The one-and-done mentality: https://www.pharmacist.com/Pharmacy-News/one-and-done-why-people-are-eager-for-johnson-johnsons-vaccine (link replaced 5/8/21).
Texas Governor Abbott orders up fourth COVID wave: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/us-flirting-with-covid-4th-wave-by-lifting-restrictions-experts-warn-205608709.html . Flirting? This is a full embrace. Will you be attending the funerals, Governor? Didn’t think so.
Neanderthal museum weighs in on Biden’s criticism of Abbott: https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/541671-neanderthal-museum-weighs-in-on-biden-mask-comments . In other words, science demonstrates Greg Abbott is stupider than a Neanderthal.
Marsha Blackburn makes move to head Neanderthal Party: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/541654-marsha-blackburn-biden-needs-to-rethink-comments-about-resilient-and . The party of Orange Julius has been reduced to nonsensical sniping. What do they stand FOR?
West Texas healthcare workers respond: https://www.newschannel10.com/2021/03/05/west-texas-healthcare-workers-react-covid-restrictions-being-loosened/ . Poor governance has consequences.
DeMentis accused in “pay-for-poke” scheme: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article249690363.html .
Vaccine access grows: https://apnews.com/article/states-rapidly-expanding-vaccine-access-696b0cdc707eab3c5d706f1dd21799fa . Experts say we may have enough vaccine for every US adult by mid- to late April: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/03/04/covid-19-vaccine-joe-biden-promise-coronavirus/6896798002/ .
Detroit mayor declines J&J doses: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/04/health/detroit-mayor-johnson-and-johnson-vaccine/index.html . Apparently he is not interested in statewide office. The people who make the vaccine in Grand Rapids cannot be happy with this.
Path cleared for quicker booster shots: https://thehill.com/policy/international/541563-regulators-in-five-nations-ease-rules-for-developing-modified-vaccines .
One Arizona county moves to Phase 2 distribution: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/04/health/gila-county-arizona-vaccine-trnd/index.html . Is this because there is a high level of vaccine skepticism in the county? Does that make the skeptics Gila Monsters?
Vaccine side-effects generally mild: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/covid-19-vaccines-cause-mostly-mild-side-effects-cdc-finds-223027833.html . This is in line with previous studies and reports.
Moderna skin reaction can occur up to 11 days after vaccination: https://bestlifeonline.com/covid-vaccine-skin-reaction-news/ . The reaction is no worse and typically milder with the second dose: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/03/03/covid-study-moderna-arm-vaccine-rash-no-worse-second-shot/6887483002/ . More: https://www.self.com/story/covid-arm-study .
Escape from New York: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/one-year-since-pandemic-hit-new-york-new-strain-emerges-in-upper-manhattan-155652651.html . The new strain is spreading rapidly.
Does COVID cause auto-immune disorders?: https://www.deseret.com/u-s-world/2021/3/4/22313326/covid-symptoms-immune-system-attack . The grammar in this article is rather rough. Apparently the author would be better suited to writing about cooking (Herb Scribner).
New study confirms variant concerns: https://consumer.healthday.com/b-3-4-more-data-suggests-new-coronavirus-variants-weaken-vaccines-treatments-2650893963.html . Booster shots are in our future.
Latest insights on COVID: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/new-things-covid-february-2021_l_603fc324c5b682971504c1d8 . As to #3, no, dammit. Look at #2. They are called variants for a reason. We really have multiple parts of this pandemic. For each variant, travel limits can slow its progress in the early stages. Travel limits do work if you think of each variant separately. If we really wanted to follow public health principles, we would have extensive genomic sequencing followed by contact tracing and isolation. Of course, we are too stupid to do the obvious, after a year and over 500,000 deaths.
Fever scanners can be wildly inaccurate: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/those-fever-scanners-that-everyone-is-using-to-fight-covid-can-be-wildly-inaccurate-researchers-find/ar-BB1eg7x9?li=BBnb7Kz .
Testing to keep schools open: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/03/coronavirus-testing-just-might-keep-schools-pandemic-safe/618197/ .
COVID make you want to scream? Here’s the test for you: https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-netherlands-scream/scream-not-swab-dutch-inventor-hopes-he-discovered-new-covid-test-idUSL5N2L02HA . How is the booth disinfected?
COVID drug testing at a standstill: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/03/international-megatrial-coronavirus-treatments-standstill . We have reported various promising drugs, but without an advocate they are failing to move forward. Existing anti-inflammatory steroids are an obvious place to look.
NY nursing home deaths data scandal grows: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/cuomos-advisers-covered-up-high-nursing-home-death-tolls-by-pushing-ny-health-officials-to-alter-reports/ar-BB1egkn2?li=BBnb7Kz . It seems the roof has fallen in on Andrew Cuomo. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/cuomo-advisers-altered-report-on-covid-19-nursing-home-deaths-11614910855 .
Cuban vaccine moves to Phase III trial: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210304-cuban-developed-vaccine-enters-phase-iii-trial . Will Cuba become a vaccine exporter?
Canada moves to maximization of first dose strategy: https://bgr.com/2021/03/04/coronavirus-vaccine-protocol-canada-4-months/ . Maybe we can help them out in a couple of months (see “vaccine access”, above).
WSJ: Vaccine manufacturing deal announced in Europe: https://www.wsj.com/articles/novartis-to-help-make-curevac-covid-19-vaccine-11614859271 .
Italy blocks AstraZeneca shipment to Australia: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/italy-blocks-australias-astrazeneca-vaccines-under-eu-rule/ar-BB1eeMBC?li=BBnb7Kz . This is interesting, especially given skepticism about this vaccine in the EU. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/eu-and-italy-block-export-of-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-to-australia-11614875649 .
Israel continues to see cases drop: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/coronavirus-in-israel-4143-new-cases-severe-cases-drop-below-700-660924 . I am very interested to see if any of the variants now emerge in Israel. If they have contact tracing, they have a chance to maintain control.
Egypt to charge for COVID vaccine: https://www.wsj.com/articles/egypt-to-charge-many-residents-for-covid-19-vaccine-11614859201 . This seems quite dangerous.
Cases spike in Papua New Guinea: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/covid-spike-in-pacific-nation-raises-fear-of-regional-spread/ar-BB1edST7?li=BBnb7Kz .
The next heavyweight title fight announced: Pfizer vs. South African variant: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/05/how-the-different-covid-vaccines-will-handle-variants.html (link replaced 3/21/21).
Another contender awaits: the Brazilian variant: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/the-coronavirus-variant-first-found-in-brazil-may-spread-more-easily-or-reinfect-people-whove-already-had-the-virus-researchers-say-10-cases-have-been-confirmed-in-the-us/ar-BB1ef5BU?li=BBnb7Kz .
And now … the Russian variant: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-04/coronavirus-queensland-russian-variant-covid-explained/13191522 . Its official name is B.1.1.317.
WSJ: Athletes’ hearts do well after COVID: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-heart-complications-myocarditis-exercise-study-sports-11614871544 .
Great apes at San Diego Zoo receive vaccine: https://apnews.com/article/wildlife-animals-san-diego-wildlife-health-coronavirus-pandemic-7ea19a5d51e268276cef38b420cdceb4 . We humans have interesting vaccine priorities. Is this based on their prisoner status?
WSJ: The COVID baby bust has arrived: https://www.wsj.com/articles/egypt-to-charge-many-residents-for-covid-19-vaccine-11614859201 .
Progress toward a universal flu vaccine: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/03/04/universal-flu-vaccine-study-suggests-protection-may-possible/6883894002/ .
WSJ: Jobless claims remain at record levels: https://www.wsj.com/articles/weekly-jobless-claims-coronavirus-03-04-2021-11614811082 .
Meanwhile, the stimulus package is delayed as Ron “Jerkface” Johnson demands Senate clerk read 600-page bill out loud. WSJ: More on stimulus package details: https://www.wsj.com/articles/stimulus-update-biden-covid-19-relief-package-11614095748 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-poised-to-move-ahead-with-covid-19-aid-bill-11614784868 . And: https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-prepare-to-advance-covid-19-aid-bill-11614877012 .
WSJ: Wind power generators in Texas face bankruptcy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/wind-power-was-thriving-in-texas-then-came-the-freeze-11614871347 . Gee, there was a really good argument for cold-proofing your turbines after all. More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/texas-overcharged-16-billion-for-power-during-freeze-monitor-says-11614894714 . The litigation will continue for years.
Major New Zealand earthquake apparently causes little damage: https://apnews.com/article/new-zealand-earthquake-tsunami-warning-215ef80cf3eb9b2638d12bc81ed3e254 .