COVID-19 Pandemic Timeline
COVID-19 Pandemic Timeline and History
Pre-COVID Pandemic History and SARS-CoV-2 Origins
September 4, 2019
Anonymous insider: "9-10 million Americans will be killed during 2020" "Do not accept any vaccines that will be released for a deadly virus in the winter of 2020." "It will originate from a pharmaceutical company working with military op's in a west coast state. It will be accurately planted in major cities and It will cause flue like symptoms and may be deadly to elders and babies but the media will report it as deadly for everyone but It's a hoax, the vaccine will be the real killer packed with copious amounts of toxic metals."
https://archive.4plebs.org/pol/thread/225497848/#q225499031
September 28, 2019
Wave of lung pneumonia cases blamed on vaping
October 2019
Trump administration finishes a months-long project named “Crimson Contagion,” a simulated response to a global influenza pandemic.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/19/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-outbreak.html
Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security publishes study ranking the United States as most prepared country for an epidemic or pandemic, but it also warned that “international preparedness is weak” and that “no country is fully prepared.”
https://www.ghsindex.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2019-Global-Health-Security-Index.pdf
October 18, 2019
World Military Games open in Wuhan, China, with 300 members flying in from the USA
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7813667/
"Event 201," hosted by John Hopkins Center for Health Security, is a simulation for an outbreak of a theoretical coronavirus and the government's response to the ensuing pandemic. It eventually becomes a childhood disease which we need to vaccinate against. Funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/about
Event 201 Players
http://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/players/index.html
https://hub.jhu.edu/2019/11/06/event-201-health-security/
October 25, 2019
Joe Biden: "We are not prepared for a pandemic. Trump has rolled back progress President Obama and I made to strengthen global health security. We need leadership that builds public trust, focuses on real threats, and mobilizes the world to stop outbreaks before they reach our shores."
"Biden Warned One Year Ago, Before COVID, U.S. 'Not Prepared for a Pandemic'"
https://www.newsweek.com/biden-warned-one-year-ago-before-covid-us-not-prepared-pandemic-1541995
Scientists Were Hunting for the Next Ebola. Now the U.S. Has Cut Off Their Funding.
November 2019
"The Army’s premier biological laboratory on Fort Detrick reported two breaches of containment earlier this year, leading to the Centers for Disease and Control halting its high-level research."
"As far back as late November, U.S. intelligence officials were warning that a contagion was sweeping through China’s Wuhan region, changing the patterns of life and business and posing a threat to the population, according to four sources briefed on the secret reporting."
“Those analyses said China’s leadership knew the epidemic was out of control even as it kept such crucial information from foreign governments and public health agencies”
Intelligence report warned of coronavirus crisis as early as November: Sources
November 17, 2019
China’s first confirmed Covid-19 case traced back to November 17
December 2019
"Jitendra “J.P.” Prasad, who runs the AHS supply procurement system, is always on the lookout for terrible diseases that might impact supply and demand. He and his team heard disturbing news about a “strange flu” in Wuhan, China, in early December, Prasad said. “We have contacts from China and a lot of the conversation from them was, ‘Hey, J.P., we think something is happening that may impact us.'” The AHS procurement system quickly took action."
Masterminds behind Alberta's medical supplies surge to meet COVID-19 crisis
Coronavirus Cases As Early As December? Diagnosis Of French Patient Shakes Up Pandemic Chronology
December 1, 2019
First reported example of human-to-human transmission in Wuhan, China.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext
December 10, 2019
"Zaosong Zheng, 30, a Chinese national, was arrested on Dec. 10, 2019, at Boston’s Logan International Airport and charged by criminal complaint with attempting to smuggle 21 vials of biological research to China. On Jan. 21, 2020, Zheng was indicted on one count of smuggling goods from the United States and one count of making false, fictitious or fraudulent statements. He has been detained since Dec. 30, 2019."
Wuhan University of Technology paid Dr. Charles Lieber $50,000/month, $158,000 in living expenses, and awarded him a $1.5 million grant to establish a research lab at WUT. Charles Lieber's research group was sponsored by DARPA.
"Dr. Charles Lieber, 60, Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University, was arrested this morning and charged by criminal complaint with one count of making a materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statement."
Lieber was eventually found guilty of lying to the US about his involvement with the Chinese government's Thousand Talents program.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/21/politics/charles-lieber-harvard-china-ties-guilty/index.html
December 21, 2019
Doctors in Wuhan acknowledge "cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown origin in Wuhan, China caused concern among health officials in late December 2019."
http://weekly.chinacdc.cn/en/article/id/a3907201-f64f-4154-a19e-4253b453d10c
December 25, 2019
Human-to-human transmission between medical staff in two Wuhan hospitals.
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/IzzCnz4Yr2jEIYZePiu_ow
December 30, 2019
Dr. Li Wenliang warns docters about possible illness resembling SARS and warns them to take protective measures.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30382-2/fulltext
December 31, 2019
Wuhan Municipal Health Commission: “The investigation so far has not found any obvious human-to-human transmission and no medical staff infection.”
http://wjw.wuhan.gov.cn/front/web/showDetail/2019123108989
December 31, 2019
"On 31 December 2019, the WHO China Country Office was informed of cases of pneumonia of unknown etiology (unknown cause) detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China."
https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2020-DON229
Tao Lina, public health expert and former official for China's CDC: "I think we are [now] quite capable of killing it in the beginning phase, given China’s disease control system, emergency handling capacity and clinical medicine support."
January 2020
"U.S. intelligence agencies were issuing ominous, classified warnings in January and February about the global danger posed by the coronavirus while President Trump and lawmakers played down the threat and failed to take action that might have slowed the spread of the pathogen, according to U.S. officials familiar with spy agency reporting."
U.S. intelligence reports from January and February warned about a likely pandemic
"U.S. intelligence agencies issued warnings about the novel coronavirus in more than a dozen classified briefings prepared for President Trump in January and February, months during which he continued to play down the threat, according to current and former U.S. officials."
President’s intelligence briefing book repeatedly cited virus threat
January 1, 2020
Wuhan Public Security Bureau accuses Dr. Li Wenliang of “spreading rumors.” He signs a statement acknowledging his "misdemeanor" and promising to avoid other "unlawful acts."
https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2020/03/falqs-spreading-rumors-and-police-reprimand-under-chinese-law/
He was later arrested and allegedly died from coronavirus.
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-02-06/coronavirus-china-xi-li-wenliang
Wenliang interview: https://archive.ph/Uqhsc
"Wuhan police said eight people had been punished for "publishing or forwarding false information on the internet without verification"."
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-50984025
“after several batches of genome sequence results had been returned to hospitals and submitted to health authorities, an employee of one genomics company received a phone call from an official at the Hubei Provincial Health Commission, ordering the company to stop testing samples from Wuhan related to the new disease and destroy all existing samples.”
Chinese health authorities close the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market after it is discovered that wild animals sold there may be the source of the virus.
Life inside ground zero of Wuhan coronavirus outbreak
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/22/asia/wuhan-ground-zero-intl-hnk/index.html
New York Times releases study showing 175,000 people departed from Wuhan on January 1, 2020.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/22/world/coronavirus-spread.html
"WHO had set up the IMST (Incident Management Support Team) across the three levels of the organization: headquarters, regional headquarters and country level, putting the organization on an emergency footing for dealing with the outbreak."
https://www.who.int/news/item/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19
January 2, 2020
"41 admitted hospital patients had been identified as having laboratory-confirmed 2019-nCoV infection. . . . Major gaps in our knowledge of the origin, epidemiology, duration of human transmission, and clinical spectrum of disease need fulfilment by future studies."
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext
Additional evidence of human-to-human transmission: "By Jan 2, 2020, 41 admitted hospital patients had been identified as having laboratory-confirmed 2019-nCoV infection. . . . 27 (66%) of 41 patients had been exposed to Huanan seafood market."
". . .evidence so far indicates human transmission for 2019-nCoV. We are concerned that 2019-nCoV could have acquired the ability for efficient human transmission."
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext
Wuhan Institute of Virology completes map of 2019-nCoV genome, a feat which would not be officially announced by Chinese authorities for another week.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-it-all-started-chinas-early-coronavirus-missteps-11583508932
SARS-CoV-2 genome ends with 33 a's
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/MN908947
January 3, 2020
Chinese government continues to conceal information about virus: "China’s National Health Commission, the nation’s top health authority, ordered institutions not to publish any information related to the unknown disease, and ordered labs to transfer any samples they had to designated testing institutions, or to destroy them."
CDC Director, Robert Redfield, receives initial report about Wuhan outbreak about one month after first case is reported in China.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/07/us/politics/trump-coronavirus.html
Wuhan Municipal Health Commission releases statement: “As of now, preliminary investigations have shown no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission and no medical staff infections.”
http://wjw.wuhan.gov.cn/front/web/showDetail/2020010309017
"CDC alerts HHS chief Alex Azar to coronavirus threat."
https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-chiefs-early-missteps-set-back-coronavirus-response-11587570514
January 4, 2020
Ho Pak-leung, head of the University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Infection, warns “the city should implement the strictest possible monitoring system for a mystery new viral pneumonia that has infected dozens of people on the mainland, as it is highly possible that the illness is spreading from human to human.”
https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1500994-20200104.htm?
WHO via Twitter: "#China has reported to WHO a cluster of #pneumonia cases —with no deaths— in Wuhan, Hubei Province 🇨🇳 . Investigations are underway to identify the cause of this illness."
https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1213523866703814656?s=20
January 5, 2020
Wuhan Municipal Health Commission releases updated case numbers but repeats, “preliminary investigations have shown no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission and no medical staff infections.”
http://wjw.wuhan.gov.cn/front/web/showDetail/2020010509020
WHO publishes first Disease Outbreak News on new virus.
https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2020-DON229
January 6, 2020
New York Times publishes first report about the outbreak: "59 people in the central city of Wuhan have been sickened by a pneumonia-like illness."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/06/world/asia/china-SARS-pneumonialike.html
United States CDC "issued a level 1 travel watch — the lowest of its three levels — for China’s outbreak. It said the cause and the transmission mode aren’t yet known, and it advised travelers to Wuhan to avoid living or dead animals, animal markets, and contact with sick people."
CDC offers to send investigation team to assist in China but China declines.
January 8, 2020
Chinese authorities claim to identify the virus, but they and western mainstream media outlets insist "there is no evidence that the new virus is readily spread by humans, which would make it particularly dangerous, and it has not been tied to any deaths."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/08/health/china-pneumonia-outbreak-virus.html?searchResultPosition=7
January 9, 2020
World Health Organization releases statement: “Preliminary identification of a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China’s increased capacity to manage new outbreaks . . . WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travelers. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information currently available.”
January 10, 2020
The New York Times quotes the Wuhan City Health Commission’s statement that “there is no evidence the virus can spread among humans.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/10/world/asia/china-virus-wuhan-death.html?searchResultPosition=9
Chinese medical staff continue documenting transmission among family members.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30154-9/fulltext
WHO issued a comprehensive package of technical guidance online with advice to all countries on how to detect, test and manage potential cases, based on what was known about the virus at the time.
https://www.who.int/news/item/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19
WHO advice for international travel and trade in relation to the outbreak of pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus in China
January 11, 2020
Wuhan City Health Commission releases statement: “All 739 close contacts, including 419 medical staff, have undergone medical observation and no related cases have been found . . . No new cases have been detected since January 3, 2020. At present, no medical staff infections have been found, and no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission has been found.”
http://wjw.wuhan.gov.cn/front/web/showDetail/2020011109035
The Commission later that day releases a Q&A document re-stating that "most of the unexplained viral pneumonia cases in Wuhan this time have a history of exposure to the South China seafood market. No clear evidence of human-to-human transmission has been found."
http://wjw.wuhan.gov.cn/front/web/showDetail/2020011109036
January 12, 2020
China publicly shared the genetic sequence of COVID-19.
https://www.who.int/news/item/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19
https://www.who.int/csr/don/12-january-2020-novel-coronavirus-china/en/
January 13, 2020
First case detected outside of China: Thailand detects 2019-nCoV in 61-year-old Chinese woman visiting from Wuhan. "Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health, said the woman had not visited the Wuhan seafood market, and had come down with a fever on Jan. 5. However, the doctor said, the woman had visited a different, smaller market in Wuhan, in which live and freshly slaughtered animals were also sold."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/15/world/asia/coronavirus-japan-china.html
Christian Drosten, co-discoverer of the first SARS virus in 2003 and serving as director of an Institute of Virology in Berlin, publishes first study on how to test for 2019-nCoV, which is adopted by the World Health Organization. The USA decides to develop its own test.
"Diagnostic detection of Wuhan coronavirus 2019 by real-time RTPCR"
https://corona.usak.edu.tr/Home/Duyuru?id=14
January 14, 2020
Wuhan health officials continue to deny human-to-human transmission, despite it being known for about six weeks: "Among the close contacts, no related cases were found."
http://wjw.wuhan.gov.cn/front/web/showDetail/2020011409039
World Health Organization agrees with China's assessment: “Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in Wuhan, China.”
https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1217043229427761152
Ma Xiaowei, the head of China’s National Health Commission, tells health officials in a memo “The epidemic situation is still severe and complex, the most severe challenge since SARS in 2003, and is likely to develop into a major public health event”
https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-health-ap-top-news-international-news-china-clamps-down-68a9e1b91de4ffc166acd6012d82c2f9
China's National Health Commission publishes a report of meeting where they discussed closely monitoring human-to-human transmission and how the transmission may increase significantly.
http://www.nhc.gov.cn/xcs/fkdt/202002/e5e8a132ef8b42d484e6df53d4d110c1.shtml
January 15, 2020
Japan reports its first case of coronavirus, noting that the patient hadn't visited any markets in China but adding "it is possible that the patient had close contact with an unknown patient with lung inflammation while in China."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/15/world/asia/coronavirus-japan-china.html
The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission begins changing its statements, stating: “Existing survey results show that clear human-to-human evidence has not been found, and the possibility of limited human-to-human transmission cannot be ruled out, but the risk of continued human-to-human transmission is low.”
http://wjw.wuhan.gov.cn/front/web/showDetail/2020011509040
January 16, 2020
Wuhan Municipal Health Commission releases statement backtracking on possibility of human transmission, stating, “Among the close contacts, no related cases were found.”
http://wjw.wuhan.gov.cn/front/web/showDetail/2020011609057
German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) at Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin develop and publish the first publicly available diagnostic test
January 17, 2020
CDC and the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection announce they're sending 100+ staff to test travelers from Wuhan to San Francisco, New York (JFK), and Los Angeles airports, employing entry screening for symptoms associated with 2019-nCoV.
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p0117-coronavirus-screening.html
January 18, 2020
HHS Secretary Azar has first discussion with President Trump about virus outbreak.
Wuhan authorities allow 40,000 families to gather for Lunar New Year banquet.
January 19, 2020
Chinese National Health Commission states the virus is “still preventable and controllable.” The World Health Organization updates its statement to say, “Not enough is known to draw definitive conclusions about how it is transmitted, the clinical features of the disease, the extent to which it has spread, or its source, which remains unknown.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51168333
President Trump's economic advisor, Peter Navarro, warns Trump on danger of potential epidemic that could cost US economy $3.8 trillion.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/07/donald-trump-coronavirus-memos-warning-peter-navarro
January 20, 2020
Wuhan Municipal Health Commission states for last time in daily update, “no related cases were found among the close contacts.”
http://wjw.wuhan.gov.cn/front/web/showDetail/2020012009077
Wuhan Evening News, the city's largest newspaper, makes first mention of new virus since January 5.
https://www.businessinsider.com/china-information-crackdown-on-wuhan-coronavirus-2020-1
Zhong Nanshan, Chinese scientist, confirms human-to-human transmission and news is broadcast on national television network, CCTV.
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/human-human-transmission-coronavirus-reported-china/story?id=68403105
WHO experts from its China and Western Pacific regional offices conducted a brief field visit to Wuhan.
https://www.who.int/news/item/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19
""The NIH is in the process of taking the first steps towards the development of a vaccine," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases."
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/20/health/coronavirus-nih-vaccine-development/index.html
January 21, 2020
China applies for remdesivir patent
https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/coronavirus-patent-gilead-remdesivir/
CDC announces first US coronavirus case in Snohomish County, Washington State, a resident who returned from visiting China six days before.
"CDC Deployments to State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Health Departments for COVID-19 Emergency Public Health Response"
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6939a3.htm
January 22, 2020
WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, praises China's response to novel coronavirus outbreak. “I was very impressed by the detail and depth of China’s presentation. I also appreciate the cooperation of China’s Minister of Health, who I have spoken with directly during the last few days and weeks. His leadership and the intervention of President Xi and Premier Li have been invaluable, and all the measures they have taken to respond to the outbreak.”
WHO delegation visits Wuhan and concludes, "deployment of the new test kit nationally suggests that human-to-human transmission is taking place in Wuhan.” . . . “their counterparts agreed close attention should be paid to hand and respiratory hygiene, food safety and avoiding mass gatherings where possible."
https://www.who.int/china/news/detail/22-01-2020-field-visit-wuhan-china-jan-2020
WHO Emergency Committee panel members have "divergent views on whether this event constitutes a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern’ or not. At that time, the advice was that the event did not constitute a PHEIC."
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, President Trump tells CNBC, “We have it totally under control. It’s one person coming in from China. We have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.”
China closes off the city of Wuhan.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/world/asia/china-coronavirus-travel.html
Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas writes a letter warning HHS Secretary Azar: "“I’m deeply concerned that waging an efficient and successful campaign against this virus depends on the trustworthiness and transparency of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), an organization with a horrendous history in these matters,” writes Sen. Cotton, a member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI). As you know, in the past the CCP has lied, falsified statistics, and suppressed information about the outbreak of disease in order to protect its political standing and cover for its own incompetence. … For these reasons, the CCP’s calls for transparency about the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus are deeply suspect. … If you have reason to believe that U.S. officials are being provided with false or misleading information about the disease from Chinese government officials, I ask that you notify Congress immediately."
“It is clear some people are being affected and are infectious while experiencing only very mild symptoms or possibly without experiencing symptoms at all (asymptomatic). This may be masking the true numbers infected and the extent of person to person transmission. It is a matter of urgency to work this out.”
January 23, 2020
'Too early' to declare coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency, WHO says
Chinese authorities announce mandatory quarantines in Wuhan, even though millions of people had already traveled to and from the city for Lunar New Year celebrations.
https://twitter.com/ChinaDaily/status/1220052882596286465
Singapore bans all inbound flights from Wuhan, China.
https://www.gov.sg/article/how-is-singapore-limiting-the-spread-of-covid-19
January 24, 2020
Second US case reported in Chicago, with new cases reported in Los Angeles and Arizona within the next two days.
President Trump tweets in support of China's outbreak response: "China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1220818115354923009
Updated WHO advice for international traffic in relation to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV
January 25, 2020
Kristian Andersen, evolutionary biologist at the Scripps Research Institute, writes a post on Virological.org/ detailing his analysis of 27 available genomes of 2019-nCoV on 25. His data suggests they had a “most recent common ancestor” as early as October 1, 2019.
https://virological.org/t/clock-and-tmrca-based-on-27-genomes/347
https://virological.org/t/phylogenetic-analysis-of-23-ncov-2019-genomes-2020-01-23/335
Dr. Daniel Lucey, infectious disease specialist at Georgetown University, stated in an interview that the first human infections must have occurred in November 2019, if not earlier.
https://www.idsociety.org/science-speaks-blog/#/+/0/publishedDate_na_dt/desc/
Dr. Rick Bright, Director of HHS’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, advises the administration that there is a dire need for surgical masks.
“Hearing face mask supply is also getting very low as China and HK trying to procure. . . . I’ve alerted cip on this throughout week. . . . U.S. mask supply is at imminent risk.”
https://www.kmblegal.com/sites/default/files/NEW%20R.%20Bright%20OSC%20Complaint_Redacted.pdf
January 26, 2020"
Event 201 About
https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/about
Event 201 Players
http://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/players/index.html
China Health Minister Ma Xiaowei states, “From observations, the virus is capable of transmission even during incubation period” of one to 14 days. . . . There are hidden carriers."
China coronavirus 'spreads before symptoms show'
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51254523
Guangdong Provincial Institute of Public Health publishes a study showing recent evidence suggests that asymptomatic cases can effectively transmit COVID-19
"The 2019-nCoV may have a higher pandemic risk than SARS broken out in 2003. The implemented public-health efforts have significantly decreased the pandemic risk of 2019-nCoV. However, more rigorous control and prevention strategies and measures to contain its further spread."
Transmission dynamics of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.25.919787v1.full
5 US coronavirus cases now confirmed; infection can spread before symptoms show
South Korean officials advise private companies to begin creating and producing testing kits
Special Report: How Korea trounced U.S. in race to test people for coronavirus
“The American people should not be worried or frightened by this. It’s a very very low risk to the United States. But it’s something that we as public health officials need to take very seriously.
"This is a virus that has emerged and jumped species from an animal reservoir. … Interestingly, coronaviruses in general cause common colds every season. But what happened about 18 years ago in 2002 was that a coronavirus jumped species from an animal reservoir to humans in China and started infecting people with serious pulmonary disease. There were 8000 cases and about 75 hundred deaths. That was SARs. Then, in 2012, we had another similar outbreak of another coronavirus that jumped species and infected men and women in the Middle East and that was called MERS, or the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. And now, for the third time, we have a coronavirus in China that apparently jumped species from some animal reservoir, infected people, and now we have an evolving situation of many cases that are now evolving more and more each day. …
"We have on our hands an outbreak. … It isn’t something that the American public needs to worry about or be frightened about because we have ways of preparing and screening people coming in and we have ways of responding like we did with this one case in Seattle, Washington who had traveled to China. … It’s an evolving situation and everyday we have to look at it very very carefully. It does not seem to be as efficient in the persistent sustained transmission from human-to-human. Without a doubt it can spread from one human to another. What it doesn’t seem yet to be doing as efficiently, certainly not like influenza, which spreads very efficiently in a sustained way, this does not do so. Which means that, just like SARS, we have the possibility with good public health measures of hopefully getting in control of it.”"
Anthony Fauci on John Catsimatidis' show, The CATS Roundtable
https://soundcloud.com/john-catsimatidis/dr-anthony-fauci-1-26-20
January 27, 2020
Updated WHO advice for international traffic in relation to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV
January 28, 2020
President Trump Begins Daily Briefings by Coronavirus Task Force
HHS Secretary Azar holds briefing and informs public that HHS has been monitoring the outbreak since December, says the virus should not be "an impact on their day-to-day life."
https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-chiefs-early-missteps-set-back-coronavirus-response-11587570514
Senator Tom Cotton urges White House officials to implement a China travel ban
"Charles M. Lieber, the chair of Harvard’s chemistry department, lied about contacts with a Chinese state-run initiative that seeks to draw foreign-educated talent."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/28/us/charles-lieber-harvard.html
"A senior WHO delegation led by the Director-General travelled to Beijing to meet China’s leadership, learn more about China’s response, and to offer any technical assistance."
https://www.who.int/news/item/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19
January 29, 2020
"Trump Announces Coronavirus Task Force"
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-announces-coronavirus-task-force-11580359187
Economic Advisor, Peter Navarro, urges a China travel ban
Singapore screens temperatures, enforces mandatory quarantine for inbound travelers from Hubei province, China, and restricts entry for all travelers who have travelled through China within past 14 days
https://www.gov.sg/article/how-is-singapore-limiting-the-spread-of-covid-19
January 30, 2020
WHO declares global public health emergency of international concern
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7105032/
https://www.who.int/ith/Repatriation_Quarantine_nCoV-key-considerations_HQ-final11Feb.pdf
"There is no reason for measures that unnecessarily interfere with intl. travel & trade.
We call on all countries to implement decisions that are evidence-based & consistent. WHO stands ready to provide advice to any country that is considering which measures to take"- @DrTedros
https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1222969858574430217
First case of person-to-person transmission of Wuhan virus in the US confirmed
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/30/health/coronavirus-illinois-person-to-person-cdc/index.html
"State Department issues ‘do not travel’ advisory for China, asks those in the country to consider leaving"
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/31/state-department-issues-do-not-travel-advisory-for-china.html
"Fact Check: Joe Biden Did Oppose Trump’s Travel Ban on China"
New England Journal of Medicine publishes study showing COVID-19 can be transmitted by those who have no symptoms
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2001468
https://web.archive.org/web/20200131070605/https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2001468
President Trump: “We think we have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment — five. And those people are all recuperating successfully. But we’re working very closely with China and other countries, and we think it’s going to have a very good ending for it. So that I can assure you.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/30/trump-close-cooperation-china-coronavirus-109701
January 31, 2020
President Trump issues quarantines, declares a public health emergency for the entire nation through Secretary Azar.
https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/2019-nCoV.aspx
https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-chiefs-early-missteps-set-back-coronavirus-response-11587570514
President Trump institutes travel ban from those recently visiting China. No returning US citizens are screened.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51335278
Daniel Lucey states, "the virus was already circulating silently among humans before it contaminated the seafood market"
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.367.6477.492
'There's no doubt': Top US infectious disease doctor says Wuhan coronavirus can spread even when people have no symptoms
https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/31/health/coronavirus-asymptomatic-spread-study/index.html
February 2020
Joe Grogan, head of the White House Domestic Policy Council, expresses concern there aren’t enough tests to accurately determine the rate of infection.
"China “stalled for weeks” in allowing WHO experts to visit in January and February, Oakley said, “and the WHO never criticized them for the delay and even praised China for its ‘transparency.’"
Coronavirus cases begin circulating in New York
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/science/new-york-coronavirus-cases-europe-genomes.html
CDC refuses diagnostic test made by WHO, deciding to develop its own test which it later has to recall
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/06/coronavirus-testing-failure-123166
HHS Secretary Azar cites Chinese Journal of Epidemiology as reason for not using WHO test
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32133832/
February 1, 2020
Dario NardellaMayor of Florence,, urged residents to hug Chinese people to encourage them in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNMdg4morQs
Meanwhile, a member of Associazione Unione Giovani Italo Cinesi, a Chinese society in Italy aimed at promoting friendship between people in the two countries, called for respect for novel coronavirus patients during a street demonstration. “I’m not a virus. I’m a human. Eradicate the prejudice.”
February 2, 2020
President Trump suspends entry into the US
Proclamation on Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Persons who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus
"American officials issued a cutoff of 5 p.m. on Sunday for airline passengers to leave China before being denied entry to the United States or subject to two-week quarantine."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/02/us/coronavirus-airports.html
Bill De Blasio, Mayor of New York City, states: “People should be very clear about what this disease is and what it isn’t, and New Yorkers, I always say, are not intimidated easily. New Yorkers should go about our lives, continue doing what we do. … We understand some things about this disease. As I said, others are still unclear. But what is clear is the only way you get it is with substantial contact with someone who already has it. You don’t get it from a surface. You don’t get it from glancing or very temporary contact based on what we know now.”
President Trump on Sean Hannity Show: "How concerned are you?" "Well, we pretty much shut it down."
https://factba.se/transcript/donald-trump-interview-sean-hannity-part-1-february-2-2020
Other countries initiate similar return policies.
First person outside of mainland China dies of Wuhan coronavirus
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/02/asia/wuhan-coronavirus-philippines-intl-hnk/index.html
February 3, 2020
WHO releases the international community's Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan to help protect states with weaker health systems.
US enforces coronavirus travel restrictions. China says it's an overreaction
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/coronavirus-us-travel-restrictions-monday/index.html
February 4, 2020
"Trump Spoke Of Coronavirus In SOTU. Pelosi Tore It Up, Called It ‘Manifesto Of Mistruths’"
Coronavirus: China admits 'shortcomings and deficiencies'
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51362336
Ten people on cruise ship near Tokyo have virus
https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/coronavirus-outbreak-02-04-20/h_41a5fb4e1180c5b3500faf3e53b77557
South Korea announces quarantine guidelines
https://www.cdc.go.kr/board/board.es?mid=a30402000000&bid=0030&act=view&list_no=365953&tag=&nPage=1
February 5, 2020
CDC knowingly sends faulty test kits to ~100 labs and prohibits the use or development of any other test kit.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-chiefs-early-missteps-set-back-coronavirus-response-11587570514
Senator Chris Murphy tweets: "Just left the Administration briefing on Coronavirus. Bottom line: they aren't taking this seriously enough. Notably, no request for ANY emergency funding, which is a big mistake. Local health systems need supplies, training, screening staff etc. And they need it now."
https://twitter.com/chrismurphyct/status/1225073987639705600?lang=en
February 6, 2020
First coronavirus death in US. Link is not made until April 12.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/22/us/california-deaths-earliest-in-us/index.html
February 7, 2020
CDC sends contaminated, malfunctioning test kits to public health labs, resulting in nearly 100 labs being unable to test for the virus
C.D.C. Labs Were Contaminated, Delaying Coronavirus Testing, Officials Say
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/18/health/cdc-coronavirus-lab-contamination-testing.html
https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-chiefs-early-missteps-set-back-coronavirus-response-11587570514
Dr. Rick Bright of BARDA insists the federal government increase production of N95 masks for healthcare workers and first responders
https://www.kmblegal.com/sites/default/files/NEW%20R.%20Bright%20OSC%20Complaint_Redacted.pdf
Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, announces the US has donated 18 tons of medical supplies to China
https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-announces-assistance-to-combat-the-novel-coronavirus/
February 8, 2020
China has deadliest day for coronavirus as US national becomes first foreigner to die
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/08/asia/coronavirus-deaths-china-intl-hnk/index.html
Pompeo Warns US Governors of Risks of Dealing With China
https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_pompeo-warns-us-governors-risks-dealing-china/6183926.html
February 9, 2020
New York State Health Commissioner, Oxiris Barbot: "Today our city is celebrating the #LunarNewYear parade in Chinatown, a beautiful cultural tradition with a rich history in our city. I want to remind everyone to enjoy the parade and not change any plans due to misinformation spreading about #coronavirus."
https://twitter.com/NYCHealthCommr/status/1226508570646269954
Mark D. Levine, Chair of New York City Council health committee, echoes Commissioner Barbot's words: "In powerful show of defiance of #coronavirus scare, huge crowds gathering in NYC's Chinatown for ceremony ahead of annual #LunarNewYear parade. Chants of "be strong Wuhan!" If you are staying away, you are missing out!"
https://twitter.com/MarkLevineNYC/status/1226566648729133056
Economic Advisor Peter Navarro urges government to immediately cease exporting N95 masks abroad and ramp up production for domestic use, including stockpiling remdesivir and focusing on fast-tracking a vaccine
https://www.kmblegal.com/sites/default/files/NEW%20R.%20Bright%20OSC%20Complaint_Redacted.pdf
February 10, 2020
"I think China is very, you know, professionally run in the sense that they have everything under control. I really believe they are going to have it under control fairly soon. You know in April, supposedly, it dies with the hotter weather. And that's a beautiful date to look forward to. But China I can tell you is working very hard."
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/25/politics/trump-coronavirus-china/index.html
President Trump at New Hampshire rally: "Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away."
https://factba.se/transcript/donald-trump-speech-kag-rally-manchester-new-hampshire-february-10-2020
President Xi makes first public appearance on front lines since outbreak
Xi Jinping inspected a coronavirus center in Beijing
February 11, 2020
WHO, on day 42, names the SARS-CoV-2 virus after referring to it as 2019-nCov. CDC, NIH, FEMA, FDA, HHS, DOD, and other agencies work to reverse engineer this novel coronavirus RNA for use in a rapid deployment mRNA therapy experiment.
Key considerations for repatriation and quarantine of travellers in relation to the outbreak of novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV
February 13, 2020
HHS Secretary Azar announces the government will being a "surveillance" program in 5 cities which will expand nationally
CDC: Flu surveillance system enlisted in hunt for COVID-19 cases
February 14, 2020
"A Chinese tourist who tested positive for the virus dies in France, becoming the first person to die in the outbreak in Europe. On the same day, Egypt announces its first case of coronavirus, marking the first case in Africa."
https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/09/health/covid-19-pandemic-timeline-fast-facts/index.html
"A memo dated Feb. 14, prepared in coordination with the National Security Council and titled “U.S. Government Response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus,” documented what more drastic measures would look like, including: “significantly limiting public gatherings and cancellation of almost all sporting events, performances, and public and private meetings that cannot be convened by phone. Consider school closures. Widespread ‘stay at home’ directives from public and private organizations with nearly 100% telework for some.".
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/11/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-response.html
February 15, 2020
President Trump: "I think the numbers are going to get progressively better as we go along."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/03/opinion/covid-trump.html
"The official Communist Party journal Qiushi publishes the transcript of a speech made on February 3 by Xi in which he "issued requirements for the prevention and control of the new coronavirus" on January 7, revealing Xi knew about and was directing the response to the virus on almost two weeks before he commented on it publicly."
https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/09/health/covid-19-pandemic-timeline-fast-facts/index.html
Did Xi Jinping know about the coronavirus outbreak earlier than first suggested?
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/17/asia/china-coronavirus-xi-jinping-intl-hnk/index.html
February 17, 2020
"Chinese scientists believe the deadly coronavirus may have started life in a research facility just 300 yards from the Wuhan fish market."
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/615052-did-coronavirus-originate-in-chinese-govt-laboratory
February 17, 2020
"Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a phone call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday that China's measures to prevent and control the epidemic "are achieving visible progress," according to state news Xinhua. Xi said, "the battle has reached a crucial time" and China had "mobilized the entire country, and adopted the most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough prevention and control measures. Thanks to those arduous efforts, the situation is witnessing positive changes.
Xi Jinping says battle against coronavirus making 'visible progress' as death toll passes 2,000
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/19/asia/coronavirus-covid-19-update-intl-hnk/index.html
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-02/18/c_138796299.htm
February 19, 2020
President Trump: "I think it’s going to work out fine. I think when we get into April, in the warmer weather, that has a very negative effect on that and that type of a virus. So let’s see what happens, but I think it’s going to work out fine."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/12/trump-coronavirus-timeline/
February 23, 2020
"The US Has Its First ‘Community Spread’ Coronavirus Case"
https://www.wired.com/story/community-spread-coronavirus/
President Trump in press briefing: "We have it very much under control. . . . We had 12, at one point. And now they’ve gotten very much better. Many of them are fully recovered."
President Trump's economic advisor, Peter Navarro again warns "covid-19 pandemic that could infect as many as 100 million Americans, with a loss of life of as many as 1.2 million souls" and "could inflict trillions of dollars in economic damage"
"Dr. Eva Lee informs HHS official Robert Kadlec in the Red Dawn email chain that COVID-19 can be transmitted asymptomatically. Kadlec replies, “Eva, is this true?! If so, we have a huge whole[sic] on our screening and quarantine effort.” Lee confirms the reports and adds, “People are carrying the virus everywhere.”"
https://www.justsecurity.org/69650/timeline-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic-and-u-s-response/
February 24, 2020
US Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi: “We do want to say to people, come to Chinatown, here we are … come join us”
https://twitter.com/tomselliott/status/1244367217912881160
President Trump tweets: "The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA. … Stock Market starting to look very good to me!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1232058127740174339
Robert Kadlec of the Health and Human Services Department presents President Trump with a plan advising quarantines and lockdowns, titled "Four Steps to Mitigation"
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/11/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-response.html
"US-linked Chinese military scientist filed patent for COVID vaccine just after contagion emerged: report"
February 25, 2020
President Trump says in a press conference: "It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear."
"Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, warned that the spread of China’s deadly coronavirus in the United States is all but certain and said Americans’ everyday life could be dramatically affected."
Larry Kudlow, the President’s National Economic Council Director, is asked about Dr. Messonnier’s comments and responds: “We have contained this. I won’t say airtight, but it’s pretty close to airtight. . . . I don’t think it’s going to be an economic tragedy at all."
Director Kudlow then goes on to tell Hoover Institution board members the virus is "contained in the U.S., to date, but now we just don’t know."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/14/us/politics/stock-market-coronavirus-trump.html
Hoover Institute board member and hedge fund consultant, William Callanan, circulates memo to other hudge fund managers, senior business owners, and private investors warning them how the spread of coronavirus might be worse than the White House is publicly acknowledging.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/14/us/politics/stock-market-coronavirus-trump.html
First evidence of community spread in USA, New Orleans holds Mardi Gras: "New Orleans Officials Point To Increasing Spread Of COVID-19 Cases"
"President Trump taps VP Pence as coronavirus task force chief"
https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/trump-names-pence-to-head-up-coronavirus-task-force
US Army’s National Center for Medical Intelligence raises the warning level that it is likely and imminent COVID-19 will become a pandemic.
"Medical intelligence sleuths tracked, warned of new virus"
HHS Secretary Azar says the disease is "contained"
https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-chiefs-early-missteps-set-back-coronavirus-response-11587570514
February 26, 2020
President Trump: "As they get better, we take them off the list, so that we’re going to be pretty soon at only five people. And we could be at just one or two people over the next short period of time. So we’ve had very good luck."
Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper advises overseas American military commanders to “check in” and give advanced notice before deciding how to protect their personnel from the virus.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/02/us/politics/esper-trump-military-coronavirus.html
President Trump places Vice-President Pence in charge of Coronavirus Task Force
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/26/politics/trump-coronavirus-stock-market/index.html
February 27, 2020
HHA Secretary Azar: "The immediate risk to the public remains low . . . It will look and feel to the American people more like a severe flu season in terms of the interventions and approaches you will see."
https://www.c-span.org/video/?469774-1/hhs-secretary-azar-testifies-presidents-2021-budget-request
Defense Department spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman issues statement denying accuracy of The New York Times report.
"Pentagon denies asking combatant commanders to give advance notice before responding to coronavirus concerns"
Senator Burr in a private luncheon: "There’s one thing that I can tell you about this: It is much more aggressive in its transmission than anything that we have seen in recent history . . . more akin to the 1918 pandemic.”
"Recording shows Senate intel chair warned of coronavirus disruption in private weeks ahead of time"
President Trump Complains to HHS Secretary Azar that Messonnier's warnings are affecting stock market; Trump Threatens to Fire CDC Director Nancy Messonnier
https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-chiefs-early-missteps-set-back-coronavirus-response-11587570514
Anthony Fauci: "So although this is the fastest we have ever gone from a sequence of a virus to a trial, it still would not be applicable to the epidemic unless we really wait about a year to a year and a half."
February 28, 2020
Secretary Esper testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee and “seemed to confirm key details in a New York Times article”
"Esper says he asked commanders for 'a heads up' on major coronavirus decisions, but denies NY Times story"
""It's going to disappear. One day it's like a miracle, it will disappear," Trump said at the White House Thursday as the virus marched across Asia and Europe after US officials said the US should brace for severe disruption to everyday life. The President also warned that things could "get worse before it gets better," but he added it could "maybe go away. We'll see what happens. Nobody really knows.""
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/28/politics/donald-trump-coronavirus-miracle-stock-markets/index.html
February 29, 2020
US Surgeon General tweets, "Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!"
https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/1233725785283932160
"FDA clears first private lab testing, after Azar blocked efforts to involve private labs."
https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-chiefs-early-missteps-set-back-coronavirus-response-11587570514
Anthony Fauci on The Today Show: “There’s no need to change anything that you’re doing on a day by day basis. Right now the risk is still low, but this could change.”
The Today Show: “So, Dr. Fauci, it’s Saturday morning in America. People are waking up right now with real concerns about this. They want to go to malls and movies, maybe the gym as well. Should we be changing our habits and, if so, how?”
Anthony Fauci: “No. Right now, at this moment, there’s no need to change anything that you’re doing on a day by day basis. Right now the risk is still low, but this could change. I’ve said that many times even on this program. You’ve got to watch out because although the risk is low now, you don’t need to change anything you’re doing. When you start to see community spread, this could change and force you to become much more attentive to doing things that would protect you from spread.”
The Today Show: “Dr. Fauci, quickly, how does this all end?”
Anthony Fauci: “You know, it ends if you — it depends on the nature of the outbreak. I mean, this could be a major outbreak. I hope not. Or it could be something that’s reasonably well controlled. At the end of the day, this will ultimately go down. Hopefully we could protect the American public from any serious degree of morbidity or mortality. That’s the reason why we’ve got to do the things that we have in our plan.”
https://www.justsecurity.org/69650/timeline-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic-and-u-s-response/
Politifact Analysis: https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/apr/13/deanna-lorraine/tweet-amplified-trump-misleads-faucis-late-februar/
Updated WHO recommendations for international traffic in relation to COVID-19 outbreak
March 2020
White House commits one-third of nation's emergency medical equipment stockpile to Jared Kushner's plan for drive-thru testing sites, originally promises thousands of such sites
Dr. Steven Hahn, Commissioner of the FDA, relaxes regulations on whether hospitals and labs can develop their own tests
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/us/testing-coronavirus-pandemic.html
Federal agencies place bulk orders on N95 masks, ventilators, and other PPE.
"US ‘wasted’ months before preparing for coronavirus pandemic"
Peter Gaynor, FEMA Administrator, informs House Committee on Oversight and Reform how the White House didn't invite him to the joint-Coronavirus Task Force until the week of March 16 ahead of his appearance before Congress.
The Wall Street Journal later reported how HHS Secretary Azar hesitated to involve FEMA for weeks, "telling associates he wanted to keep control of the response and that including FEMA would further complicate the administration’s efforts." Secretary Azar denies this allegation, telling the Journal he invited FEMA’s participation early in February.
Health Chief’s Early Missteps Set Back Coronavirus Response
https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-chiefs-early-missteps-set-back-coronavirus-response-11587570514
March 1, 2020
-Second coronavirus death confirmed in the US
-Test manufacturing defects
-First confirmed case in New York state
-Global death toll reaches 3,000
-Twitter suspends non-critical business travel and events
-Postal service worker tests positive
https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/coronavirus-outbreak-03-01-20-intl-hnk/index.html
"Exclusive: Defense Department Expects Coronavirus Will 'Likely' Become Global Pandemic in 30 Days, As Trump Strikes Serious Tone"
https://www.newsweek.com/coronavirus-department-defense-pandemic-30-days-1489876
Dr. Mecher responds in Red Dawn email chain, stating the United States "should have pulled all the triggers for NPIs [nonpharmaceutical interventions] by now."
Dr. Eva Lee, a Senior Research Professor at the Atlanta VA Medical Center and professor at Georgia Tech, responds: "We need actions, actions, actions and more actions. We are going to have pockets of epicenters across the country, West coast, East coast and the South. Our policy leaders must act now. Please make it happen!"
March 2, 2020
President Trump claims that a vaccine will be readily available: ""We’re moving aggressively to accelerate the process of developing a vaccine . . . A lot of good things are happening and they’re happening very fast. I said, ‘Do me a favor, speed it up, speed it up.’ And they will — they’re working really hard and quick" The president suggests the vaccine may be ready “over the next few months,” but Fauci quickly interjects to say, it would be “a year to a year and a half.""
Fact-checking Trump’s accelerated timeline for a coronavirus vaccine
President Trump at a rally: “We had a great meeting today with a lot of the great companies and they’re going to have vaccines, I think relatively soon. And they’re going to have something that makes you better and that’s going to actually take place, we think, even sooner.”
https://factba.se/transcript/donald-trump-speech-kag-rally-charlotte-north-carolina-march-2-2020
March 3, 2020
"Since I’m encouraging New Yorkers to go on with your lives + get out on the town despite Coronavirus, I thought I would offer some suggestions. Here’s the first: thru Thurs 3/5 go see “The Traitor” @FilmLinc. If “The Wire” was a true story + set in Italy, it would be this film." @BilldeBlasio
https://twitter.com/BilldeBlasio/status/1234648718714036229
Vice-President Mike Pence: "Today we will issue new guidance from the CDC that will make it clear that any American can be tested, no restrictions, subject to doctor’s orders"
March 4, 2020
"Some people will have this at a very light level and won’t even go to a doctor or hospital, and they’ll get better. There are many people like that."
Italty shuts down schools
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/04/europe/italy-schools-closures-coronavirus-intl/index.html
"Pence said in an off-camera briefing at the White House that there was new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that any American could be tested -- "no restrictions, subject to doctors' orders." The announcement follows numerous complaints of citizens asking to be tested and turned away due to the strict CDC testing criteria. Pence said the new guidance will make clear "that any clinician or health authority can administer the test.""
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/03/politics/pence-coronavirus-any-american-tested/index.html
March 5, 2020
Mayor Bill de Blasio takes rare subway ride to calm coronavirus fears
https://nypost.com/2020/03/05/mayor-bill-de-blasio-takes-rare-subway-ride-to-calm-coronavirus-fears/
March 6, 2020
President Trump sign $8.3 billion COVID bill
21 positive for coronavirus on cruise ship off California
March 7, 2020
At Novel Coronavirus Briefing, Governor Cuomo Declares State of Emergency to Contain Spread of Virus
Executive Order No. 202: Declaring a Disaster Emergency in the State of New York
https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/no-202-declaring-disaster-emergency-state-new-york
President Trump: "Anybody that wants a test can get a test . . . That’s what the bottom line is."
March 8, 2020
Anthony Fauci on 60 Minutes: "The masks are important for someone who’s infected to prevent them from infecting someone else. … Right now in the United States, people should not be walking around with masks. . . . There’s no reason to be walking around with a mask. When you’re in the middle of an outbreak, wearing a mask might make people feel a little bit better and it might even block a droplet, but it’s not providing the perfect protection that people think that it is. And, often, there are unintended consequences — people keep fiddling with the mask and they keep touching their face."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRa6t_e7dgI
https://www.bitchute.com/video/vIXgw5enSF1A/
Dr. Ben Carson: "Again going to a rally, if you’re a healthy individual and you’re taking the precautions that have been placed out there, there's no reason that you shouldn't go. However, if you belong to one of those categories of high risk, obviously, you need to think twice about that."
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/week-transcript-20-sen-bernie-sanders-dr-ben/story?id=69465733
March 9, 2020
Conte announces that entire country of Italy is on lockdown
Coronavirus: Italy deepens lockdown as COVID-19 spreads
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/coronavirus-italy-deepens-lockdown-covid-19-spreads-n1156351
March 10, 2020
President Trump tells Republican Senators: "We’re prepared, and we’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away."
Vice-President Pence states over 1 million tests have been distributed and 4 million tests would be distributed by end of week
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/13/trump-vs-pence-coronavirus-contradictions-127636
Army signs agreement with drug giant Gilead on experimental COVID-19 treatment
March 11, 2020
"Deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction, WHO made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic."
https://www.who.int/news/item/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus remarks: "This is not just a public health crisis, it is a crisis that will touch every sector . . . So every sector and every individual must be involved in the fights. … We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear."
Joint ICAO-WHO Statement on COVID-19
https://www.icao.int/Security/COVID-19/Pages/Statements.aspx
President Trump restricts travel from Europe
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-address-nation/
President Trump decides against social distances, school closures, and other measures that contradict the pre-2020 pandemic response plans of the United States and other developed nations
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/11/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-response.html
Members of Red Dawn email chain criticize President Trump's response: Tom Bossert. President Trump’s former Homeland Security Advisor, writes: "Can anyone justify the European travel restriction, scientifically? Seriously, is there any benefit? I don’t see it, but I’m hoping there is something I don’t know." James Lawler, professor of internal medicine, replies,"Fuck no. This is the absolute wrong move." Richard Hatchett, CEO of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, adds, "No justification that I can see." Dr. Eva Lee replies, "I was hoping he would mention about schools, government and private sector tele-work, community gatherings, things that really need everyone to actively engage in. And also extra resources for healthcare providers. We really need to protect providers who care for covid-19 patients."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/11/us/politics/coronavirus-red-dawn-emails-trump.html
March 12, 2020
President Trump declares a national emergency
Italy institutes nationwide lockdown
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/coronavirus-italy-deepens-lockdown-covid-19-spreads-n1156351
Ashish Jha, head of Harvard Global Health Institute, says in an interview with NPR: "Our response is much, much worse than almost any other country that's been affected" and uses the words "stunning," "fiasco" and "mind-blowing" to describe how bad the US has acted so far.
James Lawler, pandemic expert, states: "We are making every misstep leaders initially made in table-tops at the outset of pandemic planning in 2006 . . . We have thrown 15 years of institutional learning out the window."
In the Red Dawn email chain, professor of internal medicine writes, "We are making every misstep leaders initially made in table-tops at the outset of pandemic planning in 2006 . . . We had systematically addressed all of these and had a plan that would work – and has worked in Hong Kong/Singapore. We have thrown 15 years of institutional learning out the window and are making decisions based on intuition."
March 13, 2020
Trump declares national emergency -- and denies responsibility for coronavirus testing failures
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/13/politics/donald-trump-emergency/index.html
"As recently as March 13, de Blasio told New Yorkers, “We want people still to go on about their lives. We want people to rest assured that a lot is being done to protect them.”"
Trump says Google is building a site to help people find coronavirus tests: The president said the site, which is supposed to direct people to drive-through test sites, should be ready soon; Google seemed less clear about that.
https://twitter.com/Google_Comms/status/1238574670686928906
March 14, 2020
President Trump in a news conference: "We’re using the full power of the federal government to defeat the virus, and that’s what we’ve been doing."
March 16, 2020
"President Donald Trump announced a strict set of guidelines for Americans to follow for the next 15 days to try to “slow the spread” of the coronavirus," including social distancing guidelines through the end of April 2020.
Trump issues ‘Coronavirus Guidelines’ for next 15 days to slow pandemic
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/16/trumps-coronavirus-guidelines-for-next-15-days-to-slow-pandemic.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-guidelines.html
"President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. may be able to get the new coronavirus outbreak under control by July or August at the earliest. Trump also said his administration may look at lockdowns for “certain areas” or “hot spots” in the nation, but said he wasn’t considering a full national lockdown."
Trump says coronavirus crisis could stretch into August, may look at lockdown for ‘certain areas’
March 17, 2020
President Trump announces southern border controls, says he felt like the crisis was a pandemic "long before it was called a pandemic."
President Trump announces Moderna mRNA experimental vaccine. Shibo Jiang, who discovered the 2019-nCoV virus, publishes an essay in Nature magazine warning against introducing vaccines without sufficient research.
Don’t rush to deploy COVID-19 vaccines and drugs without sufficient safety guarantees
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00751-9
"no animal coronavirus has been identified that is sufficiently similar to have served as the direct progenitor of SARS-CoV-2"
https://www.nature.com/articles/S41591-020-0820-9
China expels at least 13 US journalists, stifling foreign investigations into the Chinese outbreak.
https://cpj.org/2020/03/china-expels-at-least-13-us-journalists-in-retalia/
COVID-19 Clinical Trial Launches at University of Minnesota
https://med.umn.edu/news-events/covid-19-clinical-trial-launches-university-minnesota
March 18, 2020
President Trump signs Executive Order allowing use of Defense Production Act,
"Executive Order on Prioritizing and Allocating Health and Medical Resources to Respond to the Spread of Covid-19"
President Trump tweets, "I only signed the Defense Production Act to combat the Chinese Virus should we need to invoke it in a worst case scenario in the future. Hopefully there will be no need, but we are all in this TOGETHER!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1240391871026864130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
President Trump tweets, "I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early decision to close the ‘borders’ from China - against the wishes of almost all."
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1240243188708839424
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf's Department of Health issues mandatory admissions for nursing home patients: "nursing care facilities must continue to accept new admissions and receive readmissions for current residents who have been discharged from the hospital who are stable. . . . may include stable patients who have had the COVID-19 virus."
"WHO and partners launch the Solidarity Trial, an international clinical trial that aims to generate robust data from around the world to find the most effective treatments for COVID-19. "
https://www.who.int/news/item/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19
March 19, 2020
California becomes first state to issue statewide stay-at-home order with Governor Newsome issuing executive order N-33-20.
President Trump in interview with Bob Woodward: "Really, to be honest with you … I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic."
https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/09/politics/bob-woodward-rage-book-trump-coronavirus/index.html
"“In settings where facemasks are not available, [healthcare personnel] might use homemade masks (e.g., bandana, scarf) for care of patients with COVID-19 as a last resort,” reads the updated CDC guidance. “However, homemade masks are not considered PPE, since their capability to protect [healthcare personnel] is unknown.”"
The CDC says healthcare workers who can't get a mask should use a bandana or scarf as a 'last resort' as supplies run short
https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-recommends-health-workers-use-bandanas-face-masks-crisis-2020-3
"The coronavirus pandemic began in China. Today, it reported no new local infections for the first time"
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/19/asia/coronavirus-covid-19-update-china-intl-hnk/index.html
March 20, 2020
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense airlift 500,000 swab and sample kits for COVID-19 tests from a private company located in Italy.
State of Nevada Enters First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
March 21, 2020
States of Illinois, New Jersey Enter First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
March 22, 2020
States of Louisiana, New York Enter First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
March 23, 2020
President Trump states in a news conference, "America will again, and soon, be open for business — very soon — a lot sooner than three or four months that somebody was suggesting. ... We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself."
https://factba.se/transcript/donald-trump-press-conference-coronavirus-briefing-march-23-2020
FDA clears first private lab testing, after Azar blocked efforts to involve private labs.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/health-chiefs-early-missteps-set-back-coronavirus-response-11587570514
States of Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Massachusetts, New Mexico Enter First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
March 24, 2020
"Trump Says Americans Want to Return to Work Amid Coronavirus Pandemic"
UN: 85% of new infections, deaths coming from Europe and US
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-03-infections-deaths-europe.html
Japanese PM and IOC chief agree to postpone 2020 Olympics until 2021
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/24/sport/olympics-postponement-tokyo-2020-spt-intl/index.html
States of Delaware, Michigan, Washington, West Virginia Enter First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
March 25, 2020
"Worker at NYC hospital where nurses wear trash bags as protection dies from coronavirus"
"Model of Wuhan Trajectory Suggests Longer Social Controls Will Stall a Second COVID-19 Wave"
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issues directive requiring nursing homes and long-term care facilities to take COVID-19 patients from hospitals: "During this global health emergency, all NHs must comply with the expedited receipt of residents returning from hospitals to NHs. Residents are deemed appropriate for return to a NH upon a determination by the hospital physician or designee that the resident is medically stable for return. . . . No resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the NH solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19. NHs are prohibited from requiring a hospitalized resident who is determined medically stable to be tested for COVID-19 prior to admission or readmission."
Advisory: Hospital Discharges and Admissions to Nursing Homes
States of Idaho, Indiana, Wisconsin, Vermont Enter First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
March 26, 2020
Report that there are still not enough tests.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/26/us/coronavirus-testing-states.html
States of Colorado, Kentucky Enter First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
March 27, 2020
"Estimates Show Wuhan Death Toll Far Higher Than Official Figure"
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/wuhan-deaths-03272020182846.html
Didier Raoult, French scientist, announces that patients treated with hydroxychloroquine promptly recovered
Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a National Pulse Survey March 23–27, 2020
https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-20-00300.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/20200406121235/https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-20-00300.pdf
President Trump releases statement for "the Secretary of Health and Human Services to use any and all authority available under the Defense Production Act" to get General Motors to produce ventilators.
Statement from the President Regarding the Defense Production Act
President Trump tells Sean Hannity: "I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they’re going to be . . . I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You go into major hospitals sometimes, and they’ll have two ventilators. And now, all of a sudden, they’re saying, ‘Can we order 30,000 ventilators?’"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Jd-e1vUoA
CIA warns agents not to take hydroxychloroquine: "At this point, the drug is not recommended to be used by patients except by medical professionals prescribing it as part of ongoing investigational studies. There are potentially significant side effects, including sudden cardiac death, associated with hydroxychloroquine and its individual use in patients need to be carefully selected and monitored by a health care professional. Please do not obtain this medication on your own."
States of Minnesota, New Hampshire, Utah Enter First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
March 28, 2020
"WE WILL WIN THIS WAR. When we achieve this victory, we will emerge stronger and more united than ever before!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1244029041432244224
States of Alaska, Rhode Island, Montana Enter First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
March 29, 2020
President Trump at a news conference: "Nothing would be worse than declaring victory before the victory is won."
University of Washington published study estimating death toll between 38,000 and 162,000 by August 4, 2020.
https://www.policymed.com/2020/03/ihme-creates-covid-19-projection-tool.html
State of Kansas Enters First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
March 30, 2020
FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization for Hydroxychloroquine
States of North Carolina, Virginia Enter First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
March 31, 2020
"The number of Americans filing for unemployment has surged to a record high as the economy goes into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Nearly 3.3 million people registered to claim jobless benefits for the week ended 21 March, according to Department of Labor data."
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52050426
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy's Department of Health issues guidance that "No patient/resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the post-acute care setting solely based on a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Persons under investigation for COVID-19 who have undergone testing in the hospital shall not be discharged until results are available. Post-acute care facilities are prohibited from requiring a hospitalized patient/resident who is determined medically stable to be tested for COVID-19 prior to admission or readmission."
Hospital Discharges and Admissions to Post-Acute Care Settings
States of Arizona, Texas Enter First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
April 1, 2020
Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists
https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/covid19-21apr2020.aspx
CDC re-opens Fort Detrick
California Governor Gavin Newsome's Department of Public Health issues guidance that "patients hospitalized, or receiving treatment at an alternate care site, with COVID-19 can be discharged to a [skilled nursing facility] when clinically indicated."
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHCQ/LCP/Pages/AFL-20-33.aspx
District of Columbia Enters First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
April 2, 2020
States continue to resist stay-at-home orders: "As virus takes hold, resistance to stay-at-home orders remains widespread — exposing political and social rifts"
President Trump tweets, "Massive amounts of medical supplies, even hospitals and medical centers, are being delivered directly to states and hospitals by the Federal Government. Some have insatiable appetites & are never satisfied (politics?). Remember, we are a backup for them. . . . The complainers should [. . .] have been stocked up and ready long before this crisis hit. Other states are thrilled with the job we have done. Sending many Ventilators today, with thousands being built. 51 large cargo planes coming in with medical supplies. Prefer sending directly to hospitals.”
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1245701859697967105
Trump administration announces that it is finally using the Defense Production Act for N95 masks and ventilators through presidential orders.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/politics/defense-production-act-ventilator-supplies/index.html
States of Maine, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee Enter First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
April 3, 2020
"CDC Now Recommends Americans Consider Wearing Cloth Face Coverings In Public"
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html
President Trump during briefing: "I said it’s going away and it is going away."
""I don't understand why that's not happening," Fauci said, per CNN, of a nationwide stay-at-home order. "As you said, the tension between federally mandated versus states rights to do what they want is something I don't want to get into. But if you look at what is going on in this country, I do not understand why we are not doing that. We really should be.""
CNN: Fauci advises all states issue stay-at-home orders
https://www.axios.com/fauci-coronavirus-trump-stay-at-home-995de778-d9f4-4d56-a596-40f55b734cf5.html
Coronavirus in America: Dr. Anthony Fauci says now is the time for a nationwide shutdown
States of Florida, Georgia, Mississippi Enter First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
April 4, 2020
State of Alabama Enters First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
April 6, 2020
State of Missouri Enters First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
April 7, 2020
Hospitals say feds are seizing masks and other coronavirus supplies without a word
https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-04-07/hospitals-washington-seize-coronavirus-supplies
President Trump fires Department of Defense inspector general, Glenn Fine, who was overseeing the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package.
President Trump comments on WHO: "The WHO, that’s the World Health Organization, receives vast amounts of money from the United States. … They’ve been wrong about a lot of things. And they had a lot of information early and they didn’t want to — they’re very — they seem to be very China-centric. And we have to look into that. So we’re going to look into it. …. But we want to look into it — World Health Organization — because they really are — they called it wrong. They called it wrong. They really — they missed the call. They could have called it months earlier. They would have known, and they should have known. And they probably did know, so we’ll be looking into that very carefully. And we’re going to put a hold on money spent to the WHO. We’re going to put a very powerful hold on it, and we’re going to see. It’s a great thing if it works, but when they call every shot wrong, that’s no good."
State of South Carolina Enters First Day of Stay at Home Directive for COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
April 8, 2020
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus responds to President Trump's April 7 comments: "The goal of all countries should be to save their people. Don’t politicize this virus … No need to use COVID to score political points. You have many other ways to prove yourselves."
https://www.pscp.tv/w/1yoKMaMYzMlKQ
Volunteer for Jared Kushner's coronavirus response team submits a complaint: "Americans are facing a crisis of tragic proportions and there is an urgent need for an effective, efficient and bold response. . . . From my few weeks as a volunteer, I believe we are falling short. . . . None of the volunteers had relationships with manufacturers or a clear understanding of customs requirements or Food and Drug Administration rules."
‘Just madness’: Governors mull consortium to end chaos over medical supplies
China lifts 76-day lockdown on Wuhan as city reemerges from coronavirus crisis
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/07/asia/coronavirus-wuhan-lockdown-lifted-intl-hnk/index.html
April 9, 2020
House Oversight and Reform Committee releases federal documents showing that the national stockpile of personal protective equipment has 10% supplies remaining
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6827959-Medical-supplies-distribution.html
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/6827959/Medical-supplies-distribution.pdf
April 10, 2020
COVID-19 is now the leading cause of death in the United States
https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-leading-cause-of-death.html
One year anniversary that Trump administration has not had a Senate-confirmed Secretary of Homeland Security
"Trump says he can adjourn Congress. He’s misreading the Constitution."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/04/16/adjourn-congress-trump-constitution/
April 12, 2020
Anthony Fauci: “The first and only time that Dr. [Deborah] Birx and I went in and formally made a recommendation to the president to actually have a shutdown in the sense of strong mitigation, we discussed it. . . . Obviously there would be concerns by some, and in fact, that might have some negative consequences. Nonetheless, the president listened to the recommendation.”
“Obviously you could logically say that if you had a process that was ongoing and started mitigation earlier, you could have saved lives. Obviously no one is going to deny that . . . If we had, right from the very beginning shut everything down, it may have been different. But there was a lot of push back for shutting everything down back then.”
https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/04/12/sotu-fauci-full.cnn
CDC website warns, "While supplies of these tests are increasing, it may still be difficult to find a place to get tested."
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html
April 13, 2020
President Trump to Bob Woodward: "It’s so easily transmissible, you wouldn’t even believe it."
https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/09/politics/bob-woodward-rage-book-trump-coronavirus/index.html
Coronavirus Update: Governors Announce 6-State Working Group To Plan Post-COVID-19 Reopening
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/04/13/coronavirus-cuomo-reopening-announcement-6-state-council/
WHO and China covered Tedros’ past — but what is worrying is how India fell for it
https://theprint.in/opinion/who-and-china-tedros-past-worrying-how-india-fell-for-it/400945/
April 14, 2020
President Donald J. Trump Is Demanding Accountability From the World Health Organization: "One of the most dangerous and costly decisions from the WHO was its disastrous decision to oppose travel restrictions from China and other nations. They were very much opposed to what we did. Fortunately, I was not convinced and suspended travel from China, saving untold numbers of lives. Thousands and thousands of people would have died. Had other nations likewise suspended travel from China countless lives would have been saved. … The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion. … The WHO has not addressed a single one of these concerns nor provided an explanation that acknowledges its own mistakes, of which there were many. … It would have been so easy to be truthful and so much death has been caused by their mistakes. . . . We will continue to engage with the WHO to see it can make meaningful reforms. For the time being, we will redirect global health … and we’ll be discussing with other countries and influential global health partners what we do with all that money that goes to the WHO.”"
The State Department warned against this course of action: "“Current discussions regarding pausing U.S. assistance to the WHO to combat the pandemic risks not only further undermining our ability to help host governments address urgent needs, but also undermines the U.S. narrative of a long-standing partner at precisely the time posts are most reliant on that narrative.”"
Trump Administration Officials Warned Against Halting Funding to WHO, Leaked Memo Shows
Attorney General William Barr: "Religious institutions must not be singled out for special burdens"
Justice Department defends Mississippi drive-in church service
https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1268651/download
April 15, 2020
Fox News publishes article: "Sources believe coronavirus outbreak originated in Wuhan lab as part of China's efforts to compete with US"
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/coronavirus-wuhan-lab-china-compete-us-sources
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issues executive order 2020-50 stating that long-term care facilities "must not prohibit admission or readmission of a resident based on COVID-19 testing requirements or results."
https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90705-525942--,00.html
April 16, 2020
"Trump argues US has ‘passed the peak on new cases,’ teases new guidelines for reopening economy"
Chinese study finds no benefit from hydroxychloroquine
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.10.20060558v1
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.10.20060558v1.full.pdf
April 17, 2020
"Cuomo was asked Friday why the public wasn’t informed sooner of nursing home fatalities at specific facilities, particularly when at least 10 homes have seen at least 30 deaths. . . . He said “concerns of long-term care providers were not fully recognized” when the Health Department issued the advisory. It prevented nursing homes from denying admission to a hospital patient with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection."
Coronavirus: Dozens of NY nursing homes have clusters of COVID-19 deaths. See the data here.
April 20, 2020
Chile to launch immunity card program for coronavirus survivors
April 21, 2020
Trump Administration fires Director of Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Dr. Rick Bright. The next day, Dr. Bright publicly states he believes he was removed because he “resisted efforts to fund potentially dangerous drugs promoted by those with political connections”
https://www.statnews.com/2020/04/21/rick-bright-out-at-barda/
https://twitter.com/JDiamond1/status/1253056646802214912
"I believe this transfer was in response to my insistence that the government invest the billions of dollars allocated by Congress to address the Covid-19 pandemic into safe and scientifically vetted solutions, and not in drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit,” he tells the New York Times. “I am speaking out because to combat this deadly virus, science — not politics or cronyism — has to lead the way. … Specifically, and contrary to misguided directives, I limited the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, promoted by the administration as a panacea, but which clearly lack scientific merit."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/22/us/coronavirus-live-coverage.html
April 27, 2020
Attorney General Bill Barr tells all 94 United States Attorney Offices to keep a look out for state and local emergency responses that violate “the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens” so that the Department of Justice can bring cases against “overreach” by state and localities.
"If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop the spread of COVID19 into an overbearing infringement of constitutional and statutory protections, the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address that overreach in federal court,” he cautions. “[T]he Constitution is not suspended in times of crisis. We must therefore be vigilant to ensure its protections are preserved, at the same time that the public is protected."
April 29, 2020
1st Internal whistleblower from the WIV/China arrives in the US – Yan Chinese scientist Li-Men Yan lands at LAX where she was promptly interviewed by an FBI agent who then followed her to New York; later cooperating with the Trump administration
April 29, 2020
First public mention of Operation Warp Speed
April 30, 2020
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) states there is “wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified.”
"The entire Intelligence Community has been consistently providing critical support to U.S. policymakers and those responding to the COVID-19 virus, which originated in China. The Intelligence Community also concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified. As we do in all crises, the Community’s experts respond by surging resources and producing critical intelligence on issues vital to U.S. national security. The IC will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan."
May 1, 2020
"Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the investigational antiviral drug remdesivir for the treatment of suspected or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in adults and children hospitalized with severe disease. While there is limited information known about the safety and effectiveness of using remdesivir to treat people in the hospital with COVID-19, the investigational drug was shown in a clinical trial to shorten the time to recovery in some patients."
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization for Potential COVID-19 Treatment
May 3, 2020
President Trump and Secretary of State Pompeo suggest they have evidence SARS-CoV-2 originated in a Chinese lab
Report says cellphone data suggests October shutdown at Wuhan lab, but experts are skeptical
May 8, 2020
"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the first diagnostic test with the option of using home-collected saliva samples for COVID-19 testing."
https://www.fda.gov/media/137773/download
https://web.archive.org/web/20200508182551/https://www.fda.gov/media/137773/download
"Rutgers’ RUCDR Infinite Biologics received an amended emergency use authorization from the FDA late Thursday for the first SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus test that will allow people to collect their own saliva at home and send to a lab for results."
FDA Approves First At-Home Saliva Collection Test for Coronavirus
https://www.rutgers.edu/news/fda-approves-first-home-saliva-collection-test-coronavirus
May 9, 2020
Anthony Fauci: "That’s not the case with this novel coronavirus. It is so transmissible, and it is so widespread throughout the world, that even if our infections get well controlled and go down dramatically during the summer, there is virtually no chance it will be eradicated. Which means there will be infections in the Southern Hemisphere, in South Africa, in Argentina, places like that. And with the travel, the global travel, every single day, of literally hundreds of thousands of people coming into the United States every day from all over, there’s no chance we’re going to be virus-free."
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/05/11/nfl-season-dr-fauci-coronavirus-fmia-peter-king/
May 10, 2020
Governor Cuomo amends executive order from March and requires hospital patients to have a negative covid test before being admitted back to a nursing home.
May 13, 2020
Governor Whitmer rescinds EO 2020-50 with EO 2020-84
https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90705-529184--,00.html
Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO's health emergencies program, warns that the coronavirus may never go away and may just join the mix of viruses that kill people around the world every year.
Coronavirus may 'never go away,' says WHO official
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/14/health/coronavirus-endemic-who-mike-ryan-intl/index.html
May 14, 2020
NIH begins clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin to treat COVID-19
Over 100 Prominent Academics Call For Cloth Mask Requirements
https://masks4all.co/letter-over-100-prominent-health-experts-call-for-cloth-mask-requirements/
May 15, 2020'
Trump Administration Announces Framework and Leadership for 'Operation Warp Speed'
May 18, 2020
Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli tells the NJ 101.5: "We did advise long-term care facilities to readmit their residents … if they had appropriate PPE and appropriate staffing and the ability … to separate COVID-19 patients from non-COVID-19 patients . . . If the long-term care facility was not able to do that, they should not have readmitted."
https://nj1015.com/nj-senate-plans-hearing-on-covid-disaster-at-nursing-homes/
United States and AstraZeneca Form Vaccine Deal
WHO independent oversight committee releases report on WHO response to COVID-19: "The urgency with which Member States took action based on the PHEIC varied both in terms of the timing and the comprehensiveness of public health measures in response to COVID-19. This raises questions about whether Member States view a PHEIC declaration as a sufficiently clear trigger. The IOAC notes that the design of the PHEIC is very broad, covering everything from a limited regional outbreak such as Ebola in West Africa to a large global pandemic that touches every country. Following the present crisis, it may be useful to review and update the IHR [International Health Regulations] to reflect lessons from the pandemic."
May 20, 2020
President Trump takes hydroxychloroquine: "A lot of good things have come out about the hydroxychloroquine. You’d be surprised at how many people are taking it, especially the frontline workers before you catch it. … I happen to be taking it. Right now, yeah. I’m taking it, hydroxychloroquine. A couple weeks ago I started taking it…I get a lot of positive calls about it…I take a pill every day. I think people should be allowed to take [hydroxychloroquine]."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T8j5UMjPAc
"AstraZeneca also holds a major stake in Moderna Therapeutics, which announced earlier this week its experimental vaccine had produced antibodies in small group of healthy volunteers."
AstraZeneca made a bet on Moderna back in 2013. Here’s what it’s worth now
May 21, 2020
President Trump: "We are going to put out the fires. But we are not closing the country."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tDTaz52DaE
Virus ‘does not spread easily’ from contaminated surfaces or animals, revised CDC website states: "The virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading very easily and sustainably between people. Information from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic suggest that this virus is spreading more efficiently than influenza, but not as efficiently as measles, which is highly contagious."
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html
March 29 version: https://archive.ph/2uV7q
May 21 version: https://archive.ph/4WEfg
September 30 version: https://archive.ph/JvPC7
May 22, 2020
A since retracted study is published: Hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine with or without a macrolide for treatment of COVID-19: a multinational registry analysis
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31180-6/fulltext
Pre-Retraction: https://archive.ph/McZKQ
Post-Retraction: https://archive.ph/U6B3s
CDC releases a set of guidance on the CDC website encouraging religious communities to “consider suspending or at least decreasing use of choir/musical ensembles and congregant singing, chanting, or reciting during services or other programming, if appropriate within the faith tradition. … The act of singing may contribute to transmission of Covid-19, possibly through emission of aerosols.”
White House and CDC remove coronavirus warnings about choirs in faith guidance
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6919e6.htm
May 23, 2020
CDC releases an updated version of the guidance that omits the risks of choir transmission and adds that the guidance “is not intended to infringe on rights protected by the First Amendment.”
White House and CDC remove coronavirus warnings about choirs in faith guidance
China reports no new symptomatic Covid-19 cases for first time since pandemic started
May 28, 2020
United States Coronavirus (COVID-19) Death Toll Surpasses 100,000
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s0528-coronavirus-death-toll.html
May 30, 2020
"“Now that our Country is ‘Transitioning back to Greatness’, I am considering rescheduling the G-7, on the same or similar date, in Washington, D.C., at the legendary Camp David,” Trump tweeted. “The other members are also beginning their COMEBACK. It would be a great sign to all - normalization!”"
Trump postpones G7 meeting, seeks expansion of members
June 4, 2020
The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine Retract Studies on Hydroxychloroquine Effectiveness Against COVID-19
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/health/coronavirus-hydroxychloroquine.html
June 5, 2020
"W.H.O. Finally Endorses Masks to Prevent Coronavirus Transmission. The agency had been opposed to public use of masks, even after governments worldwide had recommended them."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/05/health/coronavirus-masks-who.html
June 5, 2020
With no active Covid-19 cases, New Zealand is lifting almost all its coronavirus restrictions
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/new-zealand-coronavirus-level-one-intl-hnk/index.html
June 9, 2020
"While many countries are seeing a decline in COVID-19 cases, infections in the United States appear to be spiking, according to documents obtained by Yahoo News. In a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention document dated June 9, the U.S. had the highest spike of percentage change in daily cases, with a 36.5 percent jump in recent days. Of the top 10 countries in total cases, that is the biggest spike by a significant margin, compared with drops in cases in Brazil, Spain, Italy, Germany and Iran and growths of under 5 percent in Russia, India and Peru."
"The DOH didn’t collect statistics on nursing-home COVID-19 mortalities until mid-April, after the governor was pressured for the information. He then required the facilities to conduct a frenzied review of all deaths from the beginning of March over the course of a single weekend afternoon. To date, the nursing-home COVID mortality count is nearly 6,000; however, the real number is likely much higher. Many residents who weren’t tested for COVID-19 died suddenly during those early weeks, without the typical respiratory symptoms that would result in their deaths being labeled “COVID presumed.”"
"Gov. Cuomo is still failing New York’s nursing homes" Elaine Healy, Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, in the New York Post, June 9, 2020
https://nypost.com/2020/06/09/gov-cuomo-is-still-faiiing-new-yorks-nursing-homes/
June 10, 2020
U.S. Hits 2 Million Coronavirus Cases As Many States See A Surge Of Patients
June 12, 2020
"The U.S. government's self-interested, short-sighted, inefficient, and irresponsible response to the pandemic has not only caused the tragedy in which about 2 million Americans became infected with the virus and more than 110,000 have died from it, but also caused the exposure and deterioration of the long-existing problems within the United States, such as a divisive society, the polarization between the rich and the poor, racial discrimination, and the inadequate protection of the rights and interests of vulnerable groups. This has led the American people into grave human rights disasters."
China then lists the "grave human rights disasters"
1. The U.S. Government's Ineffective Response to the Pandemic Leading to Human Rights Disasters
2. Inequality within U.S. Society Being Fully Exposed during the Pandemic
3. Racial Discrimination Being Intensified within the United States during the Pandemic
4. Vulnerable Groups in the United States Struggling to Survive during the Pandemic
5. Relevant Behaviors of the U.S. Government Seriously Violating the Spirit of International Human Rights Law
The COVID-19 Pandemic Magnifies the Crisis of "U.S.-Style Human Rights"
http://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202006/12/WS5ee2bc0ea310834817252784.html
June 15, 2020
F.D.A. Revokes Emergency Approval of Malaria Drugs Promoted by Trump
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/15/health/fda-hydroxychloroquine-malaria.html
June 16, 2020
Vice-President Mike Pence: There Isn’t a Coronavirus ‘Second Wave’
June 17, 2020
WHO halts trial of hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients
"The American Journal of Managed Care®: Is there anything you would recommend in terms of what’s happening now, to where we have rapidly publishing scientific and clinical research that would both keep the speed of publicly sharing developments while ensuring the accuracy even if it’s not full peer review?"
"Anthony Fauci: No, I think you said it yourself just now—you have to get a delicate balance between the public’s need to know data that could influence policy or public health approaches, without delaying the availability of those data, balanced against the need to get the proper peer review and to get it done in an expeditious manner. There’s good news and bad news. Some of the things that have come out were data that were important that came out much sooner than waiting for the process of peer review. However, a number of them are in the realm of “not verified yet,” so you’ve got to be careful you don’t propagate false information. I must say one thing that does encourage me is that the ability to get a peer-reviewed paper peer reviewed and out quickly is infinitely better and quicker than it was a few years ago. So the journals, I think, are stepping to the plate and forcing review, so as not to let a paper sit on their desk for 6 to 8 weeks, the way it used to be. I remember very clearly, the median time to get a review back would be like 8 weeks, which is ridiculous. Now when I get asked by a journal, particularly some of the top-line journals, to review a paper, part of the request is, “Can you have this [done] within 24 to 72 hours?” Like whoa! Whereas back then, it was, “Yes, please have it in 8 weeks.” So I think the journals’ capability of reviewing in an effective way, but doing it in a matter of days, as opposed to a matter of several weeks, is going to lessen the potential negative impact of getting un–peer-reviewed papers out there that overwhelm the papers that are peer reviewed. I think that we’re going to see a tendency toward peer-reviewed papers coming out much more quickly."
Challenges and Similarities in HIV, COVID-19 Crises: A Q&A With Anthony Fauci, MD
June 20, 2020
NIH Halts Trial of Hydroxychloroquine
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-halts-clinical-trial-hydroxychloroquine
June 22, 2020
"Study suggests 80% of Covid-19 cases in the US went undetected in March"
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/23/health/undetected-coronavirus-cases-march-study/index.html
Study: Using influenza surveillance networks to estimate state-specific prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the United States
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.abc1126
June 22, 2020
WHO hopes to deliver 2 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses by the end of 2021
June 29, 2020
Gilead Sciences sets price of remdesivir at $520/vial, with a 6 vial course of treatment costing $3,120 per privately-insured patient.
https://icer.org/news-insights/press-releases/updated_icer-covid_models_june_24/
June 30, 2020
Pelosi fails to wear mask properly despite her calls for national mandate
July 2, 2020
"President Donald Trump says he is in favor of Americans wearing face masks to help curb the surging coronavirus pandemic, but says he will not impose a national mandate. “I’m a believer in masks,” Trump said in an interview at the White House first aired on the “Fox News Sunday” TV show. “I think masks are good.” But Trump, who wore a mask in public for the first time only a week ago, told newsman Chris Wallace in the interview conducted Friday: “I don’t agree with the statement that if everybody wears a mask, everything disappears.”"
Trump Embraces Face Masks But Rejects National Mandate
"Governors of U.S. states hit hardest by the resurgent coronavirus halted or reversed steps to reopen their economies on Wednesday, led by California, the nation’s most populous state and a new epicenter of the pandemic. . . . New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham, a Democrat, on Wednesday extended the state’s emergency public health order through July 15, saying that authorities would “aggressively” enforce mandatory mask rules. . . . In Indiana, Republican Governor Eric Holcomb halted his state’s phased reopening until at least mid-July. . . . New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat whose city was for months at the center of the U.S. outbreak, said Wednesday he would postpone a plan to allow indoor restaurant dining beginning Monday. . . . President Donald Trump, who has been reluctant to don a mask himself, told the Fox Business Network on Wednesday that he used face coverings when in close quarters with other people but did not think mask-wearing needed to be mandatory."
Reopenings stall as U.S. records nearly 50,000 cases of COVID-19 in single day
July 5, 2020
"Hundreds of scientists say there is evidence that the novel coronavirus in smaller particles in the air can infect people and are calling for the World Health Organization to revise recommendations, the New York Times reported on Saturday. The WHO has said the coronavirus disease spreads primarily from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which are expelled when a person with COVID-19 coughs, sneezes or speaks."
"My Gym Is Reopening. Is It Safe To Work Out There?"
July 6, 2020
"According to data submitted by nursing homes, in many cases under the penalty of perjury, approximately 37,500 nursing home staff members — one in four of the state's approximately 158,000 nursing home workers — were infected with COVID-19 between March and early June 2020. Of the 37,500 nursing home staff infected, nearly 7,000 of them were working in facilities in the month of March"
New York State Department of Health Issues Report On COVID-19 In Nursing Homes: Data Indicates COVID-19 Was Introduced Into Nursing Homes by Infected Staff
https://www.health.ny.gov/press/releases/2020/2020-07-06_covid19_nursing_home_report.htm
"Airborne Coronavirus: What You Should Do Now The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/health/coronavirus-airborne-aerosols.html
"239 Experts With One Big Claim: The Coronavirus Is Airborne"
July 7, 2020
Trump administration begins formal withdrawal from World Health Organization
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/07/politics/us-withdrawing-world-health-organization/index.html
July 9, 2020
WHO announces SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted through the air
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/09/health/virus-aerosols-who.html?
July 14, 2020
"Moderna Inc's MRNA.O experimental vaccine for COVID-19 showed it was safe and provoked immune responses in all 45 healthy volunteers in an ongoing early-stage study, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday."
Moderna Phase 1 results show coronavirus vaccine safe, induces immune response
CDC Director Robert Redfield calls on President Trump to wear a mask and "set an example," says wearing masks is a "civic duty" for all Americans: "At this critical juncture when COVID-19 is resurging, broad adoption of cloth face coverings is a civic duty, a small sacrifice reliant on a highly effective low-tech solution that can help turn the tide favorably in national and global efforts against COVID-19."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzHIhSZ_fiA&t=1115s
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2768532
July 15, 2020
"Starting July 15, daily hospital data including information on deaths, bed capacity, and mechanical ventilator utilization, are no longer to be submitted to the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) site. Instead, the data are to be sent directly to TeleTracking, an HHS Protect system. In some states, hospitals will report data to state health departments, which will then submit the information to TeleTracking on their behalf."
https://www.ajmc.com/view/new-covid19-hospital-data-protocol-raises-concerns
July 20, 2020
The Lancet Oncology publishes, "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer deaths due to delays in diagnosis in England, UK: a national, population-based, modelling study"
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(20)30388-0/fulltext
“The immune responses observed following vaccination are in line with what we expect will be associated with protection against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, although we must continue with our rigorous clinical trial programme to confirm this,” Andrew J. Pollard, PhD, coauthor of the study, said in a statement. “We saw the strongest immune response in participants who received two doses of the vaccine, indicating that this might be a good strategy for vaccination.”
COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222 showed robust immune responses in all participants in Phase I/II trial
July 22, 2020
President Trump: "We're asking everybody that when you are not able to socially distance, wear a mask, get a mask. Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact, they'll have an effect and we need everything we can get."
Trump concedes pandemic to 'get worse before it gets better'
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53494766
Deaths from COVID-19 surpassed 1,100 in the United States, its highest daily toll since May, with the CDC predicting actual infections may be 2-13x higher than reported.
Coronavirus Infections Much Higher Than Reported Cases in Parts of U.S., Study Shows
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/21/health/coronavirus-infections-us.html?
HHS, DOD Announce Vaccine Distribution Agreement With Pfizer and BioNTech
US signs contract with Pfizer for COVID-19 vaccine doses
"Levels of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, dropped dramatically over the first 3 months of infection in 34 people recovered from mild illness, University of California at Los Angeles researchers have found."
Study: COVID-19 antibodies decay quickly after mild illness
""We now have a collection of antibodies that's more potent and diverse compared to other antibodies that have been found so far, and they are ready to be developed into treatments," says David Ho, MD, scientific director of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center and professor of medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, who directed the work."
Neutralizing Antibodies Isolated from COVID-19 Patients May Suppress Virus
July 23, 2020
Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists
https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/covid19-23June2020.aspx
July 24, 2020
Anthony Fauci defends not wearing mask while watching Nationals game
https://nypost.com/2020/07/24/anthony-fauci-denies-hypocrisy-after-watching-game-without-mask/
July 26, 2020
Trump administration invests $472M more in Moderna vaccine candidate
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/26/trump-invests-moderna-vaccine-candidate-381690
July 27, 2020
Employers Require COVID Liability Waivers as Conflict Mounts Over Workplace Safety
Moderna: First Phase 3 clinical trial of a coronavirus vaccine in the United States begins
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/27/health/coronavirus-vaccine-trial-begins-moderna-phase-3/index.html
Public health considerations while resuming international travel
July 31, 2020
US sinks another $2.1 billion into a potential vaccine
August 2, 2020
"The United States is in a new phase of the novel coronavirus outbreak with infections “extraordinarily widespread” in rural areas as well as cities, White House coronavirus experts said on Sunday. . . . “We are in a new phase,” said Dr. Deborah Birx. “What we are seeing today is different from March and April. It is extraordinarily widespread” in rural as well as urban areas."
U.S. coronavirus 'extraordinarily widespread', say White House experts
August 8, 2020
Paul Alexander calls out CDC scientists for manipulating CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (“MMWRs”) to “hurt the President,”: "CDC to me appears to be writing hit pieces on the administration … CDC tried to report as if once kids get together, there will be spread and this will impact school re-opening … Very misleading by CDC and shame on them. Their aim is clear. This hurts any President or administration. This is designed to hurt this President for their reasons which I am not interested in. I am intersted (sic) in this or any President being served fairly and that tax payers money not be used for political reasons. They CDC, work for him. … The reports must be read by someone outside of CDC like myself, and we cannot allow the reporting to go on as it has been, for it is outrageous. Its lunacy. … Nothing to go out unless I read and agree with the findings how they CDC, wrote it and I tweak it to ensure it is fair and balanced and ‘complete.’"
Trump officials interfered with CDC reports on Covid-19, Politico
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/about.html
August 10, 2020
Dr. Scott Atlas, Hoover Institute, the White House Coronavirus Task Force as an advisor. Previously, on The Steve Deace Show, Atlas was a vocal advocate for herd immunity as well as limited use of face masks: “Those who are not at risk to be – to die or have a serious hospital-requiring illness – we should be fine with letting them get infected, generating immunity on their own. And the more immunity in the community, the better we can eradicate the threat of the virus.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA76VKomKac
August 11, 2020
Trump announces deal with Moderna for 100 million doses of potential vaccine
‘A Smoking Gun’: Infectious Coronavirus Retrieved From Hospital Air
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/11/health/coronavirus-aerosols-indoors.html
August 12, 2020
"New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker . . . said the Health Department has provided unprecedented transparency by making public information on the deaths . . . That didn’t sit well with Senate and Assembly lawmakers at the joint hearing who said the Health Department's statistic of more than 6,400 nursing home deaths due to Covid-19 represented an intentional undercounting because infected nursing home residents who died at hospitals were not included. “I will not provide information that is not absolutely accurate. I will get you that number,” Zucker said at different points during the hearing"
State lawmakers put health commissioner on hot seat at Covid-19 hearing
"Obesity plays a profound role in risk for death from COVID-19, particularly in male patients and younger populations. Our capitated system with more equalized health care access may explain the absence of effect of racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities on death. Our data highlight the leading role of severe obesity over correlated risk factors, providing a target for early intervention."
Obesity and Mortality Among Patients Diagnosed With COVID-19: Results From an Integrated Health Care Organization
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7429998/
August 13, 2020
"I would insist that everybody out in public be wearing that mask. Anyone to reopen would have to make sure that they walked into a business that had masks." Candidate Joe Biden
Joe Biden: For The Next 3 Months, All Americans Should Wear A Mask When Outside
August 21, 2020
"Among patients with moderate COVID-19, those randomized to a 10-day course of remdesivir did not have a statistically significant difference in clinical status compared with standard care at 11 days after initiation of treatment.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2769871
Paul Alexander calls out NIH’s use of randomized, controlled trials, or RCTs: "I think over time as I examine the good nonrandomized research, well conducted, strong methods, then I am saying that RCT evidence should not be considered the gold standard. . . . Consider this as a philosophical sharing and debate to spurn discussion,” he continues. “All this to say that if the NIH’s position is that RCT evidence is your standard, then this must change."
Emails show HHS official trying to muzzle Fauci
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/09/emails-show-hhs-muzzle-fauci-410861
August 22, 2020
President Trump tweets: "The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics. Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!"
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1297138862108663808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
August 23, 2020
FDA issues Emergency Use Authorization for convalescent plasma as a potential Covid-19 treatment
August 24, 2020
CDC changes testing recommendations to only symptomatic individuals who have been exposed to the virus
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/testing-overview.html
"The top U.S. infectious diseases expert is warning that distributing a COVID-19 vaccine under special emergency use guidelines before it has been proved safe and effective in large trials is a bad idea that could have a chilling effect on the testing of other vaccines. . . . “The one thing that you would not want to see with a vaccine is getting an EUA (emergency use authorization) before you have a signal of efficacy . . . One of the potential dangers if you prematurely let a vaccine out is that it would make it difficult, if not impossible, for the other vaccines to enroll people in their trial,” Fauci said. . . . “I would be very worried about using an EUA mechanism for something like a vaccine. It’s very different from plasma therapy,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious disease expert and vaccine researcher at Baylor College of Medicine."
Exclusive: Fauci says rushing out a vaccine could jeopardize testing of others
August 25, 2020
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quietly modified its coronavirus testing guidelines this week to exclude people who do not have symptoms of Covid-19 — even if they have been recently exposed to the virus. Experts questioned the revision, pointing to the importance of identifying infections in the small window immediately before the onset of symptoms, when many individuals appear to be most contagious."
C.D.C. Now Says People Without Covid-19 Symptoms Do Not Need Testing
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/25/health/covid-19-testing-cdc.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/testing-overview.html
August 26, 2020
"Department of Justice Requesting Data From Governors of States that Issued COVID-19 Orders that May Have Resulted in Deaths of Elderly Nursing Home Residents"
August 27, 2020
Paul Alexander criticizes Dr. Fauci’s press officers about the importance of children and university students getting tests "in a widespread manner.': "I continue to have an issue with kids getting tested and repeatedly and even university students in a widespread manner…and I disagree with Dr. Fauci on this. Vehemently."
"Testing of asymptomatic people to seek asymptomatic cases is not the point of testing." "[CDC guidance] to not test asymptomatic people carte blanche as it makes no logical sense."
Alexander states that wearing masks would be "traumatic" for children and says there is "little, if any evidence" that children are at risk for contracting or spreading the coronavirus.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/09/emails-show-hhs-muzzle-fauci-410861
CDC documents say states should prepare to distribute Covid-19 vaccines as soon as late October
https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/02/health/cdc-covid-19-vaccine-distribution/index.html
August 28, 2020
Researchers find first US case of COVID-19 reinfection
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/514200-researchers-find-first-us-case-of-covid-reinfection
Kamala Harris Backtracks on Mask ‘Mandate’: ‘It’s a Standard,’ No Punishment
DHHS, NIH, NIAID, Collins, Fauci fund Peter Daszak/EcoHealth Alliance for GOF work with bat coronaviruses
Understanding Risk of Zoonotic Virus Emergence in EID Hotspots of Southeast Asia
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/21055988/risk-zoonotic-virus-hotspots-grant-notice.pdf
https://politicalmoonshine.com/2021/06/09/daszak-delivered-damning-details-in-2016/
August 29, 2020
FDA Expands Emergency Use of Gilead’s Remdesivir to All Hospitalized With Covid-19. Evidence of Effectiveness Remains Limited.
September 1, 2020
"The United States will not join a global effort led by the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop, manufacture and distribute a vaccine against the coronavirus, the White House said Tuesday. . . . Almost every nation in the world is participating in initial talks on the joint COVAX project involving the WHO, the European Union, Germany, Japan and several major nongovernmental organizations."
US won't join global coronavirus vaccine initiative
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/514657-us-wont-join-global-coronavirus-vaccine-initiative?
"The Data and Safety Monitoring Board could say, “‘The data is so good right now that you can say it’s safe and effective,’” Fauci said. In that case, researchers would have “a moral obligation” to end the trial early and make the active vaccine available to everyone in the study, including those who had been given placebos — and accelerate the process to give the vaccine to millions."
Fauci Says COVID Vaccine Trials Could End Early If Results Are Overwhelming
https://khn.org/news/dr-fauci-says-covid-vaccine-trials-could-end-early-if-results-are-overwhelming/
September 4, 2020
Trump advisor, Scott Atlas, writes in an email to NPR: "Americans today should have cautious optimism as we move beyond the worst phase of this pandemic"
September 9, 2020
"More than 900 pages of materials related to U.S.-funded coronavirus research in China were released following a FOIA lawsuit by The Intercept."
NEW DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT CORONAVIRUS RESEARCH AT CHINESE LAB
https://theintercept.com/2021/09/06/new-details-emerge-about-coronavirus-research-at-chinese-lab/
"U.S.-fueled experiment in China posed biosafety risks but did not cause Covid-19 pandemic, scientists say."
NIH DOCUMENTS PROVIDE NEW EVIDENCE U.S. FUNDED GAIN-OF-FUNCTION RESEARCH IN WUHAN
https://theintercept.com/2021/09/09/covid-origins-gain-of-function-research/
September 8, 2020
Paul Alexander: “Can you ensure Dr. Fauci indicates masks are for the teachers in schools. Not for children. There is no data, none, zero, across the entire world, that shows children especially young children, spread this virus to other children, or to adults or to their teachers. None. And if it did occur, the risk is essentially zero.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/09/emails-show-hhs-muzzle-fauci-410861
September 9, 2020
White House orders end to COVID-19 airport screenings for international travelers
White House Blocked C.D.C. From Requiring Masks on Public Transportation
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/09/health/coronavirus-covid-masks-cdc.html
September 10, 2020
Most Adults Wary of Taking Any Vaccine Approved Before the Election
https://khn.org/news/most-adults-wary-of-taking-a-vaccine-approved-before-the-election/?
September 11, 2020
Senior HHS officials, Michael Caputo and Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, criticize the continued coronavirus lockdowns on Caputo’s podcast, The Learning Curve.
https://www.hhs.gov/podcasts/index.html
Stephen Hahn, FDA Commissioner, under pressure from Trump to approve the experimental vaccines, says: "We will not jeopardize the public's trust in our science-based, independent review of these or any vaccines"
September 13, 2020
Michael Caputo posts a Facebook video accusing CDC scientists of “sedition” and warning that left-wing hit squads are preparing for an insurrection. He further accuses CDC scientists of fostering “resistance units” within the agency in order to undermine the president. He states: “there are scientists working for this government who do not want America to get better.” “I’m under siege,” he says. “I’m not going anywhere, they are going to have to kill me and unfortunately I think that this is where it is going … If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because it’s going to be hard to get.” He later removes the video.
https://twitter.com/alexnazaryan/status/1306040661863542785
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1306040413925629954/pu/vid/640x360/cM0TRJ1oPLNh2vyS.mp4?tag=10
September 14, 2020
Pfizer and BioNTech announce plan to expand Covid-19 vaccine trial
NIH Launches Investigation into Halted AstraZeneca Trial: "A great deal of uncertainty remains about what happened to the unnamed patient, to the frustration of those avidly following the progress of vaccine testing. AstraZeneca, which is running the global trial of the vaccine it produced with Oxford University, said the trial volunteer recovered from a severe inflammation of the spinal cord and is no longer hospitalized."
NIH ‘Very Concerned’ About Serious Side Effect in Coronavirus Vaccine Trial
https://khn.org/news/nih-and-fda-examine-serious-side-effect-that-surfaced-in-covid-vaccine-trial/
CDC reverses itself and says guidelines it posted on coronavirus airborne transmission were wrong
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/09/21/cdc-covid-aerosols-airborne-guidelines/
September 15, 2020
Alex Azar bars all other health agencies, including the FDA, from signing new regulations without his signature.
In ‘Power Grab,’ Health Secretary Azar Asserts Authority Over F.D.A.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/19/health/azar-hhs-fda.html
September 16, 2020
Paul Alexander leaves the Department of Health and Human Services
CDC Director, Robert Redfield, before Senate Appropriations Committee: “I might even go so far as to say that this facemask is more guaranteed to protect me against Covid than when I take the Covid vaccine because the immunogenicity may be 70 percent and if I don’t get an immune response to a vaccine it’s not going to protect me. This facemask will. . . . These face masks are the most important, powerful public health tool we have…I might even go so far as to say that this face mask is more guaranteed to protect me against COVID than when I take a COVID vaccine."
https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/review-of-coronavirus-response-efforts
September 17, 2020
The Operation Warp Speed Strategy for Distributing a COVID-19 Vaccine
https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/strategy-for-distributing-covid-19-vaccine.pdf
September 18, 2020
CDC reverses guidance on testing for asymptomatic individuals
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/18/health/coronavirus-testing-cdc.html
"A close ally of President Donald Trump who was serving as a top official in the Department of Health and Human Services repeatedly sent complaints about how the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was handling a media request to the agency's director in an apparent attempt to intimidate an agency communications official, according to emails shared with CNN."
Emails show top HHS official and Trump ally intimidating CDC official
https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/18/politics/michael-caputo-emails/index.html
September 23, 2020
Drug makers still haven't started testing their coronavirus vaccines in children, putting kids at the end of the line for a potential shot
https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-vaccine-for-kids-moderna-plans-pediatric-trial-2020-9
Houston study: More contagious coronavirus strain now dominates
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-mutation-idUSKCN26E3KO?
September 23, 2020
Regeneron Reports Positive Results with Monoclonal Antibody Treatment
October 2, 2020
Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists
https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/covid19-2Oct2020.aspx
October 5, 2020
White House rejects a CDC offer to contact trace the coronavirus outbreak in the White House
October 8, 2020
NEJM calls President Trump's response "dangerously incompetent"
Dying in a Leadership Vacuum
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2029812
October 12, 2020
Johnson & Johnson pauses dosing of its coronavirus vaccine
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/12/johnson-coronavirus-vaccine-paused-429126
October 14, 2020
White House embraces a declaration from scientists that opposes lockdowns and relies on ‘herd immunity.’
WHO Director responds: “Never in the history of public health has herd immunity been used as a strategy for responding to an outbreak, let alone a pandemic. It is scientifically and ethically problematic.”
Anthony Fauci responds, saying the White House's position is “ridiculous” and “total nonsense.” ABS tweets: "Declaration by group of scientists calling for approach that relies on "herd immunity" to defeat the coronavirus pandemic, which has been embraced by the White House, is "ridiculous" and "total nonsense," Dr. Anthony Fauci tells @GStephanopoulos."
https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1316717567172587520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/1316716900685152256/vid/640x360/dmsZMG5PcJ4HIKfP.mp4?tag=13
October 18, 2020
Twitter removes tweet from Trump coronavirus adviser that undermined importance of masks
https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/17/politics/scott-atlas-face-masks-coronavirus/index.html
October 22, 2020
FDA approves remdesivir as first coronavirus drug
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/22/fda-approves-remdesivir-coronavirus-431336?
Joe Biden promises a "Dark Winter"
https://politicalmoonshine.com/2020/10/30/the-promise-of-dark-winter/
NIH Admits Funding Gain-Of-Function COVID Experiments; Gives EcoHealth Five Days To Report Data
October 23, 2020
Covid-19 vaccine trials from AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson to restart
October 24, 2020
Military to Play Logistics-Only Role in COVID-19 Vaccine Effort
October 25, 2020
‘We’re not going to control the pandemic’: White House chief’s comments undermine Trump’s message
https://www.yahoo.com/now/white-house-chief-staff-not-144716762.html
October 27, 2020
"Self-reported engagement in mitigation behaviors (mask wearing, handwashing, physical distancing, crowd and restaurant avoidance, and cancellation of social activities) differed significantly by adult age group. During April–June 2020, the prevalence of these behaviors was lowest among adults aged 18–29 years and highest among those aged >60 years. Whereas mask wearing increased over time, other reported mitigation behaviors decreased or remained unchanged."
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6943e4.htm?
https://web.archive.org/web/20201028181336/https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6943e4.htm
October 28, 2020
Feds issue coverage plan for COVID-19 vaccine and treatments
October 29, 2020
"Fauci noted that coronavirus cases are rising in 47 states and patients are overwhelming hospitals across the country. "If things do not change," he added, "If they continue on the course we're on, there's gonna be a whole lot of pain in this country with regard to additional cases and hospitalizations, and deaths." There are no calls for a nationwide lockdown at this point, but health officials are urging a renewed push to get Americans to redouble mitigation efforts."
Fauci: U.S. headed 'in the wrong direction'
https://news.yahoo.com/fauci-u-headed-wrong-direction-184740369.html
November 2, 2020
Study Predicts Difficulty Gaining COVID-19 Immunity Nationwide: "While there are important distinctions between COVID-19 and seasonal flu, including that COVID-19 is much more serious, and the public’s receptivity to a COVID-19 vaccine may differ from that of the flu vaccine, these findings suggest there may be significant challenges to achieving equity in distribution and sufficient levels of immunity in the US with a COVID-19 vaccine,"
State Variation in Seasonal Flu Vaccination: Implications for a COVID-19 Vaccine
Deborah Birx circulates internal memo to top White House and agency officials warning the United States is "entering the most concerning and most deadly phase of this pandemic … leading to increasing mortality": "This is not about lockdowns — it hasn’t been about lockdowns since March or April"
Top Trump adviser bluntly contradicts president on covid-19 threat, urging all-out response
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/11/02/deborah-birx-covid-trump/
November 4, 2020
The time is now to develop a testing strategy for asymptomatic Covid-19 cases, CDC director says
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/04/health/us-coronavirus-wednesday/index.html?
November 7, 2020
Chuck Schumer Removes Mask to Celebrate with Biden Supporters in the Streets
November 9, 2020
Albert Bourla: "The vaccine candidate was found to be more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants without evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first interim efficacy analysis. The results demonstrate that our mRNA-based vaccine can help prevent COVID-19 in the majority of people who receive it. This means we are one step closer to potentially providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global pandemic. This is a first but critical step in our work to deliver a safe and effective vaccine. It’s important to note that we cannot apply for FDA Emergency Use Authorization based on these efficacy results alone. More data on safety is also needed, and we are continuing to accumulate that safety data as part of our ongoing clinical study."
https://www.pfizer.com/news/articles/albert_bourla_discusses_covid_19_vaccine_efficacy_results
November 10, 2020
In New Covid-19 Surge, Testing and Data Woes Challenge U.S. Response
November 12, 2020
"Dr. Michael Osterholm, a coronavirus adviser to Biden, said the drastic move could help bring the pandemic under control in the United States and even revive the economy. "We could lock down for four to six weeks, and if we did that, we could drive the numbers down," Osterholm said. "Then we could really watch ourselves cruising into the vaccine availability in the first and second quarter of next year, and bringing back the economy long before that.""
Biden COVID adviser proposes US lockdown of 4 to 6 weeks
https://abc7news.com/michael-osterholm-us-lockdown-nationwide-is-under/7896126/
November 15, 2020
Fauci: 'We're not going to get a national lockdown'
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/526036-fauci-were-not-going-to-get-a-national-lockdown
November 16, 2020
Moderna: Covid vaccine shows nearly 95% protection
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-54902908
HHS Secretary Azar says the FDA will move ‘as quickly as possible’ to clear Moderna and Pfizer’s Covid vaccines
November 18, 2020
Pfizer Says Covid-19 Vaccine Is 95% Effective in Final Data, Will Seek Authorization
November 19, 2020
CDC urges against Thanksgiving travel
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/19/cdc-thanksgiving-travel-coronavirus-438283?
November 20, 2020
WHO group recommends against using remdesivir to treat hospitalized Covid-19 patients
https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/19/who-recommends-against-remdesivir-covid-19/?
"Pfizer and BioNTech on Friday submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization for their coronavirus vaccine candidate."
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/20/health/pfizer-vaccine-eua-submission/index.html
November 23, 2020
AstraZeneca says COVID-19 'vaccine for the world' can be 90% effective
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-astrazeneca-idUSKBN2830HC
November 28, 2020
Fauci doesn’t rule out more COVID lockdowns in response to new omicron variant
https://news.yahoo.com/fauci-doesn-t-rule-more-170645468.html
November 30, 2020
Why Is Fauci Beginning the Pivot Out of COVID-19 at Beginning of Peak Flu?
December 10, 2020
FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Pfizer, BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
https://www.ajmc.com/view/fda-advisory-panel-recommends-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine
December 11, 2020
"On August 23, 2021, FDA announced the first approval of a COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty, for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 16 years of age and older."
Comirnaty and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
December 14, 2020
The first deliveries of the COVID-19 vaccines began.
https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines/index.html
December 16, 2020
Considerations for implementing a risk-based approach to international travel in the context of COVID-19
December 17, 2020
FDA Panel Backs Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine; EUA Expected Next
https://www.ajmc.com/view/fda-panel-backs-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-eua-expected-next
December 18, 2020
"FDA issued the second EUA for use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in persons aged 18 years and older for the prevention of COVID-19."
December 21, 2020
New COVID-19 Variant Circling the UK
https://www.contagionlive.com/view/new-covid-19-variant-circling-the-uk
December 22, 2020
2020 on track to be deadliest year in US history
https://thehill.com/homenews/news/531270-2020-on-track-to-be-deadliest-year-in-us-history?
December 23, 2020
Trump Administration purchases additional 100 million doses of COVID-19 investigational vaccine from Pfizer
December 29, 2020
More Contagious Coronavirus Variant Found in Colorado
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/29/health/uk-coronavirus-variant-colorado.html
December 30, 2020
UK Approves Emergency Authorization for the AstraZeneca and Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine
December 31, 2020
Trump administration falls far short of vaccination goals as new virus variant looms
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/12/31/coronavirus-covid-updates/
January 7, 2021
Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists
https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/covid19-07Jan2021.aspx
January 15, 2021
Operation Warp Speed Delivers Best Early Vaccination Rate of the G20
January 20, 2021
WHO tasked with investigating origins of outbreak in Wuhan
"Two members of WHO team blocked from entering China over failed coronavirus antibody test"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/14/asia/who-team-china-coronavirus-intl-hnk/index.html
Biden Enacts Federal Mask Mandate
Joe Biden ditches mask at Lincoln Memorial — hours after mandating them
https://nypost.com/2021/01/21/biden-maskless-at-lincoln-memorial-hours-after-mandate/
Joe Biden halts the United States' withdrawal from WHO.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics/executive-actions-biden/index.html
PCR testing criteria changed to alter case numbers: "One hour after Biden inaugurated, WHO changes COVID testing criteria"
January 28, 2021
"The New York State Department of Health undercounted Covid-19 deaths among nursing home residents by approximately 50%, according to a report released Thursday by the state attorney general's office. "Preliminary data obtained by OAG suggests that many nursing home residents died from COVID-19 in hospitals after being transferred from their nursing homes, which is not reflected in DOH's published total nursing home death data," a statement from Attorney General Letitia James' Office said. "Preliminary data also reflects apparent underreporting to DOH by some nursing homes of resident deaths occurring in nursing homes," the statement said. In a statement, New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker denied there was an undercount."
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/us/new-york-nursing-homes-covid-19/index.html
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2021-nursinghomesreport.pdf
February 2021
Chinese Vice Minister of State Security, Dong Jingwei, defects vis-a-vis Hong Kong, bringing a cache of evidentiary documents related to SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic
"Save the Bluster Over Conspiracy Theories, COVID-19 Is Demonstrably Fraudulent by Admissibility Standards in a Court of Law"
February 5, 2021
Interim position paper: considerations regarding proof of COVID-19 vaccination for international travellers
February 11, 2021
Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa admits they hid nursing home data so feds wouldn’t find out
https://nypost.com/2021/02/11/cuomo-aide-admits-they-hid-nursing-home-data-from-feds/
Republican New York State Senator Rob Ortt tweets: "Governor Cuomo and his administration must be investigated from top to bottom and he must be stripped of his emergency powers. Justice needs to be brought for the grieving families who have been ignored to protect Governor Cuomo and his Democrat allies in the Legislature."
https://twitter.com/SenatorOrtt/status/1360037187820085250
Democrat New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes tweets: : "This is a betrayal of the public trust. There needs to be full accountability for what happened, and the legislature needs to reconsider its broad grant of emergency powers to the governor."
https://twitter.com/agounardes/status/1360068183491756033?s=20
Democrat New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi tweets: "You’re only sorry that you all got caught. Because of your decisions, thousands of people died who did not have to die. We’re not “offended”, Melissa, we’re furious - with extremely good reason."
https://twitter.com/Biaggi4NY/status/1360028743184617474
February 15, 2021
"“We should have done a better job of providing as much information as we could as quickly as we could . . . When we didn’t provide the information, it allowed press, people, cynics, politicians to fill the void.” He added that the culprit was “a toxic political environment.”"
Cuomo insists New York did not suppress data on nursing-home deaths but should have released information faster
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/15/andrew-cuomo-new-york-nursing-home-deaths-covid
Andrew Cuomo loses Covid ‘sheen’ after nursing home scandal
https://www.ft.com/content/0797373b-41a8-4fa1-8505-fa7ac6f375d4
February 17, 2021
FBI, U.S. attorney in Brooklyn probing Cuomo administration on nursing homes
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/cuomo-investigation-fbi-covid-nursing-homes-15957401.php
“Gov. Cuomo called me directly on Thursday to threaten my career if I did not cover up for Melissa [DeRosa, his aide] and what she said [when blowing the whistle on February 11]. . . He tried to pressure me to issue a statement, and it was a very traumatizing experience."
Cuomo said 'he can destroy me': NY assemblyman alleges governor threatened him over nursing homes scandal
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/17/politics/cuomo-ron-kim-nursing-home/index.html
February 18, 2021
Empire Center releases analysis showing: “The admission of coronavirus-positive patients into New York nursing homes under March 25 guidance from the New York State Department of Health was associated with a statistically significant increase in resident deaths.”
COVID-positive Admissions Were Correlated with Higher Death Rates in New York Nursing Homes
https://www.empirecenter.org/publications/covid-positive-admissions-higher-death-rates/
February 27, 2021
FDA issued the third EUA for use of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in persons aged 18 years and older for the prevention of COVID-19.
March 2, 2021
Acting HHS Secretary issues directive that teachers, school staff, and child care workers beeligible for COVID-19 vaccination
https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/secretarial-directive-prioritization-covid-19-vaccines.pdf
March 17, 2021
What China's Communist Party Wants: Its New Five-Year Plan
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17217/china-five-year-plan
March 17, 2021
Acting HHS Secretary issues directive to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all Americans by May 1, 2021
https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/secretarial-directive-eligibility-for-covid-19-vaccines.pdf
March 30, 2021
Coronavirus likely spread to people from an animal -- but needs more study, new WHO report says
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/30/health/who-coronavirus-origin-report/index.html
April 12, 2021
"As a result of the continued consequences of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, on this date and after consultation with public health officials as necessary, I, Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services . . . do hereby renew, effective April 21, 2021, the January 31, 2020, . . . that a public health emergency exists and has existed since January 27, 2020, nationwide."
https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/COVID-15April2021.aspx
April 15, 2021
Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists
https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/COVID-15April2021.aspx
April 19, 2021
The White House announced all people age 16 and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination
May 10, 2021
FDA amends emergency use authorization for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include adolescents aged 12 through 15 years
May 20, 2021
"Ping states in the video that "In 2020, China won the trade war, science and technology war, and especially the biological war. The achievement is unprecedented. This is an epoch-making historical record," he continues, adding, "So for the liberal, America-worshiping cult within China, their worship of the U.S. is actually unfounded. After this trade war and biological warfare, the U.S. was beaten back to its original shape. Ping also said on the 2020 U.S. election, "I think Trump's attempt to restore the declining international status of the U.S. during his four years has failed. This failure is not only the failure of Trump's personal campaign for reelection as president, but also the failure of the neo-liberalism-led globalization of the past four decades led by the U.S. and the U.K. Therefore the development and modernization model of the U.S. and Europe is not worthy of China's imitation and repetition."
China admits it 'defeated' U.S. in 'biological war'!
https://www.wnd.com/2021/05/china-admits-defeated-u-s-biological-war/
June 2, 2021
Policy and technical considerations for implementing a risk-based approach to international travel in the context of COVID-19
June 17, 2021
Biden Administration to Invest $3 Billion from American Rescue Plan as Part of COVID-19 Antiviral Development Strategy
July 19, 2021
Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists
https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/COVID-19July2021.aspx
July 28, 2021
"Harris ordered journalists to mask up on Tuesday an hour after the CDC said vaccinated Americans will have to wear face coverings again in some parts of the US due to the new Delta variant."
Kamala Harris slammed as she causes confusion over mask mandate after demanding reporters cover faces
https://www.the-sun.com/news/3366328/kamala-harris-mask-mandate-reporters-white-house/
August 3, 2021
Delta variant now accounts for more than 93% of Covid-19 cases in the US
August 12, 2021
FDA authorizes additional Covid-19 vaccine doses for certain immunocompromised people
https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/12/health/fda-covid-shots-immunocompromised-full/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/agenda-archive/agenda-2021-08-13-508.pdf
August 23, 2021
FDA approves first COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) for prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older.
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-covid-19-vaccine
August 24, 2021
"“This study brings into focus the dramatic success of the early months of the nation’s coronavirus vaccine rollout,” Whaley says. The findings support policies that further expand vaccine administration, particularly to low-income and minority populations."
Study: Vaccines prevented up to 140,000 COVID-19 deaths in U.S.
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/vaccines-prevented-140000-covid-19-deaths-us
August 25, 2021
"Donald Trump's Operation Warp Speed Saved 140K American Lives"
Study from Israel first proving natural immunity is superior to vaccinated immunity
"Comparing SARS-CoV-2 natural immunity to vaccine-induced immunity: reinfections versus breakthrough infections"
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.24.21262415v1
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.24.21262415v1.full.pdf
September 22, 2021
FDA amends emergency use authorization to allow a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine administered at least six months after completion of the vaccine primary doses
September 24, 2021
US CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky diverges from the agency's independent vaccine advisers to recommend boosters for a broader group of people -- those ages 18 to 64 who are at increased risk of Covid-19 because of their workplaces or institutional settings -- in addition to older adults, long-term care facility residents and some people with underlying health conditions.
"Covid-19 vaccine boosters can begin for some US adults as CDC partially diverges from its advisers' recommendations"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/24/health/cdc-booster-recommendation-walensky/index.html
September 25, 2021
HHS Secretary issues directive to allow a booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to certain people
October 14, 2021
CDC adds mental health disorders to list of conditions linked to higher risk of severe COVID-19. Here's why.
https://www.yahoo.com/now/cdc-adds-mental-health-disorders-090012776.html
Science Brief: Evidence Used to Update the List of Underlying Medical Conditions Associated with Higher Risk for Severe COVID-19
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/underlying-evidence-table.html
Underlying Medical Conditions Associated with Higher Risk for Severe COVID-19: Information for Healthcare Providers
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-care/underlyingconditions.html
October 15, 2021
Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists
https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/COVDI-15Oct21.aspx
October 18, 2021
A Dangerous Loophole: the Biological Weapons Convention's New Interpretation that Better Addresses Potentially Deadly Biological Research
October 20, 2021
FDA amends emergency use authorizations to allow for single booster dose of Moderna, Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) COVID-19 vaccines. FDA also authorized the use of heterologous (or "mix-and-match") booster dose of an available vaccine in eligible individuals following completion of primary vaccination with a different COVID-19 vaccine.
October 22, 2021
HHS Secretary issues directive on Moderna and Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) vaccine boosters
October 29, 2021
FDA authorizes the emergency use for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to include children 5 through 11 years of age
November 2, 2021
5- to 11-year-olds can now get a Covid-19 vaccine in the US
https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/02/health/covid-19-vaccine-children-acip/index.html
November 3, 2021
HHS Secretary issues a directive to expand eligibility for children five years and older to receive an age-appropriate dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
November 8, 2021
A joint letter from HHS Secretary Becerra and Education Secretary Cardona is issued about how schools can support COVID-19 vaccination for children.
November 8, 2021
CDC recommends Covid-19 boosters for all adults
https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/19/health/covid-vaccine-boosters-fda-cdc/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1119-booster-shots.html
November 21, 2021
HHS Secretary issues directive to expand eligibility for all adults ages 18 and older to receive a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines.
November 30, 2021
WHO advice for international traffic in relation to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529)
December 1, 2021
Omicron Covid variant detected in ‘almost all regions of the world’
December 10, 2021
HHS Secretary issues a directive to expand eligibility for adolescents ages 16 and 17 to receive a booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
December 10, 2021
CDC recommends Pfizer, Moderna vaccines over J&J's
December 22, 2021
FDA authorizes second antiviral pill to treat Covid-19
https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/22/health/pfizer-antiviral-pill-authorized/index.html
December 27, 2021
CDC shortens recommended Covid-19 isolation and quarantine time
January 7, 2022
FDA Shortens Interval for Booster Dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to Five Months
January 10, 2022
HHS Secretary issues directive to expand eligibility for children ages 12 through 15 years to receive a booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, and to allow a third vaccine dose for immunocompromised children 5 through 11 years of age.
Project Veritas: Military Documents About Gain of Function Contradict Fauci Testimony Under Oath: "Military documents state that EcoHealth Alliance approached DARPA in March 2018 seeking funding to conduct gain of function research of bat borne coronaviruses. The proposal, named Project Defuse, was rejected by DARPA over safety concerns and the notion that it violates the gain of function research moratorium.
"The main report regarding the EcoHealth Alliance proposal leaked on the internet a couple of months ago, it has remained unverified until now. Project Veritas has obtained a separate report to the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, written by U.S. Marine Corp Major, Joseph Murphy, a former DARPA Fellow."
""The proposal does not mention or assess potential risks of Gain of Function (GoF) research," a direct quote from the DARPA rejection letter."
January 20, 2022
“Vaccines did not just pop out of nowhere; the developers were standing on the shoulders of giants,” said Kim-Farley, who has been quoted frequently about that point in news outlets across the nation. “It is remarkable that scientists were able to achieve a vaccine breakthrough within a year, rather than the usual four years. But we identified the genome sequence very quickly and much of the work had already been done in developing the new technology of mRNA vaccines.”
The lessons of COVID-19, two years on
https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/lessons-from-covid19-two-years
January 22, 2022
"Social media not only shared information regarding the outbreak of nSARS-CoV2 and COVID-19 disease but also misinformation regarding epidemiology, government policies, prevention, cure, and vaccination. Thus, strict regulation is required to control the spread of misleading information."
Pitfalls of Social Media in the Era of COVID-19 Pandemics
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35062193/
January 23, 2022
NBC Poll: Only 44 Percent of Americans Trust What the CDC Has Said About COVID
https://www.newsweek.com/only-44-percent-americans-trust-what-cdc-has-said-about-covid-poll-1671988
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/21184709/220027-nbc-news-january-poll.pdf
Hat Tips
- https://www.who.int/news/item/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19
- https://archive.ph/LlaEO
- https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/travel-advice
- https://archive.ph/CQdEk
- https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines/index.html
- https://archive.ph/Q5Nsk
- https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/default.aspx
- https://archive.ph/1A8dZ
- https://www.ajmc.com/view/a-timeline-of-covid19-developments-in-2020
- https://archive.ph/ZuU0T
- https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/lockdown-day-1
- https://archive.ph/hsPG2
- https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/blog-posts/timeline-trumps-coronavirus-responses
- https://archive.ph/Qxowk
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/12/trump-coronavirus-timeline/
- https://archive.ph/67HfO
- https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/09/health/covid-19-pandemic-timeline-fast-facts/index.html
- https://archive.ph/TYAPP
- https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-timeline-of-the-cuomo-nursing-home-controversy/ar-BB1dV3Kn
- https://archive.ph/vILwt
- https://www.scaruffi.com/politics/trumpcovid.html
- https://archive.ph/G9VC9
- https://www.justsecurity.org/69650/timeline-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic-and-u-s-response/
- https://archive.ph/76Ah5
- https://politicalmoonshine.com/2021/09/29/covid-19-enterprise-fraud-construct-timeline-major-dates-events-entities-legislation/
- https://archive.ph/odPEx
- https://archive.4plebs.org/pol/thread/225497848
- https://archive.ph/hJJ03
- https://archive.4plebs.org/pol/thread/351825490
- https://archive.ph/o061l
- https://archive.4plebs.org/pol/thread/298891879
- https://archive.ph/KZ48t
- https://archive.4plebs.org/pol/thread/253803839
- https://archive.ph/rCINh
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