Wuhan (Novel) Corona Virus -looming pandemy of deadly pneumonia? - Pandemy ongoing!

(January 28, 2021) OraSure Subsidiary DNA Genotek’s OMNIgene·ORAL Saliva Collection Device Receives Health Canada Authorization for use in COVID-19 Testing
OraSure Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSUR), a leader in point-of-care diagnostic tests, specimen collection devices, and microbiome laboratory
and analytical services, today announced its OMNIgene·ORAL (OME-505) saliva collection device,
a product of Ottawa-based subsidiary DNA Genotek, has received authorization from Health Canada
for use as a component in molecular diagnostic tests for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.
Diagnostic labs, provincial and territory health authorities and COVID-19 test kit providers
in Canada now have access to a non-invasive and painless saliva collection device to facilitate expansion of their COVID-19 testing programs.
“Widespread testing for COVID-19 is likely to occur for the foreseeable future, with periods of intense testing
required to respond to the local outbreaks that will inevitably arise,”
said Kathleen Weber, Executive Vice-President, Business Unit Leader, Molecular Solutions at DNA Genotek.
globenewswire.com/fr/news-release/2021/01/28/2165594/0/en/OraSure-Subsidiary-DNA-Genotek-s-OMNIgene-ORAL-Saliva-Collection-Device-Receives-Health-Canada-Authorization-for-use-in-COVID-19-Testing.html

(January 24, 2021) UK Government 'is funding EIGHT vaccine passport schemes with over £450,000' despite ministers claiming they have 'no plans' to use them
At least eight companies have been awarded government grants to develop vaccination passport schemes, it has been reported.
The projects, worth a total of £450,000, could allow users to securely carry digital proof
that they have received an approved Covid-19 vaccine. The government has however this morning denied
that such a scheme is being considered, and cabinet minister Michael Gove has said they are 'not the plan'.
But ministers have contradicted each other on the issue, including Boris Johnson's vaccine tsar Nadhim Zahawi
who said they were 'looking at the technology'.
One of the recipient projects is led by Enduring Net, which is working on a £49,678 decentralised system
that can digitally provide 'proofs of individuals' Covid-19 credentials', which will include proof of vaccination.
Another project, worked on collaboratively by firms Mvine and iProov, was given £75,000 for a passport
which would be issued in the form of a free app so users could digitally prove they have received a jab.
EAS Technologies' project was given £173,876 to develop an accreditation platform
that hopes to be used by organisers of the 'world's largest sporting organisations, events, and facilities'.
dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9181135/Government-funding-EIGHT-vaccine-passport-schemes-450-000.html

(January 27, 2021) 23andMe in Talks to Go Public Via Branson SPAC
Consumer DNA-testing company 23andMe Inc. is in talks to go public through a roughly $4 billion deal with VG Acquisition Corp.,
a special purpose acquisition company founded by billionaire Richard Branson,
according to people familiar with the matter. Co-founded in 2006 by Anne Wojcicki,
23andMe sells direct-to-consumer genetic testing kits. The company launched with the aim of using genetics
to kick start a personalized health-care revolution, with a $1,000 test
that could alert customers to potential health risks.
When the Covid-19 pandemic began last year, 23andMe launched a million-person study to look at how genomics and other factors contribute
to how severely ill those who contract the virus become.
23andMe has raised $869 million in private funding to date and counts Sequoia Capital and Fidelity Management among its backers.
bloombergquint.com/business/23andme-is-said-to-be-in-talks-to-go-public-via-branson-spac

(January 27, 2021) French firm Sanofi to help produce 100 million doses of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine
The French company will aim to help supply more than 100 million doses of the vaccine this year
from its German plant in Frankfurt, CEO Paul Hudson told Le Figaro newspaper on Tuesday.
Last month, Sanofi and Britain's GlaxoSmithKline said a COVID-19 vaccine they are jointly developing
had shown an insufficient immune response in older people, delaying its launch to late this year.
Sanofi is also working on another COVID-19 vaccine candidate with U.S. firm Translate Bio
which uses mRNA technology, similar to the approach of Pfizer/BioNTech.
france24.com/en/france/20210127-french-firm-sanofi-to-help-produce-100-million-doses-of-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine

(January 28, 2021) A 'Mammoth' boost to COVID-19 testing capacity
Even as multiple COVID-19 vaccine candidates approach regulatory approval, work is ongoing to develop additional diagnostics
and treatments to keep up with the virus. Among the many companies pursuing such efforts are Mammoth Biosciences, Inc. and Agilent Technologies,
who have established a co-marketing agreement for the launch of a complete CRISPR-based SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic solution
combining Agilent's Bravo automation workstation with Mammoth Biosciences' DETECTR BOOST assay.
Mammoth Biosciences refers to its DETECTR platform as “a search engine for biology.”
As explained on the company's website, “Our proprietary testing system works by employing CRISPR nucleases, programmed to find a defined gene sequence.
Upon finding the sequence of interest, the nuclease activates a cleavage capability, which generates a signal. The signal confirms the sequence has been found.”
The platform is suited for applications such as bacterial infections, viral infections, single nucleotide polymorphisms, antimicrobial resistance, and cancer screening and profiling.
drugdiscoverynews.com/a-mammoth-boost-to-covid-19-testing-capacity-14989

(January 29, 2021) Novartis Inks Contract Manufacturing Deal for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
Novartis has signed an initial agreement to leverage its manufacturing capacity and capabilities
in order to address the COVID-19 pandemic by supporting the production of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
The agreement will see Novartis utilizing its aseptic manufacturing facilities at its site in Stein, Switzerland.
Under the terms of the contract manufacturing agreement, Novartis plans to take bulk mRNA active ingredient from BioNTech
and fill this into vials under aseptic conditions for shipment back to BioNTech for their distribution to healthcare system customers around the world.
Subject to reaching a final agreement, Novartis plans to commence production in the second quarter of 2021
at its state-of-the art aseptic manufacturing plant in Stein. Initial shipment of finished product is expected in the third quarter.
contractpharma.com/content-microsite/covid-19/2021-01-29/novartis-inks-contract-manufacturing-deal-for-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine

(January 29, 2021) EMA approves AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine
The European Union (EU)’s healthcare regulator the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted AstraZeneca (AZ)
and the University of Oxford conditional marketing authorisation for their two-dose Covid-19 vaccine.
This brings the total number of emergency-approved Covid-19 vaccines in the EU to three.
The EMA granted conditional marketing authorisation to Pfizer and BioNTech’s and Moderna’s
vaccines in late December and early January respectively. UK regulator
the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has approved the same
three vaccines but approved the AstraZeneca/Oxford jab at the end of December.
pharmaceutical-technology.com/features/ema-approves-astrazeneca-oxford-covid-19-vaccine/

(January 29, 2021) CEPI Call provides up to $140 M in funding to vaccine developers
Norway based CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, has opened a new funding opportunity
to support the rapid generation of additional clinical research on COVID-19 vaccines.
Up to $140 million, contingent upon the availability of funds, is to be made available to scientific groups worldwide
to carry out the supporting research on COVID-19 vaccines either already available
to populations in some countries under ‘emergency use approval’ or ‘conditional licensure’ or similar, or currently in clinical development.
This includes COVID-19 vaccine developers, as well as public health organisations, academic institutions and others
who may not be directly carrying out their own COVID-19 vaccine development but have the capacity,
ability and partnerships established to carry out research on a chosen vaccine.
biospectrumasia.com/news/37/17511/cepi-call-provides-up-to-140-m-in-funding-to-vaccine-developers.html

(January 29, 2021) Rockefeller Foundation Offers $12m Grant to Support COVID-19 Testing in Africa
The Rockefeller Foundation has announced a new grant of $12 million to the Africa Public Health Foundation
to help expand testing and to strengthen contact tracing for COVID-19 in Africa
through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
According to the statement, the funding would support a broader effort to accelerate equitable access to testing technologies,
increase testing of asymptomatic persons, and reducing community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the sub-Saharan Africa region.
Through the Partnership to Accelerate COVID-19 Testing (PACT), an initiative rolled out in August last year,
Africa CDC is establishing partnerships across the globe to mobilize technical, material and financial resources
to support African Union Member States in expanding testing, tracing
and treatment for COVID-19. This grant will contribute to the implementation of PACT across the continent.
thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/01/29/rockefeller-foundation-offers-12m-grant-to-support-covid-19-testing-in-africa/

Africa has no problem with "COVID". So it's needed to fabricate it...

(July 7, 2020) This Company Wants to Rewrite the Future of Genetic Disease
Tessera has spent the past two years developing a new class of molecular manipulators
capable of doing lots of things Crispr can do—and some that it can’t, including precisely plugging in long stretches of DNA.
It’s not gene editing, says von Maltzahn. It’s “gene writing.”
The company hasn’t yet demonstrated that any of its gene writers can eliminate an inherited disease.
But in mouse models, the team has consistently been able to use them to insert lots of copies
of a large green fluorescent protein gene into the animals’ genomes as a way of proving that they can reliably place designer DNA.
Now, scientists have been making animals artificially glow for decades.
What’s different about Tessera’s method is that company’s scientists only need to inject a bit of RNA to make it happen.
The ability to inject just a piece of RNA, similar to the approach taken by one of the leading Covid-19 vaccinemakers, Moderna,
could make it easier for researchers to go after genetic conditions in which the treatment involves adding big chunks of reparative genetic code.
wired.com/story/this-company-wants-to-rewrite-the-future-of-genetic-disease/

(January 12, 2021) Tessera Therapeutics scores $230M to ramp up 'gene writing' tech to cure disease
Tessera Therapeutics is pioneering “gene writing,” a kind of genetic medicine it hopes will surmount the limitations of gene editing
and gene therapy—and investors have bet more than $230 million on the approach.
At its core, gene writing simply means writing short or long messages into the genome
to treat disease, said Tessera CEO Geoffrey von Maltzahn, Ph.D.
“What that allows is one to be able to cure or prevent a disease from ever happening by writing in the code of DNA,
which of course drives the biology in every single cell in the body,”
he said. Tessera is developing multiple ways to do it.
fiercebiotech.com/biotech/tessera-therapeutics-scores-230m-to-ramp-up-gene-writing-tech-to-cure-disease

(February 1, 2021) Dynavax and CEPI Announce $99 Million in Funding for CpG 1018 Adjuvant Manufacturing to Support the Global COVID-19 Response
Dynavax Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: DVAX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel vaccines,
and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) today announced they have entered into an agreement
to support the supply of Dynavax's CpG 1018 advanced adjuvant to be used in approved COVID-19 vaccines developed by CEPI grantees.
Under the terms of the agreement, CEPI will provide Dynavax funding of up to $99 million
through a forgivable loan for the manufacturing of CpG 1018
with the potential to support hundreds of million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for delivery in 2021 through COVAX.
biospace.com/article/releases/dynavax-and-cepi-announce-99-million-in-funding-for-cpg-1018-adjuvant-manufacturing-to-support-the-global-covid-19-response/

(February 1, 2021) Illumina, Sequoia Capital launch genomics startup incubator in China
Illumina has partnered up with Sequoia Capital’s China-based subsidiary to launch a new incubator for genomics startups.
Based in Shanghai, the project follows Illumina’s previous accelerator work with startups in the San Francisco and Cambridge, U.K.,
areas, as well as Sequoia Capital China’s incubation efforts focused on digital technologies.
The program—officially dubbed the Sequoia Capital China Intelligent Healthcare Genomics Incubator,
Powered by Illumina—is set to operate on six-month funding cycles
with at least three startups selected at a time, and first participants will begin work this fall.
fiercebiotech.com/medtech/illumina-sequoia-capital-launch-genomics-startup-incubator-china

(February 1, 2021) CureVac, Rentschler Ramp up COVID Vax Production
CureVac N.V. and Rentschler Biopharma SE, a global CDMO for biopharmaceuticals,
initiated the set-up of manufacturing capabilities for CureVac´s COVID-19 vaccine, CVnCoV.
Rentschler Biopharma contributes to the manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredient,
downstream processing and formulation of drug substance for the vaccine.
The companies entered a collaboration in November 2020 with the set-up
of dedicated production lines at Rentschler’s site in Laupheim, Germany.
Optimization of the production process is now taking place to increase mRNA yield.
It is expected to produce more than 100 million doses of the CureVac vaccine per year in Laupheim.
contractpharma.com/content-microsite/covid-19/2021-02-01/curevac-rentschler-ramp-up-covid-vax-production?widget=listSection

(February 1, 2021) Why Health Care Companies Are Paying Workers To Get The COVID-19 Vaccine
Oak Valley Hospital District is offering its employees a $300 bonus to get vaccinated.
The independent hospital in Oakdale, California, decided to implement a financial incentive after only 40% of its 600 employees
initially turned up to get the shot. Many health care systems have seen widespread reluctance among workers to get vaccinated.
According to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, 60% of his state’s nursing home workers declined the vaccine.
In some health care settings, as many as 80% of workers have turned down the vaccine,
according to an AP report. Although some vaccine hesitancy among health care workers was expected,
the large numbers unsettle many experts in the field.
huffpost.com/entry/why-health-care-companies-paying-workers-covid-vaccine_n_6013f55ec5b6aa4bad3317b6?ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000067&guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly90LmNvL2ZTQmY0N01TZ20_YW1wPTE&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANiF7UcpKvDXGS_uEOlB0vlQhHywnjtnh4GkTvbnCKOPuYVmNdWoQFS0UyPbIAcsQxW6eFyaSLXfNDnQNOLea3Xpf_MdA7ibf3KexLD3DaPUOiu8edCps22qTqecHgdImNk658-8X4HAWQ-Tm3b7jvaQ22xrnmBIEopPE_OicWRg

(January 28, 2021) Coronavirus: Germany recommends AstraZeneca vaccine for under-65s only
dw.com/en/coronavirus-germany-recommends-astrazeneca-vaccine-for-under-65s-only/a-56371850

(January 29, 2021) EMA has recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca
to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in people from 18 years of age.
ema.europa.eu/en/news/ema-recommends-covid-19-vaccine-astrazeneca-authorisation-eu

(January 30, 2021) Italy agency cautious on AstraZeneca jab for over 55s
medicalxpress.com/news/2021-01-italy-agency-cautious-astrazeneca-jab.html

(February 2, 2021) French Health Body Recommends AstraZeneca Shot up to Age 64
bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-02/french-health-body-recommends-astrazeneca-shot-up-to-age-64-kko8p3ag

(February 1, 2021) 9 Top N.Y. Health Officials Have Quit as Cuomo Scorns Expertise
The deputy commissioner for public health at the New York State Health Department resigned in late summer.
Soon after, the director of its bureau of communicable disease control also stepped down.
So did the medical director for epidemiology. Last month, the state epidemiologist said she, too, would be leaving.

In recent weeks, the governor has repeatedly made it clear that he believed he had no choice but to seize more control
over pandemic policy from state and local public health officials, who he said had no understanding
of how to conduct a real-world, large-scale operation like vaccinations.
Mayor Bill de Blasio forced out the head of New York City’s respected health department over the summer.
Around the country, frustrated and overwhelmed public health officials have resigned in large numbers.

In Albany, tensions worsened in recent months as state health officials said they often found out about major changes in pandemic policy
only after Mr. Cuomo announced them at news conferences — and then asked them to match their health guidance to the announcements.
That was what happened with the vaccine plan, when state health officials were blindsided
by the news that the rollout would be coordinated locally by hospitals.
nytimes.com/2021/02/01/nyregion/cuomo-health-department-officials-quit.html

(February 1, 2021) iProov, Onfido, Daon stake out positions as biometrics-backed immunity passports advance

BA to trial VeriFLY on London to US flights
British Airways will be the first UK airline to trial VeriFLY,
a new biometric mobile health app that provides authentication of COVID-related documents,
on flights from London to ten U.S. cities. Starting Thursday February 4th,
BA will be the only airline outside of the U.S. to trial VeriFLY.

In November, American Airlines (BA’s joint business and oneworld partner) began offering VeriFLY
to travelers from Jamaica, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala to Miami.
As of January 23rd, the trial was extended to any international destination to the U.S.
VeriFLY was developed by biometric authentication and identity assurance solutions provider Daon.

Vaccine programs have already begun in some of the 27 countries, and in the UK, iProov has begun trialing its biometric
technology to preserve the privacy of health information within the National Health service.
Tourism dependent countries like Greece, Portugal and Cyprus are advocating more strongly for the EU immunity passport,
which would likely be tied to the individual with biometrics, while France has rejected the notion due to widespread vaccine skepticism.
biometricupdate.com/202102/iproov-onfido-daon-stake-out-positions-as-biometrics-backed-immunity-passports-advance

(January 25, 2021) Workers lost $3.7 trillion in earnings during the pandemic. Women and Gen Z saw the biggest losses.
Workers around the world cumulatively lost $3.7 trillion in earnings during the coronavirus pandemic — an 8.3% decline
according to a new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO).
American workers saw the largest losses in earnings, a 10.3% decline.
Globally, 8.8% of working hours were lost, and 114 million people experienced employment loss
what the report called an "unprecedented" level.
businessinsider.com/workers-lost-37-trillion-in-earnings-during-the-pandemic-2021-1?r=US&IR=T

(January 26, 2021)Billionaires made $3.9 trillion during the pandemic
Worldwide, billionaires saw their wealth increase by $3.9 trillion between March 18 and December 31, 2020.
While billionaires saw initial losses at the start of the pandemic — like millions
of others around the globe — the report says they had recovered all losses by November.

Meanwhile, recovery for those at the bottom could take up to a decade;
the report also estimates that between 200 million to 500 million people may have fallen into poverty during 2020.
businessinsider.com/billionaires-made-39-trillion-during-the-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccines-2021-1?r=DE&IR=T

(February 2, 2021) Cruise Lines Are Beginning to Announce Vaccination Requirements for Guests
The first two U.S.-based cruise lines announced mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for guests
and crew today, a measure that's been discussed but not yet widely adopted
by the industry. American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines company, both part of the Hornblower Group,
said the move expands upon enhanced health and safety measures already in place, including pre-cruise COVID-19 testing of all guests
and crew, and requiring masks in all public areas where social distancing is not possible.
The coronavirus vaccine mandate will apply to sailings on both lines beginning July 1, 2021,
and will apply to guests as well as on-ship crew members and non-ship, corporate employees.
cntraveler.com/story/cruise-lines-are-beginning-to-announce-vaccination-requirements-for-guests

(February 3, 2021) SII to supply 1.1 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Covax vaccine scheme
India's Serum Institute will supply 1.1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Novavax
to the COVAX vaccine scheme as part of a new long-term deal, head of the U.N. Children's Fund said on Wednesday.
They would be produced by Serum under a technology transfer agreement, she said in a briefing.
The COVAX facility is co-led by GAVI, the World Health Organization (WHO),
the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations(CEPI) and UNICEF.
hindustantimes.com/india-news/sii-to-supply-1-1-billion-doses-of-covid-19-vaccines-to-covax-vaccine-scheme-101612360625334.html

(February 2, 2021) Canada signs deal to produce Novavax COVID-19 vaccine at Montreal plant
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada has signed a tentative agreement for Novavax
to produce millions of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine in Canada once it’s approved for use here.
The U.S. company is still doing clinical trials of its vaccine
but if Health Canada approves it, a new National Research Council facility in Montreal will begin pumping
out Novavax doses when the building is finished later this year.
rdnewsnow.com/2021/02/02/canada-signs-deal-to-produce-novavax-covid-19-vaccine-at-montreal-plant/

(February 3, 2021) GSK, CureVac partnership eyes Covid-19 vaccine against multiple variants
Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline and German biotech firm CureVac struck a 150 million euro ($180 million) deal
to develop next-generation vaccines against Covid-19 that target several variants in one product.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, the partners said they were targeting a possible launch in 2022.
GSK, which holds a stake in CureVac, will also support the production of up to 100 million doses of CureVac’s first generation
Covid-19 vaccine candidate in 2021, they said.
cnbc.com/2021/02/03/gsk-curevac-deal-eyes-covid-19-vaccine-against-multiple-variants.html

(February 2, 2021) Biden and Drug Makers Look to Speed Coronavirus Vaccine Deliveries
Moderna, one of two developers of federally authorized coronavirus vaccines, is asking U.S. regulators to approve
what it says could be a remarkably simple proposal to speed up the immunization
of Americans against the coronavirus: Fill empty space in its vials with as many as 50 percent more doses.
Moderna currently produces about half of the nation’s vaccine stock.
If the change is approved — which could happen in weeks — it could ultimately add tens of millions of more doses to vaccine supplies.
At the same time, the White House announced on Tuesday that it was enlisting more retail pharmacies as a channel to distribute vaccines.
nytimes.com/2021/02/02/us/politics/coronavirus-vaccine-supply-moderna.html

(February 3, 2021) New Zealand provisionally approves use of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine
New Zealand's medicine regulator Medsafe has provisionally approved the use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
The vaccines are expected to arrive in New Zealand by the end of March,
the Government said, adding that people at highest risk would be vaccinated
before the broader community from the second half of the year.
With vaccination drives underway in dozens of countries — and Australia's approval of the Pfizer vaccine in January
pressure has been mounting on Ms Ardern to start inoculations.
abc.net.au/news/2021-02-03/new-zealand-provisionally-approves-pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine/13117492

(February 3, 2021) Covid vaccine, to family doctors from 10 to 28 euros for doses in the office or at home
Ten euros to GPs for vaccinations in the doctor's office, 28 if the administration takes place at home.
These are the rates that the Italian Regions would pay white coats for anti-Covid vaccinations.
This is foreseen by the general agreement which should be discussed today by the Regions.
ilmessaggero.it/salute/focus/vaccino_quanto_costa_medico_casa_studio_accordo_regioni_come_funziona_3_febbraio-5743168.html