The effectiveness of real-world vaccines, updated travel guidelines for inoculates, and a new rise in cases around the world. Here’s what you need to know:
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Headlines
According to a real study, approved vaccines are very effective as drug manufacturers work to expand access
Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control released the results of a study that found that Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines appear to be 90% effective in protecting against Covid-19 in the real world. The data is another promising indicator that these vaccines work very well, but what’s important isn’t that they offer complete protection – it’s important to mask and distance yourself in public even if you’ve received both vaccines. . As the last year has made clear, our understanding of this disease and how to defend it is constantly evolving, so it is important that everyone continues to take all the precautions we know are effective.
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies are working to expand approval and distribution. Pfizer announced this week that its vaccine seems safe and effective in teens up to 12 years old, while Johnson & Johnson began its own trial for people ages 12-17. And on Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it will let Modern introduce up to 50 percent more doses in each vial in a modification of its emergency use authorization. The change is expected to streamline distribution.
The CDC says fully vaccinated people can travel if they take other precautions against the pandemic
This morning, the CDC released new travel guidelines for people who have been completely vaccinated, saying it is low risk for them to travel nationally and internationally, although they should continue to take other precautions, such as wearing a mask and comply with social distancing guidelines. The possible return to activities such as air travel has raised questions about how people who have been vaccinated will prove it. There has been talk of “vaccine passports” and there are many plans to create them, but doing so in an ethical and equitable manner and protecting people’s privacy can be a challenge.
This latest CDC update comes just days after its director warned Americans not to yet appease Covid-19 restrictions. Many Americans are dizzy at the thought of a semi-“normal” summer, but until the vaccines are spread, this virus will continue to evolve and spread.
Cases are on the rise worldwide, with some countries imposing new blockades, while others are reluctant to take precautions.
In recent days, countries around the world, including Turkey and Bangladesh, have recorded the highest number of daily cases recorded to date. The situation in Brazil remains particularly serious. São Paolo, its largest city, recorded record daily burials this week, with cemeteries open until 10 p.m., and burials exhuming old graves to make way for the new Covid-19 deaths. However, President Jair Bolsonaro still refuses to impose a blockade or any other strict measure that could slow the spread of the virus.
Cases are also continuing to rise in Europe, a situation for which the World Health Organization says the region’s “unacceptably slow” vaccination efforts are to blame. Right now, 27 European countries are partially or completely closed, including France, which will extend its measures to encompass the entire country for four weeks from Saturday.
Daily distraction
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Something to read
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A question
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