Tech

Former Trump vaccine czar fired over substantiated sexual harassment claim

Enlarge / President Donald Trump listens as Moncef Slaoui, the former head of GlaxoSmithKlines vaccines division, speaks about coronavirus vaccine development in the Rose Garden of the White House on May 15, 2020, in Washington, DC. (credit: Drew Angerer | Getty Images) Moncef Slaoui, the former head scientist for the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed, […]

Sport

NBA players’ vaccine apprehension is the opposite of what Kareem Abdul-Jabbar hoped for

On February 1, NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar penned a New York Times op-ed calling for NBA players to set an example by taking vaccines for the coronavirus, in order to instill faith in the process among the Black community, due to hesitancy stemming from years of (justified) distrust. Abdul-Jabbar noted data… Read more…

Business

Would you get a COVID vaccine that’s less effective than other ones?

Good afternoon, readers. I’d like to use today’s column to pose a question I’ve asked many of my own friends and colleagues: Would you be willing to get a COVID vaccine that’s less effective but perhaps more convenient to receive? One week ago, Johnson & Johnson unveiled results from a global trial finding that its […]

COVID 19 Tech

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine looks good in early analysis

Enlarge / Picture of vials of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, seen at the Cotahuma Hospital in La Paz, Bolivia. (credit: Jorge Bernal/Getty Images) Yesterday, the people behind Russia’s leading vaccine, termed Sputnik V, issued a preliminary analysis of its function. The news was quite good: while the trial is […]

Tech

New mutation spotted in B.1.1.7 variants spells trouble for COVID vaccines

Enlarge (credit: CDC.gov) As the world races to get vaccines into arms, one of the most concerning coronavirus variants appears to be getting a little more concerning. Researchers in the UK have detected at least 15 cases of B.1.1.7 variants carrying an additional mutation: E484K, a mutation already seen in other concerning variants and one that […]

COVID 19 Tech

Why kids matter in the quest to stamp out COVID-19

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) Last December, when Caleb Chung, a 12-year-old in Durham, North Carolina, first heard from his dad that he might be eligible for a local clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine, his reaction was a little muted. He was “interested,” he tells me over Zoom. Not excited, exactly, not jumping for joy […]

COVID 19 Tech

“We’re failing”: Ex-Warp Speed leader proud, deflects blame on vaccines

Enlarge / President Donald Trump listens as Moncef Slaoui, the former head of GlaxoSmithKlines vaccines division, speaks about coronavirus vaccine development in the Rose Garden of the White House on May 15, 2020 in Washington, DC. (credit: Drew Angerer | Getty Images) Moncef Slaoui, the former head scientist for the Trump Administration’s Operation Warp Speed, […]

COVID 19 Tech

“Complete incompetence:” Biden team slams Trump’s COVID work

Enlarge / US President Joe Biden releases his strategic COVID-19 plan at the White House on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021. (credit: Getty | Bloomberg) Just a day into office, President Joe Biden and his administration have unveiled a comprehensive, 200-page strategic plan and over a dozen executive orders and actions to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic […]