Vaccine hesitancy versus vaccine resistance: https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/09/politics/vaccine-hesitant-analysis/index.html . While the vaccine resistant are heavily Republican, the vaccine hesitant are more politically disconnected.
Vaccine hesitancy increased by J&J pause: https://www.wsj.com/articles/j-j-vaccine-pause-stoked-hesitancy-that-threatens-covid-19-vaccination-drive-11620561601 . This was expected and has been previously reported.
US pandemic coming under control, says White House COVID czar: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-turning-corner-coronavirus-pandemic-white-houses-zients-2021-05-09/ . I hope so, but we just don’t know enough about the variants yet.
COVID variants surging in Florida: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/florida-reports-10000-covid-19-variant-cases-surge/story?id=77553100 . This data was apparently released only after litigation against the DeMentis administration. Since genomic sequencing apparently remains quite limited, there is not a clear picture of the variant situation. However, the UK, South African and Brazilian variants are all present, with the UK variant apparently predominating. If genomic sequencing is increasing (it is supposed to be), the actual speed of the surge is difficult to estimate.
Latest news on booster development and roll-out: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9557277/High-risk-groups-expected-receive-booster-shot-COVID-vaccine.html . One critical topic that is not being discussed is the allocation of production facilities. Boosters will likely displace vaccine production. The issue then becomes the extent to which booster production protects the already vaccinated versus the need for global immunization. Multivalent vaccines are an excellent option depending on production requirements. We need to know more about the variants.
Making vaccination mandatory: https://money.yahoo.com/can-your-employer-require-a-covid-19-vaccine-153756639.html . This is a logical step looking only at public health. However, with the politicization of masks, few employers will be willing to stir discontent with a vaccination mandate. Employers most likely to do this would be health providers, like hospitals and doctor and dentist offices.
Physician gone astray: https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/552379-we-need-covid-19-vaccine-requirements-now-not-just-recommendations . This is remarkably tone-deaf for someone with the author’s resume. Voluntary mask-wearing is not causing any problems. Gathering unmasked in large groups with strangers is. The imposition of requirements pisses off everyone. Let’s see if Biden can achieve a 70% immunization rate among adults, and have this conversation again in two months. And we need to know more about the variants.
Vax Live concert raises over $300 million for global vaccine distribution: https://www.npr.org/2021/05/08/995112377/celebrities-push-for-vaccine-equity-at-vax-live-benefit-concert .
Scientific American’s weekly COVID news round-up: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coronavirus-news-roundup-may-1-may-7/ .
Fauci says vaccinations are the end game for India’s pandemic: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/vaccinations-end-game-covid-19-crisis-india-fauci/story?id=77577197 . First, India’s response to the pandemic has been even more incompetent than the US response. The virus has been out there for over a year. India celebrated “victory” over the pandemic earlier this year. It encouraged mass gatherings (like millions of people). Secondly, the world’s largest vaccine producer has inoculated only 2% of its population. At 3 million vaccinations a day (which would be remarkable), it would take over 10 months for India to achieve a 70% vaccination rate. And then there are the variants.
India’s pandemic is crushing the government, not the other way around: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/17/the-politics-behind-indias-covid-crisis .
WHO fiddles as India burns: https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/coronavirus-cases-still-surging-india . I am becoming increasingly frustrated with WHO’s chief scientist. She needs to stop giving speculative interviews until she has some actual data to share.
India fiddles as India burns: https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-covid-19-surged-indian-teachers-died-after-working-elections-11620558475 . The idea that 2,000 government employees died from conducting elections in one state is horrifying and tragic. Modi increasingly looks incompetent.
Spain parties as 11 pm curfew lifted: https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/09/europe/spain-covid-curfew-party-intl-scli/index.html . Gee, I wonder what will happen next. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. This, by the way, is not an Einstein quote – it apparently comes from a 1983 mystery novel.
Liz Cheney vote/ouster is Wednesday: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/05/09/liz-cheney-republicans-take-sides-movement-oust-her/5013602001/ . There is no apparent support for Cheney in the Republican House (Kinzinger does not count), so she’s out. It’s interesting that Stepanik now has competition to replace Cheney. We’ll find out what Trump’s endorsement of Stepanik means. Banks has his own problems: https://www.thedailybeast.com/chris-wallace-confronts-gop-rep-jim-banks-asks-him-is-it-a-lie-the-election-was-stolen .
NRCC withholds poor Orange Julius polling numbers: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/house-gop-campaign-officials-withheld-poor-trump-poll-numbers-from-lawmakers-at-recent-florida-retreat-report/ar-BB1gxDdS?li=BBnb7Kz . This is more evidence of a GOP echo chamber. Removing Liz Cheney from leadership is not going to help with this problem.
Knowledgeable pollster lays out Democratic strategic for 2022: https://www.msnbc.com/the-sunday-show/watch/trump-republican-party-must-be-2022-ballot-referendums-for-democrats-to-keep-house-expert-says-111596613877 . The details of the message in this video are worthwhile. November 2022 is still a political eternity away. But there are certain realities the Democrats must accept in the House races. Hyper-partisanship will continue, regardless of Biden’s unity message. The issue will be turnout. Republicans are motivated by anger. Democrats will be best motivated by fear of Trump (2020), hopefully joined by approval of Biden’s path and accomplishments.
Note to China: Please stop endangering everyone everywhere: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chinese-rocket-debris-reenter-atmosphere-indian-ocean/ . The map in this article indicates the rocket could have landed on any land mass in the world with latitude at or below the US-Canadian border (the 49th parallel). Friday night, the prediction for impact was near New Zealand’s North Island (Pacific Ocean). Splashdown was north of the Maldives (Indian Ocean), near Sri Lanka, a distance of over 7,000 miles. Lack of control to this level of variability is phenomenally irresponsible.
More (actually less) from WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-rocket-returns-to-earth-over-indian-ocean-11620536102 . “Miniscule risk” is not the point. Responsible behavior is the point. The comments in my note above are based on simple Internet research. Is critical thought passé at the Journal? Oh, right, they’re owned by Murdoch …