’ve sharing many articles about the importance of US assistance to other countries, something I feel strongly about, but it’s just not the same as it being a local issue. Most of people aren’t that involved in federal foreign policy.

          1 vote
  4. skybrian
    (edited )
    Link
    Sinovac vaccine restores a Brazilian city to near normal [...] There are apparently five COVID-19 vaccines from China, three of which are seeing widespread use and two are approved by the WHO....

    Sinovac vaccine restores a Brazilian city to near normal

    Doctors who treated COVID-19 in Serrana have seen their patient loads evaporate. They now help colleagues with other diseases and recently started eating lunch at home. Life has returned to the streets: Neighbors chat and families have weekend barbecues. Outsiders who previously had no reason to set foot in Serrana are arriving for haircuts and restaurant outings.

    [...]

    The World Health Organization on Tuesday granted emergency use authorization to the Sinovac shot for people 18 and over, the second such authorization it has granted to a Chinese company.

    The experiment known as “Project S” lasted four months and tested Sinovac’s shot in real-world conditions. The preliminary results made public Monday suggest the pandemic can be controlled if three-quarters of the population is fully vaccinated with Sinovac, said Ricardo Palacios, a director at Sao Paulo state’s Butantan Institute and coordinator of the study, which was not peer-reviewed.

    “The most important result was understanding that we can control the pandemic even without vaccinating the entire population,” Palacios said.

    The results offer hope to hundreds of millions of people, especially in developing nations. Egypt, Pakistan, Indonesia, Zimbabwe and others are likewise reliant on the Chinese shot, which is cheaper than vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.

    The city’s population was split into four geographic areas regardless of age and gender, and most adults received two shots by the end of April. Results released Monday showed that the pandemic was controlled after three of the areas had been vaccinated. It was not clear if vaccine uptake was the same in each area.

    Serrana saw vast improvements: Deaths fell by 95%, hospitalizations by 86% and symptomatic cases by 80%.

    There are apparently five COVID-19 vaccines from China, three of which are seeing widespread use and two are approved by the WHO. Nature has an article comparing them.

    5 votes
  5. skybrian
    Link
    Indian states begin easing COVID lockdowns as case numbers decline India accelerates vaccine supplies in fight against COVID-19 [...]

    Indian states begin easing COVID lockdowns as case numbers decline

    The national capital territory of Delhi, the seat of India's federal government, was among those relaxing restrictions and will allow shops to open on alternate days. Shops with even numbers will open on one day while those with odd numbers will open the next day. Private offices will also now be allowed to operate at 50% of normal staffing levels.

    India accelerates vaccine supplies in fight against COVID-19

    The Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest manufacturer of vaccines, will make 90 million doses of AstraZeneca in June from about 65 million a month now, a company spokesman told Reuters.

    Most of the shots administered in India are AstraZeneca, but local firm Bharat Biotech also plans to ramp up production of its Covaxin vaccine to 23 million in June from about 10 million in April, a government official said.

    [...]

    Russia's Sputnik V vaccine will also be launched in the Indian market next month, its local partner Dr Reddy's Laboratories said.

    2 votes