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What kind of simple-minded "projection" thinks that:
- everyone that's had it already has been tested & recorded as a case
- the world will not get better at isolating vulnerable groups
- everyone on the planet will become infected
- no vaccine will become available.
Even a primary school kid could see though this shite.
The economy sank by 1.8 per cent year on year in the first quarter, state think-tank the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) said today (May 18).
The economic contraction in the first quarter was largely due to the Covid-19 fallout, said secretary-general Thosaporn Sirisumphand.
In it’s full-year forecast, the Council said the economy would drop by 5 to 6 per cent, close to the 7.6 per cent contraction during the 1997 financial crisis.
The Gross Domestic Product in the first quarter dropped by 1.8 per cent, compared to a rise of 1.5 per cent in 2019 Q4, as a result of the decrease in exports of goods and services, private and public investments and the government’s final consumption expenditure. However, the private final consumption expenditure grew at a decelerated rate, according to the NESDC.
On the production side, the agricultural sector decreased by 5.7 per cent, due mainly to the drought. The non-agricultural sector decreased by 1.4 per cent, in contrast to a rise of 2.0 per cent in 2019 Q4, resulting from the manufacturing sector falling by 2.7 per cent and a reduction of the services sector by 1.1 per cent , compared to a drop of 2.2 per cent and a rise of 4.1 per cent in the previous quarter, respectively. The services sector reduction was mainly because of the decreased number of tourists, which has hit related sectors, particularly affecting transportation and storage, and accommodation and food service activities.
Meanwhile, key services sectors such as wholesale and retail trade, vehicle and motorcycle repair, information and communications, and real estate showed decelerated growth.
As for expenditure, private final consumption expenditure grew by 3.0 per cent, compared to a 4.1 per cent growth in 2019 Q4. However, government final consumption expenditure, gross fixed capital formation, exports and imports of goods and services contracted by 2.7, 6.5, 6.7 and 2.5 per cent, respectively.
Moderna reports 'positive' results from early data on coronavirus vaccine
The biotech company Moderna on Monday reported “positive” data on its potential coronavirus vaccine from an early clinical trial, raising hopes about the effort.
The company said early data from a phase one clinical trial showed that people given the potential vaccine generated an immune response similar to that in people who had recovered from the disease.
The levels of neutralizing antibodies were “at or above” the levels seen in blood samples from people who have recovered from the coronavirus, Moderna said in a statement.
Still, that early result is only from the first eight participants in the trial.
“These interim Phase 1 data, while early, demonstrate that vaccination with mRNA-1273 elicits an immune response of the magnitude caused by natural infection starting with a dose as low as 25 [micrograms],” Tal Zaks, chief medical officer at Moderna, said in a statement.
“These data substantiate our belief that mRNA-1273 has the potential to prevent COVID-19 disease and advance our ability to select a dose for pivotal trials,” he added, referring to the potential vaccine.
The company also said the vaccine was “generally safe and well tolerated.” All side-effects, including redness in one participant around the injection site, have so far been “transient and self-resolving,” the company noted, adding that no “serious” side-effects have been reported.
Additionally, the potential vaccine was successful in preventing the virus from replicating in mice’s lungs in another study, Moderna said.
The company, which is working with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, led by Anthony Fauci, is about to begin a phase two trial and said it hopes to begin a phase three trial in July.
“We are investing to scale up manufacturing so we can maximize the number of doses we can produce to help protect as many people as we can from SARS-CoV-2,” said the company’s CEO, Stéphane Bancel.: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcar...avirus-vaccine
Today's update.
Coronavirus Cases: 4,869,491
Deaths: 319,108
World population: 7,800,000,000 Projection: 511,150,426 deaths
Real-life ‘The Terminal’: 3 Nigerians stuck at Suvarnabhumi Airport for over 2 months
Suvarnabhumi Airport confirmed that three Nigerians have been stuck at the airport for more than two months now, waiting for a connecting flight to Myanmar and Laos. Their predicament? The destination countries have been closed, while the three cannot enter Thailand because they have no visas.
The airport’s Special Affairs and Community Relations Department said two of the Nigerians arrived on March 21 on an Emirates Airlines flight and were scheduled to take a connecting Lao Airlines flight to Laos, while the other person arrived at Suvarnabhumi on March 24 on an Etihad Airways plane and was to take a connecting Bangkok Airways flight to Myanmar.
But on the day all three arrived, the countries of destination announced they were closed to incoming flights. The Nigerians were also unable to fly back home as both Emirates and Etihad Airways cancelled their flights due to the virus crisis.
Moreover, the three did not apply for a visa to enter Thailand and the Immigration Division therefore could not allow them to leave the airport.
The Immigration Division is coordinating with the Nigerian Embassy to help their stranded citizens.
The airport is meanwhile providing assistance to them by providing food, drinking water and basic care.
Coronavirus: lockdown in northeast China strengthen amid fresh outbreak fears
Virginia child sick with COVID-19 associated illness: Here's what parents should look for
FAIRFAX, Va. -- A Northern Virginia child is recovering at home after becoming the state’s first confirmed a case of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). A new condition associated with COVID-19.
“MIS-C may cause problems with a child’s heart and other organs,” a Virginia Department of Health spokesperson said. “Most children with MIS-C have fever lasting several days and may show symptoms of irritability or decreased activity, abdominal pain without another explanation, diarrhea, vomiting, rash, conjunctivitis, lack of appetite, red or cracked lips, red or bumpy tongue, or swollen hands and feet.”
The child was initially hospitalized May 5.
Parents should watch for persistent fever in their children and contact their pediatrician if a child appears especially ill.
“I urge all health care providers in Virginia to immediately report any patient who meets these criteria to the local health department by the most rapid means,” Virginia Health Commissioner Dr. Norman Oliver said. “All Virginians should take steps to avoid exposure to COVID-19 by practicing social distancing, frequent hand washing, and wearing cloth face coverings if appropriate.”
It is not possible to overstate how stupid this man is:
"Trump reveals he is taking hydroxychloroquine"
Hmmm, trialling a chemical that is as yet unproven to save lives but might, or taking a chemical to make your muscles 10% bigger than you're capable of making them naturally because you're desperate to be BIGGER than other people.
With 1.5 million coronavirus cases and 92,000 deaths in the US, President Donald Trump has bizarrely claimed that the case count is a "badge of honour".
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