Spread Of Conspiracy Theories Could Impact COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery, Report Warns; News Outlets Report On Vaccine Development, Research Efforts

Devex: Interactive: What COVID-19 conspiracy theories mean for vaccine delivery
“…A new report from the Global Health Security Network, ‘The COVID-19 pandemic vs. Post-Truth,’ highlights the dangers vaccine delivery may face as a growing number of conspiracy theorists — including those who believe that the vaccine will deliver microchip tracking by Bill Gates — targeting the ‘reality’ of COVID-19 become radicalized. … While social media spreads these conspiracies, politicians and other leading authority figures are helping to cement them. In the U.S., Hunt said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been forced to modify its public health guidelines in line with politicians who have ‘undermined’ the response with conspiracies about the severity, origin, and nature of COVID-19. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to follow. The World Health Organization is also a target of conspiracy theories…” (Cornish, 9/15).

Financial Times: Researchers gain head start in coronavirus vaccine race (Bird, 9/14).

Nature: Scientists relieved as coronavirus vaccine trial restarts — but question lack of transparency (Cyranoski/Mallapaty, 9/14).

Reuters: Pfizer says enrolled more than 29,000 people in its COVID-19 vaccine trial (Erman, 9/14).

Reuters: China coronavirus vaccine may be ready for public in November: official (Liu/Munroe, 9/14).

Reuters: Exclusive: AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial in U.S. on hold until at least midweek — sources (Steenhuysen/Taylor, 9/14).