Author Archives: jbakerjrblog

The CDC, in concert with the Department of Homeland Security, recently changed their recommendations for COVID-19 testing. This has engendered confusion and controversy. While the new recommendations are not clearly defined, it appears that the agency believes that people who have a low risk of being infected should not seek COOVID-19 testing until they haveContinue reading “The CDC appears to roll back corona virus testing recommendations, but fails to justify its action.”

One of the largest issues with the current vaccines is whether they will be effective in individuals most at risk for COVID-19. This is particularly true of the elderly, where immunity tends to be less effective and harder to induce. Moderna presented evidence today that their vaccine could be effective in elderly individuals older thanContinue reading “Moderna COVID-19 vaccine shows efficacy in older individuals.”

The “reinfection” case that has spurred so much attention in the press has finally been published on line. The PCR (molecular) analyses of the virus in the second occurrence look accurate and the patient becomes SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive just 5 days after his hospitalization for this asymptomatic episode. This all suggests the second infection was actuallyContinue reading “The reinfection case is finally available on line and falls short as a “proof” of anything.”

Today, Dr. Stephen Hahn defended the FDA’s EUA approval for plasma transfusions to treat COVID-19 infection. Doctor Hahn stated that the Agency fully supported medical and scientific basis for the EUA noting that although there is not definitive data showing this technique works, the safety profile made an EUA appropriate. He also apologized for not handling theContinue reading “The FDA screwed up the announcement of the plasma-transfer EUA. They cannot do the same thing with the COVID-19 vaccines.”

Today, Reuters and the New York Times announced the “first identified case of a true reinfection with COVID-19.” The article referred to a 33-year-old male in Hong Kong who was initially diagnosed with COVID-19 and hospitalized in April months ago, then subsequently went to Spain, and then upon his return tested positive again after returning on Aug. 15. ThisContinue reading “NO… THERE IS NO CONVINCING COVID RE-INFECTION!”

Last night at dinner I discussed with socially distanced friends the story of an intelligent 24-year-old insisting on heading out to bars for the evening. As students from every area of the world return to Ann Arbor, we wondered if closing bars (and preventing campus parties) could be the most important way of limiting theContinue reading “Yes. Bars are fueling COVID-19 outbreaks.”

This Friday I’ve decided to recognize an individual who is not a household name and has not continually put himself in the press. Regardless, he will likely be the most important individual in determining whether any of the COVID-19 vaccines in development will be approved for use in humans.  Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D. is the directorContinue reading “Dr. Peter Marks assures us that any vaccine for COVID-19 will be safe and effective!”

Convalescent serum (blood plasma) from recovered COVID-19 patients has been touted as a treatment for others with the disease. This week, however, the FDA delayed a decision about authorizing emergency use of convalescent serum as a therapy. The data just wasn’t there to prove that it had any benefit for treating COVID-19 patients. One ofContinue reading “Why was the therapeutic use of serum from COVID-19 patients not approved by the FDA?”

This weeks’ numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths show much better news. The spread of the virus appears to be down, and the numbers of deaths are also trending downward. Of interest, despite the number of new tests per day remaining stable, the number of new infections continues to drop. While still high at aboutContinue reading “A week of good news in the United States pandemic statistics.”