Progressives (Liberals)

More on Walter's earlier revelation re Trump trying to control German virus research

Quote:

Trump 'offers large sums' for exclusive US access to coronavirus vaccine
German government tries to fight off aggressive takeover bid by US, say reports

...According to an anonymous source quoted in the newspaper, Trump was doing everything to secure a vaccine against the coronavirus for the US, “but for the US only”.

Guardian

That last graph is thinly sourced, obviously. I expect we'll get clarification soon. But would he do that? He's a sociopath.

2 Replies

@blatham,

blatham wrote:

By the by, Canada is holding open the option of closing our southern border, says our PM.

I wonder if that will be part of today's announcement

2 Replies

@blatham,

blatham wrote:

More on Walter's earlier revelation re Trump trying to control German virus research

The sciencemag blog has bit more, linked and updated.

I'll post the most recent - a German Press Agency (dpa) report translated below

2 Replies

@ehBeth,

ehBeth wrote:

blatham wrote:

By the by, Canada is holding open the option of closing our southern border, says our PM.

I wonder if that will be part of today's announcement

Ontario premier currently on air asking federal government to "tighten up" border with US.

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@Walter Hinteler,

Berlin/Tübingen (dpa) - The presumed attempt by the US government to persuade the Tübingen-based vaccine developer CureVac to relocate also concerns the G7 countries.

He has already discussed this with his colleagues from Canada, South Korea, Brazil and Australia, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group. "German researchers are at the forefront of the development of drugs and vaccines, in worldwide cooperation. We cannot allow others to exclusively appropriate their research results". A CureVac spokesman said on Monday: "We do not have an offer."

The biotech company told the "Schwäbische Zeitung" that a takeover by an American company or by the USA is not on the cards. Although there is definitely interest from the USA in CureVac's work, "Corona is a worldwide problem, that's what we are working for," said Franz-Werner Haas, the CureVac board member responsible for production. CureVac has been conducting research on a vaccine against the corona virus since January.

The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology confirmed the fundamental importance of free access to a potential vaccine against the coronavirus. "The German government has a great interest in producing active substances and vaccines in Germany and Europe," said a spokesperson of the Ministry in Berlin.

Initially, the newspaper "Welt am Sonntag" had reported on disputes over CureVac. US President Donald Trump is trying to lure German scientists to America with large financial contributions or to secure the drug exclusively for his country, the newspaper reported, citing government circles in Berlin.

A high-ranking representative of the US government did not confirm the newspaper report on Sunday evening (local time). Upon request, he stated that neither the "Welt am Sonntag" report nor the underlying information was known. The US ambassador in Berlin, Richard Grenell, called the report on Twitter untrue.

The managing director and co-founder of the main investor dievini Hopp BioTech Holding, Christof Hettich, had made it clear, according to a report in the newspaper "Mannheimer Morgen" on Sunday, that an exclusive contract, for example with the USA for a corona vaccine for CureVac, was out of the question. According to the report, SAP co-founder and patron Dietmar Hopp and entrepreneur Friedrich von Bohlen are among the founders and managing directors of the company.

The Bundestag sharply criticized the possible US involvement. "To start a competition for location issues now is the wrong signal. The virus does not stop at borders. International cooperation is now important and not national self-interest", the chairman of the health committee, Erwin Rüddel (CDU), wrote on Twitter. Representatives of the other parliamentary groups expressed similar sentiments.

CureVac is currently conducting research on a vaccine against the coronavirus and has received 8.3 million US dollars in funding (approximately 7.5 million euros) from the International Vaccine Alliance CEPI ("Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations"). The German government is also a member of CEPI.

0 Replies

@Brand X,

Brand X wrote:

Bernie didn't have a direct response to Biden's critique that Italy's single payer wasn't enough, did he?

It wasn't enough for what? It's not enough to avoid pandemics, clearly... but the health system here works not too bad and is facing the challenge so far. People can get care, they can get tested, the national response is well coordinated. You better hope the US system holds on as well as the Italians do.

2 Replies

@Olivier5,

Bernie didn't respond good enough to that point.

The debate began wacky due to having to talk about the virus, and the moderators did a terrible job as usual.

1 Reply

@Olivier5,

Italy has got a mixed public-private health insurance system, not single payer system.

It's really to wish what Olivier said: "You better hope the US system holds on as well as the Italians do."

1 Reply

@revelette3,

The bar was really low for Biden but Bernie had the task of turning his ship around which he didn't do. Pretty much an irrelevant event since Biden will be the nominee, even Bernie admitted that the bulk of his following age group doesn't vote. It was funny listening to Bernie say there has to be a huge voter turnout right after it was pointed out that Biden has the black vote and Bernie's base don't vote.

Biden needs to proceed like Bernie is out of the game and focus on Trump. There was no indication last night that Biden viewed Bernie as any competition at all.

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@Brand X,

Quote:

Bernie didn't respond good enough to that point.

I didn't watch. All I can say is that the question is as phrased absurd because the point of having a health insurance (universal or otherwise) is not that it will prevent you from getting sick. It is that you will be able to access care once you get sick...

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

Walter Hinteler wrote:

Italy has got a mixed public-private health insurance system, not single payer system.

That is correct, although it does have universal health care and a very comprehensive public insurance option.

It's at times like these that you bless whatever is left if your public services and systems. The invisible hand of the market won't fix this.

Also, Italy doesn't have an idiotic compulsive liar at the helm, at least not at the moment... So I am confident that overal Italy will fare better than some others.

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@blatham,

[url][/url]

blatham wrote:

Quote:
Trump 'offers large sums' for exclusive US access to coronavirus vaccine
German government tries to fight off aggressive takeover bid by US, say reports

...According to an anonymous source quoted in the newspaper, Trump was doing everything to secure a vaccine against the coronavirus for the US, “but for the US only”.

But would he do that? He's a sociopath.

Of course he would do that, fool

America First, Baby!

If it turns out that there's any left once we use all we need, then Trump will sell it to other countries as gouger's prices.

How much would you pay me to throw you a rope and haul your ass in if I was standing on a boat dock and you were drowning in the water next to it?

A LOT, I bet. Trump might be able to cut our national debt in half with this scheme.

0 Replies

@Olivier5,

Olivier5 wrote:

the point of having a health insurance (universal or otherwise) is not that it will prevent you from getting sick. It is that you will be able to access care once you get sick...

preventative care is a significant component of good universal health insurance

2 Replies

@ehBeth,

Like vaccines, eh?

0 Replies

@ehBeth,

Quote:

I wonder if that will be part of today's announcement

You got that one right.

Quote:

“As the virus continues its spread, we’ve decided to take increasingly aggressive steps to keep you and your family safe,” announced Trudeau in a press conference. “We will be denying entry to Canada to people who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents.”

“This measure will carve out some designated exceptions including for air crews, diplomats, immediate family members of Canadian citizens, and at this time U.S. citizens,” he explained.

Mediaite

1 Reply

Trump told governors this morning they are on their own:

Quote:

“Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves,” Mr. Trump told the governors during the conference call, a recording of which was shared with The New York Times.

NYT

1 Reply

Quote:

Media Matters
@mmfa
A Republican club in Queens is set to host Steve Bannon and Katie Hopkins at a fundraiser

Bannon has been spreading conspiracy theories about the coronavirus, and Hopkins has called for parties to pass around COVID-19 for people to “build their immunity”

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