Is AstraZeneca's shot safe? All signs point to "yes"
It's been a wild few days for AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. About a week and a half ago, Denmark, Norway and Iceland stopped administering it amid dozens of reports of sometimes fatal blood clotting issues among recipients. Countries across Europe—including France, Germany, Italy and more—followed suit. But last Thursday, the European Medicines Agency, which oversees vaccines in Europe, said its investigation revealed no likely link between the shot and the clotting issues, although they are continuing to monitor for those and other side effects. Most countries that halted its use have since resumed administering it, though Denmark, Finland and a few others are holding off for at least a few more days.
But even though the AstraZeneca vaccine is back in use doesn't mean people will actually want it—once you ring a bell like this, it's tough to un-ring it. For public health officials, the challenge now will be convincing skeptics that the shot is actually safe and effective. Thankfully, this morning brought some potentially helpful news: AstraZeneca says its latest study, conducted primarily in the U.S., shows its vaccine is nearly 80% effective in preventing symptoms, and was relatively safe, with no higher risk of clots. Here's a quick FAQ about the latest AstraZeneca study:
What did the AstraZeneca study show?
The latest study, conducted with more than 32,000 total participants from the U.S., Chile and Peru, showed the vaccine is 79% effective in preventing COVID-19 symptoms. Crucially, it was found to be 100% effective in preventing severe disease and death—a key indicator for COVID-19 vaccine performance.
None of the participants developed major side effects, and there were no signs of any clotting issues. The data also show evidence of strong protection for elderly people—a good sign since they're among the most vulnerable, but were underrepresented in the company's prior studies.
Why was this study conducted?
As my colleague Alice Park reported at the time, AstraZeneca's initial studies were marred by dosing errors that led to difficult-to-interpret results. Some global regulators approved the shot anyway, but the company did not apply for authorization in the U.S. with data from those studies. If the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does O.K. the AstraZeneca vaccine, it would be a huge vote of confidence in the product, potentially easing skepticism in Europe and elsewhere.
Wait, didn't the U.S. just give away a bunch of AstraZeneca doses?
Yes. Last week, the Biden Administration announced it would loan 4 million doses to Canada and Mexico, of 7 million it has in storage. The deal made more sense at the time: both of those countries have already approved the AstraZeneca shot, and both are desperate for additional supply to bolster their relatively sluggish mass inoculation efforts.
Now that AstraZeneca is applying for authorization in the U.S., the deal makes just a little less sense. But the U.S. is expected to have enough doses of various COVID-19 vaccines for every adult by May even without any AstraZeneca supply, so this particular vaccine isn't as vital here. Moreover, the U.S. has close commercial, travel and cultural links with its neighbors to the north and south, so anything that helps get Canada and Mexico's outbreaks under control can keep the U.S. safer as well. It's also just good P.R. between allies.
Is there any reason to be concerned about the AstraZeneca vaccine?
Based on the existing evidence, it doesn’t seem so. The blood clotting issues sound scary, but they were reported in just dozens of the approximately 17 million Europeans who received the AstraZeneca shot before the stoppages. AstraZeneca says that's actually fewer than the number of such incidents expected among that population even absent the vaccine. And as I mentioned earlier, regulators have found no demonstrable link yet between the vaccine and the clotting incidents. (I should note here that some European scientists researching the AstraZeneca shot have found what they say is evidence of the clotting problem and what causes it, but even if they're right, the reaction should be easily treatable.)
New vaccines can, understandably, cause a lot of anxiety—being an early adopter for a new iPad is one thing, being one for a new inoculation is another. But based on the existing data, there's no reason to fear the AstraZeneca vaccine. On the contrary, the durable and apparently highly effective shot looks to be a key weapon in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 156.7 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been shipped to various U.S. states as of this morning, of which 124.4 million doses have been administered thus far, according to TIME's vaccine tracker. Approximately 24.2% of the overall U.S. population has received at least one dose, and about 13.3% of Americans have been completely vaccinated.
U.S. states that have carefully managed vaccine eligibility based on factors like age, medical conditions and work status have vaccinated a larger share of their population than states that offered wide eligibility earlier on, per a new analysis from health data nonprofit Surgo Ventures and the Associated Press. States like Florida and South Carolina that opened the floodgates suffered from a lack of supply and general disarray, experts say. West Virginia was an outlier, with its decision to offer wide eligibility and its relatively high vaccination rates; it was able to achieve that success thanks in part to adequate prep work before the rollout began.
Pharmacies across New York State can now administer vaccines to anyone with a medical condition that makes them eligible for the shot, the state quietly announced over the weekend. Previously, while those with qualifying medical conditions could get a shot at one of New York’s state-run vaccination hubs, pharmacy chains in the state were only allowed to inoculate people over 60, as well as childcare and school workers. The shift will make it easier for residents who live far from one of what is just a handful of state-run hubs to get a shot.
TODAY'S CORONAVIRUS OUTLOOK
The Global Situation
More than 123.2 million people around the world had been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of 1 a.m. E.T. today, and more than 2.7 million people have died. On March 21, there were 393,373 new cases and 5,652 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:
An alarming spike in India's case rates is raising fears that the country's battle against the virus is going worse than previously thought, the BBC reports . The country reported approximately 260,000 cases last week, a jump of about 100,000 from the previous week—one of the highest week-by-week increases yet seen in the country. The spike is largely concentrated in the western state of Maharashtra, and experts speaking to the BBC say emerging variants may be to blame.
Leaders in the southeastern Brazilian coastal town of Sao Sebastiao are warning that coronavirus patients may have to be taken off ventilators amid a shortage in sedatives and other drugs used during the intubation process, CNN reports. "Our stock lasts until Monday, and will only be used for patients already intubated," Mayor Felipe Augusto told reporters over the weekend. The drugs are in short supply across Brazil, where hospitals nationwide are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients.
As Israelis head to the polls tomorrow, embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is aiming to ride his country's world-leading inoculation campaign to victory, the New York Times reports. While life in the country is generally returning to normal as close to 60% of its residents are vaccinated, critics say Netanyahu is prematurely opening the country before it's safe in an effort to win reelection and shield himself from an ongoing corruption trial.
The Situation in the U.S.
The U.S. had recorded more than 29.8 million coronavirus cases as of 1 a.m. E.T. today. More than 542,000 people have died. On March 21, there were 33,243 new cases and 429 new deaths confirmed in the U.S.
Here's how the country 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:
Police in the spring break mecca of Miami Beach, Fla., fired pepper balls at crowds violating a curfew issued over the weekend, a local CNN affiliate reports. Per the new rules, which are meant to prevent visitors from spreading the virus, outdoor dining must end by 7 P.M., while Ocean Drive, a famed tourist attraction, will close at 8 p.m. "Too many people are coming here right now," Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said Saturday while announcing the curfew.
"Non-essential" employees at the Redmond, Wash. headquarters of technology giant Microsoft can head back into the office on March 29, the company announced in a blog post today. In-person work remains optional for this group, and the company expects to allow some mixture of in-person and at-home work even after the pandemic ends. "Once we reach a point where COVID-19 no longer presents a significant burden on our communities...we view working from home part of the time as standard for most roles," wrote executive vice president Kurt DelBene.
Want a donut with your COVID-19 vaccine? Just bring your vaccination card to any Krispy Kreme location and you'll be treated to a freebie all year long, Fortunereports. But you'll have to pay up for sprinkles; the offer is good for the "original glazed" flavor only.
All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of March 22, 1 a.m. E.T. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
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WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Meet the Russian 'Information Warrior' Seeking To Discredit COVID-19 Vaccines
Here, my colleague Simon Shuster has a fascinating interview with Konstantin Knyrik, the editor of a Kremlin-linked website called News Front that's been pumping out anti-vaccine propaganda. "We're growing. We're posting. We're reaching new audiences,” Knyrik told Simon in a phone call from Moscow. "We're not backing down." Read more here.
It's O.K. to Grieve the Small Losses
Many of us have lost someone to COVID-19 or are dealing with the pandemic's economic fallout. But even those who have weathered this storm well, relatively speaking, have lost something along the way—and it's O.K., even healthy, to grieve the small things, Tara Parker-Pope writes in the New York Times. Read more here.
Two Tournaments, Two Very Different Treatments
A bubble-style March Madness is well underway in Indiana, where men's and women's NCAA basketball teams are vying to become national champs. But images and videos posted to social media reveal the women's teams have lackluster workout facilities and other accommodations compared to the men's teams, the Wall Street Journal reports, demonstrating what critics say is a longstanding disparity that needs to be changed. 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.
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Today's newsletter was written by Alex Fitzpatrick and edited by Elijah Wolfson.
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