Pharmacist intentionally spoils vaccine: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2020/12/30/wisconsin-covid-19-vaccine-thrown-out-intentionally-aurora-employee-grafton-clinic-fired/4095107001/ . The destruction of 50 vials of vaccine in Wisconsin was not inadvertent. The pharmacist involved now admits the vaccine was intentionally removed from the freezer. The (now) 57 vials work out to 570 doses. A few doses were administered, but most were discarded. The pharmacist has been fired, and the FBI is investigating. More: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wisconsin-hospital-employee-fired-after-intentionally-destroying-500-doses-covid-n1252605 . The FDA is also investigating.
The politicization of a public health issue has now apparently reached tragic absurdity. The motive here is unclear. In any event, someone has (appropriately) lost their job over misguided behavior which significantly affects other healthcare workers and the community. Update: The pharmacist involved has been arrested: https://www.npr.org/2020/12/31/952536531/pharmacist-arrested-accused-of-destroying-more-than-500-moderna-vaccine-doses .
US to “likely miss” December vaccination goal: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/12/31/952208601/u-s-likely-will-miss-goal-of-vaccinating-20-million-by-the-new-year . WTF “likely miss”? A rate of 2.8 million shots per month, with 2 shots required, takes at least 20 years to vaccinate the US population. HHS has repeatedly promised vaccinating everyone by the summer. There is no plan, period. Meaningful progress toward HHS’ 100 million initial goal will not be made by January 20.
Pfizer vaccine is first listed by WHO for EUA: https://thehill.com/policy/international/un-treaties/532282-who-lists-pfizer-vaccine-as-the-first-for-emergency-use .
WSJ: Analysis of global nursing home deaths: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-stalked-nursing-homes-around-the-world-11609436215 .
California finds 3 more UK variant cases, exceeds 25,000 daily cases: https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-california-coronavirus-pandemic-66a770f52e2711a5019d1bf8c224cff4 . Grim.
UK variant in Florida: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/covid-variant-found-florida-more-cases-identified-california-n1252637 . The new case also involves a person with no travel history. It is now obvious that community spread of the UK variant is occurring throughout the US. And again, with little genomic sequencing, we have no idea where it is. The US continues to do the worst job in the world with the pandemic, one year in. INEXCUSABLE !!!
DeMentis shoots and misses again: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-s-decision-vaccinate-seniors-first-causes-distribution-chaos-n1252615 .
WSJ: UK variant in China: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-covid-19-strain-found-in-china-11609434817 . More: What we know about variants: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-covid-19-strains-what-scientists-know-about-coronavirus-variants-11609466017 .
West Virginia, where we have no idea what we’re doing: https://www.yahoo.com/gma/42-people-west-virginia-mistakenly-204058889.html . Note to readers: if you have a medical emergency in West Virginia, get an air ambulance out of there.
US cases exceed 20 million; deaths pass 354,000: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ . We are not winning. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/year-ends-with-record-breaking-month-in-u-s-for-covid-19-11609452047 .
Pfizer flips out over new UK vaccination regimen: https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/12/31/pfizer-criticizes-sudden-change-in-coronavirus-dos/ . The Pfizer lawyers may well have been behind this. However, there is very definitely an issue in altering the protocol with limited clinical data. More: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-k-health-service-pushes-back-interval-for-delivering-second-pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine-to-a-duration-company-says-is-untested-11609424175 . A 12-week interval is certainly untested. If this doesn’t work, the population may need to be revaccinated.
WSJ: Hospitals to publish pricing: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hospitals-say-they-will-publish-previously-secret-prices-11609442913 .
Remdesivir ain’t cheap: https://www.fiercepharma.com/marketing/gilead-s-remdesivir-pricing-reactions-run-gamut-from-outaged-patient-groups-and . This older article reflects an ongoing debate on the pricing of remdesivir. More recent reports indicate a price point of $2,340. However, obviously this remains a very expensive drug.
Regeneron pricing: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-is-regeneron-covid-antibody-cocktail-trump-covid-19/ . The article estimates the drug price at between $1,500 and $6,500. However, this relates to a government contract. The government has said that the 300,000 doses it receives under the contract will be provided at no cost to patients, although providers may charge processing fees: https://www.biospace.com/article/regeneron-antibody-cocktail-wins-eua-from-the-fda/ . It is unclear if any of this is affecting the current stockpiling of the drug, or the concerns are purely clinical.
WSJ: Weekly jobless claims decline slightly: https://www.wsj.com/articles/weekly-jobless-claims-coronavirus-12-31-2020-11609366589 .
New York restaurant hosting Republican conga line party gets liquor license revoked: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/532295-florida-detects-first-case-of-new-coronavirus-strain . Congratulations, you morons! This was hardly a surprise: https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/medical-advances/508365-new-york-suspended-more-than-20-liquor-licenses .
WSJ: Update on cruise lines: Still screwed: https://www.wsj.com/articles/cruise-ships-cant-sail-away-from-covid-11609410601 .
WSJ: Chicago Tribune deal?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/alden-global-seeks-to-buy-tribune-publishing-11609390571 .
The election insanity continues for another week: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/house-republicans-have-virtually-no-chance-of-flipping-the-election-results-for-trump-but-140-of-them-still-plan-to-vote-against-certification-of-the-electoral-college-count-next-week/ar-BB1co71R?li=BBnb7Kz . WSJ: Pence looks to bail out of the insanity: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pence-seeks-to-dismiss-gop-lawsuit-aiming-to-lethim-overturn-election-11609458671 .
Perdue in quarantine: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/31/david-perdue-covid-19-exposure-georgia-senate-runoff . I’m not sure how this affects the election. Perdue was already a no-show for a televised debate with his opponent. This quarantine keeps him from joining the stage with Trump or answering about his questionable stock deals. He may be better off out of view. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/sen-david-perdue-to-quarantine-days-before-georgia-runoffs-11609449238 .
Trump hotel looks to capitalize on Biden inauguration: https://thehill.com/homenews/news/532287-trump-hotel-in-dc-raising-room-rates-for-biden-inauguration-report . Who is coming for the inauguration that wants to stay at a Trump hotel, and pay a premium?
WSJ: Brexit update: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-u-k-is-finally-cutting-ties-with-the-eu-heres-what-changes-11609417649 .
Lin Wood and the second coming of Christ: https://www.rawstory.com/lin-wood-2649708131/ . Yes, this is being widely reported: https://www.newsweek.com/pro-trump-lawyer-lin-wood-said-he-might-actually-second-coming-christ-lawsuit-1558400 .
WSJ: The beginner’s mind: https://www.wsj.com/articles/for-new-years-resolutions-never-think-youre-too-old-to-become-a-beginner-11609426707 . More, surprisingly: https://www.wsj.com/articles/wall-street-executive-reinvented-himself-as-broadway-producer-11609426800 . As 2021 is about to unfold, I remain amazed at somehow becoming a daily pandemic news summarizer in 2020. This has been an extraordinary learning experience about the Internet and the mechanics of online publication. The isolation of 2020 made this a manageable obsession. I hope for better news on the pandemic soon. In the meantime, my best wishes for each of you to make 2021 the year 2020 could not be.