FDA Authorizes First Oral Antiviral for Treatment of COVID-19

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for Pfizer’s Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets, co-packaged for oral use) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kilograms or about 88 pounds) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 testing, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. Paxlovid is available by prescription only and should be initiated as soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within five days of symptom onset.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-first-oral-antiviral-treatment-covid-19

Sights in Mackinac Island, Michigan - Random Travel Instinct

A tour of the Mackinac Island in Michigan. Enjoy the views.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/V_y0NGvJFZg

Fort Michilimackinac Tour in Mackinaw City, Michigan (Things to See) - Random Travel Instinct

A look inside the Fort Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City, Michigan. Fort Michilimackinac was an 18th-century French, and later British, fort and trading post at the Straits of Mackinac; it was built on the northern tip of the lower peninsula of the present-day state of Michigan in the United States. Built around 1715, and abandoned in 1783, it was located along the Straits, which connect Lake Huron and Lake Michigan of the Great Lakes of North America.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/QbWMkXR6yoU

Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, A Day Trip - New York - Random Travel Instinct

In this video we walk through the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration which is a living monument to the story of the American people. More than 100 million Americans can trace their ancestry to New York's Ellis Island. It is a federally-owned island in New York Harbor that was the busiest immigrant inspection station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 million immigrants arriving at the Port of New York and New Jersey were processed there under federal law.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/zVrZeE-kq-g

Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island, A Day Trip - New York - Random Travel Instinct

This is a trip from The Battery on board the Statue City Cruises ferry to the Liberty Island. See the Statue of Liberty, what's inside the pedestal and the Statue of Liberty museum. The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the United States.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/ryZJACmAlTI

Statue of Liberty Ferry Full Trip - NYC, Liberty Island, Ellis Island - Random Travel Instinct

See the views from the Statue City Cruises Ferry as we take a round trip from The Battery to Liberty Island to Ellis Island. Statue Cruises offers departures throughout the day from both New York and New Jersey. This video records the fabulous ride with great views of the Statue of Liberty from the Hudson River, the Ellis Island, the Manhattan and Jersey City skylines in New York.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/Us7Sto7Ah8c

Henry Ford Greenfield Village, Michigan - Random Travel Instinct

See what's inside the Greenfield Village at the Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. Follow the stories of people's lives in the past century. See the Model-T and other vintage cars running in a living history village. Watch the steam engine trains going by. And enjoy the beautiful sceneries of the village.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/0Im_NU1VVRI

About the Nextbase 622GW 4K Dash Cam

I was in search for a new dash camera because I wanted to upgrade to 4K which my older GiiNii GD-250 did not allow. I love to record the roads that I travel for my personal collection and a 4K dash camera would be perfect to capture more vivid details.

Following a few of days of extensive research, I selected the Nextbase 622GW 4K Dash Cam Model NBDVR622GW relying on reviews from various sources like Amazon.com, Best Buy, TrustedReviews.com, and TechRadar.com. The 622GW is currently the top-of-the-line model from Nextbase and the only one that records 4K footage. On Best Buy it was rated 4.1 based on 51 reviews.

The Best Buy store at East Madison, WI had the item available for same day contactless curbside pick-up so got my hands on it by the evening of 21 November 2020. The price was $319.99 plus taxes.

I have been using this camera for about a year now and it has been doing well. So, I will jot down some of my notes and thoughts that I have collected over time.

Nextbase 622GW mounted
on a Toyota RAV4

Packaging and Build

The packaging was impressive and the first impression after unpacking the camera was that it felt much heavier than my older one. The body felt solid and sturdy with an elegant silver finish. In the last one year of its use, it has withstood several falls while mounting it to the windshield without a scratch on the body or the lens-enclosure glass.

Mounting

The camera has to be mounted on the car's windshield or on the dashboard using a mount with adhesive which are included in the package. There is also a mount extension in the package which lets you use a suction cup instead of gluing it directly on the windshield. For me the suction cup worked for about 6 months and then started giving away, so I switched to directly gluing to the windshield anyway.

Display

The camera has a 3-inch display screen with 960 x 480 resolution. The start / stop button is conveniently placed so you can easily access and control the recording. The display continuously displays the live feed and also lets to playback recorded videos.

Recording

By default, the camera records videos on 1-minute video files which you can also set to 2 or 3-minute files. As the microSD card fill up with video files, the camera automatically deletes the oldest file to make space for new recordings.

The camera features a G-Sensor to protect the recording currently in progress, if it senses that a pre-determined threshold of force on the camera has exceeded. This is useful to protect recordings that are captured during a road accident.

The camera also has a built-in GPS which lets you stamp GPS coordinates at the bottom of the recorded video. In addition to the GPS stamp, you can also add a date / time and a speed stamp. There is a permanent stamp that says "Nextbase" which is really annoying, and I wish there a setting to turn it off.

You also have an option to record timelapse videos and videos with enhanced image stabilization.

There is also an integrated microphone to record the audio which I have always kept turned off. The one time that I tested the feature, the captured audio was fairly clear.

Video Quality

The camera can record footage at the maximum of 4K at 30 frames per second. There are other options available as well which are listed below:

1. 4K @ 30FPS [3840 x 2160]
2. 1440P @ 60FPS [2560 x 1440]
3. 1440P @ 30FPS [2560 x 1440]
4. 1080P @120FPS [1920 x 1080]
5. 1080P @ 60FPS [1920 x 1080]
6. 1080P @ 30FPS [1920 x 1080]

The lens has a field of view (FOV) of 140 degrees which provides a wide coverage on both sides of the road. The camera also features a built-in polarizing filter integrated into the lens, specifically designed to minimize glare and enhance the sharpness of the recordings. To achieve the best clarity, you have to adjust the bezel located at the front of the lens until the captured image reaches its optimum clarity, while minimizing any glare. 

Storage

The makers recommend using a U3 Type Micro SD card so it can utilize the high data transfer speed of 312MB/s to store high-quality video. I have been using a SanDisk Extreme PLUS 128GB microSDXC UHS-I Memory Card which seems to perform well without issues. The camera stores about 90 minutes of 4K footage on a 32GB memory card. So, a 128GB should let you store about 360 minutes of footage.

Power

The camera draws power from the 12-24Vdc outlet of your vehicle. The cable is long enough so you can route it around the dashboard to have an uncluttered look.

Mobile App

There is a companion mobile app named MyNextbase Connect which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play. The mobile app provides advanced features such as emergency SOS to automatically send your location, medical and vehicle details to the nearest Ambulance or Emergency Response Service. I have never used this feature and based on some reviews; my understanding is that keeping the camera paired with your phone with Bluetooth is often unreliable.

Warranty

The device comes with 1 year of manufacturer's warranty on the parts.

Conclusion

The camera contains all the features that I needed. In my experience, the device has performed well. The video quality is amazing, and it is easy to set up. The touchscreen is easy to use. There was a small hiccup on a trip to Traverse City when for a brief period it wouldn't turn on - automatically got resolved by itself after a few hours. I never unmounted it from the car's windshield because removing the microSD card was a more convenient way to carry the footage to be copied to my computer. At this point I am considering it as a good choice.

The product homepage is at: https://nextbase.com/dash-cams/622gw-dash-cam/

An archived page of the NextBase 622GW on Best Buy is here. 

Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Michigan - Random Travel Instinct

See what's inside the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan. Follow the stories of innovation as we walk through the various sections in the museum. Along with the exhibits exploring the history of American freedom, witness trends in manufacturing, cars, presidential vehicles, airplanes, power and electricity, furniture, railroads, agriculture equipment, home arts and glass, and people's lives in the past century.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/-b6LSd0TPLQ

Facebook changes company name to Meta

Facebook, now known as Meta, has adopted the new moniker, based on the sci-fi term metaverse, to describe its vision for working and playing in a virtual world. CNBC has the details here.

Times Square Saturday Night Walking Tour - New York City - Labor Day Weekend 2021

Walking tour of Times Square on the Saturday night of the 2021 Labor Day weekend. On this night, Times Square was full blown busy with lots of visitors and performers. There were also lots of models doing photoshoots and many YouTube vloggers vlogging live. This tour will give you a look at the most well-known neighborhood in New York City.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/jDNBEhQexGQ

Johnson & Johnson Announces Real-World Evidence and Phase 3 Data Confirming Strong and Long-Lasting Protection of Single-Shot COVID-19 Vaccine in the U.S.

Johnson & Johnson today announced new data reinforcing the strong and long-lasting protection of its COVID-19 vaccine. New data also showed that protection against COVID-19 increases when a booster shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is administered. The safety profile of the vaccine remained consistent and was generally well-tolerated when administered as a booster.

https://www.jnj.com/johnson-johnson-announces-real-world-evidence-and-phase-3-data-confirming-strong-and-long-lasting-protection-of-single-shot-covid-19-vaccine-in-the-u-s

Pfizer and BioNTech Announce Positive Topline Results From Pivotal Trial of COVID-19 Vaccine in Children 5 to 11 Years

Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE today announced results from a Phase 2/3 trial showing a favorable safety profile and robust neutralizing antibody responses in children 5 to 11 years of age using a two-dose regimen of 10 µg administered 21 days apart, a smaller dose than the 30 µg dose used for people 12 and older.

https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-positive-topline-results

New York City Skyline from Landmarks Cruise on River Hudson - Boat Tour - New York

Breathtaking views of the NYC skyline and the Statue of Liberty from the Circle Line Landmarks Cruise that we took in September 2021. The 90-minute cruise starts from Pier 83, Midtown and sails down the Hudson and East Rivers from where you can see famous landmarks along Manhattan's downtown skyline. Enjoy the views with a calm country and folk music.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/zLvEDCzJLPQ

Things to do in Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island, Ohio - Random Travel Instinct

Sights from Put-in-Bay in Ohio on a day trip. We begin the tour on a Miller Ferry that takes us from Catawba Island in Ohio to South Bass Island over Lake Erie. We explore the Put-in-Bay and the South Bass Island which has so many awesome things to do.

We went around the island in a golf cart that we hired from Put in Bay Golf Carts (www.putinbaygolfcarts.com). Though you can take your own car to the island on the ferry, golf carts are the preferred way to move around the island. The maximum speed limit on the island roads is 35 mph.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/A6-kn4gX_RM

FDA grants Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine full approval

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday granted full approval to Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 16 years and older. This makes the Pfizer vaccine the first COVID-19 shot to receive full approval, beyond emergency use authorization.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/healthcare/fda-grants-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-full-approval

FDA Approves First COVID-19 Vaccine

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-covid-19-vaccine

Pictured Rocks from the Sunset Cruise, Upper Peninsula Michigan [Boat Tour] - Random Travel Instinct

A close look at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore as seen from the Sunset Spray Falls Cruise in August 2021. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore hugs the south shore of Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It's known for the dramatic multicolored Pictured Rocks cliffs. Unusual sandstone formations like Miners Castle and Chapel Rock define the park’s headlands.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/JN6TTg2lDbY

Views of the Mackinac Bridge, Michigan - Random Travel Instinct

Dramatic views of the Mackinac Bridge from various view points and the Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry. The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/klz8x0e1fRM

Vaccines still effective against Delta variant of concern, says Oxford-led study of the COVID-19 Infections Survey

Two doses of either vaccine, Pfizer-BioNTech or Oxford-AstraZeneca, still provided at least the same level of protection as having had COVID-19 before through natural infection; people who had been vaccinated after already being infected with COVID-19 had even more protection than vaccinated individuals who had not had COVID-19 before.

https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-08-19-vaccines-still-effective-against-delta-variant-concern-says-oxford-led-study-covid-0

Day Trip to Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan - Random Travel Instinct

This video is from a holiday day trip that we took Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan. Belle Isle Park, known simply as Belle Isle, is a 982-acre (1.534 sq mi; 397 ha) island park in Detroit, Michigan, developed in the late 19th century. It consists of Belle Isle, an island in the Detroit River, as well as several surrounding islets. The U.S.-Canada border is in the channel south of Belle Isle such that the island is not in Canada.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/2JiIdAQmX_M

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan (Things to Do) - Random Travel Instinct

Sights and sounds on a getaway at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a United States National Lakeshore located along the northwest coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan in Leelanau and Benzie counties near Empire, Michigan. The park covers a 35-mile-long (56 km) stretch of Lake Michigan's eastern coastline, as well as North and South Manitou islands. This Northern Michigan park was established primarily because of its outstanding natural features, including forests, beaches, dune formations, and ancient glacial phenomena. The lakeshore also contains many cultural features including the 1871 South Manitou Island Lighthouse, three former stations of the Coast Guard (formerly the Life-Saving Service) and an extensive rural historic farm district. In 2011, the area won the title of "The Most Beautiful Place in America" from Good Morning America. In 2014, a section of the park was named the Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness by the United States Congress.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/Mxr1w5Cw-WU

How the coronavirus infects cells — and why Delta is so dangerous

Scientists are unpicking the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 and how the virus uses tricks to evade detection.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

https://web.archive.org/web/20210731235001/https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02039-y

India’s vaccinations hit record with free COVID shots

India gave out a record 7.5 million vaccine doses on Monday under a federal campaign to inoculate all adults for free after weeks of criticism that a chaotic rollout had worsened a second wave that killed hundreds of thousands.

https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-reports-53256-new-covid-19-cases-2021-06-21/

Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Demonstrates 90% Overall Efficacy

Novavax, Inc. today announced that NVX-CoV2373, its recombinant nanoparticle protein-based COVID-19 vaccine, demonstrated 100% protection against moderate and severe disease, 90.4% efficacy overall, and met the primary endpoint in its PREVENT-19 pivotal Phase 3 trial.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

The study enrolled 29,960 participants across 119 sites in the U.S. and Mexico to evaluate efficacy, safety and immunogenicity, with an emphasis on recruiting a representative population of communities and demographic groups most impacted by the disease.

https://web.archive.org/web/20210614142329/https://ir.novavax.com/news-releases/news-release-details/novavax-covid-19-vaccine-demonstrates-90-overall-efficacy-and

Microsoft to retire Internet Explorer on June 15, 2022

In a post on its official blog, Microsoft said that the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be retired and go out of support on June 15, 2022, for certain versions of Windows 10. 

This change will pave way for Microsoft Edge to provide a path to the web's future.

Health Canada authorizes use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in children 12 to 15 years of age

Today, Health Canada authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in children 12 to 15 years of age. This is the first COVID-19 vaccine authorized in Canada for use in children and marks a significant milestone in Canada's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2021/05/health-canada-authorizes-use-of-the-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-in-children-12-to-15-years-of-age.html

Covid-19: Infections fell by 65% after first dose of AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine, data show

Infections of SARS-CoV-2 fell by 65% after a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, preliminary results from a large UK surveillance study indicate.

Reductions increased to 70% after a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, data from the UK Covid-19 Infection Survey show. Not enough people had yet received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to assess this.

https://www.bmj.com/content/373/bmj.n1068

Nasa successfully flies small helicopter on Mars

The drone, called Ingenuity, was airborne for less than a minute, but Nasa is celebrating what represents the first powered, controlled flight by an aircraft on another world.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56799755

Denmark continues vaccine rollout without the AstraZeneca vaccine

The National Board of Health paused the use of the COVID-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca on March 11, 2021. This was done on the basis of worrying signals from the ongoing safety monitoring of the COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccination program has since then continued with the vaccines from Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna.

https://www.sst.dk/da/Nyheder/2021/Danmark-fortsaetter-vaccineudrulning-uden-AstraZeneca-vaccinen

Hard choices emerge as link between AstraZeneca vaccine and rare clotting disorder becomes clearer

What was a worrisome suspicion 4 weeks ago is now widely accepted: The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine can, in very rare cases, cause a disorder characterized by dangerous blood clots and low platelet counts. In Europe, at least 222 suspected cases have been reported among 34 million people who have received their first dose of the vaccine. More than 30 have died.

https://www.science.org/content/article/hard-choices-emerge-link-between-astrazeneca-vaccine-and-rare-clotting-disorder-becomes

Bharat Biotech Announces Phase 3 Results of COVAXIN®: India’s First COVID-19 Vaccine Demonstrates Interim Clinical Efficacy of 81%

Bharat Biotech, a global leader in vaccine innovation, developing vaccines for infectious diseases, today announced the first interim analysis of its BBV152 (COVAXIN®). The whole virion inactivated COVID-19 vaccine candidate demonstrated an interim vaccine efficacy of 81% in its Phase 3 clinical trial. The trials involved 25,800 subjects, the largest ever conducted in India, in partnership with the Indian Council of Medical Research.

https://web.archive.org/web/20210303153432/https://www.bharatbiotech.com/images/press/covaxin-phase3-efficacy-results.pdf

FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization for Third COVID-19 Vaccine

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the third vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The EUA allows the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine to be distributed in the U.S for use in individuals 18 years of age and older.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-issues-emergency-use-authorization-third-covid-19-vaccine

Johnson & Johnson Single-Shot COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Unanimously Recommended for Emergency Use Authorization by U.S. FDA Advisory Committee

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) (the Company) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) unanimously voted to recommend Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Company’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine candidate for adults 18 and older, developed by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. The vote was based on a totality of scientific evidence provided by the Company, including efficacy and safety data from the Phase 3 ENSEMBLE trial.

https://www.jnj.com/johnson-johnson-single-shot-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-unanimously-recommended-for-emergency-use-authorization-by-u-s-fda-advisory-committee

Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Demonstrates 89.3% Efficacy in UK Phase 3 Trial

Novavax, Inc. today announced that NVX-CoV2373, its protein-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate, met the primary endpoint, with a vaccine efficacy of 89.3%, in its Phase 3 clinical trial conducted in the United Kingdom (UK).

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

https://web.archive.org/web/20210128212457/https://ir.novavax.com/news-releases/news-release-details/novavax-covid-19-vaccine-demonstrates-893-efficacy-uk-phase-3

India starts world’s largest COVID-19 vaccination drive

India started inoculating health workers Saturday in what is likely the world’s largest COVID-19 vaccination campaign, joining the ranks of wealthier nations where the effort is already well underway.

https://apnews.com/article/health-india-immunizations-coronavirus-pandemic-ab830864393480ea6dcc67b0571fc29c

India approves Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use in major breakthrough for Covid fightback

India has given a green light for emergency use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, making it the first jab to be granted approval by regulators in the Covid-19 pandemic’s second worst-hit country.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-covid-vaccine-oxford-astrazeneca-b1781201.html