An Essential Part of Any COVID Plan (and It's Not a Vaccine)

People are talking about COVID-19 again... Big vaccine promises... A lot of stocks pop, others sell off... An essential part of any COVID plan (and it's not a vaccine)... Mr. Wonderful's market outlook... Feedback for Dan and Porter...

COVID-19 'fatigue' is turning into hysteria again...

If you thought you were done hearing about COVID-19 case numbers, we're sorry to be the bearers of bad news...

But in today's Digest, we'll avoid rehashing the specific data we've seen. If we've learned anything this year, it's that sharing the latest case numbers makes nobody happy... And it doesn't accurately reflect what's going on in all parts of the country and the world anyway.

Let's get right to the point...

Today, we sense that COVID-19 "fatigue" – from those sick of talking about it, hearing about it, and constantly wearing a mask – is headed back in the direction of hysteria... in the form of vaccine expectations, arguments about them, or discussions about what's really the most important path forward.

After all, the votes are still being counted in the presidential election... And yet, COVID-19 is already starting to take over the prime news real estate.

This morning, drugmaker Pfizer (PFE) reported blockbuster vaccine news...

Whatever you think about COVID-19 at this point, the reality is Wall Street expects it to be with us for a while, assuming nothing else changes. The market's performance today tells us that.

It all happened after Pfizer and its German biotech partner BioNTech (BNTX) said earlier today that the companies' COVID-19 vaccine candidate was better than 90% effective in preventing coronavirus cases in clinical trials – and showed no serious side effects.

As Stansberry NewsWire analyst Nick Koziol explained to readers today...

PFE and BNTX added that they will likely apply for emergency use authorization ("EUA") in the U.S. around the third week of November. This falls in line with comments from the companies last month.

The 90% effectiveness is a huge surprise. The Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") had said that it would not approve any vaccine with less than 50% effectiveness. Earlier this year, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci said he was hoping for a COVID-19 vaccine to be 70% to 75% effective.

As you might expect, the markets mostly loved this news...

The Dow Jones Industrial Average has lagged the other major U.S. indexes amid the rebound this year. It's filled with companies that rely on the physical, freely moving, in-person world and "normal" times. The Dow popped the most today, finishing up about 3%.

Next on the U.S. leaderboard was the benchmark S&P 500 Index, which finished up around 1.2%... For many of the same reasons as those two indexes, oil was up 8.5% on the day.

Meanwhile, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index finished down about 1.5%. And some major tech stocks that have benefited from "work and school from home" life sold off, given the renewed optimism for a return to normal sooner rather than later... Shares of video-conferencing platform Zoom Video Communications (ZM) dropped 17%, while Amazon (AMZN) fell 5%.

If you're keeping score at home, we'd like to point out other bullish evidence for Pfizer's vaccine candidate...

The four-star general who is in charge of leading the rollout of vaccines around the country – "Operation Warp Speed" – considers the drugmaker's candidate a frontrunner to make it to your doctor's office or local hospital first...

On TV program 60 Minutes last night, Army Gen. Gustave F. Perna shared with longtime U.S. military reporter David Martin and viewers the two big timelines that are scribbled in marker on the whiteboard in his office...

One showed the timing of moving the two-dose Pfizer vaccine... And the other showed the plan to ship the Moderna (MRNA) vaccine candidate around the country if or when it's ready.

Perna also acknowledged the challenges ahead... The Pfizer vaccine requires freezing cold-storage to keep it useful. And the logistics of getting a finite amount of vaccines to all corners of the country are complex.

Perna said he has already spent $12 billion on Operation Warp Speed... And the total cost could reach $26 billion when all is said and done.

What keeps Perna up at night is the idea that people won't want to receive a vaccine, even if the government spends all this money and time on developing and shipping it.

If that's the case, he said, "Shame on us." That's alarming, yet true... $26 billion for possibly nothing? Add it to the long, long list of major government waste.

We remember the good ol' days...

We'll call them February.

We're talking about back when reports of a few dozen patients testing positive for COVID-19 in pockets of Washington state were the headlines of the day.

Back then, there was still hope of isolating the limited number of folks with the virus and "stopping the spread" with testing and contact tracing. But obviously, that didn't happen...

The virus arrived in the U.S. from overseas through a few different routes. It quickly overwhelmed our capacity and ability to handle it across a country of more than 328 million people.

Weeks of full-fledged lockdowns in March and April didn't wipe the virus out of the U.S. completely, though they did "flatten the curve" and spared hospitals from being totally overrun. In the end, they likely saved a lot of lives.

But of course, these lockdowns crushed the economy, our spirits, and a lot of the freedoms we enjoy(ed). Plus, they stoked the differences of opinion between millions of people in a presidential election year.

Since the early days of the pandemic, we've learned a lot more about the virus itself... what it does to the human body... how it spreads... and who is more at risk than others.

There are now therapeutics available to treat people who get COVID-19, if they can get them. (But their effectiveness is still being studied.)

In the end, we've made progress.

But somehow, we're still not where we could be with one of the very basics...

That's COVID-19 testing, which was one of our country's striking weaknesses in the spring.

We have tests today – but we also have too many different ones... a lack of education about the different varieties... and inconsistent availability and reliability.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration's ("FDA") web page explaining the "basics" of testing is an alphabet soup that will make your brain hurt... It's loaded with different timelines and details that most people will never read.

But as Stansberry Venture Technology editor Dave Lashmet explains, testing – simple, widely available, quick, and reliable testing – is crucial to ending the COVID-19 pandemic... and thus, the first step in getting our economy and lives back toward a normal course.

And importantly, according to Dave, the chances of a revolutionary "at home" test hitting store shelves before a vaccine hits most people's arms is not only likely, but could be more effective in stopping COVID-19 over the next six months.

We're not trying to be a total buzzkill about today's promising vaccine data, but there's perspective to be had about realistic expectations and the timeline for a vaccine to reach enough people to make a difference...

Dave, who has shared expert insights on COVID-19 all year long, recently described his latest take on this issue in a brand-new special report to his Venture Technology subscribers...

We think a vaccine is coming. But until we see the rival data sets in an open forum for peer review, we don't know which vaccine maker could come out on top. And even with a vaccine, distributing it to 333 million people will be a challenge. It's doable. But it won't be fast. Ninety percent national vaccine coverage could take three or four years.

Until there's 90% coverage with a 75%-plus effective vaccine, there is not going to be herd immunity in the U.S. Even then, folks are likely to need booster shots.

In other words, tens of millions of Americans will remain at risk for the next four years. And with the prospect of global travel, there's little reprieve unless everyone wears N95 masks until they get a vaccine.

That's why, in the meantime, better testing is so important, according to Dave.

For at least several months, dealing with COVID-19 won't be materially different for most people...

We know many folks don't trust or want to receive a vaccine for whatever reason... 90% effectiveness for a vaccine sounds great today, but what happens when it hits the wider public?

Plus, the reality of the situation is that of tens of millions of people likely won't have access to a vaccine until the middle of 2021 at the earliest, even if they want it.

The earliest vaccines, when they finally arrive, will go to frontline workers like nurses and doctors. For most of us, it's going to be more of the same with social distancing and mask guidelines... and other restrictions, possibly stronger than we've seen before.

But whether you're willing to receive a vaccine or not, it would still be reasonable that you'd want to take a test if you might be sick or think you've been exposed to the virus.

Here's just one example we can think of... As we get into the winter months, more people will start coughing and sneezing from "normal" things – and worry that it's COVID-19. For some people, it won't be. For others, it might be... and they won't know it.

Unless you work for an organization like a billion-dollar NFL team and get tested literally every morning for free, a test – specifically a quick, easy, accessible, reliable, cheap, and private one – can be hard to find.

Most people don't know where to start, or how much they'll need to pay for a test.

This brings up a reasonable question...

What if we could just test ourselves?

In other words, how do we not have something like an affordable, easy, at-home COVID-19 test yet? It would certainly start moving life back toward "normal," too.

Well, we might have one very soon...

Dave recently found one company that's preparing to roll out the best testing option we've seen to date... And it essentially has the potential for a monopoly on the industry.

This is a big deal.

While several biotech companies and the U.S. government race at Warp Speed to develop and ship a vaccine around the country (and the world), the development of a rapid, affordable, "we the people" FDA-approved test is getting closer.

We're talking about the ability to buy and store a few $30 test kits in case you feel sick – before a vaccine is available to most people.

This rapid test could start selling as early as the first quarter of 2021. And it would let folks decide for themselves about what to do next, right from home, without clogging up the health care system or putting other people at risk.

Like the vaccines grabbing the headlines today, the U.S. government paid for this test's development, and the test maker's business prospects are in some ways better than the vaccine developers.

This company has no direct competitors... and it has strong patents for its test. As Dave describes it, this company is making a test that would be quicker, more accessible, more comfortable to take, and more private. From his new special report...

There's no swab going into the back of your nose... no outside chemistry or lab techs are needed... and these data aren't reported nationally.

Instead... it's a COVID-19 test that relies on your personal responsibility should you test positive.

We like the sound of all of that... as well as the 565% upside over the next six months that Dave sees for the company because of its product.

With an average of more than 1 million tests happening each day over the past month in the U.S. alone, it doesn't take much to realize the sales potential for this at-home test.

Dave says he would buy one of these test kits himself.

Now, I would love to just 'give away' this company's ticker right here in today's Digest...

But as longtime readers know, Dave's research is some of the best in the world in the science and technology space. His Venture Technology newsletter is one our most exclusive services.

So in fairness to Dave's current subscribers, we simply can't give away the farm. But if you've been wanting to give Dave's service a try, now is a very good time...

Not only does Dave detail the science of COVID-19 and where we are with testing and vaccines better than anyone else we've seen (which is valuable in its own right), this company he is recommending could make investors big returns if you get in now...

It could be along the lines of Dave's "Stansberry Hall of Fame" picks that you can see at the bottom of every one of our daily e-mails.

To learn much more and get the details on how to access Dave's Venture Technology service, please click right here. And for current subscribers, you can click here to make sure you haven't missed his latest research.

Mr. Wonderful's Market Outlook

You might know Kevin O'Leary from his role on Shark Tank, but there's more to him than that... "Mr. Wonderful" is also the chairman of the O'Shares exchange-traded funds ("ETFs")... And longtime readers may also remember his presentation at our annual Stansberry Conference a few years ago.

In a recent interview with our colleague Daniela Cambone, O'Leary shares his outlook on today's market – including why the market is responding well to likely "Biden Light" outcomes given a split Congress... why pollsters are useless... what COVID-19 investment he is looking at... and why he likes bitcoin, even though it's an investment headache for him...

Click here to watch this video right now. For more free video content, subscribe to our Stansberry Research YouTube channel... and don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

New 52-week highs (as of 11/6/20): Almaden Minerals (AAU), Analog Devices (ADI), American Homes 4 Rent (AMH), ARK Fintech Innovation Fund (ARKF), Cresco Labs (CRLBF), Curaleaf (CURLF), Calibre Mining (CXB.TO), Fortuna Silver Mines (FSM), Fidelity Select Medical Technology and Devices Portfolio (FSMEX), iShares China Large-Cap Fund (FXI), Green Thumb Industries (GTBIF), Ingersoll Rand (IR), JD.com (JD), KraneShares CSI China Internet Fund (KWEB), MAG Silver (MAG), Cloudflare (NET), Flutter Entertainment (PDYPY), ResMed (RMD), Seabridge Gold (SA), Southern Copper (SCCO), Sea Limited (SE), Silvergate Capital (SI), SilverCrest Metals (SILV), Scotts Miracle-Gro (SMG), Square (SQ), Trulieve Cannabis (TCNNF), T-Mobile (TMUS), The Trade Desk (TTD), ProShares Ultra Semiconductors Fund (USD), Verisk Analytics (VRSK), Vestas Wind Systems (VWDRY), ProShares Ultra FTSE China 50 Fund (XPP), Zebra Technologies (ZBRA), and Zendesk (ZEN).

In today's mailbag, a lot of feedback for Dan Ferris and the macro ideas he shared in Friday's Digest... and some congratulations to Porter for his prediction about Kamala Harris' ascent up the political ladder. Do you have a comment or question? As always, send us an e-mail at feedback@stansberryresearch.com.

"Keep these emails coming. Very much enjoyed reading your thoughts on TLT, cannabis, and bitcoin." – Paid-up subscriber Cameron D.

"Nice job to present the balanced view and address what others are saying (Porter, Steve). Very helpful explanation." – Paid-up subscriber Mike T.

"It's always good to hear your perspective, and I've followed your recommendations here and there. I do appreciate the varied perspectives... Stansberry, Sjuggerud, Eifrig, and DiBiase. It's nice to choose what we feel is best for us. Keep it coming." – Paid-up subscriber Tom M.

"Dan, I agree with most of what you covered in your column [Friday]. I have gotten out of most of my index stocks and started accumulating more cash. I own a little Bitcoin and right now my best performing stocks are related to precious metals gold and silver. I've been keeping an eye on the VIX and reading a lot more about investing in turbulent times as we're seeing now.

"I've listened to some of your podcasts and enjoyed them even though some of the topics and speakers cause my brain to work overtime in order to understand some of what they are saying. I just wish more small investors like myself would spend more time investing in how and why the stock market works the way it does rather than taking investing advice on stocks and options at face value.

"As you've said before, stocks don't just keep going up forever without a drop. Learn about reading financial statements and charts and you're going to be ahead of most investors. Keep delivering insightful and relevant information and I'll keep reading your Digest and listening to your podcasts." – Paid-up subscriber Don D.

"My dearest, dearest Dan, I cannot tell you how much I enjoy, respect, muse on your ideas and your demeanor as we (mainly you) speak about classic value investing and understand how you approach each investment idea.

"If there are no ideas... then we all become (revert to) apes! Great accolades, great health to you and yours, and I always want the best for my 'people' at Stansberry. Ok... all that being said, DAN!! ... #@*! the dollar! Invective Invective Invective.

"Got it off my chest!! Love you Dan." – Paid-up subscriber Todd B.

"Congratulations to Porter Stansberry on his several year old and now very accurate prediction that Kamala Harris would successfully overthrow the U.S. form of government in 2020... It's taken about 3 years to come true but sure enough, here we are." – Paid-up subscriber William C.

All the best,

Corey McLaughlin
Baltimore, Maryland
November 9, 2020