Key Points:

• In today’s Recommendations for Industry, we provide a “Friday wrap” on the COVID situation – on the US and global fronts. Read more below.
• The S. State Department has issued over 115 “Do Not Travel” advisories due to the increasing rise of COVID-19 throughout the world (again).
• While we discuss global vaccine equity (and the need for it), more affluent nations (including U.S., E.U. block, U.K. Switzerland, Japan, Norway, Canada, Australia, and Brazil) are still “refusing to wave the rights on COVID vaccines” despite the increasing need for it throughout the world.
• Vaccinations have dropped for the first time since February from an average of 3.5M shots/day last week to 3M shots/day this week.
• ABC News breaks down a quick-and-easy way for you to prepare for your long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine appointment that starts with (a) dressing for success with comfortable clothes; (b) eating a good breakfast; and (c) remaining hydrated!
• Today, ACIP will review the J&J COVID-19 vaccine cause to determine if it will continue the pause or unpause the last 10-day hold for J&J vaccines.
• The original messaging for double-masking being more protective is one that is oversimplistic and not encompassing of a wider range of other issues, thereby sending “the wrong [misleading] message”. For further explanation, CIDRAP breaks this down.

A Friday COVID Wrap – US and Global

In the US, COVID rates continue to be fairly stable (not low numbers, but not seeming to be rising either). In fact, some of the states which had been exhibiting uniquely high case rates seem to be starting to come down, with Michigan being a prime example.

Things are not trending so well, however, on the global front. In a number of areas, the pandemic continues to have serious impacts, with still rising cases and diminished healthcare and vaccine resources. This is evidenced, as well, by the more than 115 “Do Not Travel” Advisories issued by the US State Department, citing risks of COVID transmission.

The noted stability of the US is not to suggest that it’s time to reduce protections, particularly as we are also seeing a reduction in the numbers of daily vaccinations – despite the fact that everyone 16 and older who wants to be vaccinated is now eligible. It is the first drop we have seen in vaccination rates, and it may also be due in part to the pause in Johnson & Johnson vaccine availability – on which we expect to see a decision soon.

With all that, we are beginning to see a dim light at the end of the long tunnel , so over the coming weeks and months, TAG will be discussing preparation and planning for reopening, as well as what may need to be done to compensate for less-than-optimal rates of vaccinations (i.e., less than the approximately 80% needed for population/“herd” immunity). Keep an eye on this space as we all continue to work our way back toward a normalcy.

• In Wednesday’s Recommendations for Industry, we discussed the current status of COVID-19 and our weekly Risk Matrix findings. Read More Here.
• New York Times has an interactive breakdown about the safety of flying. One big takeaway: “How air flows in planes is not the only part of the safety equation […] The potential for exposure may be just as high, if not higher, when people are in the terminal, sitting in airport restaurants and bars or going through the security line. Going to in-terminal restaurants, for example, can be risky because masks are routinely removed and kept off to eat.”
• The WHO warns that COVID-19 deaths are accelerating (the fifth straight week in a row); we are hitting world records on cases with 5.2M recorded just last week. We’ve now seen cases rise for eight consecutive weeks.
• Due to the rise in cases, globally, the U.S. State department will begin to issue travel warnings for other countries; up to 80% of countries (reported by BBC).
• Despite the Oxford-AstraZeneca’s strong protection against COVID-19, Nature has released a press release about what scientists do and don’t know about the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
• Science News discusses what we know about the B117 COVID-19 variant that is currently dominant in the U.S. The big takeaway, B117 is likely 40 to 70% more transmissible than the other variants.
• In Monday’s Recommendations for Industry, we discuss a few of the most common, recent questions – with answers. Read more here.
• As of Monday, in the U.S. anyone age 16 and older is eligible for vaccination! More than half of all U.S. adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This is positive news; however, the difficult part comes now as vaccination resistance can pose larger issues that will prevent us from reaching herd immunity. A focus group conducted with American Republicans finds that vaccine-resistance and vaccine skepticism is worsening in those within the GOP. As we look at vaccine hesitancy Experts are thinking, more and more, that herd immunity to COVID-19 will not be possible and we need to begin to plan around that possibility.
• A recent Science article details the genomics and epidemiology of the P.1 variant first identified in Brazil. It finds that the P.1 variant first emerged mid-November 2020 and that it is 1.7 – 2.4-fold more transmissible than the original COVID-19 strain.
• The White House discusses its upcoming $2B plan to enhance the tracking of COVID-19 variants. $1B will go to the CDC to monitor variant spread and conduct genomic sequencing to characterize the variants out there.
• Due to India’s fast-rising cases, Delhi has announced new lockdown measures.
• Australia and New Zealand have opened borders to one another and it is creating massive amounts of happiness!