So, coronavirus...

[BnM]

1. They've undermined the vaccine how many times?
2. They're still in negotiations for other vaccines....
3. Nobody is getting the doses (inc the UK) they hoped for, every producer is down on forecasts.
4. Do they really believe AZ are doing this on purpose?

I guess they definitely don't want a second order of this vaccine.

A legal case has been started by the European Commission against AstraZeneca over its "complete failure" to meet delivery and contractual agreements, Ireland's health minister has said.

Speaking to the Irish parliament, Stephen Donnelly said on Thursday: "With regard to AstraZeneca, a legal case has been initiated by the Commission and earlier this week I have joined Ireland as one of the parties to that legal case, specifically around AstraZeneca's complete failure to meet its delivery and contractual agreements for April, May and June."

Under its contract, the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical firm is committed to supplying 180 million doses - enough for 90 million people - to the EU in the second quarter of this year.

But EU officials have repeatedly accused the drugmaker of under-delivering.

Its chief executive Pascal Soriot told the EU Parliament in February that he believed they were on track to meet commitments for the second quarter.

The legal action comes amid ongoing concerns that the COVID-19 vaccine could be linked to blood clots.

Several countries in the bloc halted their rollout of the jab, but the European regulator has now ruled that "unusual" blood clots should be listed as a "very rare" side effect.

[Lobby]

1. They've undermined the vaccine how many times?
2. They're still in negotiations for other vaccines....
3. Nobody is getting the doses (inc the UK) they hoped for, every producer is down on forecasts.
4. Do they really believe AZ are doing this on purpose?

I guess they definitely don't want a second order of this vaccine.

A legal case has been started by the European Commission against AstraZeneca over its "complete failure" to meet delivery and contractual agreements, Ireland's health minister has said.

Speaking to the Irish parliament, Stephen Donnelly said on Thursday: "With regard to AstraZeneca, a legal case has been initiated by the Commission and earlier this week I have joined Ireland as one of the parties to that legal case, specifically around AstraZeneca's complete failure to meet its delivery and contractual agreements for April, May and June."

Under its contract, the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical firm is committed to supplying 180 million doses - enough for 90 million people - to the EU in the second quarter of this year.

But EU officials have repeatedly accused the drugmaker of under-delivering.

Its chief executive Pascal Soriot told the EU Parliament in February that he believed they were on track to meet commitments for the second quarter.

The legal action comes amid ongoing concerns that the COVID-19 vaccine could be linked to blood clots.

Several countries in the bloc halted their rollout of the jab, but the European regulator has now ruled that "unusual" blood clots should be listed as a "very rare" side effect.

EU is also not getting on with Valneva.

Yesterday, Valneva announced it was withdrawing from talks with the EU, citing the difficulties in dealing with EU bureaucracy as a problem, and said it would instead look to do deals with individual companies. Valneva Chief executive Thomas Lingelbach :

"We've committed significant time and effort to try to meet the needs of the central procurement process. Despite our recent clinical data, we have not made meaningful progress. We are now concentrating our efforts on EU member states and interested parties outside the EU."

The EU has responded today to say that Valneva has not met the conditions to conclude talks with the European Union on a supply deal of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

[Saint]

1. They've undermined the vaccine how many times?
2. They're still in negotiations for other vaccines....
3. Nobody is getting the doses (inc the UK) they hoped for, every producer is down on forecasts.
4. Do they really believe AZ are doing this on purpose?

I guess they definitely don't want a second order of this vaccine.

A legal case has been started by the European Commission against AstraZeneca over its "complete failure" to meet delivery and contractual agreements, Ireland's health minister has said.

Speaking to the Irish parliament, Stephen Donnelly said on Thursday: "With regard to AstraZeneca, a legal case has been initiated by the Commission and earlier this week I have joined Ireland as one of the parties to that legal case, specifically around AstraZeneca's complete failure to meet its delivery and contractual agreements for April, May and June."

Under its contract, the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical firm is committed to supplying 180 million doses - enough for 90 million people - to the EU in the second quarter of this year.

But EU officials have repeatedly accused the drugmaker of under-delivering.

Its chief executive Pascal Soriot told the EU Parliament in February that he believed they were on track to meet commitments for the second quarter.

The legal action comes amid ongoing concerns that the COVID-19 vaccine could be linked to blood clots.

Several countries in the bloc halted their rollout of the jab, but the European regulator has now ruled that "unusual" blood clots should be listed as a "very rare" side effect.

EU is also not getting on with Valneva.

Yesterday, Valneva announced it was withdrawing from talks with the EU, citing the difficulties in dealing with EU bureaucracy as a problem, and said it would instead look to do deals with individual companies. Valneva Chief executive Thomas Lingelbach :

"We've committed significant time and effort to try to meet the needs of the central procurement process. Despite our recent clinical data, we have not made meaningful progress. We are now concentrating our efforts on EU member states and interested parties outside the EU."

The EU has responded today to say that Valneva has not met the conditions to conclude talks with the European Union on a supply deal of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

So.....
Novovax is "delaying" concluding a deal with the EU
Valneva has pulled out of discussions

Who else do they fancy pissing off?

[The Druid]

Who else do they fancy pissing off?

They are buying Sputnik from the Russkies.
If their supplies run late I would love to see them try to poke the bear.

[BnM]

So.....
Novovax is "delaying" concluding a deal with the EU
Valneva has pulled out of discussions

Who else do they fancy pissing off?

The phrase beggars can't be choosers comes to mind. I think the pharma companies have been fine. Why on earth does the EU think it has the upper hand? The best outcome would be to work WITH them, they have pretty much all the power and I doubt anyone is going to criticise Valneva and possibly Novovax given how imperious the EU has been.

[BnM]

Interesting comments.

[Saint]

Interesting comments.

For AZ, I suspect that AZ would be trying to work out how to get out of the option if the EU tried to exercise it, and wouldn;t participate in contract renewal discussions. The mRNA vaccines are impressive, bit they have long, complex supply chains, and can;t scale out particularly quickly. This is actually the real downside of new tech - not the risk of it not being safe, the risk of not being able to scale if it turns out to be safe

[Marylandolorian]

It’s working

WASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19 hospitalizations among older Americans have plunged 80% since the start of the year, dramatic proof the vaccination campaign is working. Now the trick is to get more of the nation's younger people to roll up their sleeves.
The drop-off in severe cases among people 65 and older is so dramatic that the hospitalization rate among this highly vaccinated group is now down to around the level of the next-youngest category, Americans 50 to 64.
That slide is especially encouraging because senior citizens have accounted for about 8 out of 10 deaths from COVID-19 since the virus hit the United States.

In my state of 6 million+, 56% of the adult population has been vax.

[Saint]

It’s working

WASHINGTON (AP) — COVID-19 hospitalizations among older Americans have plunged 80% since the start of the year, dramatic proof the vaccination campaign is working. Now the trick is to get more of the nation's younger people to roll up their sleeves.

The drop-off in severe cases among people 65 and older is so dramatic that the hospitalization rate among this highly vaccinated group is now down to around the level of the next-youngest category, Americans 50 to 64.

That slide is especially encouraging because senior citizens have accounted for about 8 out of 10 deaths from COVID-19 since the virus hit the United States.

In my state of 6 million+, 56% of the adult population has been vax.

So Israel, UK, and now the USA seeing the same thing. As long as variants don't cause drastic problems we have a path out of this mess

[Marylandolorian]

Yep^

Washington Post
“ Health officials lean toward resuming Johnson & Johnson vaccine — with a warning”

Federal health authorities are leaning toward recommending that use of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine resume, possibly as soon as this weekend — a move that would include a new warning about a rare complication involving blood clots but probably not call for age restrictions.

[Sandstorm]

My mum worked in a Cape Town hospital for 40 years and they saw blood clots in patients every week. They are not rare.

Covid has made everyone fucking stupid.

[Saint]

My mum worked in a Cape Town hospital for 40 years and they saw blood clots in patients every week. They are not rare.

Covid has made everyone fucking stupid.

I can see the point., These specific blood clots (on the brain) are ridiculously rare to start with. They may be slightly less rare post AZ/Sputnik/Johnson. They are still ridiculously rare. The issue is the inability of people to understand differing levels of risk, especially risks that they would normally not even consider when taking an aspirin/paracetamol for a headache.

I will always come back to the basics. Individuals are (can be) smart. People, are, without exception, stupid

[Slick]

I’ve just had my Moderna jab

Had my 2nd AZ jab today.

Get ready for that blood clot

Pleased to report only a sore arm so far

[TheNatalShark]

1. They've undermined the vaccine how many times?
2. They're still in negotiations for other vaccines....
3. Nobody is getting the doses (inc the UK) they hoped for, every producer is down on forecasts.
4. Do they really believe AZ are doing this on purpose?

I guess they definitely don't want a second order of this vaccine.

Can you quote some of the instances where the EUCO / EMA or its institutions have undermined the vaccine? I don't think AZ will be too worried, as noted some months ago "if the EU had a leg to stand on, they would have initiated legal proceedings" etc...

Additionally AZ could offset any such costs in its legal notice launched this month against the Serum Institute of India for failing to export (after gov intervention) to meet AZ's commitments to the UK and other partners. It's a good thing they are suing SII for production in a country relatively untouched by Covid, and not in need of vaccines.

Would be as well covered in UK press as EUCO mulling legal case if they did. Nobody is getting the doses they ordered, so wouldn't make sense if AZ did such a thing in a country facing issues.


As for the comments around FR being "a few weeks behind UK", well on fag packet maths of even just UK current jabs to reach 70% with completed dosing, nevermind increased prod + Novavax, those few weeks probably still stretches into 2.5 months if the latest forecast deliveries for France are met (which include the additional/prioritisation of 50mm Pfizer doses to EU+NO+IS in Q2). With Curevac hoping for approval by early June + pre-production, and AZ have announced further delays since those forecasts so likely some plus and minuses on those numbers. Few weeks doing very heavy lifting indeed, though I imagine they'll follow through with eased restrictions mid-May so presume the goal posts will change to infer that Vs UK.




EUCO Vs Novavax/Valneva is a bit odd, they won't be approved/deliver to EU+NO+IS in time to be part of the programme before completion, so if we're looking for a summer holiday in pestilence ridden Europe bit odd to get pent up about it. If producers demonstrate scaling and protection Vs variants discussions for 2022+ would resume, bit naive to think they will walk and stay away (and EUCO wouldn't be more flexible) when they reach a point are confident they can match ambition with production like others. Pfizer/Biotech must be idiots if everyone under the sun perceives EU as unsatisfiable partner, but they keep running back.

[Ovals]

Had my 2nd AZ jab today.

Get ready for that blood clot

Pleased to report only a sore arm so far

I didn't get a sore arm with the 1st dose, or with the 2nd, so far. Just a bit of an ache in my lower back. Not entirely sure that the ache has anything to do with the vaccine though - I met up with a few others for some, outdoor, guitar practice last night and it got a bit chilly by the time we finished - so could be that. Either way, just happy to have had the full dose now.

[Saint]

New study from the UK based on 370,000 participants, tracking infections (as opposed to just symptoms) post vaccination for both Pfizer and AZ

First thing to note is that both vaccines performed almost identically. Three weeks after the first jab symptomatic infection fell by 74%. Asymptomatic infection fell by 57%

For Pfizer, after dose 2 infection fell by 90%. Not enough data was available for AZ as not enough second doses had been delivered by the time the study concluded.

A second study involving 46,000 participants show that both vaccines generate a strong sustained antibody response lasting at least 10 weeks out for a single jab. Interestingly, Pfizer generates a stronger initial response than AZ, but it falls off faster before levelling out at similar levels

[tc27]

Interesting read on the Valneva vaccine - French designed but being produced in and for the UK:

[Raggs]

Interesting read on the Valneva vaccine - French designed but being produced in and for the UK:

There was an interview with one of their head honchos. Said that the French government weren't interested, but the UK came straight in and offered funding etc.

[Marylandolorian]

Interesting read on the Valneva vaccine - French designed but being produced in and for the UK:

https://twitter.co

There was an interview with one of their head honchos. Said that the French government weren't interested, but the UK came straight in and offered funding etc.

Yep, a bit like few months ago, the French health minister said that Moderna should send their vaccines to France first because the CEO was French. ( even though they didn’t spend a dime for its research )
This government is awful, as I mentioned before Macron has been the worst president since Petain in 1942

[Lobby]

Interesting read on the Valneva vaccine - French designed but being produced in and for the UK:

There was an interview with one of their head honchos. Said that the French government weren't interested, but the UK came straight in and offered funding etc.

I get the feeling the French Government were convinced their biggest pharma Company, Sanofi, was going to be successful and lead the world in vaccines, and so weren’t interested in backing anyone else. To much national embarrassment, Sanofi’s candidate has had disappointing results, and they were left with nothing.

Ironically, even if it had been successful, most of its funding came from the US, rather than the French Govt.

[tabascoboy]

[Sandstorm]

Japan have been very slow out of the blocks with vaccines.

[BnM]

Dad has finally got his 2nd AZ jab booked, 11.5 weeks after the first.

[Saint]

Interesting re the differences between flight ban implementations in different countries. UK announces a move for India to Red list (so not a ban just a quarantine) and gives 4 days notice. Canada announces a ban (not even hotel quarantine) at 10.15pm starting at 11.30pm that day (yesterday). Before anyone asks I have no idea what happened to any flights already in the air (if there were any at that time - I suspect not)

[Saint]

More good news from Israel, which recorded no daily deaths yesterday - the first time since last June

[Line6 HXFX]

As a Carer, who has been out and about in the virus for the last 13 or 14 months out of necessity, and who hasn't caught it or passed it onto the people I care for (though I thought I had it when I had a campylobacter infection) just fucking mask up and wash and disinfect your hands.
It is as effective as anything.
Get the Vaccine too of course.

[Raggs]

India out of oxygen in many private hospitals, I presume the public ones were already fecked, just didn't have the sway to get noticed. Seeing now that their health minister seemingly endorsed natural medicine to cure it too. Huge fecking mess.

On home shores in the UK, 95% of over 50s have got at least one jab. That's amazing news and brilliant uptake! Although care workers is still only at 80%. I'd regulate it that they have to be vaccinated if working with the elderly or immuno-compromised. 45-49 is already at 59% too.

[fishfoodie]

India out of oxygen in many private hospitals, I presume the public ones were already fecked, just didn't have the sway to get noticed. Seeing now that their health minister seemingly endorsed natural medicine to cure it too. Huge fecking mess.

On home shores in the UK, 95% of over 50s have got at least one jab. That's amazing news and brilliant uptake! Although care workers is still only at 80%. I'd regulate it that they have to be vaccinated if working with the elderly or immuno-compromised. 45-49 is already at 59% too.

I have a horrible feeling that India is going to end up being >50% of the global death toll.

[Fangle]

I hadn’t realized how poorly Brazil was doing. Horrible numbers.

[Raggs]

I hadn’t realized how poorly Brazil was doing. Horrible numbers.

Unlikely to be that accurate, the hospitals failed, no oxygen etc, it'll be even worse than the official figures. UK wasn't that far off apparently, oxygen was being redistributed between hospitals etc to keep up with demand I believe. Another week longer at peak (or worse, climbing) and we may have seen similar collapse, albeit perhaps temporarily as we got a grip on the numbers

[Biffer]

Neither Brazil nor India will likely be reporting the full numbers, given lower levels of testing and death certification.

[BnM]

I've no idea how Bolonsaro was elected let alone still in power.

[Uncle fester]

I've no idea how Bolonsaro was elected let alone still in power.

His subjects are too ill to revolt?

[Saint]

USA has finally lifted a ban on export of vaccine components to India. Ventilators, Oxygen also being shipped in, but it's all too little guven the scale if the problem

[Insane_Homer]

[Rinkals]

Sorry, IH, but I draw the line at the Daily Mail.

[SaintK]

Just the turn of phrase he would use!

[Slick]

Just the turn of phrase he would use!

Don't be silly.

FWIW, I think the top bit is a trick question, so I'm going for the one on the left.

[Paddington Bear]

USA has finally lifted a ban on export of vaccine components to India. Ventilators, Oxygen also being shipped in, but it's all too little guven the scale if the problem

The US has a VP who dines out on her Indian heritage but seemed fairly content to leave them to it in what's turning into a humanitarian disaster. Suspect the U turn comes from a combination of the moral element being tough to sustain, and more importantly India being crucial to containing China.

[tc27]

USA has finally lifted a ban on export of vaccine components to India. Ventilators, Oxygen also being shipped in, but it's all too little guven the scale if the problem

The US has a VP who dines out on her Indian heritage but seemed fairly content to leave them to it in what's turning into a humanitarian disaster. Suspect the U turn comes from a combination of the moral element being tough to sustain, and more importantly India being crucial to containing China.

Just like Biden's connections to Ireland they will do the bare minimum to pay lip service to it but it will be dropped the second US self interest becomes involved.