Coronavirus Sars-CoV-2/Covid-19 Megathread

[Syt]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/12/11/trump-stephen-hahn-fda-covid-vaccine/

White House orders FDA chief to authorize Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Friday or submit his resignation

The message from a top Trump aide prompted the agency to accelerate its announcement, which had been planned for early Saturday.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Friday told Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, to submit his resignation if the agency does not clear the nation's first coronavirus vaccine by day's end, according to people familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss what happened.

The threat came on the same day that President Trump tweeted that the FDA is "a big, old, slow turtle" in its handling of vaccines, while exhorting Commissioner Stephen Hahn to "get the dam vaccines out NOW." He added: "Stop playing games and start saving lives!!!"

The warning led the FDA to accelerate its timetable for clearing America's first vaccine from Saturday morning to later Friday.

A White House official declined to comment, saying "we don't comment on private conversations, but the Chief regularly requests updates on progress toward a vaccine."

The warning, combined with the tweets, constituted the latest attack by Trump, who has complained vociferously that the vaccine wasn't authorized before Election Day, blaming it on the 'Deep State' inside the agency that he accused of working against his reelection. Trump was also said to be upset that Britain cleared the vaccine before the United States, although the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been developed and reviewed in record time.

With the timetable apparently accelerated from Saturday morning, the FDA and Pfizer were rushing to complete the paperwork needed for the authorization, according to another individual who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he didn't have authority to discuss the plans

An FDA statement issued early Friday morning said the FDA had informed Pfizer that it would "rapidly work toward finalization and issuance of an emergency use authorization" following Thursday's endorsement of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by an agency advisory committee.

The statement was signed by Hahn and Peter Marks, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, which reviews vaccines. The officials said the FDA has also notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Operation Warp Speed, "so they can execute their plans for timely vaccine distribution."

The threat injects politics once more into the vaccine race, potentially undermining public trust in one of the most crucial tools to end the pandemic that has killed more than 290,000 Americans. It comes in the midst of a process that had been designed to show no shortcuts were taken in reviewing the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine.

The Food and Drug Administration's advisory committee reviewed the vaccine for more than eight hours Thursday and voted overwhelmingly in favor of using it in people age 16 and up. It is unclear whether a decision on the vaccine on a Friday night would do anything to speed up the delivery of the first vaccine doses.

[Razgovory]

The virus killed the Speaker of the House in New Hampshire.  He held the position for 10 days.

New Hampshire Republican state Rep. Dick Hinch wept as he accepted a nomination as speaker of the house at an outdoor swearing-in ceremony with hundreds of his peers, including dozens without masks.

"It is my honor to accept," he said on Dec. 2 at the University of New Hampshire, his voice trembling as he tried to choke back tears. "I am humbled by your support."

One week later, Hinch, 71, was found dead in his home. The state's chief medical examiner found Hinch's cause of death was covid-19, New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald (R) announced Thursday.

Hinch's death has left Democratic legislators demanding tests for representatives and their staff who attended last week's ceremony, and some Republicans castigating their colleagues for not following basic public health guidelines.

At a news conference Thursday, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) lauded Hinch as a "tireless leader" and described him as a close friend, calling his death a "cautionary tale" about the costs of failing to wear a mask. Sununu lashed out at other Republican legislators for flouting masks at large gatherings.

"For those who are just out there doing the opposite just to make some ridiculous political point, it is horribly wrong," Sununu said. "Please use your heads. Don't act like a bunch of children, frankly."

Other state Republicans were even harsher in their condemnation of their colleagues who had opposed health guidelines.

"Those in our caucus who refused to take precautions are responsible for Dick Hinch's death," state Rep. William Marsh (R), a retired doctor, wrote on Twitter.

Hinch's death comes as New Hampshire grapples with its worst surge since the beginning of the pandemic. In the past week, daily reported cases rose 22 percent and deaths grew 20 percent, according to The Washington Post's coronavirus tracker. Covid-related hospitalizations also increased by 59 percent.

In the weeks leading up to his death, Hinch was at the center of a tense controversy between Republican and Democratic state legislators about a lack of adherence to public health guidelines by the GOP members.

On Nov. 9, Hinch and about 50 New Hampshire GOP representatives were photographed at an indoor gathering to celebrate the election results, in which they gained the majority in the state House. None of them were wearing masks, according to the Concord Monitor.

The Republican lawmakers gathered again Nov. 20 for an indoor caucus meeting at McIntyre Ski Area. That same day, the governor passed an executive order mandating masks. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services later determined that at least four state lawmakers contracted the virus at the event.

Sununu condemned the meeting, which had an open buffet and where lawmakers disregarded social distancing guidelines and opted out of wearing masks, calling it "poorly managed."

The outbreak outraged Democratic members of the state legislature, who were furious that Hinch did not promptly inform them.

"This decision puts the lives of all members and staff of the House of Representatives at risk," said outgoing House Speaker Steve Shurtleff (D) a day before the swearing-in ceremony, known as Organization Day.

Only 270 representatives from the 400-member House attended the outdoor event Dec. 2, with most Democrats opting for an alternate virtual swearing-in on Dec. 3 to avoid possible exposure to the virus. Hinch sectioned off an area of the event for about 80 Republican lawmakers who refused to wear masks, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader.

At the time, Hinch dismissed concerns over the outbreak tied to the ski resort meeting, contending that the infections were inevitable given that most of the legislators are older and retired.

"We are experiencing higher than usual rates of infections in our state, and the Legislature and its members are not immune from that," Hinch said in a statement Dec. 1, according to the Monitor. "We are a citizen legislature, and it can be expected that our legislators are at the same risk as the citizens we represent."

The New Hampshire HHS announced Thursday that it is investigating how Hinch contracted the virus, the Union Leader reported. Lori Shibinette, the HHS commissioner, would not say when or if Hinch was tested for the coronavirus before his death. She also wouldn't comment on whether he knew he had covid-19 at Organization Day.

In a letter to the governor on Thursday, the New Hampshire Democratic Party criticized Republicans for potentially exposing staffers and colleagues at the swearing-in ceremony.

"No one, in any job, should have to fear for their health at work," the letter said. "The legislature and the entire state government cannot function without dedicated state employees and it is our duty to protect them and all legislators from undue harm."

[DGuller]

If only karma were always so laser guided.  Unfortunately innocent people often pay the price so that stubborn imbeciles can exercise their right to be a stubborn imbecile.

[jimmy olsen]

Worldmeter back filled the 10th to 3,098 dead and has the 11th at 3,031 dead. That's three 3k+ days in a row.

28,463 dead so far in December. 302,762 dead overall.
NJ just passed the one in every 500 dead mark
IA just passed the one in every 1000 mark . Arizona and Indiana will pass that tomorrow

[Sheilbh]

Is there any pushback in European countries on why they haven't used the emergency approval procedures for the Pfizer vaccine?

I just saw it's been approved by the FDA today and from everything I read it's going to be approved by the EMA on 29 December. But it just feels like surely if there's a time to use emergency procedures - it's during a global pandemic. And given the EU is doing some centralised vaccination procurement it doesn't feel like it would necessarily stand in the way of making sure all EU states got a fair amount. Or am I missing something?

I suppose in certain countries - France and Italy especially - with strong anti-vac movements the full process might reassure people but  I don't know I sort of feel like they're not reachable and in the meantime some countries are seeing record daily mortality rates.

[Syt]

Germany has an incidence number of 169/100k in 7 days, and the country is now going in lockdown.

Meanwhile, Austria waited till the value was at 300 before the lockdown, and loosened it again when it was near 200.

Shops are open again here, but unlike earlier in the year, people are less keen to go out shopping. Still, the majority want to celebrate "normal" Christmas and New Years. For Christmas, up to 10 people can gather (including from mlutiple households). For New Years Eve, the usual limits of 6 adults and 6 minors from max. two households (those limits exist, but since the state can't enforce the rule in private residences .... you get the idea).

[Sheilbh]

Today in Belgium, 50 arrests in another covid rule-breaking orgy

So far no homophobic MEPs reported among the arrested, yet.

I also wonder if the language rules still apply. Are there separate Wallon and Flemish orgies?

[Zanza]

Is there any pushback in European countries on why they haven't used the emergency approval procedures for the Pfizer vaccine?

Yes, there is criticism in Germany that it takes so long, e.g. from the minister of health. 

[Syt]

Austrian government looked decisive and levelheaded in March, but in recent months they lost a lot of that credit, seeming waffling, uncoordinated and without a plan. They're seen not as acting ubt reacting, and then often too late. Press conferences often don't divulge much useful information, and the sentence "The next few weeks will be decisive", oft said by the health minister, is much ridiculed at this point.

At the same time I get the impression that the majority or at least large swathes of the population is still not overly concerned (and our numbers are/were worse than Germany's by far).

And I couldn't see Chancellor Kurz make an emotional appeal in parliament as Merkel did.

[Zanza]

Merkel's speech was maybe the best she did in all her years.

[celedhring]

Over here numbers have been improving and we might be getting close to finally change shade on those infuriating ECDC maps, but still feels like we're walking on eggshells on the eve of Christmas holidays. Most experts are predicting a third wave on January.

[Sheilbh]

Over here numbers have been improving and we might be getting close to finally change shade on those infuriating ECDC maps, but still feels like we're walking on eggshells on the eve of Christmas holidays. Most experts are predicting a third wave on January.

Numbers were improving rapidly here untilthe second lockdown stopped too early - now they're bouncing back quite rapidly:
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/

Just before thousands of people criss-cross the country. Christmas is an enormous day for people from the big cities travelling to the country, so it just feels crazy that any city is in Tier 2 as opposed to Tier 3 at this point.

[garbon]

Greenwich has now closed schools with note that infection rates at highest since March.

[Sheilbh]

Greenwich has now closed schools with note that infection rates at highest since March.

That's a shame. The ONS survey is still showing declines in most of the country but it is really climbing rapidly in London again (more than it did in the second wave):
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/11december2020

And there are lots more cases for kids. None of which is great before Christmas because it feels like London from having relatively few cases now has a significant number and will probably just re-seed it around the country.

[Maladict]

Yay, lockdown until 19 January, effective midnight.