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News for December 27 — COVID Stigma; Super Gonorrhea

WSJ: COVID stigma: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-stigma-lingers-long-after-disease-fades-11609070403 . COVID stigma may be irrational; there’s no doubt it’s real. The comparison with leprosy is interesting but not accurate. Even now medical science does not fully understand how leprosy is transmitted. However, persons recovering from COVID no longer shed virus. December is pandemic’s deadliest month: https://www.cnn.ph/world/2020/12/27/December-deadliest-month-US-since-pandemic-began.html . January’s projections are …

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News for December 26 — Japan’s Troubled Vaccine History

Japan’s troubled vaccine history: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/12/23/national/japan-vaccine-history-coronavirus/ . Switzerland approves Pfizer vaccine: https://www.politico.eu/article/switzerland-approves-biontech-pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine-europe/ . The approval was announced December 19. EU approves Pfizer vaccine: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/eu-regulator-meets-discuss-approval-covid-19-vaccine-74838532 . Approval occurred December 21. UK variant strain appearing around the world: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55452262 . Japan halts foreign arrivals: https://www.axios.com/japan-foreign-arrivals-new-coronavirus-variant-0fed2864-14a1-4934-a068-f3ae9db612b3.html . Turkey to sign deal for Pfizer BioNTech vaccine: https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-turkey-pfizer-int-idUSKBN28Y1U5 . Vaccine priority …

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News for December 25 — COVID Loss of Smell: Clues

COVID loss of smell: Clues at the cellular level: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mysteries-of-covid-smell-loss-finally-yield-some-answers1/ . As to loss of smell, certain olfactory cells lose their cilia, key receptors of odors. Some taste support cells are also affected, but loss of taste is still not well understood. Toddler with COVID has stroke: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/no-other-case-3-year-old-missouri-had-stroke-after-n1252350 . Horrible. The clot theory seems correct. …

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News for December 24 — Increased Transmissibility of Variant Strain

Modeling analysis supports increased transmissibility of variant strain: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/12/24/950144667/how-worried-should-we-be-about-the-new-u-k-coronavirus-variant . WSJ: US to require negative COVID test for travel from UK: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to-require-negative-coronavirus-tests-for-airline-passengers-from-u-k-11608874724 . Yet another variant strain emerges, this time in Nigeria: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-africa/another-new-coronavirus-variant-found-in-nigeria-says-africa-cdc-idUSKBN28Y1B7 . My worst fears are being realized about increasing mutations from the increasing global viral load. The Nigerians indicate that this variant …

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News for December 23 — Variant Strains Spread; New Lockdowns

South African COVID variant strain appears in UK: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/12/23/uk-to-widen-covid-lockdowns-as-new-strain-from-south-africa-found . This variant is also believed to be more infectious than earlier strains: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/23/south-african-covid-19-variant-may-be-more-effective-at-spreading . And as noted yesterday with the UK variant, both of these strains are likely already in the US. Donnie is leaving everyone to fend for themselves. WSJ: How the Brits tracked …

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News for December 21 — Herd Immunity; UK Traveler Ban

The concept of herd immunity just took another hit. As you know, my view is that herd immunity should come only by vaccination, not uncontrolled spread. The new strain, which has quickly become the dominant strain in England, is now considered 50% more infectious than prior strains: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-12-21/who-says-new-coronavirus-strain-appears-more-infectious-but-experts-expect-vaccines-to-work (yes, 1.5/1.1 = 1.36; other sources estimate …

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News for December 20 — The Cutter Incident; UK COVID Variant

The Cutter Incident: In regard to yesterday’s concerns about the dangers of subcontracting vaccine manufacture, a reader brought up the early failure of the polio vaccine. It was caused by subcontracting production to multiple firms. One of those firms was a family-owned firm, Cutter Laboratories, which did not properly deactivate the polio virus. 200,000 children …

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News for December 19 — Christmas Cancelled: Boris as Scrooge

Christmas cancelled: Boris as Scrooge: https://www.politico.eu/article/christmas-canceled-boris-johnson-orders-londoners-to-stay-at-home/ . The lack of adherence to simple disciplines like mask wearing and social distancing suggests the easy fatigue that may undo Western civilization. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-faces-fresh-lockdown-to-curb-new-covid-19-strain-11608402790 . I am increasingly disappointed in the British inability or unwillingness to provide concrete data on the new strain. There is conflicting reporting …

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News for December 18 — Rare Eye Disease from COVID?

Rare eye disease may be COVID-19 outcome: https://knowridge.com/2020/12/covid-19-linked-to-rare-but-severe-eye-infection/ . It’s hard to know what to make of this. Three cases is a very small sample, but the eye disease is generally quite rare. FDA approves Moderna vaccine: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fda-approves-moderna-covid-vaccine_n_5fdb8468c5b6f24ae35e5d96 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/modernas-covid-19-vaccine-could-widen-immunization-effort-11608287402 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/modernas-covid-19-vaccine-is-cleared-for-american-use-11608338496 . HHS sticks with its false story about miscommunication …

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