WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday there are no insurmountable barriers in the current negotiations among lawmakers on coronavirus relief. “None of the remaining hurdles cannot be overcome. Everyone is committed to achieving a result. And we will not leave until we get the job done,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. Nick Note: This is a breaking story!
Vitamin D and COVID 19: The Evidence for Prevention and Treatment of Coronavirus (SARS CoV 2)
Evidence suggests that vitamin D supplementation could potentially be effective either in treatment or prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‐19). Indeed, several studies and trials have begun to investigate the impact of vitamin D supplementation on patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection. In this review, we focus on the potential mechanisms of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of Covid‐19. We consider whether deficiency of vitamin D may be one of the underlying biological factors that could explain the excess mortality seen among non‐Caucasians. We also raise several important questions which need to be addressed to provide a clear picture of the extent to which vitamin D supplementation may benefit patients with Covid‐19, particularly those with underlying risk factors. Nick Note: i believe Vitamin D3 can save your life. Well i just bough 5000 bottles with other vitamins that i believe can help. Since this is a custom multivitamin i am having compounded it will not be available until February. When i get supplies I will send you a 40 day supply.
Link Below to a interesting study
https://doi.org/10.1002/rmv.2159
New Covid-19 strain features 17 mutations sparking fears vaccine won’t work
The new strain of Covid-19 has 17 mutations, scientists have discovered. UK experts have been analysing the new variant of coronavirus and say they have uncovered 17 alterations from the original strain of the killer disease, which they described as “a lot”. Many of the changes have happened to the virus’s spike protein, which it uses to latch onto human cells and cause illness. This is significant because most Covid-19 vaccines being developed, including the Pfizer jab that has already begun to be rolled out in the UK, are effective by targeting this protein. It is feared this could stop people becoming immune to coronavirus if they have been infected with a different strain than the vaccine can protect them against.
Scientists including England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty have said there is “currently no evidence” that the new variant will stop the vaccine from working. The strain has also been spotted in Denmark and Australia. Professor Nick Loman, from the Institute of Microbiology and Infection at the University of Birmingham, is a member of the UK’s Covid-19 Genomics UK Consortium which is studying the mutations. He said: “There are actually 17 changes that would affect the protein structure in some way that distinguishes this variant from its kind of common ancestor of other variants that are circulating, which is a lot. “It’s striking. There’s a really long branch going back to the common ancestor, and it’s a matter of great interest as to why that is the case.” Most vaccines work by training the immune system to recognise the virus’s spike proteins and attack them when the virus tries to infect them. But if the spike proteins are altered through mutations, it is possible the virus may be able to slip past the body’s defences. The new strain, called VUI – 202012/01 was first picked up in September in Kent. It has been linked to the explosion in cases in London and the South East of England which saw the capital and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire placed into Tier 3 lockdown restrictions from today. There have been more than 1,000 confirmed cases of the new strain, mostly in southern England. The exact locations have not been revealed. Nick Note: I have been gravely concerned about the FACT in many people immuity does not last. Mt second grave concern is ALL the vaccines attack the coronavirus spike protein NOT THE SHELL PROTEIN. That means you can shit can ALL the vaccines not when but if in my librarian opinion the spike vaccine mutates. Which i believe it is doing. Mutations in include more spikes on the sphere meaning It can attach to more of your healthy cells. This mutation is associated with higher infection rates. Nothing i have seen in my feeble mind explains why the infection rate and death rate is skyrocketing. I believe its the mutations. And i believe the retail price $200 vaccinations for the next round will be needed every 12 months as a minimum.
Nasdaq closes at all-time high after Fed’s decision
https://youtu.be/2ss4r6a5vAs
- US equities wavered on Wednesday as investors mulled the Federal Reserve’s policy update, disappointing economic data, and progress toward passing new stimulus.
- Congressional leaders are close to agreeing on a stimulus package that includes just under $900 billion in relief funds, Politico reported. A deal could be finalized as early as Wednesday morning.
- Spending at US retailers contracted by 1.1% in November, the Census Bureau said Wednesday. Economists had expected a drop of just 0.3%. October’s preliminary 0.3% gain was revised to a 0.1% drop.
- The Federal Open Market Committee decided to hold interest rates near zero and maintain the current pace and composition of its asset purchases. Improved economic projections from Fed policymakers see US GDP staging a complete recovery by the end of 2021.
- Watch major indexes update live here.
US stocks closed mixed on Wednesday as investors digested the Federal Reserve’s December update and stimulus progress. While the Nasdaq composite index finished at a record and the S&P 500 ended up just shy of all-time highs, the Dow Jones industrial average slid. The Federal Open Market Committee decided to hold rates near zero and maintain the current pace and composition of their asset purchases. Policymakers indicated the $120 billion in monthly purchases will continue until “substantial further progress” is made toward reaching maximum employment and healthy inflation. Economic projections from Fed officials were revised higher. The central bank’s median estimate sees GDP growing 4.2% in 2021, completely offsetting this year’s pandemic-induced slump. Unemployment is expected to fall to 5% through 2021 and reaching pre-pandemic lows in 2023. Nick Note: This is a soft cushion they just put on our 4 legged stool. ENJOY!
US up premarket amid stimulus expectations
LONDON (Reuters) – World stocks rose to record highs on Wednesday on the prospect of effective coronavirus vaccines and more U.S stimulas
LONDON (Reuters) – World stocks rose to record highs. Markets will look to the U.S. Federal Reserve later to see whether it hints at an extension of its stimulus programme and it thinks the economy will suffer a double-dip recession or is on the cusp of a vaccine-inspired boom. “We are not expecting a lot of fireworks from the Fed today – they have already engineered very easy monetary conditions and the tone of their messaging has been persistently dovish,” said Marija Vertimane, senior strategist at State Street Global Markets. “This is unlikely to change … in this meeting.” MSCI broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside of Japan had followed Wall Street’s latest rise to end 0.9% higher. The region is also near record highs and up 3.8% so far in December putting it track for its best yearly performance since 2017. E-mini futures for the S&P 500 were up 0.25%, after the Dow rose 1.1% overnight and the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq climbed 1.3% each. [.N].
Optimism over a $1.4 trillion U.S. spending package increased after House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited other congressional leaders to meet late on Tuesday to put together a deal to be enacted this week.
“The odds are that this deal is more than the $500 billion the Republicans proposed and likely less than the $900 billion of the joint Republican/Democrat committee proposal,” said Sebastien Galy, macro strategist at Nordea Asset Management. “It is rightfully welcomed by the markets, but the size of the fiscal package is the issue.” Progress on rolling out vaccines continued after Moderna Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine appeared set for regulatory authorization this week. The United States also expanded its rollout of the newly approved vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE. Analysts expect guidance later in the day on when and how the Fed might change its bond purchases. The dollar fell to its lowest since April 2018 against a basket of currencies. Derek Halpenny, MUFG’s head of research, said that “underlines high expectations that the Fed will today deliver a message of continued loose monetary policy for a considerable period to come”. The euro rose above $1.22 for the first time since April 2018 and euro zone bond yields edged up, after data showed better-than-expected business activity in the bloc this month. [GVD/EUR] The pound rose to 12-day highs against the dollar and a one-week high against the euro. It gained after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said there was progress on a Brexit trade deal and the next few days would be critical. The dollar fell to a month-and-half low of 103.30 against the Japanese yen. In Asia, stock markets gained. Australian shares rose 0.8%, South Korea’s KOSPI was up 0.4% and Japan’s Nikkei added 0.2%. China’s blue-chip CSI 300 index added 0.15% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index climbed 0.86%. Nick Note: Your historic parallel is WWII. After V-E day when Germany fell their were great declarations. Was May 8, 1945. But WWII was not over until August 15, 1945. But that did not stop the V-E Day celebrations. What we will see are great celebrations as the vaccines ramp up. Reality is it will be at least a year or even 2 years before we know if the coronavirus is conquered. Or will it rear its ugly head as a mutated monster. Our strategy is to do what is known as a momentum trade…. riding the el Toro And Robin Hood millennial stupidness. And then on a dine we will reverse and trade a 10% to 20% plunge where another group of stock market suckers are wiped out…. Think Tech Weck!
Goldman Sachs CEO says he’s concerned about stock-market euphoria stemming from retail investors
- David Solomon told CNBC on Tuesday he’s concerned about euphoric activity in the stock market being driven by retail investors buying IPOs.
- “I do think we’re at a moment in time where there’s a lot of euphoria. I personally am concerned about that. I don’t think in the long run that’s healthy,” the Goldman Sachs CEO said.
- The euphoria was especially visible in the IPO market last week: Airbnb leapt 115% in its first day of trading, while DoorDash soared 86% following its debut.
- “There’s a lot of retail participation in a bunch of these IPOs,” Solomon added. “I think that’s something to watch, something to be cautious about.”
- Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories.
David Solomon told CNBC on Tuesday he’s concerned about euphoric activity in the stock market that is being driven by retail investors buying IPOs. ” I do think we’re at a moment in time where there’s a lot of euphoria. I personally am concerned about that. I don’t think in the long run that’s healthy. I think it will rebalance over time as it always does,” the Goldman Sachs CEO said. Euphoria was especially visible in the IPO market last week with two high-profile IPOs. Airbnb surged 115% during its public debut, while DoorDash soared 86% as it began trading. Those offerings defied many observers’ expectations, and Solomon isn’t alone in his concerns that the market is getting too hot. The Goldman chief executive sees retail activity spiking due to technology that’s made investing and trading more accessible. “There’s a lot of retail participation in a bunch of these IPOs,” Solomon added. “I think that’s something to watch, something to be cautious about. I think a bunch of these are great businesses, but obviously, the market at the moment is pricing in, you know, perfect execution and enormous growth for a very long period of time. And my guess is there’ll be a rebalancing of that over time for sure.” The banking icon also said that the current stock market is appropriately looking forward and acknowledging that the pandemic will at one point be beyond us.
“There’s certainly been a meaningful recovery in the economy but there’s still a ways to go. I think we’ve replaced about 75% of the economic output that we lost when we shut down the economy in March and April and so I do think we see the light at the end of the tunnel.” Solomon added that the Fed’s policy actions in the beginning of the pandemic were necessary and staved off a situation that could have been much worse, but they’re not without consequences. Now, people are far out on the risk curve and that’s inflating asset prices, as seen in recent IPOs, Solomon said. “Cheap money has an impact,” said the CEO. Nick Note: Hear my words… Its amateur hour and the clown car is full. These newbees are momentum traders. Buy what ever is going up and ride the market up. then they wake up one day after the wipe out. So here is what we are going to do. We are going to surf this wave. And then we will play the coming wipe out. I am telling you the old pros are setting the biggest bull trap ever!
FDA: Moderna vaccine meets expectations for emergency use
- Moderna’s vaccine could be administered to the public as early as next week if it wins emergency use authorization from the FDA.
- The FDA staff endorsement comes two days before the agency’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, a group of outside medical advisors, is scheduled to review it.
- The committee is expected to recommend Moderna’s vaccine for emergency use.
The staff of the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday endorsed the emergency use of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine, a critical step forward in winning formal clearance to be administered to the public as early as next week. The staff report is meant to brief the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, which meets Thursday to review Moderna’s request for emergency use authorization. The group of outside medical advisors recommended Pfizer’s vaccine for emergency use last Thursday, and the FDA approved it the next day. The committee is expected to recommend Moderna’s vaccine. The FDA doesn’t have to follow the committee’s recommendation, but it often does. The FDA staff said it determined that the clinical trial results and safety data were “consistent with the recommendations set forth in FDA’s Guidance on Emergency Use Authorization for Vaccines to Prevent COVID-19.” “FDA has determined that the Sponsor has provided adequate information to ensure the vaccine’s quality and consistency for authorization of the product under an EUA,” it said. The announcement helped Moderna’s stock rise 1.5% just before the opening bell. The documents are “enormously encouraging,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a voting member on the committee, adding they show there are now two highly effective vaccines. He voted in favor of recommending Pfizer’s vaccine last week. Moderna is asking the FDA to approve the use in people age 18 and over, while Pfizer’s vaccine was cleared for use in people age 16 and older. The scant data in younger teens was a sticking point for the few members of the advisory committee who voted against authorizing Pfizer’s vaccine last week. The FDA said it recommends tracking cases of Bell’s palsy, a condition that causes a sudden freezing or weakness in facial muscles, if the vaccine is cleared for use. The agency said there were three cases in the vaccine group and one in the placebo group among the 30,000 trial participants. “Currently available information is insufficient to determine a causal relationship with the vaccine,” the agency wrote. The most common side effects were pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle pain and chills, the FDA said, adding more severe reactions were more common after the second dose. Trial participants told CNBC in September the symptoms were uncomfortable, and at times intense, the participants said they often went away after a day, sometimes sooner, and that it was better than getting Covid-19. The FDA said 13 deaths were reported as of Dec. 3, with six in the vaccine group. Two deaths in the vaccine group were people over age 75 with preexisting conditions, the agency said. One case was a 72-year-old vaccine recipient with Crohn’s disease and short bowel syndrome who was hospitalized for thrombocytopenia and acute kidney failure. Moderna submitted its Covid vaccine data to the FDA on Nov. 30. It said a final analysis of its phase three clinical trial found the vaccine was more than 94% effective in preventing Covid, was safe and appeared to fend off severe disease. Its vaccine uses messenger RNA, or mRNA, technology. It’s a new approach to vaccines that uses genetic material to provoke an immune response. The documents published offer a glimpse of the FDA’s view of the vaccine. If the FDA approves the vaccine, it would be the second one for emergency use in the U.S., behind the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Gen. Gustave Perna, who oversees logistics for President Donald Trump’s vaccine program Operation Warp Speed, said Monday that the U.S. plans to ship just under 6 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine once the FDA approves emergency use. Such an authorization isn’t the same as a full approval, which can typically take months longer. Moderna, like Pfizer, has only submitted two months of follow-up safety data, but the agency usually requires six months for full approval. Pfizer’s vaccine was authorized for people 16 and older. Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Moderna has said its vaccine remains stable at 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature of a standard home or medical refrigerator, for up to 30 days. It can be stored for up to six months at negative 4 degrees Fahrenheit. By comparison, Pfizer’s vaccine requires a storage temperature of minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit. The federal government announced last week that it will purchase an additional 100 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine. The U.S. entered an agreement with Moderna in August to acquire 100 million doses for about $1.5 billion. Moderna said that month it was charging $32 to $37 per dose for its vaccine for some customers, under cheaper “pandemic pricing.” The company said it was in discussion for larger volume agreements that will have a lower price. Nick Note: The vaccine flood gates are opening. Soon their will be 5 approved vaccines in a blow out vaccine orgy.
New Covid strain ripping through the South is forcing 11million more Brits into Tier 3 lockdowns
A NEW Covid strain which may spread even quicker is ripping through the South – as Matt Hancock last night plunged 11million more Brits into Tier 3. The Health Secretary told MPs more than 1,000 cases of the new “variant” has been discovered in up to 60 places across the UK – and the World Health Organisation has been informed.London, parts of Essex and Hertfordshire, will move into Tier 3 from midnight tonight. It now means 34million people – 61 per cent of the population – will face the toughest rules. Brits in those areas can’t see friends and family they don’t live with indoors or outdoors – unless they are in a support bubble. But shops, gyms and schools will remain open. Pubs and restaurants will be forced to shut, except for takeaway and delivery. Mr Hancock last night urged Londoners to follow the example of Liverpool and Manchester to drive the virus down again. In a bombshell announcement, Mr Hancock said the mutation was spreading at a quicker pace than the original virus. But experts stressed that the new strain was not the cause of the tier changes. Mr Hancock said: “We have identified a new variant of coronavirus which may be associated with the faster spread in South East England. “It is growing faster than existing variants, with over 1,000 cases. He told the Commons: “Initial analysis suggests that this variant is growing faster than the existing variants.” There are over 60 areas affected, which is “growing rapidly” and similar strains have been identified in other countries, he said. He added: “We’ve seen very sharp exponential rises of the virus across London, Kent parts of Essex and Hertfordshire. “We must take fast and decisive action.” At last night’s press conference he said the “rise in transmission and this new variant should be a warning to all” that “personal responsibility” was needed going into Christmas. He warned: “Respect the rules where you are, don’t ease up on simple things. “When the virus is growing exponentially, there is not a moment to spare.” However, the Government insisted Covid rules will still be lifted for five days over Christmas. Mr Hancock begged everyone to reduce their social contacts in the next few weeks to crack down on cases. He also recommended Brits self-isolate as much as they can before seeing elderly or other vulnerable relatives over Christmas. He told the Downing Street press conference: “Be extremely careful now about who you see. That’s the way to see loved ones in a socially distanced way.” The new measures take the total number of people in Tier 3 in England to 34million, and he suggested more areas could be plunged into the highest tier later this week too. There are hopes some areas in the North could be downgraded to Tier 2, which currently covers 21.5million. He said: “This moment is a salutary warning for the whole country.”This isn’t over yet.” Professor Whitty insisted it was difficult to know if the new variant was spreading quicker or not – and that it would be “surprising but not impossible” it would not react to a vaccine. And he suggested the reason Tier 3 has not worked in areas like Kent was because London – where many people travel in and out for work – was still in Tier 2. He said there was no point in surrounding counties being in a higher tier than London while the captial’s cases are rising so quickly. However, he slapped down suggestions that the reason the Tiers were being ramped up was because of the new strain – and insisted that cases were rising across the board. The World Health Organsiation and Public Health England are continuing to look into the new killer strain. But there was no evidence to suggest the mutation is more deadly. Crucially, there is also no suggestion it cannot be beaten by the vaccine. TOP scientists have urged Brits not to panic over the new strain of Covid. Virus experts Prof Alan McNally and Dr Jeremy Farrar both played down the threat of the latest mutation. Prof McInally, from the University of Birmingham, said: “It is important to keep a calm and rational perspective on the strain as this is normal virus evolution and we expect new variants to come and go and emerge over time. “It’s too early to be worried or not by this new variant, but I am in awe of the surveillance efforts in the UK that allowed this to be picked up so fast.” Dr Farrar, from the Wellcome Trust, added: “This is to be expected. The pressure on the virus to evolve is increased by the fact that millions of people have now been inf Mr Hancock said: “It shows we’ve got to be vigilant and follow the rules and everyone needs to take personal responsibility not to spread this virus,” he said. He added that in some areas the doubling time of the number of new cases is as short as seven days. The strain was first detected in Kent last week – and it’s not yet known if it’s a home-grown mutation or has come in from abroad. And it’s understood that two weeks of lab testing is needed for experts to be completely sure that it will still be able to be tackled by the vaccine. Prof Jonathan Ball, Professor of Molecular Virology, University of Nottingham, said it was too early to draw any conclusions yet and stressed it could be by chance. He said: “The genetic information in many viruses can change very rapidly and sometimes these changes can benefit the virus – by allowing it to transmit more efficiently or to escape from vaccines or treatments – but many changes have no effect at all. “Even though a new genetic variant of the virus has emerged and is spreading in many parts of the UK and across the world, this can happen purely by chance. “Therefore, it is important that we study any genetic changes as they occur, to work out if they are affecting how the virus behaves, and until we have done that important work it is premature to make any claims about the potential impacts of virus mutation.” Alan McNally, a professor in microbial evolutionary genomics at the University of Birmingham, stressed that Brits should remain “calm and rational” following the news. He said: “Huge efforts are ongoing at characterising the variant and understanding its emergence. “It is important to keep a calm and rational perspective on the strain as this is normal virus evolution and we expect new variants to come and go and emerge over time. “It’s too early to be worried or not by this new variant, but I am in awe of the surveillance efforts in the UK that allowed this to be picked up so fast.” The decision to put the capital in Tier 3 came three days earlier than expected because ministers and officials were shocked by rising cases. ]Experts said the main driver behind the spike was Christmas shopping and increased socialising. Mr Hancock suggested Londoners should avoid Oxford Street and shop for their gifts online to help stop the spread of the virus. And he said travel to and within Tier 3 areas is discouraged. T]he Health sec said: “It is recommended that people should minimise travel unless it is necessary in a Tier 3 area and should minimise travel where it is necessary to a Tier 3 area. Nick Note: This is my great fear. Constant mutation because people refuse to isolate and a series of vaccines that fail after a relatively short period of time. This may turn out harder to eradicate then a golden shot. I am alarmed at the speed it mutates to a deadlier and a much more contagious form. This is because our “leaders” were foolish enough no allow such large sections of global populations to get infected,And not ban all international and regional travel.
Massive Google Outage Most Services Most Locationd
US up premarket with Dow jumping over 170 pts
Equities on Wall Street climbed in the premarket trade on Monday as investors are eyeing updates on the coronavirus vaccine rollout as well as the COVID-19 stimulus gridlock in Washington. United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a phone call with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin that during the coronavirus pandemic “the need for state and local funding is even more important, especially given the states’ responsibility for distributing and administering the vaccine.” The Dow Jones added 0.57% or more than 170 index points at 10:31 am ET, while the Nasdaq 100 and the S&P 500 strengthened 0.27% and 0.48% at the same time, respectively.