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
"A vaccine is waiting on the other side of this pandemic winter. But before the temperature rises, and before the vials are distributed, Americans will have to find ways to remain safe inside, at home."
(Derek Thompson)
Chart of the Day
Case counts and hospitalizations are at record highs in the US.
Vaccines
- The Moderna ($MRNA) vaccine data shows no severe cases in the treatment goup. (newatlas.com)
- Everything you need to know about the Pfizer/BioNTech covid-19 vaccine. (newscientist.com)
- Why you should expect more surprises on the vaccine data front. (theatlantic.com)
- Vaccine trials could thrown into chaos if volunteers who received a placebo quit. (wsj.com)
- Don't be surprised if a black market develops for the new coronavirus vaccines. (statnews.com)
- How a new test could highlight the effectiveness or coronavirus vaccines. (nytimes.com)
Vaccine distribution
- The UK is the first up in terms of dealing with vaccine distribution issues in the real world. (wsj.com)
- The FDA's advisory panel has weighed in on who should get the coronavirus vaccines first. (sciencemag.org)
- Ultimately the ACIP doesn't determine vaccine distribution - it ultimately comes down to the states. (scientificamerican.com)
- We know who will likely get the Covid vaccines first. Who comes next? (nytimes.com)
- 15 reasons to get the coronavirus vaccine when it becomes available including "The spike protein in the virus turned out to be an easy target for the vaccines to attack." (coronavirus.medium.com)
- Vaccine makers need a lot of glass vials. (newyorker.com)
Cold storage
- The race is on to build special freezers capable of holding the Pfizer ($PFE) vaccine. (washingtonpost.com)
- Dry ice is going to play a big role in the distribution of the Covid vaccines. (daily.jstor.org)
- It's not just vaccine makers that are demanding more dry ice. (wsj.com)
- Hackers have targeted organizations managing cold chain supplies of COVID-19 vaccines. (newatlas.com)
Vaccine messaging
- The messaging around the coronavirus vaccines is going to be important in convincing skeptics. (bloomberg.com)
- Could giving the rich and famous vaccinations on TV backfire? (ft.com)
Global distribution
- Steps the U.S. should take now that vaccines seem imminent including providing low cost access to the rest of the world. (wsj.com)
- The world's wealthiest countries have overcommitted to purchase coronavirus vaccines. (npr.org)
Testing
- Public health officials are shortening recommended isolation periods to increase compliance. (nytimes.com)
- We know Covid cases are undercounted due to testing. The question is by how much? (bloomberg.com)
- Asymptomatic testing works to keep down the spread of the virus. (marginalrevolution.com)
- Some evidence that the novel coronavirus was present in the U.S. prior to January 2020. (academic.oup.com)
Meatpacking plants
- Manufacturing facilities, not just meatpacking, seem to be vectors for the spread of the novel coronavirus. (wsj.com)
- OSHA has only fined meatpackers about $70,000 since the pandemic began. (thecounter.org)
- Some meatpackers are being more proactive about removing at-risk workers from facilities. (wsj.com)
Public health
- Once the pandemic is closer to its finish the end, the U.S. will have to reckon with its collective failure to control the virus. (theatlantic.com)
- States with fewer pandemic restrictions have attracted out-of-staters and have sent them home to spread the virus. (propublica.org)
- Iowa is a case study in a hands-off approach to a pandemic. (theatlantic.com)
- Public health messaging needs to be tailored to reach the most people. (npr.org)
- What we can learn from Iceland's success in beating back the coronavirus. (nature.com)
Safety
- Everybody's definition of a 'pod' is different. (theatlantic.com)
- Just because you are eating 'outdoors' doesn't mean you are safe. (insidehook.com)
- Some tips on staying warm in a pandemic Winter. (vox.com)
Worker burnout
- In this third Covid wave health care workers are now experiencing 'burnover.' (statnews.com)
- Testing workers are going flat out, largely out of the sight of the public. (nytimes.com)
- Nursing home workers are at-risk of burnout in pandemic. (washingtonpost.com)
Earlier on Abnormal Returns
- Coronavirus links: a lack of guidance. (abnormalreturns.com)
- Get used to the term 'digital health passport' as the coronavirus vaccine rolls out nationwide. (abnormalreturns.com)
- On the challenge of holding two competing thoughts on the pandemic in your head a the same time. (abnormalreturns.com)
