|
 Global coronavirus cases exceeded 30 million on Thursday, according
to a Reuters tally, with the pandemic showing no signs of slowing.
India was firmly in focus as the latest epicentre, although North
and South America combined still accounted for almost half of the
global cases.
The south Asian nation, the world's second-most populous country,
has been reporting more new daily cases than the United States since
mid-August and accounts for just over 16% of global known cases.
Reported deaths in India have been relatively low so far but are
showing an uptick, and the country has recorded more than 1,000
deaths every day for the last two weeks.
Pfizer vaccine trial bets on early win
Pfizer Inc is betting that its coronavirus vaccine candidate will
show clear evidence of effectiveness early in its clinical trial,
according to the company and internal documents reviewed by Reuters
that describe how the trial is being run.
Pfizer's clinical trial protocol calls for a first assessment of the
vaccine's performance by the monitoring board after 32 participants
in the trial become infected with the novel coronavirus. So far,
more than 29,000 people have enrolled in the trial that started in
July, some receiving the vaccine and the others receiving a placebo.
Pfizer's vaccine would need to be at least 76.9% effective to show
it works based on 32 infections, according to its protocol. That
would mean that no more than six of those coronavirus cases would
have occurred among people who received the vaccine, the documents
showed.
EU travel industry steps up quarantine pushback
Leaders of Europe's coronavirus-stricken travel and tourism
industries have appealed to the EU's chief executive to press
governments to end quarantine requirements and instead embrace
coordinated restrictions and testing.
"This chaotic situation requires your immediate personal
involvement," a broad ad-hoc group of more than 20 industry groups
including airline body IATA told European Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen in a letter reviewed by Reuters.
[to top of second column] |
But with COVID-19 cases rising, governments are reluctant to drop more drastic
restrictions and quarantines - condemned by the industry as disproportionate to
the risks of travel within a region where community transmission is already
widespread.
When will COVID-19 vaccines be generally available in the U.S.?
Robert Redfield, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), has said vaccines were likely to reach the general public around
mid-2021, an assessment more in line with most experts.
Most vaccines in development will require two doses per person. The CDC
anticipates that 35 million to 45 million doses of vaccines from the first two
companies to receive authorization will be available in the United States by the
end of this year. The current frontrunners are Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc.
The CDC has said the earliest inoculations may go to healthcare workers, people
at increased risk for severe COVID-19, and essential workers.
Expert tips for mental health
Months in, the pandemic continues to take a toll on mental health. As part of
our #AskReuters Twitter chat series, Reuters gathered a group of experts to
share their tips on coping with isolation, caregiving and more. Here are a
couple of edited highlights:
"Don't be afraid to ask about safety. It is awkward and anxiety-provoking.
People do not consider suicide because someone asks. Asking is often the
intervention that keeps people safe. Isolation and helplessness are much greater
risks than despair." — Rebecca Kullback, psychotherapist and co-owner of
Metropolitan Counseling Associates and LaunchWell College Readiness Program
"A sense of belonging can promote resilience: that could be a sense of belonging
to family, a group one identifies with, culture, or place in the world.
Familiarity with your own history can support a sense of belonging and therefore
increase resilience." — Riana Elyse Anderson, assistant professor in the health
behavior and health education department at the University of Michigan School of
Public Health
(Compiled by Karishma Singh)
[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |
