Archiv: health ministries / departments


03.04.2021 - 19:50 [ World Health Organization / Weltgesundheitsorganisation - WHO.int ]

Medical certification, ICD mortality coding, and reporting mortality associated with COVID-19, Technical note, 7 June 2020

New ICD-10 codes for COVID-19

– U07.1 COVID-19, virus identified
– U07.2 Clinically or epidemiologically diagnosed COVID-19
– Probable COVID-19
– Suspected COVID-19

Details of the updates to ICD-10 are available online at: https://www.who.int/classifications/icd/icd10updates/en/.

ICD-10 cause of death coding of COVID-19

Though “COVID-19” is the standard recommended terminology, certifiers may use a range of terms to describe COVID-19 as a cause of death. A list of potential terms can be found in the annex of this document. Although both categories, U07.1 (COVID-19, virus identified) and U07.2 (COVID-19, virus not identified) are suitable for cause of death coding, it is recognized that in many countries detail as to the laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 will NOT be reported on the death certificate. In the absence of this detail, it is recommended, for mortality purposes only, to code COVID-19 provisionally to U07.1 unless it is stated as “probable” or “suspected”.

30.03.2021 - 23:01 [ DailyMail.co.uk ]

Germany BANS AstraZeneca jab for under-60s over unproven blood clot fears despite British scientists insisting there’s NO evidence it increases risks

– German health officials banned use of AstraZeneca vaccine in under-60s
– Earlier Berlin’s Charite hospital banned AZ jabs for women under the age of 55
– It comes despite authoritative rulings by experts that the jab is safe and effective
– Canada yesterday banned AZ jab for under-55s over the blood clot concerns

30.03.2021 - 22:36 [ Haaretz ]

Does Israel Really Need 30 Million More COVID Vaccine Doses?

Levy, the ministry’s director general, points to Europe’s potential ban on exporting the vaccine beyond the continent, particularly to countries such as Israel, where vaccination levels are high. If Israel signs the new contracts, it might be protected against such export bans. The ministry is also hastening Israel to sign contracts prior to the completion of clinical trials of the vaccine on children, before stiff international competition sets in.

30.03.2021 - 16:40 [ smithsonianmag.com ]

Why U.S. Approval of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 Vaccine Is Taking So Long

By the morning of March 23, officials at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases released a letter from its data and safety monitoring board that’s been examining the AstraZeneca trial, Andrew Joseph reports for STAT News. The letter stated that AstraZeneca had used outdated data to reach its efficacy number. The move was unprecedented; usually, monitoring boards keep their correspondence with companies private.

“We just felt we could not remain silent. Because if we did remain silent, we could be understandably accused of covering something up. And we definitely didn’t want to be in that position,” says Anthony Fauci, director of the NIAID, to STAT News. “In my mind, it’s an unforced error by the company.”

25.03.2021 - 18:09 [ theTimes.co.uk ]

EU contract with AstraZeneca is inferior to UK’s, says Matt Hancock

Britain negotiated a better contract to secure vaccine supplies with AstraZeneca that trumps the EU’s agreement with the company, the health secretary has said.

EU leaders will today discuss European Commission proposals for export bans if there are new supply shortages this spring amid a dispute over who gets a stock of four million doses made by AstraZeneca’s Dutch factory.

11.03.2021 - 19:34 [ Worldometers.info ]

Reported Cases and Deaths by Country or Territory

(today)

Israel:

Total Cases: 812,823

New Cases: +1,331

Total Deaths: 5,955

New Deaths: +5

Total Recovered: 770,156

Active Cases: 36,712

Serious, Critical: 645

11.03.2021 - 19:33 [ Worldometers.info ]

Israel Coronavirus Cases:

Newly Infected vs. Newly Recovered in Israel

11.03.2021 - 19:31 [ CBC.ca ]

Pfizer, BioNTech say Israeli data suggests vaccine greatly reduces asymptomatic infections

Findings not yet peer-reviewed, interaction of vaccine with B1351 variant unclear due to limited data

11.03.2021 - 19:28 [ Haaretz.com / Twitter ]

With rise in infections, health officials weigh slowing down Israel’s COVID lockdown exit plan

(01.03.2021)

11.03.2021 - 19:24 [ ABC News ]

Israel celebrates 5 millionth coronavirus vaccination

(08.03.2021)

Israel has administered over 8.7 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to its population of 9.3 million. Over 3.7 million Israelis — more than 40% — have received both of the doses required for maximum immunity.

11.03.2021 - 19:21 [ NYmag.com ]

Israel Is the World’s Most Vaccinated Country. Why Are Cases Rising?

(07.02.2021)

While Israel races ahead on putting shots in arms, the country is also seeing a spike in cases, with almost 74 out of every 100,000 Israelis testing positive for the virus, compared to about 40 out of every 100,000 Americans. On Thursday, the death toll in Israel crossed 5,000.

When asked about the seemingly contradictory puzzle, Galia Rahav, the head of the infectious-disease unit at Tel Aviv’s Sheba Medical Center, sighed, chuckled, and said: “This is Israel. We have to be extreme in everything.”

11.03.2021 - 19:19 [ Euroweeklynews.com ]

Infections rise in Israel despite one in three people being vaccinated

(04.02.2021)

INFECTIONS are rising in Israel despite a third of the population having already received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine

11.03.2021 - 09:22 [ Haaretz ]

How Much Did Pfizer Pay Israeli Doctors, and for What?

No one would accept a situation in which journalists reporting on the coronavirus also work for Pfizer, for money, at the same time, without informing readers. And these are just reporters. What physicians decide and do directly impacts public health, sometimes on matters of life and death. This certainly applies to people advising the government on policies. The public has the right to know exactly how much parties with vested interests are paying the physicians.

07.03.2021 - 11:56 [ World Health Organization / Weltgesundheitsorganisation - WHO.int ]

Medical certification, ICD mortality coding, and reporting mortality associated with COVID-19, Technical note, 7 June 2020

New ICD-10 codes for COVID-19

– U07.1 COVID-19, virus identified
– U07.2 Clinically or epidemiologically diagnosed COVID-19
– Probable COVID-19
– Suspected COVID-19

Details of the updates to ICD-10 are available online at: https://www.who.int/classifications/icd/icd10updates/en/.

ICD-10 cause of death coding of COVID-19

Though “COVID-19” is the standard recommended terminology, certifiers may use a range of terms to describe COVID-19 as a cause of death. A list of potential terms can be found in the annex of this document. Although both categories, U07.1 (COVID-19, virus identified) and U07.2 (COVID-19, virus not identified) are suitable for cause of death coding, it is recognized that in many countries detail as to the laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 will NOT be reported on the death certificate. In the absence of this detail, it is recommended, for mortality purposes only, to code COVID-19 provisionally to U07.1 unless it is stated as “probable” or “suspected”.

07.03.2021 - 11:52 [ World Health Organization / Weltgesundheitsorganisation - WHO.int ]

Global surveillance for COVID-19 caused by human infection with COVID-19 virus – Interim guidance, 20 March 2020

Case and contact definitions are based on the current available information and are regularly revised as new information accumulates. Countries may need to adapt case definitions depending on their local epidemiological situation and other factors. All countries are encouraged to publish definitions used online and in regular situation reports, and to document periodic updates to definitions which may affect the interpretation of surveillance data.

Suspect case

A. A patient with acute respiratory illness (fever and at least one sign/symptom of respiratory disease, e.g., cough, shortness of breath), AND a history of travel to or residence in a location reporting community transmission of COVID-19 disease during the 14 days prior to symptom onset;

OR

B. A patient with any acute respiratory illness AND having been in contact with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case (see definition of contact) in the last 14 days prior to symptom onset;

OR

C. A patient with severe acute respiratory illness (fever and at least one sign/symptom of respiratory disease, e.g., cough, shortness of breath; AND requiring hospitalization) AND in the absence of an alternative diagnosis that fully explains the clinical presentation.

Probable case

A. A suspect case for whom testing for the COVID-19 virus is inconclusive.

OR

B. A suspect case for whom testing could not be performed for any reason.

Confirmed case:

A person with laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 infection, irrespective of clinical signs and symptoms.

01.02.2021 - 20:30 [ Washington Post ]

Why Vaccines Might Not Be Able to Eliminate Covid-19

There’s good evidence that the shots made by Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc. are very effective — as much as 95% — at preventing recipients from developing Covid-19 itself. However, data haven’t been released on their ability to prevent people from developing asymptomatic infections or transmitting the virus to others. The gold standard in vaccinology is to stop infection as well as disease, providing so-called sterilizing immunity.

01.02.2021 - 19:24 [ theGuardian.com ]

Germany considering Russian and Chinese vaccines to boost Covid inoculation drive

Speaking ahead of an emergency summit with vaccine manufacturers to tackle the country’s sluggish rollout, Jens Spahn said that if a vaccine “can be considered safe and effective, regardless of what country it has been produced in, then it could help”.

27.01.2021 - 02:34 [ theDispatch.com/ ]

Is the U.S. Holdup of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Vaccine Justified?

The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has advantages that make it an attractive possibility. It can be stored at normal refrigeration temperatures, and its price is low relative to its competitors. Public health experts have long targeted it as ideal for use in lower and moderate-income countries because of these features.

The problem is that its U.S. Phase III trial was delayed because of an adverse event investigation in the fall, and the data from the international trials used by the U.K. government are difficult to interpret due to unplanned modifications to dosing levels.

22.01.2021 - 18:38 [ New York Times ]

Your Coronavirus Test Is Positive. Maybe It Shouldn’t Be.

(29.08.2020)

Most tests set the limit at 40, a few at 37. This means that you are positive for the coronavirus if the test process required up to 40 cycles, or 37, to detect the virus.

Tests with thresholds so high may detect not just live virus but also genetic fragments, leftovers from infection that pose no particular risk — akin to finding a hair in a room long after a person has left, Dr. Mina said.

Any test with a cycle threshold above 35 is too sensitive, agreed Juliet Morrison, a virologist at the University of California, Riverside. “I’m shocked that people would think that 40 could represent a positive,” she said.

19.01.2021 - 17:52 [ DailyMail.co.uk ]

388 people aged under 60 with ‚NO underlying health conditions‘ have died of Covid in England’s hospitals

(27.12.2020)

Just 388 people aged under 60 with no underlying health conditions have died of Covid-19 in England’s hospitals since the start of the pandemic, NHS data has showed.

The figures show that 1,979 previously healthy people died in hospitals in England after testing positive for Covid-19 between April 2 and December 23.

19.01.2021 - 17:36 [ DerbyShireTimes.co.uk ]

Derbyshire health chiefs warn that vaccines alone will not mean an end to restrictions

“We don’t know yet whether an individual can, although not becoming ill from the virus because they have been vaccinated, still catch it and spread it on to others.

19.01.2021 - 17:24 [ Standard.co.uk ]

Vaccinated Brits told not to hug kids amid fears millions will ignore Covid rules once they have jab

Asked whether people who had received the jab could hug their children, Janet Lord, director of Birmingham University’s Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, said: “I would certainly advise not to do that at the moment because as you probably know with the vaccines they take several weeks before they are maximally effective.“

19.01.2021 - 17:20 [ bestlifeonline.com ]

The COVID Vaccine May Not Protect You From This One Thing, Experts Warn

(05.12.2020)

In order to halt the spread of coronavirus completely, a vaccine would need to produce antibodies that stop the virus from replicating. „To prevent asymptomatic infection and transmission, you need what’s called sterilizing immunity,“ Greg Poland, MD, director of the Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group, explained to USA Today. While it’s possible that one or more of the vaccines could produce sterilizing immunity, it currently remains unproven.

17.01.2021 - 17:19 [ Independent.co.uk ]

Coronavirus: Fishermen test positive despite spending 35 days at sea and testing negative before they left

(16.07.2020)

Ms Alfaro added that the outbreak may have been exacerbated by the fishermen’s hardiness and acclimatisation to rough conditions, in that they may have spent significant time in discomfort without recognising or acknowledging symptoms.

14.01.2021 - 10:00 [ Neil Clark / Twitter ]

Health Secretary Hancock says he can give no timetable for the lifting of lockdown restrictions even after vaccinations. As I have said on numerous occasions, this only ends when people realise it’s not meant to end.

14.01.2021 - 09:52 [ .LancashireTelegraph.co.uk ]

Those who have received Covid jab to be offered ‚vaccine passport‘ in new trial

The news comes depsite the Vaccines Minister, Nadhim Zahawi, ruling out immunity passports back in December, a week after suggesting it was something ministers were considering, saying: “We are not looking at immunity passports at all.”

Matt Hancock also denied plans to implement passporting last week, telling the Spectator: „It’s not an area that we’re looking at.“

14.01.2021 - 09:30 [ Public Health England / Twitter ]

Even if you’ve had your #COVID19 vaccine, it’s important that you continue to follow national restrictions. We don’t yet know if the vaccine prevents transmission – you could potentially still carry and transmit the virus to other vulnerable people, even if you are protected

10.01.2021 - 15:33 [ theGuardian.com ]

NHS could vaccinate UK against Covid in five days, says Oxford professor

Sir John Bell, regius chair of medicine at the University of Oxford, said stubborn NHS bureaucrats were standing in the way of a high-speed mass inoculation programme that could prevent many further deaths.

“The NHS has the theoretical capacity to immunise everybody in five days if they want to, but I don’t get the sense they are really motivated,” Bell told the Times.

10.01.2021 - 15:27 [ DailyMail.co.uk ]

No10 is examining plans to keep bars closed for FIVE MONTHS with full lockdown until late March as Covid death toll passes 80,000

Prof Whitty commended the public for their efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19 and noted the hope offered by various vaccines, but he echoed other experts in saying it would be some weeks before the jabs start to reduce the number of people taken to hospital.

10.01.2021 - 14:42 [ Neil Clark, journalist & broadcaster / Twitter ]

(1) How do we know we’re not bring told the truth? There’s c 1600-1700 deaths a day at this time of the year. Yet we are told that ´1300 are dying from Covid’. But with no excess deaths that means just 3-400 from pneumonia, flu, heart disease, cancers? That is clearly absurd.

(09.01.2021)

(2) Clearly what is happening is a reclassification of deaths. Non-Covid deaths are being reclassified as ´Covid deaths’ by means of ramped up PCR testing. Which begs the question: why are they doing this, if not to justify lockdowns and other restrictions?

10.01.2021 - 14:23 [ theCanary.co ]

Coronavirus data contractors engaged in dirty tricks and disinformation campaigns

(10.05.2020)

Palantir was co-founded in 2004 by Paypal owner and billionaire Peter Thiel. What the blog doesn’t reveal is that Palantir’s client list has included amomgst others, the CIA, the FBI, the NSA, the Centre for Disease Control, the Marine Corps, the Air Force, Special Operations Command, West Point and the IRS.

Furthermore, in 2016, it was revealed Palantir had a $34.6m contract with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and helped the Customs and Border Protection Agency create the Analytical Framework for Intelligence (AFI) system to track immigrants.

Nor does the blog mention that Palantir worked for UK intelligence and was awarded contracts to handle vast data sets on UK citizens for British spy agency GCHQ.

10.01.2021 - 14:15 [ theRegister.com ]

UK govt publishes contracts granting Amazon, Microsoft, Google and AI firms access to COVID-19 health data

(05.06.2020)

UK government has published the contracts it holds with private tech firms and the NHS for the creation of a COVID-19 data store, just days after campaigners fired legal shots over a lack of transparency.

Available on the openDemocracy website, the contracts describe how the arrangements between the NHS and Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and AI firms Faculty and Palantir (which subcontracts to AWS) will operate.

10.01.2021 - 09:41 [ NewStatesman.com ]

How Palantir is quietly extending its reach through the British state

As Palantir’s executives were preparing over the summer to release shares publicly for the first time, they faced a challenge: how do you convince investors to buy into a 17-year-old company that has never turned a profit?

04.01.2021 - 17:40 [ MorningAdvertiser.co.uk ]

‘No hard evidence on curfew’ admits Gov adviser Vallance

(09 Dec 2020)

Vallance and chief medical officer Chris Whitty were asked if there was something that could be done in the structure in scientific advice that could be a bit more forensic about those restrictions on the sector that have a very big impact on certain people. The scientific advisers said they are trying very hard to get data but can´t give specific data on it, and nor can anyone else across the world.

04.01.2021 - 17:17 [ Independent.co.uk ]

Matt Hancock blames Covid spread on public as government under pressure for new lockdown

Health secretary Matt Hancock has said that Boris Johnson’s tier system is “no longer strong enough” to deal with the new more virulent variant of coronavirus.

03.01.2021 - 07:06 [ DailyMail.co.uk ]

PETER HITCHENS: Guess where Professor Lockdown got his ideas … China’s police state

Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said at the time that it was ‘just not possible’ for Ferguson to continue advising the Government. But this was not true. The professor was said to have resigned from the SAGE advisory committee. But did he? Not really. A current State website lists him as a member of the ‘New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group’ (NERVTAG). Minutes suggest he was only ever away from that for a few weeks.

02.01.2021 - 14:59 [ news.com.au ]

Why no jab? Australia lags behind in race for vaccine

Despite assurances by Health Minister Greg Hunt that the progression of the vaccine was well under way, the Australian Government is unlikely to start immunising health workers and the elderly until at least March.

02.01.2021 - 14:56 [ SBS.com.au ]

AstraZeneca vaccine could get approval in Australia by late January

(31.12.2020)

The Australian government could grant final approval for the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine by late January, according to AstraZeneca Australia.

A spokesperson for the company told SBS World News that the federal government has indicated the vaccine could get final approval by January 31, with a roll out in March.

31.12.2020 - 06:48 [ DailyMail.co.uk ]

PROFESSOR ANGUS DALGLEISH: The Oxford AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine is as close to a miracle as medicine ever gets

Everyone can see what a serious emergency this is. We have to act. Bin the bureaucracy, and get this miracle vaccine to work right now.

30.12.2020 - 11:06 [ ABC.net.au ]

Australia locks in coronavirus vaccine deal to produce Oxford University-AstraZeneca candidate if approved

(18 August 2020)

Amid rising pressure to lock in supply of a coronavirus vaccine, the Government has signed an agreement with UK-based drug company AstraZeneca to secure the potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University, if its trials prove successful.

30.12.2020 - 11:00 [ Sydney Morning Herald ]

AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine approved in Britain

Australia has secured 53.8 million doses of the Oxford vaccine, most of which could be manufactured locally by CSL. The federal government has also ordered 10 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which will all have to be imported.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Monday he expects Australia to be „fully vaccinated“ against coronavirus by October next year.

30.12.2020 - 10:53 [ zeenews.india.com ]

COVID-19: UK approves use of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, all eyes on India now

The approval by UK government is a good news for India because as per sources, the government was waiting for this approval and it is expected that Indian regulators would call SEC meet soon and reconsider the data and approve AstraZeneca vaccine for its use in India.

30.12.2020 - 10:09 [ UK Department of Health and Social Care / UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency ]

Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine authorised by UK medicines regulator

The Government has today accepted the recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to authorise Oxford University/AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine for use.

30.12.2020 - 10:05 [ BBC ]

Covid-19: Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine approved for use in UK

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved for use in the UK, with the first doses due to be given on Monday amid rising coronavirus cases.

30.12.2020 - 03:58 [ mark cording / Twitter ]

What’s the update on the Oxford vaccine Mr Hancock

30.12.2020 - 03:50 [ Matt Hancock, secretary of State for Health & Social Care / Twitter ]

Fantastic to see Margaret Keenan receive her second dose of the @Pfizer /@BioNTech_Group #coronavirus vaccine

30.12.2020 - 03:38 [ BBC ]

Covid: Millions more braced for tougher rules in England

Government sources have indicated an announcement later will see more areas move into tier four – „stay at home“.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock is due to detail the changes – which could be introduced within days – in the House of Commons after 14:30 GMT.

30.12.2020 - 03:35 [ noone@nowhere / Twitter ]

Still no Oxford vaccine emergency approval. Unbelievable.

(23.12.2020)

28.12.2020 - 17:26 [ gab.ai/murali / Twitter ]

How many willing to bet that this case is part of pharma wars to sabotage Oxford vaccine?

(28.11.2020)

28.12.2020 - 17:25 [ Telegraph.co.uk ]

Coronavirus latest news: One million vaccinations a week will not bring pandemic under control, warns Sage expert

Sir Jeremy Farrar, the director of the Wellcome Trust who advises Number 10’s advisory panel Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said: „We’re not going to be free of this pandemic by February, this is now a human endemic infection.

28.12.2020 - 17:24 [ .oxfordmail.co.uk ]

No herd immunity through vaccine programme before summer, Sage scientist warns

Calum Semple, professor of outbreak medicine at the University of Liverpool and a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), described the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine as a “game changer” if it is approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the coming days.

But he told BBC Breakfast…

28.12.2020 - 09:24 [ Telegraph.co.uk ]

Oxford coronavirus vaccine: 10,000 medics and volunteers recruited to administer jab

The Oxford/AstraZeneca jab could be approved early next week by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), after the final cut of data was submitted by the Government last Monday.

28.12.2020 - 05:18 [ noone@nowhere / Twitter ]

Still no Oxford vaccine emergency approval. Unbelievable.

(23.12.2020)

27.12.2020 - 11:09 [ DailyMail.co.uk ]

Britain could be free of Covid restrictions by February after ministers pinpointed the 15million people to vaccinate to end the cycle of lockdowns, with Oxford’s jab due to be approved Monday and rolled out within a week

Government sources say that between 12 million and 15 million people have been identified as likely to require hospital treatment if they contract coronavirus, or be at risk of dying from it. Once this group has received the vaccine – which some officials hope could be achieved by the end of February – then the NHS would no longer be at risk of being overwhelmed if the virus spread through the greater population. That would remove the main argument for shutting the economy at a stroke.

A source said: ‚The path to liberation is finally becoming clear.‘

27.12.2020 - 11:02 [ theSun.co.uk ]

‚THE BEST OF BRITISH‘: Oxford Covid vaccine expected to be approved MONDAY as huge efforts ‘pay off’

„We have seen the best of British at every stage, from our world-leading scientists working around the clock to carry out vital research, to builders and engineers constructing new facilities.

“Manufacturers are boosting their capabilities and hundreds of thousands of people in every corner of the UK are taking part in clinical trials ­­— developing, finding and preparing for a vaccine has involved us all.

“It has and continues to be a truly UK-wide effort and one which showcases what a fantastic nation we are.”

27.12.2020 - 05:22 [ gab.ai/murali / Twitter ]

How many willing to bet that this case is part of pharma wars to sabotage Oxford vaccine?

(28.11.2020)

27.12.2020 - 05:20 [ Sean / Twitter ]

Can I ask why the Oxford vaccine approval is taking so long? It only took 23 days for Pfizers, we are nearly at day 30 and still no sign of approval!

(21.12.2020)

27.12.2020 - 05:05 [ Telegraph.co.uk ]

Millions to receive Oxford coronavirus vaccine from Jan 4

The Government is aiming for two million people to receive their first dose of either the Oxford vaccine or the Pfizer jab within a fortnight as part of a major ramping up of the inoculation programme.

23.12.2020 - 19:27 [ Haaretz ]

Coronavirus Live: Four People Test Positive for New Strain of Coronavirus in Israel

(today)

A fourth case had been discovered in an Israeli who had not been abroad recently. The Health Ministry said they are investigating the case and will update accordingly.

„Over the past few days we are making a concerted effort to check that the mutation from Britain has not infiltrated [Israel]. Until several minutes ago, we had been optimistic, and now we are less optimistic,“ Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said.

23.12.2020 - 18:07 [ BBC Radio Sussex / Twitter ]

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told a Downing Street briefing the old tiering system was not enough to control the new variant of the Covid virus, as he announced stricter curbs for Sussex and part of Surrey.

23.12.2020 - 18:05 [ Flint Bedrock / Twitter ]

The UK has detected two cases of another „more transmissible“ variant of coronavirus, the health secretary Matt Hancock says.

13.12.2020 - 13:31 [ New York Times ]

Your Coronavirus Test Is Positive. Maybe It Shouldn’t Be.

(29.08.2020)

Most tests set the limit at 40, a few at 37. This means that you are positive for the coronavirus if the test process required up to 40 cycles, or 37, to detect the virus.

Tests with thresholds so high may detect not just live virus but also genetic fragments, leftovers from infection that pose no particular risk — akin to finding a hair in a room long after a person has left, Dr. Mina said.

Any test with a cycle threshold above 35 is too sensitive, agreed Juliet Morrison, a virologist at the University of California, Riverside. “I’m shocked that people would think that 40 could represent a positive,” she said.

02.12.2020 - 15:54 [ DailyMail.co.uk ]

How did Covid REALLY spread around the world? As damning test results show antibodies were in US in December – WEEKS before China raised the alarm – growing global evidence points to a cover-up

– Blood samples unveiled this week show people in California, Oregon and Washington infected in December
– Further tests on blood taken in mid-to-late December and into early January found virus in six more states
– Italy, Brazil and France have all since found traces of the virus before China even acknowledged it existed
– Evidence has emerged in Spain and the UK suggesting that Covid-19 was around before testing was possible
– Claims the virus emerged in a market in Wuhan last winter have crumbled in the face of scientific evidence

20.09.2020 - 21:38 [ theSun.co.uk ]

Matt Hancock says ‘everybody’ should snitch on neighbours who don’t self-isolate as they face £10,000 fines

Today’s comments fly in the face of Mr Johnson, who this week railed against “sneak” culture.

The Prime Minister urged Brits not to snitch on their neighbours unless they are having “Animal House parties” with “hot tubs and so forth”.

20.09.2020 - 21:31 [ Aubrey Allegretti / Twitter ]

Matt Hancock reveals he’s had discussions with London mayor Sadiq Khan, when asked about possibility of local lockdown in the capital.

Meetings today are going on to make a decision, health secretary confirms.

12.08.2020 - 03:50 [ Reuters ]

Mexico’s new warning labels on junk food meet supersized opposition from U.S., EU

The United States, European Union, Canada and Switzerland, home to some of the world’s biggest food companies, have pressed Mexico to delay upcoming health warnings on processed food and drinks, a World Trade Organization document showed.

16.07.2020 - 17:03 [ DailyMail.co.uk ]

UK’s daily death toll is INFLATED: Academics say fewer than 40 people are dying of Covid-19 per day and accuse government of adding historic deaths in batches ‚for some time‘

Dr Jason Oke and Professor Carl Heneghan said figures from Public Health England — which are published each day by the Department of Health — contained ‚inaccuracies‘ and could cause confusion.

Deaths are still falling, the professors said, even if at a slower rate than they were earlier in the crisis.

05.07.2020 - 12:31 [ Lloyd Doggett, Abgeordneter im US Repräsentantenhaus ]

Big Price, Modest COVID-19 Drug

(29.06.2020)

Congressman Doggett has been seeking information from both Secretary Azar and Gilead on remdesivir pricing for almost two months. Neither disclosed the huge taxpayer expenditure that the Trump Administration is making today to purchase remdesivir supplies through September. Copies of related correspondence are available upon request.

22.06.2020 - 16:01 [ Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu - rivm.nl ]

Facts and figures flu in the Netherlands Winter 2018/2019

±400,000 patients had symptomatic influenza in the period between the beginning of October until the end of May.

±11,000 hospitalisations Many people were admitted to hospital with flu complications, such as pneumonia.

FLU VACCINE About half of the people who were eligible to receive a flu vaccination were vaccinated against flu.

2,900 more people than expected died during the epidemic period. These extra deaths were associated with the flu epidemic.

22.06.2020 - 16:00 [ Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu - rivm.nl ]

Current information about COVID-19 (novel coronavirus)

Current numbers COVID-19: 22 June 2020

Positive tested persons: 49,658* (+69)
Admitted to hospital: 11,851 (+2)
Reported deaths: 6,090** (+0)

23.05.2020 - 08:14 [ ValleyNewsLive.com ]

MN nursing homes have 81% of COVID-19 deaths, still taking positive patients, local officials weigh in

Many states, including New York, came under fire for a policy requiring nursing homes to admit COVID-19 positive patients. Data shows that Minnesota now has 81.4% of deaths from long term care facilities and assisted living centers.

Minnesota’s Department of Health did so to lower the risk of overwhelming hospitals with COVID-19 patients.

22.05.2020 - 17:25 [ NBC News New York ]

AP Count: Over 4,300 Coronavirus Patients Sent to NY Nursing Homes

“It was the single dumbest decision anyone could make if they wanted to kill people,” Daniel Arbeeny said of the directive, which prompted him to pull his 88-year-old father out of a Brooklyn nursing home where more than 50 people have died. His father later died of COVID-19 at home.

22.05.2020 - 17:20 [ CBS News New York ]

Coronavirus Toll: What Impact Did New York’s Nursing Home Mandate Have On COVID-19 Deaths?

Petition and email campaigns warned introducing COVID patients to nursing homes put vulnerable residents at risk.

Cuomo rescinded the order on May 10, and this week blamed the original policy on the Trump administration.

“Why did the state do that with COVID patients in nursing homes?” said the governor. “It’s because the state followed President Trump’s CDC guidelines.

22.05.2020 - 10:28 [ wsbtv.com ]

CDC, Georgia to change website reporting after combining antibody and viral test results

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, the Georgia Department of Health said it would remove the antibody testing data from the diagnostic data, although it had been following the current CDC guidance on the reporting data.

Thursday, Toomey addressed the issue during a state news conference.

“I’m actually am grateful that the media are looking at this closely because often you can recognize things that I did not see, or there are some inconsistencies that I didn’t notice,” Toomey said.

22.05.2020 - 09:47 [ Orlandosentinel.com ]

CDC, Florida report vastly different coronavirus testing numbers

As of May 16, the state had performed close to 700,000 COVID-19 tests, according to the Florida Department of Health; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that Florida had conducted more than 900,000 COVID-19 tests.

With a 33% difference between the two agencies, Florida is one of 10 states to report such large discrepancies in testing numbers, with Florida being the most extreme case, according to an analysis by The COVID Tracking Project, which compared cases, deaths and testing numbers reported by each state and by the CDC’s Data Tracker.

22.05.2020 - 07:56 [ theAtlantic.com ]

‘How Could the CDC Make That Mistake?’

This is not merely a technical error. States have set quantitative guidelines for reopening their economies based on these flawed data points.

Several states—including Pennsylvania, the site of one of the country’s largest outbreaks, as well as Texas, Georgia, and Vermont—are blending the data in the same way. Virginia likewise mixed viral and antibody test results until last week, but it reversed course and the governor apologized for the practice after it was covered by the Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Atlantic. Maine similarly separated its data on Wednesday; Vermont authorities claimed they didn’t even know they were doing this.

22.05.2020 - 07:53 [ NPR.org ]

Scientists Warn CDC Testing Data Could Create Misleading Picture Of Pandemic

The CDC combines the results of genetic tests that spot people who are actively infected, mostly by using a process known as polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, with results from another, known as serology testing, which looks for antibodies in people’s blood. Antibody testing is used to identify people who were previously infected.

19.05.2020 - 19:16 [ Medium.com ]

Open Letter, May 18, 2020, London: Dear Matt Hancock, we are civil society organisations, privacy advocates and academic researchers writing to express concerns about the NHS’s plans to build a COVID-19 datastore.

We share the common goal of preserving public confidence in systems that can help make us all safer. Therefore, before the NHS continues its plans, we urge you to provide the public with more information and take appropriate measures to reduce risk of data sharing and keep the aggregated data under democratic control.

In March, the NHS announced a new plan to build a datastore that aggregates COVID-19 health data. Microsoft, Google, Palantir, Faculty and Amazon will assist in the development of the datastore and the processing of the data.

19.05.2020 - 19:10 [ Computerweekly.com ]

Privacy advocates demand clarity over Covid-19 datastore

(yesterday)

In an open letter directly addressed to the health secretary, civil society organisations, privacy advocates and academic researchers urged Hancock to give the public more information about the datastore and take appropriate measures to reduce data-sharing risks and keep it under democratic control.

24.04.2020 - 13:15 [ BBC ]

Coronavirus: Hard to prevent care home deaths, says Chris Whitty

Coronavirus is likely to result in a high mortality rate in care homes, England’s chief medical officer has said.

Chris Whitty said it was hard to prevent deaths in care homes „sadly because this is a very vulnerable group“.

Current statistics were likely to be an „underestimate“, he added.

24.04.2020 - 13:03 [ Telegraph.co.uk ]

Doctors launch legal action over Government’s PPE guidance

Dr Viz and Dr Joshi said: „Every time a healthcare worker becomes hospitalised with Covid-19, it exacts an extraordinary toll on our friends, family and colleagues. To sedate and ventilate your own colleague takes a mental toll on the entire workforce.

„The Government owes an apology to these bereaved families, many of whom were unable to be with their loved ones in their dying moments. Their trauma and grief is unimaginable – we want to ensure that no other family has to endure this suffering.

24.04.2020 - 12:48 [ PoliticsHome.com ]

Alzheimer’s Society responds to joint statement from DHSC and CQC on the number of Covid-19 deaths in care homes

(22.04.2020)

Sally Copley, Director of Policy, Campaigns and Partnerships at Alzheimer’s Society, said:

“The true impact of the coronavirus in care homes is becoming increasingly clear, and that’s why we’re demanding swift Government action. With the further report today of a possible 2000 deaths just over Easter weekend, this is a frightening time for everyone with relatives with dementia in care homes. People with dementia’s lives matter, and every death is a terrible loss to a grieving family.

“We hear daily from desperately concerned families who want to know that the Government is doing all it can to keep people in care homes safe, and it is good to hear that the CQC is actively booking testing appointments for care staff.

07.04.2020 - 19:17 [ i24news.tv ]

Israel among the first countries to receive new Japanese coronavirus drug

(today)

Katz praised the work of Jerusalem’s diplomatic mission in Tokyo, the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Health Ministry for „having successfully brought this groundbreaking research to Israel.“

04.04.2020 - 12:09 [ i24news.tv ]

Israel: Litzman’s phone was tracked after he tested positive for coronavirus

The private cellphone of Health Minister Yaakov Litzman was tracked after he was suspected of flouting social distancing guidelines despite testing positive for the coronavirus, Israeli health officials said on Friday.

03.04.2020 - 21:09 [ Yahoo.com ]

Germany hopes Bayer malaria drug could treat COVID-19

In an interview with Bild newspaper (link in German), federal health minister Jens Spahn said that there “are early indications that certain medications seem to help,” and that there were ongoing studies in Germany into what drugs could potentially work in treating coronavirus, “including with this old malaria drug.”

He added that more studies are needed as all drugs have side effects. However, he expects an effective drug to treat COVID-19 to come on the market much earlier than a vaccine.

03.04.2020 - 07:59 [ Enis Guri Gashi / Twitter ]

Jens Spahn reserved huge amounts Chloroquine against Corona at the German pharma giant Bayer. Bayer also assured the US a big amount of it

(20.03.2020)