Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) has confirmed that flight BW 483, originating on Monday (13th December 2021) from Miami and bound for Piarco International Airport, Trinidad, was diverted to Puerto Rico, due to a “medical emergency.” Reports at this time indicate that a passenger may have died onboard the flight.

CAL says due to restrictions in the territory and other regulatory issues, “a second relief Aircraft was sent from Trinidad to Puerto Rico to bring the passengers to Trinidad, however, unfortunately, there were mitigating circumstances, outside of the control of the Airline and the second Aircraft was unable to leave Puerto Rico.”

Roughly 150 passengers are now stranded in Puerto Rico since their flight landed there around 6pm on Monday. Reports coming out of Puerto Rico say these passengers have been left to fend for themselves with very little information, no food, and no confirmation on when they will board a flight home.

CAL is assuring all stakeholders that it is doing all within its control to resolve this situation and to get the passengers to their final destinations.

The Airline is thanking the customers for their understanding and says it regrets the inconvenience caused due to these unplanned events.

According to the UWI Seismic Research Centre, at 3:43pm this afternoon (Tuesday 7th December 2021), a magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 3 Kilometers in the Gulf of Paria, near the epicenter of an earlier magnitude 5.3 quake. Shaking was widely reported across Trinidad for the 4.9 quake.

Both earthquakes occurred South West of Port-of-Spain at a depth of 3 Kilometers.

There have been no reports of damages or injuries.

The Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) is an independent group of experts that periodically monitors and evaluates the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and assesses if specific mutations and combinations of mutations alter the behaviour of the virus. The TAG-VE was convened on Friday (26th November 2021) to assess the SARS-CoV-2 variant: B.1.1.529.

Scientists in South Africa have identified a new variant with a worrisome combination of mutations that experts fear could make it more transmissible and allow it to evade immune protection — including the protection generated by vaccines.

The B.1.1.529 variant was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa on 24th November 2021. The epidemiological situation in South Africa has been characterized by three (3) distinct peaks in reported cases, the latest of which was predominantly the Delta variant. In recent weeks, infections have increased steeply, coinciding with the detection of B.1.1.529 variant. The first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on 9th November 2021.

This variant has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of re-infection with this variant, as compared to other Variant of Concern (VOCs). The number of cases of this variant appears to be increasing in almost all provinces in South Africa.

Current SARS-CoV-2 PCR diagnostics continue to detect this variant. Several labs have indicated that for one widely used PCR test, one (1) of the three (3) target genes is not detected (called S gene dropout or S gene target failure) and this test can therefore be used as a marker for this variant, pending sequencing confirmation. Using this approach, this variant has been detected at faster rates than previous surges in infection, suggesting that this variant may have a growth advantage.

There are a number of studies underway and the TAG-VE will continue to evaluate this variant. WHO will communicate new findings with Member States and to the public as needed.

Based on the evidence presented, indicative of a detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, the TAG-VE has advised WHO that this variant should be designated as a VOC, and the WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a VOC, named Omicron.

As such, countries are asked to do the following:

• enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts to better understand circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.
• submit complete genome sequences and associated metadata to a publicly available database, such as GISAID.
• report initial cases/clusters associated with VOC infection to WHO through the IHR mechanism.
• where capacity exists and in co-ordination with the international community, perform field investigations and laboratory assessments to improve understanding of the potential impacts of the VOC on COVID-19 epidemiology, severity, effectiveness of public health and social measures, diagnostic methods, immune responses, antibody neutralization, or other relevant characteristics.

Individuals are reminded to take measures to reduce their risk of COVID-19, including proven public health and social measures such as wearing well-fitting masks, hand hygiene, physical distancing, improving ventilation of indoor spaces, avoiding crowded spaces, and getting vaccinated.

For reference, WHO has working definitions for SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Interest (VOI) and Variant of Concern (VOC).

A SARS-CoV-2 VOI is a SARS-CoV-2 variant:

• with genetic changes that are predicted or known to affect virus characteristics such as transmissibility, disease severity, immune escape, diagnostic or therapeutic escape; AND
• that has been identified as causing significant community transmission or multiple COVID-19 clusters, in multiple countries with increasing relative prevalence alongside increasing number of cases over time, or other apparent epidemiological impacts to suggest an emerging risk to global public health.

A SARS-CoV-2 VOC is a SARS-CoV-2 variant that meets the definition of a VOI (see above) and, through a comparative assessment, has been demonstrated to be associated with one or more of the following changes at a degree of global public health significance:

• increase in transmissibility or detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology; OR
• increase in virulence or change in clinical disease presentation; OR
• decrease in effectiveness of public health and social measures or available diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics.

[Source: WHO]

Today (Friday 29th October 2021), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include children five (5) through eleven (11) years of age.

The authorization was based on the FDA’s thorough and transparent evaluation of the data that included input from independent advisory committee experts who overwhelmingly voted in favor of making the vaccine available to children in this age group.

Key points for parents and caregivers:

• Effectiveness: Immune responses of children five (5) through eleven (11) years of age were comparable to those of individuals sixteen (16) through twenty-five (25) years of age. In addition, the vaccine was found to be 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children five (5) through eleven (11).
• Safety: The vaccine’s safety was studied in approximately 3,100 children age five (5) through eleven (11) who received the vaccine and no serious side effects have been detected in the ongoing study.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet next week to discuss further clinical recommendations.

“As a mother and a physician, I know that parents, caregivers, school staff, and children have been waiting for today’s authorization. Vaccinating younger children against COVID-19 will bring us closer to returning to a sense of normalcy,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “Our comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the data pertaining to the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness should help assure parents and guardians that this vaccine meets our high standards.”

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for children five (5) through eleven (11) years of age is administered as a two-dose primary series, three (3) weeks apart, but is a lower dose (10 micrograms) than that used for individuals twelve (12) years of age and older (30 micrograms).

In the U.S., COVID-19 cases in children five (5) through eleven (11) years of age make up 39% of cases in individuals younger than eighteen (18) years of age. According to the CDC, approximately 8,300 COVID-19 cases in children five (5) through eleven (11) years of age resulted in hospitalization. As of 17th October 2021, 691 deaths from COVID-19 have been reported in the U.S. in individuals less than eighteen (18) years of age, with 146 deaths in the five (5) through eleven (11) years age group.

“The FDA is committed to making decisions that are guided by science that the public and healthcare community can trust. We are confident in the safety, effectiveness and manufacturing data behind this authorization. As part of our commitment to transparency around our decision-making, which included our public advisory committee meeting earlier this week, we have posted documents today supporting our decision and additional information detailing our evaluation of the data will be posted soon. We hope this information helps build confidence of parents who are deciding whether to have their children vaccinated,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

The FDA has determined this Pfizer vaccine has met the criteria for emergency use authorization. Based on the totality of scientific evidence available, the known and potential benefits of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in individuals down to five (5) years of age outweigh the known and potential risks.

FDA Evaluation of Available Effectiveness Data

The effectiveness data to support the EUA in children down to five (5) years of age is based on an ongoing randomized, placebo-controlled study that has enrolled approximately 4,700 children five (5) through eleven (11) years of age. The study is being conducted in the U.S., Finland, Poland and Spain. Children in the vaccine group received two (2) doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine containing ten (10) micrograms of messenger RNA per dose. The FDA analyzed data that compared the immune response of 264 participants from this study to 253 participants sixteen (16) through twenty-five (25) years of age who had two (2) higher doses of the vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. The immune responses of the younger age participants were comparable to the older participants.

​The FDA also conducted a preliminary analysis of cases of COVID-19 occurring seven (7) days after the second dose. In this analysis, among participants without evidence of prior infection with SARS-CoV-2, 3 cases of COVID-19 occurred among 1,305 vaccine recipients and sixteen (16) cases of COVID-19 occurred among 663 placebo recipients; the vaccine was 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19.

FDA Evaluation of Available Safety Data

The available safety data to support the EUA include more than 4,600 participants (3,100 vaccine, 1,538 placebo) ages five (5) through eleven (11) years enrolled in the ongoing study. In this trial, a total of 1,444 vaccine recipients were followed for safety for at least two (2) months after the second dose.

Commonly reported side effects in the clinical trial included injection site pain (sore arm), redness and swelling, fatigue, headache, muscle and/or joint pain, chills, fever, swollen lymph nodes, nausea and decreased appetite. More children reported side effects after the second dose than after the first dose. Side effects were generally mild to moderate in severity and occurred within two (2) days after vaccination, and most went away within one (1) to two (2) days.

The FDA and CDC safety surveillance systems have previously identified increased risks of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of tissue surrounding the heart) following vaccination with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, particularly following the second dose, and with the observed risk highest in males twelve (12) through seventeen (17) years of age. Therefore, the FDA conducted its own benefit-risk assessment using modelling to predict how many symptomatic COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admissions and deaths from COVID-19 the vaccine in children five (5) through eleven (11) years of age would prevent versus the number of potential myocarditis cases, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths that the vaccine might cause. The FDA’s model predicts that overall, the benefits of the vaccine would outweigh its risks in children five (5) through eleven (11) years of age.

Ongoing Safety Monitoring

Pfizer Inc. has updated its safety monitoring plan to include evaluation of myocarditis, pericarditis and other events of interest in children five (5) through eleven (11) years of age. In addition, the FDA and the CDC have several systems in place to continually monitor COVID-19 vaccine safety and allow for the rapid detection and investigation of potential safety problems.

It is mandatory for Pfizer Inc. and vaccination providers to report any serious adverse events, cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome and cases of COVID-19 that result in hospitalization or death in vaccinated individuals. It is also mandatory for vaccination providers to report all vaccine administration errors to VAERS for which they become aware and for Pfizer Inc. to include a summary and analysis of all identified vaccine administration errors in monthly safety reports to the FDA.

Data Supports New Vaccine Formulation to Improve Stability and Storage Conditions

The FDA today also authorized a manufacturing change for the vaccine to include a formulation that uses a different buffer; buffers help maintain a vaccine’s pH (a measure of how acidic or alkaline a solution is) and stability. This new formulation is more stable at refrigerated temperatures for longer periods of time, permitting greater flexibility for vaccination providers.

The new formulation of the vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. contains Tris buffer, a commonly used buffer in a variety of other FDA-approved vaccines and other biologics, including products for use in children. The FDA evaluated manufacturing data to support the use of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine containing Tris buffer and concluded it does not present safety or effectiveness concerns.

[Source: FDA]

A male passenger between the age of thirty-five (35) to forty-five (45), died during a flight on a Caribbean Airlines (CAL) aircraft which was en route to Barbados on Thursday (28th October 2021).

Passengers on that flight told Guardian Media the man was discovered unconscious in the aircraft’s toilet after flight attendants decided to check on him, due to the length of time he was in there. A Doctor onboard the flight tried to revive the man, who eventually started talking. However, the man subsequently died.

The aircraft made its scheduled stop in Barbados and continued on to its other destinations, including the United States.

​When contacted by Guardian Media, CAL confirmed the incident, stating, “There was a medical emergency. The crew followed all the relevant operating procedures but regrettably the passenger expired. CAL extends condolence to the family and loved ones of the deceased.”

[Source: CNC3]

UPDATE (2:45pm): Facebook’s services are still down in many parts of the world, approximately three (3) hours later. This prolonged outage is no doubt costing Facebook and businesses a lot of money in lost revenues.

UPDATE (12:30pm): WhatsApp issued the following statement on Twitter (of course), saying, “We’re aware that some people are experiencing issues with WhatsApp at the moment. We’re working to get things back to normal and will send an update here as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience!”

It’s not just you - some of the most popular social media apps are currently down globally - Facebook, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram, all of which are owned by Facebook. Users started checking their WiFi and data connections before realizing these specific services were down.

According to DownDetector, the issues started at around 11:44am EST (16:44 BST), and are affecting users globally. As usual, users quickly took to Twitter to vent their frustrations, causing the hashtag #facebookdown to be instantly trending on the social media site. Facebook has yet to comment on the situation.

This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates.