August 31, 2020

The Conversation publishes a piece from a public health researcher expressing dismay that CDC missteps are eroding trust in the agency, a rare admission from within the establishment that its credibility has suffered. Further data supporting aerosol transmission of the virus, published by CIDRAP at the University of Minnesota, adds weight to a theory that the WHO and CDC were slow to embrace, having emphasized surface and droplet transmission for months. The New York Times reports that coronavirus rates are rising fast among children, though it notes young children seem to catch and transmit the virus less than adults.

AstraZeneca begins Phase 3 testing of its vaccine candidate in the United States, enrolling 30,000 volunteers. Canada agrees to purchase 76 million doses of Novavax’s candidate, contingent on regulatory approval. Forbes reports that Herman Cain’s verified Twitter account posted a message claiming COVID-19 is “not that deadly” months after Cain died of the disease, raising questions about who controls deceased accounts. Politico examines the geopolitical stakes if China brings a vaccine to market before the West, a scenario the coverage treats as a threat to American prestige.