The COVID-2019 Thread

[panama hat]

East Asians are probably just about the best lot at following instructions for this kind of situation

Chinese? Mainlanders? The only ones that have been 'nabbed' breaking their self-isolation have been mainlanders in NZ

[panama hat]

"Citizen's trust"

Like Li, the doc who first suspected a new virus. They showed him what 'citizen's trust' is

[HermantheGerman]

Why doesn't he go look for help in the Arab World? Saudi Arabia & Co. seem to be a pretty useless partners when the going gets tough

News

Germany and US wrestle over coronavirus vaccine: report

US President Donald Trump is attempting to entice a German lab to develop a vaccine exclusively for the US, a German newspaper reported. Berlin health authorities are in intensive talks with the company.


The governments of Germany and the United States are wrestling over the German-based company CureVac which is working on a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, reported German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.

The prominent German media outlet reported, citing unnamed sources, that US President Donald Trump was offering large sums of money to German scientists working on a vaccine. He wanted to secure exclusive rights to their work, the newspaper reported.

Trump was doing everything he could to secure a vaccine for the United States, "but only for the US," the newspaper quoted an anonymous German government source as saying.

The newspaper reported that the German government has tried to offer the company financial incentives to remain in Germany.
A German health ministry spokesman told Die Welt that the government was in "intensive" dialogue with CureVac.
"The German government is very interested in having the development of vaccines and treatments against the novel coronavirus undertaken in Germany and Europe," the spokesman said.

Germany and US wrestle over coronavirus vaccine: report | News | DW | 15.03.2020

[HermantheGerman]

TUEBINGEN, Germany (Reuters) - Germany's CureVac, among the vaccine developers funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), said it could mass-produce a coronavirus immunization from its existing facilities if its low-dose approach proves successful in trials.

Privately held Curevac, which was granted up to $8.3 million by CEPI in January, is working to draw on its low-dose vaccine technology, which has showed promise in an early-stage rabies trial, for use against the coronavirus.

The Tuebingen, Germany, based company hopes to have an experimental vaccine ready by June or July to then seek the go-ahead from regulators for testing on humans.

https://news.yahoo.com/germanys-cure...fx920l8DhMQE-C

CureVac CEO replaced in midst of biotech's coronavirus push

• CureVac CEO Daniel Menichella was abruptly replaced on Wednesday, when the German biotech announced its board chairman Ingmar Hoerr would take over as the company's top executive.
• The transition comes just nine days after Menichella traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend a meeting between President Donald Trump and drugmakers developing treatments for the new coronavirus now rapidly spreading throughout the U.S.
• In late January, CureVac partnered with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to begin development on a vaccine for the virus, now named SARS-CoV-2. In a statement to BioPharma Dive, a company spokesperson said the leadership change would not affect the program, or any other of CureVac's clinical candidates.

Last Monday, Menichella was among the top executives of nearly a dozen biotech and pharmaceutical companies briefing President Trump on their respective coronavirus drug development plans. Just over a week later, he was out as CEO, replaced by CureVac founder and former CEO Hoerr.
It's a rapid transition in leadership at a time when the company is in the global spotlight for its efforts to quickly advance a coronavirus vaccine into human testing.
CureVac's statement included little detail on reason for the change. The company spokesperson told BioPharma Dive that an investor sought to have Hoerr take a "more prominent role within the company as he has a lot of biotech experience and knowledge."
Dievini Hopp BioTech Holding and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are two investors in CureVac.
The spokesperson affirmed CureVac's continued commitment to clinical development of the coronavirus program.
At the Mar. 2 White House meeting, Menichella told President Trump that CureVac expects to start a Phase 1 study in June, an effort helped by its partnership with CEPI.
"We believe we can develop the vaccine for COVID-19 very, very quickly, and we have the wherewithal to manufacture it, although we would like some additional help on our largest GMP fourth facility," Menichella said.
CureVac specializes in mRNA vaccines, which use strips of genetic information to coax the body into producing protective antibodies against a viral pathogen like SARS-CoV-2. It's an approach that's gained particular attention in the current pandemic as Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Moderna quickly developed and manufactured a prototype mRNA vaccine that's now entering human safety testing.
Menichella became CEO of CureVac in May 2018, succeeding Hoerr after having led the biotech's U.S. subsidiary for a little more than a year prior.
Following the transition, Hoerr became chairman of CureVac's supervisory board, a position he's held through the leadership shake-up announced Wednesday.
"[W]e will continue to focus fully on taking the company to the next stage of its development and advance our clinical product pipeline with the goal of bringing mRNA-based drugs to patients," Hoerr said. "The vaccine against Covid-19 plays a key role here."

CureVac CEO replaced in midst of biotech's coronavirus push | BioPharma Dive

[Troy]

Short queue at check-in but very slow because people are using flight to travel onwards to various places. No problems for me, just a self declaration to fill in stating I haven't been ill for the last two weeks and haven't been to a country on the hit-list.

I'm trying out a mask while waiting to board. If nothing else, it'll stop me picking my nose...it's a little uncomfortable even in the cool atmosphere of the airport. Should be second nature by the time I'm in Bangkok.

BTW is it true that people were shot in SF during the 1918 outbreak of they weren't wearing a mask?

[panama hat]

BTW is it true that people were shot in SF during the 1918 outbreak of they weren't wearing a mask?

People get shot in SF (or anywhere else i he US) for any number of reasons . . .

(Sorry, bad humour)

[NamPikToot]

^^ i was checking Thai Airways page on flight cancellations and its getting quite extensive. UK not on the list at present.

https://www.thaiairways.com/en_TH/news/news_announcement/news_detail/coronavirus.page

[misskit]

Russia shutting borders with Poland and Norway over coronavirus

Russia will shut its land borders with Poland and Norway as of midnight on Saturday, in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus.


An exception is being made for citizens from neighboring Belarus, official delegations and holders of Russian residence permits, according to a statement from the Russian government.




"We ask Russians to minimise travel. Limiting foreign business trips and mass events in all regions, including entertainment, sports and business events is recommended. We ask everyone to keep calm, since these are preventive measures," said Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.


Authorities said there were 14 new confirmed cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of infected people to 59, according to Russian media.

MORE. Russia shutting borders with Poland and Norway over coronavirus – POLITICO

[NamPikToot]

Looks like an ideal way to get loads of people infected, glad i was not caught up in that lot.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51895246

Coronavirus: US airports in disarray over screening



US airports have been thrown into chaos as new coronavirus health screening measures for people returning from Europe come into force.


Long queues formed as travellers waited for hours for the screenings before passing through customs.


The US is banning the entry of people travelling from the UK and Ireland from midnight on Monday (04:00 GMT).


As a result, the UK Foreign Office is now advising against all but essential travel to the whole of the US.


The US has more than 2,700 confirmed cases, with 54 deaths.


Correspondents say there is a growing sense of unease and confusion in the US, with fears of a run on hospital beds and concern about childcare as tens of millions of students are sent home from school.

[misskit]

^ Yep. Our shitshow is getting into full swing.

Out of necessity I had to go to Walmart Hell early this morning. Surprisingly, it was full of workers stocking the shelves. They said they were getting ready for the zombie apocalypse which would happen later today. Swung by the loo roll, and cleaning section to take a peek. All bare.

[NamPikToot]

^ trouble is Kit i don't think anywhere is better, its such a fluid situations policy is being made up on the hoof hour by hour.

Just seen that the Health Secretary in the UK has publicly stated there are not enough ventilators. If things get bad with many requiring intensive care we face a real threat of doctors making assessments over who lives/dies based upon age and likelihood of survival as there just won't be enough beds and equipment. Fingers crossed we don't get there.

[Stumpy]

^ Yep. Our shitshow is getting into full swing.

Out of necessity I had to go to Walmart Hell early this morning. Surprisingly, it was full of workers stocking the shelves. They said they were getting ready for the zombie apocalypse which would happen later today. Swung by the loo roll, and cleaning section to take a peek. All bare.

Oh yeah. My daughter pings me every day. It's a mad house and just getting geared up.

[bsnub]

Oh yeah. My daughter pings me every day. It's a mad house and just getting geared up.

Seattle is a ghost town. Glad that I am well stocked at the house.

[harrybarracuda]

I'm surprised one of our resident tinfoil hatters has not yet pinned the whole thing on the blue suede shoes.

A Jerusalem district court announced on Sunday that it was postponing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's criminal trial for two months because of restrictions arising from the outbreak of the coronavirus.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/netanyahus-corruption-trial-postponed-due-to-coronavirus-outbreak

[PAG]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch. M'Sahib requested to watch "Contagion", for which I dutifully complied this evening. Think I may have watched it some years ago, but of course now the context somewhat different. I find a brandy assists such occasions, purely for medicinal purposes naturally.

[NamPikToot]

^ nice set up PAG

The Beeb has quite a good live news scroll showing developments. Spain are getting it, i imagine if it takes off the Costa Del Retirement would get messy with the high concentration of aged people.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-51895276

[Takeovers]

The german pharmaceutical company CureVac in Tübingen is working on a vaccine. The White House invited the CEO early March to a meeting with President Trump, VicePresident Pence, members of the Corona task force and representatives of the US pharmaceutical industry. They made the company or the leading scientists high paying offers to work exclusively for the US government. The german government is not amused. Especially about the exclusivity for the US. They are trying to keep the company in Europe.

The CEO has since been replaced. Reason for the replacement has not been mentioned.

Coronavirus: USA und Deutschland streiten um Impfstoff | tagesschau.de

[NamPikToot]

^ see i don't get this, surely the German Govt has extraordinary powers (as most Govts do in times of national emergency) to stop this sort of thing.

[Luigi]

^^ the head guy wasn't called Von Braun by any chance.

[NamPikToot]

Listening in the car earlier, the Govt in the UK is going to engage car and defence manufacturers to produce ventilators and possibly other emergency equipment. I imagine post this blowing through that certain stocks of Med and other kit will get stockpiled (a la Military war stocks) for future resilience, seems most Govts have been caught short on this type of thing.

There were also "experts" talking about the globalised supply chain and it being a weakness for individual Govts, pointing to a reassessment of a country's war footing ability where critical supplies are concerned. Its quite obvious the answer is nearly non-existent.

Having connections with the UK arms industry, 30 years ago there were major stock holdings of vital spares but also more importantly Meds and Medical Equipment distributed over the whole of the UK. Over the last 20 years i have seen various warehousing sites closed, reduced and centralised in the name of saving money, its going to get a re-think.

[harrybarracuda]

Another fucking idiot. Feed the fuckers Goat Phall for a fortnight, then they'll wish they'd stocked up on bog roll as well.

As many as 289 passengers on board a Dubai-bound flight were offloaded at Koch airport on Sunday, minutes before take-off after a United Kingdom-based tourist tested positive for coronavirus.
The tourist was quarantined at a Munnar hotel after he showed flu-like symptoms. He was holidaying with 19 others and was lodged in the hill resort town of Munnar in Kerala. The passenger went to the airport with the group, without informing the authorities there.
However, as soon as his test results came back, the concerned authorities tracked him down and found that he was at Kochi airport and traveling by an Emirates flight to Dubai.

The passengers offloaded from the flight also include the tourist's wife and 17 others who belonged to the group.
Both the UK tourist and his wife have now been placed under isolation at Kalamassery Medical College in Ernakulam district. The others in the group will be kept under quarantine.
Reports say that the results of his coronavirus test came back on Saturday night, following which medical officials visited the resort to take him to a government hospital for isolation. However, much to their surprise, he had already left for Kochi airport.

However, district officials in Idukki swiftly communicated the message to the Kochi airport authorities, and at around 8:45 am on Sunday, the airplane carrying the passengers was offloaded.

https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-289-deplaned-after-uk-national-who-tested-positive-for-coronavirus-slips-out-of-quarantine-to-board-flight-2817292

[harrybarracuda]

The cheese eating surrender monkeys appear to be turning a circus into a shit show as well.

Urgent efforts to repatriate 30,000 British tourists from ski resorts in France are under way amid warnings of “widespread failures” in the travel sector in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
French mountain resorts closed at midnight on Saturday, hours after tens of thousands of skiers had landed for their annual holiday in the snow.
Leading ski and summer activity holiday company Neilson has called for the government to step in with “emergency measures”.
There were reports of chaos and confusion across the Alps with one source saying local police had taken the French government’s message into their own hands and were going round hotels and restaurants telling marooned Britons to go home immediately.


Diane Palumbo, sales and marketing director at SkiWorld, said she had 900 customers across the Alps and they had been in talks with all the key resorts on Friday to warn them that if they were to close, not to do so on Saturday when a fresh influx of tourists were scheduled to arrive.
“We are getting over our anger. It was literally not until 10pm last night that we were confident of the information we were receiving. The same people who had assured us on Thursday, Friday or even Saturday that they would remain open, have now all closed,” she said.


The French prime minister, Édouard Philippe, announced at 8pm that the country must close all non-essential locations, notably cafes, restaurants, cinemas, nightclubs and shops from midnight.
Although ski resorts were not specifically listed, the ski industry in the UK believe they are all closing.
One of the biggest operators, Inghams, said “as a responsible tour operator” it would not be operating any more holidays to French resorts for the rest of the season and advised those who were due to go out on Sunday to abandon their plans.
“Even though the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) advice has not changed, as a responsible tour operator, we will not be operating Inghams ski holidays to these resorts for the rest of the 2019/2020 winter season: Alpe d’Huez, Avoriaz, Chamonix & Les Houches, Courchevel, Flaine, La Clusaz, La Plagne, Les Arcs, Les Menuires, Les 2 Alpes, Méribel, Montgenevre, Morzine, Samoens, Serre Chevalier, Tignes, Val d’Isère and Val Thorens,” it said in a statement on its website.
Palumbo said all those who had booked through an Atol backed agent would get their money back but that small- to medium-sized tour operators and travel companies could go bust.
“The airlines are very quick to ask for help from the government but this is a massive flow of people which will costs the industry millions. If the government does not step in travel companies will start to fail because the cost of repatriation will be enormous,” she said.


She explained that travel companies pay bonds to cover emergencies but if travel companies go to the wall the money will have to come out of government coffers.
If they are going to bail out travellers at the end of this, would it not be better to step in earlier in the crisis and in doing so save businesses and jobs as well as holidaymakers, she argued.
David Taylor, the chief executive of Neilson holidays, said it was “hugely disappointed” that it received “such short notice” on the closures.
He called for “emergency measures” for the sector.
“With the Covid-19 crisis likely to last several months, we are asking the government to consider emergency measures specifically targeted at the travel and leisure sector to deliver immediate relief and help avoid widespread failures.
“This remains an isolated issue on 2020 departures only and we are confident that next year will see a healthy recovery provided a swathe of relief measures recommended to the government are enacted,” he said.


Separately Ryanair was frantically working to repatriate customers stranded in Spain after the country was thrown into lockdown arrangements. It has also cancelled all flights to and from Poland.
“Ryanair Group Airlines (including Buzz and Lauda) has been forced to severely reduce flights to/from Spain, the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands from 24.00 Sun 15 Mar until 24.00 Thurs 19 Mar,” it said in a statement.
It added it was “contacting all affected customers by email to advise them of their options and we urge customs not to call us”.
Earlier it announced all flights to and from Poland have been cancelled from midnight on Saturday to midnight on 31 March.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/15/coronavirus-chaos-as-30000-british-tourists-told-to-leave-french-ski-resorts

[HuangLao]

The culling continues.
One of nature's periodic cleansing.
Long overdue.

[harrybarracuda]

Austria bans all gatherings of more than five people


The Austrian government is limiting people’s movement nationwide.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Sunday that there should be only three reasons for people to leave home: essential work, essential purchases such as food, and helping other people.
People will be able to go out “only alone or with the people with whom [they] live in their apartment”.


Mr Kurz’s comments came shortly after the governor of Tyrol province had announced a lockdown for his Alpine region.

Coronavirus: Austria bans all gatherings of more than five people | The Independent

[harrybarracuda]

Coronavirus Florida: Beaches in South Beach in Miami closed, spring break declared ‘over’

The city will close the beach with the help of police and civilian ambassadors and will stop “any congregation of persons.”

https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2020/03/15/beaches-in-south-beach-in-miami-closed-as-spring-break-declared-over/