Weekly COVID-19 Roundup: Latest Numbers and Developments
According to National Geographic, more than 150 COVID-19 vaccines are being developed globally, and 'hopes are high' to finally bring one to the market in no time, to alleviate the crisis.
As of today, COVID-19 has already infected more than 23 million people and claimed more than 802,000 lives globally.
However, some say that the actual figures are said to be much higher because of shortages in tests. Many cases and suspicions are not reported, and that several governments are concealing or toning down the scope of their outbreaks.
The United States is the worst-hit nation in the whole world, with over 5.7 million infections and almost 180,000 deaths.
As the American nation gets nearer the flu season, Dr. Robert Redfield, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director said, this season, combined with this ongoing global health crisis, could lead to anxiety and tension in hospitals nationwide.
During the live stream of the Journal of the American Medical Association on Thursday, Redfield said that the biggest fear he has, because of the simultaneous occurrence of COVID-19 and flu, the capacity of hospitals could get strained.
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CDC Calls for Vigilance
There is a need for vigilance to mitigate steps at present. Since this coming fall, if there is flu, and at the same time, there's COVID-19, there could be another loss of meaningful life.
Redfield explained that the CDC recently bought an additional 9.3 million doses of the flu vaccines, and it has an objective of 65 percent acceptance across the board.
The US Food and Drug Administration announced today that there are some actions taken in its present response initiative to the pandemic.
Specifically, the agency issued an EUA or emergency use authorization to NovaSterilis, Inc. for its Nova2200, which is using the decontamination process known as NovaClean.
Nova 2200 can be used or the decontamination of N95 respirators for one-person reuse by healthcare personnel for the prevention of exposure to pathogenic "biological airborne particles" when there are inadequate face-filtering respirator supplies during this pandemic.
The FDA issued a letter to HCPs, as well as the healthcare facilities, to alert them of the possibility that passive protective barriers may pose an increased risk of health to both HCPs as they treat their patients who are either confirmed or confirmed to have COVID-19.
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Developments in Testing and Vaccine
To date, the FDA has certified 218 tests via the EUAs. These tests comprise of 176 molecular, 39 antibodies, and three antigen tests.
According to National Geographic, more than 150 COVID-19 vaccines are being developed globally, and "hopes are high" to finally bring one to the market in no time to alleviate the crisis.
Lots of initiatives are reportedly underway to help make the vaccines available soon, including the Operation Warp Speed initiative of the U.S. government.
The initiative, according to reports, vowed to grant $10 billion and aims to devise and deliver 300 million doses of an effective and safe COVID-19 vaccine by the start of 2021.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has coordinated global initiatives as well, to devise a vaccine, eyeing the delivery of about two billion doses by end-2021.
The vaccine candidates, reports said, as in all vaccines, vitally aim to lead the immune system to resistance, which is at times stronger than what would be given through natural ways and occurs with fewer health consequences.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Case Report at Children's National Hospital Raises Concern for Resistance to Antibiotic
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Aug 22, 2020 07:30 AM EDT
