53 Million Cases

According to the Worldometers website, the world saw 53 million cases yesterday as governments scrambled in the face of a new, sustained rise in coronavirus cases and deaths.

Lebanon becomes the latest nation to join the ranks of countries with more than 100,000 cases. The Group of 57 account for 94.7% and 96.1% of global cases and deaths respectively.

And in spite of cases multiplying, the #1 country for Covid-19, the United States of America maintains it has no intention to consider a nationwide shutdown.

Already, the US is betting on the Pfizer vaccine – it is among the leading candidate vaccines being produced in the US. 

Donald Trump said millions of doses would be available for vulnerable Americans as soon as next month throughout the country – even though vaccine trials have not been completed. And he couldn’t resist taking a political swipe at New York governor Andrew Cuomo (right), saying the treatments would not be available there because the latter had expressed doubt about safety!

This was based on Monday’s announcement that initial results from a pivotal trial of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and German partner BioNTech showed it to be more than 90 percent effective – therefore, turning attention to eventual shipping and storage logistics. 

The Americans are so desperate that there is a buying frenzy for ultra-cold freezers that can safely store Pfizer Inc’s Covid-19 vaccine. The push revealed a lack of infrastructure to support a super cold vaccine campaign, including equipment to store millions of doses of Pfizer’s vaccine at temperatures of minus 70 degrees Celsius (-94F), significantly below the standard for vaccines of 2-8C (36-46F).

Moderna, on the other hand, are close to releasing efficacy results for their similar vaccine, which requires an easier-to-accommodate storage temperature of minus 20C (-4F). 

Insofar as Chinese vaccines are concerned, Wu Guizhen (left), the chief biosafety expert at China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing, had told Chinese state media last month that two vaccines co-developed by Shanghai pharmaceutical group Sinopharm and others will be available this month or next.