WSJ: Covid-19 antibodies decline over time: https://www.wsj.com/articles/study-shows-covid-19-antibodies-waning-over-time-suggesting-immunity-may-wear-off-11603757012 .
Weekly COVID-19 case average hits all-time high: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-10-26/us-7-day-average-of-coronavirus-cases-reaches-all-time-high . And it is going to continue upward for some time. We have indeed turned the corner.
WSJ: Remdesivir/Lilly antibody combination study halted by NIH for lack of benefit: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nih-halts-study-exploring-treating-covid-19-with-lilly-antibody-remdesivir-11603757478 .
WSJ: Pandemic fatigue takes hold: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bayer-to-buy-gene-therapy-firm-askbio-for-up-to-4-billion-11603697401 .
Investigative dimwits: https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/are-nc-s-coronavirus-case-numbers-inflated-some-scientists-say-so/19355130/ . Ok, so it’s North Carolina. This Raleigh station tries to broadcast stuff Trump supporters would like. Let’s just sort this out. There is no such thing as a “too sensitive” COVID-19 test. There are false positive and false negative results, but no “too sensitive”.
The argument here is that the test could show virus shedding of someone who has recovered from the disease. That is a correct positive. The sensitivity level is designed to catch new cases as early as possible, and it is doing that job. Please take a nice warm cup of shut the hell up.
Trump, the Herbert Hoover of the coronavirus: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/10/donald-trump-lose-election-coronavirus-control-pandemic-masks-atlas.html . It’s a nice line, but the article’s quotes from Hoover make an effective presentation. After Hoover, the Democrats won the next 5 elections for President. From 1946 through 1952, all 9 Supreme Court justices had been appointed by either Roosevelt or Truman. Here’s wishing …
Think plane travel is safe? Not so much: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/transmission-of-covid-19-on-flight-into-ireland-linked-to-59-infections-1.4390728 . Expert says IATA over-represents his study findings: https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/10/23/safe-flights-plane-covid/?itid=sf_travel&tid=a_inl_manual&tidloc=3 .
WSJ: COVID-19 vaccine distribution logistics: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-calls-for-supply-chain-collaboration-logistics-chief-says-11603713612 .
Tacoma hospital suffers COVID-19 outbreak: https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/coronavirus/article246738121.html .
WSJ: Hospitals maintain routine procedures as COVID-19 surges: https://www.wsj.com/articles/amid-new-covid-19-surge-hospitals-balance-virus-care-with-more-lucrative-services-11603716763 .
Nurses are the most hospitalized group of healthcare workers: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-10-26/nurses-make-up-most-hospitalized-coronavirus-health-care-workers-cdc-finds . This verifies what you would expect.
Is this physician a COVID-19 long-hauler?: https://www.statnews.com/2020/10/26/hesitant-identify-myself-as-covid-long-hauler/ . Maybe she needs a “too sensitive” test. Does her blood show antibodies? This is a strange case. There is a lot about this disease we still don’t know.
WSJ: Intermountain Health looks to grow regionally: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hospital-merger-seeks-to-create-regional-giant-in-the-west-11603749692 .
WSJ: Newark restricts business hours as positivity rate soars: https://www.wsj.com/articles/newark-imposes-covid-19-restrictions-on-businesses-11603744120 .
Verily, a setback: https://khn.org/news/verilys-covid-testing-program-halted-in-san-francisco-and-oakland/ . The high-tech solution has failed to deliver promised low-income testing.
WSJ: Egypt central to Middle East COVID-19 vaccine distribution: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-makers-see-egypt-as-crucial-launchpad-11603707672 .
China finds large, asymptomatic COVID-19 outbreak: https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-asymptomatic-large-cluster-kashgar-china-testing-20201027-u6agn7hvwvdlxemhxmy4opqaha-story.html . It would be helpful if China released genome sequencing for the virus causing this cluster.
Economic pain ahead: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-small-business-united-states-economy-4d1f3221f83c5a9f31d9e1ced2e3203c .
WSJ: Bayer to buy AskBio in bet on gene therapy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bayer-to-buy-gene-therapy-firm-askbio-for-up-to-4-billion-11603697401 .
WSJ: AIG to spin off life insurance unit: https://www.wsj.com/articles/american-international-group-to-divest-life-insurance-business-11603743531 .
Major League Baseball hammered financially in shortened season: https://www.foxbusiness.com/sports/mlbs-debt-8-3-billion-2020-season-coronavirus .
Pence doesn’t preside over Senate for Barrett vote: https://www.nationalreview.com/news/pence-will-not-preside-over-amy-coney-barrett-vote-after-possible-coronavirus-exposure/ . Ahem. This was only because his vote was not needed. He’s still out on the campaign trail. Mike Pence, head of the Coronavirus Task Force, should be in quarantine. Here’s another article by the same reporter: https://www.nationalreview.com/news/pence-accuses-harris-of-playing-politics-with-peoples-lives-by-undermining-confidence-in-vaccine/ . It’s time for this circus to leave town.
Amy Coney Barrett sworn in as next Supreme Court justice: https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-ruth-bader-ginsburg-amy-coney-barrett-82a02a618343c98b80ca2b6bf9eafe07 .
Facebook helps register 4.4 million voters: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/10/26/voter-registration-facebook-drive-trump-biden-zuckerberg-election-2020/6041428002/ .
Record early voting continues: https://electproject.github.io/Early-Vote-2020G/index.html . As of 11:59 pm Eastern 10/26, 64.7 million votes have been cast, 40.8 million by mail and 23.9 million in person. For states reporting party affiliation, 14.9 million Democrats and 8.6 million Republicans have voted. The Democratic advantage has expanded from 5.7 million votes yesterday to 6.3 million today. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mail-balloting-is-fueling-historic-early-voting-in-the-2020-election-11602591220 .
Projections have been that 150 to 160 million will vote in this year’s election. Even at 160 million, 64.7 million represents over 40% of the total vote, with 7 days to go before Election Day.