Copy-editor: Rob Camp
Vaccines
Our World in Data. COVID-19 vaccination doses administered per 100 people. 30 December 2020. Link: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita
GOV.UK 20201230. Regulatory approval of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. https://www.gov.uk 2020, published 30 December. Full-texts: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca
On December 30, UK regulatory authorities approved the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine. ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) needs only normal refrigeration at 2-8°C and is far cheaper than the previously approved vaccines Comirnaty (BioNTech/Pfizer) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna).
Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. JCVI issues advice on the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. JCVI 2020, published 30 December 2020. Full-text: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-issues-advice-on-the-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommends that both the AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1) and the BioNTech/Pfizer (Comirnaty) vaccines are safe and provide high-levels of protection against COVID-19, including severe COVID-19. As protection is obtained around 2 weeks after the first vaccine dose, the committee recommends that vaccinating more people with the first dose is prioritized above offering others their second dose. This would provide the greatest public health benefits in the short term and save more lives. For the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine, the second vaccine dose can be offered between 3 to 12 weeks after the first dose. (Pfizer is not amused.) For the AstraZeneca vaccine, the second dose can be offered 4 to 12 weeks after the first dose.
Prevention
Chiba H, Lewis M, Benjamin ER, et al. “Safer at Home”: The effect of the Covid-19 Lockdown on Epidemiology, Resource Utilization and Outcomes at a Large Urban Trauma Center. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2020 Dec 17. PubMed: https://pubmed.gov/33347094. Full-text: https://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0000000000003061
Spring 2020 lockdown in California. At the largest trauma center in Los Angeles, there was a reduction in the automobile versus pedestrian admissions by 42,5%, motorcycle injuries by 38,7%, and bicycle accidents by 28,4%, but no significant effect on the number of motor vehicle accident admissions. There was an increase in ground level falls by 32,5%, especially in the elderly group. The absolute number of gunshot wounds increased by 6,2% and knife injuries by 39,3%. Suicides increased by 38,5%. L
Pediatrics
Viner RM, Ward JL, Hudson LD, et al. Systematic review of reviews of symptoms and signs of COVID-19 in children and adolescents. Arch Dis Child. 2020 Dec 17:archdischild-2020-320972. PubMed: https://pubmed.gov/33334728. Full-text: https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2020-320972
In case you didn’t know it, there are reviews and reviews of reviews! Here is one of the latter species: fever and cough are the most common symptoms in children and young people (CYP) under age 20 years with COVID-19, with other symptoms infrequent. The conclusion of this review of reviews by Viner et al.: further research is needed. Praise be.
Collateral Effects
Santoro GA, Grossi U, Murad-Regadas S, et al. DElayed COloRectal cancer care during COVID-19 Pandemic (DECOR-19): Global perspective from an international survey. Surgery. 2020 Nov 17:S0039-6060(20)30778-9. PubMed: https://pubmed.gov/33353731. Full-text: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2020.11.008
The authors analyzed the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on pre-operative assessment, elective surgery, and post-operative management of colorectal cancer patients, using a 35-item survey, which was answered by a total of 1051 respondents from 84 countries. The result: both diagnostic and therapeutic practices changed. Endoscopic and radiologic procedures were highly affected and elective CRC surgery was impacted for almost all respondents (97,3%), with planned procedures being temporarily suspended (46,8%) or capacity reduced (50,5%).
Spanish
If you read Spanish, read de Miguel R. El Reino Unido se convierte en el primer país del mundo en autorizar la vacuna de Oxford y AstraZeneca. El País 2020, published 30 December. Full-text: https://elpais.com/sociedad/2020-12-30/el-reino-unido-se-convierte-en-el-primer-pais-del-mundo-en-autorizar-la-vacuna-de-oxfordastrazeneca.html
El Gobierno de Johnson anuncia que extiende el nivel 4 de Alerta Máxima impuesto en Londres a amplias zonas del centro y norte de Inglaterra. El regreso escolar de Secundaria se retrasa al 18 de enero
French
If you read French, read Ducourtieux C. Le Royaume-Uni donne son feu vert au vaccin Oxford-AstraZeneca. Le Monde 2020, published 30 December. Full-text : https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2020/12/30/le-royaume-uni-donne-son-feu-vert-au-vaccin-oxford-astrazeneca_6064818_3210.html
Le gouvernement britannique veut amplifier sa campagne de vaccination, tandis que les hôpitaux saturent.
Le groupe pharmaceutique chinois Sinopharm annonce que son vaccin contre le Covid-19 est efficace à plus de 79 %. Le Monde 2020, published 30 December. Full-text : https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2020/12/30/covid-19-le-groupe-pharmaceutique-chinois-sinopharm-annonce-que-son-vaccin-est-efficace-a-plus-de-79_6064806_3244.html
Sinopharm n’a pas précisé si les essais cliniques étaient achevés pour ce premier vaccin, qui fait l’objet d’une demande d’homologation auprès des autorités chinoises.
German
If you read German, read Schulz B. “Die erleben gerade Furchtbares” – Die Zeit 2020, published 30 December. Full-text: https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2020-12/coronavirus-grossbritannien-impfungen-infektionszahlen-gesundheitssystem-nhs
In Großbritannien wird massenhaft geimpft, aber die Corona-Fälle steigen weiter rasant. Das Gesundheitssystem kollabiert, Intensivstationen suchen freiwillige Helfer.
Römer J. Studien liefern erste Erkenntnisse zur Gefahr durch die Corona-Mutation. Der Spiegel 2020, published 30 December. Full-text: https://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/mensch/grossbritannien-corona-mutation-fuehrt-nicht-haeufiger-zu-schweren-verlaeufen-a-8c22d51c-bea3-4aa3-aea4-67fdadea2e93
Eine Studie zeigt: Die auch in Deutschland entdeckte Corona-Variante B.1.1.7 verursacht schwere Erkrankungen nicht häufiger als andere Viruslinien. Aber ein Grund zur Entwarnung ist das nicht.