Today, we were inundated with a rash of news reports warning of potential increases in COVID-19 cases this fall. Again, the rationale is that as people spend more time inside because of colder weather they will be more likely to transmit the coronavirus between themselves. In response to these reports, I decided to focus onContinue reading “Any seasonal rise in COVID-19 infections has not happened yet.”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
What in the world is going on in the Department of Health and Human Services?
Two unusual events happened today involving the Department of Health and Human services. Whatever the intent of these events it is unfortunate that both appear to undermine the credibility of this organization at the most inopportune time. First, Alex M. Azar, II, the secretary of health and human services, this week prohibited the nation’s healthContinue reading “What in the world is going on in the Department of Health and Human Services?”
Peer review is the only defense we have against “24-hour news channel” science. It needs to be fixed immediately before the vaccine data is published.
In honor of national peer review week (September 21st through 25th), I am recognizing the process that has enhanced science over the past 100 years. Peer review is the practice by which a scientific report is evaluated by other experts in the field for importance and scientific rigor before it is published. It is the cornerstone ofContinue reading “Peer review is the only defense we have against “24-hour news channel” science. It needs to be fixed immediately before the vaccine data is published.”
Dr. Fauci has finally changed his mind. The pandemic will end and normal could return in a year!
A little noticed article in the WSJ yesterday has perked my interest. Dr. Fauci was quoted in a video interview with The Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council that “With a combination of a good vaccine together with good public health measures, we may be able to put this coronavirus outbreak behind us, the way weContinue reading “Dr. Fauci has finally changed his mind. The pandemic will end and normal could return in a year!”
Are Coronavirus infections leveling off at a higher point after the summer peak?
In this week’s review of the COVID-19 infection statistics in the United States we see an interesting phenomenon. While the infections have been dropping over the past month, they appear to be stabilizing at a higher level than in the pre-Memorial Day trough. The reasons that these numbers have stopped falling may be that multiple.Continue reading “Are Coronavirus infections leveling off at a higher point after the summer peak?”
Making a COVID-19 vaccine may be the easiest part of immunizing our population!
It is next June. Several of the COVID-19 vaccines in development have been shown to be effective. Tens of millions of doses of these vaccines have been produced, much of it made even before the efficacy studies were finished to save time. These vaccines are now ready to be distributed to at-risk individuals throughout theContinue reading “Making a COVID-19 vaccine may be the easiest part of immunizing our population!”
How Arizona defeated their COVID-19 outbreak without a lockdown.
An article in today’s Wall Street Journal highlighted the success that Arizona has had in controlling their COVID-19 outbreak. Arizona had one of the largest outbreaks in the United States in June, but has seen a drop of 72% in the number of new cases in August. Over that same period, the number of deaths in theContinue reading “How Arizona defeated their COVID-19 outbreak without a lockdown.”
Monoclonal antibodies are advancing as treatments for COVID-19.
While vaccines and convalescent plasma transfer have garnered much of the attention around immune therapy for COVID-19, another type of immune therapy has recently gained interest. This therapy uses monoclonal antibodies administered into individuals through an IV as either a prophylactic or treatment for COVID-19 infection. The concept here is similar to that of convalescentContinue reading “Monoclonal antibodies are advancing as treatments for COVID-19.”
Remarkably, the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial has been restarted only four days after it was paused.
A spokesperson for AstraZeneca told STAT news that their COVID-19 vaccine trial has been restarted. Currently, however, only the trial in the U.K. has been resumed. The company is also conducting trials in the U.S., Brazil, and South Africa. “The Company will continue to work with health authorities across the world and be guided asContinue reading “Remarkably, the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial has been restarted only four days after it was paused.”
More on the adverse reaction that stopped AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine trial
Several sources have now reported that the illness that stopped AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial was a case of transverse myelitis. This is an inflammation of the spinal cord that can be associated with disruption of nerve function. In the most severe cases this can lead to partial or complete paralysis and is therefore aContinue reading “More on the adverse reaction that stopped AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine trial”
Pandemic Pondering 