The global pandemic exit plan hits an obstacle

The global pandemic exit plan hits an obstacle

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Although it is a major obstacle on the road to recovery, now is not the time for governments to throw away their stocks, writes Ivana Kottasová. Experts say it is possible, even very likely, that the injection will be effective in preventing serious illness and death.

Some countries that depend on the vaccine may have to change their beams. Instead of trying to get collective immunity, the focus may be on preventing as many deaths as possible, even while the virus continues to circulate.

Much depends on the success of this vaccine, developed on a nonprofit basis. Organizers of a scheme to bring vaccines to low- and middle-income countries, called COVAX, announced plans to distribute more than 337 million vaccines by the end of June – of which 336 million doses would be from AstraZeneca. They say they are now waiting to hear the experts’ recommendations.

Many wealthy nations are also relying on AstraZeneca as they rush to vaccinate their populations before more dangerous new variants emerge. The United States, which now reports its lowest infection rates in three months, is relying on 300 million doses of the drug, as is the European Union. The United Kingdom has ordered 100 million doses.

YOU ASKED. WE ANSWER.

Q: Can people decide which vaccine to take?

A: In most countries where several different vaccines are available, people simply get what they get – at least for the time being, while supplies are limited.

The Pfizer vaccine needs special ultra-cold storage – much colder than normal freezers provide, so it is only available to people in countries that can support cold supply chains. Even in these countries, Pfizer may be limited to people who live in areas where such freezing facilities are available.

The Modern vaccine can be transported and stored at normal refrigeration temperatures, which can make it more suitable for rural areas or places not close to deep-frozen storage.

In the US, AstraZeneca is still in the process of applying for emergency use authorization, so it is not yet available. It is already being implemented in the United Kingdom and has been approved in the European Union.

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WHAT’S IMPORTANT TODAY

She is one of the most powerful women in Europe. A fight with the vaccine can hinder your big plans for the continent

It is likely that a few weeks ago, much of the world had never heard the name Ursula von der Leyen. The President of the European Commission is not a function that enjoys the fame or greatness of a national leader. So when the head of the commission appears in the media, something is likely to be very wrong, writes Luke McGee.

The EU’s unedifying dispute with the UK and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca over the limited supply of Covid-19 vaccines has put Von der Leyen and his management style in the spotlight. In the controversy, the Commission proposed export controls on vaccine manufacturers and even sparked fears of a return to sectarian and cross-border violence by threatening to place restrictions in Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Facebook is trying to fix its antivaxxer problem. Again

After years of struggling to crack down on misinformation about vaccines, Facebook is once again revising its policies to make them stricter. The company announced on Monday that it was “expanding” its efforts to remove false claims on its platform, as well as on Instagram, about Covid-19 vaccines and vaccines in general during the pandemic, reports Kaya Yurieff.

The announcement came a day after CNN Business reported that Instagram continued to feature antivaxxer accounts prominently in its search results, while Facebook groups protesting the vaccines remained easy to find. The findings raised concerns among public health experts as the United States is in the midst of its largest vaccine rollout to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

President Joe Biden ponders testing for domestic flights

People who plan to travel on domestic flights in the United States may soon have to submit a negative Covid-19 test before boarding the planes. Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed in an interview with “Axios on HBO” on Sunday that the Biden government is considering the move, but gave no further details.

“There is an active conversation with the CDC now,” said Buttigieg. “What I can say is that it will be guided by data, science, medicine and the contribution of the people who will really have to do this.”

The discussion follows a CDC rule that came into effect in late January, requiring Covid-19 negative tests for international travelers, US citizens and residents entering the United States.

ON OUR RADAR

"It's all about the vaccine for me now," says Sara Jablow, who was vaccinated early because of her job and is interested in dating. "I am very frank about it: I believe in science, and if someone is not interested (in the vaccine) ... I am fed up."
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  • Leadership failures led to a major Covid outbreak on an aircraft carrier, a watchdog report found.
  • This mother built a simpler Covid-19 vaccination registration site for her state – during maternity leave.
  • Experts feared a Covid-19 “twindemia” and the flu, but that never happened. Here’s why.

BEST TIP

Some parts of the US are starting to reopen restaurants, although Covid-19 is still broadcasting at high rates. Last Friday, Los Angeles said its restaurants could reopen for restricted open-air dinners and 50% capacity. Chicago reopened with rules that encourage physical distance and masks. New York announced that restaurants could reopen at 25% capacity just in time for Valentine’s Day. It is still safer to avoid indoor meals, but Dr. Anthony Fauci says it is possible if it is “done with care”.

“If you dine in a closed environment, do it in a spaced out manner, where there are no people sitting side by side,” said CNN’s director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to Don Lemon. “Good airflow” is the key, he said. Read here for more information on indoor dining.

TODAY’S PODCAST

“I think it is very important that we start defending and reformulating the concept of trying to protect pregnant women from research and really revisiting that concept, as perhaps we can better protect pregnant women by allowing them to participate in the research and generating data within safe limits. of a clinical trial. “- Dr. Emily S. Miller, obstetrician and member of the COVID-19 task force of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to Dr. Miller about whether pregnant women should get the Covid-19 vaccine. Listen now.

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