British variant gaining ground in USA
"Human error" fouls 15 million vaccine doses at Baltimore factory; data suggest vaccines protect against variants; and, COVID-19 was No. 3 cause of death in USA in 2020
A stunning mixup but proof that quality control checks are working: If you were wondering why existing supplies of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine were originating in the Netherlands instead of its new factory in Baltimore, now we know why: Shipments from the Baltimore facility won’t start until the company figures out how employees there “conflated” ingredients from two different vaccines being made there, the New York Times reports.
UPDATE: Johnson & Johnson says it identified the mistake and notified the FDA. The company says it met its target of delivering 20 million doses by March 31 and still expects to deliver 100 million doses by end of May.
Vaccine lots are scrutinized for quality and safety before acceptance by the U.S. government, which is the purchaser of all COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use.
Doses that have already been distributed in the USA are OK, because they were made at a different factory, but the mistake appears to have fouled 15 million doses and may delay J&J’s fulfillment of its commitment to supply 100 million vaccine doses by June 30.
The Baltimore contract manufacturing facility was making both J&J and AstraZeneca vaccine materials.
The Times reports that federal officials still expect to fulfill the president’s pledge to have enough vaccine for every U.S. adult by the end of May, because Pfizer and Moderna have accelerated production.
The CDC reports that more than 1 out of every 4 new cases in the USA is from the “British” variant coronavirus, aka B.1.1.7. This strain is at least 50% more transmissible than the previously dominant coronavirus strains and may be more deadly.
But there’s also new data suggesting that the existing vaccines provide some protection against variant COVID-19 strains, reported Dr. Anthony Fauci at the Wednesday White House COVID-19 briefing.
And, Pfizer reported data from a small study showing that its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective in children ages 12 to 16.
Schools are among the places shutting down as France goes into a three-week “lockdown” as the nation faces an abrupt increase in new COVID-19 cases.
Grim statistics tell us that COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in the USA last year, trailing only heart disease and cancer. There were 16% more deaths in 2020 in the USA than in 2019.
A note to readers: No newsletter planned for Thursday, April 1. Next edition should be on Friday, April 2.