A linkfest dedicated to the coronavirus pandemic is unfortunately now a weekly feature here on Abnormal Returns. You can read last week’s edition here. Please be careful, get a flu shot and stay safe.
Quote of the Day
"In the imminent future, patients will start to die because there simply aren’t enough people to care for them. Doctors and nurses will burn out. The most precious resource the U.S. health-care system has in the struggle against COVID-19 isn’t some miracle drug. It’s the expertise of its health-care workers—and they are exhausted."
(Ed Yong)
Chart of the Day
Today’s vaccine candidates are due in part to a decade of enhanced information sharing.
mRNA vaccines
- Five questions about Pfizer's vaccine including "Could a premature announcement hurt future vaccines?" (nytimes.com)
- The Pfizer ($PFE) coronavirus vaccine is unique for its need for super-cold temperature storage. (wsj.com)
- Don't be surprised if we see data from the Modern ($MRNA) trial next. (msn.com)
- This small Austrian companies makes lipid nanoparticles which are a key ingredient in mRNA vaccines. (wsj.com)
- The story of how mRNA went from a perceived failure to potential lifesaver. (statnews.com)
- Why a working mRNA vaccine is such a big deal. (wired.com)
Vaccine distribution
- It is going to be the job of the Biden administration to convince people to get the vaccine. (theatlantic.com)
- In an ideal world you would vaccinate potential super-spreaders, think younger generations, first. (wired.com)
- A potential vaccine makes it all the more important to prevent infections today. (bloomberg.com)
- The distribution of any coronavirus vaccine is going to require thousands of cargo flights around the globe. (axios.com)
- Why messaging is going to be so important when it comes to a vaccine. (ft.com)
Data
- How to spot a good vaccine trial. (statnews.com)
- Nursing home quality matters when it comes to death rates. (privpapers.ssrn.com)
- A dearth of autopsies is hurting our understanding of Covid. (slate.com)
- A look at the racial disparities in Covid-19 in the U.S. (theincidentaleconomist.com)
Masks
- The CDC now acknowledges that face masks also protect the wearer as well. (npr.org)
- The science behind what makes for a good mask. (mariaitapia.medium.com)
Testing
- Why nursing homes are shunning the use of rapid testing equipment. (wsj.com)
- A new test from Adaptive Biotechnologies measures t-cell responses which reportedly does a better job than current antibody tests. (nytimes.com)
- Covid is sucking up testing supplies needed for other medical tests. (wsj.com)
Treatment
- A preliminary study that Fluvoxamine could help reduce progression to severe cases. (statnews.com)
- A nasal spray that blocks coronavirus? Yes, please. (nytimes.com)
Long haulers
- We don't really know how many Covid-19 patients suffer from 'brain fog.' (wired.com)
- Covid-19 patients are at increased risk of mental health issues down the road. (reuters.com)
Spread
- Earlier in the year gyms and restaurants were sources of superspreading events. (statnews.com)
- On the risks that college kids spread the virus when the return home for the holidays. (marketwatch.com)
- How long do you need to quarantine if expose to the coronavirus? (wsj.com)
- What we know, and don't know, about the risk of flying. (vox.com)
Socializing
- A return to in-person socialization is driving the surge in cases. (washingtonpost.com)
- Why we shouldn't let bad weather keep us from socializing outdoors. (nytimes.com)
- How to hold a safe Thanksgiving event this year. (theconversation.com)
Global
- How the northern Italian city of Bergamo is faring after a horrible Spring. (wsj.com)
- Sweden's test-positivity rate is rising along with the rest of Europe. (ft.com)
- How Kiwis dealt with their lockdown. (sciencedaily.com)
Behavior
- Ten insights about pandemic from an evolutionary perspective including a backsliding in gender norms. (pnas.org)
- Our brains are not well-suited to make relative risk assessments in pandemic. (propublica.org)
- Why over a dozen Republican governors are unwilling to impose state-wide mask mandates. (politico.com)
Earlier on Abnormal Returns
- Coronavirus links: the shape of the curve. (abnormalreturns.com)
- On the challenge of holding two competing thoughts on the pandemic in your head a the same time. (abnormalreturns.com)
