Oxford launches a new version data on the effectiveness of the UK strain vaccine, Johnson & Johnson is seeking FDA approval and the U.S. Senate is approving a key resolution for coronavirus aid. Here’s what you need to know:
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Headlines
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine protects against the British variant, while the FDA drafts new plans to deal with mutations
First, the bad news: there is some evidence that B.1.1.7, the variant first discovered in the UK, could be more deadly than the original coronavirus strain, in addition to being more transmissible. Now the good news: new data released Friday indicates that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine protects against both the original virus and this mutation. This research has not yet been peer-reviewed, but it is promising. While a handful of new, allegedly more contagious variants have made it statewide in recent weeks, the CDC warned last month that B.1.1.7 could be the predominant variant in the U.S. in March.
In response, drug manufacturers are rushing to re-equip features to increase protection against variants. And on Thursday, the FDA said it is developing new standards to specifically tailor drugs, tests, and vaccines to fight more resistant mutations. They will probably be published in the next two or three weeks. The plan is based on years of experience with the flu virus, which is changing rapidly and steadily. National Institutes of Health is also working with at least two drug manufacturers to begin human trials of variant-targeted vaccines next month.
A third vaccine is seeking FDA approval as experts work to make distribution faster and more equitable
On Thursday, Johnson & Johnson applied for FDA emergency use authorization for its Covid-19 vaccine. If approved, the vaccine is likely to be used in late February or early March. Supplies are expected to be limited at first, but the shot will continue to be a good addition. Unlike the two vaccines currently in use, it only requires one dose and can be stored in the usual refrigerator. Still, the fact that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has a slightly lower efficacy rate than those already in use means that officials will soon be faced with difficult questions about who gets what shot.
In fact, equity issues have already proven to be critical to vaccination, especially as distribution increases under Biden administration. People with ample free time and Internet access have found it easier to get vaccinated, which disadvantages many of the groups that have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, including blacks, Latinx and indigenous people. On Tuesday, the White House announced expansions to the vaccination program that, among other things, will prioritize vaccination efforts in minority communities.
Senate moves toward $ 1.9 trillion Biden coronavirus relief plan
After hours of voting, the Senate passed a budget resolution at 5:30 a.m. Friday that brings lawmakers one step closer to passing the $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. They drink with a simple majority, which makes Republican support unnecessary. The Biden plan includes $ 1,400 per person for direct payments for most households, a weekly unemployment insurance supplement of $ 400 through September, extended paid leave and more. Earlier this week, the president met with a group of Republican Party senators to discuss an alternative $ 618 billion aid plan they had drafted in an apparent attempt to work through the aisle, but later he reaffirmed that he wants Democratic lawmakers to “make the pandemic aid big.”
These events in Washington are occurring as the economic recovery is stagnating across the country. Although the U.S. economy added 49,000 jobs last month, the pace of earnings remains slow. Economists say things are likely to accelerate as more people are vaccinated and pandemic restrictions tightened on businesses.
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A question
How does the pandemic affect cities?
Urban planners have heralded the pandemic as a potential opportunity to rebuild cities for the better, prioritizing the experience of pedestrians and cyclists over cars and figuring out ways to make buildings breathe better. Other researchers have noted that the ways in which urban crime was reduced in 2020 provide important information that could help cities increase security and do so more equitably, even after the pandemic. Still, there is no doubt that the pandemic has affected urban life. An example: mass traffic, the lifeblood of cities like New York, is in grave danger.
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