Epidemiology

Why It Takes So Long To Make a Coronavirus Vaccine

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https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-coronavirus-vaccine-takes-so-long_l_5ea868fbc5b66a3cfefa2a36?ncid=APPLENEWS00001 A vaccine in 12-18 months may not be realistic but is hopeful. First, the particular type of vaccine that may work best is determined. Then, there are human clinical trials. There is a lot of safety testing. Then, larger effects are observed such as side effects and at which dosages they come up. Then, … Read more

CDC: Excess Deaths Associated with COVID-19

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Here’s the CDC’s writeup: Estimates of excess deaths can provide information about the burden of mortality potentially related to COVID-19, beyond the number of deaths that are directly attributed to COVID-19. Excess deaths are typically defined as the difference between observed numbers of deaths and expected numbers. This visualization provides weekly data on excess deaths … Read more

The BCG Vaccine and COVID-19

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This is a short overview about the BCG vaccine and its possible ability to protect from coronavirus infection. It includes a fascinating graph that compares the COVID-19 rates in different countries around the world with different rates of BCG vaccination showing a possible trend in which populations with higher rates of BCG vaccination have had … Read more

Daley, et al., “Beware of studies claiming covid-19 death rates are smaller than expected,” Washington Post, April 28, 2020.

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A must-read. Here is a group of medical scientists explaining in lay person’s language why the tried-and-true methods established to determine “death rates” (more accurately case fatality rates) are necessary before making policy decisions based on reports based on faulty methods. The upshot: in this case, politicians will be well served using the best scientific … Read more

With record-setting speed, vaccinemakers take their first shots at the new coronavirus

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https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/record-setting-speed-vaccine-makers-take-their-first-shots-new-coronavirus An experimental vaccine made by Moderna, well-financed biotech, was created and tested in Haller, who received an outpour of appreciation. Moderna and China’s CanSino Biologies are the first to launch small clinical trials of vaccines against COVID-19. Vaccines group into eight different platforms including old standbys and technology. Vaccines against related coronaviruses that cause … Read more

Our Pandemic Summer

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https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/04/pandemic-summer-coronavirus-reopening-back-normal/609940/ The “perilously stretched thin healthcare system” and the “worst COVID-19 outbreak” refer to what is happening in the United States. It is predicted that a vaccine will take 18-24 months, and once restrictions relax, life as people know it cannot return, and “this is about the next two years.” It is not a question … Read more