Workplace air quality standards: https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/coronavirus/scientists-urge-cdc-white-house-to-set-air-guidelines-for-workplaces-to-lessen-the-transmission-of-covid-19 (link replaced 3/7/21). This is so obviously sensible and the right thing to do.
Mask delay “grave misstep”: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-deputy-nsa-matt-pottinger/ . Yes, grave. 500,000 graves and counting.
WSJ: Grocers on the mask front lines: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccination-delays-could-bring-more-virus-variants-impede-efforts-to-end-pandemic-11613817002 .
WSJ: The vaccination race: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccination-delays-could-bring-more-virus-variants-impede-efforts-to-end-pandemic-11613817002 . I don’t particularly agree with this “virus response” reasoning. The central issue in my view is the amount of viral load in the global population. In this view, global vaccination is necessary to reduce the variant risk to everyone.
US genomic sequencing “disastrously unprepared”: https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/02/as-coronavirus-variants-spread-the-us-struggles-to-keep-up/2/ . This isn’t just that we’re flying blind. It’s more like we gouged our eyes out.
WSJ: Musk studies COVID immunity: https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-got-4-000-spacex-workers-to-join-a-covid-19-study-heres-what-he-learned-11613826001 .
Woman dies from COVID from transplanted lungs: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9282911/Michigan-woman-dies-COVID-19-receiving-double-lung-transplant-infected-donor.html . The surgeon also contracted COVID from the infected lungs. He recovered.
Another “prediction” of US herd immunity: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9281941/Another-epidemiologist-says-possible-approaching-COVID-herd-immunity.html . In this culture of fame before reality, even professional people are now saying things for shock value. My predictions are that Dr. Marty is full of malarkey and the University of Alabama should continue to look at brain transplants. Not only is the CDC multiplier of 3 a reasonable current ratio of cases to infections, the use of 10 is simply uninformed. The article is rightly critical of these two goofs.
Another goof steps forward: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/covid-19-is-on-the-run-expect-the-pandemic-to-be-under-control-by-memorial-day-11613659943 . Once again, this article dismisses the current variants (to say nothing of future variants) and says COVID will be reduced to the status of the flu by Memorial Day. This is less nutty than “gone by April”, but that does not make it credible. Could we be on the way to control by Memorial Day? That is a real possibility, but the variants stand in the way. Remember, herd immunity is looking like 90% of the population. That currently does not appear achievable.
Obesity qualifies you to move up the vaccine priority line in 15 states: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-check-if-obesity-qualifies-for-covid-19-vaccine-2021-2 . I disagree with this. Yes, obesity is a health risk. I have no problem with obese people with serious underlying health conditions moving up within our current, flawed system. However, obesity affects 40% of the adult population according to the article (and that seems low). This just encourages the vaccination free-for-all we have experienced over the past few months. Priorities must be focused and implementable.
My view continues to be that vaccination priority should be by age. As previously reported, 80% of the deaths are in those over 65, and 95% in those over 50. Save lives first. This is an objective system, simple to administer, and eliminates all the wasted time and angst of the current system.
Jumping the line fells Argentina’s health minister: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/20/argentina-health-minister-resigns-over-covid-vaccine-scandal .
More on rapid COVID tests: https://www.axios.com/rapid-coronavirus-tests-fda-approval-1cc1928a-68d4-485d-aafe-0c1a69b31384.html .
COVID long-haulers are becoming more common: https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/19/health/post-covid-syndrome-long-haulers-gupta-wellness/index.html . Clearly, this is not good news.
What it’s like to die from COVID: https://www.vox.com/2021/2/20/22280817/covid-19-deaths-us-nursing-home-icu-ventilator . This of course is not pleasant reading. It does make me more pissed off at Dr. Marty Malarkey.
WSJ: Biden brings federal government to the front of the COVID fight: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-first-month-of-covid-19-response-marked-by-larger-federal-role-11613840400 . As Biden has said, right now he’s just eliminating bad policy.
The mess that is Texas: https://apnews.com/article/houston-hypothermia-weather-conroe-texas-8323ab5f5c1612e632f7f2e6c2c20358 . This is just tragic. WSJ: Biden opens up federal disaster relief: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-issues-major-disaster-declaration-for-texas-winter-storm-11613834499 .
COVID infections reduced by nasal spray: https://www.jpost.com/health-science/israeli-made-nasal-spray-reduced-covid-infection-at-mass-gathering-659601 .
Community college enrollment drops 10%: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/02/20/breaking-news/enrollment-at-u-s-community-colleges-plummets-amid-coronavirus-pandemic/ .
AI falters in reforming healthcare: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ibms-retreat-from-watson-highlights-broader-ai-struggles-in-health-11613839579 .
WSJ: In rural Mexico, teachers are vaccinated before health workers: https://www.wsj.com/articles/teachers-not-nurses-get-covid-19-vaccine-priority-in-somecorners-of-mexico-11613829602 . The voting bloc argument rings true. In Oregon, teachers and former teachers are a powerful force in the legislature. I think this prompted the governor to give them vaccination priority.
Israel starts to reopen: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-israel/israel-starts-reopening-as-number-of-covid-vaccinees-nears-50-idUSKBN2AL036 . This is the global test case for vaccinating your way out of the pandemic.
Sanders “confident” $15 minimum wage will stay in stimulus package: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/539725-sanders-says-hes-confident-increase-to-minimum-wage-will-stay-in-coronavirus .
WSJ: Biden visits Bob Dole: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-visits-bob-dole-after-former-gop-senator-announces-cancer-diagnosis-11613863544 . So Biden (1) did the right thing and (2) didn’t announce it to the world. Don’t forget what a complete reversal this is from Orange Julius.
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Pentagon Inspector General to review Cadet Bone Spurs’ decision to relocate Space Force from Colorado to Alabama: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/20/trumps-relocation-space-command-defense-department-inspector-general-review/4528929001/ .
Nuts, and Proud of it: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/a-proud-boys-member-was-reportedly-expelled-from-the-sacramento-gop-and-warned-members-im-coming-for-you/ar-BB1dRQbL?li=BBnb7Kz .
Florida looks to suppress votes just for the heck of it: https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ron-desantis-legislation-florida-elections-a9737fcc3eab5aedc572fbcc7c19b984 .
Merrick Garland: The right man for this extremist moment: https://www.rawstory.com/merrick-garland/ (link replaced 3/7/21 – original link was to NY Times article cited).