U.S. COVID-19 immunization rollout expands as officials avow vaccine's safety

[webfact]

U.S. COVID-19 immunization rollout expands as officials avow vaccine's safety

By Eduardo Muñoz

 

Maritza Beniquez speaks with media after getting vaccinated at University Hospital's COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, New Jersey, U.S., December 15, 2020. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

 

NEWARK, N.J. (Reuters) - The United States expanded its rollout of the newly approved COVID-19 vaccine to hundreds of additional distribution centers on Tuesday, inoculating thousands more healthcare workers in a mass immunization expected to reach the general public in the coming months.

 

Distribution of the vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech SE began on Monday, three days after it won U.S. emergency-use authorization, opening a new front in the battle against a pandemic claiming more than 2,400 U.S. lives a day.

 

Political leaders and medical authorities have launched a two-pronged media blitz avowing the safety of the vaccines while urging Americans to remain diligent about social distancing and mask-wearing until inoculations become widely available.

 

"As a polio survivor, I am a huge supporter of vaccinations. Whenever my turn comes, I will absolutely take the vaccine and do my part to reassure anyone who’s doubtful. It’s the right thing to do for yourself, for your family, and for the country," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said on Twitter.

 

At University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, emergency room nurse Maritza Beniquez on Tuesday became the first person in that state to receive the vaccine in one of numerous such made-for-TV moments playing out across the country.

 

"I couldn't wait for this moment to hit New Jersey. I couldn't wait for it to hit the U.S.," Beniquez said as she was vaccinated with Governor Phil Murphy looking on.

 

Initial doses have been earmarked for doctors, nurses and other front-line medical professionals, along with residents and staff of nursing homes. Other essential workers, senior citizens and individuals with chronic medical conditions will be next in line.

 

It will take several months, perhaps until late spring, before vaccines can be obtained on demand by the public at large, U.S. officials have said.

 

In the meantime, a surge of infections and hospitalizations - approaching 111,000 patients in treatment on Tuesday - continued to strain healthcare systems to the brink of collapse in cities and rural areas across the country.

 

Nationwide, the highly contagious respiratory virus has killed 301,085 people and infected at least 16.5 million as of Monday, according to a Reuters tally of official data.

 

REFRIGERATOR UNITS, BODY BAGS

In California, where many hospitals had little or no capacity available in their intensive care units, the state has ordered scores of refrigerator storage trailers for corpses and distributed 5,000 body bags to San Diego, Los Angeles and Inyo counties, Governor Gavin Newsom said.

 

Newsom said the state also has activated mass-fatality compacts among county coroners and opened discussions with the federal government about sending a military medical ship back to the shores of the hard-hit state.

 

A bipartisan group of seven governors - from Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin - released a joint video on social media on Tuesday urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel and social gatherings outside their households "until we eradicate this virus once and for all."

 

Another vaccine, from Moderna Inc, appeared set for regulatory authorization this week after U.S. Food and Drug Administration staff endorsed it as safe and effective in documents released on Tuesday. Similar to the Pfizer vaccine, it requires two doses several weeks apart.

 

By late on Monday, shipments of the Pfizer vaccine, which requires sub-Arctic-level refrigeration, had arrived at nearly all of the 145 U.S. distribution sites pre-selected to receive the initial batch of doses.

 

A second round of shipments went out on Tuesday destined for 425 more distribution hubs and a third round was headed for 66 additional sites on Wednesday. In all, U.S. officials aim to get 2.9 million doses delivered by week's end.

 

In addition to the logistical challenges posed by an inoculation program of unparalleled scope - surpassing the childhood polio immunization campaign of the 1950s and '60s - health authorities face the monumental task of overcoming widespread skepticism about vaccines in general.

 

Some Americans believe the pandemic is a hoax and reject public health guidelines to wear masks and avoid crowds. Only 61% of respondents in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll said they were open to getting vaccinated.

 

While most vaccines take years to develop, the Pfizer vaccine arrived less than a year after the illness was traced to a market in Wuhan, China, late last year.

 

"People understandably are skeptical about the speed, but we have to keep emphasizing speed means the science was extraordinary," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told ABC News' "Good Morning America" on Tuesday.

 

The pandemic has wreaked economic havoc as states and localities imposed sweeping stay-at-home orders and closed businesses to tamp down the contagion, putting millions out of work.

 

In Washington, McConnell told reporters lawmakers would not adjourn for the year until they have agreed on a fresh package of coronavirus relief for the unemployed and small businesses, which he hoped could be attached to a larger government funding bill.

 

(Reporting by Eduardo Muñoz, Anurag Maan, Manas Mishra, Michael Erman, Sharon Bernstein, Carl O'Connell and Daniel Trotta; Writing by Daniel Trotta and Steve Gorman; Editing by Giles Elgood, Jonathan Oatis, Howard Goller and Sonya Hepinstall)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-16

 

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[Scott]

Off-topic post reported and removed.

 

[Tug]

Finally a ray of real hope I’m ready when called 2020 what a lousy year but it’s certainly getting better!!!

[ukrules]

There you have it, it was inevitable that this vaccine will be approved yet Fauci took the time to criticise the British government for approving its use just a few weeks ago and the 'EU' are still considering it.

 

Why would he do that? He knew he would be approving it in due course and then apologised for saying the UK rushed the process.

 

Also, imagine being a German right now, the vaccine was made there, yet it's not approved for use in Germany at the moment. It will be though, they're just waiting on paperwork.

 

The wait time will directly lead to real deaths.

 

[DogNo1]

The UK is a smaller country and it was able to mobilize its approval committee quickly.  It takes longer to get people together in the US.  Certainly each day of delay in the EU will result in more deaths.

[mrfill]

44 minutes ago, DogNo1 said:

The UK is a smaller country and it was able to mobilize its approval committee quickly.  It takes longer to get people together in the US.  Certainly each day of delay in the EU will result in more deaths.

Yes, and in the UK they have Zoom which makes getting people together so easy. Do they have Zoom in the US? Have they got the internet yet?

 

The UK were desperate to get something positive to report and being first with the vaccine gave them the world headline news they craved. After all, the last 8 months haven't exactly been packed with good news.

[mommysboy]

At the current rate of infection USA could have herd immunity in a few months without a vaccine.  I'm not sure that's something to be proud of but at least they'll be free of the problem by the middle of next year, maybe earlier. A staggering infection figure today and that's just the ones detected.  

[placeholder]

15 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

At the current rate of infection USA could have herd immunity in a few months without a vaccine.  I'm not sure that's something to be proud of but at least they'll be free of the problem by the middle of next year, maybe earlier. A staggering infection figure today and that's just the ones detected.  

That has worked real well in Sweden. How did their predictions play out?

Edited December 18, 2020 by placeholder

[mommysboy]

7 minutes ago, placeholder said:

That has worked real well in Sweden. How did their predictions play out?

 

I'm not saying anything other than what is happening, am I?

 

Work it out for yourself: I think new infections are averaging 250,000 per day.  And that's just the detected cases.  

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, mommysboy said:

 

I'm not saying anything other than what is happening, am I?

 

Work it out for yourself: I think new infections are averaging 250,000 per day.  And that's just the detected cases.  

But you're giving no population percentage figures for what would make for herd immunity. And the Swedes expected it to have happened already. They were shocked that it didn't. What do you know that their epidemiologists don't?

[EVENKEEL]

The officials are merely mouthing confidence in Vaccine safety. That's what they're supposed to say, their opinion is meaningless.

[Traubert]

2 hours ago, mommysboy said:

At the current rate of infection USA could have herd immunity in a few months without a vaccine.  I'm not sure that's something to be proud of but at least they'll be free of the problem by the middle of next year, maybe earlier. A staggering infection figure today and that's just the ones detected.  

There is no 'herd immunity' with Covid 18. It's just a false buzz phrase.

[mommysboy]

1 hour ago, placeholder said:

But you're giving no population percentage figures for what would make for herd immunity. And the Swedes expected it to have happened already. They were shocked that it didn't. What do you know that their epidemiologists don't?

 

Well. it's basic back of a cigarette pack math. I shouldn't need to explain it!

[Tug]

Hey it’s safer than donalds lazy man (herd immunity)doubt the vaccine will kill off 2 million Americans like Donald was willing to accept with his herd immunity imo

Edited December 18, 2020 by Tug

[placeholder]

58 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

 

Well. it's basic back of a cigarette pack math. I shouldn't need to explain it!

Well clearly you need to explain it not to just me, but to the Swedish public health authorities as well. 

[ChouDoufu]

4 hours ago, mommysboy said:

At the current rate of infection USA could have herd immunity in a few months without a vaccine.  I'm not sure that's something to be proud of but at least they'll be free of the problem by the middle of next year, maybe earlier. A staggering infection figure today and that's just the ones detected.  

 

and at the current rate of deaths, more than 3000 daily.....

[Sujo]

1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said:

The officials are merely mouthing confidence in Vaccine safety. That's what they're supposed to say, their opinion is meaningless.

If their opinion is based on science it is not meaningless.

 

Then you have trump.

[tgw]

it's amazing how everything becomes safe and good if it doesn't come from Trump.

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, tgw said:

it's amazing how everything becomes safe and good if it doesn't come from Trump.

It's not that black and white. It was very clear that Mr. trump was trying to apply political pressure to rush out the vaccines in time for the election. That was evil. That was destructive to the confidence of the public and increased vaccine resistance. A decent politician would have made it clear, we are giving full support to get the vaccines out asap but the final decisions on when they are safe and effective is 100 percent with the scientists. 

[mommysboy]

1 hour ago, ChouDoufu said:

 

and at the current rate of deaths, more than 3000 daily.....

 

I'm not advocating, but merely observing that at the current rate of infection herd immunity will be reached way before the vaccine roll out has produced sufficient numbers to protect the nation. It's ironic, it's sad..... yes of course.

[ChouDoufu]

3 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

 

I'm not advocating, but merely observing that at the current rate of infection herd immunity will be reached way before the vaccine roll out has produced sufficient numbers to protect the nation. It's ironic, it's sad..... yes of course.

 

assuming the rates stay the same, assuming "the" vaccine is rolled out according to schedule.  but factor in the coming spikes from xmas and new years superspreader events and the rates could go hyperballistic.

 

just bar napkin math says we could have another half a million dead...without a vaccine....by the time we reach "herd immunity" assuming it is at all possible. 

 

it is what it is.

 

 

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, tgw said:

it's amazing how everything becomes safe and good if it doesn't come from Trump.

Apparently Trump and his administration should stay far away from this.

https://www.politicususa.com/2020/12/17/rachel-maddow-trump-is-botching-vaccine-rollout-as-millions-of-doses-are-stuck-in-a-warehouse.html

[meechai]

3 hours ago, ChouDoufu said:

 

and at the current rate of deaths, more than 3000 daily.....

 

Yes it is a big number almost half of the 2017 average number for daily deaths listed by CDC

 

Quote

In 2017, an average of 7,708 deaths occurred each day. January, February, and December were the months with the highest average daily number of deaths.January, February, and December were the months with the highest average daily number of deaths (8,478, 8,351, and 8,344, respectively). June, July, and August were the months with the lowest average daily number of deaths (7,298, 7,157, and 7,158, respectively).

 

Don't get me wrong yes it is a serious illness....but really the way the MSM (& others) sensationalizes it for political reason is pretty bad.

It will be interesting from a statistical point of view to see the numbers next year

 

Because as the attributed to C19 tally went up the tally for the usual respiratory related deaths will be way down & it will be interesting to see the final "overall" tally

Edited December 18, 2020 by meechai

[ChouDoufu]

7 minutes ago, meechai said:

 

Yes it is a big number almost half of the 2017 average number for daily deaths listed by CDC

 

 

Don't get me wrong yes it is a serious illness....but really the way the MSM (& others) sensationalizes it for political reason is pretty bad.

It will be interesting from a statistical point of view to see the numbers next year

 

Because as the attributed to C19 tally went up the tally for the usual respiratory related deaths will be way down & it will be interesting to see the final "overall" tally

 

are you suggesting that covid is simply killing folks that would'a died from some other cause anyways?  more of these, less of those, overall a wash?  that might have been conceivable back in march when we had a mere couple dozen data points. now, though....

 

"Overall, an estimated 299,028 excess deaths have occurred in the United States from late January through October 3, 2020, with two thirds of these attributed to COVID-19."

 

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6942e2.htm

 

 

 

[meechai]

1 hour ago, ChouDoufu said:

 

are you suggesting that covid is simply killing folks that would'a died from some other cause anyways? 

 

Some yes....all no

But I am saying ....as I stated....will be interesting to see full picture in relation to previous years available soon

[placeholder]

11 hours ago, mommysboy said:

 

I'm not advocating, but merely observing that at the current rate of infection herd immunity will be reached way before the vaccine roll out has produced sufficient numbers to protect the nation. It's ironic, it's sad..... yes of course.

Any credible links to support your claim?

[ChouDoufu]

11 hours ago, meechai said:

 

Some yes....all no

But I am saying ....as I stated....will be interesting to see full picture in relation to previous years available soon

 

monthly/daily/weekly stats of deaths broken down by cause, sex, race, occupation.........are available for free online.  most can be found regularly updated, so shirley you can find something of interest.  no need to wait until the year is officially ended, we can look at the first eight months.

 

how 'bout you google it, post some charts and graphs, provide some links.  we've already got 300K excess deaths thru the beginning of october, with about 2/3 due to the covids.  if the covids is killing off folks that would have died anyways, we shouldn't be seeing such a huge excess death figure.

[mommysboy]

10 hours ago, placeholder said:

Any credible links to support your claim?

 

Of course not- stop being so pedantic,

 

Common sense- obvious math.  As I said before, it's just an observation, but with 240,000 cases daily (and presumably a good deal more undetected) surely anyone can see my point.  

[placeholder]

3 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

 

Of course not- stop being so pedantic,

 

Common sense- obvious math.  As I said before, it's just an observation, but with 240,000 cases daily (and presumably a good deal more undetected) surely anyone can see my point.  

Really, because the public health authorities disagree with you. The Swedish public health authorities thought that coronavirus would be widespread enough by now that there would be no surge in the autumn. How did that work out? Ya think that they can't do basic math.

Stop making claims you can't back up.

[mommysboy]

1 minute ago, placeholder said:

Really, because the public health authorities disagree with you. The Swedish public health authorities thought that coronavirus would be widespread enough by now that there would be no surge in the autumn. How did that work out? Ya think that they can't do basic math.

Stop making claims you can't back up.

 

You really need to wind your neck in.  It was just an obvious paper napkin/back of the cigarette pack calculation which stands good. And I'm not making any claim whatsoever.  Stop making a spectacle of yourself.