Medical Testing

Single Covid vaccine dose in Israel 'less effective than we thought'

Jan

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/19/single-covid-vaccine-dose-in-israel-less-effective-than-we-hoped

Israel’s coronavirus tsar has warned that a single dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine may be providing less protection than originally hoped, as the country reported a record 10,000 new Covid infections on Monday.

In remarks reported by Army Radio, Nachman Ash said a single dose appeared “less effective than we had thought”, and also lower than Pfizer had suggested.

By contrast, those who had received their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine had a six- to 12-fold increase in antibodies, according to data released by Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer on Monday.

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South African study: New COVID-19 variant defeats plasma treatment, may reduce vaccine efficacy

Jan

New COVID-19 variant defeats plasma treatment, may reduce vaccine efficacy The new COVID-19 variant identified in South Africa can evade the antibodies that attack it in treatments using blood plasma from previously recovered patients, and may reduce the efficacy of the current line of vaccines, scientists said on Wednesday. Reuters Staff U.S.

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Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine works just as well against variant first detected in U.K., study indicates

Jan

Study: Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine effective with variant first detected in U.K. The paper is a welcome signal that existing vaccines don’t seem to be weakened by the variant in question, known as B.1.1.7. Andrew Joseph STAT

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Trump admin enlists private firm to review some Covid-19 tests

Jan

Trump admin enlists private firm to review some Covid-19 tests The decision cuts scientists at the Food and Drug Administration out of the process. David Lim POLITICO

The Department of Health and Human Services is paying a private firm to review the accuracy of some Covid-19 tests — the latest example of the department’s political leadership attempting to bypass scientists at the Food and Drug Administration.

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COVID-19 testing capacity strained as localities struggle with vaccine staffing

Jan

COVID-19 testing capacity strained as localities struggle with Local health departments struggling to find enough staff to carry out a massive vaccination campaign are finding that another key weapon against the coronavirus is being threatened: testing capacity. Peter Sullivan TheHill

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ANALYSIS: Why Aren’t We Wearing Better Masks?

Jan

Why Aren’t We Wearing Better Masks? Cloth masks are better than nothing, but they were supposed to be a stopgap measure. Zeynep Tufekci, Jeremy Howard The Atlantic

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J&J’s one-shot Covid vaccine is safe and generates promising immune response in early trial

Jan

J&J's one-shot Covid vaccine is safe and generates promising immune response in early trial The new clinical trial data shows a single shot of the vaccine "gives sustainable antibodies," Dr. Paul Stoffels, J&J chief scientific officer, told CNBC. Berkeley Lovelace Jr. CNBC

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Coronavirus variants may lead to false negative results with molecular tests - FDA

Jan

Coronavirus variants may lead to false negative results with molecular tests - FDA The U.S. drugs regulator said on Friday genetic variants of COVID-19, including the one found in the UK, could lead to false negative results from some molecular COVID-19 tests, but the risk of the mutations affecting overall testing accuracy is low. Vishwadha Chander U.S.

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Los Angles, Congress take divergent paths after COVID test warning

Jan

LA, Congress take divergent paths after COVID test warning LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles will continue using a coronavirus test that federal regulators warned may produce false results while Congress, which has used the same test, is seeking an... AP NEWS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles will continue using a coronavirus test that federal regulators warned may produce false results while Congress, which has used the same test, is seeking an alternative.

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HHS Announces $22 Billion in Funding to Support Expanded COVID Testing, Vaccination Distribution

Jan

Coronavirus Disease 2019 CDC is closely monitoring an outbreak caused by a novel (new) coronavirus in Wuhan City, China. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced two upcoming actions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide more than $22 billion in funding to states, localities, and territories in support of the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as directed by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act.

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