US COVID deaths exceed 500,000: https://news.yahoo.com/500000-us-coronavirus-covid-death-toll-214207694.html . The variants continue to represent a major risk for increasing cases and deaths. Herd immunity looks to be around 90%, not 70%. And as warmer weather comes, social interactions will increase. Masks and social distancing continue to be critical actions to control the pandemic.
Why does the US have the highest death toll?: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210223-why-the-us-has-the-highest-covid-19-death-toll . The US has the highest death toll because after learning of the disease, we did nothing for over a month. Our fearful leader Orange Julius called it a hoax. We never set up effective contact tracing, which would be extremely helpful against the new variants. We still do not do effective testing or genome sequencing, again needed to combat the new variants. In short, we know what to do but don’t do it. We’re idiots.
GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi launch new clinical trial: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-gsk-sanofi/gsk-and-sanofi-start-with-new-covid-19-vaccine-study-after-setback-idUSKBN2AM108 . One does wonder what the recommended COVID-19 vaccine will look like 3 years from now. Apparently there will be multiple vaccines with different recommendations in different circumstances.
Vaccine choice: https://www.wsj.com/articles/can-you-choose-which-covid-19-vaccine-you-get-11614006540 .
Speedy approval for modified vaccines: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/modified-covid-19-vaccines-may-get-nod-from-fda-without-repeating-full-trials/ar-BB1dV4vY?li=BBnb7Kz . This is very sensible for the mRNA vaccines, and possibly others. The chances of an adverse reaction are very low. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-looks-to-quickly-authorize-covid-19-vaccine-booster-shots-as-new-variants-emerge-11614028763 .
WSJ: Rheumatoid arthritis drug helps fight COVID: https://www.wsj.com/articles/rheumatoid-arthritis-drug-shows-promise-in-fighting-covid-19-11614029399 .
CDC study finds teachers key in school COVID transmissions: https://apnews.com/article/health-atlanta-marietta-coronavirus-pandemic-875e32c72af32f6e3380f5a938d9c516 . Once again, the variants have been shown to be more transmissible in women and children. This research is likely outdated by the variants. I continue to be disappointed in CDC’s lack of understanding of the threat the variants pose. There will be more needless deaths as a result.
Variant found in half of California cases: https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/02/22/worrisome-coronavirus-variant-now-linked-to-half-of-cases-in-california/ . This is exactly the concern about variants that the CDC is missing.
WSJ: Repurposing a test to find the UK variant: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-some-covid-19-tests-can-flag-a-key-variant-11613999269 .
Another new variant appears in UK: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-56082573 . Just as a reminder, new variants are not appearing because they’re under stress from vaccinations. They are appearing because of the incredibly high COVID viral load in the global population.
WSJ: Variant virus graphics: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-mutations-a-visual-guide-to-new-more-infectious-variants-11614014650 . Even to me, this seems pretty geeky.
Vaccinations reduce hospitalization risk: https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-scotland-vaccination/covid-vaccine-reducing-risk-of-hospitalisations-scottish-study-suggests-idUSL8N2KS2GZ . This article is a bit confusing as it is short on details. What it apparently means is that a person who is vaccinated has a substantially reduced risk of hospitalization. We would certainly expect that. An alternate interpretation would be that the introduction of vaccination has reduced hospitalization risk in the population. That is not correct.
As noted above, the variants remain a major risk for increasing cases and deaths. Even though hospitalizations are falling rapidly right now as more people are vaccinated, that is a coincidence. Vaccination levels must become much higher to significantly reduce spread. And the vaccines have reduced effectiveness against the variants. WSJ: Vaccines reduce UK cases: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccines-effectiveness-highlighted-by-u-k-data-11614008331 .
US vaccine access: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dr-atul-gawande-it-will-be-6-8-weeks-before-more-americans-can-access-vaccines-190624155.html .
WSJ: Penalties for vaccination refusal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/declining-a-covid-19-vaccine-risks-penalties-in-some-countries-11613998997 .
Vaccine generally recommended for cancer patients: https://www.cleveland.com/coronavirus/2021/02/should-cancer-patients-get-the-coronavirus-vaccine.html .
WSJ: Vaccination equality: https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-is-losing-its-campaign-to-vaccinate-racial-minorities-equitably-11614000939 .
WSJ: State-by-state vaccination guide (updated): https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-get-a-covid-19-vaccine-a-state-by-state-guide-11611703769 .
West Virginia’s vaccination success continues: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/02/22/968829227/west-virginias-vaccination-rate-ranks-among-highest-in-world .
Idaho legislating away the pandemic: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/feb/22/idaho-bill-appears-to-eliminate-coronavirus-as-an-/ . Now it’s (almost) officially a hoax. Mr. Potato Head says so.
Pfizer will provide 13 million weekly doses to US by mid-March: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-vaccines/pfizer-to-ship-13-million-covid-19-vaccine-doses-per-week-to-us-by-mid-march-says-executive-idUSKBN2AM2LW .
Biden opens up more small business pandemic lending: https://apnews.com/article/biden-boost-virus-lending-small-business-c70fb4d1f101bb5a7f0b10da39fdb988 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ppp-to-offer-exclusive-covid-19-loan-application-window-for-smallest-businesses-11613988003 .
Details from the House relief bill: https://www.npr.org/2021/02/22/970122376/highlights-from-the-house-covid-bill . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-relief-bill-moves-closer-to-house-vote-11614031875 .
WSJ: Biden plans sweeping recovery bill as follow-up to relief bill: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-prepares-for-sweeping-recovery-package-after-covid-19-relief-bill-11613999255 .
Millions of Texans still don’t have safe drinking water: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/millions-texans-still-without-safe-drinking-water-after-winter-storm-n1258476 . Texas continues to look like a third world country.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
US Supreme Court ends Republican 2020 election challenges: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-election/u-s-supreme-court-formally-pulls-the-plug-on-election-related-cases-idUSKBN2AM1S1 . As the article indirectly suggests, the court should have disposed of these cases some time back. Disposition before January 6 would have been preferable, but certainly by January 20. As to Thomas’ comment about whether election rules can be set by non-legislators, of course the answer is yes. This is part of the job description of state secretaries of state. Always, administrative officials implement legislation – that is the concept of administrative rules.
Supreme Court lets OJ’s tax records go to the federal prosecutor: https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-donald-trump-tax-rercords-3aee14146906351ee9dd34aa7b6f4386 . No surprise here. This is another case that should have been disposed of much earlier. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-approves-subpoena-for-trumps-financial-records-11614005309 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/getting-trump-tax-returns-is-victory-for-manhattan-prosecutors-11614037615 .
OJ’s tax problems: (see ap link in prior paragraph; link to NY Times article dropped 4/11/21) … are huge. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-trumps-tax-returns-might-be-important-to-new-york-prosecutors-11614030995 .
Police participation in January 6 insurrection under review: https://apnews.com/article/us-police-capitol-riot-980545361a10fff982676d42b79b84ab (note that this article is from late January).
My Pillow in hot water: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-dominion/voting-machine-company-sues-my-pillow-and-its-pro-trump-chief-over-election-claims-idUSKBN2AM1LT . Defamation is not protected speech. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/dominion-sues-mypillow-ceo-mike-lindell-over-election-claims-11613996104 .
CPAC disinvites speaker with anti-Semitic views: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/539952-cpac-disinvites-speaker-over-reprehensible-views-of-jewish-people . So why is Orange Julius the featured speaker? Racism against other races is okay?