The COVID herd immunity mirage: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-lifestyle-public-health-c64f8ba0e7885e4686e13a4d76ff49b9 . This is a simple question to answer: No herd immunity against COVID. Note the article’s comment that herd immunity against measles requires 95% of the people to be immune. We have never gotten there because the measles vaccine is not 100% effective, and some parents choose not to vaccinate their children.
Delta and Omicron are more infectious than measles, our COVID vaccines are less effective than the measles vaccine, and we have a far larger number of anti-vax numbskulls refusing the COVID vaccine. This, among other reasons, is why COVID is permanently embedded in the global population under current medical technology. The proper frame of reference is raising herd resistance.
WSJ: Does BA2 spread indicate we are re-opening too fast?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fast-spreading-covid-19-omicron-type-revives-questions-about-opening-up-11645616471 . Obviously, the answer is yes. Duh. More: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-02-23/as-mask-mandates-fall-ba-2-stealth-omicron-cases-slowly-rise .
CDC suggests longer wait time between vaccine doses for adults under 65 and teens: https://www.wkow.com/coronavirus/cdc-some-people-should-wait-longer-for-2nd-covid-shot/article_f9f7fda5-a547-5c2e-b153-a3a3e2dd7682.html .
Sanofi and GSK COVID vaccine completes strong Phase 3 trial, will seek government approval: https://metro.co.uk/2022/02/23/covid-vaccine-by-sanofi-and-gsk-seeks-authorization-in-us-and-uk-16159145/ . I can believe that the vaccine has similar results to the mRNA vaccines. However, the 100 percent efficacy comment does not appear to match the other data in the article. My only guess is that here “efficacy” is used in the technical sense (laboratory results) while the other data is from real-world testing (that is, Phase 3). WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/sanofi-glaxo-seek-covid-19-vaccine-approval-in-crowded-market-11645627003 . The WSJ article says the 100% applies to severe disease. That is a possible trial result, but it seems less likely in actual distribution.
WSJ: Deaths from other causes rise during pandemic: https://www.wsj.com/articles/rise-in-non-covid-19-deaths-hits-life-insurers-11645576252 . Maternal deaths rise during pandemic: https://www.wsj.com/articles/maternal-deaths-rose-during-covid-19-pandemics-first-year-11645650817 .
WSJ: Medicare proposal on Alzheimer’s drug gets pushback from drugmakers: https://www.wsj.com/articles/medicare-proposal-on-alzheimers-drug-draws-criticism-from-drugmakers-11645639032 .
Russia has troops in place for large-scale invasion: https://www.aol.com/news/ukraine-calls-reservists-declares-emergency-120617267.html . Troop positions indicate Russia is looking to overrun the entire country. The other possibility would be that Russia stops after securing the two “breakaway” regions separatists already partially occupy. However, the ongoing massing of military assets indicates the target is all of Ukraine. UPDATE: Russia attacks Ukraine: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1 . This is unlikely to be a cakewalk. I would bet that we are sharing with Ukraine targeting information from our satellites. However, ultimately Ukraine cannot hold out against the Russian military.
The long-term does not look bright for Russia. I learned a new word last week – autarky. It means economically independent or self-sufficient. The country closest to this situation is North Korea, but they only survive because of support from China. Russia looks to be the next China client-state.
WSJ reporting on the Ukraine invasion: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-shifts-to-war-footing-tells-citizens-to-leave-russia-11645616181 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-attacks-ukraine-drawing-broad-condemnation-11645682406 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-attack-on-ukraine-threatens-european-gas-supplies-11645679190 . And: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-attack-on-ukraine-sends-oil-prices-above-100-a-barrel-for-first-time-since-2014-crash-11645681439 . Also: https://www.wsj.com/articles/global-stocks-markets-dow-update-02-24-2022-11645676676 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/clash-over-ukraine-drives-a-dagger-into-globalization-11645631285 . And: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-crisis-kicks-off-new-superpower-struggle-among-u-s-russia-and-china-11645629753 .
China fakes neutrality in Ukraine situation: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-russia-china-beijing-europe-71b8dbb71191177d0f1b478c1238f011 . Note Russia’s false narrative that Ukraine has always been part of Russia. The Chinese position, properly translated, is that we support this viewpoint because it will allow us to seize and obliterate Hong Kong and Taiwan. More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-claims-taiwan-as-its-own-as-russia-tests-world-with-ukraine/ar-AAUdrgU?ocid=hponeservicefeed . Still more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-state-media-editor-says-beijing-must-back-russia-over-ukraine-so-it-gets-support-when-it-fights-for-taiwan/ar-AAUcvYN?ocid=hponeservicefeed .
Nay sayers laugh at OJ’s Truth Social: https://news.yahoo.com/why-trumps-new-media-site-truth-social-is-destined-to-flame-out-175432486.html . However, the nay sayers assume the objective is ad sales. Suppose the objective is just to create a mailing list for soliciting political donations. Sure, the investors get screwed, the users get screwed, but OJ lines his pockets. That’s pretty much the one play in OJ’s playbook – fleece the suckers. After all, there’s one born every minute.
But remember, OJ has declared Putin a genius over Ukraine. Is there a point where the American political stage will be rid of this abhorrent moron? Background from WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-is-truth-social-media-trump-spac-what-to-know-11645552299 .
Something’s wrong in the Manhattan DA’s office: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/criminal-probe-trump-businesses-loses-top-prosecutors-rcna17428 . The article suggests Bragg is backing away from the Trump investigation. We should find out why soon enough. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/two-prosecutors-in-new-york-investigation-of-donald-trump-resign-11645650257 .
Democrats achieve more victories against GOP gerrymandering: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/courts-in-north-carolina-pennsylvania-reject-republican-backed-congressional-maps/ar-AAUdLhg?ocid=hponeservicefeed . All of the so-far favorable Democratic results are appealable to the US Supreme Court. WSJ: Meanwhile, we “reinterpret” the facts to calm our readers: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pennsylvania-north-carolina-redistricting-court-decisions-dont-provide-major-partisan-wins-11645653629 .
Governor Abbott cracks down on gender transition procedures: https://www.aol.com/news/texas-governor-orders-state-agency-174149138.html . This falls under the category “Man’s inhumanity to humanity”. Maybe he’s straining to detract from the growing scandal over the Texas grid failure last winter: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-former-head-of-texas-power-grid-said-he-was-following-gov-greg-abbott-s-orders-when-amassing-billions-in-electricity-bills-during-the-state-freeze/ar-AAUdQQy?ocid=hponeservicefeed .