Researchers testing repurposed drugs against Covid-19 found that ivermectin didn’t reduce hospital admissions, in the largest trial yet of the effect of the antiparasitic on the disease driving the pandemic. Ivermectin has received a lot of attention as a potential treatment for Covid-19 including from celebrities such as podcast host Joe Rogan. Most evidence has shown it to be ineffective against Covid-19 or has relied on data of poor quality, infectious-disease researchers said. Public-health authorities and researchers have for months said the drug hasn’t shown any benefit in treating the disease. Taking large doses of the drug is dangerous, the Food and Drug Administration has said. The latest trial, of nearly 1,400 Covid-19 patients at risk of severe disease, is the largest to show that those who received ivermectin as a treatment didn’t fare better than those who received a placebo. “There was no indication that ivermectin is clinically useful,” said Edward Mills, one of the study’s lead researchers and a professor of health sciences at Canada’s McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Dr. Mills on Friday plans to present the findings, which have been accepted for publication in a major peer-reviewed medical journal, at a public forum sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. NN: This study was for low doses over 3 days. The recommended dose is according to body weight and for 10 days.
WHO says global rise in covid cases tip of iceberg
Figures showing a global rise in Covid-19 cases could herald a much bigger problem as some countries also report a drop in testing rates, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday, warning nations to remain vigilant against the virus. After more than a month of decline, Covid-19 cases started to increase around the world last week, the WHO said, with lockdowns imposed in Asia and China’s Jilin province as countries battle to contain outbreaks. A combination of factors was causing the increases, including the highly transmissible Omicron variant and its cousin, the BA. 2 sub-variant, as well as the lifting of public health and social measures, the WHO said. “These increase are occurring despite reductions in testing in some countries, which means the cases we’re seeing are just the tip of the iceberg,” WHO’s head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters. Low vaccination rates in some countries, driven partly by a “huge amount of misinformation” also explained the rise, WHO officials said. New infections jumped by 8 per cent globally compared to the previous week, with 11 million new cases and a little more than 43,000 new deaths reported from March 7-13. It is the first rise since the end of January. The biggest jump was in the WHO’s Western Pacific region, which includes South Korea and China, where cases rose by 25 per cent and deaths by 27 per cent.
Pfizer to seek EUA for 2nd booster dose for over-65s – report
Europe Is Getting Caught by a Covid Resurgence After Rushed Exit
(Bloomberg) — Europe tried to leave Covid-19 behind, but the rush to unwind restrictions is now setting the stage for a revival of pandemic risks. Accelerated by the emergence of BA.2 — a more-transmissible strain of the omicron variant — the virus has spread rapidly.
Germany has set fresh records for infection rates for four straight days. Austria has also reached new highs, while cases in the Netherlands have doubled since lifting curbs on Feb. 25.
Most authorities have shrugged off the surge, showing little appetite to re-impose curbs after easing measures just a few weeks ago. But the virus threatens to cause problems anyway, with businesses and schools disrupted as people call in sick.
“The messaging from politicians is encouraging many people who were taking precautions to mix with others,” said Martin McKee, professor of public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “It does seem very courageous to assume that the pandemic is over.”
Continue reading “Europe Is Getting Caught by a Covid Resurgence After Rushed Exit”
Chinese markets plunge Corona virus lockdowns
Major stock markets in mainland China extended losses deep into Tuesday’s session as the negative sentiment prevailed prompted by coronavirus-related lockdowns across the country which halted work in major business hubs. Stocks across Asia-Pacific markets tumbled overall despite positive industrial production and retail sales data from China. The Shanghai Composite lost 3.28% or 105 points and the Shenzhen Composite declined by 2.65% at 7:10 am CET, while the Hang Seng plunged 4.65% or 912 points at 7:26 am CET amid the worst COVID-19 outbreak in China since the start of the pandemic. The Kospi Composite lost 0.89% at 7:27 am CET, with the S&P/ASX 200 falling 0.73% at its closing bell. On the other hand, the Nikkei 225 stood in the positive territory to gain 0.15% at its close. NN: The story that is not being told as they rush to set the captives free is and shit can vaccines and masks and social distancing: ITS BACK, I am seeing an alarming increase in COVID infections. And it not being widely reported.
Germany Raises Alarm as Covid Infections Surge to Record Levels
(Bloomberg) — Germany’s coronavirus infection rate hit a record for the third straight day on Monday, with the renewed surge prompting the country’s top health official to issue a grim warning. Covid-19 cases climbed to 1,543 per 100,000 people over seven days, continuing its steady rise since the beginning of March, according to data from the RKI public-health institute.
The outbreak shows signs of worsening and causing “many deaths,” Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said Sunday in a tweet. He urged vaccine holdouts to urgently get their Covid shots.
Continue reading “Germany Raises Alarm as Covid Infections Surge to Record Levels”
COVID comes back….. China closing cities…… Chinese lockdowns make Foxconn shut chip plants
There’s arguably never a good time for the COVID-19 pandemic to make a comeback but the surging cases in China over the weekend come at a moment when the global economy could do without another layer of stress to its already stretched supply chains. This morning, Chinese stocks fell as domestic COVID-19 cases jumped to a two-year high, prompting Beijing’s technology and financial hubs to impose restrictions. How severe the outbreak will prove and how much pain it will bring to the global economy is anyone’s guess, but the economic fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is already taking a heavy toll. Taiwanese chipmaker Foxconn confirmed on Monday it has halted work at the company’s factories in the Chinese city of Shenzhen due to a recently implemented total coronavirus-related lockdown. The restrictions are set to last for six days, and are expected to prompt worldwide disruptions to supply chains due to Shenzhen hosting over 30 Taiwanese tech companies. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng plunged more than 5% or 1,000 points on Monday following the news of restrictions. NN: As usual the world is sleeping. China is experiencing the next wave… As I warned the 5th wave is coming to the undervaccinated near you. China and Hong Kong confirm my worst fears lockdowns are here again. Get your booster shot do not be a fool. It ain’t over… And as far as the RNA vaccine makers making billions… SO! They have saved countless lives. And sure they will make billions more on the boosters… SO!
Hong Kong reports over 43,000 new COVID cases after new reporting system launched
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong reported more than 43,000 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, a day after the launch of an online self reporting platform which lets residents register their own rapid antigen tests results. NN: Do not be so sure this plague is over….. or that it will be like the flu……. None of this has been confirmed yet
Radio Free Wall Street
One Of The Saddest Days Of My Life
I really hate losing. And I’ve just experienced an enormous failure. Words are really shitty tools but often times, that is the only weapon we have. I’ll explain this in today’s Radio Free Wall Street.
As vaccine demand falls, states are left with huge stockpile
https://youtu.be/eSIpGreQdOM
As demand for COVID-19 vaccines collapses in many areas of the U.S., states are scrambling to use stockpiles of doses before they expire and have to be added to the millions that have already gone to waste. From some of the least vaccinated states, like Indiana and North Dakota, to some of the most vaccinated states, like New Jersey and Vermont, public health departments are shuffling doses around in the hopes of finding providers that can use them. State health departments told The Associated Press they have tracked millions of doses that went to waste, including ones that expired, were in a multi-dose vial that couldn’t be used completely or had to be tossed for some other reason like temperature issues or broken vials. Nearly 1.5 million doses in Michigan, 1.45 million in North Carolina, 1 million in Illinois and almost 725,000 doses in Washington couldn’t be used. The percentage of wasted doses in California is only about 1.8%, but in a state that has received 84 million doses and administered more than 71 million of them, that equates to roughly 1.4 million doses. Providers there are asked to keep doses until they expire, then properly dispose of them, the California Department of Public Health said. The national rate of wasted doses is about 9.5% of the more than 687 million doses that have been delivered as of late February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. That equates to about 65 million doses. Continue reading “As vaccine demand falls, states are left with huge stockpile”