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[Frumple]

Pfizer pill thingummy showing pretty impressive test results: Nearly 90% reduction in hospitalization or severe symptoms if taken within a few days of plague symptoms starting. They're predicting they'll be able to start distribution sometime early next year, if nothing major happens in the interim.

... iirc, the mechanics behind this one is also likely to be effective on related viruses; i.e. on top of being highly effective against covid, it or something similar may end up as what amounts to a cure for the common cold. So, uh. Here's hoping, I guess.

[Starver]

(Maybe mentioned in the article, yet to open...) Over here, it's being reported as something like 500(USD?/GBP? forget which currency they said) per treatment, based upon US costs. Which is expensive as a 'mere' common-cold cure. Even assuming the US healthcare premium was built into that

Perhaps if it's the panacea it is promised to be and economies of scale get in there some more..? But I expect it'll be a hard slog to barter the cost down much from that price-point, for either healthcare establishments, OTC or (if so hoped) sat next to the supermarket-brand generic Anadin.

Will look up the detail later, gotta see some fireworks!

[Starver]

Right, two different things.

Molnupiravir (Merck) was approved earlier by UK medical authorities, and an order put in. Undisclosed cost-per-dose, but US had advance-ordered for $700 (£513) per patient.

Paxlovid (Pfizer) is the one announcing 89% protection (for the recently infected, with other complications). No word on cost, and very little other directly comparable information available between the two.

[feelotraveller]

It's good news.  But, yeah, reservations on the availability/pricing stuff.

Only firm price I found quoted was $700 (and only by one questionable source) but I wonder/suspect that they had crossed their wires with Molnupiravir.  I did stumble across Pfizer's 'commitment to equitable access' along the way:

https://investors.pfizer.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2021/Pfizers-Novel-COVID-19-Oral-Antiviral-Treatment-Candidate-Reduced-Risk-of-Hospitalization-or-Death-by-89-in-Interim-Analysis-of-Phase-23-EPIC-HR-Study/default.aspx

Pfizer will offer our investigational oral antiviral therapy through a tiered pricing approach based on the income level of each country to promote equity of access across the globe.

which stayed my snarky comment about 'Africa when?'

At the same place Pfizer claim to be committing about one billion dollars for 'manufacturing and distribution' although as to what that actually means in terms of number of doses/treatments we will have to wait and see.

[martinuzz]

Austria, which had already restricted access to horeca, hairdressers and events with more than 25 people for non-vaccinated last week, now takes it a step further.
The unvaccinated are now under lockdown. They are only allowed to leave the house for essential activities like work, groceries or doctor's visit, with exception for children under age 12.
With only 62% of the population being vaccinated, this effectively puts nearly half of the population under lockdown.

[Starver]

(Looked it up... Horeca is the Hospitality Industry ("HOtel, REstaurants, CAfés.."), for those of us outside the rather wide mid-European area where this apparently is the common term.)

The question is (and I suppose I should look it up) whether there was a decent opportunity for those other 38% (minus the usual edge cases, like the very young that are at the back of the queue, or otherwise medically exempt) to get vaccinated, or it's through non-availability rather than hesitancy.

If it's basically hesitancy, then this is probably the sticky-carrot they probably need. Not too sure whether it'll work with the typical (non-62%er) Austrian, though. Right now I can only think of Arnie and Adolph as examplar Austrians, and I'm sure neither of those is particularly typical.

[martinuzz]

It's hesitancy. Austria has plenty of vaccins on the shelf.

[Starver]

In New Zealand, a Maori tribe is telling anti-vax/lockdowners to stop using the Ka Mate haka as part of their protests.

It's mostly because it's a protected 'trademark' by the tribe, and they are remembering the countless lives lost in prior non-local diseases brought to NZ. But it's probably also one of the most potentially Covid-transmitting 'greetings', as well, even more than handshaking. (Mass French-kissing with tongues and Inuit nose-rubbing are probably worse.)

[martinuzz]

They're starting here with the 'booster shot', 3d vaccination.
I am going to refuse.

On both humanitarian as well as epidemiological grounds: Africa first.

[Frumple]

... will refusing actually encourage that at all, though? The under vaccinated parts of the world absolutely do need it more, but if not making yourself (somewhat) less at risk doesn't do anything to make that happen, it... well, wouldn't help to avoid it. Kinda' tautologically, really.

Might make things worse, even, if the booster does help prevent breakthrough, transmission, or intensity.

[martinuzz]

I am already double vaccinated.
Africa is only, what was the last numbers I read... IIRC 2.5% vaccinated (for the whole continent, there are one or two African countries that have a decent vaccination percentage), of which a part only got their first shot.

The longer that situation exists, the more chance of even more infectious or virulent strains evolving.
Not just Africa btw. Most of the third world.

[Egan_BW]

The shot being offered to you aren't about to get shipped off to a different continent if they have extra, man. You may as well help in the small way you actually can by getting the booster.

[martinuzz]

It's a catch 22. As long as we all keep accepting this booster shot, and the next booster shot 6 months from now, and the next, Africa will never get vaccinated.
Ofcourse I realize that my insignificant little person refusing a single shot won't help. But many droplets make an ocean.

[delphonso]

Not just Africa btw. Most of the third world.

Variants will also push the vaccine's efficacy down, so the "third" isn't necessary there. The longer the virus roams free, the more variants we will see.

Egan_BW is completely correct, though - take the shot and then write a letter to your local government officials expressing a strong desire to not get the next one until a significant number of vaccines are shipped abroad. Might not do much, but many droplets make an ocean.

In positive news, the anti-virals that were posted here are looking good. In conjunction with vaccines (and enough vaccines, a slowed mutation rate), covid being endemic might not be...nightmarish. Still bad, but not as bad as before.

(Also heads up but anti-vaxxers are pushing a narrative that the pfizer drug is just ivermectin. At least they're admitting the drug is effective...)

[None]

Oh yeah, that's the thing Aaron Rodgers was going on about after he got outed as an antivaxxer, isn't it? That the pfizer pill is just ivermectin? What a helpful mouthpiece for the common sports fan.

Funny, we haven't heard about hydroxychloroquine from them for a while now. I'd give a hearty chuckle if they went on about how science changes over time with regards to that particular antivax angle.