The Malnupiravir study showed that there were no deaths among the group that received the pill and a 50% reduction in hospitalizations for those who started the pill after testing positive for COVID-19. The pill could be a cheap alternative for countries without access to vaccines.
The one-sided approach to COVID-19 vaccines reveals a lack of understanding of the hyper mutability of the virus and the need for more funding towards the development of the next generation of vaccines. However, societal isolation has impacted progress in the field.
Many Californians are afraid of being canceled if they get vaccinated due to the idea that they are taking a slot away from someone else. This fear has led to some individuals hacking vaccination websites to get vaccinated faster, leaving the unvaccinated as a potential breeding ground for the virus.
The combination of vaccine availability and people beginning to book hotel spaces for next summer indicate a hopeful recovery from the pandemic in the third or fourth quarter of 2021 as discussed in the New York Times article "Politics Science and the Remarkable Race for Coronavirus Vaccine."
In this episode, the faulty thinking around rapid tests is discussed, as well as how big money is driving this thinking. The conversation focuses on how empowering people with more information could take power away from those in charge, which is causing concern from public health officials who want to control the data.
Addressing the limitations of messenger RNA vaccines in a poorly understood body and the efficacy of the drug may not be what we think upfront when pushing the boundaries of science, and discussing what doctors would tell seniors amidst the uncertainty.