Vaccine Panic At The Times

The Times delivers some vaccine porn for their Upper West Side readership - OMG, we won't vaccinate 70% of the world agasint COVID!

Its is only VERY late in the story we hear from experts who wonder whether that goal still makes any sense (spoiler - it probaby doesn't.)

Here we go:

The Drive to Vaccinate the World Against Covid Is Losing Steam

Rates are stalling in most low-income countries well short of the W.H.O.’s goal to immunize 70 percent of people in every nation. Some public health experts believe the momentum is gone forever.

In the middle of last year, the World Health Organization began promoting an ambitious goal, one it said was essential for ending the pandemic: fully vaccinate 70 percent of the population in every country against Covid-19 by June 2022.

Now, it is clear that the world will fall far short of that target by the deadline. And there is a growing sense of resignation among public health experts that high Covid vaccination coverage may never be achieved in most lower-income countries, as badly needed funding from the United States dries up and both governments and donors turn to other priorities.

...

Countries in different parts of the world, including some in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, have seen their vaccination rates stagnate in recent months at a third or less of their populations. But Africa’s vaccination rate remain the most dismal.

...

Fewer than 17 percent of Africans have received a primary Covid immunization. Nearly half of the vaccine doses delivered to the continent thus far have gone unused. Last month, the number of doses injected on the continent fell by 35 percent compared to February. W.H.O. officials attributed the drop to mass vaccination pushes being replaced by smaller-scale campaigns in several countries.

Some global health experts say the world missed a prime opportunity last year to provide vaccines to lower-income countries, when the public was more fearful of Covid and motivated to get vaccinated.

“There was a time people were very desperate to get vaccinated, but the vaccines were not there. And then they realized that without the vaccination, they didn’t die,” said Dr. Adewole, who wants to see countries continue to pursue the 70 percent target.

Yeah, well, experience can be a valuable teacher. But why is the momentum gone? A shortage of vaccines? Well, no:

The African Union still aims to vaccinate 70 percent of its population by the end of 2022. But with countries slow to use up donated vaccines, the bloc has not exercised its options to order more doses of the shots from Johnson & Johnson and Moderna.

The South African drugmaker Aspen Pharmacare earlier this year finalized a deal to bottle and market the Johnson & Johnson vaccine across Africa, a contract that was billed as an early step toward Africa’s development of a robust vaccine production industry. Aspen geared up for production, but no buyers, including the African Union and Covax, have placed orders yet, said Stephen Saad, Aspen’s chief executive.

The Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine maker, stopped its production of Covid shots in December last year, when its stockpile grew to 200 million doses; Bharat Biotech, another Indian firm that was a major producer, also stopped making vaccines in the face of low demand. The companies say they have no further orders since their contracts with the Indian government ended in March.

The loss of public demand is eventually adddressed head-on - vaccines aren't great agasint Omicron and anyway, most people have had COVID:

The vaccine regimens that had been planned for the developing world offered little protection against infection with the Omicron variant. And as sub-Saharan African countries were shut out of vaccine distribution for much of last year, more and more Africans gained protection against the virus from natural infection, which studies have shown works as well as two mRNA doses in preventing infection. New data from the W.H.O. shows that at least two-thirds of Africans had been infected with the virus before the Omicron wave.

If 67% of the population had effective immunity prior to Omicron, the 70% goal has surely been achieved the hard way. Many experts are saying the focus should be on the vulnerable:

Given these factors, some public health experts in Africa say the broad 70 percent goal no longer makes sense. “There’s very little value to it. In fact, we will gain much more by getting to more than 90 percent of people above the age of 50,” said Shabir Madhi, a professor of vaccinology and the dean of the faculty of health sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. About two-thirds of South Africans above age 50 are currently fully vaccinated.

Dr. Madhi said that South Africa could close down mass vaccination sites and instead redouble its efforts to seek out the most vulnerable at church services and at government offices that pay out monthly pension benefits.

Katherine O’Brien, who directs the W.H.O.’s work on vaccines and immunizations, said the agency encourages countries to focus on its most vulnerable citizens rather than vaccinating “a random set of 70 percent” of their populations. The aspiration she said, has always been “100 percent of health workers, 100 percent of older adults, 100 percent of pregnant women, 100 percent of the people who fall into those highest risk groups.”

Vax the vulnerabble! Seems like common sense. But the Times can't leave their readers there, so they close with a plaintive plea for social equality:

Some public health experts said that while the 70 percent vaccination threshold is clearly not achievable by its original deadline, it would be unwise and unethical to give up on that target over a longer time horizon. They expressed frustration about the growing gulf between wealthy countries vaccinating young children and offering healthy adults fourth vaccine doses, and the regions where the majority of people still do not have one dose.

“Why are we making it one target for high-income countries and one target for low income?” said Dr. Ayoade Alakija, a co-chair of the African Union’s vaccine delivery program.

She said that even though many people in sub-Saharan Africa have been infected, there is still need for the additional protection that would come from a high level of vaccination coverage.

Modest vaccination coverage, she said, “is not considered a good enough level of protection in England, it’s not a good enough level of protection in America. How is it OK not to be aiming for the very maximum, maximum we can? Aim for the sky and get to the top of the tree.”

That's the spirit! Why should countries with a much younger population and very different public health challenges be treated differently from the US or the UK?

 

 

 

Comments

[henry]

Only vaxxing the vulnerable would have made Kung Flu a distant memory… bu Fauci had to loose his inner Napolean. NYT way behind the science — but speaking for authoritay as usual.

[sbwaters]

Double Thnx, Tom. Hope the vacation is going, er, swimmingly!

[sbwaters]

Clarice’s What a week this has been is up showing mirrors to #Leftist authoritarians right and, um, left.

[MissMarple2]

Clarice,

Thanks for the great week in review!

And thanks to Tom for the new thread!

[clarice]

Thnx,

Great post,TM. (I take it your vacation is not on the UWS of NYC)The waPo is full of tripe about people afraid to ride public transport now that the mandate is gone--what? they weren't bothered by the crime, mismanagement and dangerously poor maintenance?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

The curious thing about humanity is that no matter how many times the "experts" tell us something stupid, irrational and/or dishonest and a year down the road it becomes such obvious bullshit they can no longer refuse to acknowledge they were wrong and the non-experts who are neither stupid, irrational nor dishonest were right all along, the mass of humanity will still listen to the same damned ding dongs and ignore the rational the next time our would be rulers decide to stampede the hoi polloi to their benefit.
Even the beast of the field learns to distrust the hand that smites him. People OTOH say "please sir, may we have some more."
Pathetic.

[Jim Eagle]

Today, in 1916, the Easter Rebellion started in Dublin. Wasn’t it Jefferson who advocated rebellions asa necessary cleanser of autocratic governance?

[clarice]

SEE, IGGY, TO THESE PEOPLE THE MASK IS A TALISMAN it is visible proof that it offers protection from illness..the other stuff is too complicated

[henry]

Mask, windmill, solar panel… how much nonsense is in their “studies” major heads?

[MissMarple2]

Henry,

Enough that some nut case climate studies guy set himself on fire on the steps of the SC yesterday and died.

[Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma]

Nuttin like polluting the DC air with your immolation to fight pollution. Derp.

[jimmyk]

Today, in 1916, the Easter Rebellion started in Dublin. Wasn’t it Jefferson who advocated rebellions as a necessary cleanser of autocratic governance?

Hey, Jack. Yes, it surely was. But Yeats's "Easter 1916" takes a more ambivalent view of the rebellion and the rebels.

Too long a sacrifice
Can make a stone of the heart.

[MissMarple2]

New movie out called “The Northman”.

It’s about Vikings.

The left is griping there are no blacks or Asians in it.

🙄

[Buckeye]

New movie out called “The Northman”.

It’s about Vikings.

The left is griping there are no blacks or Asians in it.

And it is all about real white supremacists, not modern wannabes:)

[Specter]

Evening all...long time since I commented. The whole thing about Omicron is that it is a nothing burger. Herd immunity is real - and most people have had one version of Covid. So be it. Tired of health officials trying to tell us what to do...

[Davod]

Hmm.

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/e8310d19971a16b244cdee1706175b3d.jpg

[Narciso]

yes that's working out well

https://freewestmedia.com/2022/04/23/berlin-municipality-to-ration-drinking-water/

[Narciso]

watching the pink panther marathon, it seems inspector dreyfus is the default setting,

[Davod]

Armed with a burglar in the house

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/nurse%20r%202%20042422%20scaled.jpg

[jim nj]

https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1518379761185218562

Multiple Massive Explosions in the Western Russian city of Bryansk have caused Large Fires to begin raging throughout the Area, there have been reports about what has caused the Explosions though some Russian Sources are Claiming Ukrainian Missiles have struck the City.

[Jane]

Specter,

Nice ro see you. Hope all is well.

[Davod]

OMG. Ukraine might be attacking parts of Russia.

[jim nj]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/04/23/ukraine-belarus-railway-saboteurs-russia/

The Belarusian railway workers who helped thwart Russia’s attack on Kyiv
A clandestine network of railway workers, hackers and dissident security forces wreaked havoc on supply lines

not behind the paywall for me

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Wider wars are good news?
Maybe we can get the Balkans involved. Any archdukes that need assassinating hanging around these days?

[jim nj]

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1518383893698732032

video of the fires in Bryansk

[jim nj]

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-705003

IDF artillery targets southern Lebanon after rocket fire
This comes after several rockets were fired last week from the Gaza Strip towards southern Israel.

[clarice]

Well, Iggy, once again the Finns are prepared.

[Davod]

Ace landscape

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/4%2024%20ont.jpg

[Davod]

Another landscape

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/4%2024%2022%200nt%202nd.jpg

[Davod]

DIY project

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/4%2024%20brought.jpg

[Davod]

Dog saves ducklings

https://www.breitbart.com/local/2022/04/24/watch-dog-rescues-stranded-ducklings-a-pretty-good-guy/

[jim nj]

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/24/china/beijing-covid-outbreak-lockdown-fears-intl-hnk/index.html

Beijing races to contain 'urgent and grim' Covid outbreak as Shanghai lockdown continues

Beijing is racing to track a Covid-19 outbreak that may have been spreading in the capital for a week, city authorities said over the weekend, raising the prospect more stringent restrictions could soon be implemented in line with other Chinese cities.

[jim nj]

Two assessments of the Ukraine war:

https://militaryland.net/ukraine/invasion-day-60-summary/

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-24

[jim nj]

https://smallwarsjournal.com/index.php/jrnl/art/elon-musk-veteran-brain-banks-and-satellite-guided-ukrainian-stay-behind-units

Elon Musk, “Veteran Brain Banks,” and Satellite-Guided Ukrainian “Stay Behind” Units

[jim nj]

https://townhall.com/columnists/kurtschlichter/2022/04/25/liberal-corporations-are-confused-and-scared-because-conservatives-now-fight-back-n2606261

Liberal Corporations Are Confused and Scared Because Conservatives Now Fight Back

"The fretting conservatives, some in good faith and others because they are worthless and weak, claim to worry that this is some grand violation of our principles. It is certainly not a violation of my principles, starting with this one: If you hit me, I will hit you back twice as hard and then kick your quivering body. One problem with so much of blue check conservative Twitter is that so many of those who would presume to lead us into battle have never been in a fistfight. I have no use for anyone who has never gotten in a brawl and lost – and I prefer ones who have experience winning too."

[clarice]

Mark Penn:https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/25/opinion/biden-voters-midterms.html
Voters afraid-- which means R tsunami coming which will swamp Dems

[clarice]

Tweet
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Disclose.tv
@disclosetv
JUST IN - Twitter said the platform is on track to reach deal with Elon Musk as soon as today, Bloomberg reports.

[MissMarple2]

Good morning!

I hope lot of Twitter execs get the pink slip today. Looks like another interesting week! 😄

[Neo]

Twitter set to accept Musk's original $43 bln offer
https://www.reuters.com/technology/exclusive-twitter-set-accept-musks-best-final-offer-sources-2022-04-25/

[Neo]

I'm really starting to hate Discus.

About Tuesday, I would post .. it would look like it posted .. then a refresh .. it's not there.

On Saturday, it started saying "comments were closed" as soon as I looked in, like I was really really banned.

[Dave (in MA)]

Closing comments after a week seems to be a site specific setting, not a Disqus-imposed one. I just posted a reply on Disqus in a months-old thread on another site.
Maybe Musk can set his sights on Disqus and Typepad next.

[Melinda]

Everything will be Section 8, and it will all be Federalized::

Maine Could Be the Third State To End Single-Family-Only Zoning

The Pine Tree State is embracing California-style housing reforms. It could run into California-style problems.

https://reason.com/2022/04/25/maine-could-be-the-third-state-to-end-single-family-only-zoning/

[All part of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule that Sean McDonough shepherded in under iBama, nixed by DJT and quickly readapted by Zhou.]

[MissMarple2]

Apparently there is an email in which Hunter Biden tells his brother’s widow Hallie that she needs to get tested for HIV. He also calls her a lot of names.

Not only are these people security risks and crooks, they are a flat-out embarrassment to our country.

[Melinda]

Related::

https://conservativebrief.com/former-dni-3-62275/

[Narciso]

oops

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-61176334

[MissMarple2]

https://johnkassnews.com/will-white-rabbit-save-biden-and-the-democrats-in-november/

Excellent column!

[MissMarple2]

https://rumble.com/v12dfbd-its-official-elon-musk-buys-twitter.html?mref=ah9c7&mc=cfcoh

Contains video.

[Neo]

This popped up of at ace:

SOURCE: With the Discovery team coming in "@CNN's skeletons are starting to fall out" - One big one is "Upper mgmt (and Anchors) coordinated daily with Rep. Adam Schiff during Trump's Impeachment)s)" They continue "This about 1000 miles outside journalistic ethics"

[matt - deplore me if you must]

Joe Biden has seen the White Rabbit, no one can deny.

I see mass Hara Kira at Twitter this week. A good start, as they say.

The facade is beginning to show large cracks. Mayorkas, Buttigeig and the rest of the clown show ar being named and shamed. But the real pain is being felt by working people where the money supply has grown so outlandish that they can't afford basic needs.

It will fall to the Republicans to try and clean up the mess, but can they? Where do we see the vision and competence to solve some of the incredible fiscal challenges we face?

I just don't see even our corporate class as competent to do so anymore. They're so busy chasing woke pipe dreams that they are a lost generation. The media is a lost cause as is Hollyweird. Gay cowboys, lesbian nuns and increasingly repetitive Marvel films just don't interest the average viewer anymore. Oh, and Thor is now supposed to be gay or stoned or both.

I got dumped the other day by a woman; Stanford undergrad, USC JD, because I am a Christian. In her e mail she said she was a pagan. This expresses perfectly how our elite have gone off the rails.They'd rather worship Gaia or a crystal or anything but a logical philosophical whole that flows from the Ancient Greeks, Confucius, and Buddha to Kierkegaard and even Camus' existentialism. Sartre was an asshole.

Postmodernism is slowly becoming recognized as the joke it is. But they keep following the herd down the primrose path anyway until they disappear up their own kiesters.

The sharp divides are being further sharpened until I believe we will see Postmodernism's last stand. Let's hope someone is around to pick up the pieces.

[Davod]

Lake Lugano, Switzerland

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/pleasantwalk.jpg

[Davod]

Stealth puppy (24)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1514970152470728706

[Jack Lillywhite]

How about that beautiful cowgirl on Tucker tonight?

[Davod]

Cat doesn't like dogs (1:0)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518313263817183233

[Davod]

Pandas.. they can’t survive in wild, or can they? 🤷‍♂️ (15)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518330146901704706

[Davod]

More evidence of the Panda Hoax. (11)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518296263128719360

[Davod]

A smooth criminal (11)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518169190556962817

[Davod]

this dog owner spent $400 to find out why his dog was limping only to learn he was copying him out of sympathy (jukin media) (7)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518216617448062976

[Davod]

A cat demonstrating Newton's 3rd Law #Physics #Science (8)

[Amazing]
https://twitter.com/i/status/1518303994451574784

[Davod]

this dog goes to 'doggy school' every day on a bus and he loves it (jukin media) (18)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1516067394405474311

[Davod]

sammy the golden retriever loves to look after her pet ducklings (viralhog) (22)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1515670534935171076

[Davod]

Late afternoon dip 💦
Albert always waits for the second object in the hope he is fast enough to go for both!
Bera hesitates expecting Albert to pounce but when she thinks she has a chance... Off she's goes! (56)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518626089513459712

[Davod]

That the right to nap during the working day be legalized! Whoa never thanks! 😂😂 (27)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518616380890886146

[Davod]

Playing (30)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518143451849760768

[Davod]

Little boy playing fetch with the neighbor’s dog.. 😊 (53)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518474933168488449

[Davod]

this beagle and duck are the best of friends
(jukin media)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518637515359629312

[Davod]

i am the captain of the boat now
(jukin media)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1515346751229763590

[Dave (in MA)]

Evening all...long time since I commented. The whole thing about Omicron is that it is a nothing burger. Herd immunity is real - and most people have had one version of Covid. So be it. Tired of health officials trying to tell us what to do...

Five Guys lets you have peanuts while you're waiting for your food for the first time since March of 2020. If that's not a sign that Covid is over, I don't know what is. And thanks to Brandon, what used to cost me $16 and change a year or two back now costs $22.

[Rocco]

Ukraine Asks for Billions More to Support Their Budget and Social Responsibilities for Ukrainian People

At gas stations across the nation, people in real economic pain, psychologically draining and worrying anxiety, are pulling out thirty bucks to put a few gallons of gas to get them to their job where what?….

…Where they are expected to use their calloused hands to generate the payments for Ukrainian government officials to spend on their “social responsibilities of the state?”… Think about that the next time we set down the hamburger meat at the supermarket because it costs too much, or we try and figure out how to make the kids shoes last just a few months longer.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/04/25/ukraine-asks-for-billions-more-to-support-their-budget-and-social-responsibilities-for-ukrainian-people/

Maybe Zelensky has a copy of Hunter's laptop too.

Welcome back Specter.

[jim nj]

Two assessments of the Ukraine war:

https://militaryland.net/ukraine/invasion-day-61-summary/

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-25

I had been led to believe that when the all-powerful Russian forces re-positioned there would be one hell of a second act to this war.

I'm not seeing it. Then again I had been led to believe that the first act would be a lightning-fast combined-arms blitzkrieg.

[anonamom]

I got dumped the other day by a woman; Stanford undergrad, USC JD, because I am a Christian. In her e mail she said she was a pagan.

matt, you were very, very lucky to miss that bullet.
Time to start using a Christian dating app??
Might it help screen for crazies?

[Rocco]

Matt, my heart breaks for you and 2 Corithians 6:14 comes to mind. "“For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” Perpetually in my Daily Rosary.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Christian women are crazy too.

[Narciso]

people are crazy, in their own way, paraphrasing tolstoy

https://technofog.substack.com/p/durhams-latest-he-has-hundreds-of?s=r

[Narciso]

did he return from the mirror universe

I’m not going anywhere. Should this place become more toxic, I pledge to strive even harder to lift up reason, science, compassion and the rule of law. The struggle against fascism, misinformation, and hate requires tough fighters. I hope you stay in the fight, right beside me.

[Narciso]

hence my modest suggestion elsewhere, because these people are still lying,

[Rocco]

Buckle up!

https://www.theblaze.com/news/russia-ukraine-nuke-invasion

[Neo]

Kamala Harris tests positive for COVID-19
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/kamala-harris-tests-positive-for-covid-19/ar-AAWCzjb?ocid=uxbndlbing

[Rick Ballard]

"Kamala Harris tests positive for COVID-19"

Perhaps Africans reluctance to be injected with experimental drugs using false claims of prevention has examination of actual results as a basis? The therapeutic involved would have to be labeled as such and no EUA could pertain as it does to the fake prophylactic.

AFAIK, Africans are not at all reluctant to use Ivermectin to prevent river blindness. Perhaps actual efficacy is the best explanation?

That or they have better witch doctors.

[matt - deplore me if you must]

I think it's more about economics and culture. The corruption is incredible throughout Africa from the Cape to the Pillars of Hercules. No one trusts government. Many don't trust Western medicine. Do we?

Yes, unfortunately the crazy is strong out there wherever you look. We are the most spoiled society in history. People can indulge in the strangest beliefs that are completely untethered to reality.

And yet when one considers Penrose's theorem or the foundations in logic and reason of Western Culture the framework is rock solid. China invented fireworks and spaghetti. Da Vinci invented modernity.

One of these days I'll find that rich, intellectual faith based hottie. But the pool of likely candidates seems to be taking higher and higher doses of acid.

[MissMarple2]

Good evening, all. Spent all day with visiting nurses and then a doctor visit.

Just heard Gordon Chang say Biden had lifted the national security prohibition on Chinese-made electrical components that Trump had instituted.

[MissMarple2]

Good evening, all. Spent all day with visiting nurses and then a doctor visit.

Just heard Gordon Chang say Biden had lifted the national security prohibition on Chinese-made electrical components that Trump had instituted.

[MissMarple2]

No explanation for the double post.

[Davod]

Muckross Abbey (Ireland), by Shane Duignan

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/MuckrossAbbeyIrelandbyShaneDuignan.jpg

[Davod]

there's nothing better than some morning doga with your dog (my_aussie_gal IG), (29)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518946874283155456

[Davod]

Adelie penguin group diving from sea ice (28)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518980362277310466

[Davod]

Toddlers are exhausting..🌊🐬😍😅 (17)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518607010656366593

[Davod]

I imagine this is some kind of game they play on Dune. (4:30)

https://youtu.be/C97kMKwZ2-g

[Davod]

“Hi! Good morning” 😊 (8)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1519004359920660481

[Davod]

Rescue watercraft looks like magic! (36)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518959052134436864

[Davod]

“Don’t you try kitty” 😂 (9)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518705917268840451

[Davod]

Sleeping with his little Teddy.. 😊 (11)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1519019574519291904

[Davod]

Twitter needs this.. 😊 (11)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1519016999229304835

[Davod]

Birds play with basketball (39)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518581844479938560

[Davod]

“Yoo, over here!” 😂 (4)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1519011008945303552

[Davod]

You want a piece of me...🐿️🏋️🥊😅 (6)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518262238313918464

[Davod]

Good boy (12)

https://twitter.com/i/status/1518676699277402112

[MissMarple2]

Davod,

Thanks for the videos!

[jim nj]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/blasts-heard-russias-belgorod-regional-governor-2022-04-27/

Blasts heard in Russia's Belgorod, nearby ammunition depot on fire - governor

[Dave (in MA)]

The Boston juvenile diet plan is catching on,

pic.twitter.com/cA8DQcIKQE

— Boston Diehards (@Boston_Diehards) April 27, 2022

[Barbara]

Davod,

Love the videos! I especially liked the one with the dog doing "Doga". Also love to see the children playing fetch with the dogs and laughing. Adorable!