Autoantibodies may cause COVID long-haulers: https://bgr.com/2021/01/28/long-covid-symptoms-cause-explained-autoantibodies/ . Previous focus on autoantibodies has found deep links to the COVID disease mechanism.
“COVID tongue” possible symptom: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/covid-tongue-may-be-another-coronavirus-symptom-british-researcher-suggests-n1256078 . More: https://www.today.com/health/what-covid-tongue-swollen-sore-tongue-may-be-possible-coronavirus-t207340 .
New US cases drop substantially: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-01-28/new-covid-19-cases-plunge-as-behavior-changes .
At-home COVID tests come to market: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/home-covid-19-tests-offer-promises-questions-n1255269 .
Protein biosensors new way to detect COVID and antibodies: https://phys.org/news/2021-01-biosensors-quickly-coronavirus-proteins-antibodies.html .
No painkillers before vaccination: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-vaccine-shot-painkillers-doctors/ . I’m surprised by this advice, and also that it didn’t come earlier.
Germany recommends against using AstraZeneca vaccine for persons over 65: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/europe/germany-astrazeneca-vaccine-coronavirus-grm-intl/index.html . This is getting caught up in hard feelings over Brexit. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/german-government-told-not-to-use-astrazeneca-vaccine-for-elderly-11611852649 .
WSJ: More on AstraZeneca stumbles in Europe: https://www.wsj.com/articles/behind-astrazenecas-covid-19-vaccine-stumble-11611871968 .
Novavax up on vaccine trial news: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/novavax-soars-after-upbeat-results-from-covid-vaccine-trial/ar-BB1dbwSQ?li=BBnb7Kz . More: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-01-28/novavax-says-its-coronavirus-vaccine-is-nearly-90-effective . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/novavaxs-covid-19-vaccine-availability-and-what-else-to-know-11611876411 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/novavax-vaccine-is-89-effective-against-covid-19-in-u-k-study-11611867720 .
Pfizer reports strong vaccine protection against variants: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-01-28/pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine-proves-effective-against-virus-mutations .
WSJ: Vaccination site staffing: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-sites-call-in-volunteers-retirees-to-staff-rollout-11611846319 .
WSJ: Vaccinating prisoners: https://www.wsj.com/articles/legal-and-faith-groups-ask-for-covid-19-vaccines-for-prisoners-in-new-york-11611863023 .
Worries about Brazilian variant: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/01/27/961108577/why-scientists-are-very-worried-about-the-variant-from-brazil .
South African variant in South Carolina: https://www.statnews.com/2021/01/28/south-carolina-first-cases-of-south-africa-variant/ . Once again, we are looking at community spread with no idea of the extent because of inadequate genomic testing. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-covid-19-strain-in-south-africa-what-we-know-11609971229 .
WSJ: What we know about the variants: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-sites-call-in-volunteers-retirees-to-staff-rollout-11611846319 .
NY nursing home deaths undercounted: https://apnews.com/article/new-york-coronavirus-pandemic-nursing-homes-a6c214f4467976efdfca9ba75f8adaef . It may take years to sort out COVID mortality. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-undercounted-nursing-home-covid-19-deaths-report-says-11611853765 .
Pandemic modeling failures: https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-hard-lessons-of-modeling-the-coronavirus-pandemic-20210128/ . So the model’s failure is that they failed to predict college students’ propensity to skip the rules and party? Did these guys go to college? Did they ever party? Answers are yes, yes, and almost never.
WSJ: Vaccination distribution graphics: https://www.wsj.com/articles/tracking-covid-19-vaccine-distribution-11611355360 .
Impromptu vaccine clinic for snowbound drivers: https://apnews.com/article/health-workers-stuck-drivers-vaccine-25ce9d23cc314f2b1dc64dae08085aa2 . Meanwhile, vaccinations have not started for seniors because the governor prioritized teachers. Should the old folks be roaming the highways?
Federal health policy challenges: https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/finance/news/heres-why-wont-easy-biden-005056231.html . Apparently most Republicans have no concept of federal policy. Somehow it was acceptable to spend 4 years attacking people and (not) building a border wall (not) paid for by Mexico. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-plan-to-order-review-of-trump-health-care-policies-likely-to-face-speed-bumps-11611829809 .
Georgia senators push for stimulus bill: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/536421-georgia-senators-pushed-administration-senate-democrats-to-pass-a-new-round .
Weekly jobless claims at 875,000: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/initial-jobless-claims-for-week-ending-jan-23-001546390.html . The need for additional financial help for the unemployed is obvious. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/weekly-jobless-claims-coronavirus-01-28-2021-11611787719 .
WSJ: Government debt grows at record pace: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pandemic-spending-boosts-global-government-debt-to-98-of-economic-output-imf-says-11611838809 . What happens when it is time to raise interest rates?
Joshin’ Hawley tries to lie his way out, again: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/politics/josh-hawley-interview-objection-election/index.html . This loser graduated from Yale Law School? Does he understand videotape?
WSJ: Indians save for emergencies: https://www.wsj.com/articles/reluctance-to-spend-throttles-indias-growth-long-after-covid-19-lockdowns-ended-11611743404 . I believe this will also characterize a portion of the American population. Predictions of another Roaring Twenties may well be overblown.
Larry King’s cause of death was sepsis, not COVID: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/larry-kings-cause-of-death-revealed-153609329.html . This is another angle on the issue of attributing excess deaths to COVID.
WSJ: The climate fight comes to the boardroom: https://www.wsj.com/articles/british-hedge-fund-billionaire-takes-climate-fight-to-s-p-500-11611842401 .
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Second Capitol police officer takes his own life: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/27/second-officer-suicide-following-capitol-riot-463123 . His name was Jeffery Smith, according to testimony (in this article) which was the first source of this news. His name is being widely misreported as Jeffrey, which is in my view unacceptable.
House staff speaks up on impeachment: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/27/politics/democratic-house-staffers-letter-to-senators-impeachment/index.html . This goes well beyond anyone’s concept of an unsafe workplace.
Judicial Review Commission being formed: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/27/biden-supreme-court-reform-463126 .
WSJ: The filibuster and the Byrd rule: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-senates-byrd-call-11611875698 . I don’t particularly agree with this. The real issue right now is the application of the Byrd rule to the stimulus package. There is general agreement that about half of the package could be shoved through under reconciliation. The question is how far the Byrd rule can be stretched to add more items. More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/white-house-not-planning-to-split-1-9-trillion-covid-19-package-in-two-11611840408 .
“Informational malnourishment”: https://thehill.com/homenews/media/536288-ousted-fox-news-editor-reaction-to-trumps-loss-a-result-of-informational . Apparently Fox News’ new business plan doesn’t include “fair and balanced”.
Owners vote to change Trump Plaza name: https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-florida-mar-a-lago-west-palm-beach-1a44b67bf885d873eecc14b48ac32dca . Note that Orange Julius hasn’t owned the building since 1991, when he turned the building over to creditors.
Bronx’s AOC gives Ted Cruz a reality check: https://news.yahoo.com/ocasio-cortez-ted-cruz-almost-had-me-murdered-robinhood-capitol-184956614.html . Texas is apparently now specializing in electing weenies to Congress: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/536429-gop-congressman-demands-ocasio-cortez-apologize-following-twitter-exchange .
Sanders meme raises $2 million for charity: https://www.yahoo.com/news/bernie-sanders-mitten-meme-inauguration-18-million-vermont-charities-194320121.html . Can you imagine Ted Cruz doing this? Me neither.
Orange Julius loyalty tests still in favor: https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-censures-wyoming-liz-cheney-6c680223620b74d6594acb4a3ddec3fc . Votes of conscience or reason are no longer permitted in the Republican Party. Spinelessness defines the political ranks: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2021-01-28/mccarthy-seeks-thaw-with-trump-as-gop-rallies-behind-former-president (link replaced 2/13/21).
Meanwhile, a circus atmosphere prevails: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-qanon-shaman-says-hes-willing-to-testify-at-trumps-impeachment-trial-against-the-president/ar-BB1dbYhQ?li=BBnb7Kz .
And then there’s Georgia’s own nut: Forest fires caused by secret Jewish space lasers: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/marjorie-taylor-greene-qanon-wildfires-space-laser-rothschild-execute.html . Not just any space laser is involved; it’s a secret Jewish space laser. It’s offensive to compare AOC’s liberal beliefs with the abject and dangerous lunacy of the Georgia freshman.
Should Georgia probe Orange Julius?: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-georgia-exclusive-idUSKBN29X33L . Yes. Is a sadistic proctologist available?
Bureau of Land Management staff wiped out by relocation west: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/trump-officials-moved-most-bureau-of-land-management-positions-out-of-dc-more-than-87-percent-quit-instead/ar-BB1dbpZs?li=BBnb7Kz . Another federal agency destroyed by the prior enterprise’s incompetence. By the way, in the West we’ve always called them BLM, but that is out of style with the Black Lives Matter movement.