Booster shot approval for immunocompromised: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-poised-ok-third-vaccine-dose-immune-compromised-people-n1276602 . Note that this will also be an EUA. We must wait to see the full approval process for the vaccines to see if they will encompass all of the EUA’s. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-moving-towards-decision-authorizing-booster-shot-for-immunocompromised-11628738910 .
Greg Abbott gets another shot in the shorts as second court stays Texas mask mandate ban: https://www.yahoo.com/now/texas-governors-ban-mask-mandates-152550147-192441868.html . Science is beginning to grind away at pandemic politics. It’s funny how reality works that way. More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/texas-governor-ramps-up-fight-as-resistance-to-mask-ban-spreads/ar-AANdscM?li=BBnb7Kz .
DeMentis gets more pushback from people trying to protect children: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/11/desantis-new-resistance-mask-rules-504112 .
The GOP focuses on riling up its tribe: https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-health-coronavirus-pandemic-fcd36bc56f03fcd46d9ad5839a7b5702 . This is not governance or even sanity. It is child endangerment.
Feds sending ventilators to Florida: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/u-s-government-sends-hundreds-ventilators-florida-covid-surge-continues-n1276515 . Hey, Ron, there’s more incoming from the White House: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/567381-psaki-takes-aim-at-desantis-over-florida-ventilator-request . Jen Psaki is doing an outstanding job as press secretary.
Is the government functioning?: https://news.yahoo.com/us-is-dependent-on-the-private-sector-to-beat-delta-surge-215626021.html . This is rather harsh in the other direction. Our system of government wasn’t built to be efficient, for philosophical reasons. However, the criticism of Governor DeMentis is completely justified. He is actively endangering children for his own political purposes. And this is a matter of fact, not opinion.
COVID surges in Hawaii: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/hawaii-reimpose-covid-19-restrictions-delta-variant-surges-2021-08-11/ .
Vaccine mandates: https://news.yahoo.com/here-come-the-vaccine-mandates-213428903.html . I expect to see many more mandates after full FDA approval of the vaccines. This should occur in the next few weeks.
WSJ: NYSE requires floor traders to be vaccinated: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-stock-exchange-to-require-floor-traders-to-get-vaccinated-11628708658 . If you’ve seen people shouting on the floor, the reasoning behind the mandate is pretty clear.
CDC recommends pregnant women get vaccinated: https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-cdc-pregnant-women-vaccines-4e7f7231737a11fbe235fa7180dcfd3a .
Mississippi schools reopen and 1,000 kids test positive for COVID: https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2021-08-11/1-000-kids-in-mississippi-test-positive-for-covid-19-after-school-reopens . We have warned of the coming train wreck for some time.
Teachers’ union head confident of safe reopening: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/schools-reopen-delta-variant-111637100.html . Umm, nope. The good news is that schools have learned a lot about remote learning, which will be returning in multiple locations shortly.
California mandates vaccines for teachers: https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2021-08-11/california-becomes-first-state-to-mandate-coronavirus-vaccines-for-teachers . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-teachers-must-be-vaccinated-or-tested-weekly-for-covid-19-11628705928 .
Colleges implement COVID testing fees: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/08/11/1026666932/unvaccinated-covid-college-students-west-virginia-750-fee . It makes more sense to just mandate the vaccine.
WSJ: UK data gives hope for controlling Delta variant: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fresh-u-k-covid-19-data-boosts-hopes-that-delta-variant-can-be-held-in-check-11628674201 . Good grief. This might be true in the UK, but not here. The article clearly states that a key element is public restraint. We have the anti-vaxxers and the OJ tribe.
WHO begins trials of existing anti-inflammatory drugs as COVID treatments: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/12/drugs-for-malaria-arthritis-join-who-trial-on-covid-treatments . It makes total sense to seek additional treatments for COVID. The complete focus on vaccination is inappropriate.
Israel expects thousands will be seriously ill with COVID within a month: https://www.timesofisrael.com/health-officials-predict-thousands-of-seriously-ill-covid-patients-within-month/ . Remember, Israel is highly vaccinated. This is fear of breakthrough infections.
India seeks Western vaccines to relieve shortages: https://www.wsj.com/articles/india-looks-to-western-covid-19-vaccines-to-ease-supply-shortage-11628674884 . At an 8% vaccination rate, India will be having COVID waves for some time. Even though 2/3 of the population is reported to have COVID antibodies, natural protection appears to be inferior to vaccination.
Anti-vaxx nurse in Germany allegedly gave thousands saline rather than the vaccine: https://www.mediaite.com/news/anti-vaxx-nurse-reportedly-switched-thousands-of-covid-19-vaccines-with-saline/https://www.mediaite.com/news/anti-vaxx-nurse-reportedly-switched-thousands-of-covid-19-vaccines-with-saline/ . If proven, this warrants many years in prison. She has put all of these lives at risk. Whether she was influenced by another is irrelevant.
WSJ: COVID rent relief disbursement continues to struggle: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-rent-relief-program-marred-by-delays-confusion-burdensome-paperwork-11628683200 .
Delta variant may be slowing consumer spending: https://news.yahoo.com/delta-variant-fears-are-beginning-to-slow-spending-in-key-areas-185651757.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/delta-variant-concerns-temper-dinings-summer-return-as-some-americans-stay-home-11628587801 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/southwest-airlines-starting-to-feel-pinch-from-delta-variant-11628683588 .
WSJ: McConnell credits Biden for infrastructure breakthrough: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mcconnell-credits-biden-for-infrastructure-breakthrough-dismisses-trump-criticism-11628672401 . Wow. I checked. It’s not April 1.
Senate Democrats pass reconciliation spending plan 50-49: https://www.npr.org/2021/08/11/1026635503/senate-passes-3-5t-budget . This completes the Democrats’ commitment to an overall spending package on top of the bipartisan infrastructure bill. One hopes that much of the behind-the-scenes negotiation with House Democrats has already occurred.