Author Archives: jbakerjrblog

The New York times, ProPublica, and almost every media outlet had articles this week warning about problems with the distribution of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. These problems stem predominantly from the requirements to keep the vaccine at minus 70 degrees centigrade until use.  This concern is not new. The unique storage requirements for the Pfizer vaccine have beenContinue reading “Will there be problems distributing the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine?”

In every newspaper this morning there is a picture of individuals lined up waiting for COVID-19 tests. The articles talk about testing centers being “overwhelmed.” At this point in the pandemic, almost nine months in, the question should be why aren’t rapid COVID-19 diagnostic tests available for people to use at home? I’m sure someContinue reading “Why don’t we have home test kits for COVID-19?”

Some optimism for Friday the 13th! When looking at the numbers in terms of overall number of infections in the United States over the past week, it looks as if the rate of increase of new COVID-19 infections is starting to flatten. This is particularly obvious when one looks at the seven-day averages in theContinue reading “Is the third peak starting to recede?”

I took my first airplane flight in two months on Tuesday. I flew back to Detroit from Charleston SC, through Atlanta, on Delta, and recorded my somewhat random observations during the trip. Airport safety in Charleston was impressive. Lines for a luggage check in and security were well managed, and everyone wore masks. The airportContinue reading “Is airplane flight safe during COVID-19? I tested the system.”

What is causing the current surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, especially given the explosive increases seen over the past weekend? A third peak in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations has been ongoing for several weeks, in places like El Paso Tx. The reasons behind this gradual increase aren’t entirely clear but likely involve a numberContinue reading “Did the election cause the recent surge in COVID-19 infections?”

After the wonderful news about the Pfizer vaccine yesterday, today we are faced with the harsh reality of this third peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Data from the COVID tracking project has shown that hospitalizations have now risen sharply in response to the increase in infections. The hospitalization numbers, which may be a better marker for diseaseContinue reading “COVID-19 hospitalizations surge again”

The Moderna vaccine is very similar to the Pfizer vaccine (mRNA for the virus spike protein). It should have a high likelihood of success, which will increase supplies if both are available. Also, it does not require the extreme refrigeration of the Pfizer vaccine. This may open wider distribution. Presuming no safety problems, supplies shouldContinue reading “Three additional points on the great vaccine news.”

Wonderful news broke this AM as Pfizer announced its COVID-19 vaccine was over 90% effective in preventing symptomatic infections. It means that immunity to the infection induced by the vaccine is effective in preventing illness after two doses of the vaccine, and given the high degree of efficacy vaccination should be able to end theContinue reading “Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine Works!”

There are several reports out today about new initiatives related to COVID-19. Several reports state that the President-elect will be naming his COVID-19 task force leaders tomorrow. If the names are correct (Vivek Murthy, David Kessler, and Marcella Nunez-Smith), these are strong individuals who have extensive public health credentials and strong personalities dedicated to improvingContinue reading “Reports on new COVID-19 initiatives pierce a quiet Sunday.”

It is hard to compare what is happening with COVID-19 in different states right now. In part, that is because states are reporting their data differently, on different days of the week and in different ways. For example, Sue Campbell points out the Illinois is now counting “probable cases” and not just PCR confirmed infectionsContinue reading “Current State Trends”