Optimism For A Vaccine; Strapped Unemployment Offices Leave Many Waiting

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🗓️ 21 May 2020

⏱️ 13 minutes

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Summary

A new analysis from Columbia University says that roughly 36,000 people could've been saved if the United States had started social distancing just one week earlier. But that all hinges on whether people would have been willing to stay home.

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Research with mice, guinea pigs and monkeys is making scientists increasingly optimistic about the chances for developing a COVID-19 vaccine. Three studies released Wednesday show promising results after the animals received experimental vaccines. But public health success will require global cooperation.

Meanwhile, state unemployment agencies are feeling the pinch as they try to keep up with unparalleled demand for their services.

And as bordering towns begin to ease stay-at-home restrictions, the logistics around reopening neighboring areas is leading to quite a bit of confusion.

Plus, sometimes you just need a hug. And if you're isolating alone, TikTok star Tabitha Brown has got you covered with comfort content to help you feel loved.

This episode was recorded and published as part of this podcast's former 'Coronavirus Daily' format.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	36,000 people. A new analysis from Columbia University says that's roughly how many people could have been saved.
0:08.4	If the US had started social distancing, just one week earlier.
0:13.0	The reality is that, you know, the United States has had a very cushy existence since World War II.
0:21.0	The studies lead researcher Jeffrey Shaman had one big caveat.
0:26.0	It's impossible to know whether Americans would have been willing to stay home before the outbreak was out of control.
0:33.0	We've not had a lot of things that required a lot of sacrifice.
0:36.5	We've not been primed for dealing with or thinking about infectious diseases.
0:41.0	Coming up some good news about a possible vaccine and why some people are still waiting for unemployment benefits.
0:49.0	This is coronavirus daily from NPR. I'm Kelly McEvers. It's Thursday, May 21st.
0:56.0	Many scientists are hopeful about developing a vaccine for the coronavirus.
1:05.0	But there are still some basic things they don't know for sure.
1:09.0	For example, it is not yet known whether people who are infected with COVID and recover are then protected against re-exposure.
1:17.0	Dan Baruch, a virologist at Harvard Medical School, told NPR that scientists just don't know yet if your immune system can protect you from being re-infected.
1:27.0	And it is also not yet known whether people who are vaccinated will be protected against infection.
1:33.0	But scientists are getting closer to figuring that out.
1:36.0	In a series of experiments, Baruch and some colleagues gave a group of recessed Macach monkeys several experimental vaccines.
1:44.0	Some of the animals were completely protected. Some were partially protected. But nevertheless, what we showed was that the vaccine-induced antibody response correlated with the extent of protection.
1:57.0	In other words, the more antibodies they had, the more protected they were.
2:02.0	Scientists still have to figure out how to design a vaccine that can safely produce enough antibodies to protect people.
2:10.0	And the race to do that is happening all over the world.
2:13.0	Somewhere along the way, we backtracked on global collaboration, which may hurt us in some ways.
2:20.0	Prashant Yadav, at the Center for Global Development Studies Medical Supply Chains.
	...

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