Wednesday, September 9, 2020
I took some time to watch the MIT SARS-CoV-2 lecture series yesterday. These lectures are streamed weekly and feature leading experts in virology, epidemiology, and immunology. Yesterday's was on the mechanisms of coronavirus infection and replication at the cellular level. Despite the immense understanding of viral biology, the phrases "we don't have a full understanding" or "it is unclear" were employed frequently. Science is complex. Viral biology is complicated. The immune response is even more complicated. The fact that a Phase 3 vaccine trial has had a concerning adverse event is not surprising. You cannot rush some things, including the time to collect necessary data on safety and efficacy. Science is what it is.
Link to MIT lecture series (every Tuesday 1130-1230 EST through December 2020):
http://web.mit.edu/webcast/biology/covid-19-sars-cov-2-and-the-pandemic/
-----
Latest Data
Global-View:
https://www.ft.com/content/a2901ce8-5eb7-4633-b89c-cbdf5b386938
Nationally:
There is a continued slow decline in new cases in the U.S. https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-chart/?areas=usa&areas=gbr&areasRegional=usny&areasRegional=usca&areasRegional=usfl&areasRegional=ustx&areasRegional=usco&cumulative=0&logScale=0&perMillion=1&values=cases
Also, look at https://covidtracking.com/data
The U.S. Regionally:
The NY Times state-level data visualization:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
About the data:
https://covidtracking.com/about-data/visualization-guide is the best resource to understand data visualization and data integrity.
----------
It appears the pause of the AZ vaccine trial was due to a participant experiencing Transverse Myelitis, an inflammatory neurologic condition. It is unclear if the event is associated with having received the vaccine or other medical circumstances. The clinical trial pause will help sort that out (as best it can be sorted out).
N.Y. Times article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/world/covid-19-coronavirus.html#link-313b443d
Here is some Twitter commentary, including some thoughts from someone claiming to be a trial participant:
https://twitter.com/florian_krammer/status/1303500262271782912?s=10
Before the phase 3 trial announcement, USA Today (oy vey!) offered a layman's view on the highly complex plan for vaccine distribution. Take what you will from the fact that USA Today is publishing an article with this level of technical complexity.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/09/06/covid-vaccine-complex-distribution-supply-chain-follow-approval/5712053002/
Here is a fantastic animated article from Scientific American on the biology of the coronavirus. If there is anything positive about this pandemic, the level of educational materials and expanded understanding of viral biology and the immune response is unprecedented.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/interactive/inside-the-coronavirus/
This headline caught my attention. Probably helpful if the author got a little more specific on the type of mask - ski masks are the wrong choice - but are surgical masks better? A Guy Fawkes mask might be more ideal?
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/936773
One discussion of note. Carl Bergstrom had some twitter thoughts on choosing the least bad socializing options in the setting of a bad situation. While it is a lot of twitter commentary, the compare and contrast to Sturgis, the relative safety of being outdoors, and the (new to me) concept of "beach shaming" are addressed.
https://twitter.com/ct_bergstrom/status/1303159676394110976?s=10
Infographic of the day: Opening lines of famous books.
This infographic made me smile.
https://www.scribendi.com/academy/articles/compelling_first_lines_of_famous_books.en.html
-----Bonus Round: Dishwasher loading.
One of my all-time favorite DaVita conversations is the "tell me how you and your spouse debate loading the dishwasher" discussion. My fellow DaVitians are typically analytical, a bit type A, and want to optimize processes. Dishwasher loading is a consistent source of relationship tension infused with accusations of competence and ulterior motives - "What's wrong with you? Don't put cups there! Do you want them to get clean?". This strife is the reservoir of many long conversations, cutting across all roles in the organization. It seems nothing delights me quite as much as long conversations about life's minutia with highly analytical colleagues. For those of you who have had to endure such inane conversation with me - I offer data:
Bon Appetit seems like a good source - cooking magazine should know something about cleanup:
https://www.bonappetit.com/story/loading-a-dishwasher
Good housekeeping should be even better:
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a26903/dishwasher-loading-instructions/
The Wall Street Journal touches on both the science and the politics of dishwasher loading. Kudos to them for bringing to life a very banal example of the second-wave feminism notion that "the private is political."
https://www.wsj.com/articles/youre-loading-the-dishwasher-wrong-a-chore-and-a-power-struggle-1435682078
Clean hands and sharp minds,
-Adam
I took some time to watch the MIT SARS-CoV-2 lecture series yesterday. These lectures are streamed weekly and feature leading experts in virology, epidemiology, and immunology. Yesterday's was on the mechanisms of coronavirus infection and replication at the cellular level. Despite the immense understanding of viral biology, the phrases "we don't have a full understanding" or "it is unclear" were employed frequently. Science is complex. Viral biology is complicated. The immune response is even more complicated. The fact that a Phase 3 vaccine trial has had a concerning adverse event is not surprising. You cannot rush some things, including the time to collect necessary data on safety and efficacy. Science is what it is.
Link to MIT lecture series (every Tuesday 1130-1230 EST through December 2020):
http://web.mit.edu/webcast/biology/covid-19-sars-cov-2-and-the-pandemic/
-----
Latest Data
Global-View:
https://www.ft.com/content/a2901ce8-5eb7-4633-b89c-cbdf5b386938
Nationally:
There is a continued slow decline in new cases in the U.S. https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-chart/?areas=usa&areas=gbr&areasRegional=usny&areasRegional=usca&areasRegional=usfl&areasRegional=ustx&areasRegional=usco&cumulative=0&logScale=0&perMillion=1&values=cases
Also, look at https://covidtracking.com/data
The U.S. Regionally:
The NY Times state-level data visualization:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
About the data:
https://covidtracking.com/about-data/visualization-guide is the best resource to understand data visualization and data integrity.
----------
It appears the pause of the AZ vaccine trial was due to a participant experiencing Transverse Myelitis, an inflammatory neurologic condition. It is unclear if the event is associated with having received the vaccine or other medical circumstances. The clinical trial pause will help sort that out (as best it can be sorted out).
N.Y. Times article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/world/covid-19-coronavirus.html#link-313b443d
Here is some Twitter commentary, including some thoughts from someone claiming to be a trial participant:
https://twitter.com/florian_krammer/status/1303500262271782912?s=10
Before the phase 3 trial announcement, USA Today (oy vey!) offered a layman's view on the highly complex plan for vaccine distribution. Take what you will from the fact that USA Today is publishing an article with this level of technical complexity.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/09/06/covid-vaccine-complex-distribution-supply-chain-follow-approval/5712053002/
Here is a fantastic animated article from Scientific American on the biology of the coronavirus. If there is anything positive about this pandemic, the level of educational materials and expanded understanding of viral biology and the immune response is unprecedented.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/interactive/inside-the-coronavirus/
This headline caught my attention. Probably helpful if the author got a little more specific on the type of mask - ski masks are the wrong choice - but are surgical masks better? A Guy Fawkes mask might be more ideal?
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/936773
One discussion of note. Carl Bergstrom had some twitter thoughts on choosing the least bad socializing options in the setting of a bad situation. While it is a lot of twitter commentary, the compare and contrast to Sturgis, the relative safety of being outdoors, and the (new to me) concept of "beach shaming" are addressed.
https://twitter.com/ct_bergstrom/status/1303159676394110976?s=10
Infographic of the day: Opening lines of famous books.
This infographic made me smile.
https://www.scribendi.com/academy/articles/compelling_first_lines_of_famous_books.en.html
-----Bonus Round: Dishwasher loading.
One of my all-time favorite DaVita conversations is the "tell me how you and your spouse debate loading the dishwasher" discussion. My fellow DaVitians are typically analytical, a bit type A, and want to optimize processes. Dishwasher loading is a consistent source of relationship tension infused with accusations of competence and ulterior motives - "What's wrong with you? Don't put cups there! Do you want them to get clean?". This strife is the reservoir of many long conversations, cutting across all roles in the organization. It seems nothing delights me quite as much as long conversations about life's minutia with highly analytical colleagues. For those of you who have had to endure such inane conversation with me - I offer data:
Bon Appetit seems like a good source - cooking magazine should know something about cleanup:
https://www.bonappetit.com/story/loading-a-dishwasher
Good housekeeping should be even better:
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a26903/dishwasher-loading-instructions/
The Wall Street Journal touches on both the science and the politics of dishwasher loading. Kudos to them for bringing to life a very banal example of the second-wave feminism notion that "the private is political."
https://www.wsj.com/articles/youre-loading-the-dishwasher-wrong-a-chore-and-a-power-struggle-1435682078
Clean hands and sharp minds,
-Adam
Comments
Post a Comment