CORONAVIRUS INFO PROVIDED BY DR. JIM HARRIS – 04/07/2021

HELLO,

FROM HOPKINS CITATIONS

GOOD NEWS:

1. Pfizer Begins Human Trials of New Pill to Treat Coronavirus (Bloomberg) Pfizer Inc. said it has begun human safety testing of 1. If it succeeds in trials, the pill could be prescribed early in an infection to block viral replication before patients get very sick. The drug binds to an enzyme called a protease to keep the virus from replicating. Protease-inhibiting medicines have been successful in treating other types of viruses, include HIV and Hepatitis C.

2. A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Phase 1 Trial of Inhaled and Intranasal Niclosamide: A Broad Spectrum Antiviral Candidate for Treatment of COVID-19 (The Lancet) Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is spreading globally and treatment options remain limited. A formulation of niclosamide, a potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent and a broad-spectrum antiviral treatment candidate, optimized for inhalation and intranasal administration (UNI91104) was developed.

About 80 percent of K-12 educators and staff have been given at least one vaccine dose.

Community-Associated Outbreak of COVID-19 in a Correctional Facility — Utah, September 2020–January 2021 Incarcerated persons in a Utah correctional facility were likely exposed to SARS-COV-2 by community-associated sources of introduction, including a visiting dental health care provider. An outbreak in the facility was first detected in the residential block where two residents received treatment; the outbreak spread rapidly, eventually affecting 1,368 (52%) of 2,632 residents (with 31 hospitalizations and 12 deaths) and an estimated 88 (16%) of 550 staff members. (CDC MMWR, 4/2/2021)

(J. Harris: This may be a case of one dental worker starting an epidemic in a prison, which, of course, spread outside the walls as well. “Only” 12 deaths were reported among the 1368 Covid cases that resulted.

How very sad this is.)

IS IT SAFE TO CRUISE NOW?

GREAT SIMPLE COVID UPDATE

(J. Harris: Quick review of current Covid events.)

PRESS RELEASE

CDC and NIH Bring COVID-19 Self-Testing to Residents in Two Locales The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, has launched an innovative community health initiative called “Say Yes! COVID Test” starting in Pitt County, North Carolina, and coming soon to Chattanooga/Hamilton County, Tennessee. As many as 160,000 residents across the two communities will have access to free, rapid antigen tests that they can administer themselves to use three times a week for one month. NIH will provide the tests (also called a home-test or at-home test) and evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative, which aims to determine if frequent self-administered COVID-19 testing helps residents reduce community transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. (CDC, 3/31/2021)

PRESS RELEASE

FEMA-Supported Community Vaccination Centers Receive Peace Corps Assistance in COVID-19 Response FEMA and the Peace Corps announced they have struck a historic partnership to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. For the second time in the Peace Corps’ history, volunteers will serve a domestic deployment, at FEMA’s request – the first following Hurricane Katrina and now at federally supported Community Vaccination Centers (CVCs) across the country. The Peace Corps is implementing the COVID-19 domestic deployment through Peace Corps Response, a Peace Corps program that sends individuals with specialized experience to short-term service assignments of up to 12 months. (FEMA, 3/31/2021)

FROM HOPKINS CITATIONS:

1. The US surpassed 30 million cumulative cases on March 27:

1 case to 5 million cases- 200 days

5 million to 10 million- 92 days

10 million to 15 million- 29 days

15 million to 20 million- 24 days

20 million to 25 million- 24 days

25 million to 30 million- 62 days = GOOD

2. National-level data continue to indicate the start of a fourth COVID-19 surge, and more states are beginning to show the early signs as well. According to analysis published by Data USA, 29 states (and Puerto Rico) are reporting increasing daily COVID-19 incidence over the past 2 weeks (>+5%). Among these states, 16 are reporting increases of more than 20% over that period, including 5 with more than 30%: Michigan (+61.5%), Nebraska (+59.3%), Alaska (+45.0%), Maine (+31.4%), and Washington (+31.1%). Puerto Rico is reporting an increase of 61.1% over the past 2 weeks. There are concentrations of these states across the country, including all of New England, most of the Midwest and West Coast regions, and several states in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions as well as Alaska and Hawai’i.

LAST BUT NOT LEASED: