
<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong> Despite the deadly wave of delta variant coronavirus that overwhelmed hospitals and sent death rates soaring, high numbers of Americans are still refusing Covid-19 vaccines, according to a new <a href="https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/poll-finding/kff-covid-19-vaccine-monitor-october-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">poll</a> by the Kaiser Family Foundation, underscoring the challenges officials face as they try to move beyond the pandemic.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>One in five Americans said they would never get a Covid-19 shot (16%) or would only do so if required (4%), according to the Kaiser poll, conducted October 14-24 among 1,519 U.S. adults.</p>



<p>Around a third of Republicans (31%) and rural residents (33%)—the groups most opposed to vaccination—said they would definitely not get the shot, the poll found, with a further 3% and 2%, respectively, saying they would only do so if required.</p>



<p>The poll also found strong vaccine opposition among uninsured people under 65 (28% said they would definitely not get the jab or only do so if required), white evangelical Christians (26%), those aged 30-49 (25%), men (24%) and adults without a college degree (23%).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Partisan divides persisted among vaccinated adults, Kaiser found, with nearly four in 10 (38%) fully vaccinated Republicans saying they probably or definitely would not get a booster shot if one was made available to them, nearly four times the number of like-minded Democrats (9%).&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>A quarter (25%) of workers said their employer has required them to get vaccinated, Kaiser found. Just over half (51%) of workers not subject to a vaccine mandate at work said they did not want their employer to do so (vs 21% who do). Unsurprisingly, these figures change when split by vaccination status, with nearly three times as many (90%) unvaccinated adults saying they do not want their employer to require vaccination as vaccinated adults (35%).&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>More than a third (37%) of unvaccinated workers said they would leave their jobs if their employer required vaccination even if they offered a testing alternative, Kaiser found. If no testing option was available, this rose to 72%. A third (32%) of Republicans polled said they already know someone who has left a job over a vaccine mandate.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/09/21/half-of-vaccinated-americans-might-not-spend-the-holidays-with-unvaccinated-family-and-friends-poll-finds/?sh=4b7532dd349a">Patience</a>&nbsp;with the unvaccinated is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3kxtPHVHZE&amp;ab_channel=ForbesBreakingNews" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wearing thin</a>&nbsp;at many levels of government, in corporate America and among vaccinated Americans. Despite an abundant vaccine supply and every adult (and many children) having been eligible for months, a significant portion of the U.S. population remains unvaccinated. Resistance to vaccines has remained steady for months, according to polls by Kaiser and other firms, despite material changes to the pandemic and the spread of the delta variant. The surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths seen over the summer was driven almost entirely by unvaccinated people,&nbsp; Employers have been implementing their own policies to encourage vaccination among workers and in early September, President Biden announced sweeping new mandates covering all businesses with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/09/us/politics/biden-mandates-vaccines.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more than 100 employees</a>&nbsp;to require their workers get vaccinated or be tested weekly. The policies&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2021/10/04/covid-19-vaccine-mandates-are-working-heres-the-proof/?sh=2e0aa65f2305">appear</a>&nbsp;to be working, with vaccination rates shooting up among workforces after requirements were announced.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/09/05/by-the-numbers-whos-refusing-covid-vaccinations-and-why/?sh=66b5e62552ea">By The Numbers: Who’s Refusing Covid Vaccinations—And Why</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/08/03/most-unvaccinated-americans-dont-feel-responsible-for-surging-covid-cases-poll-suggests---heres-who-they-blame/?sh=35850d41c8e0">Most Unvaccinated Americans Don’t Feel Responsible For Surging Covid Cases, Poll Suggests — Here’s Who They Blame</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/08/19/the-cost-of-being-unvaccinated-just-went-up---most-insurers-are-passing-costs-back-to-patients-as-covid-hospitalizations-soar/?sh=79abb26ebd9a">The Cost Of Being Unvaccinated Just Went Up — Most Insurers Are Passing Costs Back To Patients As Covid Hospitalizations Soar</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/08/delta-has-changed-pandemic-endgame/619726/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How The Pandemic Now Ends</a>&nbsp;(The Atlantic)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/06/11/here-are-the-biggest-groups-that-are-still-refusing-the-covid-19-vaccine-poll-finds/?sh=4b17342242cc">Here Are The Biggest Groups That Are Still Refusing The Covid-19 Vaccine, Poll Finds</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2021/10/04/covid-19-vaccine-mandates-are-working-heres-the-proof/?sh=2e0aa65f2305">Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates Are Working—Here’s The Proof</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><em><strong>By Robert Hart, Forbes Sta</strong></em><strong><em>ff</em></strong></p>


Kenya Vaccinates Elderly Against Covid-19

1 In 5 Adults Still Reject Covid Vaccines, Poll Finds — Here Are The Biggest Groups Still Holding Out


<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong> The World Health Organization <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/06-10-2021-who-recommends-groundbreaking-malaria-vaccine-for-children-at-risk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">endorsed</a> the safety and efficacy of the world’s first malaria vaccine on Wednesday, clearing the way for it to be rolled out to treat children in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions that are hard-hit by the disease, which is one of the leading killers in low-income countries.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>WHO expert advisory groups on vaccines and malaria said the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, also known as Mosquirix, which was developed by GlaxoSmithKline, was recommended based off the results of a pilot program involving more than 800,000 children in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi.</p>



<p>The pilot program showed the vaccine was cost-effective and helped to reduce the incidence of life-threatening severe cases of malaria by 30% in areas where other preventative measures were being taken.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>More than 260,000. That is approximately how many children under the age of 5 die of malaria in Africa annually, according to the WHO.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>“Today’s recommendation offers a glimmer of hope for the continent which shoulders the heaviest burden of the disease, and we expect many more African children to be protected from malaria and grow into healthy adults,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR</h2>



<p>The WHO said it will make funding decisions for a broader rollout of the vaccine, and countries will need to decide whether they want to adopt the vaccine.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>GlaxoSmithKline, <a href="https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/responsibility/improving-health-globally/using-our-science-for-global-health/guardian-article-the-30-year-quest-for-a-malaria-vaccine/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> it has been working to create a vaccine that would help protect against malaria for 30 years. The company first made a breakthrough in 1996 with the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, which protected six out of seven volunteers in an initial trial. Additional studies in 1999 on adults in Gambia and in 2004 on Mozambique children also proved that the vaccine was effective. Based on various trials, the company submitted a regulatory application with the European Medicines Agency last year, taking the first step to getting the vaccine approved for widespread use.</p>



<p><strong><em>By Kimberlee Speakman, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


GHANA-HEALTH-VACCINES-MALARIA

WHO Backs Widespread Use Of First Malaria Vaccine


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> Pfizer plans to imminently submit its data on Covid-19 vaccinations for five- to 11-year-olds for governmental approval, CEO Albert Bourla said Sunday, which means the shots could potentially be available for kids later this fall after initial data <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/09/20/pfizer-prepares-to-seek-us-eu-approval-for-its-covid-vaccine-in-kids-as-young-as-five/?sh=91f3a3b2f154">suggested</a> the vaccine produces a “strong immune response” in children.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Bourla&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1442132591855951873" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;on ABC’s&nbsp;<em>This Week</em>&nbsp;that the company intends to submit its trial data for five to 11 year olds for approval “pretty soon,” adding it is “a question of days, not weeks.”</p>



<p>Once they submit the data, it will be “up to the [Food and Drug Administration]” to determine whether the vaccine should be approved, Bourla said, but Pfizer “will be ready with our manufacturing to provide this new formulation of the vaccine” if it is.</p>



<p>Pfizer released&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/09/20/pfizer-prepares-to-seek-us-eu-approval-for-its-covid-vaccine-in-kids-as-young-as-five/?sh=91f3a3b2f154">initial trial data</a>&nbsp;earlier this week, which has not yet been peer reviewed, that found the child Covid-19 vaccine—which is one-third the dose that’s given to adults—is “safe” and “well tolerated” among five- to 11-year-olds.</p>



<p>The data suggested the vaccine provokes an immune response in children similar to that of fully vaccinated 16- to 25-year-olds despite the smaller dose, and also similar mild side effects like pain at the site of the injection, fever, fatigue and chills.</p>



<p>Former FDA head Dr. Scott Gottleib, who serves on Pfizer’s board,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-dr-scott-gottlieb-covid-19-booster-09-26-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;on CBS Sunday he expects the agency’s review of the Pfizer data to take approximately four to six weeks, putting the timeline for potential approval somewhere between Halloween and mid-November.</p>



<p>U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/09/12/covid-vaccines-for-kids-could-be-approved-by-halloween-under-best-case-scenario-gottlieb-suggests/?sh=4b3f5832378a">said</a>&nbsp;earlier in September the government is ready to “process that [data] quickly” as soon as Pfizer submits it.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>5.5 million. That’s the approximate number of Covid-19 cases that have been reported in children as of September 16,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/children-and-covid-19-state-level-data-report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the most recent&nbsp; date for which data is available. Children make up 15.7% of all U.S. Covid-19 cases, but cases have been particularly on the rise among kids in recent months amid the highly infectious delta variant’s spread. The AAP reports child cases made up 25.7% of the cases reported the week of September 9-16, and the total number of Covid-19 cases in children since the start of the pandemic increased by 9% just in the span of two weeks, between September 2 and September 16.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Moderna is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/leahrosenbaum/2021/03/16/moderna-starts-covid-19-vaccine-trial-in-kids-younger-than-12-years-old/?sh=2ef4fd411d5b">testing</a>&nbsp;Covid-19 vaccines in children but has not yet released any of its findings, and Pfizer is also undergoing trials of its shot in children under five years old. That trial data is expected to come by the end of the year, Pfizer said earlier this week. Johnson &amp; Johnson is so far only&nbsp;<a href="https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/pharmacy/how-pfizer-moderna-j-j-are-testing-their-vaccines-in-children.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testing</a>&nbsp;its vaccine among adolescents, and AstraZeneca has also started trials of its vaccine in children as young as six, though it was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/04/06/coronavirus-covid-live-updates-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paused</a>&nbsp;in April pending a safety review due to concerns about blood clots.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Bourla’s comments Sunday are in line with previous estimates on the FDA approval process for child vaccines, with Gottleib&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/09/12/covid-vaccines-for-kids-could-be-approved-by-halloween-under-best-case-scenario-gottlieb-suggests/?sh=4b3f5832378a">predicting</a>&nbsp;earlier in September the shots could be approved by Halloween under a “best-case scenario,” which he reiterated Sunday. Leaders at BioNTech, which developed the vaccine with Pfizer, also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/09/10/pfizer-biontech-to-seek-approval-for-first-covid-vaccine-for-young-children-in-next-few-weeks/?sh=384f8eba2337">said</a>&nbsp;September 10 they planned to seek approval for their vaccine “in the next few weeks.” Covid-19 vaccines in children have become a particularly urgent issue in light of the delta variant, which has fueled numerous outbreaks of the coronavirus in schools—particularly those&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisakim/2021/09/24/students-in-schools-with-masking-requirements-less-likely-to-get-covid-cdc-studies-show/?sh=786b6e4a8381">without</a>&nbsp;mask mandates and other mitigation measures—and left unvaccinated populations like children particularly vulnerable. Studies have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01897-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">indicated</a>&nbsp;children are less susceptible to severe illness and death from Covid-19, but pediatric&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/08/20/alabama-sets-new-record-for-kids-hospitalized-with-covid/?sh=3f88ae3173f1">hospitalizations</a>&nbsp;have nevertheless been on the rise, and children are also at risk of developing “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/09/heres-what-we-know-about-long-covid-the-debilitating-lingering-illness-that-could-affect-millions/">long Covid</a>,” in which debilitating symptoms may persist for months. (Recent research&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/09/17/long-covid-less-common-than-feared-as-studies-suggest-many-confuse-other-symptoms-with-condition/?sh=6428dc2a64b4">suggests</a>&nbsp;the incidence of long Covid may be lower than previously thought, but the data remains inconclusive.) Parents have pushed for more information on the FDA approval process and for the vaccine to be available to kids as soon as possible as a result, with more than 100 lawmakers sending a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/RepKatiePorter/status/1427687260305063937" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">letter</a>&nbsp;to the FDA in August seeking answers about the timeline for the shot.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Bourla also&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1442135576111636485" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;Sunday he believed “within a year,” people will be able to “come back to within normal lives” despite Covid-19, echoing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-chief-executive-sees-pandemic-over-year-newspaper-2021-09-23/v" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">comments</a>&nbsp;made earlier this week by Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel, though he believes new variants of the coronavirus will continue to emerge. While Bourla acknowledged “we don’t know really” what the future of the pandemic will look like, the CEO suggested future Covid-19 vaccines designed to combat emerging variants could “last at least a year” and predicted people will have annual Covid-19 vaccinations.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/09/20/pfizer-prepares-to-seek-us-eu-approval-for-its-covid-vaccine-in-kids-as-young-as-five/?sh=91f3a3b2f154">Pfizer Prepares To Seek U.S., EU Approval After Study Shows Vaccine Is Safe For Five To 11-Year-Olds</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/09/12/covid-vaccines-for-kids-could-be-approved-by-halloween-under-best-case-scenario-gottlieb-suggests/?sh=4b3f5832378a">Covid Vaccines For Kids Could Be Approved By Halloween Under ‘Best Case Scenario,’ Gottlieb Suggests</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/09/10/pfizer-biontech-to-seek-approval-for-first-covid-vaccine-for-young-children-in-next-few-weeks/?sh=384f8eba2337">Pfizer-BioNTech To Seek Approval For First Covid Vaccine For Young Children ‘In Next Few Weeks’</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Alison Durkee, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Female doctor giving covid-19 vaccine to a boy

Child Covid-19 Vaccine Data Will Be Submitted To FDA Within ‘Days,’ Pfizer CEO Says

Thailand Rolls Out Pfizer Vaccine

Covid’s Forgotten Hero: The Untold Story Of The Scientist Whose Breakthrough Made The Vaccines Possible


<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong> A new study out of South Korea found that taking an AstraZeneca vaccine shot followed by a Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine shot boosted Covid-19 antibody levels six times more than receiving two Astra-Zeneca doses, as some governments around the world are giving the green light to mix Covid-19 vaccine shots for extra protection against the virus.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>The study was conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, and it took a look at the effects of mixing certain vaccine doses and vaccine efficacy against coronavirus variants Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta, as first&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/mixed-astrazeneca-pfizer-shot-boosts-covid-antibody-level-study-2021-07-26/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;by Reuters.</p>



<p>About 499 medical workers took part in the study, with about 200 workers receiving two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, 200 workers receiving two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 100 workers receiving mixed doses of both the vaccines.</p>



<p>All three groups acquired antibodies, with the group that mixed AstraZeneca and Pfizer showing similar levels of antibodies as the group that received the two Pfizer shots.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The study also found that each of the vaccine doses were most effective against the Alpha variant, but&nbsp; showed decreased effectiveness between 2 ½ to 6 times on Beta, Gamma and Delta variants.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



<p>Back in June, Oxford University led a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/06/28/uk-study-offers-new-evidence-you-can-mix-and-match-coronavirus-vaccines/?sh=64cc30081082">study</a>&nbsp;to find out if mixing and matching vaccines was viable. It found that taking an AstraZeneca vaccine shot followed by a Pfizer shot created the highest T-cell response, which are immune cells that attack and destroy infected cells. The vaccine combo also generated more antibodies than taking a Pfizer shot followed by an AstraZeneca shot. Both the Oxford University study and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency study show that vaccines can still provide a strong immunity response to the virus if mixed and matched. The United States&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/covid-19-vaccines-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centers for Disease Control</a>&nbsp;does not recommend mixing doses from different vaccines since it has not yet evaluated if that practice is safe and effective. However, some countries like Germany and Spain allow for mixed shots, allowing people to receive Pfizer and Moderna shots even after they have already gotten AstraZeneca’s first dose. Canada’s health officials also started to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/canada-mixing-covid-19-vaccines-astrazeneca-pfizer-moderna-naci-1.6048152" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recommend&nbsp;</a>mixing vaccine shots last month, if people are unable to take two of the same vaccine doses.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h3>



<p>As the Delta variant continues to grow internationally, more people are reporting taking multiple vaccine doses. Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57571791" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">received</a>&nbsp;the Moderna jab at the end of June, a few months after she received her first AstraZeneca shot. One U.S. doctor received the one-shot Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine in Seattle, but then, after moving to Canada, got one shot of the Pfizer vaccine for added protection, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/26/delta-people-are-mixing-and-matching-covid-vaccines-over-concerns-about-variant.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>&nbsp;by CNBC. The U.S. does not consider people who have had different doses of vaccines as fully vaccinated.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-out-for">WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR</h3>



<p>Pfizer said it will be creating a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/08/pfizer-says-it-is-developing-a-covid-booster-shot-to-target-the-highly-transmissible-delta-variant.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">booster</a>&nbsp;shot to target the Delta variant. Trials for the booster shot&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsmv.com/news/pfizer-booster-shot-trial-underway-in-nashville/article_5447ab60-edf5-11eb-b977-6b315cb7c729.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">began</a>&nbsp;in Nashville on Monday. Moderna also announced it will be developing a booster shot, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-vaccine-booster-shot-what-we-know/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trial</a>&nbsp;results expected by September. Some doctors are even&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/20/dr-vin-gupta-encourages-jj-vaccine-recipients-to-get-a-pfizer-or-moderna-booster.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">encouraging</a>&nbsp;those who received the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine to consider getting either a Pfizer or Moderna booster shot, even though it is unclear how the booster shots may work with other vaccines.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h3>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/06/28/uk-study-offers-new-evidence-you-can-mix-and-match-coronavirus-vaccines/?sh=64cc30081082">U.K. Study Offers New Evidence You Can ‘Mix And Match’ Coronavirus Vaccines</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="http://mymusictaste.com/artist/68f14b7dcc835375b53d0ea65f4dedd7/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Americans are ‘mixing and matching’ Covid vaccines over concerns about the delta variant</a> (<em>CNBC</em>)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Kimberlee Speakman, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Dept of Correctional Services Vaccination Rollout Launch in South Africa

Mixed AstraZeneca-Pfizer Vaccine Boosts Covid Antibody Levels, Korea Study Finds


<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong> Both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines work well at preventing symptomatic cases of the delta coronavirus variant—which became the dominant strain in the U.S. this month—but the vaccines’ effectiveness drops significantly in patients who only have one of the two doses, according to a new study.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>A study of 19,000 people from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2108891" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Public Health England</a>&nbsp;published Wednesday found that both doses of either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines help protect against symptoms from both the alpha (B.1.1.7, also known as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2021/04/07/uk-coronavirus-variant-is-now-the-dominant-strain-in-us-cdc-says/">the U.K. variant</a>) and delta variants at comparable rates.</p>



<p>Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine had an effectiveness of 93.7% at preventing symptomatic alpha infections, and 88% for the delta variant.</p>



<p>Two doses of AstraZeneca were found to be 74.5% effective at preventing symptomatic alpha infections, and 67% for delta.</p>



<p>However, the effectiveness of the vaccines plummeted if a patient had only received one dose of either vaccine: the study found both to be just more than 48% effective against alpha and only about 30% effective against delta.</p>



<p>Researchers said their findings support the theory that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2108891" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prioritizing second doses</a>, especially in vulnerable populations, is an effective way to prevent coronavirus outbreaks.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h3>



<p>The single-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine only has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2021/07/20/johnson--johnson-vaccine-far-less-effective-against-delta-variant-study-suggests/?sh=44f5e2864299">a 33% efficacy rate</a>&nbsp;against the delta variant, a New York University study released Tuesday suggested, although it has not been peer reviewed.&nbsp;A small study from Moderna last month suggested their vaccine also&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.modernatx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/moderna-provides-clinical-update-neutralizing-activity-its-covid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">offers protection</a>&nbsp;against the delta strain.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



<p>The delta variant, which experts believe is more transmissible than earlier forms of coronavirus, is thought to be the driving force behind <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/07/17/covid-hospitalizations-rise-nationwide-amid-delta-surge---especially-in-these-states/?sh=290e647e52a8">a new wave of infections</a> and a jump in hospitalizations across the U.S. Experts have warned about the danger delta could pose. Former Food and Drug Administration head Dr. Scott Gottlieb said the “majority” of unvaccinated Americans would likely contract the delta mutation eventually, adding the disease “is going to be the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/07/18/former-fda-head-says-delta-will-infect-majority-of-unvaccinated-americans-and-may-be-most-serious-virus-in-their-lifetime/?sh=22ee15f06b17">most serious virus</a> they will get in their lifetime in terms of the risk of putting them in the hospital.” The surge of new cases has pushed some cities like <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/graisondangor/2021/07/15/los-angeles-reportedly-will-reinstate-mask-mandate-saturday/?sh=7b879fb45373">Los Angeles</a> and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/07/21/delta-fueled-covid-surge-spurs-new-mask-mandates---here-are-the-states-where-they-cant-legally-be-reimposed/?sh=6be7887c37b4">Las Vegas</a> to reintroduce mandatory masking in some indoor spaces.</p>



<p><strong><em>By Carlie Porterfield, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


A doctor’s hand with a syringe of covid-19 coronavirus vaccine.

Study Finds Pfizer And AstraZeneca Vaccines Effective Against The Delta Variant — As Long As You Get Both Doses


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> A new U.K. study has found that more than 95% of Britons vaccinated with just one shot of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine develop Covid-19 antibodies, a figure that rises to almost 100% after the second dose, adding to mounting evidence from the real-world deployment of the vaccines that show they are effective and useful tools in bringing the pandemic under control. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>In a study of more than 8,500 people from England and Wales, who did not have antibodies before their first shot and provided a total of 13,232 antibody samples, 96% developed antibodies 28 to 34 days after receiving their first dose, according to research from University College London (UCL).</p>



<p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://ucl-virus-watch.net/?page_id=913" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a>, which is being prepared for peer review, found this figure to rise to 99% within seven and 14 days of their second shot for recipients of both vaccines, evidence that they provide protection against the coronavirus.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While those receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine developed antibodies faster than those receiving the AstraZeneca shot, rates were practically identical after a period of four weeks.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Many groups at a greater risk from Covid-19—including those with underlying conditions like diabetes and cancer, those taking immune system suppressing drugs and older adults—produced fewer antibodies after a single dose, a potential problem for countries like the U.K. where the second dose is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/05/14/study-finds-12-week-gap-between-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-dose-generates-35-times-higher-antibody-response/?sh=5fe5400da6a3">delayed</a>&nbsp;by several weeks in order to vaccinate more people.</p>



<p>However, a second shot boosted antibody levels to the standard high levels, something Professor Rob Aldridge, the chief investigator of the study,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/18/96-of-britons-develop-antibodies-after-one-covid-jab-study-finds" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<em>Guardian</em>&nbsp;underscores the “importance of getting the second dose.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Aldridge described the findings as “reassuring &#8211; vaccines are our way out of the pandemic.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h3>



<p>Dr. Maddie Shrotri, the paper’s lead author,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/18/96-of-britons-develop-antibodies-after-one-covid-jab-study-finds" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;the findings are from some of the earliest “real-world vaccine studies in the U.K.” Shrotri said the results are “fantastic news,” adding that it is “remarkable” how well the vaccines work given the speed at which they’ve been developed. “It’s a real feat of science in the face of the most devastating pandemic in a century.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h3>



<p>57 million. This is&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">how many vaccines&nbsp;</a>have been given out in the U.K., the vast majority being the Pfizer-BioNTech or AstraZeneca shots. Just over 20 million people have received their second dose.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h3>



<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/18/96-of-britons-develop-antibodies-after-one-covid-jab-study-finds" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Covid vaccine: 96% of Britons develop antibodies after one jab, study finds</a>&nbsp;(Guardian)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/05/14/study-finds-12-week-gap-between-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-dose-generates-35-times-higher-antibody-response/?sh=5fe5400da6a3">12-Week Gap Between Pfizer Vaccine Doses Generates Higher Antibody Response, Study Finds</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


Healthcare professional in protective gloves & workwear holding & organising a tray of COVID-19 vaccine vials

96% Of People Develop Covid Antibodies After Just One Shot Of Pfizer Or AstraZeneca Vaccine, U.K. Study Finds


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> With the U.S. coronavirus vaccination effort falling short of its goals as some states have <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-29/u-s-vaccinations-at-200-000-a-day-run-far-short-of-warp-speed#:~:text=TWITTER%20INC-,A%20resident%20receives%20a%20dose%20of%20Pfizer%2DBioNTech%20Covid%2D19,in%20Miami%2C%20Dec.%2029.&amp;text=The%20U.S.%20is%20vaccinating%20an,sent%20to%20them%20this%20month." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">used only small portions</a> of the supplies allocated to them, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed optimism that vaccinations will ramp up in the coming days but cautioned that more cooperation between the federal government and states would be necessary.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<ul><li>Asked in a Sunday interview with ABC’s <em>This Week</em> to account for the delay, Fauci cited the program’s “massive size” and said that a few “glitches” at the outset were to be expected. </li></ul>



<ul><li>The federal government’s Operation Warp Speed vaccine effort had aimed to vaccinate 20 million Americans by the end of the year, but as of December 30 just 4.2 million doses had been administered, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-cdc/u-s-distributes-over-13-07-million-doses-of-covid-19-vaccines-4-2-million-administered-cdc-idUSKBN2970MY" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.</li></ul>



<ul><li>The Trump administration has largely left the logistical burden of mass vaccinations to individual states. </li></ul>



<ul><li>Ashish Jha, the dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/12/30/covid-vaccine-delay/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told the <em>Washington Post</em></a> last week that the idea that states can effectively distribute the vaccine to millions using their existing infrastructure is a “fantasy.”</li></ul>



<ul><li>Fauci said Sunday that expecting either the federal government or state governments to handle vaccine logistics on their own would be unrealistic; instead, he said a “combination of both” would be needed for the large-scale vaccination drive to be successful. </li></ul>



<ul><li>In an effort to boost the number of Americans who receive the vaccine quickly, Fauci <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2021/12/31/fauci-says-us-considering-allowing-more-americans-to-get-first-dose-of-covid-19-vaccine-with-amended-approach/?sh=321f0269397e">said last week</a> that the federal government is considering altering its protocols by dispensing vaccine doses now that have been held back as second doses by the government. </li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



<p>“We are not where we want to be, no doubt about that, but I think we can get there,” Fauci said Sunday.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h4>



<p>1.5 million. That’s how many Americans were vaccinated over the last 72 hours, Fauci said, about 500,000 per day. That’s an improvement over the 200,000 people per day rate&nbsp;<em>Bloomberg</em>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-29/u-s-vaccinations-at-200-000-a-day-run-far-short-of-warp-speed#:~:text=TWITTER%20INC-,A%20resident%20receives%20a%20dose%20of%20Pfizer%2DBioNTech%20Covid%2D19,in%20Miami%2C%20Dec.%2029.&amp;text=The%20U.S.%20is%20vaccinating%20an,sent%20to%20them%20this%20month." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;last week, but still significantly lower than the 3 million people per day&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/30/covid-us-needs-to-vaccinate-3-million-people-per-day-to-hit-goal.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">one expert told CNBC</a>&nbsp;would be necessary to ensure all Americans who want a vaccine receive one by July.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2021/01/02/large-numbers-of-health-care-and-frontline-workers-are-refusing-covid-19-vaccine/">Large Numbers Of Health Care And Frontline Workers Are Refusing Covid-19 Vaccine</a>&nbsp;<em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/12/24/here-are-the-states-breaking-from-cdc-guidelines-on-vaccine-priority/">Here Are The States Breaking From CDC Guidelines On Vaccine Priority</a>&nbsp;<em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2021/01/01/united-states-passes-20-million-covid-19-cases-as-deaths-remain-near-record-high/">United States Passes 20 Million Covid-19 Cases As Deaths Remain Near Record High</a>&nbsp;<em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/12/28/biden-will-invoke-defense-production-act-to-boost-vaccine-production-adviser-says/">Biden Will Invoke Defense Production Act To Boost Vaccine Production, Adviser Says</a> <em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><em>By Sarah Hansen, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Dr. Fauci And HHS Sec. Azar Receive COVID-19 Vaccinations During NIH Vaccine Kick-Off Event

Fauci Optimistic That U.S. Vaccination Delays Can Be Remedied


<p><strong><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color">TOPLINE</span></strong>: Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine is 94.5% effective in preventing the disease, preliminary data from large-scale phase three trials shows, the company announced in a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://investors.modernatx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/modernas-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-meets-its-primary-efficacy" target="_blank">press release</a> on Monday.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><span class="has-inline-color has-vivid-red-color">KEY FACTS</span></strong></h3>



<p>The preliminary data is based on an evaluation of 95 confirmed Covid-19 infections among the trial’s 30,000 participants.</p>



<p>According to the company, 90 of the participants who got infected with Covid-19 are from the placebo group while only 5 cases of infection were seen in the group that received two doses of the vaccine.</p>



<p><em>This is a developing story. Check back for updates.</em></p>



<p><em>-By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff</em></p>


In this photo illustration the medical syringe is seen with

Moderna’s Covid-19 Vaccine Is More Than 94% Effective, Preliminary Data Shows


<p>Stay-at-home stocks, a pandemic-market favorite, are getting battered Monday after pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced promising vaccine results that could reopen and restore a troubled economy, but might negatively affect companies like Zoom and Peloton that have benefited from the stay-at-home environment—at least temporarily. </p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>Tech-heavy Nasdaq, which hosts stay-at-home staples like Zoom, Netflix and Amazon, is lagging the broader market on Monday, is up just 1% while the Dow Jones and S&amp;P 500 are up about 4% and 3%, respectively, as industries left reeling by the pandemic celebrate news regarding the possibility of a return to normalcy.</p>



<p>Among the day&#8217;s biggest stock losers is pandemic phenomenon Zoom, which late last month&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/2020/10/29/zoom-is-now-worth-more-than-exxonmobil-and-founder-eric-yuans-net-worth-has-nearly-doubled-in-three-months/">surpassed ExxonMobil in market cap</a>; shares are down 15% on Monday but are still up more than 500% this year.Peloton Interactive–which is gearing up for what could easily be its best holiday season yet–is also tanking about 15%, pushing its year-to-date gains down to about 260%.</p>



<p>Netflix, meanwhile, is down about 5%–a slightly smaller decline for a firm that&#8217;s still up nearly 50% this year.</p>



<p>Though not as hard hit as others on Monday, cloud stocks like Twilio, Slack and Datadog are also falling–about 3%, 1.5% and 1%, respectively–despite the broader market gains.</p>



<p>Stocks like Zoom and Netflix should be &#8220;long-term winners, [but they&#8217;ll] lose in the short term, as their valuations ran ahead of actual earnings,&#8221; says James McDonald, the CEO of Los Angeles-based Hercules Investments, adding that such firms have &#8220;likely already seen peak levels of adoption and revenue&#8221; in the short term.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE&nbsp;</h4>



<p>&#8220;The enormous moves witnessed in some areas of the market are certainly due to a fundamental reassessment after the vaccine news, but [they] also reflect a huge positioning adjustment as investors try and dial back tech exposures and&#8230; buy names closer to the epicenter of the pandemic,&#8221; says Vital Media Knowledge Founder Adam Crisafulli. &#8220;Even though tech has been in the midst of a consolidation phase since the start of September, the group is still very owned and should this pro-cyclical rotation continue (which seems likely), momentum will face steep headwinds in the near-term.&#8221;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CHIEF CRITIC</h4>



<p>Experts aren&#8217;t totally convinced Monday&#8217;s stock gains–and losses–will be long-lived. &#8220;I suspect the markets, which are already in a bullish mood due to the incoming Biden administration, are overthinking the positive vaccine news,&#8221; says Nigel Green, the CEO of $10 billion advisory deVere Group. “There’s a long road ahead still,&#8221; he adds, noting that investors will have more clarity on the implications of Monday&#8217;s announcement by the third week of November, when Pfizer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">says it plans</a>&nbsp;to submit its vaccine candidate to the FDA for approval.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>Technology stocks have massively outperformed the broader market this year, with the Nasdaq composite up nearly 30% since January while the S&amp;P 500 and Dow Jones are up about 11% and 2%, respectively. Monday marked a reversal of fortune between firms doing well during the pandemic and those that have been hardest hit. While stay-at-home stocks sink, shares of banks, energy firms, cruiseliners and movie-theater operators are surging.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h4>



<p>Shares of Clorox, a pandemic breakout stock, are also slumping–down 7%–on Wednesday, though they&#8217;re still up 34% for the year.&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2020/11/09/stocks-surge-worldwide-to-new-all-time-highs-after-pfizer-says-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-90-effective/">Stocks Surge Worldwide To New All-Time Highs After Pfizer Says Covid-19 Vaccine Candidate 90% Effective</a>&nbsp;<em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2020/11/09/pfizer-says-covid-19-vaccine-is-90-effective-although-trials-are-ongoing/">Pfizer Says Covid-19 Vaccine Is 90% Effective, Although Trials Are Ongoing</a>&nbsp;<em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2020/11/06/billionaire-leon-cooperman-knows-for-sure-election-results-will-be-challengedheres-his-outlook-on-stocks-and-the-economy/">Billionaire Leon Cooperman Knows ‘For Sure’ Election Results Will Be Challenged—Here’s His Outlook On Stocks And The Economy</a>&nbsp;<em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2020/11/06/stocks-end-week-with-biggest-post-election-day-rally-in-over-a-century/">Stocks End Week With Biggest Post-Election Day Rally In Over A Century</a><em> (Forbes)</em></p>



<p><em>-By Jonathan Ponciano, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Key Speakers At The BoxWorks 2019 Conference

Zoom, Peloton, Netflix: Stay-At-Home Stocks Are Getting Smoked By Pfizer’s Latest Vaccine Prospects


<p>As a Biden win becomes increasingly likely, investors on Wall Street are turning their focus to the possibility of another round of fiscal stimulus, vaccine data for phase-three candidates and potential central bank measures to boost economic activity and keep inflation in line with targets.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>Vaccination is &#8220;essential for the normalization of the economy,&#8221; Goldman Sachs said in a recent note, and wealth advisory Glenmede doesn’t expect earnings will reach new highs until the second half of 2021, which lines up with estimates for widespread vaccine delivery.</p>



<p>A slew of vaccine data is expected in the coming days and weeks from drug-makers such as Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZenaca and Johnson &amp; Johnson–all of which have said they expect clinical trial results before the end of the year.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Central bank easing from the Federal Reserve is perhaps &#8220;the biggest macro topic not receiving enough attention,&#8221; notes Vital Knowledge Media Founder Adam Crisafulli notes, but that should start to change domestically on Thursday, as the Federal Reserve concludes one of its eight annual Federal Open Market Committee meetings, during which it often makes key monetary policy decisions.</p>



<p>Senate Majority Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), &#8220;an erstwhile obstacle&#8221; to the package, per Crisafulli,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahhansen/2020/11/04/mcconnell-changes-his-tune-on-stimulus-we-need-to-do-it-before-the-end-of-the-year/?sh=30c0b0056e41">changed his tune on stimulus</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, saying Congress should pass another bill by year&#8217;s end and suggested assistance be given to state and local governments–a sticking point for the Democrats&#8217; lead negotiator, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).</p>



<p>Fiscal stimulus to state and local governments is now expected to be less generous than under a Blue Wave scenario, UBS noted on Wednesday.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>The election outcome that Wall Street thinks is now most likely–a Biden victory and a split Congress–&#8221;couldn’t have been better for stocks,&#8221; Crisafulli noted on Thursday–a sentiment echoed by many Wall Street experts since Wednesday given that a split Congress makes it unlikely Biden&#8217;s proposed corporate tax hike becomes law. The economic recovery, on the other hand, remains sluggish and awash with disparities such as continued job losses despite better-than-expected corporate earnings (especially in tech). Meanwhile, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2020/11/05/day-after-election-us-records-all-time-high-of-103000-new-covid-19-cases/">ongoing surge</a>&nbsp;in new Covid-19 cases further stains the economic outlook, fueling discussions about the need for a coronavirus vaccine and further fiscal relief.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h4>



<p>Top vaccine candidate AstraZeneca PLC anticipates results from its late-stage trials later this year, the British drug-maker&nbsp;<a href="https://www.astrazeneca.com/content/dam/az/PDF/2020/q3/Year-to-date_and_Q3_2020_results_announcement.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said Thursday</a>&nbsp;when it reported third-quarter earnings. It&#8217;s unclear, however, how soon it could roll those out, and the firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/05/astrazeneca-coronavirus-vaccine-drugmaker-under-pressure-to-deliver.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">previously missed</a>&nbsp;a September target to deliver 30 million vaccines in the United Kingdom. &#8220;Even if the vaccine numbers are spectacular,&#8221; Crisafulli says, &#8220;it still won’t be until the spring or summer when these will be made available to the general population.&#8221;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h4>



<p>$1.9 trillion. That’s the largest amount Mnuchin offered for the stimulus package before the election, much higher than the amount Senate Republicans have been eyeing (they&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/27/politics/stimulus-negotiations-republican-plan/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">proposed</a>&nbsp;a $1 trillion bill in July), but still below the $2.2 trillion proposal House Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahhansen/2020/10/01/house-passes-22-trillion-stimulus-bill-but-that-doesnt-mean-1200-checks-and-more-unemployment-benefits-are-on-the-way/">passed</a>&nbsp;in October.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h4>



<p>Morgan Stanley said in a weekend note that it’s unlikely Federal Reserve policymakers will “soften their call for additional fiscal support”, adding that despite a better-than-expected recovery, and a return to pre-Covid economic levels that could happen in the second quarter, “Policymakers have not let this economic momentum distract from the deep structural problems, particularly in the labor market, that could unfold over the longer run in the absence of further fiscal support.”</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT WE DON&#8217;T KNOW</h4>



<p>Election results. Razor thin margins remain a theme across pending state vote counts. As of early Thursday afternoon, former vice president Joe Biden was leading President Trump in the electoral college,<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/11/04/electoral-college-2020-biden-takes-wisconsin-bringing-him-close-to-electoral-win/?sh=724504634448">&nbsp;with 264 votes</a>, as called by AP, compared with Trump&#8217;s 214. The Senate race, on the other hand, was leaning<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/11/04/6-senate-seats-yet-to-be-called---heres-where-the-race-stands/">&nbsp;solidly Republican</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahhansen/2020/11/04/mcconnell-changes-his-tune-on-stimulus-we-need-to-do-it-before-the-end-of-the-year/">McConnell Changes His Tune On Stimulus: ‘We Need To Do It Before The End Of The Year’</a>&nbsp;<em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2020/11/05/stocks-election-results-dow-unemployment/">Stocks Keep Surging As Election Results Appear To Clear Up, But Unemployment Data Is Still Ugly</a><em>&nbsp;(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahhansen/2020/11/05/unemployment-claims-remain-above-pre-pandemic-highs-with-no-more-federal-aid-in-sight/">Unemployment Claims Remain Above Pre-Pandemic Highs With No More Federal Aid In Sight</a>&nbsp;<em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2020/11/04/election-stocks-that-are-surging-and-tanking/">Here Are The Stocks That Are Surging–And Tanking–As Blue Wave Hopes Fade</a> <em>(Forbes)</em></p>



<p><em>-By Jonathan Ponciano,Forbes Staff</em></p>


Genetic test

A Biden Win And Split Congress Is Wall Street’s Best-Case Scenario, Now Investors Turn Focus To These 3 Big Issues


<p>Pharmaceutical company Moderna, one of the companies in the lead pack in the race to develop a coronavirus vaccine, won&#8217;t be in a position to widely distribute it until at least next spring, CEO Stéphane Bancel told the Financial Times, echoing public health experts who predict a similar timeline for other vaccine candidates.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



<p>&#8220;November 25 is the time we will have enough safety data to be able to put into an emergency use authorization file that we would send to the FDA,&#8221; Bancel said, adding that an approval wouldn&#8217;t be expected until late first quarter or early second quarter of 2021.</p>



<p>The timeline matches up with what public health experts have previously laid out, which is that a vaccine could be found to be safe and effective by the end of the year at the earliest but widespread distribution wouldn&#8217;t occur until further into 2021.</p>



<p>One of the frontrunners to develop a safe vaccine first, Moderna earlier in the month said it was slowing its trial enrollment to ensure it was representing disproportionately affected minority groups but later added it could have enough data by November to know if its vaccine candidate works.</p>



<p>The comments follow President Trump’s claim during Tuesday&#8217;s U.S. presidential debate that, &#8220;We&#8217;re weeks away from a vaccine,&#8221; citing Moderna as well as Pfizer and Johnson &amp; Johnson.</p>



<p>Pfizer is another frontrunner—Johnson &amp; Johnson are further behind their late-stage clinical trials—and while its CEO Albert Bourla said it will have an &#8220;answer&#8221; by the end of October on its candidate&#8217;s efficacy, a spokesperson for the company later told the&nbsp;<em>New York Times&nbsp;</em>that Pfizer wouldn&#8217;t be close to the completion of its clinical trial by then.</p>



<p>There are currently 11 vaccines in expansive Phase 3 clinical trials, according to data from the&nbsp;<em>Times</em>.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">CHIEF CRITIC</h4>



<p>Trump has pushed the notion that a vaccine will be ready before the November election, fueling fear in the U.S. that anything approved could have been rushed. Even with wide distribution of a vaccine, the upwards of 60% to 70% will need to be immunized to put an end to the pandemic. That could take until 2022, according to billionaire and philanthropist Bill Gates and Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organization&#8217;s chief science officer.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<p>A Covid-19 vaccine is being developed at an unprecedented speed, with a typical immunization taking 10 years to develop, test, approve, and distribute. The U.S. leads the world in confirmed cases of the coronavirus with 7,221,278, as well as reported deaths with 206,693. In total, there are 33,802,841 global infections and 1,010,477 deaths.</p>



<p><em>-By Matt Perez, Forbes Staff</em></p>


Coronavirus Covid-19 vaccine concept –  three glass vials on black table, hypodermic syringe needle near, closeup detail (label own design – dummy data and barcode, not real product)

Covid Vaccine Frontrunner Moderna Says Vaccine Won’t Be Approved Until Spring 2021


<p>AstraZeneca has resumed its phase three clinical trials in the United Kingdom for the company’s coronavirus vaccine candidate after abruptly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielcassady/2020/09/08/astrazeneca-puts-phase-3-vaccine-trial-on-hold-shares-drop-6/#45d5afba43fd">halting</a>&nbsp;the program earlier this week over fears that a study participant living in the U.K. was reportedly experiencing negative side effects from the drug.</p>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h5>



<p>On Saturday, AstraZeneca announced trials were back on after the pause, which the firm said in a statement was voluntary and allowed for a safety review by independent parties and regulators worldwide.</p>



<p>The U.K. leg of the investigations determined it was safe to continue, according to a release, and the U.K. Medicines Health Regulatory Authority gave their blessing for the trials to resume.</p>



<p>The phase three trials were called off earlier this week after reports that a participant had side effects that could possibly be linked to the trial.</p>



<p>Astrazeneca called the pause a “<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielcassady/2020/09/08/astrazeneca-puts-phase-3-vaccine-trial-on-hold-shares-drop-6/#45d5afba43fd">routine action</a>” when a clinical trial comes across a potentially unexplained illness in a participant that must be investigated to “maintain the integrity of the trials.”</p>



<p>AstraZeneca is developing the candidate alongside the University of Oxford, and has enjoyed a boost of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielcassady/2020/09/08/astrazeneca-puts-phase-3-vaccine-trial-on-hold-shares-drop-6/#45d5afba43fd">$1 billion</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. government in funding along with 400 million doses on pre-order if the vaccine turns out to be safe and effective.</p>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h5>



<p>“AstraZeneca is committed to the safety of trial participants and the highest standards of conduct in clinical trials,” a Saturday statement from the firm read. “The Company will continue to work with health authorities across the world and be guided as to when other clinical trials can resume to provide the vaccine broadly, equitably and at no profit during this pandemic.”</p>



<h5 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h5>



<p>The trial’s pause and the idea of vaccine side effects has made many uneasy. Experts say it will likely take widespread vaccination against the coronavirus to end the pandemic and for life to return to any semblance of normal. But in the U.S., the vaccine has been politicized as the presidential race heats up. U.S. President Donald Trump has promised the possibility of a successful vaccine release well before the end of the year—even before Election Day in November—while health officials, like the nation’s leading infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci say&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahhansen/2020/09/11/fauci-says-it-will-be-well-into-2021-before-us-returns-to-normal-from-coronavirus/#7cdbfe962f7c">next year</a>&nbsp;is more likely. Critics have accused Trump and his administration of pressuring health organizations to speed up the vaccine approval process to help Trump’s chances at reelection as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/09/10/todays-2020-election-polls-biden-keeps-strong-national-lead-but-pennsylvania-florida-tighten/#15a278445f1f">polls</a>&nbsp;show his opponent Democratic nominee Joe Biden with a slight leg up. Trump and health officials like Fauci and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar Thursday have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/09/08/fauci-worries-operation-warp-speed-fuels-perception-vaccine-is-being-rushed/#1aae5ce621dc">denied</a>&nbsp;the accusations, with Azar insisting last week that “any vaccine that comes out is going to meet FDA’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2020/09/03/azar-denies-november-goal-for-vaccine-preparedness-is-tied-to-presidential-election/#3f9d28c37f73">gold standards</a>&nbsp;for authorization or licensure. The president’s made that clear, I’ve made that clear, the FDA commissioner has made that clear.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielcassady/2020/09/08/astrazeneca-puts-phase-3-vaccine-trial-on-hold-shares-drop-6/#45d5afba43fd">AstraZeneca Puts Phase 3 Vaccine Trial On Hold, Shares Drop 6%</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/karenrobinsonjacobs/2020/09/09/fauci-says-astrazeneca-pause-unfortunate-who-stresses-safety-over-speed-in-race-for-covid-19-vaccine/#905b43346544">Fauci Says AstraZeneca Pause ‘Unfortunate’, WHO Stresses Safety Over Speed In Race For Covid-19 Vaccine</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahhansen/2020/09/11/fauci-says-it-will-be-well-into-2021-before-us-returns-to-normal-from-coronavirus/#7cdbfe962f7c">Fauci Says It Will Be ‘Well Into 2021’ Before U.S. Returns To Normal From Coronavirus</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><em>-By Carlie Porterfield,Forbes Staff</em></p>


Florida Volunteers Take Part In COVID-19 Vaccine Trials

AstraZeneca Coronavirus Vaccine Trials Back On In U.K. After Abrupt Halt


<p><strong>South Africa is very much in the early phase of the pandemic, says expert.</strong></p>



<p>South Africa’s University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) announced on Tuesday during a virtual press conference that it will begin the continent’s first clinical trial for a Covid-19 vaccine. Leading the South African Ox1Cov-19 Vaccine VIDA-Trial is Shabir Madhi, Professor of Vaccinology at Wits University and Director of the South Africa Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (VIDA).</p>



<p>“This is a landmark moment for South Africa and Africa at this stage of the Covid-19 pandemic. As we enter winter in South Africa and pressure increases on public hospitals, now more than ever, we need a vaccine to prevent infection by Covid-19,” said Madhi at the launch.</p>



<p>“We began screening participants for the South African Oxford 1 Covid-19 vaccine trial last week and the first participants will be vaccinated this week,” he added.</p>



<p>Speaking to FORBES AFRICA, Martin Veller, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits, believes South Africa is very much in the early phase of the pandemic.</p>



<p>“We will be seeing a lot more cases. And that is already reflected in the significant increase of the numbers that we’ve seen in the country.”</p>



<p>South Africa’s total number of cases has surpassed 100,000 with the death toll reaching 1,991.</p>



<p>The South African Ox1Cov-19 Vaccine VIDA-Trial will start tomorrow, June 24.</p>



<p>“2,000 people will be entered into the trial. It’s important to note that the trial is largely going to be a placebo-controlled trial. One needs to see firstly what the safety of the vaccine is but much more importantly whether it’s effective,” says Veller.</p>



<p>He further stated that the participants will be followed for a whole year and the results will be analysed intermittently.</p>



<p>The institution is also collaborating with other institutions on the vaccine trial.</p>



<p>“Because of the expertise that Professor Madhi, his colleagues at Oxford University very early on contacted him to take part in the development and the trials of this vaccine,” says Veller.</p>



<p>Wits will also be collaborating with the Jenner Institute at Oxford University on the trial.</p>


Tag: Vaccine Trial

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA