WEATHER ALERT
Houston-area COVID cases drop to all-time pandemic low, doctors say
Read full article: Houston-area COVID cases drop to all-time pandemic low, doctors sayIt seems like nothing will slow the surge of traveling lately, but health leaders are hoping that doesn’t equal a surge in COVID cases – specifically eyeing up the omicron variant.
The Latest: March protests Australia state's vaccine mandate
Read full article: The Latest: March protests Australia state's vaccine mandateHundreds of demonstrators have marched in the streets of Australia’s second-largest city to protest mandatory coronavirus vaccine rules in the construction industry.
The Latest: Health official: Booster use may be expanded
Read full article: The Latest: Health official: Booster use may be expandedThe National Institutes of Health director says a U_S_ government advisory panel’s decision to limit Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots to Americans 65 and older as well as those at high risk of severe disease is a preliminary step and predicts broader approval for most Americans “in the next few weeks.”.
More protection: US likely to authorize COVID booster shots
Read full article: More protection: US likely to authorize COVID booster shotsAfter struggling for months to persuade Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccine, U.S. health officials could soon face a fresh challenge: talking vaccinated people into getting booster shots.
Fauci hopeful COVID vaccines get full OK by FDA within weeks
Read full article: Fauci hopeful COVID vaccines get full OK by FDA within weeksThe U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, says he's hopeful that the Food and Drug Administration will give full approval to the coronavirus vaccine by month’s end.
Fauci: More ‘pain and suffering’ ahead as COVID cases rise
Read full article: Fauci: More ‘pain and suffering’ ahead as COVID cases riseThe nation’s top infectious disease expert is warning that more “pain and suffering” is ahead as COVID-19 cases climb again and officials plead with unvaccinated Americans to get inoculated.
Man charged with sending threatening emails to Dr. Fauci
Read full article: Man charged with sending threatening emails to Dr. FauciFederal prosecutors in Maryland say a man has been arrested and charged with sending emails that threatened to harm and kill Dr. Anthony Fauci, National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins, and their families.
Rare 'breakthrough' COVID cases are causing alarm, confusion
Read full article: Rare 'breakthrough' COVID cases are causing alarm, confusionWhile reports of athletes, lawmakers and others occasionally getting the coronavirus despite vaccination may sound alarming, top health experts point to overwhelming evidence that the shots dramatically reduce severe disease and death.
EXPLAINER: The US investigation into COVID-19 origins
Read full article: EXPLAINER: The US investigation into COVID-19 originsOnce dismissed by most public health experts and government officials, the hypothesis that COVID-19 leaked from a Chinese lab is now receiving scrutiny under a new U.S. investigation.
Renowned conservationist Jane Goodall wins Templeton Prize
Read full article: Renowned conservationist Jane Goodall wins Templeton PrizeRenowned conservationist Jane Goodall has been named as this year’s winner of the prestigious Templeton Prize, honoring individuals whose life’s work embodies a fusion of science and spirituality.
Biden adviser makes personal appeal to young to get shots
Read full article: Biden adviser makes personal appeal to young to get shotsA top White House aide is making his pitch for young people to get vaccinated personal by sharing the struggles his own son has dealt with since contracting COVID-19 last fall.
Faith leaders get COVID-19 shot to curb vaccine reluctance
Read full article: Faith leaders get COVID-19 shot to curb vaccine reluctancePatricia Hailes Fears, pastor of the Fellowship Baptist Church in Washington, is administered with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine during a gathering of a group of interfaith clergy members, community leaders and officials at the Washington National Cathedral, to encourage faith communities to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Tuesday, March 16, 2021, in Washington. AdFollowing a moment of prayer for COVID-19 victims, the socially distanced attendees applauded when the Rev. Ad“We often get asked, can you get COVID-19 from the vaccine? It is impossible to get COVID-19 from the vaccine," Fauci said, sporting a gray face mask with drawings of laboratory beakers. In Washington, Black residents account for a little under half the population but nearly three-fourths of COVID-19 deaths.
J&J’s 1-dose shot cleared, giving US 3rd COVID-19 vaccine
Read full article: J&J’s 1-dose shot cleared, giving US 3rd COVID-19 vaccineThe FDA said J&J’s vaccine offers strong protection against what matters most: serious illness, hospitalizations and death. The J&J vaccine also is easier to handle, lasting three months in the refrigerator compared to the Pfizer and Moderna options, which must be frozen. Like other COVID-19 vaccines, the main side effects of the J&J shot are pain at the injection site and flu-like fever, fatigue and headache. All COVID-19 vaccines train the body to recognize the new coronavirus, usually by spotting the spikey protein that coats it. It’s the same technology the company used in making an Ebola vaccine, and similar to COVID-19 vaccines made by AstraZeneca and China’s CanSino Biologics.
Biden says US is securing 600 million vaccine doses by July
Read full article: Biden says US is securing 600 million vaccine doses by JulyPresident Joe Biden speaks during a visit to the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, in Bethesda, Md. – President Joe Biden said Thursday that the U.S. will have enough supply of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the summer to inoculate 300 million Americans. He toured the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory that created the COVID-19 vaccine now manufactured by Moderna and being rolled out in the U.S. and other countries. The U.S. is on pace to exceed Biden’s goal of administering 100 million vaccine doses in his first 100 days in office, with more than 26 million shots delivered in his first three weeks. On the tour, Biden was shown the lab bench where researchers sequenced the virus and developed the precursor of the Moderna vaccine.
Biden says his advisers will lead with 'science and truth'
Read full article: Biden says his advisers will lead with 'science and truth'Lander added that Biden has tasked his advisers and “the whole scientific community and the American public” to “rise to this moment." Biden also named two prominent female scientists to co-chair the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Biden picked Alondra Nelson of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, a social scientist who studies science, technology and social inequality, as deputy science policy chief. The president-elect noted the team's diversity and repeated his promise that his administration's science policy and investments would target historically disadvantaged and underserved communities. The job as director of science and technology policy requires Senate confirmation.
Biden picks geneticist as science adviser, puts in Cabinet
Read full article: Biden picks geneticist as science adviser, puts in CabinetPresident-elect Joe Biden picked a pioneering geneticist to be his science advisor and elevated the job to his Cabinet. Saying “science will always be at the forefront of my administration,” Biden said he is boosting the science advisor post to Cabinet level, a first in White House history. The job as director of science and technology policy requires Senate confirmation. Science organizations were also quick to praise Lander and the promotion of the science post. Biden chose Alondra Nelson of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, a social scientist who studies science, technology and social inequality, as deputy science policy chief.
FDA authorizes emergency use of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine
Read full article: FDA authorizes emergency use of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccineThe U.S. is poised to give the green light as early as Friday, Dec. 18, to a second COVID-19 vaccine, a critical new weapon against the surging coronavirus. The move marks the world’s first authorization for Moderna’s shots. FDA’s decision could help pave the way for other countries that are considering the Moderna vaccine, the first-ever regulatory clearance for the small Cambridge, Massachusetts, company. Injections of health workers and nursing home residents continue next week, before other essential workers and vulnerable groups are allowed to get in line. But there was a hint that Moderna’s shot might provide some protection against asymptomatic infection.
US clears Moderna vaccine for COVID-19, 2nd shot in arsenal
Read full article: US clears Moderna vaccine for COVID-19, 2nd shot in arsenalFDA’s decision could help pave the way for other countries that are considering the Moderna vaccine, the first-ever regulatory clearance for the small Cambridge, Massachusetts, company. Britain, Canada and a few other countries already have cleared the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, with a European Union decision due Monday. The FDA’s main messages:--Both the new Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech shot require two doses several weeks apart. --In a study of 30,000 volunteers, the Moderna vaccine was more than 94% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in people 18 and older. Like with the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, expect sore arms, fever, fatigue and muscle aches, which are signs the immune system is revving up.
‘Relieved’: US health workers start getting COVID-19 vaccine
Read full article: ‘Relieved’: US health workers start getting COVID-19 vaccine“Relieved,” proclaimed critical care nurse Sandra Lindsay after becoming one of the first to be inoculated at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York. “I feel like healing is coming.”With a countdown of “3-2-1,” workers at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center gave initial injections to applause. It just represents a moral failing,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, a public health researcher at Johns Hopkins. Getting vaccinated is “a privilege,” said Dr. Leonardo Seoane, chief academic officer at Ochsner Health in suburban New Orleans, after getting his dose. And later this week, the FDA will decide whether to green-light the world’s second rigorously studied COVID-19 vaccine, made by Moderna Inc.
1st drug for rare rapid-aging disease extends kids' lives
Read full article: 1st drug for rare rapid-aging disease extends kids' livesThe first drug was approved Friday for a rare genetic disorder that stunts growth and causes rapid aging in children, after studies showed it can extend their lives. Kids with the genetic disorder progeria typically die in their early teens, usually from heart disease. But in testing, children taking the drug Zokinvy lived 2 1/2 years longer on average. Research on the treatment was mainly funded by the Progeria Research Foundation in Peabody, Massachusetts, with help from drug developer Eiger BioPharmaceuticals. The FDA action was based on two studies in which a total of 62 kids took the drug twice a day.
Volunteers still needed to test variety of COVID-19 vaccines
Read full article: Volunteers still needed to test variety of COVID-19 vaccinesModerna Inc. and competitor Pfizer Inc. recently announced preliminary results showing their vaccines appear more than 90% effective, at least for short-term protection against COVID-19. Instead, the vaccines are made with a brand-new technology that injects a piece of genetic code for the spike protein. TROJAN HORSE VACCINESA different way to target the spike protein: Use another, harmless virus to carry the spike gene into the body. Once again, the body produces some spike protein and primes the immune system. But inactivated vaccines give the body a sneak peek at the germ itself rather than just that single spike protein.
The Latest: New Mexico sets another one-day COVID-19 record
Read full article: The Latest: New Mexico sets another one-day COVID-19 recordWe can’t take another hit.”___MIAMI - Florida has reported a slight uptick in daily confirmed COVID-19 cases, adding 3,449 to its total caseload on Friday. There were 3,861 new coronavirus cases reported in Wisconsin on Friday, breaking the previous record set just a day earlier of 3,747. The report, released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looks at coronavirus-associated deaths reported between May 1 and August 31. The deaths reported Friday include 10 women and eight men, all in their 60s or older. With 222 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, Spain’s total has reached 33,775.
2 scientists win Nobel chemistry prize for gene-editing tool
Read full article: 2 scientists win Nobel chemistry prize for gene-editing toolFrench scientist Emmanuelle Charpentier and American Jennifer A. Doudna have won the Nobel Prize 2020 in chemistry for developing a method of genome editing likened to 'molecular scissors' that offer the promise of one day curing genetic diseases. “There is enormous power in this genetic tool,” said Claes Gustafsson, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry. In 1911, Marie Curie was the sole recipient of the chemistry award, as was Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin in 1964. ___Read more stories about Nobel Prizes past and present by The Associated Press at https://www.apnews.com/NobelPrizes___This story was first published Oct. 7, 2020. It was updated on Oct. 8, 2020, to correct the aim of clinical trials that are underway with the gene-editing tool CRISPR.
Nearly 1M who died of COVID-19 also illuminated treatment
Read full article: Nearly 1M who died of COVID-19 also illuminated treatmentSeveral drugs have proved useful and doctors know more about how to care for the sickest patients in hospitals, he said. People who have died from COVID-19, especially ones who took part in studies, have helped reveal what drugs do or do not help. Two anti-inflammatory drugs, one used in combination with remdesivir — the drug Wang helped test — also have been reported to help although results of those studies have not yet been published. In hospitals, doctors know more now about ways to avoid using breathing machines, such as keeping patients on their bellies. “Prevention is the most important step right now as we’re waiting for a vaccine and we’re improving treatment,” Goodman said.
Late-stage study of first single-shot vaccine begins in US
Read full article: Late-stage study of first single-shot vaccine begins in USThis September 2020 photo provided by Johnson & Johnson shows a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the company. Johnson & Johnson is beginning a huge final study to try to prove if the single-dose vaccine can protect against the coronavirus. (Cheryl Gerber/Courtesy of Johnson & Johnson via AP)Johnson & Johnson is beginning a huge final study to try to prove if a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine can protect against the virus. U.S. health officials insist the race for a vaccine isn't cutting corners. J&J's vaccine is made with slightly different technology than others in late-stage testing, modeled on an Ebola vaccine the company created.
Push is underway to test COVID-19 vaccines in diverse groups
Read full article: Push is underway to test COVID-19 vaccines in diverse groups– In front of baskets of tomatoes and peppers, near a sizzling burrito grill, the “promotoras” stop masked shoppers at a busy Latino farmers market: Want to test a COVID-19 vaccine? Many thousands of volunteers from minority groups are needed for huge clinical trials underway or about to begin. Scientists say a diverse group of test subjects is vital to determining whether a vaccine is safe and effective for everyone and instilling broad public confidence in the shots once they become available. Together they make up nearly 40% of the U.S. population, and an equitable vaccine study would match those demographics, though health officials would like to see even greater numbers. —-The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education.
Vaccine by Nov. 3? Halted study explains just how unlikely
Read full article: Vaccine by Nov. 3? Halted study explains just how unlikelyBut public fears that a vaccine is unsafe or ineffective could be disastrous, derailing the effort to vaccinate millions of Americans. DOING THE MATHThe FDA already has told manufacturers it won't consider any vaccine that's less than 50% effective. On the other hand, if equal numbers from the vaccine and placebo groups got infected, the DSMB might declare a vaccine futile, he told The Associated Press. These panels also can calculate infections even before that 150 threshold is met, at set time points in each study. Several vaccine candidates made by Chinese companies are in late stages of testing in various countries, but with smaller numbers of volunteers.
Third virus vaccine reaches major hurdle: final US testing
Read full article: Third virus vaccine reaches major hurdle: final US testingAstraZeneca announced Monday its vaccine candidate has entered the final testing stage in the U.S. Final testing, experts stress, must be in large numbers of people to know if theyre safe enough for mass vaccinations. Instead, theyre made with the genetic code for the aptly named spike protein that coats the surface of the coronavirus. Chinas government authorized emergency use of CanSino Biologics adenovirus shots in the military ahead of any final testing. Competitor SinoPharm has announced plans for final testing in some other countries.
Doctors discuss blood plasma treatment for COVD-19 as FDA puts authorization on hold
Read full article: Doctors discuss blood plasma treatment for COVD-19 as FDA puts authorization on holdHouston Methodist Hospital is one such site conducting clinical trials and doctors there say recent results have shown promise. If you look at 28 days post-transfusion of the plasma, there is a significant reduction in mortality and death in those patients who received the plasma, Musser said. Despite the optimistic results from trials across the country, the Emergency Use Authorization of blood plasma as a treatment by the FDA is on hold, according to a New York Times article. It just means at this point the FDA wants additional information, said Dr. Musser. Although the Emergency Use Authorization is on hold for now, that is not to say things couldnt change after more data is collected.
Debate begins for who's first in line for COVID-19 vaccine
Read full article: Debate begins for who's first in line for COVID-19 vaccineWho gets to be first in line for a COVID-19 vaccine? Huge studies this summer aim to prove which of several experimental COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. But a COVID-19 vaccine decision is so tricky that this time around, ethicists and vaccine experts from the National Academy of Medicine, chartered by Congress to advise the government, are being asked to weigh in, too. Indeed, the risks for health workers today are far different than in the pandemics early days. Now, health workers in COVID-19 treatment units often are the best protected; others may be more at risk, committee members noted.