Two years on from Welcome to Chechnya, David France returns with another rip-roaring take on urgent real-world events with How To Survive A Pandemic, an on-the-ground, in-the-rooms account of the first two years of Covid-19 and the race to produce a vaccine; or what France refers to as our “route out.” With dedicated coverage (he began shooting as soon as two weeks into lockdown) and remarkable insider sources, France has constructed a film he hopes will prove definitive of its time in years to come.
It’s as rigorous as it is selective. France sets a clear plan of action: to examine the greatest global, communal, medical achievement ever. And he sticks to it. It’s not on the same level as Chechnya and all that film’s radical effects and gripping, heart-wrenching urgency, but France (who spent years in long-form reporting) has a knack for bringing real propulsion and emotion to his stories.
It’s as rigorous as it is selective. France sets a clear plan of action: to examine the greatest global, communal, medical achievement ever. And he sticks to it. It’s not on the same level as Chechnya and all that film’s radical effects and gripping, heart-wrenching urgency, but France (who spent years in long-form reporting) has a knack for bringing real propulsion and emotion to his stories.
- 3/28/2022
- by Rory O'Connor
- The Film Stage
A decade ago, when his documentary “How to Survive a Plague” rode a wave of festival acclaim to an Oscar nomination, journalist-turned-filmmaker David France probably didn’t imagine that a similarly titled quasi-sequel was in the cards. A superb overview of the early years of HIV-aids activism in the face of political indifference and ineptitude — ultimately leading to game-changing medication and pharmaceutical policy change — that film has given France a solid grounding for another feature-length study of very different if somewhat comparable global health crisis, centered on the Covid-19 pandemic and the extraordinarily accelerated scientific race for a solution.
Researched and assembled with his characteristic intelligence and thoroughness, “How to Survive a Pandemic” serves as both a valuable potted history of the last two years of medical tumult and relief, and a critical progress report marking work yet to be done. Hardly the first high-profile documentary on the pandemic, but...
Researched and assembled with his characteristic intelligence and thoroughness, “How to Survive a Pandemic” serves as both a valuable potted history of the last two years of medical tumult and relief, and a critical progress report marking work yet to be done. Hardly the first high-profile documentary on the pandemic, but...
- 3/24/2022
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
The Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization for the first time to a coronavirus vaccine, a milestone in the fight against the pandemic that has resulted in the deaths of nearly 300,000 Americans.
“Today’s action follows an open and transparent review process that included input from independent scientific and public health experts and a thorough evaluation by the agency’s career scientists to ensure this vaccine met Fda’s rigorous, scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization,” said Fda administrator Stephen Hahn.
The vaccine comes from Pfizer-BioNTech. They have been among a number of biomedical firms that have been racing to develop a vaccine that is safe and effective.
The Fda said that “the totality of the available data provides clear evidence that Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine may be effective in preventing Covid-19. The data also support that the known and...
“Today’s action follows an open and transparent review process that included input from independent scientific and public health experts and a thorough evaluation by the agency’s career scientists to ensure this vaccine met Fda’s rigorous, scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization,” said Fda administrator Stephen Hahn.
The vaccine comes from Pfizer-BioNTech. They have been among a number of biomedical firms that have been racing to develop a vaccine that is safe and effective.
The Fda said that “the totality of the available data provides clear evidence that Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine may be effective in preventing Covid-19. The data also support that the known and...
- 12/12/2020
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
A panel of the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the agency authorize Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine for emergency use.
The decision was non binding, but it is likely to lead to Fda approval of the vaccine, perhaps in the next few days. The Fda’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee had a day-long discussion of the safety of the vaccine and any potential side effects, with medical experts weighing in on trial data. The vote was 17 in favor and four against, with one abstention. CNN carried the vote of the committee, which typically generates little fanfare.
The Trump administration has outlined plans to ship 2.9 million doses of the vaccine within 24 hours of approval. That will be matched by a similar amount for second doses for recipients. Plans are being made to distribute the vaccine to healthcare workers and those at long-term care facilities, with officials at...
The decision was non binding, but it is likely to lead to Fda approval of the vaccine, perhaps in the next few days. The Fda’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee had a day-long discussion of the safety of the vaccine and any potential side effects, with medical experts weighing in on trial data. The vote was 17 in favor and four against, with one abstention. CNN carried the vote of the committee, which typically generates little fanfare.
The Trump administration has outlined plans to ship 2.9 million doses of the vaccine within 24 hours of approval. That will be matched by a similar amount for second doses for recipients. Plans are being made to distribute the vaccine to healthcare workers and those at long-term care facilities, with officials at...
- 12/10/2020
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
On Tuesday, Trump tried to push back against reports that his administration found an entirely new way to completely drop the ball on Covid-19 with a confusing executive order about vaccine distribution. And hilariously, when asked about it, even the chief science adviser for “Operation Warp Speed” wanted absolutely nothing to do with it.
“Frankly, I don’t know. And frankly, I’m staying out of this. I can’t comment,” Dr. Moncef Slaoui told “Good Morning America” when asked about it Tuesday morning. Ouch.
A little background: Earlier this year, the U.S. government arranged with Pfizer to pre-purchase 100 million doses of its then-in development vaccine once it became available. That sounds like a lot, but Pfizer’s vaccine requires two doses, which means those 100 million doses will go to only 50 million people, about 15% or the population. On Monday, The New York Times reported that more recently, Pfizer offered the...
“Frankly, I don’t know. And frankly, I’m staying out of this. I can’t comment,” Dr. Moncef Slaoui told “Good Morning America” when asked about it Tuesday morning. Ouch.
A little background: Earlier this year, the U.S. government arranged with Pfizer to pre-purchase 100 million doses of its then-in development vaccine once it became available. That sounds like a lot, but Pfizer’s vaccine requires two doses, which means those 100 million doses will go to only 50 million people, about 15% or the population. On Monday, The New York Times reported that more recently, Pfizer offered the...
- 12/9/2020
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Washington, Dec 7 (Ians) US President-elect Joe Biden will reportedly nominate California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (Hhs), according to multiple media outlets.
Biden is expected to make the announcement in coming days, along with choices for other key health posts, including head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reports Xinhua news agency.
Becerra, 62, has been a member of the US House of Representatives for more than two decades before beginning serving as Attorney General of California in 2017.
He succeeded Kamala Harris, now the Vice President-elect, to lead the country's largest state's Justice Department after she was elected to the US Senate.
If confirmed, Becerra would become a key official in the country's fight against the raging coronavirus pandemic, as the Hhs will be responsible for overseeing the distribution of vaccines in the coming months.
Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious disease...
Biden is expected to make the announcement in coming days, along with choices for other key health posts, including head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reports Xinhua news agency.
Becerra, 62, has been a member of the US House of Representatives for more than two decades before beginning serving as Attorney General of California in 2017.
He succeeded Kamala Harris, now the Vice President-elect, to lead the country's largest state's Justice Department after she was elected to the US Senate.
If confirmed, Becerra would become a key official in the country's fight against the raging coronavirus pandemic, as the Hhs will be responsible for overseeing the distribution of vaccines in the coming months.
Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious disease...
- 12/7/2020
- by IANS
- GlamSham
Distributing the Covid-19 vaccines now being developed is shaping up to be the largest and most complex public health effort in Los Angeles County history, and concerns are growing that officials are already falling behind, it was reported on Friday.
There are two vaccines expected to apply for emergency approval from U.S. regulators. The first, made by Pfizer, was submitted for approval Friday. The second, from Moderna, is expected to be submitted within weeks. Both appear to be about 95% effective.
About 25 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to be available by year’s end, according to the Associated Press.
Between Pfizer and Moderna there will likely be vaccine enough for 25 million-30 million people each month by early 2021. That’s according to Moncef Slaoui, chief scientific adviser of the federal government’s Operation Warp Speed in the Washington Post.
Now, government bureaucrats must figure out how to quickly...
There are two vaccines expected to apply for emergency approval from U.S. regulators. The first, made by Pfizer, was submitted for approval Friday. The second, from Moderna, is expected to be submitted within weeks. Both appear to be about 95% effective.
About 25 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to be available by year’s end, according to the Associated Press.
Between Pfizer and Moderna there will likely be vaccine enough for 25 million-30 million people each month by early 2021. That’s according to Moncef Slaoui, chief scientific adviser of the federal government’s Operation Warp Speed in the Washington Post.
Now, government bureaucrats must figure out how to quickly...
- 11/20/2020
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
A Covid-19 may arrive before we have a new president in place.
Moncef Slaoui, the head of Operation Warp Speed and former leader of GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccine department, said it’s possible 80 million Americans could be inoculated against Covid-19 by March. That’s if the government approvals are done in December.
Slaoui’s estimate said 25 million to 30 million vaccines could be available starting in January, Business Insider reported. That’s faster than other government officials have predicted.
Healthcare workers and vulnerable seniors with pre-existing conditions are likely to be the first to receive the vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will determine the specifics of the allocation plan.
A vaccine arriving in January is only possible if vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna are approved in December. Slaoui told reporters that he expected both companies to ask the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization by early December.
Moncef Slaoui, the head of Operation Warp Speed and former leader of GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccine department, said it’s possible 80 million Americans could be inoculated against Covid-19 by March. That’s if the government approvals are done in December.
Slaoui’s estimate said 25 million to 30 million vaccines could be available starting in January, Business Insider reported. That’s faster than other government officials have predicted.
Healthcare workers and vulnerable seniors with pre-existing conditions are likely to be the first to receive the vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will determine the specifics of the allocation plan.
A vaccine arriving in January is only possible if vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna are approved in December. Slaoui told reporters that he expected both companies to ask the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization by early December.
- 11/14/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
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