MCI Flowtronex engineers most compact advanced booster pump package for landscape, golf irrigation, and sports complexes - PRNewswire

DALLAS, Feb. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MCI Flowtronex has completed their engineering and design of their Floboy package which consists of a wide variety of functionality and value adding features. Flowtronex specializes in easy to use, low maintenance/high performance packaged equipment.

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MCI Flowtronex engineers most compact advanced booster pump package for landscape, golf irrigation, and sports complexes

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Using our more than 40 years of experience building pumping systems the Floboy TX models the same quality and longevity our business was built upon. The Floboy TX product line is a compact, durable, and fully self-contained packaged pump station. This offers a multitude of solutions for many different applications. Our VFD and advanced control platform offers you the most efficient intuitive operation. Remote communication from anywhere with cell service allows customers, support staff, and operators to monitor, program, and troubleshoot anywhere in the world.

Our Floboy TX line delivers surge-free constant pressure management while monitoring a list of other safeties to ensure the equipment's life cycle is maximized. Our color touch screen paired with the most cutting edge VFD technology gives the operator tangible information that is easy to navigate.

The world needing more and more fluid moving equipment for sports complex irrigation, golf course irrigation booster, water feature, etc. this will be the perfect product to keep up with the world demand of pumping solutions.

MCI Flowtronex, Ian McQuagge, Director of Product Development and Sustainability, said: "Our creative and brilliant engineering team has truly created an unprecedented product packed with the most cutting edge technology. We strive to continue to lead the curve on peak performance, high durability, and user-friendly operation."

MCI also announces the completion of our automated control panel shop, producing the highest quality controls solutions. With the utilization of our state-of-the-art brake presses, 4000W fiber lasers, robotic gasket machines, robotic horizontal and vertical welders, and automated conveyed powder coat line.

MCI Flowtronex & Water Equipment Technologies continues to engineer, fabricate, and support the most modern efficient packaged pump solutions and high purity water treatment systems worldwide. As a standard all packages will be equipped with MCI's secure and fast remote monitoring allowing troubleshooting, monitoring, and programming.

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The Link Lonk


March 01, 2021 at 11:00AM
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MCI Flowtronex engineers most compact advanced booster pump package for landscape, golf irrigation, and sports complexes - PRNewswire

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Single Dose of Pfizer RNA Vaccine Acts As “Booster” in Those With Prior COVID-19 Infection - SciTechDaily

People who have previously had COVID-19 have an enhanced antibody response with a single dose of RNA vaccine, finds new research co-led by UCL researchers.

These are the findings of a study, published as a research letter* in the Lancet, of 51 UK healthcare workers, around half of whom had a previous laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

It showed that a single dose of Pfizer/BioNTech’s RNA vaccine resulted in a significantly enhanced immune response against the virus, compared to a single dose in those without prior infection. The enhanced response was at least an order of magnitude greater than after a conventional two-dose vaccine schedule in a previously uninfected individual.

The researchers caution that while the findings add to the emerging picture of COVID-19 immunology, they should not influence current vaccination policy in the UK or discourage people from booking a second booster vaccination through the NHS COVID-19 vaccination program.

However, they add the findings have the potential to inform future vaccination strategies to include serology testing (also known as anti-body testing) at the time of the first vaccination to enable the second, booster dose to be prioritized for previously uninfected individuals. Researchers explain that such an approach could accelerate vaccine roll-out by stretching vaccine supplies further.

The research is a collaboration between scientists at UCL, Public Health England, Barts Health NHS Trust, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, QMUL and Imperial College London –  partners in the COVIDsortium** led by Professor James Moon and supported by Professor Charlotte Manisty (both UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science).

Professor Moon said: “These published peer-reviewed results shows that healthcare workers who had previously had COVID-19 make a huge antibody response to the first vaccine dose which effectively acted as a boost.”

Prime/Boost approach

Most approved COVID-19 vaccine platforms rely on a two-dose approach – an initial primer, followed by a booster dose several weeks later – to generate an immune response against the spike protein on the surface of the virus. This includes the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines currently being rolled out in the UK.

However, despite growing evidence of real world effectiveness of the vaccines, the impact of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection on dose regimen is unclear/still emerging.

In the latest study, researchers looked at antibody data from healthcare workers enrolled in an ongoing observational study (COVIDsortium**).

All participants underwent weekly PCR and serology testing from the date of first UK lockdown in March 2020, for 16 weeks. From a sample of 51 participants, 24 had a prior COVID-19 infection confirmed with a laboratory PCR test. Participants were given a single dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine, and bloodwork was analyzed three weeks later.

Following a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine, participants produced antibodies against the spike protein. In those without prior infection, levels of spike-protein antibodies were similar to peak levels measured seen in individuals with mild SARS-CoV-2 infection.

However, those with prior infection produced high levels of antibodies against the spike protein after a single dose, compared to those without prior infection, indicating a significantly enhanced antibody response.

Blood analysis of the 24 showed that antibody response (anti-S response) increased 140-fold on average following a single dose of vaccine, compared to their peak pre-vaccine antibody levels – after their infection but before their first vaccination.

The UCL Immunology lead for this study, Professor Mahdad Noursadeghi (UCL Division of Infection & Immunity), added: “Prior infections in this group date back to the beginning of the epidemic in London. The fact that a vaccine dose almost a year later has such a boosting effect, highlights the longevity of immune memory to this infection and increases our confidence that booster vaccines at intervals may be an effective way to may maintain high levels of immunity in the future.”

Study limitations

The researchers stress that these findings relate to those with laboratory-confirmed infections only at this stage and do not take into account variables such as the amount of virus (viral load) which caused the initial infection, participants age, detailed health status  or the severity of their infection.

The study was also restricted to the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine in a small group of healthcare workers with and without lab-confirmed infection. It cannot, at this stage, be applied more generally to other groups – such as older adults, people with underlying health conditions – or to other vaccines.

They authors explain that the findings add to the growing picture of immunological protection against SARS-CoV-2 and could inform other programs around the world where vaccine supplies may be limited.

In practice, laboratory-based testing could be used to screen patients for antibodies against the spike protein before their first vaccination. This could help to accelerate rollout by reallocating doses of vaccine and prioritizing patients who may receive greater additional benefit from a second dose, compared to those with sufficient response from a single dose.

Reference: “Antibody response to first BNT162b2 dose in previously SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals” by Charlotte Manisty, Ashley D Otter, Thomas A Treibel, Áine McKnight, Daniel M Altmann, Timothy Brooks, Mahdad Noursadeghi, Rosemary J Boyton, Amanda Semper and James C Moon, 25 February 2021, Lancet.
DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00501-8

*Research letters published in the Correspondence section include research findings and are externally peer-reviewed. Unlike Articles containing original data, research letters are shorter and the research they contain is usually preliminary, exploratory, or reporting on early findings.

**COVIDsortium: The COVID-19 Consortium is a longitudinal study of UK healthcare staff initiated in March 2020.  The study aims to understand the immune response to COVID-19. 

The Link Lonk


February 28, 2021 at 09:01PM
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Single Dose of Pfizer RNA Vaccine Acts As “Booster” in Those With Prior COVID-19 Infection - SciTechDaily

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Gwinnett Swim and Dive Booster Club honors January's best - Gwinnettdailypost.com

The Gwinnett Swim and Dive Booster Club recently announced its list of swimmers and divers of the month for January.

Each Gwinnett County Public Schools program had one boy and one girl selected for the honor.

Those award-winners are as follows:

Archer: Jalen Wright, Nathalia Muralles

Berkmar: Jual Harvey, Ashley Sanchez

Brookwood: Chris Scalzi, Gillian Lee

Central Gwinnett: Dino Lisinovic, Angie Baccino

Collins Hill: Caleb Harrell, Ramiyah Tubbs

Dacula: Ryan Smith, Mallory Horton

Discovery: Alondra Gonzalez-Reynoso, Shamar Thomas

Duluth: Jackson Avey, Amelia Hildebrand

Grayson: Dylan Tobin, Ashlyn Fuchs

Lanier: Jose Castro, Prielle Zafft

Meadowcreek: Armani Hernandez, Leslie Ferral Leandro

Mill Creek: Will Pierce, Mia Walters

Mountain View: Ethan Borst, Jenna Taylor

Norcross: Preston Lin, Catie Choate

North Gwinnett: Nick Stark, Emma Reiser

Peachtree Ridge: Max Pulliam, Emma Deyette

Parkview: Andy Zhu, Sarah Livingston

Shiloh: Marques Boyd, Christian Ward

South Gwinnett: Ethan Miller, Victoria Ward

The Link Lonk


February 27, 2021 at 11:09PM
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Gwinnett Swim and Dive Booster Club honors January's best - Gwinnettdailypost.com

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Moderna sends COVID-19 booster shot for NIH testing as it hikes production targets past 2B doses - FiercePharma

In the span of about a year, Moderna has gone from being a clinical-stage biotech with no marketed products to a key partner in the global COVID-19 vaccination effort. Now, it's doubling down on its manufacturing push, with more than 2 billion doses in its sights.

Moderna on Wednesday said it's now on track to produce 700 million vaccine doses this year, and it's still aiming for 1 billion at the high end. Last year, the company had said 500 million would be its minimum output this year, and it ratcheted up that minimum to 600 million in January.

And for 2022, the biotech is planning for 1.4 billion doses—or perhaps even 2 billion, depending on the dose required for booster shots targeting new variants. The company has shipped a booster candidate to the National Institutes of Health for testing, according to Wednesday's statement; it's targeted specifically at the South Africa variant now worrying public health experts.

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To support the scale-up, Moderna on Wednesday said it's planning new investments at manufacturing sites, whether in its own network or sites operated by partners.

For next year, Moderna’s 1.4 billion target is based on the assumption that potential vaccine boosters will require the 100-μg dose. If boosters end up using a lower dose, such as 50 μg, the company could potentially churn out more than 2 billion doses in 2022, CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement.

So far in its global rollout, Moderna has shipped 60 million doses worldwide. Most of those, 55 million, have gone to the U.S. Meanwhile, the biotech says its ex-U.S. supply chain is “in the process of ramping up.” The company plans to deliver 100 million doses to the U.S. before the end of next month and another 200 million by the end of July.

Part of the company's work to ramp up production includes identifying bottlenecks, and Moderna offered one example of progress on that front. The biotech and its partners found that fill-and-finish services were slowing down the overall manufacturing timelines, so Moderna is exploring the potential of 15-dose vials to relieve those services and reduce the need for “consumable materials that are in high demand.”

RELATED: Pfizer, Moderna and J&J tout supercharged COVID-19 vaccine output, eyeing nearly 140M doses by March

Even as Moderna scales up its original shot, mRNA-1273, the company is laying plans to tackle variants. The biotech plans to test its original shot as a half-dose booster and variant-specific and multivariant boosters at 50 µg and lower in people who’ve already had the standard vaccine regimen, today's announcement said.

In addition, the company is planning to study those variant-specific and multivariant vaccine candidates as primary vaccines for people who don’t yet have antibodies.

Moderna is one of the leading players in the COVID-19 vaccine push, but it isn’t alone in its aggressive efforts to scale up capacity. Pfizer and BioNTech are pushing to produce 2 billion doses in 2021, while Johnson & Johnson has pledged hundreds of millions of doses to the U.S. and other governments.  

RELATED: Moderna to test different booster shot against South Africa coronavirus variant

AstraZeneca has tapped a global network of manufacturing partners and is aiming to produce 200 million doses per month. Novavax, for its part, laid out a production goal of 150 million doses per month with the help of partners, its CEO said in January.

During a congressional hearing earlier this week, execs for Pfizer, Moderna and J&J said the companies could provide a combined 140 million new doses to the U.S. by the end of March. An AstraZeneca exec said the company could provide 50 million doses by the end of April, but that drugmaker hasn’t yet submitted its program to the FDA. Novavax is awaiting phase 3 trial results from a U.S. study, expected early next quarter.

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February 25, 2021 at 04:10AM
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Moderna sends COVID-19 booster shot for NIH testing as it hikes production targets past 2B doses - FiercePharma

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Pfizer testing third dose as booster shot, but medical expert says its too soon to consider - KPRC Click2Houston

HOUSTON – The push to get Americans vaccinated against the coronavirus continues at a fever pitch.

But with the focus on the first round, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourlasays says people may need to start thinking already about yearly shots.

“A likely scenario is we will not have a third dose vaccine. We will have an annual re-vaccination likely with one dose,” Bourla told NBC Nightly News on Thursday.

But with no reliable estimates on when the initial vaccination phase will end. How can Americans start thinking about annual shots starting next year?

Dr. Pedro Piedra, a professor pediatric infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine, say it’s just too soon to know if annual shots for COVID-19 will be necessary.

“Generally when you give a new vaccine dose you don’t need two doses, normally it’s only one because your immune system has already been trained and all you have to do is now retrain it a little for this new variant,” Piedra said.

He acknowledges COVID-19 variants pose a number of questions but so far the current vaccines have fared well against them.

And as opposed to the flu which has four types for now there is only one type of COVID.

“I think the first thing that we need to do is to vaccinate our population to ensure we are protecting against what is circulating at this time,” said Piedra.

Doctors say 75% to 80% of the population vaccinated to achieve herd immunity. As of right now, America is at about 13%.

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February 27, 2021 at 12:30PM
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Pfizer testing third dose as booster shot, but medical expert says its too soon to consider - KPRC Click2Houston

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Pfizer hopes booster of its Covid vaccine might work against variants - STAT

Could the solution to emerging variants of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, some of which seem to make current vaccines less effective, be more of the current vaccines?

While Moderna and Pfizer, along with its partner BioNTech, have announced plans to test vaccines specifically targeted at variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, they are also planning to test the idea of simply giving people three doses instead of two of their vaccines that have already been authorized. Experts say it’s at least conceivable it could work. 

“It’s certainly reasonable,” said Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. If variants were “completely resistant … you would have to have a second-generation vaccine including the new variant. But if they’re not completely resistant you can give another booster dose with one of these mRNA vaccines and you could get higher titer.”

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Creating a higher titer, or antibody level, is like flooding a battlefield with soldiers in the face of a fierce enemy. Eventually, the greater numbers will triumph. That, at least, is the hope.

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“It’s somewhat the theory of more is better,” said Ed Walsh, a professor of medicine at the University of Rochester who is running a new Pfizer trial testing three doses. “In many instances, with antibodies, that’s true.”

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In an interview, Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer’s chief scientific officer, said that the company believes that its vaccine is still effective against current variants, but that it wants to explore both adding a booster of the already available vaccine and testing whether adding a booster with a new version of the vaccine, which, like Moderna’s, would be designed specifically to target the B.1.351 variant of the virus, which seems most likely to reduce the effectiveness of the vaccines.

Both would be tested first in volunteers who had received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine early last year at the beginning of its testing to monitor both any side effects they experience and their antibody levels. 

Dolsten said that Pfizer had confidence in the approach in part because of emerging data in people who had become infected in the spring of 2020 and who then received a dose of the vaccine. “They actually respond vigorously with very strong immune responses to our vaccine,” Dolsten said. “So that gives us at least the scientific rationale.”

Dolsten also said that Pfizer and BioNTech have submitted to the Food and Drug Administration information about a new vaccine construct that would be targeted at B.1.351, and that discussions around studies of such a construct were in their final stages.

One big question for the studies will be the side effects of the new regimen. The second dose of the mRNA vaccines developed by both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna can cause fevers, aches, and other temporary reactions as the immune system responds to the vaccine. Will these effects be similar with a third dose? Or will they be about the same, or even less prevalent?

One advantage to working with mRNA vaccines, Walsh said, is that the boost will likely create new antibodies. With the so-called viral vectors, or modified cold viruses, used by Johsnon & Johnson and AstraZeneca, people might develop immunity to the vector itself. Those worries, though, are theoretical. “Immunity to the vector may or may not be a big deal, but it could be,” Walsh said.

Giving booster shots of vaccines also means that manufacturers need to make more, which seems like a big deal when supplies are short both in the U.S. and globally. But Dolsten said that for the U.S., the rollout of boosters, be they additional doses or new versions of the variant, would come after the delivery of 200 million doses of the vaccine expected after July.

In the future, he said, there might be a need for an annual or semi-annual Covid-19 shot, either of the same vaccine or one targeting a new variant.

“I’m still not convinced that we will need to do this every year, because I think there are significant differences to influenza, but at this stage, I’d be very surprised if you weren’t re-dosing at least every three years,” said Geoffrey Porges, an analyst at the investment bank SVB Leerink, on the sidelines of that firm’s SVB Leerink Global Health Conference earlier this week.

Dolsten said that Pfizer sees a role for booster doses, and for avoiding short-term approaches to stretch supply like delaying the second dose, because it will be less effective 

“I think we shouldn’t just look upon what is good for the next two weeks,” Dolsten said. “ We need to slow down the appearance of mutations. So that’s why it’s so important to vaccinate everyone.” But he argued that society should not be satisfied with vaccines that have “mid-tier” activity in doing so.

But a move to a need for booster shots raises another thorny issue: People in the U.S. who want them might end up receiving three shots of vaccines before those in other countries have received one. The vast majority of the world’s countries — 130 of them — have not received any vaccine.

“There are huge inequities here,” said Offit. “The richer countries are the ones getting vaccinated. It’s unfair.”

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February 26, 2021 at 10:00AM
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Pfizer hopes booster of its Covid vaccine might work against variants - STAT

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COVID-19 Vaccines May Need Updates For Viral Variants : Shots - Health News - NPR

Vaccine makers are moving to test booster shots, prompted by new coronavirus variants that have sprung up in South Africa, the U.K. and elsewhere. Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images

Vaccine makers are moving to test booster shots, prompted by new coronavirus variants that have sprung up in South Africa, the U.K. and elsewhere.

Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. is still ramping up its vaccination program, hoping to finally clamp down on the COVID-19 pandemic. But even as vaccine doses are being rolled out, their makers are exploring several strategies to bolster them, hoping to protect people against worrying new variants that have sprung up in recent months, from South Africa to the U.K.

The companies that have FDA-authorized vaccines are currently working on the problem, out of concern that mutations in SARS-CoV-2 could make the virus more difficult to control. Several strains seem to spread more easily than older forms of the coronavirus. There are also concerns that some mutated versions could elude antibody responses that would normally protect people who have been immunized or previously infected.

Here's an overview of the approaches being pursued by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech and Moderna – the drugmakers with U.S.-authorized vaccines – along with Johnson & Johnson, whose vaccine is now poised for FDA authorization:

Booster shots of the existing vaccine: This approach relies on giving people who have already been vaccinated a follow-up dose of the same vaccine.

Pfizer and BioNTech calls for people who have already completed the normal two-dose regimen to get a third 30-microgram dose, 6-12 months later. Moderna's plan calls for a 50-microgram dose, after people have gone through its two-dose regimen.

Variant-specific booster shot: Much like how specific vaccines are tailored to fight influenza, drugmakers can craft a version of their vaccine to combat individual coronavirus variants. Moderna says its new vaccine candidate, based on the strain first identified in South Africa, is now ready for clinical testing. The company says it has shipped doses of that potential vaccine to the National Institutes of Health to get started.

Last month, Paul Stoffels, the chief scientific officer at Johnson & Johnson, said his company is also preparing a special version of its vaccine to target the spike protein found in the B.1.351 seen in South Africa.

A 'multivalent' booster: In this approach, drug companies essentially blend two versions of their vaccines into a single booster shot. One would target original or "ancestral" versions of SARS-CoV-2, while the other would go after new variants. Moderna says it will look at combining its original vaccine – known as mRNA-1273 – with the newer version it created to fight the B.1.351 coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa.

Putting the boosters front-and-center: As drugmakers tweak their original vaccines to respond more acutely to variants, they will also consider whether new versions of their vaccines might effectively replace the initial recipes. Moderna says it will explore whether its variant-specific booster and its multivalent booster should become the primary vaccination series of shots for people who haven't been exposed to the coronavirus.

In the future, different circumstances will likely determine which vaccine or booster a person receives.

Someone who has antibodies from a previous infection or immunization would probably only get a booster shot, for instance, while someone whose system hasn't been exposed to the coronavirus would receive "an updated vaccine that aims to provide immunity to both the ancestral strains and variants of concern," Moderna said on Thursday, during a call with investors.

It's also possible people could receive a vaccine that's tailored to variants that have been detected in their country.

Johnson & Johnson's new vaccine was found to be 66% effective at preventing moderate to severe cases of COVID-19 – a result that reflects testing in numerous countries, including South Africa and Brazil, where troubling new variants have emerged.

Current versions of their vaccines work against the new COVID-19 strains, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson say. Health experts also stress that all three of the vaccines are overwhelmingly effective in preventing the worst outcomes, such as hospitalizations and deaths. Still, newly tailored versions of the vaccines may be needed, as strains of SARS-CoV-2 continue to mutate and combine.

"While we have not seen any evidence that the circulating variants result in a loss of protection provided by our vaccine, we are taking multiple steps to act decisively and be ready in case a strain becomes resistant to the protection afforded by the vaccine," Pfizer CEO and Chairman Albert Bourla said in a statement about his company's plans to study boosters' effect on variants.

Pharmaceutical companies are studying boosters out of caution, Bourla added, to make sure they have an answer in the pipeline for an evolving coronavirus — and to ensure they have a path for emergency authorization if an updated vaccine or booster becomes necessary.

"This regulatory pathway is already established for other infectious diseases like influenza," said Ugur Sahin, CEO and co-founder of BioNTech.

Both Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech created their vaccines using relatively new messenger RNA technology, which has been hailed for its ability to produce vaccine candidates quickly. That swift process, the drug makers say, can also help them produce new versions of their vaccines in response to coronavirus mutations.

Citing the speed and flexibility of mRNA, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said on Thursday that his company "is committed to making as many updates to our vaccine as necessary until the pandemic is under control."

In contrast, Johnson & Johnson used a viral vector technique to make its vaccine, using the same strategy as the AstraZeneca / University of Oxford team. The approach is known to take longer than mRNA, but the resulting vaccine can also give patients immunity after a single dose.

Along with providing protection against new coronavirus variants, another potential benefit of booster shots, drug makers say, is that they can prolong or enhance protection even at smaller doses than the original regimen, easing some of the pressure on strained production and distribution networks.

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February 26, 2021 at 01:53AM
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COVID-19 Vaccines May Need Updates For Viral Variants : Shots - Health News - NPR

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Moderna looking into possibility of second booster shot - KPRC Click2Houston

HOUSTON – The fight against the new coronavirus variants appears to be ramping up as vaccine makers like Pfizer and Moderna are looking into developing booster shots designed to target the emerging variants that are causing concern around the world.

Moderna announced this week that it plans to begin a clinical trial that will help determine if a second booster shot is required.

“It may be that the vaccine will work against these variants and attenuate the disease in which case a booster is not needed, but the opposite may be the case,” said Dr. Hana El Sahly, an associate professor of molecular virology and microbiology and of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

El Sahly is one of three lead investigators for Moderna’s COVID-19 trial.

“We are hearing about variants coming from New York, California, there is the UK variant, but the fact that it is a variant does not mean it will be more of a problem than the pre-existing one,” she said.

So far, El Sahly said antibody levels are high enough to work well against variants, including the South African one, but this new study will help Moderna stay ahead of the game.

“In case we need boosting, in case we need new variants included in the vaccine, these data will be ready,” El Sahly told KPRC 2. “In the next few weeks there will be testing of the safety and the immune responses to the vaccine containing the variants, however, this is just being done just in case it’s needed.”

While these clinical trials are in the works, El Sahly does not advise waiting to get the vaccine.

“If someone is at risk of getting the disease, especially if they are at risk of getting the complications of the disease there is really no point in waiting,” she said.

El Sahly said don’t focus on a potential third vaccine, just get numbers one and two.

She said there is no timeline when Moderna may have the information needed to determine if they will need a second booster.

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February 26, 2021 at 07:57AM
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Moderna looking into possibility of second booster shot - KPRC Click2Houston

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Vaccination booster - The Tribune India

The Covid-19 vaccination drive in the country is set to gain momentum with the Centre deciding to rope in 20,000 private hospitals for providing the jabs to those who can pay for them. From next week, those above 60 and over 45 with health problems can go to any of the 10,000 government-run vaccination centres, where no money would be charged, or to the private hospitals. The welcome move follows urgent appeals from business leaders, who warned of the risk of a disruptive new wave of cases unless private players were permitted to help accelerate the rollout. The modalities are yet to be formalised, but there is a need to drastically increase the number of facilities authorised to administer the vaccine, if not on March 1 itself then soon enough.

Since India has ample stockpiles and the pharma giants have the ability to produce additional doses to meet the demand, the second phase of the vaccination programme could see a decisive push, after a rather sluggish first phase of doses for frontline and health workers. Given the hold and dependence on private players in the healthcare sector, their entry is bound to be a game-changer. But a statutory warning is essential. The authorisation to vaccinate the vast population has to be seen as a national duty, not an opportunity to profiteer. The private sector will have to be its own conscience-keeper, and take the oath of acting responsibly with self-regulation.

Going forward, there would arise the need to allow access to other vaccines, ramp up dose production and allow large institutions to hold camps on campuses to vaccinate the staff with strict monitoring. After a precipitous drop in daily new confirmed cases, there has been a surge in recent days. The pandemic is baring fangs at people who had declared its exit. The decision to step up the pace of the vaccination drive gives a fighting chance to stay ahead of the pandemic curve.

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February 26, 2021 at 08:26AM
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Vaccination booster - The Tribune India

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A third Pfizer dose? The Covid-19 vaccine maker is studying booster shots. - NBC News

Despite the 95 percent effectiveness at preventing coronavirus infection after two doses of its vaccine, Pfizer is now seeing what a third dose might do.

The company announced Thursday that a booster dose is being studied among people who received their first doses of the vaccine more than six months ago.

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In an interview with NBC News' Lester Holt, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the hope is that a third dose will boost the immune response even higher, offering better protection against variants.

"We believe that the third dose," Bourla said, "will raise the antibody response 10- to 20- fold."

The new study will monitor the safety and efficacy of a third dose in two age groups: those 18 to 55 and those 65 to 85. The participants come from a group of people who were among the first to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine: people who volunteered for Pfizer's initial Phase 1/2 clinical trial, which began in May.

During that trial, participants received two doses of the vaccine three weeks apart. The same dose interval is what's currently recommended.

The third shot will be exactly the same as what participants got a year ago.

Feb. 23, 202101:36

Pfizer also plans to begin testing whether a modified version of the vaccine works well against the variant from South Africa.

Indeed, as SARS-CoV-2 changes, the vaccines may have to be tweaked. The Food and Drug Administration issued guidance Monday saying vaccine manufacturers may be able to ease away from lengthy clinical trials to prove safety and effectiveness for vaccines that have been tweaked to account for variants.

That's not unlike how the flu shot changes from year to year, accounting for the strains most likely to infect people.

"Every year, you need to go to get your flu vaccine," Bourla said. "It's going to be the same with Covid. In a year, you will have to go and get your annual shot for Covid to be protected."

That suggests that even when the pandemic ends, Covid-19 may be here to stay. Ongoing studies of re-engineered vaccines are necessary to understand when boosters may be needed, outside experts said.

"You need to cast a wide net to find Goldilocks," said John Grabenstein, a former executive director of medical affairs for vaccines at Merck and a former Defense Department immunologist. "You want to look at shorter intervals, you want to look at longer intervals, to determine when is the best time, if needed, to re-vaccinate."

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So far, evidence suggests that the existing Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine remains effective against variants first identified in the U.K., Brazil and South Africa.

Bourla said the company's goal if and when another variant emerges is to pivot and tweak the current vaccine within 100 days.

Moderna, which makes a similar Covid-19 vaccine, announced Wednesday that it had also started studying the effects of adding a third dose to its regimen and has developed a version of the vaccine designed to target the variant from South Africa.

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Erika Edwards

Erika Edwards is a health and medical news writer and reporter for NBC News and "TODAY."

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February 25, 2021 at 07:04PM
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A third Pfizer dose? The Covid-19 vaccine maker is studying booster shots. - NBC News

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Local researchers to study Pfizer booster, potential guard against variants - Rochester City Newspaper

Rochester researchers will study how a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine could play a role in protecting recipients from COVID-19 and its variants in the long term.

The University of Rochester Medical Center and Rochester Regional Health announced Thursday morning that a new clinical trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of a third dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine currently requires two doses.

“While widespread vaccination is the key to moving past the current health crisis, COVID-19 has the potential to become a seasonal and mutating virus,” Dr. Ed Walsh, infectious disease specialist at URMC and RRH said in a press release. “This study will help us understand important questions about the safety and immunogenicity of multiple doses of an mRNA vaccine, information that could ultimately enable us to extend the protection of vaccines.”

Walsh added that future research could eventually focus on variant-specific boosters.

Rochester is one of four sites in the U.S. involved in the new study. It includes 144 volunteers who participated in phase 1 of the Pfizer trials last year; 35 of the new study volunteers are in Rochester.

Researchers will measure the boost to the immune system from the third dose and analyze if it protects against not only current variants of the virus, but also emerging strains.

More data is needed to determine how long the current two-dose vaccine provides protection from the virus, but experts say that like vaccines for other infectious diseases, immunity is expected to wane over time.

URMC and RRH researchers have been involved with the development of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine since May 2020.

Megan Mack is the producer of Connections with Evan Dawson.

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February 25, 2021 at 09:23PM
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Local researchers to study Pfizer booster, potential guard against variants - Rochester City Newspaper

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Infectious Disease Expert: Johnson & Johnson Should Begin Trials on a Booster - NBC 6 South Florida

Hope is on the horizon that soon more people may be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine now that the Johnson & Johnson shot is one step closer to receiving emergency use authorization by the end of the week. 

According to documents released by the FDA, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was deemed to be safe and effective. Though, its availability might be less than anticipated. The company said it will have 4 million doses ready to go. 

Johnson & Johnson says its single-dose vaccine was 72% effective in the United States at preventing moderate to severe COVID symptoms. In comparison, Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines are 95% effective. 

“They met the basic criteria that were initially set for a vaccine, so they meet that criteria, but I honestly think they could do better,” explained Dr. Aileen Marty, a renowned infectious disease expert and a professor at Florida International University.

She said the Johnson & Johnson shot will provide you some level of protection and will help in the fight against the overall pandemic, but says the company should begin trials on use of a booster. 

“To be very, very clear, this is a vaccine that is helpful as a population health method,” Marty said. “It is going to reduce the overall burden of disease and that’s good.”

The latest COVID-19 vaccine, a one-shot dose from Johnson & Johnson, could receive emergency use authorization by the end of the week.

However, “there’s no question, it is not as good as Pfizer or Moderna. However, if this is the only vaccine available to you, take it and that’s exactly what I told my own daughter," she said.

To put it into perspective, she explained that the Johnson & Johnson shot is very similar to Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine.

“The Sputnik vaccine is essentially the same as the JNJ vaccine followed by a booster by a slightly different virus vector, and that’s how the Russians have gotten to nearly 90% efficacy.”

The bottom line is supply is still an issue. Marty recommends taking whatever shot is available to you. 

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February 25, 2021 at 11:30AM
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Infectious Disease Expert: Johnson & Johnson Should Begin Trials on a Booster - NBC 6 South Florida

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Moderna to test booster shot that targets South African variant - NBC News

The drugmaker Moderna is set to begin testing a new version of its Covid-19 vaccine that was specifically designed to target an emerging variant of the coronavirus that was first reported in South Africa.

The company announced Wednesday that it has shipped doses of its variant-specific booster shot to the National Institutes of Health for clinical trials. This development is part of Moderna's efforts to counter strains of the coronavirus that are circulating and to get ahead of the constantly mutating virus.

"Moderna is committed to making as many updates to our vaccine as necessary until the pandemic is under control," Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement.

There is no evidence yet to suggest that the coronavirus has mutated in a way that makes it able to evade the existing vaccines, but the prospect remains a serious concern for scientists around the world.

Early studies found that Moderna's vaccine was less protective against the South African variant, but the company said the observed level of neutralizing antibodies — which can bind to viruses and block them from getting into cells — stayed above protective levels.

Feb. 24, 202112:19

Still, the preliminary findings prompted Moderna to begin tweaking its vaccine to make it more effective against the South African variant and other known strains of the virus, including one that was first reported in the United Kingdom and another that is thought to have emerged in Brazil.

An early analysis found that Moderna's vaccine is effective against the U.K. variant, which is already spreading rapidly around the world. A separate vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech was also found to protect against the U.K. variant, with that vaccine only slightly less effective against the South African strain, according to a study that has yet to be peer-reviewed.

Cases of the U.K. variant have been reported in more than 80 countries and in more than half of the states in the U.S. The South African strain has been detected in at least 40 countries, including the U.S.

Moderna has already begun tests using a third dose of its vaccine as a booster shot in people who have already received two doses, but it will now start clinical trials to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of its variant-specific booster. The company will also test a "multivalent booster candidate" that combines its original vaccine with the variant-specific version into a single dose.

As part of the new trials, Moderna will evaluate the immune responses in people who are already vaccinated, as well as in participants who are receiving vaccine shots for the first time.

Denise Chow

Denise Chow is a reporter for NBC News Science focused on general science and climate change.

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February 25, 2021 at 04:24AM
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Moderna to test booster shot that targets South African variant - NBC News

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Third booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine to fight new variants in the works - WDJT

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Booster COVID-19 vaccines are now being developed to fight new variants, according to leading vaccine experts during a virtual public panel Wednesday by UW School of Medicine and Morgridge Institute for Research. Many know the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require two doses, but now a third booster shot may soon come out by both manufacturers, specifically designed to attack new variants.

“They’re ready to have this go through clinical trials,” said Dr. William Hartman, principal investigator of the UW AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial.

Dr. William Hartman says Moderna announced their booster shot is now ready for human trials on Wednesday afternoon. Panelists say boosters may be something people get periodically. They’re modified to go after new, dangerous variants including the one from South Africa.

Pfizer is also developing one.  

“This is something that is needed, we’ve seen decreased immunity to some of these variants after people have been vaccinated,” Dr. Hartman adds.

“Pfizer and Moderna are going to be able to then keep modifying to continue to keep up with all these different mutations as they happen,” said Dr. James Conway, medical director of the UW Health Immunization Program.

The panel also shared what they’ve learned to better fight the pandemic. Dr. Hartman says now they know covid attacks the body in phases.

Doctors are able to use a number of treatments like convalescent plasma, antivirals and antibodies during earlier stages of the disease to save lives.

“We’re seeing people who otherwise would’ve been very, very sick being able to be discharged from the hospital,” Dr. Hartman says.

“That’s just really fascinating and shows you what’s possible when everybody comes together and starts tackling a problem,” said Johan den Boon, PhD, virologist at Morgridge Institute for Research.

Doctors say while people could be optimistic this year, it’s important they continue their efforts to curb spread.

“As soon as we get enough supply and get people immunized, I think we could get to a point where even by summer when we’re more outdoors, that life starts to feel a lot more normal,” says Dr. Conway.

Dr. Hartman says he expects vaccine supply to increase exponentially in the coming weeks, as Johnson & Johnson awaits authorization and AstraZeneca is expected to have efficacy data by the end of the month.

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February 25, 2021 at 08:15AM
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Third booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine to fight new variants in the works - WDJT

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NASA delays 2nd test fire of SLS megarocket booster due to valve issue - Space.com

NASA's moon megarocket is facing yet another testing delay ahead of the vehicle's expected first flight for the Artemis program.

For months, NASA personnel have been conducting a series of tests called a "green run" on the first core stage of the agency's massive new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS). The tests are occurring at the NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi ahead of being shipped to Florida for the uncrewed Artemis 1 launch from the NASA Kennedy Space Center, near Orlando.

In a short update Monday (Feb. 22), NASA said it is "reviewing the performance of a valve on the core stage" of the SLS, forcing the agency to delay the second "hot fire" test. A new date for the hot fire has not yet been announced. 

Video: How NASA's SLS megarocket engine test works

The agency confirmed that the valve in question worked properly during the first hot fire test, conducted on Jan. 16. That procedure ended after only 67 seconds, instead of the planned eight minutes, prompting the agency to schedule the upcoming second test to gather all the required data for confirming the rocket works as planned.

That test was scheduled to occur on Feb. 25. But during checkout preparations last weekend, engineers found that one of the eight valves on SLS "was not working properly," according to NASA, prompting the delay. The green run process has been hitting delays since late 2020, when the seventh test in the series, a "wet dress" rehearsal, also needed two takes.

NASA was facing a tight deadline to get the SLS rocket shipped to Kennedy for a planned uncrewed flight around the moon by the end of the year, a milestone in the schedule for landing humans on the moon for Artemis 3 in 2024. 

Recent weeks have seen some hints that the 2024 deadline may no longer be a firm goal, however. Earlier this month, the administration of President Joe Biden committed to continuing work  to land humans on the moon , but the discussion contained no language about the 2024 goal, established by President Donald Trump's administration.

Further, acting NASA administrator Steve Jurczyk — just appointed last month when the administration turned over — recently told Ars Technica he felt the deadline was no longer "realistic," given that NASA has not received its full request for Artemis appropriations in past budgets — including the human landing system (HLS). NASA also paused the selection process for HLS earlier this month.

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. 

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February 25, 2021 at 02:21AM
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NASA delays 2nd test fire of SLS megarocket booster due to valve issue - Space.com

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Booster shots in LTC? Feds pledge quick approval of new drugs - Clinical Daily News - McKnight's Long Term Care News - McKnight's Long Term Care News

Vaccine booster shots may have a future role in protecting long-term care residents against new coronavirus mutations, industry observers say.

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday pledged fast-tracked approval of drugs that will strengthen COVID-19 vaccine protection against the virus variants that have health officials concerned, according to the Wall Street Journal. The B117 variant, for example, reportedly is on its way to becoming the dominant strain in the United States after it contributed to new waves of infections in Europe.

Although it is too early to say definitively, those added shots could also ensure effective protection for long-term care residents, said Kevin W. O’Neil, M.D., FACP, CMD, chief medical officer of ALG Senior. 

The problem with viruses is that “the bugs are smarter than the drugs,” said O’Neil, borrowing a line from an infectious disease expert friend. And coronavirus vaccines may require modifications just as influenza vaccines do each year, he said. “[T]hat certainly will impact residents in senior living and long-term care communities, as the older adult population is among the most vulnerable to the severe consequences of this disease,” he told McKnight’s Clinical Daily. 

If boosters are shown to be needed and safe in older at-risk adults, long-term care pharmacists surely will support their use, concurred Chad Worz, PharmD, BCGP, CEO of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.

“I think it is early to begin to be concerned about the need of a booster, but I also think research is forthcoming that will clarify that potential need and also clarify other aspects of vaccination like the use of a single dose, or a single dose in those with documented COVID-19-positive history across age and risk groups,” Worz said.

A COVID-19 booster shot could also help to resolve some occasional quirks in the ongoing coronavirus vaccination process, where individuals experience interrupted dosing schedules or test positive for COVID-19 between doses, Worz said. The emergence of a booster to address residents at high risk from variants or who need something to complete their series would be welcomed — assuming the research data meet federal requirements for safety and efficacy in these populations, he added.  

Encouraging yet another shot

If booster shots become a reality, ALG Senior’s O’Neil is looking for a “consistent and universal” federal rollout that reduces the variability of supply and administration among the states. “This would make it much easier for senior living providers like us with communities in multiple states,” he said. “Hopefully, science, not politics, guides these decisions.” 

As to how the company would encourage yet another COVID-19 shot among its staff members and residents, education and optimistic messaging is key, O’Neil said. “We would do a lot of education, such as videos, town hall meetings, and one-on-one conversations about the variants,” he said.

And there are more COVID-19-fighting possibilities on the horizon that may simplify administration and improve protection, O’Neil added. These include single-shot vaccines (like Johnson & Johnson’s), and a double flu-coronavirus vaccine. There’s also the possibility of a pan-coronavirus shot, designed to protect against variants that don’t yet exist; an idea recently promoted by Anthony Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and colleagues, O’Neil said. 

The FDA, meanwhile, appears to be trying to stay a step ahead of the variants in a variety of ways. Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said that the agency is seeking “efficient ways to modify medical products that either are in the pipeline or have been authorized for emergency use to address emerging variants,” the WSJ reported. 

The agency also is encouraging makers of diagnostic tests and monoclonal antibody drugs to adapt their products to the strains becoming prevalent in the U.S., the news outlet wrote.

Vaccinations aren’t over yet

There is plenty of work to be done in long-term care while those solutions remain in the lab or on the drawing board, said the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living.

“We’re focused on getting all of our residents and staff vaccinated with the two doses they need now,” the advocacy group said in response to a McKnight’s query. “We’ll continue to look to the CDC on whether additional shots or other steps may be needed down the road.”

Topics:

Clinical Coronavirus / COVID-19 COVID-19 covid-19 vaccine Long-Term Care Vaccinations

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February 24, 2021 at 12:00PM
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Booster shots in LTC? Feds pledge quick approval of new drugs - Clinical Daily News - McKnight's Long Term Care News - McKnight's Long Term Care News

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FDA Plans Ahead for COVID-19 Mutations with Booster Shot Guidance - BioSpace

Nik Oiko/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new guidance for vaccine makers as it is preparing for the possibility of needing to approve COVID-19 booster shots against variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19.

Several mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which are being called variants, are increasingly being found around the world.

The wildtype or original version came out of Wuhan, China, but there’s been increased attention and concern over variants that came out of the U.K., South Africa and Brazil. The U.K. variant is B.1.1.7, the South African is B.1.351 and the Brazilian is P.1. All three appear to be more contagious than the Wuhan strain.

Whether they are more deadly remains an open question requiring more research, although there are indications the U.K. version might be 30% more lethal than the Wuhan strain. Currently, an even bigger question is whether the existing vaccines are effective in preventing disease, preventing severe disease and death or if the virus is “slipping” the vaccines.

Pfizer-BioNTech, for example, indicated that a laboratory test suggested the South African variant might reduce protection from their vaccine by two-thirds. It has yet to be determined if the vaccine will be effective against that mutation, Pfizer stated, although the research did find the mRNA vaccine could neutralize the virus. So far, no evidence has come out of clinical trials that the South African variant decreases vaccine protection.

A similar study has suggested the same thing about the Moderna vaccine. A study showed both vaccines to be highly effective against the U.K. variant, but have less ability to neutralize the South African.

All three companies have announced they were making plans to develop a booster shot or updated vaccine. Recently, Peter Marks, the vaccine chief of the FDA, told the American Medical Association that changing the “vaccine recipe” to better target viral mutations won’t require repeating the large clinical trials.

In the new guidance, acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock stated that the FDA is seeking “efficient ways to modify medical products that either are in the pipeline or have been authorized for emergency use to address emerging variants.”

The FDA also published new guidance for diagnostic assay manufactures and makers of monoclonal-antibody drugs, suggesting ways they can best adapt their products to handle mutations/variants.

Yesterday, Marks told reporters that analysis of the vaccines to determine if they prevented new strains of COVID-19 will evaluate several hundred research subjects over a couple of months. That would be faster than vaccine trials.

In a Monday statement, FDA said that “available information suggests that the FDA-authorized vaccines remain effective in protecting the American public against currently-circulating strains” of the virus. Nor did they find the new strains to affect the accuracy of diagnostic tests in a significant way.

The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are easily adaptable for new variants. “All you do,” Marks noted, “is change a computer program and the synthetic for the synthesizing portion of this, and you can change the vaccine.”

Although large-scale clinical trials would not be required, there would probably be some small clinical trials to ensure the vaccines were immunogenic against the new variants.

Other companies are also working on the variant problem. Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are already prepping possible updates. GlaxoSmithKline is partnering with Germany-based CureVac to develop mRNA vaccines against the variants. The companies stated, “The increase in emerging variants with the potential to reduce the efficacy of first generation COVID-19 vaccines requires acceleration of efforts to develop vaccines against new variants to keep one step ahead of the pandemic.”

One issue companies, public health officials and regulators are grappling with is determining at one point it will be necessary to shift to a new vaccine. One baseline appears to be if people who have been vaccinated with the existing vaccines begin showing up in the hospital with infections from the known variants. Just being diagnosed with a variant infection is of significantly less concern than severe disease or death. It’s possible the existing vaccines can prevent severe disease and death, but not prevent infection.

Although it’s something of a moving target as more research comes in, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines appear effective against the U.K., South African and Brazilian variants; the AstraZeneca-University of Oxford vaccine appears effective against the U.K. and Brazilian variants, but at least one study suggests it has little effect against the South African variant; The Johnson & Johnson vaccine appears effective against all three, but less so against the South African and Latin American strains; the Novavax vaccine appears effective against U.K. and South African strains; it is unknown at this time, whether the Russian Sputnik V or the Chinese vaccines from CanSino Biologics or Sinovac Biotech are effective against the variants, although a study conducted in Brazil on the Sinovac Biotech vaccine demonstrated 50.4% efficacy at preventing symptomatic infections.

The best way to minimize the risk of the variants is to continue social distancing, masking, handwashing, and to distribute existing vaccines as widely and as quickly as possible.

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February 23, 2021 at 10:37PM
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FDA Plans Ahead for COVID-19 Mutations with Booster Shot Guidance - BioSpace

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Former Shawano High School music booster club treasurer sentenced to jail - WBAY

SHAWANO, Wis. (WBAY) - A woman who was the former treasurer of the Shawano Community High School music boosters corporation will serve time in jail after being convicted of theft from a business setting.

Online court records show 48-year-old Aleta Young of Sobieski was convicted of one felony count of Theft-Business Setting greater than $2,500 - $5,000.

She was sentenced to five months in jail on February 19, and was also sentenced to 100 hours of community service, a $250 fine and was ordered to write a letter of apology to the music boosters.

In addition, she was ordered to pay off the money she stole from the Booster Club, and isn’t to have any contact with the high school, the booster club or its board members.

Officials were first notified when the president of the booster corporation contacted police, and said there were inconsistencies in the books.

A complaint states the president asked Young to let her be an authorized user of the account too, and Young resisted.

The president at the time said Young took more than $5,700 from the corporation’s accounts through withdrawals.

The money had gone missing between October 2016 and April 2019, when Young was the treasurer.

Young was first charged on April 1 of 2019, and pleaded guilty in November of 2020.

Copyright 2021 WBAY. All rights reserved.

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February 24, 2021 at 10:28AM
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Former Shawano High School music booster club treasurer sentenced to jail - WBAY

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SpaceX blames failed Falcon 9 booster landing on heat damage - SpaceNews

WASHINGTON — A Falcon 9 booster failed to land after its most recent launch Feb. 15 because of “heat damage” it sustained, but a SpaceX official said he was confident that the boosters can be reused 10 or more times.

During a session of the 47th Spaceport Summit Feb. 23, Hans Koenigsmann, senior adviser for build and flight reliability at SpaceX, said the failed landing during an otherwise successful launch of Starlink satellites remains under investigation.

“This has to do with heat damage, but it’s a running investigation,” he said, adding that the company was “close to nailing it down” and correcting the problem. “That’s all I can say at this point in time.”

The failed landing broke a string of two dozen successful landings of Falcon 9 boosters, either on droneships or on land, dating back nearly a year. Video from the booster’s return showed that the engines did not shut down normally after the vehicle’s entry burn. The booster never made it to the droneship, and video from that ship showed a glow in the distance around the time the booster should have landed.

SpaceX hasn’t conducted a Falcon 9 launch since that failed landing. The next launch, of another set of Starlink satellites, is scheduled for no earlier than Feb. 28.

Other customers of the Falcon 9 are keeping tabs on the investigation. At a Feb. 19 briefing, Joel Montalbano, NASA International Space Station program manager, said the agency was in discussions with SpaceX about that investigation to see if it involved any issues that could affect the Crew-2 commercial crew launch scheduled for April 20. “As of today, we’re working with them to better understand what happened, and right now it’s just too early to say if we’re going to have any impacts” on that launch, he said.

Another government official saw no issues with the failed landing from a safety perspective. “This is what we call a successful failure,” said Wayne Monteith, associate administrator for commercial space transportation at the Federal Aviation Administration, during the Spaceport Summit panel discussion. “It failed within the safety regime and they protected the public and protected public property.”

“For us, even when a system does not meet all mission goals, as long as it fails safely, in many respects that’s progress,” he added. “Each of these flights demonstrates something new and allows industry to move forward.”

The booster that failed was on its sixth launch. SpaceX has flown boosters up to eight times each, and Koenigsmann said the company will launch a booster for a ninth time in a few weeks. SpaceX has set a goal of being able to fly each booster 10 times.

That is not a hard limit, though, Koenigsmann said. “We’re learning a lot about refurbishment and we’re learning where the areas are where we need to pay attention to,” he said, such as the booster’s heat shield and engine components. “We’ve been learning with every single landing.”

He expected SpaceX to soon get a booster to the 10-flight mark, but suggested the company would not automatically retire it. “We will continue to look at that booster and make an assessment whether we can move forward with it,” he said, adding that, in his own opinion, the company would continue launching boosters after 10 flights, perhaps replacing some components that wear out.

“To me this is an engineering problem,” he concluded. “I don’t think the number 10 is a magic number.”

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February 24, 2021 at 12:51AM
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SpaceX blames failed Falcon 9 booster landing on heat damage - SpaceNews

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Negaunee HS Booster Club holding 3rd Annual $10,000 Raffle - WLUC

NEGAUNEE, Mich. (WLUC) - The Negaunee High School Booster Club is set to give out some money. It is all a part of the club’s 3rd Annual $10,000 Raffle.

People can buy tickets for $10. The club’s goal is to sell 2,000 tickets.

The first ten people drawn will equally split the $10,000. The rest of the funding will go to the students and student-athletes.

“Whether it’s gear, giving away prizes for homecoming, or giving our gift baskets,” said Booster Club President Dawn Evans, “it’s all going to go right back to the Negaunee school system.”

People can purchase tickets at Irontown Pasties, Midtown Bakery & Cafe, Grand Effex Salon, Jackson’s Pit, and LeMoine’s, as well as Hair Hiatus in Ishpeming. Tickets can also be bought by contacting Negaunee High School Booster Club members and its Facebook page.

Tickets will be sold until March 2nd, and the drawing will take place at the Lakeview Elementary gym on March 4th.

Copyright 2021 WLUC. All rights reserved.

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February 24, 2021 at 05:21AM
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Negaunee HS Booster Club holding 3rd Annual $10,000 Raffle - WLUC

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Best WiFi Booster: Extenders for Better WiFi Everywhere - Popular Science

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February 24, 2021 at 04:02AM
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West to retire, but still a Beloit booster - Beloit Daily News

BELOIT—Some people in the community refer to him as “Mr. Beloit” because Rick West knows a lot of people and knows much about local history and sports. Plus, he’s been a lifelong advocate for his hometown.

Those things are not likely to change, but West is looking ahead to a life change. On March 31, he is planning to retire from his job as the Resource Development Director at United Way Blackhawk Region.

West said he has enjoyed working for United Way and helping people in the region, but he also is looking forward to having more free time.

“My wife is already retired,” he said. “I think we will enjoy retirement. It will be nice to be able to schedule things when we want to.”

He also has a few projects he wants to tackle at home and the couple is looking forward to spending more time with family, including with a young grandchild.

A look at his work resume and extraordinary volunteer involvement over the years is telling of how he has spent his time in the past.

West graduated from Beloit Catholic High School and soon after headed off to the Trans American School of Broadcasting in Wausau. That schooling set him up to begin several decades of radio broadcasting. Those employment opportunities included: WRDB in Reedsburg, sports and weekend broadcasting for WBEL, sports director and program director for WBEL, program director, morning show host and general manager at WGEZ.

In 2001, West was hired by CSI Media as sales manager. For a short time, he was part of the sales staff at WKOW-TV in Madison, then returned to CSI as the director of sports and community relations.

In 2013, he began a career in marketing for United Way Blackhawk Region and in 2015, was named Resource Development Director.

And throughout the years, he continued his volunteer service. Presently, he co-chairs the Beloit Historical Society’s Elliott Perring Sports Hall of Fame. He is also the secretary and past president of the Rotary Club of Beloit and a member of the Forward Janesville Goodwill Ambassadors. His long list of former volunteer activities include: Board Chair of Visit Beloit, board member of the American Red Cross, board member of the Professional Baseball Association (Beloit).

West also has done numerous emceeing roles for various organizations, including the annual Chamber of Commerce dinners, the Miss Beloit Scholarship Pageant and for more than 25 years the annual Rock County 4-H Fair Royalty Coronation.

Another of his interests since high school has been the playing of taps with his bugle at hundreds of veterans’ funerals and for Beloit area Memorial Day events.

“I’ve always been involved with the community, Joe Moen (the late general manager of WBEL) instilled that in me,” West said.

Not only did he get to know people and their stories, he soon learned marketing and being connected to the community go hand-in-hand.

Mary Fanning-Penny, President and CEO of United Way Blackhawk Region has worked with West since 2014. She praised his abilities as well as his connectedness to the surrounding community.

“Rick was already on staff when I became CEO in July 2014. In 2015, we were restructuring and I encouraged Rick to apply for our Resource Development Director role which spearheads our annual community campaign. Rick was selected for the position and hit the ground running.

“He was wonderfully suited for the position as he’s mission-minded, keenly focused on relationship-building, and also understands our partners in the private sector,” she said.

“The 2020 goal for the community campaign is $2.4 million; behind the scenes what that looks like is facilitating 15 volunteers on the campaign cabinet in which each member is assigned both existing and prospective corporate accounts to cultivate. It also entails working with 200 plus corporate contacts on their workplace campaign activities and orchestrating direct mail appeals. Rick is a consummate professional who has balanced beautifully a blend of organizational skills, analytical abilities and a people-focused approach to fundraising,” Fanning-Penny said.

“Our Team affectionately refers to Rick as Mr. Beloit, not only because he’s incredibly proud of his beloved hometown but also because he seems to know everyone, their story, and so much local trivia you’d be amazed.

“On behalf of our board of directors, volunteers and staff, I offer heartfelt congratulations to Rick on his well-deserved retirement. His commitment and heart for our community is second to none,” Fanning-Penny said.

The Link Lonk


February 23, 2021 at 11:00AM
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West to retire, but still a Beloit booster - Beloit Daily News

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