Pfizer submits children’s vaccine filing: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-02-01/pfizer-asks-fda-to-allow-coronavirus-vaccine-in-children-under-5 . Pfizer’s EUA request to the FDA is for children ages 6 months to 5 years. The dosage is one-tenth the adult dosage. Pfizer is also studying the benefits of a third shot for this group. More: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/1/pfizer-asks-us-to-authorise-covid-jabs-for-children-under-age-5 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizer-asks-fda-to-authorize-its-covid-19-vaccine-for-young-children-11643751060 .
US COVID hospitalizations falling, deaths still rising: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-covid-19-hospitalizations-extend-their-fall-while-deaths-keep-rising-11643714301 . Again, this is because deaths are a lagging indicator.
American attitudes about the pandemic: https://news.yahoo.com/poll-most-americans-arent-done-with-covid-but-new-numbers-hint-they-may-be-soon-131806531.html .
WSJ: Native Americans reach opioid settlement with J&J and distributors: https://www.wsj.com/articles/native-american-tribes-reach-590-million-opioid-settlement-with-j-j-drug-distributors-11643743223 .
Breaking news: Joe Rogan is still an idiot: https://news.yahoo.com/joe-rogan-shares-incorrect-coronavirus-095624396.html . Spotify has picked the wrong horse in this dust-up.
Not everyone wants to test for COVID: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/02/01/1076372077/covid-testing-positive-employment . NPR makes a logical but often overlooked point about COVID testing. There are economic incentives not to test.
US traffic deaths spike: https://www.aol.com/news/u-says-traffic-deaths-rose-160453423-192827521.html . Given the limited driving during the pandemic, fatalities per mile must be off the charts. As far as Pete Buttigieg’s comments, self-driving vehicle technology is currently the best hope to reduce traffic deaths. That is certainly true if the goal is zero deaths.
Longest lightning bolt ever recorded: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lightning-477-miles-3-us-states-world-record/ . The AP later issued a correction, namely that while this bolt was mostly cloud-to-cloud, there were multiple ground strikes as well.
The ironic fertilizer fire: https://apnews.com/article/business-explosions-fires-winston-salem-8d56272f19e300671b68aca59d757153 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-large-fire-at-a-north-carolina-fertilizer-plant-forces-thousands-to-evacuate-11643728676 . Why ironic? Winston-Salem is of course the corporate headquarters of … : https://rjrt.com/transforming-tobacco/ . And of course RJR continues to peddle their manure worldwide. In fact, I would guess their product even today emitted more smoke than the fertilizer fire.
Orange Julius heavily involved in the voting machine seizure plot: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-voting-machines-new-york-times-report_n_61f8bd6ee4b094ce54aeefb5 . Um, exactly what else does anyone need to know about this sore loser? Emphasis on LOSER.
CNN reports on Republican miscalculation on the January 6 committee: https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/01/politics/republicans-january-6-committee-miscalculations/index.html . The point is that the committee has turned up evidence on the advance planning of January 6 that is very damaging to Orange Julius. I suspect the Democrats will stage their committee hearings and information releases to take full advantage in advance of the November elections.
Tom Brady officially retires: https://sports.yahoo.com/tom-brady-had-a-long-retirement-announcement-and-he-didnt-mention-the-patriots-152222972.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/tom-brady-retirement-post-buccaneers-patriots-11643727618 . The bottom line: 22 seasons (!), 10 Super Bowl appearances (!!) and 7 championships (!!!). Deservedly considered the Greatest of All Time, I agree with those who think Tom Brady should be admitted to the Hall of Fame now. The only argument against it is that he could theoretically come back (at 44?).