A version of this story appeared in the August 20 edition of CNN's Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction newsletter. Sign up here to receive the need-to-know headlines every weekday.
As Harris made history last night as the first Black and South Asian woman to accept a major party's nomination for vice president of the United States, she took the Trump administration to task on both counts.
"While this virus touches us all, let's be honest, it is not an equal opportunity offender. Black, Latino and Indigenous people are suffering and dying disproportionately," she said. "This virus has no eyes, and yet it knows exactly how we see each other—and how we treat each other."
As the vaccine race heats up, it is becoming increasingly clear that minority communities are not adequately represented in important clinical trials. The top US infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, told CNN yesterday that Phase 3 clinical trials for coronavirus vaccines should aim to include minorities at levels that are at least double their representation in the population.
That's significantly higher than the participation rates in Moderna's study, where Black people accounted for 4.5% of all volunteers despite making up 13% of the US population, according to data obtained by CNN. The same is true in the UK, where there has been an over-recruitment of White participants in its trials, prompting the government to implore those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to sign up.
Vaccine trials have historically struggled with non-white enrolment, for reasons including economic circumstances and vaccine hesitancy among minorities. A survey by several US universities found that 52% of African-American respondents are likely to seek a vaccine, compared with 67% of Whites.
Shameful abuses in past US medical experiments may play a role, including the infamous Tuskegee study, when for 40 years Black men were subjects in a syphilis study without their knowledge or consent and were not offered penicillin to treat their disease.
Studies have found that certain pharmaceuticals have varying response rates among different ethnic groups, so it is vital to include a sufficient number of minorities to determine the vaccines' safety and efficacy for everyone.
Federal law and the National Institutes of Health mandate inclusion of minorities into clinical trials for those reasons. So if an insufficient number of minorities sign up, there could be delays in getting the coronavirus vaccine on the market.
YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED
Q: Will lavender relieve my pandemic-induced stress and sleep deprivation?
A: There is no scientific evidence to back up claims that lavender is a natural remedy for anxiety, insomnia, and various other ailments.
That has not stopped lavender sales from surging as people seek relief to these problems -- though it does smell nice.
"When there was the Great Plague in London, doctors would have lavender stashed into the front of their face masks to help keep the stench of the plague away," said Lorna Roberts, a family farmer in the UK.
Send your questions here. Are you a health care worker fighting Covid-19? Message us on WhatsApp about the challenges you're facing: +1 347-322-0415.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TODAY
Most Americans embarrassed by US response to coronavirus
Nearly 7 in 10 Americans say they're embarrassed by the US response to the pandemic, according to a new CNN poll, and 62% of the public says President Trump could be doing more to fight the outbreak.
The new poll finds disapproval of Trump's handling of the outbreak is at a new high of 58%, as the share who say the worst of the pandemic is yet to come has risen to 55% after dropping through the spring.
As the virus spread from the nation's cities to its countryside, the number of Americans who know someone with a positive test has jumped dramatically to 67%, up from 40% in early June. About 8 in 10 now say they are at least somewhat angry about the way things are going.
Controversy over Australian PM's vaccine comments points to the next coronavirus nightmare
An uproar over the Australian Prime Minister's quickly-rescinded comment about making a coronavirus vaccine mandatory has highlighted the potential next nightmare of the pandemic: A fight over taking the jab, James Griffiths writes.
Scott Morrison's swift U-turn came after his original comments were seized on by anti-vaccination groups in Australia and around the world, many of which have long been warning of supposed plans to force a vaccine on people.
While his comments created something of an open goal for anti-vax campaigners, the scandal does point to the broader issue of "vaccine hesitancy," which the WHO identified last year as one of the top 10 threats to public health around the globe.
No reprieve from the virus for Latin Americans
Cases continue to skyrocket across Latin America, and an expert has said that what happens this month could be the key to the region's fight against the virus.
Deaths from the virus nearly doubled in Paraguay last week. And Colombia surpassed 500,000 cases on Wednesday, joining Mexico which now has more than 537,000. The rise in numbers comes a day after Mexico's health ministry announced "good news," saying the country was now "in a decreasing phase" of its outbreak.
South Korea and Japan hit hard by soaring virus cases
East Asian countries are in the throes of fresh outbreaks, months after they first brought the virus under control.
Triple-digit virus cases have been reported for the seventh consecutive day in South Korea, which is contending with a new spike in cases linked to a religious group.
Meanwhile, Japan has recorded at least 22,500 Covid-19 cases since August 1, more than a third of its nationwide total since the pandemic began. Coronavirus fatigue is on the rise, as is an increasing sense of dissatisfaction with the Japanese government's response to the virus.
ON OUR RADAR
- Many leaders have used Covid-19 as cover to dent democracy -- but Trump may be the first to openly admit it, Luke McGee writes.
- States across the US are now seeing a decline in coronavirus cases, a US top official said this week, though he warned things could quickly change again if Americans aren't careful.
- Loss of smell and taste is more severe in Covid-19 patients than in patients with common colds. That could be due to the effect the coronavirus has on the brain and nervous system.
- The city of Los Angeles shut off utility services at a Hollywood Hills home that hosted several large parties in violation of public health orders.
- Frontline healthcare workers, emergency services personnel and those most vulnerable to the virus should be the first to get any eventual coronavirus vaccine, experts say.
Many countries are mandating quarantines on vacationers returning from high-risk destinations. If that applies to you, make sure to take these steps:
- Take your temperature with a thermometer twice a day and monitor for a fever. You can use this temperature log to monitor your temperature. And watch for coughing or trouble breathing.
- Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school.
- Do not use public transportation, taxis, or ride-share services.
- Keep your distance from others (about 6 feet or 2 meters).
TODAY'S PODCAST
"While I think we need to remain vigilant and concerned that pregnant women may be a little bit sicker, I don't think we 100% know that. The vast majority of them have been fine." -- Dr. Laura Riley, a high-risk obstetrician in New York City
Back in June, CDC data suggested that Covid-positive pregnant women were ending up in intensive care units more often than non-pregnant women. But on today's episode, CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with Dr. Riley about how pregnant women may be faring better than that data initially suggested. Listen Now.
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