Child vaccine trial data submitted: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/pfizer-seeks-fda-authorization-covid-vaccine-children-ages-5-11-n1279939 . This creates the possibility of EUA approval before Halloween. But WSJ says no: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-for-kids-may-not-be-fda-authorized-before-november-11632856430 . Expectations have been fed for at least a month that approval would occur by Halloween. Delay into November would be another black eye for the FDA.
WSJ: Child vaccine safety: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-vaccines-safe-kids-parents-11620405004 . Sorry, but this article strikes me as babbling nonsense. We have over 200 million adult Americans that have received at least one jab. That is an unusual precursor to a vaccine approval for children. Problems in adults are exceedingly rare. Trials for children have followed normal protocols to determine a dosage that is both effective and safe. There is very little (I mean, no) evidence of any safety concerns for children.
The risk of long COVID: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/28/covid-37-of-people-have-symptoms-six-months-after-infection .
New COVID variant R.1: https://abc7.com/r1-variant-covid-in-ca-mu/11055025/ .
WSJ: Update on New York’s healthcare vaccine mandate: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-prepares-for-healthcare-disruptions-as-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-takes-effect-11632747780 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-vaccine-mandate-prompts-state-of-emergency-decree-11632850605 . Other reporting has indicated that the mandate has led to at least half of the unvaccinated receiving vaccinations. If correct, that is a major success.
NIH funds study of pan-coronavirus vaccines: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/niaid-issues-new-awards-fund-pan-coronavirus-vaccines . The central idea here is neutralize mutations as a survival strategy for COVID.
WSJ: Sanofi abandons mRNA vaccine effort: https://www.wsj.com/articles/sanofi-targets-2022-initiation-of-clinical-studies-for-an-influenza-vaccine-with-modified-mrna-11632809526 .
The COVID political divide, in graphics: https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/red-covid-in-u-s-the-coronavirus-partisan-pattern-is-growing-more-extreme/ . This is an effective presentation of current data.
The Harris/View interview on Friday derailed over false positive COVID tests: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/how-common-false-positive-covid-tests-experts-181913360.html . And of course this happened essentially live on TV. And the all the major media outlets saturated the US and global viewing audience. Of course our issues with testing are regularly reported and criticized here. But no test is 100% accurate. In our instantaneous reporting culture mistakes are amplified.
Idaho mirrors national GOP insanity on COVID protection: https://www.thedailybeast.com/idaho-covid-insanity-shows-how-much-worse-the-gop-can-get . Public health reflects science. Idaho reflects potatoes. Again, they are exporting many of their cases to Oregon and Washington, increasing the stress on our hospitals.
Israeli press disputes country’s COVID success story: https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/coronavirus/dear-world-bennett-lied-about-israels-covid-19-success-at-un-analysis-680540 . About the author: https://www.jpost.com/author/maayan-jaffe-hoffman . Meanwhile, WSJ views the success story uncritically: https://www.wsj.com/articles/behind-israels-swift-rollout-of-covid-19-vaccine-boosters-11632821987 .
COVID clobbers Russia: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/28/russia-records-high-figure-for-daily-coronavirus-deaths . Recall that Russians remain highly suspect of the government and its vaccine. As a result, vaccinations have reached only a minority of the population.
WSJ: Evergrande struggles on to postpone collapse: https://www.wsj.com/articles/evergrande-to-raise-1-5-billion-by-selling-bank-stake-to-state-owned-firm-11632880557 . This remains a major risk for the Chinese and global economies.
Pompeo essentially admits Assange plot: https://news.yahoo.com/i-make-no-apologies-mike-pompeo-says-trump-administration-was-protecting-sensitive-information-214111983.html . This reporting yesterday shocked me. Now Pompeo basically confirms what would have been an extraordinary violation of international law. As bad as things were under OJ, we really didn’t know how bad. A second term of this rogue behavior is even more unimaginable than the first. Here is additional background: https://news.yahoo.com/5-big-takeaways-from-an-investigation-into-the-ci-as-war-on-wiki-leaks-223833288.html .
Abbott’s slide continues: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/574362-more-texans-believe-abbott-does-not-deserve-reelection-poll . Doubling down on stupid moves doesn’t work well with voters.
Elizabeth Warren opposes Powell renomination: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/sen-warren-calls-fed-chair-powell-dangerous-man-says-she-n1280254 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/elizabeth-warren-says-she-will-vote-against-second-term-for-feds-jerome-powell-11632852098 . I do too, and for essentially the same reason. And as the link cited in the last sentence points out, so do fiscal conservatives.
WSJ: Judge Drain to retire: https://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-overseeing-purdue-pharma-sears-bankruptcies-to-retire-next-year-11632855735 . Drain has received considerable criticism over his handling of the Purdue bankruptcy. The Sacklers escape as billionaires. Companies using Drain have been criticized for forum shopping. Since Drain is the only bankruptcy judge in White Plains, filing there means choosing Judge Drain. That is apparently about to end.
Ford announces big push into electric vehicles: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ford-jolts-auto-industry-11-4-billion-investment-new-electric-n1280182 . However, it is rather disturbing that union-busting is a part of this effort. This path has been disastrous for Boeing.
WSJ: We don’t understand the Yankees: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-yankees-mlb-playoffs-11632830180 . Really? Do you watch any of the games? The Yankees are consistently strong at the plate. The pitching has been inconsistent, partly because of injuries. And the team suffered under COVID protocols. ERA is not the only measure – the relief pitching is a constant adventure. If their pitching rotation holds up, they have an excellent chance of making the playoffs.