COVID surges in Missouri: https://ktvz.com/health/cnn-health/2021/07/01/officials-blame-delta-variant-for-covid-19-surge-in-missouri-2/ . But Delta is just beginning its march through the unvaccinated. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/delta-variant-fuels-missouris-covid-19-uptick-11625304601 .
Moderna has 24 mRNA vaccines under study: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/03/how-moderna-made-its-mrna-covid-vaccine-so-quickly-noubar-afeyan.html . Again, vaccination will be revolutionized in the next few years.
Telemedicine expanded on the coasts during pandemic: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2021-07-02/telehealth-use-jumped-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic . It’s not immediately obvious why this approach wouldn’t have grown as rapidly in the “fly-over states”. Possibly it is a lack of internet services in rural areas.
Zoo animals vaccinated: https://apnews.com/article/oakland-bears-lifestyle-business-philanthropy-5c763425f48ca5047fa94bb4b7e44431 (link replaced 10/29/21). You realize that this is to protect them from human COVID. It’s already too late to protect them from humans.
Epsilon variant has mutations that evade antibodies: https://newsroom.uw.edu/news/epsilon-variant-mutations-contribute-covid-immune-evasion . Again, the pandemic is far from over.
Chinese vaccine efficacy questioned again: https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/02/china/vaccines-sinovac-sinopharm-intl-hnk-dst/index.html . Note that Sinovac had 50% efficacy against symptomatic infection in Brazilian trials. That is at the very low end of vaccine efficacy, even before we recognize that up to 40% of COVID infections are asymptomatic. CNN seems to be missing the point here.
“Black fungus” striking India’s COVID patients now found in Afghanistan and Egypt: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-07-03/afghanistan-finds-deadly-fungal-infection-in-covid-patients . The mortality rate is 50% when the two diseases combine.
“Herd stupidity” in Indonesia: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-04/indonesia-herd-stupidity-epidemiologist-covid-19-coronavirus/100260404 . Amen, brother, you are preaching to the choir here.
COVID surges in Iran: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/07/03/world/covid-19-vaccine-coronavirus-updates . Iran is calling this their fifth wave.
COVID surges in Russia: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/4/russias-covid-death-toll-hits-record-high-for-fifth-day .
The lab leak theory gains traction: https://news.yahoo.com/lab-leak-theory-once-political-dynamite-gains-credibility-201329270.html . First, the modeling of the ACE2 connectivity is interesting, but it’s not that convincing to me. Second, of more interest is a comment about 2/3 of the way through the article. The furin cleavage site in COVID contains a genetic sequence known as double CGG. While this sequence is rarely found in nature, it is apparently common in lab-created viruses. Here is the WSJ article referred to: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-science-suggests-a-wuhan-lab-leak-11622995184 (note that this was published as opinion).
Return to employment primarily slowed by health concerns: https://money.yahoo.com/health-fears-may-be-holding-workers-back-more-than-unemployment-benefits-192418855.html . A corollary is that Republicans governors re-opening early has (and will) prolong the pandemic. The fantasy land that Republicans live in will literally start killing its residents. And the unemployment termination looks more and more like pure cruelty.
Friday’s ransomware attack hit at least 200 US companies: https://apnews.com/article/business-technology-3011c6037bda9ac11b1249a4beb13b06 . WSJ: And maybe many more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ransomware-group-behind-meat-supply-attack-threatens-hundreds-of-new-targets-11625285071 .
WSJ: The Vatican has a court. An indicted cardinal will appear before it: https://www.wsj.com/articles/vatican-indicts-cardinal-nine-other-people-in-london-real-estate-deal-11625320841 .
WSJ: Brazil opens criminal probe into vaccine procurement: https://www.wsj.com/articles/brazil-prosecutors-to-investigate-president-bolsonaro-over-vaccine-contract-irregularities-11625337818 .
Miami condo may have basic construction flaws: https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/condo-wreckage-hints-at-first-signs-of-possible-construction-flaw/ (link replaced 10/29/21). When these flaws can be see just from photos of the rubble, obviously there are major problems here. WSJ: Teardown of remaining standing structure to begin as early as Sunday, July 4: https://www.wsj.com/articles/miami-area-condo-collapse-building-demolition-to-start-sunday-11625329080 .
Racist police chief tossed out on his … ear: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ohio-police-chief-out-after-leaving-ku-klux-klan-note-n1273049 . First, I’ve never seen a police chief this far out of shape. Second, the guy’s an OJ voter, right? I’m not stereotyping him. I’m looking at the evidence. And third, part of that evidence is that, like OJ, Flyin’ Ted and so many others on the Dark Side, this guy just does not understand videotape. The chief of police does not understand the security system in his office.
Are both sides arming up for a race war?: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/what-to-know-about-rise-of-the-moors-an-armed-group-that-says-its-not-subject-to-us-law/ar-AALKrZ2?li=BBnb7Kz . While not stated directly in the article, this appears to be a black/brown militia. The Moors, of course, were black Muslims.
“Congratulations” to Pemex, which managed to set the ocean on fire: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/gulf-of-mexico-ocean-on-fire-after-pipeline-rupture-video-watched-20m-times/ar-AALJ0pd?li=BBnb7Kz .
Japanese-born pitcher/hitter is rewriting American baseball: https://sports.yahoo.com/shohei-ohtani-angels-30th-homer-babe-ruth-history-040143226.html . So, how do white supremacists deal with this foreign takeover of America’s pastime?
College athletics is now the Dash for Cash: https://sports.yahoo.com/hercy-miller-tennessee-state-master-p-son-web-apps-america-020307180.html . Really? This guy lands a $2 million deal and he hasn’t played in his first college game yet? Gee, what could go wrong? More: https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa-nil-fresno-state-cavinder-twins-boost-mobile-endorsement-female-athletes-benefit-103459408.html . Note that 8 of the 10 most-followed college basketball athletes on social media are women. Apparently none of them will make as much as Mr. Yet-to-Play. Somehow this reminds me of when the Trailblazers drafted injury-prone Sam Bowie (1984), skipping MICHAEL JORDAN. Irritated then, irritated now.
Lytton devastated by wildfire: https://apnews.com/article/canada-fires-18c33fd7699790ebc5768df04aa0a5fa . My concern for fire season in the Northwest continues to deepen. But right now we just need to make it past the idiots who will violate the fireworks ban for the Fourth.
January 6 closes the US Capitol for July 4: https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-07-03/closed-us-capitol-is-somber-backdrop-this-independence-day . Never forget: this is a battle for the soul of the nation.