Glad to see more than NBA using the saliva test – https://abc7chicago.com/covid-19-illinois-covid-university-of-saliva-test-near-me/6413359/
“The University of Illinois says its rapid saliva-based COVID-19 test is "working" for its campus.
Last month, Governor JB Pritzker announced that state health officials would begin using the new groundbreaking test after it was approved for wider use by the FDA.”
“U of I researchers say it is faster, cheaper and requires significantly less raw materials than traditional testing. The new test can turn results within 3 to 6 hours, which scientists say is contributing to the drop in positivity rates.”
“The test is said to be only $10 a specimen, allowing tests to be done frequently, giving hope to researchers as Illinois cases continue to rise.”
Lots on the vaccine front – https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3100570/chinese-drug-firm-says-hundreds-thousands-have-been-given-covid
“Hundreds of thousands of Chinese have been given two experimental Covid-19 vaccines under an emergency scheme without a single case of infection, a top official with a state-owned vaccine developer has said.”
“Eight vaccines are currently undergoing phase three trials around the world, including four made by Chinese companies.”
“Three of the Chinese vaccines – including the two made by CNBG and one developed by Beijing based Sinovac – have been approved for emergency civilian use, while a fourth has been given the greenlight for use by the military.
Sinovac’s product is currently being tested in Brazil and Indonesia and the trial is expected to expand to more countries. The company has reportedly said that tens of thousands of people have already been given the vaccine under China’s emergency use scheme.
Meanwhile, the Chinese military has given the green light to the limited use of a candidate vaccine developed by CanSino and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences.”
“Zhou said they still showed high levels of antibodies, and added: “At present, based on the results of animal experiments, phased research results, and similar vaccines using similar technology, it is without question that immunity can last from one to three years.””
“CNBG has built two secure facilities in Beijing and Wuhan to produce the vaccines. He said the annual production capacity of more than 220 million doses will rise to between 800 million to one billion when work to extend the facilities is complete.”
“the Russian Health Ministry said on Tuesday that the first batch of Sputnik V vaccine has been produced for civilian circulation.”
“Earlier this month, a study published in the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet said a Russian COVID-19 vaccine has shown no serious side effects and elicited an immune response in early human trials.
Russia last month registered the "Sputnik V", becoming the first country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine. On August 15, the Russian Health Ministry announced the launch of the vaccine production.
The Lancet study’s authors also held that large, long-term trials, including a placebo comparison, and further monitoring are needed to establish the long-term safety and effectiveness of the vaccine for preventing COVID-19 infection.
The Indian government said late last month that New Delhi and Moscow are in communication regarding the Sputnik V vaccine.”
Lets hope the Sputnik term bodes better than Sputnik 2 – https://www.wired.com/story/space-dogs-laika-documentary/ –
“Space Dogs uses archival footage to tell the story of the clever, docile, and doomed Moscow street dog Laika, the first mammal to go into orbit—and the first mammal to die there. In 1957, the Soviet Union sent Laika to space in the satellite Sputnik 2.”
Take your vitamin D or get outside more often – https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2770157
“In this cohort study of 489 patients who had a vitamin D level measured in the year before COVID-19 testing, the relative risk of testing positive for COVID-19 was 1.77 times greater for patients with likely deficient vitamin D status compared with patients with likely sufficient vitamin D status, a difference that was statistically significant.”
Perhaps no more nasal test…but stool test – https://fortune.com/2020/09/07/covid-infection-gut-stool-respiratory-research-study/
“COVID-19 patients have active and prolonged gut viral infection, even in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms, scientists in Hong Kong showed.
The coronavirus may continue to infect and replicate in the digestive tract after clearing in the airways, researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong said in a statement Monday. The findings, published in the medical journal GUT, have implications for identifying and treating cases, they said.
SARS-CoV-2 spreads mainly through respiratory droplets — spatters of virus-laden discharge from the mouth and nose, according to the World Health Organization. Since the first weeks of the pandemic, however, scientists in China have said infectious virus in the stool of patients may also play a role in transmission.”
Major revision in Ecuador – 3852 deaths increase 7953 confirmation DECREASE? – fatality rate approaching 10% – US only reported 267 deaths (labor day)
Bolivia also saw a big jump of death 1656
TX lead death at 43
Hidalgo lead TX county at 23 – but the leader in all US county death LA at 25
