COVID-19

COVID-19 Roundup: UK Approves Vaccine, CDC Shortens Quarantine Time

UK Vaccine Approval

The United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have granted emergency authorization to the vaccine developed by Pfizer/BioNTech.

The decision included consideration of advice from the Commission on Human Medicines, an independent expert advisory body, as well as the data from a rolling review of pre-clinical studies, clinical trials, manufacturing and quality controls, and product testing of the finalized vaccine.

“We have carried out a rigorous scientific assessment of all the available evidence of quality, safety and effectiveness. The public’s safety has always been at the forefront of our minds – safety is our watchword,” said MHRA Chief Executive Dr June Raine.

Quarantine Time

CDC has shortened the minimal amount of quarantine time following potential exposure to COVID-19 from 14 days to as few as 7 days.

Under the new recommendations, quarantine can end after day 10 when testing is not available, assuming no symptoms are present. With testing, quarantine can be ended after 7 days if no symptoms have been reported. Under this guidance, the post-quarantine transmission risk is estimated to be ~1% and ~5%, respectively.

CDC has also released new recommendations for travel during the pandemic, detailing considerations before deciding to travel, when you have an upcoming trip, and following your return from travel. It also includes information on various methods of travel, strategies for staying with friends and family, and a list of tips to avoid contracting and spreading COVID-19 during travel situations.

COVID-19 Updates from COVIDView

As of November 30, 2020, the CDC has received reports of a total of 79,948,333 specimens tested for SARS-CoV-2, and the percent of specimens testing positive decreased from 12.0% during week 46 to 10.6% during week 47.

In 8 of the 10 HHS regions, at least one indicator of COVID-19 activity has increased since the previous week. The overall cumulative COVID-19-associated hospitalization rate through the week ending November 21, 2020, was 243.8 hospitalizations per 100,000 population. Notably, the overall weekly hospitalization rate is at its highest point in the pandemic, with steep increases in individuals aged 65 years and older.

—Michael Potts

References:

  1. UK medicines regulator gives approval for first UK COVID-19 vaccine. News release. Gov.UK. December 2, 2020. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-medicines-regulator-gives-approval-for-first-uk-covid-19-vaccine
  2. CDC. Options to reduce quarantine for contacts of persons with SARS-CoV-2 infection using symptom monitoring and diagnostic testing. Updated December 2, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/scientific-brief-options-to-reduce-quarantine.html
  3. CDC. Domestic travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Updated December 2, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html
  4. COVIDView: a weekly surveillance summary of US COVID-19 Activity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html.