Biden calls vaccination patriotic duty: https://news.yahoo.com/biden-omicron-plan-speech-christmas-unvaccinated-205813834.html . I agree. Also, this comment is well-phrased to reach the holdouts, who are mostly conservative. In my view, social responsibility requires vaccination, but that sales pitch will fall on deaf GOP ears.
Vaccine mandate penalties start January 10: https://apnews.com/article/when-do-osha-vaccine-mandate-penalties-start-d954620afc75367dff53ebac03972248 . Conservative litigation to kill all of us continues. My preference is for safe workplaces and places of business. The problem I have with the personal freedoms argument is that failure to vaccinate endangers everyone else, and there is virtually no medical risk from the vaccine. The religious exemption argument is also highly questionable because these folks already take many medications that have some development relation to fetal tissue.
First US Omicron death – unvaccinated, reinfected Texan: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/first-omicron-death-in-us-was-reinfection%e2%80%94a-warning-to-those-whove-already-had-covid/ar-AAS1b5P?li=BBnb7Kz . So this punches a huge hole in conservative promotion of natural immunity. Vaccination is safer and much more effective.
Omicron cuts 2022 economic growth: https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/04/economy/goldman-sachs-us-gdp-omicron/index.html . There are likely to be parallel global impacts, especially in Europe.
Moderna to start Omicron vaccine development early next year: https://www.aol.com/news/moderna-could-ready-develop-omicron-074218541-130847988.html . Remember, Moderna says its existing vaccine is effective against Omicron. Their business strategy of vaccine subscriptions is interesting. Moderna may be able to build out considerable manufacturing capacity in just a few years.
Moderna business summary: https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/business/5-things-you-might-not-know-about-moderna/ . However, the stock price given for Moderna of $130 per share today is incorrect. The stock closed today at $268.14.
COVID slowed US population growth: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-immigration-health-us-census-bureau-covid-19-pandemic-d224035ee70e805f1e42da6c1a9c079c . COVID mortality was a huge factor in this result. Per the data on Worldometers, US COVID deaths in this period were 492,036. Thus, the COVID deaths exceeded the net population growth by about 100,000 lives. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-pandemic-drives-u-s-population-growth-to-record-low-11640098763 .
WSJ: US life expectancy dropped 1.8 years in 2020: https://www.wsj.com/articles/life-expectancy-in-u-s-declined-1-8-years-in-2020-cdc-says-11640149261 . The significant increase (from the preliminary estimate of 1.5 years) resulted from inclusion of Medicare data. Also note that we’ve had more COVID deaths in 2021 than in 2020.
US to distribute 500 million COVID tests to Americans free: https://www.npr.org/2021/12/21/1066167265/biden-to-announce-free-covid-tests-more-aid-for-hospitals-to-deal-with-omicron . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-to-distribute-500-million-at-home-covid-19-test-kits-11640080802 . This would have been better this month rather than next. However, while the speed of Omicron’s spread was surprising to everyone, a winter COVID surge was widely predicted. More details on the tests: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/rapid-covid-home-tests-white-house-prepares-mail/story?id=81875571 . WSJ: COVID testing strategies: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-get-covid-19-test-as-omicron-surges-11640116621 .
WSJ: More on long COVID symptoms: https://www.wsj.com/articles/long-covid-patients-report-vibrations-tremors-my-body-is-moving-inside-its-jolting-11640098486 . Long-term tremors are a really debilitating symptom. Tremors appear in roughly 40% of patients.
California booster mandate for healthcare workers: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-california-gavin-newsom-ac6144af68a0e53cc60f34fcc961082a .
Many US hospitals at breaking point: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/us-hospitals-are-breaking-point-delta-omicron-rcna9562 . Obviously, lack of access to care could increase the severity and mortality associated with COVID cases. We may not have an adequate handle on long-term COVID mortality until the disease becomes endemic. Even then, the emergence of a new variant could overturn the apple cart.
Biden calls out vaccine lies promoted by Fox and others: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/biden-tells-unvaccinated-americans-concerned-201052896.html . We must have this fight. Intelligent social conversation cannot occur without respect for the facts. This represents the central current problem with American democracy, more so than even voting rights. “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” – John 8:32.
The conservative assault on Dr. Fauci continues: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fauci-says-jesse-watters-fired-spot-fox-news-hosts-kill-shot-comments-rcna9521 . Really, there is no aspect of this Fox clown’s behavior that would be acceptable in any society. The OJ bandwagon has driven off a cliff and intends for the rest of us to go along. Presumably everyone is aware that Fauci has had to hire private security protection for himself and his family.
Meanwhile, Sarah Palin says she’ll get vaccine “over my dead body”: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/21/sarah-palin-covid-vaccine-coronavirus . Works for me. Technical question: How would you measure brain death in Sarah Palin? I’m guessing it occurred before 2000.
Omicron resets the calculus of in-person learning: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-new-york-education-kathy-hochul-4b670f52b0eb690cf766a7b99f5611f2 . Some believe the Omicron surge will start to fade in a month. But given its incredible infectiousness, and its ability to evade vaccines and to reinfect people, I am doubtful we will see a rapid resolution.
Reminder on HEPA filters: https://www.audacy.com/kcbsradio/news/world/filtration-is-key-as-omicron-continues-to-spread-worldwide . I’m skeptical about the CO2 monitor – it makes more sense to crack a window. However, HEPA filters in internal filtration systems are a wise precaution.
WSJ: How sewage analysis hunts COVID and its variants: https://www.wsj.com/articles/to-track-covid-19-surges-scientists-are-studying-sewage-11640082603 .
NHL will withdraw from Olympics over COVID disruption: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-winter-olympics-nhl-sports-health-ef5be170d3310f4c7f923a53483ebd8a . This essentially ends the chances of the US and Canada in hockey at the Beijing Olympics, unless the Olympic Committee postpones the games. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nhl-covid-outbreak-omicron-olympics-11640054840 .
WSJ: Oracle’s increasing presence in healthcare data: https://www.wsj.com/articles/oracle-cerner-deal-could-help-healthcare-systems-share-data-11640084403 .
Consumer Electronics Show moving toward remote attendees: https://www.usnews.com/news/technology/articles/2021-12-21/facebook-will-not-attend-ces-in-person-over-covid-19-concerns . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ces-2022-the-show-will-go-on-despite-rising-covid-cases-and-exhibitor-concerns-11640140201 .
WSJ: Churches look to hold Christmas services: https://www.wsj.com/articles/churches-aim-to-hold-christmas-services-despite-rise-in-omicron-cases-11640116235 . One hopes they will require masks and proof of vaccination. Still, we are likely to see multiple superspreaders from this activity.
COVID shortens terms of federal prisoners: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2021-12-21/u-s-justice-dept-says-inmates-sent-home-due-to-covid-19-will-not-be-returned-to-prison . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-convicts-sent-home-due-to-covid-19-pandemic-wont-be-jailed-again-by-default-11640125495 .
The global COVID view from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania: https://www.timesleaderonline.com/news/national-news/2021/12/fears-widen-as-omicron-variant-takes-hold-of-u-s/ . This is an award-winning small newspaper. They did a nice job on this article.
Politico’s long, grumpy opinion on the unvaccinated: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/12/21/bidens-impossible-task-omicron-edition-525859 . Much of this is sad but true. However, it is Biden’s job to try. If you heard his speech, it was well-calculated to convince. But right now the key people who can be convinced are the 70% of the vaccinated who have not received a booster. We will see over the next month what impact Biden and Omicron have on their numbers.
Israel offers fourth dose of COVID vaccine: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2021-12-21/israel-to-offer-fourth-dose-of-covid-19-vaccine-to-people-over-60 . There is data indicating that protection wanes rather quickly even after the third dose. So this seems like a wise precaution for the most vulnerable. WSJ: Israel using travel restrictions to gain time to boost population against Omicron: https://www.wsj.com/articles/israel-bets-travel-restrictions-will-buy-it-time-to-fight-omicron-11640100113 .
Utah billionaire leaves Mormon Church, provides scholarships to LGBTQ+ community: https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/utah-billionaire-leaves-mormon-church-donates-600k-lgbtq-group-rcna9523 . This should be a major shock to the Mormon community.
WSJ: ZZ Top catalog sells for $50 million: https://www.wsj.com/articles/kkr-and-bmg-buy-into-zz-tops-music-11640088004 . So, the proceeds are only 10% of the Springsteen haul, but a helluva lot of money for a “little ol’ band from Texas”.