Looks like there won't be a magic pill for that, at least from Merck

 

Efficacy of Merck's molnupiravir in preventing hospitalization & death from C19 drops to 30% from 48% in October preliminary results after interim results in over 1400 patients reported, mostly because the interim placebo group hospitalization rate narrowed by 31%:

 

Merck & Co said on Friday updated data from its study on its experimental COVID-19 pill showed the drug was less effective in cutting hospitalizations and deaths than previously reported.

The drugmaker said its pill showed a 30% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths, based on data from over 1,400 patients. In October, its data showed a roughly 50% efficacy, based on data from 775 patients. ...

The company filed for a U.S. authorization of the drug molnupiravir on Oct. 11, following the interim data.

Merck said on Friday the data on molnupiravir, developed with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, had been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ahead of a meeting of its expert advisers on Tuesday.

The FDA's scientists are expected to publish their briefing documents ahead of the meeting as early as Friday.

The panel is expected to vote whether to recommend that the agency authorize the oral capsules for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults who are at risk of severe disease.

A planned interim analysis of the data last month showed that 7.3% of those given molnupiravir twice a day for five days were hospitalized and none had died by 29 days after the treatment. That compared with a hospitalization rate of 14.1% for patients on placebo.

In the updated data, 6.8% of those given molnupiravir were hospitalized and one person died, while the other placebo group had a hospitalization rate of 9.7%.

Reuters.

LOL, Pfizer vaccine wears out by month seven

Six months after receiving the second dose of the two-shot vaccine from Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE, many recipients no longer have vaccine-induced antibodies that can immediately neutralize worrisome variants of the coronavirus, a new study suggests. ... neutralizing antibodies that can block infection against coronavirus variants such as Delta, Beta, and Mu were undetectable at six months after the second dose.

More. 

You fools who won't have enough electricity for air conditioning this summer have only yourselves to blame

From the story:

Peak temperatures are forecast to reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46°C) in interior California through the week, according to the state's electric grid operator, which warned the biggest supply deficit could occur on Thursday after the sun goes down and solar power is no longer available. ...

On Wednesday, solar power was providing about 30% of California ISO's supply, and the grid warned that it would be unlikely to be able to rely on additional supplies from other states due to the extreme heat hitting much of the Western United States.

The ISO was currently getting 13% of its power from other states. The ISO has said it expects to have about 50,734 MW of supply available this summer, but some of that comes from solar.

102,000 MW of coal-fired electric capacity was retired from 2010-2019, over 38,000 MW alone in 2012, 2015 and 2018. Another 17,000 MW is scheduled to be retired by 2025. 

The EIA blamed "flat electricity demand growth" during the decade for the retirements.

It should have blamed Obama, under whom real GDP grew at a rate worse than during the Great Depression.

But YOU elected him.

Twice.

 

 

NeverTrump lunatics, led by Evan McMuffinhead and themselves fractured, hold ZOOM call to form 3rd Party in headlong rush to formalize GOP fracture over "nativism"

Add in a new "Patriot Party" and the GOP will be an utter shambles.

EXCLUSIVE-Dozens of former Republican officials in talks to form anti-Trump third party :

More than 120 of them held a Zoom call last Friday to discuss the breakaway group, which would run on a platform of "principled conservatism," including adherence to the Constitution and the rule of law - ideas those involved say have been trashed by Trump. ...

Evan McMullin, who was chief policy director for the House Republican Conference and ran as an independent in the 2016 presidential election, told Reuters that he co-hosted the Zoom call with former officials concerned about Trump's grip on Republicans and the nativist turn the party has taken.

Three other people confirmed to Reuters the call and the discussions for a potential splinter party, but asked not to be identified.

Among the call participants were John Mitnick, general counsel for the Department of Homeland Security under Trump; former Republican congressman Charlie Dent; Elizabeth Neumann, deputy chief of staff in the Homeland Security Department under Trump; and Miles Taylor, another former Trump homeland security official. ...

Call participants said they were particularly dismayed by the fact that more than half of the Republicans in Congress - eight senators and 139 House representatives - voted to block certification of Biden's election victory just hours after the Capitol siege. ...

McMullin said just over 40% of those on last week's Zoom call backed the idea of a breakaway, national third party. Another option under discussion is to form a "faction" that would operate either inside the current Republican Party or outside it.

Not a serious president to millions of illegal aliens: Hey! We're coming to deport you! Next week! Get ready! We really mean it this time!

Trump says U.S. agency will begin removing millions of illegal immigrants

Laugh of the Day: German industrial production tanks 4.7% in November, Reuters calls it a tentative sign of slowing growth momentum

The signs were tentative in H1 and worrisome since then. November was a disaster.

Global economy is headed for recession:

[T]here were tentative signs of slackening momentum in the United States and Germany in November.

How bad was Hurricane Michael?

The Panama City Beach, FL, Waffle House was closed.

Story here.

The victims surrender: Half a million fools march in Barcelona against Islamophobia

From the story here:

"We are here to say we're not afraid, we are united and we want peace," said 59-year-old pensioner Victoria Padilla as she marched. Slogans carried by marchers read "The best answer: peace" and "No to Islamophobia".

Police estimated the march at half a million people.

Members of Spain's Islamic community marched alongside the King and Prime Minister Rajoy, including women wearing hijabs. Speakers gave readings next to a floral display with the words 'Barcelona' and 'I am not afraid' in different languages including Arabic.

Trump pardons Sheriff Joe

Story here.

Pardon me, sir, just doin' my job.