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News for December 23 — JN.1 44.2% of Cases; Newsletter Pause

JN.1 currently 44.2% of cases: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2023/12/23/covid-symptoms-jn-1-variant/72020270007/ . This article clarifies yesterday’s lead article. The prior article’s reference to JN.1 being between 39% and 50% of US cases relates to percentage findings in different US regions. The correct overall US average is 44.2%. JN.1 is currently strongest in the Northeast US, where it accounts for 57% …

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News for December 22 — JN.1 Now Dominant COVID Variant

JN.1 now dominant COVID variant: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2023-12-22/cdc-says-jn-1-variant-accounts-for-39-50-of-covid-cases-in-us . If we can only say the variant causes between 39% and 50% of new COVID cases, obviously we are not doing adequate tracking. More encouraging inflation news: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/inflation-down-first-time-since-2020-pce/ . This is a bit overblown for a 0.1% decline, but an election year is coming … WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/economy/what-to-watch-in-fridays-spending-report-inflation-closing-in-on-feds-target-0778037d …

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News for December 21 — COVID Rebound Unrelated to Antivirals

COVID rebound unrelated to antivirals: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-12-21/research-no-consistent-link-between-paxlovid-and-covid-19-rebound . The Paxlovid people are relieved to hear that COVID rebound occurs with or without antivirals. COVID symptoms change over time: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-symptoms-jn1-variant-winter-wave/ . COVID symptoms are very similar to influenza and RSV, so you must test to figure out what you have. As has been previously noted, while loss …

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News for December 20 — COVID and Flu Cases Increasing

COVID and flu cases increasing: https://www.aol.com/cdc-director-says-u-isnt-000149202.html . Flu is seasonal, and this is the season. COVID, however, continues to come in waves. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/health/jn1-covid-variant-symptoms-8b6d3681 . Pandemic gear stockpile becoming trash: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-ppe-stockpiles-masks-50bf7739fc9d69f4b991a14daadecaba . This stuff, of course, expires. We should therefore work to design and produce longer lasting materials for stockpile. For example, can’t we …

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News for December 19 — Colorado Supreme Court Disqualifies Trump

Colorado Supreme Court disqualifies Trump from primary ballot: https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/colorado-supreme-court-rules-trump-disqualified-from-presidential-primary-ballot-66b2de64 . The Colorado court stayed this 4 to 3 ruling until January 4 to allow an appeal to the US Supreme Court. The court chose January 4 because the Colorado ballot goes to print January 5. Note that the Colorado ruling is …

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News for December 18 — COVID Positivity Rises in Midwest

COVID positivity rises in Midwest: https://www.the-express.com/news/health/121702/covid-cases-map-us-states . Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri all have a COVID test positivity rate of 17.2% or more, with the states as a group having a positivity rate above 20%. At least I think that’s what the data in this article means. Alzheimer’s brain immune cells inflamed: https://www.sciencealert.com/brain-autopsies-suggest-a-new-culprit-behind-alzheimers-disease . Readers …

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News for December 17 — CDC Publicizes Vaccination “Urgent Need”

CDC publicizes vaccination “urgent need”: https://people.com/cdc-warns-urgent-need-vaccinations-respiratory-illnesses-winter-8417102 . Influenza and RSV are both seasonal, while COVID is experiencing current growth in cases, so the “tripledemic” is upon us once again. WSJ: The benefits of paternity leave: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/it-isnt-just-about-bonding-giving-up-paternity-leave-costs-you-money-cd2f949a . WSJ: Clean energy is taking off: https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/clean-energy-planet-heating-climate-d442ca8a . Calls grow for Israel to alter its Gaza approach: https://news.yahoo.com/israel-presses-ahead-gaza-errant-074428116.html …

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News for December 16 — Technical Quirk Lowers US Inflation

Technical quirk lowers US inflation: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/economy/housing/despite-record-home-prices-housing-is-about-to-drag-inflation-down-53f196dd . Housing costs are a major part of the inflation index. Affordability is rising in many metropolitan areas because people are migrating out. In other words, when people move to a less expensive place to live, inflation goes down. But that’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, which is a …

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News for December 15 — Moderna COVID Quality Control Lapses

Moderna COVID quality control lapses: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2023-12-15/exclusive-us-fda-finds-control-lapses-at-moderna-manufacturing-plant . Given the importance to Moderna of the COVID vaccine revenue, sloppiness is particularly surprising. WSJ: “Good news” reporting on life expectancy: https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/the-surprisingly-good-news-on-life-expectancy-its-still-going-up-239b6252 . So life expectancy can be defined in different ways, giving different results. This is news? US homelessness up 12%: https://apnews.com/article/homelessness-increase-rent-hud-covid-60bd88687e1aef1b02d25425798bd3b1 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/mother-of-6-year-old-who-shot-teacher-is-sentenced-to-two-years-30130775 . …

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News for December 14 — Influenza Can Create Long-term Symptoms

Influenza can create long-term symptoms: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/long-flu-long-covid-influenza-can-also-lead-lingering-symptoms-rcna129787 . So other viruses besides COVID can leave the patient with long-term illness. Americans’ physical health declines: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-12-14/gallup-survey-americans-physical-health-worsened-after-covid-19-pandemic . Moderna cancer vaccine shows promise: https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/14/health/moderna-merck-melanoma-vaccine-immunotherapy/index.html . There is a lot more to this franchise than the COVID vaccine. Medicare B drug price cap kicks in: https://apnews.com/article/drug-prices-biden-inflation-pharmaceuticals-efc99d020d53c48449c4725ae943c4df . WSJ: The …

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