Coronavirus Thread V: A Shot in the Arm (READ OP)

[Fartsniffage]

Why the fuck is anyone using sinovac? It's literally garbage.

Perhaps because it's better than nothing and costs less than the others? The health expenditure per person in Malaysia is only 1/10 of the health expenditure per person in the UK.

AstraZeneca is cheaper.

Just checked. China is charging them £19.26 for the two doses. AZ would cost them £6 for the two doses.

But they'd have to get their hands on some and it's not easy at the moment.

[Kowani]

White House to unveil wide-ranging campaign in an attempt to urge every American to get vaccinated

The White House will soon unveil a wide-reaching public relations campaign aimed at boosting vaccine confidence and uptake across the U.S., Biden administration aides told STAT.

This television, radio, and digital advertising blitz, set to kick off within weeks, will focus on Americans outright skeptical of vaccines’ safety or effectiveness as well as those who are potentially more willing to seek a Covid-19 immunization but don’t yet know where, when, or how. Specifically, the campaign will target three groups in which access, apathy, or outright skepticism may pose a barrier to vaccinations: young people, people of color, and conservatives, according to a Biden aide. Congress and the administration have set aside over $1.5 billion for the effort. While the administration Covid response advisers organizing the effort are broadly optimistic, they and many public health experts fear that without winning buy-in from a critical, final slice of the population, the effort could fall short of its goal: effectively ending the country’s coronavirus crisis.

“I’m worried about the 15% of Americans who say they will not take the vaccine,” said Sten Vermund, the dean of the Yale School of Public Health. “And about 8% or 9% of Americans say, ‘I will take it if they make me, if my job forces me to.’ So that’s about 23% or 24%, and that’s flirting with the level we need to get to herd immunity.”

The rollout fulfills one of Biden’s first promises in office. He pledged on Jan. 21 to kick off an “unprecedented vaccination public health campaign” aimed at convincing every American adult to seek a Covid-19 immunization.

As for the specific content, administration officials said they were mindful that appeals directly from President Biden or Anthony Fauci are not likely to sway vaccine-hesitant people. As a result, they are expected to recruit both celebrities and trusted local officials to advance the pro-vaccine message.

[…] “Messaging from the Biden administration might not be where conservative communities would look for guidance,” she said. “It’s community leaders that you want to get on board, and it might be better for the federal government to provide funding for a variety of willing community leaders to address those communities instead.”

On a national level, White House officials declined to share details of what form many of the ads will take, or, in particular, whose voices they’ll highlight. But in a hint of the strategy, top administration officials have been already deployed to spread the word. Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian woman elected to the White House, has spent much of the past three weeks conducting in-person outreach, TV appearances, and radio interviews, in many cases geared specifically toward boosting vaccine uptake in Black communities.

Convincing Americans that the current vaccines are safe and effective, experts say, could make the difference between a country with widespread immunity and one in which the disease continues to spread, albeit more slowly.

It is already clear that the White House is not deploying a one-message-fits-all strategy. Marcella Nunez-Smith, the Yale physician-researcher advising Biden on health equity, appeared last month on The Shade Room, an online outlet geared toward Black viewers, and Anthony Fauci, the top government infectious diseases researcher, has conducted interviews with several Spanish-language news and entertainment outlets.

The administration has even deployed Francis Collins, the longtime director of the National Institutes of Health, to address one of the demographics that early surveys show is most likely to decline a Covid-19 vaccination: white, conservative, evangelical Christians. (According to a recent Marist poll, the three most vaccine-hesitant demographics are supporters of former President Donald Trump, Republicans, and white evangelical Christians, at 47%, 41%, and 38% likely to decline a vaccine, respectively.)

A devout Christian himself, Collins cast the vaccines as a gift from God in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, and stressed that the Catholic Church has endorsed the use of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine despite its use of a cell line that originated from an abortion procedure decades ago.

Congress and the administration have pledged major resources for the effort.

Much of the project’s funding comes from the sweeping $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill Biden signed last week.

The administration has also already pledged over $500 million in additional funds to address vaccine uptake, health literacy, and equity in the vaccine distribution, including $250 million to fund local health literacy projects and another $255 million for the CDC to fund local government efforts to focus on equity and confidence in underserved communities.

Upon taking power in January, the administration also inherited a third funding stream meant for Covid-19 mitigation and prevention efforts: a $250 million contract that the Trump administration inked with the Virginia-based PR firm Fors Marsh months ago. That campaign, which began under President Trump and has continued under the Biden administration, has helped to fund Spanish-language radio commercials, ads in newspapers serving the Black community, and other Covid-19 mitigation outreach work.

Taken together, federal efforts to promote vaccine uptake total nearly $2 billion.
In light of recent data, however, public health experts and Biden officials acknowledge that messaging to white conservatives — in other words, those least likely to view the new administration as credible — might pose the biggest hurdle to achieving true, population-wide immunity.

“When Magic Johnson said: ‘I have HIV, I got tested, and I am going to keep my family safe, I’m going to take antiretroviral drugs,’ we saw HIV testing rates go up the day after his announcement,” said Vermund, the Yale public health dean, who is advising the Creative Coalition effort. “It may take Donald Trump as a celebrity, saying, ‘I got the vaccine, I feel great.’ It may take a different kind of celebrity to reach the conspiracists and the anti-vax folks who are militant in that space.” (On Sunday, Fauci called for Trump to encourage his supporters to get vaccinated, calling such a message a potential “game-changer.”)

[Major-Tom]

Baffled at all the European nations halting the distribution of AstraZeneca when many of those nations, barring the UK, are having a very sluggish vaccination drive. Especially considering that the blood clots reported with AZ are less than minimal.

[San Lumen]

Baffled at all the European nations halting the distribution of AstraZeneca when many of those nations, barring the UK, are having a very sluggish vaccination drive. Especially considering that the blood clots reported with AZ are less than minimal.

The vaccine rollout across much of Europe has been absolutely horrendous.

[CoraSpia]

Baffled at all the European nations halting the distribution of AstraZeneca when many of those nations, barring the UK, are having a very sluggish vaccination drive. Especially considering that the blood clots reported with AZ are less than minimal.

At the same time the UK is reporting a massive surge in supply.

So...thanks Europe, I guess?

[The Huskar Social Union]

My mother is scheduled for her first dose this Saturday. The doctors said she should have already been scheduled in for it by the Hospital but they never got in touch so they are gona do it at the GP instead.

[Kowani]

Pennsylvana Gov. Tom Wolf (D) announces loosed covid restrictions

Restaurants will be able to increase the number of customers they serve to 75% their normal capacity and resume bar serving beginning April 4, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday.

Gyms and entertainment venues will also be able allowed to increase the number of customers they serve to 75% their normal capacity and the cap on indoor crowd sizes is being increased to 25% the normal capacity of the venue. Outside gatherings will be allowed to increase to 50% the venue’s normal capacity, Wolf announced Monday.

Restaurants will be allowed to operate at 75% capacity if they complete the state’s self-certification process to confirm that they are following COVID safety guidelines.

Restaurants that don’t complete the self-certification process can operate at 50% capacity, Wolf said.

Requirements such as mask-wearing, and social distancing, including 6 feet between diners, also still apply.

In addition, the new order released Monday also indicates that the requirement that patrons buy food to drink in restaurants is ending on April 4, as well. While the lifting of these restrictions is good news, Wolf said mask-wearing, social distancing and business adherence to all safety orders are still needed to limit the spread of COVID.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

It gives a lot of relief, doesn't it? My grandma was also fully vaccinated, but she's at a nursing home so it was in par with the course. We're glad she too is protected now.

Give your mom the biggest hugs from me!

She sends hugs back!

[Andsed]

Baffled at all the European nations halting the distribution of AstraZeneca when many of those nations, barring the UK, are having a very sluggish vaccination drive. Especially considering that the blood clots reported with AZ are less than minimal.

The vaccine rollout across much of Europe has been absolutely horrendous.

Its honestly shocking to see the US having one of the quickest vaccine roll out at the moment.

[San Lumen]

https://wreg.com/news/coronavirus/vacci ... eves-says/

Vaccine appointments available to all in Mississippi soon, Governor Reeves says

[Kowani]

Pfizer executives told investors that people may need a third dose of covid vaccine, in addition to regular yearly boosters, will soon begin plans to hike prices given the "significant opportunity for our vaccine"

[Fartsniffage]

The vaccine rollout across much of Europe has been absolutely horrendous.

Its honestly shocking to see the US having one of the quickest vaccine roll out at the moment.

Not really shocking. You currently have a competent President and the biggest economy in the world.

[San Lumen]

https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/he ... rists.html

Israel May Lift Mask Mandate In April, Reopen To Tourists

[Kannap]

Pfizer executives told investors that people may need a third dose of covid vaccine, in addition to regular yearly boosters, will soon begin plans to hike prices given the "significant opportunity for our vaccine"

fucking great

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Its honestly shocking to see the US having one of the quickest vaccine roll out at the moment.

Not really shocking. You currently have a competent President and the biggest economy in the world.

"More competent."

[Borderlands of Rojava]

https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/1957277/israel-may-lift-mask-mandate-in-april-reopen-to-tourists.html

Israel May Lift Mask Mandate In April, Reopen To Tourists

Yay I can go there this summer then .

[Fartsniffage]

Not really shocking. You currently have a competent President and the biggest economy in the world.

"More competent."

Don't let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

"More competent."

Don't let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

I'm only saying, this society still has alot of shortfalls and fuckups to overcome but Biden isn't the all out professor chaos that was Donald Trump.

[Cultural Posadism]

Pfizer executives told investors that people may need a third dose of covid vaccine, in addition to regular yearly boosters, will soon begin plans to hike prices given the "significant opportunity for our vaccine"

The vaccine is going to go the way of insulin as soon as the worst of the pandemic has passed.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Pfizer executives told investors that people may need a third dose of covid vaccine, in addition to regular yearly boosters, will soon begin plans to hike prices given the "significant opportunity for our vaccine"

The vaccine is going to go the way of insulin as soon as the worst of the pandemic has passed.

Just wait till there's a mutant strain one day and the vaccine costs too much.

[Cultural Posadism]

The vaccine is going to go the way of insulin as soon as the worst of the pandemic has passed.

Just wait till there's a mutant strain one day and the vaccine costs too much.

I sure love living in a country that borders Brazil, the birthplace of two mutant strains!

The good news is Pfizer opened up their double blind on me and confirmed that I did, in fact, get the real vaccine last year.

[Juristonia]

Not really shocking. You currently have a competent President and the biggest economy in the world.

"More competent."

I'm not a fan of Biden, but he's been pretty on top of the whole vaccine rollout thing so far.
Credit where credit is due.

[Nakena]

Pfizer executives told investors that people may need a third dose of covid vaccine, in addition to regular yearly boosters, will soon begin plans to hike prices given the "significant opportunity for our vaccine"

I like how its frequently slided how Pfizer didn even develop or researched this vaccine but merely helps with distribution and industrial stuff and production.

[Neutraligon]

Malaysia to begin administering Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday

BOO!

Why the fuck is anyone using sinovac? It's literally garbage.

Do you recommend getting the flu vaccine every year?

[Xmara]

Pfizer executives told investors that people may need a third dose of covid vaccine, in addition to regular yearly boosters, will soon begin plans to hike prices given the "significant opportunity for our vaccine"

The vaccine is going to go the way of insulin as soon as the worst of the pandemic has passed.

And then we can have another pandemic because the virus mutated and nobody can afford the yearly vaccine.