Wuhan Coronavirus Resource Thread

vera_k · Post by **vera_k** » 02 Feb 2021 13:02

We lost two people in our extended family to Covid when the numbers were surging in September. For both cases, symptoms were ignored for a couple of weeks until they could no longer be ignored. Other people in the family who were infected were treated at home and recovered. Anecdotal evidence, but it is indeed possible that early treatment and reduction in viral load is helping.

ArjunPandit · Post by **ArjunPandit** » 02 Feb 2021 18:38

does anyone know why did vaccination slow down in india for last 2 -3 days
last 3 days 244k, 14k, 191K

Uttam · Post by **Uttam** » 02 Feb 2021 20:23

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine 91.6% effective in late-stage trial

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine was 91.6% effective in preventing people from developing Covid-19, according to peer-reviewed results from its late-stage clinical trial published in The Lancet international medical journal on Tuesday.

The results were based on data from 19,866 volunteers, of whom a quarter received a placebo, the researchers, led by the Gamaleya Institute’s Denis Logunov, said in The Lancet.

Since the trial in Moscow began, there were 16 recorded cases of symptomatic Covid-19 among people who received the vaccine, and 62 among the placebo group, the scientists said.

This showed that a two-dose regimen of the vaccine - two shots based on two different adenovirus vectors, administered 21 days apart - was 91.6% effective against symptomatic Covid-19.

Questions for experts on the forum: Wouldn't (62-16)/62 = 74.2% effectiveness?

nvishal · Post by **nvishal** » 02 Feb 2021 20:42

Brazil’s Precisa Medicamentos to ask regulator for authorization to carry out phase 3 trials from Covaxin
https://labsnews.com/en/notes/brazils-p ... ium=social

Brazilian pharmaceutical firm Precisa Medicamentos is about to ask Brazilian health regulator (Anvisa) for authorization to carry out phase 3 clinical trials in Brazil from Covaxin, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Indian laboratory Bharat Biotech, says G1.

All three, covaxin(India), sputnik(russia) and sinovac(china) are vaccines based on whole inactivated virus method.

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 02 Feb 2021 20:47

ArjunPandit wrote:does anyone know why did vaccination slow down in india for last 2 -3 days
last 3 days 244k, 14k, 191K

saturday, sunday (also polio vaccination) ... no idea on MOnday

Ashokk · Post by **Ashokk** » 03 Feb 2021 01:08

Fake Racket Selling Saline Water As Covid-19 Vaccine At Exorbitant Prices, Busted In China

A fake Covid-19 vaccine racket where the perpetrators were selling bottled saline water as Covid-19 vaccine has been busted in China, ABC News has reported.

As per the report, 3,000 doses of this fake Covid-19 vaccine have been confiscated and 80 have been arrested in police raids in cities like Beijing, Jiangsu and Shandong provinces. The criminals have been selling vials of saline water as a Covid-19 vaccine since September of last year.

The accused have been "making huge profits by fulfilling saline solution into injectors to process and make fake coronavirus vaccines and selling them at a higher price", reports said.

China has been vaccinating its populace using vaccines developed by Sinovac and Sinopharm. Sinovac has run into troubles over its low efficacy rate of just over 50 per cent and its trials were halted in Brazil due to an adverse event.

Additionally, Peru had suspended the ongoing clinical trials of a Covid-19 vaccine made by Chinese drug giant Sinopharm after detecting neurological problems in one of its test volunteers.

mappunni · Post by **mappunni** » 03 Feb 2021 08:03

Ashokk wrote:Fake Racket Selling Saline Water As Covid-19 Vaccine At Exorbitant Prices, Busted In China
A fake Covid-19 vaccine racket where the perpetrators were selling bottled saline water as Covid-19 vaccine has been busted in China, ABC News has reported.

As per the report, 3,000 doses of this fake Covid-19 vaccine have been confiscated and 80 have been arrested in police raids in cities like Beijing, Jiangsu and Shandong provinces. The criminals have been selling vials of saline water as a Covid-19 vaccine since September of last year.

The accused have been "making huge profits by fulfilling saline solution into injectors to process and make fake coronavirus vaccines and selling them at a higher price", reports said.

China has been vaccinating its populace using vaccines developed by Sinovac and Sinopharm. Sinovac has run into troubles over its low efficacy rate of just over 50 per cent and its trials were halted in Brazil due to an adverse event.

Additionally, Peru had suspended the ongoing clinical trials of a Covid-19 vaccine made by Chinese drug giant Sinopharm after detecting neurological problems in one of its test volunteers.

Hope sweeter than honey birather mulak has shipped some of the saline water vaccines to slave mulak of Terroristan.

nvishal · Post by **nvishal** » 03 Feb 2021 12:39

On Covaxin

From bharat biotechs website
https://www.bharatbiotech.com/covaxin.html

The interim efficacy estimate will be generated by the end of Feb, 2021

dhyana · Post by **dhyana** » 03 Feb 2021 13:09

Verity Pharma and India's SII apply to distribute AstraZeneca vaccine in Canada

Verity Pharmaceuticals and Serum Institute of India (SII) have applied to distribute SII’s licensed version of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine in Canada, potentially easing shortages as European manufacturing sites struggle to meet global demand.

The Indian company’s chief executive, Adar Poonawalla, told Reuters last week that SII was happy to support AstraZeneca to meet any supply needs, but he emphasised that its primary focus was India and other poorer nations in Asia and Africa.

SII has already stepped in to help AstraZeneca to fulfill some orders in South Africa, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and other nations.

The game is afoot. I was wondering how SII was allowed to supply such worthies as Saudi Arabia (whose per capita income certainly does not fall into SII's traditional low/middle income client market niche).

Since AstraZeneca is currently having difficulties fulfilling its contractual obligations for European and other countries (Western and otherwise... basically upper middle income and upper income regions that would ordinarily pay higher prices per vaccine dose, and were hence excluded from the original license given to SII), India's vaccine manufacturers are being recruited (okay, we'll be charitable and just say allowed) to help fill the void. The entire EU is one of those little regions- with many countries' per capita vaccination rates roughly 1/3 that of the US, primarily because the continental manufacturing of both Oxford/AstraZeneca and Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccines are behind schedule. The 'failure' of the Sanofi and Pasteur Institute's vaccine candidates didn't help.

This is what happens when one has manufacturing prowess- pharmaceuticals in Bharat's case- new horizons open up. Will assume the lesson is not lost upon the powers that be, and hopefully all manner of domestic manufacturing industry promoted on a war footing. It starts with development of the entire ecosystem, not a mere rehashing of the silly 'computer chips vs potato chips' debate.

The entire article is a good read on current implications on not being able to locally manufacture 'stuff.' Same exact issues as with PPE previously.

manjgu · Post by **manjgu** » 03 Feb 2021 13:17

Saudi will use astrazenca on the labour class... Pfizer for the Sheikhs.

dhyana · Post by **dhyana** » 03 Feb 2021 13:20

That may be, but SII would not be allowed to sell to them under normal circumstances, if AZ could supply (and appropriately charge) directly.

It matters not for India's foreign exchange and trade balance what the distribution is within countries, only that they send money.

ArjunPandit · Post by **ArjunPandit** » 03 Feb 2021 13:38

ArjunPandit wrote:does anyone know why did vaccination slow down in india for last 2 -3 days
last 3 days 244k, 14k, 191K

yesterday data 188k
https://www.mohfw.gov.in/

Uttam · Post by **Uttam** » 03 Feb 2021 19:44

AstraZeneca vaccine can slow the spread of Covid, and delayed second dose works, Oxford data shows

*The U.K.’s decision to delay the second shot of the AstraZeneca-University of Oxford coronavirus vaccine has been found to be an effective strategy.

*Oxford researchers found that the Covid vaccine was 76% effective at preventing symptomatic infection for three months after a single dose.

*In fact, the efficacy rate rose with a longer interval between the first and second doses.

*The vaccine is also seen to lower transmission of the virus, a crucial factor in lifting lockdowns.

“Vaccine efficacy after a single standard dose of vaccine from day 22 to day 90 post vaccination was 76% ... and modelled analysis indicated that protection did not wane during this initial 3 month period,” the study found. It was published on Tuesday as a preprint and is under review at The Lancet medical journal.

Raja · Post by **Raja** » 03 Feb 2021 22:11

We don't want to get in the unenviable position of getting caught in the middle of a fresh wave few months from now while we are stuck with low vaccination rates. It is all nice and dandy that we are exporting to other countries, but seriously need to administer at a war footing at home. That should be number one priority. Israel is the role model and we should try to be better than them as we can produce vaccines locally.

Vaccines need to be made widely available as soon as possible given the expected than low interest amongst health workers.

Suraj · Post by **Suraj** » 03 Feb 2021 23:08

Israel's efforts are indeed admirable, but they're a tiny country with a handful of major cities accounting for 90% of their population; you can drive across it in less time than you can cross Mumbai. Yes we need to ramp up vaccination rates significantly, but it's better to focus on establishing what's slowed vaccination rates down. Do we know why rates are down after over 500K/day last week ? Pointing to {some completely unrepresentative tiny country} is not actionable, to use an MBA term.

ArjunPandit · Post by **ArjunPandit** » 04 Feb 2021 00:30

Raja wrote:We don't want to get in the unenviable position of getting caught in the middle of a fresh wave few months from now while we are stuck with low vaccination rates. It is all nice and dandy that we are exporting to other countries, but seriously need to administer at a war footing at home. That should be number one priority. Israel is the role model and we should try to be better than them as we can produce vaccines locally.

Vaccines need to be made widely available as soon as possible given the expected than low interest amongst health workers.

apples to oranges

Tanaji · Post by **Tanaji** » 04 Feb 2021 00:58

From speaking to folks, there is a lot of vaccine hesitancy. Partly because of the wait and watch attitude and partly because folks don’t think it is necessary any more as the disease is gone as per them.

DavidD · Post by **DavidD** » 04 Feb 2021 01:24

Uttam wrote:Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine 91.6% effective in late-stage trial

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine was 91.6% effective in preventing people from developing Covid-19, according to peer-reviewed results from its late-stage clinical trial published in The Lancet international medical journal on Tuesday.

The results were based on data from 19,866 volunteers, of whom a quarter received a placebo, the researchers, led by the Gamaleya Institute’s Denis Logunov, said in The Lancet.

Since the trial in Moscow began, there were 16 recorded cases of symptomatic Covid-19 among people who received the vaccine, and 62 among the placebo group, the scientists said.

This showed that a two-dose regimen of the vaccine - two shots based on two different adenovirus vectors, administered 21 days apart - was 91.6% effective against symptomatic Covid-19.

Questions for experts on the forum: Wouldn't (62-16)/62 = 74.2% effectiveness?

Only a quarter of the study population was given the placebo, or 1/3 the number who was vaccinated, so it really should be (62x3 - 16)/ (62x3) = 91.4%. It's probably not exactly 1/4 of the folks got placebo, so the ratio is not exactly 3 to 1, hence the 91.4 vs 91.6% difference.

Raja · Post by **Raja** » 04 Feb 2021 02:59

Well, on one hand people who are qualified to get vaccine right now are hesitant to get it. But on the other hand, there are crores of people who are WAITING to get vaccinated. My entire extended family has already registered but they only expect to get a call sometime only around May on the earliest. And at the same time, we are exporting vaccines to other countries.

What is being done to ramp up delivery of vaccinations? If the current low rates is because the target group is not as interested does that not mean that there is an EXCESS capacity not being used? It seems like something should be done about that. Why can we not allow private clinics etc. to give out vaccines also?

Y I Patel · Post by **Y I Patel** » 04 Feb 2021 03:16

Suraj wrote: ...Do we know why rates are down after over 500K/day last week ? ...

Pulse polio campaign. Covid vaccination should pick up pace again, starting tomorrow

Uttam · Post by **Uttam** » 04 Feb 2021 03:30

DavidD wrote:
Only a quarter of the study population was given the placebo, or 1/3 the number who was vaccinated, so it really should be (62x3 - 16)/ (62x3) = 91.4%. It's probably not exactly 1/4 of the folks got placebo, so the ratio is not exactly 3 to 1, hence the 91.4 vs 91.6% difference.

That makes sense. Thank you!

Suraj · Post by **Suraj** » 04 Feb 2021 03:37

Y I Patel wrote:
Suraj wrote: ...Do we know why rates are down after over 500K/day last week ? ...
Pulse polio campaign. Covid vaccination should pick up pace again, starting tomorrow

Thanks. Actually that made me think - how many people get vaccinated in such a drive, as a very rough template to establish what could be achieved for Covid. I understand there are many variables e.g. OPV vs injected Covid vaccine, infants vs adults - though kids are harder to keep still long enough too, cold preserved Covid vaccine vs however OPV can be stored and transported. For a measure of scale:
30 million kids to be given OPV on Sunday
11.1 million OPV immunizations in MP
So in terms of ability to disburse an oral vaccine, there exists nationwide resources to do ~100 million immunizations a day extrapolating up from UP numbers. But this of course is a completely different approach, first stocking up and then doing a nationwide drive. But it suggests that the ability to organize medical personnel and coordination mechanisms are mature.

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 05 Feb 2021 00:21

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 05 Feb 2021 01:07

saip · Post by **saip** » 05 Feb 2021 05:11

Under the WHO Covax India is getting 97 million doses of Astra Zeneca vaccine made by Serum Institute, while Pakistan is getting 27 million doses also made by Serum Institute. Now the question whether Pakistan will reject these doses and ask for those made by S Korean company SK Biopharmaceuticals? Or will Pakistan receive these at Wagah or will ask WHO to ship them from wherever?
In each case the doses will be sufficient for 3.3 % of the country's population.
WHO Link

Raja · Post by **Raja** » 05 Feb 2021 05:18

I believe 90% of the vaccination in Pakistan already comes from India. This was according to an article I read on economictimes I believe and claimed by a Pakistani health official.

saip · Post by **saip** » 05 Feb 2021 05:18

Interestingly WHO places Pakis in Eastern Mediterranean Region while India is in East Asia Region.

saip · Post by **saip** » 05 Feb 2021 05:25

Raja wrote:I believe 90% of the vaccination in Pakistan already comes from India. This was according to an article I read on economictimes I believe and claimed by a Pakistani health official.

I know that. If you remember the earth quake 2005. India offered helis but Pakis refused and let the people die until the Nato was able to send some helis few weeks later. Then Pakis accepted building material but with a caveat that it should not have Made in India labels. I am hoping that the Serum Institute puts Made in India label in bold, bright letters in English and Urdu on the Cartons and the Vials.

ArjunPandit · Post by **ArjunPandit** » 05 Feb 2021 06:14

picked upo again..
https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations
yesterday 310K as per above and MOHFW 3,10,604
https://www.mohfw.gov.in/
Total 4.45 Mns

mappunni · Post by **mappunni** » 05 Feb 2021 07:03

Got inoculated today at the Texas Motor Speedway Super Center in the Dallas area organized by Denton County. In and out in 30 minutes. They are expected to inoculate 10k people a day including today.

Unbelievably efficient and fast process considering it was done by the county health department, compared to the one organized by the Dallas county which was a disaster where people had to wait as much as 6 hours to get a shot.

I got the Pfizer vaccine and they have provided the date of 21 days from today for the second shot. So far no issues except for slight pain in the injection area.

yensoy · Post by **yensoy** » 05 Feb 2021 07:49

saip wrote:
Raja wrote:I believe 90% of the vaccination in Pakistan already comes from India. This was according to an article I read on economictimes I believe and claimed by a Pakistani health official.
I know that. If you remember the earth quake 2005. India offered helis but Pakis refused and let the people die until the Nato was able to send some helis few weeks later. Then Pakis accepted building material but with a caveat that it should not have Made in India labels. I am hoping that the Serum Institute puts Made in India label in bold, bright letters in English and Urdu on the Cartons and the Vials.

And big, correct maps/outlines of India too.

dhyana · Post by **dhyana** » 05 Feb 2021 13:29

Pakistan says China's Sinopharm vaccine not effective for people over 60 years

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr Faisal Sultan told the media on Thursday that Pakistan's expert committee while considering the preliminary analysis data recommended the vaccine only for people aged 18-60 years.
...
Pakistan on Thursday said that China's Sinopharm vaccine is not effective for people over 60 years of age, a day after it began its countrywide coronavirus vaccination programme with the Chinese jabs.
...
Pakistan has so far approved three coronavirus vaccines for use -- China's Sinopharm vaccine, Russia's Sputnik V vaccine and the Covishield vaccine developed by Oxford University-AstraZeneca.

Planning Minister Asad Umar said last week that the global COVAX initiative would provide 17 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to Pakistan in the first half of 2021. Officials said it would be used for elderly people.

Another article (warning, from Dawn): Sinopharm vaccine not recommended for people aged above 60: SAPM Dr Faisal

The only published late trial information I'm aware of for Sinopharm's vaccine is a quote of 79% efficacy in various newspaper articles- but no specific Phase III trial data is out there? Preliminary Phase I trial info showed a 'robust' immunogenicity response based on antibody levels produced- however, there appeared to be no comparator arm for people who had natural infection, so hard to say what those numbers really mean. Also, strangely, Sinopharm has recently stated that they have efficacy data for usage in children as young as 3 years.
Effect of an Inactivated Vaccine Against SARS-CoV-2 on Safety and Immunogenicity Outcomes
Sinopharm claims COVID-19 vaccine safe in kids aged 3 and up

AZ's jab has its share of detractors in the EU, but it appears that the Pakis themselves are restricting their benefactor's freebies usage. They likely are embargoed from sharing the trial data publicly by a NDA (standard CCP playbook), though they have access to data of both Sinopharm (from their own trial) and AZ (widely published) vaccines...

This may not bode so well for the second Chinese vaccine candidate (after somewhat lackluster Brazilian trial data re: Sinovac's Coronovac). Many countries are reportedly relying upon Sinovac/Sinopharm's vaccines- interesting times ahead. After digging around a little, saw one quote from a GlobalTimes article (?) stating efficacy data may come within the next few weeks. TBD.

ArjunPandit · Post by **ArjunPandit** » 05 Feb 2021 18:24

India crosses 500K again
Total Vaccination : 49,59,445 (5,09,893)
https://www.mohfw.gov.in/
kissing distance of 5Million mark..hope we accelerate this to 5-6 million per day soon.

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 05 Feb 2021 19:23

We need to involve private hospital chains

Uttam · Post by **Uttam** » 05 Feb 2021 19:36

AstraZeneca Covid vaccine works against UK variant, Oxford says

AstraZeneca and Oxford University’s Covid-19 vaccine has similar efficacy against the “Kent” coronavirus variant currently circulating in Britain as it does to the previously circulating variants, the university said on Friday.

The findings, released in a preprint paper and not peer-reviewed, also detailed recent analysis showing that vaccination with the shot results in a reduction in the duration of shedding and viral load, which may translate into a reduced transmission of the disease, Oxford University said.

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 05 Feb 2021 23:23

4th crossed 500,000
5th also will cross by tomorrow when full data comes

disha · Post by **disha** » 05 Feb 2021 23:32

mappunni wrote: Unbelievably efficient and fast process considering it was done by the county health department, compared to the one organized by the Dallas county which was a disaster where people had to wait as much as 6 hours to get a shot.

Do tell that to your friends in CA. Turns out the New Awesome Newsom GAvin is handling it so well that CA is at the bottom of all states in vaccination drive.

And Cuomo is still counting deaths in the NY senior centers.

saip · Post by **saip** » 06 Feb 2021 00:05

^^Where did you get that?
Doses administered:
CA 9424/100k
NY 10,591/100k
TX 9675/100K
Very few state have exceeded 10k per 100 K
OR (11190), OK (12241), WV (15443).
Sure these numbers can and should be improved. But you can not look everything through political lenses.

CDC

Primus · Post by **Primus** » 06 Feb 2021 04:06

Meanwhile, Kamran Abbasi, the Pakistan born Executive editor of the BMJ writes a scathing article on government accountability, esp those of certain leaders. Surprise surprise , he picks Modi as one of five world leaders that he includes in his accusation of 'crimes against humanity' and 'social murder'. His argument is that since India had the fourth highest total number of deaths from COVID, Modi is responsible. Conveniently omits the death per million population where India ranks 107th overall, many of the top performers being his favored European nations. The moron also avoids any mention of the role of China in this whole mess.

What lows have the Brits sunk to, and where has honest medical journalism gone? I suppose now that they have Pakis leading the country, it is hardly surprising.

https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n314

Tanaji · Post by **Tanaji** » 06 Feb 2021 04:40

Why do medical journals such as Lancet and BMJ write political articles? More to the point, why do the medical professionals in UK dont call them out on this? Isn’t the head of some medical association of doctors in UK a guy of Indian origin?