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Wolf shuts bars on Thanksgiving eve to fight COVID-19 spread

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Last call for Pennsylvania bars will be at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving eve to cut COVID-19 transmission during what is normally a night of heavy public drinking. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf made the announcement Monday and imposed new crowd size limits of 500 indoors and 2,500 outdoors. He says there will be heightened enforcement of mask wearing requirements and other infection control tools. Wolf said he isn't closing schools statewide but is directing schools in most counties to either sign onto aggressive mitigation measures or make all learning remote and cease all extracurricular activities.

November 24, 2020

CDC pleads with Americans to avoid Thanksgiving travel

NEW YORK (AP) — With the coronavirus surging out of control, the nation’s top public health agency pleaded with Americans on Thursday not to travel for Thanksgiving and not to spend the holiday with people from outside their household. The Thanksgiving warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came as the White House coronavirus task force held a briefing for the first time in months and Vice President Mike Pence concluded it without responding to questions by reporters or urging Americans not to travel. Other members of the task force — whose media briefings were a daily fixture during the early days of the outbreak — talked about the progress being made in the development of a vaccine. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech will seek emergency government approval for their coronavirus vaccine on Friday. And infection disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci sought to reassure the public that the vaccine is safe while still encouraging Americans to wear masks. The CDC's Thanksgiving warning was some of the firmest guidance yet from the government on curtailing traditional gatherings to fight the outbreak. The CDC issued the recommendations just one week before Thanksgiving, at a time when diagnosed infections, hospitalizations and deaths are skyrocketing across the country. In many areas, the health care system is being squeezed by a combination of sick patients filling up beds and medical workers falling ill themselves. The CDC’s Dr. Erin Sauber-Schatz cited more than 1 million new cases in the U.S. over the past week as the reason for the new guidance. “The safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is at home with the people in your household,” she said. If families do decide to include returning college students, military members or others for turkey and stuffing, the CDC is recommending that the hosts take added precautions: Gatherings should be outdoors if possible, with people keeping 6 feet apart and wearing masks and just one person serving the food. Whether Americans heed the warning is another matter. The deadly comeback by the virus has been blamed in part on pandemic fatigue, or people getting tired of masks and other precautions. And surges were seen last summer after Memorial Day and July Fourth, despite blunt warnings from health authorities. The United States has had more than 11 million diagnosed infections and over 250,000 deaths from the coronavirus. CDC scientists believe that somewhere around 40% of people who are infected do not have obvious symptoms but can still spread the virus. ___ CALIFORNIA CURFEW Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced the imposition of an overnight curfew on most residents as the most populous state tries to head off a virus case surge that officials fears could tax the state’s health care system. What officials called a limited stay-at-home order requires nonessential residents to stay home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting Saturday. It lasts until Dec. 21 but could be extended. It covers 94% of the state’s nearly 40 million residents. “The virus is spreading at a pace we haven’t seen since the start of this pandemic and the next several days and weeks will be critical to stop the surge. We are sounding the alarm,” Newsom said in a statement. Also Thursday, Rhode Island Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo announced a “two-week pause” with some businesses closures and capacity reduced for restaurants and houses of worship starting Nov. 30. Officials will reevaluate COVID-19 caseloads on Dec. 13 and if they have not eased, she said “a full state lockdown” will follow. In New Hampshire, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu previously resisted calls for a statewide mask mandate but issued an order requiring face coverings to be worn in public spaces indoors and outdoors. ___ KEEPING UP WITH NON-COVID-19 CASES Hospitals are struggling to keep up with non-coronavirus cases ranging from broken bones to heart attacks in states where COVID-19 cases are tying up resources. In Kansas, rural hospitals are running into difficulty trying to transfer patients to larger hospitals for more advanced care. “Whether it is regular pneumonia or appendicitis or fractures that need surgery, they have a limited amount of beds in their facilities and they are not taking a lot of these routine cases," said Perry Desbien, a nurse practitioner who works in Smith Center and other rural communities. “They are saying, ‘Send them home. Have them follow up in the office. Unless it is life-threatening, we don’t want to see them either.'” Earlier this month, the Mayo Clinic Health System in Wisconsin announced it was suspending elective medical procedures. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker noted that with COVID-19 patients claiming a quarter of the state’s hospital beds, there are fewer resources for heart attack patients, expectant mothers or cancer patients. “When we let our hospitals get overrun or even close to it, it is all of us suffering,” Pritzker said. SICK HOSPITAL WORKERS The Mayo Clinic Health System, a Midwest network of hospitals and clinics run by the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, reported that 905 staff members have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past two weeks. Dr. Amy Williams, executive dean of Mayo Clinic Practice, said the vast majority were exposed in the community and not at work. “It shows how widely spread this is in our communities and how easy it is to get COVID-19 in the communities here in the Midwest,” she said. In Kansas, 178 employees and doctors at a Topeka hospital had active coronavirus cases or were isolated and on leave because of contact with someone who had coronavirus. And the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City and nearby clinics had 206 employees, including physicians, nurses and support staff, out as of Tuesday after testing positive. An additional 260 were not at work and quarantining while they awaited test results. POSITIVITY RATE The positivity rate — the percentage of tests coming back positive for the virus — has taken on a more prominent role in the nation’s response to the crisis in recent days. New York City shut down in-person classes in the nation’s largest school system this week after the positivity rate surpassed 3%. That angered families who believe it is too stringent a standard and question why bars and restaurants can remain open. The positivity rate has soared to record levels all around the nation. South Dakota, Iowa and Wyoming’s rate are all averaging above 50%, and the national average is now 10%. Health experts caution that there are weaknesses in the positivity data because states calculate the rate differently. But they say the overall trend is not in dispute, and it indicates severe spread and, in many places, insufficient testing. ___ Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas. Associated Press reporters from around the country contributed. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

November 19, 2020

Luzerne County: Central Court Closed After County Staff Members Test Positive for COVID

Three Luzerne County Staff members who regularly deal with criminal matters have tested positive for COVID -19. All are experiencing minor symptoms and are quarantining at home. As a result, Luzerne County Courts has closed Central Court until Monday, November 30th. All other Court related matters in other locations will proceed as scheduled.The District Attorney’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office will be moving to a remote work force with a rotating staff in their respective offices until November 30 as well.All offices and locations potentially impacted will be thoroughly cleaned by County staff.While all County offices remain open, the public is asked to check for an online or mail option to conduct their business prior to entering any County facilities.

November 18, 2020

New COVID-19 Testing Site Opens Saturday in Dickson City

The state will open a new drive-thru, outdoor COVID-19 testing clinic Saturday morning in the parking lot of the former Kmart in on Route 6 in Dickson City.The clinic will be open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Saturday through Tuesday.The health department says this This testing site will be open to anyone who feels they need a test. It is important that even people with no symptoms who test positive isolate to stop the spread of COVID-19. The site will be able to test 440 patients per day. No appointment is necessary. You will need a photo ID and Insurance card. The turnaround time is two to seven days.

November 18, 2020

Another Record Setting Day in Pennsylvania as new COVID-19 cases top 6000

Harrisburg, PA – On November 18, 2020, the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed 6,339 new, positive cases of COVID-19. 6,339 cases set another new record high for confirmed cases during the pandemic. Currently, there are 2,737 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19; 579 of these patients are in the intensive care unit. While COVID-19 is not exclusive to older patients, the Department of Health does note that most hospitalized patients are ages 65 or older.As of Wednesday morning, an additional 110 deaths were reported, bringing the statewide total to 9,465 deaths. Again, while not exclusive to older patients, the most of the states COVID-19 deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older.More complete, detailed information can be found by looking at the COVID-19 Data Dashboard. which can be found on the PA Department of Health’s website.

November 18, 2020

COVID Resurgence Leads to New Mitigation Efforts In Pennsylvania

State Health Secretary Rachel Levine is urging Pa hospitals to “prepare now” for the possibility of being strained or even overwhelmed this winter, perhaps by December, and possibly put off some non-urgent procedures. Levine said she has also ordered anyone who enters Pennsylvania to be tested within 72 hours of arriving, and if they can or do not get a negative test, they must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. The order will go into effect Friday, she said, but will not apply to people who commute to neighboring states for work or health care.The health secretary has also strengthened Pennsylvania’s universal masking order, requiring mask-wearing anywhere in the commonwealth where people are indoors close to others who are not members of their households. She said law enforcement and business owners will be responsible for enforcing the order.Levine has also ordered all colleges and universities to implement and enforce testing and quarantine procedures especially as students come and go from holiday and semester breaks.The announcement comes on a day the commonwealth set a pandemic record with 5,900 additional confirmed cases reported . That total includes 223 new cases in Luzerne which has been a hot spot for the last few weeks. Today is the fifth time in the past six days that Pennsylvania has recorded more than 5,000 cases. There are 30 new deaths reported statewide for a total of 9,355.Below are the full details from today's PA Department of Health media teleconference hosted by Dr. Rachel Levine:Harrisburg, PA– As Pennsylvania experiences a resurgence of COVID-19 cases with significantly higher daily case counts than in the spring and hospitalizations on the rise, the Wolf Administration has identified four new mitigation efforts, which Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced today.“It is our collective responsibility to protect our communities and our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians from COVID-19 and to continue to work together to get through this pandemic. These targeted mitigation efforts, combined with existing ones, are paramount to saving lives and protecting our economy,” Gov. Wolf said. “The administration will continue to monitor the risks posed by COVID-19 across the commonwealth and will reinstate or institute new targeted mitigation tactics as necessary.”The efforts announced today include:Protecting Our Health Care SystemDr. Levine issued a memorandum to acute care hospitals outlining expectations to care for Pennsylvanians who need care during the pandemic.Hospitals are to work through the established health care coalitions and other partnerships to prepare for how they will support one another in the event that a hospital becomes overwhelmed during the pandemic. Hospitals should also be working to move up elective procedures necessary to protect a person’s health and prepare to suspend them if our health care system becomes strained. Restrictions on elective surgeries put into effect in March and lifted in April were to help with both PPE and bed capacity and were considered successful.Hospitalizations are increasing, as are ICU patients, and according to modeling from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, which does not take into account hospitalizations from influenza, Pennsylvania will run out of intensive care beds in December if ICU admissions continue at the current rate.The same modeling indicates we will have sufficient medical-surgical beds with some uncertainty as to capacity from region to region.Traveler TestingDr. Levine issued an order requiring anyone who visits from another state to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to entering the commonwealth.If someone cannot get a test or chooses not to, they must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Pennsylvania.Pennsylvanians visiting other states are required to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to their return to the commonwealth or to quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania.This order, which takes effect on Friday, November 20, does not apply to people who commute to and from another state for work or medical treatment. Strengthened Masking OrderDr. Levine first issued a masking order on April 15. The order signed today strengthens this initial order with these inclusions:Masks are required to be worn indoors and outdoors if you are away from your home.When outdoors, a mask must be worn if you are not able to remain physically distant (at least 6 feet away) from someone not in your household the entire time you are outdoors.When indoors, masks will now be required even if you are physically distant from members not in your household. This means that even if you are able to be 6 feet apart, you will need to wear a mask while inside if with people other than members of your household. This order applies to every indoor facility, including homes, retail establishments, gyms, doctors’ offices, public transportation, and anywhere food is prepared, packaged or served.Colleges and UniversitiesThe departments of Health and Education issued recommendations for colleges and universities to implement a testing plan for when students return to campus following the holidays.These recommendations include establishing routine protocols for testing.Colleges and universities should have adequate capacity for isolation and quarantine and should be prepared to enforce violations of established policies such as mask wearing and physical distancing.Every college and university should test all students at the beginning of each term, when returning to campus after a break and to have regular screening testing throughout the semester/term.“We must remain united in stopping COVID-19,” Dr. Levine said. “Wear a mask, wash your hands, stay apart and download the COVID Alert PA app. If you test positive, please answer the call of the case reviewer and provide information that can help protect others. It’s the selfless, right thing to do.”

November 17, 2020

Special Edition 11 14 15 Meet Army Veteran CeCe Mazyck, Saluting Veterans in Edwardsville, Thanksgiving with Friends of the Poor

Special Edition November 14 and 15 Army Veteran Centra “Ce-Ce” Mazyck, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a parachuting jump talks about how she rebuilt her life when a decade-long career in the military came to an abrupt end and how Disabled American Veterans helped her along the way. Karen Declet says the plans are in place for the 7th year for the Edwardsville Warrior Tree Project. Meghan Loftus CEO of Friends of the Poor and Linda Robeson chair of the Friends of the Poor Family to Family Program have updates on how both events will be handled this year. A reminder the Interfaith Prayer Service will be via Zoom on Friday November 20 at 7pm. Contact the Scranton Area Ministerium to make reservations. Amanda Jaworski author of “A Different Ending” based her new book on her experience in her teens with domestic violence.

November 16, 2020

Another Daily Record Set: COVID-19 Cases Continue to Soar

Harrisburg, PA – Today, November 13, 2020, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) confirmed 5531 additional positive cases of COVID-19, and 30 new deaths. Today’s data once again set a new record for the biggest daily increase of positive cases of the virus since the pandemic began earlier this year. The upward trajectory of new positive cases is staggering. One month ago, on October 12 - 13, the PA Dept. of Health confirmed a combined 2,691 cases of COVID 19. Now, look at the combined two-day totals released for November 12 - 13. On these days, Pennsylvania had a combined 11,019 new positive cases.. This is an increase of 8,328 cases from where PA was at this time last month. For more detailed information and statistics, visit the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Dashboard here.

November 12, 2020

The Latest: US to allow limited supplies of antibody drug

HONG KONG — Hong Kong and Singapore will establish an "air travel bubble" Nov. 22 allowing travelers from the two cities to visit the other without having to serve quarantine in a first step to stimulate tourism amid the coronavirus pandemic. Under the plan, tourists from either city must take nucleic acid tests before their flight, after arrival and before their return to prove they do not have the coronavirus. They will also have to take designated flights that will carry only passengers travelling within the bubble, with a maximum of 200 travelers. Initially, there will be one flight a day to each city, increasing to two flights after Dec. 7. Officials say the system will be suspended for two weeks if either Hong Kong or Singapore reports a seven-day moving average of more than five untraceable coronavirus infections. ___ HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: — US to allow limited supplies of new antibody drug — Doctors, nurses may be better prepared for US virus surge — Norway gives quarantine exemption to 2020 Nobel winners — Intensive care space is dwindling across Europe as beds fill again with coronavirus patients — A safe Thanksgiving is possible, though health experts know their advice about avoiding the risks are tough to swallow ___ — Follow AP’s coronavirus pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak ___ HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: BEIJING — A leading Chinese health official is expressing confidence that the country may avoid a second wave of coronavirus infections this winter if it maintains the precautions currently in place. Feng Zijian is deputy director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and tells the financial magazine Caixin that China “will very likely prevent” a new round of infections given present trends and preventive measures. China has largely eliminated new local outbreaks by requiring masks to be worn indoors and on public transport. It also requires two-week quarantines for those entering the country and bans some foreign travelers entirely. Authorities have quickly moved to address local outbreaks by tracing potential contacts, carrying out widespread testing and sometimes locking down entire communities. ___ WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand’s central bank is increasing its monetary stimulus as it tries to counter the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The Reserve Bank says that beginning in December, it will provide retail banks with lower funding costs, allowing them to lower borrowing rates for companies and households. That comesplan in addition to a large asset-buying program already introduced by the central bank. The bank also announced Wednesday that it is keeping its benchmark interest rate at a record low 0.25% and is considering lowering it to zero or to a negative rate next year. But the bank also says it is considering reintroducing mortgage restrictions in March due to concerns about an increase in house prices and high-risk lending to housing investors. ___ WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The Pacific nation of Vanuatu has recorded its first case of the coronavirus after a citizen who had been repatriated from the United States tested positive while in quarantine. Vanuatu had been among the last handful of countries to have avoided the virus. Health authorities say the 23-year-old man was asymptomatic when he returned home Nov. 4. His infection was confirmed Tuesday after routine testing. Officials say they plan to keep everyone from the same flight in quarantine and to trace the man’s close contacts, but they don’t plan to impose any broader measures in the nation of 300,000 people. ___ SEOUL, South Korea -- The number of South Koreans with jobs declined in October for the eighth straight month, a streak unseen since during a 2009 financial crisis, underscoring the shock unleashed by the coronavirus pandemic. Statistics Korea said Wednesday that 27.09 million had jobs last month. That is 421,000 fewer than a year earlier as global lockdowns decimate jobs in both the country’s domestic service industries and its export-driven manufacturers. Officials say a growing number of people have given up actively searching for work amid the bleak job market. The number of people seen as economically inactive is up more than a half million from a year earlier, to a total of 16.74 million. ___ MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s governor has streamed a live social media speech to plead with residents of his state to stay at home to avoid the coronavirus, speaking after the state reported new daily highs for infections and deaths. Gov. Tony Evers said Tuesday night that he is advising businesses to allow employees to work remotely and to require masks and limit the number of people in stores and offices that are open. The governor has been imploring people to stay home and wear masks for months to little avail. The courts have overturned some of his mandates, including a stay-at-home order and a decree limiting gatherings in bars, restaurants and other places. The state Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Monday on Evers’ statewide mask mandate, which remains in effect. ___ ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Athletes at five New Mexico universities are asking Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for more flexibility in pandemic rules that would let them hold full practices and play games — something colleges in other states are being allowed to do. The student athletes are from the University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, Eastern New Mexico University, New Mexico Highlands and Western New Mexico University. They say positive tests among athletes are lower than in the general community and that shows they have been adhering to safe protocols and should be allowed to practice and compete. State officials said Tuesday they understand athletes want to compete, but public health is the top priority. Acting state Higher Education Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez said in a statement that “we must make tough decisions that will save the lives of New Mexicans, including students, faculty and staff members at our state’s colleges and universities.” ___ RENO, Nev. -- The mayor of Reno, Nev., is warning that she will fine people who don’t wear face masks and will shut down businesses if residents fail to redouble their personal efforts to fight the recent dramatic increase in coronavirus infections. Mayor Hillary Schieve cited a variety of indicators Tuesday signaling a worsening of the threat of the pandemic locally and statewide. She says a “perfect storm” is threatening to overwhelm hospitals in Reno and Sparks. Gov. Steve Sisolak scheduled a news conference Tuesday evening to address the situation. The combined number of confirmed and suspected coronavirus hospitalizations statewide has grown from about 600 on Oct. 30 to about 900 Monday. ___ JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, his wife and their three daughters are in isolation after the youngest tested positive for the coronavirus. The governor announced his daughter’s infection shortly after he canceled his coronavirus news conference that was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. He said in a social media post that “she feels OK, but could still use prayers!” Maddie Reeves, 8, attends a private elementary school in Jackson. An executive order issued by Reeves requires children and teachers to wear masks in public and private schools. Reeves says everyone in his family is being tested for the virus. Like many other states, Mississippi has seen a sharp increase in virus cases in recent weeks, with 933 newly confirmed cases reported Tuesday. Sixteen of Mississippi’s 82 counties are under a mask mandate that is set to expire Wednesday. ___ ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Maryland will reduce indoor operations for bars and restaurants from 75% to 50% in response to rising coronavirus cases and increased hospitalizations. Gov. Larry Hogan says the new limits will take effect at 5 p.m. Wednesday. State health officials issued a public health advisory strongly discouraging indoor gatherings of 25 people or more after contact tracing data showed an increase in cases resulting from family gatherings and house parties. The announcement came Tuesday after the state reported 54 more people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours. The total number of people hospitalized with the disease increased to 761, the highest since June. Maryland also reported 1,338 new coronavirus cases Tuesday — the seventh straight day of at least 1,000 cases. ___ WASHINGTON — The U.S. has surpassed 1 million new confirmed coronavirus cases since the start of November. The tally of cases in just 10 days shows the reach of the virus amid a strong fall surge. Several states posted new highs Tuesday, including 12,000 new cases in Illinois and more than 7,000 in Wisconsin, where the governor planned to take the unusual step of delivering a live address to the state urging unity and cooperation to fight the virus. The death toll is also soaring and hospitals in several states are at the breaking point. Indiana reported 63 new deaths Tuesday ___ TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas’ largest public school district has scrapped plans to allow its middle and high school students to attend some in-person classes amid a surge in coronavirus cases across the state. Three counties also have imposed new restrictions inspired by the coronavirus pandemic. Kansas is seeing its largest numbers of new confirmed coronavirus cases since the pandemic reached the state in early March. Public health officials say people aren’t wearing masks enough and are letting their guard down at gatherings, including family events such as birthday parties and baby showers. In Wichita, the state’s largest city, the local school board decided Monday that middle and high school students will continue to take classes remotely until the end of the current semester. The district had planned to allow them to have in-person classes twice a week, starting this week. ___ GILETTE, Wyo. — The son of a Wyoming state representative who opposed COVID-19 public restrictions says his father was positive for the coronavirus when he died. The Gillette News Record reports Roy Edwards, 66, died Nov. 2 at Wyoming Medical Center in Casper after being hospitalized for more than a week with an undisclosed illness. Mitch Edwards says his father was initially told he had a sinus inflammation and did not need to be tested for COVID-19. Edwards continued to oppose public restrictions resulting from the pandemic during his recent campaign to retain his House seat. He was reelected the day after he died. ___ SALEM, Ore. — Gov. Kate Brown and Oregon health officials warned Tuesday of the capacity challenges facing hospitals as COVID-19 case counts continue to spike in the state. The Oregon Health Authority recorded a record 285 confirmed COVID-19 patients in hospitals Tuesday — a 57% increase in just the past week and an 83% increase in the past four weeks. Currently, out of Oregon’s 703 listed intensive care unit beds, 27% are available and about 18% of non-ICU adult hospital beds in the state are available, based on data on from the health authority’s website. The previous record for hospitalizations in the state, outside of November, was 179 in October. Prior to the end of October, the record of COVID-19 related hospitalizations was 165 in July. ___ TORONTO — The top health official for Canada’s largest city says the spread of COVID-19 has never been greater in Toronto so she’s using her powers to continue to prohibit indoor dining in Toronto. Toronto had been due to lift some restrictions this coming weekend but Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa says there are 533 new cases in the city on Tuesday. She says the test positive rate is now a high of 5.9%. She is urging people in Toronto to limit social gatherings to only the people with whom they live. Toronto Mayor John Tory says unprecedented actions are necessary. ___ COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Authorities at a county jail in Colorado have said 859 of the 1,246 inmates in custody last Sunday tested positive for COVID-19 along with 66 employees. The El Paso County sheriff’s office says two of the employees were hospitalized over the weekend as coronavirus cases surged at the facility. The Gazette reports that spokeswoman Deborah Mynatt did not disclose the status of the two employees who were hospitalized or if they were civilian employees or deputies, citing privacy concerns. Officials first reported the outbreak on Oct. 26 when eight inmates tested positive for COVID-19. Mynatt compared the outbreak to a wildfire and said officials are trying to control further spread.

November 10, 2020

Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine is looking 90% effective

Pfizer Inc. said Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine may be a remarkable 90% effective, based on early and incomplete test results that nevertheless brought a big burst of optimism to a world desperate for the means to finally bring the catastrophic outbreak under control. The announcement came less than a week after an election seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump’s handling of the scourge, which has killed more than 1.2 million people worldwide, including almost a quarter-million in the United States alone. “We’re in a position potentially to be able to offer some hope,” Dr. Bill Gruber, Pfizer’s senior vice president of clinical development, told The Associated Press. “We’re very encouraged.” Pfizer, which is developing the vaccine with its German partner BioNTech, now is on track to apply later this month for emergency-use approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, once it has the necessary safety information in hand. Even if all goes well, authorities have stressed it is unlikely any vaccine will arrive much before the end of the year, and the limited initial supplies will be rationed. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government's top infectious-disease expert, said the results suggesting 90% effectiveness are “just extraordinary," adding: "Not very many people expected it would be as high as that.” “It’s going to have a major impact on everything we do with respect to COVID,” Fauci said as Pfizer appeared to take the lead in the all-out global race by pharmaceutical companies and various countries to develop a well-tested vaccine against the virus. Dr. Bruce Aylward, the World Health Organization’s senior adviser, said Pfizer's vaccine could “fundamentally change the direction of this crisis” by March, when the U.N. agency hopes to start vaccinating high-risk groups. Global markets, already buoyed by the victory of President-elect Joe Biden, rallied on the news from Pfizer. The S&P 500 finished the day with a gain of 1.2%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose more than 800 points. Pfizer stock was up more than 8%. Still, Monday's announcement doesn't mean for certain that a vaccine is imminent: This interim analysis, from an independent data monitoring board, looked at 94 infections recorded so far in a study that has enrolled nearly 44,000 people in the U.S. and five other countries. Some participants got the vaccine, while others got dummy shots. Pfizer released no specific breakdowns, but for the vaccine to be 90% effective, nearly all the infections must have occurred in placebo recipients. The study is continuing, and Pfizer cautioned that the protection rate might change as more COVID-19 cases are added to the calculations. Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, former chief of the FDA’s vaccine division, called the partial results “extremely promising” but ticked off many questions still to be answered, including how long the vaccine’s effects last and whether it protects older people as well as younger ones. Trump, who had suggested repeatedly during the presidential campaign that a vaccine could be ready by Election Day, tweeted: “STOCK MARKET UP BIG, VACCINE COMING SOON. REPORT 90% EFFECTIVE. SUCH GREAT NEWS!” Biden, for his part, welcomed the news but cautioned that it could be many months before vaccinations become widespread in the U.S., and he warned Americans to rely on masks and social distancing in the meantime. He said the country still faces a “dark winter.” Confirmed infections in the U.S. eclipsed 10 million on Monday, the highest in the world. New cases are running at all-time highs of more than 100,000 per day. And tens of thousands more deaths are feared in the coming months, with the onset of cold weather and the holidays. Pfizer’s vaccine is among four candidates already in huge studies in the U.S., with still more being tested in other countries. Another U.S. company, Moderna Inc., also hopes to file an application with the FDA late this month. Both companies' shots are made with a brand-new technology. These “mRNA vaccines” aren't made with the coronavirus itself, meaning there's no chance anyone could catch it from the shots. Instead, the vaccine contains a piece of genetic code that trains the immune system to recognize the spiked protein on the surface of the virus. The timing of Pfizer's announcement is likely to feed unsubstantiated suspicions from Trump supporters that the pharmaceutical industry was withholding the news until after the election. Donald Trump Jr. tweeted: “The timing of this is pretty amazing. Nothing nefarious about the timing of this at all right?” Pfizer has insisted that its work is not influenced by politics and that it was “moving at the speed of science.” Its independent data monitors met on Sunday, analyzing the COVID-19 test results so far and notifying Pfizer. Pfizer initially opted not to join the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed, which helped fund a half-dozen vaccine makers' research and manufacturing scale-up. Pfizer instead said it has invested $2 billion of its own money in testing and expanding manufacturing capacity. But in July, Pfizer signed a contract to supply the U.S. with 100 million doses for $1.95 billion, assuming the vaccine is cleared by the FDA. Pfizer said its only involvement in Operation Warp Speed is that those doses are part of the administration’s goal to have 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines ready sometime next year. The strong results were a surprise. Scientists have warned for months that any COVID-19 shot may be only as good as flu vaccines, which are about 50% effective and require yearly immunizations. Earlier this year, Fauci said he would be happy with a COVID-19 vaccine that was 60% effective. Whatever the ultimate level of protection, no one knows if people will need regular vaccinations. Also, volunteers in the study received a coronavirus test only if they developed symptoms, leaving unanswered whether vaccinated people could get infected but show no symptoms and unknowingly spread the virus. Pfizer has estimated it could have 50 million doses available globally by the end of 2020, enough for 25 million people. Public Citizen, the consumer advocacy group, called the release of the preliminary and incomplete data “bad science" and said that any enthusiasm over the results “must be tempered” until they are reviewed by the FDA and its independent experts. “Crucial information absent from the companies’ announcement is any evidence that the vaccine prevents serious COVID-19 cases or reduces hospitalizations and deaths due to the disease," the organization said. ___ AP writers Marilynn Marchione, Frank Jordans and Charles Sheehan contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

November 09, 2020