COVID-19 Timeline: October 2021
June 2, 2022
At Bioethics.com we have kept up with the spread of COVID-19 and the related bioethical questions that this pandemic brings. The posts that follow highlights news from October 2021 and were originally posted at Bioethics.com. These posts focus on the bioethical issues that medical professionals, bioethicists, public health officials, and scientists grappled with as SARS-CoV-2 swept the globe.
Oct 1: “New York Sees Increase in Health Worker Vaccinations Following Mandate” by Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill
“New York’s mandate for health workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 has boosted the industry’s vaccination rate, and has not resulted in widespread facility closures and mass resignations like some state officials feared.”
Oct 1: “CVST After COVID-19 Vaccine: New Data Confirm High Mortality Rate” Sue Hughes, Medscape
“A new series of cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) linked to the adenoviral vector COVID-19 vaccines has been reported, confirming the severity of the reaction and the associated high mortality rate.”
Oct 1: “Data Holes Could Complicate Moderna and J&J Booster Shot Process” by Caitlin Owens, Axios
“Deciding which Moderna and Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine recipients should get booster shots may end up being even messier than the process for Pfizer recipients was.”
Oct 1: “Covid Is Killing Rural Americans at Twice the Rate of Urbanites” by Lauren Weber, Kaiser Health News
“Rural Americans are dying of covid at more than twice the rate of their urban counterparts — a divide that health experts say is likely to widen as access to medical care shrinks for a population that tends to be older, sicker, heavier, poorer and less vaccinated.”
Oct 1: “Merck Pill Intended to Treat Covid-19 Succeeds in Key Study” by Jared S. Hopkins and Betsy McKay, The Wall Street Journal
“Merck and its partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP said their experimental Covid-19 pill helped prevent high-risk people early in the course of the disease in a pivotal study from becoming seriously ill and dying, a big step toward providing the pandemic’s first easy-to-use, at-home treatment.”
Oct 4: “Overwhelmed by Covid-19 Patients, Alaska’s Doctors Make Life-and-Death Decisions” by Dan Frosch and Melanie Evans, The Wall Street Journal
“Facing a crush of Covid-19 patients and desperate requests to take transfers from the state’s remote communities, medical staff at Alaska’s largest hospital are for the first time being forced to decide who should get treatment and who must wait, even if they might not survive.”
Oct 4: “America’s Pandemic Is Now an Outlier in the Rich Word” The Economist
“In the EU, daily deaths in excess of those in normal years have tumbled by more than 90% since their peak in November. In Britain, they are down by 95% since January, to just less than one per 1m people. There is, however, one big exception to this story. America is recording nearly 2,000 covid-19 deaths a day, according to a seven-day average compiled by Johns Hopkins University.”
Oct 4: “Merck to Seek FDA OK for Its COVID Pill After Trial Stopped Early” by Deena Beasley, Reuters, posted at Medscape
“Merck & Co Inc’s experimental oral drug for COVID-19, molnupiravir, reduced by around 50% the chance of hospitalization or death for patients at risk of severe disease, according to interim clinical trial results announced on Friday [October 1].”
Oct 4: “EU Regulator OKs Pfizer Vaccine Booster for 18 and Older” Associated Press
“The European Union’s drug regulator gave its backing Monday to administering booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for people 18 and older. The European Medicines Agency said the booster doses ‘may be considered at least 6 months after the second dose for people aged 18 years and older.’”
Oct 5: “Israel Reports Very Few Myocarditis Cases After Pfizer Boosters” by Maayan Lubell, Reuters, posted on Medscape
“Israel’s Health Ministry has identified fewer than 10 cases of heart inflammation following a third dose of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine among millions administered, according to recently released data.”
Oct 5: “J&J Seeks US Clearance for COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses” by Matthew Perrone, Associated Press
“Johnson & Johnson asked the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday to allow extra shots of its COVID-19 vaccine as the U.S. government moves toward expanding its booster campaign to millions more vaccinated Americans.”
Oct 6: “Disproportionate Share of Pandemic-Associated Excess Deaths in 2020 Were Minorities” by Linda Carroll, Reuters, posted on Medscape
“During most of 2020, excess deaths in the U.S. – both COVID-19-related and not – occurred at higher rates among Black, Native American, and Latino men and women, a large new study finds.”
Oct 7: “COVID Deaths Are Finally Falling” by Sam Baker, Axios
“COVID-19 cases have been falling across the U.S. for weeks — and now deaths are finally on the decline, too.”
Oct 7: “Los Angeles OKs One of Strictest US Vaccination Mandates” by Christopher Weber, Associated Press
“Los Angeles leaders on Wednesday approved one of the nation’s strictest vaccine mandates — a sweeping measure that would require the shots for everyone entering bars, restaurants, nail salons, gyms or even a Lakers game.”
Oct 7: “Moderna to Build Vaccine-Manufacturing Plant in Africa” by Peter Loftus, The Wall Street Journal
“Moderna Inc. plans to spend up to $500 million to build a new manufacturing plant in Africa to supply doses of its Covid-19 vaccine and potential additional vaccines to a continent that has grappled with a shortage.”
Oct 7: “People Who Want Organ Transplants Must Get the COVID-19 Vaccine, a Hospital Says” by Bill Chappell, NPR
“A large hospital system in Colorado says people on its organ transplant wait list won’t be offered an organ if they refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine, citing the ‘significant risk the virus poses to transplant recipients.’”
Oct 8: “Pfizer Asks FDA to Authorize COVID Vaccine for Kids Aged 5 to 11” by Damian McNamara, Medscape
“Pfizer asked the FDA on Thursday to expand emergency use authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 to 11. The request comes after the drugmaker submitted clinical trial data to the FDA on Sept. 28.”
Oct 11: “’Naively Ambitious’: How COVAX Failed on Its Promise to Vaccinate the World” by Olivia Goldhill, Rosa Furneaux and Madlen Davis, STAT News
“The Bureau of Investigative Journalism and STAT reviewed confidential internal documents and spoke with officials from two dozen countries, many of whom described confusion and frustration with COVAX. Although grateful for what COVAX is trying to do, they describe struggling to get information from COVAX personnel and being left in the dark over when, if ever, deliveries would arrive.”
Oct 11: “One in Five of England’s Most Critically Ill Covid Patients Are Unvaccinated Pregnant Women, a Study Finds” by Cora Engelbrecht, The New York Times
“Unvaccinated pregnant women make up nearly 20 percent of the most critically ill Covid-19 patients in England, according to data released by the National Health Service on Monday [October 11].”
Oct 12: “COVID Immunity Through Infection or Vaccination: Are They Equal?” by Arthur Allen, Kaiser Health News
“…evidence is growing that contracting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes covid-19, is generally as effective as vaccination at stimulating your immune system to prevent the disease. Yet federal officials have been reluctant to recognize any equivalency, citing the wide variation in covid patients’ immune response to infection.”
Oct 12: “New Clues Emerge About Whether Vaccines Can Help Fight Long Covid” by Sumathi Reddy, The Wall Street Journal
“When the vaccines first came out, some people who had suffered from debilitating symptoms for months after their initial Covid-19 infections told their doctors they felt better after getting vaccinated. The response intrigued scientists. Now, emerging research suggests that vaccines may help reduce symptoms in some people.”
Oct 12: “CureVac Shelves Covid-19 Vaccine, Focuses on Next-Generation Shot” by Denise Roland, The Wall Street Journal
“Germany’s CureVac said it would shelve its most advanced Covid-19 vaccine and focus on a new version, in the latest sign that efforts to develop vaccines against the virus are entering a new phase, centered on next-generation shots.”
Oct 13: “Low Vaccination Rates Exacerbate America’s Caregiving Crisis” by Tina Reed, Axios
“American families shouldered an enormous burden caring for family members even before the pandemic, and a shortage of professional caregivers now is only likely to make that burden heavier.”
Oct 13: “WHO Unveils New Team to Investigate Pandemic” Medical Xpress
“The World Health Organization unveiled Wednesday a team of scientists it wants to investigate new pathogens and preventing future pandemics—plus reviving the stalled probe into COVID-19’s origins.”
Oct 13: “NIH Study: Moderna, Pfizer Shots Are Most Effective Covid Boosters” by Lauren Gardner and Sarah Owermohle, Politico
“Covid-19 booster shots from Moderna or Pfizer showed signs they are more effective at protecting vaccinated adults than a second dose of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine, according to preliminary results from a government-funded study.”
Oct 14: “CDC: Children Just as Vulnerable to COVID as Adults” by Lindsay Kalter, Medscape
“Schools without mask requirements were three-and-a-half times more likely to have COVID-19 outbreaks than those enforcing mask mandates, according to new CDC research.”
Oct 14: “New York Must Allow Religious Exemptions to COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate, Judge Rules” by Tom Hals and Nate Raymond, Reuters
“A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that New York state cannot impose a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on healthcare workers without allowing their employers to consider religious exemption requests. U.S. District Judge David Hurd in Albany, New York, ruled that the state’s workplace vaccination requirement conflicted with healthcare workers’ federally protected right to seek religious accommodations from their employers.”
Oct 14: “FDA Panel Endorses Lower-Dose Moderna COVID Shot for Booster” by Lauren Neergaard and Matthew Perrone, Associated Press
U.S. health advisers said Thursday that some Americans who received Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months ago should get a half-dose booster to rev up protection against the coronavirus.”
Oct 15: “Covid Testing, Turnaround Times Are Still Uneven This Far Into Pandemic” by Rae Ellen Bichell, Kaiser Health News
“While covid testing is much easier to come by than it was early in the pandemic, the ability to get a test — and timely results — can vary widely nationwide. A fragmented testing system, complicated logistics, technician burnout and squirrelly spikes in demand are contributing to this bumpy ride.”
Oct 15: “Half of COVID Survivors Report Effects Beyond 6 Months: Review” by Marcia Frellick, Medscape
“More than half of patients with persistent postacute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC or long COVID) reported experiencing effects longer than 6 months after recovery, according to a systematic review of 57 studies that included more than 250,000 patients.”
Oct 15: “FDA Panel Endorses Booster Shot for J&J COVID-19 Vaccine” by Matthew Perrone and Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press
“U.S. health advisers on Friday [October 15] tackled who should get boosters of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine and when — and whether using a competing brand for the second dose might provide better protection.”
Oct 15: “Covid in Italy: Protests Fizzle as Government Imposes Vaccine Mandate in Workplaces” The New York Times
“Italy set a new bar on Friday for major Western democracies seeking to move beyond the pandemic by putting in place a sweeping law that requires the nation’s entire work force — public and private — to have government-issued health passes.”
Oct 15: “Chain’s COVID Vaccines Have Been Crucial—Now Immunity Is Waning” by Smriti Mallapaty, Nature
“This week the World Health Organization announced advice from its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) that people over 60 should receive a third dose of the same or another vaccine to ensure sufficient protection.”
Oct 18: “CDC: Unvaccinated Are Over 11 Times More Likely to Die from COVID” by Caitlin Owens, Axios
“The CDC recently published data evaluating Americans’ rate of coronavirus cases and deaths by vaccine status, providing more data on which vaccines are working best and how much protection they offer relative to being unvaccinated.”
Oct 18: “FDA Panel Backs Second Shot for Those Who Got J&J Vaccine” by Brenda Goodman, Medscape
“A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee on Friday voted 19-0 to authorize second doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in an effort to boost immunity.”
Oct 18: “Russia’s Virus Infections Over 8 Million; Daily Deaths High” by Jim Heintz, Associated Press
“Russia’s total number of coronavirus infections has topped 8 million, more than 5% of the population, and the daily infection toll hit a new record.”
Oct 18: “Covid-19 Precautions Prompt Backlash on College Campuses” by Douglas Belkin, The Wall Street Journal
“Student-led petitions have prompted some schools to drop the use of location-tracking apps and requirements to wear sensors that monitor vital signs.”
Oct 19: “Lawsuits Demand Unproven Ivermectin for COVID Patients” by Deepti Hajela, Associated Press
“At least two dozen lawsuits have been filed around the U.S., many in recent weeks, by people seeking to force hospitals to give their COVID-stricken loved ones ivermectin, a drug for parasites that has been promoted by conservative commentators as a treatment despite a lack of conclusive evidence that it helps people with the virus.”
Oct 19: “CDC: Pfizer Vaccine 93% Effective at Preventing COVID-19 Hospitalizations in Teens” by Brian P. Dunleavy, UPI
“The two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 93% effective at preventing hospitalization due to severe illness from COVID-19 among teens ages 12 to 18 years, according to data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
Oct 20: “In Secret Vaccine Contracts with Governments, Pfizer Took Hard Line in Push for Profit, Report Says” by Adam Taylor, The Washington Post
“A report released Tuesday by Public Citizen, a consumer rights advocacy group that gained access to a number of leaked, unredacted Pfizer contracts, sheds light on how the company uses that power to “shift risk and maximize profits,” the organization argues.”
Oct 20: “Some Workers Want Covid-19 Recovery Accepted as Evidence of Immunity” by Robbie Whelan, The Wall Street Journal
“Some workers opposed to vaccine mandates on the job are increasingly pointing to the same reason for their objection: They already had Covid-19. Nurses, factory workers and professional athletes are among employees asking that immunity from prior Covid-19 infection be recognized alongside vaccination as sufficient protection against the virus.”
Oct 20: “FDA OKs Mixing COVID Vaccines; Backs Moderna, J&J Boosters” by Matthew Perrone and Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press
“U.S. regulators on Wednesday signed off on extending COVID-19 boosters to Americans who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine and said anyone eligible for an extra dose can get a brand different from the one they received initially.”
Oct 21: “Worn-Out Nurses Hit the Road for Better Pay, Stressing Hospital Budgets—And Morale” by Blake Farmer, Kaiser Health News
“In parts of the country where covid-19 continues to fill hospitals, a rotating cast of traveling nurses helps keep intensive care units fully staffed. Hospitals have to pay handsomely to get that temporary help, and those higher wages are tempting some staff nurses to hit the road, too.”
Oct 21: “Only 14% of Promised Covid Vaccine Doses Reach Poorest Nations” by Andrew Gregory, The Guardian
“Only one in seven Covid vaccine doses promised to the world’s poorest countries have been delivered, a report reveals.”
Oct 22: “CDC Endorses J&J, Moderna Boosters for Nearly All Adults” by Brenda Goodman, Medscape
“Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, has signed off on an advisory panel’s earlier unanimous vote to recommend boosters for the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccines.”
Oct 22: “Pfizer Says COVID-19 Vaccine More than 90% Effective in Kids” CNBC
“Kid-size doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine appear safe and nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic infections in 5- to 11-year-olds, according to study details released Friday as the U.S. considers opening vaccinations to that age group.”
Oct 22: “Amnesty Seeks COVID-19 Inquiry Into Italian Nursing Homes” by Nicole Winfield, ABC News
“Amnesty International called Friday for an independent parliamentary inquiry into COVID-19 deaths in Italian nursing homes and reports of retaliation against nursing home staff who spoke out about unsafe conditions there.”
Oct 25: “Brain Fog Can Persist 8 Months After COVID: Study” by Marcia Frellick, Medscape
“High rates of cognitive dysfunction or brain fog have been found an average of 7.6 months after patients have been treated for COVID-19, new data indicate.”
Oct 25: “Moderna Says Its Low-Dose COVID Shot Works for Kids 6 to 11” by Lauren Neergaard, Associated Press
“Moderna said Monday [October 25] that a low dose of its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and appears to work in 6- to 11-year-olds, as the manufacturer joins its rival Pfizer in moving toward expanding shots to children.”
Oct 26: “Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine for Young Kids Backed by FDA Advisers” by Jared S. Hopkins, The Wall Street Journal
“Experts advising the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the agency authorize the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech for use in young children.”
Oct 26: “Beijing Olympics Will Require Vaccine or 21-Day Quarantine” by Louise Radnofsky, The Wall Street Journal
“Beijing 2022 organizers unveiled a tough set of Covid-19 protocols for next February’s Winter Olympic Games, including a requirement that almost all participants be vaccinated against the virus or face a 21-day quarantine that would effectively shred their competitive hopes.”
Oct 27: “COVID Cases, Deaths at Meat Plant Were Far Higher Than Previously Thought” by Erin Doherty, Axios
“Cases and deaths from COVID-19 among workers at the five largest U.S. meatpacking companies were nearly three times higher than previously thought, according to a memo from the House panel probing the response to the pandemic.”
Oct 27: “Merck Agrees to Let Other Drug Makers Make Its COVID Pill” Associated Press
“Pharmaceutical company Merck agreed to allow other drug makers to produce its COVID-19 pill, in a move aimed at helping millions of people in poorer countries get access to the potentially life-saving drug, a United Nations-backed public health organization said on Wednesday [October 27].”
Oct 28: “Delta Variant Does Not Appear to Make Children Sicker” Reuters, posted on Medscape
“The Delta variant of the coronavirus does not appear to cause more severe disease in children than earlier forms of the virus, a UK study suggests.”
Oct 28: “Antidepressant Fluvoxamine Significantly Reduces Covid-19 Hospitalization” by Sarah Toy, The Wall Street Journal
“A widely available antidepressant holds promise as a treatment for Covid-19, according to a new study.”
Oct 28: “Is Moderna Really Better Than Pfizer—Or Is It Just a Higher Dose?” by Rachel Gutman, The Atlantic
“In light of all these data, it’s tempting to rank the vaccines by brand name: Moderna is better than Pfizer is better than J&J. But the same numbers hint at a different pattern: Maybe what matters most is not which vaccine you get, but how much of it.”
Oct 28: “With Record-High Deaths, Moscow and Other Parts of Russia Enter a Partial Lockdown” by Charles Maynes, NPR
“On Thursday [October 28], the government’s coronavirus task force reported the latest grim milestone — a record-high 40,096 infections and 1,159 deaths in the past 24 hours alone.”
