COVID-19 Update | July 23, 2021

COVID-19 News

COVID-19 Update | July 23, 2021

July 23, 2021

The California Biotechnology Foundation is committed to keeping you up to date about COVID-19 testing, treatment and prevention advancements. The following resources track what progress has been made as of July 23, 2021. Notable advancements include:

  • According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, two doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine are shown to be similarly effective against the more contagious delta variant as it was against a previously dominant version of the virus.
  • A common drug used to treat serious asthma and eczema allergies developed by Regeneron and Sanofi is in a clinical trial at the University of Virginia to see if the drug effectively prevents severe cases of COVID-19.

​Recent News

  • Two doses of Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines effective against delta variant, study says
    Washington Post – July 22, 2021
    A full course of two of the most widely available COVID-19 vaccines is about as effective against the more contagious delta variant as it was against a previously dominant version of the virus, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine offer 88 percent protection against symptomatic disease caused by the delta variant, compared to 94 percent against the alpha variant that was first discovered in Britain and became dominant across the globe earlier this year, the study said.
  • CDC advisers will meet to discuss need for COVID-19 booster
    CNN – July 22, 2021
    Vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet to make recommendations on how to address new safety issues concerning the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and to review preliminary data on whether COVID-19 vaccine boosters will be needed in the future — especially for people with compromised immune systems.
  • CDC says benefits of J&J COVID-19 vaccine still outweigh risks
    CNBC – July 22, 2021
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there have been 100 reported cases of a rare, but serious, neurological disorder following Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccination, however preliminary data suggests the benefits of the shots still outweigh the risks.
  • California COVID-19 hospitalizations hit highest point in months as variant spreads
    Los Angeles Times – July 21, 2021
    A spate of new COVID-19 infections is striking California’s healthcare system, pushing COVID-19 hospitalizations to levels not seen since early spring — lending new urgency to efforts to tamp down transmission as a growing number of counties urge residents to wear masks indoors.
  • Clinical trial at UVA reveals hopeful COVID-19 treatment
    WHSV – July 19, 2021
    A common drug used to treat serious asthma and eczema allergies is in a clinical trial right now at the University of Virginia to prevent severe cases of COVID-19. “The clinical trial for Dupilumab started in June, but this research goes back to the beginning of the pandemic,” laboratory technician Mary Young said. Doctors at UVA first administered Dupilumab to a patient with coronavirus last month. The results, so far, appear to be promising.
  • Developing COVID-19 Treatments Is A Main Focus For Medical Experts
    NPR – July 17, 2021
    Remember the earliest days of the coronavirus pandemic? Health care workers tried all kinds of treatments with varying degrees of success. Doctors have learned a lot over the past year and a half and are still learning. Dr. Arturo Casadevall is a professor of microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University and talks about current and future treatments for COVID-19 patients.

Rely on California Biotechnology Foundation to monitor breaking news and provide updates on the latest advancements in COVID-19 diagnostics, vaccines and treatments.

Stay informed on the latest news and trends on the economic and health benefits of this industry by visiting the new CABiotech.org

If you have any questions about informational briefings contact California Biotechnology Foundation Executive Director Patty Cooper at (916)764-2434 or [email protected].