US COVID deaths continue decline: https://consumer.healthday.com/4-30-covid-cases-continue-steady-drop-in-u-s-2652834159.html. This article is factually accurate but may still mislead people into thinking the pandemic is over. The CNN reporting from which it draws is more balanced: https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/30/health/covid-19-deaths-declining-vaccines-cnn-analysis/index.html .
US vaccination increases become harder: https://www.axios.com/covid-vaccines-hundred-milliion-a6d33ff2-0a45-4e98-8650-485500a6d7f4.html . This article should clarify that it is focusing on adults. When a vaccine is authorized for children, I expect at least half of the 80 million children will be vaccinated fairly rapidly. This may also encourage parents to have the whole family vaccinated.
WSJ: The shift in the US vaccine fight: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-faces-covid-19-vaccine-hesitancy-variants-after-first-100-days-11619787621 . Not really. Biden had to focus on vaccinations because that’s the only tool the Orange Julius goofballs left him. And Biden juiced it up by using the Defense Production Act. Now he can focus on the other known problems of the pandemic.
WSJ: The world’s vaccine supply chain: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-covid-19-vaccine-club-how-the-worlds-biggest-producers-depend-on-each-other-11619775001 . This powerfully demonstrates the need for global trade without artificial barriers (like tariffs).
Scientific American’s coronavirus news round-up April 24 – 30: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coronavirus-news-roundup-april-24-ndash-april-30/ .
Pfizer will begin shipping vaccines to Canada: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-pfizer-start-shipping-coronavirus-200045330.html .
WSJ: AstraZeneca lost money on its COVID vaccine: https://www.wsj.com/articles/astrazeneca-lost-money-on-its-covid-19-vaccine-11619771934 . You have to have very poor business execution to lose money on a vaccine in a global pandemic. AstraZeneca wins this booby prize.
WSJ: Sputnik sputters in Hungary: https://www.wsj.com/articles/sputnik-campaign-fails-to-launch-in-hungary-11619790776 .
India’s government ignored its own scientific panel: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-04-30/exclusive-scientists-say-india-government-ignored-warnings-amid-coronavirus-surge .
India now faces vaccine shortages: https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/17/india/covid-vaccine-shortage-covishield-covaxin-intl-hnk-dst/index.html . India was exporting vaccines early in the pandemic. That seems to have been an error. More seriously, they have vaccinated less than 2% of their population over a year after the stat of the pandemic. As the world’s largest vaccine producer, this seems negligent. WSJ:
More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/indias-covid-19-surge-worsens-as-nation-stumbles-in-vaccine-expansion-11619798259 .
WSJ: Updated info on India’s double mutant virus: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-we-know-about-indias-double-mutant-covid-19-variant-11619193481 . This article suggests there is extensive genomic sequencing in India, which is contrary to other recent reports.
The global economic threat of India’s pandemic: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2021-04-30/4-reasons-why-indias-covid-crisis-will-derail-the-world-economy . While this may be true, the world should focus on the massive humanitarian crisis this represents.
US sends senior diplomat to India: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/551285-state-department-deploys-top-diplomat-to-india-amid-coronavirus .
India and Brazil continue to stagger under COVID: https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/30/world/coronavirus-newsletter-intl-04-30-21/index.html . More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/04/30/brazil-coronavirus-bolsonaro-india-vaccine/ .
Brazil’s pandemic rages on: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/04/29/992243462/brazil-covid-19-deaths-top-400-000-amid-fears-of-worsening-crisis .
Coronavirus is seasonal?: https://www.livescience.com/climate-covid-19-seasonal-spread.html . Nope. We followed this discussion last year, consistently concluding there was no evidence of seasonality. Now we are seeing a massive wave of infections in India, where most of the country has tropical or subtropical temperatures. If this study is rerun with data through July, I expect their claim of seasonality will disappear.
WSJ: Using apps to judge consumer behavior: https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-covid-19-fading-from-our-lives-consumer-app-use-provides-clues-11619775000 . This would have increased validity if apps measured all consumer behavior, which they don’t.
WSJ: COVID and food delivery: https://www.wsj.com/articles/for-food-delivery-covid-19-was-a-sugar-high-11619780401 . Analysis of this type needs to start with the central question. To what extent will pandemic customers continue with food delivery after the pandemic? There is no obviously relevant information on this question in the article. So, believe any of this at your own peril.
Untraceable variant found in Hong Kong: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/hong-kong-detects-untraceable-coronavirus-variant/2225357 .
Should the US military require vaccination?: https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2021-04-30/biden-faces-legal-political-complications-in-mandating-coronavirus-vaccine-for-troops . The lack of vaccination presents an obvious military readiness issue.
Should colleges require vaccination?: https://news.yahoo.com/should-colleges-require-students-to-get-the-covid-vaccine-150729844.html . My view is yes. Colleges should provide a safe environment. Student options include delaying their education for a semester, using remote learning, or attending an institution which does not require vaccination and then transferring their credits.
US limits travel from India effective Tuesday, May 5: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-restrict-travel-india-amid-coronavirus-surge-n1266004 .
WSJ: US household income jumps: https://www.wsj.com/articles/consumer-spending-personal-income-march-2021-11619732790 . This is Biden’s plan: put money in regular people’s hands and they will stimulate the economy. This is why he said, “Trickle-down economics doesn’t work.”
WSJ: Is China’s COVID recovery slowing?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-economic-recovery-from-covid-19-shows-signs-of-slowing-11619762597 .
WSJ: When will the EU economy recover?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/europe-enters-recession-but-accelerating-covid-19-vaccine-campaign-drives-optimism-11619783413 .
Is Orange Julius giving Georgia to the Democrats, again?: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/shell-shock-and-trump-favorite-herschel-walker-make-top-tier-republicans-demur-from-challenging-warnock/ar-BB1geyI3?li=BBnb7Kz . Picture a Ralph Warnock – Herschel Walker debate. Among the many things OJ doesn’t have is a grasp of reality.
McConnell throws stuff at the wall to see what will stick: https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/180108 (link replaced 5/29/21). McConnell denies the existence of systemic racism in the US? It does exists, and children should be taught all the ways it’s been done historically and currently. And that is a long list. More: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2021-04-30/republicans-ask-biden-to-withdraw-divisive-proposal-to-teach-more-black-history . I agree with these sentences in the Republican letter: “Young Americans deserve a rigorous understanding of civics and American history. They need to understand both our successes and our failures.” That’s exactly why systemic racism must be exposed to them. More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/there-is-not-systemic-racism-says-a-governor-who-named-april-as-confederate-heritage-month/ar-BB1gdTUG?li=BBnb7Kz .
Rudy gets more bizarre: https://www.yahoo.com/now/rudy-giuliani-tells-tucker-carlson-what-happened-during-fbi-raid-bizarre-interview-080611739.html . There is a legal term for this – circling the drain. The empanelment of a grand jury tells you charges are coming. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/rudy-giulianis-contacts-with-former-ukrainian-officials-sought-11619823795 . The details in this article are useful in understanding the arc of this case.
Severe sentence recommended for Chauvin: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2021/04/30/prosecutors-say-former-police-officer-derek-chauvin-should-get-unusually-high-sentence-because-gratu/4900238001/ . Was the defense attorney misquoted? The presence of children is an aggravating factor. At least one testified at the trial. You can’t get more proof than that.
WSJ: Here come 90 new airlines: https://www.wsj.com/articles/more-than-90-new-airlines-are-launching-in-2021-they-say-its-the-perfect-time-11619793036 . The industry is obviously carrying considerable debt burden and operating losses. If these airlines can time their rollouts properly, they have a real chance of remaking the industry.