News for September 9 — Transverse Myelitis

More on AstraZeneca vaccine trial pause: Woman affected in UK may have transverse myelitis: https://www.statnews.com/2020/09/09/astrazeneca-covid19-vaccine-trial-hold-patient-report/  . While rare, transverse myelitis can be triggered by a vaccine. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/astrazeneca-pauses-covid-19-vaccine-trial-after-illness-in-a-u-k-subject-11599608962 .

More on Sturgis: https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2020-09-08/sturgis-motorcycle-rally-may-have-caused-over-250-000-coronavirus-cases-report?src=usn_nl_coronavirus . Not to keep piling on this study, but this article highlights another finding of the study, that counties with stricter regulations had less virus impact from Sturgis than counties with looser restrictions. We have repeatedly seen that government restrictions are not the driving force of infections, but rather the local population’s reaction to those restrictions. And here, we are talking about people who left their local area to go to Sturgis, where there was little compliance with normal precautions. These people likely did not adopt stricter compliance when they got home. I still find the evidence of causality lacking in this study.

Another wedding super-spreader event: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/minnesota-wedding-linked-70-coronavirus-cases-officials-say-n1239714 . Earlier reporting: https://www.grandforksherald.com/newsmd/coronavirus/6646149-1-wedding-275-guests-0-masks-56-COVID-cases-in-9-Minnesota-counties .

Saliva test for COVID-19: https://health.usnews.com/hospital-heroes/articles/saliva-test-for-covid-19-researchers-enable-alternative-to-nasal-swabs?src=usn_nl_coronavirus .

College students sent home despite federal advice: https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2020-09-08/facing-coronavirus-spikes-colleges-send-students-home-against-the-warnings-of-public-health-officials?src=usn_nl_coronavirus . So even institutions do what they perceive to be in their best interest rather than follow the recommendations of public health experts.

WSJ: US school re-openings: https://www.wsj.com/articles/millions-of-students-head-back-to-school-for-a-year-like-no-other-11599602645 .

WSJ: Employers use NBA bubbles for work teams: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nba-bubble-works-for-actors-and-utility-workers-too-11599643800 .

JP Morgan employees and customers abused PPP: https://sports.yahoo.com/jpmorgan-customers-employees-misused-covid-211719701.html . JP Morgan employees fired over abuse of SBA program: https://www.ft.com/content/31705aaf-af08-42ce-8b2e-5d56901cdb9c .

WSJ: US round-up: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-latest-news-09-08-2020-11599553301 . News on India, Japan and South Korea is in last paragraphs.

WSJ: Boeing identifies more production issues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/boeing-flags-additional-787-production-problem-11599577936 . What is going on at Boeing? Obviously, safe manufacture is the number one priority in airplanes, and Boeing has redundant systems to guarantee safety. Isn’t the next step firing the CEO and a significant portion of the operations executives?

Senate report finds significant drug delays by mail: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/09/09/usps-senate-report-finds-significant-drug-delays-under-louis-dejoy/5756626002/ .

WSJ: “Skinny” relief aid proposed: https://www.wsj.com/articles/republicans-roll-out-skinny-stimulus-bill-as-talks-with-democrats-remain-stalled-11599599646 .

WSJ: California fires set record: https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-wildfires-have-already-burned-more-acres-than-in-any-other-year-11599596997 . We are suffering in Oregon and Washington as well: https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2020/09/unprecedented-wildfires-continue-to-rage-across-oregon-as-thousands-are-forced-to-flee-live-updates.html .

Trick-or-treating not recommended in LA: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-09-09/no-trick-or-treating-in-los-angeles-county .

WSJ: COVID-19 transforms fall TV season: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-the-pandemic-transformed-what-you-will-see-on-tv-11599580678 .

Ongoing effects of COVID-19: child marriage: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/sep/07/why-covid-school-closures-are-making-girls-marry-early .

UK bans gatherings of 6 or more starting September 14: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54081131 . Interestingly, the UK will allow “COVID-19 secure” weddings and funerals.

Surprised Austrians cash US stimulus checks: https://www.politico.eu/article/austrians-receive-coronavirus-money-from-the-us-by-accident/ . Oversight is apparently dead. NPR says at least 129 countries are involved: https://www.npr.org/2020/08/05/898903600/foreign-workers-living-overseas-mistakenly-received-1-200-u-s-stimulus-checks .

Japan’s economy shrinks 28% in second quarter: https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2020-09-07/japans-economy-shrinks-28-in-2q-worse-than-1st-estimate?src=usn_nl_coronavirus .

WSJ: South Africa’s economy shrinks 51%: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-latest-news-09-08-2020-11599553301 . The worst national economic pandemic performance we’ve seen so far.

GitHub becomes COVID-19 data archive for China: https://qz.com/1811018/chinese-citizens-use-github-to-save-coronavirus-memories/ .

The health benefits of sleeping naked: https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/if-you-wear-this-to-bed-your-sleep-may-be-disastrous .