One Hundred Million Covid-19 Cases Worldwide

Covid-19 has now surpassed one hundred million (100, 000,000) documented cases worldwide. According to data for the World Health Organization (WHO) the current documented Covid-19 cases worldwide is 100,455,529 and counting. The United States of America is leading the way with over 25 million cases. WHO also reported 2,166, 440 fatalities worldwide. With the continuous rise in cases, the entire world is in a race to vaccinate its population.

Countries with over 1 million Covid-19 cases as of today:

1. USA – 25,198, 841
2. India – 10, 701, 193
3. Brazil – 8,933, 356
4. Russia – 3,793,810
5. United Kingdom – 3,715,058
6. France – 3,056,198
7. Spain – 2,670,102
8. Italy – 2,501,147
9. Turkey – 2,449,839
10. Germany – 2,178,828
11. Colombia – 2,014,352
12. Argentina – 1,885,210
13. Mexico – 1,788,905
14. Poland – 1,496,665
15. South Africa – 1,430,648
16. Iran – 1,392,314
17. Ukraine – 1,206,412
18. Peru – 1,024,298
19. Indonesia – 1,024,298

Vaccines Already Approved

Moderna and Pfizer are currently the only two vaccines approved by the FDA. Both vaccines are about 95% effective and require two doses. The wait time between doses of Pfizer is 21 days. The wait time between doses for Moderna is 28 days. Both companies have confirmed that their vaccines work against other strains of Covid-19. Side effects for both vaccines have been similar. Side effects include but are not limited to inject site pain, muscle and joint pain, headache, fatigue, chills, and fever. Most individuals seem to get a stronger reaction after the second dose of the vaccine. According to the CDC, 39 million vaccines have been administered thus far in the United States.

Vaccines in Phase 3

Johnson & Johnson will be ready to supply 2 million doses of the vaccine as soon as it gets approval from the FDA. The company recently filed for emergency usage for their Covid-19 vaccine. While the effectiveness of the vaccine may not be as high as that of Pfizer or Moderna; people are excited about the idea of having a single-dose vaccine. Another positive aspect of the vaccine is that it has been tested on the different strains of Covid-19. According to fool, “The vaccine produced 72% efficacy in the U.S., 66% efficacy in Latin America, and 57% efficacy in South Africa.” The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is expected to be approved by the FDA in late February of 2021.

Novavax and AstraZeneca vaccines are currently still in the testing phase.  Novavax is 50% less effective against the South African variant. AstraZeneca is currently being used in the UK but it is not yet approved by EU. AstraZeneca vaccine is not very effective for people over 65, according to German coalition sources. Germany fears AstraZeneca vaccine will not be approved by the EU.

Vaccines	Effectiveness (%)	Doses-Interval	Approved by FDA
Pfizer	95%	2-21 days apart	Yes
Moderna	95%	2- 28 days apart	Yes
Johnson & Johnson	72%	1-second vaccine not needed	No
Novavax	90%	2-21 days apart	No
AstraZeneca	76%	2- 3 months apart	No
Sputnik V	92%	2- 21 days apart	No

Covid-19 Treatment

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved and authorized a drug called remdesivir (Veklury) to treat COVID-19 patients. The drug is for patients 12 and over, weighing at least 88 pounds (40kg). The FDA may also authorize the emergency use of drugs that are not yet approved. Drugs that are approved for other ailments may be allowed to treat patients with Covid-19 but only if certain legal requirements are met. Persons infected with Covid-19 may also seek clinical trials. Depending on the severity of symptoms, individuals who qualify may be put on trials of “Monoclonal antibody treatments, Convalescent plasma, Baricitinib, and Corticosteroids.”