Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
December 11, 2020

Russian Cooperation Saves British Vaccine

In late November Debs is dead and I wrote about the ruthless vaccine competition. The cause were the ambiguous results of the non-profit AstraZeneca vaccine trials which led to delighted criticism from those who prefer commercial vaccine suppliers.

The good news today is that cooperation between vaccine developers is still possible and can lead to better results.

As Debs had opined:

In the real world that means if the AstraZeneca vaccine is more than 60% efficacious (which is better than any flu vaccine - 95% is new big pharma BS IMO) and has no major side effects (one case of MS tells us nothing for the reason I outlined above), then it will be that or nothing for a sizeable slab of the world's population.

If everyone falls for big pharma's transparent attempt to stop this possible vaccine in its tracks, prior to testing completion, then that will mean no vaccine for billions of our fellow humans, so rather than joining in the big pharma sabotage, it makes better sense to consider that vaccine more objectively than de Noli, that Harvard minion of corporations seems to do.

I agreed with that and discussed the most likely reason why the AstraZeneca vaccine did not create a higher efficacy:

The AstraZeneca vaccine uses an adenovirus as 'vector' to deliver a DNA sequence that human cells then use to create one specific (but harmless) SARS-CoV-2 protein. The immune system will then learn to attack that protein. Afterwards it should be able to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infections.
...
In order to safeguard against cases where an already existing immunity to human adenoviruses may impede inoculation AstraZeneca is using a chimpanzee-originated version of an adenovirus as a vector. The Russian Sputnik V vaccine, hyped by Prof. de Noli on RT,  uses two doses with different human adenoviruses (Ad-26, Ad-5) as vectors to increase the chance of inoculation. Other vaccine developers, CanSino Biologics and Johnson & Johnson, are also using adenovirus vectors. Sinopharm's vaccine uses an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus.

AstraZeneca found by chance that its vaccine works best when the first dose is smaller than the second one. Vector immunity can explain why this is the case.

A first high dose will create some immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus but also some immunity against the vector virus, the chimpanzee-originated adenovirus. When a first high dose has trained the immune system to fight the vector virus the second 'booster' vaccine dose using the same vector will become inefficient. A lower first dose can make sure that the second higher dose is not prematurely defeated by vector immunity but can still do its work.

Unbeknownst to me the Russian developers of the Sputnik V vaccine had come to the same conclusion:

Sputnik V @sputnikvaccine - 13:10 UTC · Nov 23, 2020

The possible reason for 62% efficacy of AstraZeneca’s full dose regiment is that immunity to chimpanzee adenoviral vector from the 1st shot makes 2nd shot not effective. #SputnikV addresses this issue by using two different human adenoviral vectors for two shots (92% efficacy)

They had offered AstraZeneca to cooperate with them:

Sputnik V @sputnikvaccine - 2:41 PM · Nov 23, 2020

Sputnik V is happy to share one of its two human adenoviral vectors with @AstraZeneca to increase the efficacy of AstraZeneca vaccine. Using two different vectors for two vaccine shots will result in higher efficacy than using the same vector for two shots.

Today the Sputnik V website announced that AstraZeneca has accepted the proposal. Trials will start immediately:

After the Sputnik V vaccine’s clinical trial preliminary results showed its efficacy at above 90 percent, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund) and Gamaleya Institute on November 23, 2020 offered AstraZeneca to use one of the two components (human adenoviral vectors) of the Sputnik V vaccine in AstraZeneca’s clinical trials.

AstraZeneca accepted RDIF’s proposal and will begin clinical trials of its vaccine in combination with Sputnik V’s human adenoviral vector type Ad26 by the end of 2020. This research will allow AstraZeneca’s scientists to study the possibility of boosting their vaccine’s efficacy through the application of this combined approach.

The British pharma company confirmed the step at the end of a somewhat squeamish statement:

AstraZeneca is also considering how it can assess heterologous combinations of different vaccines, working with industry partners, governments and research institutions around the world, and will soon begin exploring with Gamaleya Research Institute in Russia to understand whether two adenovirus-based vaccines can be successfully combined.

Reuters tauntingly headlined: AstraZeneca hitches ride with Russia's Sputnik in vaccine race.

There will be more mockery about this cooperation and more false claims that Russia was too fast in registering its vaccine.

But frankly this is the best possible way to get the exceptionally cheap ($3-4/vaccination) non-profit AstraZeneca vaccine back on track. Hundreds of millions of people will depend on it as the fancy but high priced mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are not affordable.

The combination of the chimpanzee-originated adenovirus used by AstraZeneca and the human adenovirus Ad26 Gamaleya uses may well be the best possible solution as it can not create vector immunity for the second booster shot. (The use of an Ad5 adenovirus as booster shot was seen by some researchers with skepticism because an earlier attempt to create an HIV vaccine on Ad5 basis had shown negative effects.)

The good news comes just as another vaccine development announced its failure:

An experimental COVID-19 vaccine of Sanofi and Britain’s GlaxoSmithKline showed an insufficient immune response in clinical trial results, the French drugmaker said on Friday, a blow to efforts to find ways to fight the pandemic.

The two companies said they planned to launch another study next year, hoping to come up with a more effective vaccine by the end of 2021.

The Russian vaccine developers reacted immediately to the news by again offering to cooperate:

Sputnik V @sputnikvaccine - 7:22 UTC · Dec 11, 2020

#SputnikV is willing to share its technology with Sanofi @sanofi and GSK @GSK to help in developing their next vaccine. A partnership of different producers is the way of the future. Together we are stronger.

This is global cooperation as it should be.

One wonders how long it will take for the Trump administration and big pharma to sabotage these efforts.

Sanctions on state owned Gamaleya Institute, and anyone who cooperates with them, may soon be coming.

Posted by b on December 11, 2020 at 15:47 UTC | Permalink

Comments

ruthless vaccine competition

It is ruthless allright. There is no moral involved, no respect for actual science of any kind, and no respect for truth or human dignity. It is all about money and totalitarian control.

Posted by: Norwegian | Dec 11 2020 16:21 utc | 1

The overall spirit of the post is correct, but I think my previous explanation was more complete:

1) there is outside pressure - from the rest of Big Business - over Big Pharma to develop the best and cheapest vaccine possible (because they want the world economy reactivated as soon and as efficiently as possible);

2) from the point of view of Big Pharma, the ideal scenario is a monopoly, from which they can extract rent from the rest of the economy;

3) Big Pharma is doomed to fail essentially for three reasons

-a) China and Russia superior, non-profit and cheaper vaccines exert the equivalent of State pressure over the private sector;

-b) there's only so much lines of production available in the world, so, even if one Big Pharma develops "The" vaccine, it would still have big trouble producing enough of it for the entire world. So, partition of the market is inevitable;

-c) decades of neglect made the Big Pharma "unlearn" how to do vaccines, so they're technologically inferior to Russia's Gamaleya for sure, maybe even behind the Chinese laboratory (don't know the name).

4) "3-c" created a situation where the Big Pharma will more likely than not to develop failed or sub-par vaccines. AstraZeneca's and GSK's failures then made them swallow their pride and accept Gamaleya's help for the simple fact they will have to do damage reduction (they already spent billions on their products); at this point, alien pressure is not even necessary - it is pure loss reduction calculation;

5) Gamaleya will cooperate for the three reasons:

-a) it is the right thing to do, from the point of view of scientific ethics;

-b) it is also good for Russia if the entire world goes back to normal as quick as possible;

-c) even the billions spent by those big pharmaceuticals are just a drop in their bucket, so it is not a scenario where Gamaleya can force them out of competition by waiting for them to be bankrupt. Better increase their market share through soft power and free press.

--//--

On related news:

CMO says Britons won’t get to choose between Covid vaccines for months as regulator warns of allergic reactions to Pfizer jab

Theoretically, mRNA vaccines shouldn't cause allergic reactions. Just sayin'...

Posted by: vk | Dec 11 2020 16:46 utc | 2

Most people don't know that there is any difference in vaccines.

mRNA (Moderna, Pfizer) is the first vaccines available for a reason: it is entirely new technology that is funded by the US Defense Dept (DARPA).

As a cynic, I see the military's desire to test mRNA tech as the primary objective, with commercial profits secondary.

!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Dec 11 2020 16:59 utc | 3

US sanctions have already come against the Russian vaccine efforts, of not to the GRI yet: https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2020/08/29/us-sanctions-russian-research-institute-that-developed-covid-19-vaccine/

Posted by: Augustine | Dec 11 2020 17:11 utc | 4

thanks b.... i like the optimism in your post.. the idea that a country like the uk could work with russia is very attractive... but we have seen the exact opposite.. so, while i do believe this is the way of the future where people work together, the old system can't fall away fast enough... thanks to debs as well for pointing out what is left unsaid in the msm...

@ 6 jackrabbit... thanks for that bit of info as well..

Posted by: james | Dec 11 2020 17:12 utc | 5

TASS Made three announcements today. First, about 150,000 Russians have been vaccinated with Sputnik 5, which is 50,000 more than yesterday's announcement; so, we can say that 50K Russians are being inoculated daily. Second, that Russia's second vaccine candidate, EpiVacCorona, is now available to the public, with the item including this:

"The top sanitary doctor reiterated the post-vaccination rules of behavior listed in special instructions for the inoculated. 'The instructions contain answers to frequently asked questions about vaccination. Recommendations are given to minimize contacts while the immunity is being developed: an individual who was injected today is not considered to be protected yet, and one needs to continue to take good care of one’s health and protect oneself against the infection during the entire period of the immunity development. Information is also provided that the immunity level after the inoculation with the new vaccine may be determined using a special test system developed.'" [My Emphasis]

Third, is an announcement of plans for the partnership with AstraZeneca. Russia's currently estimated population is 146 million; so, at 50,000 inoculations per day, it would take 8 years to do its entire population, not quite 19 million per annum. So clearly, much depends on how much vaccine can be produced for use.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 11 2020 17:44 utc | 7

Bernhard, you've been a Covidian Cult™ member, and have therefore never taken into consideration the many pushbacks from experts and scientists, nor have you ever given any consideration to some "awkward" events like Event 201. For an investigative reporter I find that curious, to put it mildly.

Posted by: Ernesto Che | Dec 11 2020 17:46 utc | 8

> As a cynic, I see the military's desire to test mRNA tech as the primary objective, with commercial profits secondary.

Military interest in infectious diseases is long standing, and is two fold - first barracks are a breeding ground for infection, second the military often ends up in far off places, making it much more interested in tropical diseases than the average American.

So yes the military are interested in developing the tech - if there was an even deadlier outbreak - something like Ebola in New York - it wouldn't be the doctors on the front line....

Posted by: Scientist | Dec 11 2020 17:47 utc | 9

> Theoretically, mRNA vaccines shouldn't cause allergic reactions. Just sayin'...

They are not just inject RNA - it would be very unstable and not get into the cell - it's formulated in so called lipo nanoparticles - it will be some component of that causing the problem - PEG or something.

Posted by: Scientist | Dec 11 2020 17:49 utc | 10

> AstraZeneca's and GSK's failures then made them swallow their pride and accept Gamaleya's help for the simple fact they will have to do damage reduction

It's slightly misleading to present the Oxford vaccine as the Astrazeneca one. It was conceived and designed in Oxford with the clinical trials also led from there ( just look at the authors on the paper in the Lancet ) - I could only see 3 Astrazeneca names.

What Astrazeneca did, perhaps at the behest of the British government, was to come in with the monetary and logistics support to make sure that if it did work it would be widely available as quickly as possible, with the stated intention from the beginning for this to be non-profit and widely available as possible.


What's missed from the above article is that Astrazeneca had already collaborated with Russia - back in July R-Pharm signed a deal to be able to manufacture the Oxford vaccine.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-cyber-russia-vacci/russias-r-pharm-signs-deal-to-make-uk-developed-covid-19-vaccine-idUKKCN24I1Z2

So the Oxford Jenner institute is collaborating with the Gamaleya institute, with support from Astrazeneca and Russian companies like R-Pharm.

And in terms of Big Pharma - well not all the companies are the same - companies are like people, each have their own personality ( which can change over time, depending on CEO ).

Posted by: Scientist | Dec 11 2020 18:01 utc | 11

Bernhard, you've been a Covidian Cult™ member, and have therefore never taken into consideration the many pushbacks from experts and scientists, nor have you ever given any consideration to some "awkward" events like Event 201. For an investigative reporter I find that curious, to put it mildly.

And........... exactly who are you????

A CIA/NSA/MI6 troll>>>>>!!!!! Of course!!!

Bernard does his best to think outside of the box and bring fresh insights into all aspects of today's world...

His views are much less extreme than those of MetallicMan or Veterans Today.

His interest in COVID-19 matters is much appreciated by myself and others.

If you find his COVID posts tiresome.... shut off your computer and go out for a very long walk!!!

INDY

Posted by: Dr. George W Oprisko | Dec 11 2020 18:32 utc | 12

The real issue here, one that is ignored by all sides of the COVID debate, is that most of the world is suffering from a chronic vitamin D deficiency pandemic.

Insufficient vitamin D levels are correlated with increased severity of not only COVID, but also many other seasonal viruses such as various strains of the flu. Vitamin D deficiency is also intimately involved with many other chronic and systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, cancers and heart disease.

The contemporary medicinal canon persists in the position that only a small amount of vitamin D is necessary for proper bone and teeth development. This flies in the face of many new developments and insights of the past decades, uncovering and documenting the profound function of vitamin D in almost all areas of the human organism. Vitamin d receptors are expressed all over the human body and without sufficient levels of this vital hormone, the immune system cannot function correctly.

Our bodies not only can tolerate much higher doses of vitamin D than many doctors believe, we actually need these higher amounts to compensate for the lack of sunlight exposure that is the result of the changes in lifestyle of industrialized humanity over the past centuries.

Vitamin D is not unly unpatentable, dirt cheap and easy to produce and distribute, its efficacy extends to far beyond SARS-COV-2. Vitamin D as a profylactic for many chronic and systemic ailments promises to slash healthcare costs (and profits of many pharmaceutical giants.)

Please watch this excellent overview by Prof Dr Seheult at Medcram:

Vitamin D and COVID 19: The Evidence for Prevention and Treatment of Coronavirus (SARS CoV 2)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ha2mLz-Xdpg

Another interesting angle on vitamin D and restorative sleep by Dr Gominak:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=74F22bjBmqE

Posted by: Lurk | Dec 11 2020 18:49 utc | 13

@ Posted by: Scientist | Dec 11 2020 17:49 utc | 12

I think you read my comment too fast. I said "mRNA vaccine(s)", not "mRNA".

mRNA vaccine ≠ mRNA

Evidently, you can't inject pure mRNA into someone's blood.

Posted by: vk | Dec 11 2020 18:57 utc | 14

@4
there's probably some truth to that.
That said, if they actually charge anything like $3 per dose (would be pleasantly surprised if that holds true) it is a good thing.

Posted by: ptb | Dec 11 2020 19:17 utc | 15

"... 95% is new big pharma BS IMO ..."

I read these days somewhere that the the number in the case of Covid-19 vaccines doesn`t refer to the actual protection level of the vaccine but to the percentage of people who develop antibodies after having been vaccinated. The actual protection lebel might in fact be much lower if not always enough antibodies are build in order to provide full immunisation. (That makes sense. When people get vaccinated on a trial basis they of course don`t get deliberately infecte with SARS-CoV-2 in order to see if they actually don`t develop Covid-19 but instead they get blood sampled.)

Does anybody have any numbers in regards to production capacity? How are these vaccines produced in the first place?

Posted by: m | Dec 11 2020 20:33 utc | 16

Lurk #13

Thank you for the reminder.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 11 2020 20:35 utc | 17

I thought this recent article from Indi Samarajiva, a writer in Colombo, Sri Lanka, was also great to see the perspective from the developing world on these different vaccines.

https://medium.com/indica/the-commie-vaccines-thatll-save-the-world-91fc1ee24c9c

He provides some interesting details on the Russian and Chinese vaccines, and how they are in trials in developing countries around the world.

Ex: "While the Oxford vaccine is technically part of COVAX, the UK and rich countries are undermining that by buying up all the supplies. Sputnik V, however, is already in brown arms. It’s currently in clinical trials across 40,000 people in the UAE, India, Venezuela and Belarus."

A good complimentary piece to this welcome one from b.

Posted by: Canadian Cents | Dec 11 2020 20:39 utc | 18

The problem with *all* of the test results for all of the vaccines is that the actual absolute number of people "saved" from COVID infection by said vaccine is puny.
The "95% effective" numbers are operating on 1% or less of the actual test subjects - we're talking 2 to low 3 digits of people with COVID out of tens of thousands. In the context of 95% vs. 60% - the difference is difficult to determine particularly since the COVID exposure isn't consistent across the entire space.
But even then, the presence of vaccine is pretty much irrelevant in the face of the US health care system.
1) There will not be mandates to force everyone to get vaccinated. Too many limousine liberals as well as anti-government conservatives are fighting it.
2) $18 times 500 million or 1 billion sounds great but anti-vaxxing is a real issue is many places.
3) Cost of actual vaccination isn't going to be $6 or $18 in the US. I guarantee it will be much higher. That it only moderately protects against COVID means there is even less reason for people to take it. If the US can't get high adoption of the seasonal flu vaccine, there's zero chance of widespread COVID vaccine adoption.

Posted by: c1ue | Dec 11 2020 20:51 utc | 19

> I read these days somewhere that the the number in the case of Covid-19 vaccines doesn`t refer to the actual protection level of the vaccine but to the percentage of people who develop antibodies after having been vaccinated.

As I understand it, the way the protection is calculated is by giving the vaccine to x number of people and a placebo to a similar amount - then waiting until 100 people show symptoms and then test positive and counting in which half these people appear - so if 95 are in the control group and 5 in the treatment group then that's 95% protection.

Couple of things to note here - for most the trials they didn't look at asymptomatic cases - ie test people not showing symptoms - so it's unknown how many people got it but didn't show symptoms in each group.


`

Posted by: Scientist | Dec 11 2020 21:12 utc | 20

Reposting something from the recent past:

One of my cousins finally figured out that he needs to go beyond the mainstream media to remain informed. He asked me for recommendations, and I gave him just three sources. Moon of Alabama was one of them - but with the comment good for domestic and international issues but not for Covid-19.

Since then, I am really glad that I had added the qualifier. I truly value this blog, but b seems to look at this pandemic with a filter that seems strange to me. Many, many related issues, including technical and scientific ones, are not resolved yet. But b not only ignores many worthwhile perspectives but also deletes posts that point out such opinions.

The lifeblood of scientific development is controversy. Without it we'd still believe that the sun revolves around the earth. I say that as a scientist. Scientists are generally able to deal with controversies well. But I understand that in a public forum like this, such controversies may easily get out of hand. From that perspective I understand b's desire to censure, in order not to get this form out of control. Nevertheless, it's worthwhile to mention that, if you are curios about many aspects of this pandemic, don't limit yourself to this forum only. As far as this pandemic is concerned this forum is ignoring many perspectives that are worthwhile to know about.

Posted by: Nathan Mulcahy | Dec 11 2020 21:14 utc | 21

> I think you read my comment too fast. I said "mRNA vaccine(s)", not "mRNA".
> mRNA vaccine ≠ mRNA
> Evidently, you can't inject pure mRNA into someone's blood.

So why did you say "Theoretically, mRNA vaccines shouldn't cause allergic reactions."

As there is no theory that says that - cos each different one might be delivered in a different concoction - and the commonly used materials are known to cause a reaction in rare cases.

Here's a paper from 2016.

https://aacijournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13223-016-0172-7

Posted by: Scientist | Dec 11 2020 21:15 utc | 22

Scientist #20

As I understand it approximately 80% of the populace is asymptomatic. The vaccine is intended to assist the 20% who are vulnerable to infection, both mild and acute. Is that the case?

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Dec 11 2020 21:19 utc | 23

This virus is hitting us where it hurts. Our universities, companies and factories all work on the same principle: concentrating people at the same place, at the same moment. A society where we have to keep our distance is going to be a society with less progress.

Posted by: passerby | Dec 11 2020 21:35 utc | 24

MOA -- thanks for delivering brilliant, useful and effective communication.
Subject thread is superb example.

Posted by: chu teh | Dec 11 2020 21:50 utc | 25

@ Posted by: Scientist | Dec 11 2020 21:15 utc | 22

That's the promise: that mRNA vaccines will be so specific and precise that it would only attack the virus or even the virus' "family", causing non-existent side effects. I've seen videos that even promise this mRNA technology will be used to cure cancer.

Either way, you don't know that. You don't know what exactly caused the allergic reactions on the British subjects. We'll only know when Pfizer publishes the full results of their trials, peer-reviewed.

Posted by: vk | Dec 11 2020 21:59 utc | 26

@ Posted by: c1ue | Dec 11 2020 20:51 utc | 19

Anything above placebo is being considered "effective". By all labs, not just the Western ones.

Vaccines won't eliminate the necessity of use of masks and 70% alcohol. People will continue to use them. The only difference is that the vaccines will eliminate (hopefully) the grave cases, where one needs an ICU, thus unburdening the healthcare systems, thus drastically lowering the mortality of the COVID-19.

Posted by: vk | Dec 11 2020 22:04 utc | 27

FYI this quote may be helpful in inderstanding that "together goes better":

FYI this quote may be helpful in understanding that "together goes better":

1 - Human adenoviral vector is a common cold virus, which has been with humankind for over 100 000 years. It lacks a gene responsible for reproduction and is used to transport into a cell genetic material from another virus that is being vaccinated against, in this case SARS-COV-2 which causes novel coronavirus infection. The vector as well as genetic material inside it do not pose any hazard to the body.


Posted by: chu teh | Dec 11 2020 22:05 utc | 28

Lurk @ 13

In the months I have been watching the Vitamin D issue common search results keep lowering the level of D considered sufficient. Just had a quick look and found multiple mainstream sources who have moved the goalpost from 30ng/ml to 20 to 12.5 to 10. Simply say that 10 is enough and almost no one is deficient. Except perhaps those in long term care who basically get no sun exposure at all and no fish at all. Have also frequently done google searches in which top of page is a banner article about hypervitaminosis D. Basically the banner article says that taking supplements is going to kill you. I am sure you, Lurk, know how ridiculous that prognosis is.

In Western thought health is a commodity offered to consumers by healthcare professionals. There is nothing anyone could do for themselves. That goes double for covid.

I get plenty of sun but began supplementing about a month ago out of an abundance of caution. The wife is purely getting D from sun. She is old enough her skin is not as efficient at making D as it once would have been. We are at 42 degrees north and first snow is tomorrow. The wife is thin and covers up for the duration earlier than I do. She had some blood work done Monday and asked the doctor to include a D level. Results are back, she was at 52ng/ml. Optimum by most sources, I am now finding sources that would have this as excessive. Purely from sun and most of that from sun stored up a month or more back. She will begin supplementing January 1.

Sadly most will do nothing for themselves and most behave as if allergic to sunlight. This has been endlessly encouraged by the lockdown enthusiasts.

Posted by: oldhippie | Dec 11 2020 23:27 utc | 29

@ oldhippie | Dec 11 2020 23:27 utc | 29

Lots of "official" data points here:

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

Note how the Endocrine Society recommends much higher levels than the FNB. In any case, 4000 IU daily intake is generally well tolerated by adults. The review does not mention vitamin K, which mitigates hypervitaminosis D. Vitamin K is abundant in leafy greens.

Then there is Dr Coimbra, who has developed a protocol to sucessfully treat sufferers from various autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, lupus and psoriasis with daily vitamin D doses of 40.000 IU or more daily. He states that the natural "physological dose" attained by 30 minutes summer sun exposure is 10.000 IU. See: https://www.coimbraprotocol.com/general-information . BTW the amounts of vitamin D intake under the Coimbra protocol should only be realized under close medical supervision - vitamin D is not candy, it's a serious hormone.

Posted by: Lurk | Dec 12 2020 0:47 utc | 30

"Sanctions on state owned Gamaleya Institute, and anyone who cooperates with them, may soon be coming."

Bingo.

America loves its sanctions of destruction as an instrument of hybrid warfare against any nation, company, group, or individual that represents a challenge to the American Empire.

Indeed, America has ALREADY sanctioned in August 2020 a Russian research institute, the 48th Central Research Institute, that worked with the Gamaleya Institute to create the Sputnik vaccine.

The pretext was that this institute was involved with biological and chemical weapons (i.e. Weapons of Mass Destruction).

America just loooves to the play the Weapons of Mass Destruction card as a propaganda figleaf for its economic wars (sanctions), political wars (regime change), or military wars (like the USA aggression against Iraq).

The only question now is what idiotic pretext will America deploy to sanction the Gamaleya Institute?

U.S. sanctions Russian research institute that developed Covid-19 vaccine
https://thegrayzone.com/2020/08/28/us-sanctions-russian-research-institute-covid-19-vaccine/

Posted by: ak74 | Dec 12 2020 2:41 utc | 31

I'm not sure how anyone is willing to use any potentially adverse product where the producer is immune from liability, and still wishes to prophet. I would pick Astra if its really a nonprophet.

Posted by: Tannenhouser | Dec 12 2020 3:15 utc | 32

@12 - wow, Dr. George W Oprisko, I seem to have touched a raw nerve. My blunt, to the point comments often have that effect on those who cannot and do not discuss in a civil and open manner. That's a pity, but the likes of you are also part of this world.

I never suggested Bernhard does not think out of the box, on the contrary, he often does. But, contrary to your claim that he "brings fresh insights into all aspects of today's world", that is physically impossible, since no individual can cover all aspects of today's world. Making that claim shows your poor grasp of today's world.


Nevertheless, nobody is perfect, neither are all his articles. My point is that he is tendentious in this article, as he is in all the Covid-19 articles he has written.

I understand your interest in his Covid-19 articles: any Covidian Cult™ member would. But if you were really interested in the subject, you would, like I have done, push for a more eclectic approach to the subject, like Bernhard does with other subjects he deals with. I guess, Dr. George W Oprisko, that that kind of thinking outside the box is not what Covidian Cult™ members are interested in, they are only interested in confirmation bias.

BTW: Dr.? LOL.

Posted by: Ernesto Che | Dec 12 2020 4:49 utc | 33

If Gamaleya manages to save their vaccine, Astra Zeneca being English albeit with a swedish side kick, the company and England will, true to its nature, take the entire credit for the vaccine (and a possible nobel prize nomination). That's how "cooperation" with Anglo- Zionist west works.

Posted by: Mia | Dec 12 2020 5:18 utc | 34

Tenditious. New word. I think. Fuck ya thanks Ernesto.

Posted by: Tannenhouser | Dec 12 2020 5:42 utc | 35

anyone else cannot get posts to preview?

Posted by: Debsisdead | Dec 12 2020 6:18 utc | 36

preview test...

works for me debs..

Posted by: james | Dec 12 2020 6:20 utc | 37

Posted by: Debsisdead | Dec 12 2020 6:50 utc | 38

@ James as you can see not only testing, posting my missive was a big fail.

Posted by: Debsisdead | Dec 12 2020 6:52 utc | 39

Posted by: Debsisdead | Dec 12 2020 6:54 utc | 40

debs - i can see it isn't working for you.. not sure why though...

Posted by: james | Dec 12 2020 6:58 utc | 41

The Fraudian, and especially its resident spook contact pretending to be a journalist (that is, Luke Harding) must be having a hard time digesting the news that AstraZeneca has accepted Gamaleya Institute's offer of assistance. They must be hard at work now trying to insinuate that Gamaleya Institute's vaccine might contain elements of ... N-o-v-i-c-h-o-k ... and that Lord Vlademort will be sure to weaponise it somehow.

Posted by: Jen | Dec 12 2020 9:41 utc | 42

ak74 | Dec 12 2020 2:41 utc | 32

Indeed, America has ALREADY sanctioned in August 2020 a Russian research institute, the 48th Central Research Institute, that worked with the Gamaleya Institute to create the Sputnik vaccine.

The pretext was that this institute was involved with biological and chemical weapons (i.e. Weapons of Mass Destruction).

Reading between the lines, that could be seen as a muted admission of SARS-COV-2's origins in USA military biowarfare labs. The Russian institute's efforts are then seen by the USA as counter-biological warfare. Classical projection.

BTW, I try not to get involved in the "covidiot" vs. "covidian cult" debate^H^Hcle. Both sides appear to me to miss the bigger issues while tearing at each others' eyes and throats over often tenacious trivia. But, now that emotions appear to have died down a bit, perhaps I may indiscreetly share my own view of events.

(WARNING: highly speculative and scarcely sourced or annotated conspiracy theories follow below:)

Personally, I suspect that not later than early 2019, a misshap occured at Ft. Detrick or one of its associated facilities. After it was established that physical containment of the virus was no longer an option, a major damage control and situation management operation was initiated, coordinated at the highest levels of the USA military and everything was classified at the highest levels of military secrecy.

An open admission of the existence of biological warfare programs is not acceptable to the USA power structure. This would not only have strongly detrimental effects on foreign relations and USA ability to project influence abroad, it could also trigger profound internal revolt in the higher trained upper middle classes, the contemporary mainstay of engineered social consensus in the USA.

Therefor, over a period of months, many scenarios were gamed that aimed to minimize damage and, where possible, maximize opportunities. The mysterious EVALI came and went. Event 201 was assimilated by the operation, as was the curious underperformance of the USA military team at the 2019 Military World Games in Wuhan. The apparent failure of the Trump government to handle the pandemic was scripted to be just like that. Stupendous financial "restructuring" happened under our very eyes while everyone looked away in panic. The many overreaching measures that disrupted society and the absence of simple and sensible measures to minimize the pandemic's impact all point to a heavily worked scenario. Or at least in my paranoid eyes it does.

Naturally, all kinds of movements each with its own associated doctrine and leaders were created and programmed to maximize chaos and distraction from the real patterns in the distance. Cue much drama on farcebook, mootoob and twatter.

Remember that China's draconic initial response resembled very much more to a reaction to military biological warfare than to a reaction to a random outbreak of a new and mostly unknown disease. Their scenario was a simple one, pulled of the general preparedness shelf. The Atlantic response scenario has proven to be much more complex, as it had multiple different objectives.

The question why simpler and more effective responses were not chosen will be for the future historians to answer, even if they will not be called historians but conspiracy theorists instead.

Posted by: Lurk | Dec 12 2020 10:21 utc | 43

Yesterday, I prepared a post with several links on the huge side effects of the Pfizer vaccine, including links to leaflets for doctors and patients, plus an article at Stalker Zone on the same grounds as the post by Lurk up here, on the confirmation of the bio warfare, but my wifi connection got una led continuing to today.. .
The Pfizer vaccine is not a joint US/German venture?
I recall these were the gifts countries in talking about a vaccine, months before the Russians achieved theirs.
In the information provided was also confirmed by an especialist or pharma representative that the vaccine effectively carries an RFID chip, allegedly to register where each dose has been administered, but anonymously...
Also it was explained that as they expect massive side effects, the info related to this will be collected by AI tech, as persons would prove incapable...
The document by FDA on Pfizer vaccine side effects, which I was also providing, included death and sacery transverse myelitis, plus several other serious neurological damage.
The vaccine has been tested in a ridiculous amount of people between 18 and 55 years of age, which brings doubt on its utility for the alleged goal on returning to normal, as this is the segment of active working age.
Leaflet for doctors included serious reservations on the administration of this vaccine on pregnant and breastfeeding women and women on fertility age, plus absolute contraindications on under 16 years old people.
Today, I read, FDA has approved the use of this vaccine for emergency use, this only could come as economicist aim before the yesterday announced collaboration by AstraZeneca and Gamaleya Institute.

Posted by: H.Schmatz | Dec 12 2020 11:45 utc | 44

The documents by FDA and article providing links an commenting on leaflets for doctors and patients, along with the video confirming the existence of the RFID chip on a TV live program, you cam find at Daniel Estulin Twitter.

As some trolls here will try to find three feet to the cat by me offering this reference, I will say I hardly subscribe everything this man states, says, especially his support for Trumpand the al-right, but he has proved extremely well informed, almost always providing sources, awarded journalist, writer, advancin. with years and months in advance nce what will happen. As any analyst out there, of course, he is not infalible.

Posted by: H.Schmatz | Dec 12 2020 11:55 utc | 45

Amongst the info I was trying to provide yesterday, it was included mention on that asked on why they have requested being granted immunity, the Pfizer representative refused to answer the press.
Recall here that Pfizer has collected a bunch of demands so far on other drugs side effects..
Professionals it was said,have been also "granted" immunity, but one wonders whether immunity granted by a government, eventhough when it happens to be the powerful UK government extends its jurisdiction to the whole world, including ICC jurisdiction
Recall here that professionalss are oblied to know the possible side effects of any product they prescribe or administer,and thus, whether that immunity will prove effective in face of millions of affected..

Posted by: H.Schmatz | Dec 12 2020 12:35 utc | 46

@ Posted by: Lurk | Dec 12 2020 10:21 utc | 43

We know for sure the SARS-CoV-2 is a natural virus because we've already sequenced and analyzed its genome. It has a lot of "residual" mutations that couldn't have been replicated (or wouldn't make any sense) by any human technology available in our times.

The most ancient ancestral (75+ years) of the SARS-CoV-2 that we know of is RATG13, which is found in bats.

Posted by: vk | Dec 12 2020 12:54 utc | 47

Imagine that as previewed there is a massive declaration of serious side effects...
Would it no take it out with the public Health Systems, by having to face astronomical demands in case of mandatory vaccinations, absorbing the whole "recovery funds" plus may be what of public treasury remains, getting this way the countries at the mercy of the vultures at both side of the Atlantic, as was the intend during the previous and also exported 2008 crisis?
IMO , countries heavily affected by this pandemic, like Spain, should avoid incurring in potential overwhelming additional spending on indemnizations they hardly can afford and wait for the AstraZeneca/Gamaleya collaboration outcome, or choose the Russian vaccine which is far more secure..

Posted by: H.Schmatz | Dec 12 2020 12:58 utc | 48

@ vk | Dec 12 2020 12:54 utc | 47

I find your arguments against my hypothesis not particularly convincing.

We know for sure the SARS-CoV-2 is a natural virus because we've already sequenced and analyzed its genome.

Where is the compelling logic in that statement? I couldn't see any.

has a lot of "residual" mutations that couldn't have been replicated (or wouldn't make any sense) by any human technology available in our times.

1. Don't assume that publicly available knowledge that you might be aware of is any indication of all the knowledge that secret military laboratories have.
2. More assumptions about "residual mutations" are meaningless until the implications of point 1. above are understood.

In any case you cannot make strong inferences by categorically disregarding unknowns. The virus sequence that has spread worldwide could be a specially crafted strain, globally seeded and intended to obfuscate the original leaked strain. Your particular brand of "logic" cannot discount such a scenario.

Certainly, at UNC Chapel Hill gain of function research work was being done on SARS coronaviruses. We know this for a fact because of the brouhaha in scientific literature in 2015 about this particular instance. We don't know very clearly in what other public or private research labs similar work might have been done. We don't know at all what the USA military (and various off the books shadowy agencies) are up to.

How much of the public research is cross related to classified military research is anyone's guess. Obviously, there must be overlap between public and secret research, albeit well obfuscated.

Posted by: Lurk | Dec 12 2020 14:53 utc | 49

Another point I could not post through my "smartphone" previously, as mutltiple intends are needed to post here by that means, is that there have not been studies on interactions with other drugs or vaccines the patient is taking/getting, thus, imagine for example, that you need to travel to Africa ( for whatever reason, business, diplomacy, peacekeeping, new military base crew...) and you need to be vaccinated with Yellow Fever vaccine, plus this one as mandatory to travel there, which adverse effects is a person to expect?

Too much unknowns here...to restart travels around the world with this in a hurry apporved vaccine on emergency grounds...

IMO, this seems more an intend to track any person travelling in the world, than any other goal...

Posted by: H.Schmatz | Dec 12 2020 15:13 utc | 50

Providing links missed in my previous posts, to see if now I am able...

On the origins of SarsCov-2..

Anthropogenic COVID: What Threats Do US Bio-Laboratories Pose?

On the presence of RFID chip in the vaccine...stated live on TV...

https://twitter.com/_nWorder/status/1335537943625281539

On the links to leaflets for professionals and patients and comments on every aspect of this polemic vaccine...

Warnings of Infertility Come Directly With Pfizer Vaccine

On FDA list of side effects...

https://twitter.com/CALEBHITT/status/1337192430270107648

Yet Trump appeared on TV claiming ownership of this dubious "success"...Of course, after being granted Loser of the Year by certain publications, he needs some victory...
Wondering why the Kushners are not then the first in being vaccinated..
I bet you they will be the poor or middle class targeted sector of population...


Posted by: H.Schmatz | Dec 12 2020 15:26 utc | 51

@ Posted by: Lurk | Dec 12 2020 14:53 utc | 49

No. This piece of information is 100% certain: the SARS-CoV-2 is a naturally occurring virus, not a bioweapon. It was sequenced by the Chinese themselves and verified by many independent experts from very diverse nations.

Posted by: vk | Dec 12 2020 15:27 utc | 52

@35- Tannenhouser

I left the typo in to give people whose mental capabilities don't extend beyond sewer language some fun. I am glad to have delighted a simple soul's day. Cheers.

Posted by: Ernesto Che | Dec 12 2020 16:12 utc | 53

the extent of censorship here is truly shocking. you disagree with the author? you blocked.

Posted by: Jenny | Dec 12 2020 20:42 utc | 54

@ vk | Dec 12 2020 15:27 utc | 52

How does anyone's sequencing the virus' RNA imply anything about its origins? This is a total non-sequitur. Are you even trying to make a coherent point?

Posted by: Lurk | Dec 12 2020 23:17 utc | 55

@vk #27
There is no evidence that the COVID vaccines reduce fatalities after infection, that I have seen.
This isn't a flu vaccine.
Furthermore, a vaccine which does not remove the need for lockdowns and other economy destroying measures; which won't even be taken by 60% of the population (in the US for sure) without coercion - seems of very low utility.

Posted by: c1ue | Dec 12 2020 23:22 utc | 56

Part One
OK I wrote this 36 hours ago and spent some time on it as I decided to include links for a change,
however I didn't realise that akismet the typepad addon used to make life tough for spammers now
restricts the number of html links in a particularly odd way.
I decided to post the thing anyway by breaking it into parts since I throw away far too much stuff,
not because I no longer agree with it but because it is too easy to get bored with a topic particularly
after drongos flog sn issue to death with simplistic, binary and ill-informed arguments as they strive
to 'beat' everyone else in some type of ego-enhancing attempt to have the last word. Covid is killing
all sorts of people 14 y.o. children ,47 y.o. housewives and especially a swathe of distinguished
musical & performance artists as well as distinguished intellectuals whose demises too many ignore.
Thing is that for every Charley Pride who karks it thousands of ordinary also decent folks are also
dying much sooner than they otherwise would have.

If Sputnik & AstraZeneca manage to structure the arrangement carefully, this can
provide a solution which offers protection to a huge chunk of the world's
population without sending their societies bankrupt.
The mRNA vaccines of Pfizer & Moderna are not just much more expensive to buy
they can only be administered in a technologically advanced environment -
particularly the Pfizer one which requires their vaccine be stored at -60°C and
following at least two incidents in england on Thursday now requires all the
vaccine administration outlets to also have advanced resuscitation equipment in
the event of the vaccination inducing an anaphylaxis reaction.
Right now in England the Pfizer vaccine is only being administered from large
hospitals.

A week or so ago, Jen spoke about the difficulty of innoculating indigenous
australians and while it has been some time since I have been on a traditional
indigenous community or outstation, I do know that there are still a great many
communities whose populations loathe having to go into whitefella country (the
cities and towns that 'service' traditional, remote communities) and the
outstation movement was exactly about ensuring individual clans can live free
from the hassles of a multi-clan community, much less the horror show that is a
fringe camp outside Darwin, Kununurra, Katherine or Alice Springs.

Back then the communities plus some of the larger outstations put considerable
effort into building community Health Centers and staffing them with locals as
dedicated and trained as the indigenous health workers are, there is a limit to
the amount of extra resourcing and training that each Health Center can take on.
The Astra Zeneca and Sputnik vaccines use an adenovirus tech which permits long
term storage in a domestic refrigerator which every Health Center I have ever
been in already uses to store various medications, they have a main generator for
the center plus an emergency back up generator for the storage fridges should
both the main generator and the solar-powered battery systems fail.

When the Health Centers were initially being designed and built no one wanted to
re-invent the wheel so research into health outposts in Africa, Asia and the
Pacific Islands was considered chiefly by including medical staff who had worked
in those regions.

That is important because as we already know, epidemics are not defeated by lack
of technology. Less than two years ago Samoa got hit with a measles epidemic where
at least 72 people died most of them children.

As awful as that was, the effect of that measles disaster on Pacifica nations was
fresh in everyone's mind so that when Covid appeared in Europe and Asia, Pacifica
nations put their freshly developed Pandemic strategies into action.

Posted by: Debsisdead | Dec 13 2020 7:11 utc | 57

Part 2
So the Pacific has largely been
spared
Covid-19.

The exception was Guam, a horror story which really took off following the amerikan Navy
ordering Covid awash aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt to dock at Guam early April. Fucking
amerikans - wasn't it enough that a bit over 100 years ago, the amerikan navy wiped
out the entire Hawaiian royal family which they had held under house arrest for
fourteen years with a influenza epidemic which the navy had brought to those
islands?


Posted by: Debsisdead | Dec 13 2020 7:20 utc | 58

Anyone cooperating with big pharma is undermining their own credibility. I find this situation humiliating to Russia who were just recently whipped by the British for novichok and Mr. analny.

Posted by: ololo | Dec 13 2020 8:14 utc | 59

Vaccine tourism anyone?
What does one do if you trust the Russian vaccine more than those available in your own country?

Posted by: Hosscara | Dec 13 2020 10:55 utc | 60

ololo @ 59

Russia has said from the beginning that a vaccine should be a worldwide effort.
To do as you say would be falling right into the traps being set by the empire.
Russia does not want to play that stupid game as far as I can tell.

Posted by: arby | Dec 13 2020 14:52 utc | 61

From Karlofi's post on the open thread.

Lavrov

""The pandemic affected literally everyone. Clearly, this kind of global cataclysm can only be overcome by uniting and rising above fleeting differences."

Posted by: arby | Dec 13 2020 15:06 utc | 62

It depends on the virus. Most viruses appear to use host polymerases, that are located in the nucleus. Though eg. pox viruses have their own polymerases, some as part of the virion per se, some encoded in their dna to be translated in the host cytoplasm by the former polymerases.

You can read about it here: http://www.microbiologybook.org/mhunt/dna1.htm

Posted by: Lurk | Dec 13 2020 23:41 utc | 63

Lurk,
yes most DNA virusus need to enter the nucleus to replicate - SV40/polyoma DNA replication occurs in the nucleus.
POLYOMAVIRUSES
These include SV40 (Figure 2), BK, JC and polyoma viruses. All have a similar strategy for DNA replication. They are small (~40nm diameter), icosahedral, non-enveloped viruses that replicate in the nucleus.
PARVOVIRUS FAMILY
Parvoviruses are very small (18 to 25nm diameter), single stranded DNA viruses (parvum=small) (Figure 1a). They have an icosahedral capsid, and are non-enveloped. DNA replication occurs in the nucleus.
Herpes viruses use host RNA polymerase. However, a virion tegument protein (VP16) enters the nucleus upon infection and is important as part of the transcription factor complex recognized by the host RNA polymerase.
Adenoviruses usually infect epithelial cells. The fibers bind to a cell surface receptor and the virus is engulfed by endocytosis. The virus appears to be able to lyze endosomes. Uncoating occurs in steps. DNA is released into the nucleus (probably at a nuclear pore)
Since Adenoviruses are being used in the SARS COV 2 DNA vaccines then theses vaccines will be putting foreign DNA into the nucleus of our cells. What could possibly go wrong?

Posted by: gepay | Dec 15 2020 3:02 utc | 64

Tannenhouser | Dec 12 2020 5:42 utc | 35

Tenditious. New word. I think. Fuck ya thanks Ernesto.

Not all that new, 1900 according to the Shorter Oxford Dictionary.

Posted by: foolisholdman | Dec 16 2020 23:30 utc | 65

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