Right now, two coronavirus vaccines are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use in the U.S.: one from Pfizer-BioNTech and another from Moderna. But new data released today indicate that a third shot could join them soon.
The FDA posted data today showing that Johnson & Johnson's one-shot vaccine is safe and about 66% effective at preventing moderate-to-severe cases of COVID-19. In U.S. trials, the vaccine was 72% effective starting about a month after vaccination, and in trials in South Africa, home to the first-known cases of a more contagious new variant, the vaccine was 64% effective.
That's not as robust as the protection offered by the Pfizer and Moderna shots, which are based on cutting-edge mRNA technology. But J&J tested its vaccine in more difficult circumstances, which may partially explain its lower efficacy—the trials, which involved more than 43,000 people in total across eight countries, took place as emerging variants of the virus began circulating. It's not yet clear how well the J&J vaccine works against each of those variants, but previous data (as well as the new results) indicate that the shot worked the best in the U.S. Most crucially, the vaccine was highly effective in preventing the most serious cases of COVID-19 in every country where it was tested, and so far there have been no hospitalizations or deaths among trial participants a month after vaccination.
The J&J vaccine also has several advantages over its competitors. Recipients need only one dose, not two, which could speed mass vaccination efforts. It can be stored in a typical refrigerator for up to three months, whereas the other two must be kept in ultra-cold temperatures. And serious side effects were rare among those given the J&J shot—no one experienced anaphylaxis after receiving it, for instance, which has been a problem for a small number of people (mostly with a history of allergies) after getting the mRNA vaccines.
An independent expert group that advises the FDA will meet on Friday to discuss, debate and dissect the new J&J data, and the agency will then likely make an authorization decision within days. Even if the shot gets approved in the U.S., it won’t immediately solve the country's vaccine supply problems. Just 3-4 million doses will be ready to ship in the first week—far fewer than the 12 million doses the company originally promised by the end of February. But J&J expects to ship 20 million doses in the U.S. by the end of March, and 100 million by the summer. With the virus still raging and supplies seriously backed up, every available dose will bring us closer to ending the pandemic.
82.1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been shipped to various U.S. states as of this morning, of which 65 million doses have been administered thus far, according to TIME's vaccine tracker. Some 13.4% of the overall U.S. population has received at least one dose, and about 6% of Americans have gotten both doses.
The first shipment of vaccines from COVAX, a global consortium working to ensure equitable vaccine access around the world, reached Ghana today, the Associated Press reports. The West African country received 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine manufactured in India; vaccinations there will begin March 2. COVAX deliveries will also reach nearby Cote d'Ivoire on Friday, with vaccinations beginning there next week. COVAX aims to deliver at least 2 billion vaccine doses by the end of the year, though the program got off to a late start and has only secured several hundred million shots so far.
Israel will send thousands of vaccine doses to its global allies, including the Czech Republic and Honduras, the New York Timesreports. Both countries have recently indicated that they accept Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem (which has also been claimed by Palestinians), and the vaccine donations are seen as a reward for taking that position. However, Palestinians are angered that Israel is sending away desperately-needed doses—while Israel has vaccinated 51% of its population, it has only given 2,000 doses to the Palestinian Authority and pledged 3,000 more. (The Palestinian Authority is also receiving doses from other countries, including Russia.)
A committee that advises the British government on vaccine prioritization has bumped up a group of 150,000 people with learning disabilities following public pressure, the BBC reports. The affected people, who were originally prioritized based solely on age, are now in group six, which is expected to be eligible for a vaccine beginning at the end of February.
TODAY'S CORONAVIRUS OUTLOOK
The Global Situation
More than 112.1 million people around the world had been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of 1 a.m. E.T. today, and nearly 2.5 million people have died. On Feb. 23, there were 387,864 new cases and 11,256 new deaths confirmed globally.
Here's how the world as a whole is currently trending:
Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
And here is every country with over 2 million confirmed cases:
The number of new global coronavirus cases fell for the sixth week in a row, according to World Health Organization data released yesterday. New cases dropped 11% last week compared to the week before, the group reports. The number of new deaths also dropped for the third consecutive week, as 20% fewer people died last week compared to the previous week. Cases over this time period rose only in Southeast Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean, while deaths declined everywhere except for the Western Pacific region.
Thailand received its first 200,000 doses of the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine this morning, the Bangkok Postreports, with vaccinations set to begin Monday. Bangkok has ordered 2 million doses so far, which will cover only a fraction of the country's approximately 70 million residents. More than 25,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Thailand, while 83 have died.
"Hellish days await" the Czech Republic, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said today at a news conference today about the Central European country's struggles to contain the virus, Reuters reports. The country of just over 10 million people has recorded more than 1.1 million cases since the start of the pandemic, and reported more than 15,000 new cases yesterday alone—its highest one-day total since early January. Babis warned that the Czech hospital system could soon become overwhelmed if the situation continues to worsen.
The Situation in the U.S.
The U.S. recorded more than 28.2 million coronavirus cases as of 1 a.m. E.T. today. More than 502,000 people have died. On Feb. 23, there were 71,436 new cases and 2,350 new deaths confirmed in the U.S.
Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
The U.S. National Institutes of Health announced yesterday that it will launch a new initiative to study "long COVID,” a phenomenon describing COVID-19 patients who don't fully recover within a few weeks. Some of the initial burning questions the NIH hopes to answer include why some people (but not others) are vulnerable to long COVID, and how many people suffer from prolonged symptoms, which can include fatigue, brain fog, fevers, GI issues, anxiety, depression and more. The ultimate goal is to figure out how to prevent and treat these lingering symptoms.
The Biden Administration is sending more than 25 million cloth masks to 60,000 food pantries and soup kitchens, as well as 1,300 community health centers, officials announced at a White House coronavirus press briefing today. The masks, which will be available starting in March, will be compliant with CDC standards, made in America and free to anyone who needs them. The program will cost the government $86 million.
The B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant first identified in the U.K. is becoming more prevalent in New York City, the city's health department reported yesterday. The variant now accounts for about 6.2% of new cases, compared to 2.7% in January. Experts agree that the best way to keep new variants at bay is for people to get vaccinated as soon as they're eligible, in addition to wearing a mask and social distancing.
All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of Feb. 24, 1 a.m. E.T. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
The Most Effective Global COVID-19 Responses, One Year Later
Over the past year, the world has watched how different countries have handled the global coronavirus pandemic. Here, Ian Bremmer writes for TIME on the biggest success stories (like Taiwan and Australia) and global lessons learned. Read more here.
Severe Anxiety and Panic Are Rising in Teens
Data show that rates of suicidal thinking and behavior have increased by at least 25% from 2019 as the pandemic continues. Young people, including teenagers, are especially affected; teens are ending up in local E.R. departments at much higher rates than usual for mental health issues like panic and anxiety, the New York Times reports. Read more here. (If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.)
Dating During COVID-19 Isn't Always Sexy
Shelby Lorman, a Los Angeles-based writer and comedian, found love on Tinder during the pandemic, but it wasn't exactly a whirlwind romance. "It was suffused not with hope and enthusiasm and excitement, but despair, panic, bewilderment," Lorman writes in the New York Times. Read more here.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com. If you have specific questions you'd like us to answer, please send them to covidquestions@time.com.
If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, click here.
Today's newsletter was written by Mandy Oaklander and edited by Alex Fitzpatrick.
沒有留言:
張貼留言