Nevada opens vaccinations to everyone over 16: https://apnews.com/article/seoul-discrimination-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-south-korea-b3fafd5403d760c81d31ebab852daa74 . Alaska did the same a week ago: https://apnews.com/article/seoul-discrimination-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-south-korea-b3fafd5403d760c81d31ebab852daa74 . More: https://consumer.healthday.com/3-17-states-expand-vaccine-access-to-more-americans-2651112245.html .
Natural immunity after infection lower in those over age 65: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/17/older-people-more-likely-to-catch-covid-a-second-time . This is another powerful argument for vaccinating the oldest citizens first.
CDC says two California variants now “of concern”: https://www.sacbee.com/news/coronavirus/article250011154.html . The pandemic is not close to over.
WSJ: UK strain gaining in US: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-covid-19-strain-might-account-for-25-to-30-of-u-s-cases-11615944351 . More info on the story reported here yesterday.
US COVID infection to case ratio down to 2: https://www.sciencealert.com/antibody-study-shows-that-the-us-might-have-double-the-covid-19-cases-reported . As of March 17, the US has had about 30.3 million cases, putting us at 60.6 million infections, which is less than 20% of the population. Relative to past estimates, that seems a bit low. It certainly represents almost no progress toward herd immunity without the vaccines.
Two mouthwashes found to disrupt coronavirus in the lab: https://www.futurity.org/mouthwash-sars-cov-2-virus-2533542-2/ .
WSJ: Getting vaccines to rural America: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccines-reach-the-most-remote-americans-11615982401 .
School coronavirus relief funds released: https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2021-03-17/education-department-releases-122-billion-in-coronavirus-relief-funds-to-states . Again, the variants appear to be more contagious in young children than the original strain.
WSJ: School COVID testing funds: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to-give-10-billion-to-schools-for-covid-19-testing-11615996819 .
WSJ: Florida schools reopened successfully: https://www.wsj.com/articles/florida-schools-reopened-without-becoming-covid-19-superspreaders-11615973402 . We will see what happens if variants become prevalent in Florida. Vaccination of children is looking like fall at the earliest.
Europe battered by another COVID surge: https://apnews.com/article/europe-coronavirus-surge-cautionary-tale-for-us-051e996d5b7e31711bb741e2f9ba724f . The US is placing too much reliance on vaccination alone.
WSJ: Vaccine export issues raising EU-UK tensions: https://www.wsj.com/articles/eu-threatens-tightening-vaccine-export-ban-11615985024 . Part of what is fueling Asia’s current rise is foolish infighting in Europe.
EU announces coronavirus passport: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-03-17/european-union-announces-coronavirus-passport-to-allow-free-travel-in-bloc . Given my belief that a booster shot or shots will be necessary to corral COVID, the passport strikes me as a bad idea. More: https://www.politico.eu/article/commission-tries-to-rescue-the-summer-with-coronavirus-travel-certificate/ . If this step is viewed simply as setting up a uniform administrative framework pending developments, it is certainly preferable to a variety of rules. But it still seems premature. Still more: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/03/17/978188017/eu-officials-propose-digital-travel-certificates-vaccination-not-required .
WSJ: Vaccination cards: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ticket-passport-add-a-covid-vaccination-card-to-the-list-of-must-have-travel-documents-11615973400 . Nope. The vaccination cards are non-secure documents and are easily faked.
WSJ: The WHO investigation in China: https://www.wsj.com/articles/who-china-hunt-covid-origins-11616004512 . This is a long article short on new information.
India backs AstraZeneca shot: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-india-cases/india-backs-astrazeneca-shot-as-covid-19-cases-hit-three-month-high-idUSKBN2B90GS . More: https://www.ft.com/content/95d39da0-5fdd-4062-8af1-1cb59d435f6a . India appears to be facing a major surge in cases.
WSJ: South Asian child deaths may have increased during pandemic due to lack of medical care access: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-restrictions-may-have-led-to-rise-in-child-deaths-in-south-asia-11615987388 . Being poor is a comorbidity.
Will COVID become seasonal?: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/coronavirus-will-prove-to-be-seasonal-if-it-persists-for-many-years-un-2393191 . Sigh. There is no current evidence of seasonality. The example of influenza is in my view only mildly relevant. We do know that transmission increases in indoor settings involving prolonged exposure. That alone does not demonstrate seasonality. NDTV is New Delhi Television.
WSJ: Worldwide supply chain problems: https://www.wsj.com/articles/everywhere-you-look-the-global-supply-chain-is-a-mess-11616019081 .
Tanzania’s president dies, age 61: https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-tanzania-president-mangufuli/obituary-tanzanias-bulldozer-president-and-covid-19-sceptic-dies-idUSKBN2B9323 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/tanzanias-president-john-magufuli-dies-at-age-61-11616016509 .
IRS delays 2020 tax deadline to May 17: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/irs-plans-to-delay-tax-deadline-to-may-15-183651705.html . Note that those taking the standard deduction are allowed a $300 charitable deduction write-off for 2020. State tax deadlines may or may not be extended. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/irs-said-to-delay-tax-filing-deadline-until-mid-may-11616005038 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/may-17-is-the-new-irs-tax-filing-deadlineheres-what-you-need-to-know-11616024654 .
WSJ: House revives ERA: https://www.wsj.com/articles/house-democrats-to-vote-on-equal-rights-amendments-deadline-11615980866 .
Republicans: We lost on stimulus: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/17/gop-biden-covid-bill-476601 . Yes, and the people who need help got it. The Republicans still fail to grasp that immediate action was required for those out of work with unemployment benefits expiring. They are now trying to pick a fight on using stimulus money to reduce taxes. That’s not where the American people are: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/543559-republican-attorneys-general-threaten-action-on-stimulus . No one knows what the Republican Party is for right now. Their press is incompetence (Texas grid), lack of compassion (Flyin’ Ted Cruz) and racism (Ron Johnson).
WSJ: Republicans accept earmarks: https://www.wsj.com/articles/house-republicans-lift-partys-ban-on-earmarks-11616005587 .
Tax fraud litigation heating up: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/taxes/tax-fraud-on-green-land-spurs-crackdown-the-irs-hates-these/ar-BB1eFSLm?li=BBnb7Kz . Note how this dovetails with the real estate tax frauds being pressed against Orange Julius.
The filibuster nose count: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/power-up-only-roughly-a-fifth-of-senate-democrats-are-committed-to-totally-scrapping-the-filibuster/ar-BB1eFU8L?li=BBnb7Kz . To say the least, this count is in flux. I don’t see how the Democrats can get much else done without eliminating (not curtailing) the filibuster. And they were not elected to sit on their hands. Given the flood of voter suppression proposals from Republican state legislators, there are certainly not 10 GOP votes to enact voting rights legislation. Again, I see this as the primary battle of the Biden presidency: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/17/politics/us-senate-voting-rights-legislation/index.html .
However, the politics on the Democratic side look to be to go in steps. The talking filibuster and/or a specific exception for voting rights legislation are the most likely initial steps. Right now I’d favor the specific exception. It gets voting rights done, and we don’t have to listen to Ted Cruz et al. More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democrats-seize-on-bidens-embrace-of-changing-the-filibuster/ar-BB1eHmAM?li=BBnb7Kz . Still more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/543750-filibuster-fight-looms-as-biden-leans-in .
A Feinstein exit strategy?: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/543590-feinsteins-husband-eyeing-ambassadorship-report .
So how bad were things on January 6?: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/17/police-released-violent-capitol-riot-suspect-476749 . Really, really bad. The Capitol Police were completely overwhelmed.
WSJ: Little advance planning for January 6 identified by prosecutors: https://www.wsj.com/articles/capitol-riot-cases-show-scant-evidence-of-advance-plans-to-breach-the-capitol-11615991681 . A crime of opportunity is still a crime.
The Atlanta shootings: https://www.npr.org/2021/03/16/978024380/8-women-shot-to-death-at-atlanta-massage-parlors-man-arrested (link replaced 5/8/21). We await further information before concluding this is for sure a racially motivated hate crime: https://apnews.com/article/georgia-massage-parlor-shootings-leave-8-dead-f3841a8e0215d3ab3d1f23d489b7af81 . However, the most obvious comparison is to the 2015 Mother Emmanuel shootings in Charleston. Dylann Roof was sentenced to death in federal court in January 2017. He remains in federal prison. More: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/16/us/metro-atlanta-spa-shootings-what-we-know/index.html .