A coronavirus pandemic linkfest is now a weekly feature here on Abnormal Returns. Please stay safe. You can read last week’s edition here.
Quote of the Day
"In short, the summer could feel revelatory. The dramatic change in the trajectory and tenor of the news could give a sense that the pandemic is over. The energy of the moment could be an opportunity—or Americans could be dancing in the eye of a hurricane."
(James Hamblin)
Chart of the Day

The factors behind why researchers thing the novel coronavirus will become endemic.
Vaccines
- More evidence that one shot of the Pfizer ($PFE)-BioNTech ($BTNX) vaccine provides a robust immune reaction. (theguardian.com)
- Real world Israeli data shows the Pfizer ($PFE)-BioNTech ($BTNX) to be highly effective. (wsj.com)
- Why did the three major vaccine makers strike out with the novel coronavirus? (ft.com)
- Why are there millions of doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca ($AZN) vaccine sitting in warehouses? (discoursemagazine.com)
- What populations should get the Johnson & Johnson ($JNJ) vaccine? (garycornell.com)
- The data keep coming in favor of First Doses First. (marginalrevolution.com)
- How mRNA works...for Star Wars fans. (xkcd.com)
Vaccine trials
- Novavax ($NVAX) has finished enrolling its U.S. clinical trial. (ft.com)
- Pfizer ($PFE) and Moderna ($MRNA) have trials are underway for children under the age of 12. (nytimes.com)
- Pfizer ($PFE) has begun a trial in preganant woment. (statnews.com)
Vaccine supply chains
- Lipids remain a constraint on manufacturing mRNA vaccines. (washingtonpost.com)
- Supply chain issues continue to hamper vaccine production, in this case giant plastic bags. (ft.com)
States
- Alaska is leading the country in vaccines administered. (politico.com)
- Some states are freeing up doses held in reserve. (nytimes.com)
- Vaccination rates are higher in wealthier areas. (statnews.com)
Global
- 130 countries have not yet started vaccinated its population. (npr.org)
- Vaccine nationalism is ultimately self-defeating. (newscientist.com)
Vaccine messaging
- The best vaccine is the one you can get today. (statnews.com)
- How to sign up for a vaccination in your state or locality. (npr.org)
- Why vaccine messaging needs to be buttoned up. (theatlantic.com)
- Why so many workers in long-term care facilities are reluctant to get vaccinated. (washingtonpost.com)
Masks
- There is a risk that Americans will let their guard down as numbers come down. (nytimes.com)
- Some states, like Iowa, have removed their mask mandate. (wsj.com)
- The higher humidity inside a face mask may be part of how they help. (nih.gov)
- How to buy a real N95 mask. (nytimes.com)
Treatments
- The state of Covid treatments at present. (statnews.com)
- Why the administration of antibody treatments has been challenging in practice. (statnews.com)
Data
- Four reasons why Covid case counts are coming down in the U.S. (washingtonpost.com)
- Life expectancy fell by a full year in the U.S. in 2020. (statnews.com)
- The novel coronavirus was spreading in Wuhan prior to December 2019, the only question is how much earlier? (wsj.com)
Earlier on Abnormal Returns
- Coronavirus links: elementary common sense. (abnormalreturns.com)
- There's only one way through the pandemic tunnel. (abnormalreturns.com)
- The 'Swiss cheese model' and the importance of avoiding single points of failure in pandemic and life. (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)