World faces fourth COVID wave: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/541825-world-on-brink-of-fourth-wave-of-coronavirus . And the US will not be spared.
WSJ: Companies begin inoculating employees: https://www.wsj.com/articles/having-trouble-getting-the-covid-vaccine-your-company-might-soon-offer-it-11615113001 .
CDC expands vaccine side effect guidance: https://bgr.com/2021/03/07/coronavirus-vaccine-side-effects-cdc-guidelines-update/ .
Virus variants and the pandemic endgame: https://www.newyorker.com/science/medical-dispatch/what-the-coronavirus-variants-mean-for-the-end-of-the-pandemic . The explanation of certain naming conventions is helpful. The article also repeats the common refrain that the virus may evolve to a less deadly form. So far the evidence is that the new dominant strains are more deadly.
Kamala Harris does COVID PSA ahead of NBA All Star Game: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-harris-vaccine/vp-harris-appeals-to-americans-to-take-covid-vaccine-in-nba-all-star-appearance-idUSKBN2B0053 . Finally, the government takes educating the public seriously. Outreach is the only way to even approach herd immunity.
Abbott rejects Biden help on COVID testing: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/immigration/2021/03/07/393031/gov-greg-abbott-rejects-aid-from-biden-administration-in-dispute-over-coronavirus-testing-for-migrants/ . This is irrational. It is part of the Republican attempt to turn the conversation to immigration. Note that the migrants show a lower positivity rate than Texas does statewide.
WSJ: Republican governors diverge on science vs. insanity: https://www.wsj.com/articles/republican-governors-diverge-over-covid-restrictions-as-experts-urge-caution-11615148035 .
WSJ: NYC COVID stories: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-changed-new-york-city-a-story-of-six-lives-11615125601 .
Update on Gila County’s broad vaccination eligibility: https://www.deseret.com/u-s-world/2021/3/7/22315241/covid-19-vaccine-arizona-county .
WSJ: Conflict at Oxford over vaccine IPO: https://www.wsj.com/articles/oxford-covid-19-vaccine-startup-in-conflict-with-university-ahead-of-planned-ipo-11615130558 .
German vaccine rollout criticized: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/07/europe/germany-vaccine-disaster-grm-intl/index.html .
Austria suspends AstraZeneca vaccine: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-austria-nurse/austria-suspends-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-batch-after-death-idUSKBN2AZ0AO . This is a completely appropriate precaution. It is unlikely that any causal link will be found. Unfortunately, this is likely to further increase skepticism about this vaccine.
WSJ: Russians promote vaccine skepticism online: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-disinformation-campaign-aims-to-undermine-confidence-in-pfizer-other-covid-19-vaccines-u-s-officials-say-11615129200 .
WSJ: Will US power world economy in 2021?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-disinformation-campaign-aims-to-undermine-confidence-in-pfizer-other-covid-19-vaccines-u-s-officials-say-11615129200 . It is hard to see this given the relative lack of damage COVID has caused in China.
Durbin adds momentum to dropping filibuster: https://www.newsweek.com/senate-leader-dick-durbin-sides-progressives-breaks-biden-ending-filibuster-1574356 . More: https://www.newsweek.com/senate-leader-dick-durbin-sides-progressives-breaks-biden-ending-filibuster-1574356 . HR 1 is the critical issue: https://www.msnbc.com/american-voices/watch/rep-clyburn-says-congress-can-t-let-filibuster-prevent-voting-rights-legislation-102248005513 . Republicans cannot be allowed to engage in open voter suppression any longer. Tossing the filibuster means all Democratic priorities are in play. We are at the start of the Biden presidency. Having the Democratic platform in place for 3+ years will make it impossible for Republicans to fully turn back the clock in the future.
WSJ: House expected to pass Senate-revised relief package: https://www.wsj.com/articles/after-delaying-covid-19-aid-bill-sen-joe-manchin-urges-bipartisanship-11615141905 .
House to vote on expanded gun background checks Wednesday: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-guns-congress/u-s-house-set-to-vote-on-bills-to-expand-gun-background-checks-idUSKBN2B0065 . Pelosi is passing a string of popular Democratic priorities.
Is McConnell looking to retire?: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/mcconnell-planning-an-escape-hatch-in-case-he-leaves-senate-before-term-expires-report-says/ar-BB1elgHI?li=BBnb7Kz . This will be a sea change for the Senate if McConnell bails out.
Hoorah! Received my first vaccine shot today. Arrived at the airport parking lot about 6:15 pm for my 6:30 appointment and was quickly cleared for the line-up. Two “paperwork” centers had 6 lanes each to check in people, two cars at a time in each lane. Clearing this line took about an hour. You also got an appointment for 28 days out (Moderna). The cars were then compressed to two lanes to head to the actual shot administration. This step took 45 minutes to get to the shot. There were twelve drive-thru tents, with shots administered while you sat in the car.
From here, you proceeded to a waiting area, where you had a timed exit after 15 minutes. The staff indicated they administered about 7,000 shots today.
The Moderna disclosure form listed the ingredients of the Moderna vaccine: mRNA (that’s the “active ingredient”, which mimics COVID’s spike protein genetic code), lipids (SM-102, PEG, DMG, cholesterol and DSPC) (that’s the fat which encases each mRNA strand), and tromethamine, tromethamine hydrochloride, acetic acid, sodium acetate and sucrose (these last ingredients are dissolved in water to form the liquid portion of the vaccine).