CDC quantifies risks for unvaccinated: https://apnews.com/article/science-health-coronavirus-pandemic-rochelle-walensky-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-31ddcca6119e018bd826d2a05df7f68b . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/unvaccinated-people-11-times-as-likely-to-die-from-covid-19-11631308672 . So, CDC puts the risks for the unvaccinated in comparison to the vaccinated at 4.5 times greater for infection, 10 times greater for hospitalization, and 11 times greater for death.
WSJ: Details of the federal vaccine mandates: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-new-vaccine-mandates-what-do-they-do-and-whom-do-they-affect-11631229224 . The political squabble over the new policy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-defends-vaccine-mandates-as-gop-criticizes-new-rules-for-businesses-workers-11631287591 . Business community reaction to vaccine mandates: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-splits-business-community-11631285037 .
COVID plasma therapy harms patients: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/plasma-therapy-given-emergency-approval-by-fda-to-treat-covid-actually-harmed-patients/ar-AAOiZLK?li=BBnb7Kz . So, here is an Emergency Use Authorization that may need to be revoked. It is also conceivable that some subset of COVID patients may be identified for whom plasma is beneficial.
WSJ: The COVID vaccine-variant race: https://www.wsj.com/articles/some-vaccines-last-a-lifetime-heres-why-covid-19-shots-dont-11631266201 .
The case for booster shots for the elderly: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/10/cdc-waning-vaccine-immunity-elderly-511206 . Note that efficacy over time varies considerably between the vaccines.
WSJ: Schools changing COVID rules on the fly: https://www.wsj.com/articles/schools-reopen-covid-children-masks-vaccine-delta-surge-mandates-texas-california-florida-11631287882 .
All healthcare workers should be vaccinated: https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/571713-no-more-excuses-all-health-care-workers-should-be-fully-vaccinated . Hospitals and nursing homes now have the federal cover they may need to enforce a mandate.
WSJ: Delta variant will likely outcompete the other current variants: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-variant-mu-lambda-delta-11631216788 .
Cable news coverage of the pandemic: risk-reward analysis from the surgeon general. First up, Fox: https://www.mediaite.com/tv/man-asks-surgeon-general-on-fox-news-if-it-makes-sense-to-intentionally-expose-kids-to-covid-to-build-up-their-natural-immunity/ . Now, CNN: https://www.mediaite.com/tv/cnns-dana-bash-asks-surgeon-general-do-you-think-media-outlets-like-fox-news-are-killing-people-with-anti-vaccine-commentary/ .
Mississippi sees 8 pregnant women die of COVID: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/state-reports-significant-number-of-covid-19-fatalities-in-pregnant-women/ar-AAOi7p7?li=BBnb7Kz .
WSJ: Democratic Senators question Amazon’s treatment of pregnant employees: https://www.wsj.com/articles/senators-seek-investigation-of-amazon-over-treatment-of-pregnant-workers-11631294571 .
COVID surge continues in Idaho as northern hospitals ration care: https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/coronavirus/article254153243.html . The northern part of the state is a hotbed of white supremacist activity.
Fake vaccine card issuers multiply in the face of employer mandates: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/fake-vaccine-card-vendors-multiply-into-thousands-after-bidens-new-mandate-study/ar-AAOiY4u?li=BBnb7Kz . They should also expect federal prosecution. Duh.
WSJ: COVID relief flowing to hospitals: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-releasing-billions-in-covid-19-relief-for-hospitals-health-groups-11631284543 .
WSJ: New Democratic proposal to cut prescription drug prices: https://www.wsj.com/articles/centrist-house-democrats-offer-rival-proposal-on-cutting-prescription-drug-prices-11631282401 .
French charge former health minister with mishandling response to pandemic: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/10/ex-french-health-minister-charged-over-handling-covid-pandemic .
OJ losers swept out by the new broom: https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/kellyanne-conway-didn-t-belong-air-force-academy-board-n1278845 . Regarding my prior comment about waiting for the threatened lawsuits, this article confirms that these positions serve at the President’s pleasure. The Air Force Board for Visitors positions are uncompensated except for travel and expense reimbursement. And the correct term is “spoils system”.
Chris Christie, Paul Ryan exhort GOP to move beyond election fantasies: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chris-christie-republicans-2020-election-conspiracies/ . When you strip away the fantasies and the lies, what is the GOP platform? This party is currently not capable of producing policy initiatives, and has not been for at least 5 years. This is certainly true of Abbott and Costello-DeMentis, whose crap has been taking a face-slapping in court recently. Paul Ryan’s comment about “second-rate imitators” certainly includes these two as well as Kevin McCarthy.
The face-slapped fight back: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ron-desantis-and-greg-abbott-hit-back-after-joe-biden-vows-to-get-them-out-of-the-way/ar-AAOid5x?li=BBnb7Kz . So let’s sort this out. These two governors clearly have no authority over the President. The question is whether the federal government has authority over employers and working conditions. It clearly does (Department of Labor), so the question is the extent of that authority. However, the state governors do not figure into this equation. Abbott and Costello-DeMentis are about to extend their losing streak.
Appeal court reinstates stay on Florida school mask mandates: https://www.npr.org/sections/back-to-school-live-updates/2021/09/10/1036033583/court-desantis-ban-on-school-mask-mandates-back-in-force . DeMentis has tried to enforce his ban by threatening school personnel with losing their pay. However, the feds have created a grant program to pay those salaries. But more troubling for the plaintiffs is that the appeals court suggested that they may not have standing to bring their case, which would toss the entire case. So both the legal outcome and the future of the bans remain in doubt.
US summer hottest on record: https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/us-just-hottest-summer-record-rcna1957 . So this is no surprise in Portland, where we broke the all-time recorded high by 9 degrees. With another year of record wildfires, we are burning up the massive carbon sink represented by Western forests. The unprecedented carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere is creating a runaway feedback loop which will destroy the relatively stable climate the Earth has enjoyed for hundreds of thousands of years. And yes, I’m describing the Ice Ages as “relatively stable” in comparison to what will happen in the next few hundred years. The forest floor has never been as dry as it is now. We are also enduring a massive extinction event which threatens the existing ecosystem.