10.14.20 (thewire.com)
| Herd immunity proposal draws the attention of the White House, Eli Lilly halts antibody treatment trials, and new research highlights the impact of the pandemic on digital freedom worldwide. Here’s what you should know:Headlines A proposal for herd immunity denounced by scientists gains traction in the White House Last week, advisers of the president, including Department of Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar, met with a group of scientists who have advocated for letting the virus spread naturally among young people to hasten herd immunity. They’ve dubbed their strategy “Focused Protection,” and they boast support online, but many in the scientific community are skeptical, with one epidemiologist calling it a recipe for “carnage.” A White House official told reporters that the plan supports what has been Trump’s policy for months: Protect the vulnerable, but don’t keep the country closed. Eli Lilly halts trials for antibody treatment due to an unspecified “potential safety concern” Government-sponsored trials for Eli Lilly’s antibody treatment for Covid-19 were paused yesterday due to an unspecified “potential safety concern.” The drug is similar to the Regeneron treatment that the president touted as a “cure” for Covid-19 after he received it. Both drugmakers applied for emergency use from the FDA after Trump was treated. While a pause may seem bad, they exist to help ensure the drug doesn’t hit the market until it’s safe. Scientists point out this is a good thing, the very reason we have clinical trials in the first place. Research finds that the pandemic fueled wide-ranging crackdowns on digital freedom worldwide New research has found that the pandemic enabled governments worldwide to crack down on digital liberty. People in at least 45 countries have been charged with criminal offenses for coronavirus-related online speech. The pandemic has also led to the creation of new surveillance technologies, including contact tracing apps, that don’t adequately protect civilian privacy. |