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News for March 7 — World Faces Fourth COVID Wave

World faces fourth COVID wave: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/541825-world-on-brink-of-fourth-wave-of-coronavirus . And the US will not be spared. WSJ: Companies begin inoculating employees: https://www.wsj.com/articles/having-trouble-getting-the-covid-vaccine-your-company-might-soon-offer-it-11615113001 . CDC expands vaccine side effect guidance: https://bgr.com/2021/03/07/coronavirus-vaccine-side-effects-cdc-guidelines-update/ . Virus variants and the pandemic endgame: https://www.newyorker.com/science/medical-dispatch/what-the-coronavirus-variants-mean-for-the-end-of-the-pandemic . The explanation of certain naming conventions is helpful. The article also repeats the common refrain that the virus …

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News for March 6 — Senate Democrats Pass COVID Relief

Senate Democrats pass COVID relief package: https://news.yahoo.com/senate-passes-bidens-1-9-204244063.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-democrats-overcome-impasse-reach-agreement-to-advance-covid-19-relief-bill-11615012575 . Why is there not one Republican vote for the bill? Republicans wish to characterize the COVID relief bill as partisan, even though the bill is very popular with the public. They also argue that the bill overspends. That’s a tough sell when Republicans …

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News for March 5 — Testing Decline Challenge; Stimulus Deal

Testing decline challenge: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/03/05/fewer-americans-getting-covid-tests-amid-vaccines-doctors-worry/4578032001/ . In response to a previous item on this topic, a reader asked if the use of at-home test kits was contributing to this decline. This article does not mention that possibility. It does describe other reasons why tests have declined, including the focus on vaccinations, the closure of certain mass …

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News for March 4 — The One-and-Done Mentality

The one-and-done mentality: https://www.pharmacist.com/Pharmacy-News/one-and-done-why-people-are-eager-for-johnson-johnsons-vaccine (link replaced 5/8/21). Texas Governor Abbott orders up fourth COVID wave: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/us-flirting-with-covid-4th-wave-by-lifting-restrictions-experts-warn-205608709.html . Flirting? This is a full embrace. Will you be attending the funerals, Governor? Didn’t think so. Neanderthal museum weighs in on Biden’s criticism of Abbott: https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/541671-neanderthal-museum-weighs-in-on-biden-mask-comments . In other words, science demonstrates Greg Abbott is stupider than a …

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News for March 3 — NIH Halts Convalescent Plasma Trial

NIH halts convalescent plasma trial after no benefit found: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-plasma/u-s-nih-halts-trial-testing-covid-19-blood-plasma-idUSKCN2AU29B . This result confirms the conclusions of other trials. Mask mandate fight continues: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/03/03/covid-19-texas-mississippi-join-states-rolling-back-mask-mandates/6905305002/ . This is not an issue of freedom or individual rights. It is reckless endangerment of others based on politics. More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/virus-expert-just-warned-of-coming-covid-disaster/ar-BB1ecXFS?li=BBnb7Kz . Abbott just doesn’t give a damn about Texans: …

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News for March 2 — Brazilian Variant Reinfects COVID Patients

Brazilian variant P.1 reinfects COVID patients: https://www.firstpost.com/health/coronavirus-variant-in-brazil-infected-many-who-had-already-recovered-from-covid-19-9366061.html (link replaced 5/4/21). Here is why the new variants must be included in a booster shot which will require global administration. The pandemic is not over. More: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/public-global-health/541176-brazil-variant-shown-to-infect-coronavirus-survivors (quotes the NY Times article). More on yesterday’s CDC warning: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/01/health/us-coronavirus-monday/index.html . If variants evade the vaccines, public health measures …

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News for March 1 — COVID Mistakes We Keep Repeating

COVID mistakes we keep repeating: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/how-public-health-messaging-backfired/618147/ . This newsletter has hammered on the public health mistakes we keep repeating during the pandemic. This writer identifies 5 messaging mistakes we keep repeating. As social behavior drives the pandemic, the writer’s message may be the most important set of mistakes made in extending the pandemic. However, the …

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News for February 28 — Vaccine Reaction; J&J Doses Ship

Vaccine reaction can mimic breast cancer: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/02/26/covid-vaccine-side-effect-mimics-sign-breast-cancer-mammogram/6818923002/ . Inflammation, particularly in the lymph nodes, is a common side effect of many vaccines. Still, it is good to get the word out during a national vaccination program. Vaccine reaction can be more severe with second dose: https://bestlifeonline.com/news-second-shot/ . In particular, fever and chills are four times …

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News for February 27 — FDA Authorizes J&J Vaccine

FDA authorizes J&J vaccine: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fda-authorizes-jj-vaccine-giving-us-3rd-option/story?id=76135205 . The one-shot vaccine is the best alternative when the “last mile” is a difficult delivery. This also considerably boosts the US vaccine supply. More: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/02/27/fda-authorizes-johnson-johnsons-one-dose-covid-vaccine-third-us/6843430002/ . Still more: https://consumer.healthday.com/2-27-fda-set-to-approve-third-covid-vaccine-2650826463.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/j-j-covid-19-vaccine-authorized-for-use-in-u-s-11614467922 . Test demand plunges: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-02-27/plunging-covid-19-test-demand-may-leave-us-with-supply-glut . Uh-huh. Where are the rapid at-home test kits? Where are …

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News for February 26 — Vaccination Performance by State

Vaccination performance by state: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/why-have-some-states-fared-better-others-vaccine-distribution-n1258626 . The chart here gives a rather different impression than the common media story that red and blue states have similar performances. Six of the top 7 are red states, but they have very small populations. The 9 lowest states are all red, and predominantly in the South. WSJ: Almost …

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