Oxford launches new data on the effectiveness of the United Kingdom strain vaccine, Johnson & Johnson seeks approval from the FDA and the US Senate passes an important resolution for coronavirus aid. Here’s what you should know:
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Headlines
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine protects against the UK variant, while the FDA outlines new plans to deal with mutations
First of all, the bad news: there is some evidence that B.1.1.7, the variant first discovered in the UK, can be more deadly than the original coronavirus strain, as well as being more transmissible. Now, the good news: new data released on Friday indicate that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine protects against both the original virus and this mutation. This research has not yet been peer-reviewed, but it is promising. Although a handful of allegedly more contagious new variants have done so in the United States in recent weeks, the CDC warned last month that B.1.1.7 could be the predominant variant in the United States in March.
In response, drug makers are rushing to reorganize vaccines to increase protection against variants. And on Thursday, the FDA said it was developing new standards to adapt drugs, tests and vaccines specifically to fight more resistant mutations. They are likely to be released in the next two to three weeks. The plan is based on years of experience with the flu virus, which changes rapidly and constantly. The National Institutes of Health is also working with at least two drug manufacturers to initiate human trials of vaccines with variant targets next month.
A third vaccine seeks FDA approval as experts work to make distribution faster and more equitable
On Thursday, Johnson & Johnson requested FDA emergency use authorization for its Covid-19 vaccine. If approved, the vaccine is likely to come into use in late February or early March. Supplies are expected to be limited at first, but the photo will still be a welcome addition. Unlike the two vaccines currently in use, it requires only one dose and can be stored in a regular refrigerator. Still, the fact that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has a slightly lower rate of effectiveness than those already in use means that employees may soon face difficult questions about who gets which vaccine.
In fact, equity issues have already proved central to vaccination, especially as distribution increases under the Biden administration. People with ample free time and access to the Internet found it easier to get vaccinated, which harms many of the groups that were disproportionately affected by the pandemic, including blacks, Latinos and indigenous people. On Tuesday, the White House announced the expansion of the vaccination program that, among other things, will prioritize vaccination efforts in minority communities.
The Senate moves to approve Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan
After hours of voting, the Senate passed a budget resolution at 5:30 am on Friday that brings legislators closer to approving Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill with a simple majority, making Republican support unnecessary. Biden’s plan includes direct payments of $ 1,400 per person for most families, a $ 400 weekly unemployment insurance supplement through September, increased paid holidays and more. Earlier this week, the president met with a group of Republican senators to discuss an alternative $ 618 billion relief plan they had worked out in an apparent attempt to work down the corridor, but he later reaffirmed that he wants the Democratic lawmakers “grow” in the aid pandemic.
These events in Washington occur at a time when economic recovery is stagnating across the country. Although the US economy generated 49,000 jobs last month, the pace of job growth remains slow. Economists say things are likely to accelerate as more people get vaccinated and the pandemic restrictions on business ease.
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One question
How is the pandemic affecting cities?
Urban planners announced the pandemic as a potential opportunity to remake cities for the better, prioritizing the experience of pedestrians and cyclists over cars and finding ways to make buildings breathe better. Other researchers noted that the ways in which urban crime declined in 2020 provide important information that can help cities increase security and do so more equitably, even after the pandemic. Still, there is no doubt that the pandemic has affected urban life. One example: public transport, the lifeblood of cities like New York, is seriously compromised.
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