News for July 26 — Vaccine Mandates Spread in US

Vaccine mandates spread in the US: https://news.yahoo.com/as-delta-variant-spreads-so-do-vaccine-mandates-203940945.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-to-require-citys-workers-get-covid-19-vaccine-or-be-tested-weekly-11627306868 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/healthcare-workers-ask-employers-to-mandate-covid-19-vaccines-11627323500 . Healthcare is logically the most appropriate place for an employer mandate. First, do no harm.

WSJ: School facemask debate: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-surge-prompts-schools-to-reconsider-face-mask-rules-for-fall-11627300800 . My view continues to be masks for all. This is science, public health and social responsibility. It is not individual rights.

WSJ: Lack of COVID drug therapies: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-treatment-delta-variant-cases-symptoms-11627312440 .

FDA asks Pfizer and Moderna to expand pediatric studies for COVID vaccines: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fda-asks-pfizer-moderna-expand-170515586.html . This feels like a delay in the approval process. Meanwhile, in-person schooling is not far away. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-asks-covid-19-vaccine-makers-to-expand-number-of-children-in-testing-11627334807 . Myocarditis remains a concern.

WSJ: Some vaccinated parents delay teens’ vaccination: https://www.wsj.com/articles/some-adolescents-arent-getting-vaccinated-as-wary-parents-weigh-risks-11627291801. So, how do you feel about your child having long COVID? This is poor comparative risk analysis. More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/long-covid-may-qualify-as-disability-biden-administration-says-11627321196 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/kids-the-delta-variant-and-vaccines-what-to-know-as-schools-reopen-11627291801 .

Newsom pushes vaccinations, criticizes far right misinformation: https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-health-california-coronavirus-pandemic-3ef865ae027551fd26f4bc1c22167c9b . Um, how exactly is this political? We all know it to be true. The GOP losers discouraging vaccination are implicated in the deaths of their followers.

WSJ: Booster shot debate: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-booster-11623421703 . This is a lot of words to say, “We don’t know”.

WSJ: Delta variant concerns lead US to continue international travel restrictions: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to-keep-covid-19-travel-restrictions-due-to-variant-official-says-11627309691 .

Medical bills mount in India: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/27/covid-pandemic-indians-medical-debts-healthcare . Note that $50,000 for COVID care is a bargain in comparison to US pricing.

COVID economics over saving lives: https://www.politico.eu/article/as-africa-tries-to-tap-promise-of-mrna-vaccines-coronavirus-covid19-pharma-pushes-back/ .

WSJ: Markets indicate that current inflation is temporary: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-key-gauge-of-future-inflation-is-easing-11627291800 .

WSJ: Aon-Willis deal folds under DOJ scrutiny: https://www.wsj.com/articles/aon-willis-deal-faced-high-hurdle-with-garland-heading-justice-department-11627330543 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/aon-willis-towers-watson-scrap-roughly-30-billion-merger-11627302853 .

Bipartisan infrastructure bill imperiled by GOP heel-dragging: https://news.yahoo.com/infrastructure-bill-on-the-rocks-as-gop-rejects-dem-compromise-194359742.html . You would think the GOP needs something to show voters other than wasting everyone’s time.

Last Miami condo collapse victim identified: https://apnews.com/article/florida-building-collapses-surfside-building-collapse-9937c7b2c5cc23056b837012b50b10f1 . So, 98 people died in their residences when no one figured out the building could collapse. This really is a horrible tragedy. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/last-victim-of-miami-area-condo-collapse-is-identified-bringing-death-toll-to-98-11627345069 .

NBC’s Olympics ratings still suck: https://deadline.com/2021/07/friday-ratings-tokyo-olympics-ratings-way-down-streaming-up-1234799453/ . This article introduces the additional factor of streaming. But there’s no getting around that TV Olympics viewership is down by more than half from 2012 to 2021. That’s 23 million viewers. If viewers no longer flock to large events on the networks, then the networks’ entire business model comes into question. And so does the business model of the Olympics. And by the way, NBC’s coverage sucks, too.

Media tells it like it is: Japan lied about Tokyo’s climate, and the IOC didn’t care: https://sports.yahoo.com/japan-lied-about-the-weather-and-now-olympians-are-paying-the-price-010612634.html . The IOC has put money above all else, including the athletes. Is it part of NBC’s deal that they don’t talk about this? This is the most disappointed I’ve ever been in an Olympics.

WSJ: Texas and Oklahoma leave Big 12: https://www.wsj.com/articles/texas-and-oklahoma-college-football-realignment-11627284977 . In big-money college athletics, this is still an earthquake of major proportions.